The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-06-28

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Scriptures assure us that the Plan it.
self was the Fathers and that He gra-
ciously invited the Son to the partici-
patton which He enjoys.
When we think of the Divine crea-
tive Power our minds go out to the
to the millions Of suns and hundreds
of millions of planets which fill the
space about us and which we call the
Universe: Day unto day uttereth
speech. and night unto night showeth
knowledge; there is no speech nor Ian
guage where their voice is not heard
declaring the omnipotence and omnis-
cience of our great God. their Creator.
We say that these are works worthy
of Creator and we are surprised that
the Great Eternal should in any sense
of the word interest Himself and His
great Power in a transforming work
in connection with our hearts and lives.
Nevertheless, the more we consider it
the more we are convinced that the
creation of angels was greater dis
play of Divine Power than the crea-
ton of the worlds. Likewise the crea-
ton of man in the image of God was
a far greater creation than that of the
material Universe, because man was
created in the image and likeness Of
His CreatOr-Adam was a miniature
copy of God in the flesh.
The Divine intention respecting
Adam and his race in general, the BIZ
BILE assures us, is Restitution-restora
ton eventually to all that was enjoyed
by our first parents in Eden and lost
through disobedience-sin. The Heav-
rows and tears incidental to the reign
Of sin and death are not to be in vain.
He purpOsed mans redemption and
restoration from before the founda-
ton of the Notwithstanding as He
did the course of Adam as free agent,
his disobedience and fall under the
death penalty.
Thus the Scriptures assure us that in
the Divine purpose Jesus was 1.-The
Lamb slain from before the foundation
of the world" And they assure US
that the Lamb who was slain is uti-
mately to be given the dominion over
the whole earth, and for a thousand
years shall exercise reign of right
eousness. justice, love and power with
a view to the reclamation and restitu-
the human family-and the destruction
of all those who love sin and hate
righteousness and who therefore are
styled "corrupters of the earth."-Rev-
citation XII, IS.
We Are Gods New Creation.
AS we have just seen, the great and
important work of human restitution
the Father has delivered over, entire
to the Son, the worlds Redeemer; as
we read: He must reign until He shall
have pct down all enemies"-even
death. the last enemy. Then He will
deliver up the Kingdom to God, even
the Father. says st. Paul. q COrin-
thians XIV, 24-28) But our text is not
discussing that work of Restitution
which belongs to the coming Age Of
Messiah's glorious reign of righteous
ness. On the contrary, it deals with
the specially favored and specially
blessed ones who during this Age are
being called. proved. tested, polished,
prepared for joint heirship with Jesus
in His Kingdom. $500
These are special objects Of Divine
care. whose blessing consists not in
restitution to earthly perfection and an
earthly Eden home or Paradise. These
are called of God with high call
ing" heavenly calling"-to be heirs
of God and joint-heirs with Jesus
Christ our Lord" CROmans viii, I'D
These. st. Peter tells us, have been
granted exceeding great and precious
promises, that by these promises Las
the Divine power or energy working
in theml they might become partakers
of the divine nature.-II Peter j, 4.
All, now we perceive the special
sense in which Divine Power is being
exercised toward the called and elect
Church from that which will be exer-
cised toward the world in general.
God is creating new order of beings
in the Universe-an order or class on
the divine plane, which is far above
that of angels. municipalities and pow
ers Or any other plane in the whole
Universe. This is the sense, then, in
which we are Gods workmanship and
newly created of Him in Christ Jesus
unto good works.
Only from this standpoint can the
beauty and harmony Of the Bible be
The Fathers providences
guided that Jesus should first pass
the trials and difficulties and
elf-sacritices necessary to demon
stration of His loyalty which would
prove Him worthy of the divine ma
ture. And so the Apostle tells us that
He who was rich. for our sakes be-
came poor: that the LOgos humbled
Himself and took a bondmans form
in harmony with the Divine Program
And being found in fashion a Man.
He humbled Himself" still further.
even to death, "even the death OF the
cross Wherefore also Ten this &C.
count God hath highly exalted Him.
and given Him name that is above
every name. that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow. both of things
in heaven and things on the earth."-
Philippians ii. 6-lO.
Nor did the New Creation cease with
this eXaltation of the LOgOs. the Re-
deemer of men. to the Fathers right