The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-06-27

:
Ix unblameable and
~ unreprovable in
an &s His sight. "-Colos-
iPASIOR RUSSEll) slams i, %.
Whatever our
creeds have said to the effect that
anyone declining the drawing and in
vitation of this Gospel Age would suf
fla eternal torture, we are glad that
the Bible says nothing Of this kind
Gods Word holds out a specially glo-
riOuS reward for those who now re-
nounce the world and become true,
faithful. footstep followers of Jesus.
But nowhere do the Scriptures de-
clare the unreasonable proposition
that any declining this offer of joint
heirship with Jesus in His Kingdom
and its terms in the narrow way must
on account of this rejection suffer
eternal torture. How unjust would
such Il proposition below ungodlike.
How did we ever so seriously blunder?
The Transforming Work.
Note the class the Apostle mentions
as undergoing the transforming intlu-
ences, preparing them for share in
the Kingdom Glories lie declares in
the context that those to whom he
wrote We're once alienatcd from God.
enemies in mind by wicked works, yet
now recOnciled. Al. as every Chris
tian knows. there is a wonderful,
transforming influence in the Message
of the love and grace of God. And
it is this that st. Paul here declares.
Jesus first of all through His death
as satisfaction of Justice made pos
sible the acceptance of the aHenated,
condemned ones. Next the Message of
Divine Grace, the call to be sons of
God. reached the hearts of many and
captured them. The Message not only
works in their hearts to aciU, but works
powerfully also in their bodies to d.
to the extent of ability, the will of
God. And it is these that the Apostle
declares the Eedeemer will present be-
fore the Father holy. unblameable
The transforming work now pro
crosses in their minds, in their hearts,
and all the faithful will share in the
First or Chief changed
in moment, in the twinkling of an
eye" to perfection on the spirit plane.
We shall be like Him, for we shall
see Him as He is But the Apostle
reminds us in the succeeding verse
that all this glorious outcome is de-
pcndent-it all hangs upon the word If
if we continue in the faith; if we
are grounded and settled, and if we
be not moved away from the hope
which we have received.
The Apostle reminds US that this is
not a special. private Message, but the
very identical one Message, the one
Gospel, the one faith once delivered
to the saints"-and proclaimed for
every creature which is under heaven.
BY this he did not mean to say that the
Gospel had been preached in heather
lands. Indeed. although more than
eighteen centuries have passed, the
Gospel is not yet preached TO every
creature under heaven. What St Paul
did mean is that the Gospel which
originally was confined to the Jew. was
from the days Of Cornelius, the first
Gentle convert open to all people of
every nationality under heaven-tO all
who had the hearing ear and appreci-
atiye heart But. alas. how COMPARE
lively few are in such attitude of mind
as to be appreciatiye Of Gods grace.
Only the few, "a little flock" have
been found. as God foreknew and as
Jesus foretold
The Future Program Different.
But God is interested in cur entire
race He did not provide the redemp-
ton merely for the sanity ones whom
He specially loves and is now drawing.
On the contrary. Jesus Christ by the
grace Of God. tasted death for every
man" Webrews ii. 81 Hence it does
not surprise US that Gods Plan, which
begins with the calling Of the sanity
few, by no means ends with them. In
deed their calling and election is with
J view to the blessing eventually o.
the non-eIect. the unwilling. who nc
have ears but hear not. and eyes
see not
These. the Bible tells US. are soot
be dealt with in Il different ma'
Force is to be used The pow q:
the Messianic Kingdom will bint Itan
for thousand years and will reatrain
evil. Divine Power will also let loose
all the glorious agencies of Truth,
righteousness, light, until the whole
earth shall be filled with the knowl-
edge Of the glory of God as the wa
ters cover the great deep; and until
none shall need to say to his neigh
Dor, Know thou the Lord. because all
shall know Him. from the least of
them to the greatest" In that day
the righteous shall flourish" instead
Of the wicked. In chat day evil doors
will suffer stripes-and, if they do not
repent. they will be cut off in the Sec
ond Death; whereas all the righteous
shall increase their joys and be receiv-
ed into life eternal