The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-10-02

M that not Of your
selves; it is the gift OF Cod CHphe
SLAMS ii, 81. He said in part:
The relationship between faith and
works In the matter of the Churchs
salvation has been a question Of con-
txOveESy for centuries. However, this
like other subjects once mysterious.
yields to the clearer light OF our day.
Now we perceive the Importance of
both faith and works and the relation
ship they bear to each other. Faith
Is the ail-important factor in Gods
sight, because in our fallen condition
we cannot do perfect works and because
God cannot consistently accept and
reward any but perfect works.
Gods arrangement for us. therefore.
in Christ is that He will judge u.s.
not according to our works. but accord
ing to our faith. Nevertheless. good
works are recognized as a demonstra-
ton OF our faith. So surely as we have
the proper faith in God and His prom
ises 1t will manifest itself in works.
even though we cannot do perfectly.
I So st. James points out that Abra-
ham was not justified without works
but was required to demonstrate his
faith by his works, even though they
were not perfect works and could not
have justified him.
Age of Faith-Age Of Works.
IF we call this Gospel Age the Age Of
faith, none should misunderstood us to
mean that works are now wholly ig-
nored, but rather that works take the
secondary place Likewise. when we
say that the coming Age Of the Mes
sianic Kingdom will be an Age of
works, none should understand US as
meaning that faith will then be ig-
nored- Works will then be the basis
of the Lords judgment in dealing with
the world. Thus we read that they
shall be Judged every man according
to his works" Revelation xxi. 12l
Judgment according to works. yet not
without faith. may perhaps appeal to
some Of our minds as being the more
reasonable, the more Just form of judg
menf However when we come to
note the difference between the condi-
tons of the trial Of the Church of this
Age and the future trial of the world
during the Messanic reign. we can see
readily the reason for the different ba-
Sis OF judgment
The Present Grace Age
In the present time the Lord is Sc
Iecting from the world a special class
to be the Bride of Christ and He prop
erly makes faith the test. Q) Because
In the Divine estimation faith in God
Is one of the grandest elements of
character, the one most essential to
|. Mch as will he entrusted with high
positions and authority in the King
dom G, Because the judgment accord
Ing to faith meets the various condi-
tons of the present time as judgment
according to works would not do.
The Lord calls now for such as will
walk in the marrow way" demonstrat-
ing that if they had perfect bodies as
Jesus body was perfect they would be
perfect in works as well as in faith
In the next Age. the Divine plan will
not be the selection of self-sacrificing
ones for the Kingdom. hut the bless
ing of humanity with an opportunity to
return to the full perfection of human
nature. They will be required merely
to demonstrate their loyalty TO God in
the use of their lives faithfully in
obedience to His Law. The reward for
the sacrificers of this Age is to be
glory, honor and immortality the d.
vine nature and joint heirShip with the
Lord Jesus in His Kingdom. The re-
ward for obedience TO be given i'll the
next Age will he human perfection In
the image and likeness OF God. with all
the earthly Inheritance originally given
to Adam-lost through sin and redeem
ed by the merit OF Christ's sacrifice
And since the objective points Of the
two Ages are different. so will be their
methods and conditions.
We have already considered the con
ditions of the Churchs trial: let us
next notice how different will he the
conditions of the worlds trial accord
ing to works. in the coming Age. The
reign OF Satan and sin now prevalent
is to give way; Satan is to be bound
for a thousand years that he may de
ceive the nations no more for that pc
Rod. The darkness, ignorance, super
stition and misunderstanding of God
and His plans. etc. which have pre-
vailed for the last six Thousand years
will pass away. Instead. 1.-The Sun of
Righteousness shall arise with healing