Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-08

SNIP NE, Fieacnlng Tor doctrines the
commandments Of men,"
Jesus gave them an example Of how
they neglected the Divine command
| mcnts while giving so much attention
| 10 ceremonial washings, which were
commanded not of God, but of the
Talmud. The illustration was that
the Mosaic Law commanded that
farther and mother should be honored
ana that he that spoke evil of either
of them should be put to death. But
this command had been changed by
the Talmud and any man might be free
from his parents by consecrating him
self and substance to God and religious
| uses. Having done so, according TO
| the Talmud, ne was freed from all OBJ
| legations to his parents. Thus they
had made Gods direct commandment
On this subject null and void.
,, This was the conflict between the
teachings of Jesus and the teachings
of the Pharisees Jesus held the Word
Of God and rejected the Talmud, the
traditions of the Elders, and the Pi1ar-
fsees neglected the Word of God and
Field to the traditions. What are we as
Christians doing today? 1BethS bold
fast the faithful Word = TIKI Word Of
6se9, which is able to make saas Wise.
| Let us search the Scriptures daily and
| critically, and let us abandon every
thing which conflicts herewith.
What Is Gods Kingdom?
Our text is frequently misunderstood
| to mean that Gods Kingdom consists
| in righteousness and peace and JOY in
| the Holy Spirit. The context shows
that this is entirely a wrong thought.
Let HIS beaI in mind what we have
| already seen respecting the Kingdom
mentioned IN the Bible-that it is the
glorious reign of Messiah for thouS-
and years. for the uplift Of the hui
man family and that during that reign
| the Church will be associated with
| Jesus in His Kingdom glory, power
md honor. The call of this Gospel Age
| is to select this Bride class and to de-
velop them and make them meet for
| the inheritance of the saints in light.
we have seen that in the present
| time these called out ones-called to
| he the Bride the Lambs WifeF--are
| the Kingdom in embryo, undeyelopeo
| These probationary members of the
| Kingdom, the Scriptures tell us. are
| not under the Law of Moses, expressed
1 in the Ten commandments; they are
! not hoping for eternal life through
them: they are under Grace-under a
| gracious arrangement which God has
/ made fer them through the merit OF
| Christ's death. St. Paul points out
| that while these are free from the va
| rious commands of the Jewish Law.
| thex are not without Law, but under
| the great Divine Law, as members OF
| the Body of Christ. He SAYS that thus
| we. as New Creatures, fulfill the real
meaning Of the Divine Law when we
| walk, not after the flesh, but after
| the spirit" even though we be not
| able to walk fully UP to the spirit OF
lthe Law because of weakness of orr
| flesh. is the New Creature. the de-
sire, that is being judged and not the
| flesh.
| Accordingly the Gentiles who came
| into membership in the Body of Christ
were not required to conform them
| selves to the demands of the Jewish
Law. For instance, a jew, according To
the Law might not eat fish that had
no scales. maclSerel, etc, neither might
he eat rabbit meat, nor pork; and in
| a variety OF other ways he was re-
| strained and limited in his eating and
| drinking But none of these restraints
| applied to Christians who had come
| from AMONGST the Gentilesl and. who
never had been under theaRa uo Cove
nant. D. fGt j.
| In our text st. Paul urges thatithese
liberties respecting what. they might
eat and drink We're not to- be- esteem
cd as the real blessings of the embryo
Kingdom class in the present life. Far
| from it; the real blessings of this class
consisted in their enjoyment of right
| eousness and peace and JOY in the
Holy Spirit Transformed by the re-
newing of their minds, they had come
| to appreciate and love righteousness
| and truth; good things rather than
| evil things; pure things rather than
| impure things; spiritual things rather
| than earthly things; their citizenship
| now was in Heaven instead of being
an earthly one. They had core to APP
preciate 1.-THE peace of God which pass
| eth all understanding" and its rule in
/ their hearts was one of the grand
| blessings which they enjoyed as mem
bers Of the embryo Kingdom class.
| Our heavenly peace and confidence in
| God are The result of our union with
| Christ as members of His Kingdom
| class This we prize and not specially