Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-08-30

taught that salvation would be the
reward Of good works, it would har-
monize better with the common concep-
ton. Why should God specially re-
ward faith? Why should He not spe-
cially reward good works? The answer
to this question can be appreciated
only by an understanding Of the fu-
ture. as well as Of the present, Of the
Divine Plan, said Pastor Russell. In
Gods general dealings with angels and
with men, His principle Is to reward
works, obedience Gods exceptional
dealings are with the Church-for spe-
cial reasons, which we shall see.
During Messiah's glorious reign, for
which we pray, "Thy Kingdom come"
the world In general will not be On
trial so much for faith, but rather for
works-as we read. 'They shall be
judged, every man according to his
works" Thus obedience to the laws
and regulations Of Messiah's Kingdom.
will be rewarded by gradual Restitu-
ton to perfection. With every exercise
Of righteousness and obedience will
come the reward Of strength of mind
and body.
The Church Walks by Faith.
But how different matters are now!
said Pastor Russell. Everything Is
dark. except as the eye Of faith can
see more c. less obscurely In the light
Of Gods promises and the types Of the
past. 49," said the Apostle, 1--WE (the
Church). walk by faith and not By
sight" St Peter declares that we
should take heed to the word OF
prophecy as light IN q dark place
while waiting for the dawning Of the
New Day III Peter /, 19). We are very
near to that New Day now, but we
still need the light Of the Lamp, the
Word Of God, and 1t Is shining more
clearly than ever before. 1t Is show
Ing lib the explanation Of our text. that
the Church is not being judged or test
ed according to works, but according
to her faith.
In the present time perfect works
are impossible anyway. because Of our
lmperfection through heredity from
the fall. and because Of the lmperfec-
ton Of all IN contact with. US In the
sffairssof life,f AND becalIsa OF the evil
influence of: Satan and the. fallen an
GELS s.seaucthg spirlts.p1tt 4ttn. ". l.
It Is when the believer reaches the
point Of full conservation OF, himself
to God that Jesus becomes his4AdyG
cate with tho Father and lmputes sef
His merit as covering for the SIN
ner's blenishes, and thus makes Him
acceptable to the Father as living
sacrifice and footstep follower Of the
Master and prospective heir of God
and 3oint-heir with Jesus Christ his
Lord
We Are Gods Workmanship.
However as soon as the Father has
accepted the sinner, as soon as he has
been begotten Of the Holy Spirit as q
New Creature, old things are passed
away, and thenceforth be may do
works-must do works indeed. If he
does not do works he will die spiritual
~. But the old creature, the sinner.
can DO no works to merit Divine ap-,
proval. His faith In the Redeemer
makes him acceptable. AS q New
Creature be has no sins to be forgiven
The New Creature has no heredity from
the past but may cry, Abba. Father"
Az q son the New Creature IS permit
ted to work and must be about his
Fathers business-must seek first the
interests of tho Divine Kingdom.
The Church Class is Gods New Crea.i
ton. In the remote past He created
the thousands Of millions Of worlds,
samples Of which may be witnessed on
q starry night. But with oil their I'm,
mensity they were rs nothing to Ills.
new creation of angels In various or.
ders, and later, the creation OF man, OF.
the earth earthly. Even the smallest
Insect is q greater creation than the
creation of an inanimate world. be,
cause the insect has will. voliton, SOUL
of its own. God having created all
these other things. at last purposed the
creation Of q still higher order of be.
ings than the angelic, who are soon tc
be "partakers Of the divine nature
II Peter !, a.
For more than eighteen centuries
God has been working on this New
Creation. First Of all, Jesus, the great.
Messianic Head, was made perfect
through sufrerings, prepared for this
divine nature and received to 1t In His
glorious resurrection. Since Pentecosi
God has been accepting by the beget'
ting of the Holy Spirit such of human
ity as avail themselves of the glorious;
privilege Of this Age. Only those pos
sessing faith can be of this class. &c
all others the invitation and glorious
description Of the heavenly nature ar'
foolishness-