The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1913-01-03

| t(PAST0R RUSSELDl Ephesians Ii, 8, 10.
| If the Bible
taught that salvation would be the
reward Of good works, 1t would bar
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 flu
ture, as we'll 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 OH
| 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 or less obscurely In the light
/ o% n n.lpc nd ha nf
past. 49," said tho 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 dark place
while waiting for the dawning Of the.
! New Day I'll Peter |. 1917. We are very
| near to that New Day now. but We
still need the light OF the Lamp. the
| Word of God, and II Ii shining more
| clearly than ever before. II Is show
ing us 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
imperfection through herelity from
| the fall. and because OF the imperfec-
| ton OF all In contact with as In the
affairs Of life. and because OF the evil
influence of Satan and the fallen an
gels-"scducing spirits."-I Tim. iv, 1.
| II Is when the believer reaches the
| point OF full conservation Of himself
to God that Jesus becomes his Advo-
| cate with the Father and mputcs OF
His merit as covering for the sin
ners blemishes. and thus makes Him
acceptable to the Father as n living
sacrifice and footstep follower Of the
/ Master and prospective heir Of God
and joint heir with Jesus Christ his
Lord
We Are Gods Workmanship.
However, us soon as the Father has
/ accepted the sinner, MS soon rs he has
been begotien Of the Holy Spirit as q
New Creature, old things are passed
away, and thenceforth he may do
works-must Go works indeed. II he
does not ~ works he will die spiritual
ly But The old creature. the sinner,
can do no works TO merit Divine APP
prevail His faith in the Redeemer
makes him acceptable. AS q Now
| Creatllr nc has no sins to be forgiven
! The New Creature has no heredity from
the past. but may cry. Abba. Father
As son the New Creature is permit
ted to work and must be about his
Fathers business must seek FIRST the
! interests of Tie Divine Kingdom.
The Church Glass is Code New Crea.
ton. In the remote past He created
The thousands OF millions Of worlds;
/ samples of which may he witnessed on
! u starry night. But with all their i'm
mensity they were rs nothing TO His
new creation of angels I'm various or
| dcrs, and later. the creation OF man, of
! the earth earthly. Even the SMALLEST
insect Is II greater creation than the
| creation Of an lnaniinate world. be-
| cause the insect has will. volition. soul.
Of its own God having created az
these other things, ut last purposed the
! creation of u still higher order Of be
lngs than ,he angelic. who are suon to
be "partakcrs of the divine nature. -
II Peter |. g.
;, For more than eighteen centuries
God has been working on this. New
Creation. First Of ali. Jesus. the great
Messianic Head. was made perfect
through suffcrings, prepared for this
divine nature and received to II IN His
glorious resurrection. Since Pcntecost
God has bcelI accepting by the beget-
ting Of the Holy Spirit snch OF human
ity rs avail themselves Of the glorious
privilege Of this Age. Only those pos
sessing faith can he of this class To
all others the invitation and glorious
! description Of the heavenly nature are