The Pleasantville press., 1913-01-08

W0ilSo ioi anu prayed loF are SILL LII"
ture. They cannot come until the First
fruits shall have been harvested. st.
James Q:18l declares that the Church
is kind of First-fruits unto God of
His creatures. Through this First
fruits the Divine blessing will operate
amongst men for thousand years, to
restore that which was lost--human
perfection in the image and likeness of
the Creator.
St Paurs argument proceeds along
this line. He declares that the first
feature of the Divine Plan is to bring
many sons to glory-as joint-heirs with
Jesus. AS Jesus was made perfect
through sufferings. so these following
Him as their Captain and Leader, walk
ing in His steps. are also to be made
perfect through sufferings, for IF we
suffer with Him. we shall also reign
with him. Heb. 2:10; Tim. 2:l2.
Proceeding. the Apostle discusses this
sanctified class. Head and Body. They
are sanctified or set apart under a
special covenant, which reads. Gather
My saints together unto Me, those that
have made a Covenant with Me by sac
rifice" psalm 50:5l This special
sanctification or setting apart to sacri-
fee marks this little company of sons
of God as separate and distinct from
all others of Gods creatures. With
their Lord and Head, they are heirs
of God-joint- with Jesus Christ
their Lord, if so be that they suffer
with Him. The Redeemer who sane
titles them and those who are sanctiied
through Him ''are all of one [Body or
company], for which cause He is not
ashamed to call them brethren. saying.
I will declare Thy name unto My breth-
ren-in the midst of the Church will
sing praise unto Thee."-Heb. 2:11. II.
Christ Jesus and His Children.
Then the Apostles argument broad
ems SO as to include the general scope
of Messiah's redemptive work-extend-
ing beyond the Church. His Body, to
Adam and all the families of the earth
st. Paul quotes in proof of this. BE
hold, and the children Which God hath
given Me-" This statement evidently
applies to those who will be saved to
the human, earthly salvation during
the Millennium. They will all be the
children of Messiah. That it could not
refer to the Church is evident; for we
are never styled the children of Christ,
but His brethren, His spouse, His men,
bers.
St Peter elsewhere emphasizes this,
saying, "The God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ hath begotten u.s."
Il Peter :3) Jesus emphasized this
also, saying, MY Father and your
Father" Never did the Master speak
of Himself as the Father of His
Church class, nor would it be an ap-
propriate figure that He should be rep
resented as espoused to His owD chill
dren. On the contrary. He is pro-
phetically declared to be the Father
of restored humanity. To the world
He becomes the Second Adam. The
first Adam, the qualified head or ia
ther of humanity. failed to give ever
lasting life because of his disobedience,
by which he himself came under the
sentence of death.
was made flesh and was crowned with
glory and honor like the first man
that He might taste death for every
man-that He might redeem the race
from the sentence of death. In max
ing satisfaction for sin He associates
with Himself the Elect, who present
their bodies living sacrifices, holy and
1&ot IL 10
Then in dealing with the world He will
officially take the place of Live-Giver,
or parent-to restore. to regenerate, to
revive, to resurrect, to uplift. all the
willing and obedient. during the thou
sand years of His Messianic Kingdom.
All obedient to Him will thus be en-
abled to regain all that was lost
through the first father. Adam-human
perfection in an earthly Paradise, with
everlasting life and fellowship with
God. Since Jesus will be the Life
Giver to all of the race at the cost of
His own life, He is appropriately styled
their Father, and they His children.
So also we read in the prophecy that
He shall be called 1.-THE Prince of
Peace" the Father Everlasting-the
Father who gives everlasting life.
All Things Put Under Him.
At the dawn Of this thousand-year
Day in which His Kingdom will ac-
complish the full rolling away of the
Curse, how appropriate that this text
should have our consideration. And
how appropriate it is that this text
should greet the thousands who enter
and leave our Union Station. AS we
run to and fro in these chariots which
go like lightning, let us have in mind
their newness. and also the fact that
the Lord has specially declared that
they will be signs by which His people
may know that they are hving in the
time when they may expect speedily
the fulfilment of the gracious promises
of our God to the effect that He will
through Jesus Kingdom wipe away