The Mankato free press., 1913-03-07

II
them. but they knew not OF it. because
Gods time for revealing it to them had
not yet come. II the Jews told the out
siders that they would ultimately bless
all nations. the others laughed ut such
suggestion, feeling that they were as
competent to bless the world as were
the Jews
This. indeed, was what the Babylo-
mans tried. Next after them came the
Medes and Persians; after them the
Grecians; and still later came the Ro-
mans Each Of these stamped their
ideas upon the world to the best of
their ability. and gave their laws. Each
, attempted to show how much more
competent than the others it was for
| earthly rulership. But. alas! none of
them ruled satisfactorily or brought in
'the desire Of all nations Meantime.
also, the Jews waited for the fulfilment
of their promises Meantime, also.
God renewed the promises. and assur-
ed them that He would send the Mes
siah to be their Deliverer shortly.
When Jesus came. He came not as a
warrior. like Alexander the Great or
Napoleon. He was meek and lowly OF
heart: and He called the poor, the
MANNED. the fundamentally. morally
and physicaly-to His standard Not
dated Him and crucified Him. declar-
ing that He did not represent their
ideals and must be Il deceiver--I Cor.
inthianS 2:7. g.
Similarly they treated His followers
As st. Paul declared. "As deceivefs
and vet true" the early Christians suf-
fered reproach The Jews understood
NOT Gods Message They saw not
that it was necessary for jesus to die,
the Just for the unjust" TO he Re
demption-price for the sins of the
world. They saw not that such Il
death was necessary to Him. in order
that He might attain the glory. honor
and immortality of the future. They
saw not that the disciples that Jesus
called were saints. However weak
these were, mentally and morally. their
hearts were loyal. and they strove TO
walk in the footsteps OF Jesus
People have not realized that. dur.
ing this Gospel Age. God has been ac.
cepting the sanity ones who come unto
the Father through the Savior. They
have not seen that the suffering OF
these was necessary for their testing
and proving. and for their instruction
in righteousness. that they might be
fully qualified for glory. honor and i'm
mortality and iOint-heirship with Christ
their Redeemer
ST. Paul speaks of the Church as a
Mystery class 1t is a Mystery to the
world: first. it is the selecting of class
the world would never think Of choosing
"a humble. meek class: second. neither
the Jews nor the world realize that this
class constitutes the Spiritual Seed of
Abraham. to bless all the families OF
the earth.
Nevertheless Gods great Plan goes
on. whether they know or do not know
Ultimately it will work out Il glorious
result Then Natural Israel and all
nations will know. Then the Church.
the Elect, the Seed. the Bride, the
Lambs Wife. will be joined to Him
in bonds of perpetual love. zeal and
faithfulness. Then will begin the very
blessing God 80 long ago declared. say
ing TO Abraham. in thee and in thy
Seed shall all thefamilies Of the earth be
blessed."-Gen. 1913: 1878: 22:1S: 2f:4
Abraham's Spiritual Seed.
God has not changed His purposes.
Malachi 800 He created man an
earthly being. He permitted him to
fall. He purposed his redemption
through Jesus. He purposed the call
ing Of the Church of Christ. to be His
associates in the Kingdom He pur-
posed that this Kingdom should be
Spiritual one: Flesh and blood cannot
inherit the Kingdom of Cod q Cor
inthians 15:50J He purposed that this
Spiritual Kingdom should bless the
world with Restitution blessings
bringing back to perfection all the will
Ing and obedient Of Adams race.
This is the Program still. We mere
ly got 4 wrong impression when we
thought that Gods purpose was the
bringing of all mankind to Heavenly
conditions and nature. No. no. that
blessed experience is only for the
Church class. God still purposes Res
titutiOn for the world OF mankind. In
Abraham's Seed all the families of
the earth will be blessed
IL we see signs OF these great bless
ings beginning now. ii is sure indi-
cation that the Elect must be almost
complete. And if that be true. all of
us who have vowed consecration to
the Lord and His service should be
awake TO our blessings and
and TO the fact that the
time of most crucial testing is even now
ut the door If we are TO make our
calling and our election sure. we must
lose no opportunity for demonstrating
that we are loyal to God and His
Word. and to the brethren Along
these very lines we must expect tests.
too. How else could We be proved?
Moreover. now is the time TO expect
light on the Divine Word and Plan;
and we are getting it. We are seeing
the difference between human nature
and Divine nature. between the earth
ly blessing that is to come TO mankind
aud the high calling" which is the por-
ton Of the Elect. God declares that
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