The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-11-10
next to the Father through all eternity.
rha Aras4yss NsA E.snn+I.nn

way was Tor Jesus ana the Apostles,
but not for the remainder OF the
Church. God is not expecting sacrL
fees from the Church. nor does H@
purpose to. give them q share with
Jesus ana the Apostles in the Kingdom
honors and glories.
We answer, Let us not be wiser thar
God. His Word declares that the
Apostles were set forth as ensamples
to the Church; and they exhort us to
walk in the footsteps Of Jesus and in
their footsteps as they followed Him.
They tell us that 1--WE are ali called in
the n hope Of our calling" And they
assure US that 1t is possible for the
poorest, and by nature the meanest Of
to make his calling and election sure.
To take any other view is to contra
dict all Of the Bible: and to take the
Bible Is to contradict ali the creeds and
human theories, which long enough
have made the Word of God meaning
less to us all It Is high time that we
allow Gods Word to be heard, and
that we take His Word az its full value.
The Bible Election Is Different.
I well know the objection that many
have to the doctrine OF Election. I
know how opposed to it ] was myself
until I saw how different is the Bible
Election from the Election which
Brother Calvin taught. In the Bible
Election God does the nominating, and
each nominated person either makes
bis calling and election sure, or fails
to do so. The responsibility lies with
the individual favored with n knowI-
edge Of Gods Truth, which knowledge
constitutes a call.
Furthermore, the Bible Election
works no injury to the ~non-eiect.
Quite the contrary. The Election OF
the Kingdom class, along the lines of
character.development. obedience to
God and self-sacrifce, is for the very
purpose Of qualifying these elect ones
for the great work to which they are
called. The elect Seed of Abraham Is
called for the purpose Of blessing all
the families OF the earth.
In the light Of this view Of Election,
how reasonable are the Bible presenta-
tions! And how trials, difficulties and
sacrifces-to which the Church is sub
jected-are evidently necessary for our
testing and development in the char
acter"likensss Of the Lord! and thus
they are a preparation for a share
with Him In His future work.
A knowledge OF the Divine Plan ia
very valuable to all who seek to run
the al If we knew not the object
Of our trials and difficulties. how could
so well learn to endure them pa
tiently! But II TIC know that God is
thus giving us lessons to prepare ua
for His service in Messiah's Kingdom,
how it changes the aspect Of the en-
tire matter!
AS st. Paul declared, we may even
come to the place where we shall re-
joice in tribulaton. knowing that .trib-
ulation worketh patience, and ice
experience. and experience hope. be-
cause the love Of God is shed abroad
In u hearts, and because we realiza
that the developing Of the fruits and
graces of the Holy Spirit is a prepara~
ton; and that thus, as st. Peter says,
An entrance shall be ministered unto
us abundantly into the everlasting
Of u Lord and Savior"
What Of Those Who FaHP
The Scriptures clearly show that two
classes will fail to win the prize. even
after having been begotten Of the Holy
One Of these classes the Scrip.
liken TO the SOW who returns to-
her wallowing in the mire, losing the
Spirit Of the Lord. the Spirit OF the
Truth, and abandoning their consecra-
tton altogether. e Peter 2:22.) Theses
will die the Second Death. Whether
their number is large or small is NOT
for US to judge. We may reasonably
hope that such unfaithful characters
not predominant.
Then comes another class that the
declare will fail to get the
prize. Although members of
The Body OF Christ now in the present
lfe. they will not be amongst the "more
than conquerors' who will be uaen-
oers Of the Body beyond the veil.
These are represented as a great COM
>any." How great their number is, I'm
proportion to the number who win
Christ, the Scriptures do not tell; there
fore we may safely withhold judg-
nent in the matter.
The Scriptures tell us that while
:hese love the Truth, appreciate their
Of Sacrifice, yet they fail to
complete the sacrifice they had agreed
o make: and the hindrance is their
ack of sufficient love for the Lord and
His work. Their lack Of zeal leads
hem to hold back from sacrifice, al
they do not draw back TO will
ful sin. as do the other class. They
hold back through fear Of death, writes
he Apostle: who through fear OF
Heath were all their lifetime subject
bondage" restrained from going on
the footsteps Of Jesus and the Apos-
les to make their election sure.
The Scriptures represent that this
class. held back by fear OF the dying
process, the sneers OF the world. etc.,
will be counted unworthy Of q place
II the Body Of Christ, the Royal Priest
hood, but will be amongst the antitypi-
al Levites, who will have a service to
'erforrn in conjunction with the King
ON class. But the attainment OF this
,onor will be only after q denaonstra-
ion Of full loyalty to God.
In conclusion. I exhort all who pro-