Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1914-01-16

elared that this
Scripture could not be applied indis-
criminately to all men. Only the
Church are the Temple of God in the
sense the Apostle here mentions; for
only such as have been regenerated. or
begotten of the Holy Spirit, are SONS
of God. These have received new
life, and are Scripturally described as
New Creatures in Christ" These
have entered into a covenant with God
through the merit of Jesus, who i'm
putes His righteousness to them, JUS
tifying them freely from their I'M
intentional imperfections and weak
nesseS.
Then the Pastor pointed out the dis
tinction between these spirit-begotten
New Creatures and the remainder of
mankind, however just and well-in-
tentioned. He showed that ordinarily
we do not speak of humanity apart
from their bodies: for. cut off from the
body, they would be dead. We speak
of such separation as dissolution. As
the union of life (vitaiityl with or
ganism body forms the soul. OF sen
tent being. so their separation causes
the soul to cease. Death would be the
end Of humanity, had not God proyid-
ed for the redemption of the race. and
its restitution by resurrection. kesti-
tuition wiz be merely a BRINGING back
of that which death is now destroying
human. or earthly. being.
Next the speaker showed that any
thing done. either deliberately or care
IessIy. to injure Gods Workmanship
would be sin. There is a Divine Law
to the effect that whoever sins shall
suffer. Whoever defles his body Ell
Their by impure thoughts. angry
thoughts. malicious thoughts, or by
misusing it contrary to Divine arrange
ment. or by drinking or by gluttony is
deiling tie temple of his own soul
the work of God.
Every vile thought or act, every pan
dering to appetite, is sure to bring de-
. pravity of body or mind or both; ana
depravity, he claimed. is death at work.
Unless such depravity be overcome
through Christ, the end will be ever
lasting death. as is written, 1.-THE soul
that sinneth, it shall die"
The same principle. said the Pastor,
applies to all who do evil to hers, Ell
Their by poisoning their minds or their
morals, or by injuring their physical
systems. Such do violence to Gods
work. and degrade their own manhood
The operation of Divine Law will sure
Iy bring punishments, which, unheeded.
will ultimately bring death-"everlast-
ing destruction
We may warn every man along the
broad Biblical line. Whatsoever
man soweth, that shall he also reap,
continued the speaker Whoever soWs |
to the flesh-to sin. selfishness. mean /
ness-to the fallen propensities-anger' |
malice, envy. hatred, strife, evil speak
ing. etc.-wiI be sure to reap CORE
spondingly bitter experiences Thls
way. persisted in. will finally bring
him to the Second Death.
Gods Temple the Church.
The Pastor then briefly reviewed Is
raers wilderness experiences. When /
God entered into covenant relationship /
with the Israelites. He manifested /
Himself by the Shekinah Glory. which
shone out from between the CheruDim I
covering the Mercy Seat IN the Iaoer-
nacle. The Israelites drew near to .
God through His appointed servants
Aaron and his sons, who had access
to Gods presence.
The Tabernacle was therefore the
temple of God, but it was merely a
tent. After the dedication of Solo
mons Temple. God appeared there IN
stead, and manifested His presence In
the same manner.
Then the Pastor explained fully that
the Church is Gods antitypical Tenn
pie; but that. as st. Peter points out
it is not yet constructed as Temple.
Each consecrated child of God. begot-
ten of the Holy Spirit. is living stone
in preparation for place in that slorl-
GUS Temple. soon to be constructor.
These living stones are Gods work
manship. He works in them by the
Spirit of Truth; and by His proyidences
He shapes them. polisheS them. ueVei-
ops their characters, and makes them
ready for the coming building
The Pastor believes st. Paufs thought
in the text to be that wherever God
may dwell is necessarily holy-His
temple or His tabernacle; and that any
wilful or intentional sin. deprav1ng
that temple or tabernacle, would be
an offense against God. If Christians
who have received the begetting OF
the Holy Spirit5 c0nid but comprehend
this lesson. it wNuld have powerful
influence upon Their lives,