The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-25
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 MlEHBERNACLE
What Doth Jehovah Require!
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Matthew 7:24-2s-March 29


 Matthew 7:24-2s-March 29
 What doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?"-Micah 6:S
 Jesus sought to impress upon His hear CTS that it was not sufficient to hear that a Kingdom of God was coming, and that it would bring certain blessings to the world. It was not sufficient to know that Kingdom class was being called to be Messiah's joint heirs in that kingdom. Action would be necessary on their part if they would attain this high privilege which God had granted them.
 Jesus gave an illustration, declaring that those who heard His message and rem dered obedience thereto would be like d. wise man who built his house upon the rock where the rains would not wash away the foundation. The storms of life are sure to come, aad the great crisis of life, death, is sure to come. Amidst these trials there will be calmness confidence and security for such as have accepted the Lords arrangement and have been walking to the best of their ability in Jesus footsteps.
 On the other hand, Jesus intimated that many who heard His words and expressed great appreciation of them would fail to take the proper steps to attain the glori- ous kingdom privileges which He pre- scented. They would allow custom, habit, love of pleasure, love of ease, the spirit of the world, to hinder them, either from making the proper full devotion of them selves to God or from carrying out this purpose Such did not build their faith upon the proper foundation. Perhaps some of them built upon the law, and thought that they could commend them selves to God by their own endeavors, without the imputation of Christs merit Such would be greatly mistaken Other foundation can no man lay than that which God has laid-Jesus Christ. His death is our redemption price, and His appearance in glory as our advocate is to make good for our unintentional short comings.
 With all such, the day of stress and trial will surely come, and their faith structure, being without a proper foun- dation, will give way. They will suffer the loss of all their hopes This how ever, does not signify, as many of us once supposed, that they will go to eter- nal torment. Evidently nearly all Chris tian people, misled by the creeds of the dark ages, have read into the word of God many things which it does not con tain.
 Compare St. Paurs Parable The Apostle Paul used a similar illus tration Those building upon that founda- tion with the gold, silver and precious stones of divine truth--developing faith and character in harmony with the di- vine reauirements-will suffer no loss in the great trial day at the end of this age But others who build with she
 wood, hay and stubble of human tradi- tion and self-eomplacency, will have their entire faith structure consumed.-l Corin- thians S:lo-15.
 Nevertheless the apostle tells us that even those who will suffer loss, if they have built upon Christ, will themselves be saved yet so by fire. They will be what is termed a tribulation class, de- scribed in Revelation 7:14:11 These are l they that have come out of great tribu- l lation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the l Lamb. Therefore are they before the 1 throne of God and serve Him in His 1 temple day and night On these God mas various blessings to bestow, in propor- l ton to their obedience loyalty and faith. l The class that the Apostle mentions as | building with gold silver and precious l stones, will be little flock, royal priesthood, who will sit in the throne wearing crowns joint heirs with Jesus in | the KlnEuOIn. but tnt cidSS DuliuliS uPoil l the rock without proper materials, yet saved so as by fire, will be the great 1 company, the antitype of the Levites, who | will serve before the throne. Instead ol | wearing crowns, they will be granted l palm branches, indicating a victory oi
 an inferior kind. The priestly class will be the antitypical temple of God, the Levite class, the great company, wil
 serve God in and throug hthat temple | class.
 1 These two classes include merely tho I spirit begotten ones of this gospel age l The ancient worthies are to constitute 1 another class 0f saved ones-saved tC 1 earthly perfection, to be princes in all the | earth, glorious representatives of the l invisible, spiritual heavenly kingdom. 1 Then will come the blessing of all tho families of the earth who prove willing and obedient during the millennial reign and who shall be gradually lifted up by resurrection power, back to all that VIZ. lost in Adam and redeemed through ths precious blood of Jesus: On the othel 1 hand. intelligent. wilful opposers of Got
 and righteousness, after certain period of opportunity, will be destroyed in tn, second death-whether they belong tt the class now on trial, class of spiri begotten ones. or to the class which wil
 be on trial during Messiahs reign. l 1uc cOplc W ere AStOUISUeO No wonder the people were astonishe, l at such doctrines as Jesus gave forth even though none could perfectly under stand except through the enlightening in fiuences of the Holy Spirit. which wa not yet given because Jesus was not ye glorified. (John 7:S9) The teachings O Jesus had positiveness quite differen lfrom the various speculations and wor. derings of the scribes. So it is alway with the truth. Wherever there is con l fusion and mysticism, we may be sur there is error and ignorance. Hence tn necessity that all who preach Chris should have the anointing. or ordination to preach, which God alone gives througl teh begetting of the Holy Spirit.
 Our Golden Text
 What God requires Is loyalty and obedi ence, not sacrifice. Whatever is sacri ficial is thus much more than the divin law requires. Hence when Jesus pre scented Himself at Jordan He consecratet all that He had to do the Fathers will l even unto death, not merely to keep tn law. So. it mus tbe with all who follow in His footsteps.
 The Prophet Micah addressed the Jews and his message was from the standpon of the law He was encouraging tn Jews to do their best to fulfl it's require
 ments. Nevertheless no Jew ever tul