The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-07-15


all children o
wrath, sinners under sentence of death
God indeed tells us that He purposes
to bless the world by and by, through
the great Mediatorial Kingdom tina
will rule the world for Thousand
years to help mankind up out of deg
radiation, sin and death to full perfec
ton of human nature; and that III,
has appointed Jesus Christ to be the
Mediator between Himself and the
world during those Thousand years
Meantime, He has also purposed t.
take out OF the world some who will
have the same mind as was in Christ
Jesus, and to associate this class with
our Lord in the work of blessing the
world. Jesus Himself will be the Head
over this company, and they will be
the Body of Christ. Whoever desires
to become member of this Body
which God Is selecting must comply
with the required conditions.
Evidently the one quality for which
God is looking Is honesty, sincerity;
He desires really true and really loyal
hearts. One might be very careful to
a penny in respect to money Obliga-
tons, and yet not be strictly and
thoroughly honest. He might overes-
innate himself and underestimate 9th
ers. Some people are born with an
honest disposition. All whom God is
now receiving are of this honest heart
ed kind. If He has thus favored us
with the Truth, 1t is for us to main
tain this honesty; for unless honesty
enters into all the affairs of life, it will
be impossible to maintain our relation
ship with the Lord.
We cannot be too careful with our
we cannot be too honest.
We cannot think of the Lord Jesus as
being dishonest or of the Apostles as
giving transformation. Therefore 1t is
evident that they did not believe in
He'll fire and eternal torment; for we
cannot think that they would have
omitted preaching about eternal tor
ment If they had believed 1t. We love
TO think of the Apostles as being hon
est men, in favor with God.
There is a tendency on the part of
all mankind to say, II am all right"
But everybody who Is not an idiot
knows differently. "There Is none
righteous, no. not one. All have sinned
and come short of the glory of Cod
short of that glorious condition which
God approved when He created our
first parents. We all come short Of
that perfection of human nature. But
4 we confess our sins, we demonstrate
our honesty; and He who arranged for
he forgiveness of those sins is faith |
full to forgive us. If we assert that
we are not sinners, we make God a
lar; and the truth Is not in us-we
would be dishonest We should be
ionest enough to tell God that we de-
lire to be right John 10, 10.
The Terms Of Discipleship.
Whoever would become member OF
he Body of Christ must first turn
way from sin and turn toward God.
70 those who have taken that step
md are DESTROYS Of progressing, the
ord Jesus says. "Sit down and count
he cost" The Bible never urges any.
,ody along this line. duke 14:27, 20
'eople who do not understand the Bi
lie work upon ones emotions In urg-
ng others to give themselves TO God.
they do not understand that Gods
way is to think everything out care.
ully: that Gods Plan Is very cool and
calculating, and that everything con-
erning IL Is to be determined intel
ectually.
There is only one way Of becoming a
'hristian, and that Is by entering into
covenant with the Lord This eope
ant Is a positive agreement, In which
ve give ourselves In sacrifice-to re-
ounce everything Of an earthly ma
lIre. This IL the kind OF covenant
fhich our Lord Jesus made; II Is the
My kind 10 be made now. psalm
05) Jesus made His Covenant OF
acrifice at the beginning Of His min
'try, as it is written 40. ] come lin
he volume OF the Book ii Is written Of
lei TO do Thy will. o Cod Hebrews
Oh Whoever would be follower OF
ne Lord must make this same cove
ant
II did not take our Lord long to {
punt the cost: for He had such a high |
ppreciation OF the privilege that He I
eIighted to give Himself 10 God He I