Graham guardian., 1915-12-17


The Christian. he declared, is now
on trial for life or death eternal; the
world is not. If the Christian lives ac-
cording TO Gods Spirit. he shall reap
life everlasting; but If he sows to the
flesh, he shall reap corruption-ever-
lasting death. The Christian has more
enlightenment than the world, al.
though some in the world are naturally
brighter than some in the Church. In
proportion as the Lords children have
knowledge, they have the information
which God gives only TO His people.
When they consecrate themselves to
God to become living sacrifices, our
Lord Jesus makes them acceptable to
the Father by imputing to them His
righteousness; and God gives them the
begetting of the Holy Spirit Whoever
is thus begotten begins then to have
an enlightenment of the mind
1t was thus with our Lord Jesus
Christ. After He had made His con-
secration at Jordan, had symbolically
gone into death in the baptismal wa
ters and had come up out of the river,
the Holy Spirit came upon Him, and
the heavens were opened unto Him"
(Matthew 4:16D The higher things, not
seen by the natural mind. began to
open up to His mind-things seen only
by this power of the Holy Spirit. He
then began to progress rapidly in the
understanding of the Scriptures. I'M
mediately He went into the wilderness,
where for forty days He thought over
the Old Testament Scriptures; and
things therein about which He had
wondered became clear to him. He
did not understand everything, how
ever. He did not know the time for
the setting up Of the Kingdom. God
had not then revealed it.-Matthew
"A :36; John 1912; Revelation IL.
Jesus Experiences After illumination.
Our Lord was an illustration of how
all Gods people of this Gospel Age re-
ceive a supernatural illumination. al
though not in the same degree: for our
Lord was perfect He had left the
glory which He had with the Father,
and had humbled Himself to be made
flesh He was Il perfect man, and ad-
ditionally had the illumination which
had come to Him as a spirit-begotten
New Creature. Philippians 2:S-l1;
John ia.
This enlightenment was respecting
the Fathers will: for He had come to
earth to do that will The Fathers
proposition was that Jesus should pre-
sent His body n living sacrifice and be
faithful even unto death Our Lord
kept looking into Gods Word. TO see
what that Word instructed Him to do.
Thus lie ordered His life by Gods
will He did what the Scriptures said
He was to do. He sowed to the Spirit
and reaped the promised reward.
This course led the Master to be out
of accord with the people Of His time.
Those therefore who would be In har
mony with Him would also be out of
accord with men. They were to have
only one Master, Christ. He had but
one Master. the Father. He has set
His followers an example, that they
should walk in His steps. Having con
SeCrated their lives as He did. they are
called to share with Him the suffer.
ings of this time, that they may share
the glory to folIow.-Romans SIT: Co
IOSSians "a; Timothy 2:1!. IL
All the Spirit 6esotten Illuminated.
bn Ia,
sDonsibility resting upon Gods spirit |
begOtten children. This Heavenly illu |
minatiOn makes clear to them the will |
Of God; for He has accepted them and
given them this earnest of their inherit |
anCe, This causes the true Christian |
and the worldly 1t Is for these ilu-
ones to SOW to the Spirit, and |
not TO the flesh Romans S:l3l They !
are to use their wills. their talents and |
their influence for spiritual things, not |
earthly things.
Should any of these spirit-begotten |
ones live according to their own nat
ural preferences, live in the base of |
their brain. minding natural. earthly |
things, giving time and attention to
pet cats, dogs. automobiles. fine clothes.
fine earthly appointments and TO the
pleasures of life, such would be living
after the flesh, even though they do
not murder, steal. lie. etc. And IF ye
i've after the flesh. yc shall die" They
have covenanted to give up these nat.
lral things In order to get the spiritual |
things; ana their receiving of Gods
Holy Spirit indicates that He has ac-
repted them. Therefore II they turn
back and break their contract with the
Lord they will die; theirs viii be the
Second Death-an endless death.