Graham guardian., 1915-10-22

lRASIQ2 -RQSStlg) ings of earth's
great families and
| the symbol which God has adopted for
His family. While mankind use birds
Of prey and various kinds Of wild
beasts, real or fanCicd. He has chosen
the lamb, the sheep. There is nothing
feroCiOus about the lamb or the sheep.
They are meek and inOffensive. God
tells us that He is the Shepherd of His
saints, Of His sheep.
1t is wonderful suggestion that the
Father of MerCieS, the Almighty One
who Is so high, and in comparison with
whom we are so small should be will
ing to care for us. In comparison with
Him mankind are like the small dust
of the balance isaiah 40:l5D Never
theleSs, Jehovah has favored us. has
made a great Plan for the redemption
Of every member Of our race. Espe-
cially do those who have become His
children. His sheep. see His love and
care manifested toward them. In that
He has invited them to become partak-
ers Of the Divine nature, to be forever
associated with Jesus.-2 Peter IA.
Gods Plan Beyond Human Conception.
The speaker then discussed the
Heavenly Fathers marvellous Plan for
human redemption. TO the Logos, His
Only BegOtten Son, who had always
been faithful to Him, God desired to
give still greater blessings, in COnnec-
tion with the blessing of others. So
the first offer to carry out the Divine
Plan and to obtain the Divine nature
through humiliation and suffering was
made to the LOgOs, Gods only direct
creation. Revelation 3:l4; John 49,
He gladly responded, was made man
by a transfer Of nature, and by faith
full obedience unto the shameful death
Of the cross became the Head of this
company that God purpOsed to bring
from the lowest plane Of His intelli-
gent creatures to the very highest.
The conditions upon which Jehovah
would grant this great eXaltation were
stringent His Son must thoroughly
prove His loyalty and obedience, and
His trial must take place amongst the
adverse conditions prevailing in the
lost world which He was to redeem by
the sacrifice of Himself, and from
which His fOOtstep followers would be
selected This part of Gods wonder
full Plan would never have occurred to
our minds. He would never have
thought of stopping down to fallen
creatures under the curse of death and
in a depruved condition for four thou
sand years, and of making them an
offer, not only of having their sins for
given and of being reconciled to God
through the death of His Son, but also
of becoming followers of that Son and,
by passing through similar trials and
experiences, becoming jOint-heirs with
Him in His glorious inheritance.
Until our Lord Jesus was highly eX-
alted at His resurrection, there was
none of the Divine nature except Jeho-
yah Himself Although next to God,
the Logos was upon n very different
plane of existence. The Father had
first created Him, and through Him all
other beings. Gods next creation will
be upon a higher plane than any other
the Divine. In harmony with this pur-
pose we see that in Christ the Church
will be Gods New Creation. as St Paul
explains.-2 Cor. 5:17; Eph 4:24.
Heretofore the Son had always dem
onstrated His loyalty under favorable
thn hnlN I'm
harmony with Jehovah, where there
we're no requirements Of sacrifice. But
now God would put Him to Il special
test. If He would accept JehOvah's
proposition, and be loyal even unto
death amongst the unhOly ones out Of
harmony with Jehovah and under con
dltionS of suffering and humiliation,
then lie should have an cXaltatiou far
above angels, principHlities, powers,
and every name that is named. st.
Paul tells us that our Lord accepted
the Fathers terms; and that, having
been found worthy, He was exalted to
the right hand Of the Majesty on High.
philippians 2;sl1.
Justification and the High Calling.
IN conclusion the Pastor explained
the difference between justification and
the IIi"h Calling of the Gospel Church
to follow their Redccmers steps. Ev-
erywhcrc the Bible teaches that
through Jesus blood believers are
"iuStifcd freely from all things But
justification merely brings them to the
place where they can offer their bodies
to God in Snrriticr UROmans l2'10
None but the Church have yet been
justified. Others have gone down to
the tomb UnIuStlfcd. During the NIL
lcmuinl Age. Jesus will he their Justl-
fer At the close of that time He will
present hlamClCSS to the Father all who
have met the conditions.