The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-01-21

|
namely. to ask Him upon what terms
He will introduce us to the Heavenly
Father, and thus bring us back from
the condition of condemnation into the
| family OF God When we suggest that
Jesus would raise conditions, the prop
osition seems astounding to some.
They have somehow gotten the i'm
preston that the Heavenly Father and
/ Jesus are In great distress because SO
few people desire to become members
Of the Church; and that they would
be ready to receive anything and
anybody on any terms. simply to
have another name added. How
absurd this is. when we come to think
! of 1t.
We call to mind the teaching OF the
Master. lie did not say. 80 many OF
you as wish to hit the sawdust trail can
20 to Heaven He did not say, Seek
to excite the people and get them to do
something that they would not after
ward fully understand and appreciate
He did the reverse; He said, 'Sit down
first and count the cost before com
plying with the terms of dlscipleship.
And so He still says to all who come
10 Him. "Sit down and count the cost
Do nothing rashly.
Some Of US can count more rapidly
than others. Many Of the poor ones
who are weary and heavy laden
through sin are ready to say, Il know
the cost of sin in my personal expert
enees. The cost of being disciples of
Jesus cannot be greater than the cost
of being rebels against the Divine
Law" Such are frequently ready to
decide quickly and take their stand
firmly on the Lords side. Others are
like the rich young man who came to
Jesus, saying, what good thing can
do that | may inherit eternal lifeI !
have kept the Law from my youth up.
What lack et"-Matthew l9:l6-2O.
There are few today like that young
man, of whom we read, Jesus, behold
ing him. loved him." And we may be
sure that Jesus still loves those who
are striving hard to live right, right
eous lives. But this class has the hard
err struggle. They think they have
done everything that they ought to do.
or at least everything that the Lord
would have them do But Jesus says,
No. To that young man He said Go
sell what you have, and give TO the
poor; and come. take up your cross and
follow Me-" Again He said. IF any
man will be My disciple, let him deny
| himself, and take up his cross and fol
| low Me, and where | am, there shall
My disciple be"
To be disciple of Christ is to be
follower, pupil-one who walks AS
He walked The proposition is self-de-
NAL, self-effacement. 1t means giving
ones self wholly to God, as in our text,
present your bodies living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable to God, your reason
able service" No one need go far to
make this conservation. Each, at his
own bedside. can give his little all to
God. through Christ
How to Become a Christian.
1t should not require long to count
how much more we shall receive than
we give We give a condemned and
dying existence. we give mental. NOR
al and physical imperfections-we have
no more except as our Savior, by i'm
putting His merit. makes our sacrifice
Of value in Gods sight. But In ex-
change we receive riches OF grace In
the present life-peace. JOY, blessing
of heart. which the world can neither
give nor take away-and In the life TO
come, glory, honor, and Immortality
Joint with our Savior In the
Heavenly Kingdom which shall domi-
nate the world for the thousand years,
for its blessing and uplift.
Really, after counting the cost there
is danger that We would feel 80
ashamed Of the littleness OF our oifer-
ing that we would fear to come to the
Lord with 1t. We gain courage to pre-
sent our bodies only by a knowledge |
Of the Lords Word, and a realization |
OF the mercy and favor which has
prompted His kind invitation for an |
exchange OF something OF little value
for great things Of inestimable value.
But unless we take this very step. and |
definitely and positively enter into .
contract with the Lord, we have mel
Their part nor lot with Him We are
still of the world. however much we |
may try to pattern our lives after de
cent models and to avoid the grosser |
and the finer sins. The covenant With |
the Lord Is the beginning. and TO each |
coyenanter comes grace 10 help In
every time OF need; as Jesus said.
Without Me We can do nothing
But. says one. Surely this Ia not the
only way Of coming into Gods family
Yea. we answer. II 70 the only way. |
There IL none other Name given IN
der Heaven or amongst men whereby