The Mount Holly news., 1915-03-30

Power In Heaven and In Earth.
As St. Peter was only one Of the
twelve foundation stones Of the
Church, SO, likewise, he was only one
of The Twelve to whom the Lord de-
clared, whatsoever ye shall bind on
earth shall be bound in Heaven; and
whatsoever ye shall loose ON earth
shall be loosed In Heaven" (Matthew
1S:10-the same statement exactly
that on another occasion He made to
St Peter only. But He gave the keys
to St Peter alone.
Would it seem reasonable that Jesus
should tell the twelve Apostles that
God would do anything that they bade
Him do-taking to Heaven whom they
pleased and excluding whom they
chose? Would 1t be wise or safe to
entrust to poor humanity such dicta-
torial powers respecting the eternal In
terest of even one Individual? As
suredly notl When we remember that
these Apostles declared that they were
men Of like passions with others, that
St Peter himself dissembled on one
O~<8o&04 a&Ao Ou oA0[ACA 0C4A1cu LIS
Master, we are the more convinced
that Jesus did not mean that God
would abdicate His authority and wis
dom in favor Of any twelve men.
What then, does the passage mean?
We answer, 1t implies that the Lord
would SO overrule the utterances and
writings of His twelve Apostles as to
make them safe guides for His Church.
To these Apostles would be given
through the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
wisdom enabling them to understand
which things of the Jewish Law were
binding upon the Church and which
not binding Their decision would be
might have confidence that what the
Apostles bound or loosed on earth was
equally bound or loosed In Heaven.
As an Illustration OF this binding and
loosing, see Acts 1923, 20.
To get back into proper relationship
with each other and rid of all secta-
rian systems, Gods people must recog-
nize that only the words Of the New
Testament Apostles and Prophets are
authoritative. properly representing the
Divine mind Other things men have
bound and loosed on earth, without
recognition In Heaven. The things
necessary to the Church are found only
in the Bible, as ST. Paul declares.-2
Timothy 3:16. H.
The Church Upon the Rock.
"Other Foundation can no man lay
than that which is laid. Jesus Christ"
Il Corinthians BID In the Divine ar
rangement Jesus Christ is the Founda-
ton, the Rock, upon which is built the
entire superstructure Of His Church
the one Catholic, worldwide Church.
On this Rock, Christ Jesus. as St Pc
ter declares. all the Church Is being
built as Temple of God. Il Peter
2:41O) The New Jerusalem, the
Church in glory. had twelve founda-
ton stones, built upon the one Foun-
dation Rock. the Lord Jesus Christ
1t would manifestly be erroneous,
therefore, to suppose that our Lord
abdicated His own place in the Church
In favor of st. Peter. much as He
loved him.
What, then. did Jesus mean when
He called st. Peter a stone. spoke of
building His Church upon this rock"
and declared that the gates Of Hell
blades, the grave, would not prevail
against 1t? We reply. Jesus went
down into the prison-house of death,
Sheol, Hades. the tomb; but on the
third day the gates of SheoI, Hades.
were opened, and He came forth
These gates will not prevail against
the Church. as they did not prevail
against her Lord. This is an assurs
ance of the resurrection of the dead.
To understand ST. Peters connection
with the Rock Foundation Of the
Church. we should read the preceding
context. The disciples had told Jesus
the common talk respecting Himself
He then asked them, 'Who say We that
l ann" St Peter answered, Thou art
the Christ the Son of the living God"
This was the first public declaration
OF Jesus Messiahship. Even the dis
ciples had only now come to recognize
their Teacher as the long-promised
Messiah. Jesus answered, BLESSED
art thou. Simon, son Of Jonas; for flesh
and blood hath not revealed this unto
thee, but My Father in Heaven. Thou
art Peter La stone, ready for the spir.
itual Temple. the first one to publicly
acknowledge Jesus]. and upon this
rock 1.-THE Truth just declared, that !
am Messiah] I will build My Church"
In the Greek the word Peter signt
fies stone of moderate size, while the
word here rendered rock signifies
mass of stone-a foundation. Our
Lord Jesus Christ evidently meant
that st. Peters statement was a rec
ognition of Himself as the great Foun.
dation of the Divine Plan-Messiah.
Upon that foundation truth, that Jesus
Is Christ. the Church would be built;
and st. Peter was the first living stone
to build himself upon that foundation
by believing and confessing Christ.
st. Peter himself gives us the same
thought-that he and all others of the
Church are living stones, being build
ed together as a holy Temple Of God
This entire Gospel Age has been de-
voted to the building of these stones
upon that great Foundation Rock.
Christ Jesus. AS soon as the great
Temple OF God shall be completed, this
Gospel Age will end and the New Dis
pensation be inaugurated-
"The Keys of the Kingdom"
To St Peter our Lord said, 'T win
give thee the keys Of the Kingdom Of
Heaven What did He mean? We
shall not suppose that any who hear
my voice or are sufficiently intelligent
to read this discourse in the newspa-
pers are stupid enough to think Jesus |
meant that Heaven is locked up, and |
that nobody could get in except as St
Peter would open the door or gate |
True, some have voiced such fantastic |
notions. But we refuse to believe that |
intelligent people could be In earnest |
In any such view.
What the Lord meant Is very SIM |
pie, very beautiful: and We see exactly |
how it was fulfilled. He indicated that |
st. Peter. the first to confess Him, was
30 have a special honor In connection |
With the Inauguration Of the Church |
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