Graham guardian., 1916-08-18

Sllzn11 49, the discourse WIS
(lRASI0R RUSS6lll) the Call and De-
velopment Of t h e
Church of Christ. These. called during
the Gospel Age. are the only ones with
whom the Lord Is now directly dealing.
Originally they were under the Adamic
death sentence. But through the sacri'
ficial death of our Lord Jesus. God has
arranged to extend to them an invita-
tion to become His sons on new plane
tho highest In existence. From the
time of their pirit-begetting 10 this
new nature until their birth In the First
Resurrection this class are subject to
experiences designed to develop In
them the character-likeness Of Christ.
Those who make their calling and cleo
tion sure will be glorifed with their
Lord and will share In His cxaltation
The Pastor showed that his text ap.
plies, not to the world. but to the
Church. This class were formerly
dead in the sense that they were con-
demned in Adam. like the remainder
of his posterity. They were included
In his death sentence From the Di
vine standpoint. Adams children are
dead race. No human being has life
In n legal sense except those who have
obtained 1t from God through His ap.
pointed Channel-the Lord Jesus Christ.
the great Life giver to the world. The
life which He will give to Adams pos.
tcrity in Gods due time will be the
life which He purchased for them by
the sacrifice Of Ills own human nature
The Scriptures speak Of Adam III his
original perfection as a son Of God
luke 3:3S., He was human son
The holy angels are also sons OF God.
as the Bible declares. Adam lost this
relationship through dlsobedicnce, Con.
seouently there Is no sense In which
his postcrity are children OF God. But
through our Redeemer God has opened
way by which He could. during this
/ John 5:i.5J TIe ARRANGEMENT Il sa6s Ps
which He is doing this Is suggested in
"You - hath He quickened
How These Sons Were ouleksnsd.
The Apostle IL not here speaking of
the birth of this class In the First Res
direction, but of their present condi.
ton. They were quickened-made
alive as New Creatures In Christ
when, after having accepted Christ as
their Savior and having presented
themselves In full conservation to God.
they were received and had imputed
to them the merit of Christ's blood.
There they were begotten Of Gods
Holy Spirit His powerl to a new ma.
ture. There the new life in Christ had
Its beginning. This embryo life Is to
grow and develop until Its perfection
In the resurrection. when 1t will re.
ceive its new spiritual body.
Though these spiritual sons are the
creation Of the Heavenly Father, yet
their. .quickening could not come with.
out the Son, Il Corinthians S:6) Not
that the Son quickened them; but that
He died for the sin Of the world and
so opened the way by which any Of
Adams posterity could approach the
Father. Moreover, since this called
class must still use their imperfect hu.
man bodies, It is necessary that their
Redeemers merit continually cover
them as robe while they remain In
the flesh; and because Of their daily
imperfectiOns they need Jesus to be
their Advocate with the Father, that
they may continue to be acceptable.
I John 2:1.
The Pastor then demonstrated con
from Scripture that there are
two salvations therein presented; one
for the Church, the other for the
world. Hebrews 2:3: Jude 3; 1 John
2:3; etc. The Church receives life |
from the Heavenly Father, through |
The Lord Jesus Christ. The world will
receive life as a direct gift from the
Son. who alone will deal with man.
kind during the incoming Age. Our
Lord Jesus will be the worlds Ever. /
asting lAge-lastingl Father" But He
s the Church's Elder Brother. The
world will not have access to the Ia.
her until the close OF the Millennium.
The Church has access now. through
he imputed merit Of our Lord Jesus.
What the world win receive during
he next Age is something purchased
or them directly by our Lord. What
he Church receives is something far
bove what was purchased by Christ.
Ibis purchased human life they laid
own as a Joint-sacrifice with their
ord, in order that they might share
His sufferings and in the glory to
ollow. Jehovah's great Plan is being
arried out upon a wonderful scale.