Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-12-07


Of unity, the vine
and its branches. He declares that
true believers are vitality joined to
Kim In living organism; He, the
source of life, constant inflow; they.
the channel Of an unceasing outflow.
christ lives for His own to produce
fruit; they live for Him to manifest
His life.
There are four statements In this
text which sum up the teaching Of the
parable.
1.-The Principle of Divine Elec.
tion.
Note how emphatically Christ de-
clarss His sovereignty He assumes
entire responsibility for the branches.
They are referred to us "chosen ones"
There Is no attempt to deny the hui
man responsibility see forth in other
Scriptures, but 1t does seem, in view
Of the emphasis placed upon salvation
by character, or church membership,
or good works, that we are In grave
peril Of losing sight Of the wonderful
truth declared here.
reader Of the Sunday School
Times asked recently what was the
most dangerous heresy confronting the
church today. The editor replied not
Christian Science, or Russellism, or
even Higher Criticism, deadly as they
are, but the emphasis placed on what
we do for Christ instead of what
Christ has done for us.
The secret Of life hid with Christ
In God lies very largely In the concep.
tion we have Of the origin and source
or that life, whether 1t Is In God, i'm.
parted to those who are dead In tres.
passes and sins. or whether it lies In
the voluntary choice of the unregen.
crate mortal In whom there Is spark
Of the Divine nature.
Oh the humbling consciousness Of
being chosen In Him before the foun.
dation Of the World Oh, the satisfy.
Ing sense Of His victory who hath be.
gotten us Of His own will by the Word
Of truth Surely. this must mean TINT
there are no natural branches growing
out Of the vine, but all. as broken
from the wild, are grated into the
True Vine chosen to manifest the life
of Him to whom we are united.
ll-The Privilege Of Divine ordina.
tion.
"Ordained" means appointed and In.
vested with authority and mower.
Every disciple has particular place
In the great plan. Christ knows the
capacity and ability Of each one He
endues and eQuips for His own ap-
pointment. The Spirit gives to each
sevelally ms He wills; then He ap-
points the place where the gift can be
exercised. Many followers Of the
Lord Jesus Christ have never
discovered the Spirits gift. nor their
place in the Divine economy. The VIC
torious life Is using Gods gift in
Gods place for His glory.
IIl--The Purpose OF tho Divine Re.
lation.
The bearing Of fruit that shall re-
main Is Gods purpose for every dis
ciple. Fruit ~ the manifestation Of
life. The life Of the vine is to appear
In the branches. May we suggest what
fruit Is for:
First. to delight the henrt Of the
husbandman. 1t Is fruit, refreshment
and satisfaction. Thrice from the
open heavens did God the Father de.
clare that He was we'll pleased In His
Son. Little do we conceive how great
was Gods pleasure In the One whose
meat and drink 1t was to do His will.
Yet He Is an example of all the born
ones of God that they too. may please
their Father.
Second, fruit Is for the reproduction
Of life. 1t Is the "cradIe Of the seed"
holding the life germ. The fruit OF
the Christian life. then. ust be an.
other Christian llfe. Oh, how wonder
ful for us to contemplate that we have
been chosen to delight Gods heart, to
satisfy His hunger for love. and His
longing for devoted children: TINT we
have been chosen to reproduce Christ
In other lives.
IV-The Promise Of tho Divine Per-
formance.
"WhAtsoever ye ask, will do"
How striking. again, the Divine as.
sumption Of responsibility. He is the
source Of our life. our being: lie Is
the power Of our service, our doing. We
have but to ask; He will do. Nav we
abide In Him that He may abound in
us.
A tree seed takes three years to