Page images
PDF
EPUB

reconciled to God,20 now, in the accepted time, in the day of salvation.21 Do let us entreat you to repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,22 and that you may turn "to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from Heaven,"23 and be unblamable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.24

But if you are a Christian, then we point you to His coming again, as

The True Incentive to a Holy Life.25

Jesus is coming, therefore mortify your members which

(20) 2 Cor. 5:20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

(21) 2 Cor. 6:2. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Luke 14:31. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

32. Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

33. So likewise, whosoever hc be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

(22) Acts 10:42. And he commandeth us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

43. To him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Acts 17:30. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

31. Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

(23) 1 Thes. 1:9. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

(24) 1 Thes. 3:13. To the end he may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

(25) 1 John 3:2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth him. self, even as he is pure.

are upon the earth, that you may appear with Him in glory.26

Strive and pray for purity of heart, that you may “be like Him and see Him as He is."27 Search the Word, that you may be sanctified and cleansed thereby, 28 and that your whole spirit, and soul, and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.29 But possibly you say, with contempt,

"Oh, That's Second Adventism.”

Beloved, have you considered that Moses,90 David,81 Isaiah,82 Jeremiah,33 Daniel,34 Zecariah,35 all the prophets

(26) Col. 3:4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

(27) Mat. 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

1 John 3:2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

(28) Eph. 5:26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

(29) 1 Thes. 5:23. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(30) Deut. 33:2. And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his

right hand went a fiery law for them.

(31) Psa. 102:16. When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

(32) Isa. 59:20. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.

Isa. 60:1. Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

(33) Jer. 23:5. Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

6. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

(34) Dan. 7:13. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

(35) Zech. 14:4. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and

and apostles,3 36 were believers in the second advent of Christ? And because some, by setting dates, and other errors, have brought disrepute upon this doctrine, shall we cast it aside altogether?

But it may be you say (as we have been pained to hear from so many even earnest Christians):

"Well, I Don't Think It Concerns Me Much, Anyway; I've always thought that in most cases it meant death, and if I'm prepared for death, that's enough; and there is too much speculation about it to suit me; and I don't believe it's a practical doctrine; and, more than that, I think it's a mistake to pay so much attention to it."

Yes, even thus do many Christians,-who profess to be members of the body of Christ,37 and who have been espoused unto one husband, that they may be presented to Him 38-summarily dispose of this precious truth, that Jesus is coming, to take unto Himself His bride.39

O, beloved, do not thus deprive yourself of this comforting truth. Please take your pencil and mark in your Bible the passages that pertain to it; and see

there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

5. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

(36) Acts 15:15. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

16. After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

17. That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and

all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

(37) 1 Cor. 12:27. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

(38) 2 Cor. 11:2. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

(39) John 14:3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Eph. 5:23. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body.

32. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

How Large a Portion of the Word Is Devoted to It.

If the Holy Ghost has deemed it so important, is it not worthy of our attention? The Word exhorts us 40 to give attention to it; 41 and the danger of condemnation is to them who do not.42

Again, please to examine the passages cited under the heading, "A Practical Doctrine," on page 180 and see how Jesus and the apostles used this doctrine to incite us to watchfulness, repentance, patience, ministerial faithfulness, brotherly love, etc., and then decide whether anything could be more practical.

Surely no doctrine, in the Word of God, presents a deeper motive for crucifying the flesh, and for separation unto

(40) 1 Thes. 4:18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Cor. 1:7. So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

(41) Rev. 1:3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

(42) Luke 12:45. But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

46. The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

Luke 21:34. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that

come upon you unawares. 25. For as а snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

1 Thes. 5:1. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord So cometh as a thief in the night.

3. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

4. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

7. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the

night.

God, and to work for souls, as our hope and joy and crown of rejoicing43 than this does.

For the whole teaching of it is, that our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence, also, we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body. It awakens groaning for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.45

It gives us a view of the world, as a wrecked vessel,46

(43) 1 Thes. :19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

Dan. 12:3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

(44) Phil. 3:20. For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

(45) Rom. 8:23. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Luke 21:28. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

(46) Matt. 7:13: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in

thereat:

14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

1 Thes. 5:3. For when they

shall say, Peace and safety;

then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

2 Pet. 2:3. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words made merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

4. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

5. And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

6. And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

7. And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

8. (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds :)

9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

2 Pet. 5:5. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by

« PreviousContinue »