Newspapers / Zion’s Landmarks (Wilson, N.C.) / April 15, 1869, edition 1 / Page 5
Part of Zion’s Landmarks (Wilson, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
ZION’S LANDMARKS 77 •v- eration was in due time brought out from that place of bondage to the land of promise—a land of rest; and remember that the Israelites were the descendants of Adam and JEve: and now in these last (Gospel days) the children of Israel—the ehosen of every nation, kindred, peo ple and tongue, shall be brought out from under the dark bondage of sin and death into the land of promise— into the marvelous light and liberty ^bf the Gospel of Christ. John vras sent to prepare the way of the Lord before Him—to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the re mission of their sins. The sons and daughters of our father Adam were the receivers of the great blessings of the Gospel: so they are to this day. But what do I hear ! It has been affirmed that the Adamic fami ly receives no part of the benefits of the atonement—it is another seed that are and were blessed with all spiritual blessings—a ^ced that exist ed actually, virtually, and eternally in union with Christ before the foun dation of the world ! There was a man m the days of our Saviour—that man was born blind—that same man followed Christ after he was healed. 'Ho I iraderstand the writers oh the new doctrines—that Christ the holy seed existed actually before the hoa- Tens and the earth were created, and in Him existed actually the holy seed, the church, (it, the church, being created in Him,) separate and apart from that earthly seed, Adam, which was formed of the dust of the ground? (Gen. 2:7.) The man Adam was created very good, so were everything else ; but sometime after he was crea ted, he sinned—sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and the aw ful disease of sin spread—continued to spread, as man multiplied on the face of the earth; and so the whole world became corrupt before God. Notwithstanding this awful state of thi ngs, that holy seed was not invol- Ted in the transgression—still exist ing in actual and eternal union with. and m Christ ? If so, there were two separate : nd distinct seeds crea ted—the first before time began, the second after time began. The seed which w'as created after time began (Adam) became corrupt before God ; that seed wdiich wms created before time did not, but still actually exist ed in Christ—actually, and eternally existed in Him, where sin could never enter ? If these writers had said virtually in the purpose and decree of Almighty God, I should not have made the first objection. I respect fully ask brethren, how can that which was never lost be redeemed ? The Sin of God did not come to this sinful world to redeem a holy seed, for such needed no redemption. He took on Him the seed of Abraham—the whole human nature, ivithout its sin, to redeem that which was lost—and' the great effectual atonement was'^not made for any thing which was in heaven or in hell, but for poor lost and undone sinners—the sinful and fallen sons and daughters of Adam, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place, and let all the re deemed of the Lord say. Amen. He was delivered to death for our of fences, end was raised again for our justification. Praise ye the Lord! Again, regeneration seems to be a subject of controversy in these late days, as well as other points, as be fore hinted. In the 19th chapter of Matthew, 28th verse, the Saviour said to his disciples, “'Verily I say unto you, that ye which have follow ed me in the regeneration, w'hen the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” I have my opin ion on this text, and will give it. “ Ye which have followed me in the regeneration.” We see that Christ our Lord did not say that, ye which have follovfed me in my regeneration: if He had, we might come to the con clusion then, that He was regenera ted. Our Lord was addressing per sonally his disciples or apostles. The apostles had been called to that of fice—they had forsaken all and fol lowed Him, and the prospects before them to live, have food and raiment to meet their returning wants, seemv ed to present to them a gloomy ap pearance—and they said to Him, “ Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee, what shall we have therefore.” Then he ansivered them, “ Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regen eration,” &c. Now what is the true interpretation of this regeneration ? My opinion is simply this: The neiv or Gospel dispensation had com menced ; John had been sent to make ready a people—to prepare the wuiy before the Lord, and now the mystery wdiich had been hid for generations past, as foretold by the mouth of the prophets, was already published to the world in these words, “ Behold i bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born, in the city of Da vid, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2 : 10, 11.) The glory of the Lord .was revealed, as was never before seen and felt by the fathers. It was never so seen, no, not in all Israel. The Gospel A^rk had started. The display of Al mighty pow’or was visible in healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, rais ing the dead and casting out devils, by which our Saviour manifested clearly his power and Godhead to them, (his apostles and disciples,) as we may say again, ir w'as never so seen, no not in all Israel. And many, many believing Jews, and multitudes of unbelievers savr and felt the power of Christ in that dav; and those believing Jews, the twelve apostles especiall}^, wmre wdthout a doubt with me, renewed in the spirit of their mind ; and shall we say that they were ignorant of the grace of regeneration ? The apostles having received the gift—the Spirit of the truth from their Lord—He sent them two and two, saying, “as ye go preach, saying, the kingdom of heav en is at hand, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers,"raise the dead, cast out devils, freely ye have received, freely give.” (Mat. 10 : 7, 8.) Now with kind feelings, I ask my beloved brethren, did not the apostles follow the Lord in the regeneration ? They were called by Christ, they were in structed, they were now to receive the great commission and authority as aforesaid : to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and to cast out devils, and they acted in obedience to the orders of their Lord; thus following Him in the regenera tion. Glorious things are spoken of thee, 0 city of God. (Psalms 87 : 3.) "While the national church was in ex istence, under laws and carnal ordi nances, imposed on them until the time of reformation, the ministra tion of condemnation was glorious, but the ministration of righteousness exceeds that in glory; for even that wdiich was made glorious liad no glory in this respect, hlen could not follow the Lord in the regenera tion under the old covenant, but they, many thousands, have followed him under the new covenant-- because old things have past away, and behold all things are become new, and all thini^s arc of God, who hath rccon- died us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and given to us, the ministry of re« conciliation. (2 Cor. 5: 17, 18.) And so let us follow Christ in the regeneration, as did our fathers, walking in humble obedience in all his holy commandments. I have a few ideas to offer relative to judging the twelve tribes of Israel, or, as w'aS said by the prophet, ruling in judg ment, which seems to mean one and .■ the same thing. If we have the keys ' of knowledge and understanding, we can unlock the gospel doors, if not we cannot. Ye also (the apostles) shall sit upon tw'olve thrones judg ing the twelve tribes of Israel, ruling in judgment. The gospel was first preached to the Jew's, and there w'cre twelve tribes, and W'e may reasonably suppose, yes, we may affirm it to be a fact, that many of the different twelve tribes were converted to God by the power of the gospel, and consequent ly were after their conversion, consti tuted a church—the church of the living God,, members one of another. Also, the Gentiles w'ero aftcrw'ards converted by the same pow'er; so. Jew and Gentile, bond and free were all made partakers of the same grace —all the children of God by faith in. Jesus Christ, and they were all one in Christ—havine-received the Snirit^ O - * "> ^ of adoption. “ .Beautiful for situa tion, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion,” said David—because the Lord dtvelt among them : and so it is now, even to this day ; “All thy children shall be taught of the Lord.” But some o the Jew's fell back—they took up the traditions of the ciders; they frequently observed days and months, and times and vicars, (see Galatians,) which called for reproof from the apostles, and they reproved them, as duty required. So the apos tles wJio w'ere born and raised Jew's, w'ell kneiv how to govern the tw'elvo tribes of Israel—rule in judgment. The laiv of judgment w'as given to the twelve apostles, and as good judges and faitliful, they attended to this very important duty—see that the Law’—tho Gospel precepts be faithfully observed—observe till things W'hatsocver the great Head and Law- p-iver of the church commands to be O done and no more. When princes have ruled in judgment by the author ity of God, ail things have been done decently and in order: the church was the beauty of tlie whole earth. There is a difference in ruling in the fear of God, asM lording it over God’s heritage. May the set lime soon come when the Lord shall favour Zion! Wiien her light shall bi?eak forth on the right and on the left,
Zion’s Landmarks (Wilson, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 15, 1869, edition 1
5
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75