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What is the fitness needed to enter and enjoy that holy
place of God's awful presence? If we will attend to the
voice of inspiration no man need be deceived in this
matter.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see
God."—Matt 5: 8. " Follow peace with all men,
and holiness, without which no man shall see the
Lord." —Heb. 12: 14.
Reader, do you now perceive why God created man in his own
image? He designed that his intelligent creatures should
enjoy the fellowship and companionship of their Creator.
But this can only take place on the plane of his nature,
in the possession of his own holiness. Hence, also, the
injunction, "Be ye holy, for I am holy. "—1
Pet. 1: 16. According to the very nature of the case, no
person in this world, or in the world to come, can enjoy,
or even endure the divine presence and glory unless
transformed into the same image, and filled with his
glory. Daniel was a righteous man, and yet he was
"afraid and fell upon his face" (Dan. 8:17), at
the approach of Gabriel, an angel from God's presence. The
Apostle John was a wholly sanctified man of God, and yet
when he saw the Almighty Redeemer whose "countenance
was as the sun shineth in his strength, fell at his feet
as dead. "—Rev. 1: 16, 17. Though morally fitted to
enjoy God, the resurrection and glorification of the body
was yet wanting. How, then, can any soul with the smallest
spot of sin hope to stand before God in the awful day of
his coming and judgment? "Wherefore, beloved, seeing
that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be
found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
"—2 Pet. 3: 14. 0 how many plain and solemn
warnings God has given all men of that day when all must
stand or fall in the presence of his majesty and glory,
when the earth and the works thereof shall be burned up !
" Seeing then that all these things shall be
dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all
holy conversation and godliness ? "—2 Pet. 3: 11.
Reader, are you a candidate for heaven and eternal glory?
Then mark well the conditions upon which you must take
your crown, and in the default of which you must sink to
an awful doom. How think you the gates of heaven will be
guarded against the entrance of unworthy characters ? We
read of no mighty angel, who, with all penetrating eyes
shall examine those who would enter there. How then will
the purity of heaven be protected? Find an answer in 2
Thess. 1: 7-9.
"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the
Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty
angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know
not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his
power. "
At the same time we are told he will "be glorified in
his saints, and admired in all them that believe." So
let it be known once for all that all who are unfit for
heaven will be driven back to hell " from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his
power." Though heaven's gates stand wide open before
all men, no person will enter with a stain of sin upon his
soul. No unholy man can endure the presence of God and his
divine glory The hottest place in hell were a relief to
the soul unsaved and out of Christ.
A wit once said in a New York paper that he dreamed a
certain man, prominent in his circle, had died, and
approached the gates of heaven, where he was told, ' You
MAY COME IN BUT YOU WILL NOT LIKE IT." A mighty truth
was unwittingly uttered by the thoughtless sinner. Oh that
the Almighty may make men to consider that heaven were
worse than hell itself for all who are not of heavenly
temper! Oh how sad and sickening the sight of our present
evil world, and its awful destiny so near! The masses who
profess the Christian name, know they are sinful and
unholy, and yet hope to stop sinning when safe in heaven.
We used to hear them sing with much animation,
"If
I only get to heaven, if I only get to heaven,
If I only get to heaven when I die."
They hope to see the beautiful gate ajar for them, and if
they may only be permitted to slip into the golden city,
imagine they will be all right. Oh how awful will be their
disappointment! The very holiness of heaven will drive
them back in terror. Jesus knew very well that men would
base their eternal happiness on merely getting into
heaven, and has given us a parable to show all men how
such a faith will terminate. He tells of one who came in
without the "wedding garment;" but he did not
enjoy it. He was speechless, and was bound hand and foot,
and east out into outer darkness; " there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth."—Matt. 22:11-13.
Nothing but the spotless robe of perfect holiness will
make heaven a heaven to you.
"Be not deceived, God is not mocked." None but
the pure in heart can enter there and see God in peace.
Yea, in the light of God's truth we cry aloud and say unto
all you must be as pure as heaven to enter and enjoy that
holy place. And, thanks be to the God of all grace and
mercy, SALVATION Will put you in that condition and
preserve you ready to enter and enjoy all the glory of
heaven. Many scriptures prove the fact. "For by one
offering, he, Christ, hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified. "—Heb. 10: 14. This does not mean that
the holy state can not be forfeited; but that entire
sanctification perfects our salvation from sin, and puts
us on the plane of heaven's purity. Hence, if that grace
is retained no further cleansing is needed forever.
Therefore, Christ "being made perfect—a perfect
Savior—became the author of eternal salvation unto all
them that obey him. " The law was a temporary system;
it made nothing perfect; but the bringing in of a better
hope—Christ—did. In him we have come to the final and
complete redemption, that fits us for the society of God
through all remaining time and eternity.
"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.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do
it."—1 Thess. 5: 23, 24.
"And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in
your mind by wicked works, Yet now hath he reconciled in
the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy
and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight."—Col.
1:21, 22.
"Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. "
—1 Pet. 1:5
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have
boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are
we in this world."—1 John 4:17.
These scriptures clearly and positively affirm that the
salvation of God us soul, body, and spirit, and preserves
us blameless. "Kept by the power of God through faith
unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last
day." Even as Christ is, so are we in this world, and
therefore will have boldness in the day of judgment.
There is, therefore, no purgatory needed by the Christian.
Nor is such a thing taught in the scripts sure. Nor yet
that other deception of Satan: namely, extreme unction.
SALVATION is God's extreme unction; the fullness of his
power revealed in us; keeping us blameless and spotless in
his sight. And, "So an entrance shall be ministered
unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. "—2 Pet. 1: 11.
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