THE CHARACTER OF THE REMNANT.
By George F. Brown
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Gal. 2:20. Let us read a few scriptures and see what the character of the Lord’s people will have to be as the plan of God is being finished: “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. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” 1 John 3:2, 3. Shall we be like Him when He appears? How many are purifying themselves as pure as He is, in order to be like Him? Another text reads: “In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” Rev. 14:5. Still another text says, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” Heb. 12:14. So if we are without fault, pure and holy, like Christ, we shall see Him. If we do not reach that standard, then what?—We shall not see Him in peace. Some will say: “Why, that is living without sin, which is presumptuous; no man can live without sin.” Of course the man cannot do it. Read again the text at the beginning of this article: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” If Christ is in us, living His righteous life in us, is it we that should glory? Read Rom. 3:22: “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” It is the righteousness of Christ and not our own, “where is boasting then? It is excluded.” Verse 27.421 The character of the last, or seventh, Church is shown in Rev. 3:14-21: they are lukewarm—in such a condition that the Lord will spew them out of His mouth; they have not reached that high standard that is required of them, although they think they have. Verse 17 says, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” They are blind, cannot see their imperfections. That is the state of the Church now, according to the Word. Is there not danger of our continuing in that condition till probation is closed? Let us be in earnest, then, and seek the Lord for a revelation of our true condition, that Christ may live His perfect life in us before it is too late. “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. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” “Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.” “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. . . . Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” In verses 2 and 3 we see that those who hope to see Him when He comes will have to be “pure, even as He is pure.” A little further on in this same chapter, one great sin that is hindering us is brought to view: “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that we heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” Has every grudge and every particle of envy been removed from our hearts?—If not, we are still the servants of sin. Can we know when the Christ-life has entered us?—Yes. Verse 14 says: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” What is it that hinders the Spirit of God? Is it not the lack of love for one another? As the roll is now being called, let us not resist the Holy Spirit when it convinces of sin; for if we throw the door of our hearts wide open, God’s Holy Spirit will bring to our view every sin in its hideousness, that we may put it away. “Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the Judge standeth before the door.” James 5:9. We are in danger of being condemned in the great court above, if we hold any grudge against one another. “The Lord will not look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.” “We are living right on the borders of the eternal world.” “We have, as it were, but a moment of time in which to work.” Examine yourself in the light of God’s word. Does your heart lack love for others? Do you hold any grudges? “Behold, the Judge standeth before the door.” The Lord is soon coming, we have only a short time in which to improve our talents. It is not the present life which is at stake, but eternal life. It will require constant watchfulness and prayer on our part, not forgetting the love of God and the great atonement, even for a moment. “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” 1 Peter 4:18. Let us all have the “grace of humility;” and, dear brethren, if we find the Lord using us in bringing souls to Him, let us not allow self-exaltation to enter our hearts, knowing that it is not we but Christ working in us “to will and to do of His good pleasure.” If we have any doubt about such scriptures as 1 John 2:6; 3:6-9; Col. 1:22, 28; Eph. 1:4; 5:27, we doubt the power of God to keep us from falling. He is “able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”