Esoteric V10: July 1896 - Iapsop.com

1897.] THE DocTRINE oF CnRIST. 439
toward the accomplishment of the Father's purpose. Tho~ who,
by the power of a strong will, are baptized by the water only, and
not hy the Spirit, are bastards and nnt sons; and the Jewish
law declared that a bastard might not for ten generations enter
into ~he congregation of the Lord. This gives us some inkling
of the fate of those who, as thieves and robbers, force themselveM
into the way of life. who enter into the ma1·riage supper
without having on the wedding garment. \\' e here receive
110111e idea of the fate of those who would set their throne above
the 11tars, and say, "I will be like the :\lost High:" they shall .
be brought tlnwn to bell.
lf. then, we tliRt~ard the churehly doctdne, that God will save
man from 11in and lift him into the divine likenes11 through belief
in the pffieat~y of the blood of the man .le~~u!l of Nazareth
a11 a vic•al'ion11 atonl'mf'>nt whipt the thoug-ht that God, having cre~ttecl
man to h .. t~ume like him, i11 ('tlllKbintJy, drop by drop, adding to
his life and puwt'r,-is l'Onlltantly sprinkling all nations with
tile eMst>m~ of himself, shedding upon them, like the dew and
the rain, thi11 lire of anointing, which. if they cause to abide in
t.lwm, will lift them step hy step into the Father's likeness, then
we may undt'rRtatul why God wills that all be Raved ; ancl
lltll'ely his will 11hall he at·etl a." a sam·ifice for hi11 sin, he thereby acknowl
.. dged his duty towartl Gud, thu11, a." his creature, making
a snn~ndt>r to him, ancl lof'ing for the time rt>etmciled. By
the same surrender and a•~knuwledgment the Christian wol'ltl
t11-day dimly t'et!ognizes the 11am·ifi•~e of .Jesus, and obtains .
ret'Otwiliatiun in a l'.ertllin degrAt>..
But the time haR now comt> when the hlciOd, not of the man
.JesuR, bnt of the ChriRt., the Anointe.l, the Divine Life, mn11t
f'Dtf>r into man, that he may not only be reetmciled hy his death,
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