THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Southland Times, Issue 1619, 13 August 1872, Page 2

THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Sib, —ln a recent communication on this all-important subject, I remarked that all the Apo9tles were empowered to remit sin* to the Jews and G-entilea, but Peter wai to be the one who was first to make the way of remission known. In other words, he was appointed bj his divine Lord and Master to open the kingdom of heaven, which the Scribes, Pharisees, and Lawyers by their traditions had effectually shut against all men. But you will observe that Jesus the Christ (inointed of God) entrusted Peter with more keys than one : " I give you the keys" said He. The kingdom of heaven in their days was shut against two classes of men— the Jews and the Gentiles. He would therefore have to open its gates to both these. And this is precisely what he did, and in exact conformity with the Apostolic commission which directed them to begin at Jerusalem, and then proceed to the remotest parts of the earth, for it it written, " The Gospel is the power of God t0 salvation to every one who believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek " (Romans i. 16). On the day of Pentecost, when Peter stood up with the eleven and spake to the assembled Jews and proselytes, it was the Father, by His Spirit, through Peter, convincing them of sin because they had not believed in His Son Jesus. " The promise of the Father," the Holy Spirit, had now come. It had come to the Apostles, and taken up its abode in them. The primitive Christians had " thi3 treasure," the Holy Spirit, "in earthen vessels," that is, in themselves. Jesus had said to them, "If I go away I will send the advocate (the Holy Spirit) to you." Peter showed that what they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears was a fulfilment of what God had said by His prophet Joel, and which he quoted. He quoted from the Psalms to convince them that the Messiah, whom God had promised, was to be put to death, to rise again, and to aaQend to the right hand of God; and that this Jesus whom .they had slain was that sufferer, and that risen and exalted one. Certainly it was; these unbelievers were changed into believers by the testimony laid before them. They wore convinced that Jesus was the true Christ, and as an. evidence of their conviction they demanded of Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, " Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter, the holder of the keys to unlock the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, answered, "Repent (change your mind) and be baptised (immersed —the word baptism is a mutilated Greek word) every one of you i» the name of Jesus Christ. Why ? For the remission of sins" (Acts ii. 38). Such an annunciation at this had never been made before. In this way " repentance and the remission of sins" were preached in the name of Jesus the Anointed. This is God's way of righteousness, and besides this there is no other way of salvation; "for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved" (Acts iv. 12). " I," says the Truth Incarnate, •• came not to ,be ministered unto, but to minister and

to give His life a ransom for many" (Mat. xx. 28). " For thi9 is (represents) my blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for many, for the remission of «»*" (Mat. xxvi. 28). " Knowing that not with corruptible things, silver or gold, were ye" (believers in Christ) " redeemed from Tour Vain behavior. . . But with the precious blood of Christ, a* of a lamb, without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter i. 19) And again, "Having their hearts" (believers in Chnst) " sprinkled from nn evil conscience" (not by socalled holy water) but "by the blood of sprinkling" (Heb. xii. 24) "and their bodies washed with pure water" (Heb. x. 22). But you will observe that though the mystery of the gospel was thus made known in the name of Jesus, even Peter, to whom the keys of the mv=terv were given, did not yet understand " the fellowship of the mystery." The keys were not given to him when Jesus spoke the words, nor were both of them given to him on the day of Pentecost. The mystery was revealed to the Jews first, and several yean elapsed before it was known that, the Gentiles would be admitted to a joint-heirship with Christ on an equality with the Jews. During this period of about seven year* the believers in Christ consisted •olely of Jew* »nd «• the proselytes of justice.' At the end of this time, however, God graciously "visited the Gentiles U take out of them a people for His name" (Acts xt. 14). Before this, however, could be accomplished according to the principles laid down in God'f plan, it was necessary to prepare Peter for the work. Although an Apostle, he was still • Jew, and had all the prejudices of the Jew against the Gentiles. The narrative of his preparation is contained in the 10th chapter of Acts. The impression made upon Peter by this vision is best expressed by himself— " God hath showed me that I should not call any ma» common or un« clean. Therefore came Ito you Gentiles as •oon as I was sent for." In this way the second lcey of the lingdom of heaven was imparted to him. Its use was to make known the fellowship of the mystery of the kingdom of heaven to the Gentiles. Now while God was preparing Peter's mind for a ready obedience He had sent an angel to tell Cornelius to " send for Peter" and that he would tell him " words whereby he and his house might be saved!' (Acts xi. 14). Peter having arrived at the house of Cornelius, he made a very straightforward and simple statement of truth to them. He directed their attention to " that voord (or mesosge) which God aent unto ite etn<l*«n of I«i»l by Jesus the. Christ" preaching peace (Acts x. 36). He reminded them that they were acquainted with that word, " for it was published throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the immersion which John preached." "I was sent," says Jesue, "to preach the kingdom of God" (Luke iv. 43, Mark i. 14, Heb. ii. 3). After this manner Peter used the keys of the kingdom of heaven given to him by the Lord Jesue Christ. When he had accomplished this work, he no longer retained the power of the keys. They were transferred to the multitude of the believing Jews and Gentiles. The Holy Spirit had revealed the mystery of the kingdom, •nd the fellowship of the mystery by the mouth of Peter on Pentecost, and at Cesarea, so that the keys became the common property of all believers. The keys were promised to Peter, and not to fiucoessors of Peter. The custody of the keys by a successor of Peter is the most unscriptural assumption that ever poor mortal man was guilty of. Had Peter, instead of using the keys, hid them till his death-hour, and then imparted them to a single person, this individual might truly be «aid to have " succeeded to the keys." But this he did not do — dared not do. The mystery of the kingdom has been unlocked. The key of knowledge has been given, but unfortunately it has been atolen again by Peter's pretended successors, and by every other ecclesiastic upon a smaller scale who would discourage or throw obstacles in the way of a free, unbiassed, and independent examination and avowal of Bible truth, or an unrestricted advocacy of it though at variance with the institute* of dogmatic theology. Your correspondent, Mr J. Oarden, in one of bis letters, asserts "that the Bible is utterly devoid of internal evidence of its divinity, and that it is divine only by the sanction or evidence of the church of which he is a priest." This assertion is simply untrue. And why P Because it is bearing false witness against the Holy Spirit of the eternal Father. Jesus the Christ says, "The Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name shall teach you mil thing; and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you" (John xiv. 26). " When they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak, for it is not ye that speak, but the spirit of your Father which tpeaketh in you" (Mat. 1. 19, 20.) Now if the Spirit guided them in speaking, much more would it do so in writing, which was to serve a wider and more lasting purpose. That it was so in Paul's case, Paul expressly declares — ° Which things we speak not i» the words which mam's wisdom teachctk, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth (Cor. iii. 13). And he says again (and this withers Mr J. Carden's assertion) — " If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are He commandments of the Lord (1 Cor. xiv. 37). Of the Apocalypse it is still more expressly stated — " What thou seast write in a took and send unto the seven churches" (Rev. i. 11). If the authenticity of these sayings be established, the inspiration of the men who produced the New Testament is proved. The fi Old " follows the " New Testament" up or down. Jesus the Christ is the key of the situation. Friends, fellow-countrymen, and Mr J. Carden ! " Search the scriptures" (independent of stereotype Creeds and Confessions) for the truth as for hid treasure, for in them are contained the words of eternal life.— Tours, 4us., . W. G. MICKA.Y. Taj street, 10th August, 1872.

P.B. — Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life, ib the sole possessor of the key of the house (kingdom) of David. Isai. ix. 6, eh. xxii. 22 ; Amos ix. 11 ; Acts xv. 16 ; .Rev. iii. 7- He holds this and the key* of the grave and of death, and the key of the Abyss— Ch. L 18, xx. 1. I sincerely hope your correspondents will be able to understand the distinction between the keys given to Peter and the keys which " Christ still wears." Many thanks, Mr Editor, for the very impartial manner in which you have allowed this important subject to be discussed from both points of view. W.G.M.