Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/326

This page needs to be proofread.

shall burn them up .. * that it shall leave them neithes root nor branch ' ' Pride, and every other cause irom which haughtiness and oppression could agaia spring forth, will be entirely consumed by the great trouble of the T>ay of the Lord and by the ate disciplines of the Millennial age, the last of which is described in Rev, ao : 9.

But, while pride (in all its forms sinful and detestible) is to be utterly rooted out, and all the proud and wicked are tQ be utterly destroyed* it does not follow thar there is no hope for a reformation in this class. No, sbaak God s while thic fire of God's just indignation will be burning, the Judge

  • rili giant opportunity for fufb'ng $<mt 0uf &f fat consuming

$rt ( Jude as) 5 and those only who refuse tiw, aid will perish with their pride $ because they have made it part of their chara<3er v and refuse to reform.

The same prophet gives another description of this day (Mai. 3 a *-3)jia which again,under the figure of fire, he shows how tk lord** children wiii be purified and blessed and brought nigh to him by having the dross of error destroyed: " The Messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in s behold, be shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming ? and who shall stand [the test] when he appeareth ? for he is as a refiner's fire \ . . * and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver : and he shall purify the sons of Levi [typical of believers, of whom the chief ane the Royal Priesthood] and purge them as gold and ailver,that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness/*

Paul refers to this same fire,, and this refining process affefling believers iu the Day of the Lord (i Cor. 3 : 12-15), and in such a manner as to leave it beyond all question that the symbolic fire will destovy every error, and thus effect purification of feith* After declaring that he refers only to those building their faith upon the only recognized Cterat Jesm* fituMgd work of red'mptioEi 9 bo

�� �