How to Live a Holy Life | Page 8

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text as rendered in the Septuagint version brings out clearer the true
signification: "Hear the end of the matter, the sum. Fear God and keep
his commandments: for this is the whole man." Man is not entire, he is
not complete as originally intended, when not keeping all the
commands of God. Something is lacking in the life that is not in full
obedience to every word of God.
The Bible speaks of a beautiful city in that bright, celestial world. It is a
city of pure gold, clear as glass. Its walls are of jasper; its twelve
foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones; its twelve
gates are gates of pearl; its streets are pure gold. In that fair city there is
no sin, no pain, no sickness; sorrow and trouble never come there; a
tear shall never fall from any eye, for no tears are there. There is no
death in that wonderful city so fair. In the midst of the street stands the
tree of life. Oh, who does not desire to dwell forever and forever in that
city of love and light when the pains and sorrows, the trials and tears,
of this weary life are over?
Listen while I read to you in accents clear, distinct, and unmistakable--
"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right
to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev.
22:14. O traveler to eternity, your entrance into the beautiful, glorious
city of God depends upon your conduct respecting the commandments
of God while you are making the journey across the turbulent sea of life.
Keeping the commandments of God is man's whole duty. If he does his
whole duty through life, he will come up out of the dark valley and
shadow of death, and find the gates of pearl unfolding. Who will not
cleave to the commandments of God? Who will not obey his voice and
walk daily in his holy ways? The obedient will be rewarded by an
unfading inheritance in that eternal city of gold. There is a beautiful
mansion in the great house of God for every obedient soul. Oh, how
blessed!
I am thinking of heaven tonight, Of the mansion prepared there for me,
Where Jesus my Savior now dwells, And where I am longing to be.
Will not heaven be well worth a life of obedience to the Word of God,
though obedience calls us through storms of persecutions, furnaces of

trials, oceans of tribulations, and years of toil and suffering? To Moses
the reproaches of Christ were greater treasures than the riches of Egypt,
"for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Sit quiet for a
moment and by a strong eye of faith look away into heaven and see that
bright mansion prepared for you. See those jasper walls, those pearly
gates, and those golden walks. See the crown of life, the harp of God,
and the light of the Lamb. Shall we not bear the trials of life a little
longer in patience? Shall we not be watchful to walk in God's ways and
obey him, that this rich inheritance may be ours forever? Methinks I
can hear a reply coming from the depths of many a sincere, trusting
heart-- "Yes, I will live in humble obedience to God on earth, that I
may be with him forever in that celestial city of light." God bless you!
Beyond the shores of time and the kingdoms of this world is a kingdom
called the kingdom of heaven. It is the place where God has his great
white throne, around which the angels play upon their golden harps and
shout, "Blessing and honor and glory and praise and might be unto God
forever and ever." It is around this throne that those who have passed
through the tribulations and the trying scenes of this lower world and
burst through the gates of death are singing redemption's sweet song.
Who does not desire to join that happy, heavenly throng and wave
those palms and wear those white robes and sing those sweet songs
over beyond the shadowy vale of death? I seem to hear many voices
saying, "I hope to be among that blood-washed throng." Let me tell you
in all tenderness and love, but very plainly, that the realization of your
hope depends entirely upon how you live while here in this world. Oh,
how much in that great and awful future is depending upon our manner
of life in this time-world! Let us learn to live well, to be our best every
day.
We may dream of a home in heaven; we may entertain hopes of seeing
Jesus and of inheriting a mansion on the shores of