The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-07-06
OUR RELATION TO GOD.
Meaning of the Text Him with Whom
We Have to Do"

Meaning of the Text Him with Whom
We Have to Do"
There is something very suggestive
in this periphrase which the apostle
uses for the name of God-the Being
with whom we have to do. There are
doubtless beings in the universe with
whom we have no special concern. We
sustain to them no relations of which
we are conscious. They belong to
other worlds and to other orders of ex-
istence. But God is B eing with whom
we all have to do. To Him we sustain
manifold relations. First of all, we
have to do with God as our Creator.
To Him we owe our existence. He is
the Trainer of our bodies and the Fa-
Their of our spirits. Herein lies His
| right in us, and His authority over u.s.
If God is our maker, we can not es-
| cape the conclusion that there are du-
! ties and responsibilities which grow
out of that supreme relationship 1t
makes His claim absolute and indefensi-
BILE. All men recognize the obligations
of child to it's parents, the duties OF
love, subsection and obedience which
necessarily spring from that relation.
| Much more should we acknowledge
that as the creatures of God we owe to
Him an absolute and unlimited ale.
| glance.
| Then again we have to do with God
as moral ruler and governor Bishop
Butler has shown how we are placed in
this world under government of law
analogous to that of the state-of law
strictly So called, with its rewards and
penalties. God administers this mora
government of the world. He carries
it on from His throne in the heavens by
agencies natural and supernatural, anC
every human soul has to do with Goo
in this character of moral governor
We can no more evade our responsible
ity to Him and answerableness to Hi
law of truth and right than we car
evade our civil or social response
bilities in the actual world. Tn
instinct of prayer, implanted in ever.
human breast, points to Providenc
over us. The great German philosc
pher and theologian, Schliermachel
based religion upon the feeling of dc
pendence. The nationalist, Lecky
in his History of European Morals, ad
mits that the first need of the huma
heart is something upon which to lear
There are times in the life of ever
thoughtful man when he feels his ow
weakness and insutficiency, feels OF
pressed by the mystery of life, 18th
heavy and the weary weight Of all thi
unintelligible;" and it is then that h
finds his refuge in God There is con
fort in the thought of the Divine GOV
ernance, in the assured belief that IL
finite love is over all, bringing good on
of evil, making pain and sorrow mes
sengers of grace to tie soul.
We have to do with God also in tn
character of Redeemer. The Gospe
presents to us a deeply affecting vie,
of the relation which God sustain
toward the world of mankind as
Saviour. Here we see Him seeking
through miracle and prophecy, throug
the incarnation and the atonement, I
affect moral reconstruction of tn
world. The cross becomes the symbc
of meek and suffering love. God wa
in Christ reconciling the world unit
Himself, and now men are called upo
to accept the offered mercy and be re,
onciled to God. But if they refus
this way of salvation, they still have t
do with God as their final judge. An
so it is that in one way or another W
must take the Divine Being into our a,
count. The words of our text al
weighted with an impressive and a
resting thought when we speak of Go
as the One with whom we have I
do. Interior.