The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-12-31
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.


sell spoke today from the above text,
Brooklyn. Tabernacle was crowded
with an attentive audience, as usual.
We report the discourse, as follows:
Only those who come to an advanced
degree Of knowledge OF Gods Word
can realize how Divine judgments are
all good-all blessed. Under tile In
fluence of the fog Of superstition, not
understanding Alright the teachings OF
the Scriptures, supposing that they
taught eternal torment for the great
majority of our race, we feared God,
rather than loved him. We dared not
say that such a Judgment was wrong,
malicious, devilish, yet we were unable
to see 1t in any other light; hence the
general perpleXity of Christendom, and
the general alienation OF heart, and
many intelligent minds driven to in
fidelity, and the dislike to think about
God and his supposedly terrible pur-
poses respecting our race and the gen
eral awe respecting the Bible and the
fear Of its misunderstood teachings.
But now in the dawning of the New
Dispensation the Word of God is shin
ing as never before; one passage illu-
minating another, our fear gives place
to reverential love and filial awe. We
begin to understand that the torment
doctrines which we received are Who'll
Iy foreign to the Divine character.
which, on the contrary, is distinctly
marked by Wisdom, Justice. Mercy
and Love toward all. We find our
selves now in agreement with the
Scriptural declaration that Gods judg-
ments are righteous altogether" and
we delight in them. Instead Of judg-
ment of eternal torment as a penalty
for sin, we find judgment or SEN
tence Of death. We agree to the right
eousness of that verdict or judgment.
God had the right to demand Of his
creature the obedience he was able to
render. He had a perfect right to de-
Stroy him in death when he refused
the blessing Of life eternal on the
terms Of obedience. Seeing this, how
rejoiced we are to note the Divine
Mercy in the Plan of Redemption for
the sinner and his offspring through
the sacrifice of Christ! As result we
have good hope in his judgments; for
him who once judged us worthy of
death has with equal Justice redeem
ed us and granted us the opportunity
Of eternal life through the resurrec-
ton.
1t was another part of the Divine
Judgment against our race that, in
stead of the death penalty coming in
stantly upon Adam and Eve, it came
that through the processes
Of gradual dying they might the better
learn the lesson of the exceeding sin
fulness Of sin"-tO the intent that, when
granted the new trial secured by the
merit Of Christ's sacrifice, they might
profit by it the more. The same princi-
Pies apply to all of Adams posterity.
The whole creation groaneth and ira
vaileth in pain together untirn now -"
waiting for the manifestation of the
sons of God" (Romans viii, %, 19). They
ire waiting for the establishment of
Jhrist's Millennial Kingdom under
which they shall have full opportu-
lity of coming to a knowledge of the |
Truth
This is Gods provision for the world |
n general. What God did for the lit |
lie nation of Israel during the Jewish |
Age, and what he has been doing for |
spiritual Israel since PentecOst, in this |
Gospel Age, are matters separate and |
part entirely from his general deal
ng with the world of mankind. The |
natural and the spiritual Seed of Abra-
lam are exceptions to the rule. They
AVE been granted special privileges
md blessings not granted to the world
n general-natural Israel under the
Jaw Covenant and spiritual Israel I'M
Ter the Abrahamic Covenant. From
hese two nominal Israels special 'over-
have been chosen or elected.
'hese shortly, in association with the
tedeemer, will constitute the Kingdom
f God. The overcomers of spiritual
srael, becoming the Bride of Christ
y resurrection change" to the heav-
My nature, will be like him and share
is glory and constitute the Kingdom
idoS hlShtSt StuSt' uc ONeI- |
omers of natural Israel, resurrected
0 the perfection of earthly nature,
Vill constitute the earthly phase of the
Iillennial Kingdom. Mankind may
ee and have intercourse with these,
ut will not see nor have direct inter
curse with the glorified Christ, Head
nd Body-the King Of Glory.
God Will Judge His People.
So far as the world is concerned, 1t
as been under the one general SEN
ence Of Divine Justice, dying thou
halt die" But so far as natural and
piritual Israel are concerned, they have
cen dealt with as freed from the orig
lal sentence and on trial for life or
cath afresh under Gods judgments
r disciplines. Thus it 1t written, "Je-
ovah will judge his people" Not all
nder these judgments have under
-ood them-not all were in the condi-
on Of heart to receive their instruc-
ons. "The secret of the Lord is with
lem that fear him; and he will show
lem his Covenant" psalm XIV, 14).
hus, during the Jewish Age, Israel
item lapsed into more or less of dark
ess and idolatry and failed to see
leir special privileges and relation
lip to God under their Covenant But