Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-04-30
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

L. u
the Brooklyn Tabernacle, said:
The first thought connected with
this text. dear friends, is the peculiar
ity OF the fact that the God OF all
grace, the Almighty. the All-Wise, the
Adjust, should have love for the
world of mankind. 1t would surprise
hone Of US IL the Apostle had written
that God greatly loved the holy angels
and that he would do any and every
thing for their protection and blessing
We would have said, ut Is Just like
him. or course he would do so. They
have always been loyal. always been
true. They are noble images OF him.
self in character" II the statement
had even been that God so loved his
saints that. blemished by the imper-
fections OF the flesh, he had accepted
them through the merits OF Jesus sac
rifice and counted them as perfect and
entire in him, this would have caused
greater surprise than Gods love for
the angels. And yet we would have
said. Eyes. IL is just like our heavenly
Father to be abundantly gracious and
10 remember the sins and iniquities no
more against those who have fully
turned to righteousness and by faith
have been covered by their Redeem
er's Robe Of Perfection"
Condemned Sin In the FLESH.
II our text were the only one Of
Scripture to the contrary Out 1t is
mott, 1t would be an utter refutation
TO the blasphemous doctrine of eternal
torment as the Divine purpose toward
mankind The thought that God Gre
ated our race with the foreknowledge
and prearrangement that the over
whelming majority (all except the
sanity "electD must spend an eternity
OF hopeless torture, Is thoroughly out
OF accord with reason, as well as con-
Trajectory to our text, God so loved
the world" Does love plan tortured
Does loving provision not imply wis
dom In the use or power, that the crea-
ture may not be injured, IL he shall
not be benefited by the programf Is
IL conceivable that he who commands
US TO love our enemies and TO observe
toward them the Golden Rule would
himself ignore that Rule and iniure
not merely his enemies, but also the
Ignorant, the superstitious, the great
masses OF mankind-of whom the
Apostle declares. 1.-THE God of this
world hath blinded their mindsr' Oh
Corinthians iv, A.
Let us have done with such night
mares. such doctrines OF demons" as
the Apostle styles them Let us begin
to know our Creator. our heavenly Fa-
Their. for such knowledge is q step to-
ward love for him. and hence toward
life eternal for ourselves. II was our
dear Redeemer who said, This Is life
eternal, that they might know thee, the
only true God. and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent" John XVII, 81. Not
only the world perishes because of
lack OF true knowledge of the Creator.
but many OF Gods people are similar
~ hindered. AS the Scriptures declare.
My people are destroyed for lack OF
knowledge" (Hosea iv, o..
1t should be understood by all that
Gods Love for mankind. as well as
Divine Justice and Wisdom, prepared
mans penalty-'The wages OF sin Is
death" (Romans vi, 23). 1t Is In full
harmony with this that we know
when the Lord drove our first parents
out OF the Garden OF Eden and placed
the cherubim with flaming sword To
prevent their return thither. 1t was a
merciful provision. because had they
continued to have access TO the trees
or life and thus to continued existence.
it would have meant everlasting life
for sinners. And to give sinners eter-
nal life and TO perpetuate n condition
or sin. rebellion. anarchy, In the uni
verse to all eternity would have been
discreditable TO the Divine Character
and Government, as well as Injurious
TO his creatures Gou 8 determination. |
therefore. from the very beginning |
was that he would have q clean uni. |
verse. and hence the law, s.rhe soul |
that sinneth. IL shall dier-a law which |
ultimately must prevail as respects the |
fallen angels and Satan, as well as In |
,espect to mankind.
Thus we have the assurance that ui-
-imately nothing shall mar the har-
mony OF the universe. What the Scrip
lures point out respecting the future
VIII prove true "And every creature
which is In heaven. and on the earth.
and such as are in the sea, and all that
are In them. heard saying, Blessing.
and honor, and glory. and power, be
unto him that stitch upon the throne.
and unto the Lamb for ever and ever
iRevelation v. 49,. Thus the time Will
come when sin and all who love sin
VIII be destroyed and when, as a con
sequence. the Scriptures assure US
There shall be no more death, neither
sorrow. nor crying, neither shall there
be any more pain: for the former
things are passed away. And he that
sat upon the throne said. Behold. I make
al Things new" Revelation XXI, 4. %.
THAT He Gave His Son."
Gods love for sinners, as we have
seen. was so great that he could NOT
dIsot0 them TO hdre everlasting life. be-
cause that would mean to them ever
iasting imperfection and sorrow, etc.
But our text tells us Of O still further
step that the Lord took--and hence
shows a still further love.
He gave his only begotteu Son /"
Howf When? Where? What for,
We answer. He did not give his onIv
oesotten Son TO suffer eternal torment
lor US. Thank God. No! Yet IL eter-
iai torment had been the sinners pen
atty Gods Son could not have been
Iher Redeemer, except by paying that |
awrui price. AS we have seen. how
ever. the penalty was not that. but n
1eath penalty-"The soul that sinnetb
{ snail Ole" CEzekiel xviii, ~; dying
-hou shalt die;' 1.-The wages OF sin "a
ieath. God gave bis only begotten
Son to die for our sins that he might {
,ring US back to God. Our Lords
ieath on Calvary was the sufficient