Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-01-05
THERE is NO CONDEMNATION


The books OF the Bible, from Cen
esis to Revelation Inclusive, may
properly be said to contain the ethi-
cal history of maplspa Studied as
magnificent whole, they reveal a
gradual change in mans conscious
ness from a material to a spiritual
standpoint. They exhibit a slow but
great embodiment and growth In
mans belief concerning the nature
OF God The Lord God as described
in the second and ensuing chapters
OF Genesis, gives place, at a later
date, to Jehovah, the great I Am.
whom Moses taught the children Of
Israel to fear and to obey. Later,
Isaiah expresses his concept of God
in these grand words: "Thus saith
the high and lofty One that inhabi-
teth eternity, whose name is Holy
The final understanding of God as
Spirit remained, however, for Jesus
to reveal to an expectant people
Jesus preached of God who is Love
He taught the fatherhood of God
and the universal sonship to that
Father.
'Paralleling the development of
the knowledge Of God is the change
in mans conscious or unconscious
violation of the law of God The
belief held by man in regard to God
and His laws determines also the
belief concerning the kind Of pun
ishment which inevitably results to
the sirner who disobeys these laws |
Anciently it was supposed that Je-
hovah punished mankind aTb'trar-
lily, for sins committed either wit
tingly or otherwise, by the whole
sale destruction of tribes or cities.
At a later period there is expressed
a more beneficient serse of mans in (
dividual relation to God. Ezekial .
declares that "the son shall not
bear the in'quity of the father, nei-
ther shall the father bear the ini-
guilty of the son: the righteousness
of the righteous shall be upon him,
and the wickedness of the wicked
shall be upon him. I have no
pleasure in the death OF HIM that
dieth, said the Lord God, wherefore
turn yourselves and live ye" Mala-
chi delivers his message in these
significant words, unto you that
fear my name shall the sun of
arise with healing in
his wings"
Jesus taught the divine fact Of
ternal llfe-life which can neither
begin nor end, nor de. According
ly he plainly showed that it is the
sin and rot the identity which must
die, Until the time OF Jesus it was
always the sinner who was to be
punished for and with his sin The
Master, however clearly made the
separation between man, made in
the image of God, and the tempta- (
ton OF evil. He compassionately
liberated the sinner ard the sufferer
alike by casting out the evil Jesus
ever pointed to the thought which
caused the wrong doing as the real
without doubt this 'ndt-
Gates that sin causes its own punish {
ment Such punishment must sure I
" go on until 1t proves to be suf- e
hciont to induce the sinner to aban- 7
ion the sin. 1t is manifestly impos-
sible that IL should continue longer, I
Tor when a cause ceases, the result I
Is inevitably eifaced, O
This cursory review of mans spir. 1,
tual growth in the line indicated, =
brings to lght the fact that the Mo- .
'aic law created fear OF God--of His r
wrath and OF His condemnation;
hat later revelation taught the fear
If evil as an entity-as a person or
lower able to tempt and destroy 6
without the consent OF the ind vd-
lal. lt furthermore shows that,
while the Master taught the ever =.
astlng condemnation of evil
hought he also taught the certain
ialvation of every child of God. Je-
ius demonstrated as well MS taught
he protection and dominion OF L
unity with God who is Life and f,
truth and Love. His compassionate 81
words. when understood, bring COM !!
ort and courage to all who are b
ieavy laden, Notwithstanding this b
,eneticent doctrine, however, many !!
lumble. earnest Christians are still Il
the self-lnalcted pain of s.
ielf condemnation and remorse for s