The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-11-28


mdHifeaoi the lovesef Gods In that he
sent his only-begotten Son into the
world" "that whosoever belioveth In
him should not perish, but have ever
lasting life" Il John iv. o; John Ill, 16).
But meantime the darkness OF sin
and the mlsrepresentations Of Divine
character by the Adversary had so OPP
Grated upon the fallen race that-eyes
had they, but they saw not; ears had
they, but they understood not; hearts
had they, but they comprehended not,
the message Of Divine mercy. They
fulfilled the Scriptures in Staying the
One sent for their relief. And they
have misunderstood, slandered, ma
ligned, KILLED" his followers-the few
blessed with the hearing ears and the
understanding hearts and the eyes Of
faith. These few constitute what the
Scriptures designate the true Church
Of God. including the Apostles and all
the faithful throughout this Age-the
household of faith, "the Church Of the
irst-Borns, whose names are written
In heaven" QIebrews xii. 23) These
constitute the Little Flock. to whom II
Is the Fathers good pleasure to give
the Kingdom, which shortly (Messi-
abs Kingdom) is to bless and uplift
the world, operating through natural
Israel
Mercy Rejoleeth over Justice.
Mans necessity became Gods oppor-
tunity for the display of his glorious
haracter--perfect in Justice, Wisdom,
Love and Power While love could
not clear yhe guilty, 1t could provide
a Redeemer to suffer, "the Just FOR the
unjust" Bui Divine Justice could not
allow this, unless with the consent OF
the sufferer. Hence we read that God
set before his only-bcgottcn Son
glorious Plan and invited his co-opera-
tion therein. Tho Son nsscnted. left
the heavenly glory, was made flesh
and Offered himself" an acceptable
sacrifice, "the Just for the UNJUST
for the redemption of Adam aud his
race. The Father honored him by
raising him from the dead to a still
higher glory and honor thun he had
before, to immortallty-the divine na-
ture. Now. from his glorious station.
he is empowered to be the Mediator
between God and mcn-bctween Di-
vine Justice and fallen humanity. He
is empowered to give the earthly
rights which he sacrlflcially laid down
for Adam and his race-to so many Of
them as will accept the perfection of
human nature and its rights and priv
ileges upon terms in harmony with the
| Divine Law-the remainder he will de-
stroy, annihilate las brute beasts" Ql
Peter II, -; Acts iii, 23)!
AS though all this were not sufii-
ciently wonderful; as though with all
this the Heavenly Fathers Wisdom.
Justice. Love and Power would not
be sufficiently Illustrated. exemplified.
God added another feature. Before
beginning to deal with the world as a
| obedient of the race human perfection
and an earthly Eden Paradise aud
eternal life; before commencing this
work of restitution (Acts iii. 19J. the
| Father made known to the Son anoth-
er feature of his Plan. He would give
TO the Son Bride, class selected
| from amongst the fallen race-called.
chosen, faithful overcomers. These,
as the Joint-Heirs of the Second
Adam, will share with him in the up
lifting Of those of Adams race who
will become the children of Christ
through obedience and adoption.
The trials and testlngs of all those
who will become the Bride Of Christ
aust be similar to those of the Re-
deeDer. They must suffer with him
If they would reign with him. AS he
sacrificed his earthly life and rights
and interests, so must they. He ex-
horted them. present your bodies llv-
ing sacrifices, holy and acceptable to
God, reasonable service" Romans
xii, u. True. there is a difference be.
tween these followers of Jesus and the
Captain OF their salvation. He was
brought into the world holy, harmless,
undehled and separate from sinners:
hence his sacrifice Is a perfect one
Those accepted as his members. as his
Bride, belong to the race of sinners.
They were children of wrath even as
others" (Ephesians II. 81. Their ac.
ceptance as sacrifices, therefore, was
not possible except as the great Cap
tain Of their Salvation imputed to those
sacrifices a sufficlency OF the merit OF
his sacrifice to compensate for their
defects and to make their sacrifices ac.
ceptable to the Father with his aud as
a part of hls-they being counted In
with him as members of his Body"
My dear friends, those OF us who
have the eye Of faith and the hearing
Of faith to appreciate this, the Message
Of Gods Word, may surely be thankful
to the last degree. What more could
our Heavenly Father do for us than he
has done-redeemlng us. inviting us
to new nature, giving us the aids by
the way, and making us sharers In the
Kingdom glory of his Son? More than
this, he has been blessing our friends,
our children, our parents, our neigh.
bors, the heathen-all of mankind. OF
one family.
|