Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-05
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REV. SAMUEL w. GRAFFLIN.
The Divine Purpose"

The Divine Purpose
Scripture Basis: Erhesian. 2:lo: Titus a:i4;
Hebrews. 6:lo-ic.
~ HE thought for the month is 'Prac
III, teal Religion, and how allurin.
is this phrase to the man or wom-
en- 70 whom the thought of prayer and
sacrifice is irksome. True religion is
practical or no.hing, but i. is religion
first and practice afterward Practical
religion involves not only the "doins" OF
the few or many good works" that
need to be done in church or community:
il calls for conception of God as the
Advise Ruler who is working out.
through the agency of redeemed men
ard women. the redemption of the world.
No ore should attempt the service OF
God without first seeking to know the
will of God: and no one should strive to
labor for any master. human o.. divine,
without first seeking TO grasp in some
small way at least. the plan Of that
masters work Those who work without
plan are little better than those who plan
without work.
Three Scriptures are given US: Scrip
lures that are vibrant with the thought
of Gods pan and purpose in US. From
these three great questions arise, born
o. these lessons and the topic Of the day
The first OF these questions Is. WHY did
Jesus Gomez in the answer to this
question will lie crystal clear, the whole
of' the Divine purpose in man. He
came. first: To reveal the love OF the
Father, to a sinful world. Nothing in the
history of religion has been more terrible
than the slanderous statements concern
ing the vindictive wrath of God.
Read the third Of st. John. or the IF
teenth of Luke. and see how they cry
out against such conception.
He came in the second place: To redeem
the world from sin by His death upon
tire cross. by whose stripes We are
healed And Who gave Himself for
us that He mirht redeem, us fgom all
in;quity and purify unto Himself people
for His OWL possession, Jealous of good
works."
In the third place: He came to found a
body of redeemed sinners. called to be
saints who should carry forward the
work which He began. This body We
call ''the church; and the first duty of
the church is to carry out to the limit
Of it's ability the purpose of it's Foundsf>
The first question. then. is: why id
Jesus Gomez" or The Divine Purpose
IN redemption.
The second question grows out OF the
first and concerns 1.-The Divine purpose
in US: as the re: ipients of His mercy and
the servants of God. Here is where the
problem of the Divine purpose" becomes
intensely personal to every child or God
IN closing the parable of The Good
Samaritan Jesus said. Go. thou. and
do likewise" and in His striking portrayal
of the last judgment we find that the re-
wards and punishments of that dread day
are to be melted out the basis OF
mercies shown and kindly deeds per-
formed or the neglect of the duties near
at hand. We are saved by grace, but re-
warded for works. We are given our
crowns. but put the stars in them our
selves. Thus. only through us whom He
hath redeemed does the Master go to the
needy and heart hungry world today.
How large a place We occupy in 1.-The d.
vine purpose.
The third question has to do with the
nature of the problem whose solution
God has committed to our care. This Is
the age-o!d problem. and has to do with
the same great fundamentals that
brought the Son of God from heaven to
die for sinful men. Like Him. we are to
love. redeem and gather to Himself
the hayward. weak and wanton among
the sons of men. This is practical re-
ligion." and fits in most closely with 1.-The
purpose of Cod as revealed in His word
First to ''be like Him." then to ''do as
He did That is the Divine program for
those who believe in a practical religion.