The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-09-12

l 1lmOtuy H. D, o.
MsI02 3QSsEIg "There is one God.
and one Mediator
between God and man, the Man Christ
Jesus. who gave Himself a Ransom
for all, to be testified in due time"
Many wonder why God does not for
give sin freely without requiring the
death Of Christ as basis for reconcil.
iation. We are to forgive those who
trespass against us. because we do not
occupy the place Of Creator and Judge
towards our fellows. and because we
ourselves are sinners like others. For
the Creator to forgive sin and remit
its penalty Internationally would be
to admit either that the Law and pen
atty were too severe or that man was
imperfect in his creation and unable
to keep perfect law.
Justice Cannot Admit Either Promise
Divine Justice cannot admit either
premise. Man was created Every
good" and the Law was reasonable.
and the penalty just. For God to have
overridden the justice of His own de-
cree would have opened the door for
transgressions on the part Of angels,
for each creature might Justly claim
the privilege Of sin and forgiveness.
This would vitiate Justice. Instead,.
God manifested His love by providing
q satisfaction for mans sin, a substl.
tute under the penalty-Jesus.
The Lo0os was made flesh, and died
willingly; "for the Joy that was set be-
fore Him He endured the cross" The
Joy included the work mentioned in
our text and also His own exaltation
to the right hand Of Divine Majesty.
Thus the Man Christ Jesus laid down
an unforfeited human life and received
the divine nature and glory far above
angels. The human life laid down is
to be "a ransom for all, to be testified
p due time" q Timothy Il, 8) But
that due time has not yet come nor has
that sacrifice been appropriated for
0ankind. Hence "the sin Of the world"
. not yet taken away, although as the
Mediator, Jesus has laid the price of
humahsfedemption in the hands of Di.
vine Justice.
Jesus awaits the gathering Of the
Church. over whom He is Head. he.
with the Church. His Body, will con-
stitute the great Mediator, who will in.
augurate the New Covenant, after com.
plotting His "better sacrifices" (He-
brews *. 23) The first Of these was
His own flesh; the remainder is the
hesh Of His Church; thus He said to
Saul Of Tarsus. Il am Jesus whom
thou persecutest." See also Ephesians
Y. 3O-32.
When the foreordained number OF
His members shall have passed to Him
beyond the veil, then the great Medi.
ator will be completed. Then blood.
atonement will be applied on behalf of
the world, and Divine Justice will &C.
cept that ransom-price. Thereafter the
world will be free from the death sen.
tence. Forthwith Christ will establish
His Kingdom for restoring all that was
lost in Adam.
No longer will 1t be true that the
world lies in the Wicked One; thence.
forth the world will be under Messiah,s
Kingdom. Satan will be bound. The
knowledge Of the Lord will Ill the
earth. and every creature will have on
portunity Of return to the Fathers
House. The wilfully disobedient win
be destroyed in the Second Death.
I'VE Have an Advocate.
1t will be observed that the Church
u se:arate and distinct from the world
and developed as the Body of the Medi.
ator The Church is called to become
parfaker Of her Redeemer's sufferings
AMI His divine nature. She was. by
nature. children of wrath even az 9th.
erS hence needs Divine mercy also.
~" invitation Of this Age Isl to suf-
Ter it'll Christ, to sacrifice earthly in.
t. and hopes, to be dead to the
With Him, and thus to be made
81 with Him in His heavenly
3! nd Kingdom.
zone Is worthy to offer sacrifice
a. i'd God accept imperfect sacri.
d 'lehce the Divine provision is
Il present our bodies to the High
P for sacrifice. He then becomes
o. lvocate, and. in harmony with
Il vine will, accepts us as His
d nd sacrifices us as such, imput.
II us Of His own merit to cover
o. ,nishes. Thus the Church is
Y ID in the Beloved" Thus SUI.
e 18th Him as His members, we
h also share with Him In His
n as members Of the Body Of
u the Mediator, Prophet, Priest
q :, through whom Gods bless
b soon to be dispensed to the en-.
u ing creation, under the terms
q W Covenant. An apprecla.
Il Divine arrangement helps
= :. 20 estimate our privilege Of
u 'th Him, that we map also
e Tim.