The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-04-10

the good. it will be the sons fault,
not Gods.
This statement must. however, be
qualified in some way in order to ac-
count for the ignorance and injustice
in the world. There are numerous
cases where the hayward son sins
| through lack of knowledge. as Je-
hovah said of Israel (Hos. 4;6D 9th
er people are Z sometimes more to
blame for the evil results than the
victim. 1t is often true that the sim
ner is more sinned against than sin
ing. Finite courts take account of
these things. why not God? Divine
justice is often appealed to in a spir-
it Of revenge or vengence; but God is,
in fact. the only being capable of be-
ing Just because He knows all the
facts and His justice is tempered with
mercy. AS the. Psalmist SAYS. He
knoweth our frame. He remembereth
that we are dust
In these latter days, since we have
been studying sociology and orimin-
ology, we have come to realize as
never before that the whole SOM
muniiy is involved in any many's
crime. So intertwined are the inter
ests of society that it is possible to
trace the causes of other mems sins
to the very doors of apparently up
right and well meaning citizens. No
doubt Jesus had this in mind when
He said. Many shall seek to enter
in and shall not he able 1t will
no doubt be day of surprises all
round when God. the only Just one,
balances the eternal accounts of men.
Even Jesus said in Matt. 11:lS-30,
that Sodom and Gomorrah would be
Judged less harshiy than the cities in
which He preached. because those an
cient cities had less reason to know
the truth We find this sort of prop
er balance constantly in Jesus teach
ings and we certainly ought to take
His opinion on such matters as of SUI
peror worth. We cannot say with
Jonathan Edwards that the sinner Is
in the hands of an angry Cod but
we can say with positive assurance
that God watches with tender solic-
Iitude the career and conduct of every
hayward SON
Let us now consider with a little
more directness the proposition that
the life of communion, or If we prefer
the Christian life, is intended for all.
Because God has revealed Himself
as Father we are able to say that Il
is His will that all should come to
the knowledge of the truth g Tim. 3:
y that all should become like Jesus
Christ In character. Jesus says.
Come unto me all We that labor and
1,l
| rest" Matt. 11:2S. The scripture is
full of invitations to enter into the
new life and the promise is not to 4
| few, but to all. There is not a single
| person excepted.
| The scripture even contains pass
ages which mphasiZe this generous
| aspect of the gospel. For example in
Heb. 7:25 the writer says God IS
able to save them to the uttermost
that some to Him through Christ. y
| We are told by lisa SOL that every
one who thirsts. even though he has
no money may enter into this life Of
communion. Jesus Himself said
Him that cometh to me I will in no
wise cast out" (John 6:37) and God
speaks through Isaiah again saying
those whose sins are as scarlet and
as deep dyed as crimson.
SO confident was Jesus that all men
would turn to Him that He said
and I, if | be lifted up from the
earth will draw all men unto me-"
(John 1920 I do not see how any
one can doubt, in the face of these
scriptural statements. that it is the
Fathers will that all should enjoy
this life of communion. The invita-
ton is universal and Is well summed
up in the third of John, the sixteenth
verse: For God so loved the world
that He gave His only begOtten son
that whatsoever believeth on Him
should not perish but have everlast-
ing life" little child explained this
| as clearly as anyone can. He said. ut
means you and me and everybody
else" ] am glad this is all true. and
that | have the privilege OF proclaim
ing such gracious invitation.
Besides the scripture passages re-
ferred to we have the fundamental
conception of God as a Father on
which to base this statement We
have seen that it is Gods will that His
creatures should develop character
such as is seen in Jesus Christ. 1t
was man himself who thwarted God 8
plan If we looked upon God as a
great unfeelng sovereign who had
only his own selfish wishes to crafty,
his own laws to satisfy, we could cas-
| lily understand that He would be
| nightly aroused to think His subject
| had turned from Him. If he did not
use force to bring him back he would
| at least feel very angry with him and
| declare his eternal doom. A heavy
! condemnation would fall upon him
and he would stand in mortal dread
| of his king. Such a God might easily
| be thought of as a stern Judge who
| could not deviate from the demands
| of righteous laws We cannot how
! ever, think of God in this way at all
| Our thought rather turns in the di-
rection of Jesus teaching concerning
His Father, who is also our Father.
In the story Of the prodigal we have
the real condition Of affairs God the
| Father is grieved because His son has
| turned away. II affects Him not tn
the extent of rage and anger but to
| the deepest sorrow.
That those who might have enjoyed