The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-06-22
the one sentence upon ali.
Gods Loving Purpose.

The Pastor next showed that. &C
cOrding to Gods righteous Law, man-
kind are now unfit to live under the
perfect conditions which He has pre-
pared. Even with the best OF intan-
tons, imperfect beings continually
make trouble for themselves and 9th
erS. In the present imperfect condi-
ton OF the race, humanity would make
trouble wherever they might be. This
is contrary to the Divine will; God
purposes to have a Universe In which
everybody shall be happy, everybody
good, everybody perfect.
With some the question might arise.
"Why did God make us imperfect2'
The speaker, after propounding the
question, then answered it: The Bible
declares that Gods work is perfect.
deuteronomy 32:4.) Humanity in their
present imperfect condition are not
Gods work. God made Father Adam
perfect. After Adam had become a
sinner and had brought the curse Of
death upon himself, he propagated a
race by the law Of nature. Therefore
all Of his posterity were born In sin.
end for six thousand years have been
falling, sinking lower in degradation.
This is the Scriptural explanation of
human imperfection: this Is why the
very best of the race cannot do per.
fectly.
The Pastor then declared that God
does not expect humanity to do per-
fectly now. in their present fallen
condition. The Creator gave the Law
to Israel for the very purpose of show
Ing them, and incidentally proving to
all men. that ''by the deeds OF the
Law no flesh can be justified In His
sight" God has decreed that none
but he perfect shall have everlasting
fife, for none but the perfect can keep
His righteous Law. He has proved
co%nclusively that no fallen human be-
Ing can keep that Law. Therefore none
OF US could have everlasting life IL
God had not done something for us.
The story Of what u gracious Crea-
tor has done is the "old. old story, Of
Jesus and His love'-and the Heaven.
~ Fathers love, also.
In the past we have failed to realize
that God is Love. even though we
read, God so loved the world that
He gave His Only Begotten Son,
that whatsoever believeth in Him
might not perish, but have everIast-
ing life" The proper thought is not
that which is frequently given to chill
dren, and frequently held by older Der
s~ons-that God is angry with us, and
that He was about to send the entire
race to eternal torment, when Jesus
in and saved us from so ter
rible a fate. This view makes our
Heavenly Father appear most ~unlovfng
and unjust, in that when He knew
that we were imperfect and therefore
could not do perfectly, He held US &C. (
countable for what we could not do.
All Bible. students are getting rid of
wrong conception Of the Almighty
Jehovah.
The right thought is that from the
very foundation Of the world God had
a loving purpose in respect to man.
kind. He knew that the race would
sin, but He also knew how in His
great Wisdom He could override the
experience Of these six thousand years
OF sin and death, so that good would
ultimately result. If God had not per
mitted sin, men would not have known
how wrong 1t is and what evil condi-
1t promotes. Adam probably had
idea what would be the result Of
his disobedience. He did not know
that it would bring sin, sorrow. and |
mental and moral d~epravity into the
He could not foresee the in
sane asylum. the prisons. etc. Not
even the angels would have known the
effect Of sin If God had not permitted
1t to enter the Universe.
Permitting Sin-Causing Sin.
The Pastor then showed the wide
difference between permitting sin and
causing sin. he declared that for God
to have caused sin would have been for
God to do evil. God does no evil; He
tempts no man. He was not response.
BILE for the entrance of sin into the
world. God permitted Satan to have
his W way and become a rebel
against the Divine Government. He
permitted him to pursue his downward
course. In order to let the angels see
the result of sin. Therefore He did
not hinder Satan from disappearing
the Divine character.
When Mother Eve came under temp
tation, God did not interfere. He let
her alone. She knew His command;
she had her full testing; she ate, and
disobeyed. God also permitted Adam
to disobey. Thus the reign of Sin and
Death came into the world, with their
tremendous influences for evil. Then
He also permitted the angels to be
tempted to sin in connection with
mankind. After the Deluge, God start
ed a new order of things and let man.
kind and angels try again under some
what different conditions.
Next the Pastor declared that this
reign Of Sin and Death has illustrated
certain principles. 1t has demonstrate
ed what righteousness is. and has
showed the necessity for obedience to
God. 1t has also proved that there can
be no happiness aside from perfect
harmony with the Creator. Both men
and angels have learned that whoever
sins will suffer.
Experience Under the Law
Covenant.
The Pastor next traced the history
Of Israel, and showed the purpose Of
the Covenant made at Sinai. with