River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-07-02

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 i'm His
sight" God has decreed that none
but the perfect shall have everlasting
life, for non 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 if
God had not done something for us.
The story Of what our gracious Crea-
tor has done is the 'old, old story, of
Jesus and His love"-and the Heaven
Iy 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 whosoever believeth in Him
might not perish. but have everlast-
ing life" The proper thought is not
that which is frequently given to chill
dren. and frequently held by older per-
sOns-that God is angry with us, and
that He was about to send the entire
race to eternal torment, when Jesus
stepped in and saved us from so ter
rible a fate. This view makes our
Heavenly Father appear most unloving
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
this 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 a
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 it is and what evil condi-
tons it promotes. Adam probably had
no idea what would be the result of
his disobedience. He did not know
that it would bring sin, sorrow, and
mental and moral depravity into the
world. He could not foresee the in
sane asylum. the prisons. etc. Not
ever the angels would have known the
effect of sin if God had not permitted
If RI ontor tho TTniuorco
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 own 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 misrepresenting
the Divine character.
When Mother v came under temp
tation, God did not interfere. He let
her alone. She knew His commands;
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.
lsraePs Experience Under the Law
Covenant.
The Pastor next traced the history
of Israel, and showed the purpose of
the Covenant made at Sinai. with
Moses as mediator. Two thousand
years after mans fall, God made a
Covenant with Abraham that some day
He would bless the world through
Abraham's posterity. Still the angels
had room to doubt; for Abraham was
old and as yet had no child. Years
passed by. and finally Isaac was born.
Still the world was not blessed. In
due time God declared that the bless
ing would come through Jacob. When
be died, God indicated that Jacobs
posterity would be heirs of the Prom
Use. But instead of blessing the world,
they 5ecame a nation of slaves. At
length God raised up Moses, who led
the nation through the wilderness to
Mount Sinai, where they entered into
covenant relationship with God. The
terms of their Covenant were that if
they would obey the Law, they would
become great. and all the world would