Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-07-02
cry best of the race cannot do ner.

ASSaS'
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
Law no flesh can be justified in His
sight" God has decreed that none
but the perfect shall have everlasting
life, for none but the perfect can keep
His righteous Law. He has proved
conclusively that no fallen human he
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
ly 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
uaoroplr no thor q ppoor p,ocf ,,plovi,r
and unjust. in that when He knew
that we We're imperfect and therefore
could not do perfectly. He held us ac-
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 man.
kind He knew that the race would
sin. but He also knew how in His
great Wisdom He could overrule the
experience of these six thousand years
of sin and death. so that good would
ultimately result II 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
even the angels would have known the
effect of sin if God had not permitted
it 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.
bic for the entrance of sin into the
| world. God permitted Satan to have
his own way and become 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 misrepresentine
/ tu6 DlN 1lle
| When Mother Eve came under temp
tation, God did not interfere. He let
her alone She knew His command;
i 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 new order of things and let man
kind and angels try again under some
what different conditions
Next the Pastor declared that thi.
reign of Sin and Death has illustrated
certain principles. 1t has demonstrat
ed what Righteousness is. and ha
showed the necessity for obedience tt
God. 1t has also proved that there cal
be no happiness aside from perfec
harmony with the Creator. Both mel
and angels have learned that whoeve
sins will suffer.
israeI's Experience Under the Law
Covenant.
The Pastor next traced the histor
of Israel, and showed the purpose O
the Covenant made at Sinai, wit
Moses as mediator. Two thousan
years after mans fall. God made
Covenant with Abraham that some da
He would bless the world throug
Abraham's posterity. Still the angel
had room to doubt; for Abraham wa
old and as yet had no child Year
passed by, and finally Isaac was borl
Still the world was not blessed. |
due time God declared that the bles.
ing would come through Jacob. Whe
he died God indicated that Jacob
posterity would be heirs of the Prom
Use But instead of blessing the worl'
they became nation of slaves. :,
length God raised up Moses. who lie
} the nation through the wilderness
Mount Sinai, where they entered I'M
covenant relationship with God. TT
terms of their Covenant were that
they would obey the Law. they woul
become great. and all the world won
come under their sway.