Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-06-29
very best OF The race cannot 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 he justified in Ills
sight" God has decreed that none
hut the perfect shall have everlasting
life, for none but the perfect can keep
His righteous Law. He has proved
concuSivcly that no fallen human he
ing can keep that LAW. Therefore none
of us could have everlasting life II
God had not done something for MS.
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 II Love. even though we
read God so loved the world that
lie gave His Only BcgOtten Sou.
that whatsoever beleveth in Him
might not perish, but have everlast-
Ing life The proper thought Is not
that which Is frequently given to chill
dreu. AMI frequently held by older per
sOns-that God Is angry with ms, and
that He WIS about to send the entire
race to eternal torment, when Jesus
stepped i'm and saved MS from so ter
rible fate. This view makes our
Heavenly Father appear most unloving
and unjust in that when He knew
that We wcgc 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
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 Oyerrule 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 II is and what evil condl-
tions 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 IL 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 respOnsl.
BILE for the entrance OF sin into the
world God permitted Satan to have
his own way and become n 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 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
dlsobeyed. 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
cd new order Of things and let man.
kind and angels try ngain under some
what different conditions
Next the Pastor declared that this
reign Of Sin and Death has illustrated
certain principles. 1t has demonstrat.
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.
Israsps Experience Under the Law
Covenant.
The Pastor next traced the history
Of Israel, and showed the purpose o.
the Covenant made at Sinai, will
Moses as mediator. Two thousand
years after mans fall, God made I
Covenant with Abraham that some da!
He would bless the world through
Abrahams ppsterity. Still the angels
/ had room to doubt; for Abraham wa'
old and as yet had no child. Year,
passed by, and finally Isaac was born
| Still the world was not blessed. II
due time God declared that the bless
ing would come through Jacob. Whel
he died, God indicated that Jacob
posterity would be heirs of the Prom
ise. But instead of blessing the world
they became nation of slaves. A
length God raised up Moses, who le'
the nation through the wilderness t,
Mount Sinai, where they entered int
covenant relationship with God. Tn
terms of their Covenant were that /
they would obey, the Law. they woul'
become great, and all the world woul'
come under their sway.
But it was only a little while befor
they found that they We're sinners, TO
they could not keep His command
mcnts. Then God arranged for then
an annual Day of Atonement, Ol