| CHRISTIAN LIFE AND DOCTRINE | July 2008 |
Message of God
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“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” |
THE WHOLE MESSAGE OF God is contained in a condensed form in these words. Man’s need is shown—his perishing condition, his need for Divine help. God’s love is declared and the proof of it is pointed out to be the gift of his Son.
Our Lord’s willing cooperation in the Father’s plan is evidenced. The lengths and breadths of his love and redemption are declared to embrace the whole world, and not merely a section, a family, or a class. The limitations of Divine grace are plainly stated: only through a true acceptance of Christ can any obtain this great blessing—release from the perishing conditions of the curse, and complete reinstatement in the Divine favor and its blessed reward of life everlasting.
Thus the Gospel statement assures us that there is no hope for the world in its ignorance, and points us, as do other scriptures, for all hope respecting them to the future, when the voice of the Son of Man who redeemed them shall call all from the grave, to the intent that all may attain to resurrection perfection under the judgments of the Millennial Age. “When the judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9), and many who have gone down into the tomb under the curse and in ignorance of the only name given under heaven and among men, shall ultimately be blessed as they shall hear of the great salvation God has provided, and if they shall accept it upon God’s terms.