Then think of the sacrifice which the Father made. He gave His Son. Who
will fathom the meaning of that sacrifice? Some there are who say that
God cannot suffer. On the contrary. I believe that His suffering in
giving His Son no man nor angel can fathom. And is it to be thought that
God made that sacrifice for less than every human soul? The fact that He
loved every soul that He has made, should settle the question.
Then we are often told that the Atonement is suited for all, though it
is not intended for all. When we admit that God loves every soul, and
that the Atonement is suited for all, are we not shut up to the
conclusion that it is, or will be, applied to all? Nothing could hinder,
except man's own obstinacy, and we have seen that his obstinacy can be
overcome without interfering with his freedom.
We believe that sin will finally be put down. To that effect there are
many scriptural declarations. But it is conceivable that it is tolerated
for a time as an object lesson, and as a safeguard against evil. Some
such beneficent design God certainly has in view; else all His
benevolent purposes would take effect in this life. We have to remember
that His administration is from everlasting to everlasting. We have also
to remember that God has all moral as well as all physical power, even
to taking captive the most wicked of men.
When we think of the divine union of love, wisdom and power in God, it
is not hard to believe that they will finally triumph. If God in His
divine wisdom knows how to act, and divine power enables Him to act, and
divine love impels Him to act, it is reasonable to forecast the ultimate
holiness and happiness of all intelligences.
We are accustomed to say, and we often see it, that God brings good out
of evil. The ultimate abolition of all sin, and the universal triumph of
goodness, are but an expansion of the same principle.
We have also to remember that sin in any form is an abnormal condition
of the universe. It is not reasonable to think that abnormal conditions
will prevail for ever.
There are some who believe that God is so unchangeable that He must
necessarily be happy under all conditions. Such are not the
representations of Scripture; and though they are but representations,
we believe they are agreeable with the fact. Besides; that is not true
of our selves; and we know that we are created in the divine image. Now
if sin is a disturbing factor of divine happiness, it is reasonable to
think that it will finally be done away.
There is no constituent of character that brings so much happiness as
love. As God really is love, He is the infinitely happy one. It is
therefore reasonable to suppose that divine love will ultimately have
its happiest expression; and that will involve the abolition of all sin.
Wrath is no constituent of the divine character; but a potentiality
only. If God is to be supremely happy there will finally be no sin to
call forth his wrath, for wrath is a disturber of happiness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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