| Show CHRIST AND MAN how far the atonement of christ is available in its application to mans redemption to is a qu question that has been dib discussed CUssed by far reaching minds both in the light of theory mud and of revelation on the possibility and hope of redemption depends entirely the virtue and efficacy of the atonement it virtually becomes the alpha and omega the very foundation upon which must be reared the entire structure of the christian religion and without a correct a true conception of this principle there can be no living faith no abiding hope in mans redemption from his bis fallen and sinfol condition deprived of his fathers presente pres enoe and favor ft the life character and mission of jesus christ to earth presents such a contrast with that of ordinary man that it has been difficult to recognize the fact that they are of the same game family children of the same father and destined to the same inheritance in the same glory ile he to is full of wisdom love and works of righteousness the other ot of folly hate and wickedness the one poss possess eming sing all power both in heaven and on earth the other subject to the infirmities of life and even death without even power to de deliver livor the one clothed with t ower cower to lay town down his life and take it again the other in bondage to both sin and death temporal and spiritual the one promising eternal life to all who would believe on him the other destitute of van even hope of obtaining it but by and through his intercession and favor the one covenanting to live without sin in that by virtue of his innocence his life might be an acceptable sacrifice to offer for a ransom of the guilty the one by whom the world and they who inhabit it were made and by whom alone man can be redeemed the one by his life and the power of his example declaring that he is god with us and that by virtue of his divine mission and redeem redeeming rg power man may recognize his true rela relation tiari and dependence upon the efficacy of the atonement made by him and accepted by the father for mans redemption demp tion and restoration to all that had by sin been lost from the condition entailed upon the he entire human race by the transgression of one one it was wag decreed that all should hould be redeemed through the obedience of one that as in one all died spiritually ily by being cast out from the fathers 9 presence pree enoe sot go in h one should all be made alive and come back into his hie presence again the atonement therefore as far reaching in its redeeming power as aa was the fall in its consequence otherwise it would be incomplete only partial in its application and when and where and to whom it would be inoperative could never be determined this once admitted as being possible would Ir destroy all faith in the mercy and justice of god as one who to Is no respecter of persons I 1 the atonement was madi made and accepted by the father for the express purpose of bringing man back into the presence of hamaker hi biff maker consequently must be applicable to man during the entire period of time he must endure banishment baBish ment from that presence whether in the body or to the spirit out of the body until they as the soul of man in immortality come to the immortal presence where there will be no more death as there was none before this involves the extent or limits of the claim of mercy upon the creature before reaching the bounds of justice for one can never be permitted to trespass upon the other these two different attributes attribute st of deity have each their active field of ef operation and are never found in conflict with each other mercy extends just as far as the atonement is efficacious and so long as that is applicable to the creature he to is within tho jurisdiction of mercy and may lay claim to all its advantages and powers by complying with the terms which are faith repentance an obedience these demand and secure forgiveness with devinn power none are entirely out of the reach of redemption by virtue of christ christis Is atonement until they become angels to the devil they can only become such by first knowing know ag that jesus Js is the christ by faith and obedience to his will and receiving the holy ghost and then altogether turning away from and denying him by which they put him to an open shame and virtually crucify him afresh to themselves and assent anent to the shedding of his innocent blood this places all such in a more fearful condition even than the jews were in when they actually accomplished his bis death jesus prayed the father to forgive them for they knew not what they did but for those who hare have once known him that he is ie the redeemer by the holy ghost which bears witness of both the father and the son there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come it is written of all such that where god and christ dwell they cannot come worlds without end they are not only deprived of the fathers presence lost to redemptions ons power but the end of their torment and suffering no man knows it has not been nor ever will be revealed to man all others than these whatever be their condition whether in this world or in the world to come or the spirits in the paradise of god the mercy of god by virtue of christs atoni atoning jag blood has claim upon them mercy considered as a principle or as an attribute of deity is from everlasting to everlasting the mercy of god en dureth forever it is the great distinguishing feature of his character in dealing with his children it is evidence of his love under the influence of which justice is ever administered but in its application to individual merit it only follows such acts of the children of men as are prompted by the same spirit as is in him who to is the fountain and source thereof acts of love are acts of mercy and the test of love is keeping the jaw no wilful violation of law has may any claim on mercy justice ever demands a vindication of the law and to ai appease that demand the penalty attached must be endured by suffering such penalty the transgressor atones atone for his bis individual guilt when mercy again claims the creature as free from the bondage of sin and within the realm of her loving kindness and redeeming power for their individual sins sine all men may endure the punishment affixed to the violation of each and every law jaw of their being and exaltation and where justice is satisfied they may by repentance pen tance and obedience be restored to the mercy and grace of god and learn as david did that their souls shall not be left in hell because gods holy one did not see corruption by virtue of his power over death and acquiring all other power both in heaven and on earth he will at last when he acu accounts to the father have the honor and glory of saying of all thou hast bust given me I 1 have lost loat none save those who are sons of perdition P all will be permitted to dwell in some one of the many mansions which are prepared in Fathers the house horne one of the glories of the kingdoms which represent the glories of the re deemed from the tol estial to the celestial the greatest of cfall all As by one man came death so by one came the resurrection 20 by virtue of which all men will be restored to that immortal state in which man was waa found before the sentence of loath death was wae passed upon him the spirit and body again united will constitute the immortal soul living where there is no death having passed beyond the limits of its power and where like god he voy may see as he is seen and un understand d n relates to his bis being of the past the present and that which is to come in that condition he will comprehend the mercy of god in the reward of the faithful and the justice of god in the punishment of the wicked as planned in the councils of the eternal ones before the earth was formed or man en an bared upon the sphere of time his bis temporary probation and without which he could nev never r be an immortal soul he would remain only a disembodied spirit as before man was man may for his own individual sins however hideous they may be by suffering the penalty of the law jaw and due repentance tor for sin find himself again where mercy reigns supreme till through the catalogue of crime he reaches that of shedding innocent blood or if denying the christ after knowin gHim by the power of the holy hely ghost so that he cannot be again renewed dewed into repentance when with his bis knowledge man of choice commits their sin unto death ay there is no his name given by which he can be saved prom from such condition there is no provision in redemption ons plan by which he may be ransomed rans omed from the power er of him who makes these his angels ge a to all eternity as he did one third of the hosts of heaven who fell with him to rise no more by the giving of his life and the shedding ot of hla his blood christ became the redeemer of the world the sacrifice was accepted because no greater could be made by it man was ran domed from the effects and consequences of the original transgression all men born into the world must come in a state of innocence the Frat herbas has recognized this condition and afforded the necessary protection to the child by holding its parents responsible for its life until years of personal accountability are acquired when the acceptance of the atonement by the creature must appear by complying with the same rules and by yielding obedience to the same laws by which the one making the atonement is governed by conforming his bis life to those requirements he is permitted to again dwell in the presence of the father as he did before the fall and as christ does now upon his right hand maki making ng intercession for those who are his to the he end that they may be one with the father as ile he is one with him to those who do this he has promised all cfall that my father hath bath shall be given unto them this is in the highest consummation possible to contemplate as the glorious result of man mans manis Is mission to earth to be like god the father possessing thron thrones vo kingdoms principalities and powers with the eternal increase of endless lives in worlds without end 8 W |
