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Show THERE IS -ONE GOD ..AND ONE MEDIATOR rtie World Needs a Mediator, Church Needs Advocate, Partor RusmII Addressed Two Largo Audiencos In Stockholm Yesterday. Left to Fill Lecture Appointment In Copenhagen, Bruscels and London. .... .. Stockholm. Au- ESBicVy Russell of London g!MKjSffifll congregations here )PASTQZ RU5J1LLJJ There Is one God! and one Mediator between Gpd nnd man, the Mn Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a Ransom foj alj. to bo -testified in due time." Many wonder "why God does not forgive for-give sin freely without requiring the death. of Christ as a basis for teconcil-lation. teconcil-lation. We arc to forgive tboso who trespass against us, because we do not occupy the' plnco of Creator and Judge towards crur fellows, and becnusc we ourselves are dinners like others. For the Creator to forgive sin and remit itn penalty unconditionally would be to admit either that the Law nnd penalty pen-alty were too severe or that man was Imperfect In his creation nnd unable to keep a perfect law. Justice Cannot Admit Either Promise. Divine Justice ennuot admit either premise. Mr.n was created "very good:"' and (he Law was reasonable, and the penalty Jnsl. For God to have overridden the justice of His own decree de-cree would have opened the door for transgressions on the part of angels, for each creature might justly claim the privilege of sin aud forgiveness. This would vitiate Justice. Instead. God manifested His lovo by providing a satisfaction for man's sin a substitute substi-tute under the penalty Jesus. Tho Lopo wns made flesh, and died willingly, "for the jor that was set before be-fore Him lie endured the cross." The Joy included the work mentioned in our text and also His own exaltation to the richt lined of Divine Majesty Thus rhf Man Christ Jesus laid down an unforfciJej hum:(n Hfe and received the divine nature and glory far aboe angIp. The human life laid down u to be "a ransom for all. to be testified j in due time." (I Timothy il. 6) Rut that due time has not jet come uor has that sauiifiire been appropriated for mankind Heuco 'tho sin of the world" is uot yet taken awny. although ag the Mediator. Jcu has laid the price of human redemption In the hands of Divine Di-vine Justice Jesnj n waits the gathering of the Church, orcr whom Ee. is Head. He. with the iurcb. His Cody, vrlll constitute con-stitute the, great Mediator, who will inaugurate in-augurate the New Covenant, after completing com-pleting Hia "better sacrifices " (Hebrews (He-brews lx. 23 ) The first of" these was His own fjesh; the remainder is the flesh of His Church: thus He snld to Saul of Tarsus. "1 am Jesus whom thou persecutest." See also Kphciians t. 80-32. y When the foreordained nn ruber of His menibffrf shafl have passed to Him boyoiid tho veil, then the great Mediator Medi-ator will be completed. Then blood-atonement blood-atonement will be applied on behalf of the world, ami' Divine Justice will accept ac-cept that rnnsom-price. Thereafter the worfd will be free from the death sentence sen-tence Forthwith Christ will ektabllsh His Kingdom for restoring all that was lost ln.Adnmv Xo longer,'wlll It be true that the world lie? In, the Wicked One. thence forth the, world will he under Messiah's Kingdom. Satan will be bound The knowledge, of the Lord will fill the earth, nnd every creature will have opportunity op-portunity of 'return to the Father's Hopsc. The' -wilfully dlsohedient wlH be destroyed in the Second Death. "Wo Havo an Advocate." It will he observed thnt the Church is separate and dlstjnct fTQnWhe world and developed as the Body of the Mediator. Medi-ator. The Church i called to become partaker other Redeemer's sufferings apd His dlfine nature. She was, by nature, "children of'wrath even as others," oth-ers," hence needs Divine mercy also, The Invitation of this Age Is, to suffer suf-fer with Christ,' to sacrifice earthly interests in-terests and hopes, to be dead to the world wiih Him. and thin to be made sharers with Hire in His heavenly glory and Kingdom. But none i worthy to offer snerifleo Aor could God accept Imperfect sacrifices; sacri-fices; henco'tho Divine provision is that we present pur bodies to the High P.rlst for sacrifice. He then becomes our Advqcatc. and. In hnrmony with the Divine wjlf, accepts us as "His flesh" nnd sacrifices us as such, imputing imput-ing to us of His own merit to cover onrv blemishes. Thus the Church is "accepted jn, the Beloved." . Thus suffering suf-fering with- Him as His mcuibtjrs, we recoive -also a, share with Him In His reward as members of the Body of Messiah, the Mediator, Prophet, Priest and King, through whom God's blessings bless-ings are soop to be dispensed to tho entire en-tire groaning creation, under the terms p. thp New Covenant. An appreciation apprecia-tion of the Divine arrangement help us greatly to estimate our privilege of suffering with Him. that we may alijo Celgn ith HJro. - nn |