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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
Here, also, conditions are specified. To inherit all things, we must
resist and overcome sin.
“No fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, which is
an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
[
Ephesians 5:5
, Rev. Ver.] “Follow peace with all men, and holi-
ness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” [
Hebrews 12:14
.]
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have
right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the
city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and
murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
[
Revelation 22:14, 15
.]
God has given to men a declaration of his character: “The Lord
God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in good-
ness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and
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transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.”
[
Exodus 34:6, 7
.] The power and authority of the divine government
will be employed to put down rebellion; yet all the manifestations
of retributive justice will be perfectly consistent with the character
of God as a merciful, long-suffering, benevolent being.
God does not force the will or judgment of any. He takes no
pleasure in a slavish obedience. He desires that the creatures of
his hands shall love him because he is worthy of love. He would
have them obey him because they have an intelligent appreciation
of his wisdom, justice, and benevolence. And all who have a just
conception of these qualities will love him because they are drawn
toward him in admiration of his attributes.
The principles of kindness, mercy, and love taught and exem-
plified by our Saviour, are a copy of the will and character of God.
Christ declared that he taught nothing except that which he had re-
ceived from his Father. The principles of the divine government are
in perfect harmony with the Saviour’s precept, “Love your enemies.”
God executes justice upon the wicked, for the good of the universe,
and even of those upon whom his judgments are visited. He would
make them happy if he could do so in accordance with the laws of
his government and the justice of his character. He surrounds them
with the tokens of his love, he grants them a knowledge of his law,
and follows them with the offers of his mercy; but they despise his
love, make void his law, and reject his mercy. While constantly