Our Limitations--Development--Our Capacity--Divine Foreknowledge--No
Divine Failure--The Heathen--Unchangeable Love--Union of Four
Attributes--Eternal Wisdom--A Marvel of Coercion and Freedom--The Day
of Divine Power--An Unfathomable Mystery--Future Revelations--Coming
to Zion with Songs.
Since trying to see the relation of absolute Justice to the Idea of
Restoration, it has struck me that it may be well to take a glance at
some others of the Divine attributes, and see if they also sustain the
same theory. Any theory that is really true must be in harmony with the
Divine character. The trouble is, that our knowledge of all that
pertains to the Infinite is necessarily limited. At the same time, if it
seems that when any quality of the Divine character is contradicted or
disparaged by any theory of ours, that is a strong argument that the
theory is not true. But if, on the other hand, our theory is seen to
glorify the Divine character, that is strong evidence that the theory is
right. While well aware, then, of our limitations, in this direction, it
is fair to inquire if the Divine attributes, or any of them, appear to
sustain our theory.
We have dealt already with the attribute of Justice. Some have regarded
that as the fundamental quality of the Divine character. I am not sure
that it is so. I think Love and Wisdom are equally fundamental. In a
former age the idea of Divine Justice overshadowed all other conceptions
of God. But the fact that He is infinite in His being, seems to imply
that He is also infinite in His perfections. So we shall give our
attention for a little to the qualities of Power, of Wisdom, and of
Love, and try to combine them with the idea of Justice, at which we have
glanced already.
Take Divine Wisdom. That means that God knows all things. Ponder for a
moment what that implies. It means that to the Eternal Mind, every
event, whether it be past, present, or future, is as clear as if it were
now transpiring. He knows, without any peradventure, everything that
will happen throughout all eternity. And He sees every circumstance that
will cause every event to transpire. Not only that, but He has the
fullest knowledge of the best means to adopt to bring about any
desirable end.
Such an idea is altogether too vast and high for us adequately to
comprehend. At the same time, it seems to imply certain things that are
beyond peradventure. God must have foreseen, for instance, that He would
make man. He must have foreseen, too, that man would fall. He foresaw,
also, and arranged, the great scheme of Redemption. But He must have
known with the utmost certainty that millions and millions of the human
race would pass out of this life without once hearing the joyful sound.
And because they did not know it, if annihilation or torment is true, He
knew that He would utterly extinguish them, or consign them to
everlasting fire!
Now, can you think of a Being of Infinite Wisdom doing either? Apart
altogether from the idea of Love, could you think of Infinite Wisdom
acting in this way? Would you not think it as a most horrid stigma on
human wisdom, and infinitely more so on Divine? To think that God made
the human race, at the same time knowing well that the vast majority of
the race would come to such an end--an end which they could not forsee
nor prevent! Is that the way Infinite Wisdom would act? The idea seems
almost blasphemy. Yet that is what you must believe if you accept the
idea either of annihilation or of endless torment.
More than that. Consider that the Creator endows every one of the race
with mental powers of almost infinite expansion; yea, better still,
with moral powers and affections akin to those of the angels. Then
consider that in the case of most, these divine powers were to be
extinguished, and that the unfortunate beings who had been endowed with
them were to pass back into nonentity, or be cast into everlasting
torment. In the one case there would be utter abortion; in the other,
there would be everlasting development of evil. Could you conceive of
anything more unworthy of Eternal Wisdom?
Still more. God foresaw and arranged the great scheme of Redemption.
That it was to be available for the whole race was divinely intended. We
are told again and again that God gave His Son for the world. It is said
that He "tasted death for every man." But God did not take means to
apply it to every man in this life. He could easily have done so. He
could have sent His angels to proclaim to men the good news of
salvation. Such an idea is not so far-fetched as at first sight it may
appear. We follow the same principle when we send missionaries to the
heathen. Oceans were formerly almost impassable. There is still more or
less risk, both from the voyage and the climate and the hostility of
savages. We may well suppose that angels could pass more easily from
star to star than that man can pass from continent to continent. And all
the savagery of evil men could have no effect on angels.
Why, then, did He not send them? He must have foreseen that men would
fail in giving the Gospel to the heathen. But was the eternal destiny of
the great majority of our race to depend on the whim of men? If God
provided salvation for the heathen, would He not convey it to them in
some way? Evidently, He has not done so in this life. Do we not begin,
then, to see that there must be some other time, or some other means, of
effecting His purposes? For "His purpose will stand, and he will do all
his pleasure."
And when we consider the eternity of His being, and of our own, nothing
is more reasonable than that He has ordained a fitting opportunity
beyond the boundary of time. Let us only rid ourselves of our insular,
contracted ideas, and we will see how worthy of the Infinite Wisdom is
such a scheme of grace.
Then there is another consideration. God loves every soul of man. And
every man was endowed with a capacity of worshipping Him, and of having
communion with Him to all eternity. If any failed from any cause
whatever to rise to this great experience, would not God's own happiness
be curtailed?
I know that it has been an orthodox doctrine that God cannot suffer. I
have long had my doubts of it. To be sure, we read that He is "without
variableness or shadow of turning." Does not that apply to His
character? In that respect He is absolutely unchangeable. It is no
infringement of that great truth to believe that He can suffer. I spoke
of this matter lately to a minister of profound mind. He replied: "I
would not think much of Him if He could not suffer."
I have even thought that in the incarnation and death of Christ, the
Father suffered equally with the Son. It is a great mystery; I do not
press it. But my thought has been that there was such infinite sympathy
between them that the Father actually suffered as much as the Son. If a
child is sick, does not the mother suffer as much as the child? And do
we not all suffer if our children are in pain? Now, we inherit as much
of the Divine nature as is possible to be communicated to human nature.
The root of such suffering is love. And is not God's love for His
children infinitely greater than ours? Therefore, would not His
happiness be curtailed by seeing His children in pain? We know that "He
doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." Can He,
then, contemplate with changeless equanimity the wickedness and final
suffering of the great majority of our race? So far as I know, there is
no such idea in Scripture; and it is certainly not suggested by our own
human nature in its highest development.
Now, can it be supposed that the sin of puny man will finally impair the
happiness of God? It may for a time; but Divine Love will win; God will
be all in all. Surely it accords with our highest reason to believe that
His happiness will not finally be lessened. There is a manifest and
eternal unfitness in such a supposition. The Divine Wisdom that rules in
all worlds will surely make it impossible.
Think next of Divine Power. Now with regard to this attribute, there is
one thing to be recognized; but it is not self-evident. It is this: that
God is omnipotent in the moral realm, as in the physical. This may be
disputed. It will be freely granted that in the physical world God has
all power. But in the moral sphere, is not even divine power limited by
our free will?
Now, I do not intend to go into the metaphysics of the matter. That
would perhaps but involve us in deeper mystery. I think the question
will be clearer if we take one example. It is that of Saul of Tarsus, on
the occasion of his conversion. He was changed in a moment by omnipotent
power. So radical was the change that from being "the chief of sinners"
he became the chief of saints. Nothing short of omnipotent power could
effect such a change.
But at the same time, was not Saul a free agent? Afterwards, when
referring to this wonderful experience, he says: "I was not disobedient
to the heavenly vision." Surely, that implies freedom. Yet while he was
free, divine power constrained him. Such a mystery no man can
understand.
Could Saul have withstood the change? I reverently say that I do not
know. If Paul, in the time of his great inlightenment, had been asked if
he could have withstood it, I can imagine that he would have said that
he did not know, and did not want to know. Even if he were asked the
same question to-day, I can believe that he would still give the
same answer.
Such is the mystery of the operation of the Divine Spirit. We are really
"made willing in the day of His power." What a wonderful expression that
is of the union of divine coercion and human freedom! I doubt if all the
metaphysics of the schools will ever get beyond it.
* * * * *
But now, looking at the matter in this light, what wonderful operations
of grace are opened up to our faith! The power that redeemed Saul can
surely redeem the worst of mankind, while yet conserving their moral
liberty. And surely divine love will incline God to take such action. O
yes; Divine Love, and Divine Wisdom, come in here to act in concert with
Divine Power. O, the depths of the riches both of the Wisdom and
Knowledge--and surely, we may add the Love--of God!
To be sure, it may be asked, "Why does nor God put forth such redeeming
power in this life?" There may be good reasons why, but we must beware
of intruding into divine mysteries. We might as well ask, Why did not
God interfere sooner in the case of Saul? When we think of the havoc he
was making of the church, and the suffering he was inflicting on God's
own saints, we might ask, Why was he permitted to run such an evil
course so long? Both questions are of the same order; and we could point
to ten thousand more. In all such cases we can but reverently say,
"Secret things belong unto the Lord." "Even so. Father; for so it seemed
good in thy sight."
We have already anticipated the general operation of divine Love in the
next life. But now let us look at the matter more particularly.
We have always to remember that we are God's own children, not in name
only, but in the most real sense. The mere fact that we are transferred
to another world, implies only a change of location and of surroundings;
possibly a very slight change in locality when we consider the amazing
amplitude of creation. Surely, a mere change of locality can make no
change in everlasting love! In that thought, if we see no farther, is
there not enough to stimulate eternal hope?
But then, think that God has made the Sacrifice of all sacrifices of
giving His Son for our salvation. We can never fathom that mystery of
Love Divine. Now, if he made this Sacrifice for only a part of mankind,
as we formerly taught, we would be constrained to think of His Love as
being limited and partial. In that case, we could think it possible that
He might consign all the rest of our race to eternal torture with the
utmost complacence. But when we realize that He loved the whole of
mankind, and that the Sacrifice was made for the whole of mankind, are
we not forced to the conclusion that all mankind will be saved?
For that Love is as intense as it is universal. Yes; think of its
intensity, as well as its scope. Surely, such Divine Love will attain
its end. All the methods that Divine Wisdom sees to be necessary will be
used, so that Divine Love will not fail. This looks like the
completeness we would expect from Divine plans and purposes. Anything
less would seem like a failure of Him who is Eternal Love as well as
Eternal Wisdom.
Think over this matter reverently, and I believe you will arrive at the
conclusion we are trying to recommend. When we realize that Infinite
Love is changeless, and that it is united with Infinite Power, and
Infinite Wisdom, as well as with Infinite Justice, we cannot but believe
that it will have the victory. O, yes; we believe that the present
abnormal conditions will be done away with; that grace will triumph over
sin; that suffering will disappear; that all the ransomed of the Lord
shall yet come to Zion with songs!