GOD'S PURPOSE OF THE AGES.
As RESPECTS man there is but one thing of worth in God's sight, and that is character. The mere image, the contour, the form, the complexion, the mere fact that there are so many pounds of flesh and blood, of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, is of but little account in the estimation of the Judge of all; for what God prizes above all things is the upright and holy character; "for the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright." Ps. 11:7. To Christ he said, "Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." Ps. 45:7. "The Lord loveth the righteous." Ps. 146:8.2But does not God love the sinner?—Yes, but not because of his sin. He does not love him as a sinner, but for what he may become through grace despite his sin. In God's purpose It is wholly a negative quantity, entirely outside of his plan. If sin only were involved, that would not for one moment hinder the accomplishment of God's purpose; but character, which is of infinite worth, is involved with the sin, and God in mercy waits to save the character. Here is God's purpose respecting man: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him; in love having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good-pleasure of his will." Eph. 1:3-5, R. V. This is God's purpose concerning man, that he "should be holy and without blemish before him in love." This is the character he prizes, not alone in man, but in all his creatures; for it is his further pleasure, "in the dispensation of the fulness of times" to "gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him." Verse 10. All, therefore, must have the same character, or division, not unity (oneness), will exist. This is accomplished by God's power. "For we [all who come into his purpose] are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them." Eph. 2:10, R. V. "For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son." Rom. 8:29, R. V. These are the characters which existed in God's plan and purpose even in the beginning, holy and without blame, loving righteousness, after the image of his Son. These are worthy to exist, characters of life, each having a conscious individuality, expressing in an individual way some one or more of the glorious attributes of the Son of God; and the names of these characters were "written in the book of life from the foundation of the world." Rev. 17:8; 13:8. Those characters God offers to every soul. Those names are written for the children of earth. To every responsible soul who lives upon earth, God offers the name, the life, the crown. It is for man to choose. God will do the rest.