CHRIST MEETS THE PURPOSE OF GOD.
By H. F. Phelps
IN the Word we can see that the "eternal purpose" of God, which was hid in His own mind, "kept in silence through times eternal," embraced all the fulness of the universe through the eternity that was yet to come when this eternal purpose began to be unfolded. It embraced the creation of all the host of heaven, even all the countless worlds. It embraced the creation of intelligences to fill these worlds. It embraced the showers of God's own fulness upon these worlds, through the fulness of Christ, "for in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Col. 2:9. It embraced the eternal happiness of the intelligences of the universe as they should eternally drink in the fulness of all the pleasures which would so freely be given through Christ. It embraced the eternal happiness of all the intelligences of all the worlds, on one and the same condition, namely, a service of loving, willing obedience. And this is the only kind of service through which perfect happiness can possibly come to intelligent creatures. A service of force is slavery. But sin was not included in this eternal purpose of God, only so far as it was necessary to redeem the unfortunate ones from its consequences. Sin was not necessary in the carrying out of this eternal purpose. There is no possible excuse for its existence. An excuse3for sin would only be to justify it. And there are no grounds upon which sin can be justified. Nevertheless, He who knows all things, even from the beginning, knew that sin would enter. He did know that some of the angels would fall through sin. He knew that this world would fall. And, knowing all this, that same eternal purpose embraced the gift of His own Son, Jesus Christ, the Creator, in order to redeem from sin. He who manifested God in the creation of all things, was still to manifest the same creative power of God in the redemption of this fallen world. Redemption is but another word for the manifestation of the same power. Redemption is re-creation. And, therefore, it is but a manifestation of the same power of God unto salvation of all them that believe. Redemption is nothing less than a part of the original eternal purpose of God in a clean universe. That eternal purpose embraced the gift of Christ; it embraced the cross; it took in the garden of agony, and Calvary, and the death of the Creator of the universe of worlds. And through Christ, as the world's Redeemer, it embraced the salvation of all that will believe, even in this world of sin. But even tho upon the part of Christ, the glorious Commander of heaven, the sacrifice of Himself was involved in this eternal purpose of God, He did not shrink from the task. If He had even held Himself back from this work of redemption, it would have proved that He was not worthy of the name of "The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace," names ascribed to Him by the prophet. See Isa. 9:6. His heart of infinite love was touched with pity for the fallen race. He was moved with the tenderest compassion as the woes of a lost world rose up before Him. In the words of another: "Christ would take upon Himself the guilt and shame of sin,—sin so offensive to a holy God that it must separate the Father and the Son. Christ would reach the depths of misery to rescue a ruined race." He says of Himself, "I delight to do Thy will, O My God." Tho all this was embraced in the purpose of God, "yet it was a struggle, even with the King of the universe, to yield up His Son to die for the guilty race." But "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Praise the name of God!