GOD'S DESIRE TO MANIFEST HIMSELF.
"What if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom He hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" Rom. 9:22-24. There are some things which must be exhibited to all the universe, and among these are the wrath and the power of God. And these are being illustrated in presence of the universe in the working out of the plan of salvation in the earth. It is being demonstrated that His wrath against disobedience is just, and essential to the well-being of all the universe, and that His power is fittingly represented in the Gospel of Christ, "which is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Rom. 1:16; Eph. 1:19, 20. The wrath of God toward sin, which is disobedience of His holy law (1 John 3:4), is the natural outgrowth of His righteous character; for the scripture says of Him, "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." In order to illustrate these great truths in a way that all may see the justice of His wrath, He endures with much longsuffering vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction. He gives them years of probation in order that they may choose which they will be—whether they will remain vessels of wrath for destruction or become vessels of mercy for salvation. God does not fit anybody for destruction. All are born under condemnation (Ps. 51:5; John 3:3), but the Lord will fit them for salvation if they will accept of His conditions. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth upon him." John 3:36. He has chosen to remain a vessel fitted for destruction, made so by reason of his sinful nature. "The wages of sin is death;" and the impenitent sinner, choosing the sin, naturally draws the wages. The probationary time allotted to the sinful race is God's opportunity to demonstrate before all the universe the power of His love in fitting vessels of mercy for salvation. The great adversary of God and his many emissaries have charged that God is unjust; but when the glorious work of redemption shall have been accomplished, His character will be fully vindicated. See the "new song" recorded in Rev. 5:9-14. God is desirous that His creatures shall learn of Him and His ways. Both His works and His Word have that end in view, with the addition of His Holy Spirit as a teacher of the truth. Men are apt to consider wrath an objectionable trait of character, but God needs not to apologize for His wrath, for it is only manifest against that which His perfect judgment knows to be inimical to the happiness of His creatures. Through its action will eventually come that universal peace which will experience nothing but reciprocal love, because of the universal spirit of obedience to the law of God, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself." Satan and his adherents, as all living creatures necessarily must, possess a certain degree of power, which is given them by the Creator; but, having perverted it from the purpose of the Creator, it can only work evil, and eventually their own destruction. Disobedience is a kind of boomerang; "sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." God permits the adversary to destroy to a certain extent, in order that he may demonstrate his real character, and the justice of his final annihilation be manifested; and incidentally his machinations sometimes work out the judgments of God. Satan frequently over-reaches himself. So the psalmist says: "Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee; the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain." Ps. 76:10.