But the world is not allowed to remain and perish in this state of sin. God has loved it, and is aiming to restore it to fellowship with himself. In his own essence God is a Spirit. As to his character, he is light and love; light symbolizing his purity and holiness, and love issuing for the welfare and fellowship of spiritual beings whom he has created in his own image.
(b) God's love, like that of the parent to the child, is original and not responsive. It leads him from eternity to give some members of the human race to the Son, so that their restoration to fel lowship may be assured. He has, moreover, pre pared the way, step by step, by a progressive revelation of his will and purpose, culminating in the manifestation of his son in the world. Old Testament prophecy and John Ilk Baptist are agents in this preparation.
But the greatest sign of the love of God is the incarnation of his son, the eternal Logos. That the Logos was divine, and acted as the executive of God in the creation, does not admit of denial in the thought of John; but that he was made real flesh and blood may be doubted, and therefore John takes pains to denounce such doubt as fatal error.
(c) The death of the incarnate Logos is the sacrifice of the "Lamb that takcth away the sin of the world." It was a voluntary endurance of sufferings for others, and had an elevating and healing power, such as might be represented by the brazen serpent in the wilderness. It was, moreover, a propitiatory death, and redemption front sin is based upon it. The restored fellow ship follows forgiveness of sin. It is constituted by faith. The Paraclote takes the words of Christ and teaches them to the believer, guiding, bearing witness, reminding and comforting believers, and rebuking and convicting the unbelieving world.
(d) The results of the new fellowships are obedience to God's commandments, victory over the world and the devil, and eternal life; the con stitution of a new brotherhood among men, in which the brethren love one another and struggle with sin. overcoming it step by step.
(e) The enmity of the world to God does not cease with the manifestation of his Incarnate Son. but is rather intensified and stimulated. A fierce struggle must be expected between the world power and the organized followers of Jesus, which, however, is destined to end in the com plete overthrow of the world and the triumph of the Church. When this end is achieved Christ will come in glory and reign in a renewed and purified world.
(4) Epistle to the Hebrews. The epistle to the Ilebrews has often been taken as Pauline, giv ing in general the same system as is found in the writings of Paul. Without controverting these positions, it is necessary to say that it presents religion as a covenant, and Christianity as the new and real covenant of which the Old Testa ment ritual system was the type and prophecy. Christ is the mediator of this new covenant as its high priest and only victim. Hence he stands as the central figure in the system of the apostle. Both in rtspect to his priesthood and his sacri fice he is contrasted with his Old Testament types as the reality and finality. By faith in hint men are led into perfection The most important duty incumbent upon the believer is a consistent ad herence to his profession of faith through the sorest distress and trial thus, he will triumph and enter into the fellowship of his predecessors in faith who obtained a good report under the Old Testament dispensation. A C Z