Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/131

 and that man as an innocent tool in his hands was forced into sin, then they have cleared the way for the theory that not a sacrifice for our sins, nor mercy in any form, was need- ed, but simply and only JUSTICE. Thus, too, they lay a foundation for another part of their false theory, viz., uni- versalism, claiming that as God caused all the sin and wick- edness and crime in all, he will also cause the deliverance of all mankind from sin and death. And reasoning that God willed and caused the sin, and that none could resist him, so they claim that when he shall will righteousness all will Ekewise be powerless to resist him. But in all such reason- ing, man's noblest quality^ liberty of will or choice^ the most striking feature of his likeness to his Creator, is entirely set aside ; and man is theoretically degraded to a mere machine

Sin is always an evil, but an evil is not always a sin* An earthquake, a conflagration, a flood or a pestilence would be a calamity! an evil; but none of these would be sins. The word evil in the texts cited sig- nifies calamities. The same Hebrew word is translated affliction hi Psa, 34 : 19; 107 : 395 Jer. 48 : 16; Zech. 1 : 15. It is translated trouble in Psa. 27:5; 41:!; 88:3; 107:26; Jer. 51$ 2* Lam, U2X. It is translated calamities, adversity and distress in X Sam. IO: 19; Psa, 10:6; 94:13; i4isS> Eccl. 7:14; Neh. 2:17. And the same word is in very many places rendered ttarm, mischief, sore^ hurt^ misery^ gritf and forrow^

In Isa. 45 s 7 and Amos, 3 : 6 the Lord would remind Israel of his covenant mode with them as a nation that if they would obey his laws he would bless them and protect them from the calamities common to the world in general ; but that if they would forsake him he would bring calamities (evils) upon them as chastisements. See Deut 2811-14; 15-32; Lev. 26:14-16; Josh. 23:6-11, 12-16.

When calamities came upon them, however, they were inclined to consider them as accidents and not as chastisements. Hence God sent them word through the prophets, reminding them of their covenant and telling them that their calamities were from him and by his will far their correction. It is absurd to use these texts to prgyp G$4 &$ W&Xf, Of fiin, for they do not at *U refer to &

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