Can GOD, who is infinitely
pure, love such a being?
All men by nature, are depraved.
The heart is corrupt--
an impure fountain, from which
emanate the most filthy and
deadly streams of action!
"The human heart is the most deceitful
of all things, and desperately wicked!"
Jeremiah 17:9.
The conscience is defiled,
the understanding is darkened,
the judgment is perverted,
the whole soul is alienated from GOD,
and opposed to HIS righteous will.
Can GOD, who is infinitely
pure, love such a being? No!
Sinful man is the subject of GOD'S
righteous displeasure. GOD is said to be
Psalm 7:11.
violence, HIS soul hates!" Psalm 11:5.
It is awful to live in the presence
of the holy, omnipotent GOD who
is constantly incensed against us!
Wrath, when describing the Divine Being,
does not signify anything like an evil passion,
as it commonly does among men. Such
terms are employed to express HIS
righteous displeasure against sin.
HE hates it with a perfect hatred!
It is an abominable thing in HIS sight.
The wrath of GOD, the anger of GOD,
the fury of GOD, etc., cannot be
otherwise expressed in human language,
than by an appeal to our own passions,
thus condescending to our weakness
and ignorance.
GOD hates sin!
For a proof of it, look to Gethsemane--
look to Calvary!
Behold GOD angry with CHRIST,
the Substitute of man!
Behold that . . .
unparalleled agony of HIS soul,
winepress of wrath, how it crushes HIM,
that baptism of blood, how overwhelming,
those arrows of divine wrath, how piercing,
that flaming sword of justice, how it smites HIM,
that curse of wrath, how it puts HIM to an accursed death!
against the Man who is close to Me!
Strike the Shepherd!" Zechariah 13:7
for us, so that in HIM we might become
the righteousness of GOD!" 2 Corinthians 5:21
~ ~ ~ ~
You may want to read the whole of Nicholson's uplifting article, "Gratitude for Spiritual Deliverance!"
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