“ No fornicator , nor unclean person , nor covetous man , who is an idolater , hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God .” Ephesians 5:5 , A . R . V . “ Follow peace with all men , and holiness , without which no man shall see the Lord .” Hebrews 12:14 . “ Blessed are they that do His commandments , that they may have right to the tree of life , and may enter in through the gates into the city . For without are dogs , and sorcerers , and whoremongers , and murderers , and idolaters , and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie .” Revelation 22:14 , 15 .
God has given to men a declaration of His character and of His method of dealing with sin . “ The Lord God , merciful and gracious , long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth , keeping mercy for thousands , forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin , and that will by no means clear the guilty .” Exodus 34:6 , 7 . “ All the wicked will He destroy .” “ The transgressors shall be destroyed together : the end of the wicked shall be cut off .” Psalm 145:20 ; 37:38 . The power and authority of the divine government will be employed to put down rebellion ; yet all the manifestations of retributive justice will be perfectly consistent with the character of God as a merciful , long-suffering , benevolent being .
God does not force the will or judgment of any . He takes no pleasure in a slavish obedience . He desires that the creatures of His hands shall love Him because He is worthy of love . He would have them obey Him because they have an intelligent appreciation of His wisdom , justice , and benevolence . And all who have a just conception of these qualities will love Him because they are drawn toward Him in admiration of His attributes .
The principles of kindness , mercy , and love , taught and exemplified by our Saviour , are a transcript of the will and character of God . Christ declared that He taught nothing except that which He had received from His Father . The principles of the divine government are in perfect harmony with the Saviour ’ s precept , “ Love your enemies .” God
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