"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) "And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you." (1 Peter 1:35)
Therefore whoever receives the Word of the Gospel receives God. When the Word of God dwells in any man's heart, God himself abides there. "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John 14:33)
This is not a fanciful thing, but a fact. The Word which, when received, brings God into the life, is "alive and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight. But all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." (Hebrews 4:12)
Can the Word, that is, God, do no more for us than reveal our defects when we receive it? "Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you." (John 15:3) "Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:27)
Some will perhaps say with Solomon, "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain You." (1 Kings 8:27)
To many it seems incredible that God should in very truth have His abode with those who hear His voice. "Thus says the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that you build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things has my hand made, and all those things have been, says the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my Word." (Isaiah 66:1-2)
God does not count himself honored when the wealthy and the powerful espouse His cause, trusting in their riches and power, for it is "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6)
The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The humblest, feeblest, basest of mankind, may receive that Word, and manifest in their lives "that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh." (1 John 4:2)
"The vilest offender who truly believes"--Fanny Crosby, Hymn: To God Be the Glory, 1872. receives power to become the son of God, and "whoso keeps His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected." (1 John 2:5) "[The] base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen ... That no flesh should glory in His presence." (1 Corinthians 1:28-29) "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of men as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower thereof falls away: but the Word of the Lord endures forever." (1 Peter 1:24-25) "Thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit." (Isaiah 57:15)
Thus it is evident that to receive the Word of God means the accomplishment in us of all that God desires to see. The perfect life of Christ was the Word made flesh; and whoever receives the Word will find that it is a Word of power, "able to build us up, and to give us an inheritance among all them that are sanctified." (Acts 20:32) "Sanctify them through your truth: your Word is truth." (John 17:17) "This is the work of God that you believe on Him whom He has sent." (John 6:29) "And His name is called, The Word of God." (Revelation 19:13)
The question is often raised: "If God be so full of love and mercy as you say, why does He permit men to be mowed down like grass by murderous weapons?"
God has no pleasure in the death of men, but He has given man the choice between life and death. The choice is offered to all, and men will often deliberately choose the way of death. Then when they find it a painful and disagreeable portion, they rail at God because He permits evil to come upon them.
The wise thing to do then is to acknowledge that they made a foolish choice and turn from their evil way, and take life instead of death. To those who find that they have been spending their money for that which is not bread, and their labor for that which satisfies not, the Lord calls: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:7)
Satan has largely succeeded in getting men to lay upon God the blame for his own work of destruction. They accuse God of doing nothing to prevent evil, when He might stop it. "The god of this world has blinded the minds of them that believe not." (2 Corinthians 4:4)
And instead of recognizing the infinite love of God in all His dealings with men, they impute to Him the attributes of Satan. God's character is on trial before the universe. If it shall appear that anyone has lost eternal life on account of God's negligence, indifference, or lack of provision, it will make Him responsible for the loss of that soul, and He would then be the criminal.
But when the secret things are made manifest, and the hidden things are brought to light, it will be made clear that God did everything that infinite love and wisdom could do, consistently with man's right of free choice, to turn men back from the paths of destruction, and no man's blood can be charged to Him. All will acknowledge that: "Just and true are your ways, You King of saints. Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify your name? For Youonly are holy: for all nations shall come and worship before You, for your judgments are made manifest." (Revelation 15:3-4)
Men will know then that they sold themselves to Satan to work his hellish will, lured by his lying promises of earthly gain and honor. Iniquity will appear in its true light, and Satan will be seen by all as the loathsome, degraded thing he is. "They that see you shall narrowly look upon you, and consider you, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? ... You have destroyed your land and slain your people. ... He who smote the people in Israel with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hinders. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet, they break forth into singing." (Isaiah 14:16-17,20,6-7)--Present Truth, July 14, 1898.