Page 19 - Our God of Love, Mercy, and Justice

sinners to repentance, and heed it not, are more guilty before God than were the
dwellers in the vale of Siddim. And still greater sin is theirs who profess to know God
and to keep His commandments, yet who deny Christ in their character and their daily
life. In the light of the Saviour's warning, the fate of Sodom is a solemn admonition,
not merely to those who are guilty of outbreaking sin, but to all who are trifling with

Heaven-sent light and privileges. . . .
The Saviour watches for a response to His offers of love and forgiveness, with a
more tender compassion than that which moves the heart of an earthly parent to
forgive a wayward, suffering son. He cries after the wanderer, "Return unto Me, and I
will return unto you." Malachi 3:7. But if the erring one persistently refuses to heed
the voice that calls him with pitying, tender love, he will at last be left in darkness.

The heart that has long slighted God's mercy, becomes hardened in sin, and is no
longer susceptible to the influence of the grace of God. Fearful will be the doom of
that soul of whom the pleading Saviour shall finally declare, he "is joined to idols: let
him alone." Hosea 4:17. . . .
You who are slighting the offers of mercy, think of the long array of figures
accumulating against you in the books of heaven; for there is a record kept of the
impieties of nations, of families, of individuals. God may bear long while the account

goes on, and calls to repentance and offers of pardon may be given; yet a time will
come when the account will be full; when the soul's decision has been made; when by
his own choice man's destiny has been fixed. Then the signal will be given for
judgment to be executed. PP 162-165.

Abraham’s Test of Faith
Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
Genesis 21:5.
God had called Abraham to be the father of the faithful, and his life was to stand as
an example of faith to succeeding generations. But his faith had not been perfect.
He had shown distrust of God in concealing the fact that Sarah was his wife, and
again in his marriage with Hagar. That he might reach the highest standard, God
subjected him to another test, the closest which man was ever called to endure. In a

vision of the night he was directed to repair to the land of Moriah, and there offer up
his son as a burnt offering upon a mountain that should be shown him. PP 147.
It was to impress Abraham's mind with the reality of the gospel, as well as to test
his faith, that God commanded him to slay his son. The agony which he endured
during the dark days of that fearful trial was permitted that he might understand from

his own experience something of the greatness of the sacrifice made by the infinite
God for man's redemption. No other test could have caused Abraham such torture of
soul as did the offering of his son. God gave His Son to a death of agony and shame.
The angels who witnessed the humiliation and soul anguish of the Son of God were

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