will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life
freely."(942) This promise is only to those that thirst. None but those
who feel their need of the water of life, and seek it at the loss of all
things else, will be supplied. "He that overcometh shall inherit all
things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son."(943) Here, also,
conditions are specified. In order to inherit all things, we must resist
and overcome sin.

The Lord declares by the prophet Isaiah, "Say ye to the righteous, that it
shall be well with him." "Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him:
for the reward of his hands shall be given him."(944) "Though a sinner do
evil a hundred times," says the wise man, "and his days be prolonged, yet
surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear
before Him: but it shall not be well with the wicked."(945) And Paul
testifies that the sinner is treasuring up unto himself "wrath against the
day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will
render to every man according to his deeds;" "tribulation and anguish upon
every soul of man that doeth evil."(946)

"No fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater,
hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God."(947) "Follow peace
with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."(948)
"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."(949)

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."(950) "All the wicked will He destroy." "The transgressors shall
be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off."(951) 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