ather, so he sought to give life to the world by a living revelation of
the truth that God loves each separate soul. This is a prime factor in
the religion and ethics of Jesus. It is seldom or vaguely apprehended in
the Old Testament teaching; but in the teaching of Jesus it is central
and normative." Again in the two allied parables of Jesus--the Parable
of the Lost Sheep, and the Parable of the Lost Coin--it is his purpose
to teach the great love of the Father for all, including those lost in
their trespasses and sins, and His rejoicing in their return.

This leads to Jesus' conception and teaching of sin and repentance.
Although God is the Father, He demands filial obedience in the hearts
and the minds of His children. Men by following the devices and desires
of their own hearts, are not true to their real nature, their Divine
pattern. By following their selfish desires they have brought sin, and
thereby suffering, on themselves and others. The unclean, the selfish
desires of mind and heart, keep them from their higher moral and
spiritual ideal--although not necessarily giving themselves to gross
sin. Therefore, they must become sons of God by repenting--by turning
from the evil inclinations of their hearts and seeking to follow the
higher inclinations of the heart as becomes children of God and those
who are dwellers in the Heavenly Kingdom. Therefore, his opening
utterance: "The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand;
repent ye, and believe the gospel."

Love of God with the whole heart, and love of the neighbour, leading to
the higher peace and fulfilment, must take the place of these more
selfish desires that lead to antagonisms and dissatisfactions both
within and without. All men are to pray: Forgive us our sins. All men
are to repent of their sins which are the results of following their own
selfish desires,--those of the body, or their own selfish desires to the
detriment of the welfare of the neighbour.

All men are to seek the Divine rule, the rule of God in the heart, and
thereby have the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which is the Divine
spirit of wisdom that tabernacles with man when through desire and
through will he makes the conditions whereby it can make its abode with
him. It is a manifestation of the force that is above man--it is the
eternal heritage of the soul. "Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." And therein lies salvation. It
follows