The conception of "father" here may be taken in the same sense as in Gen. 4: 20, 21,

where "Jabal . . . . . was the father of such as dwell in tents" and "Jubal . . . . . was the

father of all such as handle the harp and organ", i.e. originator, inventor, author, the first

to introduce. The lie was sired by the devil; he first introduced it. With that system God

Himself has nothing in common, for He cannot lie.

How important it is then not to make unthinking statements concerning what God can

do, plausible though they may seem before examination. To do so is to play straight into

the hands of the critics of truth, who so often accuse our God for "allowing" this or that,

for not "stepping in" to stop violence, suffering, etc. If we believe in a God of truth, we

believe also that He has, is, and will act only according to truth, however difficult it may

be for us to appreciate it at the time. The devil's "lies" may seem attractive, seem to offer

so much (they did to Eve, Gen. 3:), but they will only bring unhappiness, failure and

death, and they will all come eventually to nought.

It may at first seem a strange thing for the believer to rejoice that God cannot do

something, but it is only the expression of joy in the security and confidence that we can

have in a God of truth, Who is unable to act in any other way than in harmony with what

He is.

BRIAN E. SHERRING