i i*"" 'k rr i t y^ LEW IS r '* j - > "' '' v '' i i CHAFER LIBRARY THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA Gift of THE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF AMERICAN RELIGION SALVATIO BY LEWIS SPERRY CHAFER BIBLE TEACHER 7 ' Author of "Satan," "True Evangelism,'' "The Kingdom in History and Prophecy," "He that is Spiritual," etc, PHILADELPHIA, PA. SUNDAY SCHOOL TIMES COMPANY 1922 COPYRIGHT, IQI7, BY LEWIS SPERRY CHAFER tto MY DEAREST AND MOST FAITHFUL COMPANION BOTH IN LIFE AND IN THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD OF GOD, THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE PEEFACE vii I. THE WORD SALVATION ... 1 II. THE DIVINE ESTIMATE OF THE LOST 6 III. THE THREE-FOLD MESSAGE OF THE CROSS 15 IV. THE PRESENT VALUES OF THE CROSS TO THE UNSAVED ... 31 V. THE ONE CONDITION OF SALVATION 42 VI. THE RICHES OF GRACE IN CHRIST JESUS 54 VII. Two CARDINAL FACTS .... 69 VIII. ASSURANCE 78 IX. REWARDS, OR THE PLACE OF CHRIS- TIAN WORKS 86 X. THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER, PART 1 .... 96 XI. THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER, PART 2 . . . . 116 XII. AN APPEAL 138 INDEX Ork of God in bringing the unsaved who are blinded by Satan (2 Cor. 4:3, 4) to an intelligent decision for Christ; the latter is the outworking of that salvation after they believe. So, also, there is a difference to be noted between the work of God in the past tense aspect of salva- 54 The Riches of Grace in Christ Jesus 55 tion and the growth and development of the one who is thus saved. He is to "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." He is to be "changed from glory to glory." These, too, are divine undertakings for the individual, and are in no way a part of that which is wrought of God the moment one be- lieves. Most of the great doctrinal epistles of the New Testament may be divided into a general two-fold division: namely, first, that which represents the work of God already accomplished for the be- liever, and, second, that which represents the life and work of the believer for God. The first eight /) chapters of Romans contain the whole doctrine of salvation in its past and present tense aspects : the last section, beginning with chapter twelve (chapters nine to eleven being parenthetical in the present purpose of God for Israel) is an ap- peal to the saved one to live as it becomes one ..thus, saved. This section opens with the words, fj ^ / "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacri- fice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Such a manner of life is naturally to be expected from the one who has been divinely changed. It is a "reasonable serv- ice." So the entire closing section of Romans is an exhortation to that manner of life befitting one who is saved. The first three chapters of Ephesians present the work of God for the individual in bringi him to his exalted heavenly position in Christ 56 Salvation Jesus. Not one exhortation will be found in this section. The helpless sinner could do nothing to further such an undertaking. The last section, beginning with chapter 4, is altogether an appeal for a manner of life befitting one raised to such an exalted heavenly position. The first verse, as in the opening words of the hortatory section of Romans, is an epitome of all that follows: "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." The first two chapters of Colossians reveal the glory of the Son of God and the believer's present position as identified with Him in resurrection life. This is followed by the two closing chapters, which are an appeal that may again be briefly condensed into the first two verses of the sec- tion : "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above." It is important to note the divine order in presenting these most vital issues. The positions to which the believer is instantly lifted by the power and grace of God are always mentioned first and without reference to any human merit or promises. Following this is the injunction for a consistent life in view of the divine blessing. It is obvious that no attempt to imitate this manner of life could result in such exalted posi- tions; but the positions, when wrought of God, create an entirely new demand in life and con- duct (in the Word of God these demands are never laid upon unregenerate men). Such is always the order in grace. First, the unmerited The Riches of Grace in Christ Jesus 57 divine blessing ; then the life lived in the fullness / of power which that blessing provides. Under the; v law varying blessings were given at the end ac-- cording to the merit : under grace full measure of transformation is bestowed at the beginning and there follows an appeal for a consistent daily life. It is the divine purpose that a Christian's conduct should be inspired by the fact that he is already saved and blessed with all the riches of grace in Christ Jesus, rather than by the hope that an attempted imitation of the Christian standard of conduct will result in salvation. In turning to the Scriptures to discover what it has pleased God to reveal of His saving work in the individual at the instant he believes, it will be found that there are at least thirty-three dis- tinct positions into which such an one is instantly brought "by the sufficient operation of the infinite _God. All of these transformations are super- human, and, taken together, form that part of salvation which is already the portion of every one who has believed. Of these,. thirty-three posi- tions at least five important things may be said: First, They are not experienced. They are facts of the newly created life out of which most precious experiences may grow. For example, justification is never experienced; yet it is a new eternal fact of divine life and relationship to God. A true Christian is more than a person who feels or acts on a certain high plane : he is one who, because of a whole inward transformation, normally feels and acts in all the limitless heavenly association with his Lord. 58 Salvation Second, The Christian positions are not pro- gressive. They do not grow, or develop, from a small beginning. They are as perfect and com- plete the instant they are possessed as they ever will be in the ages to come. To illustrate, son- ship does not grow into fuller sonship, even though a son may be growing. An old man is no more the son of his earthly father at the day of his death than he was at the day of his birth. Third, These positions are in no way related to hum^njnerit. It was while we were yet sin- ners that Christ died for the ungodly. There is a legitimate distinction to be made between good sons and bad sons ; but both equally possess sonship if they are sons at all. God is said to chasten His own because they are sons, but cer- tainly not that they may become sons. Human merit must be excluded. It cannot be related to these divine transformations of grace; nor could they abide eternally the same if depending by the slightest degree on the finite resources. They are made to stand on the unchanging Person and merit of the eternal Son of God. There are other and sufficient motives for Christian conduct than the effort to create such eternal facts of the divine life. The Christian is "accepted (now and forever) in the beloved." Fourth, Every position is eternal by its very nature. The imparted life of God is as eternal in its character as its Fountain Head. Hence the Word of His grace: "I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish." The conscious- ness and personal realization of such relationship The Riches of Grace in Christ Jesus 59 never subject to change in time or eternity. Fifth, These positions are known only through a divine revelation. They defy human imagina- tion, and since they cannot be experienced their reality can be entered into only by believing the Word of God. These eternal riches of grace are for the lowest sinner who will only believe. That God may in some measure be glorified, some, if not all, of these position are here given. "The half has never been told." The reader is humbly invited to remember that these things are now true of each one who believes, and if there should be the slightest doubt as to whether he has believed, that question can be forever set- tled even before the following pages are read : I. In the Eternal Plan of God: 1. foreknown, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son' (Rom. 8: 29. See also 1 Pet. 1:2). 2. .Elect, "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of "God" (1 Thes. 1:4. See also 1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:33; Col. 3:12; Tit. 1:1). 3. Predestinated, "Being predestinated ac- cording to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the council of his own will" (Eph. 1:11; Rom. 8:29, 30; Eph. 1:5). 4. Chosen, "For many are called, but few are chosen" (Mt. 22:14; 1 Pet. 2:4). 5. Called, "Faithful is he that calleth you" (1 Thes. 5l 24, etc.). II. Reconciled: 60 Salvation 1. E^oncjledJbjjGad, "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 5:18, 19; Col. 1:20). " 2. Reconciled to God, "Much more being reconciled to Go(F~Ilom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:20). 777. Redeemed: 1. Redeemed by God, "In whom we have re- demption through his blood" (Col. 1: 14; 1 Pet. 1:18; Eom. 3:24, etc.). 2. 2. Out of all condemnation, "There is there- fore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1; Jno. 5:24; 1 Cor. 11:32; Jno. 3:18). IV. Related to God Through a Propitiation: 1. "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for OUT'S only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 Jno. 2:2; Rom. 3: 25, 26). V. All Sins Coygr&UJBy Atoning Blood: 1. "Who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree" (1 Pet. 2:24; Rom. 4:25, etc.). VI. Vitally Conjoined to Christ for Judgment of the "Old Man' Unto a New Walk: 1. "Crucified with Christ," "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him" (Rom. 6:6). 2. "Djsa_d with Christ," "Now if we be dead with Christ" (Rom. 6:8); "We being dead to sin" (1 Pet. 2:24). 3. "Buried with him," "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death" (Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12). 4. Raised with Christ to walk by a new life The Riches of Grace in Christ Jesus 61 principle, "That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4; Col. 3:1). VII. Free from the Law: 1. "Dead," "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are dead to the law by the body of Christ" (Rom. 7:4). 2. "Dejiyered," "Now we are delivered from the law" (Rom. 7:6; Gal. 3:25; Rom. 6:14; 2 Cor. 3:11). VIII. Children of God: 1. "Born again," "Ye must be born again" (Jno. 3:7; 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:23). 2. "Quickened," or made alive, "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13). 3. "Sons of God," "Beloved, now are we the sons of God" (1 Jno. 3:3; 2 Cor. 6:18; Gal. 3:26). 4. "A new creation," "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature" (creation) (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10). 5. "Regeneration," "But according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Tit. 3:5; Jno. 13:10; 1 Cor. 6:11). IX. Adopted (placed as adult sons) : 1. "Ye have received the Spirit of adoption" (Rom. 8 : 15, etc. So, also, a future adoption, see Rom. 8:23, etc.). X. Acceptable to God ~by Jesus Christ: 1. "Made the righteousness of God in him," 62 Salvation "Even the rj^tgousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe" (Rom. 3 : 22 ; 1 Cor. 1 : 30 ; 2 Cor. 5 : 21 ; Phil. 3:9). 2. Sanctified positionally, "Christ Jesus, who is made unto us * * * sanctification" (1 Cor. 1: 30; 6: 11). This is in no way to be confused with experimental sanctification as mentioned in Jno. 17 : 17, or the final perfection of the be- liever (Eph. 5 : 27 ; 1 Jno. 3:3). 3. "Perfected for ever," "For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sancti- fied" (Heb. 10:14). 4. "Made accepted in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:6; 1 Pet. 2:5). 5. "Made _Jfet," "Giving thanks to the ^3 Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light" (Col. 1:12). XI. Justified: 1. "Therefore being justified by faith" (Rom. 5:1; 3:24; 8:30; 1 Cor. 6:11; Tit. 3:7). XII. Forgiven All Tresspass: 1. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Col. 1:14; 2:13; 3: 13; Eph. 1:7; 4: 32. A distinc- tion is necessary here between the complete and abiding judicial forgiveness and the oft-repeated forgiveness within the family of God. See 1 "Jno. i:"9). XIII. Made Nigh: 1. "But now in Christ Jesus ye who some- times were far off are made nigh by the blood of The Riches of Grace in Christ Jesus 63 Christ" (Eph. 2:13. With this there is a corresponding experience ; see Jas. 4:8; Heb. 10:22). XIV. Delivered from the Powers of Darkness : 1. "Who hath delivered us from the powers of darkness" (Col. 1: 13; 2: 13-15). XV. Translated into the Kingdom: 1. "And hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Col. 1: 13). XVI. On the Rock Christ Jesus: 1. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:20; 2 Cor. 1:21). XVII. A Gift from God to Christ: 1. "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world : thine they were, and thou gavest them me" ( Jno. 17:6; 11, 12, 20; Jno. 10:29). XVIII. Circumcised in Christ: 1. "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ" (Col. 2:11; Phil. 3:3; Kom. 2:29). XIX. Partakers of the Holy and Royal Priesthood: 1. l^Holy priesthood," "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood" (1 Pet. 2:5). 2. "Royal priesthood," "But ye are * * * a royal priesthood" (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6). XX. A Chosen Generation and a Peculiar People: 64 Salvation 1. "But ye are a chosen generation, * * * a peculiar people" (1 Pet. 2:9; Tit. 2:14). XXI. Having Access to God: 1. "For through him we both have ac- cess by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph. 2:18; Kom. 5:2; Heb. 4:14-16; 10:19, 20). XXII. Within the "Much More" Care of God (Rom. 5 : 9, 10) : 1. Objects of His love, "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us" (Eph. 2:4; 5:2, etc.). 2. Objects of His grace, a, For salvation, "For by grace are ye saved" (Eph. 2:8). b, For keeping, "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand" (Eom. 5:2). c, For service, "But to every one of us is this grace given" (Eph. 2:7). d, For instruction, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present age" (Tit. 2:12, 13). 3. Objects of His power, "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward" (Eph. 1:19; Phil. 2:13). 4. Objects of His faithfulness, "For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb. 13:5; Phil. 1:6). 5. Objects of His peace, "And let the peace of The Riches of Grace in Christ Jesus 65 God rule in your hearts, to the which ye are called in one body" (Col. 3:15). 6. Objects of His consolation, "Our Father which hath loved us, and hath given us everlast- ing consolation" (2 Thes. 2:16). 7. Objects of His intercession, "Seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25; Eom. 8:34; Heb. 9:24). XXIII. His Inheritance: 1. "That ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints" (Eph. 1:18). XXIV. Our Inheritance: 1. "An inheritance incorruptible, and unde- filed, and that f adeth not away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Pet. 1:4; Eph. 1:14; Col. 3:24; Heb. 9:15). XXV. A Heavenly Association (Eph. 2:6): 1. Partners with Christ in life, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear" (Col. 3:4; 1 Jno. 5: 11, 12, etc.). 2. Partners with Christ in position, "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly in Christ Jesus" (Eph. ,2:6). 3. Partners with Christ in service, "God is faithful, by whom ye were called into fellowship (partnership) with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor._X; 9) ; "Workers together with God" (1 Cpr.^Sj 9) ; "Workers together with him" (2 Cor._6: 1)7 "Ambassadors" (2 Cor^5: 20) ; "Ministers of God" (2 Cor. 6: 4) ; "Ministers of the New Testament" (2 Cor.' 3:6); "Epistles" (2 Cor. 3:3). 66 Salvation 4. Partners with Christ in suffering, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him" (2 Tim. -&O2; Phil. 1:29; 1 Pet. 2:20; 4:12, 13; 1 Thes. 3:3; Kom. 8:18; Col. 1:24). 5. Partners with Christ in betrothal, "That I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25-27). XXVI. Heavenly Citizens: 1. "For our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20, K. V.; Eph. 2:19; Heb. 12:22; Lk. 10:20). XXVII. Of the Family and Household of God: 1. "Fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God" (Eph. 2:19; 3:15; Gal. 6:10). XXVIII. Light in the Lord: I 1. "Now are ye light in the Lord" (Eph. 5:8; 1 Thes. 5:4). XXIX. Vitally United to the Father, Son, and Spirit: 1. "In God" (1 Thes. 1:1). 2. "In CFrist" (Jno. 14:20). a, A member in His body (1 Cor. 12 : 13). b, A branch in the Vine (Jno. 15 : 5). c, A stomTin the building (Eph. 2 : 19-22). d, A sheep in His flock (Jno. 10: 27-29). e, A part of His bride (Eph. 5 : 25-27). f, A priest of the kingdom of priests (1 Pet. 2:5, 9). g, A saint of the "new generation" (1 Pet. 2:9). 3. "In the Spirit" (Rom. 8:9). The Riches of Grace in Christ Jesus 67 XXX. Blessed with the "First Fruits" and the "Earnest" of the Spirit: 1. "Born of the Spirit" (Jno. 3: 6, etc.). 2. "Baptized with the Spirit/' "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" (1 Cor. 12:13; 10:17). 3. Indwelt by the Spirit. "What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own" (1 Cor. 6: 19; 2: 12; Jno. 7 : 39 ; Rom. 5 : 5 ; 8 : 9 ; 2 Cor. 1:21; Gal. 4:6; 1 Jno. 3:24). 4. "Sealed by the Spirit," "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 4: 30; 2 Cor. 1:22). XXXI. Glorified: 1. "And whom he justified, them he also glori- fied" (Rom. 8:30). XXXII. Complete in Him: 1. "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power" (Col. 2:10). XXXIII. Possessing Every Spiritual Bless- ing: 1. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly in Christ" (Eph. 1:3). Such is the work which is now fully accom- plished in and for the lowliest sinner who has believed on the . Lord Jesus Christ. It is all ' superhuman and God alone could do it: nay, if 68 Salvation man could even have any part in that work it would at that point of contact be imperfect, and therefore be blasted and ruined forever. These marvels of grace constitute that "good work" which He has but begun in those who trust Him. To this much more is yet to be added according to Phil. 1 : 6. "He that hath begun a good work j in you, will perform it, until the day of Jesus Christ." The "riches of grace" are the begin- s~J n i n g; the final presentation in glory in the like- " ness of Christ will be the completion. Such a final perfection and such an eternal being is the greatest divine undertaking for the one who has been lost in sin. Nothing less than this would satisfy the infinite love of God. That He might thus be free to satisfy His boundless love for us He met all the issues of sin for a lost and ruined world, and so perfectly has He wrought that man need now but believe and thus receive the bounty of His grace. It is "Grace reigning through righteousness." "For God has concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor ? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things : to whom be glory for ever. Amen." CHAPTER VH TWO CAKDINAL FACTS OF THE foregoing thirty-three positions into which a believer is brought by the sufficient power and sovereign grace of God, two should be considered at length; both because of their prominence on the Sacred Pages and because of their funda- mental character. They are both stated in Jno. 14 : 20, and are the words of Christ : "Ye in me, and I in you." Though the choice of words here would remind one of the first page of a child's primer, these words, nevertheless, contain, in germ form, two great lines of truth which are subsequently developed in the Epistles of the New Testament. True these words present a paradox to human minds ; but this may be but added evi- dence of their divine character. There are no paradoxes with God. In this passage the saved one is first said to be "in Christ." This particular phrase, with its equivalent "in Him," is used many times in the New Testament and with deep meaning. It is found twenty-eight times in the first chapter of Ephesians alone. The phrase states a position in Christ which means nothing less than an organic union with Christ. This union is formed through the power of God when one is saved. It is the work of the Spirit by which a member is baptized into the one body. Two figures are used in the 69 70 Salvation Bible to illustrate this union: The vine and the branches, and the head with its members in the body. We are familiar with the process of graft- ing a branch into a tree, but not so familiar with the thought of joining a member into a human body; yet this is the exact meaning of this Scrip- ture. There is a time when the individual is without Christ; and again a time when, through believing, he is "in Christ." This stupendous change is described in 1 Cor. 12 : 13 : "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." This organism which is com- posed of Christ the Head and all the members joined to Him by the Spirit is that which in the Bible is called "the church which is his body." This must be distinguished from all outward, or visible, organizations. To this organism, His body, every believer is perfectly and eternally joined by the baptism of the Spirit at the instant he believes. He is then "in Christ." To be in Christ is to possess a new standing be- fore God; a standing which is no less than the infinite righteousness of God. The word "righteousness" is used with four distinct meanings in the New Testament and the various meanings should always be held in mind. (1) God Himself is said to be righteous (Kom. 3:25, 26); (2) Self-righteousness, ex- pressed by Paul as "mine own righteousness" (Phil. 3:9), "Their own righteousness" (Kom. 10:2); (3) A righteousness of daily life which Two Cardinal Facts 71 is produced in the believer by the unhindered Spirit (Rom. 8:4); (4) The righteousness of God which is said to be reckoned to the one who believes: "A righteousness from God which is unto all and upon all who believe" (Rom. 3 : 22). The fourth meaning of the word is that aspect of righteousness which is now under consideration and that which provides the child of God with a perfect standing. This righteousness must be absolutely disassociated from all other forms of righteousness. It is not an attribute of God; it is in no way produced in life by the Spirit ; and is as certainly unrelated to self-righteousness in every form. It is in no way related to right con- duct. It is that which we become when we are vitally joined to Christ. A human member severed from a body is both meritless and loathsome in itself; but if it were instantly and perfectly joined to a living body it would at once lose its former character, and from that time forth it would be recognized and hon- ored as a part of the new body iso. which it is found. If that new organism was the body of the most honored person in the world, the new standing of that new member would be that of the one to whom it is joined. In like manner if that new person to whom a member is joined is the Christ of God, that new member will have a standing which is none other than the righteous- ness of God. This, it must be repeated, is not a righteousness of man's making : it is distinctly said to be "made" unto the believer by God Himself. This is clear 72 Salvation from the following passages: "Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us * * * righteousness" (1 Cor. 1 : 30) ; "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Cor. 5:21); "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" (Rom. 10 : 2-4) ; "That I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith" (Phil. 3:8, 9); "But now the righteousness of God without the law is mani- fested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe" (Rom. 3: 21, 22) ; "For what saith the scriptures? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reck- oned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also described the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works" (Rom. 4:3-6); "And therefore it was imputed to him (Abraham) for righteous- ness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, Two Cardinal Facts 73 that it was imputed unto him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead ; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Rom. 4:22-25); "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us," and "He hath made us accepted in the beloved" (Gal. 3 : 13 ; Eph. 1:6); "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, * * * For therein is the righteousness of God revealed (a righteousness from God) from faith to faith" (Rom. 1:16, 17). Such are the marvels of His grace. Of our- selves we could be only conscious of our failure and sin, and wholly unable to provide a cure. He is able to make us the very righteousness of God in Christ. As we are made righteous in His sight, He is able to justify us now and forever "from all things from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses." "We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus." This bestowed righteousness, then, is Christ who is the very righteousness of God, and He is made the righteousness of God unto us when we are found in Him. Such is the standing before God of every saved person whether he has come to understand his position or not. There are practical values, however, in coming to know that we are now made the righteousness of God, and that this righteousness is so unrelated to our own merit, or demerit, and so related to Christ that it can and will abide without change 74 Salvation through all eternity. Such knowledge will result in indescribable peace of soul. Oh the burden and yoke of a law that is always broken ! The thought of a God Who is never satisfied ! A standing that is always hopeless because of our utter helpless- ness! Then to know the liberty into which we have been brought that we need no longer vainly strive to make ourselves acceptable to God, but can believe that we are "made acceptable to God by Jesus Christ," and on no lower plain than that of the infinite Person of our Lord ! There is in- describable rest and peace in realizing that we are already "accepted in the beloved." Such rest and peace would come to a multitude of God's children if they but knew and believed the word of His grace. To know our perfect standing in Christ does not lead to laxity in daily life: it is the strongest possible incentive to holy living that human heart can know. Let there be no idle speculation here. It is the testimony of the Spirit of God we are dealing with, and that testimony is to the effect that man's merit, or demerit, cannot become a qualifying factor in the bestowed righteousness of God. It is distinctly for the one who "work- eth not." Carelessness of life has never resulted from believing this revelation. God is most evi- dently concerned with the quality of the daily life of His child; but such an issue cannot be raised here. The divine order cannot be safely ignored, whieh is first to reveal the grace posi- tion, and then to appeal for the corresponding manner of daily life. God's children are too often Two Cardinal Facts 75 fed on mere injunctions with no reference to the corresponding and related positions. This will always result in a hardening of heart and care- lessness of life. God has clearly related the posi- tion to the conduct and in a positive order, and it is perilous to omit any aspect of the truth or to change the divine order of its application. True heart-searching and moral judgments fol- low almost without exhortation in those who come to understand the exceeding grace of God in their behalf. The second vital fact mentioned in Jno. 14 : 20 is stated in the words of Christ, "I in you." Not only is the heliever "in Christ," but Christ is in the believer. This is the fundamental Biblical fact concerning the Christian. He has received a deposit of eternal life, something entirely new to him, which is not known to any human being excepting those who have believed on Christ. Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life." This is a new life imparted, rather than a mere inspiration or example for living. It is on this sole point of possessing the new life that all Christian profession is to be judged. "Ex- amine yourselves whether ye be in the faith ; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Cor. 13:5). There are upwards of eighty-five New Testament passages referring directly to this fact of a new imparted divine life. When these are considered, it will be found that this life is never possessed by an unsaved person; but it is revealed to be as certainly the 76 Salvation present possession of every saved person, even the least of all believers. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." It is also revealed that this new life is none other than the indwelling Son of God. "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 Jno. 5 : 12) ; "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear" (Col. 3:4); "Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20); "Christ in you the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). This indwelling One being the Son of God and eter- nal, the life is eternal. "I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish" (Jno. 10: 28) ; "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Kom. 6:23). This is the great supernatural fact of regen- eration. By this regeneration legitimate chil- dren of God are formed who are by all right and title the true sons of God, and if sons, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. They form a "new generation" or species, and their destiny is, in consonance with their new divine nature, in the eternal glory of the household and family of God. The practical value of knowing this relation to God, or to be able to say, "Christ liveth in me," is but to be impelled to go on to the place wherein it may also be said, "and the life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." As certainly as a member is vitally joined to the body, so cer- tainly the life of the Head flows into that mem- ber, and by this new vitality it is alive and in Two Cardinal Facts 77 possession of every vital power. It also follows that such a member should be wholly submissive to the mind and will of the Head. How impera- tive, reasonable and blessed it is to be wholly yielded to Him that every thought of His great heart may find instant and perfect expression through every member in His own body ! CHAPTER VIII ASSURANCE OF SALVATION FKOM the testimony of the Scriptures, a Chris- tian should know that he is saved. There is abundant Biblical witness on this point, and it can hardly be deemed commendable to be in doubt on this vital question; yet to many it may seem to be presumptuous in the extreme for one to be assured of his own salvation. Where there is a lack of assurance there is usually an impression that so long as the daily life is quite imperfect (and how immodest it would be to claim that it is otherwise) it is unreasonable to do any more than hope that through some special exercise of mercy on God's part it will not be as bad in the end as it might otherwise be. Unwittingly such atti- tudes of mind disclose the appaling fact that per- sons who hold such views have never turned from dependence on their own works, and merit to a dependence on the all-sufficient work and merit of Christ. If salvation depends in any degree on personal goodness, there could not be even a saved person in the world, and therefore no ground in it for assmajjce. Salvation is not offered to those who have purposed to be good, or religious, nor is it guaranteed to those who hope God will Him- self be good and gracious in the end. It is of- fered to all meritless, helpless sinners who are willing to believe that God has already been good 78 Assurance of Salvation 79 in that He has provided, in Christ, not only what they need now, but all they need in time and for eternity. This, too, is believed on no other evidence than that God has said it in His Word. In looking away from self and one's failure to Christ and His saving grace, one will find ade- quate grounds for a God-honoring certainty as to position and destiny in Christ Jesus. No life would ever be good enough to merit anything but condemnation from a holy God if judged on the grounds of moral equity. On the other hand, no sinner has fallen so low, or is so weak in him- self, that he cannot find absolute rest and assur- ance of his salvation in looking away to Christ and the finished provisions of His grace. The attitude one may hold on the question of assur- ance may thus become somewhat of a test as to whether he has really believed on Christ, al- though it should not be assumed that such is in- variably the case. There are certain general facts about Chris- tian assurance which may well be stated. The evidence underlying a positive conviction, or as- surance as to personal salvation, is primarily the fact of the faithfulness of God as revealed in the -Wocd. When God has made an unconditional declaration of His faithfulness, it is hardly be- coming in one of His children to entertain any uncertainty in those things which He has prom- ised. He has promised to save and keep all who put their trust in Him. Having put one's trust in Him for salvation, one must either believe Him to do what He has said, or in the measure 80 Salvation in which one fails to do so suppose Him to be untrue. At this point a doubt is sometimes expressed as to whether one has really believed in the sav- .way. As a matter of fact, such a doubt is still one in regard to himself rather than of God. This, of course, is another question alto- gether; but one so important that nothing else can be undertaken or determined until it is settled. The only cure for this uncertainty is to end it with certainty. Let such an one face his own utter sinfulness and meritlessness with the reve- lations of the cross and discover, as he must, no hope in himself, and then and there, once for all, appropriate the provisions of divine grace for every need of a sin-cursed soul. If need be, note the very day and hour of such a decision and then believe in the decision itself enough to thank God for His saving grace and faithfulness, and in every thought, act and word thereafter treat the decision as final and real. It is the crying need of a multitude of religious people that they bring themselves to some final dealing with the Son of God with regard to their sins and His sal- vation. They should be positive enough in this matter to face the eternal question before Him as to whether they choose to stand in His grace alone, or in something within themselves, even in the slightest degree. No very deep conviction of assurance can grow in any heart where the mind is still wondering whether it has really be- lieved in a saving way, and where no impressions of certainty are allowed to take root. Confidence Assurance of Salvation 81 in the faithfulness of God will not thrive when one is constantly singing hymns which have been written to voice the position of the unsaved, such as the hymn in which one is assuming to be "coming to the cross." Let that issue be scaled and past, so far as salvation is concerned, and rather let one be occupied with those bless- . ings which are vouchsafed to those who have be- lieved. It would be much more reasonable to sing "In the cross of Christ I glory." /Assurance is born of confidence in Christ. He has said: "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Having come, there is but one question remaining: "Has He cast me out?" This, it will be noted, is a serious question in- volving the very trust-worthiness of Christ. To doubt salvation at this point is not modest or com- mendable : it is the sin of distrusting God, or mak- ing Him untrue. Without faith it is impossible to please God. On the other hand, it is quite possible for one in facing this question to seal his confidence in God by a faithful "Amen" to every word God has spoken as to His plan and purpose in salvation. Who can look at the cross of Christ and not be convinced that God's love has been manifested toward us and that He Who paid such a price to redeem us will not instantly re- ceive any soul that trusts in Him? The word of Scripture becomes the title deed, or official writings, as to the certainty of the transaction. "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; V that ye may know that ye have eternal life." 82 Salvation Such wonderful knowledge, therefore, is to be gained through the things written. The written things are His exceeding great and precious prom- ises; but these promises can be of no avail to the heart that will not believe Him, or take Him at His word. Normal Christian experience and the joy and peace that results from believing can never even begin in the heart until God has been trusted to the extent that the record of His sav- ing grace has been believed and received. There is a normal Christian experience. There are new and blessed emotions and desires. Old things do pass away, and behold all things do become new; but all such experiences are but sec- ondary evidence, as to the fact of salvation, in that they grow out of that positive repose of faith which is the primary evidence. There is very much Scripture about the results that are sure to appear in a transformed life. True salvation must result in just such realities. It is inconceivable that Christ should come to live in a human heart and its experiences remain unchanged^ There must be, under such conditions, a new and vital relationship to God the Father, to fellow-Christians and to Christ Himself, a new attitu"3e toward P^ a j er ? toward the Word, toward sin and toward the unsaved. This is the view-point of the Apostle James when he contends so earnestly for works that will justify. It must be remembered, how- ever, that James is here concerned with the ap- pearance our professions make to the outside world, rather than of our acceptance before God. Men can judge only by the^otftward appearance, Assurance of Salvation 83 and works alone can justify the Christian profes- sion in their sight. God looks on the heart and before Him no works can avail. Before God man must be justified by faith alone. This, James clearly asserts to be true as illustrated in the case of Abraham (Jas. 2:23). The First Epistle of John is full of references to the outward evidence of the inward fact of the newly imparted divine life. This little book, standing near the end of the Bible, may be taken, i in one sense, as an examination of the believer. "Hereby we know that we SLOW him, if we keep his commandments" (there is no reference here to the commandments of Moses) ; "In this the children of God are manifested, and the children ^ of the devil: whoso doeth not righteousness is not of God (cf. Jno. 6:28, 29), neither he that U. loveth not his . brotjier" ; "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the ^ brethren" ; "Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother" ; "And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by 7 the Spirit which he hath given us" ; "He that J~ loveth not knoweth not God ; for God is love" ; "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God" (cf. 1 Cor. 12:3). Such a precious experience as is described by these passages may become clouded by sin or lost in the depression of some physical weakness, and were we depending upon the experience as pri- 84 Salvation mary evidence that we are saved, all grounds of assurance would be swept away. The primary evidence is clearly stated in the same Epistle as the final word of testing here given and the final grounds of confidence: "If we receive the wit- ness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testi- fied of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself : he that believeth not God hath made him q__liar ; because he be- lieveth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath the life ; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life. These things (about having the life) have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God ; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God" (1 Jno. 5 : 9-13). The possession of the indwelling Son of God is the abiding fact of the newly created life in Him, and should never be confused with some imperfect and changeable ex- perience in the daily life. He is received by faith. His presence most naturally leads to blessed new realities in experience. Certainly experience never leads to the realities of the presence of the indwelling Son of God. The Bible use of the word "assurance" will be found in several passages: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith" (Heb. 10:22). This is the confidence that grows out of a repose of f&Hh in the faithfulness of God Assurance of Salvation 85 that He will fulfil every word He has spoken. "And unto all riches of the full assurance of un- derstanding" (Col. 2:2). This is the breadth of confidence that grows as one increasingly en- ters into the vastness of God's revelation of His grace in Christ Jesus. Some are so limited in spiritual vision when they believe that their first step in faith is centered on one promise alone. To such there will be a growing understanding and a corresponding increase of confidence and assur- ance as other promises and facts of grace are ap- prehended. "And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence of the full assur- ance of hope unto the end" (Heb. 6: 11). Here is a reference to that assurance which is the full conviction that every promise and revelation con- cerning the future will be surely fulfilled. This, like all assurance, is simply the result of believ- ing God. CHAPTER IX REWARDS, OR THE PLACE OF CHRIS- TIAN WORKS TRUE Christian Ijvjn^and service flow out of the new creation which is the result of the saving workof God and are divinely recognized by the promise of .lejsards.. The Bible revelation con- cerning rewards not only presents a great in- centive to holy and faithful living, but is a necessary counterpart of the doctrines of free grace. The divine plan of salvation under free grace is to save men "without money and with- out price." This means that no exchange is made. Man receives all that he has as a gift and only as a gift. It also means that there are no after payments to lie made 1 , "on tlm installment plan," as though some attempted correctness of life and conduct could qualify the transaction of grace. What is done for man is done graciously. God will not suffer His gift to be confused with use- less attempts to pay, or return, anything to Him in exchange. It is equally evident that it is not His purpose that Christian service shall be ren- dered as an attempt to return something for what He has done, notwithstanding the fact that such motives in service are sometimes urged by the misinformed. God is said to be actuated by at least three mo- tives in saving men : First, they are said to be "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which 86 Rewards, or Place of Christian Works 87 God hath before ordained that they should walk in them." This, it is evident, is the least of all. It is, however, the only motive that is sometimes presented. "We are saved to serve" is a com- mon phrase which if taken alone would represent the Father as seeking our service only and as de- based to the level of the most sordid commercial- ist. It is true rather that we are saved in order that we may serve. There can be no true service apart from salvation. Service then becomes a di- vinely provided privilege. Second, we are saved that "we might not perish, but have everlasting life." This would seem of greatest importance, for it represents our unmeasured and eternal bless- ing in Him. But there is a third divine motive infinitely beyond these which, we may believe, is the highest motive of saving grace: namely, we are saved "that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." The result of that kindness toward us will be seen to be the final form in which we appear in the glory when we are "conformed to the image of his Son." Every being in the universe will know what we were and will behold the spectacle of what we are in that final and eternal glory. This transforma- tion will have measured the grace of God for us, and on that scale which will be wholly satisfying to Himself. He will have made a demonstra- tion of His grace before all created beings which will be to His own exceeding joy. It may be concluded, then, that God is moved to act in our behalf from the sole motive of love 88 Salvation toward us and not for gains of any kind whatso- ever. It is all to unfold His grace alone. Thus the new-born child in the Father's house begins his career with no hopeless debt. He has simply to enter into that which is his by all right and title in the amazing grace of God. When the Christian enters into service the greatest care must be exercised that the very motives for service do not in some way violate these most precious rela- tions of divine favor. It will not do to attempt to repay Him by service for what He has done. A gift is not appreciated as such by the recipient when there is the slightest intention even to pay lor il. f 1'UC LLe stupid Iranian heart is so often proposing to repay God for His mercy. Such words are put into the lips of Christ in the hymn, "I gave my life for thee, what hast thou given for me?" The question "what hast thou given for me ?" may well be asked of us all ; but never as though it was a "dun" for a long unpaid debt to Him. The only true motive for Christian life and service is the very one motive which has actuated God in His service for us. It is just LOVE. Sal- vation was to reveal and Satisfy His love for us. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us" (1 Jno. 3:16). It then follows that "we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren"; but never to pay Him for laying down His life for us. It is rather that we act on the same principle of love. Rewards, or Place of Christian Works 89 We can make no claim on Him whatsoever. At best, from our own standpoint, we are "unprofit- able servants." He will reward every faithful service ; but He will not demand the service. His recognition of Christian service will be but an- other manifestation of His marvelous grace. No child of God is "earning his way." Such a thought might satisfy a sordid commercial instinct of an untaught heart, but the thought is foreign to a normal relation of the child to his Father. "He hath given us all things richly to enjoy." The Father's supply of our temporal needs may come through the very channel in which our service is rendered, but it must not be deemed a payment for that service or all truth is subverted. His care for us is in pure love which can be claimed by the most helpless invalid as much as by the most active person. He does not promise to care for us if we "deliver the tale of bricks." Such doctrine belongs to the Egyptian taskmasters of old. God is just as much committed to care for us, by His loving promises, after our vitality is exhausted as when we are in the prime of life and strength. "They that serve in the gospel shall live by the gospel" is a divine exhortation to those who have the privilege of love gifts to the gospel ministry. It is not addressed to the minister. "Give and it shall be given to you" is an assurance that you cannot approach the Father with an expression of your love to Him that He will not meet you with a vastly greater response of His overflowing grace. "Seek ye first the king- dom of God, and his righteousness; and all these 90 Salvation things shall be added unto you" is not an in- junction to seek an increase in salary, even as a secondary consideration. It is forgetting all else but Him, and the divine response is to the end that "All these (temporal) things shall be added unto you." Every service for God, then, should be, like His, a service expressing love, and all occupation in life should be deemed by the Christian as a service for God (1 Cor. 10: 31; Eph. 6:6-8; Col. 3:22-24). God does not need our paltry gifts: He wants us. He is not looking for free labor from us: He is looking for evidence of our love for Him. Service for a salary is a poor return: service for His own sake is most precious in His eyes. There is no commercialism in the household of God, for there the standard of value is only love. "He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love." "She hath loved much" was a priceless verdict of Christ. For such service of love there will be a divine rec- ognition in the coming glory. This will be shown by the bestowal of rewards. It should also be stated that Christian service is not any good act we may choose to perform. The child of God has been "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." This means that there is a design and field of service divinely planned for each one, and "good works" in the Bible sense can only be the finding and doing of that which He has ordained. The works are "good" in that they are "that good, and ac- Rewards, or Place of Christian Works 91 ceptable, and perfect, will of God" for each believer. These can only be entered into by His divine direction, which will be realized by all who wholly yield to Him. Service must be "where he will." God has promised by many Scriptures to rec- ognize all service that is rendered as a love- expression to Him and all that is within the gra- cious plan of life He has made for every child of His. There will be rewards, crowns and prizes. No one can define them. They most evidently speak of His loving appreciation of our little suffering and faithfulness for Him. They will be inexpressibly sweet, and they will abide for all eternity. Salvation is not a reward for the believer's service. Salvation is God's work for us. Rewards are always connected with the be- liever's works and merit. The rewards are to be bestowed at "the judgment-seat of Christ" (2 Cor. 5: 10). This is when the saints are gathered to meet their Lord in the air (1 Cor. 4: 5; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 22:12; Mt. 16:27; Lk. 14:14). It will be a moment of discovery as to who hath loved much and who was much occupied with Him. It is most comforting to read of that very time of judgment, "and then shall every man have praise of God" (1 Cor. 4:5). Of the many passages in the Bible on rewards, two may be considered here. The first, 1 Cor. 9 : 18-27, is the divinely recorded illustration of true service as seen in the life of the Apostle Paul. This passage opens with the question: "What is my reward then ?" This is followed by a descrip- 92 Salvation tion of the tireless service and faithfulness of the Apostle. At the twenty-fifth verse he presents an illustration based on the Grecian games. "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain." The most violent effort of the runner in the race is, in the illustration, the stand- ard of effort for the servant of God. "And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things." There is the greatest care of thejx)dy_ hat it may be found at its highest state of effi- ency in agility, strength and endurance. "N~ow they (the athletes) do it (sacrifice their desires and every indulgence and carefully train) to ob- tain a corruptible crown." What was more transi- tory than the wreath of leaves that was placed on the victor's brow ? "But we (sacrifice our desires and indulgences and train ourselves for) an in- corruptible crown." If only such were true ! Few have so lived before God as did the Apostle Paul. How shame must cover us when we think of the ceaseless effort of the worldly athlete to gain a fading crown that soon will be forever forgotten, while God is offering to us an incorruptible crown the effulgence of which will be increasing in brightness when all the contests of earth are for- gotten in the ages of the ages ! This passage closes with a personal testimony from the Apostle. "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into sub- jection: lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a casta- Rewards, or Place of Christian Works 93 way" (disapproved). There is no reference to salvation in this passage. It begins with the words: "What is my reward then?" and is of rewards throughout. The fear that is expressed at the end is of being disapproved of the Lord. It is not fear of being found unsaved. This would be opposed to the unvarying and al- ways consistent teaching of the Apostle concern- ing the grounds of salvation. He testifies that there is a half-hearted preaching which would disappoint His Lord. He is striving that he may be approved as a faithful servant in that ministry to which he was called. The second Scripture to be mentioned on re- wards is 1 Cor. 3 : 9-15. This presents the fact of rewards as certainly promised by God. "For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foun- dation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." This is not the building of char- jicterj which undertaking is unknown in the Scrip- tures. It is rather the building of service unto a reward. Christ is the foundation and to be on Him is to be saved. It is possible to build on Him of very different spiritual substances, but all built on the same foundation, Christ. Such are the possibilities in service for all who are saved in Christ. "Wow if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, 94 Salvation stubble; every man's work (not his salvation) shall be made manifest : for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built there upon (Christ), he shall receive a reward. If any man's work (built on Christ the Foundation) shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he him- self shall be saved; yet so as by fire." Fire is the symbol of the judgment by which the super-structure of Christian works is to be tested. Jesus made use of another symbol of judgment, the floods of water, that shall test the foundation. Woe to those who are found build- ing on the sand! Not only will their super- structure of self-righteousness collapse, but their foundation, the fallen nature, will be swept by the waters of judgment into everlasting darkness. Although secure against the floods, established on the Rock Christ Jesus, great sorrow and shame will come upon those saved ones who have had all the days of grace and the enabling power of God and a field so white for harvest and in the end present a completed service of "wood, hay, stubble" only. Thus it may be concluded that we are saved in the boundless grace of God and His attitude toward us is ever and always one of love. We are the objects of His bounty and care. Being saved, we are privileged to enter some service of His eternal design. This is not a field in which to compensate Him for His love. It is our di- vinely given opportunity to express our love to Rewards, or Place of Christian Works 95 Him to the praise of the Glory of His grace. He recognizes such ministries of love by that which He has been pleased to call "rewards." What more could He do than He has done ? How more faithfully could He appeal for our heart's devo- tion to Him? CHAPTER X THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER The So-called "Doubtful Passages" Parti THE question here raised and which has been so long under theological controversy is simply stated in the words, "Can a person once saved be lost again?" To this question two widely differing answers have been given, which are as simply stated in the two words, Yes and No. There is no middle position, or ground for compromise, for both answers cannot be true at the same time. One cannot really be secure if he is insecure as to his eternal keeping by the slightest degree. The subject of security is somewhat different from the question of assurance already considered. Eternal security is a doctrine of Scripture, a di- vine revelation of an abiding fact which exists, whether it is believed or not. Assurance is only the personal confidence in a present salvation. The two schools of belief regarding eternal se- curity have existed for several centuries and cer- tain church creeds have taken positive sides on the question. The belief, or disbelief, in secur- ity is, however, more of a personal matter than credal ; depending much on the extent of personal Bible study and heart response to the whole rev- elation of God. Because one . is enrolled under a "Calvinistic" creed does not guarantee that he will himself be free from the distractions of mere 96 The Eternal Security of the Believer 97 human reason: on the other hand, because one is enrolled under an "Arminian" creed is no guar- anty that he will not eventually learn to rest in every revelation and promise of God. The question resolves itself to one issue: did Christ do enough on the cross to make it possible for God righteously tojceeja one saved, as well as righteously tojsave at alls Since this question strikes at the very heart of the revelation regard- ing the cross, its importance cannot be overesti- mated. The solution of the question involves the very foundation of personal rest and peace, and must qualify Christian service as well. No one can rest while in terror of eternal damnation, nor can one be normal in service if he is confronted with the superhuman task of self-keeping in the realm of the new creation. A careful survey of the whole field of discus- sion regarding the security of those who are saved will reveal that one group return constantly in their discussions of this subject to the conclusions of human reason^ to the uncertain evidence of human experience, and such Scripture as is cited by them, they "wrest to their own destruction." The other group are guided by revelation alone, believing that there is nothing about any phase of salvation that can be explained within the cir- cumscribed limits of unaided reason or knowl- edge. Salvation began with God in another sphere, and its conditions, character and results are altogether in harmony with the eternal being of God, rather than with the vain imaginations of fallen man. Not one step can be taken toward 98 Salvation salvation until the individual is prepared to pro- ject his confidence beyond the sphere of human understanding, and believe something of the un- seen and otherwise unknowable as it is disclosed in the Word of God. This discussion is under- taken with the hope that it may enable some who have hesitated to go all the way in faith to be more able to do so to the glory of our covenant- keeping God. It need hardly be added that this discussion has only to do with the security of those who are saved in the true and Biblical sense. There is no divine promise of keeping for the mere professor who does not truly believe. There are a few passages which have been thought by some to teach that salvation is inse- cure. These are to be taken up first. Following the consideration of these the more positive teach- ings of the Scriptures will be presented. In taking up these so-called "insecurity pas- sages," which number about twenty-five, it will be found that they have been given the character of doubt as to the keeping power of God only through misinterpretation. Thus they are made to contradict the much larger body of Scripture in which an absolute security is promised. The misinterpretation will usually be easily discovered by a careful examination of the whole context. Some of the passages to be taken up, it may be stated, have always been considered difficult, this being evidenced by the various renderings and expositions. It should not be concluded, how- ever, that teaching of insecurity is warranted from the difficulties in these passages. The vari- The Eternal Security of the Believer 99 ous renderings and expositions made by creditable expositors do not present teachings foreign to the whole counsel of God. God forbid that any effort should be made to "Jiannpnize the Word ofjGrod." It is a consistent whole in its testimony, and only awaits our right understanding of all that it teaches. It will not do, therefore, to discredit the clear testimony of a "verily" of the Scriptures with an^if." The passages in question may best be treated under classified groupings, and for want of space consideration of every passage will not be under- taken. What is true of one passage within a group will be found in the main to be true of the others. 7. Passages Dispensationally Misapplied. Mt. 24: 13 (see also Mk. 13: 13; Mt. 10: 22) : \ "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall bo saved." This passage occurs in the midst VJ of the "Olivet discourse," which was addressed to Israel only. They alone are "hated of all na- tions" (vs. 9). The context is a description of "sorrow" and "the great tribulation" (vs. 8 and 21), which period cannot even begin on the earth until the Church has been.rfimoxd (1 Thess. 5:9; 4:13-18). It cannot, and does not, apply to any saint of this dispensation. There is a sweet promise here for those in that terrible time who endure to its end. Ezk. 33:7, 8 was true under the law ; but is not true under grace. Mt. 18: 23-35 (cf. Mt. 25: 30; 20: 1-16) is of "servants" in God's vineyard, Israel. This is to 7 100 Salvation be distinguished from the present preaching of the gospel in the "field" which is the world. For- giveness under the law was as ye forgive (Mt. Q" 6:14, 15). Forgiveness under grace is, like all gifts of grace, first, divinely bestowed, and then becomes an incentive in the believer's heart to .* exercise the same toward others (Eph. 4j 32). / It must be noted that "servants" are not neces- sarily saved. . II. The False Teachers of "the Last Days" 1 Tim. 4:1, 2 : "Now the Spirit speaketh ex- pressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypoc- risy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." There is no reference here to personal faith. Those mentioned are said to depart from the faith. This is "the faith which was once delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). Very much of 2 Thess., 2 Tim., 2 Pet., 2 Jno., 3 Jno. and Jude concerns the "last days" just before the Church is removed from the earth. None of the New Testament Epistles are concerned with the Great Tribulation which follows the taking away of the Church; for the Tribulation has to do with Israel and the Nations. The Church is warned by an over- whelming body of Scripture against a coming apostacy and that false teaching which is to char- acterize her "last days" upon the earth. The false teacher who has turned from the Truth is never said to be saved ; but God's judgment of him is sure. The above-named Epistles should all be II The Eternal Security of the Believer 101 studied with this in mind, especially 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 4:3, 4; 2 Pet. 2:1-22; 3:3, 4; 2 Jno. 9-11, and Jude 4-19. Jude writes of these false teachers as "they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit." III. Moral Reformation. Lk. 11:24-26: "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first." The Lord's object in thus presenting this truth was evidently to set forth the futility of meremoral ref prmatipjL Such a situation could never describe a Christian who from the moment he is saved is indwelt by the Spirit and by Christ. IV. Christian Profession is Proven by Its Fruits. 1 Jno. 3 : 10 : "In this the children of God are manifested, and the children of the devil: who- soever doeth not righteousness is not of God (note the fundamental divine requirement as stated in Jno. 6:28, 29), neither he that loveth not his brother." There is an important distinction to be made between enduring in order to be saved and enduring because one is saved. The Bible con- sistently presents the latter test. "If ye continue in my words, then are ye my disciples indeed" (Jno. 8: 31). Of all the seed sown in the field 102 Salvation but a small fraction became "wheat," the chil- dren of the kingdom. The rest sprang up, and was withered, or was caught away, or was choked. The present age is characterized by much merely formal profession. Within the mass of profes- sors is the true "wheat." The divine test is al- ways with regard to the essential character of the true child of God. As compared with the im- .potent, unregenerate^ature, the divine nature does not sin, but tends to new aspirations and char- acteristics in daily life. It is so, and it must be so. The child of God still has the flesh, and this is said to "lust against the Spirit." The new nature does "not "commit sin: the old nature can do nothing else. Proof that one is saved is not found in sinless perfection; but is found in the fact that there are new desires and powers in the new creation. These can prevail over the old desires by the power of the Spirit. The Bible simply demands that there shall be some real evi- dence of the new life from God. 2 Pet. 1 : 10 : "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things (mentioned in vs. 6-8) ye shall never fall" (stumble). Election is certainly of God (Rom. 8 : 29). Peter, here, calls on the saints to make full proof, or to give real evidence of their election by the presence of cer- tain virtues in their lives which he has just men- tioned in the preceding verses. So, also, Rom. 8 : 16-18 states that true children of God will suf- fer with Christ, rather than that they become children, or remain children by suffering. Rom. The Eternal Security of the Believer 103 8:13: "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die" (ye are on the way to die) is qualified by verse nine: "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." It is this chapter of this great Epistle of salvation, it should be remem- bered, which presents the most unqualified revela- tions of security for the one who believes. Jno. 15 : 6 : "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." This difficult passage may best be understood in its probable relation to professors. The reference is to "a man" and not to a branch, as in verse two. In such a case "abide not in me" could hardly mean more than a pretense, or false profession which "men" disallow as they would gather and burn dead branches. This, like James 2: 14-26, is a matter of justification before men by works which testify to the fact of the presence or absence of the new life. Men are judged only by the outward : "God looketh on the heart," and "He knoweth them that are his." The whole Epistle of 1 Jno. is filled with these practical tests of the Christian's life and conduct. To this may be added 1 Cor. 15:1, 2 and Heb. 3 : 6, 14. V. Various Warnings. 1. Christians are warned: Rom. 14:15, "De- stroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died." The effect of this sin is defined in 1 Cor. 8 : 11, 12 : "But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, 104 Salvation ye sin against Christ." The effect of such sin is, therefore, the wounding of the weak con- science. The sin is most serious; but a true child of God will "never perish," and "will never die" (Jno. 10:28; 11:26). 2. Professors are warned: Mt. 25:1-13 is of the ten virgins. Five had no oil, the symbol of divine life, though they had every outward ap- pearance. They heard the judgment "I know you not," which could not be said of the least child of God. 3. Jews are warned: Heb. 10:26, "If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins." The old Jewish sacrifices had passed and there was no longer that cure for sins. It was either to take Christ, who had died the sacrificial death for all, or to come into terrible judgment. Heb. 6 : 4-9, "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." "But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salva- tion, though we thus speak" (vs. 9). Much is said here as having been divinely accomplished in cer- tain individuals, but it is not a sufficient descrip- tion of the true child of God; who is light; who is already a citizen of heaven; who has been The Eternal Security of the Believer 105 sealed by the Holy Spirit; who has been reger- erated by the washing of the Word; and who has been recreated by the power of God. The passage is addressed to Hebrews and the first part of the chapter concerns their duty of passing from the elements of Jewish faith to Christ, and the warning is of their particular danger of substi- tuting half truths for the full truth in Christ. That the passage is not for Christians is most evident from the closing verse of the context (vs. 9), which is preceded by the illustration found in verses seven and eight. 4. Gentiles are warned: Rom. 11:21, "For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee." This message is ad- dressed to Gentiles as contrasted to Israel, and is a distinction between God's dealing with Israel in one dispensation and with the mass of Gen- tiles in another dispensation, rather than a warn- ing to saved individuals. 5. Two general warnings : Rev. 22 : 19, "And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things that are written in this book." The warning is most general. That no child of God would be permitted to do this, or to come under this judgment, is assured in 1 Cor. 10 : 13 and Jno. 10 : 29. 1 Cor. 3 : 17, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy (corrupt) ; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." An- other general warning of judgments which could 106 Salvation never be the fate of the child of the Father (Jno. 17:11). VI. Christians May Lose Their Rewards, Walk in the Dark, or be Chastened. 1. Rewards may be forfeited, or lost, but this cannot be said of salvation. 1 Cor. 9 : 27 : "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjec- tion : lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (dis- approved). The context is only of rewards and not at all of salvation. The word here translated "castaway" is .gdokimos, which is the negative form, by the prefix a, of dokimos. The negative form is translated by three English words in the New Testament: "castaway," once; "rejected," once; and "reprobate," six times. Three of the translations of "reprobate" are given a marginal rendering "void of judgment." Four meanings given to the word by the lexicons are "unable to stand test/' "rejected," "refuse" and "worthless." The less severe form of the word is by the lexi- cons given first, which corresponds with the mean- ing given to it in the numerous translations in the Bible. The moderate meaning of the nega- tive form of this word is demanded in the pas- sage in question for at least four reasons. (1) The affirmative form of the word dokimos, used in the New Testament six times, is always trans- lated in the Bible and defined by the lexicogra- phers, as well, as meaning "approved," or "to stand test." "For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men" (Rom. 14:18); "Salute Apelles approved in Christ" The Eternal Security of the Believer 107 (Rom. 16 : 10) ; "For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you" (1 Cor. 11:19); "For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth" (2 Cor. 10 : 18) ; "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15); "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him" (Jas. 1: 12). If dokimos is al- ways "approved," or "tested" as to rewards, it follows that its negative form is naturally "dis- approved" or "failure under testing." (2) To give adokimos the severest possible meaning of being "cast off forever" would be to ignore wholly the meaning in the context. This is of rewards to the believer for faithful service. The passage opens with the words (vs. 18) "What then is my reward ?" And Paul's fear, as has been before stated, is lest through half-hearted ministry he should be disapproved. Salvation is not in ques- tion, for salvation is not once related in the Scrip- tures to dokimos, the affirmative form of this word. (3) To give adoJcimos the severest mean- ing in this passage would be to bring it into direct opposition to all the great promises of God con- cerning His purpose and power in salvation. (4) It is to choose a meaning of the word which is remote and in no way the usual use made of it in the Scriptures. Conybeare and Howson ren- der the passage : "But I bruise my body and force 108 Salvation it into bondage; lest, perchance, having called others to the contest, I should myself fail shame- fully of the prize" (Life of St. Paul, Chapter 12). 1 Cor. 3 : 15. "If any (Christians) man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss : but he him- self shall be saved ; yet so as by fire." The whole context, again, is of rewards for Christian serv- ice. The work of God must stand. The child of God will himself be saved, though all his works are burned. Col. 1 : 21-23. "And you, that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death" (this is the work of God in salvation), "to present you holy and un- blameable and unreprovable in his sight" (de- pends, not on His salvation, but) ; "if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard." 2. Christian fellowship may be lost through sin: "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth" (1 Jno. 1:6). This passage has to do with loss of fellowship (not salvation) through sin. The cure for a Christian's sin is not in a second regeneration and justification by faith, but rather, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (vs. 9). This is the believer's way back into blessed joy and fellow- ship with his Lord, and should never be confused with the establishment of the eternal grounds of The Eternal Security of the Believer 109 salvation. The uiiVegenerate are not saved by con- fessing, but by .JgelievmQ. Thus the Prodigal Son, representing the possible return of the Jew- ish publicans and sinners under the Jewish cove- nants and relationships, returned to his father on the ground of confession, and not by a birth, or generation. He was lost and was found, which has not the same significance as being lost and saved. He never ceased to be a son, and was re- stored to the former relation to his father by confession : "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." The same underlying truth will be found in the other parts of the same parable: "The lost sheep" and "The lost coin." Thus a saint of this dispensation, being under the new covenant, may return to his place of blessing by confession (1 Jno. 1:9). David did not pray that his salvation might be restored after his great sin; but he did pray: "Restore unto me the joys of my salvation," and that after his full confes- sion had been made. 3. Christians may be chastened : 1 Cor. 11 : 29- 32. "For he that eateth and drinketh unworth- ily, eateth and drinketh damnation (judgment) unto himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world." This passage has to do with a possible eating and drinking at the Lord's table in an unworthy man- 110 Salvation ner, and the table is referred -'to in this passage as being an outward evidence of the believer's true fellowship with his Lord. He is thus warned against going to that table when there is uncon- fessed sin in his life, by that act assuming to be in fellowship with his Lord when he is not The Father's method of dealing with His sinning child is then revealed. The sinning child may first judge himself, which he does by confessing his sins. If he judge not himself, he must be judged of his Father; but the Father's judgment is al- ways chastisement and never condemnation with the world. The chastisement for the unyielding child, according to this passage, is that he may become "weak," "sick," or "sleep" (physical death) . Jno. 15:2. "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away." The reference is evi- dently to true branches, which is not the case in verse six. From the fact that the Greek word airo has the meaning "lifting up out of its place," here translated from airei, "taketh away," it would seem probable that the reference is to the last form of chastisement mentioned in 1 Cor. 11 : 30. Such branches are taken home to be with the Lord (see, also, 1 Tim. 5 : 12, "Having judg- ment" which is chastisement for a child of God). VII. Christians May Fall From Grace. Gal. 5 : 1-4. "Stand fast therefore in the lib- erty wherewith Christ hath set us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be cir- cumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I The Eternal Security of the Believer 1 1 1 testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." "Falling from grace," it will be seen from this passage, is not caused by sinning. It is simply departing from the liberty wherewith Christ hath set us free. It is returning to the yoke and bondage of the law from which the death oF Christ "hath delivered us. Returning to the law, the liberty which is ours in Christ is lost, and Christ, as the grounds of liberty, is of no effect. It is all a question of the enjoyment of that priceless liberty in grace. There is not the slightest hint in the passage that God withdraws His grace, or that any aspect of salvation has been canceled. It is probable that many believers have never had a vision of their liberty in Christ ; but this passage is of those who have known such liberty and then have been drawn back into the yoke and bondage of law observance. Prom the foregoing it may be concluded that there is no Scripture, when rightly divided and related to the whole testimony of God, that teaches that a Christian may be lost, !N"or is there any such example in the Bible. Of all the incidents and parables, none can be made to teach the loss of salvation. Moreover, if it were possible to lose it, there is no promise, or hint, in the Bible that it could be regained. The Bible reveals noth- ing concerning repetition of regeneration. There are at least five general and common ques- tions of doubt that are often raised which should 112 Salvation also be considered before turning to the positive revelation regarding eternal security. 1. What if a believer's faith should fail? Faith, it may be answered, is not meritorious. We are not saved because we possess the saving virtue of faith. We are saved through faith, and because of the grace of God. Incidentally faith is the only possible response of the heart to that grace. Saving faith is an act: not an attitude. Its work is accomplished when its object has been gained. 2. What if a Christian dies with unconfessed sin? It is quite impossible that any believer knows, remembers, or has confessed every sin. Confes- sion, after all, is but telling Him, and this could better be done, perhaps, in His gracious presence than otherwise. It is impossible that any would see His face if whole confession, or sinless per- fection, should be made the condition of enter- ing that blessed Presence. This question grows out of a very imperfect understanding of the fin- ished work of Christ. Christ has died that sin might not keep us from God. 3. Does not the doctrine of security license people to sin ? Biblically, No; Experimentally, "No. There is no greater incentive to holiness of life than to know one's own eternal position in Christ Jesus. It is, according to the Bible, God's superlative ap- peal for true Christian living. To the question, "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound 2" the unregenerate would answer "yes"; for that The Eternal Security of the Believer 113 would be the voice of the fallen nature: but the regenerate will answer, "God forbid." To claim that teaching the doctrine of security will license people to sin is to ignore the mighty revelations of the believer's positions and the effect of these upon the life. It is to ignore the fact of the new divine nature which indwells each child of God. It is to ignore the new dispositions and tendencies flowing out of that new life. It is to ignore the imparted energy of God, "for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." It is to challenge every reve- lation concerning God's plan of dealing with His child. Experimentally no truly born-again persons have been known to live on a lower plane after they were saved than the plane on which they lived before they were saved, and very few have been known to take advantage of grace. Mere con- version, or reformation, may result in a return to a worse estate (Lk. 11: 24-26). On the other hand, to hold over people the superhuman obliga- tion of self -keeping in Christ, is but to discourage them utterly in the purpose of true Christian living and incline them to discount the very stand- ards of God. Such must ever be called from a back-slidden state. The Puritans were not self- named. The name was given them because of their great carefulness of life and piety. Yet every Puritan believed in security, and they may be classed with a multitude of the most devoted saints who have lived and believed according to the testimony of God. 114 Salvation 4. Cannot we rebel and be released from Christ if we so choose? A most unscriptural emphasis upon the sup- posed power of the human will has been made by some. The human will never acts alone (saved persons, Phil. 2 : 13 ; unsaved persons, Eph. 2:2), and God has undertaken to keep His own from all such sin. "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom" (2 Tim. 4: 18) ; "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to es- cape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10: 13) ; "I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish" (Jno. 10: 28) ; "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salva- tion ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Pet. 1:5). Having really tasted the riches of His infinite grace and then prefering to be lost again would be the clearest evidence of insanity. We may be assured that God keeps any child of His who is so unfortunate as to lose his reason, and if such an one were to ask to be unsaved, and if it were possible, that one would be kept by the power of God through the dark night of insan- ity. For this he would give unceasing thanks to the Father through the ages to come. 5. Why the failure of so many converts? !N"o one can really judge another; but it is evi- dent that converts who fail are either misguided professors "who went out from us because they The Eternal Security of the Believer 115 were not of us" (1 Jno. 2:19), or they are saved and perhaps so poorly taught, or so neg- lected in shepherd care, that they are utterly con- fused and are "walking in darkness" (1 Jno. 1:6). Conversion is but a human act of turning about. It can be done many times and even a believer may be converted (Lk. 22 : 32). Being born again is a different experience entirely. With it there is no repetition whatever, nor occasion for repe- tition. Some modern revival converts who have heard nothing but appeals for reformation and a general exhortation to be identified with re- ligion, can hardly be expected to come under the same gracious keeping of God, as the one who has come to God by Jesus Christ, and who has intelligently rested in the saving grace of God as revealed in His Son. CHAPTER XI THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER The Doctrine of the Scriptures Part II THE eternal security of the believer is revealed in a well-defined body of Scripture the interpre- tation of which is not subject to question as to its exact meaning, or as to the fact that it refers only to salvation, if the plain teaching of the Word of God is taken to be the final statement of truth. Those passages which have been thought by some to teach that a Christian might be lost again, together with certain questions of doubt, have been considered in the preceding chapter, and the way is clear, so far as this discussion is concerned, to give undivided attention to the posi- tive words of certainty regarding the divine keep- ing guaranteed in the Word to every child of God. Complete exposition of this extensive body of Scripture would be impossible within the limits of this chapter. As in the preceding chapter, the passages may best be grouped under certain gen- eral heads, and representative passages of the Scriptures in this body of truth considered in each of these divisions. According to His Word, the true child of God is secure in the divine keep- ing for at least seven reasons: I. The Purpose, Power and 'Present T Attitude of God the Father. 1. The Purpose of God. 116 The Eternal Security of the Believer 117 The divine revelation unfolds the eternal past, the present order in time, and the eternal future. To all these the saved one is closely related. From the beginning he was in the thought and purpose of God; he is now in the day of decision and grace; and the eternity to come is made glorious by the sure realization of the design of God for him. "For whom he did Jorebao^, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified" (Rom. 8:29, 30). "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him" (Eph. 1:4). These passages sweep the whole eternity. They reveal a divine purpose in the dateless past and reach on to its realization in the eternity to come, and all without reference to human conditions. Still another passage, related only to the ages to come, reveals that this will all be accomplished as a sufficient display, to all created beings, of the grace of God: "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6, Y). The solemn question confronts every thought- ful person, therefore, whether the infinite God can realize His eternal purpose, or is He baffled and uncertain in the presence of the object of 118 Salvation His own creative power? To this question the Scriptures give no uncertain answer. 2. The Power of God. God has not only revealed Himself as Creator and Lord of all, but it has pleased Him to give the most minute and exact assurance of His abil- ity to do for His child that which He purposed in the ages past. Speaking of what He would have us know, it is said: "And what is the ex- ceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly (Eph. 1:19, 20). "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any (created thing) pluck them out of my hand" ( Jno. 10:27, 28). This is true of "my sheep." No power created is sufficient to pluck them out of His hand. Even the "free will" of the sheep can- not, and will not, bring him to the point of per- ishing. "Who are thou that judgest another man's servant ? to his own master he standeth or f alleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand" (Rom. 14 : 4) . "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him (guard my deposit) against that day" (2 Tim. 1: 12). "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling (stumbling) and to present you fault- less before the presence of his glory with ex- ceeding joy" (Jude 24). Such is the testimony The Eternal Security of the Believer 119 of the Holy Spirit concerning the sufficient power of God for the believer's eternal keeping. 3. The Attitude of God. Could it be possible that God would so love an individual as to give His only Son to die for him and still love him to the extent of follow- ing him with the pleadings and drawings of His grace until He has won that soul into His own family and household and created him anew by the impartation of His own divine nature, and then be careless as to what becomes of the one He has thus given His all to procure? Here, again, the Scriptures make positive reply. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life" (Rom. 5 : 8-10). "Much more" is a term of comparison. He gave His Son to die for us while we were yet sinners and most abhorent, as such, to His absolute purity and holiness. Such is the bound- less love which He has commended to us through the cross. But much more than His attitude of love toward sinners will be His attitude of love toward those whom He has cleansed, transformed, redeemed and created anew as His own beloved children in grace. If He will save sinners at the price of the blood of His only begotten Son, much more, when they are justified, will He save them from wrath through Him. This great compari- 120 Salvation son is repeated in the text apparently for empha- sis. For if, when we were enemies, we were rec- onciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be (kept) saved through His life (or the fact that He is now alive and appearing for us at the right hand of God. See Eom. 8: 34; Heb. 7: 25). The testimony of the Bible, then, is that the attitude of love and care of God for those whom He has saved will be much more than the attitude of love, sur- passing knowledge, for enemies and sinners as it has been manifested in the cross. Not only is it revealed that God is disposed to keep the one whom He has saved, but the true child of God is also a gift of the Father to the Son (Jno. 10:29; 17:6, 9, 11) and has been committed to the keeping power of the Father by the prayer of the Son. "Holy Father keep." That prayer will be answered. Thus it may be concluded that should the saved one be lost, the eternal purpose of God will have been thwarted. Admitting this, it must be con- cluded that He Who can design a universe whose remotest star shall not deviate by a second from its appointments throughout the ages; Who can plan the universe from the highest arch-angel to the marvelous organism of the smallest insect; Whose purpose has never yet been known to fail that such a God may be defeated by the mere creature His hands have made. If the saved one is finally lost, it must also be concluded that God is, to that degree, lacking in power. He Who has testified that not one of His sheep will ever per- The Eternal Security of the Believer 121 ish, must yet retract His bold assertions and humbly submit to a power that is greater than His own. He Who created and holds the uni- verse in His hands; Who calls things that are not as though they were; Who could speak the word and dismiss every atom of matter and life from existence forever must retire before the over- lordship of some creature of His hand. And, lastly, admitting the revelation concern- ing God's eternal purpose and His infinite power to accomplish that purpose, if it could still be proven that the saved one might be lost we would be shut up to the one and final conclusion that it could be so only because the All-powerful God did not sufficiently care to keep those whom His power had created as new-born children. But what do we find ? The revelation is full of testi- mony concerning that very care. Who can meas- ure the revealed devotion of His boundless love toward the objects of His saving grace? Who will dare claim that He will not answer the prayer of His Son? II. The Substitutionary ', Sacrificial Death of God the Son. There is no spiritual progress to be made until one is convinced that something final was accom- plished at the cross in regard to sin. Nor will it do to believe that the thing accomplished applies only to such sins as have already been committed, or for which forgiveness has already been granted. Something has been done concerning every sin that ever has been committed, or that will yet be committed by man, and conse- 122 Salvation quently every person has been vitally affected by the cross. It does not baffle our God to deal with sins before they are committed. Had He not done this there could now be no grounds of sal- vation for any sinner in this age. So complete has been the sacrificial work of the Son of God that the Spirit has testified: "Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world"; "He tasted death for every man" ; "He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world"; "He died for all." Because of the thing which He has accomplished by His death, the present con- demnation of sinners is said to be no longer due primarily to the fact of their sins, but to the fact that they will not receive the remedy God has in infinite love provided: "He that believeth on him is not condemned : but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (Jno. 3 : 18, 19). "He that believeth not shall be damned" (Mk. 16:16). "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their tres- passes unto them" (2 Cor. 5:19). "Of sin, be- cause they believe not on me" (Jno. 16: 9). To this sin of rejecting the lavishing of God's mercy and grace must be added the fact that those who thus reject have chosen, in practical effect, to stand under the burden of their own sins, as though Christ had not died. The Eternal Security of the Believer 123 It is a matter of revelation that even the un- saved are not now condemned because of the sins which Christ has borne. How much less could a true child of God be condemned because of his sins ! "There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." The saved one will be brought into judgment concerning his life and service (2 Cor. 5: 10), and be chastened of the Father (Heb. 12 : 6) ; but never will he "be condemned with the world" (1 Cor. 11 : 31, 32). "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that hath sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment; but is passed from death unto life" (Jno. 5 : 24). "He that believeth on him is not condemned" (Jno. 3:18). Although the child of God will not be con- demned, God is not indifferent concerning the manner of his daily life. He has other and more effective ways of prompting His children to nor- mal living under grace than to hold over them the terrors of instantly perishing as the result of sin. A wise mother, even, has other resources in correcting and developing her child than instant murder for the slightest deviation from her will. Sin is never mitigated, because it is committed by a Christian; it is terrible in God's holy eyes: but it is still His child that sins and He has Him- self provided that even sin shall never hinder the exercise of His eternal love. He has forever swept sin's judgments out of His own way. The child in the Father's house may lose his fellowship, joy, peace and power and even come 124 Salvation under the Father's chastening hand, because he is a son, but he is not to be condemned. When he is chastened it is not a question of making, or breaking, his sonship: it is all because he is a son. Even of the world it is said that God is "not imputing their trespasses unto them." The child of God is said to "stand in grace." This is far removed from standing in works or any personal merit. Because of the cross, our God is able to save us in spite of the fact that we have sinned and are without merit before Him. Because of that same cross and on the same grounds of justice, He is able also to keep us saved who may be sinning and who can claim no worthiness in His sight. The very same pro- visions of grace which made it possible to save us at all, make it equally possible for us to be kept saved for all eternity. To claim that the child of God is not safe be- cause of the supposed unsaving power of sin, is to put sin above the blood and to set at naught the eternal redemption that is in Christ Jesus. If there is real solicitude as to the moral effect of this revelation, let it be rememberd that, ac- cording to the Bible, this truth, so far from being considered a license to sin, is the greatest divine incentive to true holiness, and as important as the believer's life and conduct is, it is under other and more effective divine care. III. The Sealing ~by God the Spirit. The believer has been sealed by the Spirit of God unto the day of redemption. "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed The Eternal Security of the Believer 125 unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 4 : 30, see also Eph. 1:13; 2 Cor. 1:22). Nothing could be more final than this. The Spirit Himself is the seal. His blessed presence in every true child of God is the divine mark of ownership, purpose and destiny. The Spirit Who was sent to abide in us will not withdraw. He may be grieved, or quenched (resisted), but He abides. This He does as the divine guaranty that there shall be no failure in any purpose of God and the sealed one will reach his eternal glory and the eternal blessedness of "the day of redemption." It is easily concluded by some, and because to them it seems reasonable, that the divine Person cannot remain in a heart where there is sin. Such are soon driven either to judge themselves to be absolutely without sin, or else to be lost. They evidently do not realize the value of the cross as the divinely provided answer to every challenge of righteousness that may arise because of sin, nor do they seem to have considered deeply that body of Scripture which reveals the fact that God can and does get on with imperfect Christians. Out of such imperfect material He must people heaven, so far as humanity is concerned, else that blessed place will stand empty throughout eter- nity. The Spirit can righteously abide in every Christian. He does thus abide, for God has said it. His sealing will endure unto the "day of re- demption." To claim that the child of God may yet be lost is to ignore the power and sufficiency of the infinite Spirit Who has sealed every saved 126 Salvation one unto the day of redemption by His unchang- ing abiding Presence. IV. The Unconditional New Covenant Made in His Blood. Of all the covenants God has made with man some are conditional and some are unconditional. The conditional covenant is made to depend upon the faithfulness of man: "if ye will do good I will bless you." The unconditional covenant is a direct declaration of the purpose of God, and depends on Him alone. "I will make of thee a great nation, and in thee all the families of the earth shall be blessed." This was God's uncon- ditional covenant with Abraham. It was uncon- ditional in that God in no way related its accom- plishment to Abraham's conduct or faithfulness. Jehovah was certainly interested in Abraham's conduct; but He in no degree made conduct a part of the basis of the great undertaking stated in the covenant. In ratifying a portion of the covenant made to Abraham, God alone passed be- tween the pieces of the carcasses while Abraham lay motionless in a very deep sleep (Gen. 15:4- 17). Abraham had nothing to do with it. He was committed to nothing whatsoever, and was wholly set aside. Such is the fact and force of an unconditional covenant. "The new covenant made in his blood" is in like manner unconditional. It is especially men- tioned in Heb. 8 : 7-10 : 25 and includes every promise of God for salvation and keeping for believers in this age of grace. This "new cove- nant made in his blood" is unconditional, since The Eternal Security of the Believer 127 it wholly passes over every question of human merit, or conduct, and consists in the mighty dec- larations of what God is free to do and will do in sovereign grace for the one who believes on His Son. We enter this covenant by believing. This should not be confused with the conditions within the covenant. The new covenant is not condi- tioned by our believing, but is unconditionally de- clared to those who do believe. No human conditions are found in the follow- ing passages: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" ( Jno. 5 : 24) ; "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me ; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (Jno. 6: 37) ; "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man (creation) is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand" (Jno. 10 : 28, 29) ; "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called accord- ing to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the first- born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified" (Rom. 8 : 28-30) ; "Being confident of this very thing, 128 Salvation that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6); "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom : to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (2 Tim. 4: 18). These declarations do not once descend to the level of human life and conduct: they define the divine intent and purpose. Were they to be con- ditioned in the slightest degree upon human merit, the ultimate goal of Christlikeness could never be realized for any fallen being. It is sometimes asserted that a condition of good conduct is im- plied in these passages which together form the new covenant. Nothing is implied whatsoever. If God shall choose to make an unconditional covenant how could He more clearly state it? Or how could His exact truth be preserved if men are free to qualify His Word? To claim that a Christian may be lost through the issues of his daily life is to make an eternal, unconditional covenant, made by God in sovereign grace, seem to be a mere legal demand with which no human being could ever hope to comply. It would be tampering with the word of His grace. V. The Intercession and Advocacy of Christ. Many have placed an emphasis out of all due proportion upon the three years' ministry of Christ on the earth as compared with His present ministry at the right hand of God. So little is this latter ministry considered that it is almost unknown to many Christians; but no one can enter intelligently into the revelation concerning The Eternal Security of the Believer 129 the fact, purpose and value of the present ministry of Christ and not be assured of the eternal se- curity of all who have put their trust in Him. Whatever else lies within the purpose of the Eternal Son at the right hand of God, the Scrip- tures reveal only that He is there for the keeping of His own who are in the world. The present heavenly ministry of Christ is both intercessory and advocatory. As Intercessor He prays for all that the Father hath given Him, or every member of His blessed body. This prayer is concerning their weakness and helplessness. His intercessory ministry began with His High Priestly prayer which He prayed before His death, as recorded in Jno. 17. This petition, it should be noted, is not only limited to His own in the world, but altogether for their keeping and fitting for their heavenly destiny. He also con- tinues to pray only for His own, and concerning their keeping and destiny (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25). No child of God will ever know before reaching heaven from what dangers and testings he has been saved by the faithful and unfailing intercession of his Lord. He is the Great Shep- herd of the Sheep, brought again from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant Who is guarding His own, and of them He will say: "And I have lost none of them, save the son of perdition that the Scriptures might be fulfilled" ; while they can say of Him, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." It is inconceivable that the prayer of the Son of God should not be answered. It was answered 130 Salvation in the case of Peter. "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat : but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." He did not pray that Peter should be kept out of Satan's sieve. He did pray that Peter's faith might not fail, and it did not fail. What consolation it yields to contemplate the fact that He, with all His understanding of every weakness and danger before us, is praying this moment, and every mo- ment, for us! His is not a prayer that will not avail. His praying is perfect and the result is absolute. Moreover, His intercession is without end. The Aaronic priesthood was most limited in its continuance because of the death of the priest. "But this man (Christ), because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Where- fore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7: 24, 25). He is able to save to the uttermost (Greek, panteles, meaning forever, or perfectly in point of time). Such security is vouchsafed only to those "who come unto God by Him," and such security is assured to these on no other grounds, in this passage, than that "He ever liveth to make intercession for them." As Advocate He now "appears in the presence of God for us" (Heb. 9 : 24). This ministry has to do only with the believer's sin. "If any (Christian) man sin, we have an advocate with the Father (not an advocate with God), Jesus The Eternal Security of the Believer 131 Christ the righteous" (1 Jno. 2:1). In exercis- ing this ministry He does not continue to atone for sins as they are committed : sin has been atoned for "once for all," and what He does is in the value of that finished work of the cross. He does not seek to excuse the sinning Christian before the Father's presence. Sin is ever that soul-de- stroying stain that can be cleansed only by His precious blood; but the blood has been shed. Nor is He appealing for the pity and leniency of God the Father toward the Christian's sin. God cannot be lenient toward sin; but having perfectly satisfied every demand of His own righteousness against sin by the cross; He can be eternally gracious toward the sinner who has come unto Him by Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is now appearing before the face of God for us and He appears there with His glorified human body in which are the scars of His crucifixion (Zech. 13: 6). It is the pres- ence of that very death-scarred body which an- swers the condemning power of every sin of the child of God. It is also a sufficient answer to every accusation of Satan who accuses the brethren before God day and night. "Who is he that con- demneth ? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God." It is Christ, superior to all finite beings, Who died. The death of such as He is the un- disputable answer to the condemning power of every sin ; and He is risen. Oh blessed Presence ! Oh eternal safety! No condemnation can ever pass His nail-scarred body. What priceless con- 132 Salvation solation to the imperfect and sin-conscious saint! We have been kept to the present hour by the living Intercessor Who ceases not to shepherd our wandering feet, and by the living Advocate Who ceases not to appear for us before the right hand of the Father. The same Intercessor and Advo- cate will yet prevail until that blessed day when we shall see Him as He is and be like Him. To challenge the eternal security of the believer is to deny that the prayer of the Son of God will be answered and to deny the eternal efficacy of His atoning blood. In ignorance, perhaps, such insult has been heaped upon the blessed Saviour; yet still He is faithful. He prays and appears before the Father in behalf of just such ignorant or sin- ning believers. VI. The Eternal Character of Salvation. Thirty-three divine transformations, which to- gether constitute the present fact of the Chris- tian's existence as in distinction to the unsaved, have been named already in a preceding chapter. These, it has been seen, are all eternal by their very nature. They are wholly disassociated from every human element that might endanger them, and they are made to rest alone on the merit of the eternal Son of God. We are said to be recon- ciled, redeemed, dead to the law and to sin, ac- ceptable to God, and made nigh, all by virtue of His blood and not by any merit within ourselves. Sonship is eternal. It is the result of a birth which secures the impartation of a new divine nature. It is impossible to remove from a child the nature of his human father. It is a deeper The Eternal Security of the Believer 133 and more abiding reality to have partaken of the divine nature. The born-again one thus possesses "eternal life" by a legitimate birth, and can "never perish." Such terms are themselves final. It could not be eternal life that is imparted with no possibility of perishing and then be lost by no greater force than the feeble act of man, that act moreover already having been covered with aton- ing blood. Salvation is also a new standing, or headship in the "last Adam." Removed from headship of the "first Adam" and the doom of his fall, the saved one is now "in Christ" and a partaker of the character and standing of his new Head, the Son of God. There can be no fall in the "last Adam." To deny the eternal security of the believer is to challenge the eternal character of the riches of divine grace, and to assume that the very Son of God may fall in Whom we stand. VII. The Believer's Heavenly Perfection. Having removed by the cross every moral ques- tion that could ever arise in connection with the salvation and keeping of the believer, the God of all grace has been pleased to reveal the final estate to which He will bring us in satisfying His own infinite love. There is nothing greater in the power of God for us than that we should be "con- formed to the image of his Son." Such a blessed- ness could be assured only on the very conditions which would at the same time guarantee the eter- nal security of the believer. That final perfection, "like him," is possible only as every human ele- ment is set aside. Were we able to effect our 134 Salvation salvation by the slightest degree it would, in so much, fail of the divine purpose. He, of neces- sity, has kept it all in His own power, and nothing can now hinder Him in the fullest satisfaction of His knowledge-surpassing love. That final perfection, "like him," is also to be a manifestation, to all created beings, of the grace of God. It is to be manifested by means of "His kindness toward us through Jesus Christ." By His redeemed ones He proposes to show His grace and to show it on a scale that will be wholly satis- fying to Himself. Grace is unmerited, unrecom- pensed favor, and if He is to show His grace finally and perfectly by the salvation and keeping of His own redeemed children, it can be such a display of His grace only as it is wholly removed from human works and merit. Being completely removed from the failing grounds of human merit, there is nothing that can happen in the believer's life, under the gracious care of God, that can re- move him from His eternal purpose. The first eight chapters of the letter to the Romans present the exhaustive divine statement concerning salvation, and this great portion of Scripture closes with an absolute declaration of security for the one who believes. It is like the closing chords of a great symphony. The Spirit of God, through the Apostle, approaches this final declaration through seven questions, the an- swers of which will be found to be a condensed statement of the divine revelation concerning the keeping power of God. This statement will be found in Rom. 8 : 29-39, and the questions are : The Eternal Security of the Believer 135 First, "What shall we say to these things ?" The things referred to are the successive steps of sovereign grace and power which are taken in bringing the believer to his final glory. In this passage time is lost sight of and human worthi- ness is passed over in the resistless onward move- ment of the eternal purpose of God. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." What can we say to these things? What wisdom have we to speak? We can only yield our hearts and believe what He has spoken. Second, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" God is certainly for us. He spared not His own Son in our behalf. Is there any power in the universe which can thwart its Creator? The very thought is almost blasphemy. Third, "How shall he not with him freely give us all things ?" Not only has He proven Himself inclined to give, by the superlative gift of the Son of His Love, but having gained us at such a price, He will not spare any pains to keep the treasure thus pur- chased; nor will He withhold a lesser gift. Fourth, "Who shall lay anything to the charge pf God's elect?" Such a charge must be preferred before God and He does nothing but justify. He may chasten, as 136 Salvation a Father in His own household ; but nothing can be laid to the charge of His elect before Him Who is now free to justify. Fifth, "Who is he that condemneth ?" It is Christ that died. This means much more than the death of any other could mean. He is the Son of God, and His sinlessness and infinite being made Him a perfect sin-bearer. It is not the death of a man or an angel. It is the atoning death of the Christ of God. He has not only died, but is alive for evermore ; yea, is even at the right hand of God. Because of His presence there, every demand of an offended law is satisfied in Him. Who can condemn with Christ at the right hand of God ? Sixth, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" ~Not now the love of the Father, or our poor love for Him; but who can make us unlovely in His eyes ? He loved us while we were yet sinners. He loves us still, with an everlasting love. Seventh, "Shall tribulation, or distress, or per- secution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ?" These are the outward experiences in life, and the trusting heart can say, "I will not fear what man can do unto me"; yea, "all things work to- gether for good to them that love God." Such suffering is the portion of the child of God in this world. "As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." The Eternal Security of the Believer 137 But there are the greater issues of death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things present and things to come, height, depth and every unknown creation. Can we boldly speak of security in the face of such unknown and unknowable forces ? To this the Apostle's clear testimony is added. "I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature (creation) shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus." Twice the Apostle employs the phrase, "I am per- suaded." In the other instance, as here, it ex- presses his confidence in his eternal security and keeping in the power and grace of God. "For I Know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have com- mitted unto him against that day" (2 Tim. 1 : 12 ; cf. Eom. 4:21). Such is the faith of the Apostle Paul. He was persuaded that he was saved for time and eter- nity. Those who are not so persuaded can hardly claim to hold the faith of the Apostle, or to honor the clear testimony of God. CHAPTER XII AST APPEAL SHOULD you, reader of this book, be uncertain of your salvation, or know that you are not saved, will you not respond to the loving invitation of your God and come to Him by the way He has provided in the Person and cross of His Son? Think not that He expects anything from you but your whole trust in Him until He has first saved you by His grace. He will faithfully do according to His Word the moment you have chosen positively to rest your salvation in His saving power and grace alone. After you have thus believed, He purposes to supply all the enab- ling power to meet all the problems and the needs of your daily life. You need not fear, only believe His Word. His wisdom, strength and bounty are sufficient for you. Having cast yourself upon His saving grace as it is in Christ Jesus, you have the right to believe that He has saved you, and you should, in honor- ing His faithfulness, immediately take the place of a son before Him and draw moment by moment on His exhaustless bounty and love. Should you, on the other hand, be confident that you have believed and are assured that you are a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, will you not praise Him anew for "so great salvation" and so yield yourself to Him that He may more perfectly use you as His ambassador to tell His 138 An Appeal 139 truth to others ? Will you not, in these dark days of confusion as to the truth of God, take great care to be accurate in the presentation of this priceless Gospel message to others ? It is quite possible to mislead souls unintentionally by misstating the divine conditions that lead to life eternal. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." The privilege of preaching the Gospel to one soul is priceless. So, in like manner, any blun- der in its presentation may contribute to an eter- nal disaster and woe. Carelessness in preaching is criminal and ignorance is inexcusable. The Gospel is plain. Earnestness is important, but no amount of earnestness can be substituted for the exact statement of God's message to lost men. It is too often supposed that preaching about sin is preaching the Gospel. Sometimes the pur- pose of such preaching is to deepen conviction concerning sins of the past. Such a message could be of value only as it prepares the way for the Gospel. By itself, this message is in no way the good news of saving grace. Men do not have to arrive at some prescribed degree of consciousness of sin in order to be saved. They need only to know that whatever sin God may have seen in their lives has been already laid on His atoning Lamb. They are now asked to believe that glo- rious message. Sometimes preaching against sin is with a view to encouraging men to cease sinning. This is su- perficial indeed and unbiblical. The unsaved are " dead in trespasses and sins," and are " in the 140 Salvation power of darkness." Sin is a nature as well as a practice. Fallen man would be lost had he not sinned. He must be born again ; not as a means of correcting the effects of his past practices, but because of his fallen Adamic nature. Being spir- itually dead, he must be given spiritual life. No reformation can change the fallen state. When preaching against sin, it is well to remember that the unsaved cannot cease sinning. When they re- ceive the Saviour, they will receive both the power to discontinue and the disposition to turn from sinning. It is sometimes supposed that to preach Chris- tian-living is preaching the Gospel. Sinners are thus told to " walk in the light," to pray, to study the Bible, to make confession of sin, or to repent. On the contrary, they have no light in which to walk, no access to God in prayer, no understand- ing of the Scriptures apart from the message of saving grace which the Spirit will use to their salvation. They are on no grounds of relation- ship before God where confession could be of any avail. They are already condemned. They can- not change their own mind, or repent. They can believe on Christ by the Spirit and such believing includes that change of mind, or repentance, which is possible to the -unsaved. They stand con- fronted with the revelation concerning a Saviour Who waits to save. He is to be believed upon. Other issues can serve only to postpone the day of salvation. Encouraging men to believe that God will be merciful is not preaching the Gospel. All such An Appeal 141 preaching really ignores the cross. Salvation ia not a present act of generosity and leniency on the part of God. Salvation is possible because the love of God has already provided all that a sinner can ever need. The sinner is not saved by plead- ing with God for His kindness: he is saved by believing that God has been kind. Such is the exact place of the cross in the message of the Gospel. Preaching the Gospel is telling men something about Christ and His finished work for them which they are to believe. This is the simplest test to be applied to all soul-saving appeals. The Gospel has not been preached until a personal mes- sage concerning a crucified and living Saviour has been presented, and in a form which calls for the response of a personal faith. The Saviour said, " Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." Genesis PAGE Luke ] ?AdE 6:5 13 7:50 3 15:4-17 126 10: 20 66 11:24-46 101, 113 Exodus 14: 14 91 12: 13 37 18 : 9-14 39 19: 10 8 Leviticus 22: 32 115 4: 35 38 24: 35 25 17: 11 37 John Psalms 1: 12 61 51:5 13 1: 18 17. 24 1: 29 32. 37 Ecclesiastes 3:3 6, 11 7: 20 13 3:6 13. 67 3:7 61 Isaiah 3: 16 32 53:5.6 ..23, 32 3: 16. 18-20 9 55: 6 48 3: 18 52. 60. 122, 123 64:6 13 3: 19 52. 122 3: 36 9. 76 Jeremiah 5: 24 60. 123. 127 17:9 13 6: 28, 29 8. 101 6: 37 127 Ezekiel 7: 37 81 33: 7 99 7: 39 67 8: 24 53 Zeehariah 8: 31 101 18 : 6 131 8 ; 44 75 Matthew 6: 14, 15 ... 100 10: 17. 18 . 10: 27, 28 10: 28, 29 22 118 63 6: 33 7: 21, 23 ... 8 76, 104, 105. 114. 120. 11: 26 127 104 10 . 5, 6 48 14: 20 66, 69. 75 1 : 13 99 15: 2 15 5 110 16: 27 91 103 18: 23-35 ... 99 16 9 ' 52 122 20 : 1-6 99 17: 6. 9, 11 130 20: 28 22: 14 59 17: 6, 11, 12. 20 63 106 24: 13 99 17 ' 17 4 62 24:8.9,21 . 99 ' 25: 1-13 104 25: 30 99 26:28 37, 38 2: 38 4ft 3 : 19 48 Mark 5: 31 48 7:21-28 ... ..9. 13 8: 13 51 18: 18 99 10: 8 25 16: 18 ...51, 52, 122 11: 18 49 143 144 Index of Scripture Texts Acta (continued) PAGK 1 Corinthians PAOE 11: 21 50 1:9 65 13: 10 61 1: 18 3 15: 7 51 1: 30 5. 62, 72 15: 12, 14 25 2: 12 67 16: 30, 31 3 2: 14 , 6. 11 17: 30 49 3:9 65 20: 21 49 3: 11 63 21: 19 25 3 : 9-15 . . . 93 26: 20 49 3: 15 108 3: 17 105 4:5 91 Romans 5:4 91 1: 16, 17 73 6: 11 61. 62 1: 19, 20 17 6: 19 67 1 : 29-32 12 9: 27 106 2:4 49 9: 18-27 . . 91 2 : 29 63 10: 13 105. 114 3: 10-18 12 10: 17 67 3: 21, 22 ..62. 71. 72 10: 31 90 3: 24 60. 62 11: 19 107 3: 25,26 23, 24 11 : 29-32 . . 109 39. 60, 70 11: 30 110 4:3-6 . 72 11:31,32 .. 60. 123 4: 21 137 12: 13 ...66. 67, 70 4:22-25 73 15: 1, 2 103 4: 25 60 5:1 62 2 Corinthians 5: 2 64 1: 21 63, 67 6:5 67 1: 22 67, 125 5: 8 88 2: 15 4 5 : 8-10 119 3:3 65 5:9, 10 64 3:6 65 5 : 19 10 3: 11 61 5: 21 68 4: 3, 4 .6, 12, 43, 54 6:4 60, 61 5: 10 91, 123 6:6 60 5 : 14 32 6:8 60 5:14-21 .. 34. 52 6: 14 4. 61 5: 17 61 6: 23 76 5: 18, 19 .. 60, 122 7:4 61 5: 20 60, 65 7: 6 61 5: 21 23. 62. 72 8: 1 60 6:1 65 8:2 4 6:4 65 8:4 71 6: 18 61 8: 7 13 7 : 8-11 . . . 48 8:9 66. 67 8: 24 25 8: 13 103 10: 18 107 8: 15 61 11: 2 66 8:16-18 66. 102 11: 14, 15 .. 43 8: 23 61 13:5 75 8: 28-30 8:29,30 59. 127 117 Galatians 8 : 29-39 134 2: 20 78 8: 33 59 3: 13 73 8: 34 65. 120, 129 3: 25 61 10:1.2 7, 70 3: 26 61 10: 2-4 72 4:6 67 11: 21 105 5:1-4 110 11: 32-36 68 5: 16 4 13: 11 4 5: 19-21 .. 18 14: 4 118 6: 15 61 14: 15 , 103 14: 18 106 Ephesians 16: 10 107 1:3 67 Index of Scripture Texts 145 Ephesians (continued) PAGE 1:4 117 1:5 59 1:6 10, 62, 73 l; 7 38. 62 1: 11 59 1: 13 125 1: 14 65 1: 18 65 1: 19, 20 64. 118 2:1-2 9. 61, 114 2:1-3 13 2:4 64 2:6 65 2:7 64. 87 2:6. 7 117 2:8 4, 51. 64 2: 10 1, 61, 86, 90 2: 11. 12 2 2: 12 12 2: 13 63 2: 18 64 2: 19 66 2 : 19-22 66 2: 20 63 3: 15 66 4: 30 67, 125 4: 32 62. 100 5:2 64 5:8 66 5:25 27. 66 5:25-27 5, 66 5: 27 62 6 : 6-8 90 Philippians 1:6 5, 64, 68, 128 1: 28 25 1:29 66 2: 12, 13 ...4, 11, 64, 114 3:3 63 3:8. 9 70, 72 Colossiang 1:12 62 1:13 11. 63 1:14 60, 62 1: 20 60 1: 21-28 108 1: 24 66 1:27 76 2:2 85 2: 10 67 2: 11 63 2: 12 60 2: 13 61. 62 2: 13-15 63 3: 1 61 8:4 76 8: 12 59 3:15 65 8 : 22-24 90 8: 24 65 1 Thessalonians 1:1 1:4 1:9, 10 3:3 4: 13-18 . . 5:4 5:9 . PAGE . 66 . 59 . 49 . 66 . 99 . 66 . 99 2 Thessalonians 2: 16 65 1 Timothy 2:1 32 2: 26 37 4:1, 2 100 5: 12 110 2 Timothy 1:9 4 1: 12 118. 137 2: 12 66 2: 15 107 3:1-5 101 4 : 3-4 101 4:8 91 4: 18 114. 128 Titus 1:1 2: 12. 13 2: 14 ... 3:5 3:7 59 64 64 61 62 1 Hebrews 2:9 82 3:6, 14 103 4: 14-16 64 6:4-9 104 6: 11 85 7: 24. 25 120, 129, 130 8: 17-10: 25 126 9:5 38 : 15 65 9: 22 38 9: 24 65, 130 10:1-14 20 10: 24 62 10: 19, 20 64 10:22 63, 84 10: 26 104 12: 6 123 12: 22 66 13: 5 64 James 1 : 12 2: 14-26 2: 23 ... 4: 8 107 103 83 63 146 Index of Scripture Texts 1 Peter 1:2 PAGE 59 1 : 3-5 . 5 1:4 65 1:5 , 114 1: 18 . 37, 60 1: 23 61 2:4 59 2:5 .. 2: 20 ..62,63,64,66, 74 66 2: 24 . 60 2 Peter 2 : 1-22 101 3: 3, 4 101 3:9 49 1 John 1: 6 108, 115 1:7 37 1:9 59, 62, 108, 109 2:1 131 2:2 33.39, 60 2: 19 115 3: 1,2 2, 5 3:3 61, 62 PAGK 3: 10 . 83, 101 3 : 14 83 8: 16. 18, 88 3: 24 67, 83 4:8 83 4: 9, 10 18 4:14,15 83 5 : 9-13 84 5: 12 76 5: 13 81 6: 19 12 John : 9-11 101 Jude :3 100 : 4-19 101 : 24 118 Revelation 1: 6 63 2:5 48 5:9 87 22: 12 91 22: 19 105 INDEX OF SUBJECTS PAGK Accepted 61, 74 Access to God 64 Adopted 2, 61 A new walk 60 Appeal 133 Assurance and security contrasted 96 Assurance of salvation 78-85 Assurance, three aspects 84, 85 Believe, all that a sinner can do 45 Believe all the Bible 15 Believer's heavenly perfection 133, 134 Believe, the one issue 4253 Believe what is written 79, 81 Chastisement 109, 123 Christ's death, the one reason 31-33 Christ died for all 33 Christ's finished work 33 Christ indwelling 7577 Christ Intercessor and Advocate 128-132 Christ reveals God 15-30 Christ reveals God's love 17-22 Christ reveals God's righteousness 2430 Christ reveals man's sin 2224 Christ the Substitute 18, 41, 121-124 Christians, can they be saved ? 114 Christian living is not believing 46 Christian's new incentive 74, 88-90 Children of God 61 Church 70 Circumcised in Christ 63 Complete in Him 67 Confession is not believing 46, 51 Conversion is not salvation 47, 115 Definiteness in believing 80 Delivered 63 Evidence of salvation 83 Experience and salvation 84 Failure of some converts 114 Faith 83 Faith fails 112 Faithfulness of God 79, 81 Falling from grace 110 False teachers of the last days 100 Fellowship lost 108 First fruits of the Spirit 67 Five facts about Christian position 5759 Forgiveness .37, 38 Free from the law 61 147 148 Index of Subjects PAOl Glory 2 67 God's attitude in salvation 119 God's gift to Christ God's holiness vindicated 24-30 God's motives in salvation 86-88 God's power in salvation 118 God's purpose in salvation 1 God's sovereignty 120 Heavenly . association 65 Heavenly citizenship 68 Hoping God will be good is not believing 45, 140 Household of God 66 In Adam 10 In Christ 10. 69-75 Inheritance 5 Insecurity passages 98115 In the eternal plan of God 69 Judgment of service 91-95 Justification 62, 83 Keeping power of God 98 License and sin 112 Love expressed in salvation -. . 89 Love expressed in service 89, 90 Love of God eternal - 21 Love revealed only in the cross 21 Made nigh 62 Man lost because he does not believe 51-53, 123 Message from God .-- 15-30 Misstatements of the Gospel 4553 Morality and salvation 43 Moral reformation 101 " Much more " 64, 119 New covenant unconditional 126-128 New headship, in Christ 133 New life imparted 7577 One issue before the unsaved 44-46 On the Rock, Christ Jesus 63 dispensationally misapplied 99 Paul's testimony concerning rewards 91-93 Peculiar people . 63 Positpns - 59-67. 73 Praying is not believing 47 Preaching the Gospel 139 Priesthood of Christ 130, 131 Priesthood of the believer 63 Profession proven by fruit 101103 Propitiation 60 Propitiation in the New Testament 39, 40 Propitiation in the Old Testament 38 Propitiation, two-fold 3841 Questions about security 112-115, 134-136 Reconciliation 59 Reconciliation, two-fold 35, 36 Index of Subjects 149 PAGK Redemption 60 Redemption not God's second best 28 Redemption, two-fold 37-38 Regeneration 75-77 Repentance 48-51 Repentance in John's Gospel 53 Rewards 86-95 Rewards may be lost 106110 Righteousness imputed 24, 71-73 Righteousness, four uses of the word 70 Righteousness vindicated 2630, 35 Roman soldiers' part in Christ's death 22-24 Salvation all of God 1, 54, 68 Salvation and works 1, 6-8, 42, 47, 74, 78-85, 86-93 Salyation, Bible meaning of the word 1-5 Salvation, its eternal character 132 Salvation more than the finished work 42 Salvation originated with God 14, 15 Salvation, three tenses 3, 4 Satan and the unsaved 9-14 Saved and unsaved contrasted 2, 7, 9-14 Sealing by the Spirit 124, 125 Security of the believer 96197 Seeking the Lord not required 48 Service 90, 91, 94 Sin condemning 2224 Spirit withdrawing 125 Standing in grace 124 The Bible authority 6 The estate of the lost 6-14 The Gospel to be believed 41 The greatest divine problem 26-30 The " old man " judged 60 The one condition of salvation 4253 The order of truth in grace 54-57 The publican's prayer 39 The riches of grace 5468 Translation - 63 Two cardinal facts 69-77 Two schools concerning security 96 Union with Christ 69-77 Union with Father, Son, and Spirit 66 Various warnings 103-105 Why did Christ die f 31-41, 97 Invaluable Books on Bible Truths BY LEWIS SPERRY CHAFER "THE KINGDOM IN HISTORY AND PROPHECY." Fore- word by Rev. C. I. Scofield, D. D. Fourth edition, Cloth, 157 pages $1.00 The whole outline of Scripture teaching as to God's plan and purpose in the earth. The questions, "What is the kingdom?" "What is the Church?" and "When and how will Christ re- turn?" are answered from the Bible itself. "The present drift of the world and of the church seems to me a tremendous confirmation of the truth so well set forth in this brief volume." Rev. Henry C. Jdabie, D. D. "HE THAT IS SPIRITUAL." Cloth, 160 pages $1.00 It defines true Christian living and unfolds the Bible teach- ing concerning spirituality, what it is, and how it is secured. Few books have been more warmly received by Bible teachers and students. Nothing could be more important to Christians, and it corrects very much false teaching. "I thank God for this book." Paul Rader. "TRUE EVANGELISM." Foreword to first edition by the late Henry Varley of England. Foreword to the new and revised edition by Rev. A. B. 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