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The Object Of Our Lord's Return.
DISCOURSE NO. 2.
We continue to-day our subject of last Sunday--"The object of our
Lord's return." To briefly review: We found that past ages and the present
Gospel age have been but steps which God is taking toward the conversion of the
world; that although He has not sought directly to bring all men to a
knowledge of Himself (which is essential to salvation) but has confined that
knowledge to a small proportion of His creatures who were thus elect, or
chosen; as for instance the patriarchs of early ages, fleshly Israel of the
last or law dispensation, and until the present century to but a small number
of earth's millions, even during this Gospel age. Yet, all of this was but a
means toward the desired end-- "The reconciling of the world unto
Himself."
We see that all God's promises center in this Church, now being
selected; that she is now as "the body of Christ" filling up the
measure of His sufferings, and that when all the members have been selected
from the world, and have been "made perfect through suffering," the
Church will be joined to Christ Jesus, "whom God gave to be head over the
Church, which is His body," or, as expressed in another simile, the
"chaste virgin," will be united to the heavenly Bridegroom, and they
twain become one, and this one--the Christ complete --is to be
the heir of all things.
This new creation (the Christ) we found to be the promised seed
which is to "bruise the serpent's head"--crush and destroy evil. So
we read, "The very God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet [under Jesus and his church] shortly. This same "seed of Abraham"
(which seed is Christ) is the seed "in whom all the families of the earth
shall be blessed." "And if ye be Christ's, then are YE
Abraham's seed and heirs." (Gal. 3:29).
We found that the end of this age does not close the Church's mission; that
though now, while wheat and tares grow together until the harvest, the end of
the world (age), her light shines but feebly, yet, when separated from the
tares, and exalted with her Lord, then, with him she shall "shine forth
as the Sun in the kingdom." This is the "Sun of
Righteousness" which "shall arise with healing in his wings."
We glanced at the glory of that Millennial day, wherein "there
shall be no more curse," and "the knowledge of the Lord shall fill
the whole earth," scattering the darkness of sin and ignorance and causing
"wars to cease unto the ends of the earth." These are the "times
of restitution," of which Peter speaks (Acts
3:17,19), which are due to begin when Christ comes. "For this, the
whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, waiting for
the manifestation of the sons of God." (Rom.
8:22,19)
But let us leave this bright and pleasant picture of the coming day, of
which, with the poet, we could say:
"Haste thee along, ages of glory,
Haste the glad time when Christ appears,"
and turning look at a dark picture. While it will be
so favorable to those who may live in the "Millennial Age," what
about those who have died before the plan of God has thus reached its fulness? During
the 6,000 years since creation, there have lived on the earth about 143
billions of human beings. Of these the very broadest estimate that could be
made with reason, would be that less than one billion were Saints of
God. What of the 142 billions who died out of Christ--what is their
condition?
The Atheist answers: They are eternally dead. There is
no hereafter; they will never live again.
Calvinism answers: They were not elected to be saved. God
foreordained and predestinated them to be lost, to go to hell, and they are
there now, writhing in agony, where they will ever remain without hope.
Arminianism answers: We believe that God excuses them on
account of ignorance, and that if they did the best they knew how, they are as
sure of being a part of the "church of the first born" as is Paul
himself.
To this last view the great majority of Christians of all denominations
hold from a feeling that any other view would be irreconcilable with justice on
God's part.
But, we inquire, What do the Scriptures teach on this last point?--that
ignorance is a ground of salvation? No; the only condition known in Scripture
is FAITH. "By grace are ye saved through FAITH." Justification by
faith is the ground-rock of the whole system of Christianity. When, on the day
of Pentecost, Peter was asked, "What must we do to be saved?" He
answered: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and be baptized, and thou
shalt be saved."
Again, he says (Acts 4:12): "There
is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be
saved," than the name of Jesus.
Paul reasons that a man must hear the Gospel before he can believe:
"How shall they believe on Him of whom they have not heard?" This,
God's plan--that men shall be saved on account of faith--Paul says was to the
Jew a stumbling block (because they expected salvation as a reward of keeping [R544 : page 7] the law), and to the Greeks (the
worldly wise) foolishness; but, nevertheless, it has "pleased God by the
foolishness (in the eyes of men) of preaching to save them WHICH
BELIEVE."
We want to scripturally close you in to the thought, that all who have not heard could not believe, and not believing, could not be a part
of the Bride of Christ. And this is not out of harmony with those first two
chapters of Romans where Paul teaches that the heathen, having not the law, are
a law unto themselves, etc. Many seem to misunderstand Paul, and represent him
as teaching that the law which their conscience furnishes is sufficient in some
cases to justify them. But this is a great mistake and far from Paul's
meaning. Paul's argument everywhere is that "all the world is guilty
before God," and that had he not known the law, he had not known sin. For
by the law is the knowledge of sin." The law given to the Jew revealed his
weakness, and was intended to show him that he was unable to justify himself
before God. "For by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in
his (God's) sight." As the written law thus condemned the Jews, so Paul
says it is with the Gentiles also. Though ignorant of The Law they had
light enough of conscience to condemn them--not to justify them--and so every mouth is stopped and all the world is proved guilty before
God. (Romans 3:19). And when this is realized,
eternal life is seen to be "the gift of God, through Jesus Christ
our Lord," to every one that believeth.
Well, say some, the Bible to the contrary, I believe and insist that God
won't damn the world for ignorance. Now, let us see. Do you practice what you
declare? Why do you assist in sending missionaries to the heathen at a cost of
thousands of valuable lives and millions of money? If they will all be saved,
or even half of them, through ignorance, you do them a positive injury in
sending a preacher to tell them of Christ when you know that only about one in
a thousand believe when the missionary does go to them. If your idea be
correct, it were far better that no missionaries should ever be sent. Before,
as you believe, nearly all would have been saved on account of ignorance, but
now because of knowledge nearly all will be lost. In the same way we might
reason, that if God had left all in ignorance ALL would have been
saved. Then, instead of the gospel being good news, it would be more
properly named bad news.
But when this theory is carried to its legitimate consequences, you do
not believe it. No, my brethren, you do believe that there is
no other name given whereby we must be saved. Your actions speak the
loudest--and speak rightly.
Now, suppose we look at things just as God tells us of them and leave
the clearing of His character to Himself.
WHAT HAS BECOME OF THE 142
BILLIONS.
First, we answer that you may be sure they are not now in hell
suffering, because the Scriptures teach that full and complete reward is not
given to any until Christ comes, and He shall reward every man, and the unjust
are to receive their deserts then also. Whatever may be their present
condition, it cannot be their full reward, for Peter says: "The Lord
knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be
punished," and He is doing so. But the thought of so many of our fellow
creatures at any time, being lost, without having had the knowledge which is
necessary to salvation, seems terrible indeed to all who have a spark of love
or pity. Then, too, there are a number of Scriptures which seem hard to
harmonize with all this. Let us see. In the light of his dealings, How shall we
understand the statement, "God is Love," or "God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him might
not perish?"
Ah, Lord, it seems to poor, frail humanity that if you loved the world
so much, you might have made provision not only that unbelievers might be
saved, but also that all might hear and thus have a chance to believe.
Again, we read: "This is the true light, that lighteth every man
that cometh into the world." (John 1:9).
Lord, all our reason seems to say, not so, we cannot see how Jesus lighted more
than a few of earth's billions. Yonder Hottentot gives no evidence of having
been so enlightened, neither did the Sodomites and myriads of others.
Once more we read that Jesus, by the grace of God, tasted death for
every man. (Heb. 2:9) How, Lord, we ask? If he
tasted death for the one hundred and forty-three billions; and from other
causes it becomes efficacious to only one billion, is not his death
comparatively a failure?
Again: "Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be
to ALL people." (Luke 2:10).
Surely it is to but few that it has been glad tidings and not to all people.
Another is: "There is one God and one Mediator between God and men,
[R545 : page 7] the man Christ Jesus, who gave
himself a ransom for all." (1 Tim. 2:5).
A ransom, then why should not all have some benefit from Christ's
death?
Oh, how dark, how inconsistent do these statements appear, when we
remember that the Gospel church is a "little flock." Oh, how we wish
it would please God to open our eyes that we might understand the Scriptures,
for we feel sure that did we but understand, it must all seem clear. It must
all declare in thunder tone "God is Love." Oh, that we had the key!
Do you want it?--are you sure you do? It is in the last text we quoted,
"Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Tim. 2:6). Due time, ah, now we see; God
has a due time for everything. He could have testified it to this 142 billions
in their life time; then that would have been their due time; but as it was not
so, their due time must be future. We know that now is your due time and mine,
because it is testified to us now. Christ was a ransom for you before you were
born, but it was not due time for you to hear it until years after; so with the
Hottentot; Christ was his ransom at the same time that he was yours. He has not
heard it yet and may not in this life; but in God's due time he will.
But does not death end probation? one inquires. We answer there is no
Scripture which says so, and all the above and many more Scriptures would be
meaningless or worse, if death ends all hope to the ignorant masses of the
world. A Scripture often quoted to prove this generally entertained view, is:
"Where the tree falleth, there it shall be." (Eccl.
11:3). If this has any relation to man and his future it indicates that
in whatever condition of knowledge or ignorance he enters death, he remains the
same, until he is raised up again.
But, how can knowledge ever reach these billions in their graves? It
never will, "for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom
in the grave whither thou goest." (Eccl. 9:10.)
"For in death there is no remembrance of thee (God): in the grave who
shall give thee thanks." (Psa. 6:5.) God
has provided for the resurrection of them all. For "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (1
Cor. 15:22.) As death came by the first Adam, so life comes by the
second Adam. Everything that mankind lost in the first Adam is to be restored
in the second: hence the age following Christ's second coming is spoken of as
"The times of restitution."
Life is one of the things lost, and is to be one of the things restored.
Mark, I do not say eternal life is given them; no, Adam never had eternal life
to lose. The continuance of his life was conditioned on his obedience. Life as
a human being was lost and this will be restored by the second Adam, and with
it the ability to render obedience. This is the general salvation that Christ
accomplishes for all, but the "great salvation" which believers
receive is entirely different. This enables us to use another text, which is
little used except by Universalists, and although we are not Universalists, yet
we claim the right to use all Scripture. It reads: "We trust in the living
God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe." (1 Tim. 4:10.) All men are saved or rescued from
the loss entailed on us through Adam, by having all those lost things,
including natural life, restored to them. He is also the "especial Saviour
of them that believe now--during this age--for they are privileged to become
sons of God on a higher than human plane, even to be partakers of the divine
nature.
Now we see that "the testimony in due time" explains
all of those hitherto troublesome texts. In due time it shall be "good
tidings of great joy to all people." In due time that "True Light
shall lighten every man that cometh into the world." And in no other way
can these Scriptures be used without wresting; we take them to mean just what
they say. Paul carries out the line of argument with emphasis in Romans 5:18,19. He reasons that as all men were
condemned to death and suffered it, because of Adam's transgression, so also
Christ's righteousness justifies all to life again. All lost life, not
of our own will or choice, in the first Adam, and all receive life at the hands
of the second Adam equally without their will or choice, with the privilege of
forever retaining it on specified conditions.
When thus brought to life, and having the love of God testified to them,
their probation, their first chance begins, for we do not preach a second
chance for any.
But Peter tells us that the restitution is spoken by the mouth of all
the holy Prophets. They do all teach it. Ezekiel tells us of the valley of dry
bones, "These bones are the whole house of Israel,"
and God says to them: "I will open your graves and cause you to come up
out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel,"
(Ezek. 37:11,12.) This agrees with Paul's
statement, Rom. 11:25,26. "Blindness in
part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles, (the Gospel
Church, the elect company "taken out of the Gentiles") be come in,
and so all Israel shall be saved," or brought back from their cast-off
condition. For "God hath not cast away His people which he foreknew."
(Rom. 11:2). They were cut off from His favor
while the bride of Christ was being selected, but will return to favor
when that work is accomplished--vs. 28 to 33. The prophets are
full of statements of how God will plant them again, and they shall be no more
plucked up. This does not refer to restorations from former captivities in
Babylon, Syria, &c., for the Lord says: In those days they shall say
no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape and the children's teeth are set
on edge; but every man shall die for his own iniquity; every man that eateth
the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge." (Jer.
31:29,30.) This is not the case now. You do not die for your own sin but
for Adam's. "In Adam all die." He ate the sour grape and our fathers
continued to eat them, entailing more sickness and misery upon us all. The day
in which "every man shall die for his own iniquity," is this
Millennial or Restitution day. But, when restored to the same conditions as
Adam, will they not be as liable to sin and fall again as he was? No, they will
have learned the lesson which God designed to teach to all during the first
6,000 years, viz: "The exceeding sinfulness of sin." They will be prepared
to appreciate the good and shun the evil; and the Gospel church then glorified
will be "The kings (rulers) and priests" (teachers) of that new age,
for "Unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come;
whereof we speak." (Heb. 2:5.)
But are we sure that God intends these blessings for any but the
"people whom he foreknew"--the Jews? Yes. He mentions other nations
also by name and speaks of their restitution. Let me give you an
illustration that will be forcible--the Sodomites. Surely, if
I find their restitution mentioned you will be satisfied. But why should
they not have an opportunity as well as you, or the Jew, to obtain
eternal life? True, they were not righteous, but neither were you when God gave
you your opportunity. Christ's own words tell us that they are not as guilty in
His sight as the Jews who had more knowledge: "Woe unto thee...Capernaum, for if the mighty works which have been done in
thee, had been done in Sodom,
it would have remained unto this day." (Matt.
11:21,23.) Thus Christ's own words teach us that they had not had their
full opportunity. Remember Christ says of the Sodomites that "it rained
fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all." (Luke 17:29.) So, if their restoration is spoken
of, it implies their resurrection. Let us look at the prophecy of Ezek. 16:48 to close. Read it carefully. God here
speaks to Israel and
compares her with her neighbor Samaria,
and also with the Sodomites, whom he says, "I took away as I saw
good." (Ezek. 16:50.) Why did God see
good to take away these people without giving them a chance of eternal life
through the knowledge of "the only name"? Because it was not their due
time; they will come to a knowledge of the truth when restored. He
will save them from death's bondage first, and then give them knowledge, as it
is written: "God will have all men to be saved, and to come unto
the knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim. 2:4.)
When brought to the knowledge, then, and not until then, are the preparations
for Eternal life. With this thought, and with no other, I can understand
the dealings of the God of love with those Amalekites and other nations, whom
he not only permitted, but commanded Israel to destroy utterly, and
leave neither man, woman or child, sparing not even the little ones. How often
my heart has ached and yours too, as we sought to reconcile this seeming
wantonness on God's part, with the teachings of the new dispensation
--"God is love," "Love your enemies," &c. Now we see
that the entire Jewish age was a type of the higher Gospel age; Israel's
victories and conquests merely pictures of the Christian's battles with sin,
etc. These Amalekites and Sodomites and others might just as well die so, as of
disease and plague, and it mattered little to them, as they were merely
learning to know evil, that when on trial "in due time" they might learn good and be able to discriminate and choose good.
But let us read the prophecy further. After comparing Israel with Sodom
and Samaria, and pronouncing them worse, v. 53, says, "When
I bring again the captivity (In death all are captives; and Christ came to set
at liberty the captives and to open the prison doors of the grave) of Sodom and
Samaria, then will I bring thy captives in the midst of them." These will
be raised together. In verse 55this is called a "return to
their former estate"--restitution. But some one, who cannot imagine that
God really could be so good or just, suggests: God must be speaking ironically
to Israel, and saying, He would just as soon bring back the Sodomites as them;
but has no notion of either. Let us see; read vs. 60-63:
"Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee; I will establish it [R546 : page 7] to thee." Yes;
says Paul, "This is God's covenant unto them--they are beloved for the
fathers' sake. For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance." (Romans 11:27-29.) The 63d verseconcludes
the argument, showing that the promised restitution is not based on the merits
of either Israel, the Samaritans, or the Sodomites --"That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when
I am pacified toward thee, for all that thou hast done, SAITH THE LORD
GOD." When God signs his name to a statement in this way, I must believe
it. And no wonder if they are confounded, when "In the ages to come He
shows forth the exceeding riches of his grace." (Eph.
2:7.) And many of God's children will be confounded, and amazed also,
when they see how "God [R546 : page 8] so
loved THE WORLD." They will be ready to exclaim with brother Paul:
"Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33.)
But some will inquire, how comes it that this has not been seen long
ago? We answer, God gives light and knowledge to his people just as it is due. The
world was left in almost entire ignorance of God's plan until the Gospel age, when Christ came, bringing life and immortality TO LIGHT through the
Gospel. The Jews up to that time supposed that all the promises of God were to
and for them alone, but in due time God showed favor to the Gentiles
also. Christians, generally, have supposed that God's blessings are to the
church, but we begin to see that God is better than all our fears, and though
he has given us the "exceeding great and precious promises," He has
made some to the world also.
"The path of the just is as a shining light that shineth more
and more unto the perfect day," and the fact that it now shines so
brightly; and that we are able to see more of the beauty and harmony of God's
word, is to me a strong presumptive evidence that we are nearing that glorious
Millennial Day when we shall know even as we are known. (1
Cor. 13:12.)
But we promised to harmonize those doctrines of the Church generally
supposed to be opposed to each other, viz: CALVINISM, or Election; and
ARMINIANISM, or Free Grace. Perhaps you already see how they harmonize
themselves, by simply recognizing the order of the ages, and applying each text
to the place and time to which it belongs. Let me then point out to you
THE INCONSISTENCY OF EITHER CALVINISM
OR ARMINIANISM.
when separated from each other. In doing so, I do not wish to reflect on
those who hold these doctrines. I shall merely call your attention to features
which their warmest advocates must confess to be their weak points.
First--Calvinism says: God is all-wise; He knew the end from the
beginning; and as "all his purposes shall be accomplished," He never
could have intended to save any but a few--the true Church, the little flock. These
He elected, and predestinated to be eternally saved; all others were equally
predestined and elected to go to hell, for, "known unto the Lord are all
His works from the foundation of the world."
This has its good features; it shows, and properly, God's Omniscience. This would be our idea of a GREAT God were it not that the three great
essential qualities of greatness, viz., MERCY, LOVE and JUSTICE are lacking, for
none of these qualities find place in bringing into the world 142 billions of
creatures damned before they were born, and mocked by protestations of
love. No, no; "God is Love," "God is Just," "God
is Merciful."
Second--Arminianism says: Yes, God is love, and in bringing humanity
into the world He meant them no harm; only good. But Satan succeeded in
tempting Adam; thus "Sin entered into the world and death by sin." And
ever since, God has been doing all he can to deliver man from his enemy, even
to the giving of His Son. And though now, six thousand years after, the gospel
has only reached a very small portion of those creatures, yet, we do hope
and trust, that within six thousand years more, through the energy and
liberality of the Church, God will have so far remedied the evil introduced by
Satan, that all may at least know of his love, and the knowledge of God be
co-extensive with the knowledge of evil.
The commendable feature of this view is, that it accepts the statement
that "God is Love." But, while full of loving and benevolent
designs for His creatures, He lacks ability and foreknowledge adequate to the
accomplishment of those designs.
While God was busy arranging and devising for the good of his newly
created children, Satan slipped in, and by one stroke, upset all God's plans,
and in one moment brought sin and evil among men to such an extent that even by
exhausting all his power, God must spend twelve thousand years to even
reinstate righteousness to such a degree that man will have an opportunity to
choose good as readily as evil; and the one hundred and forty-two
billions of the past six thousand years, and as many more of the next, are lost
to all eternity, in spite of God's love for them, because Satan interfered
with his plans as God had not foreseen. Thus Satan gets, in spite of God, one
hundred into hell to one God gets to glory. This view must exalt men's ideas of
Satan, and lower their estimation of Him who "spake and it was done;
commanded and it stood fast."
But how refreshing it is for us to turn from these fragments of truth,
as separately considered, and see how harmonious and beautiful they are when
united; how, during the present and past ages, God is electing, or
gathering, by the preaching of His word the Gospel church; how he wisely
permitted evil to come into the world in order that He might develop His
church, which, thus being made perfect through suffering, might be prepared for
her gracious work in the future; and how the mass of mankind, though not
now on probation, are nevertheless getting a knowledge and experience, by
contact with sin, which he foresaw they would be the better of. And,
furthermore, how he took occasion, in connection with this, His plan, to show
us His great love, by so arranging that the death of Christ was necessary to
our recovery from sin, and then freely giving Him to be "the propitiation
for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole
world," and then in the next dispensation--"The new heavens and
earth," (Rev. 21:1-9-10 and 22:17.)
"The spirit and the bride say come, and whosoever will may come and take
of the water of life freely." Then "Free Grace" will be
shown in the fullest measure. This is the teaching of God's word. Men would not
have thought of such a glorious plan of salvation. Truly God has said: "My
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways: For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa. 55:8,9.)
Hereafter when we address "Our Father," may it call to our mind that
His love and compassion are far greater than the pity of earthly parents; and
while we study His word more and more, and seek to "grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of God, let us ever remember
that
"Blind unbelief is sure to
err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter
And He will make it plain."
Having seen how much of the great plan of God awaits the coming of
Christ for its accomplishment, and having, we trust, found why Christ comes, we
will next Sunday take up another branch of truth connected therewith, and
inquire the teaching of Scripture as to the judgment of the Church, and of the
World, the reward of Faith and that of Works.
W.T. R-0544a : page 6 - 1883r