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Chosen no: R-1028 a, from: 1888 Year. |
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Reconciled By His Death And Saved By His Life.
"If then, 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. 5:10`.
That we were actually
enemies, and yet at the same time reconciled to God, seems at first sight a
contradictory statement. But remembering that the whole race were reckoned and
treated as enemies --condemned to death because represented in the
transgression of their father Adam--we can see how the death of Christ, who as
Adam's substitute took his place in death, reconciled thereby not only Adam but
all his race to God. The penalty of sin was death--"In the day thou
eatest thereof, dying thou shalt die"--a most just penalty! It is not
eternal torture and misery of any kind, but simply the taking away of the
abused privilege of living. And since in life man failed to show himself worthy
of life, it is evident that when dead, destroyed, he could do nothing to
recover himself.
But when the Son of God
became partaker of our nature, and then as a man took Adam's place in death
never again to rise as a man, the man Adam could justly be released, his
life being thus redeemed or purchased. And as all his posterity lost life
through his fall, so they all regain life through his redemption by the man
Christ Jesus, who thus gave himself a ransom--a corresponding price--a
substitute for all.
The great majority of the race who are yet living are still in opposition to
God; and the vast majority of those who are dead, died without being converted
(turned) to God. But nevertheless they are all reconciled to God by the
death of his Son, as the above text asserts.
And if reconciled to God
by the death of his Son WHILE THEY WERE YET ENEMIES, it was
obvious that they were not reconciled to God by being converted to God, else
they would have ceased to be enemies, and the death of his Son would have
nothing to do with it. It is evident also that they were not reconciled to God
by the good example of his Son; for Adam and millions of his posterity were
dead before his Son came, and millions since have died without knowing of or
heeding his example, and yet all were reconciled to God by the
DEATH of his Son; and therefore, "as through Adam all die,
EVEN SO, through Christ shall all be made alive"--having been
reconciled to God, having regained the privilege of living, through Christ who
redeemed them by his death, by substituting himself for Adam in death.
But let us consider
further the doctrine which Paul proceeds to build upon this foundation, which
he accepts as sure. He adds: "Much more, being reconciled, we shall
be saved by his life." Seeing that the plan of our reconciliation by
the death of his Son, while we were enemies, is affirmed by Jehovah by the
mouth of all his Apostles and Prophets, and that it is reasonable and just, and
in perfect harmony with the righteous character of our God, it is even
"much more" evident that in his own due time we shall be saved. How?
"By his life." But how saved by his life, if he became our substitute
in death?
Thus it was his life as
a man that he sacrificed on our behalf forever; but since that sacrifice was
made in obedience to the Father's will, it pleased the Father to resurrect, or
re-create our Saviour. And since he could not resurrect him as a man without
undoing the ransom, he raised him to another nature. Without interfering with
our ransom, God could have raised him to any other nature, either higher or
lower than human; but as a reward for his obedience and humiliation, God
"highly exalted" him, even to the divine nature. Had our Lord like
Adam forfeited his right to life by sinning, he could not have been raised to
any nature, but having in loyal obedience sacrificed his life as a man (which
was all the life he possessed) God could and did raise him to another nature. And
now he ever liveth as a divine being, with all power and authority in heaven and
in earth to accomplish the remainder of the plan of our Father, who so loved
us, even while condemned sinners, as to give his only begotten Son to die for
us--"the just for the unjust."
And if the Son so loved
us as to die for us while we were yet enemies, will he not in the Father's
appointed time use his great power to awaken from death the millions whom he
purchased with his own precious blood? And will he not exercise his authority
and power as a wise father [life-giver] for the training of those awakened
millions, leading them step by step, by wise and wholesome discipline and
instruction, gradually up, up, up to perfection? And only those who refuse to
take the steps will fail to reach perfection and everlasting life. The boon of
eternal life in perfection and glory will be forced upon none, but, "Whosoever
will may take the water of life freely," while those who will not,
shall die the second death, from which there shall be no redemption and no
resurrection.
After such affirmations
and evidences of Jehovah's benevolent designs, and our Lord's obedient and
benevolent execution of them, have we not the fullest assurance that all the
redeemed race shall be "saved by his life"? and that only those who
will not obediently hear (heed) that Prophet--Jehovah's Anointed--shall be cut
off from the blessed privilege of eternal life--die the second death? (`Acts
3:22,23`.) Surely, Just and true are thy ways, Lord God Almighty: Thy love is fathomless; thy wisdom is as deep and broad as thy love; thy justice is firm as thine eternal throne. Haste the blessed time when all shall know
thee from the least to the greatest, and when thy love, fully comprehended,
shall call forth a loving response from every worthy heart; when the willful
evil doer shall cease, and when every creature in heaven and in earth shall
with united voice ascribe "blessing, and honor, and glory, and power unto
him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb forever and ever." MRS. C. T. RUSSELL.
W.T. R-1028a : page 6 - 1888r