But what of our question, what is the Gospel to which the Apostle was not ashamed?
As we had previously stated, The true Gospel must show divine Wisdom and Power in full accord with divine Justice and Love: of any other we should be ashamed.
CONSIDER NOW THE TRUE GOSPEL.
The word "gospel" itself should be the clue-- should save the intelligent Christian from being misled by the various theories of bad tidings of great misery for nearly all people, miscalled "gospel."
He who thinks it good news that one out of a thousand of the human family is to be saved and the remaining 999 to be eternally tormented, is either not a Christian at all, or he is decidedly undeveloped in Christian character, in mercy, in love, in justice.
In our opinion he is at most only a "babe in Christ" who has need first of the milk of the Word and subsequently of the "strong meat" thereof, that he may grow up into Christ in all things, and be able to comprehend with all saints the lengths and breadths and heights and depths of the love of God which passes all understanding (Eph 3:18, 19).
When occasionally we come across some one who gives evidence of being a Christian, and who still entertains such horribly blasphemous views respecting the Heavenly Father's character, we feel like quoting to him the Lord's words through the Prophet, "My ways are not as your ways, nor my thoughts as your thoughts, for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my plans higher than your plans." (Isa 55:8, 9) Our object here is to have those whose eyes are anointed of the Lord, that they may see spiritual things (Rev 3:18), discern some of the Lord's higher ways and higher plans which he presents to us in his Word under the name "gospel"—good tidings.
DID CHRIST DIE FOR THE CHURCH ONLY?
But some one would perhaps say, Christ died only for the sins of the Church and not for the sins of the world, and consequently the sins of the world cannot be forgiven them. We answer, No; the Scriptural declaration most positively is that "Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man," "to be testified in due time." And, additionally, the Apostle says, "He is a propitiation [satisfaction] for our [the Church's, the ELECT] sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world [the NON-ELECT]."(1 John 2:2)
What could be plainer than this? If the price for the sins of the whole world has been paid to Justice, we may rest well assured that Justice will furnish opportunity through the Redeemer whereby all these whose sins were atoned for may come to a knowledge of Christ, and to an opportunity of accepting divine grace through him.
This is well pointed out in 1 Tim 2:3, 4 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” This is VERY IMPORTANT take notice of the sequence, It DOES NOT say that they must come to the knowledge of the truth first, and then be saved, but rather the reverse, they must be saved first, that they might be brought to that knowledge.
But some one will say, why should God adopt a plan, which would necessitate a resurrection of the dead, and a post-resurrection trial for eternal life except for all the elect Church of this Gospel age?
We answer,
(1) The problem with most professing Christians is that they have their own ideas and plans FOR GOD rather than accepting the one the Lord is pleased to use. It is not for us to inquire why the Lord adopts certain plans which differ from those which our poor finite minds might arrange for him: rather it is for us to acknowledge that our wisdom is insufficient on such a subject and that we should come humbly to the Lord to hear from his Word whatever he may be pleased to inform us respecting his purposes.
(2) As a matter of fact only those who approach the question from this standpoint need expect to see the truth or to "comprehend with all saints the lengths and breadths and heights and depths of the love of God."(Eph 3:18; 1 Cor 2:12)
God has been pleased, however, to reveal to us some of his reasons for arranging his plan as we see it. He assures us of his full wisdom and power to manage every feature of his own work according to his own good pleasure, assuring us that he knows the end from the beginning, and that the end will fully justify every step that he has taken.
His Word, no less than observation, shows us that during all these six thousand years the world has been getting a lesson respecting the exceeding sinfulness of sin and its wages of sorrow and death. His Word assures us also that during the next age, the Millennium, the whole world will be brought to a knowledge of the way of righteousness and love and peace, and will see the divine law in practical operation, and witness its beneficent results in all those who will come into harmony with the great Mediator. (Hab 2:14; Isa 26:9)
In our next post we will discuss this salvation as to its application.
As we had previously stated, The true Gospel must show divine Wisdom and Power in full accord with divine Justice and Love: of any other we should be ashamed.
CONSIDER NOW THE TRUE GOSPEL.
The word "gospel" itself should be the clue-- should save the intelligent Christian from being misled by the various theories of bad tidings of great misery for nearly all people, miscalled "gospel."
He who thinks it good news that one out of a thousand of the human family is to be saved and the remaining 999 to be eternally tormented, is either not a Christian at all, or he is decidedly undeveloped in Christian character, in mercy, in love, in justice.
In our opinion he is at most only a "babe in Christ" who has need first of the milk of the Word and subsequently of the "strong meat" thereof, that he may grow up into Christ in all things, and be able to comprehend with all saints the lengths and breadths and heights and depths of the love of God which passes all understanding (Eph 3:18, 19).
When occasionally we come across some one who gives evidence of being a Christian, and who still entertains such horribly blasphemous views respecting the Heavenly Father's character, we feel like quoting to him the Lord's words through the Prophet, "My ways are not as your ways, nor my thoughts as your thoughts, for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my plans higher than your plans." (Isa 55:8, 9) Our object here is to have those whose eyes are anointed of the Lord, that they may see spiritual things (Rev 3:18), discern some of the Lord's higher ways and higher plans which he presents to us in his Word under the name "gospel"—good tidings.
DID CHRIST DIE FOR THE CHURCH ONLY?
But some one would perhaps say, Christ died only for the sins of the Church and not for the sins of the world, and consequently the sins of the world cannot be forgiven them. We answer, No; the Scriptural declaration most positively is that "Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man," "to be testified in due time." And, additionally, the Apostle says, "He is a propitiation [satisfaction] for our [the Church's, the ELECT] sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world [the NON-ELECT]."(1 John 2:2)
What could be plainer than this? If the price for the sins of the whole world has been paid to Justice, we may rest well assured that Justice will furnish opportunity through the Redeemer whereby all these whose sins were atoned for may come to a knowledge of Christ, and to an opportunity of accepting divine grace through him.
This is well pointed out in 1 Tim 2:3, 4 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” This is VERY IMPORTANT take notice of the sequence, It DOES NOT say that they must come to the knowledge of the truth first, and then be saved, but rather the reverse, they must be saved first, that they might be brought to that knowledge.
But some one will say, why should God adopt a plan, which would necessitate a resurrection of the dead, and a post-resurrection trial for eternal life except for all the elect Church of this Gospel age?
We answer,
(1) The problem with most professing Christians is that they have their own ideas and plans FOR GOD rather than accepting the one the Lord is pleased to use. It is not for us to inquire why the Lord adopts certain plans which differ from those which our poor finite minds might arrange for him: rather it is for us to acknowledge that our wisdom is insufficient on such a subject and that we should come humbly to the Lord to hear from his Word whatever he may be pleased to inform us respecting his purposes.
(2) As a matter of fact only those who approach the question from this standpoint need expect to see the truth or to "comprehend with all saints the lengths and breadths and heights and depths of the love of God."(Eph 3:18; 1 Cor 2:12)
God has been pleased, however, to reveal to us some of his reasons for arranging his plan as we see it. He assures us of his full wisdom and power to manage every feature of his own work according to his own good pleasure, assuring us that he knows the end from the beginning, and that the end will fully justify every step that he has taken.
His Word, no less than observation, shows us that during all these six thousand years the world has been getting a lesson respecting the exceeding sinfulness of sin and its wages of sorrow and death. His Word assures us also that during the next age, the Millennium, the whole world will be brought to a knowledge of the way of righteousness and love and peace, and will see the divine law in practical operation, and witness its beneficent results in all those who will come into harmony with the great Mediator. (Hab 2:14; Isa 26:9)
In our next post we will discuss this salvation as to its application.
