IF BY ANY MEANS
By
R. E. NEIGHBOUR, D.D.
Expositions
Of -
The
Glories of Grace
The
Out-Resurrection
The
Judge at the Door
Missing
the Kingdom
CONLEY & SCHOETTLE PUBLISHING Co., INC.
P.O.
1985
Originally published by Gems and Gold Publishing Co.
-------
INTRODUCTION
The trend of this book is
two-fold. First to
clear away the debris that has all but covered the Glories of Gods Grace, and second to place Service and Rewards in their
Scriptural position.
The pulpit is presenting a plan
of salvation that minimizes grace - a plan based upon the prowess of man.
The pew is pleased with the
pulpit and joins heartily in the new message.
Even where Grace is presented it is often crippled by the counter doctrine
of Works.
The childish idea of be good and be saved is all too prevalent with adults. The maturer idea of be
good and keep saved is even more prevalent.
The plan of salvation is
sufficiently plain. There is no need for
such confusion. The woeful worthlessness
of the works of the law; the marvellous merits of grace, and the righteous
rewards for service are all set forth in the Word of God.
Our purpose is not to cast light
on these fundamental fixtures of the faith, our purpose is to lift up the light
of Gods Truth that it may shine anew upon the darkness of false teachings -
that all who will, may find the Way of Life and walk therein.
Not by
the works which I have done,
Not by
the race which I have run
But
through the blood of Christ, the Son;
His
grace is all my plea.
Naught
could I boast of word and deed,
No
goodness of mine own could plead;
Christ
on the cross met all my need
By grace
He set me free:
I fell a sinner at His feet,
I pled
His sacrifice replete,
His grace
and mercy did entreat:
By grace
He rescued me.
*
* *
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1. What About the
Glories of Grace. Page 5
CHAPTER 2. What About Winning Christ?,
The Out-Resurrection,
and The
Prize Of The Up-Calling (Phil. 3: 7-15)? Page 40
CHAPTER 3. What About The Judge
At The Door? Page 63
CHAPTER 4. What About Missing The
Kingdom? Page
84
* * *
[Page 5]
CHAPTER
1
What
About
THE GLORIES OF GRACE?
THE GRACE OF GOD AND THE WORKS OF THE LAW
Grace is the immeasurable and unmeritable favour
of God. Grace is God assuming all of
guilty mans responsibility. Grace is
offered to those who were dead in trespasses and sins, who walked according to the course of
this world, according to the prince of the power
of the air, and who, by nature, were the
children of wrath. It is
offered through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace is Gods
great love wherewith he loved us, even when we
were dead in trespasses and sins, which quickened us together with Christ ... raised us up together, and
made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Grace super-abounds when it passes
into the ages to come. There God has in store for us the unfolding
of the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us, in Christ Jesus.
We can never fathom Grace until we can fathom Sin - Sin in
its present pollution and Sin in its finished future - consummating in the endless
mournings and miseries of the damned.
We can never fathom Grace until we can fathom Salvation -
Salvation not only in its present privileges, but Salvation in its future
glories consummating in the endless joys and rejoicings of the redeemed.
Grace grants no place for our worth in any of
its operations.
Gods grace must end where mans worth
begins. If salvation is by grace it is not of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. He who would be saved by works is fallen from grace.
[Page 6]
Grace
calls sinners,
not the righteous, to repentance - Works,
trusting in self-righteousness repudiates
Scriptural repentance.
Grace accepts Gods annunciation: There is none righteous no not one; Works calls clean, that which God calls filthy rags.
Grace proclaims a
righteousness of God, apart from the law; Works
seeks to establish its own righteousness not submitting
itself to the righteousness of God.
Foolish is the man who strives to build his
house on the sands of his own doings.
God says: Other foundation can no man lay than
that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Vain is the man who walks in the way of Cain, seeking approach to God on
his own merits, and apart from any recognition of blood atonement. God says: They
that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Deceived is the man who, accustomed to do evil, madly imagines that he can
learn to do good.
God says: Neither can a corrupt tree bring
forth good fruit.
Will the race never learn that Gods Grace presents
salvation as a free gift, without money and without price; and that it is foolish to
offer pay for that which cannot be bought?
Will the race never discover that Gods Grace ends where
mans worth begins; and that it is vain for man to seek to merit grace, when grace is operative
alone on the merits of Christ Jesus, the Son of God?
Will the race never understand that Gods Grace is Gods Glory;
and that it is madness for man to magnify his own works?
If righteousness comes by the law, Christ died in
vain.
If justification comes by the law, we are
divorced from grace.
If redemption is dependent on works, then grace is no more grace.
A salvation by grace through faith imparts a present [Page 7] peace; a
salvation dependent
on works postpones peace until the works of the law are completed. Works can never say Beloved, NOW are we the sons of God.
A salvation by grace and through faith lets Christ do
the saving; a salvation by works
makes man his own saviour, and claims salvation as a reward reckoned not of
grace but of debt.
A salvation by grace through faith, glories in the
Cross; a salvation of works
makes the Cross of none effect. Grace says: Without
the shedding of blood is no remission; Works
says: Away with the Cross of Christ.
Grace says: Neither is there salvation in any
other; Works says: My saviour is myself.
Grace gives God all
the glory. Her language is Unto the only wise God our Saviour be glory ... forever. And again, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive glory. Works,
forgetting that no flesh should glory in his sight still
sings its own praises.
Grace accepts the atonement of Christ as both efficient
and sufficient, never as deficient. Grace
sings: Wherefore he is able also to save them to, the uttermost who
come unto God by him.
Works, if it recognizes the atonement
at all, at least reckons that God requires two payments for sin; forgetting,
that Not by works of righteousness that we
have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us.
Works denies the sole efficiency of the
crucified Christ to save, the supreme sufficiency of the living Christ to keep,
the sublime sufficiency of the coming Christ to glorify.
Grace concedes salvation as both sure and
secure. Grace shouts: They
shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Works concedes that salvation is uncertain and
insecure. Works whines: We may perish
for we hold the Father with our hand.
What perfect peace there is to those who are
justified [Page 8] by
faith in Him; to those who look wholly and lean fully to the glories of His
grace! What lack of assurance, what misery is there to those
who look to the works of their own hands, saying, Ye are our gods. Surely the way
of peace they have not known.
Can Satisfaction come to those who lean upon the
works of the law? Can
peace be theirs who trust in the works of the flesh? Salvation is of
faith that it might be of grace to the end that the promise might be sure to
all the seed. Works makes salvation sure to none of the
seed. He who seeks salvation by works
can never know when he has obeyed enough, or done enough, or prayed enough, or
wept enough, or given enough, or repented enough, or kept the law enough.
What is
salvation worth if it can be purchased by the puny penury of the flesh? Thy
money perish with thee! Thou that hast thought that the gift of God can
be bought with gold! In what gall of
bitterness, in what bond of iniquity is he who places eternal life upon a
humanly purchasable basis.
Grace counts mans best robe of righteousness
as filthy rags, his
unregenerate services as refuse. Grace magnifies
the gift of God. Grace reckons salvation as of such
inestimable value as to be purchasable only at the infinite cost of
Grace counts every effort of unregenerate man
as utterly useless. It refuses to
recognize any value in the valour of Christ rejecting men. It repudiates every form of
self-righteousness as stepping stones to salvation.
Grace knows no other gospel and receives no
other message than Christ Jesus, crucified, risen, and coming again - the one
and only hope of sinners.
Grace says: Neither is
there salvation in any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby
we must be saved.
[Page 9]
Beware! If any man climbeth up some other
way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2.
THE SECURITY OF THE SAVED
SAFE IF SAVED
SAVED IF SAFE
The Glories of Grace demand the Security of the
Saved.
If a man is saved by
grace he cannot be kept saved by works.
If salvation has its beginning in the Spirit, its completion is not made possible in the flesh.
The raptured redeemed ones
render all glory to the Lamb. Their song
is: Worthy is the Lamb to receive power
and riches and strength and honour and glory and blessing. A saint saved by grace and kept
saved by works will find need of changing heavens Redemption Hymn.
Fannie Crosby wrote:
And I shall see Him face to face,
And tell the story saved by grace!
Some, who have fallen far below
such an one in works, will want to divide glories with the adorable Lord and sing:
And I shall see Him face to face,
And tell the story saved by grace - plus
my own sacrifice and service.
If salvation is, in any sense, dependent upon the walk or the work of a seeking
soul, is not the grace of God made of none effect?
If a sinner is not saved by works, can a saint be kept saved by works? It is finished is the voice from
The salvation of sinners is not by the works of the
law. The presentation of saints is not by the works of the law.
Salvation is of grace and the keeping is also of grace. The law could not save us because it was weak
through the flesh. The law cannot keep
us saved, for the same reason.
The saved are not under law but
under grace. Why [Page 10] should saints who died with Christ from the rudiments of the world
turn back again and be subject to ordinances?
Does the Holy Spirit minimise the grace of God by saying: God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son
that whosoever believeth on him (and keeps faithful, or keeps
on believing, or lives right, or pays his debts, or keeps the law, etc.) should not perish but have everlasting life?
Does the Holy Spirit magnify the works of the flesh by
saying: He that believeth on him that sent me and
doeth good works and liveth by the law hath everlasting life, and shall not
come into judgment? Does the Holy Spirit say: Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, providing thou shalt hold out
faithful unto the end?
Surely salvation does not save a sinner from his
sins, merely to suspend him by the easily broken rope of his own doings, over a
gaping hell.
Suppose the saved one sins (and
who sins not?) would the snapping rope land such an
one in hell?
If the security of the
saved depends on the works of the law what
standard of perfectness must one adopt to assure his heart before God?
If the security of the saved
depends on service, what limit of toil must one recognize to satisfy his
passion of peace?
If a sinning believer is in danger of losing his salvation, how
much sinning is needed? He who sins in
one point has he not sinned in all?
If a serving believer must serve to be saved, how much
must he serve? Can service save one who
is already saved? God places salvation
before and not after good works. Saved
unto good works.
The SAVED are SAFE because
salvation is the free gift of God. A
gift not dependent upon what a sinner is or does - a gift demanding no
subsequent specialties to retain it. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. God [Page 11] promises eternal life apart from any
remuneration on the part of the receiver.
The only condition to its reception is faith. There are no conditions as to
its continuance.
The SAVED are SAFE because
the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE. A life that one possesses today and loses
tomorrow is not eternal. Eternal life is
an abiding life - an unending life. This
gracious gift is to the believer, a present possession. He that
believeth hath everlasting life. A believer who has passed out of death and into,
life everlasting cannot come into judgment - he cannot pass out of life and
into death and the judgment.
The SAVED are SAFE because
the gift of God, the life that is eternal, is a life begotten
of the Spirit. A believer becomes a son, born not of blood, nor of the will of the
flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. A believer, therefore, is a member of his body of his flesh and of his bones. The second
birth joins us to the Last Adam, as vitally as the first birth joins us to the First Adam. Once born into the human family we cannot
lose our human identity; once born into the heavenly family we cannot lose our
divine identity.
The believers life is hid with Christ in God. What marvellous security! Safe while this double-proof security of all-power is safe. Secure as long as Christ in God is secure.
Because
I live ye shall live also.
It is as though Christ had
said: I have passed through death and
hades and up through the air. I was dead and am alive forever more. I have the keys of
death and of hades. I have passed through and am seated above principalities and
authorities and the world-rulers of darkness. Fear not trusting
ones. I live
ye shall live also. I conquered ye shall conquer
in me. No wonder Paul could
say: I know whom I have believed ... He is able
to keep ... [Page 12] unto that day. Christs promise is
not in vain. If He lives, the believer
must live also. Christ Jesus said so.
The believers life is secured
by the faithfulness of God. They shall never perish ... no one can pluck them
out of my Fathers hand. Kept by the
power of God. What
blessed preservation is this. Who, fear to commit their souls unto Him, as
unto a faithful Creator? God is faithful by whom ye were called.
The believers life is sealed by the Holy Spirit. In whom also, after that ye
believed, ye were sealed with that Holy
Spirit of promise. This
sealing is until UNTIL UNTIL the redemption of the purchased possession. Satan cannot in any wise steal away that which
bears the seal-mark of the Holy Spirit of God.
When
your heart questions whether a child of God can be lost, ask yourself, Who can separate us from the love of Christ?
When
your heart trembles for fear
of falling, encourage your heart with: 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, shall
separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
When your heart doubts your own
ability to hold out to the end, then remember it is not your holding out but
His holding on; not your perseverance but His preservation. Ye shall be holden
up, for God is able to make him stand. Your salvation is not your care, but His. Your salvation is not your works, but
His. Your salvation is not of your
failures, but of His faithfulness.
It is the will of
Christ that His own be with Him where He is. Who can break His eternal purpose?
It is the promise
of Christ, My sheep shall never perish. Who can disannul His Word?
It is the assurance
of Scripture: God hath chosen us [Page 13] before the foundation of the world ... unto the adoption of sons ... unto a dispensation of the fulness of times. When God puts forth His hand who can draw it back?
If a saved soul is not safe, then
salvation is not of grace but of debt.
If a saved soul is not safe, then the atonement was not a complete work, wrought out for
us.
If a saved soul is not safe, then,
the enemy can lay something to, the charge of Gods elect - something not
covered by the blood of the Christ.
Can a child of God be lost - then,
the new man, begotten of God; the new man that cannot sin; the new man which is
a member of Christs body, of His flesh and of His bones; the new man which is
indeed Christ in us; the new
man which is Christ our life - then
this new man can be lost. Then Christ who is our life can be lost. Then Christ
in us, the hope of glory, can be
lost. Then, Christs
flesh and body and bones can be lost.
Then, the man begotten of God, the man that cannot sin, can be
lost. Then a child of God can be lost.
Can the child of God perish - then, the purpose of
God to people heaven can perish; then the names written in the Lambs Book of
Life call be blotted out; then God can mourn the loss of His own sons, born of
His Spirit, begotten by the Word of His Truth, through the infinite cost of His
crucified Son. If a child of God can
perish, the new man created after God in righteousness and true holiness can
perish.
Can a child of God die in his sins? Not until God denies His oath, breaks His honour,
and loses His character. Yea, let God be true, and every man a liar. In that day Christ Jesus can say of all the
redeemed ones what He said once of His twelve: Those
that thou has given me, I have kept and none of them is lost, save the son of perdition, - and
this son of perdition was never a son of God.
[Page 14]
Toward those who hold or who
teach the possibility of a saved soul being lost, my heart burns and yearns as
it writes: Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.
3.
SATANS SUBTILES AGAINST THE GLORIES OF
GRACE IN SEEKING TO SWERVE THE SAVED FROM THEIR SAFETY IN THE SAVIOUR
A matter so
fundamental as the Safely of the Saved should
be settled alone by the sure statements of Scripture.
It is not enough to present some concrete example
in daily life which, to all import, contradicts the Word of God. Too often alas, what is supposedly a real
work of grace, is, after all, but seeming grace.
It is not enough to argue and aver this or that because
it appeals strongly to the human mind.
Alas, mans ways are not Gods ways, mans
thoughts are not Gods thoughts. Man
looks on the outward appearance
- God looks on the heart.
It is not enough to build
a doctrine upon any fancied interpretation of Scripture - upon scriptures taken
entirely out of their setting - when, many clear and concise scriptures speak
the other way. If the Word of God
definitely declares that the saved soul is
safe and cannot perish then we can know assuredly that the Word of
God, rightly divided, can never teach any other word than this.
That there are striking examples
of those who seemingly were saved and who afterward departed from the faith into open
sin, and into utter repudiation of salvation, we need not deny. We need but remind the reader that Judas was
only to all appearances a saved soul. The Lord was never deceived as to his true
state of heart, although the disciples were.
When Christ said, One of you shall betray me, [Page
15] the eyes of the eleven were not turned upon Judas. Each said in turn, Lord, is it I? not Lord, is it Judas?
What appears regeneration
may be no more than reformation. It is
quite possible, in these days when there is so much of salvation by works in the air, that some
may honestly, but deceptively, have felt saved, who in reality never knew the
saving power of the Cross.
It is true that a day, is coming
when, many will hear the words, I never
knew you, depart; many, who were trusting in their labours and in their mode of
living. Many regarded by self and others
as the very best - the most ardent church
members, the most liberal givers, and apparently the most consistent in conduct - many
who will say, In thy name we have cast out demons, and in thy name have done many wonderful works. Yet these will hear His word, I never knew you, depart. Seeming grace is not saving grace.
If this is true, it is also true
that some of these supposed saints,
who have builded their hope of heaven upon the labour
of their own hands, may fall back from their own integrity into
immorality or infidelity.
Of such as these it is safe scripturally to say: They went out from us because they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they
had doubtless continued with us.
Of such as these, we may be sure that while they
may have spoken loud,
swelling words during the days of their Christian profession, yet, they
never were in reality trusting in the blood alone, they never were truly the
children of God.
Of such as these are they that build their houses
on the sands, but fall in times of storm, because they built not on Christ, the
only true and rock foundation.
It is impossible for one of
Gods children to be lost. Impossible, because God says it
is impossible. Impossible because the Glories of Grace make it
impossible. A child of God may
backslide, but a child of God cannot be [Page 16] unborn. He may fall into sin, but he will not lie
down in sin. OBJECTIONS? Yes, there are objections. Objections to the Glories of Grace. Objections that often stagger saints.
A. Says one: If the Bible proclaims the security
of the saved, it puts a premium upon careless and thoughtless Christian
living. Let the objector remember:
The Bible, never, never, never places the fear of
hell [i.e., the lake of fire] before
a [regenerate]
believer as an incentive to continuing in the
faith, nor as an incentive to holy living.
[* NOTE. It
is (we hope) unnecessary to say that Hades / Sheol are located in the underworld, where
disembodied souls of the dead are awaiting the time of Resurrection. The the lake of fire,
on the other hand, can only be entered after the time of resurrection: the
two places are totally sundered locations. See
Rev. 20: 11-15. For more on this, see in the website: The Abode Of The Holy Dead.]
Had the A.V. translators been
consistent throughout their English translation from both Hebrew and Greek MSS,
there would not exist within Christendom the confusion we see today!]
The Word of God does clearly state that the
believer who sins will he chastened.
This is Gods call to fidelity.
Sonship is dependent upon birth.
Fellowship is dependent upon behaviour.
Not every son keeps himself in the
love of God. Not every son basks beneath
the sunshine of his Fathers favour.
If a believer sins, what then? My son,
despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when
thou are rebuked of him.
There may be
union without communion.
You thought because once saved and always saved you would revel in sin? Beware!
Deliver such an
one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of
the Lord.
You thought because, once in grace, always in grace, that you would
neglect the things of God? You thought
therefore, you would fail to walk in fellowship with the Father? Beware!
Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.
You thought because your
salvation was secure in him,
that you would drink unworthily of the cup and fail to discern the Lords
body? Beware! For this cause many are weak and sickly and not
a few are fallen asleep.
B.
Another objects: If salvation is wholly of grace and the works and
conduct of the believer have nothing to do with his obtaining eternal life,
then the Bible has removed [Page 17] a resourceful call to consecrated services and sanctified
conduct.
Hold! The
Bible never, never,
never places the hope of eternal life before
any one, saint or sinner, as a reward. The believer serves God neither to escape
hell nor to gain heaven.
The Bible does give abundant promises
of rewards. This is a mighty call to
fidelity.
Eternal life is dependent on birth.
Rewards are dependent on behaviour.
Every born one has eternal life, but not
every, born one will
have the well done of the
Father.
You thought that once saved, always saved left no
room for special rewards? If you were going
to heaven anyway - why should you toil in the vineyard? You forget there are crowns
which only the saved can win.
For him who
fights a good fight, who keeps the faith, who finishes his course, and who
loves His appearing - the crown of righteousness.
For him who wins souls for God - the
crown of rejoicing.
For him who feeds
the flock of God ... not for love of money
... not as ruling it over Gods heritage, but as examples to the flock - a crown of glory.
For him who is faithful unto death - a
crown of life.
For him who keeps his body under, and
runs and fights not as uncertainly - the incorruptible crown.
You thought once
in grace, always in grace left no call to consecration? Not so. Ye who
have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory ye shall sit on twelve thrones. This
was given to the twelve - the same spirit of reward is to all.
Whosoever shall confess me
him will I confess, before my Father.
If we
suffer, we shall reign.
You thought that because the saved are safe that their [Page 18] crowns
and rewards were also safe? Hold fast that thou hast that no man
take thy crown.
Saved
so as by fire ... his works
shall be burned ... he shall lose his
reward.
A child of God should not serve God to become a
child. One who has received the free
gift of eternal life can not so live that he may obtain eternal life.
A child of God may run his race with a reward
in view. One possessing eternal life may
seek the life more abundant.
C.
Another contends: There are many scriptures
which teach the possibility of a child of God losing his sonship, and with his
sonship, his eternal life.
Let us carefully note some of these
supposed passages.
1. 1 Cor. 9: 24-27: Lest ... I should be a
castaway. Paul was running for the crown, verse 25. He strongly avers
that he knew whom he had believed and was
persuaded that he would keep that which he had committed unto him against that
day. Paul was not running
for [eternal] salvation. He had to be saved in order to run. He was running for an incorruptible crown. He so ran, he
so fought ... he kept his body under ... lest he should be a castaway - more clearly translated, Lest he should be disapproved. The verse has to do with rewards, not with [eternal] salvation.
2. Matt. 24: 13: But he that endureth unto the end, the same shall he saved. Certainly. But, endureth
unto the end of what? Shall be saved how? The context is speaking of the Great
Tribulation. The Jewish people [and saints left to
endure the Great Tribulation (1 Thess.
4: 17)] are in
question. If the days are not shortened
no flesh will be saved. So fierce are
the onslaughts of the enemy, so mad the carnage of battle with attending
judgments, that should God permit the full sweep of the Tribulation the whole race would be
swept away and His own elect people, Israel, with them. Gods promise, to
[Page 19]
An additional thought may have
been in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit. It is true that at the Coming of our Lord,
There is no reference here to
saved souls keeping saved,
but to a hated and persecuted people being saved into the millennial
kingdom.
3. 2 Pet. 2: 21-22. It had been better
for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, knowing it to turn back
from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
But it
is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to its own vomit, and the sow that was washed to wallowing in the mire.
There is no description of a saved
soul,* one born of the [Holy] Spirit, in these verses. The context (see
verse one) is speaking of False Prophets, and of those who follow their
pernicious ways. Dogs, in fact represent False Prophets. In Isaiah these prophets are greedy dogs that never have enough, they are dumb dogs that cannot bark. In Philippians we read: Beware of dogs.
[* On the contrary, it is only possible for a saved
soul to have known the way of righteousness,
and only saved souls
can
turn back
from the holy commandment delivered unto them! Furthermore, the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in verse 20, is much more than a basic scriptural
knowledge.
This mature knowledge is
obtained by the Holy Spirit enabling a saved soul
to understand responsibility truths!
He seeks Gods help in arriving at the TRUTH by prayerful study: and this is given
to encourage
other believers to run the Race, to
win the Prize, and the Crown in the Age yet
to come.
God expects all who have this
knowledge to be in the business of
making
use of it for His glory: and if this is not being done - as and
when opportunity arises - Satan will
soon find ways and means to blot it from the mind through
unbelief, and replace it with a multitude of other less important interests.]
These False Prophets are wells
without water. They speak great swelling words of vanity.
They had the knowledge of Jesus Christ,
they knew the way of righteousness.
They seem, on the one hand, to
have escaped the pollutions of the world, through their knowledge of Jesus
Christ; while on the other hand they are like Balaam, the son of Beor, who
loved the wages of unrighteousness.
On the one hand they promise liberty, while on the other hand they themselves
are slaves of unrighteousness. But after all, in verse twelve, they are like
brute beasts (the dog and the sow of verse 22)
made to be taken and destroyed.
[Page 20]
The doctrine of falling from grace cannot be* based on this scripture.
[* NOTE. The
author has mistakenly thought only the unregenerate are described here, but that is not
the case! Here is apostasy from the faith; and only those who are
mature in the faith can be described as: falling from grace! See this subject expounded on the
website. Also, listen to Pastor K. Gilberts sermon.]
4. Phil. 2: 20-22. Work out
your own salvation. This
does not say work for your own salvation. The whole setting describes saints. The
Philippian Christians were among Gods holiest and best. Paul rejoiced in them, thanking God for
them. The Holy Spirit reminds them,
however, that God is working in them to
will and to perform His own good pleasure; and that they must work out what God
is working in. Work out with fear and trembling because
it is so easy to miss Gods best. There is no working here in order to
establish a credit in heaven that will buy [eternal]* salvation.
Salvation is a gift that cannot be purchased by man.
[* It is
necessary to place the word eternal before
salvation here (and in other places through this writing), simply because
throughout the Scriptures the word salvation
does not always refer to eternal salvation! That is, the salvation
which Christ Jesus has purchased for us in full at
5. Luke 11: 24-26. The latter state of that man is worse than
the first. What have we here? A possessed man. A man with the demons
driven out. A
house swept and garnished and empty.
A house re-entered by seven additional demons.
The whole reference here is to
[* On the contrary the context shows clearly that it is
the man and not
This possessed
condition occurs after ones anointing and their subsequent disobedience by wilful
sin. If repentance is not
forthcoming, the empty house will be reoccupied by evil spirits. See Judges 16: 20; 1 Sam. 16: 14; Psa. 51: 11. cf. 1
Tim. 4: 1; 3 John 9, 10; Jude 11-13.]
If the matter in question did
refer to individuals it certainly could not be made to teach that a saved soul
could perish, for while the demon was cast out, Christ never entered
in.
6. Heb. 3. This whole chapter is often used to establish
the possibility of a child of God being ultimately lost.
The matter under discussion is
not salvation from hell nor eternal life. The Holy Spirit is speaking of Christ, the
imperial Christ. Of
the House of this Imperial One. Of the members of that House. It
is clearly stated that if we are members of that house, we must as believers
hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the Hope firm
unto the end. Not the hope of Salvation
from hell but the hope of Christs Coming. The House has to do with the coming of the
Lord Jesus. This is fully set forth in
this book, under Missing the Kingdom.
[Page 21]
The chapter furthermore
discusses the
The matter under discussion is
the Millennial Rest. There
are nations there to be judged, the Anakim, to be put
down, failures to be confessed.
The fear [of saints loosing the inheritance in the Age
to come] the
Holy Ghost holds forth is real. The
danger is vital - but it is not a fear of missing heaven. It is not a fear affecting sonship or eternal
life. It has to do with rewards,
it has to do with Christ and His House, it has to do
with the thousand years. It has
to do with missing the [Sons]
Kingdom Reign. Neither Hebrews chapters three nor four can possibly teach the doctrine of Falling from Grace.
4.
GALATIANS, OR THE
WORKS OF THE LAW
There is a system of false teaching that may be called
Galatianism.
Galatianism is that conception
of Salvation that makes the Works of the Law supplemental to, the Grace of God.
In Apostolic days, Judaizers
were common among both the Jewish and the Gentile believers: and the churches
at
In the letter to the Galatians,
the Holy Spirit is very careful to differentiate between the works of the law
and the glories of grace.
The illuminating answer to
Galatianism is in the TWO COVENANTS;
and is illustrated in Abraham and his two sons, Ishmael and Isaac.
The FIRST COVENANT is seen in Ishmael; it is the COVENANT OF THE LAW.
[Page 22]
The SECOND COVENANT is seen in Isaac; it is the COVENANTOF GRACE.
Ishmael was the son of the
bondwoman.
Isaac was the son of the
freewoman.
Ishmael was born of the flesh.
Isaac was born of the Spirit.
Ishmael was
Isaac was
Thus the TWO COVENANTS are set forth in allegory:
Ishmael
symbolizing the COVENANT GIVEN THROUGH
MOSES and
Isaac
symbolizing the COVENANT GIVEN TO
ABRAHAM.
The MOSAIC COVENANT is the law, contained in two tables of stone, but
also, inclusive of the moral and ceremonial laws which follow in the record
given in Exodus.
The ABRAHAMIC COVENANT, first given as recorded in the twelfth chapter
of Genesis, was enlarged with specific earthly seed blessings (chapt. 13) and with specific heavenly blessings
(chapt. 15), then the covenant
was made an everlasting covenant (chap. 17).
The believer who desires to be under the law,
had better study carefully the meaning and the intent of the law before he consummates
his wish.
Prior to Sinai,
The COVENANT OF THE LAW was not unto [Page 23] [eternal] salvation, but unto privilege. Ye shall
be a peculiar treasure, a kingdom of
priests, a holy nation.
The COVENANT OF THE LAW became operative when the
people answered: All that the Lord has spoken, we will
do.
The COVENANT OF THE LAW was consummated mid
thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, with the voice of a
trumpet, exceeding loud. In fact, the
Word of God says that:
The COVENANT OF THE LAW was broken even before the law was delivered. When Moses came down the mountain side with
the two tables of stone he heard music and dancing, and he beheld the golden
calf that Aaron had made. No marvel that
the Lord said, They have turned aside quickly out of
the way, which I have commanded them. Let my wrath wax hot
against them.
You WHO WOULD BE UNDER THE LAW, beware!
The law is holy and the commandment
is holy, just and good, but man is
sinful. Truly, there
is none righteous, no not one. They have all gone out of the way. There is not a just
man on the face of the earth that doeth good and sinneth not.
Let him WHO DESIRES TO BE UNDER THE, LAW, beware! The law
worketh wrath. As many as are under the works of the law
are under the curse.
The Law is a ministration of death. Would you step beneath
its jurisdiction?
The Law is a ministration of condemnation. Would
you seek its justice?
The COVENANT OF THE LAW is conditioned on mans perfect obedience.
The man that doeth the law shall [Page 24] live thereby. The man offending ill, one point remains
guilty of all. Therefore by the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by
the law is the knowledge of sin.
If
there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness had come by the law. However. The law,
could not give life, in that it was weak through
the flesh. The law was spiritual,
but man was carnal, sold under sin. God kept His part of the Law Covenant, but
The COVENANT OF GRACE is not
conditioned on mans obedience. The second covenant
given unto Abraham (the covenant which was Isaac, born of the freewoman, the
son of promise, answering to
The FORM OF THE COVENANT was the cutting up of a heifer, a she-goat and
a ram (each of them three years old), and a turtle dove and a young pigeon.
All were divided except the
birds. The parts were laid over against
each other, and so, arranged that the contracting parties could pass between
and seal their covenant. In this
instance only God passed through.
He made the covenant with Abraham, in the which
Abraham was a witness but not a partaker.
ABRAHAM BY A SIMPLE FAITH RECEIVED THE COVENANT OF GRACE. He believed
God and it was counted unto him for
righteousness. In this covenant,
Abraham found nothing as pertaining to the flesh. If aught in the covenant had depended upon
him or his works he would have had reason to boast. As it was, everything was reckoned unto him
of Grace and not of Debt.
[Page 25]
SUCH ARE GODS TWO COVENANTS, the one of Law, the other of
Grace. The one which worketh wrath and the other which worketh peace. The one which condemns and the other which justifies. The one which kills and the other which makes alive. The one
given only to
UNDER WHICH COVENANT WOULD YOU STAND - under Law or under
Grace: under the Law which brings the knowledge of sin, or under Grace which brings the knowledge
of life; under the Law
which separates from God or under Grace which brings
us near to God; under
the Law which condemns the best, or under Grace which justifies
the worst?
WHICH COVENANT DO YOU PREFER - the Law that says: The soul that sinneth, it
shall die, or
Grace which says: Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures?
Thank God that Christ took the
curse of the Law for us, for it is written, cursed is every one
that hangeth on the tree! If He was made a
curse for us, then we are not under the Law.
The Holy Spirit saith: Christ is the end
of the Law to every one that believeth. Rejoice, in that Christ hath blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us. He hath taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the Cross.
LET US NOT TENT BENEATH SINAI burning with fire, wrapped in
darkness and blackness and smoke, insomuch that it was commanded: And if so much as a beast touch the mountain it shall be
stoned or thrust through with a dart.
LET US COME TO JESUS, the Mediator of the new covenant, and to
the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel.
For by
Grace are ye saved. - LET US TRUST His Grace.
[Page 26]
The Grace of God that bringeth
salvation hath appeared - LET US FOLLOW
the call of His Grace.
Being
justified freely by His Grace - LET US SEEK then to be robed in the righteousness which is by faith
in Christ.
The
Glory of His Grace, wherein He hath made
us acceptable in the Beloved - LET US GLORY then in the glories of His Grace, and so approach His
throne.
In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of His Grace - LET US KNOW no other Gospel [relative
to our eternal salvation other] than this.
God never placed the Gentiles under law - Therefore why should they seek
to place themselves there?
For by
Grace are ye saved.
5.
ANTINOMIANISM - THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH
There is a false teaching
that is called Antinomianism. Antinomianism is that conception of salvation that turns the Grace of
God into lasciviousness.
In Apostolic days there were
those who made the Grace of God an excuse for all forms of licentiousness. They taught that since a soul is saved by
grace through faith, apart front the works of the Law,
and secured by Grace through the sealing of the Holy Spirit even unto the Day
of Redemption, that therefore a saved soul could give loose reign to fleshly
desires and lusts.
The Spirit of God anticipated
this spirit of Antinomianism and the Scriptures clearly reveal its folly.
In the epistle to Titus, chapter
two, verses eleven and twelve, we read: The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto
all men, TEACHING US that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should
live soberly, righteously and godly in this
present world.
Thus God safeguards the Glories
of His Grace. Grace [Page 27] brings
us sonship, and sonship leads us to honour the Father.
There is no license for lasciviousness
in Grace.
There is no excuse for carnal
excesses in Grace.
Instead
of Grace letting down the gateway of conduct. Grace guards the gate.
When Grace brought salvation it
brought to the heart of the saved a new life, a new love and a new light.
When Grace proclaims how Christ
died, it proclaims; also that He gave Himself for
us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
and purify unto himself a people zealous
of good works.
Grace speaks the things which
become sound teaching.
Grace teaches the aged men that they be sober, grave, temperate, sound in the faith, in love, in patience.
Grace teaches the aged women that they be in behaviour as becometh reverence, not false accusers, not given
to much wine, teachers of good things.
Grace teaches the young women to be prudent, to love their
husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, diligent at home, good, submitting themselves
to their own husbands, that the Word of God be
not blasphemed.
Grace teaches the young men to be sober-minded; in all things
showing themselves a pattern of good works; in
teaching showing un-corruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be
condemned.
Grace teaches servants that they submit
themselves, to their own masters, and please them in all things; not contradicting; not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the teaching of God our Saviour in all
things.
Who then for one moment can
conceive any ground for Antinomianism?
Instead of Grace opening the
flood gates of our evil nature, Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and
worldly lusts.
[Page 28]
If certain men, if ungodly men,
if men marked out unto condemnation, if men denying [even the master that bought them
(2 Pet. 2: 1)*] our
only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ, have crept in turning the Grace of God into
lasciviousness, then, beware!
[* NOTE. Here
again we have mention made of the acts of the apostates -
regenerate believers, fallen from grace:
False teachers,
who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying the master that bought them, bring
upon themselves swift destruction. And many
shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of truth shall
be evil spoken of (2 Pet. 2: 1, 2, R.V.).]
Such men walk after their own
ungodly lusts; they are sensual, having not the [Holy] Spirit. For such men God hath reserved the blackness
of darkness forever [for an age]. Of such men, Enoch, the seventh from Adam,
prophesied saying: Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment upon
all, and to convict all that are ungodly among
them of all their ungodly deeds, which in their
ungodliness they have committed, and of all the
ungodly things which ungodly sinners have spoken against HIM.
Gods saints acknowledge the Lordship
of Christ; they pray in the
Holy Ghost: they build themselves
up in the faith; they seek to keep themselves in the love of God. They know there is One who is able to keep them from stumbling, who, will present them
faultless before the presence of His glory with
exceeding joy.
Grace presents no permit to
impiety.
Grace teaches soberness. Soberness suggests inward righteousness. Soberness is sound-mindedness. Be ye
therefore sober and watch unto prayer.
A lover of good men, sober, just, holy.
Grace teaches righteousness. Righteous towards those
without. Righteousness is
rightness. He that walketh righteously. Increase the fruits
of your righteousness. The fruit of tile Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness
and truth.
Grace teaches godliness. Godly toward Him who is above. Godliness is reverential piety. To live godly is to live worthily toward God. Exercise
thyself unto godliness. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus. Godliness is
profitable.
Grace is married to truth. Christ Jesus dwelt among us, [Page 29] full of grace and truth. Grace lends no excuse for
error.
Grace quickens us, and raises us up
and seats us together with Christ. Grace does not save us and then lend
us license to wear the grave clothes of our past pollutions. It quickens us together with Christ and raises. us up together with
Him. Grace does not lead us captive to a false
fellowship with the world; it causes us to sit with our risen Lord in the
heavenlies.
There is no excuse for
Antinomianism in Grace. There is a tremendous
plea for consecration and separation; there is a mighty call to holiness and sanctification, We thus
judge that if One died for all ... He died for
all that they who live should not henceforth live unto
themselves, but
unto Him.
Thank God the love of Christ constraineth us. The appeal of Grace is Godward, not manward;
upward, not downward.
Where
sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
Sin reigned unto death, grace reigned through righteousness unto eternal
life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.
What
shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that Grace may abound? God forbid! Are we not dead to sin
in the body of Christ? Have we not been
raised with Him to walk in newness of life? Were we not baptized [being buried in the baptismal water, and
raised again] in such a likeness?
Grace does not
encourage, yea, it does not permit sin.
Were we not crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed,
that from henceforth we should not serve sin?
Because we have been saved by free
Grace, by a Grace that makes us sons, shall we let sin reign in our mortal bodies, that we should obey it in the lusts thereof?
Because Grace has brought us the full assurance of [eternal] salvation,
because we know He will save us unto His eternal kingdom, shall we
therefore yield our members as the instruments of unrighteousness unto sin?
Because Christ has kept the law for us,
and paid our debt in full, because He has washed us and justified us, [Page 30] because we are not under the Law but under
Grace, shall we therefore continue in sin?
God
forbid!
Are we not servants of Him, to
whom we yield ourselves servants to obey?
When we were freed from sin did
we not become servants of righteousness?
In reality grace sounds the
death knell of Antinomianism, For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are under grace.
6.
THE
REWARDS OF THE RIGHTEOUS
DISTINCT FROM GRACE.
No difficulty presents itself in
the relation of Rewards to Grace when the scriptural position is accorded to
both.
Rewards are distinct from Grace.
Grace is unmerited favour;
Rewards are always merited.
Grace is a free gift; Rewards
are wages.
Grace is without money and without
price; Rewards cost
labour and sacrifice.
Rewards depend wholly on the [regenerate] believer; Grace
depends wholly on Christ.
Rewards look to the believers faithfulness; Grace looks to Gods faithfulness.
Rewards recognize the least
service; Grace ignores
the best service.
The language of Grace is, Not of yourselves; the language of Rewards is, Your labour of love.
The message of Grace is, To him that worketh not; the
message of Rewards is, ye serve the Lord Christ.
The
voice of Grace is, Herein is love; the voice of Rewards is, Thou hast been faithful over a few things.
[Page 31]
Grace places us upon the race course,
Rewards lure us to so run.
Grace introduces us into the games, Rewards urge us to so fight.
There is
no such word in Grace as Lest
I myself
should be disapproved; such expressions
belong to Rewards.
There is nothing in Grace that presses us to obtain an
incorruptible crown - crowns
belong to the realm of Rewards.
There is no stretching the neck
toward the mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus in Grace; prizes belong to Rewards.
Well
done thou good and faithful servant
... have authority over ten cities is
quite distinct from Not by works of righteousness which we have done.
They
cannot recompense thee, for thou shalt be recompensed at the
resurrection of the just is quite
distinct from The [free] gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Knowing
that of the Lord ye shall
receive the reward of the
inheritance, for ye serve the
Lord Christ, is quite distinct from If thou knewest the gift
of God ... thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given
thee living water.
Grace is to him that worketh
not,
but believeth ...; Rewards are according as his works shall
be.
The disciples said: Lord we have forsaken
all,
and followed thee, what shall we have therefore? Jesus quickly answered: Ye shall sit on twelve
thrones judging the twelve tribes of
[* NOTE. Does the literal fulfilment of this divine promise,
not point us forward to the
Jesus Christ placed before His
disciples the picture of a [Page 32] whitened harvest. He
sent forth a call for labourers. He
promised wages. And every one that reapeth
receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life
eternal. Those reaping are saved by Grace, the wages are the Rewards for
service.
The Holy Spirit bears witness
that other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which
is Jesus Christ. Grace places the believer upon
that foundation. Grace does
more, The Grace of God, which is given unto me as a
skilled architect. Grace imparts
skill for building purposes. Then
follows a distinction: Let every man take heed HOW
he buildeth thereupon. No
man can lay other foundation than Jesus Christ, but every man in Christ Jesus,
skilled as an architect, can build upon that foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood hay or
stubble. And he should
take heed how he builds, for every mans work
shall, be made manifest for the day shall
declare it. In that day only he
who has builded well, and whose work abides shall receive a reward. Other builders shall be saved, but their
works burned. They shall, suffer loss.
The Word of God is clear.
Grace is the unmerited, the free gift of God, received by faith, without
money and without price. In Grace the best service is worthless,
obligation is not recognized, worth is not considered.
Rewards are merited,
they are the wages for service, received by works, through toil and
sacrifice. In
Rewards the
least service is remembered, obligation is recognized and worth considered.
Grace is offered to the unsaved; heavenly [and
earthly] Rewards are offered to the righteous.
In Grace the
kindness of God reigns in Christ Jesus.
In Rewards, the justice of God reigns, based
upon our worth.
When Rewards pass beyond real worth, just
wages, they enter the realm of Grace.
[Page 33]
Grace always
super abounds over any worth or merit of its recipient.
Grace operates in salvation, For by grace are ye saved.
Grace operates in the daily walk of the
believer, That we may find grace to help in time of need.
Grace operates in the prayer life. Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace.
Grace is to be brought unto us at the Second
Coming of Christ. The grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Grace passes into
the eternal ages. That in the ages to come he might
show ... grace.
Rewards operate only among the
saved. God recognizes no
spiritual worth in the unregenerate.
There is none that doeth good no not one.
Rewards begin to
operate here and now. Ye shall receive manifold more in this present time.
Rewards, however, meet their
glorious fruition at the Second Coming of Christ. Behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me. There
is laid by for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord the righteous judge shall
give me at that day. Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just [i.e., the righteous].
While in their operations, Grace and Rewards may cover the same periods in the
life of the believer, they ever remain separate and distinct in their workings.
Grace is ALWAYS operative by
virtue of the atonement of Christ, and is therefore the same to all and upon
all who believe. Rewards are ALWAYS operative upon the worth of the believer. They are additional to, and separate from Grace and bestowed only upon those who
win their laurels.
The blessings of Grace are assured to all believers in
Christ Jesus. God hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. He
chose us in him, before the [Page 34] foundation of the world ... Having predestinated
us for adoption as sons through
Christ Jesus. In whom we have redemption
according to the
riches of his grace. In whom we also have obtained an inheritance* being predestinated according to the purpose of him
... In whom ... having
heard ... having believed in him, ye
were sealed ... UNTIL the redemption of the purchased possession.
[* Note. This inheritance
in (Eph. 2: 11) which is obtained
is eternal;
it will be enjoyed after the thousand years in a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21: 1). It is
Gods will, for all of His redeemed people, and therefore it
is described in Scripture as an inheritance we have obtained
by
grace.
But, in the same epistle the
inspired Apostle Paul warning - the same redeemed people of God, and us today -
says: Grieve
not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye were sealed UNTIL
the DAY of redemption.
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean
person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and
of God (Eph. 4: 30-5: 5, A.V.) .
This latter inheritance is not the same as (synonymous with) the former: the
context makes this perfectly clear; for the inheritance in chapter four of the
epistle is based upon the nature of the regenerate believers works. That is, works done after saalvation
for the glory of God, will decide, at the time of the Judgment Seat of Christ,
who amongst His redeemed people will enter into this inheritance
in the
All of the blessings noted above are gifts of Grace, given to all and upon, all who, believe. They are ours in
Christ; they cannot be lost.
They are fixed in Gods eternal purposes; secured in His predestinating
grace.
The blessings of Rewards
are assured the believer upon his own merit.
The
Father who without respect of persons,
judgeth every mans work.
Take
heed ... otherwise ye shall have no reward.
He refused ... choosing rather ... affliction
esteeming the reproach of Christ as greater
riches ... he forsook
Look to
yourselves that ye lose not those things YE HAVE
WROUGHT, but that we receive a FULL REWARD.
Blessed is that man that endureth
... he shall receive the
crown of life* ... promised to those
who love him.
[* NOTE.
The life here, in this context, is
clearly in the category of REWARDS;
it is distinct from eternal life, which every regenerate believer presently
has - the free gift of God (Rom. 6: 23, R.V.).]
All of
these passages clearly show, that Rewards - [and life to
come for the dead in Christ, after Resurrection, will be given by Messiah when
He returns to establish His kingdom here and claim His earthly inheritance (1 Thess. 4: 16; Psa.
2: 8)] - are offered to all believers, but dependent upon their fidelity. Rewards, therefore, may be lost.
Grace affirms that the believer hath everlasting life, that he
shall never perish. Rewards plead Hold fast that thou hast that no man take
thy crown.
Grace assures: I know WHOM I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to KEEP that which I have committed unto HIM,
against that day. Rewards [Page 35]
remonstrate: Lest I should be disproved, and again No one is CROWNED except he strive lawfully.
Grace says: And if children, then heirs of God
Rewards add:
And [But] joint-heirs with
Christ, If so that we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together.
Grace rejoices in being found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through faith in Christ, the
righteousness which is from God through faith.
Rewards continue
to say: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Laying the comparisons between Grace
and Rewards aside for the moment, listen to a word of admonition.
1. Be inspired to greater tasks for God by the promise of Rewards:
Love
your enemies
do good ... your reward shall be great.
A cup of
cold water shall in no wise lose its reward.
I know thy works ... love
... faith
I will give to everyone of you according to his works.
2. Be inspired to greater sufferings for
the Master:
When
men shall hate you
separate you ... great is your reward in heaven.
I know
thy works
and tribulation ... and
poverty
I will give thee a crown of life.
I have
fought the good fight ... kept the faith
... finished my course ... HENCEFORTH
... the crown of righteousness.
3. Be inspired in serving and suffering because the time of Rewards draws
near as Christs coming draws near.
The Lords return is hastening
on apace. He will bring His Rewards with
Him.
For the
Son of man SHALL COME ... THEN shall he reward ...
[Page 36]
Blessed
is that servant ... WHEN HE COMETH he shall make him ruler over his house.
The time hath come that thou
shouldest give REWARDS unto thy
servants, the prophets, and to the saints.
AND THEY LIVED AND REIGNED WITH CHRIST A THOUSAND YEARS.
7
THE GRACE OF THE GLORY
In revelling in The Glories of Grace we must not forego the
joy of considering The Grace of the Glory.
If Grace, all Grace, is
based upon the work of the Cross, it at least radiates from that Cross with increasing
lustre as it reaches into the ages to come.
The Word of God bears witness: That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of his grace in
his kindness to usward us in Christ Jesus. Such words are weighty. They doubtless mean that the outworkings of Grace which
begin at Calvary, and which were made possible through
We have shown that when Christ
comes He brings His Rewards with
Him. These Rewards are wages and are not of Grace. Rewards will be well worth the toil they cost. They have much to do with the raptured
believers position in heavenly places during the Millennial
glory. To what extent they pass beyond
the period of the personal reign of Christ we may not know - the Word of God does
not reveal.
One thing we do know - that the Grace of God
passes beyond the resurrection, beyond the Day of
Rewards, beyond the millennial Age and
into the Ages to Come.
The finite cannot grasp the
infinite. The Holy Spirit gives a few fore-gleams
of coming glories - but they are brief.
He tells of the
There is much in the Bible about
the Millennium, because that age is still in the realm of things earthy, and can he understood by those
of us who tabernacle here. The Ages to Come are beyond us. Our minds cannot grasp them. The glory is so great that if we were told we
would not now be able to receive it. Its
lustre would blind us, its magnificence would stagger
us.
Our God has not told it
all. Yea, the half has never yet been told. The head could
not contain the facts, the heart could not contain the
glory, the world could not contain the books had God
told it all.
God has His secrets. Secrets of what He has in store for the
Redeemed. Gods one brief sentence makes
us wonder, That IN THE AGES TO COME he might shew THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE in his kindness toward us, through Jesus Christ.
These words are
unfathomable. We know that we can not
know - that we cannot know NOW what
riches, what exceeding riches of Grace lie ahead of the Redeemed.
Death will not reveal more than
the first instalment of these riches.
The Second Coming of Christ will
not reveal more than another instalment.
The riches will not ALL lie open before us, when the Son delivers the kingdom unto the Father.
The manifestation of these
exceeding riches of Grace passes into the ages to come.
There is an ever increasing
revelation of these riches.
Anticipation will be
a vital note in the language of heaven.
Hope abides.
There will always he more to follow.
[Page 38]
Each successive manifestation of
the Glories of Grace will increase the lustre of the Cross.
Age upon age will bring to light
Grace upon Grace, while Christ Jesus is ever and increasingly magnified.
Our praises and our testimony, our songs and our
sermons, will ever find enlarged expression as the blessings of the ages
to come unfold the Glories of Grace.
In those ages we will begin to fathom the
eternal purposes of God.
In those ages we will begin to understand that
now almost inexplicable My God! My God! WHY hast thou forsaken me.
In those ages we will begin to appreciate the
tremendous energies put forth by the Father and by the Son and by the Holy
Spirit in behalf of the salvation of men.
Let us think of Calvary as the
ground, the basis of all Grace, but let us not think of
The believer needs this forward look.
The believer needs the vision of
the ages to come.
The
believers citizenship, his abiding place, his complete heirship lie beyond
the things earthly and temporal.
We are strangers and pilgrims
travelling home.
Satan seeks to centre the mind and fasten
the affections of men on this present evil age.
Satan blinds the minds of the unbelieving
lest the light of the Gospel of the GLORY
OF GOD should shine in upon them and convert them.
Satan employs the deceitfulness
of present riches and the lure of
present pleasures to deaden the lustre of the Gospel, of coming glory.
[Page 39]
Gods Grace hath appeared teaching us to LOOK for
that blessed hope and the glorious appearing [appearing of the glory R.V.] of the great God and our Saviour
Jesus Christ.
While praising God for the
Glories of Grace, let us not fail to praise Him for Grace of His
Glories.
By
grace, through faith, and that alone,
Im
saved from sin set free;
Not by
the works which I have done,
Salvation
came to me.
By
grace, through faith, Im justified,
No
boastfulness I know;
Christ
died, and God is reconciled,
Peace
doth my heart oerflow.
He died,
I live: I trust His grace;
Near by
His cross, I stand;
He died,
I sing; I take my place,
Yield
Him my heart and hand.
[NOTE. It is hoped after
reading this first chapter, we will be better equipped and enabled to make a
correct distinction between Gods grace and our works; and the importance of taking care not to place
works where they do not belong! For example, we often hear it said (in
various ways and contrary to the teaching of the Word of God), that our works
are necessary to keep hold on the eternal salvation which we presently have!
If this
practise is not forsaken, divine judgment must sooner or later descend upon false
teachers.
The
Lord shall judge his people. It is a
fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10: 30, 31).
God wants His redeemed people to hear and understand ALL truth; and He wants them to know what the dangers and consequences
are if we ignore it by disclosures of those sections of if, which are
unrelated to our justification by faith. Let us see to it that: We are not of them that shrink back unto destruction; but of them that have faith UNTO THE SAVING OF THE SOUL (Heb. 10: 39).]
* *
*
[Page 40]
CHAPTER 2
What About
WINNING CHRIST?
THE OUT-RESURRECTION?
and
THE PRIZE OF THE UP-CALUNG?
AN EXPOSITION OF PHILIPPIANS 3: 7-15.
But
what things were gain to me, those I counted
loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for
whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, 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:
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
If by any means I might
attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Not as though I had
already attained, either were already perfect: but I
follow after, if that I may apprehend that for
which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and
reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be
thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise
minded, - God shall reveal even this unto you.
Forgetting
all the things which are behind,
With fixedness
of mind
Forth-reaching
evermore
I seek
the things which are before,
Beyond
the portals of Gods door;
The
heavenly prize
Of Gods
up-calling in the vaulted skies.
Not that
already I the prize have gained,
Nor that
I have attained [Page 41]
Unto the cherished goal
Of all that God has purposed for my soul;
And yet, I follow on beneath His blest control
That I the prize may gain
And with
Him in His earthly kingdom reign.
With growing conviction, it
comes to us that the grasp of the epistle to the Philippians, 3: 7-15, must
centre around an expression recorded in verse
thirteen. Here it is: THIS ONE THING I DO.
There are three statements in
which the chapter definitely sets forth the consuming aim of Paul. First, there is the expression: That I may WIN Christ. Second,
there is this: That I might attain unto the resurrection of
the dead. Thirdly, there is the statement:
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus.
When the Apostle said, This ONE THING I do, he may have meant that in view
of the first two stated longings of his soul, he was centering every effort in
a third and climactic ONE THING. On the other hand, the Apostle may have
meant, that the three longings of his soul were all summed up in ONE THING; and that each of the three
was an integral; part of that ONE THING.
We believe that our second
suggestion is the correct one. Let me
show this by an outline of the scripture before us. This outline is given that you may at once
catch our conception. Our treatise will
follow the outline and enlarge upon it.
ONE THING I DO
1.
PAULS CONSUMING PASSION EXPRESSED
IN THREE DISTINCTIVE WAYS.
1. That
I may win Christ.
2. That
I might attain unto the out-resurrection.
3. That
I might obtain the prize of the
up-calling of God.
(1) In
order to WIN CHRIST, Paul stated one
act in three ways,
(a) What things were gain, I COUNTED LOSS.
(b) I count all things BUT
LOSS.
(c) I have suffered THE
LOSS of all things.
[Page 42]
(2) In
order to attain to the OUT-RESURRECTION, Paul expressed a
four-fold desire:
(a) He
would know Christ.
(b) He
would know the power of His resurrection.
(c) He
would know the fellowship of His
suffering.
(d) He
would be made conformable to His death.
(3) In order to WIN THE PRIZE, Paul would do three
things:
(a) He
would follow after, to lay hold on full
growth.
(b) He
would reach forth toward the things
before.
(c) He
would press toward the prize.
2. PAULS CONSUMING PASSION WAS ONE IN
SUBSTANCE,
BUT THREE THINGS IN EXPRESSION.
1. To
win Christ was the climax and capstone of both the out-resurrection and the
obtaining of the prize.
2. To
attain to the out-resurrection, was the resultant of winning Christ,
and the condition by which he might obtain the
prize of the up-calling.
3. To
obtain the prize of the up-calling was the unfolding of the deeper meaning of
winning Christ,
and of attaining to the out- resurrection.
3. PAULS CONSUMING PASSION
ANALYZED.
1. The analization negatively stated.
(1) Winning CHRIST is not winning redemption.
(2) Attaining the OUT-resurrection is not being raised outof the dead once. *
[* NOTE. This statement
is the first indication we have of the author saying that (in his opinion) the
out-resurrection is itself not
a selective resurrection out from amongst the dead! We will discover later in this exposition
what our author understands by the use the word ek
OUT (found in the Greek text) before the word
RESURRECTION.
By the underlined words above, he indicates that there will be a standing up out from
those who will be resurrected at this time! In other words, the out-resurrection
is supposed to include ALL regenerate
believers: and they will be resurrected at this time, regardless of how they
lived after regeneration: then, after being resurrected at this time, there
will be a selection a standing up out from amongst those who will be
resurrected!
This
theory runs contrary to our Lords words found in Luke
20: 35, where He appears to make the
out-Resurrection to be conditional by the words:
They that are accounted worthy to attain to that age
In other words, only those accounted worthy to attain (i.e., gain by
effort - a dictionary definition) entrance into the age yet to come, will be RESURRECTED
OUT FROM THE DEAD. That is, from amongst those presently in
Hades / Sheol
the place of the Dead: the remainder of the dead must wait a thousand years.
Then, we read: If any was not found written in the book of life,
he was cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15,
R.V.). Undoubtedly this statement
indicates the fact that there will be names found in the book of life who will not be cast into the lake
of fire!
Who
might these be? Undoubtably,
those not accounted worthy by Christ, to be
resurrected at the First resurrection: for, the rest of the dead lived not
until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first
resurrection (Rev. 20: 5, R.V.). Let us now proceed with the authors
interpretation of what he believes the Apostles words mean. ]
(3)
Obtaining the PRIZE of the
up-calling is not obtaining the
up-calling.
2. The analization positively stated.
(1) Winning Christ
is winning an intimate place of power and
honour in Christ at His coming.
(2) Attaining the out-resurrection out of the dead ones
is attaining a selection out of the raised
dead: at His coming.
(3) Obtaining
the prize of the up-calling,
is obtaining a designated reward, distinct from the rapture of saints, at His
coming.
With the
outline before us, we have much to consider.
You will immediately grant that the subject matter will prove vital to all
believers, inasmuch as it deals with distinctions in rewards which Christ will
bring with Him, [Page 43] when He comes. Those
rewards will depend upon the Christians earthly work and walk.
Let us begin, by considering the
first main division of our theme:
1.
PAULS CONSUMING PASSION EXPRESSED
IN
Whatever else may he said of the
Apostle Paul, he was one hundred per cent for the things of the Lord Jesus
Christ. He was no spiritual derelict,
floating with aimless and reckless impotency, upon the sea of life. His ship was one all-unfurled, and
all-a-tremble for the sail.
Three things express his purpose
and passion toward Christ.
He
sought to win Christ.
He
sought to attain to the out-resurrection.
He
sought to obtain the prize.
As we group these three things,
we see how high and holy, how lofty and far-looking was the ambition that
consumed Paul. His ambition did not lie
in the low-lands of carnalities; he pressed toward the uplands of spiritual
conquest.
There was not so much as one
longing glance toward the things he had left behind. These
were all forgotten in the things before.
There was no regret because of
things forsaken; no longings to return to the flesh-pots that lay back in the
channels of his old life and walk. Paul
knew nothing of the spirit that swayed Lots wife and caused her to look back
toward
There were no bridges left when
Paul crossed his Rubicon. The vista
before him enthralled his eyes. He bent
his back, set his pace, and fixed his gaze toward the call from the skies.
With Paul the spiritual
outweighed the carnal, the [Page 44] future outvalued the past, the
prospect was more filled with glory than the retrospect.
Paul counted the things UNSEEN as greater than the things which
are SEEN. He reckoned the heavenly city, the New
Jerusalem, of far more worth than the cities of earth. He gave preference to the things of God, over
the things of man. He delighted in the
things above, more than in the things beneath.
He followed after the things which are not, instead of after the things
which are.
Let us now look more deeply into
the first, of Pauls three aspirations.
He wanted to win Christ.
(1) In order to win Christ, Paid did one thing - thrice stated.
(a) He counted gain, but loss.
(b) He counted all things but loss.
(c) He suffered the loss of all things.
Three times in two verses, (7 and 8), the
apostle writes the word LOSS over all that he once knew and loved. The things that he had
formerly reckoned his chief assets, he now counted loss. Nothing of the old life, with its ambitions, were kept by Paul in the credit
column - all were transferred to the debit
side. In this step out
of the old, and into the new reckoning, Paul, saw much of suffering. The new life, and the decisions which it
involved, were not entered apart from outside persecutions.
As the days came and went,
however, Paul became the more and more determined to press on his upward
way. He even came to the conclusion that
he, after all, had, by way of comparison, given up nothing worthy of
retention. As the glory of the new life,
- and its blessings in the heavenly places, dawned upon him, Paul counted the
old life and its acquisitions as no more than refuse.
Under the dazzling splendour of
the glory of God, Paul saw that the glories of earth, which he once loved, were
but baubles: therefore he thrust them all into the garbage can. Let us do, as did he.
[Page 45]
And
shall I give thee up, 0 world,
A world
with banners all unfurled,
With
pomp of glory, pride of gold,
With
matchless treasures all untold,
With
fields all filled with ripened grain,
With
ships that sail a stormy main?
Shall I
give up the joys of sin,
The very
things men seek to win?
The
pleasures, pastimes, frolics, fun,
And all
thy things beneath the sun?
Yes, I
will gladly count all loss
To
follow Christ, and bear His cross;
Yea, I
will count my loss, but gain,
So I,
with Christ, may live and reign.
(2) In order to attain the out-resurrection Paul desired four things.
The far-flung purposes of Paul
are steadily enlarging before our view.
(a) Paul wanted to know Christ.
Perhaps, in that first moment, when
the light from heaven stopped Saul of Tarsus in his mad career, and cast him
down, blinded, upon the
Perhaps, in those fifteen days
that Paul afterwards spent with Peter, he learned more of Christ and His
ministry, of Christ and His message, than most theological; students learn in a
full course in the seminary. All of
this, however, only spurred Paul on to know Christ.
[Page 46]
Perhaps, in the years spent in
Paul wanted to know
Him - not to know about Him.
Paul sought a fellowship with Christ, but he sought more; he sought a knowledge of Christ, but he sought more.
It was not concerning the Babe
of Bethlehem; not concerning the child Christ of the
It was not concerning the Christ who worked
miracles, who taught the people, who went about doing good
- it was not concerning the Christ of Galilee, that Paul wanted to know.
It was not concerning the Christ of Gethsemane,
nor the Christ of the cross, nor the Christ of the empty tomb,
that Paul wanted to know.
Paul wanted to know Christ. He was not satisfied with that which merely concerned
Him, he
wanted HIM. He
wanted to know Christ the God-man. He wanted
to dwell in Him; to walk with Him; to talk to Him.
Paul wanted to know the springs of the life and ministry of his Lord. He wanted to enter into the holy of holies,
which safe-guarded the inner impulses and promptings of Christ.
Paul wanted to know Christ, who
was God-incarnate as He lay in the manger: Christ, who, in His twelfth year,
held such an intimacy with the Father that He could say, I must be about my Fathers business;
Christ, who, at His baptism, received from the
Father the plaudit My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.
Paul wanted to know not the
miracles of Christ, but Christ who healed the sick,
raised the dead, cured the leper. He wanted to know not the teachings
concerning Christ, but the Christ who taught the people, and who
spake as never man spake.
Paul wanted to know not about
[* NOTE. See
what confusion this word out caused amongst
the three disciples who believed in a resurrection, but had never before heard
of an out-resurrection. As they descended from the Mount of
Transfiguration with Jesus, He said: Tell the vision
(i.e., the vision
on the Mount of the Son
of man coming in his kingdom, Matt.
16: 28b. cf.
1 Pet. 16-19.) to no man, until the Son of man be risen out from the dead
(Matt. 17: 9b, Lit. Gk.). Here is further proof that the preposition ek before the word
translated resurrection indicates the select
resurrection of One who was the First to be risen out from the dead, - leaving all the remaining
dead in Hades
/ Sheol to await the time for their Resurrection. 1 Cor. 15: 20; Acts 2: 31; Matt. 3: 13; 12: 40. cf.
Acts 7: 5
with Acts 2: 34
and Luke 16: 23;
Tim. 2: 18.]
The passion of Paul was not to
capture a creed, to delete a doctrine, or to conquer a catechism. Paul sought a personal knowledge of Christ;
he wanted to know the height, and the depth, the length, and the breadth of the
love of Christ, and the Christ of love.
Theres
a yearning for Christ in my dreams of the night,
Theres a
longing to meet Him when cometh the light,
Theres
a cry in my heart throughout all the long day,
Theres
a prayer for His presence wherever my way;
My
Beloved is Chief among thousands all fair,
He is
bright as the morning, His hands drop with myrrh;
He is
love altogether, this One all divine,
I would
know Him forever, 0 lord, I am Thine.
Theres
a spot in my heart which my Saviour doth own,
Theres
a love in my soul which is His all alone;
Theres
a place in my life which He only can fill,
For I
seek but to know Him, to do all His will;
I would
take me away to His heavenly place,
I would
live in the glory and smile of His face;
Oh, I am
my Beloveds, and He, too, is mine,
I will
dwell with Him ever, 0 Lord, I am Thine.
(b) Paul wanted to know the
power of Christs resurrection.
Into the empty tomb (into which
Peter rushed, and John entered with temerity) Paul cared not particularly to
go. Paul did not desire, to go as a
tourist, visiting a shrine: nor as a scientist, seeking
to solve the philosophy of the mysteries.
Paul knew and accepted the fact of the resurrection, for he had known
personal contact with the One who had been raised [out] from the dead; however, Paul wanted to know
the POWER of that
resurrection.
Paul sought to know the power of
the resurrection toward us who
believe. He wanted to translate that
power into his every-day experience. He
wanted to discover in the empty tomb of his Lord, the power of the
believers victorious life.
[Page 48]
Paul wanted to know, moreover,
the power of the resurrection of Christ, as it is yet to be manifested, when
all [accounted worthy] who are in their graves shall come
forth. He wanted to know the force of
the words; I am the resurrection and the life.
In Christs resurrection he saw his
own; in Christs life, he saw his own life forevermore.
Thus it was that Paul saw in the
empty tomb of Christ both a present and a far-reaching power. The resurrection was, to him, the climactic
note of redemption. It was full of
power. He wanted to know that power.
The resurrection
held a large place in Pauls GOSPEL. Apart from the resurrection of Christ, Paul
saw the cross of Christ helpless to save to the uttermost. He knew that saints, with Christ in the tomb,
would remain forever of all men the most miserable. Therefore Paul wanted to know the power of
the resurrection.
The resurrection according to Paul, played a full part in the believers present hour
victory over sin and Satan. The resurrection of Christ to him was the
stepping-stone to the believer's present moment exaltation, with Christ in the
heavenlies. To Paul, Christ raised, was
Christ exalted far above all principalities and power. To Paul, Christ raised, was Christ leading
His saints in the upward train of His triumph, and made more than conquerors
through Him.
The resurrection of Christ,
according to Paul, was the key to the up-calling and change of saints. Into, the skies they yet shall go. Changed in a moment they shall be. The vile body of their humiliation shall yet
be changed into the likeness of the glorious body of His glorification. Paul knew that all of this would be
accomplished in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at Christs coming, therefore, Paul wanted to know the power of His
resurrection.
Do you marvel that Paul wanted
to know the power of the empty tomb? It
was not of facts, nor of historical data that Paul desired
knowledge. He wanted to know the power [Page 49] which
lay back of those things. He wanted that
power to become a potent factor in his daily experiences.
0 risen
Lord, I truly live in Thee,
Thy life
throbs now in me.
Its
power strengthens me,
It gives
me liberty Eternally.
(c) Paul waned to know the
fellowship of Christs sufferings.
Having caught the power of His
risen life, Paul was prepared to press his way into the fellowship of His
sufferings.
Having known the power of His
resurrection, Paul was more than willing to pass with Him outside the camp,
bearing His reproach.
And why
not? Paul, knowing that the
power of Christs resurrection would lead him into the everlasting joys of both the earthly and heavenly glory of Christ, was happy to
press back into
fellowship with Christs earthly sufferings.
Paul knew that the way of the cross,
was the way to the crown. He
was not willing to press back from his resurrection ground, into the old life
of his own pre-conversion experiences; yet he was more than willing to press
back from that ground into Christs poverty.
Where is he, who, with ungrateful
soul, would seek to wear the crown, without sharing the cross? Where is he who would press his way toward
the reigning with Christ, without being willing to enter into suffering with
Christ?
When once the power of the resurrection
grips the soul, the yearning of the heart will be to know the travails of His
cross.
These
died in faith: they died a martyr's death,
Were
tortured, stoned until they gave their breath;
Were
mocked, and scourged with stinging pain,
With
cruel sword were madly slain;
Some wandered all about
Were destitute,
Without repute;
Tormented, did not doubt; [Page 50]
All, through their faith, a good report obtained,
In evry testing were by
grace sustained.
To them
God gave a martyrs lasting fame,
Amid His
heroes, didst enroll their name.
What
glory shall these victors share,
When
they His matchless image bear
In
heavens blessed light:
Beyond
all pain
With
Christ theyll reign,
When
passed is earths dark night;
God,
then their martyrdom will recompense
And
crown their worthy names with excellence.
(d) Paul wanted to be made
conformable to Christs death.
Paul had now reached the climax
of the Christians aspirations. The
world is ever calling the believer to conformity to its conceptions and ideals;
Christ is calling the believer to conformity to
Surely, if men have called the
Master of the house, Bee1zebub; how much more will they call them of His
household? Paul knew no greater glory
than to bear in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus. He could say:
I bear
in my body the marks of the Lord,
These
are my credentials, which I would record;
Diplomas
and scholarships count I but dross,
I boast
but the stigma and joy of His cross.
I seek not
position, nor honour from men,
Be my recognition the scars which I ken
Are
stamped on my body; these prove I am sent
From God
an apostle to spend and he spent.
Let no
one now trouble me, whateer they say
Of good
or of evil concerning my way;
The marks
in my body full proof do declare
That I
am the Lords - His stigma I bear.
[Page 51]
(3) In
order to win the prise Paul would do three things:
(a) Paul would follow after to lay hold upon full growth. It was for
perfection in spiritual development that Christ had laid hold upon him;
therefore Paul wanted to enter heartily into what the Lord had purposed for
him.
The Holy Spirit came to dwell in
the believers heart, that He might transform the believer into the image of
Christ, from glory to glory, even as by the
Spirit of the Lord.
Paul, therefore, would walk after the [Holy]
Spirit. He would yield himself to the [Holy] Spirits conforming work.
Paul would not remain a
babe. He would reach that high altitude
which God is pleased to call a perfect man, grown
unto the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ.
(b) Paul would reach forth unto the things before.
We realize that Paul; had already
reached much; he had climbed many a height of spiritual development and power
in Christ Jesus. Paul, however, did not
feel that he had gone all of the way. He
wanted to know more of the riches of the grace and glory of his Lord. He wanted to ascend still higher up in the
scale of spiritual attainment. He did
not by any means say that he had already apprehended all that there was for him
to apprehend in Christ Jesus.
In order to reach Gods best,
Paul was willing to forget Gods better.
Paul had much, but he pressed on for more. He said, Forgetting
those things which are behind, because he would not forever
dwell in the region of blessings already attained.
The children of
Paul saw room for advancement,
for added growth, for an enlarged place in Christ.
Paul, saw what
(c) Paul would press toward the prize.
The prize was precious to Paul, not
because it carried something of mere intrinsical value, something that would
pamper the flesh and satisfy a pride of attainment. The prize was precious to him because the
prize centered in winning Christ. It was
Christ, Himself, who was the great inspiration and aspiration of Paul.
Paul lived, looking to Christ, working
for Christ, and walking with Christ. He said, For me
to live is Christ. Then he could add: To die is gain, because to die was Christ, in a newer
and larger fellowship.
Paul was on the earth, but he
was not earth centered; he was in the world, but he was not a world lover.
Paul cast behind him the glitter
and glare of
Onward
and never back,
My eyes
look on for aye;
Onward
and never back,
I press
a forward track;
May I
the joy not lack
At break
of day.
Onward
with mighty stride,
The joy I almost see;
Onward
with mighty stride,
All else
I cast aside
To win, whateer betide,
Gods
joy for me.
2. PAULS CONSUMING PASSION WAS ONE
IN
SUBSTANCE, BUT THREE IN
EXPRESSION
Paul sought,
[Page 53]
To win Christ.
To attain to the out-resurrection.
To obtain the prize.
Three
things, yet three things summed up in This
one thing I do.
Let us seek to grasp the
inter-relationship of each of these holy ambitions, which led to one great attempt.
1. TO WIN CHRIST WAS THE
CLIMAX, THE CAPSTONE OF BOTH THE OUTRESURRECTION, AND THE PRIZE OF THE
UP-CALLING.
(1) No one can sever his winning Christ,
from his obtaining the
out-resurrection. The two are indissolubly
linked. To win the one is to attain to
the other. There could be no winning of
Christ, without the out-resurrection; and there could be no out-resurrection,
without winning Christ.
(2) No one could sever winning Christ, from
obtaining the prize of the up-calling. They also are
indissolubly linked. To destroy the hope
of the one, is to destroy the possibility of the
other. In fact, we may truthfully say
that winning Christ made certain the attaining to the out-resurrection, even as the out-resurrection made
sure the obtaining of the prize.
2. TO ATTAIN THE OUT-RESURRECTION WAS THE RESULTANT OF WINNING CHRIST AND
THE CONDITION UPON WHICH THE PRIZE OF THE UP-CALLING WAS BASED.
(1) Christ is the resurrection; and to all* who are in Christ He will be, at His coming, the resurrection
out of the dead ones. What we mean is this, that all
of those saved by grace through faith, and therefore linked with Christ in His
saving power, are, by virtue of that fact, made partakers of the resurrection out
of the dead ones. Christ said: Because I live, ye shall live also.
[* NOTE. Here
the author by the word all has neglected the conditional
element within the text! He has
interpreted the word all to include all the
regenerate with Paul!
By comparing Scripture with
other Scriptures, we will soon discover the mistake! (1)
Others were tortured
(Lit. Gk. beaten
to death),
not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection (Heb. 11: 35b). (2)
The souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus
they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years (Rev. 20: 4). (3)
They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain - (worthy of taking part in - N.I.V.) to
obtain resurrection out of dead Lit.
Gk.
the resurrection from the dead (Lk. 20: 35,
A.V.). (4)
Thou shalt be recompensed -
(for fulfilling the fore-mentioned conditions, vv.
7-13) - at
the resurrection of the just
(or righteous)
(Lk. 14: 14).
See 1
Cor. 15: 22: For as in Adam ALL die, so also in Christ shall ALL be
made alive. Here the first ALL is not the same as the second ALL! The first
all includes all who have died (and all who
will die); but the second all is limited
in numbers and different in the time
they will be made alive! But each in his own order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then they that are Christs at his
coming. R.V.]
(2) Christ is, however, the OUT RESURRECTION, out of the dead
ones, only to those who WIN CHRIST. They alone will have a
part in the out-resurrection, out of the dead ones. There is, as we see it, a distinction therefore, between [Page 54] the out-resurrection, and the resurrection out of the dead ones.* Just now we
merely wish to state this fact: winning Christ is the basis of obtaining the
out-resurrection. The details of this
out-resurrection will be developed later.
[* NOTE. This is
another way of saying that ALL Christians
will be judged and raised out from the dead at the same time - after the out-resurrection; and then, the words out of the dead ones, indicates a further judgment
from amongst those raised in the out Resurrection! If this is correct - (which I believe is not) - where do those not accounted worthy to rule with Christ in
the Age to come go, after their resurrection and
judgement? They cannot return
to the death state or the place of the dead, for Jesus
says: Neither can they die any more
being the
children
of resurrection (Lk. 20: 36, A.V.). The
above theory presents a major problem for all those who, like the author, make this distinction after the time of the out-resurrection. Of course, a distinction will be made, as to
who will be resurrected at that time to rule and inherit the
coming kingdom of Christ and of God; but that
judgment, which will make that distinction, must take place
either, close to the time of Death,
or after
the time of Death BUT NEVER AFTER the
time of Resurrection.
It is
appointed unto men once to die, and after this - (i.e.,
after the time of death, and relative to who
will attain unto the out-resurrection out from the dead Phil.
3: 11, Lit. Gk.) cometh judgment, (Heb. 9: 27, R.V.).
Keep in mind, there are more
judgments than this mentioned throughout the Holy Scriptures. See 2 Cor. 5: 9, 10. cf. 1 Cor. 5: 3-5; 6: 1- 4, 7, 8.
In 1
Cor. 6: 11 Paul rebukes the carnal Corinthians
for their behaviour and neglect of responsibility truths. He warns them of the possibility of the loss of
the
inheritance in the
Here Paul is making a distinction in time and behaviour, from what they once were before
conversion,
such were some of you; to what
they then were immediately after faith in Christ
as Saviour: but ye were washed
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God; then, afterwards, by
their immoral behaviour and wickedness as
regenerate believers, at the time of writing his epistle. Therefore, judgment is on-going during the
lifetime of a Christian. See Acts 5: 1-11 and compare with 5: 32.
Hence importance of repentance:
- Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent
(Rev. 2: 5). As many as I love, I reprove and chasten:
be zealous therefore, and repent (Rev. 3:
19). Repent
therefore, of this thy
wickedness (Acts 8: 22); Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt. 3: 2). Bring
forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance (verse 8).
Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13: 3, 5, R.V.)!]
(3) Attaining the out-resurrection was
correlated [i.e., systematically
connected] with obtaining the prize of the up-calling; because the first established the
certainty of the second. All who attain
to the out-resurrection will, therefore, obtain the prize of
the up-calling. Had Paul been assured of
a part in the out-resurrection, he would have been assured of the prize of the
up-calling.
3. OBTAINING THE PRIZE OF THE UP-CALLING UNFOLDS THE DEEPER MEANING OF WINNING CHRIST, AND ATTAINING
THE OUT-RESURRECTION.
In our next consideration we
will enlarge upon these very things.
Just now we want to get clear in our minds a mere outline of two facts.
(1) Obtaining the prize of the
up-calling unfolds the meaning of winning Christ, inasmuch as winning Christ
was the very essence of the prize itself.
(2) Obtaining the prize of the
up-calling, likewise unfolds the meaning of the out-resurrection, because the
out-resurrection was the stepping stone to the prize. The fact is that Paul plainly linked the attaining to the out-resurrection, to obtaining the prize when he said, If by any means I might attain unto the out-resurrection adding
Not as though I had already attained
... but I press toward the mark for the prize of the up-calling. With
all of this before us, let its go in deeper.
3. PAULS CONSUMING PASSION ANALYZED
[Page 55]
1. THE
ANALIZATION NEGATIVELY STATED.
We need to know what some things
are not, as much as we need to know what they are. If we understand what they are not, and what
they could not be, we will the better be able to know what they are, and must be.
(1) Winning Christ is not winning redemption.
We are saved by grace, through
faith. Grace ends where worth
begins. No one knew this better than
Paul. The Holy Spirit, through him, placed
stress upon salvation as a free gift - a gift in no wise dependent upon any
thing other than the sovereign grace of God, made possible through the blood of
Christ, and the believers faith.
When Paul counted all things but
loss, he did it that he might WIN Christ, but not that he might be saved. Paul was saved by grace. He said, When it
pleased God who separated me from my mothers womb, and called me by his grace. And if by grace,
then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
Paul was saved from death and
hell on the
When Paul spoke of winning
Christ, he did
not, and could not mean, therefore, that he was desirous of winning redemption,
for he was already redeemed.
(2) Attaining the
out-resurrection, is not attaining the resurrection out of the dead ones. This is quite as impossible, as it was for winning Christ to mean winning redemption.
There are several facts relative
to the resurrection which are clearly outlined in the Word of God.
(a) All the dead are to be
raised - both the just and the unjust.
Of this there is no need for argument.
The Word of God is plain and final.
(b) All of the dead are not to be raised at one time. With the first resurrection concluded we read,
The rest of the dead lived not again until the
thousand years were finished.
[Page 56]
(c) All Christians will be raised out of the dead ones.
One of the startling things in
the Word of God is the frequently recorded statement of the resurrection (ek nekron) OUT OF THE DEAD. The very
expression out of the dead,
precludes the resurrection of all of the dead at one time.
Who then are the ones who will
be favoured by being raised OUT of
the dead ones? Once again there is no
room for misgiving.
Let me give a few of the
scriptures where, ek nekron, out of
the dead, occurs:
Matthew 17: 9: Tell the vision to no
man, until the Son of man
be raised again from the dead (ek nekron - out of the dead ones).
Mark 6: 14, 16: Herod said, John the Baptist is risen from the dead (ek nekron - out
of the dead ones).
Luke 20: 35: Christ
said, But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world [age], and the resurrection [out] from the dead (ek nekron - out of the dead
ones).
Acts 4: 2: Being grieved that they taught
... through Jesus the resurrection [out] from the dead (ek nekron - out of the dead ones).
1 Cor. 15: 20, 21: Now is Christ risen from the dead
(ek
nekron). By Man came also the resurrection of the
dead (ek nekron - out of the
dead ones).
Hebrews 11: 19: Accounting
that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead (ek nekron - out of the dead ones).
The apostolic preaching of the
resurrection out from among the dead, was a
message that startled the world in the day of the early church. It was a blessed hope that
lay before all saints. The saints were
to be raised from among the dead, - and live and reign with Christ a thousand
years; while the wicked* dead were not to he raised until after the
thousand years were finished.
This resurrection (ek nekron), was the hope
of the church.
It was the resurrection unto life of John 5: 29.
It was the better resurrection of Hebrews 11: 35.
[Page 57]
It was the resurrection of the just in Acts 24: 15; and in Luke 14: 14.
(d) From among those who would partake
of the resurrection from among the dead, Paul
speaks of another class. Here are
his words, That I may attain unto the resurrection (ek - anastasis- out resurrection) from the dead (ek nekron - out of the dead ones).
Here only, in the New Testament,
do we find this peculiar Greek combination, combining ek with anastasis. Upon this single Greek phrase some have based
the conception that Paul was pressing on to attain to the resurrection out of
the dead ones, and therefore was teaching what is known as A Partial Rapture.
We cannot accept this for the following reasons:
a. The Word teaches that the
dead in Christ shall rise first, it does not say that a limited
number of the dead in Christ shall rise first.*
[*NOTE. Neither does the text say: ALL the dead in Christ shall rise first!
Here is an example of adding to the word of God. Its like saying Absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord (2 Cor. 5: 8, R.V.),
and then adding the words IN HEAVEN!
Is Gods presence not everywhere? even If I make my bed in Sheol the
place of the dead (Psa. 139: 8. cf.
Gen. 37: 35; Psa.
16: 10)!
The use of the Greek preposition
ek OUT, when used before the word Resurrection is always selective even when speaking of the dead in Christ, - the Lords own
redeemed people! See Matt. 17: 9 (above), where Jesus is speaking to Peter,
James and John of His own
resurrection - which was both selective
and limited to one Person Himself: and years later John
writes: No man hath ascended into heaven, but
he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man. Can any Man
who has died in Christ, rise out from the dead
in a glorified,
immortal
body of flesh and bones before the time of our Lords return
to this earth? Search the Scriptures and
see. What does Luke 24: 39; 1 Thess. 4: 16; Rev. 6: 9-11; 20: 4-6 tell us?]
b. Tribulation saints who are saved and slain after the resurrection* of the dead in Christ, will be raised at the end of the
Great Tribulation (See Rev. 20: 1-6).
[* NOTE. Scripture
never connects the word resurrection
to the words body, soul
or spirit: it always speaks to us of the resurrection of the dead. We never read in scripture of the
resurrection of the spirit soul or body! Why? Because they are all severed at the time of Death. What Death separates, Resurrection
will one day unite: the whole man is to be rescued from its
curse, not just a part of the man: O death, where is
thy victory? O death, where is thy sting,
(1 Cor. 15: 54b, 55, R.V.)
Therefore, since the dead in
Christ - (not all at this time as
is often assumed) shall rise first (1 Thess. 4: 16), the
authors words above, - Tribulation saints who are saved after the resurrection of the dead in Christ, are
misleading! There will a translation of living saints,
whose bodies will be changed, and raised into heaven before the Great
Tribulation; but not all who are regenerate
and alive at that time will be included! Why?
Because they failed to fulfil the divine condition: Watch ye at every
season, making supplication, that ye
may prevail to escape all these
things that shall come to pass (Lk. 22: 36, R.V.).
And again, - Because thou didst keep the word
of my patience, I also will keep
thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole
world, to try them that dwell upon the earth
(Rev. 3: 10, R.V.).
Here is mention made of a select rapture or
translation of
those who are alive, and who will be judged worthy
to escape the coming Great Tribulation; but it is not said they will be
amongst the dead saints who will be resurrected at that time.]
c. The Word teaches that we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ, whether we have done good or bad. Not only
the good shall appear.
[* NOTE. This
statement is made by disregarding the divine
conditions attached to the First Resurrection:
The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years are finished
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. (Rev. 20: 5, 6, R.V.).]
d. The Word does not teach that resurrection out of the dead
ones is a reward, but that
reward will be meted out after the saints are raised.*
[* NOTE. What
will be the Reward
meted out after the saints are raised? A loss of their inheritance in the age
to come: For ye know that even when he (Esau) afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected (for he found no place for repentance), though he sought it diligently with tears, (Heb. 12: 17. cf. Luke
20: 35. Esau, being a true member of the family, had
no respect for his position as the firstborn son, and all that he would
one day have had! Regenerate believers,
are likewise warned here against losing their birthright as firstborn sons of God!]
e. If Paul, so true and so victorious a saint, were not sure of
his own [out]-resurrection
from the dead, then the resurrection and
rapture of saints would be open to but very few*
of the redeemed.
[* NOTE. Is it not written: For
narrow
is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth UNTO LIFE,
and few be they that find it
(Matt. 7: 14, R.V.)? If
this life refers to eternal Life as the free gift of God
(Rom. 6: 23, R.V.), then we have a major
problem, for these words of Christ are addressed primarily to His own disciples:
His disciples came to him; and he opened
him mouth and taught them saying
(Matt. 5:
1, 2,
R.V.). Are we to believe only a few are given eternal life? I
should think not!
But there is something else
which is very important, which we must always keep in mind: God is a righteous Judge;
and therefore He will not give EVERYTHING
to those of His redeemed people who are not accounted
worthy! There is an undisclosed
standard of worthiness demanded by our LORD
JESUS, for our ENTRANCE into HIS Kingdom: For I say unto you - (disciples), - that EXCEPT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS shall EXCEED the righteousness
of the scribes and Pharisees, YE
SHALL NOT ENTER into the kingdom of
heaven [s], (Matt. 5: 20, R.V.).
And if this life is a REWARD for our obedience in doing the work
He has called us to do, (as undoubtedly it is), we read in another place: And he (Christ) said unto them
(His appointed seventy) The harvest is plenteous,
but the labourers are few
(Luke 10: 2,
R.V.).]
What then did Paul have in view
when he wrote of attaining unto the OUT-RESURRECTION
OUT OF THE DEAD ONES?
If we are right in our conclusion, Paul meant
that out of the saints who partake of the resurrection out of the dead, [Page 58] there
will be some who will attain to a special placing; this placing he called, the OUT-RESURRECTION out of the dead.
This OUT-RESURRECTION was a grouping together of certain ones
from among the raised believers, a grouping made possible by virtue of their
having known Christ, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of
His suffering, being made conformable to His death.
The Apostle, himself, tells us
plainly what he means by the OUT-RESURRECTION. In one breath he says, If by any means I may attain unto the out-resurrection out of the dead; in
his next breath he says, Not as though I have already
attained ... but I press forward - toward what? Certainly it was
toward the out-resurrection
of saints out from the dead. He said it was toward the PRIZE OF THE UP-CALLING.
Therefore, we conclude that the OUT-RESURRECTION
and the PRIZE of the up-calling are one and the same
thing.
We now come to our final
conclusions - a summing up of what has gone before. These we will group under three heads.
(1) Winning Christ,
is winning a place of intimate honour and power in Christ at His coming.
This was Pauls great
ambition. Paul knew, by the Holy Ghost,
that not all saints would reign with Christ in positions of honour.
The whole Book of Hebrews carries
such a message, and gives, withal, abundant warning to the saved, lest they
miss that glorious heirship.
Other Scriptures corroborate the
[Holy] Spirits message in Hebrews.
In Romans 8: 17, we are
Joint-heirs with Christ; IF SO BE that we
suffer with him,
that we may be
glorified together.
In 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27, we are taught to so run that [Page 59] we may obtain
the prize. We are also urged to so run, and to so fight, lest by any means we should be a castaway - that is, lest we should be disapproved.
In 2 Corinthians 5: 9-11, we are urged to labour that we may be accepted of him - for, We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ:* that
every one may receive the things done in the
body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. The [Holy] Spirit
adds: Knowing
therefore the terror of the Lord, we
persuade men.
[* NOTE. Keep in mind, this judgment, as it applies to
all those presently within the Church of God (who
are now awaiting the time of Resurrection out from the
dead) - their JUDGMENT must
take place BEFORE the time of that First Resurrection in order to determine who will be accounted worthy to
attain to that AGE, and the
resurrection from the dead
(Luke 20: 35,
R.V.). The First
Resurrection is therefore a select
resurrection of the Blessed and holy, out from
amongst the members of Gods redeemed family - presently waiting
as disembodied SOULS in Hades the place of the dead in
the
heart of the earth, (Matt. 12: 40). John
was given a vision of these: I saw underneath the
altar the souls of
them that had been slain for the word
of God, and for the testimony which they had: and they cried
with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge
our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said unto
them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also
and their BRETHREN, which should be killed even as they were,
should be fulfilled, (Rev.
6: 9-11, R.V.).
Therefore, ALL the
dead in Christ have to WAIT
for judgment
of things done in the body
whether it be good or bad. This future judgment of their fellow-servants and their BRETHREN, will take place in Hades
under the alter
upon which they had been slain: and it will
determine who, out from
the dead, will have attained unto
the out-resurrection, out from the dead (Phil.
3: 11, Lit. Gk.).
If the Out-resurrection
(Phil. 3: 11), which Paul wanted to ATTAIN through the fellowship of His sufferings,
will include ALL of the redeemed from all ages both Old and New
testament saints alike then the MILLENNIAL Kingdom of Messiah is not
what HE and the HOLY SPIRIT speaking through HIS
chosen apostles say it is:- He that OVERCOMETH, I will give to HIM to sit down with me in MY throne, AS I ALSO OVERCAME, and sat down with
my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear,
let him hear WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH TO
THE CHURCHES, (Rev. 3: 21, 22,
R.V.). Are these words not conditional upon the regenerate believers
behaviour, whether it be good
or bad?
Those who believe they are not, contradict their Lords words
which parallel those of Pauls and of His Apostles: They
that are ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO ATTAIN to that AGE, and the RESURRECTION from THE DEAD, neither marry,
nor are given in marriage: for NEITHER CAN THEY DIE
ANY MORE: for they are equal unto the angels;
and are sons of God, being
sons of THE RESURRECTION, (Luke 20: 35, 36, R.V.).
ALL TRUE CHRISTIANS WILL NOT
ENTER INTO MESSIAHS COMING MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.]
In Galatians 6: 9, we are
instructed that we shall reap if we
faint not. We are, accordingly, urged to not be weary in well doing and to do good unto all men,
especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
In Hebrews 3: 6, we are
told that we are His house, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
In Hebrews 3: 14, the [Holy] Spirit
continues, We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our
confidence steadfast unto the end.
In Hebrews 4: 1, is
this word: Let us therefore fear lest, a
promise being left us of entering into his
rest, any of you should seem to come
short of it.
In Hebrews 4: 11, is
this word: Let us labour therefore to enter
into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
In 2 Peter 1: 5-11 are these suggestive statements: And besides this, giving all diligence add **add,
**add. He that lacketh these things.
If these things be in you and abound. So an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom**.
Scriptures such as the above
certainly have no reference to losing eternal life, or to any possible failure
in being finally saved. They do, however, have much
weight along the line of winning Christ. They do show that [the abundant entrance and] crowns and rewards and
positions in the [millennial] reign of Christ may be lost.
[Page 60]
Certainly winning Christ is related to winning His well done, thou good and faithful servant; it is
related to Ye which have followed me, in the regeneration
when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit
upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
If with
Christ you would reign,
You must
suffer His pain,
And
follow Him bearing His cross;
You must
share in His shame,
Bear His
stigma and blame,
And
count the world nothing but loss.
If the
Lord you deny,
And His
sufferings defy,
You will
fail in obtaining the prize;
Out the
camp you must go,
Bear His
burden of woe,
If you
seek for rewards in the skies.
(2) Attaining the out-resurrection
from the Lord, is attaining unto a select group from raised [dead]
saints, at His coming.
Some may desire to place all of
the raised saints into one glorious class.
This cannot be scripturally done.
There is life, and there is life
more abundant.
There is entrance [into the eternal kingdom;] and there is an abundant
entrance [1,000 years before that].
There are the disapproved, and
there are the overcomers.
There is the resurrection out of
the dead, and there is the out-resurrection
out of the dead.
Paul had [eternal] life, but sought [the better resurrection and] the
life more abundant.
Paul had entrance, but sought an entrance abundantly.
Paul had a place in the race,
but sought to be not disapproved but crowned a victor - an overcomer
at the end of the race.
Paul had assurance of his
resurrection from the dead,* but sought to attain to the out-resurrection out of
the dead ones.
[* NOTE. According to Scripture ALL the
dead are to be resurrected; but NOT ALL AT THE SAME TIME!
Books were opened:
and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the
dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and DEATH and HADES gave up the dead which were in
them: and they were judged EVERY man according to their
works. And DEATH and HADES were
cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death,
even the lake of fire. And IF
ANY WAS NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF
LIFE, he was cast into the lake of
fire, (Rev. 20:
12-15,
R.V.).
Is there not reference here to
redeemed people who will miss the First Resurrection
and therefore have to remain in the place of the dead for a further 1,000
years?
Is this not what Peter warns
Christians against - the possibility of losing a future salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
even the salvation of your souls
(1 Pet. 1:
5, 9,
R.V.): and the glories that should follow (that future
salvation)
that is to be brought unto you AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. (1 Pet. 1: 11b, 13b, R.V.)?
Is there not here also an
understanding of Pauls words: Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap (Gal. 6: 7)? That
is, the flesh of some - (for a thousand years after the
resurrection of the righteous) - appearing in immortal bodies of glory;
while the flesh of others will remain in the grave under corruption, until the book of
life is opened (Rev. 20: 15).
[Page 61]
If there is a difference in
being IN Christ, and
in winning
Christ, why may there not be a
difference in the resurrection, and
the out-resurrection?
If there is a difference in
being raptured, and being rewarded, why may there not be a difference in being
raised out of the dead ones, and being in the out-resurrection, out of the dead
ones?
There must be,
some word for differentiating the raised up saints who will merely be raised
out from among the dead ones to be forever with the Lord; and
those who will be raised from among the dead ones to reign with Christ in places of honour and power.
Shall God be unfaithful to
forget our labour of love, our diligence in hope, and our fidelity to the
faith?
Shall all believers - the lukewarm
and the hot; the carnal and the spiritual, the idle and the active all stand
alike after the resurrection?
Impossible! Impossible!
If it is right to so run, and to so fight then the prize may be obtained at the Bema; if it
is right to count all but lost, to win Christ; if it is right to suffer, that
we may reign; then, it is also right to seek to know Christ, and the power of
His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being made conformable
to His death, in order to attain unto the OUT-RESURRECTION.
Strive to appear before His face
Confessed a victor ever:
Seek but to run a winning race
And wear a crown for ever;
Press toward the prize which lies before,
The prize of His up-calling;
Then when you reach the other shore,
Youll have no fear appalling.
(3) Obtaining the prize of the
up-calling is designated as distinct front the rapture of [all] saints
at Christs Coming.
The up-calling and the rapture
are one; however the PRIZE of the up-calling is
distinct from the up-calling which is the rapture.
[Page 62]
It is one thing to be caught up
to meet the Lord in the air; it is another thing to be rewarded at the Bema of Christ.
It is one thing to be in the
up-calling, it is another thing to obtain the prize of the up-calling.
With what rejoicing did Paul finally write: I have fought a good fight, I
have finished my course, I
have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid
up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day.
Shall we chide Paul because he
stretched every nerve as he pressed on to win Christ, to attain unto the out-resurrection and
to win the prize? God forbid!
Let us, the rather, follow on even as he followed on. Let us have the same mind, as that which
possessed him.
Not that alone, but let us seek to
stir up others, by way of remembrance, that they
also may lay hold on all of that for which they have been laid
hold upon by Christ.
Still pressing on, Through flood, fire and danger;
Pressing the fight on the battles long line,
Keeping the faith, till His glory doth shine
Still pressing on: To earth but a stranger.
Still
pressing on,
With faithful endeavour
Never to stop till His will we have done,
Never to lag till the victorys won,
Still pressing on, Oer moor, fen and heather.
* *
*
[Page 63]
CHAPTER 3
WHAT ABOUT
THE JUDGE
AT THE
DOOR?
What would I do
If Christ should come,
ere comes the morrow?
Would I pass to
The realms of light, all
decked and bright,
Beyond the strife of
mortal life,
And stand before my
judge in sorrow,
Mid heavens blue!
How would
I feel
If I
should meet my judge, my Saviour?
Would I
there kneel
Before His
face, in sad disgrace,
My life
all spent, on pleasure bent,
And all my
shameful past behaviour
Beyond
repeal?
The coming of the Lord draweth nigh!
The Signs of the Times are unmistakable.
The way is paved throughout the whole world for
the advent
of the Antichrist.
The last days with their immoralities
and vice are here.
The
The political world is ripe for the rising of
the ten-horned
federated empire.
The sweep of modern inventions proclaims that
the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Over all, and to the writer, above all, the cry
is being made, Behold the Bridegroom cometh, while Gods book of
prophecy, scaled unto the end of times, is now being opened.
With these signs of Christs return to the earth
so rapidly and assuredly unfolding, we know that the rapture of the saints,
with their skyward march, is doubly near.
[Page
64]
How soon
we do not know;
It is far
better so;
And yet, the hour is
late -
Expectantly
we wait.
Be it at morn or noon,
His coming
must be soon;
In gloom the world doth grope,
While
ardently we hope.
He told us he would come,
And upward
take us home;
We sing an
even song.
As
yearningly we long.
As, for the moment, we pause to ponder the
glorious fact of Christs imminent coming, we are held captive by the words of
the seventh angel in
Revelation 11:
15-18.
His words stand out before us in bold review.
And the seventh angel
sounded; and there were great voices in heaven,
saying, The kingdoms of this world are become
the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and
twenty elders which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and
worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, 0 Lord
God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thon hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the
time of the dead, that they should be
judged, and that thou shouldest give reward
unto thy servants thy prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name,
small and great; and shouldest destroy the earth.
The angel foresaw and announced that the kingdoms
of this world have become, the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Then the angel gave an epitomized review of
the events which immediately usher in that glorious consummation. He said:
The nations were angry.
Thy wrath is come.
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged.
(is come).
And (the time) that thou shouldest give rewards unto thy servants
the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great.
And shouldest destroy
them which destroy the earth.
[Page 65]
Stop and consider! God is not unrighteous
to forget,
your work and labour of love. He comes and His reward is with Him to give to every one as
his work shall be.
What we would impress
concerning our Lords return is all summed up for us in a startling statement
in the hook of James:
THE JUDGE STANDETH AT THE DOOR
First of all, God
comforts persecuted
and impoverished saints with the fact of
Christs soon coming:
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the
Lord, Behold, the husbandman waiteth for
the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it,
until he receive the early and latter rain.
Be ye also
patient; stablish your hearts: for
the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (Jas. 5: 7-8).
Afterward, God warns grudging saints with
the words:
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned (Jas. 5: 9).
Then God says:
BEHOLD, THE JUDGE STANDETH AT THE DOOR.
In these last days we
need an enlarged and scriptural conception of Christ as JUDGE, at His Coming.
Saints should live more
cautiously and consistently if they grasped the fuller meanings of The Judge at the Door.
1.
Christ at His Coming will judge the
saints at His Bema in the air (2 Corinthians 5:
10).*
2.
Christ will judge the inhabited earth
for its wickedness, during the Great Tribulation (Revelation
11: 18).
3.
Christ will judge living
4.
Christ, after He steps on Olivet, will judge
the nations for their treatment of the Jews (Matthew
25: 31-46).
5.
Christ will judge the world during
His reign on Davids throne: (Isaiah 9: 6; Acts 17: 31).
Thus we see, undoubtedly, the judge-ship of Christ. However, in our present
study we must narrow ourselves [Page 66] down to one
consideration: The Bema Judgment, or the judgment of all believers at
Christs Coming. His judgment
Seat will be set, neither on the earth nor in heaven, but in the air. Thither all in Christ both the dead and the
living, will be raptured at Christs coming for His saints.
We now propose, by Gods aid, to dwell more
especially upon that phase of Christs Judgment Seat which has to do with His
unprofitable servants.
The songs of those who received
rewards for having done good, is the more pleasant theme. The sorrows of those who have done
bad, is the more needed theme.
Think for a moment! Are the majority of saints, the spiritual or
the carnal? the good or the bad? the serving or the slackers?
It is good to cheer on the faithful, it is
likewise necessary to warn the weak.
This latter we will seek to do.
But why dost thou judge
thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand
before the judgment seat of Christ.
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and
every tongue shall confess to God.
So then every one of us shall give
account of himself to God.
Let us not therefore judge one another
any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block
or an occasion to fall in his brothers way.
Three statements are forcefully set forth:
1. We shall all stand before the judgment seat of
Christ.
Not one can escape.
We may absent ourselves
from the assembling of saints down here, but we must stand before Christ up
there.
2. We shall bow the knee, and confess with the
mouth to God.
There is nothing covered
that shall not he revealed; or hid, that shall not be made known. The whole
story of our lives, as Christians, must be laid bare.
3. We shall every one, give in HIS OWN ACCOUNT.
[Page
67]
Our records must be spread before Him. The statement of our Stewardship must be
rendered.
It is easy to display anothers evil
deeds. At the Bema we will be held to
our own deeds, and ours only.
In view of these three divine SHALLS as set forth above, the [Holy] Spirit does two things:
1. He asks, Why dost thou judge
thy brother? or, Why dost thou set at naught thy brother?
If we lived in the light of the coming judgment
seat of Christ where we must pass in our own record, we would do more sweeping
at our own doorstep, and less at our brothers.
CONCERNING
THIS PHASE OF THE BEMA JUDGMENT CHRIST GAVE US SOME STARTLING REVELATIONS.
2. He admonishes, Let us
not therefore judge one another any more.
And why should we? Wherein we judge another, we, alas, too often
condemn ourselves, for we do the same thing.
1. Christ
established a basis of judgment relative to offences.
Judge not, that ye be
not judged.
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in
thy brothers eye, but considerest not the beam
that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold a beam is in
thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam
out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see
clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye. (Matthew 7: 13).
This scripture needs no comment. It means what it says: Our Lord will judge
us, after the manner in which we judge others.
2. Christ set
forth a condition
of divine forgiveness.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not
men their trespass, neither will your Fattier
forgive your trespasses. (Matt. 6: 14-15).
A wayfaring man, cannot mistake the meaning of
this quotation. It is this: If we do not
forgive, we will not be [Page 68] forgiven. If we are not forgiven, then what? Simply this, we must pay the
price.
3. Christ
fully revealed the results of an unforgiving spirit.
(a) He gave
orders as to our attitude toward a brother who trespassed against us.
Moreover if thy brother
shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his
fault between thee and him alone: if he shall
hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not
hear thee, then take with thee one or two more,
that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word
may be established. (Matthew 18: 15-16).
Observe that our dealings with an offending
brother must first be between him and thee alone. We dare not publish anothers sin to the
winds.
(b) He gave us a criterion on forgiving our brother who
trespasses against us.
Then came Peter to him,
and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven
times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until
seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
(Matthew 18: 21-22).
We who seek forgiveness may do well to remember
this seventy times seven as Gods standard, transmitted to us for
our obedience.
(c) He gave a
parable setting forth the method in which God punishes the unforgiving saint.
This was given in answer to Peters query How oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Here is the parable:
Therefore is the
kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which
would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him,
which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and
payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me,
and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was
moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the
debt.
But the same servant went out, and found one of
his [Page 69] fellow-servants, which owed him an hundred
pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me
that thou owest.
(Matthew 18: 23-28).
That was a poor way for one who had just been
forgiven, to talk. Pay me!
And his fellow-servant
fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he
would not: but went and cast him in prison, till he should pay
his debt.
So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and
came and told their lord all that was done.
Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all
that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy
fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was
wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your
hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18: 29-35).
People who become angry at others, often boast
about it, and pat themselves on the back, saying, It
is a way I have. They think it
is funny, Do you justify yourself when you fly into a rage and harbour a bitter
heart, and an angry spirit toward your brother?
Your Lord forgave you so great a debt. You never could have paid Him what you
owed. He went to the Cross, and died for
you. Having taken the punishment due
you, and having borne your stripes, He freely forgave you. He opened the prison
bars and set you free. Will you in turn,
seize your brother who owes you so little, and cast him into prison?
The servant in the parable, who cast his own
servant into prison till he should pay all that was due, was in turn cast into
prison. Hear Christs conclusion: So likewise shall your Heavenly Father do unto, you. Think you, that you can
be unforgiving, and escape Gods condemnation?
Remember, grace is no license to
licentiousness. Grace never gives any
man a leeway for hatred against his brother.
How oft shalt thou
forgive thy brother?
That depends:
How often has thy Lord
forgiven thee?
[Page 70] Thy debt was great; it could not greater be,
And yet, thou art
forgiven and set free!
Wilt thou not then
forgive thy brother
Who offends?
Or, wilt thou thrust him
in the darksome jail,
And cause him at thy
ignominy to quail
Until he pays thee all
thou dost entail?
If thou wilt not forgive
thy brother,
What impends?
As thou hast done, thy
Lord will do to you:
Hell punish thee till
thou hast paid His due;
In all His dealings God
is righteous, true.
There is a vital connection between the final
warning of Christ in Matthew 18:
34-35, and the words in Romans
fourteen. Mark the last verse of the parable:
And his lord was wroth,
and delivered him to his tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto
him. (Matthew 18: 34).
Then, you remember, there followed these
shocking and solemn words:
So likewise shall my
heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother
their trespasses. (Matthew 18: 35).
Evidently the Lord severely punishes the
unforgiving saint - but when and where?
In this life, beyond a doubt - for it is
written:
And ye have forgotten
the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou are rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth
he chasteneth,
and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure
chastening, God
dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (Hebrews 12: 5-7).
However, suppose the Lords child does not
profit by his Fathers rod? Suppose he
does not profit by his Fathers correction, nor afterward yield
the peaceable fruit of righteousness - then what? Suppose he continues in his evil way?
[Page
71]
It is just here that Romans
fourteen
takes up the warning: Let us read again verse ten,
But why dost thou judge
thy brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy
brother? for we shall all stand before the
judgment seat of Christ. (Romans 14:
10).
We are first questioned about judging our
brother in view of the fact that we must answer for our own deeds: then in verse 13, we are urged not to judge one
another any more.
On the other hand in Romans
15: 7 we are admonished:
Wherefore receive ye
one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
Forgive? Ill go my foe
one better:
If he hungers, him Ill
feed.
If he thirsts, Ill meet
his need,
Ill forgive, as God to
me
Didst forgive iniquity.
Forgive? He owes me but a little:
How can I Gods love
forget,
And refuse to pay my
debt?
Help me Lord, Thy love
to know,
Unto all Thy mercies
show.
2. THE
JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST AS SEEN IN 1 COR. 3:
8-15.
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his
own labour.
For we are labourers together with God:
Ye are Gods husbandry, ye are Gods 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 foundation can no man lay than that
is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build
upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every mans work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire
shall try every mans work of what sort it is. If any mans work abide which he hath built
thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any mans work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he
himself shall be saved; yet, so as by fire.
The day shall declare
it, (1 Corinthians 3: 13) evidently looks on to
the Judgment Seat of Christ. It is there
that we shall give our account. It is
there that every one [Page 72] shall receive
his own
reward according to his own labour.
In the scripture before us:
1. The saved are labourers
together with God. We are labourers not for God, so much as with God. We are labourers building upon Jesus Christ,
the divinely laid foundation.
As labourers we should take heed
how we build.
2. There are
two classes of material set forth, the one is gold, silver, precious stones; the other is wood, hay, stubble.
The first class stands for spiritualities, as set over against carnalities.
The one is the service of saints who live after the spirit, and sow to the spirit; the other is saints who live after the flesh, and sow to the flesh.
3. There are
two results in building.
The one who builds gold, silver, precious
stones, receives a reward; the one who builds wood, hay, stubble, suffers loss.
Let us follow the sad estate of the latter, the
one who suffers loss.
(a) His judgment is a
judgment of fire.
The fire shall try
every mans work of
what sort it is.
The fire does not destroy the gold, silver, nor
the precious stones.
The fire utterly consumes the wood, hay, and
stubble.
Carnal Christians stand before the Lord empty
handed, saved, so as by fire. They have no trophies to lay at their
Masters feet.
(b) The one whose works are
burned suffers loss.
Paul ill his early life suffered the loss of all things
that he might win Christ. His sufferings
because of his worldly loss, were intense; his joys will, by and by, be
entrancing.
The carnal believer saves his life from
suffering for Christ; he shuns the cross, while he pampers the flesh: thus he loses his life in
its possibility of rewards. At the coming of
Christ he suffers loss. His suffering, in the
realm of lost [Page 73] rewards, will be just as real and intense as was Pauls
suffering loss, in the realm of earthly gains.
Once more let us turn aside to two of our Lords
messages on the faithful and unfaithful servants; even as a moment ago we
turned back to examine our Lords message concerning the unforgiving servant.
A. We will consider Christs parable of the
talents. This is found in Matthew.
And unto one he gave
five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every
man according to his several ability; and
straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents
went and traded with the same, and made them
other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged
in the earth, and hid his lords money. After a long time the
lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them (Matt. 25: 15-19).
We have read a simple and yet sublime parable of
the present day occupation of saints.
Christ has gone to heaven for an indefinite
period. When He comes again He will call
His servants for reckoning. We have time
only to consider the slothful servant who went and hid his talent in the
earth. He was wicked and slothful, nevertheless, a servant.
To each man, the pounds were allotted according
to his ability. The Master went away,
and returned after so long a time.
It was then that the servants were called for their reckoning.
It is easy to say that this evil servant in the
parable represents those in the church who are not saved, instead of the saved;
the professor instead of the possessor.
The simple facts are these: First of all our Lord does not place His talents in the hand of the unregenerate; secondly, there are many among the truly saved who are hiding their talents* in the earth.
[* NOTE. What is meant by hiding their talents in the earth? ANSWER.
Refusing to disclose scriptural truths to others, what the Holy Spirit
has disclosed to them!]
Besides, this judgment of works takes place at
Christs return when only the saved are judged for their works. The [Page 74] judgment of the
works of the unregenerate [and regenerate] wicked,* take place at the Great White Throne one
thousand years later.
[*
See Psa. 1: 5. cp. 2
Pet. 3: 17; Num. 16: 26; Matt. 18: 32; 1 Cor. 5: 13.]
What then was the lot of the wicked and slothful
servant? In 1
Corinthians 3: 15 he suffers loss. In Matthew 25: 28
he loses his talent first of all, and then, in verse
30, he is said to be cast into outer darkness, where
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Beyond doubt so serious a sentence as outer darkness and weeping and gashing of teeth startles us.
We therefore immediately ask several things:
(a) Will Christians at Christs coming be
judged according to their works? They
certainly will be so judged, according to many scriptures.
(b) Will
negligent Christians suffer loss? Certainly,
yes.
B. Christs parable of
the pounds. This
is found in Luke.
It was given because the people thought that the
Here is the parable:
He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy
till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him,
saying, We will not have this man to reign over
us. And
it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him,
Well done, thou good
servant: because
thou hast been faithful in a very little,
have thou authority over ten cities. And the
second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained
five pounds.
And he said likewise to him, Be thou also
over five cities. And another came,
saying, Lord,
behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because
thou art in austere man: thou takest up that
thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou
didst not sow.
And he saith unto him, Out of thine own
mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not
down, and reaping that I did not sow. Wherefore [Page
75] then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them
that stood by.
Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto
him, Lord, he
hath ten pounds). For I say unto you, that unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath
not,
even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which
would not that I should reign over them, bring
hither, and slay them before me, (Luke 19: 12-27)
The nobleman who goes to the far country is
Christ. The servants are the saints who occupy
between the interim of Christs going to be with the Father, and His return to
receive His own unto Himself.
At His coming the Lord will seek to know how much every man has gained by trading.
The rewards have to do with and centre in the
reign of Christ about to be inaugurated. They will he given out according to each mans
gain.
The wicked servant who laid up his pound in a
napkin is reproved for his slothfulness, and his pound is taken from him.
We may well dread the day of His coming, if we
have failed to use our pound.
Remember, the wicked servant of this parable is
not accused of but one thing - a failure to occupy, to trade,
to do business for God.
It is no small matter that so many [regenerate] believers waste their
time. They sit around as though they had
nothing to do, forgetting that God hath said: And to every man
his work.
We are labourers together with Christ Jesus. How then can we sit idly by while the fields
are white unto the harvest?
Nothing to do!
There is everything to do.
Millions have never heard of Christ [or of His Millennial
Kingdom upon this earth, when the creation itself also
shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory
of the children of God (Rom. 8: 21).]. Every city and
village and community, even in our own land has its un-reached and even
un-solicited populace.
[Page 76]
God pity those Christians who are mere
seat-warmers, with their pounds wrapped up in napkins.
The do nothing
servant had [will
have] no easy lot, in the day of the kings return.
Sin hastens. Let me haste,
I have no time to waste;
Up let my motto be,
And on across the sea
Until salvations word,
By evry soul is heard:
May I no duty shirk,
Lord, may I truly work.
Oh, Saviour let me be
From loitering set free;
Be this my faithful vow,
To do Thy bidding now;
To go where Thou dost
say,
To follow in the way,
And then Gods praise to
share
In His great overthere.
3. THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST AS SEEN IN 2 COR. 5: 9-11.
Wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him,
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body
according to that he hath done, whether it is
good or bad.
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord,
we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto
God; and I trust also are made manifest in your
consciences. (2 Corinthians 5: 9-11).
We have considered the Bema Judgment in its
relation, first, to the unforgiving servant; second, in its relation to service. We now consider it, in
its relation to conduct according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Solemn things lie before us. Christian people the country over, have an
idea that the saved can live as they like, and that it will not matter when
they stand at the Bema.
1. Gods call
is to holy living.
Grace is full and free in [eternal] salvation. However,
according to Titus 2: 11-12 The grace of God that bringeth salvation ... teaches
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly [Page 77] lusts, we
should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world.
Christians may walk after divers lusts, but they
should crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof.
Christians may sin, however, God has written, Little children, I write unto you that ye
sin not.
Christians may stumble and falter by the way, however, God has
said Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling (stumbling).
Lord, may I live what I
profess;
The
faith I hold, may I possess
In life, and words, and
holiness:
Lord, keep me true.
To doctrine I would give
due heed,
Yet, may my life adorn
my creed,
Thus meeting all my brothers need
In what I say, and do.
2. Pauls ambition was to be accepted when he stood
at the Judgment Seat of Christ. He said:
Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or
absent, we may be accepted. (2 Corinthians 5: 9).
Do we labour to stand approved?
In First Corinthians 9: 24-27 Paul,
in speaking of so running that he might receive
the incorruptible prize, said:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should he a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:
27).
Do we purposefully and determinately so run?
To labour that we may stand approved of Christ at
the Bema, is a hallowed ambition.
Peter spoke in the Spirit, of giving all diligence to adding spiritualities, For,
said he:
So an entrance shall be
ministered unto you abundantly
into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1: 11).
Let me so fight that I
may stand confessed,
All robed in white,
among Thy very best:
May I a crown of radiant
glory wear,
And enter in with Thee
Thy joy to share.
[Page 78]
Let me so run that I may
stand approved,
By all the foes which
battle never moved;
And then may I a
victors laurel wear,
A wreath both
incorruptible and fair.
3.
At the
Judgment Seat of Christ we will receive according to that we have done in the
body, whether good or bad.
May we quote again a part of our scripture:
For we must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ; that every
one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be
good or bad. (2 Cor. 5: 10).
(a) We shall receive for the
GOOD we have done.
No one will hesitate to say a hearty Amen! Yea, all will even add an enthusiastic, Hallelujah!
We all believe in, and we all rejoice in rewards
for our good.
(b) We shall receive for the
BAD we have done.
Now we hesitate.
I hear no Amens! Instead,
many begin to tremble. What think you -
shall saints at the judgment in the air receive for the bad they have done? According to our scripture - yes.
You ask at once - what will they receive? Certainly not crowns, and
kingdom glories.
Any child, properly reared, will tell you what
he receives for bad behaviour ... He will say, a
spanking.
Still you hesitate. You thought there could be no sorrow at the
Judgment Seat of Christ. You thought
there could be nothing by way of chastisement, and certainly nothing like
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then what did the Holy Spirit mean when Paul,
after saying, that every one shall receive according to that he hath done, whether it be .... bad, added, knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men.
What does 1 Corinthians 9: 27
mean when it says?
But I keep under my
body, and bring it into subjection: [Page 79] lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway!
To stand disapproved, a castaway
at the judgment seat of Christ, could give no one a thrill of joy, but it could
easily give weeping and wailing.
What does 1 John 2: 28
mean when it says?
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and
not be ashamed before him at his coming.
Will there be songs and shouts of joy, or will there be
sorrow and sighs among saints who are ashamed before Him, when He comes?
Do you still hesitate to accept the [Holy] Spirits words in 2 Corinthians 5: 9,
about appearing at the Bema to receive for the bad you have done?
The sum of Gods Word assures the truth of any
one statement of that Word. Let us then
turn to Col. 3: 24-25.
Knowing that of the
Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
Could any scripture be more plain? He that doeth wrong
shall receive for the wrong he hath done.
Do you argue that our sins were placed under the
blood when we were saved, and they are gone forever? That is gloriously true. But what about the bad we
have done since we were saved?
Do you urge, that If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness? We reply, Certainly. But what about unconfessed sins?
First Corinthians 11: 31
says, For if we would judge ourselves we should not be judged.
If we do not judge ourselves, then, Behold, the judge standeth before the door.
Think you that a just judge will
ignore our un-confessed evil conduct?
[Page 80]
Shall pity, or
justice, rule at the Judgment Seat of Christ?
Shall; not the judge of all the earth do right?
Would it be right to reward the righteous, and to
leave the unrighteous unrequited?
Shall Abraham and
Shall Paul and Detmas alike receive incorruptible
crowns?
Shall the believer who has borne the heat of the
battle, stand on the same plane of victory with the slacker who came not to the
help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty?
Will the deserter inherit with the overcomer?
Will the one who left the faith, reign with the
one who contended for the faith?
Will the one who lived for earthly riches, and
glory, be alike at the Bema with the one who counted the world as loss and
pressed his way toward the prize of the upcalling?
Nay, - the bad will receive for the bad he hath
done.
Nay, - the evil servant shall weep and wail with gnashing
of teeth as he sees the overcoming saints going into the kingdom, and he,
himself, shut out.*
[* See Matt.
5: 20; 7: 21.]
Saved? Yes, the bad servants will be saved - saved
by grace. They will have eternal life by
grace and be forever with the Lord; yet, they will be saved so as
through the fire.
Saved? yes, saved, but saved with the loss of those matchless rewards which might have been
theirs.
Saved, - but with no place in the
kingdom reign.
Saved, - but with no rulership over the
cities of the kingdom.
Saved, - but with no crown.
Before we close we must give yon, as we did in
sections 1, and 2, Christs own words about the
evil servant who began to eat and to drink with the drunken.
This is found in Matthew 24: 42-51.
[Page
81]
Watch therefore:
for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this,
that if the good man of the house had known in what
watch the thief would come, he would have
watched, and would not have suffered his house
to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a
faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that
servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find
so doing.
Verily I say unto you, That he shall make
him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant shall
say in his heart, My
lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to
smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink
with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall
come in a day when he looketh not for him, and
in an hour that he is not aware of. And shall
cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
1. The evil servant of
Christs message cannot represent the unsaved inasmuch as the evil servant
said, My Lord, delayeth his coming. He called Christ, Lord. Then Christ spake of himself as the LORD of that servant.
2. The sin of the evil servant was bad
conduct, occasioned by his loss of the hope of
Christs imminent coming.
Unto this day the loss of the hope
leads to worldly entanglements. A post-millennial church, becomes, a world-centered church.
3. The judgment
of the evil servant gives an insight as to what those who have done bad will
receive at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
(a) He was cut asunder. He had no part or lot with the wise servant.
(b) He found his portion
with the hypocrites - he, at least,
was not alone, in his condemnation.
(c) He had weeping and
gnashing of teeth. This is only
one out of seven similar statements, by our Lord.
To explain these things, we cannot. We, however, certainly accept the Word of our Lord, as authoritative and final.
We accept that the Lord will
judge his people.
We accept Pauls warning: Knowing, therefore, the terror of the
Lord we persuade men.
[Page
82]
We believe It is a fearful thing
to fall into the hands of the living God; fearful even to HIS PEOPLE;
fearful both in this life
and at the Bema.
For our part we will seek to stand approved and
not disapproved in His presence.
You who would urge the impossibility of
unfaithful believers experiencing sorrow or suffering for their wrong at the
judgment Scat of Christ, should consider carefully and open-mindedly these
words from Gods own heart:
If we suffer, we shall also reign with
him: if
we deny him, he also will deny
us (2 Timothy 2: 12).
Some saints suffer with Him [for the TRUTH of His word] now,
they shall reign with Him then; some saints (the same we) deny Him [and the TRUTH of His word] now, they shall be
denied at the Bema, they shall be refused the [entrance and] reign [then].
Will there not be a ratio of equality in Gods judgment
toward the righteous and evil servants?
For instance: we read, Love your enemies, and your reward shall be GREAT. Therefore, if we hate our enemies, and we forgive them not; shall our sorrow not
be equally as GREAT?
In conclusion we appeal to our readers that they
press their way toward Gods best in rewards.
Our Lord, for the joy which
was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame. Let this mind be also in us.
Moses accepted the reproaches of Christ, forsaking
the treasures and the pleasures of
Let the Christian now
choose,
Lest his crown he should
lose,
Lest he fail of
obtaining the prize;
He must suffer the loss,
Count the world as but
dross,
If he seeks for reward
in the skies.
Out the ramp he must go
[Page 83] Bear the shame and the
woe
That befalleth the
faithful and true;
He must run well his
race,
And not slacken his
pace,
Bidding all that may
hinder, Adieu.
If he suffers the shame,
And the stigma and
blame,
He will reign with his
Lord by and by;
But if Christ he denies,
And the suffering
defies,
Then the Lord will deny
him on high.
-------
My heart did not aspire
For kingdom joys: I cast
that HOPE away,
And lived for self, for
time, for vain display;
And now, alas, my wrong
I must repay
Just saved, so as by fire.
I knew it would be so -
I knew that those who
suffer, bear His pain,
Would in His earthly
kingdom, with Him reign;
The faithful only would
the kingdom gain -
Where joys for aye oer
flow.
How doth my spirit groan
-
As now I see the crowned
go marching in,
I know that in their
group I might have been,
Crowned with the
victor-saints, mid cherubim -
Instead, I weep and
moan.
Tis now too late I ween
-
Christ has gone in to
sit on Davids throne,
Around Him gather all
His worthy own;
While I excluded stand
without a crown -
Yet, once it might have
been.
* *
*
[Page
84]
CHAPTER 4
What About
MISSING
THE KINGDOM?
The message of the
Epistle to the Hebrews is peculiarly a message of the Kingdom.
We believe that Christ, as our Great High
Priest, holds a conspicuous place in the epistle, and yet even the major
message of His priesthood is not after the Aaronic, but the Melchisedec
pattern. This Melchisedec was a king-priest, and a type of Christ as King-Priest when He reigns on
Davids throne.
We believe again that Hebrews carries a vital
message on Christs superiority to angels, and to Moses; however, in each case
His superiority relates to His coming earth heirship and ministry.
Once more we grant that Hebrews carries a
definite message about the blood of Christ, as Gods great and covenant
sacrifice. Yet, in relation to this hallowed offering once and for all, and in
relation to His present entrance into heaven itself, where He appears before
God for us, is given this definite statement:
So Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin
unto salvation (Hebrew 9: 28).
We believe that Hebrews is pre-eminently an
epistle on the Kingdom, and on the Kingdom from a distinct and unique
standpoint.
Hebrews, in its Kingdom-testimony presents and
enlarges upon one tremendous warning, and one great plea. The warning, is lest we fall by the way, and fail to
enter into our kingdom-heirship. The plea is for us to go with
Christ outside the camp, so that we may enter with Him into, His reign.
[Page
85]
We ask our readers to follow with us, keeping an
open mind, as we enlarge upon this theme so vital to the Christians present
day living and to his future rewards.
1
A NEW VISION OF HEBREWS
We sat, one day, asking God for a testimony
which we might deliver to our people. Our
mind was running over the matchless message of Hebrews eleven.
As we sat in our study we slowly read the first
verse.
Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11: 1).
As we paused and considered - suddenly a new
light dawned upon us. Quickly we said -
this definition of faith is not that of the faith which looks back
to Calvary, the faith whereby we are justified, but it is that of the faith
which looks on [into the future] to the things unseen.
Then we inwardly wondered if the heroes of the
faith mentioned by name in this marvellous chapter were each, in turn, an
example of this definition of faith?
That is, did Abel, and Enoch and Noah, and Abraham, and the rest, each have a faith which gave substance to things
hoped for, and evidence of things not seen?
The result of our search was a demonstration
that Gods star-cluster of heroes in Hebrews eleven, did, undoubtedly, outline
the whole of prophetic story.
A poem we wrote at that time will reveal to the
reader the conclusions of our discovery.
Faith looks afar and substance gives
To things hoped for: it always lives
With strong convictions;
firmly clings;
Gives evidence to unseen
things:
The faith of Abel saw the
Blood,
Far down the years, a
crimson flood;
And Abels sacrifice
replete
Came up to God, an odour
sweet.
[Page 86]
The faith of Enoch saw
the hour
When Christ would come
in mighty power,
Translating all who know
the Lord,
Who walk with Him, obey
His word:
Thus, God translated
Enoch, too,
A type, a picture ever
true,
Of those caught up to
Christ on high.
Of living saints who
never die.
The faith of Noah saw
the flood
Foretold by Gods
unerring Word;
An ark faith built, a
shelter sure
That would his household
keep secure;
But, Noahs faith saw
down the years
Another day, a time of
tears,
When God shall set the
world afire
With famine, sword, and
judgments dire.
The faith of Abraham
portrayed
A far-flung vision, He
obeyed,
And left his fatherland,
to view
Another country, for he
knew
That in the distant
years, his seed
From bondage and from
Gentile freed,
Forgiven and restored,
would stand,
Inheriting the promised
land.
The faith of Sara saw a
seed
Born unto one as good as
dead;
Her faith gave strength to
her to bear,
And bring to birth this
seed, this heir
Of promises
foretold. In him
She saw a multitude of
men,
In numbers as the stars
of sky,
And as the sands of
seashore, nigh.
The faith of Abraham did
see
His son raised up, from
death set free.
This man of faith looked
down the years
And saw death robbed of
all its fears,
Saw Christ raised up;
believers, too,
All* raised, translated, made anew
With bodies changed and
glorified,
With Christ forever to
abide.
The faith of Abrams
sons saw well
How
[Page 87] In her own land, forever blest,
Their sufferings and
wrongs redressed;
How
And dwell together with
one King;
How she would rest for
aye, secure
As long as sun and moon
endure.
The faith of Moses gladly
shared
The poverty of saints,
nor cared
For
Earths pleasures for
the blest reward
Which he foresaw the
Lord would bring
When he came back to
earth as King;
Thus Moses heard the
Spirits call,
And faith chose Christ
as all-in-all.
The faith of many saints
looked down
Through many ages, saw
their crown;
They knew that Christ
would come again,
That they with Him would
live and reign;
In faith they lived, in
faith they died,
The promises, not
verified,
Disturbed them not, because
faith knew
The Word was sure, and
God was true.
The faith of all the
saints, who live
Today upon the earth,
should give
To God a faith as
strong, as true
As saints of old were
used to do;
Gods galaxy of heroes
still
Is open unto all who
will,
By deeds of faith write
in their name,
And thus attain a
lasting fame.
As we sat that day, alone, with our open Bible,
once again, and quite as suddenly, a second query came to our mind. It was this: Does the whole book of Hebrews
centre in the things to come? We began
anew the perusal of Hebrews - a perusal from a different angle. The result of that study (a study which still
goes on) is the message of this booklet.
2
SOME DIFFICULT SCRIPTURES
IN HEBREWS
During
the early years of our ministry the warnings of [Page
88] Hebrews 3, and 4, were a source of great
concern. Then, again, Hebrews 6: 1-12 (especially 4-6),
staggered us.
We had been brought up in the lap of
Calvinism. We believed tenaciously in
the security of the believer. We were
established in this - a saved soul can not be lost.
What then, meant these strange and startling
warnings from the pen of God, found in the epistle to the Hebrews?
We soon learned how to explain them away to
the satisfaction of the majority. We
used the professor and possessor method, a
method still commonly employed.
Relative to that oft disputed scripture Hebrews 6: 4-6, we taught that the
words referred to an unbeliever who was almost, but not wholly saved. We taught that the unbeliever in question,
was enlightened, but yet loved darkness rather than light; that he had tasted
the heavenly gift, but did not swallow; that he was led along by the Holy
Ghost, but balked by the way, etc.
No matter how we helped others, we ourselves,
were not fully satisfied.
Our interpretation had by no means conquered us;
it had its still guessing. The
great scripture bulwarks on security were too strong to
permit us to believe that the saved could be lost, and yet, what did these
scriptures in Hebrews 6: 4-6 mean?
As the new vision of Gods message in Hebrews
dawned upon us; in a flash all of these difficult passages in our Epistle fell
into their God-sent message, and our heart rejoiced.
We saw that we could not lose eternal life,
but we could - [through disobedience and unbelief] - lose a place in the [millennial] kingdom. All of
this will be made plain as we proceed.
3
KEY VERSES
God places the key which unlocks His books
in a handy place. There are two keys - a major and a minor -
to [Page 89] the book of
Hebrews. With these keys placed in their
locks, the Epistle opens readily, and the contents of the book lie before us in
full display.
Key No. 1 is found in the first chapter, verse
two. Here it is:
His Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things.
Christ is heir of all things. In Colossians
1: 16-17 we read:
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were
created by him, and for him:
And he is before all
things, and by him all things consist.
Into Christs all things an enemy entered and
laid claim. The result is scripturally
set forth: The whole world lieth in wickedness. (the wicked one). (1 John 5: 19).
On the mountain, Satan showed to Christ all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and said unto him: All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down
and worship me.
Christ did not deny Satans claims, He did
emphatically refuse his request.
God says to the Son, Ask of me,
and I shall give thee the heathen, for thine
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy
possession
(Psalms 2: 8).
When will this be accomplished? Even when God sets His king upon the
holy hill of Zion.*
[* NOTE.
That sceptre is to be
stretched forth out of
Hebrews 1: 6
tells us when Christ will enter into His heirship, and be worshipped of angels.
And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the
angels of God worship him (Hebrews 1: 6).
When the time draws near for Christ to enter upon
His heirship, Satan will he chained and cast into the pit of the abyss.
[Page
90]
Even now we
can catch the echoes of heavens magnificat [declaration]:
The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of
our Lord and of his Christ (Revelation
11: 15).
The promise through Isaiah must shortly come to
pass.
For unto us a child is
born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his
shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9: 6).
The promise of Gabriel to Mary is sure and
certain.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a
son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of His
father David:
And he shall reign over the house of
Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1: 31-33.)
This is the heirship of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Arise, 0 Lord, the night
is far oer spent,
The harvest of the earth
is ripe in sin;
The wicked hold the
reigns; the woes begin;
The world on evil sets
its heart intent.
The nations gather, and
the night grows on:
They set themselves
together, Christ to rout;
They cast His cords
away, break loose and shout
Against the Lord, and
His anointed One:
The Jews now languish,
as they plead for Thee,
Their hearts grow weary;
hark, flow deep their sigh:
Come down, 0 Lord, our foes against its cry;
Come down to reign - the throne belongs
to Thee,
Burst forth and
shine, 0 Sun of righteousness,
Come down Thy
chosen people to redress.
Key No. 2 is found safely hidden away in Hebrews 1:14.
The key verse reads:
Are they not all
ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1: 14).
In Key No. 1 - Christ is
heir.
In Key No. 2 - [worthy] Saints are heirs.
We wonder if this is a joint-heirship. In Romans 8: 17, we read: And joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we [Page 91] suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Let us then examine our Key No. 2, with concern.
Christ is an heir to the kingdoms of this world.
Saints are [to be] heirs of salvation.
If the heirship,
therefore, of Hebrews 1: 2 (Key No. 1), and of Hebrews 1:
14 (Key No. 2) is a joint heirship,
then the [future] salvation of Hebrews 1: 14
must have to do with our reigning with Christ in His [thousand-year] Kingdom. This brings us to our next consideration.
4
SALVATION IN THE BOOK OF
HEBREWS
In the popular conception, the word salvation refers to something
which came to us when we were saved. It
carries with it our redemption from sin, and our justification by faith through
the blood of Christ. It is therefore a conception
of something which happened and was concluded when we first came to Christ.
Salvation, however, at the cross, had but its beginning so
far as its deeper and fuller fruition is concerned.
1. BEFORE WE
LOOK AT SALVATION,
AS HEBREWS PRESENTS IT;
LET US READ A
FEW OTHER SCRIPTURES TO PREPARE THE WAY.
1. There is a statement in 2 Timothy 2: 10 that will help:
Therefore I endure all
things for the elects sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation
which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
We see in this scripture a salvation in Christ
Jesus, with eternal glory.
We further see that it is yet
to be obtained by the elect.
Finally we see that Paul endured all things for
the elect, that
is the saved, that they might obtain this future salvation.
Perhaps verse twelve
will elucidate verse ten:
If we suffer, we shall
also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.
[Page
92]
In other words salvation, in verse ten is synonymous with reigning
with Christ, in verse
twelve.
2. There is a statement found in Romans 13: 11:
And that, knowing the time, that now is
it high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
When we are saved from sin at the cross, then we
start our march toward a further and future salvation.
That salvation daily draws nearer. The context shows that
it points to Christs return, because verse
twelve
says: The night is far spent, and the day is at hand.
This present evil age is night
Christ second coming is day.
3. There is a third scripture: you will find
it in Peters first epistle, chapter one, verse five.
Who are kept by the
power of God through faith unto salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time!
Verse four, of
the same chapter, tells of our inheritance reserved in heaven for us.
Verse five, calls
the inheritance
of verse 4, salvation, ready to, be revealed in the last time.
Verses
6 and 7 tell how the coming salvation is
a source of joy - wherein ye greatly rejoice, and then speaks of the appearing of
Jesus Christ.
Thus in three scriptures (2 Tim. 2: 10, Rom. 13: 11, and 1 Pet. 1: 5) we have
found particulars of a coming salvation.
2. WE ARE NOW READY TO
RETURN TO HEBREWS, AND CATCH THE DEEPER
MEANING OF HEBREWS 1:14, WHERE SAINTS ARE CALLED
HEIRS OF
SALVATION.
1. Let us take the verses of Hebrews 2: 1-3 which develop the word begun in Hebrews 1: 14. The second chapter opens with Therefore,
and is, accordingly, linked to what precedes in the last verse of the first
chapter.
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which
we have heard, lest at any time we should let (them) slip.
[Page
93]
For if the word spoken
by angels was stedfast, and every transgression
and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
How shall we
escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at
the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and
was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. (Heb. 2: 1-3).
May we tabulate some things found in these three
verses:
(1). We are invoked to give heed - earnest heed - the more
earnest heed to the things we have heard.
(2). We are urged not to let slip (the word them is not in the original).
(3). We, not
the unsaved, are warned that we
shall not escape if we neglect
so great salvation.
The great salvation of Hebrews 2: 3,
is undoubtedly, the same salvation as that of Hebrews 1: 14,
to which we are heirs.
The [Holy] Spirit explains to what He refers by the salvation of which we are heirs; and the salvation which we must not neglect, when He tells us in Hebrews 2: 5 that He is speaking of the habitable world to come. That world is the age which is now about to
dawn, even the age when the kingdoms of this world shall become the
Kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ.
2. Let us weigh deeply a
verse found in Heb. 9: 28.
So Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many; and unto
them that look for him shall he
appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
This passage gives Gods own definition of salvation
as used in
the book of Hebrews. It tells us that Christ shall appear
the second time apart from sin unto salvation.
Let its now sum up what we have said:
1. The three scriptures
from other epistles:
(1) That they
(the elect) may obtain
salvation.
2 Tim. 2:
10.
(2) Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Rom. 13: 11.
[Page 94]
(3) Kept by the
power of God
... unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last
time. 1 Peter 1: 8.
2. The
three scriptures from Hebrews:
(1) Heirs of salvation.
Heb. 1: 14.
(2) So great a salvation.
The habitable world to come, whereof we speak. Heb. 2: 3, 5.
(3) He ... shall appear the second time unto salvation.
Heb. 9: 28.
3. IN LINE WITH SALVATION
AS USED IN CONNECTION WITH CHRISTS COMING AND OUR REIGNING WITH HIM. LET US STUDY CHRTSTS
MESSAGE ON SAVING AND
LOSING ONES LIFE [soul].
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever
will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
For
what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
For
the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shill reward every man according to his work. (Matthew 16: 25-27).
In considering this scripture, we do not think of salvation from hell,*
but of the saving of the life, by the obtainment of the rewards which Christ
will bring with Him at His coming.
[* NOTE.
Always keep in mind: Hell, as translated in
the A.V., is not synonymous with the lake of fire
- the eternal place and state of the lost after the time of their Resurrection,
(Rev. 20: 13): it is the place of the dead; from the time
of Death until that of Resurrection: and, it is the soul
of man - the man himself without a glorified and immortal
body of flesh
and bones,
(Luke 24: 24: 39) - which descends into Hades, in the heart of the
earth, (Matt. 12: 40). cf. Matt. 16: 18; Acts 2: 27.
Hence the salvation of souls
(1 Pet. 1: 9), is the hope of those who have
purified
their souls in obedience to the truth (ver. 22): and
this future
salvation of souls, will take place at the revelation of Jesus Christ (ver. 13).
See first mention principle in Gen. 37:
35: I will go down
to Sheol = Hades Gk., LXX. cf. Psa.
16: 10: For
thou wilt not leave my soul in Sheol
Again, in Acts
2: 27, - relative to the resurrection
of Messiah Jesus, - Thou wilt not leave my soul
in Hades, Neither wilt thou give thy
Holy One to see corruption.
For David ascended not into the heavens
(ver. 34)!
These truths are the thrust of Peters sermon at
Pentecost - 50 days after
the Crucifixion of our Lord, and 10
days after
His Ascension and post-resurrection ministry!
There are no un-resurrected human phantoms in Heaven today! nor
will there ever be any at any time in the future! The Dead must wait for the proper
clothing; and that cannot take place before our Lords return or the
establishment of His Kingdom here! 1 Thess. 4: 16.
cf.
John 3: 13;
14: 3; Luke 16: 23; Heb. 11:
39; Rev. 6:
9-11.]
The life is
that period of time, with its opportunities of fidelity to Christ in doctrine,
in walk, and in service, which lies between our regeneration (when the life in
Christ is begotten) and our departure from this earth, by death or rapture.
If we lose our life now, in suffering and service, we will save it
in the day of Christs coming. If we save it now, that is, spare ourselves from suffering and service,
we will lose it at His coming, being saved so as by
fire. All of this is indissolubly linked to the salvation at his coming and our heirship.
Lord help me so to live,
My life to others give,
[Page 95] That it may yet LIVE ON,
When I am gone.
May I redeem my
time,
My life make so
sublime,
That it may yet
LIVE ON,
When earth is
done.
May all I say and do,
Count for that life,
anew,
The life that yet LIVES ON,
Beyond the sun.
5
THE REST THAT REMAINETH
We are now ready to ponder a vital part of our
study. It is this:
1. The REST of Hebrews 4, is builded around the Old Testament
Story of
In Joshua 21: 22 we read:
AND THE LORD GAVE THEM REST.
In Deuteronomy 12: 9, the
REST was still future and was a promised inheritance. For ye are not as yet come to the rest and
to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you.
In Deuteronomy 12: 10,
the REST is said to lie over
But when ye go over
In Joshua 22: 4, the REST was
realized, and Gods promise fulfilled.
And now the Lord your
God hath, given rest unto
your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now
return ye, and get you into your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other
side Jordan.
2. The REST of Hebrews 4,
is our Millennial, kingdom rest.
[Page
96]
In Hebrews 4: 1, we are given a [divine] promise of [a future] REST.
A promise being left us of entering into his REST.
In Hebrews 4: 9,
we are told of a REST that remaineth.
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God!
What do we have before
us?
There were a people of old, journeying toward a
promised rest who failed to enter into their rest, then there is a
present-hour people [of God] journeying toward a [future] rest.
The former anticipates
the latter.
The former is a type of the latter.
WHAT THEN IS OUR REST? OUR
It cannot be heaven, because
heaven is not now possessed by seven nations whose iniquity is full.
It cannot he heaven, because heaven holds no
giants, the sons of the Anakinis.
It cannot be heaven, because heaven is not straitly
shut up against our entering.
It cannot be heaven because heaven has no walled
cities and closed gates which nitist be surrounded and fall by faith.
OUR REST IS THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
1. Because the earth is now possessed by Satan
and his adherents, and they shall soon be cast out.
2. Because the harvest of the earth is, ripe, as
3. Because the earth is filled with mighty men
who defy the living Son of God. Spirits
of demons fill the land. They shall soon
be overthrown.
4. Because the earth is straitly shut up against
Christ, while its rulers will soon say, Let us break their
bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us; these Christ will
overwhelm at His coming.
[Page
97]
5. Because in Christs coming judgment, the
cities of the nations shall crumble, as His saints come marching in.
If the Canaan Rest typically stands for heaven, then
those who preach eternal security must take down their banners inasmuch as the majority of the fathers who came out of
Why do saints think of heaven, as they sing?
On
And cast a
wistful eye
To
Where my
possessions lie.
Are saints singing of heaven when they swell the
chorus?
I am bound for the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land
0 who will
come and go with me?
I am bound
for the promised land.
No, our
Our Canaan is our rest,
and our rest is Christs
In His Kingdom we shall have rest from all our
enemies.
In His Kingdom sin and unrighteousness will
succumb, while truth and righteousness kiss one another.
In His Kingdom the physical earth will be filled
with His glory, as the pomegranates, the grapes of Esehol, the milk and the
honey, the wine and the oil, abound.
Watching
I turn my eyes
Unto the east,
Gods great sunrise;
A grand new era dawns, I see
The thousand years of
Jubilee:
Spread is the feast!
Behold earths shadow
flee,
No bitter wail
Comes now to me;
Instead, a blooming
Doth now, oer all the
earth arise,
To thee all hail!
[Page 98]
6
THE SOLEMN WARNING
Hebrews, chapter three and four, are filled with solemnizing and startling
warnings to the people of God. These are such that we
dare not side-step them, nor cast them lightly away.
Let us enter and search into their warnings by a
short preparatory study of 1 Corinthians 10: 1-11. Ponder every sentence of these remarkable
verses of scripture.
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.
And were all baptized unto Moses in
the cloud and in the sea;
And did all eat the same spiritual
meat;
And did all drink the same spiritual
drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them:
and that Rock was Christ.
But with many of them God was not
pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil
things, as they also lusted.
Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Neither let us commit
fornication, as some of them committed,
and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and
were destroyed of serpents.
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were
destroyed of the destroyer.
Now all these things happened unto
them for ensamples: and they are written for our
admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.
The Holy Spirit in First Corinthians, nine, had
just concluded a statement of Pauls ambition to run a successful Christian
race, and to fight a victorious fight, lest, said he, that by any means, when I have
preached unto others, I
myself should be a castaway.
Immediately, the [Holy] Spirit relates to us, as seen in the verses just quoted, how
the fathers, who had been saved out
of [Page 99]
Then the [Holy] Spirit next reminds us
that they were all baptized unto
Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
The [Holy] Spirit still continues:
and they did all drink the same Spiritual drink: for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that
followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
The typology is perfect thus far, setting forth
our own salvation by blood, our [believers] baptism, and our
partaking of the bread and wine at the Lords table.
Next, however, the [Holy] Spirit gives His warning:
But with many (the greater part) of them God
was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the
wilderness.
Does the
typology cease? By no means. The [Holy] Spirit Himself forcefully says: Now these things were our examples. The Greek is tupoc, types..
The [Holy] Spirit even gives the
divine objective in recording these types: To the intent that we should not lust after evil things as
they lusted.
Neither be idolaters as were some of them ... neither ... commit
fornication as some of them committed; ... neither ... tempt Christ, as some of them also
tempted; neither murmur, as some of them murmured.
The [Holy] Spirit also tells us of
how there fell in one day three and twenty thousand; of how they were destroyed of serpents, of how they were destroyed of the
destroyer. Then the [Holy] Spirit, having told us [who are regenerate] of all these things, yet once more urges: Now all
these things happened unto them for types, and
they are written for our
admonition upon whom the ends of the world (ages) are come.
With what startling forcefulness does the Holy
Spirit add this significant warning:
Therefore Let Him
That Thinketh He Standeth, Take Heed Lest He Fall.
It is this same warning to saints, upon which
the [Holy] Spirit [Page 100] enlarges in Hebrews [chapters] three and four, to which we now give our thought.
7
THE WARNINGS OF HEBREWS THREE AND
FOUR ELUCIDATED
As we study, may God stir us up by way of
remembrance,
and may past events in [redeemed]
FIRST: Moses and his house contrasted to
Christ and His house - Whose
house are we.
Moses was faithful as Gods household servant.
Christ was faithful as Gods household Son.
Christ as a Son over His house is greater than
Moses as a servant, over his house.
Christ who builded the house, was greater than
Moses who served it.
Moses and his house carry a testimony relative to those things which should
be spoken after concerning Christ and His house. Mark with all concern these words:
And Moses verily was
faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be
spoken after; But Christ as a Son
over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the
rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3: 5-6).
The two verses above carry the key to everything
that follows in chapters two and three, and to much that follows later in the
epistle.
The words, a testimony to those things to be spoken after is sufficient proof
that Moses and his house speak with a definite testimony
concerning the future house or kingdom of our Lord.
Now read again the words in verse six, upon which the whole warning of the epistle is builded.
BUT CHRIST, AS A SON OVER HIS OWN HOUSE; WHOSE HOUSE ARE WE, IF WE HOLD FAST THE [Page 101] CONFIDENCE
AND THE REJOICING OF THE HOPE FIRM UNTO THE END. (Hebrews 3: 6.)
IF.
IF WE.
IF WE HOLD FAST.
IF WE HOLD FAST THE CONFIDENCE
OF THE HOPE.
IF WE HOLD FAST THE CONFIDENCE, AND THE REJOICING OF THE HOPE.
IF WE HOLD FAST ... FIRM
UNTO THE END.
THEN WE ARE HIS HOUSE
If we do not hold fast the confidence (that is,
the boldness), and the rejoicing of the HOPE firm unto the
end
THEN, WE
ARE NOT HIS HOUSE.
It is useless to argue back at God. His Word is
true.
However, we may well stop and consider the
meaning of the words - HIS HOUSE.
His house is not the church - that is His body.
His house is not heaven - that is HIS FATHERS house. (John 14: 1, 2, 3).
THE HOUSE IS HIS
KINGDOM.
It is His house, because He is its Master.
It is written: When once the Master-of-the-House
is risen up and shut to the
door.
His house
is His
All of this will take certain shape as we
proceed.
Let us now read some statements spoken expressly
by the Holy Spirit:
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice).
Harden not
your heart;
as
in the provocation,
in
the day of temptation in the wilderness:
When your
fathers tempted me,
proved
me, and saw my
works forty years.
Wherefore I
was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart, and they have not known my ways.
So I sware in my
wrath, They shall
not enter into my rest (Hebrews 3: 7-11).
[Page
102]
There are in this scripture, several definite
things to consider. Having told us that
we are Christs house IF we hold fast, etc., the [Holy] Spirit continues with a wherefore, and quotes in full the very words He spoke as recorded in
Psalm 95: 7 - 11.
The same call - and plea which the [Holy] s[S]pirit
made through David to the
The fathers of
We all know the story of those sad days. Of some 600,000 men (the fathers) who left
Hear what the [Holy] Spirit says to us concerning this:
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:
12-13).
Nothing could he plainer.
We, the brethren should beware LEST we fall after the same example of unbelief.
We, the brethren, the saints of
these last days, who are told in Hebrews 10: 25
to exhort one another as they see the day (His coming) approaching; are in this
scripture told to exhort one another daily, lest we be hardened by the
deceitfulness of sin.
After this was spoken the [Holy] Spirit gave us the fuller meaning of His warning.
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence
stedfast unto the end; While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in
the provocation.
For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all
that came out of
Does the [Holy] Spirit mean we will have Eternal LIFE IF?
[Page 103]
Never! He that believeth on the Son HATH everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation.
The [Holy] Spirit does mean: We
are members of Christs HOUSE IF.
The [Holy] Spirit does mean, we
will be partakers
of Christ in His Kingdom
reign, IF.
Observe that in Hebrews 3: 6,
we are members of His house IF WE hold fast
the confidence and the rejoicing of the HOPE firm unto the end; while in Hebrews 3: 14,
we are partakers of Christ IF we hold the BEGINNING of our
confidence stedfast unto the end.
The HOPE
of Hebrews 3
is the same as that Blessed Hope, of Titus 2:13: Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ.
The HOPE of Hebrews 3 is the same as the HOPE
of the gospel in Colossians
1: 23 from which we are exhorted to be not moved away.
The HOPE of Hebrews 3
is the same as the HOPE of 1 Peter 1: 13,
where we are told to hope to the end for the
grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The [Holy] Spirit now makes His
warning even more definite, as He speaks of that which saints may lose. Follow
His words:
But with whom was he
grieved forty years? was it not with them that
had sinned, whose carcases fell in the
wilderness?
And to whom sware he that they should
not enter into his rest,
but to them that believed not?
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore
fear, lest a promise being left us of
entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it (Hebrews 3: 17-19, 4: 1).
As we see the carcasses of the fathers falling in the wilderness; as we see the ones
who might have entered [Page 104] Canaan,
failing to enter in, we are warned lest we also fail of entering
into the
Thus with
LET US, THEREFORE, FEAR.
LET US ... FEAR, LEST.
How the words burn their way into our very
consciousness.
We marvel that so few saints ever experience
this FEAR.
We marvel that so few preachers
ever preach to saints and exhort them to FEAR
lest a promise being left us of entering into HIS REST,
any of you should seem to come short of it.
8
WHAT IS HIS REST?
His rest is certainly HIS HOUSE in Hebrews 3: 6.
His rest is certainly
being made partaker of Christ in Hebrews 3: 14.
His rest is our HOPE, which we are
to hold firm to the end.
The Rest, which the fathers missed, was
Our Rest, is that which
Now let us hasten through the fourth of Hebrews
and we will discover, to a certainty, what their rest was, and what our rest is.
In Hebrews, 3: 19 They could not enter in to their REST.
In Hebrews 4: 3, We which have believed
do enter into REST.
In Hebrews 4: 4, God did REST on the seventh day.
In Hebrews 4: 5, If they shall enter into My REST.
In Hebrews 4: 8, If Jesus (Old Testament, Joshua)
had
given them REST, he would not afterward have spoken of another day.
[Page
105]
In Hebrews 4: 9, There remaineth
therefore a REST (a keeping of the
sabbath) to the people of God.
In Hebrews 4: 10 a comparison is given
between Gods seventh day REST, and
our REST.
In HEBREWS 4: 11, the renewed warning [to US] is stressed LET US labour (give diligence) to enter into that REST, lest we fall after the
same example of unbelief.
Let us sum up our conclusions:
a.
b. Heaven does not
fit in with this
c. Canaan cannot mean
the deeper Christian life, although the deeper Christian life does
give a Rest of Faith, which may anticipate the climactic Rest that remaineth, and is our blessed Goal - Gods another day.
Gods seventh day rest in creation, forecasts
another Sabbatical rest, of one thousand years, the seventh thousand, following
after the six thousand years which have now almost passed.
9
SAINTS MAY FAIL TO REIGN WITH CHRIST
Let us discover if the fact of the possible
failure of saints to reign with Christ is corroborated by other scriptures than
those in Hebrews 3
and 4.
Romans 8: 17 says, And joint heirs with Christ;
if so be that we
suffer with him,
that we may be
glorified together.
2 Timothy
2: 12 says,
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny
us.
Why does Peter in 2 Peter 1: 6, 9-15, in his philippic on the Lords return urge the saints to give all diligence to [Page 106] add to their faith, virtue, etc.; and to give all diligence to make their calling and election
sure, if all
saints shall enter into the Kingdom reign?
Why does Paul speak of being a possible castaway at the Bema, and of pressing on to attain the out-resurrection group, and the prize of the up-calling, if all saints will
reign with Christ?
Why did Christ so frequently and constantly
refer to those who would be shut out of the
Kingdom, if all are to
enter in?
What is the recompense of the inheritance in Colossians
3: 24?
What is the recompense of the reward in Hebrews 11: 26?
What is the incorruptible prize of 1 Corinthians 9: 24?
When and where will the first be last, and the
last be first, as in Mark 10: 43.
When and where will the saints enter upon the rewards which the Lord brings with Him in Revelation
22:12?
When and where will the Lord reckon with His
servants, as in Matthew 25:
19?
What did Paul mean when he said, Yea, and I wish that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you? (See 1
Corinthians 4: 8).
What did Christ mean by Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just? (See Luke 14: 14).
Why did Paul say, We are ambitious (R. V.) to be well
pleasing unto him. For we must all appear before
the judgment seat of Christ? (See 2 Corinthians 5: 9-10).
Why should saints buffet their
bodies, lay aside every weight, So run, So fight, Mortify their members, Hold
fast that they have?
Deny the
possibility of losing crowns and then explain 2
Timothy 2: 5, He is NOT CROWNED except he strive lawfully.
[Page 107]
Of whom, and of what did
Christ speak when said, He that saveth his life shall lose it?
The
parables of Christ plainly teach that the unprofitable
and wicked and slothful
servant, shall have no
place in the Kingdom.
Our faithful serving,
our undimmed watching, and our holy living, will, decide our [entrance and our] Kingdom rewards.
He that overcometh,
and keepeth my words unto the end, TO HIM will I give
authority over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. (Revelation 2: 26-27).
Thus it is that the realm of
rewards, of crowns, and of recompense, must meet their complement in the [Millennial] Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
WHAT THEN? If Kingdom honours are rewards to those who
win them - LET US FEAR LEST.
Ye see that they could not enter in. (Hebrews
3: 19).
Lest ... any of you should
seem to have come short of
it. (Hebrews 4: 1).
Remember Christ said, Not
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 7: 21).
In Revelation 20: 6,
it was those who worshipped not the beast,
neither his image, neither had received his mark
upon their foreheads, or in their hands who LIVED and REIGNED with Christ a thousand years.
I saw a Christian as the
day broke gray,
He took his burden,
starting on his way,
He
never faltered till a westring sun
Proclaimed the message
that his day was done;
I saw him enter heavens
wide-flung door,
I saw him crowned with
glory evermore,
Both tried and true, he
now shone forth as gold;
A great reward was his,
an hundredfold.
I saw another start at
break of day,
But soon he tired, and
fainted by the way;
He turned aside to spend
a pleasant hour,
And basked beneath the
worlds entrancing bower;
[Page
108] I
saw him later stand before the throne,
Saved by Gods grace,
and yet without a crown;
His face was sad, he
held no harp, no lyre,
His works were burned,
and he was saved by fire.
10
THE GREAT IF OF HEBREWS SIX
There has been much of controversy centering
around Hebrews 6: 4-6. For our part we are sure that the foregoing
paragraphs of this treatise, should make all of Hebrews 6: 1-11, easily
understood. In fact this passage of
scripture is the climactic conclusion of the [Holy] Spirits warning of the possible
MISSING THE PROMISED
REST - THE [MILLENNIAL]
Let us consider these scriptures somewhat
analytically.
1. In Hebrews 5: 12-13, the [Holy] Spirit speaks of
Christians who are in need of milk and not of strong meat. They are but babes, although by reason of
time they should have been full grown.
2. In Hebrews 6: 1-2, the [Holy] Spirit gives the call to these baby saints to lay aside the word of the beginning and press on to full growth.
3. In Hebrews 6: 3, the
saints are saying, And this (going on to full growth) we will do if
God permit. The fact is therefore, that there are some whom God will not
permit to go on.
4. In Hebrews
6: 4-6, the [Holy] Spirit declares why some saints cannot go on. We quote
the words in full.
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 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.
5. In Hebrews 6: 7-8 these
saints, who could not go on, are described as those whose works
are of the wood, hay and [Page 109] stubble class, under the figure of the earth
bringing forth thorns and thistles. Here is
the scripture:
For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon
it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by
whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God, But that which beareth thorns and
briers is rejected, and is
nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
6. In Hebrews
6:
9-10 the [Holy] Spirit speaks of another class of saints, filled with a work
and labour of love, of whom He expects better things, even the things that accompany salvation. In this connection read once more our words
herein, concerning, Salvation in the book of Hebrews.
But, beloved, we are persuaded
better things of you, and things that accompany
salvation, though we thus speak, For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of
love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
7. In Hebrews 6: 11, the [Holy] Spirit warns the saints
described in Hebrews 6: 9-10, that they must show
the same diligence to the full assurance of hope, firm unto the end. Then He warns them lest they fall by the way
(as those in 6: 4-6 fell), by becoming
slothful. Here is the reading of this
scripture.
And we desire that
every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto
the end.
Let us now offer a few deductions on the whole
matter.
1. The those,
and the they and the them of Hebrews 6: 4-6, and the you, and the ye of Hebrews 6: 9-10, are two distinctive groups of [regenerate] believers; and not the almost
saved unbelievers, in contrast to the fully saved, believers.
2. There are abundant
scriptures which teach that the saved who have been once enlightened, and have
tasted of the heavenly gift, etc., may fall away and lose their place in the [Millennial] Kingdom, and its rewards; there is no scripture that
teaches that unbelievers (the unregenerate) can crucify to themselves the Son
of God afresh.
[Page
110]
3. Saints who harvest
wood, hay, and stubble, will suffer loss, by the fire which shall try every
mans work; while other saints will receive a full reward because
their works were gold, silver, and precious stones which cannot be burned.
4. Those who teach that Hebrews 6: 4-6 speaks merely of the
unregenerate, who were almost saved, fail to explain the significance
of the following statements which are to be found in the divinely written
context.
(a). The significance of
babes, in 5:
12-13. [If] They are not the you
and the ye of Heb.
6: 9-10;
then who are they?
(b). The significance of
going on to full growth, if God will permit in 6: 3
(They do not explain why
God will not permit this going on, although 6: 4-6 explains why).
(c). The significance of
the warning to the victorious [and obedient] saints of Heb. 6: 9-10, to press on to the full
assurance of hope to the end - this they invariably omit. (This full assurance of hope is in harmony with Hebrews 3: 6; 3:14; and 10:
35-39).
5. They utterly fail to grasp the
[Millennial] Kingdom warnings which pervade the whole book of Hebrews and therefore snatch away the text, Hebrews
6: 4-6; from the context, Hebrews 6: 1-13, 24.
As we close, we earnestly ask our readers who
may be tempted to cast aside what is written herein, to answer with all
sincerity the following questions:
Ques. 1.
What is meant in Hebrews 10: 30-31, when the [Holy] Spirit says, The Lord shall judge his people, and, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God?
(Compare with 2 Corinthians 5: 11).
Ques. 2. What is meant in Hebrews 10: 35-39, by the Saving of the
soul? In the same verse who are those who draw back
to perdition [destruction]? And what did they
lose? (If you [Page 111] answer, the saving of the soul
stands for eternal life, then we ask what does Hebrews 10: 35-36 mean when it says?:-
Cast not away therefore
your confidence which hath great recompence of reward, For ye have need of patience [perseverance], that after ye have done
the will of God, ye might
receive the promise.
Ques. 3. To whom does the [Holy] Spirit in Hebrews 12: 16-17 refer, when He uses Esau as a solemn warning [against the possible loss of the
birthright belonging to the firstborn]? And why?
Ques. 4. Why the great call of Hebrews 13: 13
- Let us, therefore, go out unto him, without the
camp?
Surely, not eternal
life
which is the gift of God, is discussed in any of these
scriptures. The [regenerate] child of God is saved
eternally, and is eternally safe.
It must be MISSING THE [MILLENNIAL] KINGDOM.
11
IN CONCLUSION
Permit
us, finally, to sound one loud call to [regenerate] believers everywhere to
set themselves to lay hold upon those things, by which they have been laid hold
upon by Christ.
Let us live looking for that blessed
hope.
Let us learn to love His appearing.
Let us henceforth watch and
wait and long for Him to come.
Let us beware lest we say, Our Lord delayeth His coming.
Let us beware lest, like Esau, we sell our [first-born] inheritance for a
mess of pottage.
Let us beware lest a promise being life us of
entering into His rest, we should seem to come short of
it.
We must he robed
and ready, with lamps trimmed and burning until He
comes.
We must be occupying. We must be keeping the faith, fighting the good fight, and
stretching forth to the prize which lies before us.
[Page
112]
We must go outside the camp with Him,
bearing His reproach.
Remember that when David came into his kingdom
he gave places of honour and authority to
the men who had suffered
with him in the days of his rejection by Saul - even so will
Christ do at His coming.
For
All our toil for the
Master will not be in vain.
We will meet all our
labour in heaven again..
That is
If our service is His;
If we toil for the lucre
that men hold as dear,
If we labour for honour
that comes to us here,
Ah, then,
Not again
Shall we have His reward
in the joy of His reign.
In the Lord we must
labour, if praise we would win,
Let us then, at this
moment, true service begin;
Tis thus
His blessing Hell grant
unto us;
If we do and we dare in
the things He commands,
If we go and we come
whensoeer He demands,
Tis then,
That again
We shall have His
rewards for a work genuine.
* * *
GODS GREAT IF
We are adding
to the address on Missing the Kingdom, some excerpts from a stenographically reported sermon
preached by Dr. Neighbour. This will give added emphasis to the
preceding message.
AN
EXPOSITION OF HEBREWS 6: 1-6.
Hebrews 6: 4-6 contains a message that
is greatly needed among saints. The more
illumined we are the more the message is needed, for to whom much is given,
much is required.
[Page
113]
Let us read together the 6th chapter of Hebrews,
beginning at verse 1:
Therefore leaving the principles of the
doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;
not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.
Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and
of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal
judgment.
And this will we do, if God permit.
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 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.
For the earth which drinketh in the
rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them
by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from
God;
But that which beareth thorns and
briers is rejected,
and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
ARE SAINTS OR SINNERS IN
VIEW?
The question which you wish answered first of
all, and scripturally answered, is this: Do these verses in Hebrews 6 refer to a believer or to an unbeliever;
to the saved, or to the lost; to the saint or to the sinner?
We believe in the security of the believer; we
believe if you are born again, you can never he unborn, we believe that none of
Gods children will be found in the lake of fire; that none of them will be
ultimately lost; we believe that the children of God have eternal life; that
when they believed, they were sealed by the Holy Ghost unto the day of the
redemption of their bodies, unto the day of their entrance into eternal life;
we believe that Gods sheep can never Perish.
However, the eternal security of a believer does not secure his rewards.
Salvation is by grace, apart from works, that is, salvation is
altogether an unmerited favour. [Eternal] Salvation is the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He saves you [Page 114] because
of what He did, and not because of
what you do. [Eternal] Salvation is,
therefore, of grace, to the exclusion of works. You can do
nothing to become a Christian. You
cannot even lift a finger to help yourself.
All a sinner can do is to receive
a finished and a completed work. When he
receives Christ, God gives unto him eternal life and he can never be lost.
There has been, however, on the part of
many who so believe a grave error. They have turned away from many solemn
warnings, which are plainly and positively written [to them] in the Word of God.
THE TEXT AND THE CONTEXT
We are coming to a very solemn passage this
afternoon. It is easily understood, I
think, when we have the whole concept of the Book of Hebrews in our mind. The reason we have not caught Gods warning
in Hebrews 6: 4-6, is because we have isolated it, picked it up
out of the chapter, carried it off and examined it apart from its
environment. When we look at this
scripture, out of its setting, we are staggered. When we remember that the sum of thy word is truth, and that it is
altogether wrong to prise any scripture outside of its context, and contrary to
its setting, we will be greatly blessed.
The Book of Hebrews begins with the annunciation of the heirship of
Jesus Christ; the Book of Hebrews concludes with the vision of Jesus Christs
Second Coming and His throne, in the 12th
chapter. Chapter
13 is a final word of advice and wisdom.
The 12th chapter tells of the removing of everything that can
be shaken, while the things which cannot be shaken, remain. The conclusion is: Wherefore receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us worship God with fear. The Book of Hebrews, thus, beginning with the
heirship of Christ, and closing with the kingdom that cannot be moved has, lying between these statements, a continuously presented call to saints
to lay hold of that [earthly and heavenly]* heirship, and to
enter into that [millennial] reign.
[Page
115]
[* If we are to be equal
unto the angels
being sons of resurrection
(Lk. 20: 36), then both earthly and heavenly spheres of Messiahs coming
Kingdom will be accessible.]
In discussing Hebrews
6, we will, of necessity, refer to some passages in Hebrews which we
have developed in other recent sermons.
WHOSE HOUSE WE ARE IF WE
HOLD FAST
First of all, in the 3rd chapter of
Hebrews it speaks of the fact that Moses was faithful as the servant of his
house; then it says that Jesus Christ, who is greater than Moses, was faithful
as the son of His own house. Moses led the Children of Israel out of
These words are in accord with those in Hebrews 2: 1-3 How shall we escape IF we neglect so great salvation?
If we had not always used that 2nd chapter and verses 2
and 3, as an evangelistic text, to be
applied to [unregenerate] sinners, we would
not have had trouble when we came into the 6th chapter of Hebrews, How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?
The WE of this scripture refers definitely, distinctively, and
incontrovertibly to the [regenerate] belirver. How shall WE escape it WE neglect
so great salvation? The salvation of this verse and the
salvation in Hebrews 6:
9 are the same [future] salvation.
Let us return to chapter 3: Christ as a son of his own house, whose house we are, IF. In chapters 3 and
4, you find the story of how the Children of
Israel were saved out [Page 116] of
Hebrews uses all of this as a warning to saints [today] who start out, putting their hands to the plough, and then
fall after the same example of unbelief. Time and again the words ring out: Take heed lest ye also fall, after the same example of unbelief. God asks us [His redeemed people] to remember the days of the provocation in the wilderness,
when [the accountable generation of His redeemed
people]
The sins of the Children of Israel, as they
journeyed through the wilderness, are summed up for its in the 10th chapter of 1 Corinthians, under a six-fold statement: They lusted after
evil things; they were idolaters; they committed fornication; they tempted
Christ; they turned back, and they murmured.
Therefore, they failed to enter
In our former sermon we emphasized that the
GODS GREAT IF
For it is impossible for those who were once
enlightened.
[Page
117]
We do not believe, for one moment, that the THOSE
of this scripture can possibly refer to an unbeliever. Let us now mark carefully the reading: It is
impossible for those
who, firstly, were once enlightened; secondly, who have tasted of the
heavenly gift;
thirdly, who were made partakers of (were led along by) the Holy Ghost; fourthly, who have tasted the good word of God, and, fifthly, who have tasted the powers of the world to come. Can these words refer to the unsaved
(Israelite or Gentile)? No. They refer
to [regenerate] believers, even to advanced
believers - to
believers who were enlightened; to
believers who have tasted of the
Heavenly Gift; to believers who have tasted of the good Word of God and of
the powers of the age to come.
How were they enlightened? By the Holy Spirit of God. Of what gift did they partake? Of the gift of eternal life? Yes. But, to my mind more particularly of the gift of the [Holy] Spirit - [and His teachings and interpretations of the
Holy Scriptures]. What is the greatest gift that God ever gave
to saints? Repent and be baptized, every one of you, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for the promise is unto you and your children. How were they led along by the [Holy] Spirit? He instructed them, and guided them into the
things of Christ. How had they TASTED of the good Word of God? You know I like that word, tasted. David
said, Thy word is sweeter than the honey and the honey-comb. It is good to the taste. Have you ever tasted it, tasted the good
things that are written in the Word?
There hath not failed one GOOD
THING that was spoken. The good word of God in Hebrews, is the message of Christs [millennial as well as His eternal] heirship - the good things to come. How had they tasted of the powers (the word
is miracles), of the age to come? They had known [and fully understood] the
Gospel of the Kingdom, they had entered into the marvels of the millennium.
They had tasted all of these
things. Now, what does God say of these
favoured believers? It is impossible for them IF THEY shall fall away - [i.e., apostatise from
the faith, by standing away from millennial
truths which they had previously fully understood and believed.] - to renew them again unto repentance, seeing that they crucify unto [Page 118] themselves the Son of God afresh and
put him to an open shame.
CRUCIFYING THE SON OF
GOD AFRESH
Before we examine the words, If they shall fall away, let us consider the words seeing that they crucify unto themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. Christians sing:
In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towring oer
the wrecks of time,
All the light
of sacred story,
Gathers round
its head sublime.
We love to sing, At the
Cross, at the Cross, Where I first saw the light. What is the Cross to a believer? It is the emblem of his redemption. Just as I am,
without one plea, but that Thy Blood was shed for me. What else does the Cross of Christ mean to
the Christian? In Galatians 1: 4 it says, He died that He might save us
from this present evil age.
What is the message of the Cross?
Let us go back to the story of the Children of Israel. The blood was sprinkled on the two side
posts, and on the upper door post. God
said, When I see the blood, I will pass over you. After the angel had passed over at midnight,
and the firstborn in the homes of the Egyptians had been slain, then God said
to Moses, Up, get you out. Why this hurry? Because that blood stands for separation.
I love that other passage in Galatians: God forbid that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the which I am crucified unto the world
and the world unto me. Oh, beloved, if the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ
means anything to you, it means separation.
It means that you are a purchased people, bought with the precious Blood
of Christ. Listen! Have you been enlightened? Have you received the Ileavenly Gift? Have you been led along by the Holy Spirit? Have you tasted of the powers of the age to
come? Then, have you fallen away? If so, you have [Page 119] crucified afresh to
yourselves the Son of God, and you have put Him to an open shame. Ah, Thou Son of God, how many saints there
are today who are crucifying Thee afresh.
They make Thy Cross of no avail, they spoil its deeper meaning. They trample its call beneath their feet,
they spurn its message. Saints should glory in the Cross where they
die, not alone in the Cross where He died.
IF THEY SHALL FALL AWAY
Now, we are ready to discuss the words: If they fall away - and also the words, It is impossible to
renew them again to repentance.
Shall we leave the first principles, the
beginnings of the doctrine of
Christ? And press on to full growth? Yes, this we will do if God
permit. God will not always
permit, for with some it is impossible to press on. Let us find the 1st
chapter of Deuteronomy. There we will discover the meaning of Hebrews 6: 4-6.
HOW
There are eleven days journey from Horeb by the way of
The Lord our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough
in this mount. (verse 6.)
God is talking to many Christians in this
audience saying, You have been living where you are
living, long enough. Whereas you
ought to be teachers, you have need that someone teach you again the beginnings
of Christ. You have dwelt in this mount
long enough.
Behold, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land. (verse 8.)
The Lord, your God, hath multiplied you,
and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. (The Lord God of your
fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he
hath promised) (verse 10.)
And when we departed
from Horeb, we went through all the great and
terrible wilderness which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded us; and we came to Kadesh-barnea. (verse 19.)
[Page
120]
I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the Lord our God doth give unto us. Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee; go up and possess it, as the
Lord, God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged. And ye came near unto
me every one of you, and said, We will send men
before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up. (verses 20-22.)
And they turned and
went tip into the mountain, and came into the
And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down
unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land
which the Lord our God doth give us.
Notwithstanding YE WOULD NOT GO UP, but
rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God; and ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the Lord hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt. (verses 24-27)
Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God, who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in
fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should
go, and in a cloud by day. And the Lord heard
the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, Surely there shall not one of these men of this
evil generation see that good land. (verses 30-35.)
I am using this experience of the Children of
Israel as an illustration of Hebrews 6: 4-6.
And the Lord heard the
voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware saying, Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation
see that good land which I sware to give unto your fathers, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh;
Also the
Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. Moreover your little
ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in
that day had no knowledge between good and evil,
they shall go in thither, and [Page 121] unto them
will I give it, and they shall possess it. But as for you, turn you, (Oh, Christians, hear it)
Turn you and take your journey into the wilderness. Then ye answered and
said unto me, We have sinned against the Lord,
we will go up and fight,
according to all that the Lord our God commanded us. And when ye had
girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were
ready to go up into the hill. And the Lord said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither
fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies. So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear,
but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the hill. And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain,
came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you
in Seir, even unto
Hormah.
And ye returned and wept before the Lord;
but the Lord would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you. So ye
abode in Kadesh many days. (verses 34-46.)
BACK INTO THE WILDERNESS
Then we turned and
took our journey into the wilderness. (Deut.
2: 1.)
Oh, men and women, God has brought you up to your Kadesh-Barnea. He has shown you the vision of the Heavenly
things; the blessings of rewards; the joys of the millennial
kingdom. Have you tasted the
good Word of God concerning the inheritance which is your
birthright? Have
you turned back? God said to
THE EARTH THAT BEARS
THORNS AND BRIERS
Now, let us go a little deeper into Hebrews 6:
It is impossible
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.
The Holy Spirit goes on to give us an illustration
of His holy dealings and just judgments: here are His words:
For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is [Page 122] dressed, receiveth
blessing from God; but that which beareth
thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
It is the same earth, bearing two kinds of
things: 1. herbs; 2. thorns.
What a picture!
It is the 15th
chapter of John over again: Herein is my Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit. If a man abide
not in the vine, he is cast forth as a branch and
is withered, and men gather them and cast them
into the fire and they are burned. Go back, if you will, to the 5th
chapter of Isaiah; to the 80th
Psalm; go
to the song that He sang about His vineyard.
He brought a vine out of
Listen again: John the Baptist, came preaching,
and he said, The kingdom of
heaven is at hand. In Matthew 4: 17 we read, From that time Jesus
began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It was not very long until, (see the 19th of Luke),
they put Christ on an as, and He rode into the city of
This did not mean that the children that should
yet be born unto them, should not enter into the Kingdom, any more than the
rejection of the fathers at Kadesh-Barnea under Moses, meant that their
children, under Joshua, could not enter into
All of this is in striking analogy to the words
of Hebrews 6: 4-6:
For it is impossible
for those who were once enlightened, and have
partaken of the heavenly gift, and have been led
along by the Holy Ghost, and have tasted of the
good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew
them again unto repentance.
It is impossible. Even now I can hear those doleful words: Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. You shall not see me henceforth, TILL.
You can not enter in, but your children can and will. Instead of the fathers
will be the children. As the children of
The Apostle Paul used to go back over his trips,
visiting the Churches where he had been, that he might encourage the saints to
continue in the confidence of the HOPE, firm unto the end. Paul was not afraid that the saved would be [eternally] lost, but He wanted to present them full-grown
in the Day of Christ.
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SAINTS
Let us continue in Hebrews 6, reading verse 9 and on.
But, beloved, we are persuaded better
things of you, and things that accompany
salvation, though we thus speak.
[Page 124]
Here is why the [Holy] Spirit expected better things:
For God is not
unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye
have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire, (now listen) that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end. That ye be not slothful, but
followers of them who through faith and patience [perseverance] inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for conformation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God,
willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the
immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an
oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation,
who have fled for refuge TO LAY HOLD UPON THE HOPE set before us; which hope we have as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high
priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
The Holy Spirit penned these words for the
encouragement of saints. None need fall
by the way. In 1 Corinthians
10, is a
similar assurance, an assurance given after a similar warring:
There hath no
temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who, will not suffer
you to he tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation prepare a way to
escape it, that ye may he able to bear it.
If any man fall away, it is his own fault. God has made every provision to carry
everyone of us through in victory, into His promised land, and, blessed be God,
I am set for it.
IF WE SIN WILFULLY
Now, I close, by reading from the 10th
chapter, verse 23. These words include each of us.
Let us hold fast the
profession of our faith! (This
should read, the confession of our hope.[R.V.]) without wavering; for he is faithful that promised; and let us consider one another to provoke unto love, and to good works: not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as the manner of some is, but exhorting [Page 125]
one another; and so much the more, as ye
see the day approaching. For IF WE sin wilfully
after that we have received (this is similar to Hebrews
6) the knowledge of the truth, (that is, after we have once been enlightened) there
remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.
You say, That is awful. Yes, it is a solemn, but faithful
warning. In the Old Testament offerings
there was absolutely no sacrifice offered for rebellion. For sins of ignorance, for trespasses, they had
blood to offer, but there was no blood for wilful
sinning. When a
child of God today comes up to the light, and he wilfully turns his face
against it, there is no more sacrifice for sins. It is impossible to
renew them again to repentance. You say, Then such an one is going to hell.
Oh, not at all. What does
happen? There is
A certain fearful
looking for of judgment and fiery indignation,
which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses law died without
mercy, under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment,
suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified,
an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the
Spirit of grace.
Listen to the next verse:
For we know him that
hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto
me.
I would like to turn over to the 34th chapter of Deuteronomy and read these very words:
To me belongeth vengeance, and
recompence,
saith the Lord.
And again, (continuing Heb.
10),
The Lord shall judge his people.
Thus, He is not talking of sinners, but of
saints. The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing
to fall into the hands of the living God.
What is the urgent conclusion?
Verse 35:
Cast not away therefore
your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For [Page 126] yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
(Turn back and read Heb. 3: 6, 14)
ESAUS REJECTION
Now, last of all, listen to Hebrews most solemn
warning: Chapter 12:
15-16-17:
Looking diligently lest
any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root
of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled; lest there he any fornicator,
or profane person, (this is Gods own illustration) as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that
afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance,* though he sought it
carefully with tears.
[* That is, he could not persuade his father
to change his mind relative to the blessing of the firstborn which he
had lost!]
These words are analogous to Hebrew 6: 4-6 -
For it is impossible
for those who were once enlightened, 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.
Esau sold to his brother, Jacob, his
birthright. That birthright included the
very thing of which I am now preaching, the coming Seed, the inheritance of
the land, and all. Esau sold
it for a mess of pottage, and when he wanted to reconsider, he found no place
of repentance, though he sought it with tears.
[Christian] Men and women, I plead with you in the name of a Risen
Christ. He has placed before you
marvellous rewards for service; He has, placed before you His Coming and His
[Millennial] Reign. Perhaps you have come now to your
Kadesh-Barnea. I plead with you, refuse
not to go on in the firm confidence of your hope. Let not scoffers, or
persecution, turn you back.
Let us go out together unto Him, without the camp, bearing His
reproach. Do you know what God will do
with you, if you turn bark? He will do
exactly what He did for that million and a half, who came out of
[* That is, after Christs Millennium; when
Hades is emptied; and names are found in the book of
life after Hades gave up the dead.
See Rev. 20: 13-15. cf. 1
Cor. 15:
22-25.]
Note: We are
well aware that Hebrews 6: 1-6 and Hebrews 10: 26-31 have a special message to Hebrew saints. However, we must
not forget that we are told in Hebrews 10: 22-25 that these admonitions are particularly applicable as we
see the day approaching and that we are commanded as saints living in these
last days to exhort one another relative to these very things.
To isolate the message of this book to the Jews of
a former age is altogether faulty. - R. E. N.
THE END