HERE, in this passage is expressed, THE TRUE BASIS OF
REDEMPTION, "THOU wilt have a desire to the work of thine
hands." (Job 14:14,15). It is only as we recognize man as the work
of God that we can understand his redemption. When I say man
I mean, not merely Adam, the first man, but all the redeemed, as finished,
in the image and likeness of God. To the whole redeemed race, thus
finished, the words of the apostle are applicable, "We are God's
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which GOD hath
before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2: 10). Hence in
order to understand Redemption we must understand Creation; for the
former is simply one step in the process of the latter. Let's look then
first at the subject of
C R E A T I O N
The common idea is that God created man perfect and
complete in the garden of Eden, and thus started him all right; but evil
invaded that peaceful and blessed retreat, successfully assailed the man
and the woman, and the dreadful consequences were sin, alienation, the
loss of Paradise and universal death. Thus was God's handiwork marred
and his plans disarranged, and now he must commence all over again, as
it were, first, to repair damages and then to carry out his original
plan as best he can. This is the common idea among the great mass of
Christians, and yet the simple statement of it as above is enough to
make one suspect that the idea cannot be just exactly right. Is it so? that
God is altogether such an one as ourselves? whose plans may be upset? whose
will may be thwarted? who may be compelled to change his plan because
of some interfering agency or evil power entering in and for the time
being getting the better of him? Is it so? Why, no, we say; and yet what
shall we do with the Bible story of the "fall of man" as we
term it? Shall we make God responsible for it? If his will was not
thwarted in that terrible fall, must we say that it was in accordance
with his will? Many cannot say that, it seems blasphemous; and yet
either that is true, or else his will was thwarted and his plans
disarranged and upset by an evil power, mightier, or for the time being
more cunning than himself. What shall we do in this dilemma? How shall
we untangle this seeming snarl? Let us see how the Bible helps us.
I will first state the case as I understand it from
the Scriptures, in my own language, and then give the Bible proof. And
first I would have the reader settle it in his mind that
GOD IS SUPREME
in all realms and over all forces, evil as well as
good; nor would I abate one hair's breadth of this supremacy let the
consequences be what they may, for infinitely more direful are the
conclusions flowing from such abatement. If God's will has ever been
thwarted we have no positive guarantee that it will not be thwarted
again; if his plans have ever been circumvented, disarranged and upset
the like may again take place; if evil has been more powerful than good
at one time, or if God has been outwitted by evil or in any way
hampered, constrained or limited by it at any time or under any
circumstances, the like may again occur, and the pearly gates of the New
Jerusalem, any more than the gates of Eden, may not be able to keep out
evil, discord and death. I ask the reader to consider this point
carefully. Many shrink from taking the position that God's will is never
thwarted but that, as the Bible expresses it, "he worketh all
things after the counsel of his own will" (Eph. 1:11), because they
say that such a view makes God responsible for the introduction of sin
into the world and leads to other startling conclusions that seem
impossible and even blasphemous. But these persons do not consider the
consequences of the opposite view, that God's will is thwarted, and that
he does not work all things after the counsel of his own will; if
that be so then the future is doubtful, the final triumph of the good,
and the perpetuity of that triumph is uncertain. No, no, it will not do;
we must make God absolutely supreme, as he himself says, "I am God
and there is none else," (Is. 46:9) otherwise for aught we know
there may be "gods many and lords many" (I Cor. 8:5).
Just think of it a moment, for this point is so
important that I will dwell upon it a little longer here at the outset how
did evil enter the world in the first place, if God did not permit it?
Did "that old serpent, the devil" (Rev. 12:9; 20:2),
enter Eden in spite of God? No, certainly not, for such a view would
make the devil stronger than God, and we could not be sure who would
finally triumph. Did he get into Eden on the sly, outwitting God and
getting the better of him? No, that idea would not do, for if the evil
one has thus deceived the Almighty and cheated him what guarantee have
we that he will not again get the better of him? We must then take the
ground that God permitted evil to enter the world, knowing of course
full well what the consequences would be, and therefore in some sense,
and to some degree he is responsible for those consequences. Can you
escape this conclusion except by detracting from the power and wisdom of
God? The writer is free to confess that he cannot, nor does he wish to
since the Lord does not hesitate to take upon himself the responsibility
of evil, as he does all things else; for he says, "I form light and
create darkness, I make peace and create evil. I, the Lord, do all these
things" (Isa. 45:7), and we are told over and over again that
"all things are of God." (Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 8:6; 2
Cor. 5:18; Eph. 1:11, etc.). We do not relieve the Creator of this
responsibility by saying that he was obliged to allow evil to enter the
world in order that man, as a "free moral agent," might be
properly tried and proved. God need not have created man at all had he
not chosen to do so; but having created him, giving him the nature that
he did give him, whether a "free moral agent" or
whatever it might be, and knowing all the consequences beforehand, for
"known unto the Lord are all his works from the beginning,"
(Acts 15:18) immediately he becomes responsible for those consequences.
He is the first great Cause, and an intelligent Cause is responsible for
all the effects however remote and indirect those effects may be. This
is generally held to be true even in the case of short-sighted man; if a
human being starts a chain of events that in the end proves calamitous
or hurtful to someone, if the matter can be traced back to the original
mover, he is held responsible for all the effects, even though he could
not have foreseen them and did not intend the injury. How much more then
shall he be held responsible for all his work who foresees and fully
knows all the consequences from the beginning to the end? Let
this point be settled then that God is supreme; "He worketh all
things" absolutely all things, without any exceptions "after
the counsel of his own will." (Eph. 1:11). I exhort the readers to
an uncompromising jealousy of this supreme sovereignty of God; begrudge
to the Devil, or to any power of evil, the least share in this universal
sway; emulate the example of Job in this respect when he attributed all
that came to him, the evil as well as the good, to the Lord, saying,
"Shall we receive good at the hands of the Lord and shall we not
receive evil?" (Job 2:10). As a matter of fact the Devil was the
active agent in Job's calamities; but, as a matter of fact, the Lord was
back of it all and Satan could only move so far and in such a way as the
Lord permitted. (See Job 1:10-12; 2:6,10). Hence Job was perfectly right
in attributing it all to the Lord, and the Devil did not even have the
satisfaction of being recognized at all, but he drops out of the
narrative altogether at its very beginning, and thus may he drop out of
our lives and we may deal with God alone for he controls the evil as
well as the good. We need not fear to take this position; there is
abundance of scripture to warrant it as will be noticed further on. But
if we had no other scripture than this case of Job it would be
sufficient warrant for us to take the position that evil is entirely
under God's control and he uses it, as he does the good, for the
carrying out of his own gracious plans and purposes. The hard
experiences of Job were a blessing to him in the end, and yet his
calamities were the direct work of the Devil. So will it be, under God's
direction, with all evil.
"The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, surely as
I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so
shall it stand; for the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall
disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it
back?" (Isa. 24:24-27). "The Most High liveth forever; whose
dominion is an everlasting dominion; and his kingdom is from generation
to generation; and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as
nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven and
among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say
unto him, What doest thou?" (Dan. 4: 34, 35). "Woe unto him
that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherd
of the earth. Shall the clay say unto him that fashioneth it, What
makest thou? or thy work, he hath no hands?" (Isa. 45:9; read this
whole chapter, and compare with it Isa.10:15 and Rom. 9:9-24; see also
Isa. 43:13; John 19:11; Acts 4:27,28).
There are many other similar passages; let them all
be looked up and studied so that this question of the absolute
sovereignty of God may be settled in your mind once for all; do not
allow yourself to entertain so absurd a belief, as many do, that the
jurisdiction of the universe is divided up between God and the Devil,
the latter having exclusive control over a large portion, from which
domain the Almighty is entirely excluded, or in which his power is
secondary or in some way restrained and limited. The above scriptures
show that such a view must be false, and our reason confirms the same
conclusion, for we have seen how disastrous would be the opposite
position. Either God is supreme or he is not the only God; if he is not
"God alone" then there are many gods, and in fact there is no
"One God."
This point being settled we are prepared to
take
THE NEXT STEP
Redemption is a part of the process of Creation, and
Creation is God's work and not man's. I presume that no one will
question the statement that Creation is entirely God's work, but some
may object to the statement that Redemption is a part of the creative
process, because the common idea is that Redemption was a sort of an
afterthought with God, brought in as a remedy for the evil that Satan
had wrought; but just one scripture will dissipate this idea, viz.: that
Jesus Christ is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world" (Rev. 8:8), and that God's people are chosen in him
"before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:20);
these scriptures plainly show that the Redemption by Christ was no
afterthought, but fully contemplated in the original plan, "before
the foundation of the world." We know furthermore that Redemption
is Creation, for "if any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new
Creature" (2 Cor. 5:17), and this new Creation is the originally
contemplated completion of the old, according to God's order, first the
natural, afterward that which is spiritual. (1 Cor. 15:46.)
Now the new creation is just as much God's work as
the old; no one could re-create himself, any more than he could have
created himself in the first place. The Bible is very explicit and
positive on this point, and this is the main thought that I want to
present to my readers. Here is the
PROPOSITION.
THE REDEMPTION OF MAN IS THE COMPLETION
OF HIS CREATION, AND DEPENDS FOR ITS
FINAL ACCOMPLISHMENT ON GOD
AND NOT ON THE INDIVIDUAL.
The work will certainly be carried out to a
successful completion because it is God's work. "He will
have a desire to the work of his own hands."
THIS IS THE TRUE BASIS
OF REDEMPTION.
According to the common idea one's salvation is made
to depend almost entirely on his own personal efforts. God has made all
necessary provision; he has prepared the feast, spread the table, and
sent out the invitation; now if you will accept and persevere you will
be saved; but if not, you will be lost; God can do no more for you; he
has made all needful provision; now your personal salvation depends
entirely on yourself; this is the way the matter is usually put, and
thus God is practically left out of the question in the salvation of the
individual; each one is taught that his future well-being depends on
himself personally; if he will fulfill certain conditions God will do
his part, but if he fails in these conditions God can do nothing more
for him, and all that he has done will go for naught so far as he
personally is concerned. The writer has often heard this idea presented
to the people in just this style, and with the utmost emphasis and
positiveness your salvation depends on you, it is for you
to say what your eternity shall be, etc., etc. Now while it is true that
the sinner has a part to perform in the matter of his salvation (as we
will presently notice) yet I believe the above teaching is wrong, and
the scripture supposed to warrant it is misapprehended and misapplied;
and furthermore such a view entirely ignores that large mass of
scripture that makes God able to carry out to a successful completion
any work that he has commenced. We have already noticed how positively
the Bible declares that God will have his own way in spite of all
opposing forces, and Paul declared that he was perfectly confident that
"he which had begun a good work would perfect it." (Phil. 1:6,
R.V.) We should remember that the process and completion
of the Creative work is as much "of God" as its inception, and
we should remember further that God's own honor and credit are at stake
in the successful carrying out of his plans; thus does he accept the
situation, and hence declares that "for his own sake" he will
complete that which he has begun.
This is the thought contained in the scripture quoted
at the outset, "Thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine
hands." It is as though a person should commence a work in
which he took a great interest and should carry it on to a certain stage
and then lay it aside for some reason; he does nothing more to it for
weeks, months or years perhaps, but still his heart is set upon that
work, he is deeply interested in it, he longs to be at it again and to
complete what he has begun; he has a desire to the work of his hands,
his own character and reputation as a workman is at stake and he feels
bound to complete the job. Some such thought as this seems to have been
in the mind of the old patriarch when he uttered the words we are
considering.
"If a man die shall he live again? all the days
of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. Thou shalt call
and I will answer thee; thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine
hands."
It is important to notice in this scripture that Job
bases his hope of a future life, not on anything he had done, or might
do, but on the fact of God's proprietorship of him; he seems to
have reasoned thus, I am an unfinished piece of divine workmanship; the
divine Workman would desire to finish his own work; hence though
I die I shall live again. This was Job's hope; this is our hope; this is
the hope of the world. When God said, "in the beginning,"
(Gen. 1:1) "let us make man in our image and in our likeness"
(Gen. 1:26), he did not mean merely the first man, but he meant the race.
That work began in Eden and has been going on uninterruptedly ever
since; it has been completed thus far only in the case of one man,
"the Perfect Man," the Lord Jesus Christ, and hence he has
become the pattern and the model after whom all the redeemed shall be
fashioned, so that when the question is asked, "What is
man?" (Ps. 8:4; Heb. 2:6) the answer is Jesus; see Heb.
2:5-10. Jesus is the only man thus far finished, completed and
perfected; he is the only one as yet in whom the creative proposition
has been consummated "Let us make man in our image and in our
likeness" (Gen. 1:26), for he is the brightness of the Father's
glory and "the express image of his person." (Heb. 1:3). The
first man could not have been in the image and likeness of God in the
same sense that Jesus was, because the nature of the two are broadly
contrasted in 1 Cor. 15:45-49:
"The first man, Adam, was made a living soul [a
soulical or animal man], the last Adam was made a quickening
(life-giving) spirit; howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but
that which is natural (soulical), and afterward that which is spiritual;
the first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from
heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is
the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly; and as we have borne
the image of the earthy, so shall we bear the image of the
heavenly."
Thus we see that the first man could not have
been in the full image and likeness of God, for he was made altogether
unlike "the second man," Jesus, who is "the express image
of the invisible God" (Col. 1:15). Therefore when we read of Adam
that he was made in God's image we know that the statement must be taken
prophetically and prospectively, for God "quickeneth the dead and
calleth those things which be not as though they were" (Rom. 4:
17). We know that he was made altogether different in nature from Adam,
and we know that Christ is the pattern after whom all the redeemed are
to be modeled; we also know that he is the "perfect Man"
(Eph. 4: 13), "The Man Christ Jesus" our Mediator with
the Father, (1 Tim. 2: 5) the Man whom God has appointed to judge
the world (Acts 17: 31) and this same "Son of man" will
come again; see Rev. 1:13; 14:14; Matt. 10:23; 13:41; 24:27,30,44;
25:31, and many other similar scriptures. It is a noteworthy fact that
the scriptures emphasize the humanity of Christ far more than
they do his divinity; he is divine in him dwelleth all the fulness of
the Godhead bodily but this truth is not made so prominent in the
Bible as the fact that Jesus was thoroughly human, bone of our bone and
flesh of our flesh; his usual title in the New Testament is "Son of
Man;" thus he usually styled himself; only four times does he call
himself the "Son of God," (Matt. 26:63-64; Lk. 22:70) while he
takes to himself the name, Son of Man, some eighty times. Thus does it
most certainly appear that Jesus Christ is the perfected Man, that he is
a Man still, "standing on the right hand of God" (Acts 7: 56)
and that "this same Jesus" (Acts 1:11) will come again, the
Man whom God has appointed to judge the world. Hence the conclusion
seems inevitable that Jesus Christ is THE FINISHED MAN, the one only man
who has passed through the entire process of creation and reached the
image and likeness of God.
Now how did Jesus reach this highly exalted and
glorious position, as the first fruits and forerunner of all the saved?
Was it by his own might and power? Did he create and perfect himself?
No, most emphatically no; it was all "of God." Jesus
was entirely "God's workmanship" (Eph. 2:10) just like all the
rest of the redeemed. There is such a mass of scripture to establish
this truth that I will refer to it very briefly and leave the reader to
study it out at his pleasure and leisure. In the first place, God
brought him into the world; (Heb. 1:6; Lk. 1:25) "God was with
him" (Acts 10:38) his entire career and everything that he did and
said was "of God" and by his power. Jesus never claimed
to perform his mighty works by his own power; on the contrary he
expressly disclaims any such thing; he did his mighty works
"by the spirit of God" (Matt. 12:28), the works that he did
were not his own works (John 9:4) the words he spake were not
his own words. (John 3:34; 14:10; 17:8). "It is my meat and
drink," he said, "to do my Father's will and to finish his
work" (Jn. 4:34); again he says, "the Father that dwelleth in
me he doeth the works" (Jn. 14:10. See Acts 2:22). "Jesus of
Nazareth a man approved of God among you by miracles, and wonders, and
signs, which God did by him," etc. Christ was the agent, God did
the mighty works "by him;" again to the same effect read Acts
10:38-42. Thus was Jesus "the beginning of the creation of
God" (Rev. 3:14). God was his Creator, God and Father, just
as he is our Creator, God and Father. (John 20:17). his passion
and crucifixion was "of God" (Acts 2:23; 4:27,28); so also his
resurrection, exaltation and priesthood, (Acts 2:24; Phil. 2:9; Heb.
6:20) also his return to judge, and reign, and deliver "the whole
creation" (Rom. 8:19,20). Jesus was weak; he says, "Of mine
own self I can do nothing" (John 5: 19, 30; 8:28) none of us are
any weaker than that. Paul says that Christ was "crucified through
weakness, but he liveth by the power of God" (2 Cor. 13:4); all his
power was of God, and even his life, for he says "I live by the
Father" (John 6:57). Now turn to Isa. 42:1-12; read the whole
passage comparing it with Matt. 12:18-21, and see how thoroughly
Christ's earthly career and final victory was of God. God "made
known to him the ways of life" (Acts 2:28) and "upheld"
him, and this was the reason why it could be said of him, "he shall
not fail." "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and
will hold thine hand, and will keep thee" (Is. 42:6). "I am
the Lord; this is my name, and my glory will I not give to another,
neither my praise to graven images" (Is. 42:8). Thus Jesus had to
pass through a process of growth and development, just as a man must, in
order to reach the divine image and likeness, and every step of this
process was of God. As a youth, "he grew in wisdom and in favor
with God and man, and the grace of God was upon him" (Luke
2:40,52). There were some things he did not know, (Mark 13:32) and he
had to be instructed; among the rest he "learned obedience
by the things that he suffered." (Heb. 5:8). He had to pass through
a training process "that he might be a faithful high priest in
things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the
people" (Heb. 2:17), and finally he was "perfected through
suffering" (Heb. 2:10) "and being made perfect, he
became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey
him."
All this goes to show that Jesus during his earth
life was passing through a process of creation, and that this entire
process in all its length and breadth was of God; Jesus did not perfect
himself, but was made perfect, the perfect Man, and thus
perfected he becomes, as we have seen, the model and pattern of all the
redeemed; they must be perfected as he was and by the same power the
power of God in order to reach the same goal, and their
creation, like that of Christ's must be entirely of God, as it is
written, "We are his (God's) workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them" (Eph. 2: 10).
The point that I want the reader to see is that the
perfection of man, the consummation of his creation in the image and
likeness of God, is God's work, and as such is sure of being
accomplished, because the Great Workman is interested in his work, he
has a "desire" to it, and he will not begin what he cannot
complete. For the creature to fail of the purpose of its creation
implies a failure on the part of the Creator, and this cannot be in the
government of God. "My counsel shall stand," he says,
"and I will do all my pleasure;" (Is. 46:10) hence we may be
sure that the ultimate purpose in the creation of everyone, whatever it
may be, will be surely carried out; as the Creator cannot fail, neither
can his creations. Thus does it appear that in the final outcome of
man's creation the honor of the Most High is involved, and he is bound
to make that outcome a successful and glorious one in order to vindicate
that honor. There is abundance of scripture to establish this point and
we shall notice it in the course of our discussion. But now we wish to
say a word in answer to some questions that may come up in the mind of
the reader in relation to
THE PART OF EACH INDIVIDUAL IN
HIS OWN SALVATION.
The Bible tell us that we must repent and believe; we
must love God and obey him; we must work out our own salvation, make our
calling and election sure, cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the
flesh and spirit, etc., and it is commonly understood that if we do not
do all this we cannot be saved. Now how can we reconcile these things
that man must do in order to be saved, with the idea that our salvation
is entirely in the hands of our Creator, and he is sure to carry out his
will in us in the end?
I have not space in the present writing to go into
this question fully. I will give a brief answer, because I have no doubt
that the question will arise in the minds of many readers, and it will
seem to them, perhaps, an insuperable obstacle in the way of accepting
the view here presented of the true basis of redemption.
There is just one declaration of scripture that seems
to the writer to perfectly answer the questions we are considering, viz:
"God is able even to subdue all things unto himself." (Phil.
3:21). To me this declaration simply means that out of the infinite and
inexhaustible resources of God he will find a way whereby he will be
able to overcome every obstacle, whatever it may be, to the perfect
accomplishment of his wise and gracious will. Man's freewill forms no
exception to this rule. Take for example the case of the apostle Paul;
God found a way to break down the iron opposition of Saul of Tarsus, and
yet he did not force his will; he was able however to subdue him unto
himself. So also the case of King Nebuchadnezzar as related in the book
of Daniel (Chap. 4) is another illustration of the numberless resources,
some of them strange and unheard of, at God's command whereby he is able
to subdue all things unto himself. So again, the career of the prodigal
son (Luke 15) is another illustration of this same great truth; the
perversity and foolish independence of the wayward boy was humbled, and
he was convinced of his wrong doing and finally restored to his father,
through the very experiences that his sins brought upon him; this case
illustrates the words of the prophet to Israel, "thine own
wickedness shall correct thee" (Jer. 2:19). Thus in some way or
other the Lord is able to subdue all things unto himself. I care not
what difficulty is raised in the way of the full accomplishment of the
will of God, this one scripture statement answers it "He is able
to subdue all things unto himself." He will find a way
whereby all things will ultimately be brought into harmony with himself.
All shall be reconciled to God; (Col. 1:20) "Every created
thing" shall praise him (Rev. 5:13, R.V.) and God shall be all in
all. Mark you, this is not the subduing of almighty power, compelling
all to bow and yield whether willing or not; of course God has this
power, but this would not be the kind of subduing that infinite Love
would be satisfied with; the only way that love can subdue is to
harmonize, reconcile and unify; and this is exactly what the scriptures
declare shall ultimately be accomplished. He will gather together in
one all things in heaven and earth in Christ, (Eph. 1:10) and "In
the name of Jesus every knee shall bow" (Phil. 2:10); not simply be
compelled to bow at his name, but bow in that name, and every
tongue shall confess to the glory of God the Father. It would not
be much to the glory of God to crush into outward subjection to himself
all things by the overwhelming weight of his infinite might. Of course
God has this power, but such an exercise of it would not be much to his
glory, so it seems to the writer; but to reconcile all things to
himself, to bring into oneness and harmony "the whole
creation" (Rom. 8:22;) this would be a consummation grand
and blessed and glorious beyond all expression and conception; and this
is what the Lord positively declares over and over again that he will
do. I am certain therefore that there is no insurmountable obstacle in
the way of the complete accomplishment o£ "that good and
acceptable and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12:2); the one all
sufficient answer to all such objections is He is ABLE to subdue all
things unto himself. "Hallelujah! the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth!" (Rev. 19:6). Now we will go back to the main question.
We have found that man is still in process of
creation, and that the consummation of that creation depends on God, the
Creator, and not on man, the creature. Now notice how this thought is
brought out in the New Testament. We have seen that everything in the
earthly life of Christ was God wrought, so we shall see that everything
in connection with Christ's work, the inception, process and
consummation of the redemptive work is all of God; and, being so, a
successful issue is absolutely certain. In the following scripture let
the reader notice especially how GOD is made the prime mover and
pre-eminent cause of the whole redemptive work.
Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that
taketh away the sin of the world. It was because God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten Son; etc. and therefore,
"God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet
sinners Christ died for us" and, "In this was manifested the
love of God toward us, because he sent his only begotten Son into the
world that we might live through him." Again it is "the
Father that has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world," and
"No man can come except the Father draw him." Says
Christ, "All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me, and
him that cometh I will in no wise cast out." "The gift of
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Now see 2 Cor. 5:17-21:
"Therefore if any man be in
Christ Jesus he is a new creation; old things have passed away,
behold, all things are become new; and all things are of God, who hath
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the
ministry of reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling
the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and
hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are
ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray
you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he (God) hath made
him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him."
Truly, "ALL THINGS ARE OF
GOD," and "We are God's workmanship; created in Christ Jesus
unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them;" and again, "Ye are God's husbandry, (tilled land) ye
are God's building." Read also the 5th, 8th, 9th and 11th
chapters of Romans, and many more scriptures in the New Testament to
the same effect.
I call the reader's attention to these passages in
order that they may notice that the whole redemptive work is attributed
to God. Christ is God's agent; God is the principal at every step, and
it is his love and his power and his grace that is
manifested throughout. He is "God our Savior, who will have all men
to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim.
2:3,4).
How different is this scriptural view of the
redemptive work from that false view that exhalts Christ and vilifies
the character of God, making the former to be loving and gracious and
the latter harsh and implacable, a being who must be appeased and
propitiated in order to make him willing to forgive the sinner. Thus is
the Father and the Son presented in contrast, when in fact the latter is
an exact revelation of the former, and by the same false view the
teaching of scripture is reversed by declaring that Christ's mission was
to reconcile God to man, when in fact the atonement is wrought out by
God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, and then
beseeching individuals, through his ambassadors, to be reconciled to
him. Thank God for the truth.
There is one passage of scripture that may occur to
the reader that perhaps I ought to notice in this connection; it is
Phil. 2:12: "Work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling." To many this passage seems to make one's salvation
depend entirely upon his own efforts; he is to work out his own
salvation, i.e., he is to save himself by his own works. But of course
it cannot mean this, for if it did it would contradict other scripture
which expressly declares that we are not saved by works but by faith "without
works." What then does it mean? Read the next verse. "For it
is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his
good pleasure." There you have it again. "All things are of
God." When God works in us both to will and to do of his good
pleasure, what part is there left for the individual to do? The willing
and the doing is about the whole of it, is it not? And if God working in
you does both the willing and the doing according to his good pleasure,
then there is not much room for the good works of self; it is as the
apostle says, "I labored more than they all, yet not I, but the
grace of God that was in me." Thus even this text teaches the same
doctrine that we have learned from so many others: our salvation is of
God. Salvation is life indeed. (1 Tim. 6:19, R.V.). This is the
consummation of creation, and the work of the Creator, just as much as
it was "in the beginning." But what shall we do then with the
other verse, "Work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling?" Why the meaning of this is plain enough work out what
the Lord works in; that is all there is to it. God is working in you
both to will and to do of his good pleasure; now you work that out; let
the life inwrought of God be manifested outwardly, that all may know
that you have been with Jesus and learned of him. You can only work out
what God works in; you cannot work for your salvation, or secure
salvation by working; but the salvation, i.e., the life, that God
imparts, we may manifest, and that is what the text enjoins that we
should do.
Thus from the foregoing we arrive again at the true
basis of redemption. God will have a desire to the work of his hands. He
takes an interest and a pride, as we say, in his own work, and for
his own sake he will carry it on to a successful termination. Now we
will notice how this is confirmed and illustrated in the Old Testament
by God's dealings with
ISRAEL
As we read the history of this people it seems to
reflect great dishonor on God, as a profligate child brings disgrace
upon his parents. From the Old Testament account it appears that God
chose this people out of all other peoples and lavished upon them great
blessings and gave them unusual privileges in his attempt to make of
them something extra, as one might say. They were to be to him a
"peculiar people," a "kingdom of priests and a royal
nation;" they were God's son, his first born (Ex. 4: 22); they were
his vineyard toward which he had exercised the greatest care, (Isa. 5)
and finally they are represented even as being married to God; (Ezek.
16) and yet, notwithstanding all these blessings, this care and close
relationship to God, this people turned out bad in every respect; they
were always disobedient, perverse and rebellious, they were continually
leaving the true God who had done so much for them and going after
idols, and in every respect they were a low, degraded, ungrateful,
wicked people, and finally they rejected their Messiah and put him to
death and thus filled up the full measure of their iniquity and were cut
off and cast aside as rejected branches from a good olive tree. (Rom.
11). All this was greatly dishonoring to God; it was as though one
should adopt a child, and take the greatest care that it should grow up
extra good and it should turn out outrageously bad; the parents would
feel disgraced and dishonored and many would blame them for the
waywardness of the child, believing that if it had had the right sort of
training it would not have so widely departed therefrom. Now this is
just exactly the view that is taken of the matter in the Bible. The Lord
acknowledges that his name has been "profaned among the
nations" and dishonored by the perversity of his people, and when
Moses pleads for mercy and forgiveness for them he bases his plea on the
same ground. See. Ex. 32:12; Num. 14:13-16; Deut. 9:28; 32:27. The
reader will see from these passages that Moses pleads for the Lord's
favor on the ground that his own reputation was at stake, and that if he
failed to accomplish what he had started out to do his name would be
dishonored. The Lord apparently accepts this plea and grants the prayer
of his servant. This is the point that I wish the reader especially to
note; the final accomplishment of the purpose of God depends on himself
and not on man. The creature may fail, the Creator never fails; and no
amount of blunders, mistakes failures or perversions of the creature
shall disarrange or thwart the plans of the Creator. This is our hope;
this is the hope of the world; this is the True Basis of Redemption. Man
is God's own work; he has begun to create him in his own image
and likeness; he will surely finish the work, for he will have a desire
to the work of his own hands.
There is one very striking illustration of this in
the early history of Israel. They came to the borders of the promised
land and sent out the spies, who (with the exception of Caleb and
Joshua) brought back an evil report, "we cannot go up and possess
the land." The people with their usual perversity accept this
report at once and say, "let us go back to Egypt." Thus after
all that the Lord had done for them, after all his mighty power and
special favor manifested in their behalf, sufficient it would seem to
confirm their faith forever, still they were ready to throw all this
away, turn their backs on the Lord and go back to the land of darkness
and bondage. It seemed like an utter failure of all the Lord's efforts
to make anything good of this faithless people; they were a base herd of
ingrates entirely unworthy of the high destiny that Jehovah had marked
out for them, let them go to their own destruction, the plan has failed
so far as they are concerned. It is just at this moment of dire disaster
and cowardly failure, in the very midst of the apparent defeat of the
Lord's most cherished hopes, and while he pronounces the doom of that
recreant generation, that he at the same time declares, in a sort of
prophetic undertone, and yet with all the confidence of omnipotence,
"But," notwithstanding this apparent failure "as
truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the
Lord." Here again is the thought made prominent that the failure of
the creature does not handicap the Creator; he has his own way at last,
and works his sovereign will just the same.
This episode in the history of God's ancient people
and the Lord's attitude toward the same, is simply a type and sample of
their whole career and of God's dealings with them; they always failed;
their entire history is a series of blundering, stupid follies and
rebellions; they were always breaking their promises; they were always
going after other gods, and the Lord was continually chastising them
until it seems as though he was tired of it, for he says by the mouth of
the prophet, "Why should ye be striken any more?" As a father
might say to a persistently wicked child, why will you be so perverse?
Why will you keep me chastising you all the time? and then as
though he despaired of any improvement he says, "Ye will revolt
more and more." The Lord knew that they were a stiff-necked,
rebellious people from the beginning (Deut. 31:16-29) and that they
would keep it up to the end; "Ye will revolt more and more;"
and then he gives the reason, "the whole head is sick, and the
whole heart faint; from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is
no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they
have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with
ointment." Thus it was all through their history they were
"joined to their idols," they were "transgressors from
the womb," and finally their wickedness culminated in the rejection
and crucifixion of their Messiah, whereupon they were rejected and cast
aside. Thus apparently the Lord's experiment with this people utterly
failed. He tried to make something extra out of them and they turned out
even worse than the surrounding heathen. See Ezek. 16:44, to the end of
the chapter. Was not this a disgrace and a dishonor upon him who
acknowledged himself as their God in a special sense, their Father and
even their Husband? (Isa. 54:5). Has the Lord's purpose concerning them
failed? Has he thus been balked in his plans, and prevented from
carrying them out because he could not make of them what he set out to
make? No, not at all; the Lord knew before he began just how the
experiment would turn out. It was no experiment with him. "Known
unto the Lord are all his works from the beginning." He is not
taken by surprise; he is not disappointed; he meets no unforeseen
difficulties nor unexpected obstacles, but everything is known and taken
into account and provided for before hand. But will the Lord yet
vindicate his wisdom and power in regard to this people? Yes, he most
certainly will. The Bible most positively teaches that the Lord will yet
take this people in hand again, and then he will accomplish all his will
in them, and that he will do this on his own account in order to
manifest to all nations his wisdom and power. Now notice how all this is
brought out in the scriptures. The Lord says(Isa. 43: 25) "I,
even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake
and will not remember thy sins."
Mark you, the Lord blots out their transgressions for
his own sake. He is personally interested in the matter on his own
account, and therefore he blots out their sins. Now read the rest
of the chapter and the first eight verses of the following chapter; read
carefully, weigh every word and see how this great and comforting truth
of God's interest in the work and the consequent absolute assurance of
its final fulfillment is brought out.
Now see another remarkable passage to the same effect
in Isa. 48:8-11.
"Yea, thou
heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear
was not opened; for I knew {mark this} that thou wouldest deal very
treacherously, and wast called a trangressor from the womb. For my
name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain
from thee, that I cut thee not off. Behold, I have refined thee, but not
with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. For mine
own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it; for how should my name
be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another."
In this passage is again set forth God's personal
interest in the destiny of Israel, and the consequent assurance of his
will being fully accomplished therein.
Now see another passage in Ezek. 20. This chapter
sets forth the same idea; the persistent wickedness of God's people.
Nevertheless, God did not destroy them or cast them off nor visit upon
them all their sin, for he had respect unto his own reputation which
they had disgraced, therefore, he wrought in their behalf for his own
name's sake that it should not be polluted before the nations among
whom they were, and in whose sight he had made himself known in bringing
them out of Egypt. (See verses 9,14,22 and 44). The whole chapter brings
out this truth, that God is personally interested in the outcome of his
dealings with Israel, that he feels disgraced, as we might say, at their
failure, and that for his own sake he will yet work for them and bring
them into harmony with himself.
This truth is still more plainly and positively
brought out in chapters 36 and 37 of this same prophecy (Ezek.). The
Lord tells how his people had defiled themselves and how he had
chastised them, pouring out on them his fury and scattering them among
the nations; and yet they profaned his holy name more and more wherever
they went, and the heathen said sneeringly, "These are the people
of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land" (verse 20). This
was not so much a blaming of the people, as a sarcastic reflection upon
the Lord, these are the Lord's people; those whom he undertook to make
superior to other people; see what they have come to, mark how well the
Lord has made out with them, etc. Thus was the Lord's name profaned and
disgraced, like as when they wagged their head at Jesus on the cross and
said mockingly, "he saved others, himself he cannot save"
(Matt. 27:42; Mk. 15:31; Lk. 23:35). Will the Lord let it go that way?
Is he done with his people? Are all his resources exhausted? Has he done
his very utmost, and must he accept the inevitable and give it up as a
bad job which he can never complete? Not so, by any means; whatsoever
the Lord has set his hand to he will surely carry through, "and
none can stay his hand or say unto him what doest thou?" (Dan.
4:35). "Hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken and
shall he not make it good?" (Num. 23:19). So here in the prophecy
we are considering, the Lord goes on to say (verse21 )
"But I had pity for mine holy
name which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither
they went; therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord
God, I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for
mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen,
whither ye went; and I will sanctify my great name which ye have
profaned in the midst of them, and the heathen shall know that I am
the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before
their eyes."
God will be sanctified in Israel
before all nations by carrying out his original purpose concerning
them; and this he will do, not for their sakes, but for his own sake;
and he will gather them out of all countries whither he had scattered
them and bring them into their own land (verse 24, etc.),"Then
will I sprinkle clean water on you and ye shall be clean; from all
your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you; a new
heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you, and
I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give
you a heart of flesh; and I will put my spirit within you, and cause
you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do
them; and ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and
ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will also save you
from all your uncleannesses; I will call for the corn, and will
increase it, and lay no famine upon you; and I will multiply the fruit
of the tree, and the increase of the field, and ye shall receive no
more reproach of famine among the heathen." Mark how the Lord
says he will do all this without any conditions attached
whatever I will cleanse you, I will save you. I will cause you to
walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them. There
are no "ifs" about it; there are no contingencies; I will do
it, and thou shalt do it, and the result...
"Then shall ye remember your
own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loath
yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your
abominations."
Now why does the Lord do this? (verse 32).
"Not for your sakes do I this,
saith the Lord God, be it known unto you; be ashamed and confounded
for your own ways, O house of Israel." Then he goes on to tell
what he will do further, and adds "Then the heathen that are
left round you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and
plant that was desolate; I the Lord have spoken it and I will do
it." There is no doubt about it; it is sure to be done, for God's
word never returns unto him void nor fails to accomplish that whereto
he sends it. (Isa. 55). He says, "I have spoken it; I will also
bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it." (Isa.
46:11).
Language could not be plainer than the foregoing
scriptures to express the thought of God's absolute sovereignty and that
he always has his own way, that whatever his purpose is he carries it
out and no failure on the part of man can ever change the divine
program, or in any way or in the least degree thwart the divine will.
God's own honor and credit is at stake, he recognizes it so, and speaks
and acts accordingly; and what seems like failure will yet be seen to be
a success so absolute and grand that only omnipotence could compass it.
There was no failure in connection with this people from God's
standpoint. He knew from the first how everything would turn out; and
the lesson he would teach them, and through them to the race for all
these things were done for the admonition of later generations (I Cor.
10:11) will be thoroughly learned. And then in the future ages he will
yet make of this people a holy people, obedient and faithful, and they
shall walk in the way of his statutes and keep his judgments and do
them; and they shall be ashamed of their former perverseness and
disobedience, and repent them of all their evil deeds, and God's name
shall be sanctified in them, which once they profaned. And, mark you,
God does all this of his own sovereign will and power; and not for their
sakes, but for his own sake.
Here again is the True Basis of Redemption, the will
of God, his own purposes and plans, his own almighty power, unfailing
wisdom and unalterable word, his proprietorship of man "We are
God's workmanship" he is personally interested in the work and in
its successful issue his own honor is at stake, he will do it for his
own sake, he will do it, and therefore it is absolutely certain of
being done. Thus the final outcome depends not on man; you and I are
free and responsible intermediately, and will be held strictly
accountable for all the deeds done in the body; but God is the first and
the last; he has his way finally, and man has no power to stay his hand,
or to say unto him, what doest thou? No act of the creature can alter or
disarrange the final plans of the Creator.
We must now go a step further in our study of this
subject. It is the final one, and makes the grand truth complete. I want
to show that
DEATH,
any more than anything else, is no hindrance to the
perfect accomplishment of the ever blessed will of God. We have thus far
said nothing on this point; and it may be that the reader, like the
great mass of Christians, holds to the idea that death, physical death,
fixes forever the destiny of everyone. One may change after death from
bad to worse or from good to better there may be progress in either
direction, upward or downward, but there can be no change from bad to
good, or from the downward road to the upward. This is the current
belief, and it is supposed by many to be fully warranted by the Bible.
But as a matter of fact this belief is a mistake; it has no scriptural
support at all; what foundation it has is from human tradition. In the
few closing words of my little book I will give some of the evidence to
establish the truth that God in Christ is Lord of the dead as well as
the living, and that though a man die in his sins, still he is not
beyond the reach of the ever merciful arm of the Almighty. (Psa. 136).
We have found that God the Creator has his way, and
carries out his purpose with reference to his creatures whatever may be
their condition or circumstances. The plainest and most positive
scripture has been cited to prove the above. Now if death fixes man's
eternal destiny, the above would not be possible. Billions of human
beings have died in the past in unavoidable ignorance of the true God
and of Jesus Christ whom he has sent, and millions are dying every day
in the same condition. If the doom of these countless myriads is sealed
eternally, then two conclusions follow: either God's purpose in their
creation was that they should come to just such an end as they have come
to, or else his purpose has failed. His purpose cannot fail, for
he says, "My counsel shall stand and I will do all my
pleasure." (Is. 46:10). "He worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will," i.e., in the final outcome God's
will is accomplished. Neither can we accept the conclusion that these
myriads who have lived in ignorance and sin, and died in darkness, and,
according to the current belief, are therefore hopelessly lost, have
hereby fulfilled the purpose of their creation. Such an idea is utterly
contrary to the revealed nature of God and diametrically opposed to all
the teaching of Holy Scripture, wherein we are taught that God loves
the world, that he sent his Son to be its Savior "the
propitiation for the sins of the whole world" that the Son is the
true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and that
finally, the whole creation shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Rom.
8:19-21).
Therefore since we cannot accept either conclusion we
must also reject the premise; the only way out of this difficulty is to
admit the possibility of enlightenment, trial and salvation after death.
Take for example the declaration that God will have "all men to be
saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." (I Tim. 2: 4). How can
the will of God in this particular be carried out if death fixes the
eternal condition of all, since the great mass of mankind have died, and
are still dying, without any knowledge of the truth at all? This is so
with many other scriptures, John 1:9; Luke 2:10: etc.
Take the case of Israel that we have been
considering. We know that God will carry out his will regarding
them notwithstanding all their perversity and failure. But how can this
be if he cannot reach the millions of this people who have died in the
past? God did not have his own way with them; and now their doom
is sealed. Is it so? Not thus does Holy Scripture speak to the writer.
We have seen what great blessings God has promised this people in the
future. Do the ones to whom these promises were given, those who were
living at the time, have no share in their fulfillment? Have they passed
forever beyond the reach of all benefit from these gracious and
wonderful words of future good, when they should be ashamed and repent
of their wrong doing? Do these words apply only to some future
generation of this people who may happen to be living on the earth at
the time of their fulfillment? In answer to these questions read Ezek.
37 the vision of the valley of dry bones, and notice that "the
whole house of Israel" is the subject under discussion, and that
God promises to "open their graves and bring them up out of their
graves," and bestow upon them the great blessings enumerated. See
also the remaining part of the chapter and notice how all Israel, both
houses, Judah and Ephraim, are included, and God will bless them and
save them and cleanse them, etc. and David shall rule over them, etc.
Surely no one can read this chapter without being strongly impressed
with the thought that there is a wonderful future for this people in
which all of them are to share, even "the whole house of
Israel." Paul confirms all this in Rom. 11. I have not space to
notice this wonderful chapter particularly, but recommend the reader to
study it carefully verse by verse, for the light it gives on the
gracious ways of God is marvelous; and notice especially that the
apostle's conclusion is that "all Israel shall be saved."
(verse 26).
I will throw out a thought here for the reader's
consideration. I shall not be able to amplify it but perhaps the reader
will be interested enough in the subject to study it up for himself. We
have been considering the history of Israel, in its past and the
glorious prophecies of the future, solely with reference to this one
people. I have no doubt but that these prophecies are to be fulfilled
literally; they mean all that, but, mark you, they mean more.
Israel stands for the race; the history of that people, their
past and their future and God's dealings with them is but a sample and a
type and a promise of the future of the race; thus will God deal
with mankind; through a similar experience shall they all pass
unto a like glorious destiny. Without going into this subject further
here, I will refer the reader to the following passages: Deut. 32:8;
Isa. 19:23,25; Rom. 11, the whole chapter; 1 Cor. 10:1-11; etc. Thus
understood, the history of this people becomes of universal interest,
and thereby a reason appears why it should occupy four-fifths of the
sacred writings. But we must now pass on to the final illustration of
the True Basis of Redemption.
SODOM
The force of the foregoing argument drawn from the
history of Israel might be somewhat evaded by asserting that the
promises of future good to this people are to be fulfilled only to the
righteous portion of the race who may be living when the time comes for
the complete fulfillment of these prophecies.
Now as if to nullify such a parrying of the teaching
of God's word, whereby "the Holy One of Israel is limited"
(Psa. 78:41), the Lord has given us an illustration of this same truth
which does not admit of any such explanation. In the case of the wicked
Sodomites, there was no righteous among them at all; if there had been
ten righteous persons in all the cities of the plain of Jordan they
would not have been destroyed; (Gen. 18) and furthermore, if there are
any future blessings for them, it must be for the wicked dead; for they
were all destroyed, not one escaped; they all perished in their
sins, and whatever of good or ill there is for them in the future must
necessarily be posthumous. (Luke 17:29).
The record of the exceeding wickedness of this people
and their awful destruction is familiar to every Bible reader. (Gen.
19). But it is strange how many there are, even those who are quite
familiar with the written word, who nevertheless have never noticed the
wonderful prophecy of future restoration and blessing for these typical
sinners. This prophecy is in Ezek. 16. I will briefly notice the leading
points in the prophecy; and if the reader will look out all the
references and will carefully consider the subject without prejudice,
I think that, even if he does not accept the broad conclusion of a
probation after death for all the wicked dead, he will at least admit
that this prophecy, together with the connected passages referred to,
fully warrants at least a hope of future good for "exceedingly"
(Gen. 13:13) wicked Sodom, and, by a fair inference, for all the wicked
dead.
Now turn to the 16th chapter of Ezekiel's prophecy
and read it through carefully. You will notice that the first part of
the chapter is highly figurative; but as we get along into the middle
part it becomes less and less figurative, until in the latter part of
the chapter the figure is dropped altogether and the statements are in
plain and direct terms. Sodom, Samaria and Jerusalem are three
contrasted cities. Sodom and Samaria are the younger and the older, or
(margin) the lesser and the greater sister of Jerusalem. The idea is
that all three are of the same family in sin, but Sodom is the least
guilty of the three and Jerusalem the most guilty because the former
city had the least light and Jerusalem the most; in fact the sin of
Sodom was "a very little thing" in comparison to that of
Jerusalem. We need not be surprised therefore or in the least degree
incredulous when we find future blessings promised to Jerusalem, if we
find them also promised to less guilty Sodom. We know that there
are such blessings promised to Jerusalem; see, for example, the 40th and
60th chapters of Isa., the 30th and 31st of Jer., the 20th and 36th of
Ezek., the 2nd of Hos., and many others; also the last part of this 16th
of Ezek., as we shall notice presently; these are unmistakable promises
of future blessings for Jerusalem and Israel. But are there any such
blessings for the wicked Sodomites? Read on in the chapter; verse 53;
this verse and the two following read as follows (compare new version) "I
will turn again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her
daughters [the cities of the plain], and the captivity of Samaria and
her daughters [the other cities of Israel] and the captivity of thy
captives in the midst of them; that thou mayest bear thine own shame,
and mayest be ashamed of all that thou hast done, in that thou art a
comfort unto them; and thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall
return to their former estate; and thou and thy daughters shall return
to your former estate."
Now what does this remarkable prophecy mean? What
does "turn their captivity" mean? This is explained in the
next verse, "return to their former estate" what else can
this mean, in the case of the Sodomites at least, but that God will
bring these wicked people back again from the captivity of the grave
(Ezekiel 16) restore them to their former fleshly life and then what?
Read the rest of the chapter and you will see that they are to be
blessed and "forgiven" together with Samaria and Jerusalem.
God will remember his covenant with Jerusalem (verse 60) "in the
days of her youth," and will establish with her "an
everlasting covenant;" and she shall remember her ways and be
ashamed when she shall receive her sisters, the elder and the younger Samaria
and Sodom and they shall be given to her for "daughters,"
but not by her covenant, that is, the old covenant which she had
broken, but by a new covenant which he will establish with her; and she
shall know the Lord, i.e. she shall have "life eternal"
(John 17:3); then will she remember and be confounded and never open her
mouth any more, when the Lord has forgiven her all her sins. (See
New Version, verse 63).
There can be no doubt but that a future blessing
is foretold here for Jerusalem, Samaria and Sodom; and in the case of
the last named it must be a future blessing for the wicked dead; no
other interpretation can be put upon the passage except it be forced
upon it. And why should we wish to put any other interpretation upon it?
Why should it be thought "a thing incredible" (Acts 26:8) that
God should thus raise the wicked dead to be dealt with in grace
and mercy? How else can the word of God stand that we have been
considering, that so plainly teaches, as we have seen, that God has his
own way at last and brings his creation to a successful issue,
completing and perfecting his own workmanship?
Let us look a little further at the case of Sodom and
see how reasonable is this prophecy of its future restoration and
blessing, and how eminently in harmony with other scripture. In verses
49 and 50 of this chapter "the sin of Sodom" is set forth, and
we see that that sin is exactly the same as could be truthfully laid to
the charge of every large city in the world today. But there is one
sin, worse than all the rest, of which Sodom was not guilty, but
the modern cities of Christendom are guilty of that same sin it
is this, the sin against light, the misuse of special privileges, the
rejection of the truth, the denial of Christ. Sodom never had such
opportunities as these and therefore could not commit these sins; but
modern cities do have these privileges and are therefore more
guilty than ancient Sodom; this was just exactly what made the
difference between Sodom and Jerusalem, so that the sin of the former
was "a very little thing" compared to that of the latter. Does
it not seem strange that Sodom should be eternally lost without ever
having any opportunity at all to obtain eternal life? and especially so
since Jesus expressly tells us that if Sodom had had this light it would
not have perished as it did? (Matt. 11: 20-24). On the ground that the
doom of Sodom is eternal, the above considerations are inexplicable; but
on the ground of this prophecy of the restoration and blessing of Sodom
at some future time, every difficulty disappears, and we can plainly see
how true it is that death cannot separate us from the love of God
any more than "any other creature" (Rom. 8: 38, 39).
It must not be overlooked also that this restoration
of the wicked nations at some future time is not confined to Sodom
alone. Moab, Ammon, and Elam are to be similarly restored "in the
latter days;" (Jer. 48:47; 49:6,39) read carefully also the
prophecy of Obadiah with reference to Edom, and note especially the last
verse. And finally David makes this restoration of the nations universal
when he says, "All nations that thou hast made shall come and
worship before thee, O Lord, and shall glorify thy name; for thou art
great and doest wondrous things; thou art God alone." (Psa.
86:9,10, compare Rev. 15:1-4).
Here, then, is the most positive evidence that the
failure of the creature even to the extreme of physical death is no
hindrance to the Creator in fully carrying out his original plan. And
indeed, why should it be?
Is it because death is such a decided check to
ourselves, and we stand so helpless and blank at the grave's mouth
utterly unable to go any further either in our love or hate, that we
think God is equally helpless, and that death is to him also a
rock-bound coast with power to say to the great ocean of his mercy and
love "thus far shalt thou go but no farther?" (Job. 38:11).
Or, is God simply able to eternally imprison his enemies, without being
able through all eternity to make them his friends? Or, again, shall the
skill and power of the Almighty be baffled and nullified by some
millions of bits of crude material, successfully resisting his
manipulation, rendering all his gracious efforts vain, and turning out
after all wretched abortions and ugly monstrosities, so that no choice
is left to the Creator but to give over his efforts, and thrust these
failures out of sight, or crush them out of existence forever? In all
these questions I am looking at the matter from God's standpoint solely,
leaving out all consideration of man's freedom and responsibility; and
this we have a right to do because he claims to be able to subdue
all things unto himself. And he says he will reconcile all
things; that "every created thing" shall finally praise him
(Rev. 5:13, New Version), and he will be all in all. When the Lord God
Almighty makes such declarations as these it is not for mortal man to
raise obstacles and suggest objections, and wonder how the Lord
can do this and that; enough that he is able, and he will;
the how we can leave to his own infinite resources.
We are not however left entirely in the dark as to
the how, as we have seen from the foregoing considerations. God can
punish for wrong doing with the utmost severity, as in the case of
Sodom, and yet when it pleaseth him he can restore those who have thus
been destroyed under the rain of his righteous wrath, and can bring them
to himself, accomplishing fully in them the original purpose of his
creation. Thus "he turneth man to destruction and saith, return, ye
children of men" (Psa. 90: 3). He kills and makes alive; he wounds
and his hands make whole; he hath torn and he will heal us. (Deut.
32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6). Blessed be his Name forever, his power is unlimited!
We are the clay, and he is the Potter; (Isa. 64:8) and thus the Great
God and Father of all is
A FAITHFUL CREATOR
Did the reader ever think of the significance of this
expression in 1 Pet. 4:19? The apostle says, "Wherefore let them
that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their
souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."
According to the prevailing theological ideas it
would be difficult to tell what God, as a Creator, has to do with
the above described circumstances. If it had said God our heavenly
Father, or God our Redeemer, or something of that kind, it would be
perfectly explicable; but our Creator! why, we are apt to think
that creation is something accomplished and in the past, and then it was
marred and afterwards patched up partially the damage not being
wholly repaired. But can you not see, friend reader, that this idea is a
mistake? God is still our Creator; the work is not yet finished;
completion and perfection is not something that man once had and lost,
but it is yet before him, and the Almighty is the Great Workman, and we
are "his workmanship." Everything that comes to us is part and
parcel of the creative process, and all tends to the grand consummation
of the divine Artificer's glorious work.
There is infinite comfort in this great truth. God as
my Creator still creating me is responsible for my final
completion; and hence that completion is absolutely sure. I have
therefore a claim on him, I have a right to look to him
for deliverance, for help and succor in every time of need, and this
claim, and this right, is fully recognized and acknowledged in this
expression "A Faithful Creator." Ah, it is most blessed to
be able to say in the midst of trouble and overwhelming sorrow, "I
am thine, save me." "Thine hands hath made and fashioned me,
give me understanding that I may keep thy precepts." "Thou
wilt have respect unto the work of thy hands." Thus did Moses plead
with God, as we have seen, daringly urging, not the people's deserving,
but God's responsibility, as if to say, you have commenced this work,
you are responsible for its completion; and the Lord accepts the plea
and acts upon it. So, later in the history of this same people, the
prophet, although he fully confesses and deeply deplores the sinful,
undeserving character of the people, yet he urges the same plea, and
receives a similar gracious response. Read the 63rd and 64th chapters of
Isaiah. First, we have that dreadful account of the treading of the
winepress by the red-appareled One from Edom, and Bozrah, traveling in
the greatness of his strength. But this account is sandwiched in between
the description of this same personage, speaking in righteousness and
mighty to save, and (v. 7), the mention of "the loving
kindnesses" and "great goodness" of the Lord; and then,
as though to account for this kindness and goodness toward such an
unworthy people, the prophet says, (verse 8) "For he saith, surely
they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their
Savior" It is as though an indulgent father speaks of his children
apologetically in such a way as he desires them to be, and hopes
they will be; and then he continues: "In all their
affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them:
in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and
carried them all the days of old." Thus, he dealt with them in
great mercy and love, because they were "his people" and
now mark, "But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore
he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them" now
notice again, "Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his
people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the
shepherd of his flock? Where is he that put his holy Spirit within
him?" Thus he goes on appealing to the Lord on the ground of his
proprietorship of them, and the fact of former mercy and love. And again
in the 16th verse we read: "Doubtless thou are our Father, though
Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not; thou, O Lord,
art our Father, our Redeemer; thy Name is from everlasting" (Isa.
63:16). The prophet insists that God is their Father and Redeemer,
although they had acted unworthy of the children of Abraham and had
disgraced the name of Israel, yet still they would hold on to their
relationship to God. Then again in the last verse of this same chapter: "We
are thine; thou never bearest rule over them; they were not called
by thy name." Notice the significance of this continued reiteration
of God's proprietorship of them, both as Father and as owner, together
with unstinted self-condemnation and humble confession of sin, and yet "We
are thine" "Doubtless thou art our Father" there is
no doubt about it, notwithstanding its apparent unlikeliness we are
"the tribes of thine inheritance" "the people of thy
holiness." The same thought runs through the next chapter, (64) and
the same assertion of relationship to God culminates in the eighth and
ninth verses: "Now, O Lord, thou art our Father, we are the clay,
and thou our Potter; and we all are the work of thine hand. Be not wroth
very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity forever. Behold, see, we
beseech thee, we are all thy people."
How daring, and seemingly presumptuous is the claim!
and how vivid the expression of it, Thou art our Father; we insist
upon that; You cannot disown us and, more than that, we are the clay and
thou our Potter and we are all the work of thy hand O, what a word is
this! it seems audacious thus to throw the responsibility upon God, and
then with the utmost intensity and vividness Be not wroth very sore, O
Lord, neither remember iniquity forever Behold see we beseech thee WE
ARE THY PEOPLE.
Do you catch the spirit of this scripture? Do you
note its deep significance? To the writer it is an admission of the
responsibility of the Creator, and that admission carries with it a
promise of final good to every creature, so that I do not marvel at all,
nor is there any tax made upon my faith, when I am told that "the
whole creation" shall ultimately be delivered, and "every
created thing" shall finally praise God. He is my Redeemer;
redemption is a part of creation; creation is still in progress; the
Creator is the sole responsible party for the final outcome; and thus we
may commit ourselves unto God in all circumstances and with the utmost
confidence, as unto a faithful Creator.
This is the true basis of Redemption, God our
Creator, responsible for his own creation, and every attribute of his
being pledged to its successful completion. Man's part of the work,
although necessary and important, is subordinate and intermediate God
is able, and he will. The creature may rest secure on that basis,
his sole plea in every time of need, and the all sufficient ground and
full assurance of his deliverance and final triumph, being,
