"What Is Faith?"

 

The Bible Echo, Vol. 14 (1899)

April 3, 1899

"What Is Faith?" The Bible Echo 14, 14 , pp. 113, 114.

WHEN Abraham and Sarah had cleared themselves of all the scheme of unbelief which had produced Ishmael, and had stood upon faith alone,- Isaac, the true child of the promise, was born.

In hearkening to the voice of Sarai (Gen. 16:1), Abram had swerved from the line of strict integrity to the word of God, from the strictness of true faith; and now that he had returned to the word only, to true faith, he must be tested before it could be certainly said of him that his faith was counted for righteousness.

He had trusted the naked word of God as against Ishmael, and had obtained Isaac, the true child of the promise of God. And now, having obtained Isaac, the question must be determined whether he would trust the naked word of God as against even Isaac himself.

Accordingly, God said to Abraham, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."

Abraham had received Isaac from God, by trusting the word of God only. Isaac alone was the seed promised by the word of the Lord. After Isaac was born, God had confirmed the word by declaring, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called." Gen. 21:12. And now came the word of God, Take thy son, thine only son Isaac, and offer him for a burnt-offering.

God had declared to Abraham, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven for multitude; "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;" "In Isaac shall thy seed be called;" and now, Offer Isaac for a burnt-offering!

But, if Isaac is offered for a burnt-offering, if Isaac is burned up, what will become of the promise of the blessing of all nations in him? What will become of the promise, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven innumerable? Yet there stood the word, Offer Isaac for a burnt-offering. Abraham had trusted the word of God only, as against Ishmael; but this is more than trusting the word of God as against Isaac - it is trusting the word of God as against the word of God!

And Abraham did it, hoping against hope. God had said: Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven; In Isaac shall thy seed be called; Offer Isaac for a burnt- offering. Abraham did not insist that God should "harmonise these passages." It was all-sufficient for him to know that the statements were all the word of God. Knowing this, he would trust that word, would follow that word, and would let the Lord "harmonise these passages," or "explain these texts," if any such thing were needed.

Said Abraham: God has said, Offer Isaac for a burnt-offering. That I will do. God has said, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called;" and, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven for multitude. I interfered once in the promise, and hindered it till I repudiated all that I had done, and came back to the word only. Then, by a miracle, God gave me Isaac, the promised seed. Now He says, Offer Isaac, the promised seed, for a burnt-offering. I will do it: by a miracle God gave him at the first; and by a miracle God can restore him. Yet when I shall have offered him for a burnt-offering, he will be dead; and the only miracle that can then restore him is a miracle that will bring him back from the dead. But God is able to do even that, and he will do it; for His word is spoken, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven for multitude, and, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. And even the bringing back of Isaac from the dead will be to God no more than He has already done; for, as to offspring, both my body and Sarah's were as good as dead, and yet God brought faith Isaac from us. He can raise Isaac from the dead, and He will. Bless the Lord!

It was settled. He arose, and took his servants and Isaac, and went three days' journey "unto the place of which God had told him." And when on the third day he "saw the place afar off," "Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you." Gen. 22:5. Who will go? - "I and the lad will go." And who will come again? - "I and the lad will go, . . . and come again to you." Abraham expected to have Isaac come back with him as certainly as that he went with him.

Abraham expected to offer Isaac for a burnt-offering, and expected then to see Isaac rise from the ashes and go back with him. For the word of God had gone forth, In Isaac shall thy seed be called, and, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven for multitude. And Abraham would trust that word only, believing that it could never fail. Heb. 11:17-19.

THIS IS FAITH. And thus "the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness." James 2:23. But yet above this, "It was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him: but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed: if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead: who was delivered for cur offenses, and was raised again for our justification." Rom. 4:23-25.

To trust the word of God only: to depend upon the word of God only: to depend upon the word of God, even as against the word of God,- this is FAITH. This is the faith which brings the righteousness of God. This is what it is to exercise faith. This is "what the scripture means when urging upon us the necessity of exercising faith." And "understanding how to exercise faith," is the science of the gospel.

A. T. JONES.

Living by Faith in Challenging Times | 3ABN Summer Camp Meeting 2023

There are ONLY TWO that will be saved in these last days

FEEL DISCOURAGED? LIKE GIVING UP? LONELY, UNLOVED, HOPELESS? / GRANT AGADJANIAN

 

The Reasonableness of Faith

"The Reasonableness of Faith" The Signs of the Times 14, 5.

E. J. Waggoner

The Christian's faith in something that cannot be seen is a source of wonder
to the unbeliever, and is often the object of ridicule and contempt. The worldling
regards the simple faith of the Christian as an evidence of weakness of mind,
and with a complacent smile at the thought of the superiority of his own intellect,
he declares that he never believes a thing without evidence; he never jumps at
conclusions, and doesn't believe anything that he cannot see and understand.
The saying that the man who believes nothing that he cannot understand will
have a very short creed, is as true as it is trite. There is not a philosopher living
who can understand the one-hundredth part of the simple phenomena that he
sees every day. Scientists have found out by observation that certain kinds of soil
are specially adapted to certain kinds of produce; but nobody can tell why.
As a matter of fact, faith is one of the commonest things. There is no skeptic
who does not have faith to a greater or less degree; and in very many cases they
go even farther, and manifest simple credulity. But the element of faith underlies
all business transactions, and all the affairs of life. Two men make an
appointment to meet at a certain time and place, to transact certain business;
each has to trust the other's word. The merchant has to exercise faith in his
employes and his customers. Yea, more, he has to, unconsciously it may be,
exercise faith in God; for he will send his ships across the ocean, with confidence
that they will return again loaded with merchandise, and yet he must know that
their safe return depends on the winds and the waves, which are beyond human
control. And even though he never once thinks of the power that controls the
elements, he puts confidence in the officers and crew. He will even trust himself
on board of one of the ships, whose captain and crew he never saw, and
confidently expect that they will bring him to the desired heaven.
One of these men who thinks that it is foolish to trust in a God "whom no man
hath seen, neither can see," will go to a little window and lay down a twenty dollar
gold-piece, and in return will receive from a man whom he never saw before, and whose name he does not know, only a little strip of paper which says that he is entitled to a ride to a distant city. He perhaps has never seen that city, and knows of its existence only by the reports of others, yet he steps aboard the cars, gives his bit of paper to another total stranger, and settles down in comfort. He has never seen the engineer, and does not know but that he may be incapable or malicious; yet he is perfectly unconcerned, and confidently expects to be carried safely to the place, the existence of which he knows only by hearsay. More than this, he holds in his hand a piece of paper prepared by some men whom he never saw, which states that these strangers, to whose care he has intrusted himself, will land him at his destination at a certain hour; and so implicitly does this skeptic believe this statement, that he sends word ahead to some other person whom he has never seen, making arrangements to meet him at that specified time.
Still further, his faith is drawn upon in the sending of the message announcing
his coming. He steps into a little room, writes a few words on a slip of paper,
which he hands to a stranger sitting by a little machine, pays the man half a
dollar, and then goes his way believing that in less than half an hour his unknown
friend a thousand miles away will be reading the message which he left in the
station behind him.
When he reaches the city, his faith is still further manifested. While on the
cars he has written a letter to his family, whom he has left at home. As soon as
he reaches the city, he spies a little iron box fastened to a post in the street, and
straightway goes and drops his letter into it, and walks off without giving the
matter a second thought. He confidently expects that the letter which he has
dropped into that box without saying a word to anybody, will reach his wife within
two days. And yet this man thinks that it is extremely foolish to talk to God with
the expectation that any attention will be paid to the words.
But to all this the skeptic will reply that he does not blindly trust in others, but
that he has reason to believe that he will be carried safely, that his message will
be sent correctly, and that his letter will reach his wife in good season. His faith in
these things is based on the following grounds:
1. Others have been carried in safety, and thousands of letters and telegrams
have been correctly sent and promptly delivered. Whenever a letter has been
miscarried, it has almost invariably been the fault of the sender.
2. The men to whom he instrusts himself and his messages, make a business
of carrying people and messages; if they should fail to fulfill their agreements,
nobody would place any confidence in them, and their business would soon be
ruined.
3. He has had the assurance of the Government of the United States. The
railroad and telegraph companies receive their charter from the Government,
which thereby becomes in a measure responsible for their faithfulness. If they do
not do as they agree, the Government can revoke their charter. His confidence in
the letter-box was due to the fact that he saw upon it the letters "U.S.M.," and he
knew that they mean that the Government has promised safely to deliver any
letter placed in the box, if it is properly addressed and stamped. He believes that
the Government will fulfill its promises, because if it does not, its existence must
soon come to an end. Its existence depends on its power to fulfill its promises,
and its integrity in performing them. It is to the interest of the Government to fulfill
its promises, just as much as it is to the interest of the railroad and telegraph
companies to fulfill theirs. And all these things form a solid ground for his faith.
Well, the Christian has a thousand-fold more ground for his faith in the
promises of God. Faith is not blind credulity. Says the apostle: "Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence [ground, or confidence] of things not
seen." Heb. 11:1. This is an inspired definition, and therefore we may conclude
that the Lord does not expect us to exercise faith except on evidence. Now it can
readily be shown that the Christian has the same ground for exercising faith in
God, that the skeptic has for his confidence in the railroad and telegraph
companies, or in the Government; and a great deal more.
1. Others have trusted the promises of God, and have found them to be sure.
The eleventh chapter of Hebrews contains a long list of those who have verified
the promises of God; who "through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought
righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the
violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made
strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to fight the armies of the aliens. Women
received their dead raised to life again." And this is not confined to the days of
old. Anyone who wishes can find abundance of testimony to the fact that God is
"a very present help in trouble." Thousands can testify of prayers answered in so
marked a manner as to leave no more doubt that God answers prayer than there is that the United States Government carries the mails that are intrusted to it.
2. The God whom we trust makes a business of answering prayers, and of
protecting and caring for his subjects. "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not
consumed, because his compassions fail not." Lam. 3:22. And "He delighteth in
mercy." Micah 7:18. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the
Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jer. 29:11.
If he should break one of his promises, men would cease to believe him. This
was the ground of David's confidence. Said he: "Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of Thy name; and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for Thy
name's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God?" Ps. 79:9,10.
3. The existence of God's Government depends on the fulfillment of his
promises. The Christian has the assurance of the Government of the universe,
that every lawful request that he makes will be granted. Government is especially
for the protection of the weak. Suppose now that God should fail to fulfill one of
his promises to the very weakest and most insignificant persons in the world; that
single failure would destroy the entire Government of God. The whole universe
would at once be thrown into confusion. If God should break one of his promises,
no one in the universe could ever have any confidence, and his rule would be at
an end. So the humble Christian depends on the word of God, knowing that God
has more at stake than he has. If such a thing were possible as that God should
break his word, the Christian would lose only his life, but God would lose His
character, the stability of his Government, and the control of the universe.
Moreover, those who put their trust in human government, or in any institution
of men, are liable to be disappointed. With the best of intentions, mistakes will be
made, because men are but fallible. But to the Christian the firm assurance is
given: "There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven
in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and
underneath are the everlasting arms." Deut. 33:26, 27. His power is shown in
creation. The things that he has made attest His eternal power and Godhead.
The more powerful the Government, the greater the confidence in it. Then what
more reasonable than that we should have implicit confidence in the God whom
nature and revelation combined declare to be omnipotent, eternal, and
unchangeable?
If I should express to an infidel my doubts as to the integrity of one of his
friends, he would say: "That's because you don't know him; just try him, and you
will find him as true as steel." This would be a fair reply; and so we say to the
infidel who doubts the promises of God. "O taste and see that the Lord is
good; . . . there is no want to them that fear him." Ps. 34:8, 9. What right has
anybody to doubt the promises or the power of God before he has given them a
fair trial? And in that case, what right has anybody to doubt God, since everybody
is testing his power and goodness every moment of his life?
W.

"Prayer that Prevails"

 November 23, 1888

"Prayer that Prevails" The Signs of the Times 14, 45.

E. J. Waggoner

    There is some very important instruction given in regard to prayer, in the
eighteenth chapter of Luke. What stronger assurance that prayer will be
answered can be asked for than that given in the parable of the unjust judge?
Note the contrast that is drawn. "There was in a city a judge which feared not
God, neither regarded man." His own ease and self-gratification absorbed all his
thoughts. From sheer heartlessness he paid no attention to the poor widow's
appeal. But she was importunate; she could not give up her claim. No doubt her
little property was in the hands of some extortioner, and her living depended
upon the judge's decision. It was a matter of life and death with her. She presses
her claim at unseasonable hours. At last the judge, fearful lest his selfish ease
will be seriously interfered with, avenges her of her adversary. He granted her
request, although he had no interest in it, simply to get rid of her.
   Now mark the contrast. "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry
day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will
avenge them speedily." Not for the same reason that the unjust judge avenged
the poor widow, but because he pities as a father, and his ear is ever open to the prayers of his children. The invitation is: "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will
sustain thee." Let the fearful one take courage. Do not hesitate to cast upon him
the burden that, although too heavy for your own unaided strength, seems too
small to be noticed by him. Surely he who takes note of the tiny sparrow's fall,
and numbers the hairs of our heads, will not refuse to notice the simplest matter
that affects the interest of one of his children. If we fail to ask aid in the smallest
affairs of life, we must displease God. It is a virtual denial of his willingness to
interest himself in little matters. But we should consider that God is infinitely
greater than we, and the things that to us seem very great are very easy for him
to perform. We cannot grasp the infinite, therefore it is idle to speculate upon
what things are great and what small, in the eyes of God. better far to take God
at his word and "in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving," to
let our requests be made know unto God.
   But good and evil are ever side by side. It is easy for the human heart to be
deceived, and to mistake self-confidence for faith. This is illustrated in the
Pharisee's prayer. We seldom hear the Pharisee's sentiments expressed so
plainly, but who is not in danger of harboring them? That spirit is as much to be
guarded against in our conversation as in our prayers. Many people do not speak of their own good deeds, but loudly condemn the faults of others, in order that
their hearers may think that they themselves are free from such failings. Is not
this Pharisean spirit the secret of all gossip concerning scandals? People
naturally prone to evil deeds, love to dwell upon and magnify the faults of others,
for by so doing they lost sight of their own. They make out so bad a case against
their neighbor that their own short-comings seem small in comparison. We all
need to heed the injunction, "Let no man think more highly of himself than he
ought to think." The publican's prayer was answered, while the Pharisee's was
not heard, for "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." Who
wishes to have the mighty God for his adversary? Let us all read carefully and
heed James 4:6-11.

"Will We Believe God?"

September 28, 1903

"Will We Believe God?"

Australasian Signs of the Times 18 pp. 467, 468.

We state it as the simple truth that not to believe that eternal life for man is in Christ alone, is one of the greatest insults that can be offered to the God of heaven.
Please read carefully the following scripture, and see whether we have stated more than the exact truth:
"He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath risen to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Be that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:10-12.
Here is the plain statement that to believe not a certain "record" is to make God a liar. That record is just as plainly stated to be that the eternal life that is given us "is in the Son" of God, and that "he that hath not the Son of God bath not life."
Now the doctrine of the immortality of the soul causes men not to believe that record. They who believe the doctrine of the immortality of the soul do not believe that they who have not the Son of God have not life. Therefore the doctrine of the immortality of the soul "hath made God a liar," because it causes men to "believe not the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God bath not life." Therefore we any that not to believe that future life is given us in Christ alone, is to insult the God [468] of heaven by making Him "a liar." It does make a difference how we believe on this question for when God is made a liar, He ceases to be Jehovah. He ceases to be God.
Nor is that all; for when the Lord is thus removed from His throne Satan is put into His place. See here: In the event of man's sinning, -
GOD SAID
"Thou shalt surely die."
SATAN SAID
"Ye shall not surely die"
Which of these told the truth? It is impossible for both to be true. The doctrine of the immortality of the soul teaches that the devil told the truth, for that doctrine teaches that there is no death, and if there be no death, then every man has life, independent of belief in Christ, which, as we have read from the word, makes God a liar. Therefore, the doctrine of the immortality of the soul sets God aside as a liar, and exalts Satan as the one who tells the truth, and as the one who is to be believed.
Here we close our investigation of this subject. These evidences certainly show that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is subversive of the truth of God. We have proved by logical deduction from sound Scripture premises that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is subversive of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead; that it is subversive of the doctrine of the coming of the Lord; that it is subversive of the doctrine of the judgment; that it is subversive of the mission of Christ; that it supplants Christ in the honour of opening the way from this world to another, and bestows that honour upon Satan; and finally, that it puts God aside as a liar, and exalts Satan to His place as the one who tells the truth.
The logical summary of all this is contained in one word - Spiritualism. The immortality of the soul is the foundation of Spiritualism: and through the already prevalent belief of that doctrine. Spiritualism will yet lead the world to the active acceptance of every point which we have charged. Therefore, we pray all to flee this thing, and believe "the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 

"The Fate of the Wicked"

 September 21, 1903

"The Fate of the Wicked"

Australasian Signs of the Times 18 p. 456.

The righteousness which is acceptable with God is the righteousness "which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:22, 23. "He became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him." Heb. 3:9. And "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.
Christ's coming to this world was not in vain. He came for a purpose, and that purpose is that those who will believe in Him may not perish, but have eternal life; and as surely as those who believe in Him shall have eternal life, just so surely those who do not believe in Him shall perish. If not, if those who do not believe in Him do not perish, then this record which He has given cannot be true. If, by virtue of the immortality of the soul, those who do not believe in Christ live as long as those who do, then where is there any point in these scriptures?
We know full well the meaning that is put upon the word "perish" by those who believe in the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul; that is, that is means eternal life in misery. But no such idea is contained in the Scriptures. Eternal life is the heritage of those who believe in Christ, and of those alone. Nor will language allow any such meaning to be put upon the word "perish." That word is defined thus: "To be destroyed; to go to destruction; to pass away; to come to nothing; to be blotted from existence; to die; to lose life." This is Webster's definition of perish; and every part of it can be duplicated time and again from the Scriptures. But no part of this definition can be true if the soul be immortal.
In Ps. 37:10 we read: "For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be." Again, in Isa. 41:11, 12, we read a promise of what the Lord will do with those who contend with the "seed of Abraham," "the friend of God;" "Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded; they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee; they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught." But to the meek, to those who learn of Christ, it is promise: "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves sin the abundance of peace." "The seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever." Ps. 37:11, 28, 29. All is summed up by the Lord Jesus in one sentence, as follows: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life." John 3:36. And again: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you." John 6:53.
If these scriptures, from the first to the last, do not show that future life is obtained only in Christ, then it would be impossible for the Lord Himself to put words together that would show such a thing. If the Lord wanted to tell men that without believing in Christ they could have no life; that without believing in Him they should perish; if He wanted to tell them that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, how would it be possible to tell them so more plainly than He has already told, in the words quoted? Yet in defiance of these plain, positive scriptures, and in direct subversion of them, the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, which gives to all men immortal life irrespective of Christ, is held by many professed Christians as a veritable article of Christian faith. Why is it that men will not believe the record that God has given on this subject? Why is it that they will not believe that future life is given alone through Christ? It is no light thing to disbelieve this. Many seem to think, and will even so express themselves, that it makes no difference particularly whether this be believed or not. But it does make a difference.
One more article will conclude this series.

"Christ Our Life"

September 14, 1903

"Christ Our Life"

Australasian Signs of the Times 18, 37 pp. 443, 444.

A. T. JONES

"For the wages of sin is death: and but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23. "Sin entered into the world, and death by sin," and to "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." But when man had sinned, and thus brought himself under the doom of death, then Christ, the only - begotten Son of God, presented Himself, and was accepted of God, in man's behalf. God had before pronounced the penalty of death against transgression. And Adam would have died the day he sinned had not the Son of God interceded in his behalf, and presented Himself in satisfaction of the demands of the broken law of God.
But by the love of Christ and by the mercy of God, man was given the second probation, a second opportunity to attain to righteousness. Only for the mediation of Christ, the race of man would have ceased the day that Adam sinned. [444]
This is shown in the words of Christ: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10. Christ offering Himself in behalf of Adam is the only means by which men have life at all. - "I am come that they might have life." But this life is only temporal. It is only extended as an opportunity for man to approve himself worthy of eternal life, that he may show himself worthy of having life more abundantly; for as Christ said, He is come that they might have life, "and that they might have it more abundantly."
The way in which men use the life which is already given, will decide whether they shall have life more abundantly, or whether they shall have life at all. The man who shows himself abusive of the trust of God, and ungrateful for His favour shown in granting this life, only shows himself unworthy of that which he already has, and much less can he be intrusted "more abundantly" with anything certaining to life.
In this view is contained the very basic principle of the lesson inculcated in the parable of the unjust steward: "He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous riches, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give yon that which is your own?" Luke 16:10-12. And also in the lesson of the parable of the talents: "Unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath." Matt 25:29.
If men will turn to purposes of iniquity, and transgression, and sin, a life which is committed to them for a time, how can the Lord commit to them this gift for eternity? If this life, which is not their own, they will devote simply as an instrument of unrighteousness unto sin, to rebellion, and unfaithfulness to Him who giveth it, how shall He give to such immortal life - a life which, not being subject to cessation, may properly he called their own? To do so would be only to subvert His own authority and the principles of His government. Such a thing He will never do. But such as devote this life to the honour of Him who giveth it, and to righteousness before Him, to them will be given life "more abundantly" even eternal life, in which to honour and glorify Him; while from all who do not so, shall be taken away even that which they have. "Of a truth . . . God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him." Acts 10:34, 35.
Nest week we will examine some scriptures which teach what the fate of the wicked will be.

"The Truth for the Hour" Presented by Christopher Hudson

 

Immortality and Death

 September 7, 1903

"Immortality and Death" 

Australasian Signs of the Times 18, 36 p. 432.

A. T. JONES

The doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul makes the body only worthless clay, formed into a prison that binds, and fetters, and clogs the free action of the soul; while death is the friendly messenger that bursts the prison bars, and sets free the aspiring soul to seek its native sphere. One of the most influential of American preachers said lately, of one who had died, that that person was living, and more thoroughly living, to-day than any of us who are clogged and hampered and chained down by earthly impediment." This is simply the expression of the common belief of those who hold to the idea that the soul is immortal. Embodied in metre so that it can be sung, it runs on this wise:  

               "Why should we start and fear to die? 

                 What timorous worms we mortals are!

Death is the gate to endless joy;

And yet we dread to enter there."

Now we read in the word of God, as follows: "O death, I will be thy plagues." Hosea 13:14. And again we read that "death" "shall be destroyed." 1 Cor. 15:26. Can it be that God is going to visit with plagues, and destroy, the gate to endless joy? Is He so displeased to have His creatures entering into endless joy that He is determined to destroy the very means by which they enter that blissful state? If the words of this preacher and the language of this hymn, and the doctrine upon which these are founded, be the truth, then the Lord is going to do just the thing that is here pointed out, that is, he is going to visit with plagues, and destroy, the gate to endless joy.

But this is not all. We read further of Christ: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy Him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Heb. 2:14. Granting the claim that death is the gate to endless joy, then from this scripture it follows just as absolutely as logic can demonstrate, that the devil, having the power of death, is the gate-keeper. And so the Lord is not only going to destroy this "gate to endless joy," but He is going to destroy him that keeps it.

Nor yet is this all. Granting not only the claim, based upon the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, that death is the gate to endless joy, but also that the soul is clogged, and hampered, and imprisoned by its confinement in the body, and that it is released by death, it follows that if there had never been any death in the world no soul could have ever been set free, and there never would have been any gate to endless joy. And as it was the devil who brought death into the world, therefore, under that doctrine, to him must be accorded the honour of setting men free from this world, and of creating and opening to men the gate of endless joy. But this is the very thing that Christ says that He Himself came to do. He says: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." John 14:6. "I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." John 10:9. Therefore when the doctrine of the immortality of the soul makes death the gate to endless joy, and the friendly messenger that releases men from this world, it supplants the Saviour of the world, and bestows upon Satan the honor that is due to Christ.

And by all this, we lay against the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul the legitimate and logical charge that it frustrates the purpose of God, that it nullifies the mission of Christ, and that it supplants the Saviour of the world. There is a difference wide as eternity between that doctrine and the truth of God. 

Next week we will try to show from what source we obtain the life.

Immortality and the Mission of Christ

 

August 31, 1903

"Immortality and the Mission of Christ" 
Australasian Signs of the Times 18, 35 pp. 419, 420.
 A. T. JONES

To put away sin and plant righteousness in its stead, is the mission of Christ to this world. That He might accomplish this, He had to make the awful sacrifice of Himself, the Creator of the universe. "Now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." Heb. 9:26. By the greatness of the sacrifice we may judge of the enormity of sin, and how abhorrent it is in the sight of God, and also how widely contrary it is to every principle of the government of the King of eternity. To deliver man from its thralldom He spared not His own Son. Rather than to see the blight and stain of sin upon the fair face of his universe, God gave up the "Son of His love" to die the cruel [420] death of the accursed tree. John says: "He that committed sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John 3:8. The work of the devil is sin; for He says, "He that committeth sin is of the devil." Therefore when it is said that the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil, it is simply expressing, in other words, that which we quoted from Paul, that Christ appeared to put away sin.
As therefore Christ's mission is to destroy the works of the devil - to put away sin - it follows that as long as there is a vestige of sin remaining, his mission is not accomplished. Whatever therefore tends to perpetuate sin, tends just so far to delay the accomplishment of the mission of Christ. And if by any means sin were made eternal, the inevitable result would be to nullify and subvert the mission of Christ.
Now that is exactly what is done by the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul. The very meaning of the word immortal being "not subject to death," it follows that if the soul be immortal, it must live eternally, whatever its condition may be; and from this again it follows that when the awful sentence is pronounced, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still," whatsoever soul it be that shall then be unjust must live so to all eternity; which is simply to make sin eternal, and so to subvert the mission of Christ.
That sin is to be eternal is strenuously maintained by those who believe that the soul is immortal. This is shown positively in the doctrine of the eternal torment of the wicked. In fact, the belief in the eternal torment of the wicked is simply the necessary consequence of the belief in the immortality of the soul. We know, for the word of God says it, that the wicked will be punished. We know likewise, by the same authority, that they will be punished as long as they live. Now if they live eternally, it is evident that they will be in pain eternally. But the word of God says just as plainly that the wicked shall die, as it says anything at all about them. "The wages of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Eze. 18:4.
That word tells us of a time when, "Every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them," shall be heard saying, "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." Rev. 5:13. This scripture can never be fulfilled if the doctrine of eternal suffering be true, or, in other words, if the doctrine of immortality of the soul be true. Again, we read of a time when "There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." Rev. 21:4. If the doctrine of eternal suffering be the truth, it is literally impossible that there can ever come a time when there shall be "no more pain."
But there stands that faithful word, that there is coming a time when there shall be no more pain; there is coming a time when every voice in the universe will ascribe "Honour, and glory, and power," "unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." This is the truth of God; he has given his only begotten Son that it might be accomplished; and we have seen that the mission of the Son is declared to be "to put away sin," to "destroy the works of the devil." And the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, in making sin eternal, and in immortalising the works of the devil, frustrates the purpose of God and subverts the mission of Christ.
Next week we will consider the relation of death of immortality.

Are Men Judged at Death?

 

August 24, 1903
"Are Men Judged at Death?" 
Australasian Signs of the Times 18, 34 pp. 407, 408.
A. T. JONES

If at death men enter immediately into their reward or punishment, as the case may be, then it follows, if there by any Judgment at all, that instead of there being a time "appointed" (Acts 17:31) for judgment, constantly going on in the life of each individual, and that that judgment closes at his death, and that he in consequence of judgment passed, enters then upon his destiny, whether for good or for ill.

It can be seen at a glance that such a view is utterly subversive of the Bible doctrine of the judgment. If such be the truth, then there can be no such thing as a day of judgment when the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment upon all, because all are judged as fast as they die; there can be no such thing as Christ judging the living and the dead at His appearing and his kingdom, because all the dead have been judged when they died; there can be no such thing as the "time of the dead that they should be judged" when the seventh angel sounds, and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, for all the dead will have been judged before the seventh angel shall have [408] sounded; and there can be no such thing as reserving "the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished," because by this theory they are sent to punishment as soon as they die. In short, if the doctrine of the immortality of the soul be the truth, the Bible doctrine of the judgment cannot be the truth.

That we do not misrepresent the popular doctrine of the immortality of the soul when we say that it puts men into Heaven or hell at death, can be proved by any one who will consult the hymn books, or the papers of the religious denominations who believe that doctrine, or listen to the average funeral discourse or revival sermon.

But that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is subversive of the Bible doctrine of the judgment is not all. By virtue of that doctrine, men have usurped the seat of the Judge of all, and have arrogated to themselves the prerogative of reading into heaven whomsoever they see fit. How often we read that such and such a person is in heaven! But what right has any man to say who is worthy of a place in that bright world? Who knows the heart? None but God alone. He alone it is who pronounces upon the worthiness of men "to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead," and when men take upon themselves to read into heaven this man or that man, they are simply usurping the awful prerogative of the Most High. And only for belief in the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul, no man would ever think of it.

We repeat: It is God alone to whom belongs the right to pronounce that decision. He will pronounce it in every case, but it will be in the judgment; not at death, but at the resurrection of the dead, and before the assembled universe, and by the voice of the glorious Son of God, who hath loved us and hath washed us from our sins in His own blood; for He "hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man." John 5:27-29. Any doctrine that will lead men to thus usurp the prerogative of the Judge of all the earth cannot be the truth. This is exactly what the doctrine of the immortality of the soul does, therefore it cannot be the truth; and as it is subversive of the Bible doctrine of the judgment, it is not only not the truth, but it is subversive of the truth.

Next week we will consider the relation of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul to the mission of Christ.

Immortality and the Judgment

 August 17, 1903

"Immortality and the Judgment"

Australasian Signs of the Times 18, 33 pp. 395, 396.

A. T. Jones

The judgment is one of the certainties of Bible doctrine. Time and again Jesus sets before us the awful scenes and the all-important decisions of the judgment. "I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Matt. 12:36. "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them; for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here." Luke 11:31, 32. In the parable of the wheat and tares, in the parable of the marriage of the marriage of the king's son (Matt. 22:1-14), in the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30), in fact, in all his teaching, the judgment was made prominent. In Matt. 25:41-46, he sets before us a view of the very judgment itself.

The Old Testament as well as the New tells of the judgment. Solomon says: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl. 12:13, 14. Daniel says: "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool; His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him; [396] thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan. 7:9,10. Isaiah, David, Job, and other prophets speak of this as well as Solomon and Daniel. Even "Enoch, the seventh from Adam," prophesied of this, saying, "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all." Jude 14, 15.

JUDGMENT FUTURE

This is not a judgment that is constantly going on during men's lives and completed at their death, so that then their reward is given whether for good or ill. "It is appointed unto me once to die, but after this the judgment." Heb. 9:27. Paul "reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come" (Acts 24:25), not judgment already come, nor constantly going on. There is a time appointed for the judgment. "Because he hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead." Acts 17:31. "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;" "in that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to My gospel." Rom. 2:12, 16. And again: "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. It is not that alone that he has done in his direct personal acts for which he must account; he must answer for the fruit of his doings. "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." Jer. 17:10.

TIME OF JUDGMENT

The time when men shall receive for that which they have done, whether it be good or bad, is at the coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the end of the world. "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 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 the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." Rev. 11:15, 18.

Again we quote the words of Jude: "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." Jude 14, 15.

With this agree exactly the words of Christ: "Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22:12. And Paul in his charge to Timothy, and to all ministers of Christ, says: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick [living] and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word." 2 Tim. 4:1, 2. Peter also says: "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." 2 Peter 2:9.

More texts might be given on these points, but these are sufficient. From these it is plain,

1. That there is a time "appointed" for the judgment.

2. That this is after death.

3. That it is the time of reward to all, for good or evil.

4. That this is called the "day of judgment."

5. That it is at the appearing and kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.

6. That then, and not till then, it is that the righteous receive their reward.

7. That the "unjust" are "reserved" until that time to be punished, that they are not punished before that great day of judgment.

Yet however plain all this may be, it is equally plain that there is not a single principle of it that the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul does not tend to subvert. For if, at death, righteous men enter immediately into their reward, and the unrighteous go immediately to the place of punishment, then where is there any possible room for the judgment? (unless perhaps the absurd idea be adopted, that men should spend hundreds of thousands of years in happiness or misery, and then be brought to the judgment to see whether they be worthy of that which they have enjoyed or suffered!!)?

This phase of the subject will be considered further next week.

Immortality at the Second Coming of Christ

 

August 3, 1903
"Immortality at the Second Coming of Christ" Australasian Signs of the Times 18, 31 pp. 371, 372 .

A. T. JONES

There is another doctrine of the Bible which holds just as important a place in the divine scheme as does that of the resurrection: and that is, the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. This likewise is subverted by a belief in the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul. The subversion of this truth is, in a measure, involved in that of the resurrection, because without the second coming of Christ there would be no resurrection, and anything that destroys belief in the resurrection of the dead, by that means destroys faith and hope in the second coming of the Lord.
That the event of the resurrection of the dead depends wholly upon the second coming of Christ, is easily shown by the Scripture, which, of course, in these things is the only authority. We have before shown that the righteous are rewarded only at the resurrection; and to show plainly the connection, we will repeat a verse before quoted: "When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." Luke 14:13, 14. And of His own coming, Jesus says: "Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22:12.

WHEN DOES THE RESURRECTION TAKE PLACE
The coming of the Lord and the resurrection of the righteous dead are directly connected by Paul thus: "The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. And again: "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Cor. 15:51-55.
"Then shall be brought to pass the saying." When? "At the last trump," certainly; "for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised." When is it that the trump shall sound? "This we say unto you by the word of the Lord. . . . The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with the trump of God; and the
dead in Christ shall rise." "Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." Then it is, and not till then, that men shout, "O death, where is thy [372] sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" But through belief in the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul, it is now sought to be made to appear that this "saying" is "brought to pass" when men die! There can be no more direct perversion of the word of God than to represent this saying as being brought to pass when men die. The first time that that doctrine was ever uttered, it was in direct contradiction of the express word of the Lord Himself. The Lord said, in the event of man's disobedience, "Thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17); and the devil said, "Ye shall NOT surely die." Gen. 3:4; Rev. 20:2.
It is not alone a perversion of Scripture to so apply the "saying" in question: it is alike a perversion of the plainest principles of reason and experience. For instance, here are death and a saint of God struggling for the mastery. Presently death obtains the mastery. The saint lies lifeless; death has the victory. When he is dead, is that a time to claim victory over death? When he is being lowered into the grave, is that a time to shout the victory over the grave? Nay, verily. But it is not to be always so. There is One who exclaims, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell [the grave] and of death." Rev. 1:18. And when that glorious one "shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God," and with power that bursts the bars of the cruel grave and destroys the strength of death; then the saint arises triumphant over death, and "THEN shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." Then the saint can shout exultingly, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" And, "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." And thrice thanks, yea, "blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3.
Next week we will try to show when the righteous receive their reward.