"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.