Be Saved
"WHO will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." The will of God in this direction has been abundantly manifested. He has done all that he can do that men may be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. In Isa. 5:4, the Lord says, "What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?" "He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." "In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily," and if salvation is not obtained in him, it cannot be obtained at all. He is made to all men "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," and "whosoever" (any person whatever) believeth in him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life. But it must be a genuine belief,—a real faith.
FAITH without works is dead, so every man's faith must be manifested in works,—in doing. It will do no good to call him Lord, Lord, and do nothing. "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Luke 6:46. He that heareth the sayings of Christ and doeth them, has built his house upon the rock. He is become the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him. Heb. 5:9. "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land; but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Isa. 1:19, 20. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." This is the divine order in following the Saviour. First, deny self; next, take up the cross, and then follow him. But this is not the course that is followed to any great majority of professed Christians. But without these there is no such thing as following Christ.
THE grace which brought this great salvation to all men teaches this very thing. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus 2:11-14. All this the grace of God teaches, and all this he would have us learn. But how few there are who learn it! There are a great many peculiar people in the world, but very few of the right kind of peculiar people. The kind of peculiarity of which God approves is that which is shown in zeal of good works.
NOTE again the things which Paul says the grace of God teaches. It teaches us self-denial; it teaches us to live soberly, righteously and godly; and it teaches us to look for "that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." But how many who profess to be partakers of the grace of God, are taught by it to thus look for that glorious appearing of the Lord? Now as the grace of God which brings salvation, teaches men to look for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, if the amount of the grace of God among men is measured by the number of those who have learned to look for that glorious appearing, then how much of the grace of God is there in the professedly orthodox Christian world to-day? Reader, are you thus taught by the grace of God to look for the glorious appearing of the Lord? "We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain."
A. T. J.
May 14, 1885 ATJ, SITI 295