42. “J. Μ.,” Devonport. You know you are “a great sinner by nature and by practice” but are you a lost sinner, and anxious to be saved? These are days in which many assent to the truth, and still live in sin, or are linked with the world, and loving the things that are in the world. We trust we shall be kept from writing a line that would encourage such soul-destroying delusion.
We understand, then, your question to be this: Is it scriptural to say the sinner has nothing to do in order to be saved except to believe God?
The illustration you give is, that the Israelites had to kill the lamb, and sprinkle its blood, and trust in that blood, and if they had not done this, their firstborn must have perished. As the scripture says, these shadows were not the very image of the things. We have not to kill the Lamb—He has been slain, His blood has been shed—the whole work has been done that gives the sinner, the moment he believes God, eternal salvation. “It is finished.” Now it is because all has been done, and that God has raised up Jesus from the dead, that all men are commanded to repent. He is not to repent as doing a work in order to be saved, but because the great work has been done. The two things to be noticed are—first, man’s condition in God’s sight; and then, God’s remedy. Whilst a prisoner is on his trial he may do his utmost—employ counsel, call witnesses, &c.; but when under sentence of death, legally he is a dead man. This is the true condition of man. Locked up in that condemned cell, all must be done for him, not by him. Now let the officer enter, and announce the free pardon of that condemned man—her Majesty’s free, sovereign act. What has he to do for it? Even his believing the glad tidings is not for it. No doubt, the moment he hears, and believes, the effect will be tremendous.
Is it not exactly so with the sinner under judgment? (Rom. 3:19-26; 4:24, 2519Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:19‑26)
24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:24‑25).) We cannot find one single thing here that the sinner does for pardon and salvation. The righteousness of God is not unto any for, or because, they believe, but through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; it is “upon them that believe.”
Thus God’s free pardon is proclaimed to man in the condemned cell before he believes or repents. The effect, when applied by the Spirit, is, he both believes and repents—but not that God may be gracious, but because He is so. The great mistake we often make is, that we put these things as a procuring cause, or a work to be done for salvation. Man must know God first, before he can turn to Him from idols. The grace of God is truly marvelous.
43. “H.,” Norwich. The judgment of the living nations in Matt. 25 is a sessional judgment, that is, the Lord as King will sit on the throne of His glory, and the living nations [Gentiles] be gathered before Him. It will take place after the Lord comes out from heaven with us in manifested glory. The judgment is final, therefore “everlasting” in its results. The warrior judgment in Rev. 19 takes place before this. We cannot find an idea in scripture of what is called a general judgment. Eze. 37 will not be fulfilled until Israel and Judah, the ten tribes and two tribes, shall be “ one” in the hand of Jehovah.
44. “E. G. K.,” Sheffield. We never read in scripture about meeting in the name of Christ. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name.” His name now is “the Lord Jesus Christ,” for He has been made Lord and Christ in ascension. It is, then, in His name, who is now in heaven, to which He gathers by His Spirit. We believe it to be a divinely-wrought work in the soul to be really gathered unto His name, to be thus joined to the Lord. Such know that He is “in the midst.” You say, though another name is associated with the meeting, you do not worship it. But let us ask, if you were jealous for the name of “our Lord Jesus Christ,” how could you countenance another name being associated with His? If that other name added to His does not attract some, why use it? Again, can anything so weaken the clear testimony to the holiness and power of His name as joining with it the name even of the most distinguished of His servants? Is not “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” enough to attract and keep saints together as the true and only center? Is it not, then, incumbent on us all to stand for the honor and all-sufficiency of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ?
The “differences of administrations” do not mean sects, as you suppose, but the various kinds of ministries which the Lord is pleased to use for the profit of the members of the body of Christ.
When it is said in John’s first Epistle, that “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit [or, practice] sin,” and “sinneth not,” the believer is looked at as to the new nature which is born of God, which does not sin—an abstract truth of all importance.