It does not matter what one believes, if only one is sincere.
SINCERITY is good, and could you find it coupled with infallibility, nothing more could be desired. Would you sail on an ocean liner, however well constructed and up-to-date, if her captain's motto was, "It does not matter how one navigates, if only one is sincere"? "No," you would say. "The man may be a first-rate seaman, but he is not infallible, and if he sails under SINCERELY M I STAMEN impressions we go to the bottom.”
Sincerity, then, is good, but it is no Savior; and after all it does matter—very much matter—what one believes, and I will tell you why. Because, what you believe concerning Christ, will adjust your attitude towards Christ—you will receive or reject Him—and upon your attitude towards Christ, the weal or woe of your eternity will depend. “What think ye of Christ? “is still the great question. If you think well of Him you will receive Him, and if you receive Him, God will bless you. (See John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12).)
“What THINK ye of Christ is the test
To by both your state and your scheme:
You cannot be right in the rest
Unless you think rightly of Him.”
But what about the heathen?
Do not needlessly alarm yourself. Nothing will ever happen to the heathen that is not absolutely just and right. Abraham asked: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen. 18:25.) Certainly He will!
But why this great concern about the heathen? Is it genuine? In the vast majority of cases, No! but a feeble effort to cover one's own neglect of the gospel and to smother the voice of conscience. If in a land where trouble reigns, such as Russia at the present moment, a proclamation were issued, with a message of forgiveness to both rebel and deserter, do you think that an imprisoned workman in St. Petersburg would be likely to refuse, or ignore the offer, because he could not exactly understand how some deserters in Manchuria were going to be treated?
Friend! allow me to tell you that the destiny of the heathen is no concern of yours.
The destiny of your own soul is; God will judge you in righteousness, as well as the heathen. Beware, lest in that day you miserably perish in your sins.
Why should I be punished for Adam's sin?
To speak thus is to entirely misrepresent the case. You will never be punished for Adam's sin, nor for anybody else's sin, but for your own. Nothing is more plainly stated than this in Scripture: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezek. 18:20.) “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Rom. 14:1212So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12).)
It is perfectly true that Adam's sin-since it was the first sin, the entrance of sin into this world—has entailed certain results upon all his posterity, therefore on you amongst the rest. It is equally true that Christ's death—the culminating point of His obedience—entails great results of blessing. They are for everybody, and the certain portion of those who believe. Rom. 5:12-2112Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:12‑21), contrasts Christ's work with Adam's sin, and shows the results of the former to be as wide in their scope as those of the latter, and in depth greater. "Where sin abounded grace did much more abound." So in respect of this you really have nothing to complain of.
Why could not God save in some other way than by the death of Christ?
Let us take one thing at a time. First of all, God could not save apart from death, because to save He must settle the question of sin, and "the wages of sin is death." (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23).) Now, death, as a sentence, stands quite alone. In this country we often hear of men being sentenced to so many months imprisonment, or so many pounds fine; never do we hear them sentenced to death, or —anything. Why? Because for death there is no equivalent. Nothing but death can meet death—the wages of our sin. Now the other question: Who shall die? If we are to be saved the victim must be personally spotless, and, further, he must be able to exhaust the judgment and live again. Only One could meet these conditions, and He, the Son of God. For salvation we are shut up, therefore, to the death of Christ. But after all, sinner, this question concerns God, and not you. He can do what He likes without consulting you. Your wisdom is to submit to His way of salvation.
F. B. H.