Correspondence: Answer to a Paper Sent for Criticism, Part 2

From: Correspondence

Narrator: Chris Genthree

From: Young Christian: Volume 16, 1926

• 6 min. read • grade level: 7

Answer to a Paper Sent for Criticism

1 Tim. 2:6⁶Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:6) is quoted to show that at some future time after death, and in resurrection,, the unsaved will all receive the gospel. It is said God's power will do it. Let us see this verse and its context. This Russelism teaches that you may sin as much as you like, you are going to be saved any way, for God is too loving to damn any of His creatures, and the writer calls this righteousness, for Christ died for all, tasted death for every man.

What horrible perversion of Scripture! How God's grace is turned into lasciviousness, "Let us do evil that good may come, whose damnation is just." Rom. 3:8⁸And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. (Romans 3:8). Look then at 1 Tim. 2:3³For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; (1 Timothy 2:3) to 7, "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who desires all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." This is surely in the present time.

Paul found out his sinful condition by the Lord Jesus speaking to him from the glory (Acts 9). Up to this time he thought of himself as serving God, but now he saw all his righteousness was filthy rags. (Phil. 3:4⁴Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: (Philippians 3:4) to 6 compare with 1 Tim. 1:12¹²And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; (1 Timothy 1:12) to 15). "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief." "There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for to be testified in due time.”

God could say in Job's day (33:24), when a man was convicted of his sinful condition, "Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom." Christ Jesus is that ransom, the only Mediator between God and men, and verse 7 declares that Paul was a preacher and an apostle (a sent one), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth, so that the due time had arrived for us all to hear the story.

This paper's statements contradict all the gospel story,, denies that God will do as the Scripture, that is, His Word, says that He will do. There is nothing in this passage about a future day of salvation. It is what is declared now: it is the truth for the present period of God's grace. What can God do but carry out His word with the despisers of His grace,

“Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish" (Acts 13:38³⁸Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: (Acts 13:38) to 41).

“He that despised Moses' law died without mercy"... "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace'?" Heb. 10:26²⁶For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, (Hebrews 10:26) to 31.

Dear reader, hearken not to men's fables. Believe God's Word, and be saved now!

John 1:29²⁹The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29), ''Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." In Heb. 9:26²⁶For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26), we see that the work is done. "Once in the end of the world (that is, man's trial is at an end) hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." And on account of this sacrifice, all believers are now accepted in Him, also the foundation is laid for all things in heaven and earth to be reconciled to God (see Col. 1:20, 21²⁰And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. ²¹And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (Colossians 1:20‑21); also Heb. 9:22, 23²²And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. ²³It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. (Hebrews 9:22‑23)), hut the lake of fire and its inhabitants are not the "things in heaven and earth," there is no reconciliation of those in the lake of fire. Sinner, do not let the servants of Satan blind your eyes to God's salvation. It is now, now, COME NOW! 'Titus 2:11¹¹For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (Titus 2:11) is for men now, and Isa. 61:1¹The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (Isaiah 61:1) to 3 tells of salvation, and also of the day of vengeance (ver. 2).

Rom. 5:18¹⁸Therefore 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. (Romans 5:18). Leave out the words in italics, and we see that it is the two headships: Adam's sin and Christ's one righteousness. All men come under the first; grace puts the believer under the second. Verse 19 confirms this.

Lev. 23:10, 11¹⁰Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: ¹¹And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. (Leviticus 23:10‑11) is Christ's resurrection in type. The Church period is Verses 15 to 17.

Isa. 53:4⁴Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:4) to 6 is the language of believers. Only such can say, "Christ died for our sins." We can say to the unconverted, "Christ died that you might be saved," "Christ died for all," but it is "whosoever believeth on Him shall receive remission of sins." (Acts 10:43⁴³To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)). Such are "justified from all things" (Acts 13:38, 39³⁸Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: ³⁹And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)), and in 1 John 2:12¹²I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. (1 John 2:12), "I write unto you, little children, because your sins, are forgiven you for His name's sake." We are children, of God, and our sins all forgiven.

In Mark 9:43⁴³And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: (Mark 9:43) to 48 three times our Lord speaks of the worm that dieth not, and of the fire that is never quenched. Gehenna outside Jerusalem is the illustration the Lord uses. That fire is quenched, and worms gone long ago, but the Word of the Lord endureth forever; and the worm that torments the unsaved, is their worm, and fire is what they are cast into. Their worm denotes that each one will be punished according to his own sins, while the fire contains all the lost. (See also Luke 12:47, 48⁴⁷And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. ⁴⁸But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:47‑48); Eph. 5:6⁶Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. (Ephesians 5:6); Col. 3:6⁶For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: (Colossians 3:6).)

2 Peter 2:4, 9⁴For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; (2 Peter 2:4)
⁹The 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) tells that the wicked are reserved unto judgment, both men and angels.

Eph. 2:1¹And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1). "Dead in trespasses and sins" is the spiritual condition of us all as born in sin. In Romans we are seen living in, sin till we are converted.

Eph. 2:8⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8) tells how we are saved. By grace and through faith, with no good works to boast of. Our old nature is not changed, and we shall not get rid of it till our earthly journey is ended, but God has given us a new life, and the Holy Spirit dwells in us to teach us, and is the power of our new life. Our old man is crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6⁶Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)), so that we are to reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord, (verse 11), so that we are not slaves to sin any longer.