Correspondence

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33. “S. W.,” London. You are perfectly right, because most thoroughly sustained by the word of God, in saying to any soul, “Only believe God’s testimony about His Son, and you are eternally saved.” This is a perfectly scriptural statement. The passages of scripture in which you find difficulty (Rom. 14:15,15But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. (Romans 14:15) and 1 Cor. 8:1111And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? (1 Corinthians 8:11)) do not refer to the question of salvation or eternal life at all. It is not in the power of any one to destroy eternal life; but if I interfere with the action of a brother’s conscience—if I cause him to do what he feels to be wrong, then, so far as in me lies, I destroy him, and cause him to make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. In short, in both the above passages, it is a question of personal responsibility and the integrity of conscience before God. This is most solemn. No man can touch the foundation on which a saved soul is built, but it is a most serious tiling to wound any weak conscience. Let us therefore beware.
34. “Mary,” London. We know of no way in which to get purity of heart but by faith in Christ. See Acts 15:9,9And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. (Acts 15:9) Heb. 10:2222Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22). This is the basis of all purity, and then the more we walk in the maintenance of this purity, the more we shall know and enjoy God.
35. “J. Α.,” Spalding. In 2 Thess. 2:1, 2,1Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. (2 Thessalonians 2:1‑2) the apostle is correcting a mistake into which the Thessalonian saints had fallen. They had been led, by some means or other, to think that “the day of the Lord” had actually set in. Now, in the first epistle, he had taught them to look for the Lord’s coming and their gathering unto Him in the air, to be forever with Him; and further he had taught them that “the day” was not to overtake them as a thief. Then, in the second epistle, the apostle exhorts them “by” or on the ground of Christ’s coming, not to be agitated as to “the day.” The former was their proper hope; the latter could not take place until after the manifestation of “the man of sin” which was then, and is still future. Your difficulty arises from not distinguishing between “the coming” of Christ for His saints, and “the day” of His manifestation in judgment upon the world. We are exhorted by the former not to be troubled about the latter. The two things are as distinct as possible. The one is the bright and blissful consummation of the Church’s hope; the other, the death knell of all this world’s glory. The distinction is of real moment.
36. “Χ. V. X.” Your lines do not quite suit us.
38. “H. D.” Thanks for your lines.
39. “W. Î’.,” H.M. Ship “Forte.” We have referred to the subject of your letter in a former volume (see “Nine Years’ Answers to Correspondence”), and we do not feel led to enter upon it again. If the heart be right with Christ, such things will find their true place.
40. “A. A. D.,” Penzance. We have repeatedly gone into the question of your note. We would here inform our dear friends that we cannot possibly reply to queries which have been noticed before. We trust they will kindly excuse us.
41. “B, J. M.,” Ross. “The everlasting gospel” is quite distinct from the gospel of the grace of God now preached. The former will go forth prior to the opening of the kingdom. No doubt the precious gospel now published is everlasting as to its source and subject; but it is not intelligent to apply Rev. 14:66And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, (Revelation 14:6) to it.
42. “R. C. H.,” Barnstaple. Thanks for your truly kind and encouraging letter. We do not think that Matt. 16:2727For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. (Matthew 16:27) and 1 Thess. 4:1616For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (1 Thessalonians 4:16) refer to the same thing. That refers to the public manifestation, this to the coming of Christ for His saints, according to John 14:33And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3). The proper hope of the Church is her Lord’s coming to receive her to Himself. She is called to wait for Himself, not for rewards. No doubt there will be rewards, but these belong to the manifestation of the kingdom, and are neither our proper hope nor the true motive for service. The love of Christ is our true motive spring—Himself our hope. As to the expression, “These my brethren,” it refers to the messengers who shall go forth to the nations previous to the setting up of the kingdom. No doubt they will be from among the Jews. The entire scene refers to the judgment of the living nations. There is no such thing in scripture as a general simultaneous judgment. There will be the judgment of “the quick” before the millennium; and the judgment of “the dead” after the millennium; and the warrior judgment executed upon “the beast,” &c, &c.