SHALL we first of all take our Bibles and read the deeply interesting and instructive little letter written by Paul to Titus.
A cursory perusal may convey to our mind the impression that it is simply a series of practical exhortations as to how the believers in Crete, amongst whom Titus labored, should conduct themselves. A more careful study shows us, however that here, as throughout the Epistles, conduct is based upon doctrine. Any attempt to divorce the one from the other is serious.
We have met those who have professed their preference for the practical — i.e., that which would show them how to live the Christian life — and also have spoken disparagingly of doctrinal teaching, whereas the one is the outcome of the other. Hence the exhortation to Timothy. “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine;” (1 Timothy 4:1616Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (1 Timothy 4:16)); and the statement of the inspired Writer, “Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life,” etc. (2 Tim. 3:1010But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, (2 Timothy 3:10)). When we inquire the nature of the doctrine referred to in Titus we find that it is ETERNAL LIFE. This, if possible, clothes the Epistle with increased interest.
When we want to learn something about eternal life we naturally turn to the Gospel of John and also to his first Epistle. We find what it is, whence it comes, who gets it and how it is obtained. So much do we read, about it that it is perfectly evident that John was the vessel selected by the Holy Spirit through whom to instruct us regarding it. Occasionally the divine Author has chosen the pen of Paul, but in so doing He has set the truth before us in a somewhat different Way. Thus in the writings of John we see that eternal life is the present possession of all who are born of God. On the other hand on the few occasions in which it is dealt with in the Epistles of Paul it is invariably presented as something to which we are going on, which we are meanwhile to live, and of which we are to lay hold.
In the portion which we have just read we have
ETERNAL LIFE
IN
(a) PROMISE.
(b)PREACHING.
(c) PRACTICE.
(d) PROSPECT.
Let us see how this works out.
In chapter 1 verse 2, we read: — “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” This, by the way, explodes the God-dishonoring theory that a person can have eternal life and lose it. Think of the Holy Spirit graciously condescending to tell us that it has been promised by “God that cannot lie.” This might seem to be an unnecessary assurance as to God. Yet, though we cannot think that they realize it, those who entertain the wretched idea to which we have alluded suggest that which the Holy Spirit here tells us is impossible. Further it was “promised before the world began,” therefore it is unaffected by the tragedy of the fall, the inherent unbelief of the natural heart, and the artful insinuation of the enemy.
The question arises: — To whom was it promised? Certainly not to us for we were not there. To whom could it be promised but to Him who “in the beginning was with God... the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father.” (John 1:1-181In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:1‑18)). It may be argued, “He did not require eternal life.” No indeed! He was, and is, “that Eternal Life” (1 John 1:22(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (1 John 1:2)).
Turn now, however, to John xvii and read verse 2 “As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.” When were the “many” given to Him? “Before the world began.” When was eternal life promised? “Before the world began.” So that “before the world began “we see the Godhead in council, the “many” given to the Son, the promise of eternal life for as many as were given to Him; then “in the fullness of time” He became flesh, and as Man went into death, broke its power, and rising in the power of a new life, His was the authority to communicate eternal life to those given to Him by the Father. How certain we may be then that, according to the teaching of the Holy Spirit by the pen of the Apostle John, this precious incomparable blessing is
A ONCE-GIVEN-NEVER-TO-BE-LOST POSSESSION.
The inspired writer says God “hath in due times manifested His Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour.” (verse 3). That is true, and how faithfully He carried out His commission we very well know. It is well to see however that He who commissioned Paul was Himself the first Preacher. How we delight, do we not? to turn ever and anon to that epoch-making interview between our blessed Lord and Nicodemus, when having ploughed deep the fallow ground, and that erstwhile Pharisee stood a convicted sinner in His presence, He, the Eternal Son incarnate, disclosed to him the great, grand, glorious secret of eternity when He said: — “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
For nearly two millenniums the preaching has gone on, and in this year of grace nineteen hundred and twenty-eight it is as fresh, as powerful, as productive of results as ever. The modernist may preach ethics because he knows not Christ. The child of God proclaims the soul-saving gospel of John-three-sixteen, and souls are brought into the possession and enjoyment of eternal life.
Well now in the second chapter of our Epistle we do not have the words “eternal life,” but we undoubtedly have the thing itself. We have only got to read the chapter to see how it is to be demonstrated in practice. Let us warn our readers against any suggestion that our Christian life and our everyday life are to be separated one from the other. On the contrary, they are so closely interwoven that it is in every detail of the daily life that the eternal life has to be manifested. We are not to merely search for a text of Scripture in order to assure ourselves that we have it, nor are we to let our fellow-men know that we have it simply by telling them about it, but WE ARE TO LIVE IT.
Hence the exhortations to aged men and aged women, young women and young men, and also to slaves. The grace of God would not to take them out of their circumstances, it would not alter their environment, but it would teach them how to live so that they might adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.” (vs. 10). Shall we seek at home, at school, at business, wherever we are to set forth that life in our day-by-day practice.
We must close however with just a brief allusion to chapter three where we have eternal life in prospect, for we read “That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (vs. 7). It may be asked if we have got eternal life in what sense do we hope for it? Obviously, we cannot enjoy eternal life to the full in a world of death, now while we are subject to the limitations of our bodies of humiliation. Perhaps someone has felt drowsy while reading this paper, another person racked with pain has had to lay aside the magazine and take it up again when feeling better. However willing the spirit may be, the flesh is weak. Soon we will be home for we expect our Lord to come at any time. Then with bodies of glory like that of our precious Lord we shall be introduced into that scene, “Where sin, nor want, nor woe, nor death can come.”
In the Father’s house, in the likeness of Christ we shall revel forever and ever in the shoreless, fathomless ocean of divine love, and lay the tribute of worthy praise at His feet who loved us and gave Himself for us. THAT, THAT will be Eternal Life!
Now to recapitulate. We commenced in eternity, (1:2), we dipped into this little parenthesis of time, (1:3; 2), and we have finished in eternity.
This is just a sort of outline map, and if any of our readers care to fill in the detail, and give their thoughts on the untouched portions, we feel sure these would be welcomed by the editor, as they certainly would be, by
W. BRAMWELL DICK.