The sin question having now been closed, God has opened another, which we have called “The life question.” The sinner is dead, and God has opened the question of life. Sin was a question raised and settled on the cross – settled by Christ to God’s glory and man’s salvation.
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).
We have here two things, life and propitiation; life, because I am a dead sinner; propitiation, because I am a guilty sinner. This life is in the Son of God risen up out of the dead. I get it on the ground of the blood-shedding of Jesus, but I get it only in Christ: “And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life” (1 John 5:11-12). Now, my reader, have you believed the testimony that God has given concerning His Son? God has raised Him from among the dead and given Him glory in the heavens. Do you believe the testimony? God has made Him the Head of His new creation, founded upon His resurrection and exaltation to glory. Do you believe the testimony? God has made Him the life-giving head of a new race. Do you believe the testimony? God is not promising anything to the sinner, but He is offering His Son. Will you have Him? Will you believe on the Son? Then you have everlasting life. God most graciously keeps open the question of life; it is not yet closed, but it will soon be; only a little moment and He – the Son – will come. As long as He is in heaven, the question of life is open. The moment He comes, the question is closed, and He will open another with all who will not have life – namely, the question of eternal judgment.