Such is the title of a tract in defense of the late R. Govett’s endeavor to prove that many who receive life eternal fail to reign with Christ and suffer in Hades all the thousand years of the kingdom, because they were not immersed and rose not up to the requisite mark of good works. “It is of great importance,” says the author in his opening sentence, “to distinguish between (1) eternal life as the gift and (2) the prize as a reward according to works.”
What saith the scripture? Does not the Lord identify what this theory distinguishes? Take Luke 18:29-3029And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, 30Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. (Luke 18:29‑30): “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left home, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time and in the age to come life everlasting.” Do not both coalesce here? Only the Gospel of John among the Four treats of eternal life as a present gift of grace, the special known and enjoyed privilege of him who receives and follows the rejected Christ. So in Matthew 18, to “enter into life” is when saints inherit the kingdom, which surely overthrows the alleged distinction.
The alternative again is not a punitive or purgatorial Hades for so many years, but “to be cast into everlasting fire.” Scripture nowhere anticipates for believers such a lot as Mr. G. imagined. The sheep on the King’s right hand, or saved of all the nations at the end of the age (Matt. 25:31-4631When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:31‑46)), were very defective in knowledge, but practically honored the King in His messengers. Those who will not are consigned to everlasting punishment, not to temporary suffering. So in Mark 9:42-5042And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. 43And 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: 44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 49For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. 50Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. (Mark 9:42‑50), it is either entering into the kingdom at whatever cost or to be cast into hell-fire. There is no middle position between the kingdom and irretrievable ruin. Scripture nowhere speaks of crownless kings. The foolish virgins without oil in their vessels were but empty professors, who cry too late, Lord, Lord, open to us, whom He answers in the solemn words, “Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” Without doubt, the Lord knows those that are His (2 Tim. 2:19). These virgins were not His, save externally and therefore for responsibility and judgment, not for life.
It is in John’s Gospel we hear Christ opening the Christian privilege of present known life eternal, far beyond the hope of the kingdom which was revealed in the O.T. and enjoyed by all saints. What lack of spiritual intelligence to treat the kingdom as the grand prize and life in the Son as the common portion, even of the unfaithful to be in Hades while the rest reign with Christ for the thousand years! Not so does the Lord anywhere speak. In John 5:19-2819Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 21For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, (John 5:19‑28), He lays down that one of two things awaits men now that He the Eternal is the Rejected here: (1) life everlasting as a present possession, of which no O.T. saint ever thought or (2) judgment executed by Him as Son of Man. To hear the voice of the Son of God made the dead even now to live of His life; to despise and reject Him as but man was to be left in death for dread and sure judgment. For there are two resurrections of wholly distinct character: one of life for those who have life already for their souls in Him, and do good according to that new nature, as none else do; another and later at the close of the kingdom when they that have done evil according to their sinful nature come forth for inevitable and endless judgment. But not the least hint is here, or in Revelation 20 where the prophetic vision of both is given, of a class who had life eternal raised to be judged according to their works, and yet to enjoy a blissful eternity in God’s presence, after being in Hades for a thousand years as the penalty of non-immersion and a careless walk. The dead raised in the resurrection of judgment are cast into the lake of fire.
Indeed an O.T. saint knew better than this strange dream. It is due to the blind unbelief of Christendom which talks of universal judgment for sinner and saint, though Mr. G. cleared himself in part from that error. But the psalmist knew better, saying (Psa. 143:22And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. (Psalm 143:2)), “Enter not into judgment with Thy servant; for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.” Were God to enter into judgment even of His servant, there could be no justification for him; for judgment must deal inflexibly with sins. And what servant of His has not sinned since his confession of the Savior? No, salvation is by grace through faith, but impossible on the ground of judgment according to works, which is reserved for those who refused the Lord and rejected His “so great salvation.” Of the wicked only Revelation 20:11-1511And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11‑15) speaks. “The dead were judged out of the things written in the books according to their works.” With this condemnation of each and all the book of life agrees. For therein was the record of the objects of saving grace. “If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.” Not a word is here found of one written in that book. The books condemned them; the book of life had no such names written for grace.
Where then is there room for the distinction here thought of great importance? Where the intimation that any possessed of eternal life miss the prize of our high calling? Romans 11:66And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. (Romans 11:6) does not contradict Romans 2. God will render to each according to his works: to those who, in patient continuance of good works, seek for glory and honor and incorruption, life eternal [that is, in God’s kingdom as well as for all eternity too in God’s grace; so little is the distinction found in Scripture]; but to those that are contentious and are disobedient to the truth, wrath and indignation [shall be], etc. But why set this against “grace”? For grace alone gave a new nature through faith of Christ, and works meanwhile in obedience and good fruit, so as to inherit life eternal for the body in the day of glory. Error dislocates the truth, puts one scripture into collision with another, and thus unwittingly makes a chaos.
No Christian doubts that 1 Corinthians 9:25 tells us of an incorruptible crown as the prize. But the “disapproved” one at Christ’s judgment-seat here spoken of is a worthless professor, and not a child of God. The apostle feared for some of the Corinthians in the church. Some were fleshly and party-spirited, making contentious badges not merely of Paul, Apollos and Cephas, but of Christ. They were morally loose, and so worldly-minded as to sue their brethren at law-courts. They sought ease and honor among men, and made light of heathen temples and sacrifices. Levity and shame had clouded even the Lord’s table in their midst, and gross vanity their misuse of spiritual gifts. Nay some questioned (not the soul’s immortality, but) the resurrection of the dead. Who can wonder that the apostle was deeply concerned? Yet in his delicate consideration, he applies the danger to his own case (compare 1 Cor. 4:6); as if he said, Supposing I were to walk without conscience and self-judgment before God, what must be the end of it? “I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air [as many there were doing]. But I buffet my body and lead it captive [his was no easy-going walk]; lest having preached to others I should be myself rejected.”
The preaching might be zealous, powerful and blessed, but if the preacher indulged his lusts instead of mortifying them, God is not mocked, and he himself must be “reprobate.” The word which is softened down to “disapproved” is never used in the N.T. in any sense but the worst. If said of “land” (Heb. 6), it means “worthless,” bearing thorns and briars, but no acceptable fruit. So it is employed in 2 Cor. 13:5-7, never for what is good though failing. Lack of perception that the apostle had no real fear as to himself, but was transferring the case to himself to make it all the stronger if he were to walk so wickedly, misled not a few to imagine that he meant works rejected but the preacher saved. It is precisely the contrary here. The preaching might be all right, but the preacher’s life was offensive to God, and himself therefore rejected or as the A.V. says, “a castaway,” which is quite sound, though it is a pity to multiply needlessly the rendering of the Greek word.
As to 2 Corinthians 5:10, the true force is that “we must all be manifested before the judgment-seat of Christ.” It is not the same as the “we all” in 2 Corinthians 3:18. A different form distinguishes them. In the latter, “we all” means all and only Christians; in the former, it is so framed as to take in not only all saints but all sinners too. Hence, it does not say “judged,” but “manifested.” For the believer does not come into judgment, as the Lord ruled in John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24). We shall be fully manifested and give account and receive accordingly. But how will it be with the ungodly? Their manifestation must be “judgment,” for they believed not on Christ, and went on in unremoved sins till death. The believer did repent and believe the gospel, and was justified by faith. Nor will God reverse but stand to it, for “it is God that justifieth,” whereas His wrath abides on him who disowns the Son of God. And is not this truly righteous, however awful? The manifestation is therefore at different times, of distinct character, and with opposite results for those manifested. But it remains that we, the whole of us, shall be manifested, that each may receive the things in (or, through) the body according to those he did whether good or evil. Nothing more sweeping or precise; not a word to countenance failing believers shut out of the Kingdom, and judged with the wicked at the end according to their works.
Christendom seeks to reign now, a heartless reign hollow and faithless. This, with error of all sorts, is what has been “garnered” during the centuries of insubjection to the Word and Spirit of God. The only true place of the bride is to suffer here and now where He suffered to the utmost, awaiting the day when we shall be glorified on high and reign together with Him. Some of the Corinthians in their light-heartedness forgot the truth and, as the apostle said, “reigned without us.” But with his large heart, he added, “I would that ye did reign [for as yet it was a delusion and a wrong to Christ] that we also might reign with you.” He was far from menacing them with being punished in Hades, though he did not hide the apostolic path of present reproach and shame for Christ’s sake in which so few are ambitious to be their successors. They prefer to be enthroned as bishops and archbishops, patriarchs or popes, from which earthly glory the apostles were wholly apart. Nor are the so-called Free Churches a whit less covetous of money, ease and honor, as far as they can compass it. But in Luke 17, the Lord points out two aspects of the kingdom: one present in the midst of men, which does not come with observation but is known in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, whilst we await a quite different one. “For as the lightning which lighteneth from heaven to under heaven, thus shall the Son of Man be in his day.” “Every eye shall see Him,” and “where the body is, there shall the eagles be gathered together.” God’s judgments shall not fail to light upon the objects of His displeasure.
Yet the apostle did not put off the power of the kingdom till that day. He sought and exercised it not in word but in power by the Spirit, even now and here. (To be continued.)