Life, Light, and Salvation
WHEN the Jews rejected the Word of life, Paul and Barnabas said, “Lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.” This is quoted from the forty-ninth chapter of Isaiah. It is evident from the connection there, that Christ is directly referred to, and thus we learn that whatever is said to him applies equally to us. Christ is for salvation from God, to the ends of the earth; but as he is sent into the world, even so are we; and we are likewise set for salvation to the world. Whoever receives the Word of life, has it not merely for his own salvation, but for the salvation of others. We are saved by the life that is given, and the life is the light; but “none of us liveth to himself,” and so whoever is saved will necessarily be a savior of others. It was necessary that this Word of salvation by the light of life should first be preached to the Jews, for in the portion of Scripture which Paul quoted it is written: “Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” Christ is thus addressed as Israel, for he is God’s Son, even his firstborn; but he is “the firstborn among many brethren,” and therefore all believers are Israel. The lineal descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had by virtue of the faithfulness of their fathers the right to lead out in the ministry of salvation; for God chose Israel, not merely for the purpose of saving them, but that they should be his salvation unto the ends of the earth. Of course in order to carry it to others they must have it themselves; but when they not only refused to carry the light of life to others, but were made angry when others ran to it and accepted it, they put it away from themselves. From this we learn that no one can be saved alone. Whoever is saved must be a savior, not by virtue of what he does, but of what he is. He is saved by the life of Christ within him, and that life is light, and the light shines in the darkness and cannot be hid. Whenever anybody, in any nation or at any time, recognizes the light, and lays hold of the life, he is then “a light of the Gentiles,” to be the salvation of God to other men. Do you think that you are too poor and weak and sinful and insignificant to be saved? Then think so no longer. Are you not alive? Do you not breathe? Is not the Spirit of God in your nostrils? Well, know that you breathe only the breath which Christ “breathes out.” There is no life except that which flows from his wounded side. The fact that you live is the assurance that God has already given you salvation. Your part is to believe, not in something that God will do, but in what he has already done; for Christ on the cross said, “It is finished.” But this is not all. God’s salvation is so marvelously abundant that it reaches out far and wide. Like Jordan at the time of harvest, the river of life “overfloweth all his banks.” God speaks “to him whom man despiseth,” no matter what for, nor how justly; no matter how despicable he may be; “to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers,” even to the one who is trodden underfoot, and says: “In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves.” Isa. 49:7, 8. How can there be any question whether God can and will save you, when he has chosen you to be salvation to others? Is not this wonderful salvation? “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” — Present Truth.