ETERNAL LIFE A GIFT OF GOD.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 6:23. So the apostle concludes one of his wonderful arguments. Therefore it follows that man has not eternal life by nature, neither can he earn it or buy it with effort or money. And yet in one or both of these ways Satan has deceived the mass of mankind. He has made one class believe that they were not alone in possession of eternal life, but of immortality; that they could not die, whatever their conduct, condition, or character. To those who thus teach, the prophet truly said: “With lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising them life.” Eze. 13:22. “Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:15. Many of those deceived into believing themselves immortal, also believe in the merit of good works, and hope to earn eternal life by well doing. This class is well represented by the young ruler—sincere and noble, doubtless—who came to Jesus with the question: “Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Matt. 19:16. He thought that the greatly-desired thing must be purchased, earned. He had been a moral young man all his life. He had outwardly observed the commands of the law; he had performed the traditions of the rabbis, but he was not satisfied. If a penance had been imposed, or a pilgrimage suggested, he might have performed either, as have many deceived souls since. To his mind he must do something. Not so did Jesus answer him. Thus He replied: “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” He did not say, as some would understand, “If you keep the commandments, you will obtain life; life will be given you as the reward of your obedience.” The Master does not put it that way. “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” With Him [God] “is the fountain of life.” Ps. 36:9. From that Fountain, pulsing to all parts of the universe of God by the heart-beats of Infinite Love, flow the streams of life. Like the river of primeval Eden, like the river of life in the new earth, God’s life flows from the great center, ever dividing, ever distributing, to all parts of His domain. These streams of life flow from the great fountain in harmony with God’s eternally unchangeable law of righteousness and truth; for “the Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.” Ps. 145:17. “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth.” “All Thy commandments are righteousness.” Ps. 119:142, 172. Therefore His life flows only in holy channels. He who is not in harmony with the righteousness of God, is “alienated from the life of God.” Eph. 4:18. He who is in the way of God’s commandments—God’s righteousness—is where he may have, will have, the eternal life of God. For “in the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.” Prov. 12:28. So Jesus did not say, “Keep the commandments and earn eternal life,” but, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments,” “be keeping the commandments” (Rotherham); abide in the righteousness and abide in the life. Only in the channel of His righteousness flows His life; only by entering that channel may life be obtained. To put it another way: God’s righteousness is His holy will. Neither to argue nor prove it; we could conceive of nothing else. See Ps. 40:7, 8. So Christ declares: “If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it be of God, or whether I speak from Myself.” John 7:17, R.V. But truly to know the teaching of Christ is to know its life power; for “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63. And this is knowing God and Jesus Christ His Son. And “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3. Only those know God who are in harmony with Him. Others may know of Him; but they do not know Him. Be not deceived. Eternal life is ours only in harmony with God. That means, it must mean, absolute submission to God, absolute yielding to His whole will; the simple obedient faith of Jesus Christ. The man who sets his purpose across God’s purposes, who perverts, transgresses, God’s law by the carnal mind, makes ever God his adversary, and finds ever by his own sin God’s law a law of death. But he who in Christ Jesus yields all to do God’s will, finds the very opposite experience. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death; . . . that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.” And then “the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” Rom. 8:1–10. Here is life, abundant life, to the child of faith, not by nature, not earned, but given of God freely to all who yield to Him. O soul, leave the dark valley of death, leave it forever, and “enter into life.”