THE ONE CHANGELESS CONDITION OF SALVATION.
By H. F. Carpenter
[By H. F. Carpenter, in Messiah’s Advocate.] Is it a fact that God’s way of saving men can not be learned from the Old Testament, can not be learned from the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and can not be learned even from Jesus Christ Himself, because He lived under the old dispensation, and came to fulfil the law, and did not teach the way of life Himself, but left that to His apostles to do in the book of Acts, to which book we should go to know how to be saved? I see my readers look up astonished at the sacrilegious and almost blasphemous thought that our blessed Jesus did not teach us Himself how to be saved; yet such utterances are reported from the pulpit of these times, so prolific in erratic thought. We always supposed that it was Jesus Himself who said, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” John 6:29. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” John 3:36. “This is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:40. “Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.” “He that believeth on Me, . . . out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” “For the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God.” “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Was it not Jesus Himself who said all these things? And are they not all recorded in the Gospels? And do they not teach the way of life truly? He that can not see the way of life in the teachings of Christ, must be dull of seeing. Indeed, Christ’s great commission to the apostles enjoined them to teach nothing which He had not already taught. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things [not, whatsoever I shall command you but] whatsoever I have commanded you.” He Himself had taught the way of life and salvation, and they were but to repeat His words already spoken. God did not say, “Hear the apostles,” altho that is duty, but, “Hear Him.” Moses likewise prophesied, saying, “Him shall ye hear.” He is declared to be the “Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey Him.” Since Adam sinned, God has had but one way of salvation. In all dispensations men have been saved in the same way, whether in the antediluvian age, the Jewish age, or Gospel age. By living faith in Christ, all who have been saved at all have been saved; as it is written, “It is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.” Under the law he who did not see beyond the typical, and grasp by living faith the anti-typical sin-offering, remained still in his sins. Abel was saved by living faith, and so was Abraham. By living faith we mean breathing faith, or faith that breathes. The life-perpetuating breath of faith is obedience. Acts of obedience do not give life to faith any more than breathing gives life to a new-born child—life must precede the breathing, but breathing perpetuates the life. Saving faith has life, which inspires conformity to every requirement of God. This conformity neither begins nor ends with baptism, altho it now includes that. Whenever a faith which surrenders the will entirely to God takes possession of a heart, that moment that soul is a saved soul. “His servants ye are to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey.” This has been the one condition of salvation under all dispensations. The things required of a saved soul have varied in different dispensations, some things being required of one when saved in one age, not required in another, but the way of entering a saved state has never changed since Adam was required to believe heartily in the promised “Seed.” First of all, dear souls, get saved by a living faith in the Crucified One, and there will be no difficulty in keeping the requirements of God—you will love to do so; you are then created unto good works; but if you offer your obedient acts as a price or a part price for salvation, your barren heart will never shout the praises of His salvation. “Have you been [not to the apostles but] to Jesus for the cleansing power?”