SALVATION IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST.
By Elder S. N. Haskell
THROUGHOUT the ceaseless ages of eternity the life and work of Christ will be an incomprehensible mystery, for “without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1 Tim. 3:16. “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are complete in him.” Col. 2:9, 10. There was not an act in Christ’s life, nor a word that he spoke, but what that act and that word were a revelation of God the Father, and therefore they contained salvation. The apostle speaks of God commending his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us; and then he makes a statement,103which we believe because he says so, and the mind grasps the fact without comprehending how it can be: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” See Rom. 5:6-10. The question may be asked, How much of the life of Christ contains salvation? Was there salvation in his infancy, before he could have knowledge of good and evil? Was there salvation when he went to and from the place of labor carrying the tools for his father, Joseph? Was there salvation in his laboring as a carpenter? or was it simply when he entered upon his ministry? If there was no salvation in the infancy of Christ, how can infants be saved? Is there salvation in the parents? Was it not upon this point that the Jews failed to believe in Christ? They said, “This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world,” but they could not believe that he was “the bread which came down from heaven;” and they reasoned, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?” John 6:14, 41, 42. Who will dare to draw the line and say that salvation began at a particular time in his life, or that there were certain acts in his life or particular words which he spoke that did not contain salvation? Let those who get their authority from God and can comprehend the mystery of godliness draw the line. It was upon this point the Jews stumbled. They saw the humanity, but not the divinity. Hear Christ’s words to the Pharisees: “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself; but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” John 14:10. Again, “If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.” John 12:47-49. And again: “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.” John 10:37, 38. Again, “I have greater witness than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me.” John 5:36, 37. As the Saviour entered upon his public ministry, he revealed himself as the Son of God; but from his birth he was the same Son of God as when he entered upon his ministry. His life was practical, and from his life are sent forth rays of light which lighten every man that comes into the world. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that comes into the world.” John 1:4, 9. To receive and work out these rays of light is salvation. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil. 2:12, 13. This life covered every period, from his first inception in humanity until he expired on the cross; and thus the entire period of humanity is covered by the salvation of the life of Christ. To receive Christ by faith is but to open the heart to the reception of all the character of our Lord and Master; and Christ’s righteousness covers the entire period. When David describes himself in his sins, he says, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Ps. 51:5. Again of the wicked he speaks, “Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the Lord; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.” Ps. 109:14. This is as the unrepentant sinner appears before God; but when forgiven, entirely different expressions are used: “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with thee.” Ps. 139:15-18. Again: “But thou art he that took me out of the womb; thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breast. I was cast upon thee from the womb; thou art my God from my mother’s belly.” Ps. 22:9, 10. Who can then say that there is one single act or word in the entire life of Christ but that contains salvation; for it is his righteousness by faith that is imputed to the sinner. “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Rom. 3:25, 26. Truly salvation is in the life of Christ, and by its virtue all men are enlightened. This enlightenment is a conviction of right and wrong; “for when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.” Rom. 2:14, 15. This conviction of right and wrong, however perverted the acts themselves may be, exists in the heart of every person that lives, from the most benighted Hottentot to the most enlightened Christian; and though their works oftentimes are in direct opposition to God’s law, yet when faithful to the inner voice which convicts them of sin, the righteousness of Christ makes them acceptable in the sight of God; for “God is my strength and power; and he maketh my way perfect.” 2 Sam. 22:33. Truly there is no righteousness like Christ’s righteousness; there is no Saviour like Jesus Christ, the Son of God, “who forgiveth all our iniquities, who healeth all our diseases,” and who in himself meets all the needs of humanity, from birth to old age.