Untitled article by M. E. S.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 29, 1858

CONDITIONS OF SALVATION. No. 5.

By M. E. S.

BY M. E. S.

The question now arises. After having been brought back to an intelligent observance of the entire law of God, does man stand acquitted? Can he take that law, and presenting himself before his Judge, prove his justification from present obedience? Suppose he should never transgress it again, would he be justified in such a case? Do our civil laws acquit on this principle? Suppose one were brought before a magistrate with the charge of murder, and he should show he had killed no one for years, and was at present a peaceable citizen; yet it were clearly proved he had committed murder at some former time; would his present or future obedience release him from the penalty of that law which he had previously broken?

It certainly would not. Again, suppose a person, after buying articles for a long time on trust, should read the admonition of Paul, "Owe no man anything," and should begin to pay as he purchased, would present promptness cancel past indebtedness? Do you think any creditor would be satisfied with such a course? and "shall mortal man be more just than God?" No. Jehovah does not permit one to break his law for a part of his life, and then justify him for keeping it the remainder; but he requires perfect obedience through the entire life. "The soul that sinneth (though it be but once) it shall die." A law once broken can never in itself justify any individual. Perfect obedience being required every moment, one could not by becoming obedient atone for any past transgression. We have already seen that "all have sinned," and "therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." Romans. Thus the law becomes powerless to save, since it pronounces on all, condemnation; "and the commandment which was ordained to life, (had man kept it,) he now finds to be unto death." The law, being perfect, [Ps.] must be immutable; and God at the same time being just, the penalty of the law must be inflicted.

Where then is hope for man! There was none, but God in his infinite wisdom devised a plan whereby the sinner might yet hope for salvation. Yes, "God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. v, 8. The Judge accepted a substitute in our behalf. The penalty for our transgressions Christ came and suffered, and now the Father can "be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Chap. iii, 26. Wondrous condescension! that would yield a darling, well-beloved Son, the highest of all his creatures, to give eternal life to a race which had recklessly forfeited it by sin and rebellion. And O, the inconceivable love of him who left the bliss and glory of heaven to become "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," and voluntarily "humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

"Oh, for this love, let rocks and hills Their lasting silence break!"

Give me, Father, grace, more grace to walk in the foot-steps of that suffering life, to possess more of the sweet Spirit of him who was "meek and lowly in heart."

We would now ask, Are the merits of his atoning blood to be applied to the whole human family unconditionally? Paul did not say that God might justify all, but only "him which believeth in Jesus." The commission, [Mark xvi, 16.] says, "He that believeth not shall be damned." We have seen also that Jesus says, [Luke xii.] "Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish;" hence the death of Jesus cannot be imputed to all indiscriminately. We have seen that repentance cannot remit sins. Does faith secure pardon? If so, all who possess it must be free from sin. But James ii, 19, says, "the devils believe and tremble," and, [verse 20.] "faith without works (works result from repentance) is dead."

A thing that is dead can accomplish nothing, and works cannot now help faith since as we have noticed man is past being justified by the deeds of the law. What then can effect the forgiveness of sin? Paul tells us, [Heb. ix, 22.] "Without shedding of blood there is no remission." Not "the blood of bulls and goats," however, which he declares should not take away sins; but we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. Heb. x, 10. Since man has nothing to offer for past transgressions, it becomes necessary that the death of Christ should be imputed before he can be acquitted. And now the Apostle further teaches, [Rom. viii, 1.] "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit," (i. e., those who are in and continue in him.) How do we get into Christ? Are we any where taught that we believe or repent into him? We find no such expressions, but says Gal. iii, 27. "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Also I Cor. xii, 13. "For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body." If then we get into Christ through baptism we could not have been in him previously, (and hence must have been under condemnation, taking the converse of Rom. viii, 1, which would read, There is therefore condemnation to all which are not in Christ Jesus.) Can we see consistency in this arrangement? Why does baptism instead of faith or repentance make us Christ's? Says Paul, [Rom. vi, 3-6.] "Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection."

We here learn that by being baptized into the likeness of the death and burial of Christ, his death is imputed to us. While he suffered the reality of death, we are only required to pass through its likeness, or figure. Oh, what an easy way to die, to suffer the penalty for transgression. We have only its emblem, while Jesus drank the bitterness of its cup. "Bleeding Jesus! Blessed Saviour!" (Paul uses the terms, buried, and planted, instead of baptized, which sufficiently explains the mode of that ordinance. Nothing is buried or planted without being immersed or entirely covered up.)

We can now understand why baptism is the third condition of salvation, the last step in the plan of God which can bring us back to favor with him. This brings us into Christ when he can impute his righteousness to us, and take our unrighteousness upon himself. Remember Christ lived a sinless life, as we have before remarked, he kept all his Father's commandments. Had he not, he could not have a perfect righteousness to impute to us; and the plan of redemption would have proved a failure. He must not only take our sins upon himself and make a sacrifice for them which he did when he bled upon the tree; but he must have a perfectly obedient life to impute to us. Glory to his name! we've a Saviour that is all-sufficient, that "is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him."