THE CONDITIONS OF ETERNAL LIFE.
By R. Baker
Christ said to the Jews, If ye believe not that I am he you shall die in your sins. John viii, 28. It appears from this language of our Lord that faith in Christ was indispensable to salvation, and that it was absolutely necessary to believe that he was the Messiah in order to have eternal life. This language is in harmony with that of the apostle Peter where he says, This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Acts iv, 12. This language was addressed to the Jews, who were called the builders. They set at naught the stone, which was Christ, and as they did not believe that he was the Saviour that should come into the world, there was no possible chance for their salvation so long as they continued in unbelief. Yet notwithstanding the Jews were a stubborn, rebellious people, Christ's love was manifested to them. This we see demonstrated at the time when he wept over Jerusalem, as he makes use of the following language, Luke xiii, 14: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how oft would I have gathered thy children together as a hen gathereth her brood under wings and ye would not. It appears from the above testimony that they were unwilling to receive salvation through Christ, choosing rather to climb up some other way, which Christ denominated as being thieves and robbers. Behold, said Jesus, your house is left unto you desolate. This desolation took place at the death of our Saviour, when the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. This was a clear demonstration that God had withdrawn his presence from their earthly house, and as that blood was then shed which was to be ministered in the heavenly sanctuary, all who desired pardon must now look in that direction. Under the old dispensation, those who had sinned had to bring their offerings, which were to be without blemish, and present them to the high priest, and confess their sins on the heads of those victims, and through the blood of those offerings their sins were transferred to the sanctuary where the atonement was made. They had to go through with this routine of duties every year. But what made the atonement necessary? Answer; sin. What is sin? The transgression of the law. Then all who had transgressed the law needed a part in that ministration. So also those under the present dispensation who have sinned, need pardon. But how is this to be obtained? Answer: on condition of repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus our great High Priest has given his life a ransom for the sins of the world. By the grace of God he tasted death for every man, thus making a way possible whereby all may be saved. Again we read that he is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, they that fear God and work righteousness are accepted with him. He also hath appeared once in the end of the world to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. He did not have to enter the holy places often as the earthly priests did, else he must have suffered often, for they had to slay a victim every time they entered into the sanctuary. But as the sacrifice was made at the death of our Saviour, and his blood was spilt to atone for the sins of the world, it becomes necessary for all who desire a part in the atonement, to come to God through Jesus Christ, who bore our sins in his own body. But before a person can be induced to come to Christ he must see the need of a Saviour, and before he can see the need of a Saviour he must be convinced that he is a sinner, and to convince him that he is a sinner, the claims of the law must be presented. As he looks into that perfect law of liberty, he sees himself a transgressor and justly exposed to its penalty, which is death, and beholding himself in this wretched condition, under the penalty of a broken law, he looks away to Jesus, heartily repenting of his sins, and laying hold by faith on the promises of God. Jesus undertakes his cause for him, and as he presents his blood to the Father, the Father accepts the offering, and through the channel of living faith salvation sweetly flows to his heart. He feels the witness of the Spirit that he is a child of God and an heir of glory. Then through the blood of Jesus his sins are borne into the heavenly sanctuary, there to remain on the condition of obedience until the closing work of our great High Priest, when those sins which have been heartily confessed will be transferred from the sanctuary and placed on the head of their originator, the Devil. Then God's people will be forever free from the effects of sin, and in a position where they can receive the blessing which God has pronounced upon those who do his commandments, viz., a right to eat of the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the city. P. S. Bro. Smith: I would say in behalf of the Seventh-day Advent church at Mackford, that we earnestly desire that Bro. and sister White and Bro. Loughborough should attend conferences in Wisconsin next spring, and will pay our proportion of their expenses to this State, providing our request is granted. We believe their labors are very much needed. We think the time has come for the strait testimony to be given.