Earlier text: THE PURPOSE OF THE EVERLASTING GOSPELA STUDY OF THE SOUL.
By William Covert
DR. KNAPP, in writing of how the ancients regarded the condition and abode of departed souls, says, “The souls there [under the earth], separated from their bodies, were regarded as a sort of aerial beings, or shades. Taken as a whole, the ancient eastern nations agreed in this point.” —“Christian Theology,” page 519. He further says, “The disembodied soul, as conceived by the Greeks, and after them by the Romans, is material; but of so thin a contexture that it can not be felt with the hands. It is exhaled with the dying breath, or passes through a warrior’s wounds. The sword passes through its uninjured form as through air. It is to the body what the dream is to the waking action. Retaining the shape, lineaments, and motion the man had in life, it is immediately recognized upon appearing. It quits the body with much reluctance. . . . It glides along without noise, and very swiftly like a shadow. It is unable to enter the lower kingdom, and be at peace, until its deserted body has been buried with sacred rites.” —Ibid., page 524. Until the funeral rites of the dead had been celebrated, the soul was thought to be restlessly flitting about, denuded and sad. After that, it entered among the dull populace of ghosts; and, in a neutral, melancholy state, it flitted about through hades. Thus it was supposed by the ancient Greeks and Romans that, after death, the souls of all classes dwelt together without any special distinction or separation, in an underworld, where all the inhabitants were chill, aerial, or forceless beings. They could not properly be regarded as anything in particular, and yet they were supposed to have a real, conscious existence. The minds of the people being filled with superstition, it was an easy matter for poets, as they reveled in fiction, to give forcible shape to whatever doctrine yielded the best harvest for their craft. These poets have shaped the ideas of mankind in a great degree, and partly, no doubt, for selfish ends. “Dante’s Inferno,” and all productions of its kind, deal in scenes of fiction which are most horrid. These have been sought after by the people, and their influence over the minds of the credulous and the uninformed have been very great. Herodotus says of Hesiod and Homer, “These were they who framed the theogony for the Greeks, and gave names to the gods, and assigned to them honor and arts, and declared their several forms.” —“Herod. Euterp., II, 53, page 116. Strabo, in speaking of the power exerted over the common people by poets, priests, and lawgivers, through romance and fable, says, “Numbers of our people are incited to deeds of virtue by the beauties of fable, when they hear the poets, in a strain of enthusiasm, record noble actions, such as the labors of Hercules or Theseus, and the honors bestowed upon them by the gods, or even when they see the paintings, sculptures, or figures, bearing their romantic evidences to such events. In the same way they are restrained from vicious courses, when they think they have received from the gods, by oracles or some other invisible intimations, threats, menaces, or chastisements, or even if they only believe they have befallen others. . . . Common people can not be induced, by mere force of reason, to devote themselves to piety, virtue, and honesty; superstition must therefore be employed, and even this is insufficient without the aid of the marvelous and terrible. For what are the thunderbolts, the aegis, the trident, the torches, the dragons, the barbed thyrses, the arms of the gods, and all the paraphernalia of antique theology, but fables employed by the founders of the states, as bugbears to frighten timorous minds. Such was mythology.” —“Strabo,” Book I, Ch. 2, page 30. Another writer, Mr. Alger, says, “The doctrine of the soul’s survival and transference to another world, where its experience depends upon conditions observed or violated here, conditions somewhat in the control of a select class of men here—such a doctrine is the very hiding-place of a power of priestcraft, a vast engine of interest and sway which the shrewd insight of priesthood has often devised, and the cunning policy of states subsidized.” —“Doctrine of a Future Life,” pages 39, 40, 512. The foregoing quotations show clearly what causes combined in the establishment of these doctrines among the heathen nations. “Finally,” says the same author, “by the combined power, first, of natural conscience affirming a future distinction between the good and the bad; secondly, of imperfect conceptions of God as a passionate avenger; thirdly, of the licentious fancies of poets, drawing awful imaginative pictures of future woe; fourthly, of the cruel spirit and the ambitious plans of selfish priesthoods; and, fifthly, of the harsh and relentless theories of conforming metaphysicians —the doctrine of hell, as a located place of manifold, terrific tortures, drawing in vast majorities of the human race, became established in the ruling creeds, and enthroned as an orthodox dogma.” It appears that all mankind has longed for some tangible proof of a future life; but the heathen, being separated in mind from God’s revealed purpose, have formed many curious and fanciful notions concerning life and how it is sustained, which, in time, have become so firmly rooted in their minds that the person who questions their truthfulness is regarded as a heretic. Through their traditions they accept many theories as true, which have no foundation other than heathen fable. Multitudes of these fables are so hoary-headed that their beginnings are lost in the long-falling shadows of the dusky evening. The substance, if not the form, of numbers of these traditions have been incorporated into the creeds of Christendom. The thing is so positively asserted that the credulous reader is led to believe that the Bible surely teaches it. In this manner thousands are caused to receive erroneous views, thinking that the Bible upholds them. But the only safe way for every Christian is carefully to study the Bible for himself, and to receive nothing for his faith, nor allow anything in practise, but that which is clearly taught in its pages. A false proposition affirmed in a thousand creeds of men, and transcribed ten thousand times, is not improved in the least by such usage. In fact, it would only be the more dangerous, because it would then be accepted by the masses without even a question. Pythagoras, of the sixth, and Plato, of the fifth century, B. C., went from Greece into Egypt to study the doctrine of the Egyptian priests. After this schooling they returned to Greece, and, posing as philosophers, proclaimed the doctrine of the deathless nature of the soul. Of course these philosophers have advanced many contradictory things regarding the qualities and capacities of the soul; but from their philosophy sprang the literature of modern times relative to the undying nature of the soul, and the conscious state of man in death. The philosophy of Egypt and Greece teaches something very different from what is contained in the Bible. How They Became Convinced
[Believing it would be of interest to our readers, the editor of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES has asked Sabbath-keeping ministers and evangelical workers to tell in a few words the scripture or scriptures, the truths and principles, which constrained them to accept the unpopular truth of the seventh-day Sabbath. These testimonies must not exceed 500 words. Let us hear from all.] Since my happy conversion, more than forty-six years ago, I have been an earnest and somewhat critical student of the Holy Scriptures. From them, with little help besides, and with no knowledge of the Seventh-day Adventist people, the truth concerning the new earth, the nature of man, the state of the dead, future punishment, baptism, the perpetuity of the law, and spiritual gifts, was accepted without question. After hard and prolonged battles with the prince of darkness, I fully received the Scripture testimony concerning the Sabbath, the sanctuary, the second advent of Christ, and other important points, from Brother I. Sanborn, in Grant County, Wis. I clearly perceived that these truths must be received as a whole or not at all. I was convinced that the Bible must mean what it says, without applying unwarranted metaphors and figures of speech to its plain assertions. E. FIELD. Nearly forty years ago Brother Jacob Hare, of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, handed me a few copies of the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, from which, by references to the Word of God, I was convinced that Sunday is not the Sabbath; that “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” Ex. 20:8-11; Gen. 2:2, 3. Since that time, especially of late, my sympathies and efforts have been with those who publish the precious truths of the Third Angel’s Message, that brought so much joy and peace to my heart, enabling me to rejoice in the God and Rock of my salvation. MRS. E. A. FIELD. THOUGHTS AND DEEDS.
By Thomas Curtis Clark
[Thomas Curtis Clark, in S. S. Times.] Say not, “It matters not what men may think,
But ’tis the deed avails.” As flower to seed,
Is deed to thought; and as the seed foretells
Hemlock or rose, thoughts tell the coming deed. A DEFINITE WORK AND MESSAGE.
By Editor
ONE of the prominent features of modern religious life and experience is uncertainty. Men do not know whether they are Christians or not. If professedly so, they do not know what they believe or why they believe. They are not at all certain as to some of the most vital doctrines of Christianity; if we may pluralize that which is ever and always only one,—the one doctrine, the one teaching of the Gospel. “Did Christ die in our stead?” “Did He give Himself to save us from our sins?” “Are we saved by His righteousness alone?” These are all simple questions, admitting of definite, Bible answers, and yet, under the influence of higher criticism, infidelity, and ignorance of the Word, a great number of professed Christians are doubting. They are uncertain as to the answers to the questions, uncertain of their own experience, uncertain, even, as regards the Bible. Surely this is a sad condition of things. If there ever was a time in earth’s history when the church of God should stand for something strong, sure, and definite, it is now in this age of unsettled purposes, of vain visions, of “swooning trance,” of voices many, calling out of the night of fog. There is one great, religious body that does thus stand, namely, Roman Catholicism. And yet her definiteness is founded on the most indefinite and uncertain basis,—human tradition. Yet in this is she definite. She has deduced from the debris of the ages doctrines and dogmas without end, but she makes them definite, and demands their definite acceptance, even tho some of them make void the very law of God. Surely, the Protestant church in these days should stand for as definite a something as does the church of tradition. It is the definiteness of Roman Catholicism and the compromising, less than half-certain attitude of Protestantism that is winning numbers for Rome to-day. There is no need of this compromising attitude on the part of Christians, notwithstanding the loud claims of evolution and geology and higher criticism, or of the “science falsely so-called.” God’s message is definite; it has always been definite. Noah preached a definite message of repentance, faith, righteousness. Moses preached a definite message, both to Israel and Pharaoh. Elijah’s message of reform was tremendously definite to backslidden Israel, “If Jehovah be God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him;” and the poor, ignorant, undecided people answered him never a word. John the Baptist preached a definite message. Christ was about to come. The way for the King must be prepared by earnest, heartfelt repentance and turning to God, and the reception of the Coming One. The message of Jesus and His apostles was no less definite, “The kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the Gospel.” “For we have not followed cunningly-devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Emphatically and clearly God has met the needs of this time with a definite message. Clearly and emphatically He portrays the fallen condition of the church and the departure from His precepts. He has given us line upon line of prophecy, which unmistakably declares that we are living in the last days. Multiplied signs on every hand, even to the scoffing and unbelief, assure us that we may know that Christ is near, “even at the door.” The King is coming at the end of all human failure to usher in the reign of righteousness and peace. Men are to repent and believe in these everlasting good tidings. “The hour of His judgment is come;” men are to bow before the great Judge in reverent worship—obedience—ere they bring upon themselves the irrevocable sentence. They are to turn from the distracting human to the up-building Divine; from the arm of flesh to the power of the Spirit of God; from the theory of life by works to the Gospel of the life through faith which works; from the tradition of men to the Word of God. The SIGNS OF THE TIMES stands for this definite, God-given message. “With malice toward none, and with charity for all,” we hope, in His grace, to give the message just as far as He will give us power and wisdom so to do. We know there is power in the message to cleave the soul out from the world, and to fashion it for the kingdom of God. We know there is power in the message to save from sin. We know that it is clear, strong, and definite for every soul who, in God’s grace, will plant his feet upon its everlasting truth. Therefore we present the glad tidings to you, and bid you, in the words of one of old: “Come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.” THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING.
“THIS same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11. These words were spoken to the disciples of Christ as they were intently gazing after Him while He ascended to heaven from Mount Olivet. Verse 9 says that “while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” Note that He is to come in like manner; therefore He will come in a cloud, for “the Scripture can not be broken.” The same disciples had been likewise informed by the Saviour Himself just before His crucifixion. After giving them certain signs that should precede His second advent, He added: “Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matt. 24:30. It is at this time that “He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Verse 31. On this latter point the Apostle Paul gives us further detail: “For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [or precede] them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” I Thess. 4:15–17. Christ went up in “a cloud,” He will come again “in the clouds,” and then He will gather His saints—dead and alive—who will ascend to meet Him “in the clouds.” This is the first resurrection. In the Revelation John was shown that “they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years,” and that “the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” See chapter 20. This desolation of the earth is to be the binding of Satan. There will be no one for him to deceive—nothing that he can do in his special line. These scripture representations of Christ’s coming in the clouds are supplemented by others of like import. On the very night of His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, He said to His disciples: “Let not your heart be troubled; . . . I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1–3. To “come again” signifies but one coming for the purpose here specified. And this thought is emphasized in the epistle to the Hebrews. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him [that believe His Word concerning that event] shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Heb. 9:28. The glory and prominence of Christ’s second coming is specially mentioned by the seer of Patmos: “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.” Rev. 1:7. It will not be possible for any one to be deceived in regard to the manner of His coming, if they will heed the testimony of the Scriptures; for “the Scripture can not be broken.” It is worth while to note the manner in which Christ will be received by the two classes into which the world will be divided. As noted before, one class will be looking for Him; they will also love His appearing (2 Tim. 4:8); they will exclaim, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us.” Isa. 25:9. The other class will “wail because of Him.” Why is this? It was not so at His first advent. It is because that at His first advent He came with salvation for all men (Titus 2:11). He came with sin; that is, bearing the sin of the world. He came sowing the good seed of the Word, offering salvation free to all who would accept it. The second advent is “without sin,” and the purpose is to reap the harvest of the previous sowing. When He appears in the clouds of heaven, all classes will understand the situation. Those who have rejected the overtures of mercy will realize their terrible mistake. They will not be able to stand before the glory of Him whose loving sacrifice they have spurned. They will know that it is now too late, and they will “wail because of Him.” But all who believe the Gospel now have their lives “hid with Christ in God,” and “when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” Then will those who love His appearing, receive their “crown of righteousness.” 2 Tim. 4:6–8; Matt. 25:31–34. ALL OF GOD—ALL FROM GOD—ALL TO GOD.
The sentiment of the true child of God, the disciple of simple faith, is expressed in the following words of the psalmist:— “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But unto Thy name give glory,
For Thy mercy, and for Thy truth’s sake.” The boast of the true Christian is not in man, nor in any combinations or confederations of men; his confidence is not in himself, nor is it in aught he has done or can do. Believing God’s Word, he knows that all things come of God through Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 8:6. He knows that “all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.” Isa. 40:6. He knows that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,” and only God can know it; hence He only can control it and make it what it ought to be. Jer. 17:9, 10. Believing God’s Word, man knows that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” that “by the deeds of the law shall no man be justified in His sight;” and that the only righteousness man can obtain, a righteousness to which the law bears witness, is the righteousness wrought out by obedience in the perfect life of Jesus Christ, and revealed to us in the Gospel, and given to us if we believe. See Rom. 3:20-23; 1:16, 17; 5:19. Believing God’s Word, the child of faith knows that the Creator of all things is the mighty Creator or Saviour, “who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 1:30, 31. Believing God’s Word, he knows that the Creator-Redeemer creates us anew “in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:10. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Phil. 2:13. But God will not by His Spirit work out a different character, or perfect obedience to a different law, in the children of Jesus Christ than He did in Jesus Himself over eighteen centuries ago. In both instances it is God’s pleasure, God’s will; and He changeth not. All good is of God through Jesus Christ the Creator. All good is from God through Jesus Christ the Redeemer. To His name be all the glory through Jesus Christ, world without end. For His mercy’s sake; for His truth’s sake. It is in mercy He calls us. It is in mercy He pardons. It is in mercy and by His truth that He strengthens and establishes. It is in mercy that He gives us a7part in His work. It is all of mercy and grace and truth on His part; it is all of faith in His Word of truth, on ours. And therefore let every Christian say, as he contemplates God’s work wrought through godly men or organizations of men:— “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But unto Thy name give glory,
For Thy mercy, and for Thy truth’s sake.” The language of unbelief and apostasy is:— “Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad.” “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?” But the language of faith is:— “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul.” “My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.” BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST—BABYLON’S “WISE MEN” AGAIN FAIL.
“Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.” Dan. 5:1. Here is an indication of profligacy such as is not intimated against the great Nebuchadnezzar. While Nebuchadnezzar, after the arduous and manifold duties of building up and establishing the golden kingdom of Babylon, became puffed up with pride, and lived sumptuously, he would not have given way to drunkenness and revelry while the capital of his kingdom was menaced by a hostile army. But times had changed. After the death of Nebuchadnezzar the kingdom degenerated at a fearful rate. Wealth and self-confidence had bred corruption in the government, and unchecked corruption must eventually culminate in disaster. After Nebuchadnezzar’s death, his son Evil-Merodach reigned but two years. He is said to have been murdered by his brother-in-law, Neriglissar (also called Nergal-shar-uzar), who reigned but three and a half years. He was succeeded by his son, a mere child, whose reign lasted but nine months. He was murdered by his courtiers, and one of their own number, Nabonadius, was made king. This Nabonadius was married to a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, and had a son, named Belshazzar, whom he associated with him in the kingdom. The gradual weakening of the kingdom became so perceptible that minor powers began to assert themselves. The combined provinces of Media and Persia were especially aggressive. Cyrus commanded the combined armies of the Medes and Persians, and, after defeating the forces of Lydia and Egypt under Croesus, he attacked Babylon. After one battle, King Nabonadius and his army took refuge in Borsippa. This left Belshazzar in charge of the government in Babylon, which Cyrus kept under siege for more than a year. The great city was too strongly walled and fortified to be carried by assault, and appears to have been provisioned and otherwise prepared for a long siege. Belshazzar evidently felt secure, and was determined to enjoy his position. So, on this festal occasion, he proposed to make an unusually grand display; and, in the height of his bibulous hilarity, he “commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father [margin, “grandfather”] Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.” This order was carried out, and “they drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.” This was a tremendous fall from the testimony of Nebuchadnezzar, after his restoration from the awful humiliation of companionship with the beasts. At that time Nebuchadnezzar was forward to “praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment.” He also testified unto all his kingdom that the King of heaven is able to abase all who walk in pride. And this testimony is about to be verified in the case of his blasphemous grandson Belshazzar; for “in the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.” Thus suddenly are the pleasures of the wicked often brought to an end. The king was a young man, and was facing a crisis in his own life and in the course of his kingdom. But he had not appreciated his opportunity. To such the Scripture says, “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” Eccl. 11:9. When Belshazzar saw the fingers writing on the wall, his “countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.” Yet he did not know what was written; then why was he so frightened? Was he not praising the gods in which he trusted? There must have been a consciousness that any manifestation of life and activity could not come from lifeless idols, the work of men’s hands. Evidently the Spirit of the God of heaven, whose name the revelers were blaspheming, had stricken terror to the king’s heart, had smote him with a consciousness that, in some way, the writing betokened judgment. Such, also, will be the experience of all unbelievers when the Lord appears in the heavens. See Rev. 6:12–17. Then “the king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” But there was a repetition of Nebuchadnezzar’s experience with Babylon’s “wise men”—their wisdom was proved to be sheer pretense. They all came at the king’s call, but “they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.” And the “wise men” of spiritual “Babylon” in the last days are a counterpart of those who deceived and misled the kings and people of the ancient kingdom. See Rev. 17:1–5. In a future article we will consider Babylon’s last appeal to the prophet of the God of heaven to make known the mystery with which she is confronted. THAT one may be an efficient saviour, he must be both able and willing. That he may be able, he must possess knowledge, wisdom, and power. That he may be willing, he must possess pure, unselfish love. That we may trust such a one we must have the assurance of his ability and willingness to save and help us. This is the Saviour which the Word of God reveals. He is able; for He created the heavens and the earth, and all things therein. “He spake, and it was; He commanded, and it stood fast.” By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” “He hath made the earth by His power, He hath established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding hath He stretched out the heavens.” Omnipotence and omniscience blend with all-perfect wisdom in the mind of God. “Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.” But what were all these without love? We speak reverently when we reply, He would be the worst of tyrants, just what the adversary of souls would have us believe Him to be. But the infinite God is a Being of infinite love. The love is as measureless as His power, His knowledge, His wisdom. We can no more fathom the one than the other. Infinity is too short and eternity too brief to fathom the power, the knowledge, the wisdom, the love of our God. He demonstrated that love by giving “His only-begotten Son,” His Fellow. He gave Him that men might see and know that God loved them. That Son “gave Himself,” became man forever, and so made an infinite sacrifice for a race of rebels. What wonderful, unfathomable love! This is our God, our Saviour, revealed in the Bible. And, dear sinner, He will prove effectually all-sufficient to you if you so wish it as to give yourself to Him. May His love win the devotion of your heart. Several times we have spoken of the utter futility and the travesty on Christian evangelism of the chain-letter prayer scheme. We are glad to add what the Sunday-School Times has to say in response to a correspondent on the subject:— Imagine Paul of Tarsus starting a chain letter to “the saints that are at Ephesus”! Imagine Simon Peter urging all of his friends to ask three of their friends to pray that God would “cause many to go and proclaim the glad tidings to those who are in darkness”! Imagine the Nazarene leaving this last message with His disciples: “Write ye unto all the world, that the Father may cause some one else to preach the Gospel to the whole creation.” The “chain letter” appeal for prayer or service is a travesty and a burlesque on the Great Commission. It is a bait for lazy people who would shirk their own duty and shift their responsibility on to others. It is promiscuous, not individual,—and promiscuous preaching or praying is worse than worthless. Study the Bible, Old Testament and New, if you would find how God would have men work in the kingdom. Take up “the whole armor of God,” which may include a suit of chain mail against temptation, and the chain lightning of Spirit-fired speech; but shun the chain letter as you would the shackles of the evil one; it is not part of the armory of the soldier of the faith. Verily, “there are many devices in a man's heart; but the counsel of Jehovah, that shall stand.” BISHOP J. H. VINCENT well sets forth in a few words the following great teachings of the Bible. Believing and doing this would surely lead one to the keeping of the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus:— - I believe that all men are sinners.
- I believe that God the Father loves all men, and hates all sin.
- I believe that Jesus Christ died for all men, to make possible their salvation from sin, and to make sure the salvation of all who believe in Him.
- I believe that the Holy Spirit is given to all men to enlighten and to incline them to repent of their sins, and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
- I believe that all who repent of their sins, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ receive the forgiveness of sin. (This is justification.)
- I believe that all who receive the forgiveness of sin are at the same time made new creatures in Christ Jesus. (This is regeneration.)
- I believe that all who are made new creatures in Christ Jesus are accepted as the children of God. (This is adoption.)
- I believe that all who are accepted as the children of God may receive the inward assurance of the Holy Spirit to that fact. (This is the witness of the Spirit.)
- I believe that all who truly desire and seek it may love God with all their heart and soul, mind and strength, and their neighbors as themselves. (This is entire sanctification.)
- I believe that all who persevere to the end, and only those, shall be saved in heaven forever. (This is the true final perseverance.)
To save men from sin is to save them to obedience; and as sin is the transgression of God’s law, so the obedience must be the keeping of that law. “I WILL show thee my faith by my works.” James 2:18. This is just as true of every other person as it was of James, altho many people seem to imagine that they have much more faith than is manifested in their lives. However, that a man's faith and works are co-extensive, and co-operative, is shown by Scripture evidence. We are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1); we are saved by grace, through faith (Eph. 2:8); and in the judgment God will “render to every man according to his deeds.” Rom. 2:6; Matt. 16:27. God wants righteousness in men; and righteousness is right doing. Abraham's faith was counted to him for righteousness, but his works were the proof of his faith, without which no man can please God. James 2:21-25; Heb. 11:6. Therefore a man's life is the measure of his faith. To say that I believe so and so, but I do not live up to it very well, or to say that I believe the truth all right, but I am sorry to say that I do not live it as I ought, is sheer self-deception. And too often it deceives other people, according as one who makes such “confession” may incidentally have influence with others.