fundamental doctrine of the universal sinfulness of man however, is abundantly attested by the references we have

brought forward.

One of the fundamentals of the faith, and one that lies at the root of all blessing is the glorious doctrine of `Life

only in Christ'. The epistle to the Romans declares that `The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord' (Rom. 6:23). Is it true that if our doctrine is drawn from the prison epistles, we shall

hold vague ideas regarding this matter of life and death? The first passage we meet in the epistles of the Mystery

reveals the utter necessity that life should be a gift and in Christ, for in Ephesians 4:18 we read that the Gentiles

`Alienated from the life of God',

and if this be the condition of man, life must either come from outside of himself, or he must utterly perish.

The next reference is found in Colossians 3 and there we read:

`Ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God' (Col. 3:3).

Here therefore is the evidence of a mighty change. The believer has died, yet lives. We find from the same

epistle that he `died with Christ' (Col. 2:20), and now we see that a new life is his, that life being hid with Christ in

From the last epistle of the apostle Paul, we learn that this gift of life was the subject of a promise, and by

comparing the passage in this epistle with others, we learn that this promise goes back before age-times:

`Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus'

(2 Tim. 1:1).

`In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began (age times)' (Tit. 1:2).

This leads us to 2 Timothy 1:9-11:

`Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own

purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began (age times), but is now made

manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and

immortality to light through the gospel: whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of

the Gentiles'.

At His first appearing, the Saviour made manifest the glorious gift of life, and at His second appearing that life

and immortality will be entered and enjoyed:

`When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear (be made manifest), then shall ye also appear (be made manifest)

with Him in glory' (Col. 3:4).

Those who believe and hold to the testimony of the Lord's prisoner, will have no hesitation in believing the

glorious truth that life is the gift of God and found only in Christ, and they will be fortified against the spiritualistic

error that immortality is the inherent possession of all men. They will know that `life and immortality' is brought

only by the gospel and is not the common possession of the sons of Adam.

As we have pursued our way through this series we have found our hearts going out in praise to Him, Who in

such a small compass, and with quite a different object in view, could so inspire the Apostle when he wrote these

prison epistles as to include so much testimony to fundamental truth.

We conclude this little booklet with an outline of the four prison epistles.