I N D E X
12
We have met the objection that has sometimes been made in ignorance, that those who rightly divide the Word
have no gospel to preach, by showing that on the contrary, only those who rightly divide the Word of Truth have a
clear conception of the gospel that should be preached at the present time. We cannot afford to occupy much more
space in this present booklet, but having gone so far it may be good to present in outline some features of the gospel
which we preach and which effectually saves those that believe.
Salvation From ... By ... To.
The gospel is concerned with salvation, and salvation can be considered as a salvation FROM a condition of
danger, salvation TO a condition of blessedness, and salvation BY an agent, either by the Saviour Himself, or by faith
in that Saviour exercised by the one who is saved. Perhaps the simplest statement concerning salvation is found in
Luke 19:10, `The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost'. The figure of the `lost' sheep has
been described as `the gentlest view of apostasy, a wretched wandering sheep' and from this condition we advance
with the Scriptures into the realm of sin and death, enmity and rebellion. We can borrow the language of the parable
of the prodigal son and say that the condition from which we are saved is that of being `lost', that the alternative to is
expressed by the word `found' and that the agent by which this salvation is accomplished is that of the Saviour in the
capacity of a `Seeker', and in this condition it should be remembered that the Scripture affirms :
`There is none that seeketh after God' (Rom. 3:11), and :
`I was found of them that sought Me not' (Rom. 10:20).
The word translated `lost' in the parable of the prodigal son, is also translated `perish' where the prodigal says `I
perish' (Luke 15:17), a word also translated `destroy', a word placed over against `save' in Luke 6:9 and 9:56.
`The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost' (Luke 19:10).
`The Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them' (Luke 9:56).
`The wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into
smoke shall they consume away' (Psa. 37:20).
John 3:16 makes it abundantly clear that `perishing' is no mere poetic figure, and places over against it
`everlasting life' upon believing the only begotten Son of God. Rotherham maintains that the word `everlasting'
should be rendered `age-abiding', the eternal character of the life bestowed being guaranteed by such terms as
`immortal', `incorruptible', and because the Saviour said `because I live ye shall live also', and because the apostle
declared :
`... your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with
Him in glory' (Col. 3:3,4).
However many terms we employ, we must ultimately come to the conclusion of Scripture that the reason for the
lost condition of mankind is because of the presence and the consequence of sin. Sin is as universal as humanity. It
came into the world through the transgression of the first man, and it brought death in its train. Sin reigned unto
death. In Adam all die. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. As by one man's disobedience many
were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous. As sin hath reigned unto death, even
so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. He hath made Him to be sin
for us Who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. The heart of the gospel of the
grace of God is the sacrifice of the Son of His love. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins. We are justified by faith without works or merit, for of Him are ye in Christ Jesus Who of God is made unto
us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. Instead of enmity, the believer is at peace with
God, he boasts in God but not in himself. That which appears foolishness in the eyes of the worldly wise, he sees
the very glory of this great salvation and exclaims, God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
The reader will realize that page after page would have to be written to assemble together what the Scripture
teaches as to the three aspects of salvation we have here introduced. We cannot go further into this examination, but
trusting that the reader will pursue this vital matter to its further limits, we conclude, without giving chapter and