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and indeed dates it as, the period "after the tribulation". In II Thess. 2: that coming is
directly connected with the man of sin, and must therefore come after the church of the
one body has ceased on the earth: the same is true in I Cor. 15:
One cannot have the hope associated with the early part of the Acts, with its baptisms,
its gifts and its close connection with Israel, and at the same time hold to the one hope of
our calling, with its one baptism, its absence of gifts, and its dissociation from Israel.
That many attempt this incongruous combination, and are apparently blessed in so doing,
cannot justify any trifling with truth or the setting up of an argument of mere expediency.
If the Lord were swift to mark iniquity, or if He refused to accept anything short of
perfection in service, who of any of us would stand?
#18. The N.T. fulfillment.
The hope before Jew, Gentile, and "the creature" (Romans).
pp. 65 - 68
In bringing our investigation of the earlier epistles of Paul to a close we have to
consider the testimony of the epistle to the Romans. We shall not find in it the precision
of I Thess. 4:, because the hope was by that time well taught and believed. Instead, we
have references to the various accompaniments of the Lord's coming, these being
necessary to complete the revelation of truth.
The seven passages in Romans.
Seven passages in the Epistle refer to the coming of the Lord, or to some event that
necessitates it. These passages taken together form a complete whole:--
A | 2: 1-6. Jew and Gentile. Reward and punishment.
B | 8: 17-25. Deliverance from bondage of the creature.
C | 11: 26. The Deliverer. Isa. 59: 20 quoted.
D | 13: 11-14. Salvation nearer than when we believed.
C | 14: 9-12. The Judge. Isa. 45: 23 quoted.
A | 15: 12, 13. Jew and Gentile. The hope.
B | 16: 20. Satan bruised shortly.
Jew and Gentile.
The first passage is one of judgment, and judgment yet to come: "The day of wrath
and revelation of the righteous judgment of God" (Rom. 2: 5). This judgment of God is
administered by the Lord Jesus Christ: "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of
men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel" (Rom. ii.16). Jew and Gentile are in view
in this passage, but there is appended the statement that "there is no respect of persons
with God" (Rom. 2: 11).