and the Jew standing before God or whether he must come to God the same as the Gentile
for both. He is rich toward both, and the same enablement is pro vided for them alike. That grace which has saved both Jews and Gentiles in the early days of the Christian era, is still doing so. A man in Ireland, convicted of sin, was on the point of believing when the devil raised his oft- repeated objection: “If you believe, you could not keep it. What about tomorrow?” The worker dealing with him pointed to a water wheel nearby. “ What turns the wheel today?” “The stream.” “What will turn the wheel tomorrow?” “The stream.” “And the days after?” “The stream.” The anxious man was led to see that there was abun dant grace to save, keep and meet all his need. This rich grace is available to Jew and Gentile con tinually. The Imperative Need For Immediate Action and Decision When God’s way is not chosen, there will always be peril and fail ure and loss and perdition. The Bible puts it this way: “What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteous ness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith: but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that About the Author Charles L. Femberg is Director and Professor of Semitics and Old Testament at Talbot Theological Seminary, Los Angeles. He has a Ph.D. degree from Johns Hopkins University.
law. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling; even as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.” The time allotted for decision is now. No other time is promised us. “Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of sal vation.” The pleadings of the Holy Spirit in your heart keep stressing “Today! Today! Today! Today!” What is done must be done now. When Antiochus the Fourth of Syria was met by the Roman Am bassadors, bringing the Senate’s word f o r b i d d i n g his war with Egypt, he fully expected to reply on the next day. Popilius Lunas straightway drew a circle around Antiochus in the sand, and said, “Decide now, before you step out of that circle.” This brought him to a decision at once; he gave up the war and returned to his capital. The message of high heaven con cerning eternity is, “Decide now,” for now is the only time we have. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is not promised us. We have only now to decide. There is no instance in Scripture where any individual or nation is appointed an opportunity to receive Christ as Saviour in any other age or time, other than the one in which they live. Take your oppor tunity now! Believe and be saved! END.
this is an all-inclusive indictment which includes every Jew and Gen tile on the face of the earth. The Jew is a sinner by nature and by practice, for all have actually sinned and come short of the glory of God. You may seek to deny it, but it is nonetheless still true, trag ically so. The law is unable to help, because it can only condemn the violator and is powerless to justify him. There is need for God’s right eousness. It will not do to he busy manufacturing your own. It cannot be recognized as acceptable in the sight of the thrice holy God. All in Israel are lost without the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. What an urgency this places upon you to heed this message! WTen the Duke of Kent, the father of Queen Victoria of Eng land, lay dying, his physician tried to soothe his mind by referring to the distinguished position in which God had placed him. His quick and correct reply was: “Remember, if I am to be saved, it is not as a prince, but as a sinner.” Christ came to call, not the righteous, but all sinners to repentance. And all alike are sinners. The remedy is specifically the same for all suffering from the same disease of sin. Both Jew and Gentile must be declared righteous in God’s sight by the same medium and channel of faith. God’s grace, His unmerited favor, is provided The Impartiality of God's Grace and Salvation
SEPTEMBER, 1955
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