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T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
March 1930
thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16':31). And John proclaims the fact that “ as many as received hint [i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ] to them gave he power to become the sons o f God” (Jno, 1:12). Thus from beginning to end the truth is plainly set before us that salvation, the Salvation of Scripture, is not a thing, nor an experience, nor a condition, but that it is a Person. S ome C onclusions There are a few far-reaching conclusions to which we are brought by what has just been written. First, salvation is not merely reaching heaven at last. Certainly all who have salvation will enter heaven, but that will be merely an incident of their experience. In deed, without the Salvation of Scripture, heaven would cease to be heaven: it would be transformed into a hell far more hideous than the hell of which Scripture speaks. There will be torment in the hell of Scripture, such tor ment as might well cause the boldest cheek to pale; but to be’in heaven without the Salvation of Scripture would be to find indescribable torture instead of torment. It would be a simple thing for God to take every soul to heaven, but God is far too merciful to do such a thing. Because there is such a place as hell, men sometimes speak of God as being cruel and unmerciful; but if they were aware of the facts they would know that hell exists be cause God is a God o f mercy, too gracious to permit entrance to heaven without the Salvation of Scripture. When the light of eternity breaks over sin-beclouded eyes, it will then be seen that in hell, as in heaven, the mercy of God is displayed. Heaven is secure for all who have the Salvation of Scripture, but that is incidental. Second, salvation is not merely being religious. The one who has salvation will be religious, but this too is only incidental. An illustration of this is seen in the case of Cornelius in Acts ID. Cornelius was truly sincere, under deep conviction and sorow of heart because of sin, and with a great desire to have salvation. He was a pious man, a reverent, and a praying man. BUT he was an unsaved man. He was unsaved, not because he was ir religious, but because he did not possess the Salvation of Scripture. He became a saved man, not by becoming more religious,,, but by simply accepting, as a free gift from God, the Salvation of Scripture when presented to him by the Apostle Peter. Cornelius had been told to “ send . . . for . . . Peter; who shall tell thee words whereby thou . . . shall be saved.” He sent for Peter, who, when he was come, told him of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Sal vation of Scripture, to whom “ give all the prophets wit ness , that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission o f sins’’ (Acts 10:43). Cor nelius immediately believed and instantly passed from death into life by accepting the Salvation of Scripture. Third, salvation is not merely being good. Certainly all who are saved will strive to be good, but this too is merely incidental to salvation. The Pharisees, according to the Bible, were good peo ple. Saul of Tarsus (Phil. 3) and Nicodemus (Jno. 3) are examples of what the Pharisees were. They were rigid observers of their religious ceremonies, beyond sus picion in the honesty of their business affairs, and clean in their personal lives (Luke 18). If the people in our cities were all Pharisees there would be no need for jails, as there would be no criminals to care for. There would be no need for bolts and locks upon our doors, for there would be perfect freedom from the danger of theft. On
M y Companion (C hrist , M y L ord ) A Guest each morn is Christ my Lord, A blessed, needed guest. He comes into my troubled heart, He gives me peace and rest. He chases all the gloom away, The terror and the sin, I ’ll bid Him stay with me for aye And crown Him Lord within. A Guide by day is Christ my Lord, A never-failing Guide. I fear no ill when I can walk Each moment by His side, H e sees the barriers in the way, The hidden dangers too, The rugged places H e will smooth And lead me safely through. A Guard at night is Christ, my Lord, A trusted, faithful Guard, He shelters me from every foe, All evil things are barred. And through the darkness o f the night A loving vigil keeps,
For He that keepeth Israel H e slumbers not, nor sleeps.
—Anna Hoff in “ The Bible Banner.”
the other hand, every church would be filled with worship ers, and more than filled; the audiences would overflow all the halls, schools, and public buildings, because every body in the city would attend the church services. Such a thing as a “ special offering” would never be spoken o f in the churches, because the treasuries would constantly overflow with gifts presented. Indeed, it would appear to many that the millennium had surely arrived if all were as the Pharisees in goodness. BUT they were not .saved. With all their goodness they were without the Salvation of Scripture. Fourth, salvation is not merely doing good. Men trust in their good deeds for salvation today more than ever before. We may well thank God for every enterprise that promises better conditions for the peoples of the earth. The philanthropies and charitable undertakings of wealthy men and women may well command the deepest gratitude of all who have within them any of the milk of human kindness. The scientific and educational foundations which are today lifting so many burdens from the human race are certainly doing good. BUT merely doing good is not salvation, though the one who has Salvation is instruc ted to be careful to maintain good works. Thus the Salvation of Scripture is not a thing, not an experience, not a condition: it is a Person, the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, the gift of God’s love. The most tremendously important question for each reader to ask is a personal one, i.e., “ Have I the Salvation of Scripture?” - ' . .
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