November, 1934
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E armark : T he A ffirmation T hat S alvation C omes by W orks A few years ago, a bishop o f the Methodist Episcopal Church was defending himself against a charge o f liberal ism. He almost proved himself to be a perfect sheep until he suddenly revealed his earmark: “ I stated that Christianity is not a question o f creed, precious as doctrine may be to us, but o f behavior. I f I behave like Christ, I am a Christian. The acid test o f Christianity is not what I believe about Christ, but how much I live like Him.” But it is written: “ All have sinned, and come short o f the- glory o f God.” T o “ behave like Christ” means to live sinlessly. But who can say with Christ, as He said o f the Father: “ I do always those things that please him” ? (John 8 :2 9 ). I f living like Christ is the “ acid test,” then, pray, just how much must I live like H im? T o what degree must I be like Him? A Mormon elder once affirmed to the writer that he believed salvation is wrought through
On the other hand, Satan knows that if God seeks men on the ground o f salvation by grace through faith, and that not of themselves, God wins. For this reason, Paul’s gospel enrages these snarling beasts o f the night. Verily, they like him not! E armark : A D enial of “ T he L ord T hat B ought ” Peter lags not one whit behind Paul in earmarking as false apostles any and all teachers who deny the blood that bought them. Hear h im : “ But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason o f whom the way o f truth shall be evil spoken o f ” (2 Pet. 2 :1, 2 ). “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed [bought back] with corruptible things, as silver and gold. . . . But with the precious blood o f Christ, as o f a lamb without blemish” (1 Pet. 1 :18, 19). And back o f Paul and Peter stands the Mas ter H im s e lf : “ Th is is my b lood o f th e new testament, which is shed for many for th e remission o f sins” (Matt. 26 :28). “ Ver ily, verily, I say unto you, Ex cept a corn o f wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth a lon e ” (John 12 :24). It is as i f the L o r d were s a y in g , “ Without th e shedding o f My blood, no fruit will be Mine— not one soul saved! I will return to My Father to abide —alone!” Dr. Charles F. Kent, Dean o f Theology (mark his clothing!) at Yale, some years ago, stood before the students o f the Kansas State Normal School, and when he was questioned about salvation by blood, replied: “ The blood was used only as a symbol. It might as well have been wool” ! In other words, had the Jews merely “ sheared” the Lamb o f God o f His “ wool”— His outer possessions — it would have been as efficacious as was the shedding o f His blood! I f that is true, “ then Christ is dead in vain” (Gal. 2 :21 ). When Antiochus Epiphanes sought to defile the temple o f Jehovah, it was Menelaus, an apostate high priest, that guided him in his awful profanations. His outstanding blasphemy was the sacrifice o f a sow upon the altar, sprink ling its blood in the Holy o f Holies, and spilling the juice o f its cooked flesh over the leaves o f the holy Scriptures. The story is ever the same. The devil fiercely hates the Word o f God, and the blood o f atonement, knowing, as he does, that in his bid for the human soul he is only defeated by the fact that “ Christ . . . Neither by the blood o f
“good works.” W e a sk ed i f ju s t a little “ g o o d works” would do. He th o u g h t n o t . W e r e p lie d : “ Well, elder, I confess I feel a b it indisposed and would dis lik e to o v e r work. Kindly inform me just how much o f works is neces sa ry r T h a t one request sent away confusion w o r s e c o n fused. T h e J ew s asked: “ What s h a ll w e d o , that we might work the works
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o f God ?” What a fine opportunity for Christ to enunciate a “ gospel . . . on the earth, and o f the earth” ! But, listen! “ This is the work o f God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28, 29 ). “Believe on.him” ! That is the fundamental. “ I f ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8 :2 4 ). All acceptable works for God must be based on personal faith in God. “ Without faith it is impossible to,please him'T (Heb. 11 :6 ). [Here is Paul’s chief oiTense— lie'is the foremost trum peter o f this gospel: “ By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not o f yourselves: it is the gift o f G o d : not o f works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9 ). Paul would be the last man to ignore the place o f good works in the Christian’s life, for he goes on to say: “ We are his workmanship, created in Christ lesus unto good works” (Eph. 2 :1 0 ). Salvation comes “ without works.” However, “ good works” is the sure fruit o f the salvation that comes “ without works.” / C)ii that ojatform Paul stood unafraid. Satan knows, if man nut, that“my the deeds o f the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight” (Rom . 3 :20 ). On the ground o f justification by works, God will be defeated in His quest for the souls o f men.
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