THE KING’S BUSINESS
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more than under the authority o f other Jewish Holy Days and Ceremonies (Col. 2:16). However, the great principle that underlay the Fourth Commandment is not done away. That was given to meet a need not o f the Jews only but o f “Man” (Mark 2 :27), that is, o f the whole human race. W e should therefore keep one day in seven holy, set it apart in an especial way for God. What day o f the seven should we keep? i f we are Jews, under the old dis pensation and belonging to the old crea tion, the seventh day o f the week, o f course. But if we are Christians, belonging to the new dispensation and the new creation, on resurrection ground, the first day Of the week, resurrection day, “the Lord’s Day,” o f course (Rev. 1:10; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; John 20:19). The ground o f God’s own absolutely sure word. In 2 Thess. 1 .7-9, we are told in the most definite and explicit words that our Lord Jesus at His coming shall render ven geance “to them that know not God” (see R. V .) and “the heathen” certainly “know not God.” Furthermore we are plainly told in Rom. 10:11-14 that there is no hope for those who do not hear the Gospel and believe in Jesus Christ. Still further, we are taught in Rom. 3:19-26 that, all men, both Jews and heathen, are under con demnation before G od: the Jews because they have broken the law o f Moses which was given to them (verses 9-19), and the heathen because they have not lived up to the'light o f nature, “the law written in their hearts” (ch. 2:12-16 compare 3 : 9 ). And the Holy Spirit goes on to show us that there is salvation for every one, Jew or Gentile, who believes on Jesus Christ, and that there is no salvation for any one, Jew or heathen, who does not believe in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21,-26). Very care less and superficial readers o f Romans 2:11-16 sometimes take these verses as What ground has Dr. Torrey for saying that the heathen are doomed?
showing how the heathen are saved by “living up to the light of> nature.” But nothing could be further from Paul’s thought. He is showing not how-men are saved but how they are lost, the Jew under condemnation because he has failed to keep thei law o f Moses and the heathen because he has failed to keep the law of nature, written in his heart (Rom. 2:12, IS, 3:9, ,19, 20). The question is often asked if any heathen lived up to the light o f nature, would he not be saved by so doing? Yes. If any heathen lived up perfectly to the law written in his heart, never in a sin gle instance violating it at any point, he would be saved: but no heathen ever has or ever will do it (just as any Jew who per fectly kept the law of Moses, never break ing it at any point, would be saved by thus keeping the law o f Moses—Rom. 10 :S— but no Jew has ever done it and therefore no Jew is thus saved (Gal. 3:11, 12; Rom. 3:19-26). No one is saved except by faith in Jesus Christ. But some one may ask: Will not the heathen who do not hear of Jesus Christ in this present life and there fore do not have an opportunity to accept Him get such an opportunity in the future? There is not a line in the W ord o f God to support such a hope. Are not the heathen included among those for whom Christ died and for whom He prayed on the cross "Father forgive them for they know not what they do?” They are certainly included among those for whom Christ died, and, therefore, we should give all diligence and make every sacrifice to get the Gospel to them. They certainly are not among those for whom Christ prayed on the cross the prayer quoted. The context makes it clear as day that that prayer was for the men who cru cified Him (Luke 23:33, 34). There is nothing whatever to warrant a wider appli cation. The wider application is an illus tration o f the slipshod and really irrever ent way that many people have in these days o f handling the W ord o f God.
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