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THE KING’ S
BUSINESS 195 course, by universal consent is endless. Once it is used o f the “salvation” Christ brings, which is beyond question never end ing. Once (Heb. 9,:12) it is used o f the “ redemption” that Jesus Christ secures for us by His blood. This redemption is never ending. In fact, the chief point o f con-^ trast-in the-context in this case, is-between the temporary redemption secured by the constantly repeated sacrifices o f the Mosaic ritual and the never ending redemption secured by, the- perfect sacrifice o f Christ made once for all. Once it is used o f the “inheritance” that those who are in Christ receive (Heb. 9:15). Here'again beyond a question it -is never ending. Once it is used o f the “everlasting covenant” through Christ’s blood contrasted with the temporary covenant, based on the blood o f bulls and goats, given through Moses. Here again it necessarily and emphatically means, never ending. That is the very point at issue. Once it is used o f the “everlasting kingdom” o f our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:11), and we are told in Luke 1:33, “ of His kingdom there shall be no end.’’ Once it/is used o f “everlasting gospel (or good news)” and that, o f course, also never ends. Once it is used o f the “everlasting God” (Rom. 16:26) and He certainly endures, not merely through long ages, but without end. Once it is used q f the Holy Spirit who is called “the eternal (or everlasting) Spirit,” and He certainly endures, not merely through long ages, but throughout an absolutely endless - eternity. This covers fifty-nine q f the seventy-two times it is used, and in these fifty-nine instances the thought qf endlessness is. absolutely necessary to the sense, and in not a single one o f the thirteen remaining- times it is used is it used of- anything that is known to end. I f usage can determine the, meaning o f any word then certainly the New Testament use o f this word deter mines it to', mean never ending, -or, as Thayer defines it, “without end, never to- cease, everlasting.” Nor is this all, God Himself determines it to mean never ending, He defines it to
\ quently said that the word aionios accord ing to its derivation‘means age-lasting, and therefore may refer to a limited period. Even admitting this to be true, we should bear in mind that the meaning o f words is not determined by their derivation but by their usage, and the most important ques tion is not what, the derivation o f this word may be but as to how it is used in the New Testament. It is used 72 times in the New Testament. Forty-four o f these 72 times it is used in the phrase “eternal life,” or as it is sometimes rendered, “ever lasting life.” No one questions that ever lasting life is endless and that in connec tion with the word life “age lasting” (if that be its proper derivation o f the w ord), means lasting through all ages, never end ing. Once it is used in connection with the word “habitations,”- referring to the habitations which the blessed are to have in the world to come,' and o f course these also are never-ending. Once it is used of the “weight oL_glory” .that in the world to dome await the believer in Jesus Christ who endures-affliction for Christ in the life that now is. In this case again, o f course, by universal consent it means endless. Once it is used o f the “house jiot made with hands”* that believers in Christ are to receive at the coming o f the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 5:1-8). O f course, this house not made with hands is everlasting. In fact the very point that is being brought for ward in this passage is the contrast between our present hodies. which are but for a brief time and our resurrection bodies which are to exist throughout all, eternity. Once it is used of the future unseen things that never end, contrasting with the present seen things that are for a season (2 Cor. 4:18). O f course, these are never-ending. That is the very point that is being brought out in the contrast. Once it is used of the everlasting “comfort” (R. V .) or “con solation’’^ (A . V .) "that “our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father” give us, and that is certainly never ending. Twice it is used o f the “glory” \thaj those in Christ obtain (2 Tim. 2:10). That, of
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