| The Christian Life | March 1940 |
Reconciliation and Salvation
“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”—Romans 5:10
THAT a basis for universal reconciliation is taught in the Bible is generally admitted by Bible Students; and it is also generally conceded that universal salvation to eternal life is not taught. Universal reconciliation means universal salvation from a universal curse, but does not mean eternal life. Our text makes very clear this distinction between reconciliation and salvation. Be it noted that reconciliation is effected by the death of Christ, but salvation is obtained through His life. Let us get this clear in our minds, and we shall be forever freed from that subtle error that teaches the eventual salvation of every soul.
Colossians 1:20 is one of the texts that is used to, prove the error of universal salvation. Let us examine this text with its context, to see if it does, so prove. We read, “And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” We notice by the next verse that the apostle is writing about reconciliation having been made for the Church in order that the members thereof, might at some time be presented to God. Let us read on. “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight: IF YE CONTINUE IN THE FAITH GROUNDED AND SETTLED, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard.” This states that their salvation, their being presented to God, as approved, rests upon their continuance in the faith. If they do not continue in the faith, it stands to reason that they will not be presented to God.
A RANSOM FOR ALL
The ransom is the center of all Christian doctrine. Of the many who profess to believe it, how few there are who understand it. Brother Russell said, “We believe that every one out of harmony with the ransom is out of harmony with the plan of God.” That this ransom is for all is plainly stated by Paul, in I Timothy 2:6, and by John, in I John 2:2. The ransom is a corresponding price. One man, Adam, sinned, and by this sin plunged all his posterity into death. (Rom. 5:12) Now notice, this death was not merely the cessation of life for a period of time, either long or short, but the giving up of life for all time. The one who died went to hell, and hell is not a place, but a condition of non-existence. There was only one way that Adam could be released from this condition, and that was by someone as perfect as he was before he was condemned to that condition, taking his place. No one of his posterity could do that, because they were all born sinners. None of the perfect angels could pay the price for his deliverance, for they would not be a corresponding price. But God in His wisdom had arranged for some one to be a ransom. He permitted Jesus to lay aside the glory that He had with Him and be born in the likeness of sinful flesh. (Rom. 8:3) Again we read, “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor [of perfect manhood]; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
Let us note the joy of the angels, and the effect Jesus’ birth was to have on the world. “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10,11) The child Jesus could not pay the price, The corresponding price must be a man. So we read, “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.” (I Cor. 15:21) The ransom alone never will give to any one eternal life. It is the payment of the price that releases the world from the curse that came through one man’s disobedience. Jesus could have provided the ransom at the time He was baptized in Jordan, and God could have immediately applied that ransom on behalf of the world. Then Adamic death could have been stopped immediately, and the living, as well as the dead, could have been brought back to life again, and all could have gone on trial for eternal life on this earth. But just think of the consequences if God had so arranged it. Man would have the same character that he had before the ransom was applied on his behalf; for the application of the ransom does not change the character of the individual. With all the weaknesses men have, it would not be long before they would sin; and thus sinning they would again come under the penalty of death, and this time for their own transgression. It is not at all improbable that none of those who thus would have been redeemed by the ransom would have obtained life, under such an arrangement.
MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERING
But blessed be the name of our God who in His love and wisdom had planned differently. Christ died as a human being and was resurrected as a New Creature at Jordan. He was begotten to the divine nature, but this was only the beginning of that new nature. This new nature must be perfected, and to this end God required that He be tested along the lines of faith and obedience. Note carefully the Scriptures that tell us of this: “Though He were a Son yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered.” (Heb. 5:8) “For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.” (Heb. 2:18) “But those things, which God before hath showed by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled.” (Acts 3:18) “For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”—Heb. 2:10
It was this new nature, begotten at Jordan that was made perfect. When Jesus was crucified at Calvary, He gave up His human life for all time. God could not raise Him as a human being without nullifying the real purpose in furnishing the ransom price; but He could raise Him as a Divine being.
It was that New Creature that was perfected through suffering. It is this “life” that is possessed by the great Mediator which will bring salvation to the world. Now notice our text: “For if; when we were enemies, we were reconciled by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
MADE LIKE UNTO HIM
In His plan for the salvation of the world, God not only provided that Christ should be the ransom, but that He should be prepared through special experiences to be a Mediator in the work of at-one-ment. And further, He provided that not only should Christ be the Mediator, but, also, that there should be associated with Him in that work a company of those who themselves had been sinners. He also arranged that this company should be copies of His Son.—Rom. 8:29
But how may we be made like unto Him? He was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners,” while we were “shapen in iniquity, and in sin … conceived.” (Psa. 51:5) Ah! God does rot expect us to become physical copies of His son, for that is impossible; but He does expect us to become copies of Him as new creatures. In order that we may attain unto His image, we must share in His sufferings, and be crucified with Him. Paul desired to so live that Christ might be seen in all that he did. (Phil. 1:21; Gal. 2:20) Notice further how he states that the ambition of his life was to “know … the power of His resurrection.” (Phil. 3:10,11) We do not think that Paul referred merely to Jesus’ resurrection on that third day after He was crucified; but was speaking also of the power of that new life to which He was begotten at Jordan. He wanted to experience that which was manifested in Jesus as He passed those trials that perfected Him as a new creature.
Jesus had similar tests that we who are called to His glory must endure. He had these tests in order that He might be a faithful and merciful High Priest to the members of His body. (Heb. 2:17; 4:15) The tests that come to us are to prepare us that we may be faithful and merciful priests to the world of mankind in that day in which the world is to be judged.
THE VALUE OF TRIALS
None of us likes to suffer. If it were possible, we would avoid every painful experience. And yet, strange to say, this is the way we become like Jesus. If the Christian could but realize that all the bitter experiences that God permits to come into his life were the expression of God’s love for him in making him Christlike, he would rejoice in them, and thank God for them. This is why the apostles wrote words like these: “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” (Heb. 12:6) “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord that promised to them that love Him.” (James 1:12) “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”—James 1:2-4
May it not be possible that since Jesus was tempted (tried) in all points like unto the church, in order that He might be a faithful and merciful High Priest to them, that the members of the church are tempted in all points like those the world will have in the next age, that they might be able ministers to them in mercy. The trials which these priests had when they were in the flesh, will make them merciful in dealing with various personalities and they will think, “I know just how to help that dear one for I had some of the same experiences.” In our study of the first seven chapters of Leviticus, we see that it was the priests, not the High Priest—Aaron’s sons, who received the various offerings—the burnt offerings, the meat offerings, and the peace offerings. In the sin of the priest and the congregation, it was always the high priest, “the priest that is anointed” (Lev. 4:5,16), that offered the sin offering for them. This beautifully illustrates the work of the under priests under Christ the Great High Priest.
SAVED BY HIS LIFE
We have seen that by the ransom the world is to be reconciled, that is, redeemed from the curse that came through Adam’s transgression; and we have seen that something more than the ransom was needed to restore them to eternal life. We, who in this Gospel age have had the precious blood applied for our justification, know that justification by faith is a prerequisite to salvation but that something is required of us, too. This something else that we must do the apostle expresses thus: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Phil. 2:12) How many times in our endeavors to attain unto righteousness we have been discouraged at the small gains we are making. We would be discouraged if we did not hear our Lord say, “Because I live, ye shall live also.” (John 14:19) And He further states, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matt. 28:20) If it were not for our Advocate who has appeared in the presence of God on our behalf, and who stands as our surety, we could never gain life. It is a living Savior that makes salvation possible.
And so it will be with the world in the next age. They will be invited to walk up the highway of holiness that leads to life; but if there were no helper, they never could make it. God has provided a new covenant, with the living Christ as Mediator, and as He deals with them in love, He will at the close of the age, be able to present them faultless to the Father, and they will inherit eternal life on earth. So we can see how our text applies not only to the church, but also to the entire world. He died to make reconciliation for them, and He was resurrected in order that they might obtain salvation through His ministry. His resurrection was God’s testimony to the world of future life: “Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.”—Acts 17:31
In closing this part of our study there is another scripture that is worthy of our consideration: “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.” (Heb. 5:8,9) See how clearly this states that salvation is made possible by the new creature that was perfected through suffering.
Does the ransom work guarantee to all a chance for eternal life? This may seem a strange question, and possibly many of us on the spur of the moment will answer, “Yes”; which is correct, except in the case of the Israelites, who needed more than the ransom. Israel, as a nation made a solemn covenant with God to keep the covenant that He made with them at Sinai. (Ex. 24:4-8) God told them that if they did not keep that law they would be cursed. We know that not one of that nation kept that law. God knew that they could not keep that perfect law, and He gave it as a pedagogue to lead them to Christ. God held the nation accountable to the law, and when Jesus gave Himself a ransom, though Israel would get the benefits of that ransom, they would still be under the curse of their broken law. If Israel was to have the opportunity for life, they needed to be released from their curse of the law as well as from the Adamic condemnation.
It was not necessary for Jesus to be crucified to be the ransom. The ransom was the giving of a perfect human life, and Jesus could have given that life by merely yielding up the perfect life which He possessed. But if He did that, the curse of a broken law would still rest on Israel. Jesus loved Israel. It was to them He came primarily. He longed for them. He prayed for them. How pathetic those words as He stretched out His arms to them, saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.”—Matt. 23:37
Our blessed Lord permitted Himself to be crucified in order that He might meet that curse that was against Israel, even as it is written, “made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law.” (Gal. 4:4,5) “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” (Gal. 3:13) From the standpoint of Israel, the ransom in its application to them and the world, is presented as a sin-offering. The broken law required a sin-offering, and Jesus was able to provide both a ransom and a sin-offering by His suffering and death. Isaiah names Him as a sin-offering: “When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin [asham, Hebrew], He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.” (Isa. 53:10) In that day when God shall restore Israel to His full favor they shall truly recognize Him as their Messiah and Sin-offering. Then will they say as. Jesus foretold, “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.”—Matt. 23:39