Life and Times of David. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. VIMackintosh, Charles Henry
Religion
Life and Times of David. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. VI
Mackintosh, Charles Henry
Theology
All this is most simple. It removes many difficulties out of the way
of the earnest seeker after peace. These difficulties arise in many
cases from the conflicting dogmas of theological systems, and have no
foundation whatever in Holy Scripture. There, all is as plain and as
clear as God can make it. Each one who hears the message of God's
free love is bound, not to say invited, to receive it; and judgment
will, most assuredly, fall upon each and all who refuse or neglect the
proffered mercy. It is utterly impossible for any one who has ever
heard the gospel, or ever had the New Testament in his hand, to get
rid of the awful responsibility that rests upon him to accept God's
salvation. Not a single soul will have to say, I could not believe,
because I was not one of the elect, and did not get power to believe.
No one will ever dare to say or even to think this. If any could take
such ground, then where were the force or the meaning of the following
burning words?--"The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with the
angels of His power, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ"
(2 Thess. i. 7, 8). Will any one ever be punished for not obeying the
gospel if he is not responsible to yield that obedience? Most
assuredly not. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
But does God send His gospel to people merely to place them under
responsibility and increase their guilt? Far be the monstrous thought!
He sends His gospel to the lost sinner in order that he may be
_saved_, for God is not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance. All, therefore, who perish shall have none
but themselves to blame.
It is of the very last importance that the reader should be
established in the knowledge and practical sense of what the atonement
of Christ has accomplished for all who simply trust in Him. It is, we
need hardly say, the only basis of peace. He has put away sin by the
sacrifice of Himself; and He has borne our sins in His own body on the
tree. It is, therefore, impossible that any question as to sin or
guilt can ever arise. All has been "once and for ever" settled by the
atoning death of the Lamb of God. True it is--alas, how true!--we all
have sin in us; and we have, daily and hourly, to judge ourselves and
judge our ways. It will ever hold good of us, so long as we are in a
body of sin and death, that "in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no
good thing." But then nothing can ever touch the question of our
soul's perfect and eternal acceptance. The conscience of the believer
is as completely purged from every soil and stain as will be the whole
creation by-and-by. If it were not so, Christ could not be where He
now is. He has entered into the presence of God, there to appear for
us. This leads us in the second place to consider.
THE ADVOCACY.
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