6. But this is not all. _Because of the atoning death of Jesus Christ those who believe in Him shall ever live with Him._ How plainly Paul puts it in 1 Thess. 5:10, +"Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep,+ (i.e., at His coming), +we should live together with Him."+ 7. Further yet, _because of the atoning death of Jesus Christ, all those who believe on Him receive the promise of the eternal inheritance_. This is what we are told in Heb. 9:15, +"And for this cause He is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance."+ I wish I had time to dwell upon that. 8. There are other results of the atoning death of Jesus Christ as regards the Devil and his angels, into which we have no time to go. Just one more thing as regards the results of the atoning death of Jesus Christ as it relates to the material universe. God teaches us that _through the death of Jesus Christ the material universe_—"all things, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven"—_is reconciled unto God_. These are His words, +"For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in Him+ (i.e., in Jesus Christ) +should all the fullness dwell 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"+ (Col. 1:19, 20). These are wonderful words. They tell us that the death of Jesus Christ has a relation to the material universe, to things on earth and to things in heaven, as well as to us and our sins. The material universe has fallen away from God in connection with sin (Rom. 8:20, R. V.; Gen. 3:18). Not only earth but heaven has been invaded and polluted by sin (Eph. 6:12, R. V.; Heb. 9:23, 24). Through the death of Jesus Christ this pollution is put away. Just as the blood of the Old Testament sacrifice was taken into the most holy place, the type of heaven, so Christ has taken the blood of the better sacrifice into heaven itself and cleansed it. +"All things . . . whether they be things in earth or things in heaven"+ are now reconciled to God. +"The creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God"+ (Rom. 8:21). +"We look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness"+ (2 Peter 3:13). The atonement of Jesus Christ has an immense sweep—far beyond the reach of our human philosophies. We have just begun to understand what the blood that was spilled on Calvary means. Sin is a far more awful, ruinous, and far-reaching evil than we have been wont to think, but the blood of Christ has a power and efficiency, the fullness of which only eternity will disclose. IX THE DISTINCTIVE DOCTRINE OF PROTESTANTISM: JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH