We now resume the argument in reference to Christ the Saviour of men,
as we proposed in our last. We here inquire of the objector--do you
then grant that he is the Saviour of all men--the Saviour of the world
as the scriptures declare? If so, we assure you that, he will save the
number of whom he is declared to be the Saviour. But, replies the
objector, he is not the Saviour of any man till he believes. We ask--
till he believes what? Why, replies the objector, till he believes
that Christ is his Saviour--if he believes so, it will be so. Let us
understand this--you say _he is not_ the Saviour of an unbeliever,
still he must believe that he is, and that will make him so. Then he
must first believe a lie and that will create a truth. This is (as
Paul says) "turning the truth of God into a lie." But let us notice
the record. "This is the record, God hath given us eternal life, and
this life is in his Son." Do you grant, that God has given eternal
life in Christ to every man? No, says the objector. Very well, then
they cannot be called upon to believe it. Finally, says the objector,
grant that he has. This being granted, we would ask, whether they will
not come in possession of it, if God's promise stands? Certainly. But,
replies the objector, it is not theirs, till they believe. Then the
record is not true till they believe it; because, on this principle,
they must first believe, that they have eternal life in Christ before
it exists, and believing this lie will create it.
But, replies the objector, it is impossible that any man has eternal
life given him in Christ, till he believes. We then ask, what truth do
you wish him to believe, so that he may obtain this eternal life? The
fact is, there is none. He must believe _this truth_, itself because
it is the record, but this, you have taken from him. You cannot call
upon a man to believe, till you admit the existence of that very truth
you wish him to believe. In order fully to expose the inconsistency of
this conditional salvation, we will introduce an example. Suppose a
father tell his servant, I have a son in London, nineteen years of
age, who is in poverty and distress. I have given him in my will five
thousand dollars, and I promise that it shall be put into his
possession in two years. It is recorded and that record is true. Go my
servant, and proclaim to him glad tidings of great joy, and call upon
him to believe, so that he may enjoy a salvation by faith during those
two years of suspense, and be made happy even amidst his wants by
looking forward to when it shall be put into his possession.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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