JSL-08-Chapter Eight:

Chapter Eight:
The Gospel Believed The elementary faith, or that which precedes justification, is not in all respects identical with that repose of the soul upon God which char­acterizes the Christian’s faith or trust. The sinner begins his approach to this final goal by believing something about God; and this some­thing which he is first of all to believe, and by believing which he is to be led on to ultimate salvation from sin, and into fellowship with the Divine Being, is the gospel. But exactly in what way the gospel operates to produce this result is a point which merits the closest atten­tion; and I feel that I could render no more profitable service to my reader than by inducing him to think upon it. And if he should be led to a careful and discriminative study of the scriptures bearing upon it, he could hardly fail to find a rich reward.

It has not escaped the notice of any one that .the facts which the apostles proclaimed to the world as gospel, are two -- the death and resurrection of Christ. In preaching to the Corinthians, the apostle, doubtless for some special reason, also laid emphasis upon the fact of the burial — not, I presume, because of any saving efficacy in this fact, but because it tended to show the reality of the death and resurrection. Ordinarily these two constituted the substance of the apostolic proclamation, and these alone are specified in the commission.

We can hardly avoid the supposition that when two elements were thus used which were as totally unlike in their nature as death and life, and which had nothing in common, each was expected to have an effect peculiar to itself. Death was not to do the work of life, nor life that of death. We do not say here and now this was so; we merely suggest it as a reasonable preconception. But even if it should prove to be the case, we should still expect that elements so intimately associated in the apostles’ thought and speech would sometimes be referred to without discriminating their several and special work. We are not surprised, consequently, to find that in certain passages where only the grand results of the gospel are before the mind the whole effect is ascribed now to one and now to the other of these two forces. At the same time, whenever it is deemed proper for any reason to specialize them, the distinction between their respective functions is clearly stated and consistently maintained. When we read, for example, that we are “justified by his blood,” that he “appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself,” that “we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins,” and other passages of like force, I do not understand these scriptures to teach the direct and immediate effect of his blood, of his sacrifice, but rather the ultimate and consequential results. His death made all this possible; it brought a changed condition of things which led up to it — but in every deed it is God and only God who justifieth, who for­giveth sin, who redeemeth the soul. For it is manifest that these are effects which naturally proceed from life, and not from death. But now let us look at a few examples of scriptures like the following: “And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death” (Colossians 1:21-22). “That he might reconcile both in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Eph. Ii. 16). “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).

It is not easy to mistake the force and bearing of the texts, but a few words of comment which they teach, while at the same time illustrating the nature and effect of the elementary faith of the gospel.

Enemies of God are his adversaries and antagonists. They not only oppose him, but, like the servants in the parable, they hate him. But it should be noted that unfriendliness and hatred spring from a cause, real or supposed; and in this case the cause is the supposed harshness and tyranny of God, who is thought of as “a hard Master.” The result is the separation of man from God, and his disobedience and rebellion. Now in order to correct this erroneous opinion, and so bring man back into friendship with God, it is necessary to prove to him in some way that it is false, nay, that the very opposite is the truth; that God is really compassionate; that he desires to promote the happiness and well being of his creatures; that he truly loves them, and seeks earnestly to save and to bless them; and that, notwithstanding their rebellion, he stands ready to forgive them and to receive them back into his favor. The believe of these propositions must come in every instance from an attentive hearing and candid consideration of the gospel message. In no case can it be produced without this message. It is not something to handed down immediately from heave. It is not an effect wrought by any abstract or mysterious influence. Men must all be taught of God. In order to save sinners, God approaches them first of all with his word. He speaks to them. He demands their attention. He calls upon them to hear — to listen — for he has something he wishes to say to them. And then he speaks of his merciful disposition; that he does not desire the death of any, but rather that all should turn to him and live; and that he would welcome them back, forgiving all their sins, and filling their hearts with joy and gladness. And now the proof of all this — for it requires proof; it is intrinsically so improbable, so contrary to all the sinners preconceptions, that he naturally hesitates, and waits to be assured. And precisely here it is that we see the meaning and force of Christ’s death. For that death was not a mere “economic arrangement”; not the execution of a cold “plan,” which demanded it at a certain point; not a “scheme,” nor a governmental “policy,” but the expression of a divine heart. God so earnestly desired to save man, that he withheld not his own Son, who was also in perfect sympathy with him, but freely sent him into the world to try to save them; and so much was his heart in it, that, in the prosecution of that effort, rather than abandon it, he even sacrificed his beloved Son. And thus “God commendeth his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Now it must be evident that when this is once clearly perceived and really felt to be true, the enmity which was based upon the negation of it is obliged to give way. The supposed cause for hatred is displaced by the real cause for love. And, however we may call this belief, whether primary, elementary, historical or even intellectual, I am unable to understand how any one — by the exercise of whatever faculties — can accept this story as the truth, without at the same time believing that God is love; and thus he is reconciled to him — “reconciled to God by the death of his Son.” And just here I am reminded of one of Frederick Robertson’s happy expressions. He says, “The death of Christ represented the life of God.” Yes; for in representing what God is in his relation to the sinner, it represented what he is in himself — essential Love.

I have felt called upon to present these reflections with some fullness, because I have so often heard the death of Christ spoke of, and even tenderly spoken of, but still in a way that could give no rational satisfaction to the heart. It seemed to be presented, not as the means by which the soul is to led up to God, but as an ultimate object — as an end and resting place in itself, and as having mysterious and inexplicable saving power of its own. But in truth, whenever we believe in and rely upon it as an isolated and independent fact, apart from its significance and its natural effect, our faith is mystical and without reason. “That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures,” is a precious truth. It is a part, but it only a part of the gospel by which we are saved. It has its own necessary end to accomplish, an end which nothing else can accomplish; we are reconciled to God by the death of his Son, but we are saved by his life.

It is not deemed necessary to show in detail that the main tenor and current of apostolic teaching is in harmony with the above conception. The thoughtful student will perceive that their preaching of “Christ crucified” was in fact the preaching of the living Christ who was crucified; or, in other words, it was “Christ and him crucified”; Christ who had died for our offenses, and risen again for our justification. And so the apostle asks: “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again.” And he is not only risen from the dead, but he is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour. In one word, they preached him as he proclaimed himself, when he said: “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore.” And so this great gospel — with its death and its life, its crucifixion and its resurrection, its shame and its glory — comes before us with all its elements harmonized, that through it and in it we may look upon the loving and living God, and upon his only begotten Son, our Saviour, who died for us and rose again.

I have only to add that, in my apprehension of the matter, it is not necessary for the sinner — if indeed it be for any one — to settle or even to consider the speculative questions which men have raised about the atonement, or the effect of Christ’s death upon the Divine Being. The subject is beyond man’s power to fathom. It is as deep as God. But whether in our feeble thinking we regard the sacrifices of Christ as having propitiated God, or having itself resulted for his already propitious disposition; whether we regard it as cause or as effect, or as being simply the appointed medium through which the grace of god could consistently and righteously flow; whether we think of it as the payment of a debt, or as the satisfaction of justice, or as having some other effect — so far as our present inquiry is concerned it matters not. For whether we understand the sacrifice of Christ simply reveals the gracious and propitious attitude of God, or that, having first induced, it then reveals it — in either case it does reveal it; and this is the one and only aspect of the subject in which the sinner is vitally and practically interested. And now the effect upon him of seeing, believing, and feeling this truth will demand careful consideration.