God’s promises are always at the end of obedience to His commands. It is always a matter of importance to know just when we can claim the promise of pardon. We all know that there is confusion in the religious world on this subject. Some claim the promise of pardon at one stage of their obedience, and some at another. Some claim that they are pardoned before baptism; others never suppose they are pardoned till after baptism. We wish to give a few examples, showing by what rule man may always tell when he can embrace the promise. .
When the children of Israel had finished their forty years wandering and had passed over the river Jordan they came to the city of Jericho’, which God intended to deliver into their hands, but not without some acts of obedience on their part. In Joshua vi, we are plainly told what these things were.
“Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out and none came in. And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus, shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the rams’ horns, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.”
Now, with these specific directions (before them, could these people tell when they might expect the walls of that city to fall?) There is not the slightest intimation that any movement should take place in those walls till the last step was taken.
Suppose these people had gone round this city once a day for six days, and then had stopped, does anyone believe that these walls would have fallen? No one can believe this with the Bible before Him. Or suppose that when they got round the seventh time on the seventh day, they refused to blow their trumpets, or, even after they made the long blast of the trumpets, the people had refused to shout, will anyone say that the promise would have been theirs? Surely not. Nor do we think that anyone with mind enough to be responsible, would fail to understand just when to expect the promise. Those Jews understood the matter exactly. Hence there was no faltering, no stopping to ask if something else would not do as well. They went till they had got round the seventh time, on the seventh day. And, in accordance with the command, the trumpet was sounded, the people raised the shout and down come the walls.
Now, the conditions of salvation through Jesus Christ are just as plain as were these conditions to the Jews, to be complied with in order to gain possession of Jericho. These conditions are faith, repentance, confession, and baptism. Surely every sinner can know when he has done these things. We know when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and in all that he has done, in order that sinful man might be saved. We also can know when we are penitent, when we are determined to forsake sin and turn unto the Lord. We know well when we “confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus.” We also know perfectly well when we have been baptized into Christ, “buried with him in baptism.” When we have done all these, the promise of pardon or salvation is ours. It occurs to me that commands and promises could not be plainer.
The only question then is, do we believe the promise? Are the people willing to obey the command and trust the promise? That is the only point of difficulty. The people look at it and say, it is not enough. This want of confidence in the simple word and plain institutions of the Lord Almighty, is doing more harm to the progress of true Christianity, than all the open, avowed infidelity in the world.
When did a promise of God ever fail when his commands were complied with? There is not each an instance on record. Did he fail to heal the leper when he had dipped himself seven times in the river Jordon, did he fail to heal the Jews of the bite of the fiery serpent, when they looked on the brazen serpent, according to his command? We know that not one of these promises failed. Then, why can we not believe the Savior when he says, “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Never was a more positive promise made. Whenever any fail to be satisfied with this promise, it is because they do not believe the word of the Lord. It cannot be otherwise.
Why does anyone believe Christ was born at Bethlehem? Why believe that he was baptized of John in Jordan, and that he was there owned by the Father as his own son? Has anyone any testimony of this beyond the word of God? Certainly not; nor does anyone who believes the Bible wish any further testimony.
Again, upon the word of God we believe that “Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures.” Then, if we can believe all this upon the declaration of God’s word, why not believe the promise of pardon at the end of obedience to the gospel of Christ? Can the promise of the remission of sins be more difficult to believe than all that he said concerning the Savior and what he has done for our race? Surely not. We not only believe what is said concerning Christ, but we also believe, upon the testimony of the Bible, that we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and that the righteous will be gathered into heaven to enjoy its blessings forevermore; and that the wicked will be rejected, and cast out, and sent away into everlasting fire, prepared for. the devil and his angels.
Thus, the people are willing to believe all the Bible says, upon its own testimony, except concerning the remission of sins, and then they are ready to say, “It is not enough,” “we must have an experience of grace,” and such like. But if we pretend to believe the Bible at all, we must believe all it says. To all who fully believe the word of the Lord concerning remission of sins, the information is clear as to when we are pardoned, and when we may rejoice on that account. And this knowledge is truly ground for great joy. To be a Christian, a humble child of God is to occupy the highest position to be enjoyed on this earth. Paul says of this exalted relationship: “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”
Now, can we not tell exactly when we are in Christ? Surely, we can, for Paul twice tells that we are baptized into him, (Rom. vi: 3 and Gal. iii: 27) Therefore, when a penitent believer has been baptized into him, he may then safely say, ‘I am a new creature.’ Paul again says of such persons as these: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,’ and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son.” Peter says of such, that they are “born again by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” Paul tells us, “In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.”
What a thought, that Christians constitute, on this earth, a dwelling place for God through the Holy Spirit. Should not the thought of such a glorious position prompt every sinner to at once obey the gospel of Christ, and thus enjoy the honor of sitting together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
We have now briefly gone through with the “Conditions of Salvation,”
in which we have endeavored to show just what is requisite to make Christians, and how people may know when they are Christians, what is the evidence of pardon. Showing that the word of God is the true and proper evidence of our acceptance with him.
If these articles have been, or shall be instrumental in leading any of our fellow-mortals to a knowledge of the truth, as it is in Jesus, we should thank God, and give him all the praise.
Dear sinner, will you not be persuaded to turn from the paths of sin, before it shall be forever too late? Think of the antediluvians, who went on in their worldly and sinful ways till the, flood came and swept them all away. Doubtless when they saw the rain continue to pour, and the flood rising around them and gradually sweeping them away, they would gladly have turned to the Lord, but alas, it was too late for them. God had given them over to destruction, and nothing could save. “Turn to the Lord while He may be found; call ye upon Him while He is near.” Is not all the love of God manifested in the death of His son sufficient to win you, dear friendly sinner? Then add to this the happiness to be enjoyed in this life, by the faithful child of God; that God is our father; that “the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.” Then, to all these blessings and privileges on earth, add that the faithful servant of God shall enjoy eternal life beyond the grave. “What more could be desired to call the wandering son of Adam back to God than is how offered through the gospel. God grant that these means may prove effective.
Elisha G. Sewell
(Gospel Advocate vol12, 8/4/1870, page 721)