Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

shall not hurt nor destroy in all His holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Is. xi. 9.

So have prayed both Jew and Gentile : "Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.”

[ocr errors]

Ps. lxvii. 6, 7, 8.

And again: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done upon the earth as in Heaven." Matth. vi. 10.

2. We are all agreed as to the way by which God saves men, and introduces them into His kingdom. "Grace and truth come by JESUS CHRIST, and in Him is life." John i. 17.

The Divine Word becomes incarnate and reveals to us the invisible Father. As Mediator in human flesh He is God to us : "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the

Father, He hath revealed Him." John i. 18. We are agreed that He is a crucified Christ for the sins of all His people equally, whether Jew or Gentile; for "there is no difference, as all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Rom. iii. 22, 23. Hence, "we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the wisdom of God and the power of God." 1 Cor. i. 23. He is Spiritual Life to all equally; for "of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." John i. 16. And He raises all up at the last day: "He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and he that is living and believeth in me, shall never die." John xi. 25. We all believe this. For though "we shall not all sleep, we shall all be changed," 1 Cor. xv. 51, and hence, either by resurrection or translation, all His people shall “know the power of Christ's resurrection,” and “attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Phil. iii. 10, 11.

3. We are all agreed, that the offer of the gospel is in the same terms for all, whether Jew or Gentile: "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” Rom. x. 4. “We believe" (says the Jew). "that we shall be saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, even as they." Acts xv. 11. As to the way of life, then, all are on the same level: there is no difference: "In Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female." Gal. iii. 28. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all." Eph. iv. 5, 6.-And when Christ. presents His church, He presents it as one church: "a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." Eph. v. 27. There is "one fold and one shepherd." John x. 16.-We have no dispute, then, respecting the offer or the terms of the way of life.

4. We are all agreed that mere nationality, without conversion, secures no future bless

ings. A man must be "born again" to inherit the promises to the Jews or Gentiles. For, "in Christ Jesus, it is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, but a new creature that availeth." Gal. vi. 15. Hence,

though all the natural seed of Abraham "have not obtained that which they seek after, yet the election hath obtained it, and the rest are blinded." Rom. xi. 7. Yet, on the other hand, "though some did not believe, their unbelief shall not make the faith of God without effect." Rom. iii. 3.

5. We are all agreed, that the church has received a general commission to publish the gospel among all nations. There is no dispute here. Her duty is simple and imperative. Every man and every church is beholden to our Lord for the fulfilment of that obligation, to "Go unto all nations and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark xvi. 15.

6. I think I may venture to add a sixth particular. We are at least generally agreed,

66

that God has given to his Jewish people a prominence in spreading the knowledge of salvation through the world, and that this is true in every era of their history. It was so, first, as they were the depositaries of the truth, "To them were committed the oracles of God." Rom. iii. 2. Secondly, Their very fall was for the same purpose. Their diminishing has been the riches of the Gentiles." Rom. xi. 12. The whirlwind that threw down the cedar of Lebanon, scattered also its seeds to take root in every land. And thirdly, their restoration will in some way wonderfully secure the same great object. It will be the prelude of millennial glory. "The re

ceiving of them shall be as life from the dead.” Rom. xi. 15. The tree that was fallen down shall" strike root downwards and bear fruit upwards." "He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root. Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit." Is. xxvii. 6.

So far, then, we are agreed. We receive these things (leaving the last out of view) as

« AnteriorContinuar »