God's Plan with Men Part 6

The preacher and family arrived Christmas eve morning. That afternoon in carriages the two families drove over the banker's beautiful farm of a thousand acres of rich land. Coming in late in the afternoon, they came by the pasture and saw the beautiful herd of blooded cattle.

After a sumptuous supper the banker's daughters gave them some splendid music and the two families went upstairs to sleep. The two white-haired brothers, the banker and the poor country preacher, remained downstairs, and for hours talked of boyhood days in the old country home in the East. At last the conversation, like the fire in the fireplace, had about died out. Finally the banker turned and said, "Brother John, may I say something to you and you not get angry?" Said the preacher, "Why, brother James, you can say anything you wish to me and I will not get angry." Said the banker, "Brother John, you and I were poor boys back in the old country home in the East and we agreed to be partners for life. One day you came to me and told me that you were called to preach. I told you then that you were a fool. What a fool you have been! Do you remember that rich farm of a thousand acres you saw this afternoon? Paid for with honest money, John. This comfortable home for my old age, paid for with honest money, John. The fifty thousand dollars I have in the bank in the city where I am president of the bank, every dollar of it honest money, John. John, you could have had as much as I have. What a fool you have been! Why, I had to send you the three hundred and fifty dollars to bring you and your family that I might see them before I die. And look at your daughters; they are dressed in such a shabby way that I am ashamed for my neighbors to see my children's cousins. And look at you with your old seedy, worn suit and your patched shoes; I am ashamed to take you to town day after to-morrow and introduce you to my business a.s.sociates. What a fool you have been! Now, John, I am not saying this to wound your feelings; for I love you, John. But I don't want you to let any of your boys be such fools as you have been. You know you have been a fool, John." Then there was silence for some time. The tears were trickling down the cheeks of the old country preacher. At last he broke the silence, "Brother James, may I say something to you and you not get angry?" "Why, certainly, John, I did not say what I did to make you angry, but to keep you from letting any of your boys be such fools as you have been, for you know you have been a fool, John." "I know," replied the old preacher, "that it looks like I have been a fool from this end of the line, brother James. But, brother James, we are both old men and we must soon go. Don't be angry with me, brother James, but what have you got up yonder?" Again there was silence, which was suddenly broken by the banker sobbing, "Oh, John, I am a pauper at the judgment bar of G.o.d." "So is he that layeth up treasures for himself and is not rich toward G.o.d." They are dying all over the world, men who are redeemed, going to Heaven, but paupers. "If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire,"--1 Cor. 3:15. But far better be a pauper, and saved without any reward, than be a rich man in h.e.l.l (Luke 16:22, 23): for they are dying all over the world who not only lived for this life, but from pride, or religious prejudice, or love of the world, or secret sin, would not repent and be redeemed from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13) and be saved (Acts 16:31).

With this teaching, that there are rewards in Heaven, there is another most helpful teaching and blessed fact, that the poorest, most ignorant and obscure can have just as great rewards as the richest, most learned, most applauded. "Each man shall receive his own reward _according to his own labor_,"--1 Cor. 3:8, not according to what he accomplishes. "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give each one _according as his work shall be_,"--Rev. 22:12; not according as his success shall be. "And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury; and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast in more than all they that have cast into the treasury."--Mark 12:41-43. The wealthy, the mighty, the renowned who serve faithfully after they were redeemed from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13), from all iniquity (t.i.tus 2:14), shall receive their reward. But the poor, the weak, the obscure who serve faithfully after they are redeemed shall receive equally as great rewards; and if they have been more faithful, however small their sphere, they shall receive even greater rewards. "Two mites that make a farthing," but it was all she could do; "Verily I say unto you that this poor widow hath cast in more than all they that have cast into the treasury."--Mark 12:42, 43. In an American city, one morning a man apparently sixty or seventy years of age, dressed as a plain business man, walked into the dining-room of one of the leading hotels and sat down to breakfast.

Some men at the adjoining table were talking of a sad case of suffering, as reported in the morning paper; a poor widow with five children was very sick, who had, since her husband's death a few years before, struggled and made a living for herself and children; but now, having been down sick for some time, everything was gone and they were suffering. The stranger listened to the sad story; and, having finished breakfast, he called a newsboy and bought a paper. The account gave the street address of the poor widow. He went to the street address, a street of poor cottages, and, knocking at the door, was led into the sick room by a child. He saw the condition of affairs and heard the widow's story. Sitting by the bedside, he talked in a fatherly, cheerful way and tried to encourage the poor widow; and quietly slipping something under the pillow, as he was talking, he told the widow to use that as she needed it. Then taking out a little book from his pocket, he wrote something and tore the paper out of the little book and slipped the paper under a book and told the widow to use that when she needed it. Then calling down G.o.d's blessings upon the widow and her fatherless children, he bade them good-bye. As the door closed, the widow slipped her hand under the pillow and drew out a roll of money, to her a large sum. Then she reached for the piece of paper under the book on the table. There was a check for a goodly sum, signed by one of America's Christian millionaires. The glow in his soul as he walked away from the widow's cottage was not the only reward--"thou shalt be _recompensed at the resurrection of the just_."--Luke 14:14. But the following Sunday a poor widow working in a sweatshop to make a living for her fatherless children, listened to an appeal for foreign missions, to get the gospel to those who have never heard, and she threw in ten cents, all she could give, "two mites that make a farthing."--"Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast in more than all they that have cast into the treasury."--Mark 12:42, 43. All over the world, by the multiplied millions, there are graves where lie sleeping the bodies of those who, down the ages, because they were redeemed, gave their lives in service. They went down to their graves, their praises unsung by the world. Many of them went down to their graves, never realizing that there were rewards for them; simply rejoicing in their salvation through Him who loved them and gave Himself for them (Gal. 2:20).

"The desert rose, though never seen by man; Is nurtured with a care divinely good; The ocean pearl, though 'neath the rolling main, Is ever brilliant in the eyes of G.o.d.

"Think not thy worth and work are all unknown Because no partial pensman paint thy praise; Man may not see nor care, but G.o.d will own Thy worth and work; thy thoughts and deeds and ways."

Riding along a lonely country road one Sunday afternoon, many years ago, returning from a country church, a young preacher was talking to his companion, a young man eighteen years of age, telling him of G.o.d's love and of _G.o.d's plan with men_. The conversation had ended, and for some minutes they had been riding along in silence, when suddenly the young man spurred his horse up to the young preacher's horse, and seizing the reins, stopped both horses. Dropping the reins, he threw both arms around the preacher's neck, and as he began sobbing said, "Oh, R----, how good G.o.d is!" How little men consider G.o.d's goodness.

How good G.o.d is to have ever brought us into being! How good G.o.d is, though we have all sinned against Him (Rom. 3:23), "that he might be just and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus" (Rom. 3:26), to have provided complete redemption for us from all iniquity (t.i.tus 2:14)! How good G.o.d is to have "in love predestinated us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself"!--Eph. 1:5. How good G.o.d is to chastise us in love (Heb. 12:5, 6) instead of punis.h.i.+ng us in h.e.l.l for our sins after we become His children (Ps. 89:27-34)! How good G.o.d is to place us where we will serve Him from love, and not from fear of punishment (2 Cor. 5:14, 15)! How good G.o.d is, in addition to our salvation, to provide rewards in Heaven for the services we render here (Matt. 6:20)! How good G.o.d is to provide that the poor, the ignorant, the obscure, can have just as great rewards as the more fortunate ones (Mark 1:41, 42)! How good G.o.d is to say, "if any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire"!--1 Cor. 3:15.

_FOR FURTHER STUDY_:--The objection that the teaching of rewards in Heaven makes Christianity too matter-of-fact is not well taken.

Punishments or rewards last through all eternity; with the unredeemed, in added degrees to the punishment in h.e.l.l; with the redeemed, in added rewards in Heaven. And they need to realize that with both cla.s.ses this applies to the smallest deeds: "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment."--Matt. 12:36. "And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."--Matt. 10:42.

Neither is the objection well taken that to teach men to aim to have rewards in Heaven is appealing to an unworthy motive. Jesus taught it (Matt. 6:20), Paul taught it (1 Cor. 3:11-15), Moses endorsed it (Heb.

11:26), and the objector himself prays for G.o.d's blessings here in this life.

Nor is the objection well founded, that for people to aim to have rewards will destroy the motive of love. Rather, it adds to the motive of love. A father gives his son, yet not of age, a fine farm. That arouses the boy's love. The father tells the boy that, though not of age, he may have the full reward of his labor on the farm, beginning at once. This does not destroy the motive of love. So, the Saviour, having died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3), and given us eternal life (John 10:28, 29), arouses our love; to give us the privilege of having rewards in addition to salvation (Matt. 6:20), does not destroy our love, but increases it.

There is one limitation G.o.d's word makes to our deeds being rewarded: "Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in Heaven. When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have received their reward.

But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth; that thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee."--Matt. 6:1-4. If a redeemed man does his righteous deeds in order to get glory as reward here, he gets it, but none in Heaven,--the wrong motive prevents his receiving rewards in Heaven. _G.o.d rewards according to the motive._

There seems to be one other limitation to receiving rewards in Heaven for the deeds of this life: "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven."--Matt.

5:19. The teaching seems to be that for one to deliberately break even the least commandment, while he will be saved ("The least _in the kingdom of Heaven_") yet he will have no reward ("_The least_ in the kingdom of Heaven").

There is one pa.s.sage of Scripture that some have thought contradicts the teaching of different rewards in Heaven: "The kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man, an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market place, and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right I will give you, and they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, and did likewise.

And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more, and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong; didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is and go thy way; _I will give unto this last even as unto thee_."--Matt. 20:1-14. From this the conclusion is drawn that there are no different rewards in Heaven; that all are rewarded alike. But not only does G.o.d's word elsewhere teach different rewards in Heaven, but the Saviour made His teaching on this point very plain. In the parable of the pounds, the servant who with one pound gained ten pounds is rewarded with authority over ten cities.

But the one who with one pound gained only five pounds is rewarded with only five cities (Luke 19:16-19). This shows clearly a difference in rewards. If, now, this pa.s.sage in Matthew teaches no difference in rewards, then we have a positive contradiction. But consider the two parables: the parable of the pounds is where men have the same opportunity, each one a pound; then they are rewarded according to what they accomplish. The parable of the vineyard is where the laborers work different lengths of time; in the morning, boys and girls, six, eight, ten, twelve years of age, becoming Christians and going into the vineyard; the third hour, young people, fifteen, eighteen, twenty years of age, becoming Christians and going into the vineyard; the sixth hour, young men and young women, twenty-five, thirty, thirty-five years of age, becoming Christians and going into the vineyard; the ninth hour, men and women past middle life, forty, forty-five, fifty years of age, becoming Christians and going into the vineyard; the eleventh hour, old men and women, sixty, seventy, eighty years of age, becoming Christians and going into the vineyard.

But does the Saviour mean all old men and women who become Christians in old age and begin working in the vineyard? No, for He limits it to those in old age who can say, "_No man hath hired us_." Then the Saviour means by the eleventh hour laborers in the parable those who in old age had never before had the opportunity of going into the vineyard; who had never before heard or understood the way to be saved, and enter G.o.d's service. With these, the Saviour reserves the sovereign right to give them just as great rewards as though they had entered the vineyard "early in the morning"; not that those who "have borne the burden and heat of the day" shall receive less, but that those who did not have the opportunity of entering the vineyard sooner, shall not lose because of it. Some one may think that there are no old men and women who do not know the way to be saved and enter the vineyard. Even in professedly Christian lands there are many old men and women who, because of wrong religious teaching, have never seen the real way to be saved; and in China and Africa there are vast numbers who can say, "No man hath hired us." To take a case: a mere child becomes a Christian and serves in the vineyard for seventy years; an old Chinaman eighty years of age hears the gospel for the first time, and becomes a Christian and works in the vineyard only one year and dies. He will receive as great a reward as the one who served G.o.d seventy years. Apply this principle to the redeemed who died in early life: if those who entered at the eleventh hour, "because no man hath hired us" receive for one hour as much as those who have labored throughout the day, then those who entered the third hour and the Lord of the vineyard himself took them out the fourth hour, will receive as great rewards as though they had been left to bear the burden and heat of the day. Blessed consolation to those who have lost loved ones who were taken early in life.

Three of the Saviour's parables are closely connected in their teaching concerning rewards: The parable of the pounds, where each servant has a pound and one gains ten pounds and another five; one receives authority over ten cities, the other receives authority over five cities, just half the reward of the other, because he was just half as faithful (Luke 19:16-19). This parable represents that cla.s.s of men who have equal opportunity in life (each one a pound) and teaches that their reward will be in proportion to what they accomplish. The second is the parable of the vineyard, representing the length of time of service when the laborers were not to blame for not entering the vineyard earlier; showing that they shall not lose because they could not get into the vineyard to work earlier. The third is the parable of the talents, where the one with five talents gained five other talents and the one with two talents gained two other talents, and they both received the same commendation, the same reward, "I will make thee ruler over many things" (Matt. 25:20-23); teaching that the one with small opportunity (two talents) if he uses it faithfully, will receive as great reward as the one with great opportunity (five talents) who uses it faithfully.

A widely misunderstood pa.s.sage of Scripture bearing on the subject of rewards is 1 Cor. 9:24-27: "Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but only one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain.

And every contestant in the games is temperate in all things. They, indeed, do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air; but I buffet my body and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, after having preached to others, I myself should be disapproved."--The 1911 Bible. The Authorized Version reads "a castaway"; the Revised Version reads "rejected." Many have thought that Paul was striving that he might not be a castaway (or rejected) from salvation. But notice the pa.s.sage; he was striving not to be a castaway (or rejected) from something that is secured as a result of one's own efforts, "so run that ye may obtain." Salvation is not secured as a result of one's efforts; "to him that _worketh not_ but believeth on him that justifieth the unG.o.dly, his faith is counted for righteousness."--Rom. 4:5. Rewards are secured as a result of one's own efforts; "each man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor."--1 Cor. 3:8. Again, what Paul was striving not to be a castaway (or rejected) from, is something that one receives after the race is finished; but salvation comes at the beginning of the race course, "He that believeth on the Son _hath_ everlasting life,"--John 3:36; "by grace _have ye been_ saved."--Eph. 2:8. Rewards do come after the race is finished;--"thou shalt be recompensed _at the resurrection of the just_."--Luke 14:14. Again, in saying "I buffet my body," he has no reference to buffeting his body to keep it from sin, but from _comforts and privileges that are not sinful_. In the entire chapter he has referred only to his not eating and drinking; not leading about a wife as well as other apostles and the brethren of the Lord and Cephas; not being supported by those to whom he preached (1 Cor. 9:4-14); and in each case he says that he has a right to these things. Was Paul buffeting his body against having a wife lest he should be a castaway (or rejected) from salvation? Then only the Roman Catholic priests, among the preachers, will be saved. Was Paul buffeting his body against being supported by those to whom he preached, and working with his own hands for his living, lest he should be a castaway (or rejected) from salvation? Then the Roman Catholic priests and almost all of the Protestant and Baptists preachers will be lost. Will a man be a castaway (or rejected) from salvation for enjoying comforts and privileges that are not sinful and to which he has a right? But let Paul state for himself what he means: "For if I do this thing willingly _I have a reward_."--1 Cor. 9:17. He then urges the Corinthian Christians to run in the race that they may receive the prize. "I buffet my body and bring it into subjection (from enjoying these sinless comforts and privileges); lest that by any means, after having preached (R. V. margin "have been a herald") to others (preaching or heralding to run in the race and so run as to obtain the prize, the reward) I myself should be disapproved" (a castaway, rejected,--from the prize, the reward). "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire."--1 Cor. 3:14, 15.

But does Paul teach that there are rewards for bodily sufferings and self-denials? Let him explain: "Though I am free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, _that I might gain the more_."--1 Cor. 9:19. That, by giving up these comforts and privileges he might win more people to be saved (1 Cor. 9:20-22).

There is the prize, there are rewards, for those who bring their bodies under from comforts and privileges that they may thereby win others to be saved. With the coppers in the foreign mission envelope from an orphan newsboy was found a note written in a child's awkward handwriting, "Starved a meal to give a meal." He would not have been a castaway from salvation had he bought and eaten his lunch that day; but there will be, at the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14), the prize for having brought his body into subjection that he might gain the more.

During a collection for foreign missions, a poor, ragged, one-legged negro hobbled down the aisle and laid three packages of money on the table: "Dat's fur my wife; dat's fur my boy; dat's fur me." When the collector saw the amount, he protested, saying that it was too much for a poor crippled man to give. As a matter of fact, it meant weeks of sacrificing, sometimes with no meat on the table. As the tears trickled down the black cheeks, the negro said, "Oh, Boss, de Lord's cause must go on, and I may soon be dead"; and turning he hobbled back to his seat. He was only a poor, ignorant, one-legged negro, but he ran in the race, and at the resurrection of the just he will receive the prize.

A Christian Chinaman sold himself to some mine owners that he might go down in the mines and while working lead his fellow-Chinamen to be saved. He had no support from those to whom he preached, but worked with his own hands. He ran in the race, and will receive the prize.

If the young Catholic priest was redeemed who turned from the comforts and privileges of a wife and home and gave himself for the lepers, there will be the prize at the resurrection of the just.

The world says that a man is a fool to make such sacrifices; Jesus said: "Thou fool ... so is he that layeth up treasures for himself and is not rich toward G.o.d."--Luke 12:20, 21. "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire."--1 Cor. 3:14, 15.

VII

HOW TO BE SAVED--REPENTANCE AND FAITH

"Repent ye and believe the gospel."--Mark 1:15.

"Repentance toward G.o.d, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."--Acts 20:21.

"And ye when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him."--Matt. 21:32.

"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."--Luke 13:3.

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."--John 3:14,15.

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved."--Acts 16:30, 31.

Wherever repentance and faith are mentioned in G.o.d's word without one exception, repentance comes before faith. There is a faith that comes before repentance; but it is pure historical faith, and does not result in salvation. "He that cometh to G.o.d must believe that he is,"--Heb. 11:26; the demons believe in G.o.d's existence, that He is; Thomas Paine believed in G.o.d's existence, that He is. But the faith that results in salvation invariably comes after repentance; "And ye when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, _that ye_ might believe him."--Matt. 21:32. If, therefore, the faith that saves must come after repentance, then those who have no saving faith after repentance, have no salvation, are not really redeemed. Not only so, but if saving faith must come after repentance, then those who place the only faith they claim, before repentance, do not understand what saving faith is.

Jesus preached, "Repent ye and believe the gospel."--Mark 1:15. Paul preached "repentance toward G.o.d and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."--Acts 20:21. What does "repent" or "repentance" mean?

G.o.d's word teaches that one must repent _in order to believe_. "And ye when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, _that ye might believe him_."--Matt. 21:32. "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."--Luke 13:3. Then whatever "repentance" or "repent" means, it is something that must take place before one can be saved, before he can "believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15); before he can have "faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."--Acts 20:21. The Saviour gives a complete, perfect picture of salvation, and in that picture we can find what repentance means: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."--John 3:14, 15. Jesus says "As," "even so"; then in the case of the serpent in the wilderness we have a complete, perfect picture of the way of salvation. By seeing what came back there before the lifting up of the serpent, we can see what comes before believing in Him, or "faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Notice the incident to which the Saviour referred as showing the complete picture of the way of salvation: "And they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to compa.s.s the land of Edom: And the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against G.o.d, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pa.s.s, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of bra.s.s, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pa.s.s, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of bra.s.s, he lived."--Num. 21:4-9. These people realized that they had sinned against G.o.d; that their sins deserved punishment; that they were justly condemned--"we have sinned";--that they were helpless, "Pray unto the Lord that _he_ take away the serpents from us"; and in their helpless condition they turned from their sins and turned to G.o.d.

There had been, then, an entire change of mind and purpose, or they would never have turned from their sins to G.o.d. When they faced the fact that they had sinned and were justly condemned, there resulted sorrow, and their sorrow led to the change of mind and purpose to turn from their sins to G.o.d. Had there been no conviction of sin, no realization that they had sinned and were justly condemned, there would have been no change of mind, or purpose to turn from sin to G.o.d. Here, then, we have what repentance is,--a conviction of sin, such a realization of the fact that one has sinned and is justly condemned that it produces such sorrow as leads to an entire change of mind and purpose to turn from sin and turn to G.o.d. G.o.d then provided the easiest way for them, "every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it [the brazen serpent] shall live."--Num. 21:8. The Saviour says, "Even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."--John 3:15.

Notice the case of the jailor, Acts 16:22-34. When the jailor fell down before Paul and Silas and brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Verse 30), they did not say, "Repent"; they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved."--Verse 31.

But G.o.d's word teaches plainly that we must repent in order to believe (Matt. 21:32; Luke 13:3). Then repentance must have already taken place,--he must have already repented,--or they would have taught him "repentance toward G.o.d" as well as "faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."--Acts 20:21. Go back and notice the jailor's case: the night before, he had taken Paul and Silas with their backs b.l.o.o.d.y from the beating they had received, and had not washed their stripes (Verse 33), had given them no supper (Verse 34), and had thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks. He was utterly hardened. The praying and singing hymns to G.o.d by Paul and Silas, the sudden earthquake, Paul's crying out against his committing suicide, had convicted him of sin, such a conviction as had produced sorrow, for he came trembling and fell down before them; and the sorrow had led to an entire change of mind and purpose, and he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"--"what," anything G.o.d would have me do I am ready to do,--he had turned from his sins and had turned to G.o.d. Hence they did not say "Repent," for he had repented; but they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved."--Acts 16:31.

Having seen what the Saviour meant by repentance, let us go to the meaning of the word translated "repent." "This word," says J. P.

Boyce, the great theologian, in his systematic theology, "means to reconsider, perceive afterwards and to change one's view, mind or purpose, or even judgment, implying disapproval and abandonment of past opinions and purposes, and the adoption of others which are different." B. H. Carroll, President Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary: "We may therefore give as the one invariable definition of New Testament repentance that it is a change of mind." B. H. Carroll, again, "Repentance is a change of mind toward G.o.d concerning a course of sin leading rapidly down to death and eternal ruin." Once more from B. H. Carroll: "If in one moment the soul is contrite enough to turn in abhorrence of sin against G.o.d from all self-help to our Lord Jesus Christ by faith, it is sufficient." John A. Broadus, the great American scholar and teacher: "To repent, then, as a religious term of the New Testament, is to change the mind, thought or purpose as regards sin and the service of G.o.d--a change naturally accompanied by deep sorrow for past sins, and naturally leading to a change of outward life."

As the Bible teaches that no man can be saved who has not repented ("Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."--Luke 13:3), and as no one has repented who has not been convicted of sin, who has not seen himself a guilty, justly condemned sinner, it follows that no one is saved, no one can be saved, who does not believe that G.o.d will and ought to punish sin. But to those who have repented, the way to be saved is simple, easy, sure: "Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved."--Acts 16:31.

_FOR FURTHER STUDY_:--There has been much misunderstanding about repentance. Some men, as Moody, Harry Moorehouse, J. H. Brookes, etc., have been charged with not preaching enough repentance, simply because they did not use the words "repent" and "repentance" as much as others; whereas, others who use the words often, and tell touching incidents, are said to preach "old-fas.h.i.+oned repentance." It is not the word repentance that G.o.d requires, but the thing repentance, and a sinner must repent or he cannot believe (Matt. 21:32) and he will perish (Luke 13:3). The gospel of John is the only book of the Bible given specifically to sinners to lead them to be saved. The way of salvation can be found in many of the books of the Bible, and is taught in them; but the gospel of John is the only book of the Bible given for the special, specific purpose of leading a sinner to be saved. "Many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book: but these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of G.o.d, and that believing ye might have life through his name."--John 20:30, 31.

In this book, given specifically to lead a sinner to be saved, the word "repentance" or "repent" does not occur, but the thing repentance does (John 3:14, 15).

On the difference between the thing repentance and the word repentance, give attention to the words of John A. Broadus, the great American scholar and teacher already quoted: "Great difficulty has been found in translating this Greek word 'metanoein' into languages.

The Syriac version, unable to give the precise meaning, falls back upon 'turn,' the same word as the Hebrew. The Latin version gives 'Exercise penitence' (poenitentiam agere). But this Latin penitence, apparently connected by etymology with _pain_, signifies grief or distress, and is rarely extended to a change of purpose, thus corresponding to the Hebrew word which we render 'repent,' but _not_ corresponding to the terms employed in Old Testament and New Testament exhortations. Hence a subtle and pernicious error, pervading the whole sphere of Latin Christianity, by which the exhortation of the New Testament is understood to be an exhortation to _grief_ over sin, as the primary and princ.i.p.al idea of the term. One step farther and penitence was contracted into _penance_, and a.s.sociated with mediaeval ideas unknown to the New Testament, and the English Version made by Romanists now represents John and Jesus and Peter as saying (poenitentiam agere) do penance. From a late Latin compound (repoenitere) comes our English word 'repent,' which inherits the fault of the Latin; making grief the prominent element, and change of purpose secondary, if expressed at all. Thus our English word corresponds exactly to the second Greek word (metamelesthai), and to the Hebrew word rendered repent, but sadly fails to translate the exhortation of the New Testament."

Repentance is not a price that the sinner pays for salvation; neither is the sorrow that leads to repentance a price that he pays for salvation. And repentance does not make the sinner a fit subject for salvation; nor does the sorrow that leads to repentance make him a fit subject for salvation. No one can see that he has violated G.o.d's just and holy law and is guilty, justly condemned, helpless, without its producing sorrow and this sorrow will lead to repentance, to an entire change of mind and purpose, to turning from sin, and, as B. H. Carroll expressed it, from all self-help ("repentance from dead works,"--Heb.

6:1) to G.o.d.

Some are sometimes troubled as to how much sorrow there must be. There are different degrees of sorrow in different people, but there must be enough sorrow to lead to repentance, to an entire change of mind and purpose.

"In both the Old Testament and the New Testament exhortation the element of grief for sin is left in the background, neither word directly expressing grief at all, though it must in the nature of things be present."--_Jno. A. Broadus._

"To repent is to change your mind about sin and Christ and all the good things of G.o.d. There is sorrow implied in this; but the main point is the turning of the heart from sin to Christ. If there be this turning you have the essence of the repentance, even though no alarm and no despair should ever have cast their shadow upon your mind."--_C. H. Spurgeon._