"FOR THE SON OF MAN IS COME TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST." S. Matt 18:11.
Here the question is simply this, will Jesus Christ do what He has come to do, or will He fail -- as the traditional creed, in spite of all denials, indubitably teaches?? Will He save that which was lost and not some of the lost merely, a totally different thing?? How can "that which was lost" be saved, if any soul be finally lost??
"IN THE REGENERATION." - (PALINGENESIA) S. Matt. xix. 28.
This passage, too often passed over, seems certainly to promise that new creation of all things, in which Christ, Who first made, is one day to remake all things; cf Col. i. 15-20; Heb. i. 2. The thoughtful will notice (see Context) the connection of restoration and judgment.
"ALL FLESH SHALL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD." S. Luke iii. 5.
Quoted from ISAIAH ch. xl. 5, "The seeing is twofold, as appears from the sequel (sec ch. lx.). It is (I) the natural sight of Jehovah's glorious deeds on behalf of His people; and (II.) the spiritual recognition of Jehovah as the Lord." - CHEYNE. Surely, then, these words point in the direction of a salvation which shall be quite universal, "for without holiness no man shall see the Lord." - Heb. xii. 14. "The pure in heart shall see God." - S. Matt. v. 8.
"BUT I SAY UNTO YOU LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, DO GOOD TO THEM WHICH HATE YOU * * AND YOU SHALL BE THE CHILDREN OF THE HIGHEST." S. Luke vi. 27-35.
"But I say, 'LOVE YOUR ENEMIES."' Will the advocates of endless penalty frankly tell us how that can be reconciled with the letter, or the spirit, of this text? Will they explain why God commands us to love our enemies, when He consigns His own enemies to an endless hell; and why He bids us to do good to those who hate us, when He means for ever to punish and do evil to those who hate Him?
"BUT WHEN A STRONGER THAN HE SHALL COME UPON HIM AND OVERCOME HIM, HE TAKES FROM HIM ALL HIS ARMOR, WHEREIN HE TRUSTED AND DIVIDES HIS SPOILS." S. Luke xi. 22; S. Matt. xii. 29.
Here it is asserted (a) that Christ is stronger than Satan, (b) that Christ will overcome Satan, (c) will take from him all his armor, (d) will divide, i.e., take away his spoils. Each of these statements contradicts the popular creed, for that teaches (a) that evil is stronger than good, (b) that it Overcomes good in numberless cases, (c) that Satan's power for evil is not taken away, but lasts for ever, (d) that his spoils - the souls he has captured - are not divided, i.e., taken from him. And observe our Lord's victory over the powers of evil does not consist in shutting up any of their captives in hell, but in liberating all.
"WHAT MAN OF YOU HAVING AN HUNDRED SHEEP * * IF HE LOSE ONE OF THEM, DOES NOT LEAVE THE NINETY AND NINE * * AND GO AFTER THAT WHICH IS LOST UNTIL HE FIND IT ?" S. Luke xv. 4.
Antient commentators follow two main lines, (I.) the hundred sheep are all men; (II.) are all spiritual creatures: in the former case the wicked are the strayed sheep: in the latter mankind itself, which by the Fall has strayed from the heavenly fold. Both views seem to involve Universalism. For in the one all the wicked, in the other all humanity, are sought till they are found. Any narrowing of the "sheep" to the elect, is quite alien from the whole spirit of this parable, which was specially addressed to the publican and the sinner. See how broadly Christ bases His argument, "what man of you," He asks, "would not do this ?" Observe the immense significance of Christ's teaching. It expressly sanctions the right to argue from those feelings of humanity, shared even by the outcast and sinful, to the divine feelings. (pp. II, 14-6.) Note, too, the ground taken - the divine loss. It is not the man who loses his soul, it is God who loses the man; (a fact ignored - with much else - in popular teaching.)
"WHAT WOMAN, HAVING TEN PIECES OF SILVER, IF SHE LOSE ONE PIECE, DOES NOT SEEK DILIGENTLY TILL SHE FINDS IT?" S. Luke xv. 8.
Here is precisely the same broad human basis, and the same broad hopeful teaching. Keep steadily in view these facts taught here: (I.) - Our own feelings of love and pity are a safe guide to God's feelings; on these very feelings Christ expressly builds, asking, "what man of you ?" (II.) - Every lost soul is God's loss, Who, therefore, seeks its recovery; and (III.) - will seek till He find it. (IV.) - The whole of the loss is repaired. (V.) If God feel the loss of man, He will always feel it. Hence, if sin be endless, the divine Passion must surely be endless too.
"FOR THE SON OF MAN IS COME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST." S. Luke xix. 10.
If so, I gather from His own parables, and His essential nature, that so long as anything is lost, Jesus Christ will go on seeking and saving; for is He not always the same? (Heb. xiii. 8.) "'the lost" are His charge, and not some of the lost, a very different thing. Or are we to read this verse thus: "He came indeed to save 'the lost '-but those in the fullest sense 'lost' He will never save ?"
"THE SAME CAME * * THAT ALL MEN THROUGH HIM (CHRIST) MIGHT BELIEVE." S. John i. 7.
Yes, that all men might believe, that is indeed the divine purpose - the purpose of Him Who sent the Baptist. But dare we say, that what God purposes, He will fail to do? I read distinctly of the immutability of His counsel (Heb. vi. 17). Am I to believe that the immutable purpose of the Almighty and unchanging God shall finally come to nothing?
"BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD, WHICH TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD." S. John i. 29.
Here is the extent of the work of Christ set forth. It is the world's sin, and not less, that He takes away. But, if it is taken away, how can there be an endless hell for its punishment? Is all this playing with words? Are we, then, to assert of Christ, "Behold the Lamb of God Who tries to take away the sin of the world but fails ?"
"FOR GOD SENT HIS SON * * THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED." S. John iii. 17.
Our opponents say, that God's purpose will fail. He, on the contrary, assures us by His Prophet, that His word shall not return unto Him void, but shall accomplish His pleasure.
"THE FATHER LOVES THE SON, AND HAS GIVEN ALL THINGS INTO HIS HAND." S. John iii. 35.
The relevance of this is obvious, for "all that which the Father gives Me," says Christ, "shall come unto Me," ch. vi. 37. This is one of the large group of passages showing the absolute universality of Christ's kingdom; compare ch. xiii. 3, and see the connection of the gift of all things to Christ and His atoning death. Also see S. Matt. xi. 27, where, just before the well-known appeal, "come unto Me," Jesus has been saying that all things were delivered unto Him by His Father; a connection surely suggestive. Read, too, S. Mat!. xxviii. i8, and note the connection between all power given to Christ, and His claim over all nations. So, too, in Heb. ii. 8-9, the connection is significant between the gift of all things to Jesus Christ, and His tasting death for every man. As He creates all things (actually) so He redeems and restores all things (actually, not potentially); God has given to Him all things; and all things given to Him shall come to Him.
"THE CHRIST, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD." S. John iv. 42.
Christ is here called the Savior of the world. The larger hope simply pleads, that Christ will, in fact, save the world.
"(HE) WHICH GIVES LIFE UNTO THE WORLD" S John vi. 33.
The world (cosmos) is in Scripture the ungodly mass. It is contrasted with the inner circle of the faithful, the elect. But this world is over and over again claimed by Christ. He gives life to it, and His gifts are "without repentance."
"ALL THAT THE FATHER GIVES ME SHALL COME TO ME; * * AND THIS IS THE FATHER'S WILL * * THAT OF ALL WHICH HE HAS GIVEN ME * * I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING." S. John vi. 37-9.
We have seen that God the Father has given to Christ, not some things, but all things; and here we have the promise of Jesus Christ, that all that has been given to Him shall come to Him, and that nothing shall be lost (S. Jno. vi. 12).
"MY FLESH, WHICH I WILL GIVE FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD." S. John vi. 51.
Again, it is the world for whose life Christ is to give His flesh. Can He give in vain? His gifts are "without repentance," i.e., must be finally effective, though they may be resisted.
"THEN SPOKE JESUS * * I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD." S. John viii. 12.
Here, too, the world is that of which Christ is the Light as well as the Life.
"AND I, IF I BE LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH, WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME." S. John xii. 32.
The plainest comment is the best. A partial drawing, i.e., a partial salvation makes His words untrue. What our Lord does say is, in the consciousness of power, and using the term applied to the Father's constraining grace, ch. Vi. 44, is I will (actually) draw all men. He does not say, or imply, I will try to draw, and fail. One reads the comments of good men on this passage, with a feeling akin to despair, as they attempt to make Jesus Christ say that which He did not say, and not say that which He did say. What He does say is exactly given in the following lines:
So shall I lift up in My pierced hands
Beyond the reach of grief and guilt
The whole creation. - E. S. Browning
"FOR I CAME NOT TO JUDGE THE WORLD, BUT TO SAVE THE WORLD." S. John xii. 47.
This is as distinct a statement of Christ's purpose as is possible; its force can only be evaded by asserting that Christ would fail to accomplish that very thing which He came to do: and this assertion must be made in the teeth of those explicit passages, which declare the completeness of His triumph.
"JESUS, KNOWING THAT THE FATHER HAD GIVEN ALL THINGS INTO HIS HANDS." S. John xiii. 3.
These words carry us to the very eve of the Passion. "Knowing that His hour was come," v. 1, Jesus knows, too, that all things have been given into His hands (See ch. iii. 35; xvii 2; S. .Matt. xxviii. 18; xi. 27; Eph. i. 22). Such knowledge at such an hour is deeply significant. As the Cross draws near, there comes to cheer Him the knowledge that to Him have been given all things, i.e., an assurance of absolute victory.
"AS YOU GAVE HIM AUTHORITY OVER ALL FLESH. THAT WHATSOEVER YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM, TO THEM HE SHOULD GIVE ETERNAL LIFE." S. John xvii. 2.
Even the revised version fails to bring out with clearness the central fact, that eternal life has been given to all flesh by Christ. Literally the original runs: "You gave to Him authority over all flesh, in order that (as to) ALL which You have given to Him, to them (i.e., to all), He should give eternal life." The Greek is clear; but our versions fail, in not repeating the emphatic all (repeated in the original), which involves the gift (not the offer) of eternal life to ALL by Christ - thus obscuring the meaning. It is necessary to remark, if we would understand S. JOHN'S teaching, the emphasis laid on the divine SOVEREIGNTY in Redemption, a sovereignty which is love. - (Our recoil from Calvinism has blinded most readers to this truth which pervades all Holy Scripture). Thus the Father disposes all things, and gives all things to Christ, ch. xiii. 3; iii. 35; xvii. 2 (S. Matt. xxviii 18). At the very hour appointed, ch. xvii. 1; ii. 4; xii. 23; xii. 1; each part of the great work is accomplished.
"IT IS FINISHED." S. John xix. 30; (cfr,. xvii. 4.)
What is finished? the pain - the Cross? It is inconceivable that such a Speaker, at such an hour, should mean less than this, viz.; ALL is finished in all its extent. The Great End and Goal is now attained - attained in all its length, and breadth and height. In no respect can that Purpose of salvation fail, which embraces all humanity; for - though the very opposite may seem true - IT is FINISHED.
"AND HE IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS; AND NOT FOR OURS ONLY, BUT ALSO FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD." 1 S. John ii. 2.
* It is well to remember this, when we are gravely told that "Omnipotence itself cannot save obstinate sinners." Now, in the matter of salvation we have an express assertion that even the camel can go through the needle's eye; for with God "ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE."
Notice here the world contrasted with the true disciples; and yet the propitiation is not to be confined to the few, it is for all. S. JOHN'S anxiety is to assert this for all. Here, as so often, the narrower and wider purposes of salvation are both mentioned: the narrower not excluding, as in the popular view, but including and implying the wider; a truth of the deepest importance.
"HE WAS MANIFESTED TO TAKE AWAY SINS." 1 S. John iii. 5.
This should he compared with S. John i. 29. There Christ takes away the sin - regarded as one vast whole - of all humanity: here the sins, i.e., the individual sins of men.
"THE SON OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED THAT HE MIGHT DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL." 1 S. John iii. 8.
The very purpose of the manifestation of God's Son is here stated to be the sweeping away of Satan's works. How then can this possibly be true, while pain and sin endure for ever? No ideas can be more exactly opposed than the permanence of evil, and yet the destruction of the works of the devil. Is sin, and all that sin involves, the work of the devil? Yes, or No? You cannot answer in the negative, if you accept the standpoint of Scripture. But, if the affirmative be true, then all hell and sin and sorrow are to be swept away.
"THE FATHER SENT THE SON TO BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD." 1 S. John iv. 14.
Does it not savor of mockery to say that the Father sent the Son to destroy evil, and to save the world, and that the Son is victorious; and yet that neither shall evil be destroyed or the world saved?
"FEAR NOT * * I HAVE THE KEYS OF HELL AND DEATH." Rev. i. 18.
Significant words; doubly significant when we remember that Christ had just used these keys to open the prison doors, in His Descent into Hades. How, if so, can death (the second, or any death) sever from Jesus Christ (Who holds the keys) - from His power to save?
"AND EVERY CREATURE WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, AND ON THE EARTH, AND UNDER THE EARTH, * * HEARD I SAYING UNTO HIM THAT SITS ON THE THRONE, AND UNTO THE LAMB, BLESSINGS," &c. Rev. v. 13.
These words embrace every created thing - on the earth, and under the earth, and in the sea. All are represented as swelling the chorus of praise to God, and to the Lamb. Yes, to such an end we trust and hope that all Creation is indeed coming, because we believe God's distinct promise, that all things shall be made new. How else could all things join in this glorious chorus? Compare notes on Eph. i. 10; Phil. ii. 11.
"DEATH AND HELL WERE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE" Rev. xx. 14.
"The sense of the whole seems to be that at the final consummation of all things, all evil, physical and moral, will be abolished." - Bishop WARBURTON.
"BEHOLD * * I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW." Rev. xxi. 5.
This is the same glorious hope, not for some, but for all; no less than all things are to be made new.
"I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE END." Rev. xxi. 5; (i. 8; xxii. 13).
A thoughtful reader will note that this claims for God a position, which negatives a final dualism: as He was the Source, so He is the Goal of all things. God is the TERMINUS of Creation; the Stream shall return to its Source. The unconscious dualism of current theology is a barrier to any true apprehension of the thought of the Apostle, which seems to be the same as that S. PAUL expresses in Rom. xi. 36.
"AND THE LEAVES OF THE TREE WERE FOR THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS. AND THERE SHALL BE NO MORE CURSE" Rev. xxii. 2-3.
Here is a striking hint - as to a future restoration; a hint that the nations are one day, in a future age, to be healed, for all this is subsequent to the passing away of the present earth, heaven (ch. xxi. r). And as a result of this healing, there shall be no more curse - no pain - no tears - but all things made new
"THE TIMES OF RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS." Acts iii. 21.
All things are to be restored; (apokatastasis, i.e., complete restoration), and this is said to be the meaning of the work of Christ, the meaning of the promise to ABRAHAM, of the Jewish covenant (v. 25). 'this God has spoken by all "the prophets since the world began," and this is what the larger hope teaches.
"AND HAVE HOPE THAT THERE SHALL BE A RESURRECTION * * BOTH OF THE JUST AND THE UNJUST." Acts xxiv. 15.
Note these words. Could S. PAUL have hoped for a resurrection of the unjust if that meant hopeless punishment to them? "Who is so great a fool," asks a famous Father, "as to think so great a boon as the Resurrection can be, to those that rise, an occasion of endless torment ?"
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he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.