Science and Salvation - 3

February 14, 1897

The Science of Salvation. - No. 2. A. T. Jones (Sunday Evening, Feb. 14, 1897.)

We stated in the other lesson that it is not a misuse of the words "science" and "scientific," to apply them to salvation.

Salvation is science, it is scientific.

The working of the Spirit of God upon the mind, transforming the mind and all the life into the image of Jesus Christ, from sin unto righteousness-that is a scientific thing.

Therefore when you study it, bear in mind that we are not in the least unscientific when we make that the chief and the all in all of every subject, all the time. These would-be scientists are unscientific in neglecting this, the chief of all sciences.

There is another thing that has been demonstrated; and it has been demonstrated in the three nations that are the examples in the learning of the world. The record of the Bible people, the Jewish people, God's people as in the Bible, is professedly the example and source of study for all who propose to serve God. Greece and Rome, with their philosophy, their literature, and their laws, are the examples of many of those who profess to follow the Bible, and of all others.

Now we have seen that amongst God's people there was a man who was a universal proverbialist, as well as a universal poet, and a universal scientist. His songs were a thousand and five, and his proverbs three thousand. There you see a master mind; and yet the one who had such an understanding, such wisdom, in all these things, demonstrated in his life that all such knowledge as that is absolutely impotent for any good in a man or to a man, without the science of salvation being there to control, and hold in righteousness the balance over all.

I called your attention a while ago to the fact that God did not bring to us any of that scientific teaching. Now I call your attention to the fact that he did bring to us a record of that man's life when he turned away from God. He did bring to us a record of the enormous failure that that man made in spite of all this knowledge, when he forgot the science of salvation.

Why, then, did God consider it more important for you and me to record all that man's life after he turned from God, than to bring to us a record of all the scientific instruction that he gave? In the minds of men, which is the more valuable to mankind? The record of the failure, the enormous failure, made by Solomon is of more value to mankind than would have been all of the scientific teaching that Solomon ever spoke put in a book for mankind to-day; because in that failure it was demonstrated to all the world how altogether vain and less than nothing, is all knowledge of all things without the knowledge of the salvation of God.

Another great example is seen in the Greeks. The natural mind never can attain to a higher, closer, and more perfect thinking than the Greek mind did. In that is portrayed the perfection of human thinking without God.

But what did it do for them? That is the question. What did their literature do for them? What did their philosophy do for them? What did their art do for them? What did their religion do for them? Philosophy, philo sophia-the love of wisdom. What was that wisdom?-It was absolute foolishness. God says so. What was their religion?-It was mythology only. What was their art?-God says it was idolatry. Do you remember the record?

The Word of God does not say that as Paul walked among those statues and saw their art, he admired their art. No, it says: "His spirit was stirred within him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Then what was it?-Idolatry.

Yet even to-day men, women, and children take the remains of that which was only idolatry, and worship it, and call it art, and copy it. Their minds dwell upon it, they prepare books on it, and they teach and study it in the schools of the country. But what can come from all this? What came of it amongst the Greeks themselves? You know what it did for them. I need not repeat-literature, art, law, philosophy, all these things. Rome copied her philosophy from Greece more than it originated from herself, but the literature is there. And what did it do for the Romans?-Some things it did for the others, only, if possible, it made them worse than the others were. In all Greece, so far as my observation went, I saw everywhere that the Greeks had respect enough for woman to drape properly every figure of her they carved. A man, of course, is always naked; but when we get to Italy that respect is gone, and all are without any drapery whatever. In most cases the drapery is all gone; and by the way, the perfection of art to-day that is worshiped by those who go to Rome, and study there in art, is only the undraped female figures, and that is not art anyhow when it is done; and yet it is come to the perfection of art, and is copied everywhere, and its imperfections are copied every time. 

I want to ask a question. Who of you have ever seen a human pair of legs from the knees down? As I stand here, the weight of my body is on my left foot. That balances altogether the weight of my body. The right foot rests with the toes on the floor. Will the muscles of my right leg be conformed exactly to those of the left?-No. But that is the wonderful piece of art. There is just that difference. The two legs are exactly alike, and we cannot discover a hair's breadth of difference. And so we see it is not art anyhow. There is much to say about that, but I am not giving a lecture on art to-night. I am talking about what is the value of salvation, and what is the good of all things without it. What good did Rome have without it?-Her iniquities sunk her. What good did Greece have without it?-Her iniquities sunk her.

So, then, when the fact stands thus demonstrated in threefold measure before the world, of the absolute impotence of every effort of the human mind in its perfection to attain to any good when the heart is turned from God, what can the Lord do for the world if these three world-lessons will not teach the people?

What can he do for men if they will follow in that way, in spite of these three examples of solemn warning?

God has recorded these three instances to teach us the importance of the highest effort of the mind in all branches of science, art, and literature, to do men any good, to keep them back from sin, to lead them toward any good of any kind whatever, when they forget the salvation of God and the science of salvation, which he has given to the hearts of men. 

I ask therefore: Are we to copy the foolishness of Greek and Roman? Are we to be charmed by their idolatry, and to think it is art? Are we to be interested in their religion, when it is altogether enormity? It is not enough to say it is mythology; it is enormity.

But someone will say, Is not their literature invaluable? Let us see what God thought it was worth. At the time when through the Greek language he was introducing the science of salvation throughout the world, the Lord had the whole world of Greek literature before him, and the Roman, too, for that matter. Yet he found only three short sentences in the whole realm that were worth picking up and putting in this treatise on the science of salvation. I will give you them. One of them is in the seventeenth chapter of Acts. It is quoted from a Greek writer by the name of Aratus, and is this. I read from the twenty-eighth verse. Paul is speaking, and says:-

"Certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." A Greek writer said that man is the offspring of God. The Lord picked that up, and said, That is true.

Another one is in the fifteenth chapter of first Corinthians, and the thirty-third verse. The first part of the verse is, "Be not deceived." These are the Lord's words. The rest of the verse is quoted from a Greek writer named Menander: "Evil communications, corrupt good manners."

The other one is in Titus, the first chapter and the twelfth verse, and is from Epimenides, as follows: "The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies."

Those three passages were all that the Lord was able to find in the whole realm of Greek literature that were worth taking up and putting his endorsement upon.

Well, then, I do not say that this is all that anybody can use to profit. There are historical facts in the Greek language that are of value. But God is teaching the things that are most valuable to all mankind; he is teaching the principles of right and truth, not simply bringing before the world an array of facts. And all that he could find in the whole field of Greek literature that could be used in the interests of truth or righteousness as principles to guide man, was just these three statements: "We are also His offspring;" "Evil communications corrupt good manners;" and "the Cretians are alway liars." Who else can find any more than that, that will do him any good in the way of righteousness and truth, purity and integrity?

Now do not forget. The Greeks and Romans were not low down, degraded, ragged, ignorant heathen; they were aristocratic, cultivated, and most highly educated. How could it be otherwise when the things which they knew and taught are the pinnacle to which teachers of to-day aspire? Julius Caesar was one of the most accomplished men that ever lived-in courtliness, etiquette, Êsthetics, and manners generally. But what was his character? The most guarded description of it, to be anywise full or fair, would be unfit to print.

When the Lord has shown how absolutely vain is all science, all learning of all kinds without his salvation, then I say again, What can he do for men if these things which he has set before the world will not instruct them that that is not the way to take? If men will not be instructed by these things to take the right way, to allow that God's science is the chief, and that what he knows is the best, then how can mankind hope to escape the evil that has come upon all these that have gone before? 

The science of God's salvation is the one thing for men to know, first of all; and to have that lead us, guide us, balance us, to hold us everywhere in all things, and against all things evil. And it will do all this. That is the blessed truth. I read last night, and read again:-

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. Eph. 3:8, 9. 

What is that mystery of God?-"Christ in you, the hope of glory." Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God, the gospel, the power of God unto salvation-that is the mystery of God; that is the science of salvation. That is the scientific truth, around which all other sciences center. That power of God unto salvation every man must have to hold him back from the evil that is in him. The evil that is born in every man will carry him to perdition, in spite of all science, all literature, all art, all religion, everything the world can furnish, or that it ever could furnish, unless he lays hold upon the power of God unto salvation, which comes to a man by faith of Jesus Christ.

Without that power in the heart, even the science which God taught-to say nothing of the literature, the art, the religion, and all that the heathen taught-is impotent to hold back man from sinning. Without that, every vestige of evil that is in a man will show itself, in spite of all these other things. That is why it is the power of God unto salvation: it saves man against every evil.

The mystery of God, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God; Christ and him crucified; that alone, that all in all, that over all, in all, through all, now and through eternity,-that is the science of salvation, the chief of all sciences; that which leads all sciences, takes precedence of all, and guides in the study of all. Let it be so with all forever.

Then let the Lord by his Spirit so draw us to himself; let the heart be so opened to that power, to the fellowship of that mystery, to the Spirit of God, that he may implant there Jesus Christ, his grace and his virtue. And as we hold our hearts open to him always, and to none but him, as a flower to the sun, we obtain in all its fulness, his righteousness, his power, his salvation, his mercy, his truth, his joy, his gladness, his peace-O, and his eternal life! 

Science and Salvation - 2

February 14, 1897

D59

The Science of Salvation. - No. 2. A. T. Jones (Sunday Evening, Feb. 14, 1897.)

ANOTHER word or two of explanation before we begin the study to-night: No doubt a great many may have been querying somewhat whether all that was said the other evening would bear the test. It will. I was not talking at random. It is true I did not follow everything out in detail, but if you will think of what I was saying when you get it in print, you will see that it is true. When I said that the snow-drop was balanced to the earth, and the earth balanced to the snow-drop, then if a meteor several tons in weight falls upon the earth, is not the gravity greater than before? and would not that destroy the balancing of the flower to the earth?-No; because it is not the earth only that is balanced to that flower, but the universe. Do you remember that, in studying the law of gravity, the scientific statement is, Every particle of matter in the universe is attracted by every other particle, so that not only the earth, but the universe, is balanced to the needs of the flowers; so the falling of the meteorite would not increase the gravitation of the universe. 

Just a few words of explanation in beginning: If I had been talking, in the former lesson, upon the subject of "Science in the Bible," or "Science and the Bible," I would have discussed more fully what gravity is, and what it is not, according to the scientific idea of the word. But I was not talking about that; all I intended to do the other night was to state the fact of the discovery of the law of gravitation, and the theory of it as a law. There are changes of view since Newton's time, in regard to the theory of that law; but that doesn't affect the law. 

In strict truth, gravitation is not a law at all, but simply the power of God. There are really no "laws of nature." The laws of nature are only the habits of God. All that the law of gravitation is, is a habit of God; the manifestation of the power of God. But as I was not discussing what it really is, I used the terms in the

commonly accepted sense, and only to state it as that by which the balance of the universe is maintained.

I will read this evening another definition of science. This, too, is taken from one of the leading recognized scientists of the world: "Science is the most exact knowledge which we possess of any subject." The word "science" literally means knowledge. The definition we had the other night is correct. It is the product of thinking. Also it is well enough to define it as the most exact knowledge we have on the subject. 

Now recurring to the two points we had in the previous lesson. Where was to be found the most exact knowledge as to the difference in brightness of the stars, for seventeen hundred years before science discovered it?-In the Bible. Then where was the true science of that subject to be found?-In the Bible.-Where was the most exact knowledge of the balancing of the universe to be found for twentyfive hundred years before it was discovered?-In the Bible. Then what was the most scientific book in the world, on the subject of that science?-The Bible. Bear in mind still, that I am not talking upon science and the Bible. I am talking upon the science of salvation. And though other sciences may be referred to, it is only in inseparable connection with this chief science. It is that you and I shall know by all the evidences that we can bring together in these two hours of study, that salvation is science, that it is the highest science in the universe, that it is the most worthy of our study, and that we are acting scientifically when we are giving our chief and whole-souled study to it.

Now, the Bible is not a treatise upon any science except the science of salvation. It is a set treatise upon that subject. The Bible refers to other sciences; but there are no treatises in the Bible on any other science. Other sciences are referred to, as the ones that we have noticed in Corinthians and in Isaiah; why are they referred to in these places-to state a scientific point?-No; but to be used to illustrate better to our understanding the science of salvation. Why is that astronomical truth brought into 1 Cor.15:41? What is the purpose of saying, "One star differeth from another star in glory?" It goes right on to say, "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power." Just as one star differs from another in glory, so also is the resurrection. Thus you see that the purpose of calling in that scientific point, is to illustrate a point in the science of salvation, to help us the better to see a truth in the science of salvation. 

Why did Isaiah draw into his discourse that statement of the fact of gravitation? Let us look a little further into the chapter, and we shall see. I will read that verse and then another at the end of the thought that he is following. "Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand?" "To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy one. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth." Isa.40:25, 26

Not one escapes his notice, and they are all balanced to the needs of every little flower that grows in the field. But why does he call our attention to that, and bring it into his discourse in this place?-Not to state the scientific fact; but to call the attention of all people to the science of salvation. What does he make of it? We are to consider all this, and to consider what it is that has done all this? And then I read farther, "Why speakest thou O Jacob, and speakest O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?" Isa.40:27

When God has so much care over the flower that grows at our feet, it is not hid nor forgotten; how then can you say that you are hidden from the Lord, and that your judgment is passed away, and he has no care for you any more? Thus you see that in every instance, the scientific truth is brought in altogether to illustrate to you and me the science of salvation.

Another thought: When these writers caught this, it was by revelation. Of course they did not get these things from any scientific study that this world had. The Lord was revealing his chief science, the science of salvation; and he called upon the other sciences to illustrate that. Then which of all the sciences is most important to the Lord?-Salvation, assuredly. When the Lord used the other sciences only to illustrate this, it is perfectly plain that he considers this science more important than the others. 

Yet this is not all. One man named in the Bible was thoroughly versed in universal science-all the natural sciences of this world. I want you to see that there was a man thoroughly versed in the sciences that are now made so much of in the world. And I want you to see what he says in view of it all. Here is the scripture:-

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. 1 Kings 4:29

He spoke of trees from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that springeth out of the wall. What is that called in science?-Botany. He understood botany better than any one else in the world.

He spoke also of beasts. What would be the scientific word if it were put there to-day?-Zoology. Solomon understood zo-ology better than any man who lives in the world to-day. He taught it; for it says he spoke of all these things. He taught these sciences.

"And of fowl." What is that science?-Ornithology. Then Solomon taught in the sciences of botany, zo-ology, ornithology.

What next?-"And of creeping things." What science is that?-Entomology

"And of fishes." What science is that?-Ichthyology.

People who read this passage of Scripture, do not usually think of Solomon as a universal scientist. But if it had been said that Solomon spoke of botany, zoology, ornithology, entomology, and ichthyology, they would be ready to say,

What a wonderful man Solomon was. But it would not then be a particle more wonderful than it is; for it does say all that. 

I read this that you might see that Solomon knew something of science, not only something of science, but more of all these sciences than any other man has ever known of any one of them.

Yet though he so thoroughly understood all these sciences, and having taught in them all, here is what he says: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter;" the sum of all that hath been said, is: "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man: for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." 

In his estimation, what took precedence of all other sciences put together?The salvation of God.

The angels understand all the sciences, yet they consider salvation more worthy of their study than all of the other sciences put together. The prophets also considered it more worthy; and employed the others as a means to better understand salvation. And here is a man that understood the other sciences, and he says that the science of salvation transcends them all. Now I want you to see that God himself on his own part, separated from all these, considers it just so.

See here: We just read that Solomon taught all these sciences. How much of those teachings have we written out for our study?-Not one. God did not bring to us any record or report of Solomon's teaching in botany. He did not bring to us, or put on record, a single lesson that Solomon ever taught in zo-ology, or any other one of these sciences. But he did, over and over, bring us lessons from Solomon, as well as all the rest, on the science of salvation. Then, counting the angels as giving only an angel's opinion; counting the prophets as giving only a prophet's opinion, and Solomon as giving only a universal scientist's opinion; what is God's opinion?-It is that salvation is worth more to you and me, and is more worthy of our study, than all these other sciences, this knowledge of which he himself gave.

This science that Solomon understood and taught was not such science as that of Huxley, Darwin, and the other scientists of this age. With the natural mind man can delve into natural sciences, and make many discoveries. And though they are not always correct, yet they can discover some points that are true. But that was not Solomon's way. God gave to Solomon wisdom, so that he saw into all this by the light of God. He spoke of all this by the wisdom of God. Thus the science which Solomon taught was God's science. The botany that he taught was genuine, divine botany. The zo-ology that he taught was divine zo-ology. It was God's views, God's truth, God's science in all these things. It was not science falsely so-called.

Well there, that being God's science, and it being divine in itself, why didn't the Lord give it all to us. Why didn't he give to the world Solomon's treatise on botany, and on all these other subjects?-There is a reason for it; and it is that that is not what the world needs first of all.

A man might have all that, he might understand all that, as did Solomon. Yet what good would it do him, if he did not have the science of salvation first of all? Solomon had it all; yet when he turned his heart from God, from the science of salvation, and from the study of that with all his heart, what good did his knowledge of the other sciences do him? How much was it able to hold him back from sin? How much power was there in it to keep him back from his natural self, and from the deviltry and corruption that was in him.

You know that when he turned his heart from God's science, from the science of salvation, though he had all the others, he was just as bad, just as wicked, swallowed up as thoroughly in idolatry and every profane thing, as though he did not know the A B C of anything.

Thus we can see why it is that the Lord did not preserve to man all there is of science. Suppose they had it all, as Solomon did, and could teach it as Solomon taught it. With the heart not surrendered to God, with the soul not saved, what good would science do them? It could not restrain them from any kind of wickedness and corruption that is in the human heart. 

These sciences are not what the world needs to-day, first of all. The heart needs to be purified, the soul needs to be saved, the whole character rebuilt, the mind transformed into the very image and glory of God, so that the life shall reflect his righteousness, to make manifest the knowledge of God alone to all the world. Though we have all that all the sciences can give, it will profit nothing without salvation; for it will be but a little while till we shall have none of it at all. This is worth thinking about for ourselves to-day, in all our studies, readings, and researches. 

There is another thing: God wants you and me, all men, to think right on every subject that he has anything to do with. There are men to-day thinking on all these scientific subjects, but they do not think right. They get so far along that they find no place for God at all. And the man without God, without the guidance of the thought, the mind of God, is not able to think right on these other subjects. But the mind is not right until it is renewed in the image of Him who created it. The mind is to be transformed, renewed. We are to have another mind altogether. Every thought is to be brought into obedience, in subjection, to Christ.

That is the work of salvation. It is to restore the image of God in the soul; to bring the mind where it will be but the reflection, the outshining, of the righteousness, the thought, of the living God. When that is done, and the work of God is finished in this world, in making known the knowledge of God to all the other people, then the Lord will open the universe and eternity to us. Then all these other subjects will be open for our study, and the Lord can say to us, Go where you will, I can trust you. The wide universe is open to you. There is nothing kept back from you. It is all your own. It belongs to you. Go where you please, stay where you please, do what you please; I can trust you. Think on whatever subject you please, delve into it as deeply as you please, you will do it rightly.

Now, I am not saying that men are utterly to ignore all other sciences till we reach the other world. I am simply saying that the science of salvation is to lead in the study of all of them. Has not the Lord set us an example as to what attention we should pay to these things, and what use we are to make of them? What is the purpose of reading and studying these other textbooks?-That these may help us better to understand and to teach the things of the science of salvation, than if we do not have that knowledge. That is the use made of them in the Bible. He sends us to preach that gospel with which these others had to do, and by example he has shown us how to use it. By this the Lord shows us that the science of salvation must take the lead of all the other sciences known in the universe. 

It must take the lead of all others in this world, and when we get into that other world it will D63 still take the lead. When eternity is open before us, and when we go anywhere we please, and think upon any subject we please, shall we turn our backs upon salvation then, and say, I have graduated in that?-No. We know it is written that "the cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity." Then, when we have finished our course here, when we have graduated, and the time comes for a grand commencement, and we enter upon an eternity of study, we shall then be more able to understand this greatest of all sciences than when we were in this world.

TO BE CONTINUED

Science and Salvation.

The Science of Salvation. - No. 1.

A. T. Jones (Friday Evening, Feb. 12, 1897.)

EVERYBODY knows that this is a very scientific age, at least in name, in profession, and in aspiration. God wants his people always to be up with the age. More than that: he wants his people always to be ahead of the age. Particularly he wants his people always to be reformers, and for a person to be a reformer, he must be ahead of the age. Then as this is a particularly scientific age, in profession and otherwise, God's cause, his people, must be scientific to meet the demands of the age. That is the statement of the proposition to the study of which I invite you to-night. The Lord wants you and me to accept that proposition, to study it, and to build upon it, until it is demonstrated in us before the world that that proposition is scientifically correct. If you and I, if all who profess the name of Christ, do that, then that thing will be done by the Lord. The world will see it, and the world will see it whether you and I have part in it or not. Because if you and I do not have a part in it, those will have a part in it who will allow the Lord to make that demonstration by them; and if you and I will not allow him to do it, we miss it. 

But you say, Salvation is the work of God's people. Salvation is the one cause of the Lord. This is what these other brethren have been saying. This is what we had in the lesson this afternoon, and what we have had in all the lessons in Hebrews. It is the lesson we have had in other places in the Scripture. And the Scripture says that we are not to know anything but Jesus Christ and him crucified. You say that; yes, and I say that. I say that the work of the people of God-all that the cause of God is in the world is the work of salvation. And this exactly agrees with what we have stated already. Therefore salvation is science. 

More than that: Salvation is not simply science, it is not simply a science; it is the chief, the key, the center of all sciences. It is the most scientific of all things that are dealt with by the minds of men in this world. So that when God's people take the salvation of God as it is in God; when his cause of salvation in the world shall stand as representing indeed his ideas of salvation, then there will be revealed to the world the science that is above all other sciences. Then God's people can stand before the very kings of science, and not be ashamed, in a scientific age. 

Now, I am thoroughly committed to that truth. And I want you to see how completely it is the truth. You and I are committed to the salvation of God. And I want you to see by the Bible-the book of all truth-that salvation is science. Then you will, with me, be committed to that truth.

First, then, I want you to think soberly, and see for yourself not only that salvation is science; but that it is the highest of all sciences. 

The word "science" means, literally, knowledge. The science of botany is the knowledge of botany. The science of astronomy is the knowledge of astronomy. So that one scientist has defined science to be "the product of thinking." All the knowledge-the science-that the world has of astronomy, is the product of the world's thinking on the subject of astronomy.

Now salvation is the knowledge of God: "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the living and true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." It is therefore science. But this knowledge is not the product of man's thinking: it is the product of God's thinking. For "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." Therefore salvation, being the product of God's thinking, is not only science, but is the highest of all sciences. 

Again: That which is recognized by the world as science-the natural sciences is the product of men's thinking. It is with the mind that men think. It is with the mind, then, that men deal with all these sciences. But salvation deals with the mind itself. Which, then, is the higher? Which is the higher-that which deals with all other things, or that which deals with that which deals with all other things? The latter, to be sure. Then as with the mind men deal with all other sciences, and salvation deals with the mind itself, it is perfectly plain, not only that salvation is science as certainly as any other science, but that it is higher science than all other sciences. It is the highest science that can be known to the mind of man. 

Yet again: Salvation deals with the mind. But who is it that in salvation and by salvation deals with the mind?-It is God himself. Then as it is God himself who works out, who makes known, this science; and as this science is the product of God's thinking; it follows that the science of salvation is the highest, the deepest, the broadest, science that is known, not only to the mind of man, but to the whole universe.

Let us read a few Scriptures. "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Rom.12:2. "So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God." Rom.7:25. "We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us a mind." "We have the mind of Christ." The only way the Lord can reach us is through the mind. He deals with us only through the mind. He governs us only through our minds. Look: "With the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." And the first of all the commandments is this: "Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The carnal mind that cannot be subject to the law of God-cannot be must be changed, must be exchanged for another mind which always serves the law of God. That change of mind is salvation. That renewing of the mind is wrought by God in the work of his salvation, and it can be wrought by no other. Therefore it is the highest of all sciences-the highest that is known to the mind of man, the highest that is known to the universe. 

Do you not begin to see why it is that the Testimonies speak of "the science of salvation"?

NOW I want you to see that others think so too. I want you to see that I am not alone in this. I want you to see that for this position we have authority scientific authority-that is, the authority of persons who understand science.

If I could bring to you to-night evidence that those who understand all other sciences the best of anybody in this world, testify that they are more interested in this science than in all the other sciences put together, that they see more in it worthy of their consideration than in all the other sciences put together, would you not say then that I am safe in talking as I do-from a scientific standpoint? Well, I have just such a company-a company that understands all other sciences, and I have the evidence truly stated that they are more interested in this than in all the others put together.

In 1 Peter 1:10-12, the apostle is speaking of salvation, and there I read as follows:-

Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the ANGELS DESIRE TO LOOK INTO. 

What things do the angels desire to look into?-The salvation of God when it is preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. The Greek word for "desire," here means "to set one's heart upon." And the Greek word for "look into" means, "to stoop to a thing in order to look at it; to look at with head bowed forwards; to look into with the body bent; to look carefully into, to inspect curiously-of one who would become acquainted with something." Such is the attitude of the angels toward the subject of salvation. 

Now, do the angels understand other sciences-biology, geology, ichthyology, astronomy-all other sciences? You know that they do. Everybody knows that the angels understand thoroughly all other sciences. Everybody knows that it is perfectly safe to say that all the angels understand all other sciences infinitely more thoroughly than any man understands, or ever understood, any one single science. But the angels are more interested in the subject of salvation than in all the other sciences. They who know the most of all others, are most interested in this one. O, well, you agreed with me a while ago that if I could cite such authority as that, you would say that we were safe in taking this position. Come along, then, we are safe. We are in the best of company-yes, the best of scientific company. There is authority that is conclusive on the subject, scientific authority. 

Now, I am not making a play on the word science here to-night. I am using the words "science" and "scientific" with reference to salvation as an absolutely truthful word. The salvation of God is truly a scientific thing, not falsely so-called, but genuinely, supremely scientific. So do not get the idea at all that I am making a play upon the word "science" or "scientific." I am using it truthfully, because it is correct in this connection.

But this is not all: not only do the angels desire to look into this, as those who would become acquainted with something; but they do become acquainted with something. They do learn by looking into this and studying it. Turn to Eph.3:8-11, and you will see this thought expressed:-

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all [I leave out the word men, because that is supplied] see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent [Look, now, I am to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ in order to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which has been hid in God, and that is to the intent, for the purpose] that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Jesus Christ our Lord. 

What is the "intent" of making men see this?-In order that the principalities and powers "in heavenly places" ("in heaven" other translations give it; that is correct) may be known the manifold wisdom of God. The angels, the principalities, and powers, earnestly desire to look into this gospel of salvation when it is preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. They do look and study. And as they study, they learn new revelations of the wisdom of God the manifold wisdom of God-according to his eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. You know by other scriptures that this mystery of God, this eternal purpose, is revealed in the gospel. You know that the principalities and powers in heaven are not eternal in one way-they are not from eternity to eternity. They are from a certain point to eternity, as you and I are. Gabriel is to eternity only from the point where he was created. He is not from eternity to eternity.

But God is from eternity to eternity. Now, from eternity to eternity there was, there is, a purpose-his eternal purpose which is purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. How long will it take the angels to get to the depth, to exhaust the study, of that eternal purpose?-To eternity. That is plain enough. Then as that purpose is revealed in the gospel, is made known through the mystery of God, which is, "Christ in you, the hope of glory," it is plain enough that the angels are studying it. And as they look into it, they see there revealed the manifold wisdom of God, according to his eternal purpose. They desire to look into it. They do so, and thus learn. 

Well, then, as they understand all other sciences more than any man understands any one, when they are more interested in this than in all the others, and learn from this; is not that a fact upon which you and I can with safety trust ourselves? Then is not this, too, a subject more worthy of our thought, our highest thinking, than all others put together? And cannot we set our hearts upon this, and give our whole soul to it without being unscientific? O, we can, we can! Let us do it.

Now, do not misunderstand me. I am not making an attack on other sciences. I am not saying that all other sciences should be ignored, and counted as Will-o'the-wisps, and unworthy of any attention. No; I am saying that this is greater than all of them; and that whatever we study in them must be studied in subjection to this which is greater than they. I am saying only that all others must take a secondary place, at least, to this one, if we would be scientific. 

Think of it! Take our own natural minds with which we deal with other sciences. Would I, would any man, be strictly scientific to put his best and highest thinking on a science, when he had the highest possible authority that there was a higher one at his hand? Would that be scientific?-No. Well, then, we see so far that this is a science; that it is the highest science. Then any man who does not put his highest thinking, his best thinking, and all his powers, upon this science first of all, and have it lead all other sciences, in the nature of things he is not scientific. 

And he is not wise either. For what is this science?-Salvation, Very good. And it is eternal life. Suppose I put all my life, all my powers, on other sciences, to the neglect of this, or holding this as inferior, do I get it?-No. How long shall I have then, to study the other sciences?-At the most only a few years. Then my work upon these sciences will be done forever, and I shall never have a chance to study them any more.

But if I take this one first of all, and let the others take the inferior place until I get this one secure, then shall I have a chance to study the others?-Yes. How long?-To eternity. Ah, is not that the wise way then? Is not that the only wise course? And is not that the only scientific and sensible course?-Certainly it is. Come, then, let us be scientific, strictly so, supremely so.

Now let us look a little further. In that first passage that we looked at about the angels, it began with the prophets, thus: "Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, and prophesied of the grace that should come unto you," when they testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

Now, by the prophets was brought forth in writing, as we have it here, this science of salvation, this product of God's thinking on the subject of salvation. This book of science, this science of salvation, came by the prophets. Did they know anything about the other sciences?-Yes.

We can find this in a number of places-more than we would have time to notice to-night. But we will look at two or three points, that we may get before our minds the fact that they did have a knowledge of these. 

In the fifteenth chapter of first Corinthians there is a scientific statement that was made about seventeen hundred years before it was discovered by science. It was there all these ages, but the scientists in whose field it was did not know it by the process of their thinking. It is the statement of a truth in astronomy. Whoever believed the statement in the Bible knew it all the time, of course, even though he never heard the word astronomy; but the science of man did not know it, and discovered it only after so long a time. 

Another thought: When that Bible writer made that scientific statement which seventeen hundred years afterward scientists found to be scientifically correct, was it not just as truly a scientific statement all the time as it was after the discovery of it?-Assuredly. Then was it not that when the writer wrote it? Certainly. The passage is 1 Cor.15:41:-

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 

That was not known one hundred years ago, because about that long ago a man who considered himself considerable of an astronomer, and was so considered amongst his fellows, criticised that statement as being incorrect, and as being an evidence of the ignorance of Bible writers; because he thought (that is, the Bible writer thought) that one star differs from another star in glory, in brightness, instead of in distance. That is the statement of this critic about it. His idea was, and he spoke for the science of astronomy, that the only reason why one star is to us brighter and more beautiful than another, is that one is nearer to us than another, so that we get more of its light. But to-day in all the realms of science it is known to be the truth that there is as much difference in the stars, in their grandeur and beauty and tints, as in the flowers upon the earth. So that if we could see all the flowers on the earth set before us in a grand field, with all their glory, and variety of tints, and then could see the stars of the heavens as plainly as we see these, we should see one just as variegated and beautiful as the other. This is known now, but it was not known when that passage was written to the Corinthians. 

Now, I ask, was not that a scientific statement, was it not the statement of a truth in science, the day that Paul wrote it and sent it to Corinth, just as certainly as it is now? The discovery that science made that it was the truth did not make it the truth, nor did it add a particle to its weight as the truth. Their discovery simply showed that they had found out something that was true, but which they did not know before, because they did not believe the Bible. If they had only read that in the Bible, and believed it and accepted it, that point in science they would have known long before any scientists had discovered it.

There is another science: Sir Isaac Newton one day was sitting under an apple tree. An apple fell from a branch near him. Many times apples had fallen from trees before. He had seen apples fall from trees before. But that day he was in a meditative mood, and he began to think. Why did that apple fall? It must be because the earth had some influence on it to draw it to itself. The earth being larger than the apple, would draw it to itself when it came loose from the tree. He said, If I take that apple, and throw it as high as I can, it falls again to the earth. Then if it was the influence of the earth that brought it this little distance, when I throw it as high as I can and it comes back again, that is proof that the influence of the earth reaches that far away from the earth, and holds to that thing and brings it back. If I could throw it a mile high, and it should come back, then it would be plain that that influence reached a mile away to bring that thing back. Then, he said, If that is the truth, that influence ought to reach to the moon. I wonder if it does reach to the moon? I will go and see. He went to his house and sat down there, took the astronomical calculations upon the orbit of the moon in its place, and worked a long series of figures. But they didn't fit. He tried it over and over again, but they didn't fit; he couldn't get that influence to reach to the moon.

He laid the thing aside for about ten years, if I remember correctly, before he took it up again. One day there was published a new calculation of the orbit of the moon, correcting some inaccuracies in former figures. When that was published, Newton said, I wonder whether that will supply what I want. He got the figures, went to work, and worked a long series of figures that you and I would be astonished at, of course. But he came down at last within two or three figures of the end, and he saw that it was going to fit. He was so overwhelmed with the wonderful fact that he could not finish his figures. The pen dropped from his hand, and he had to ask a friend to carry it out for him. The friend did so, and Sir Isaac Newton had demonstrated a scientific fact, or rather, a new science. It is called gravitation. And he has been immortalized ever since.

That was indeed a great thing. Yet that was in the Bible twenty-five hundred years before Sir Isaac Newton discovered it in nature. Gravitation is simply the balancing of the universe. It is that principle, that law, as scientists would say, by which the balance of the universe is maintained. That is, each body in the universe influences every other body, and is balanced with it. Not only each body, but each particle of matter in the universe, attracts and influences every other particle of matter in the universe. 

In the physical world that is simply the corresponding fact to what we had in the Bible class this afternoon, in the matter of life. We found that you could not touch anybody or anything without its being known throughout the universe. A sparrow does not fall without your Father, and that sparrow does not fall without its fall being felt throughout the universe. This is simply a corresponding fact with that. 

There is a spiritual fact there also corresponding to these two. 

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. Ps. 139:7-10.

When you and I think a right thought, is it discerned anywhere else? We think a wrong thought. What is a wrong thought?-Sin. Where does the sin begin, then?-In the thought. Is my sin discerned any place else in the universe besides myself? Who discerns it?-God, by his Spirit. O, then, is there a spiritual fact in our universe that is not discerned? is not felt? or a thought for good or ill that is not felt? Do you not see gravitation as a science then? Sir Isaac Newton discovered a truth in the universe which corresponds to other truths of the universe. 

The law which Newton discovered is, as I have said, that by which the balance of the universe is maintained. Now I will read the scripture that shows that this was known twenty-five hundred years before Newton discovered it. Isa. 40:12:-

Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

When the mountains and the hills were set, they were balanced one with another. Did God fix the thing so that their balance would be maintained? What is the scientific name of the law by which the balance of things is maintained? Gravitation. Of what, then, did Isaiah speak?-Of gravitation. Certainly he did. 

A scientist illustrates that fact by the little flower called the snowdrop. Think of two kinds of flowers that reproduce themselves from the seed. One is a standing flower, the other is a drooping flower. You have noticed in flowers little spindles standing around a central one. Now, in a standing flower that reproduces from the seed, the central spindle is always shorter than the surrounding ones. If it is a drooping flower, the central spindle is longer than the surrounding ones. The reason of that is that the flower-dust-pollen-that is upon the surrounding ones must fall upon the central one, or there can be no reproduction of the flower.

Now, in a standing flower that breeds from the seed, this central spindle must be shorter than the others, so that the pollen of the others can fall upon it. If it were longer, you see the dust would fall below, and miss it, and so no seed could form. If it is a drooping flower, and this spindle is shorter than the others, the dust will fall away and again no seed can form. So then, in every standing flower that is reproduced from the seed, the central spindle is shorter than those surrounding. In every drooping flower that reproduces from the seed, the central one is longer. 

The snowdrop reproduces itself from the seed. And though it is a standing flower, yet the central spindle is longer than the surrounding ones. How can this be? I will state it again so that you may get the point more clearly: The snowdrop is a standing flower, properly, and reproduces itself from the seed. The central spindle, then, should be shorter than the others. But it is longer. How, then, can it reproduce itself from the seed? The Lord has provided for that. He has fixed it so that though it be a standing flower, yet it shall bend and droop. Therefore the central spindle is made longer than the others, in this, a standing flower. It grows up and stands straight until it blooms and is ripe and ready for reproduction. Just then it droops its head, and when the pollen has fallen to its place, the little flower rises again and stands.

Now, that is beautiful in itself; but here is where the illustration of the law of gravitation comes in. This scientist tells me that what causes the flower to droop, to bow its head, is the attraction of the earth. That is correct. What makes an apple fall?-Weight. But weight is simply gravitation-from the Latin gravus, signifying weight. What makes that standing flower droop its head?-The weight of the earth. But why does not the weight of the earth make that flower droop its head before?-Ah, when God made that little flower, he balanced the earth, yea, he balanced the universe, to its needs. When God made that modest little snowdrop, he held the universe in a balance, and fitted it to the need of that tiny flower! And if God take thought of that tiny flower, shall he not much more take thought for you, O ye of little faith?

Now this scientist tells me that if the earth-and of course the universe-had been made a single pound, or a single ounce heavier than it is, it would have made the snowdrop droop before the right time; because, being heavier, it would have had more influence upon it. And in that case, the first snowdrop would have been the last. But that that little snowdrop might live and cheer mankind to the end of the world, God fixed the universe just exactly to the needs of that flower, so that when the exact time of its need comes, the weight is exactly sufficient to draw it over. Then as it hangs that reproduction may take place, other strength is coming in from the roots, and the stock becomes a little more stiff, and the flower overcomes gravitation, and stands as before. 

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Who set the balance of the universe?-God. Isaiah stated it nearly twenty-five hundred years before Sir Isaac Newton discovered it. Was it not a scientific fact when Isaiah wrote it?-Yes. Was it not on record all those ages?-Yes. Was it not a scientific truth all the time?-It was. Was it any more a scientific truth when

Newton discovered it?-No; scientists learned something that they did not know before, but there it had stood in the Bible all the time. 

Think on these things. God wants us to. He wants you and me to see that the salvation, the Word that he has given us, and to which he calls our highest thinking, is not some little narrow side issue; but the greatest thing the world can ever know. It is the greatest thing the science of the world can ever know. It is the chiefest science that the world can ever know.

Yet we are not to study it to be scientific. We are to study it to be saved; and to be saved is scientific.

Growing Faith.

CHRISTIAN GROWTH.

The force of this is found in the fact that the Christian life, which is the result of faith, is progressive.

The Christian life is a continual growth. Peter says: "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:17, 18. The only way to keep from falling from that which we have, is to grow. David says of the righteous man that "he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water." Ps. 1:3.

This means continual growth. 

We read of the path of the just, that it "shall be as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Prov. 4:18. But "the just shall live by faith;" therefore it must be that their faith increases. 

Again, Paul says to the Corinthians: "Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness." 2 Cor. 9:10. 

To the Thessalonians he wrote: "And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men." 1 Thess. 3:12. And again he said: "But we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more." 1 Thess. 4:16. But faith works by love; that is, love is the outgrowth of true faith; therefore increasing love must be the result of increasing faith.

To the Hebrews, the apostle wrote: "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection." Heb. 6:1. And in the epistle to the Philippians Paul said: "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3:12-14. Here is set forth a continual reaching out for some higher attainment. The calling of God in Christ Jesus, is a calling to holy or righteous living, for we read: "But like as he which called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy." 1 Pet. 1:15, 16, Revised Version. 

This righteousness to which we are called, and for higher attainments in which we must constantly press, is obtained only by faith, as Paul expresses his desire to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Phil. 3:9. Therefore, since righteousness comes only by faith, and it must increase, it follows that faith must also increase. So it was not a vain prayer which the disciples uttered, when they said, "Lord, increase our faith." Luke 17:5. 

That faith is susceptible of growth, is plainly declared by the Scriptures. Paul had hope that when the faith of the Corinthian brethren was increased, he should be helped by them to preach the gospel in the regions beyond them. 2 Cor. 10:15, 16. To the Thessalonians he wrote that he prayed exceedingly night and day, that he might see them, and might perfect that which was lacking in their faith. 1 Thess. 3:10. And still later he wrote: "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth." 2 Thess. 1:3.

This last text contains the whole of the argument that we have made. Their faith grew, and as a consequence their charity abounded. Charity, or love, is the fulfilling of the law. Rom. 13:10; 1 John 5:3. It is the manifestation of the righteousness of God, and is a result of true faith, for faith works by love, and the only righteousness which will be accepted when the Lord comes is that which is by the faith of Christ, "the righteousness which is of God by faith." Such being the teaching of Scripture, there is no reason why we should not understand Rom. 1:17 just as it reads: The righteousness of God is revealed, or manifested, from faith to faith. 

One or two notable instances recorded in Scripture will illustrate this. The apostle records that "by faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace." Heb. 11:31. This case has been a cause of stumbling to some who have not given careful thought to it. It is well known that Rahab lied to the men sent by the king of Jericho to seize the spies (see Josh. 2:2-6), and they imagine that in saving her God placed a premium on lying, and that it is right sometimes to lie. Neither is true. Rahab was saved, not because of her lie, but because of her faith. She, in common with all the people of Jericho, had heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea, and how he had led the Israelites; but she alone, of all the inhabitants of Jericho, believed that the hand of the Lord was in the matter, and that he had given the land of Canaan to the Israelites. She had simple faith, but was totally ignorant of God's law. In the code of heathen morality, lying was accounted a virtue, and she knew nothing better. But her faith made it possible for her to be saved, and brought her into a place where she could learn righteousness. As a natural consequence her faith in God would increase when she learned more of him. In her case we have a clear instance of the revelation of the righteousness of God from faith to faith. 

The same thing is true of Cornelius. He feared God with all his house, and gave much alms, and "prayed to God always." As a consequence, an angel was sent to him, directing him to send for Peter, who should tell him what he ought to do. 

The sum of the whole thing is that it is faith that brings God near to us.

If we first believe that he is, he will reveal himself to us more fully.

If we rejoice in that light and walk in it, our faith will be increased, and that will bring more light.

As with Rahab, so with all. God does not grant us a blessing because we are righteous, but in order that we may become righteous. When our faith brings us to Christ, it is that we may learn of him. To our faith we add virtue and knowledge. But as faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, it follows that the more we really know–accept–of the word of God, the greater will be our faith. And so, increasing daily in faith, the just go on from strength to strength, until the dawning of the perfect day ushers them into the immediate presence of God.

Lessons on Faith – A.T. Jones & E.J. Waggoner

The Just Shall Live By Faith

FROM FAITH TO FAITH.

Rom_1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

There is another expression in the text which stands at the beginning of this tract: "For therein [in the gospel] is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." This expression has been the subject of much learned discussion by theologians, and very few of them are agreed as to its meaning. The fact that learned men are disagreed in regard to it, need not frighten us from it with the thought that it cannot be understood, for we read that things hidden from the wise and prudent are revealed unto babes. If we are but simple enough to accept the obvious Scripture meaning, as explained by the Scriptures, we need not be in darkness.

One of the greatest causes of the failure of many people to understand the book of Romans, and indeed any other portion of Scripture, is a failure to hold to first principles and Bible definitions. Men attempt to define some terms according to their theological training, and find it hard work to make them fit. Then if they at one time accept the Bible definition of a term, they do not adhere to it, but give it some other meaning the next time they meet with it. This can lead to nothing else but confusion.

The cause of the difficulty in understanding this text, is a failure to cling to the Bible definition of the term, "the righteousness of God." We have already seen that it is an expression indicating God's character, and that his character is set forth in the ten commandments. They sum up the whole duty of man, which is to be like God. The law, having been transgressed, cannot, as a matter of course, be perfectly represented in any person's life, and so the gospel was devised, that man might in Christ find the perfect righteousness of the law. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, because it makes manifest the righteousness of God. Not only is the law–the righteousness of God–preached, and its majesty upheld, by the gospel, but by the gospel the fruits of righteousness are made to appear in the life of the believer. 

Some would make "righteousness of God" in this text synonymous with "justification." That is all right, if they do not limit the application of the text to the moment of justification from past transgression. It is the application of the law in Christ to the life of the transgressor that justifies him. Through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, God by his grace counts the past life of the sinner who believes as though it had been in every respect, in accord with his law. Rom. 3:25. This is justification. It is the revelation, or manifestation, through the gospel, of the righteousness of God. Rom. 3:21, 22. But the text says that this is revealed "from faith to faith;" and this can mean nothing else but a progressive work of righteousness. The verse teaches that the righteousness of God is revealed from one degree of faith to a higher degree of faith, and consequently that righteousness must ever be on the increase. This is shown by the quotation which the apostle makes to prove his statement. It must be that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, he argues, because it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

I Will Walk By Faith.

LIVING BY FAITH - Continued…

We have heard many people tell how hard they found it to do right. Their Christian life was most unsatisfactory to them, being marked only by failure, and they were tempted to give up in discouragement. No wonder they get discouraged. Continual failure is enough to discourage anybody. The bravest soldier in the world would become faint-hearted if he had been defeated in every battle. Sometimes these persons will mournfully tell that they have about lost confident in themselves. Poor souls. If they would only lose confidence in themselves entirely and would put their whole trust in the One who is mighty to save, they would have a different story to tell. They would then "joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Says the apostle, "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice." Phil. 4:4. The man who doesn't rejoice in God, even though tempted and afflicted, is not fighting the good fight of faith. He is fighting the poor fight of self-confidence and defeat.

All the promises of final happiness are to the overcomer. "To him that overcometh," says Jesus, "will I give to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rev. 3:21. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things," says the Lord. Rev. 21:7. An overcomer is one who gains victories. The inheriting is not the overcoming; that is only the reward for overcoming. The overcoming is now. The victories to be gained are victories over the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, victories over self and selfish indulgences. The man who fights and sees the foe give way may rejoice; nobody can keep him from rejoicing, for joy comes spontaneously as the result of seeing the enemy give way. Some folks look with dread upon the thought of having to wage a continual warfare with self and worldly lusts. That is because they do not as yet know anything about the joy of victory. They have experienced only defeat. But it isn't so doleful a thing to battle constantly, when there is continual victory. The old veteran of a hundred battles, who has been victorious in every fight longs to be at the scene of conflict. Alexander's soldiers, who under his command never knew defeat, were always impatient to be led into the fray. Each victory increased their strength, which was born only of courage, and correspondingly diminished that of the vanquished foe. Now how may we gain continual victories in our spiritual warfare?

Listen to the beloved disciple:

I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Gal. 2:10.

Here is the secret of strength. It is Christ, the Son of God, the One to whom all power in heaven and earth is given, Who does the work. If He lives in the heart to do the work, is it boasting to say that continual victories may be gained? Yes, it is boast; but it is boasting in the Lord, and that is allowable. Says the psalmist, "My soul shall make her boast in the Lord" and Paul says, "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world." Gal. 6:14.

 The soldiers of Alexander were reckoned invincible. Why? Was it because they were naturally stronger and more courageous than all their enemies? No, but because they were led by Alexander. Their strength was in his leadership. Under another leader they would often have been defeated. When the Union army was fleeing panic- stricken before the enemy at Winchester, the presence of Sheridan turned their defeat into victory. Without him the men were a quaking mob. With him at their head they were an invincible army. If you had listened to the remarks after the battle of the soldiers who served under those and similar leaders, you would have heard the praises of their general mingled with all their rejoicing. They were strong because he was; they were inspired by the same spirit that he had.

Well, our Captain is the Lord of hosts. He has met the chiefest foe of all and has vanquished him single-handed. Those who follow Him invariably go forth conquering and to conquer. Oh, that those who profess to be His followers would put their trust in Him and then, by the repeated victories that they would gain, they would show forth the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light.

John says that he that is born of God overcomes the world, through faith. Faith lays hold of the arm of God and His mighty power does the work. How the power of God can work in a man, accomplishing that which he could not possibly do for himself, no one can tell. It would be as easy to tell how God can give life to the dead. Says Jesus, "The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth; so is everyone that is born of the Spirit." John 3:8. How the Spirit works in a man to subdue his passions and to make him victorious over pride, envy, and selfishness is known only to the Spirit. It is sufficient for us to know that it is done and will be done in everyone who wants that work wrought in him, above all things else, and who trusts God for the performance of it.

We cannot tell how Peter was enabled to walk on the water when the waves were rolling about him, but we know that at the command of the Lord he did it. So long as he kept his eye fixed on the Master, divine power enabled him to walk as easily as though it were solid rock underneath, but when he looked at the waves, possibly with a feeling of pride in what he was doing, as though he himself was doing it, fear very naturally took possession of him, and he began to sink. Faith enabled him to walk on the waves; fear made him sink beneath them.

Says the apostle, "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days." Heb. 11:30. Why was that written? For our learning, "that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Rom. 15:4. Why, is there any prospect that we shall ever be called upon to fight armed hosts and to take fortified cities? No, "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph. 6:12. But the victories which have been gained by faith in God over visible foes in the flesh are placed on record to show us what faith will accomplish in our conflict with the rulers of the darkness of this world. The grace of God, in answer to faith, is as powerful in these battles as in those, for says the apostle:

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Cor. 10:3-5

It was not physical foes alone that faith enabled the ancient worthies to conquer. We read of them that they not only "subdued kingdoms," but "wrought righteousness, obtained promises," and, most wonderful and most encouraging of all, "out of weakness were made strong." Heb. 11:33, 34. Their very weakness became strength to them through faith, because the strength of Christ is made perfect in weakness. Who, then, shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? since it is God that justifieth, and we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Rom. 8:35, 37.

Lessons on Faith – A.T. Jones & E.J. Waggoner