Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/106

 ?w The Plan of the

make a wretched and merciless provision for their hopeless, eternal torment, as many of his children claim? Or has he yet in store for them, in the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of his plan, an opportunity for all to come to the knowledge of that only name, and, by^ becom- ing obedient to the conditions, to enjoy everlasting life? To these questions, which every thinking Christian asks himself, and yearns to see answered truthfully, and in harmony with the character of Jehovah, comes a variety of

��Atheism answers, They are eternally dead : there is no hereafter: they will never live again.

Calvinism answers^ They were not elected to be saved. God foreordained and predestined them to be lost to go to hell -and they are there now, writhing in agony, where they will ever remain, without hope,

Armimamstn answers, We believe that God excuses many of them on account of ignorance. Those who did the best they knew how will be sure of being a part of the Church of the First-born/' even though they never heard of Jesus.

To this last view the majority of Christians of all de- nominations assent (notwithstanding the creeds of some to the contrary), from a feeling that any other view would be irreconcilable with justice on God's part. But do the Scrip- tures support this last view? Do they teach that ignorance is a ground of salvation ? No ; the only ground of salva- tion mentioned in the Scriptures is faith in Christ as our Redeemer and Lord. "By grace are ye saved, through faith" (Epb. 2:8.) Justification by faith is the underlying principle of the whole system of Christianity, When asked, What must J do to be saved ? the apostles answered, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. " There i* none other name

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