Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/112

 jfo6 Ttit Plan of the Ages,

<tll men, to come unto the knowledge of the truth " (i Tim, 2:4); and since the masses of mankind have died in igno- rance ; and since " there is no work, nor device, nor knowl- edge, nor wisdom, in the grave " (Eccl. 9 : 10); therefore God haspreparalfortheawakeningofthedead, in order to knowl- edge, faith and salvation. Hence his plan is, that " as all in Adam die, even so all in Christ shall be made alive, but each one in his own order "the Gospel Church, the Bride, the body of Christ, first; afterward, during the Millennial age, all who shall become his during that thousand years of his/; w- ence (mistranslated coming), the Lord's due time for all to know him, from the least to the greatest i Cor. 15:22.

A* death came by the first Adam, so life comes by Christ, the second Adam. Everything that mankind lost through being in the first Adam is to be restored to those who believe into the second Adam. When awakened, with the advan- tage of experience with evil, which A dam lacked, those who thankfully accept the redemption as God's gift may con- tinue to live everlastingly on the original condition of obedi- ence. Perfe6l obedience will be required, and perfecSt abil- ity to obey will be given, under the righteous reign of the Prince of Peace. Here is the salvation offered to the world.

Let us now consider another text which is generally ignored except by Universalists ; for, although we are not Universalists, we claim the right to use, and believe, and rejoice in, every testimony of God's Word. It reads, "We trust in the living God, who is the Savior of aff men, spo- ciallyof/faf* thaf believe " (r Tim. 4:10.) God will save all men, but will not specially ("to the uttermost ") save any except those who come unto him through Christ. God's arbitrary salvation of all men is not such as will con- flict with their freedom of will, or their liberty of choice, to give them life against their wills : " I have set before you, this day, life and death; choose life, that ye may live/'

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