The Arminian Magazine--Spring, 1982

THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM --L. W. Ruth, Jr.

"Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" (Hebrews 12:28).

The writer here has given us a comparison of the old covenant under Moses and the new covenant under Jesus. The old covenant was inferior to the new in that it did not take away sin, for there was the necessity of coming again and again to offer up the sacrifices. Also the old covenant was God's method of introducing and pointing forward to one which would endure. This is what we wish to dwell upon in this message.

Turn to the book of Daniel, chapter 2 for Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. As Daniel explains the dream, he tells of the four great kingdoms of the earth, beginning with the kingdom of Babylon and going on down to the Roman government. Verses 40 through 43 show the divisions in this fourth kingdom. In verse 44 we read, "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall not be left to her people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever."

Back in verses 34 and 35, this fifth kingdom is referred to as "a stone, cut out without hands" and as "smiting the image" and as "becoming a great mountain filling the whole earth." That this is a spiritual kingdom, there can be no doubt as it is said to be a stone cut out without hands. See in 2 Corinthians 5:1 the reference to "a house not made with hands" meaning a spiritual building. Also, Jesus is referred to in both the old and new testaments as a stone.

Again in Daniel, chapter 7, referring to Daniel's visions of the four beasts, we read in verse 14, "And there was given him dominion, and glory and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." This must be a spiritual kingdom, as all earthly kingdoms must at some time pass away or give way to some other, regardless as the who the ruler may be.

To apply this Scripture to some future time as to it's coming, is pure folly and to our own hurt and confusion. Many have done so and are doing so and have almost, if not altogether, destroyed the faith of the saints and taken away the very weapons with which they were to do battle with the kingdom of darkness and error. This is a strong statement I know, but true nevertheless. More will be said on this line later.

That the New Testament carries this same line of thought, there is no doubt, if we would rightly divide the word of truth. Jesus gave in Matthew 13, several parables relating to the kingdom of heave, two of which we will mention. First, the parable of the grain of mustard seed, verses 31 and 32. He likens the kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed which, when it is planted, grows into a tree and provides a dwelling place for the birds. Then he likens the kingdom of heaven to leaven which is hid in the meal until it leavens the whole. Both of these represent two small and insignificant things as to their beginning, but as to their growth or influence they become great. See Adam Clarke's Commentary on these two parables, especially regarding the parable of the leaven.

Jesus makes it plain that this is a spiritual kingdom in His statement to Pilate in John 18:36, "My kingdom is not of this world." Paul, in Romans 14:17 says, "For the kingdom of God is not meant and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

Paul also makes it clear in Colossians 1:13 that this kingdom is here now in this present age.

Jesus, in John 3, makes it clear that we must be born again to see the kingdom and to enter into it. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 of those who shall not inherit this kingdom and also makes reference again in Galatians 5:19-21. Again these make it plain that this kingdom is of a spiritual nature, for these passages infer that there must be a change in man's nature in order for him to become a part of this kingdom.

Jesus said in Luke 17:20-21, "the kingdom of God cometh not with observation (that is, outward show). Neither shall they say lo here! or lo there! For behold the kingdom of God is with (or among) you.

It is obvious to me that this method of interpreting the subject of the kingdom is the most reasonable and logical and leaves less questions than all others. To make the kingdom appear at a future time with thrones and offices and rulers who must use force to cause people to submit to Christ is to say that God's method for converting the world is not effective, that the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the gospel is powerless, and that the blood of Christ was shed in vain. To look for and preach that we are coming back and will be mayors or governors of cities and states, is to take a purely materialistic approach to the kingdom and reduces it to the worldly level.

It might be well to mention at this point the Scripture upon which the above is based and give the correct meaning. First of all the advocates of a future rule use the reference in Revelation 1:26-27 and 19:15, both of which speak of ruling with a rod of iron. If these could be literally interpreted, there would be grounds to believe in a future kingdom as advocated. However, there is a spiritual meaning which must be placed on these references and they must be understood in the light of what we have already said about the everlasting kingdom. This rod of iron by which Christ is said to rule must be the rule of love and the sharp sword mentioned as going out of his mouth is the word of God, elsewhere mentioned as the sword of the Spirit. We all know there cannot be a literal sword going out of His mouth, in Revelation 19:15, and if we place a literal meaning on the rule with a rod of iron in the same verse, we must place a literal meaning on the entire verse. See also Psalm 2 in reference to this.

I do not believe that those who advocate a future kingdom and a failure of the present system do so to deliberately mislead their people. I do trust that God might help them to think upon this and to see their error and salvage what they might otherwise lose.

There remains one more unanswered question up to this point; that being of how or where does the doctrine of a future kingdom find a foundation, if any.

We purpose to answer that by referring again to Daniel and a statement made earlier. Daniel made it clear that this kingdom which would consume all other kingdoms, would begin to do so at a certain time (2:44). The date was not set in this passage, but later Daniel had a vision in which God revealed to him more clearly the time in which this was to be fulfilled. It is this specific passage which is the key to all the confusion and error regarding the kingdom today. Remove the difficulty here and all the error must flee.

In Daniel 9, God reveals to Daniel a vision which covers a period of 490 years, beginning at the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem and ending with the coming of Christ in His office to establish the kingdom. If you follow the modern advocates of beasts, anti-christs, future kingdoms and so forth, they all have lost the last week (or seven years) of this vision and use this missing week to be a time of tribulation, a setting up of a temple, and reign of terror by "anti-christ." The fact of the matter is, that the week was not lost and God was right on schedule.

Bear with me as I quote Clarke on verse 15. "The foregoing events being all accomplished by Jesus Christ, they of course determine the prophecy to him. And if we reckon back four hundred and ninety years, we shall find the time of the going forth of this command."

"Most learned men agree that the death of Christ happened at the passover in the month Nisan, in the 4746th year of the Julian period. Four hundred and ninety years, leads us directly to the month Nisan, in the 4256th year of the same period, the very month and year in which Ezra had his commission from Artaxerxes Longimanus, king of Persia (see Ezra 7:9), to restore and rebuild Jerusalem."

Also I would refer you to Fletcher's Works (4:47-48), for an account which he gives regarding the supernatural darkness at the death of Christ. The same dates referred to above are here given.

With this before us, we can readily see that Paul was correct, when he says in Galatians 4:4, "When the fullness of times was come . . . ." See also Mark 1:14-15.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all the nations, and then shall the end come."

It appears from this, as well as the context from which our text verse is taken, that it is through the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom that men are to be saved (see Ephesians 1:9-10) and to fail to heed this gospel is but to do so to our own loss.

When we arm ourselves with the above Scriptures and place Daniel's prophecy in the proper light, we have the means of encouraging the faith of ourselves and those who hear us and the grounds to expect revival and a gathering in of Gentiles, and also Jews, into a kingdom which will never be moved.

THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT --E. Norman Brush

The current idea abroad in many circles that the believer doesn't have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit has led many to profess to be real Christians without His presence and to seek Him as a second work of grace.

That there is a definite work of grace wrought by the Holy Spirit in a true believer's life after regeneration there is no doubt. This is called being "sanctified wholly" (1 Thessalonians 5:23) or entirely. But to say that believers do not have the presence of the Holy Spirit is to say less than the Scriptures.

That many have received the witness of the Spirit years after they first professed to be saved means only that they were living in a similar state as Old Testament believers (John 7:38) or as Jesus mentioned about John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11; see also John Wesley's sermon #11,  8, 10, 13).

The Scriptures are very plain to show us that the qualifying marks of all New Testament believers is that they all have received the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9). Not only are the Scriptures clear, but so were the early Methodists.

Let us take one of the Methodist writers, Adam Clarke, to illustrate their teaching. His comments on the following passages are exceptionally clear:

1. Romans 8:9 "And this is absolutely necessary to our present peace and final salvation is proved from this: that if any man have not the Spirit of Christ - the mind that was in Him, produced there by the power of the Holy Ghost - 'he is none of His'; he does not belong to the kingdom, flock, or family of God."

2. Ephesians 1:13 Speaking on the phrase "in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise," Adam Clarke says, "that is the Holy Spirit, which is promised to them who believe on Christ Jesus, was given to you, and thus you were ascertained to be the children of God. God has no child who is not a partaker of the Holy Ghost, and he who has this Spirit has God's seal that he belongs to the Heavenly Family."

3. Acts 1:4b In reference to the coming baptism with the Holy Ghost, Clarke says, "every pious soul that believes in Christ crucified is made partaker of the Holy Spirit."

4. Acts 9:17c Clarke's comments on Saul's conversion, baptism, "and be filled with the Holy Ghost." "To say that it would be degrading to an apostle is a very flimsy argument against the evidence which the text affords that Saul did receive the Spirit by the ministry of Ananias; besides, Saul was not an apostle at this time; he was not even a Christian; and the Holy Ghost, which he received now, was given more to make him a thorough Christian convert than to make him an apostle."

5. Acts 10:47b "These had evidently received the Holy Ghost and consequently were become members of the mystical body of Christ."

6. Acts 11:16 On the words "but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost," Clarke comments, "That is, all that will believe on me, shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost - not many days hence, i. e., in a short time this Spirit shall be given, which is to abide with you forever. Hence we learn that the promise of the Holy Spirit is given to the whole body of Christians - to all that believe on Christ as dying for their sins, and rising for their justification."

7. John 3:5 Speaking of being "born of water and of the Spirit," Clarke states that this birth of the Spirit is the same as the baptism of the Spirit, for he comments, "Reader, hasn't thou never had any other baptism than that of water If thou hast not had any other, take Jesus Christ's word for it, thou canst not, in thy present state, enter into the kingdom of God. I would not say to thee merely, read what it is to be born of the Spirit; but pray, O pray to God incessantly, till He gives thee to feel what is implied in it! Remember, it is Jesus only who baptizes with the Holy Ghost; see John 1:33. He who receives not this baptism has neither right nor title to the kingdom of God; nor can he with any propriety be termed a Christian, because that which essentially distinguishes the Christian dispensation from that of the Jews was, that its author baptizes all His followers with the Holy Ghost."

8. Also in Clarke's Christian Theology he says of the experience of entire sanctification, "What then is this complete sanctification It is the cleansing of the blood of that that has not been cleansed; it is washing the soul of a true believer from the remains of sin; it is the making one who is already a child of God more holy, that he may be more happy, more useful in the world, and bring more glory to his heavenly Father. . . . And does not the blood of Christ cleanse from all unrighteousness Arise, then, and be baptized with a greater effusion of the Holy Ghost, and was away thy sin, calling on the name of the Lord" (p. 206). Clarke is here unconsciously saying that justification included a baptism or affusion of the Holy Spirit.

It is clear to candid readers that Adam Clarke, that scholarly Methodist who succeeded Wesley and Fletcher, accepted as normal than all Christians have the Holy Spirit indwelling and empowering them.

BONDAGE AND ADOPTION --Robert L. Brush

"The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:16).

That the Old Testament saints were justified by faith is clearly stated in Hebrews 11. While the faith mentioned is not a specific faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it was sufficient for their justification, and by it the Old Testament saints obtained witness that they pleased God (Hebrews 11:5). It is worthy of note that the "good report" in verse 2, "For by it the elders obtained a good report," and in verse 39, "And these all, having obtained a good report" is the same as the "witness" in verse 4, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous," and "testimony" in verse 5, "For before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God."

The faith by which they were saved, while it did not embrace a crucified and resurrected Savior, due to the lack of knowledge and not being accomplished yet, was sufficient for that dispensation. For instance, who can imagine that Rahab understood or believe that a Jewish Messiah would come and die for her sins and be raised from the dead the third day, or that Moses' parents understood that Moses, though a proper child, would be the mediator of the Old Testament and Christ Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, or that Sampson understood and believed in Jesus Christ before He was born (Hebrews 11)

However, their faith was a real, living faith and one, no doubt, given to them by God. For it is sure that their faith was a divine assurance, a supernatural evidence (Hebrews 11:1), not merely intellectual.

Rahab believed! She believed the report of the spies. Incredible, but she did and hid and protected them. This faith saved her and her household, but, of course, did not work a new birth in her soul.

Moses' parents believed God was going to spare Moses and let him live. This faith saved them and Moses. By faith Moses forsook Egypt. Faith crumbled the walls of Jericho.

This faith saved the Old Testament saints, but it was not an evangelical faith - faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet they were all justified by faith.

This brings us to the basic difference between Old Testament and New Testament faith and, consequently, the difference between their relationship with God. Old Testament faith was more of a faith in the providence of God, who would certainly do what He said and who was the only true and wise God. New Testament faith not only included that (Hebrews 6:6), but goes further to believe that Jesus is the Christ, that He died for my sins and arose for my justification; in other words, forgiveness of sins through a crucified Christ. This New Testament faith or evangelical faith is always accompanied by the new birth.

The faith of the Old Testament was marked by the element of the fear of God. The faith of the New Testament is marked by the love of God. Not that the Old Testament saints did not love God, for they did, but their faith and obedience was characterized by a godly fear, whereas, the New Testament faith is characterized by the love of God. The Old Testament emphasis is a godly fear. The New Testament emphasis is on the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. The former is a SERVANT of God, while true New Testament believers are SONS of God.

"Sons of God" is a New Testament expression. "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1). Sons of God have the Spirit of sonship or the Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15-16; Galatians 4:6-7). John Wesley expressed this is his sermon on Christian perfection

It is of great importance to observe, and that more carefully than is commonly done, the wide difference that is between the Jewish and the Christian dispensation, and that ground of it, which the same Apostle [John] assigns in the seventh chapter of his Gospel, verse thirty-eight, etc. After he had there related those words of our blessed Lord, "He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water," he immediately subjoins, "This spake he of the Spirit, which they who should believe on him were afterwards to receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." Now the Apostle cannot mean here (as some have taught) that the miracle-working power of the Holy Ghost was not yet given. For this was given: our Lord had given it to all his apostles when he first sent them forth to preach the gospel. He then gave them "power over unclean spirits to cast them out", power to "heal the sick", yea, to "raise the dead". But the Holy Ghost was not yet given in his sanctifying graces, as he was after Jesus was glorified. It was then when "he ascended up on high and led captivity captive", that he "received those gifts for men, yea, even for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them." And "when the day of Pentecost was fully come", then first it was that they who "waited for the promise of the Father" were made more than conquerors over sin by the Holy Ghost given unto them" (sermon #40,  11).

EVEN TODAY THE FAITH OF A SERVANT SEEMS TO BE A FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WHICH TURNS PEOPLE AWAY FROM SIN TO CHRIST, BUT NOT SUFFICIENT FOR THE NEW BIRTH. They fear God and work righteousness, but do not have the Spirit of adoption that cries, "Abba, Father."

The Corinthians believers were that way to a large extend. Note 1 Corinthians 3:3. Paul said they were yet carnal. They had never been anything else. "Carnal" here means unregenerate, but yet they are said to be babes in Christ - infants in the knowledge of the things of God. In this particular instance, babes does not refer to the new birth as in 1 Peter 2:2, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." A different word is used in Corinthians. These carnal believers at Corinth could be described as servants of god rather than sons. Also Acts 19 describes some disciples who were not born again.

Acts 13:43 speaks of Jews who followed Paul and Barnabas out of the synagogue who evidently were not born again, but who believed their preaching and were told to continue in the grace of God.

Mr. Wesley had this to say in a letter to Charles concerning justifying faith:

Is justifying faith a sense of pardon No. I. Everyone is deeply concerned to understand this question well: but preachers most of all, lest they should either make them sad whom God hath not made sad, or encourage them to say peace where there is no peace.

Some years ago we heard nothing about either justifying faith or a sense of pardon: so that when we did hear of them the theme was quite new to us, and we might easily, especially in the heat and hurry of controversy, lean too much either to the one hand or to the other.

II. By justifying faith I mean that faith which whosoever hath is not under the wrath and the curse of God. By a sense of pardon I mean a distinct, explicit assurance that my sins are forgiven.

I allow: (1), that there is such an explicit assurance; (2), that it is the common privilege of real Christians; (3), that it is the proper Christian faith, which purifieth the heart and overcometh the world.

But I cannot allow that justifying faith is such an assurance, or necessarily connected therewith.

III. Because, if justifying faith necessarily implies such an explicit sense of pardon, then everyone who has it not, and everyone so long as he has it not, is under the wrath and under the curse of God. But this is a supposition contrary to Scripture as well as to experience.

Contrary to Scripture: to Isaiah 50:10: "Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God."

Contrary to Acts 10:34: "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him."

Contrary to experience: for Jonathan Reeves, etc., etc., had peace with God, no fear, no doubt, before they had that sense of pardon. And so have I frequently had.

Again. The assertion that justifying faith is a sense of pardon is contrary to reason: it is flatly absurd. For how can a sense of our having received pardon be the condition of our receiving it (Works, 12:112)

Note also

But what is the faith which is properly saving Which brings eternal salvation to all those that keep it to the end It is such a divine conviction of God and the things of God as even in its infant state, enables every one that possesses it to "fear God and work righteousness." And whosoever in every nation believes thus far the Apostle declares is "accepted of him." He actually is at that very moment in a state of acceptance. But he is at present only a servant of God, not properly a son. Meantime, let it be well observed, that "the wrath of God" no longer "abideth on him."

Indeed nearly fifty years ago, when the preachers, commonly called Methodists, began to preach that grand scriptural doctrine, salvation by faith, they were not sufficiently apprized of the difference between a servant and a child of God. They did not clearly understand that every one "who feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him." In consequence of this they were apt to make sad the hearts of those whom God had not made sad. For they frequently asked those who feared God, "Do you know that your sins are forgiven" And upon their answering, "No," immediately replied, "Then you are a child of the devil." No; that does not follow. It might have been said, (and it is all that can be said with propriety), "Hitherto you are only a servant; you are not a child of God. You have already great reason to praise God that he has called you to his honorable service. Fear not. Continue crying unto him, "and you shall see greater things than these."

And, indeed, unless the servants of God halt by the way they will receive the adoption of sons. They will receive the faith of the children of God, by his revealing his only begotten Son in their hearts (Works, 7:198).

Once more. I exhort you that fear God and work righteousness, you that are servants of God, first, flee from all sin, as from the face of a serpent, being "Quick as the apple of an eye, the slightest touch of sin to feel;" and to work righteousness, to the utmost of the power you now have; to abound in works both of piety and mercy. And, secondly, continually to cry to God, that he would reveal his Son in your hearts, to the intent you may be no more servants but sons; having his love shed abroad in your hearts, and walking in "the glorious liberty of the children of God" (7:201).

Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures and instructed in the ways of the Lord - knowing only John's baptism. Though he was not born from above, he taught diligently the things of the Lord, but needed to be taught more perfectly the things of the Lord.

Acts 11:21 speaks of a great number TURNED UNTO THE LORD and after instruction and teaching from Barnabas, it is said much people were ADDED TO THE LORD.

Dear seeker after God, do not despair if you have not received the Spirit of adoption that persuades you that you are a child of God. Cry out in continual prayer and faith till you are added to the Lord!

Many, when they discover that the faith they have is not that true faith which regenerates the soul, give up in despair. The correct thing to do is to start from where you are. Thank God for bringing you this far and cry out to Him in prayer and faith for a greater faith, that you may go on from faith to faith till Christ is formed in you, till the spirit of bondage is replaced by the Spirit of adoption.

THE FAITH THAT SAVES --Catherine Booth

One of the most abused texts in the Bible, and one which perhaps has been made to do as much work for the devil as for God, is that which occurs in the story of the conversion of the Philippian jailer:

The he . . . brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Let us inquire first, Who are to believe then, When are they to believe: and again, How are they to believe:

To whom does the Holy Spirit say, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus shalt be saved" I answer, not to all sinners indiscriminately. Here is a grand mistake in a great deal of the teaching of this age. These words are wrested from their explanatory connection and help up independently of all the conditions which must ever, in the mind and practice of the apostles, accompany them. Only within the last sixty or seventy years [written in 1881] has there spring into existence this new gospel preaching indiscriminately to unawakened, unconverted, unrepentant sinners, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."

Great injury has been done to the cause of Christ by thus wrongly dividing the word of truth, to say nothing of the unphilosophical character of such a course; for how can an unawakened, unconvicted, unrepentant sinner believe As soon might Satan believe. On the top of an omnibus a man who was the worse for liquor and using very improper language was being shown the danger of his evil course. "Oh!" said the man, "it is not by works, it is by faith, and I believe as much as you do. I believe in Jesus Christ, and of course I shall be saved."

That man is a sample of thousands. They believe there was such a man as Jesus, and that He died for sinners, and for them, but as to the exercise of saving faith they know no more about it than Agrippa or Felix, as is manifest when they come to die, for then these very people are wringing their hands and sending for Christians to come and pray with them. If they had believed, why all this alarm and concern at the approach of death They were believers only of the head and not of the heart; that is, they were but theoretical believers in the facts recorded in the Bible, not believers in the scriptural sense, or their faith would have saved them.

We maintain that it is useless, and as unphilosophical as it is unscriptural to preach "only believe" to such persons. Christians have not done their duty, and have not discharged their responsibility when they have told them that Jesus died for them, and that they are to believe in Him!

They have a much harder work to do, and that is to "open their eyes" to a sense of their danger, and make them, by the power of the Spirit, realize the dreadful truth that they are sinners.

The eyes of the soul must be opened to such a realization of sin, and such an apprehension of the consequences of sin, as shall lead to an earnest desire to be saved from sin.

There is not one instance in the New Testament in which the apostles urged men to believe, or in which a person is narrated as believing, in which we have not good grounds to suppose that these preparatory steps of conviction and repentance had been taken. The only apparent exception was Simon the sorcerer. He, like numbers of people in great religious movements, was carried away by the influence of the meeting and the example of those around him, and professed to believe. Doubtless he did credit the fact that Jesus died on the Cross. He received the facts of Christianity into his mind, and in that sense he became a believer and was baptized. But when the testing point came as to whose interests were paramount with him, his own or God's, then he manifested his true state, and the Apostle said, "Thy heart is not right in the sight of God." Nobody is converted whose heart is not right with God. That is the test. If Simon had been converted he would not have supposed that the Holy Ghost could have been bought for money. And Peter added, "I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." What further did he say to him "Therefore at once believe" No, he did not. He said, "Repent . . . and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee." Repent first, and then believe and get this wickedness forgiven. So we get a double lesson in the same passage. This Simon is the only person we have any record of as believing where there is not in the passage itself, taken with its context, reasonable and rational evidence that the preparatory steps of conviction and repentance were taken before the exercise and confession of faith. Simon had this faith of the head but not of the heart, and therefore it ended in defeat and despair.

Some have written me that you had believed. You had been persuaded into a profession of faith, but no fruits followed. It was not the faith of the heart: it was the faith of the head - like that of Simon's - and it left you worse than it found you, and you have been groping and groveling ever since. But do not think that was real faith, and that therefore real faith has failed, but be encouraged to begin again, and repent. Try the real thing, for Satan always get up a counterfeit. Do not go down in despair because the wrong kind of faith did not succeed. God forbid that that should make the real faith of God of none effect.

Look at the three thousand who were converted in a day at Pentecost. What was the first work that Peter did He drove the knife of God's convincing truth into their hearts and made them cry out. He awoke them to the truth of their almost lost and damned condition, till they longed to know what they must do to be saved. They were so pricked in their hearts, their eyes were so opened to the terrible consequences of their sin, that they cried aloud before the vast multitude, "Men and brethren, what shall we do" He convinced them of sin, and thus followed the order of God.

The eunuch who was converted under Philip on the road to Gaza is often quoted as an illustration of faith; but what state of mind was he in Was he a careless, unconvicted sinner He was an Ethiopian, a heathen. But where had he been To Jerusalem to worship the true and living God in the best way he knew and as far as he understood. And what was he doing when Philip found him He was not content with the mere worship of the Temple; he was searching the Scriptures. He was honestly seeking after God.

The Holy Ghost always knows where such souls are, and He said unto Philip, "Go hear, and join thyself to this chariot." There was a man seeking God, whose heart was honestly set on finding Him. Philip was to preach Christ, and tell him to believe. That man would have sacrificed or done or lost anything for salvation, and as soon as Philip expounded the way of faith he received it as, of course, all such individuals will.

Saul of Tarsus on his way to Damascus is another instance. Jesus Christ was the preacher there, and surely He could not be mistaken. Where did He begin He saw there an honest-hearted man. Saul was sincere, so far as he understood, and if, in any case there needed to be the immediate reception of Christ by faith, it was in his. But the Lord Jesus Christ did not say one word about faith. "Saul, Saul," He said, "why persecutest thou Me" - tearing the bandages of deception off his eyes, and letting him see the wickedness of his conduct. When Saul said, "Who art Thou, Lord" the Lord repeated the accusation and did not come in with the oil of comfort. He said, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." He ran the knife in again and opened Saul's wounds wider, and sent him with a bleeding heart on to Damascus, where he was three days before he got any healing. God had to send for a poor human instrument, and Saul had to hear and obey before the pardon of his sins was pronounced, and the Holy Ghost came into his soul.

I wonder what Saul was doing those three days. He neither ate nor drank and he was in the dark. What was he doing No doubt he was praying. No doubt he was seeking after this Christ who had spoken to him in the way. No doubt he was looking with horror upon his past life and abjuring for ever his accursed antagonism to Jesus Christ and his gospel. Of course, he was bringing forth fruits meet for repentance, according to the divine order. Then came Ananias and preached Christ unto him. He believed unto salvation, the scales fell from his eyes and his heart, and his mouth was filled with praise and thanksgiving.

Cornelius is another instance. But what was the state of his mind and heart We know that he feared God and wrought righteousness, as far as he was able. He gave alms to the people, and prayed day and night. That is more than some ever did who have lived in gospel times. Yes, Cornelius was seeking God. He honestly wanted to know Him. He was willing at all costs to do His will. Consequently, the Lord sent him the glorious message of the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Look what state of mind the Philippian jailer was in. We see from the whole narrative how his eyes had been opened. The earthquake had done that. Some people need an earthquake before they get their eyes opened, and it has to be a loud one, too. The jailer's eyes were opened, and he made the best of his time. He was lashing the backs of the two apostles a little while before. Here was a change! "Sirs, what must I do to be saved" When a man comes to that state of mind he has nothing more to do but believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The jailer came in trembling and went down on his knees and washed their stripes. When any man gets to that state of mind he will soon be saved, having nothing more to do but to believe.

When is a sinner to believe When he repents. A gentleman writes to me and says, "I am afraid I do not realize my sin sufficiently. I have no particular agony on account of sin, but I do see my whole life to have been one huge error and sin." There is nothing more common than for people to delude themselves on the point of feeling. That gentleman confounds feeling with conviction. He thinks because he has not this extreme agony which some have, therefore he is not sufficiently convicted. Yet such a perception of his true character is given him that he sees his whole life to have been sin. Surely he is convinced, for none but the Holy Ghost could have shown that. Now, the truly repentant soul first sees sin; secondly, he hates sin, thirdly, he renounces sin.

An entirely unawakened soul does not see sin; that is, in its heinousness, in its consequences. He admits that all people are sinners, but he does not see the deadly, damning character of sin. The Holy Ghost alone can open a man's eyes to see this. Without Him, all preaching, even the preaching of angels, might go on to all eternity and it would never convince of sin. If you see sin it is the Holy Ghost who has opened your eyes. If God has thus opened your eyes, does it not augur well that He desires also to save you He has opened your eyes in order that He may cause you to see light in His light.

As I have said, the true penitent hates sin, that is, his feelings toward sin are quite different from what they were in the past, he could commit sin almost without concern. People do not realize the great change that takes place in them in this matter. It occurs gradually. The very things that now cause them distress were practiced by them every day and gave no concern. There was no hatred of, no dread of sin. Still, hating sin is not being saved from it.

Sin, I say, must be renounced. Here is a man who is daily addicted to drink, and who becomes convinced of sin. The Spirit of God says, "Will you give up the cup" Then commences the struggle. Are you to tell that man that he may go on drinking, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved Or are you to tell him "You must put away your sin, and renounce that drink for ever in your heart, in your purpose, in your will, because until you do you cannot exercise faith in the Lord Jesus

A servant, we will say, systematically robs his master. He goes to a religious meeting and is convinced. The Spirit of God says: "You cannot pretend to want to be saved while you go on robbing your master. You must give up that pilfering, and resolve that you will make restitution." to any who may be addicted to an evil habit I would say, Jesus Christ wants you to forswear that habit in your will, determination and purpose. You have not the power to deliver yourself from it, yet you know that if you had the power to extinguish the force of that evil habit you would do it. You say, "Would to God I had the power!" That is genuine repentance.

Having become truly penitent, having shown that you hate sin and are willing to renounce it, trust and obey, and expect that it is going to be unto you according to His word. The faith of many people is like that of a person afflicted with some grievous malady. A friend tells him of a wonderful physician who has cured hundreds of such cases, and gives him abundant evidence that this doctor is able and willing to cure him, if only he will commit himself to his treatment. The sick man may thoroughly believe in the testimony of his friend about this physician, and yet for some secret reason he may refuse to put himself into his hands.

There are numbers like that with Jesus Christ. They believe He could cure the malady of sin on certain conditions. They believe He "is no respecter of persons." They believe He has done it for hundreds as bad as they, and yet there is some reason why they do not trust Him. They hold back.

Now, what you want is to give your case into His hands and say: "Lord Jesus, I come as Thou has bid me, confessing and forsaking sin. If I could, I would jump out of it now and for ever. Thou knowest I come renouncing it, but have not power to save myself from it. I put my sins upon the glorious sacrifice of Thy Son, and trust Thee." That is faith, and I have never know a soul who came to this and did not become saved.

[excerpted from The Highway of Our God; Selections from the Army Mother's Writings (London: Salvationist Publishing and Supplies, 1954)]