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 HE promise and
oath, that in Abraham and his seed "all the families of the earth
all kindred’s, all nations shall be blessed." I understand to relate
to all the race of Adam, without exception; to be fulfilled in this
life or a future one: all men, of every age or nation, are embraced
in it and cannot fail of having an opportunity, here or hereafter,
of receiving the benefit of that promised blessing.
At this point we are met by the objection that, Such a view
conflicts with the doctrine, taught in the Bible, that there is to
be no resurrection of the wicked dead. Here, then, it is proper to
inquire who this class embraces:
WHO ARE THE WICKED DEAD?
In answering this question, we trust we shall leave all conjectures
and be instructed by the Bible alone. That book is a safe guide in
all matters of faith. John Wesley, the founder of what is known as
"Methodism," gave a definition of sin which is both scriptural and
rational. He said, "sin properly so called is the voluntary
transgression of the known law of God. Sin improperly so called is
the involuntary transgression of the law of God whether known or
unknown."
This definition of sin is clearly set forth in the Bible. Said
Jesus, "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had
sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin... If I had not done
among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin:
but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father." -
Joh 15:22,24 . Here is a clear recognition of the distinction
between voluntary sins and involuntary ones. It is light sinned
against that constitutes sin, properly so called: light which gives
us the knowledge of God, his love and kind designs. An act may be
sin in itself, and yet not be sin properly so called. The apostle
John says, "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto
death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin
not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he
shall pray for it." - 1Jo 5:16.
Here is a clear distinction made as to sins: some are of a worse
character than others. Paul saith, "Sin is not imputed when there is
no law." - Ro 5:12. Again he says, "Where no law is, there is
no transgression." - Ro 4:15. Also, Paul, in speaking of the
ignorance of the heathen, says, "The times of the ignorance of the
heathen, says, "The times of this ignorance God winked at; but now
commandeth all men, every where to repent," etc. - Ac 17:30.
All this testimony shows there is a distinction in what is called
sin. In the Bible, which warrants the idea that sin, under some
circumstances is such properly so called; and under other
circumstances it is improperly called sin, though such in itself.
Without enlarging on this point we proceed to show that the gospel
knows but one sin which is punished with the loss of endless life.
That one sin is a "willful" and deliberate rejection of Christ after
He has been made known to him by a clear presentation of the truth
concerning His work of redemption from sin and death, and as the
author of an endless life. Such shall not "see" the life of the
ages, but "the wrath of God abideth on him." Such is the law (so to
speak) of the Gospel: a dispensation under which "every creature"
has been or must be placed before an endless life is given or a
final death can be inflicted. Whoever has had made known to them
"the only true God and Jesus Christ," or has "received the knowledge
of the truth" concerning God’s love to them in sending His Son to
"give himself a ransom for them," and thus become "a propitiation
for their sins," and then "sins willfully" by rejecting that love
and Jesus as the "one Mediator" -such persons commit a sin for which
there is "no more sacrifice," nothing remains to them but the
fearful death which "devours" them. - ( Joh 17:3 1Ti 3:5,6 1Jo 2:2
Heb 10:26,27). But what has this to do with such as have never heard
the facts above stated? They have "no sin" in a Gospel sense. "Every
creature" must first hear the "Glad Tidings," and have an
opportunity to embrace Christ as their Deliverer before their final
state is fixed: their faith or unbelief must be a manifested fact.
Says the objector, "Then there must be a resurrection of some into a
moral state; and we cannot believe that." There are many things we
may not "believe," nevertheless they may be true. The Scriptures are
our rule: they do affirm that "all the families of the earth shall
be blessed in Abraham and his seed." If a moral revival into life is
necessary to fulfill that promise and oath of God, then there will
be such a revival; and who shall say that the ALMIGHTY cannot or
will not cause it to take place? Mark well, our view excludes from
such revival all those who have been blessed with the truth, and
willfully reject Jesus Christ: such are wicked in the gospel sense;
and dying in their unbelief are condemned "not to see life," but to
have "the wrath of God" abide "on them." - Joh 3:36. Thus our
view does not effect the doctrine of the non-resurrection of the
wicked dead, but it defines who are properly, or in a gospel sense,
the wicked dead.
As a resurrection into a mortal state, Scripture acts show such has
been the case, both under the Old and New Testaments; and that
Abraham expected it in Isaac’s case, if he had slain him; because,
otherwise God’s promise would fail, "that in Isaac shall they seed
be called." "He staggered not at the promise of God through
unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being
fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able to perform:
and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." - Ro
4:20-22 .
God’s promise and oath—"two immutable things in which it is
impossible for God to lie" -must be honored, however improbable or
impossible it may seem to us finite creatures, that the thing shall
surely come to pass. By unbelief, to say the least, we dishonor God,
and bring discredit on His word; and in so plain and clear a case,
stated in such a solemn manner, as the promise and oath of God to
Abraham, we feel bound to accept it as meaning what it says,
whatever difficulties might appear to limit its meaning.
No criticism can change this promise and oath. We therefore accept
it in all its fullness, and believe to accept it thus, is to accept
"the gospel preached to Abraham;" the unwavering belief of which,
constituted that patriarch the father of all believers.
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