CONDITIONAL TIME SALVATION. IS IT THE TRUTH? 2/2

PART VI OF THE GOSPEL

Some speak of the Gospel as if it were a bundle of propositions, or offers, in which God offers to exchange His grace and blessings with His children for their works of obedience. Hence they tell us God has promised on His part to bless us with a good conscience and ease of mind if we will do our duty and if we will work diligently enough we will grow and reap a rich harvest, etc., but it all depends on us, in how and if we accept the proposition. Now they call this Gospel? Paul would have been ashamed of this kind of Gospel, but he said he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." (Romans 1:16)

Did you notice that he said, "unto salvation to every one that believeth?" Not to every one if they will believe it. Who is it that believeth? Those that are born again. To those then it is the power of God, and it is unto salvation, mark you; it is not an offer of salvation. Nor is it their power, but it is God's power, and it is unto salvation, and all of this salvation is after regeneration. Now, anything that falls short of this, that is, of God's power and salvation, is not the Gospel, but it is at its best, a perverted gospel. In the 17th verse of this chapter the Apostle explains how this is: "For therein is the righteousness of God reveal from faith to faith." Notice, not the righteousness of the believer, but the righteousness of God; not from faith for works, but from faith to faith. As it is written, the just shall live by faith. You will notice here that the just do not live by works, but by faith, by this revelation which God makes, revealing the righteousness of God. 0 how this delights the poor trembling saint when this righteousness is revealed. This is indeed good news to the poor hungering, thirsting soul, but would it be good news to the poor starving soul in a desert land to tell him to go to work and earn his time salvation blessings; to "build ye cisterns for water?" No, indeed; this is what they have been trying to do, but the bread they received "satisfieth not." "Being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God." (Romans 10:3) This every child of grace will testify has been his course, in the absence of the Lord, ever since he has had a hope; trying to establish his own righteousness, and in his searching to establish his own righteousness he is brought very low, and is often heard to cry, "in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing, for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not." (Romans 7:17) If Paul, after regeneration, found the will was present, but even having the will, he still could not perform that which is good, then how can one expect a child of God to earn blessings by doing that which is good at his own option? Now tell a troubled soul that his enjoyment in this life depends on his doing good, would it be good news to him if he found himself as Paul? He does not know how to do good! How is he to do good when he cannot find out how? And suppose he did not even have the will to begin with? If you tell him that those born of God can do good; that they receive all the power necessary in regeneration to do good and that it is left with them, at their own option, as to whether they perform that which is good or not, you will only confirm his fears,

"Tis a point I long to know, 

Oft it causes anxious thoughts; 

Do I love the Lord or no; 

Am I His or am I not."

He has been fearing that he was not born again, and if it be true that those who are regenerated have power to keep all of God's commandments, then sure enough, he concludes that he has not been born again, for he realizes that everything he ever did, or does, and do, is mixed with sin. Thus, as thieves, Time Salvationists "beat him and strip him and leave him half dead." So we are mistaken in thinking this kind of preaching is preaching the Gospel. In Matthew 28:18-20, we read that Jesus said: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations." Teach them what? That all power is given unto the child of God? No; teaching them that Christ has all power in heaven and in earth; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever Jesus has commanded you. The new covenant under which Jesus sent His disciples to preach, commands: "And they shall NOT teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest." (Jer.31:34; and Heb.8:2) Hence for us to teach spiritual Israel saying, Know the Lord, that they have power to know the Lord, if they will but use it, and that this knowledge in an experimental sense is obtained by their obedience, and that their obedience is entirely of themselves, would be teaching them to disregard His commandments. "They shall not teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord." Now, mark you, Israel are those that have been born again spiritually. Those that have been circumcised in heart and of those God spake when He said: "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My law into their mind and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God and they shall be to Me a people." The old covenant was written upon tables of stone and put into the hands of Israel and they broke it, "and I regarded them not, saith the Lord, for they continued not in My ways," but the new testament is written in the heart and "in the hand of a Mediator." (Galatians 3:19) In the hands of Jesus who is the "Mediator of a better covenant," it's promise is secured. (Heb. 8:6) And He keeps this covenant for us and in us, "working in us both to will and to do," "teaching them to observe all things that God has commanded." Now this teaching may be done through the ministry, but it is God Himself that does the effectual teaching in the heart. "I will put My laws in their mind and write them in their hearts." "I will," saith the Lord. Now, isn't it very wicked in man to say that the Lord has tried to keep His promise here, but in many instances He has failed; or that He has failed in any instance? If we preach that God called a minister to go, or with a design that he should go into a certain locality and preach that His children might thereby be taught to observe all things that the Lord has commanded, and the minister refuses to go for any reason, does it not follow that we preach that God has failed in His design, and also in His purpose? Then what does Jesus mean when He says: "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth?" Has He designed to teach all His children to observe all things that He has commanded and has He tried to get the preachers to go there for that purpose, but after all, they will not go? Is there any Gospel in such preaching as this? Isaiah said, "And all Thy children shall be taught of the Lord." (Isaiah 54:13) Did the prophet prophesy the truth? Let us not forget that teaching never precedes, but follows after, regeneration. Jesus in John 6:45 refers to Isaiah, "it is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God." Here then it is clear that God is the teacher, though he may speak or teach through the preacher, but when He does the power is sure to be ascribed to God by such that are taught of Him. This is the Gospel for "the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation" to everyone that believes.

Paul says in Romans 15:18, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the Spirit of God." If Paul did anything in this work he would not dare mention it. This, however, does not teach that Paul had done anything, but to the contrary, that Christ had wrought the work - nor that Paul had performed the work by Christ, but that Christ wrought by Paul. This is the Gospel, - the power of God unto salvation. Yes, it made the Gentiles obedient. "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified." (i Cor. 11:2) These Corinthians were children of God. They had been regenerated, and yet, the apostle would not advocate anything as a meritorious work of theirs or his. He even kept his own wisdom back, and only advocated Christ and Him crucified. Paul in speaking of himself would say: "I am chief of sinners;" "I am sold under sin." If "I am a minister by whom ye believed, yet it was Christ that wrought by me," wrought your obedience by me, but not I. Hence he preaches Christ. He preaches that it matters not what the "gift" may be, or the "administration," or the "operation," but that "God worketh all in all." Thus he preaches the Gospel, the power of God. "Preach the Gospel" said Jesus. In preaching the Gospel "we preach Christ crucified (unto the called) the power of God and the wisdom of God." (I Cor. 1:23-24) Notice, it is unto the called (which are called in time), it is to those that have been regenerated, that we preach Christ to, not them to Christ, for we "preach not ourselves, but we preach Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." We are not to preach their power along with our wisdom? We preach that "God added to the church daily such as should be saved." We preach, "Lord Thou wilt ordain peace for us, for Thou also hath wrought all our (righteous) works in us." And, therefore, if we have any good works we should not boast, for we have nothing that "pertains to life," or "godliness," but what "God according to His divine power hath given us," that we are "preserved in Christ Jesus," that we "are saved by grace," that God "hath raised us up and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ," and He "worketh in us both to will and to do His good pleasure," because "He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world." He is "not willing that any" of us "should perish, but all come to repentance" (a timely experience), and it is God who "worketh all things after the counsel of His own will;" that He hath "predestinated us to be conformed to the image of His Son," that He hath called us, justified us and glorified us, and that He hath promised that we "shall never perish," but that "He will raise us up at the last day," and "because He lives we shall live also," and thus we preach the Gospel. Therefore "conditional time salvation" is not the truth.


Part VII OF JUSTIFICATION

If "time salvation" is conditional, as some are beginning to teach, then it follows that we can realize our justification during this life by our works only, for when we feel our justification we enjoy our so-called "time salvation." If our enjoyment of salvation here in time depends at all upon our obedience, it must depend entirely upon it; for "if it be of works, then it is no more of grace. Otherwise work is no more work." "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace." (Galatians 5:4) Hence, Time Salvationists are fallen from grace. Remember that this was written to those that had been regenerated, for they had "begun in the Spirit." They doubtless acknowledged that regeneration was alone of God, but thought that it devolved upon them to keep the law, and that by this they could be justified, "be made perfect by the flesh," or earn their blessings. (Galatians 3:3) They had precisely the same notion, or opinion, about this that Time Salvationists have today. Paul tells them that this is foolish, as he also taught the Roman brethren that "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin." [Romans 3:20] Before righteousness or justification (for one complements the other) can be by the law, or conditional, there must be a law that can give life; as you can see by reading Galatians 3:21. To justify is to make one clear of guilt; thus it is a blessing in experience in time. Now may I ask you dear children, can you by your own works make yourself feel free or clear of sin? I think that every child of God will say No. "Though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my Judge. If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me; if I say; I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; yet shalt Thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. For He is not a man, as I, that I should answer Him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay His hand upon us both." (Job 9:15,20,21,30-33) You must be able to make yourself clear of guilt; or justify yourself, if Time Salvation depends upon your own works; for no one is enjoying salvation, or can, while he feels the weight of condemnation resting upon him. Have you taken up the notion the world holds, that you can do more good than evil, and that the good you do overbalances the evil, and therefore you are justified, and blessings are received? That would make the just live by works, would it not? Paul said that "the just shall live by faith," and that "no man is justified by the law in the sight of God." (Galatians 3:11) Justification can only result from the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and only to us by faith, by imputation of Jesus "who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity." Thus He justifies us, having suffered for us; God having "laid upon Him the iniquity of us all." Our sins were taken off ourselves and laid upon Him, and He suffered for us, and was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. (Rom. 4:25) He gave Himself for us. He was and is our life. When He who is our life shall appear; when the law had spent its fury, upon Him and was satisfied, then we were justified. Our sins, all of them, were purged in Him "who is our life," and in evidence of this "He was raised again for our justification." Hence, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above." (Col. 3:1) Does this mean that you can by your obedience raise yourself up with Christ to earn experimental knowledge of your justification here in time?

It must mean this if "time salvation" depends upon you as some are now teaching. You should be glad that it does not mean that, but that God hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:2-6) He made us feel our justification in Christ. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Therefore time salvation is not dependent upon our works. Sin is the source of all our troubles in this life and if salvation from sorrow and troubles in time depends upon your own works, then it would require sinless perfection of you, or your ability to do away with sin. This no mortal can render, but when Christ's righteousness is imputed to you, which God does when He "makes Christ unto you righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," then you feel in your very soul that you are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Hence, Conditional Time Salvation as now being taught by some cannot be true.

Part VIII OF OUR SERVICE TO GOD AND THE RESULTS THEREFROM

It is taught by some who claim to be Primitive Baptists, that if you obey all the commandments, (which they affirm we have power to do if we but would), that God will bless us and so we would earn happiness. They teach us that those harassing fears, those troubled disputations of mind, those hungerings and thirstings, those mournings and bitter complainings, and those sighings and groanings that are common to the children of God can be dissipated by our loving obedience and this all depends upon the volition, or freedom, of our own will. Now because I deny this, some have accused me of being opposed to good works. I am opposed to their system, for I do not believe that anything is a good work when your faith is in yourselves, or any other man for "cursed is man that trusteth in man, or that maketh flesh his arm." (Jer.12:5) I believe that God's children should serve God; not themselves, their flesh, or any man. They should "love the Lord their God with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their mind and Him only should they serve." It is indeed very wicked in men, whether they are regenerated or not, to persist in rebellion against God. But because this is so, it is no argument that men can of their own volition go into the service of God; nor is it any reason why we shall believe that God has offered to hire His children to enter His service in order to receive His blessings. I know that it is denied that this system of which I am speaking offers to hire God's children to serve Him, but this only amounts to a denial - that is all, If I offer one of my children a penny if he will shut the door, I have offered to hire him to shut the door. I have seen some instance of this in parents in dealing with their children and the children soon learn to have no respect for the parents and will only obey them for a reward - will only serve their selfish interest: If I should teach one that if he would be more devoted to God, do all His commandments, that God would bless him with better crops, and get him through winter, with this belief, would I have any evidence that he, in his heart, was serving God? No! Why? Because it would be a plain case that the increase of his crop was what he was after. He would only serve for the profit that was in it, "thinking that gain was godliness." This is conditional time salvation teaching. I believe and try to teach that we should serve God willingly, from a principle of love to Him, not to ourselves, and that this is the work of the Holy Ghost wrought in us. "We love Him because He first loved us." (I John 4:19) Our service, I think, is always because of, not in order to. As to happiness, we are not promised much of it through this life. Happiness during this life is not an incentive offered to get us to serve God. Happiness is a state of peacefulness, complacency, and submission to God's will which works contentment of mind and spirit; it is not a reward for labor. Therefore the principles from which Time Salvationists act is false. Jesus promised His servants tribulation in this life. "In the world ye shall have tribulation." (John 21:33) "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable," (I Cor. 15:19), was Paul's belief. "I have chosen thee in a furnace of affliction," (Isaiah 48:10) said God by Isaiah. "These are they which come out of great tribulation," (Rev. 7:14), said the angel to John. "Yea, and ALL that shall live godly in Christ Jesus SHALL suffer persecution," (I Tim. 3:12), said Paul to Timothy. From these statements, and many more of similar import could be given, it is clearly to be seen that the life of God's true children in this time world is a life of sufferings, of sorrows and afflictions. And it also appears from the Scriptures that those who serve God most, were the ones that suffered most. I admit that this is a strange conclusion from a carnal standpoint, and human reason is ready to condemn it as false, but this doesn't change the truth of it in the least.

Abel was killed because he served God BY FAITH, not by his works, you will observe. The prophets were hated and maltreated, and went in sorrow and grief all their lives because they served God by faith, rather than works. Job, of whom it was said, "in all the earth there is none like him" for patience and piety, none so devoted to God in His service, yet he was tortured as never man was, all because he served God by faith, and not by works. Moses forsook Egypt, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures there, "by faith" "when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season," or enjoy his Egyptian wrought time salvation. (Heb. 12:24-25) The apostles served God by faith, yet their lives were full of sorrows and grief, and they were finally killed because they served God, rather than themselves. Jesus had promised them before that they should be hated by all men and some of them should be killed. Oh, what an inducement to serve God in the Spirit, and how different to the Conditional Time Salvation being preached by vain men today! God promised sorrow, affliction and distress in this time life to His servants. Conditional Salvationists offer happiness, joy, prosperity, and peace if we will serve God and earn our blessings by our obedience (works). May I ask here, dear child of God, which of these have you found to be true in your experience? If you say the latter, then I say that you are a "bastard" and not a son; "for if any be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons." (Heb. 12:8) Therefore Conditional Time Salvation is not the truth.


Part IX OF OUR HELPLESSNESS IN OURSELVES

As He did Jacob, God has touched all His children "in the hollow of the thigh," and they go lame all their lives, leaning upon their staff; leaning upon Jesus as their only support. Oh, how helpless they do feel themselves to be, and how careful they are to ascribe all the praise to God for their salvation and preservation! You never hear them boasting of what they can do, as the Time Salvationists, but they put men down as "grass," as "grasshoppers," as "the small dust of the balances," as "nothing," and as being "altogether vanity." They, under an experimental sense of their weakness, are heard to cry in the agony of their souls, "How long wilt Thou forget me, 0 Lord? Forever? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me?" If it be a fact that Time Salvation is of ourselves, as some now affirm, David would have known it. Then what folly for him to have thus prayed. He would have known that God would forget him and hide His face until he obeyed him! But he knew that wasn't true. After this we hear David rejoicingly say, "I waited patiently (not I work hard) for the Lord, and He inclined His ear unto me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit; out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings, and He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God." Thus, we see that God put this song of praise in David's mouth; did all these things for him; and if I say that He also put the prayer in his mouth, it would not be wrong. As I have shown before, it is the Spirit Himself that maketh intercession for us.

Prayer is an acknowledgement of our helplessness, and of the soul's faith in the power of God to deliver - "Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me whole." As long as we have ability to deliver ourselves it is hypocritical in us to pray for help, and when we thus petition God, it can be nothing short of mockery. I have been astonished and mortified many times by Conditionalists in their pretense of prayer, asking God to keep His children in obedience, and follow it with a discourse in which they would spend almost all their time telling the children that their keeping depended on them; that they received sufficient power in regeneration to do all God's commands, and that if they would do them they would work out their own salvation. It is strange that it has never been any trouble for Baptists to see the inconsistency in the Arminians in asking God to do for the sinner and then telling the sinner that he has the power to do it, and that God is not going to do it for him unless the sinner lets Him, and that it all depends on the sinner's doings. If the Arminians are inconsistent, are not these Conditional Salvationists who teach the very same principles (although they claim to be "Primitive" Baptists) equally so? If Conditional Time Salvation as being introduced among us is true, I cannot see upon what ground we can ask God for any thing, for we are not dependent upon Him for anything. The system teaches that God gave us regeneration independent of any means, and that there is no way possible for us to miss heaven and immortal glory. And in this work God gave us power to keep all His commands, and if we keep them we can live happily during this life. Pray tell me what more do we need? But it is not the truth, thank God, and God makes His children know that it is not true. "For they shall remember all the way the Lord their God hath brought them." Not the way we brought ourselves; but the way the Lord brought us. "Except ye be converted and become as little children." Can we do this at our option? No, indeed! But God makes us feel our helplessness, as a little child, else how can we appreciate this? "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God." (Matthew 5:3) Can we make ourselves poor in spirit in order to earn the blessing? I think not. If we do, or can do, all the commands, are we poor? No; we would be rich. We are poor because we have no resources of our own, and we feel the weight of our poverty. Oh, how we do hunger and thirst after righteousness as living souls! Why should we do this if our being filled depended upon our works? Now, if we have the ability to pray at our option, and God has promised to bless us on the condition that we pray, we would not be poor, but rich; nor would we hunger and thirst after righteousness. Who would hunger and thirst, when there was plenty of bread and water at his command? The prudent parent will make his child to hunger that he might appreciate the food. In our spiritual hungerings, we know not how to obtain the food. "We know not how to pray for that as we ought;" hence our weakness. We are inclined to this conditional idea only by believing that "it is of him that willeth or of him that runneth," contrary to the Scripture, (Romans 9:16) which destroys the idea of "mercy." Supposing that we have to live by works of our own merit, we do it of works instead of "by faith," but when we have tried our strength we find that we are helpless - unable to procure these timely blessings by our works. 0 how hungry we do feel (and we do this because we can't do otherwise until the Spirit leads us by faith, "which is not of ourselves, but is the gift of God,") for Christ, who of His bounty fills us to overflowing with His imputed righteousness. The poor, rejoicing child will now acknowledge that this was not caused by his works, for "many times by night on my bed I sought Him whom my soul loveth. I sought Him, but I found Him not." (Song of Solomon's 3:1) Hence we say that Time Salvation as now being taught among us is not the truth. But, says someone, doesn't the Scripture say "Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance," etc.; "If these BE IN YOU and abound," says Peter in II Peter 5:8. Well does this mean for us to make, or manufacture, virtue, knowledge, temperance, brotherly kindness and charity? If so, what does Paul mean when he says that these very things are the "fruit of the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22-23) You can see by this that God doesn't require you to make these, in the sense of producing them, but they are wrought in you by the Spirit of God, and so are the "fruit of the Spirit." They are all in the experience of God's children, but we lose sight of them often. Then how blind we are! We conclude we are not a child of God at all, and here we remain until, in His tender mercy, He comes to us (it may be through preaching) and causes us to travel over our experience and causes us to add all these things together, - these things that the Spirit has wrought in us, - to faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, etc., and when we thus go over the line and find that these things "are in us and abound," we are no longer "barren and unfruitful." But this Conditional system coming among us requires of us that we make, or produce, these graces ourselves, and thereby purchase admission into the everlasting kingdom.

God requires holiness in His children, for "without holiness no man shall see the Lord." We have not the ability to produce it, but the Spirit bears it. Holiness is the "fruit of the Spirit," and when God's children are brought under the reigning influence of God's grace, these good works manifest themselves in their life, not as a result of their ability, but as the result of the working of "God in us." Hence the text, "Blessed are they that do His commandments that they may have right to the tree of life." (Rev. 22:14) Conditional Salvationists read that to mean, "blessed will be they if they do His commandments;" but the text proves them already blessed: "Blessed are they." If we are blessed because we do His commandments, then we only have right to the Tree of Life by our works, which no child of God can afford to believe. But that is not the sense of this text, but the doing of the commandments is evidence of the blessed state; evidence that God is working in them both to will and to do of His own good pleasure. One of two things must be true: That the blessings we receive during this life are FREE GIFTS BESTOWED on us, or we get them in
EXCHANGE FOR our works. If it be true that spiritual blessings that we enjoy during this life are free gifts, then those that are offering them to us in exchange for our works are in serious error. On the other hand, if spiritual blessings are dependent upon our works, then Paul was dead wrong when he thanked God because "He hath blessed us with ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS in heavenly places in Christ; according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world," (Ephesians 1: 3,4) unless God elected us according to our good works, for He blessed us according as He has chosen us! Dear children, we should be very glad God's blessings do not depend on our works, for we feel our inability in ourselves to work so sensibly. We know not what to pray for as we ought. So much of our time we cannot "sing with the spirit and with the understanding." If we read the Scriptures we have not the power to understand them. If we go to church services, often we are unable to preach or hear to profit. In all we do we cry, "My leanness, my leanness." "When we would do good evil is present with us." "How to perform that which is good I find not." "The things that I would I do not." All these things make us know that we are poor and helpless of ourselves. Then how sweet these words, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord." (Zech 4:6) Therefore, we must conclude that this Conditional Time Salvation idea is false.

But, says one, Paul told Timothy to "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them, for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." Very well; but must we conclude that this matter is left to the option of Timothy, and depended upon him, or should we believe the truth as Paul taught at another place? That is, that God wrought by him, and made Timothy obedient, and when Timothy took heed, was careful in his life; should we not believe Paul again, "For behold, this self same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness IT WROUGHT in you." Hence, when God speaks to one of His children, telling them to take heed, He works that carefulness in them, "Worketh IN them to will and to do of His own good pleasure." Hence Timothy's obedience did not depend on his ability to will or to do, but God worked in him, at the time, his obedience, both the will and the doing, and his saving those that heard him was only as he was occupied as an instrument in God's hands.

Again, Paul sets this forth in these words, "So then neither is he that planteth anything, nor he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase." (I Cor.3:7) Paul here acknowledges that nothing depended on him, or Apollos, or Timothy, but all depended on God. If he had laid the foundation, he did it "according to the grace of God, which is given unto me;" is given, not "was given," you should notice. For us to try to believe that Paul taught here that Timothy had the power, and that this matter was left to him to will or not at his option is absurd. For Paul had said before this, that he, although inspired, knew not how to perform that which is good, and that he did things that he would not, and what he did that was good, that it was not him that did them, but God. It is from Him, "By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name; among whom are YE ALSO the called of Jesus Christ." (Rom. 1:4,5)

Again, "For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die." (Rom. 3:13) Well, doesn't this mean that God's children can live after the flesh? Conditional Salvationists say so, and often act it too; but no. It says they cannot "live" after the flesh. Why? Because "death" results from the flesh. The argument is this: If your confidence is in something you can do to gain God's favor (this is living after the flesh), or your dependence is in the flesh, then death or condemnation will be the results, "For I know that in me (that is, in MY FLESH), dwelleth no good thing." How then can one that has felt this condemnation and death live after the flesh? If Time Salvation was as these Conditionalists are now teaching, our life as Christians would depend on the flesh, for they are teaching that life, and the enjoyment of God's children in this world depend upon their works - the very thing the apostle is arguing against! "For," says he, "to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not." If Paul's life and happiness in this world was dependent upon doing good, he would have been surely lost, for he knew not how to do good, even though the will to do it was present. "I find then a law (a LAW!), that, when I would do good, evil is present with me." He felt his helplessness in the flesh so sensibly that he cries from the very depth of his soul, "0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" If Time Salvation was conditional, Paul would have known that he must deliver himself by his works. But Paul knew that salvation is not now, nor ever was, of our works, and that if our dependence for life or blessings were really based upon works of the flesh, that instead of life, death would be our lot; instead of blessings, we would have cursings, for "Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." (Galatians 3:10) Hence, if our life depends upon us keeping the law, death only can result. There is never, and cannot be a continuation in the righteousness of the law through the flesh. (James 1:23-25) But says he, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Why? Because "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." (Galatians 3:13) What for? "That the blessings of Abraham might come on the Gentiles THROUGH Jesus Christ," - not through OUR obedience, but His. These blessings are what we live upon, and you will notice that they do not come by or through our works, but through Jesus Christ. Without them there is nothing but death. Those that are in Christ Jesus "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness." Because of whose righteousness? Ours? No, indeed. For if so we would be debtors to "the flesh, to live after the flesh;" our life would depend upon the flesh. Instead of Paul teaching that our life depends upon our works of obedience, as the Conditionalists are teaching, he teaches the opposite. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Others, then, led by the flesh must be the children of the flesh. Not, as many as are led by the flesh; by their works. No, for those so led, death is before them, and nothing but death. The apostle evidently taught in this connection that our only hope for life or salvation is in the Lord, "who is our life." For we know that life gives actions to the body, while the Time Salvationists teach that action gives life. Though the apostle teaches good works, he teaches them in the name of Jesus Christ, that "because He lives, we shall also live "with Him." Therefore, we conclude that Conditional Time Salvation now being introduced among us, is not true.

Can men disobey God? Yes, and this only can they do of themselves! Only when they are subdued by divine grace, and led by the Holy Spirit do they do otherwise. There is but two controlling spirits in man, one is the devil, Satan, who works in the flesh, and the other is God, the one is therefore anti-Christ, the other is Christ, the one is in the flesh, the other is in the Spirit. It never was the design of the devil that God's children should obey God and he works to the extent of his limited power to prevent it. And God in His all wise purpose has permitted him to succeed to the extent that it will redound to His own glory. "Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee, and the remainder of wrath Thou shalt restrain." Yet when God's purpose is accomplished "he taketh the prey from the mighty and delivers the lawful captive, for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children." (Isaiah 49:25) The devil, in various ways, lead the children into the disobedience of the flesh and captivity, and he has no plan by which he succeeds better than to make them believe that their righteousness depends upon themselves, so that "being ignorant of God's righteousness," we see them "going about to establish their own righteousness," and thus they are led into bondage and the devil, through his ministers, teaching them the same doctrine that led them into this bondage. "For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" (Psalm 137:3,4) What could be more plain? The very doctrine that these Babylonish preachers among us are preaching, that it is with the children to sing and make merry in their hearts at will, is the doctrine that leads to work, work, work - wherein there can be no rest. 0, my dear brethren, have you not realized the folly in such preaching? If not, you will. You will feel your helplessness when God gives you to feel the state of bondage under which you toil. But recall this in that day, "There is a REST for the people of God," and we "do enter into that rest when we cease from our works as He ceased from His." (Heb. 3:9,10) You have been led by these false teachers away from the righteousness of Christ your Saviour, which "makes you free," into a land of legalism. Do you not know that it is written in the law, that cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them, and that if you assume to be justified by the deeds of the law, that you have no claim at all on grace? (Galatians 5:4) If not, when you are made to feel it, oh! how barren this land of legalism will be to you. "Your harps" indeed, will then be on the willows, yea, you will sit down by the rivers of Babylon, yea, you will weep when you remember Zion as it was before you introduced your conditional works system. You will find that the Lord must "put the song in your mouth before you can sing." (Psalm 40:3) And, "the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing." (Isaiah 51:11) They that are His redeemed will return to the faith, while those that are deceived and deceiving will perish. "Then they that publish (not offer) salvation will say unto Zion, Thy God reigneth, and thy watchmen shall lift up the voice with the voice together shall they sing; For they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion." (Isaiah 52:7,8) Notice, "When the Lord shall bring again Zion." Yes, then shall they see eye to eye and shall again sing together that salvation in all of its parts is "of the Lord." Therefore Conditionalism is not the truth.




Part X IS THIS FATALISM ?

Some say that this view of God's effectual work in His children is fatalism, and thus scare the children from the truth. Let us see if what I have written is indeed fatalism. "Fatality is a fixed unalterable course of things, independent of God or any controlling cause; an invincible necessity existing in things themselves." - Webster. The ancient pagans worship Fate, which was to them that inevitable force which even the gods could not resist. This Fate was a Chance happening, unplanned, and uncontrolled by the gods. In truth, the Conditionalists are closer to being Fatalists than any Predestinarian has ever been. Now, reader, do you believe that the things herein written carries in them this doctrine of chance, or fatalism?

No; you know they do not. Does the doctrine that I have held to say that men or things move independently of God or any controlling cause? Every one will know who reads this that it does not. But if God is "trying" to get His children to obey Him and they will not do it, but disobey Him, then their course must be independent of God; yea, more, this idea that God designed that a preacher should preach in a certain locality, and that he refuses to go to said locality, or if he goes he preaches on a different line to what God intended, or that God designed any obedience whatsoever on the part of His children, and has made an effort in that direction, and has failed to reach the end designed, then I say this idea denies the very existence of God, the Supreme Being, Jehovah, the eternal and infinite Spirit, the Creator and the Sovereign of the Universe! It denies His sovereign care for His church, His body, which He pardoned with His own blood. Now imagine, if you can, such a Being as this failing in any of His designs or efforts, if we may use such a word as "effort" in reference to Him. There isn't a conditional system of salvation taught upon the earth, but what legitimately leads to fatalism and infidelity. It doesn't matter whether the conditions are supposed to be applied before or after regeneration. All conditional systems offer salvation on conditions that men obey commands. In Christian countries, the commands are said to be "commands of the gospel," and conditionalists say, that men have power to obey them or not obey them, as they may determine for themselves by their own "freewills"; in other words, man's obedience (or disobedience) depends entirely, unaided, upon their own will. This being true, then they must act freely and willingly without any influence whatever, which would be "independent of God or any. controlling cause," hence, Fatalism. If we admit that there is a controlling cause that causes men to obey, then their obedience is NOT LEFT to themselves, and if not, salvation does not depend upon their obedience, but upon the Cause that caused obedience. If we say that God has exerted an influence upon His children with the view of bringing them to obedience, but they resisted and go on in disobedience, then their course is independent of God. I know that some will say, then man is not responsible for his acts, that he is a mere machine, etc. But because men say this, does it prove that it is true? No, indeed! Paul, when he was writing on this subject in the 9th chapter of his letter to the church at Rome said, "Thou will say then unto me, why doth He yet find fault, for who hath resisted His will?" If you will notice the apostle did not attempt to explain away the truth of his teaching, but reproved those that made such replies, "Nay, but 0 man, who art thou that replieth against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, Why hast Thou made me thus?" All those that are making such replies against the doctrine of God our Saviour should feel reproved and be ashamed, for in these replies they deny the Lord that bought them, teaching that God has no more care for His children than to turn them loose in this world in their feeble weakness, exposing them to sin with all its miseries, making their escape therefrom during this life, wholly depend upon their own action and independent of Him or any controlling cause; when He clearly promised them, "God will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear, but with this temptation, shall also make a way of escape, that ye also may be able to bear it." These replies say that God's "wish" was to comfort His children and build them up in the most holy faith through the ministry, but that He has no control over the ministry and the church, for the minister can preach when, where, and what he pleases, and the church can accept, reject, obey or disobey as they may determine. Conditionalism is Fatalism, clear and simple? Children of God, are you not glad that Conditional Time Salvation is not the truth?


Part XI WHAT PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS HAVE BELIEVED

It is insisted by some that there is a salvation which is entirely of God, and that there is also a salvation which they call "Time Salvation," (and they refer to it as the "Two Salvations") which depends entirely upon the works of God's children, and they claim that this "Conditional Time Salvation" is Primitive Baptist doctrine. Let us look into this point and see if we can determine what has been Primitive Baptist belief along this line. Remember that this conditional time salvation idea is based on the assumption that in regeneration God's children receive power to do all God's commands, unaided by the Spirit, and that obedience is left entirely to their own choice; they can obey or disobey at their option. And their life time enjoyment depends alone upon their own decision in this. If they decide to obey, and will do it, they escape the sorrows that are common to the saints that otherwise they

would suffer, thus representing the ability and the dependence to be in the believer, while some of the early writers (to my mind incorrectly) used the words "depend upon our obedience," they have universally agreed that our obedience, after regeneration, depended upon the working of God's Spirit in us, that m fact obedience was a work of God in us, wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, and that the ability was not at all in us. But recently it has been denied that obedience is worked in the children of God by the Spirit, and conditionalism, long opposed by Primitive Baptists replying against the Regular Baptists, is now being accepted among our churches. In the London Confession of Faith, published in 1689, which Primitive Baptists honor and claim that it sets forth their faith, we read "On Good Works" that good works are only such as God hath commanded in His Holy Word. These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a lively faith. The believers ability to do good works is not at all of himself, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ.

Now this needs little comment, unless we are inclined to believe that the Spirit of Christ is unable to overcome their inability. They say that good works are the "fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith." Then faith must produce them, it is clear, and as faith is the gift of God and cannot exist without works as James teaches, for living faith always produces action; therefore their works did not depend upon them, but upon faith. This is Baptist doctrine, from 208 years ago to the present (1897). All these English brethren still teach on the subject of good works, and rest on this idea that the ability is not in the believer to do good works, but in faith, which produces them. This view of the subject harmonizes beautifully with their belief of God's decree, of His foreknowledge, and of His providence, as you can see by reading their confession, while this conditional time salvation idea, as is now being taught, can never be harmonized with it.

A letter written by Elder John Gano, and adopted and published in the Minutes of the Philadelphia Baptist Association in 1784, says, "On Effectual Calling", "This is an act of Sovereign Grace ... and is such an irresistible impression made by the Holy Spirit upon the human soul as to effect a blessed change .... the author is God this is an Holy calling and is effectual to produce the exercise of holiness in the heart, even as the saints are created in Christ Jesus UNTO good works." The Philadelphia Association at this time believed that the grace of God produced the exercise of holiness in the hearts of the saints. In the Circular Letter of the same Association, published for 1789, we read that "Mere legal repentance originates in self love ... but repentance which is unto life and salvation has God for its Author, and does NOT arise from the power of free will .... but from the grace of God as the efficient, and the operation of the Divine Spirit as the impulsive cause ... this repentance is WROUGHT in the hearts of God's people to their edification, etc." Here you will see it is asserted that repentance, which is unto life and salvation (and in time, and referred to as a part of time salvation by the Conditionalists) has GOD for ITS AUTHOR, (hence it is not left with us to do or not to do according to our option) and that the grace of God is the efficient cause and the Divine Spirit is the impulsive cause, and that it is wrought in the hearts of God's people. Now I ask, can God's grace be efficient and inefficient at the same time? Will the Holy Spirit be the impulsive cause and we not be moved by the cause? How absurd! These Baptists believed that any repentance that was of any benefit to God's people, whether in respect to time or not, had GOD FOR ITS AUTHOR.

In the Circular Letter published in 1795, by Elder Samuel Jones, we read: "The Gospel contains no conditional offers of salvation." Elder Jones then would not have believed those now preaching among us that say that God has offered His children salvation in time, on conditions to be performed by them, for he says the Gospel contains no conditional offers of salvation. And this Association agreed with him, and this was the FIRST Baptist association in America! We will quote further from Brother Jones: "To make salvation conditional would rob God of His Sovereignty." Oh, says one, he is speaking of "eternal salvation." Answer: Yes, that is true. What other kind could he have possibly talked about, seeing there is none? He knew of but one salvation. But suppose, just suppose, there were two, and you make one conditional, would it not also rob God of His Sovereignty as much as to make them both conditional? Surely it would; it always has. For where has there ever been a conditional salvationist that believed in God's sovereignty? "What!" exclaimed Elder Jones, "take our happiness (a time experience) depend on man? If we will do part God will do the rest! Alas; what can man do in the business of his salvation, first to last, to merit it, or promote it? Is he altogether dependent on God? Yea, verily, that at every step in the beginning and progress of the gracious work he may cry, Grace, grace." Could anything be more plain? And could anything be more foreign from the ideas now being advanced by those that are teaching Conditional Time Salvation? He believed that salvation, from "first to last," was of the Lord, and true Primitive Baptists have ever believed it, and believe it yet.

We could quote more from Brother Jones to our advantage, but space forbids. [The whole article is found in the Minutes of the Philadelphia Baptist Association, 1707 - 1807, for the year 1795] We have produced enough evidence, however, to show that the prevailing belief of this association up to this time was in the grace alone system. But about this time anti-christ gained such influence in this and other associations that they to some extent began to leave off such teachings, and then went from bad to worse, until the true Baptists expelled the unsound conditionalist element from them. But we hear the same sentiments taught, such as the following from Elder Jesse Cox in his "Exposition of Revelations," pg.205, 1866, "We contend that all those in whom the fear of God dwells will thereby be led to please Him, and to abound with the good works of the Gospel, which God had before ORDAINED that we should walk in them, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, sobriety, and the other good works enforced in the Holy Scriptures." This shows conclusively that Brother Cox believed that God's children would be led by the fear of God to please Him, hence their dependence upon this influence, and the certainty of the effect of the influence. On page 211, he says: "The Old School Baptists believe that good works are the sure fruit and effect that follow after justification." Did you notice he said SURE FRUIT and EFFECTS? If they are sure to follow, then it is not left to you and me to do or not to do, as we may determine. Grace determines this for us, "working in us to will and to do." And if time salvation depended on good works in us, yet it would not depend on us! On page 221, he says, "Upon that Great Agent (the Holy Spirit) we are all dependent for true and vital religion; not only to produce regeneration, but to perpetuate and live in the enjoyment of it." Does this look like Brother Cox believe that regeneration was God's work, but the enjoyment of it depended on our works? On page 475, he says, "And as salvation certainly follows predestination and results from it, so good works as certainly follow salvation and are the fruit and effect of it, for it is God that worketh in His children in all ages, both to will and to do, according to the good pleasure of His will. Good works is to practice faithfully what He has recorded in His word."

Is not this teaching here of Elder Cox, the noted Primitive Baptist preacher and writer, in perfect agreement with what I have herein written? Is it at all in harmony with the preaching that has been recently introduced among us in the last few years by Conditional Time Salvation teachers? Brother Cox believed in and taught good works, but that we work out because God worketh in, not merely in regeneration, but continues to work in His children, and that good works are sure to flow out from the inworkings of God's Holy Spirit. Hence, time salvation can only depend on our works in so far as our works are evidences of the inward workings of God's Spirit. The dependence is in the Spirit of God. To take any other view of Elder Cox's belief would witness.

Elder J. M. Watson, author of the "Old Baptist Test," held the same views that Brother Cox held. On page 50 of his book, he says: "Let him (the new creature) be led by the Spirit of God, and he will follow in the way of obedience. When God worketh in the soul both to will and to do, the fruit will be holiness of life, most assuredly." This is what I have contended for, but others say it may or may not be. On page 156, he says: "The good ground must be both given and cultivated by the Great Husbandman in order that its fruit may ripen to perfection." In the last quotation he, in substance, said that when this is done the fruit will ripen without fail. Does the conditional time salvation idea that is now being preached teach this? No, sir; for it says that God gave the good ground, and has cultivated some of it at least, and still there is no fruit. On page 181, Watson says, "Practical godliness can acknowledge no other source than God; it is God that worketh; and through man the work is made manifest." This is precisely what I am still contending for. Our works only manifest the workings of God's Spirit in us. We know that if the ground is good, and has proper cultivation it will bear fruit without fail, and we know further that good ground cannot cultivate nor water' itself, but is wholly dependent upon a superior power. Some say we are active in obedience. So say I; but only when made so by the workings of God's Spirit in us. The good ground is active in fruit bearing, but only when made so by cultivation, and we poor mortals have knowledge enough to know that with proper soil, proper seed, proper cultivation, proper nutrients, proper moisture, and sunshine, we will have a full crop, and without them we will not. This all know to be true, unless it is the blind and ignorant. God is the Great Husbandman and knows everything necessary to cause fruitbearing in His children, and He "freely gives us all things," knowing, without possibility of failure, what the results will be beforehand. Hence, dependence is entirely in Him; and God is the only source of practical godliness. On page 178, Brother Watson says, "When repentance is given, we bring forth fruit meet for repentance; when faith is given, we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and when we are kept by the power of God, we persevere; and those who are created in Christ Jesus unto good works will perform them." Brother Watson make him contradict himself and destroy his doesn't allow any "ifs" here, but speaks in a positive sense; when God gives repentance we do repent, not may or can. This has been my position, but the conditional idea says we may, or may not; that God has striven with many of His children trying to bring them to repentance, but they have stubbornly refused His overtures and gone on in rebellion. For proof of this, read Elders Kirkland's and Cayce's papers. Elder Watson believed God's children should obey God, but that they were dependent upon God for obedience; that it was God working in them, that God exercised His children (to holiness) instead of His children exercising Him, as Conditionalists teach. I am aware that Elder Watson was combating the General Atonement Arminian idea, but he has also refuted this new idea, that after regeneration, we are left to act at our own will, for he says that God worketh in us to will, and when He has done this, we will act. Now if you find that Brother Watson has contradicted this somewhere else in his book, then his evidence is made void. I don't believe that he has, for I have read his book; but when he points out the errors among God's children and exhorts and admonishes them to turn from them, he does it, fully believing what I have quoted from him in the light I have indicated. This is the only bases upon which Scriptural exhortation or admonition can be given with any assurance of success. That is, God is the only "source of practical godliness." I know that depraved nature is ready to dispute this, but that doesn't change the truth. Elder Sylvester Hassell, junior author of Hassell's History, says on page 942, " I believe and I think that every Bible Baptist believes, that God is the Almighty, Allwise and All-holy Sovereign of the Universe. That He had a purpose worthy of Himself, however inscrutable to us, in regard to the entrance of sin into the world, as well as in regard to all things else. That by His supreme power and decree He restricts all the rage and malice of wicked men and devils to do no more nor less than what He will overrule for the good of His people and for His own glory. That men act voluntarily when they commit sin. I further believe that, while the sinner has destroyed himself, ALL his salvation from first to last, is of the pure, unmerited, almighty and unchanging grace of God." Here Elder Hassell expresses my belief, and he says he thinks that all Bible Baptists believe the same?

That God had a purpose in the entrance of sin and all other things, and that He restricts men and devils, that they do no more or less that He will overrule (hence, or than He purposed), for the good of His people, and that their salvation, from first to last, is of grace. What does conditional time salvation say? It says that God has no purpose in sin in any sense, but would have prevented it; that many things occur contrary to His expectation, and never result in any good to God's children, or His glory, and could have been avoided by their obedience; and that salvation in time is alone by works, which we can perform at will. Is not the difference too plain to be denied? Therefore, Conditional Time Salvation is not Primitive Baptists doctrine. Conclusion

TO THE CHILDREN OF GOD

0, children of God, review the position you have assumed, and consider its results. The doctrine of conditionalism that you who have embraced limits the purpose of God, for it says that God had no purpose in our sorrows, in our hungerings and thirstings after righteousness, in our mourning; for they can all be dispensed with by our obedience, which we have power to render at our option. It limits God's wisdom, for He arranged a plan by which He thought to make all His children happy during this life, but the plan was insufficient, for many have never heard of the plan, and many that have, have refused to accept the terms; it limits God's foreknowledge, for it is, according to them, left- entirely with the children whether they will reach the blessings or not, that God intended them for all or none, as they might choose and act. It limits God in His power, for if He has often put forth an effort through the ministry to bring His children to obedience, but they have stubbornly refused to obey, then God has failed, yea, it destroys His immutability (unchangeableness) for it teaches that God loves His children today, but cares nothing for them tomorrow. In a word, it dethrones God and deifies the creature, representing that all things connected with God's children in this life depends on their works and that none of it depends on God's grace; that God "wants" to bless them continually, but He cannot, or will not, unless they obey Him. Then why, 0 why, are you so ready to follow such a teaching as this? This surely is not the God "who delivered us from so great a death, and doth (in time) deliver, in whom we trust He will yet deliver." This isn't the God that "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." This isn't the God that has "all power in Heaven and in earth." This is not the God that "declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure." This is not the God that "worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure," or good pleasure of His will. In a word, this is not the God of the Bible, but it is a false god that has been set up in the camps of spiritual Israel, by men of your ownselves who have spoken perverse things and have drawn you away after them and by feigned words are making merchandise of you.

0 Lord grant to bring Thy children back to the truth, Amen.

THE END