CHRISTIAN HERALD.
,
SALVATION OF THE SOUL
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ing should be broken. No such
reasons, we feel sure, can be given.
In view of the “ remarkable state­
Extract from a discourse preach­
On the contrary, there is strong'
ed at Yakima City, Feb. 24, 1884, ment ” which was made in our issue
corroborative- evidence that the
of
a
fortnight
since,
it
would
seem
founded on Mark 8 : 28-38. Sub­
Pentecostians did not have their
.hat
we
must
now
add
to
our
trilo
­
ject, “ The Salvation of the Soul.
sins pardoned when Peter told them
gy, completed last week, another
to “repent and be baptized.” It is
We inquire 1st. What is the
subject which may not be inap­
sOtil f By sotii we mean (for pre­
altogether improbable that he would
propriately styled, “Neglected Scrip­
have told them to repent because
sent purpose) all the mental entity ture.” While it dpp'eiafs, from let­
of man, while we admit the exis-
their sins were pardoned. Nor is
ters received, that a few preachers
¡■ianfifi jaLspirit as inLThes., n i. 23.
it possible to suppose that their
- -are stiitto "beformrk who-doocca--
[The soul, philosophically consider-
earnest inquiry is the language’oT
sionally quote the passage referred the» various items. The inquirers
[ed, is that which thinks, analyzes,
sins forgiven. They had been charge ’
to; and two or three have actually were told to “ repent, and be bap­
¡compares, reasons, chooses, decides
ed, only a few moments before, with
been known to preach on the text, tized.” They were deeply moved
•and acts. It is the motive power
crucifying the innocent Jesus.
it is nevertheless true that most by Peter’s sermon-r-so much so,
(that manipulates our bodies, tells
Surely they were not such charac­
preachers of the present time give that they were pricked to the heart
us when to move and when to
ters as could expect remission of
- -A e ta 2 ! 38 a wid e, berth whenever and cried out. Surely here was
cease movement, has its own tastes,
" sins withddf ttlnC0T6
they enter the pulpit. Now why real conviction. Consequently the
preferences and inclinations. In its
. But baptism is placed between the
is this ? Has the passage ceased to Apostle does not tell them they
nature it is substance, either visible
repentance and the remission of
possess any binding force as an au­ must believe—they, doubtless, al­
or invisible, tangible or intangible,
sins which was promised, and con­
thoritative declaration of the Holy ready had sufficient faith to obey
material or immaterial, constitu­ Spirit ? Is it no longer to be con­ Peter’s command ; and so he just sequently, it cannot be said that
tionally mortal or immortal, finite sulted when seeking to know the told them what to do, and then ex­ they were to be baptized because
or infinite, having’ form or no form, Divine way of dealing with earnest horted them to do it. And the of remission of sins any more than
size or no size. Having a centre or inquirers ? We ask these questions promise was that, following their it can be said that they were to re- -
no centre, a circumference or no because we have a notion that the obedience, they were to receive re­ pent because their sins were, remit­
circumference, a surface and an in­ passage has special importance in mission of sins and the gift of the ted. Hence we conclude that every
terior or neither. It has nerves of determining the way of salvation. Holy Spirit. Now, can there be rule of fair exegesis compels us to
sensation or no power of feeling. Not that it settles everything. Not any reasonable doubt that this is recognise the fact that Peter told
It has eyes or no mode of seeing, that it even settles anything with the order in which the items stand these Pentecostians to repent and
ears or no mode of hearing. A out the concurrent evidence of other related ?- Of course much depends be baptized upon the name of Jesus
soul that can neither think, see, Scripture.,, But if the most obvious upon the force of the preposition Christ in order to the remission of
hear or feel, that has no form, interpretation of this text not only eis, which in the Authorised Ver­ sins.
shape nor size, is an unknowable does not contradict other parts of sion is translated “ for.” And we
But it may be asked, how can
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and unthinkable nothing. If it the Word of God, but is really sup­ think it will help us to determine this interpretation be made to har­
Can neither think, hear, see or feel, ported by the whole tenor of Divine the exact meaning of eis here, if we monize with many passages which
then it can neither suffer nor enjoy teaching, then we should certainly consider the whole phrase, eis ap- do not mention repentance and bap­
in this world nor any other. That be slow to neglect it in our preach­ hesian kamartioon, “ for the remis­ tism as in any way connected with
the soul of man will at any future ing, and especially when instructing sion of sins.” The phrase occurs in remission of sins ? Let us just here
time undergo a cons ti tu tional earnest inquirers^-
Ttseomstous
------- — _ only three otherplace*,, viz., Matt state a canofi.. of critickm which.iB. ......
change in its elementary principles its importance is emphasized in the 26:28; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3. most important in this discussion.
and powers is entirely beyond the light of the facts in which it stands. Hence four occurences exhaust the When the Scriptures promise a
domain of philosophy and nowhere It,is the first deliverance of the New Testament use of cis apAesin blessing, that blessing may depend
asserted in Scripture. That the Holy Spirit’s teaching after the ful­ Aamartfoon, rendered in the Au­ upon more, but can never depend
soul is a force, a power, is conceded fillment of the promise which our thorised Version uniformly “ for the upon Jess than the conditions ex­
by all believers in its existence. Lord made to his disciples were remission of sins,” and in the Re­ pressed in any given case. For in­
Without substance no force or commanded to “ tarry at Jerusalem vised Version “ uuto remission of stance, when salvation is promised
power can exist. But force and until they were endued with power sins?’ Now if we can certainly de­ to anyone who calls upon the name
power do exist. Therefore sub­ from on high.” At Pentecost they termine the force of eis in the of the Lord (Rom. x. 13), it is evi­
stance exists. Substance is of two received that power, and Peter, the phrase, as found in Matthew, Mark, dent that nothing short of this call­
kinds, material and immaterial. very person who had been specially and Luke, we think there is no ing will meet the case, but no one
Soul substance is immaterial sub- chosen to open the new Kingdom, doubt that it should have the same would seriously contend that call-
stance—Material substance cannot is the speaker. He preaches a most force in Act s 2:28. In M a tt . 2 6 : 28, ing upon the name of the Lord
pass through material substance remarkable sermon,concluding with it cannot have a retrospective signi­ entirely exhausts all that is requir­
without resistance, while immater­ a splendid climax : “ Therefore let fication, since it is impossible to ed in order to salvation. Precisely
ial substance can. v A spirit hath all the house of Israel know assur­ suppose that Jesus shed his blood so is it as regards faith. Whenever
no flesh and bones as ye see me edly that God hath made that same because the sins of the world were the Scriptures state this as the con­
have.” Therefore it has not ma­ Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both pardoned. And it is just as evident dition of salvation, and mention
terial substance, for flesh and bones Lord and Christ.” Never was there that John did not preach the bap­ nothing else, it should be remem­
are material substance.
a finer summary of the gospel facte tism of repentance because the sins bered that salvation cannot be pre­
I saac A. F lint .
;han this. Jesus, the historical of the people were pardoned, but dicted without this faith, but it
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name, is here; Christ crucified is in order to remission, Mark 1:4; does not follow that no other condi­
We must carry up our affections lere; Christ, the anointed one, is Luke 3:3. Now as the force of tions are understood, because they
to the mansion prepared above, here; and the Lord, the one having eis is unmistakably prospective in are not specifically stated in the
where eternity is the measure, fel­ all authority in heaven and earth, all the other occurrences of the ^articular case referred to. Surely
icity is the state, angels are the is here. What more was needed phrase,, it must have the same force the command to believe does not
company, the Lamb is the light, and so far as faith was concerned ? The in the passage under consideration, exclude repentance, calling on the
God is the portion of his people for­ people had clearly set before them unless there are good and vbhd rea­ name of the Lord, confession of
why the uniformity of mean- Christ, &c. And if it doos not ex-
he Lord Jesus Christ, embracing sons
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ever more.
4
tr-fAi.
NEGLECTED SCRIPTURE.
everything that Was necessary to be
addressed to their faith. No won­
der they cried out, “ Men and breth­
ren, what shall we do ?” Peter’s
answer was, " Repent and be bap­
tized, every one of you, in the name
of Jesus Christ, for the remission of
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2 : 38.
Now, it may be’ well to notice the
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