Some dispensationalists may have been faulty in answering the charges of the non-dispensational school about our having a multiple basis of salvation. The atoning death of Christ is the basis of every blessing for the sinner, and also that which has glori fied God. God did not raise the issue with the poor bankrupt sin ner, but passed by the sins of those who had faith for He waited until the death of Christ, which would fully glorify Him in the matter of sins, would vindicate Him self in such passing over the sins that had taken place before. There is one verse in Romans 3 which solves the riddle of God’s forbearance with men of faith who lived before the death of Christ: “Whom God hath set forth to be a pro pitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His right eousness for the remission of sins that are past.” v. God looked at a man’s faith, and did not raise the question of soul salvation at the time. Now lest any misunderstand our point, we say, every one who is saved owes all to the death of Christ but be fore it was accomplished such a proclamation could not have been made. All through the Old Testament times, God looked for faith that acknowl edged Him. “ By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice.” He may only have seen vaguely and indis tinctly but he had faith in God, and by his offering acknowledged that he could only be accepted by God on the basis of an acceptable sacrifice. If there is one principle on which all men are saved, it is faith. Could that message have gone out earlier? No! And was any Jew (under the law) ever saved by the law? Never. God could then say, “Come for all things are now ready” (Luke 14:7). Obvious ly the gospel of God concerning His Son was reserved until after His death and resurrection. Let him first state his premise, and prove it by Scripture, that men are saved by law now, or that those before the death and resurrection of Christ were saved by the proclamation of salvation through His finished work on Calvary. Bass asserts that, “ the presupposition of the differ ence between law and grace, between Israel and the church, between the different relations of God to men in the different dispensations, when carried to its logical conclusion will inevitably result in a multiple form of salvation - that men are not saved the same in all ages.” p. But where sin abounded, grace over-abounded, not merely where there was the offence, for then grace would have been limited to Israelitish law breakers. God did not give the law that sin might abound - far be the thought - but that it would take on its awful character by one’s breaking the law. There was sin before the law was given, but the giving of the law made it worse, for it then became a transgression.
“ The law entered, that the offence might abound” (Rom.
0 kommentar(er)
