Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 196, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1917 — Salvation By Wholesale [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Salvation By Wholesale

By REV. J. H. RALSTON,

D.D.

Secretary of Cnrrsegnnrftnce Department, Moody Bible Institute, Chicago

TEXT—Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.—lsa. 45:22. When goods are sold article by artide, we call it retail business, and

when they are sold only in large quantities weeall it wholesale business. Has this last conception any application to the matter of salvation? Are men saved by communities, by nations, en masse? This would seem to be the thought of many, for it is not unusual to hear such an expres- - slon as the con-

version of the world. Sometimes men argue that nations as such have moral responsibilities and all the individuals in the nations are involved nilly-willy in whatever the nation does. In some periods of the history of the Christian church, whole tribes and nations have been baptized and all the inhabitants reckoned as proper members of the church. The Mohammedans as a rule make proselytes of people of large geographical districts, and, bringing the matter down to the latest moment, it is very common to hear of the salvation and the regeneration and redemption of society. All this would indicate that in the minds of many salvation is by the wholesale. At the present time, when men are being sent into eternity in large numbers, practically every day on the great battlefields, the question arises as to whether each of these Is saved because he is personally related to Jesus Christ by faith in him, or whether he is saved because he is found side by side with others who are together fighting for some great - principle of national or world policy. Those who accept this latter view, at least some of them, are driven to the establishment of some kind of doctrine of faith, because faith seems to be demanded; |hat is, belief on the Lord Jesus Christ as the only ground of salvation. '

A distinguished writer in a very prominent English periodical recently spoke of some men dying at the battle front who had “a latent faith,” a faith that only came out in extremis, just when it was needed before the soul took its departure. The same writer speaks again of “imperfect faith,” faith that did not take hold of Christ personally at all, but on the things for which Christ stood —honor, righteousness and truth. Peculiar Exegesis. The same writer again speaks of a “freshly born faith.” To find this faith, there is certainly some very peculiar exegesis, which results in showing that the generous and chivalrous acts of men and women In times of great physical danger are proper grounds for salvation. Just how such faith takes on Christ is a mystery, and to this category we might add a “faith to be,” or faith that may be exercised beyond this life. The fact is that all these claims of wholesale salvation, logically and perforce, eventuate in universal salvation, The reach of such community salvation Is such that It would eventually take in the vilest, the most Ignoble, the slackers and cowards among men, and even Satan himself.

When dealing with such a subject as one’s personal salvation, the soul, awakened to the realities of life and the life to Come, is not satisfied with such speculations and guesses. Man wants something authoritative. He Is concerned about salvation because he has read in a certain book that God Is a great moral governor and will some day call him into account. Thus far he has indorsed the Word of God. This being done, he then logically and properly asks: “Does the book say anything about the condition of salvation?” Most certainly, and this has just as much guarantee and authority aS those things which cause the man to be uneasy. An Individual Matter. Looking into the trouble of sinful man, it is seen that it is individual. _ “The soul that slnneth, it shall die;” “There is none that doeth good, no not one.” We find also that the promise of the blessings in connection with sal- , ration are to the individual. “Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out“ Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man will open the door, I will come in and sup with him and he with me;’’ “Ho, every one that thlrsteth, come ye to* the waters;” “Son, give me thine heart“lf thou shalt confess., with thy mouth the Lord Jesus ami shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” This fhct of the individualism in salvation gives this salvation a peculiar attraction. Think of the individual having personal relationship with the, creator of the universe, the infinite God! Yet that is precisely what 'the Word of God presents. The logical conclusion of the whole matter is that each man must see to it that he personally believes and repents and thus maked sure of salvation.