1.-A Royal Command
WHEN Paul preached his wonderful sermon on Mars’ hill; beholding, as he did, with sad heart, the ancient city of Athens “wholly given to idolatry,” there were two solemn subjects of the deepest importance which he pressed upon his hearers.
“Jesus and the resurrection” were the two precious themes on which the Apostle dwelt in his striking and powerful discourse; and nothing could have been more suited to the Jews, philosophers, idolators, and pleasure-seekers who crowded round him on that eventful day. God, as Creator, had not only made the world, but given life and breath to all men for one specific end and object; which was, “that they should seek the Lord,” and not bow down to worship idols of gold, silver or stone, “graven by art and man’s device.”
In his journey through the city the Apostle had “found an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown God,’” and he proceeded to tell these idolators that the One whom they ignorantly worshipped he would declare unto them. Now there can be no true knowledge of God apart from Christ, who came to reveal Him as Light and Love in the midst of a poor dark world that was, and still is, in open rebellion against Him. Hence Paul preached unto them “Jesus,” whose blessed voice had stopped him in his mad career on the way to Damascus; and at the close of his discourse he announced God’s Royal Command in these heart-searching words:— “The times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath appointed; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
Six hundred years before, Nebuchadnezzar, the proud, idolatrous, Gentile king, had issued a Royal Command to all people, nations, and languages, that, at the sound of various kinds of music, they should fall down and worship the golden image he had set up on the plains of Dura; when, as we know, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego preferred being cast into a seven-times-heated fiery furnace rather than worship an idol instead of the one and only true God whom these three Hebrews loved and served; yea, the very God who now commands all men everywhere to repent.
Dear reader, have you yet obeyed this Royal Command, from which not one of Adam’s race is exempt? The day of judgment is fast approaching; and at the bar of God there is no way of escape for any who have lived and died in their sins. Christ, the sinner’s Saviour, made a full atonement for sins by the shedding of His precious blood, and has been raised from the dead by God Himself. As all who die must rise again, so Paul preached “Jesus and the resurrection” to those idolaters. Some mocked, some procrastinated, some believed. To which of these three classes. do you belong? Repent you must, or perish in your sins! Now, to the believer Christ’s resurrection secures pardon, peace, life, righteousness and everlasting glory; but to the unbeliever it involves the absolute certainty of everlasting sorrow, in the depths of an endless hell. Repent then now, my friend, and believe the gospel, lest tomorrow be too late.
II.-A Royal Proclamation
Before that day of judgment comes, however, “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only [wise] God,” has issued His Royal Proclamation; and sent it forth broadcast throughout the length and breadth of His world-wide dominions. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” This glorious message comes to us by the Holy Ghost, through Paul’s pen; and it is no idle tale, but a “faithful saying” concerning God’s faithful Son and Servant, whom He sent into the world for the express purpose of saving sinners, and “for the putting away of sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Thus is it worthy of “all acceptation,” for the simple and obvious reason that it is good news sent to everybody by the God who cannot lie.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Proclamation was unjust, tyrannical, and wicked; for thereby he falsely claimed for himself that worship which is due to God alone. But God’s Proclamation comes not from Babylon’s palace, but from heaven’s courts, and is a message of mercy and free salvation to all, whether young or old, rich or poor. Have you heeded this Royal Proclamation, and do you believe it? For does it not intimately concern you? even your present as well as your future blessing? To you, personally, is this Royal Proclamation sent, for you are one out of the “all who have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Yes, Christ Jesus, the anointed Saviour, “came into the world to save sinners.” Hence it is preciously true that, just because you are a sinner, lost and guilty in yourself, He came to save you.
The question then arises, Do you really believe He came to save you? His death and blood shedding have settled every question between you and God, and laid the righteous foundation whereby God can be just, and yet the Justifier of the one who believes in Jesus. Unsought and unasked, the Great Deliverer came and “suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.” Will you then, dear reader, accept now the precious Saviour God has sent to save you?
III.-A Royal Prerogative
If God’s Royal Command rang out on Mars’ hill, through the Apostle’s lips, so likewise does that same faithful servant announce at Antioch God’s Royal Prerogative; and so delighted were Gentiles to hear it, that they “besought” that those very “words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.” How sweetly true it is that it is God’s prerogative to show mercy to all alike, whether Jew or Gentile, for He delighteth in mercy and “judgment is His strange work”!
Would you like to know, dear reader, the special way in which He shows this mercy? If so, you can read the words for yourself in Acts 13:38, 3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39). “Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that, through this man, is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
How few, alas! believe the fact today that “by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified,” and that, “if righteousness come by the law, Christ has died in vain.”
All the law can do is to curse and to condemn those that do not keep it; but “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Justification is more than pardon, though they go together, as God’s divine prerogative. “If God he for us, who can be against us?” “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea, rather that is risen again; who is even at the right hand of God; who also maketh intercession for us.” May you then, dear reader, be found among those who obey His Command, believe His Proclamation; and accept His Prerogative; and you will pass even now “from death unto life,” and will spend the one bright, eternal day with Him who “came to seek and to save that which was lost!”
S. T.