Such is the title of a tract in defense of the late R. Govett’s endeavor to prove that many who receive life eternal fail to reign with Christ and suffer in Hades all the thousand years of the kingdom, because they were not immersed and rose not up to the requisite mark of good works. “It is of great importance,” says the author in his opening sentence, “to distinguish between (1) eternal life as the gift and (2) the prize as a reward according to works.”
What saith the scripture? Does not the Lord identify what this theory distinguishes? Take Luke 18:29-30: “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left home, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time and in the age to come life everlasting.” Do not both coalesce here? Only the Gospel of John among the Four treats of eternal life as a present gift of grace, the special known and enjoyed privilege of him who receives and follows the rejected Christ. So in Matthew 18, to “enter into life” is when saints inherit the kingdom, which surely overthrows the alleged distinction.
The alternative again is not a punitive or purgatorial Hades for so many years, but “to be cast into everlasting fire.” Scripture nowhere anticipates for believers such a lot as Mr. G. imagined. The sheep on the King’s right hand, or saved of all the nations at the end of the age (Matt. 25:31-46), were very defective in knowledge, but practically honored the King in His messengers. Those who will not are consigned to everlasting punishment, not to temporary suffering. So in Mark 9:42-50, it is either entering into the kingdom at whatever cost or to be cast into hell-fire. There is no middle position between the kingdom and irretrievable ruin. Scripture nowhere speaks of crownless kings. The foolish virgins without oil in their vessels were but empty professors, who cry too late, Lord, Lord, open to us, whom He answers in the solemn words, “Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” Without doubt, the Lord knows those that are His (2 Tim. 2:19). These virgins were not His, save externally and therefore for responsibility and judgment, not for life.
It is in John’s Gospel we hear Christ opening the Christian privilege of present known life eternal, far beyond the hope of the kingdom which was revealed in the O.T. and enjoyed by all saints. What lack of spiritual intelligence to treat the kingdom as the grand prize and life in the Son as the common portion, even of the unfaithful to be in Hades while the rest reign with Christ for the thousand years! Not so does the Lord anywhere speak. In John 5:19-28, He lays down that one of two things awaits men now that He the Eternal is the Rejected here: (1) life everlasting as a present possession, of which no O.T. saint ever thought or (2) judgment executed by Him as Son of Man. To hear the voice of the Son of God made the dead even now to live of His life; to despise and reject Him as but man was to be left in death for dread and sure judgment. For there are two resurrections of wholly distinct character: one of life for those who have life already for their souls in Him, and do good according to that new nature, as none else do; another and later at the close of the kingdom when they that have done evil according to their sinful nature come forth for inevitable and endless judgment. But not the least hint is here, or in Revelation 20 where the prophetic vision of both is given, of a class who had life eternal raised to be judged according to their works, and yet to enjoy a blissful eternity in God’s presence, after being in Hades for a thousand years as the penalty of non-immersion and a careless walk. The dead raised in the resurrection of judgment are cast into the lake of fire.
Indeed an O.T. saint knew better than this strange dream. It is due to the blind unbelief of Christendom which talks of universal judgment for sinner and saint, though Mr. G. cleared himself in part from that error. But the psalmist knew better, saying (Psa. 143:2), “Enter not into judgment with Thy servant; for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.” Were God to enter into judgment even of His servant, there could be no justification for him; for judgment must deal inflexibly with sins. And what servant of His has not sinned since his confession of the Savior? No, salvation is by grace through faith, but impossible on the ground of judgment according to works, which is reserved for those who refused the Lord and rejected His “so great salvation.” Of the wicked only Revelation 20:11-15 speaks. “The dead were judged out of the things written in the books according to their works.” With this condemnation of each and all the book of life agrees. For therein was the record of the objects of saving grace. “If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.” Not a word is here found of one written in that book. The books condemned them; the book of life had no such names written for grace.
Where then is there room for the distinction here thought of great importance? Where the intimation that any possessed of eternal life miss the prize of our high calling? Romans 11:6 does not contradict Romans 2. God will render to each according to his works: to those who, in patient continuance of good works, seek for glory and honor and incorruption, life eternal [that is, in God’s kingdom as well as for all eternity too in God’s grace; so little is the distinction found in Scripture]; but to those that are contentious and are disobedient to the truth, wrath and indignation [shall be], etc. But why set this against “grace”? For grace alone gave a new nature through faith of Christ, and works meanwhile in obedience and good fruit, so as to inherit life eternal for the body in the day of glory. Error dislocates the truth, puts one scripture into collision with another, and thus unwittingly makes a chaos.
No Christian doubts that 1 Corinthians 9:25 tells us of an incorruptible crown as the prize. But the “disapproved” one at Christ’s judgment-seat here spoken of is a worthless professor, and not a child of God. The apostle feared for some of the Corinthians in the church. Some were fleshly and party-spirited, making contentious badges not merely of Paul, Apollos and Cephas, but of Christ. They were morally loose, and so worldly-minded as to sue their brethren at law-courts. They sought ease and honor among men, and made light of heathen temples and sacrifices. Levity and shame had clouded even the Lord’s table in their midst, and gross vanity their misuse of spiritual gifts. Nay some questioned (not the soul’s immortality, but) the resurrection of the dead. Who can wonder that the apostle was deeply concerned? Yet in his delicate consideration, he applies the danger to his own case (compare 1 Cor. 4:6); as if he said, Supposing I were to walk without conscience and self-judgment before God, what must be the end of it? “I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air [as many there were doing]. But I buffet my body and lead it captive [his was no easy-going walk]; lest having preached to others I should be myself rejected.”
The preaching might be zealous, powerful and blessed, but if the preacher indulged his lusts instead of mortifying them, God is not mocked, and he himself must be “reprobate.” The word which is softened down to “disapproved” is never used in the N.T. in any sense but the worst. If said of “land” (Heb. 6), it means “worthless,” bearing thorns and briars, but no acceptable fruit. So it is employed in 2 Cor. 13:5-7, never for what is good though failing. Lack of perception that the apostle had no real fear as to himself, but was transferring the case to himself to make it all the stronger if he were to walk so wickedly, misled not a few to imagine that he meant works rejected but the preacher saved. It is precisely the contrary here. The preaching might be all right, but the preacher’s life was offensive to God, and himself therefore rejected or as the A.V. says, “a castaway,” which is quite sound, though it is a pity to multiply needlessly the rendering of the Greek word.
As to 2 Corinthians 5:10, the true force is that “we must all be manifested before the judgment-seat of Christ.” It is not the same as the “we all” in 2 Corinthians 3:18. A different form distinguishes them. In the latter, “we all” means all and only Christians; in the former, it is so framed as to take in not only all saints but all sinners too. Hence, it does not say “judged,” but “manifested.” For the believer does not come into judgment, as the Lord ruled in John 5:24. We shall be fully manifested and give account and receive accordingly. But how will it be with the ungodly? Their manifestation must be “judgment,” for they believed not on Christ, and went on in unremoved sins till death. The believer did repent and believe the gospel, and was justified by faith. Nor will God reverse but stand to it, for “it is God that justifieth,” whereas His wrath abides on him who disowns the Son of God. And is not this truly righteous, however awful? The manifestation is therefore at different times, of distinct character, and with opposite results for those manifested. But it remains that we, the whole of us, shall be manifested, that each may receive the things in (or, through) the body according to those he did whether good or evil. Nothing more sweeping or precise; not a word to countenance failing believers shut out of the Kingdom, and judged with the wicked at the end according to their works.
It is ever wholesome and cheering to hear our Lord say, “I am coming quickly: hold fast what thou hast, that no one take thy crown” (Rev. 3:11). But this is far from implying that there will be crownless kings in Hades, and though we shall share the authority He will give us over the nations with Him who shall shepherd them with iron scepter, we shall be associated with Him who is the Morning Star which is far higher and better. This is before He dawns on the world as Sun of righteousness in both judgment and healing (Rev. 2:26-28; Mal. 4:2).
Christendom seeks to reign now, a heartless reign hollow and faithless. This, with error of all sorts, is what has been “garnered” during the centuries of insubjection to the Word and Spirit of God. The only true place of the bride is to suffer here and now where He suffered to the utmost, awaiting the day when we shall be glorified on high and reign together with Him. Some of the Corinthians in their light-heartedness forgot the truth and, as the apostle said, “reigned without us.” But with his large heart, he added, “I would that ye did reign [for as yet it was a delusion and a wrong to Christ] that we also might reign with you.” He was far from menacing them with being punished in Hades, though he did not hide the apostolic path of present reproach and shame for Christ’s sake in which so few are ambitious to be their successors. They prefer to be enthroned as bishops and archbishops, patriarchs or popes, from which earthly glory the apostles were wholly apart. Nor are the so-called Free Churches a whit less covetous of money, ease and honor, as far as they can compass it. But in Luke 17, the Lord points out two aspects of the kingdom: one present in the midst of men, which does not come with observation but is known in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, whilst we await a quite different one. “For as the lightning which lighteneth from heaven to under heaven, thus shall the Son of Man be in his day.” “Every eye shall see Him,” and “where the body is, there shall the eagles be gathered together.” God’s judgments shall not fail to light upon the objects of His displeasure.
Yet the apostle did not put off the power of the kingdom till that day. He sought and exercised it not in word but in power by the Spirit, even now and here. (To be continued.)