students of the Word, and assisting parents and teachers in teaching the Scriptures" are still as vital and necessary as they were seventy-nine years ago.
It is republished in the same hope as was originally expressed by the author; "May God's blessing go with our little book in it’s continuance of the good work it has done in the past, to the honor of His Name and to the salvation of many sons of Adam's fallen race."
The Christadelphian Advocate Publishing Committee
Reprinted December 1995
Part One: What it is and how to obtain it.
Part 1.
The Great Salvation
What It Is and How to Obtain It
Reader, we earnestly appeal to you. We have an important subject to talk to you about–not about making money, either for you or for me, but about a matter of much greater importance, that which every man needs–about what people call religion. You perhaps will answer, "Away with it; look at the confusion there is in the religions of the world. What is the use for me to trouble myself when wise men cannot agree?" That is just the reason I want to talk with you just now–to show you that the wisdom of the wise is foolishness with God; and that the religion of the Bible is not found in the "wisdom" of theological schools, but is revealed, so that plain, homespun people may understand it and be saved by it–in fact I want to show you–don’t get angry–that for to learn the religion of the Bible is to discard the popular religion of Christendom. Now, "come and let us reason together".
Perhaps you will have done like many others–concluded that it does not make any difference what our religious belief is if we are honest and sincere; but it is the hopelessness of reconciling the many religious creeds with themselves, and nearly all of them with the Bible that has driven many to say, "Well, it makes no difference." But your common sense will tell you that it does make a difference whether you believe the truth or believe a falsehood, whether you believe God or not’ and the religious world, by it’s actions, shows that it makes a difference what is believed, for they send missionaries to change the belief of the heathen, and also to the Jews to change their belief, so that they may believe that Jesus is the Christ.
If it makes a difference what we believe, then we can see why the Bible has been given–to guide us into the Truth; and the Bible itself says that our salvation depends upon our belief of the gospel as revealed in it’s pages.
PROPOSITION 1. It Does Make a Difference What We Believe
I Thes. 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation TO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVETH …
Mark 16:16 He that believeth (the gospel) and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Now, reader, do not run away with the delusion that one man can believe one gospel and another can believe another gospel; for
2. There is only one Gospel that will save
PROPOSITION 2.
There Is Only One Gospel That Will Save
That is, the gospel our Saviour commanded to be preached; the gospel–not a gospel; not any gospel you please, but the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. And think of this:
Gal 1:6 "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel; which is not another; but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you THAN THAT WE HAVE PREACHED UNTO YOU, LET HIM BE ACCURSED."
3. We must believe in the true God
PROPOSITION 3.
We Must Believe in the True God
"Now he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:6); and it is life eternal to know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent (John 17:3); and therefore it will not do to believe in any other God or in any other Christ, for that would be idolatry.
A TRIUNE GOD
Is what the religious world believes in, which is the same as to believe in a trinity of Gods, which, further is the same as to believe in three Gods; for they say that each is co-equal and co-eternal, and how can there be three co-equals and co-eternals unless there are three Gods? Reason, reader, you have a right to. God has invited you to reason, and it is only a false way out of a difficulty to say "it is irreverent to pry into these matters."
4. God is not a Trinity of persons, but One God
PROPOSITION 4.
God Is Not a Trinity of Persons, But One God
Proof:
Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29–Hear O Israel, the LORD our God is one LORD.
I Cor. 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things.
Eph. 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God …
Do you think that if Christ was co-equal and co-eternal with God, and therefore "God very God" He would have addressed the Father as the "only true God?" That would have been one "co-equal" telling another co-equal that He was the only true God. Where then would lie the co-equality?
5. Jesus Christ–Son of God by begettal, Son of man by birth
PROPOSITION 5.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ Is Not A Third Part Of A Triune God, But The Son Of God By Begettal Of The Holy Spirit, and Son of Man By Birth
Son of God
Luke 1:35 The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power o/the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called THE SON of GOD.
Matt. 3:17 This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased
John 3:35 The Father loveth the Son,, and hath given all things into his hand.
SON OF MAN
Acts 2:22 Jesus of Nazareth, a