(b) On tlie human side. — Yet it would be a mistake to conclude that the Bible knows no human conditions of salvation. The same St. J'aul who lays such stress on the Divine activity in salvation urges his readers to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling (I'h 2'=). As on the Divine side salvation is a new life createii in man, so on the human side it is a life which manifests itself in certain distinctive acti- vitiiv These may be summed up under the three beads of — (a) repentance, (/3) faith, (7) obedi- ence.
(a) The first and indispensable condition of sal- vation is repentance (which see), by which is meant not merely sorrow for sin, but actual for- saking of sin and tumin'; to righteousness. This is as necessaiy for deliverance from Assyrian oppression as for entrance upon the new life of (jlirist's Kingdom. God may indeed save men from their sins, but He cannot save them in their sins.
We have already noted the deepening estimate o\ tliis grace, and seen how from a mere condition of salvation, which a man can achieve for himself without God's help, it conies to be an element in salvation itself — the first step in the jirocess whose end is perfect holiness.
(/3) Faith. — The obverse of repentance is faith (which sec). Man turns from sin to God, and the means by which he lays hold of the Divine deliver- ance is faith. Saving faith in the Biblical sense is always more than belief (Ja 2'"). It involves an act of tlie will, and issues in obedience. Yet on this common ground we note a ditlerence of con- ception. In much of the Bible faith means trust in God's word, together with the activities which follow it. Its object is God's promise rather than His person. Abraham had faith in God — that is, he trusted His promise — and 'he went out, not knowing whither he went' (He 11*). Because of this trust, he shall one day receive his reward ; but this reward lies still in the future (He 11"- "). This is the sense in which faith is used in Hebrews. To St. Paul, on the other hand, faith has a deeper meaning. It is the means of obtaining a present blessing, not a future one. Its object is a person, not a promise. By faith a man lays hold ui>on Christ as his Sa\'iour, becomes one with Him, liartakes of His lieavenly life, shares His right- eousness, and rises witli Him into His eternal Kingdom. It is thus a connirehensive term, which covers the entire human side of that experience whose Divine side is the working of the Holy Spirit.
(7) But repentance and faith are alike vain, save as tliey issue in oherhenre (which see). This is the all-embracing Biblical virtue. Man's relation tc God is sucli that his righteousness must take this form. The particular content may vary with the growth of tlie Divine revelation. In OT, for instance, it includes the faithful observance ol the ceremonial law with its prescriptions of ritual and sacrifice. Yet even in OT these are sub- ordinate to the eternal principles of justice and mercy (cf. Mic 6*'). In tlie NT the law has been done away. The only sacrifice required is the spiritual sacrifice of prayer and praise (He 13"), the offering up of the person in life-service to God (Ro 12'). Tlie burdensome prescriptions of the Levitical ritual have given place to Christ's new commandment of love. Yet this love is no vague or indefinite virtue. It shows itself in the willing acceptance of God's fullest revelation ; in disciple- ship of Christ and membership in His Kingdom. Beginning with faith, it manifests itself in all the social virtues. It rejoices to minister to the needy and oppressed. It does not disdain the gatherings of the saints for prayer and praise, and it finds its public marks in the sacramental signs of baptism and tlie Eucharist, by wliitn the believer's mem- bership in the body of Christ is openly showed forth.
3. Extent of salvation. — It remains to consider the extent of salvation. Here our study has sliown a constant enlargement in man's conception of the sweep of God's purpose. We may illustrate this , in connexion («) with the present life ; (i) with the life after death ; (c) with the universe as a whole.
(a) Salvation in this life. — We have already noted the growing universalism of the Biblical teaching. At first it is Israel alone for whom God cares. He is J"'s dearly beloved son. Other nations are but God's servants, instruments in His hand through which He accomplislies His sai iug purpose for Israel. Then the Gentiles al.so share the blessings of the Messianic deliverance, but it is only by becoming subject to Israel, and adopt- ing the Je-iN-ish law and worship. Yet even in OT there are gleams of a conception more truly
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catholic. To Isaiah, Egypt and Assj-ria as well as Israel are chosen of God. The foundation for a true universalisni is laid in the prophetic doctrine of the worth of the individual. Jesus makes tlie conditions of entrance to His Kingdom purely moral and spiritual— repentance, trust, humility, obedience, the childlike spirit. Where these are present, tliere is a son of God, whether he observe the ceremonial law or not. The practical univer- salism of Jesus is theoretically completed in the Pauline doctrine of the abrog:ition of the Jewish law. This wa-s the natural consequence of the new view of redemption. When salvation is re- garded as a new Divine life, it is impossible not to recoOTize the Christianity of those who have received the Holy Spirit, even if they have not been circumcised (Ac lO""^). To the freedom of the Divine Spirit, like that of the wind, blowing where it listeth, no man may venture to set bounds. The salvation of Israel is still the centre of hope and prayer (Ro 9'), but it is only as part of a process wliieh is as wide as humanity.