pel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned." The end to be accomplished, was the salvation of men. The means of its accomplishment was teaching. The disciples were to teach what Christ had taught them. That is, they were to teach the Gos- pel to every creature under heaven. All means derive their effi- ciency from the ordinance of God ; as He has ordained the Gospel to be the means of salvation, it must be efficacious to that end. (6.) This appears further from the manner in which the Apostles executed the commission which they had received. They went everywhere, preaching Christ. They were sent to teach; and teaching was their whole work. " I determined," said Paul, " not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him cruci- fied." (1 Cor. ii. 2.) (c.) The power of the Word is proved from many direct assertions in the Bible. Paul tells the Romans that he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, because "it is the power of God unto salvation." (Rom. i. 16.) To the Corinthians he says, in view of the utter impotence of the wisdom of the world, that " it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." (1 Cor. i. 21.) The preaching of Christ crucified was " unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness ; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." (Vers. 23, 24.) In the Epistle to the Hebrews it is said : " The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb. iv. 12.)
The sacred writers, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, are exuberant in their praise of the Word of God, as its power was revealed in their own experience. " The law of the Lord," says the Psalmist, " is perfect, converting the soul." (Ps. xix. 7.) By the law of the Lord is meant the whole revelation which God has made in his Word to determine the faith, form the character, and control the conduct of men. It is this revelation which the Psalmist pronounces perfect, that is, perfectly adapted to accom- plish the end of man's sanctification and salvation. " Thy word," he says, "is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Ps. cxix. 105.) " The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple : the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart : the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes : the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever : the judgments
468 PART IH. Cn. XX. — THE MEANS OF GRACE.
of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be de- sired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold ; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." (Ps. xix. 7-10.) Almost every one of the hundred and seventy-six verses of the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm contains some recognition of the excellence or power of the Word of God. " Is not my word like as a fire ? saith the Lord ; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" (Jer. xxiii. 29.)
In the New Testament the same divine efficacy is attributed to the Word of God. It is the gospel of our salvation, i. e., that by which we are saved. Paul said that Christ commissioned him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, saying, for this purpose I ap- peared unto thee to make thee minister and a witness, delivering thee from the Gentiles, u unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." (Acts xxvi. 17, 18.) All this was to be effected by the Gospel. The same Apostle writing to Timothy says : " From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Tim. iii. 15, 16.) The Apostle Peter says that men are " born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incor- ruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abide th forever." (1 Pet. i. 23.) Our Lord prayed, " Sanctify them through thy truth : thy word is truth." (John xvii. 17.)
Testimony of History.
There can, therefore, be no doubt that the Scriptures teach that the Word of God is the specially appointed means for the sancti- fication and the salvation of men. This doctrine of the Bible is fully confirmed by the experience of the Church and of the world. That experience teaches, — First, that no evidences of sanctifica- tion, no indications of the saving influences of the Spirit are found where the Word of God is unknown. This is not saying that none such occur. We know from the Bible itself, " That God is no re- specter of persons ; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." (Acts x. 34, 35.) No one doubts that it is in the power of God to call whom He pleases from among the heathen and to reveal to them enough