THE FAMILY ALTAR
October 10.
"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain sal-
vation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us that, whether
we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him."
1 Thess. 5:9-10.
The Puritan fathers of our country held firmly to Calvin's
false doctrine that God has appointed the greater part of mankind
to everlasting perdition. The consequence was that they were a
gloomy and, in many respects, a fanatical people and that many
of their descendants grew indifferent to their fathers' religion and
fell away from Christianity altogether. However, the blessed Word
of our God nowhere teaches this horrible doctrine of an election
to perdition. The Bible teaches only the comforting election to
salvation by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And
what a sweet, comforting doctrine that is we learn again from
the words just read, where the inspired apostle says that God has
not appointed us to wrath, that He wants the damnation of no one,
but has rather appointed, ordered, elected His believing children
to obtain salvation in Christ Jesus, who redeemed them from sin
and wrath by His atoning death and made them His own to be
saved and to live forever with Him, whether they wake or sleep!
Oh, what blessed comfort that is ! Many a one has laid himself
down to sleep at night who did not awake in the morning. Many
a one left home in the morning who was brought back a corpse
at night. In the midst of life we are in death. But blessed are
we if we are the Lord's by true and sincere faith; then even a
sudden death cannot harm us, and is no sign of God's wrath against
us, but only serves as a quick and painless entrance to that sweet
and undisturbed rest that still remaineth for the people of God.
Lord, it belongs not to my care
Whether I die or live;
To love and serve Thee is my share,
And this Thy grace must give.
If life be long, oh, make me glad
The longer to obey;
If short, no laborer is Sad
To end his toilsome day.
Christ leads me through no darker rooms
Than He went through before;
He that into God's kingdom comes
Must enter by this door.
Come, Lord, when grace hath made me meet
Thy blessed face to see:
For if Thy work on earth is sweet,
What will Thy glory be?
