Yet, although God claims all souls for His own, millions of heathen
have passed away in the past, and millions are passing away now, who
never heard the Saviour's name. His is the only name whereby men can be
saved; but His name is "Wonderful," and those who could not be saved
through that name on this side of death may be saved through it on the
other side. Death is but the passage of the soul from one world to
another. God reigns in both; and His tender mercy is over all His works.
The same principle applies to incorrigible backsliders. There have been
men who were most eminent in Christian grace, who lapsed into
backsliding of the lowest type, and even denied the Lord that bought
them. They showed no sign of being reclaimed in this life. Will they not
be reclaimed in the next? There is nothing to hinder, but it may require
a long and terribly severe discipline. But we believe divine love will
ultimately triumph.
It helps us to understand how the most abandoned may be reclaimed if we
remember the case of Saul of Tarsus. It does seem that Christ can
overcome the most inveterate opposition without interfering in the least
with a man's freedom. We believe this is the prerogative of Deity alone.
Our free will is a glorious heritage; but we have to beware of unduly
exalting it.
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