May 15th, 1930

We promised last week that we would try to write some more on this question. So we will try to write a few more lines this week. This time we will start with the language of the Saviour recorded in (John 10:27-28,29), which reads as follows: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. In this text there are some people whom the Saviour designates as His sheep. In (John 10:26) He said to some of the Jews, “But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.”  some of the people were His sheep and some were not. Those the Saviour designates as His sheep hear His voice. In (John 5:25) the Saviour said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.'' Those who hear His voice and live are those He calls His sheep. They were His because the Father gave them to Him.” My Father, which gave them me.” The Father gave them to His Son for a possession; and the Saviour, by the power of His Holy Spirit, speaks to them and makes them alive from a state of death in sin. They are thus made alive in Christ.” I give unto them eternal life.” How can anything die that has eternal life?  If one dies a physical or corporeal death, does not the natural life of that person cease, or come to an end? If the natural life was an eternal life, could one die naturally? Would, or could, the natural life ever end, if it was an eternal life? It is absurd to say that it could. But this life which Jesus here says He gives to His people is eternal life. That life is a never ending life. As the life is never ending, their final salvation in heaven is sure. There can be no such thing as one perishing in eternal torment to whom this life has been given. Not only is this true, but the blessed Saviour most emphatically says” they shall never perish.” Never means not ever; not at any time; at no time, whether past, present, or future. As” they shall never perish,” when will one of them ever perish? The Saviour says not ever. As” they shall never perish,” at what time may one of them perish? The Saviour says not at any time. As” they shall never perish,” we repeat the question, at what time may one of them perish? The Saviour says at no time, whether past, present, or future. If at no time, whether past, present, or future, one of them shall ever perish, then it is certain that not one of the Lord's children will ever fail to finally enter heaven and eternal glory. We remember one time in public discussion with a  gentleman that he said,” If the doctrine you preach- the final preservation of the Saints-be true, the devil is the biggest fool ever heard tell of. If he could not get one of the Lord's children, after trying all these years to get one, he would have found out that he could not get one, and would quit trying, if he were not the biggest fool ever heard tell of.” We replied by saying that we always liked to agree with a man when we can, and that we would agree with the gentleman that the devil is the biggest fool ever heard tell of, as is proven by the fact that he cannot get one of the Lord's children, and yet he keeps on trying; but, lo, it seems that the devil is not the only fool in the world, for here is another fellow who has not found this out, either. But we (Old Baptists) have found out better. We have learned that the Saviour told the truth when He said,” They shall never perish.” Right here we wish to give three Scriptural propositions. First. Jesus prays for His people according to the Father's will. Second. The Father's will is that He should lose nothing. Third. The Father always hears Him. The first, above, is the first premise in the proposition. Let us prove that first premise. ((7) (Romans 8:27) “And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” The saints are the children of God, and the Saviour prays for them according to the Father's will. The second premise is that the Father's will is that the Son should lose nothing. Let us prove that. (John 6:38-39 )” For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.'' Those the Father gave to the Son are His people, His children; and he Father's will is that not one of them be lost, but that they be raised up again at the last day. The next proposition is that the Father always hears the prayer of His Son. He always hears the Saviour's prayer. Now let us prove that. (John 11:41-42) “And they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”  The word hearest (or hear) in this text must be in the sense of “to give audience or attention  to; to listen to; to heed; to accede to the demand or wishes of; to listen to and  answer favorably.”  This clearly shows that the Father always favorably answers the prayer of His Son. There is not a man in all this wide world who can make it appear that one of the Lord's little children will ever sink down in eternal torment and let these three Scriptural propositions remain true. Here they are again: Jesus prays for His people according to the Father's will. The Father's will is that the Son should lose nothing the Father gave Him. The Father always hears the Son. It follows, therefore, inevitably and certainly, that every child of grace will ultimately be saved in glory. Blessed assurance! Jesus, our loving Saviour, prays for His little ones. Dear child, you often ask those you believe to be God's children to pray for you. They may not know when you need their prayers. But your loving Saviour knows when you are in trouble, in sorrow, in distress, in soul afflictions, when the tempter is near and trying you; and as He prays for you, and knows when you need His prayers, He certainly prays for you when you are in such troubles; and the Father always answers Him favorably-always grants His request.

May these sweet and precious truths comfort your poor heart in your sad distresses, is our humble prayer. Pray for us. We may try to write some more on this question, perhaps again next week. C. H. C.