The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-01-30
IHE PEOPLES FORUM.
Does thu Bible Teach Second Chance?

DOCS ina Bible eaCn a SECOND finance!
To the Editor of The Republican.
| Does the Bible teach second chance?
That is. will there by a second proba-
tion-a chance of salvation after death?
The Bible is our only source of informa
ton on the subject. Human theories,
or sentiment, or prejudices have moth
ing to do with this. All who die with
out repentance and acceptance of Christ
as their Saviour, are unsaved. with
the heart man believeth unto righteous
ness, and with the mouth confession is
made unto salvation" Rom. 1910. 1t
is heart belief-not intellect only-a
belief that works genuine repentance
and reformation of life and obedience to
the commands of Christ. Rejectors of
Christ have no hope of salvation beyond
the grave. The theory that assures the
wicked that if they do not want to go to
heaven they need not suffer in hell; that
it they will not have everlasting life
they may have everlasting existence is
without the shadow of foundation in
revelation. The book called 'Mellenial
Dawn" may deceive some, but it dis
seminates doctrines that are not only
misleading but false and destructive. 1t
may claim that all will be raised up at
the milennium-though it teaches that
death means only extinction, cessation
of being, non existence. But how can
thing that has ceased to exist be rails
up. 1t may be created. So it will be a
new creation and not resurrection.
This book called "Mellennial Dawn"
teaches that they will all be like Adam
before the fall. innocent and perfect. 1t
Is sad to see the extremes to which a
man will go to sustain his theory, Ac-
cording to this the thief, the murderer,
the whoremonger and adulterer; the
man who breaks the laws of God with
impunlty; the woman who lived
shameless life and led many astray will
be raised up and made pure and spotless
though they hated truth and purity in
life. They will be as virtuous and true
as unfallen men or as angels. If that is
to be their condition, why do thew need
the Gospel. or a second chance? Yet we
are told that the Gospel that was and is
for sinners alone will be preached to
them and each one will have new trial.
But the Gospel is limited to this present
life and so can't avail in the future. 1t
is Gods scheme presented to men to be
accepted in this life and not in some
future life.
Men are constantly warned against
rejection and all delay in its acceptance
in this life, on the ground that such de-
lays are dangerous and that persistent
rejection is the ruin of the soul
The ministries of the Spirit, and all
other helpful divine influences are no.
where promised to men after death, but
are always represented as having their
sphere of activity in the present life.
The church, the sacraments, Christian
influence and other forces with the Cos
pei are never represented as being used
or available beyond the grave, but as
belonging to an earthly and temporary
economy of salvation. But we are told
they are tried after resurrection, and if
they fail to accept the grace of God they
will die the second death and become ex-
tinct. If they accept the Gospel they
will be on probation thousand years.
If they yield to sin they will be destroy
ed, but if they stand the test they will
live forever. This life will be sustained
by food, as Adams if he had not sinned.
Immortality, we are told, does not need
TODD to sustain it. So this substitute
for the bible has two kinds of life that
lasts forever. One needs food the other
does not. The first he calls everlasting
life, the second is immortality.
There is not word in the bible that
can honestly be construed as favoring
a second chance for unsaved souls. The
Bible denies this satanic error designed
to cheat sinners out of their eternal sal
walton. Now is the accepted time. 3"
"Now is the day of salvation. - How
shall we escape if we neglect so great
salvation" But / Peter, 3:1S-19 is
quoted TO prove a second chance.
Admit that Christ after his death, in
His Spirit, preached to the spirits in
prison. 1t is not said that these spirits
were men who had lived on earth and
died in sin. They were probably DISC
bedient angels, as the word Spirits" is
only used in this way to designate an
gelic or other supernatural beings. Then
He preached to angels who were DISC
bedient and were in prison as the result
of sin. Two words in the New Tesla