Germs of Thought. THE PREACHER'S FINGER-POST. Graduality and Divinity of Human Salvation. "AND THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY SUCH AS SHOULD BE SAVED." Acts ii. 47. THE day of Pentecost was marked by three things: a new manifestation of the Divine Spirit, a new style of religious ministry, and a new development of social life.* One great result of all this on that day is here recorded. Dean Alford's version of the words is, The Lord added to their number day by day them that were in the way of salvation." Dr. Samuel Davidson's version we think better: "The Lord *See my Homiletical Commentary on the "Acts," in loco. were was adding to the Church I. IT IS GRADUAL IN ITS PROCESS. The popular impression is that this great event is instantaneous. But the nature of the work and the testimony of the Scriptures give no sanction to such an impression. Consider, First: The nature of the work. Salvation may be Isaid to involve a twofold change, a change in condition and a change in character. (1) A change in condition. The soul is represented as lost, it has lost its normal condition and its original character. Its normal condition was the fulfilment of its mission, answering the end for which it was created. Popularly we say a thing is lost when it is missed. Thus the sheep in the parable that wandered from the fold was lost, the owner knew not where it was, or whither it had gone. The piece of silver also was in this sense lost; the woman knew not where it was, she had to light a candle to search for it. We say, too, a thing is lost when it is utterly destroyed; the house burnt to ashes is lost; a vessel that is gone down and buried in the depths of the ocean is lost. But the human soul is not lost in either of these senses; God knows where it is every moment of its existence; it is not destroyed, its essence is in all probability imperishable. We say that a thing is lost in another sense, viz., when it has failed to realise the object for which it was produced. Thus a chronometer is lost when it becomes incapable of keeping time; a vessel is lost when it is unfit any more to plough the ocean; a family portrait is lost when all the lineaments are so discoloured or defaced as to be incapable of giving any faithful idea of the subject. In this sense the soul is lost; it does not answer the end of its existence. It involves (2) A change in character. We often say of a man when his character is gone that he is lost. The son who is trained up in virtue and religion is felt by the loving father to be lost when he gives himself up to the sensual, the impure, and the ungodly. Whether you consider salvation as consisting in the restoration of a lost condition, or a lost character, graduality is implied. The chronometer cannot be restored at once, nor can the unseaworthy vessel be repaired at once, Lor can the injured painting be made at once to glow and beam in an image true to the original. Skilful and persistent effort in all cases of restoration required. It is so with the soul. The rebellious does not become obedient at once, the malign benevolent at once, the selfish generous at once. The same in relation to character. Character is is up of habits, and habits are made up of numerously repeated actions. Moral character is not a thing imparted to man, not a thing bestowed-it is a thing produced, and the production is a gradual process. Consider, Secondly: The testimony of the Scriptures. Is not graduality implied in the following statements? "Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." "With the mouth confession is made unto salvation." "He has appointed us unto the obtaining of salvation." "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." "Kept through faith unto salvation." "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." "He that shall endure to the end shall be saved." "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," not that thou art saved at that moment. The various figures employed to represent the Christian life indicate the same graduality. It is a building, a planting, a race, a fight, &c. It is time for this truth to be brought out with more prominence and power in our pulpits. To tell sinners that they have only to believe what was done for them in a distant country 1800 years ago, and they are saved, that the burden of their guilt is gone, and that they are made fit for the skies, is not only a philosophic absurdity that insults human reason, but a pernicious dogma that imperils human souls and caricatures the teachings of the New Testament. A nother fact here con cerning salvation is :- II. IT IS EFFECTED BY GOD THROUGH THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF PREACHING. It is said, "The Lord added." He did it, but if you analyse it, you will find consisted of no dogmas, such as "forensic justification," "personal election," "final perseverance," legal substitution," but of facts, facts connected with One Personality, viz., Christ, His crucifixion, His burial, His resurrection, His ascension, and His dispensation of the Spirit on this occasion. He preached the Gospel. Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, says, "I declare unto you the Gospel." What was the Gospel he declared? That Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, that He rose the third day according to the Scriptures. This is the Gospel, and not human theologies. The telling out of this wonderful story by men who have felt its power, and whom it has transformed into the Christly Spirit, the telling it out rationally, faithfully, tenderly, with profound reverence and awe as in the sight of God. This is the means by which God effects human salvation. Christ is the Gospel, and the Gospel preached is Christ exhibited. CONCLUSION: First: Infer not from this that salvation does not imply a crisis. There is a point when everything begins. There is a point when the dead seed receives the first touch of life. The heavy clouds charged with electricity reach a point when they flash into flame and break into thunder. There is a point in disease when it either becomes incurable or yields to a restorative touch, and we say the disease has taken a turn. It is so with the salvation of the soul. Conversion is a turn, repentance is a turn, regeneration is a turn. Repent and be converted every one of you." But the mere turn is not salvation ; the starting point is not the goal; incipient germination is not fruitage. The mariner may turn his barque from the direction of a northern port to a southern port, and yet the southern port he may never reach. The seed may germinate, yet not only never produce fruit, but never rise into light and foliage. Secondly: Infer not from this that other elements apart from the Gospel may not contribute to human salvation. Wholesome literature, philosophic truths, scientific |