APPENDIX
 

O prevent mistakes, we make the following definitive statement of our views concerning those who live in what is called "Christendom." We have no idea that any very large portion of them ever hears the Gospel as it came from Christ and his apostles. They have heard a corrupted message by professed teachers of the gospel; and multitudes of them, for centuries, have had no means of determining what the pure gospel is; and have been really in as great darkness, as to the character of God, and His love to the world, as the darkest pagans now are, or ever were. Who these persons are, in Christendom, God only can certainly know. All such will yet hear the Gospel in its purity, sometime and somehow. So we think.

But such as hear the Gospel as Christ gave it with the Holy Spirit, and willfully reject it, "It shall not be forgiven them, neither in this world, neither in the world to come;" they have had their final trial, and "shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on them." -  Mt 12:32, and  Joh 3:36. Such, when once dead will remain eternally dead. This is our idea of the "non-resurrection of the wicked dead," with present light. Who have thus sinned, God only can decide. This class have all sinned against the Holy Spirit, and "die the death" that is "the wages of sin."

Men who have been deprived of the Good news of God’s love (not by their own fault) will yet be made to hear it, by some means; which will determine their final destiny. Those who improve this trial, of God’s "abounding grace," will not be made "heirs of the kingdom;" but will become subjects of Christ and His Bride, "the Church of the First-born" from the dead; and if subject to Christ, of choice, will be perpetuated in life by means of "the tree of life, the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations." -  Re 22:2. If they reject the service of Christ, they will die for their own sin, and live no more. There is but one sin known in the Gospel which excludes men from life: that is, unbelief; or a rejection of God’s message of love and life, attended by "the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven." -  1Pe 1:13.

That the Gospel is corrupted and is not preached as Christ commissioned His disciples to preach it, needs no other proof, in these days, than the fact that very few are found who preach it "with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven." This work is to be revived in "the ages to come." -  Eph 2:7.

 

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