for Him, they will
nevertheless be caught up. Let us make the statement as strong as we
possibly can. Supposing the Lord came tonight to take His own out of
the earth. Let us suppose a person who lived a very wicked life, but
an hour before the Lord comes believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and is
saved and accepted in the Beloved, made a partaker of the heavenly
calling. This one saved by grace, though ignorant of the truth of God,
would be caught up like the oldest, most matured Saint who loved His
appearing for many years. Think of the dying thief. He pleaded
"Remember me when thou dost come into thy kingdom." The assurance
comes back to him, who could do no works to gain a prize, who was so
ignorant in all spiritual matters, "To-day thou shalt be with me in
Paradise." When the Lord comes with the assembling shout the body of
the thief, saved by grace, as well as the body of Stephen, whose is a
martyr's crown, and Paul's and every other one who was saved by grace
will be raised up and we, meaning every saved one together with them,
will be caught up.

But let us prove this statement by the only authority we have, the Word
of God. Let the Scriptures give an answer to the simple question, "Is
the first resurrection and to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air
the prize for a holy, consecrated, faithful conduct and life, or is it
a free gift of the grace of God in our Lord Jesus Christ?" The answer
to this from the Scriptures is clear; it is put in every epistle as the
result of grace and not as the reward for faithfulness and service. To
cite all the New Testament passages which acquaint us with the
wonderful truth of what grace has called us to and made us in Christ
Jesus would fill page after page, and if we would ponder over them and
search in its blessed depths under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,
would fill our hearts with "joy unspeakable and full of glory." How
clear it is seen in _Romans_. In the fifth of Romans we read of the
blessed results of justification. It is not a question of _doing_ from
our side, but it is _God's doing_, for everyone who believeth on the
Lord Jesus Christ. Peace, perfect peace, towards God. Every believer
has it with God in virtue of the blood of the cross. There peace was
made. The second, access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand,
and the third result of justification, rejoicing in hope of the glory
of God. And this hope of the glory of God is nothing e