THE one subject of the whole Bible, is Salvation. Whatever other subject may be touched upon or dealt with in the Bible, it is always subordinate to the great subject of salvation.
This fact does not stand in any way against the great truth that the Bible is science. Instead of this fact arguing for a moment that the Bible is not science, it argues forever that Salvation is science.
Instead of standing thus: The Bible treats solely of the subject of Salvation, therefore the Bible is not science; the true argument runs thus: The Bible is science; the Bible treats solely of Salvation; therefore Salvation is science.
Salvation is truly a science. It is more than a science, it is the chief of all sciences, the one most worthy of investigation. It is the science of sciences.
That Salvation is truly a science is plain from this consideration: With the mind, man explores the realm, and delves into the secrets, of all other sciences. Indeed “Physical Science” is defined by a scientist as “a product of our thinking as to external things.” But while it is [498] with the mind that man deals with all other sciences. Salvation deals with the mind itself.
The first word in the call to Salvation is, “Repent,” which is literally “change your mind.” The first of all the commandments is this, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all … thy mind.” And it is written, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” “So then, with the mind, I myself serve the law of God.”
As it is with the mind that man investigates all other sciences, while Salvation has to do with the mind itself, it is certain that Salvation is a science as truly as is any other. Shall the product of that which deals with all other things be science, and the product of that which deals with that which deals with all other things, be not science?—That will never do. Assuredly there can be no other right way than that. While the product of that which investigates all other things is science, much more the product of that which investigates that which investigates all other things is science.
This just conclusion demonstrates not only that Salvation is science, but that it is greater than all other sciences. Because since it is with the mind that all other sciences are dealt with while Salvation deals with the mind itself, in the nature of things it follows that the science of salvation is greater than the others. Beyond all question that which deals only with the thing that deals with all other things, is greater than those other things.
That Salvation is science is further suggested by the fact that those who are well acquainted with all other sciences, are deeply interested in this. And that it is the greatest of all sciences is further shown by the fact that those who most thoroughly understand all other sciences, are more deeply interested in this than in all the others; and while they thoroughly understand all the others, they are so deeply interested in this that they may understand it.
The ones here referred to as thoroughly understanding all other sciences, are the angels of God. Surely no man who admits the existence of such intelligences, can fairly question that the angels do, more thoroughly than all other created persons, understand the recognized sciences. Those who traverse the stellar spaces as familiarly as the florist his flower paths—shall it be said that they do not understand astronomy? Those who gladly joined in the joyful anthem of all the sons of God when the morning stars sang together at the laying of the foundations of the earth—shall it be suggested that they do not understand Geology? Those bright minds which saw the origin of every other form of living creature—shall it be intimated that they do not understand Biology?
No, no! They thoroughly understand all these things. Each one of them understands all these sciences infinitely better than all men together ever understood any one science. Yet with this thorough knowledge of all the recognized sciences, the angels “desire to look into” the subject of Salvation. For unto the prophets “it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things that are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things THE ANGELS DESIRE TO LOOK INTO.”
The Greek word here rendered “desire” means “to set one’s heart upon.” And the Greek word here rendered “look into” means “to stoop to a thing in earnest, to look at it; to look at, with head bowed forward, and to look into with body bent; to look carefully into, to respect curiously—of one who would become acquainted with something.” It is the word used to tell them the disciple “was stooped down and looking into the sepulcher.”
Such is the attitude of the angels of God toward the subject of Salvation. They desire to look into the subject of Salvation to become acquainted with it, that they may understand it and learn by it. For again it is written, “Unto me who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers IN HEAVENLY PLACES MIGHT BE KNOWN by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Now if the men who are acknowledged to be the best of all men acquainted with certain sciences, should keep their whole attention intently to the investigation of another subject and should continue that to the exclusion of everything else, that subject, even though it had never before been thought much of, would be instantly raised to the dignity of a science: and not only to the dignity of a science, but to the dignity of the leading science. The very fact that such eminent scientists should give such attention to a subject, would of itself be the best possible evidence that they considered that subject more worthy of their attention than the other sciences; and would be sufficient evidence that they considered that a greater science than the others. And if any should treat lightly, or scoff at, such work of such men they would be looked upon as persons of inferior caliber and sadly lacking in the “scientific spirit.”
Very well; here are the angels of God, who are thoroughly acquainted with all others sciences, yet turn their whole attention intently upon the subject of Salvation and have continued to do so age after age. This is evidence enough that they consider salvation a greater science than all the others put together: the one science most worthy of their thought. This being so with the angels, is not this ample evidence that all who slight or scoff at Salvation, or who count it second to any or all other sciences, are greatly lacking in the true scientific spirit?
Yet further: All sciences are the products of mind. Salvation is of God. It is God himself who reveals, and works out, Salvation. It is the product of God’s [499] thinking. It is therefore divine science, the science of God himself.
From this and the other considerations here presented, it follows that Salvation is not only science, but that the science of salvation is the highest, the deepest, and broadest science that is known not only in this world but throughout the whole universe.