SEPTEMBER 18TH, 1890
SEPTEMBER 18TH, 1890
I solemnly and sincerely declare that I have never taught, nor thought of teaching, that ‘eternal life’ is not in its fullest aspect the inheritance of every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, directly that believer is born again, and I now state that it is and has been my belief and I have endeavoured so to teach, that the moment a soul receives Christ it is eternally connected and associated with all the infinitude of blessing and life purposed and given in Christ to the believer; but at the same time I believe that like Israel of old we must go in and possess the land and that the actual conscious possession and realisation of all that is comprehended in the words ‘eternal life’ is limited to the extent in which by faith Christ has been digested into the life of our own being and we thus, in our life down here, appropriate to ourselves heavenly blessings and live in the enjoyment and power of them; though the eternal certainty of them all is not affected by our want of realisation or intelligence. This is what I have sought to teach with a view to stirring saints up [p. 27] to actual possession in experience, believing, as I do, that too often the facts of Scripture have been accepted without entering in sufficient measure into conscious possession of that which is our eternal portion. Anything which has been stated concerning any teaching which is contrary to what I have stated above is a misinterpretation of the meaning, as I never intended anything different. I fully and most distinctly believe that “Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20) though I would not say ‘eternal life’ means and comprehends all that is comprehended in the words ‘the true God’ nor do I think anyone will say so.
If any ambiguity of language has given rise to the misinterpretation of my belief I sincerely regret it as I have already stated in my published letters.
F E. Raven.