Elijah the Tishbite Part 10

There is no need to organize this body. No, thank G.o.d, it is not man's work at all. The Holy Ghost came down at Pentecost to form it, and here it is still. And when our Lord Jesus comes to take it to the glory, it will be "the _holy_ city, the new Jerusalem, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband," in which He will show forth "the exceeding riches of His grace, in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

ONE-SIDED THEOLOGY

We have lately received a long letter, furnishing a very striking proof of the bewildering effect of one-sided theology. Our correspondent is evidently under the influence of what is styled the high school of doctrine. Hence, he cannot see the rightness of calling upon the unconverted to "come," to "hear," to "repent," or to "believe." It seems to him like telling a crab-tree to bear some apples in order that it may become an apple-tree.

Now, we thoroughly believe that faith is the gift of G.o.d, and that it is not according to man's will or by human power. And further, we believe that not a single soul would ever come to Christ if not drawn, yea, compelled by divine grace so to do; and therefore all who are saved have to thank the free and sovereign grace of G.o.d for it; their song is, and ever shall be, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake."

And this we believe not as part of a certain system of doctrine, but as the revealed truth of G.o.d. But, on the other hand, we believe, just as fully, in the solemn truth of man's moral responsibility, inasmuch as it is plainly taught in Scripture, though we do not find it amongst what are called "the five points of the faith of G.o.d's elect." We believe these five points, so far as they go; but they are very far indeed from containing the faith of G.o.d's elect. There are wide fields of divine revelation which this stunted and one-sided system does not touch upon, or even hint at, in the most remote manner. Where do we find the heavenly calling? Where, the glorious truth of the Church as the body and bride of Christ? Where, the precious sanctifying hope of the coming of Christ to receive His people to Himself? Where have we the grand scope of prophecy opened to the vision of our souls, in that which is so pompously styled "the faith of G.o.d's elect?" We look in vain for a single trace of them in the entire system to which our friend is attached.

Now, can we suppose for a moment that the blessed apostle Paul would accept as "the faith of G.o.d's elect" a system which leaves out that glorious mystery of the Church of which he was specially made the minister? Suppose any one had shewn Paul "the five points" of Calvinism, as a statement of the truth of G.o.d, what would he have said? What! "The whole truth of G.o.d;" "the faith of G.o.d's elect;" "all that is essential to be believed;" and yet not a syllable about the real position of the Church--its calling, its standing, its hopes, its privileges! And not a word about Israel's future! A complete ignoring, or at best a thorough alienation, of the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David! The whole body of prophetic teaching subjected to a system of spiritualizing, falsely so called, whereby Israel is robbed of its proper portion, and Christians dragged down to an earthly level--and this presented to us with the loft pretension of "The faith of G.o.d's elect!"

Thank G.o.d it is not so. He, blessed be His name, has not confined Himself within the narrow limits of any school of doctrine, high, low, or moderate. He has revealed Himself. He has told out the deep and precious secrets of His heart. He has unfolded His eternal counsels, as to the Church, as to Israel, the Gentiles, and the wide creation.

Men might as well attempt to confine the ocean in buckets of their own formation as to confine the vast range of divine revelation within the feeble enclosures of human systems of doctrine. It cannot be done, and it ought not to be attempted. Better far to set aside the systems of theology and schools of divinity, and come like a little child to the eternal fountain of Holy Scripture, and there drink in the living teachings of G.o.d's Spirit.

Nothing is more damaging to the truth of G.o.d, more withering to the soul, or more subversive of all spiritual growth and progress than mere theology, high or low--Calvinistic or Arminian. It is impossible for the soul to make progress beyond the boundaries of the system to which it is attached. If I am taught to regard "The five points" as "the faith of G.o.d's elect," I shall not think of looking beyond them; and then a most glorious field of heavenly truth is shut out from the vision of my soul. I am stunted, narrowed, one-sided; and not only so, but I am in danger of getting into that hard, dry state of soul which results from being occupied with mere points of doctrine instead of with Christ. A disciple of the high school of doctrine will not hear of a world-wide gospel--of G.o.d's love to the world--of glad tidings to every creature under heaven. He has only gotten a gospel for the elect. On the other hand, a disciple of the low or Arminian school will not hear of the eternal security of G.o.d's people. Their salvation depends partly upon Christ, and partly upon themselves. According to this system, the song of the redeemed should be changed. Instead of "Worthy is the Lamb," we should have to add, "and worthy are we." We may be saved to-day, and lost to-morrow. All this dishonors G.o.d, and robs the Christian of all true peace.

We do not write to offend the reader. Nothing is further from our thoughts. We are dealing not with persons, but with schools of doctrine and systems of divinity which we would, most earnestly, entreat our beloved readers to abandon, at once, and for ever. Not one of them contains the full, entire truth of G.o.d. There are certain elements of truth in all of them; but the truth is often neutralized by the error; and even if we could find a system which contains, so far as it goes, nothing but the truth, yet if it does not contain the whole truth, its effect upon the soul is pernicious, because it leads a person to plume himself on having the truth of G.o.d when, in reality, he has only laid hold of a one-sided system of man.

Then again we rarely find a mere disciple of any school of doctrine who can face Scripture as a whole. Favorite texts will be quoted and continually reiterated; but a large body of Scripture is left almost wholly unappropriated. For example, take such pa.s.sages as the following, "But now G.o.d commandeth _all men_ everywhere to repent"

(Acts xvii. 30.) And again, "Who will have _all men_ to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. ii.) So also, in 2 Peter, "The Lord ... is long-suffering to usward, not willing that _any_ should perish, but that _all_ should come to repentance" (Chap.

iii. 9). And, in the very closing section of the volume, we read, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

Are these pa.s.sages to be taken as they stand, or are we to introduce qualifying or modifying words to make them fit in with our system? The fact is, they set forth the largeness of the heart of G.o.d, the gracious activities of His nature, the wide aspect of His love. It is not according to the loving heart of G.o.d that any of His creatures should perish. There is no such thing in Scripture as any decree of G.o.d consigning a certain number of the human race to eternal d.a.m.nation. Some may be judicially given over to blindness because of deliberate rejection of the light, (see Rom. ix. 17; Heb. vi. 4-6; x.

26, 27; 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12; 1 Pet. ii. 8.) but all who perish will have only themselves to blame. All who reach heaven will have to thank G.o.d.

If we are to be taught by Scripture we must believe that every man is responsible according to his light. The Gentile is responsible to listen to the voice of creation. The Jew is responsible on the ground of the law. Christendom is responsible on the ground of the full-orbed revelation contained in the whole word of G.o.d. If G.o.d commands all men, everywhere to repent, does He mean what He says, or merely all the elect? What right have we to add to, or alter, to pare down, or to accommodate the word of G.o.d? None whatever. Let us face Scripture as it stands, and reject everything which will not stand the test. We may well call in question the soundness of a system which cannot meet the full force of the word of G.o.d as a whole. If pa.s.sages of Scripture seem to clash, it is only because of our ignorance. Let us humbly own this, and wait on G.o.d for further light. This, we may depend upon it, is safe moral ground to occupy. Instead of endeavoring to reconcile apparent discrepancies, let us bow at the Master's feet and justify Him in all His sayings. Thus shall we reap a harvest of blessing, and grow in the knowledge of G.o.d and His word as a whole.

A few days since, a friend put into our hands a sermon recently preached by an eminent clergyman belonging to the high school of doctrine. We have found in this sermon, quite as much as in the letter of our correspondent, the effects of one-sided theology. For instance, in referring to that magnificent statement of the Baptist in John i.

29, the preacher quotes it thus, "The Lamb of G.o.d, which taketh away the sin of _the whole world of G.o.d's chosen people_."

But there is not a word about "G.o.d's chosen people" in the pa.s.sage. It refers to the great propitiatory work of Christ, in virtue of which every trace of sin shall yet be obliterated from the wide creation of G.o.d. We shall only see the full application of that blessed scripture in the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

To confine it to the sin of G.o.d's elect can only be viewed as the fruit of theological bias.

NOTE.--It is deeply interesting to mark the way in which Scripture guards against the repulsive doctrine of reprobation. Look, for example, at Matthew xxv. 34. Here, the King, in addressing those on His right hand, says, "Come, _ye blessed of my Father_, inherit _the kingdom prepared for you_ from the foundation of the world." Contrast with this the address to those on His left hand: "Depart from me ye cursed (He does not say 'of my Father') into everlasting fire, prepared (not for you, but) for the devil and his angels." So also, in Romans ix. In speaking of the "vessels of wrath," it says "fitted to destruction"--fitted not by G.o.d surely, but by themselves. On the other hand, when speaking of the "vessels of mercy," it says, "which _He had afore prepared_ unto glory." The grand truth of _election_ is fully established; the repulsive error of _reprobation_, sedulously avoided.

A LETTER TO A FRIEND ON ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

BELOVED FRIEND,

I have been thinking a good deal of late, on the last verse of the third chapter of John. It seems to me to furnish a most powerful answer to two of the leading heresies of this our day, namely, _Universalism_ on the one hand, and _Annihilationism_, on the other: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son, _shall not see life_; but _the wrath of G.o.d abideth on him_."

The deniers of eternal punishment, as you know, are divided into two cla.s.ses, differing from each other very materially. The one professes to believe that all will ultimately be restored and brought into everlasting felicity; these are the _Universalists_. The other is of the opinion that all who die out of Christ are annihilated, soul and body--made an end of thoroughly--will perish like the beast.

I think you will agree with me that John iii. 36 completely demolishes both these fatal errors. It meets the Universalist by the sweeping and conclusive statement that the unbeliever "shall not see life." It entirely sets aside the notion of all being restored and eternally saved. Those who refuse to believe the Son, shall die in their sins, and never see life.

But, were this all, the Annihilationist might say, "Exactly so; that is just what I believe. None but those who believe in the Son shall live eternally. Eternal life is only in the Son, and hence, all who die out of Christ shall perish--soul and body shall be made an end of."

Not so, says the Holy Spirit. It is quite true they shall not see life; but--tremendous fact! "The wrath of G.o.d _abideth_ on him." This, beyond all question, gives a flat contradiction to annihilationism. If the wrath of G.o.d is to abide upon the unbeliever, it is utterly impossible he can be made an end of. Annihilation and abiding wrath are wholly incompatible. We must either erase the word "abiding" from the inspired page, or abandon completely the notion of annihilation.

To hold the two is out of the question.

Of course, I am merely now referring to this one pa.s.sage of Holy Scripture; and truly it is enough of itself to settle any mind that simply bows to the voice of G.o.d, as to the solemn question of eternal punishment. But, beloved friend, here is just the point. Men _will_ not submit to the teaching and authority of Holy Scripture. They presume to sit in judgment upon what is and what is not worthy of G.o.d to do. They imagine that people may live in sin, in folly, in rebellion against G.o.d, and in the neglect of His Christ, and after all go unpunished. They take upon them to decide that it is inconsistent with their idea of G.o.d to allow such a thing as eternal punishment. They attribute to the government of G.o.d what we should consider a weakness in any human government, namely, an inability to punish evil-doers.

But ah! the word of G.o.d is against them. It speaks of "_unquenchable_ fire"--of an "_undying_ worm"--of a "_fixed_ gulf"--of "_abiding_ wrath." What, I would ask, is the meaning of such words, in the judgment of any honest, unprejudiced mind? It may be said that these are figures. Granted that the "fire," the "worm," and the "gulf" are figures, but figures of what? Of something ephemeral--something which must, sooner or later, have an end? Nay; but something which is eternal, if anything is eternal.

If we deny eternal punishment, we must deny an eternal anything, inasmuch as it is the same word which is used in every instance to express the idea of endless continuance. There are about seventy pa.s.sages in the Greek New Testament where the word "everlasting"

occurs. It is applied, amongst many other things, to the life which believers possess, and to the punishment of the wicked, as in Matthew xxv. 46. Now, upon what principle can any one attempt to take out the six or seven pa.s.sages in which it applies to the punishment of the wicked, and say that in all these instances it does not mean for ever; but that in all the rest it does? I confess this seems to be perfectly unanswerable. If the Holy Ghost, if the Lord Jesus Christ Himself had thought proper to make use of a different word, when speaking of the punishment of the wicked, from what He uses when speaking of the life of believers, I grant there might be some basis for an objection.

But no; we find the same word invariably used to express what everybody knows to be endless; and therefore if the punishment of the wicked be not endless, nothing is endless. They cannot, consistently, stop short with the question of punishment, but must go on to the denial of the very existence of G.o.d Himself.

Indeed, I cannot but believe that here lies the real root of the matter. The enemy desires to get rid of the word of G.o.d, of the Spirit of G.o.d, the Christ of G.o.d, and G.o.d Himself; and he craftily begins by introducing the thin end of his fatal wedge, in the denial of eternal punishment; and when this is admitted, the soul has taken the first step on the inclined plane which leads down to the dark abyss of atheism.

This may seem strong, harsh, and ultra; but it is my deep and thorough conviction; and I feel most solemnly impressed with the necessity of warning all our young friends against the danger of admitting into their minds the very shadow of a question or doubt as to the divinely established truth of the endless punishment of the wicked in h.e.l.l.

The unbeliever cannot be restored, for Scripture declares "he shall not see life." Moreover, he cannot be annihilated, for Scripture declares that "the wrath of G.o.d abideth upon him."

O my beloved friend, how much better and wiser and safer it would be for our fellow men to flee from the wrath to come than to deny that it is coming; or that, when it does come, it will be eternal.

Believe me, Most affectionately yours, C. H. M.

"PUBLICLY AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE."

The sentence which we have just penned is taken from Paul's farewell address to the elders of Ephesus, as recorded in Acts xx. It is a very suggestive sentence, and sets forth in a most forcible manner the intimate connection between the work of the teacher and that of the pastor. "I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you," says the blessed apostle, "but have showed you and have taught you publicly, and from house to house."

Paul was not only an apostle, he combined, in a striking way the evangelist, the pastor, and the teacher. The two last named are closely connected, as we see from Eph. iv. 11. It is important that this connection be understood and maintained. The teacher unfolds truth; the pastor applies it. The teacher enlightens the understanding; the pastor looks to the state of the heart. The teacher supplies the spiritual nutriment; the pastor sees to the use that is made of it. The teacher occupies himself more with the Word; the pastor looks after the soul. The teacher's work is for the most part public; the pastor's work, chiefly in private. When combined in one person, the teaching faculty imparts immense moral power to the pastor, and the pastoral element imparts affectionate tenderness to the teacher.

The reader must not confound a pastor with an elder or bishop. The two are quite distinct. Elder and bishop are frequently interchangeable, but pastor is never confounded with either. Elder is a local charge; pastor is a gift. We have nothing about elders or bishops in 1 Corinthians xii. and xiv., or Ephesians iv., though in these scriptures we have the fullest unfolding of the subject of gifts. We must carefully distinguish between gift and local charge. Elders or bishops are for rule and oversight. Teachers and pastors are to feed and edify. An elder may be a teacher or pastor, but he must keep the two things distinct. They rest upon a different footing altogether, and are never to be confounded.

However, our object in this brief article is not to write a treatise on ministry, or to dwell elaborately upon the difference between spiritual gift and local charge, but simply to offer to our readers a few words on the immense importance of the pastoral gift in the Church of G.o.d, in order that they may be stirred up to earnest prayer to the great Head of the Church, that He may graciously be pleased to shed forth this precious gift more abundantly in our midst. We are not straitened in Him. The treasury of spiritual life is not exhausted; and our Lord Christ loves His Church, and delights to nourish and cherish His body, and to supply its every need out of His own infinite fulness.

That there is urgent need of pastoral care throughout the Church of G.o.d, few can deny who know what pastorship is, and who are at all acquainted with the true condition of the Church. How rare is the true spiritual pastor! It is easy to take the name, and a.s.sume the office; but, in point of fact, pastorship is neither a name nor an office, but a living reality--a divinely-imparted gift--something communicated by the Head of the Church for the growth and blessing of His members. A true pastor is a man who is not only possessed of a real spiritual gift, but also animated by the very affections of the heart of Christ toward every lamb and sheep of His blood-bought flock.

Yes, we repeat it, "_every_ lamb and sheep." A true pastor is a pastor all over the world. He is one who has a heart, a message, a ministry, for every member of the body of Christ. Not so the elder or bishop.

His is a local charge, confined to the locality in which such charge is entrusted. But the pastor's range is the whole Church of G.o.d, as the evangelist's range is the wide, wide world. In New York, in London, in Paris, or Canton, a pastor is a pastor, and he has his blessed work everywhere. To imagine a pastor, confined to a certain congregation to which he is expected to discharge the functions of evangelist, teacher, elder, or bishop, is something altogether foreign to the teaching of the New Testament.

But, ah, how few real pastors are to be found in our midst! How rare is the pastor's gift, the pastor's heart! Where shall we find those who duly combine the two grand and important elements contained in the heading of this paper--"Publicly and from house to house?" A man may, perhaps, give us a brief address on the Lord's day, or a lecture on some week-day; but where is the "house to house" side of the question?