r A A 8 3 2 8 8 5 =1 HE DOCTRINES ■iOF OUR FAITH E. C. DARGAN m m m m m n L iUIMMMB I THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES THE DOCTRINES OF OUR FAITH A Convenient Handbook for Use in Normal Classes, Sacred Literature Courses and Individual Study REV. E. C. DARGAN, D. D. Professor, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville. Ky. PRICE Cloth, 50 Cents Postpaid. Paper, 35 Cents Postpaid. Sunday School Board Southern Baptist Convention Nashville, Tenn. ISSUED UNDEK The Eva Garvey Publishing Fund Given by B. E GARVEY, New Liberty Ky., JANUARY 21st. 1899. BOOK THIRD. Copyright. 1905. By Sunday School Board Southern Baptist Convention, Affectionately Inscribed to the Memory of jfranklin Ibowarb Ikcrfoot, Preacher, Theologian, Leader. Loyal in every Relation, and Heroic in the Discharge of Duty; The Author's Beloved Colleague and Friend, 1703840 Publisbcr's JInnouncctticnt The sereral chapters which make up this little hand- book of Doctrine, were published in The Baptist Union, as a series of articles in the Sacred Literature Course. They served their purpose ■well, and met with high favor at the time of their publication. Prof. Dargan has here made a vahuible contribution to the exposi- tion of Christian Doctrine, and in this permanent shape his able exposition will be passed on to other and larger circles of readers. In answer to m.anv calls which have come to us from different sources they are now published in this con- venient form and ^nll be of service in B. Y. P. U. Christian Culture Courses and in Sunday School Nor- mal Classes, and also for individual study. They are printed as they first appeared with such revision as the author could make while reading the proof. ^Yith the Author's permission we have added an Intro- ductory Word from Dr. Geo. W. Truett, also an Appendix in a Confession of Faith, for use in Baptist Churches, written by the late Dr. F. H. Kerfoot when pastor of Eutaw Place Baptist Church, Baltimore. Secretary's Office, Sunday School Board, Nashville, Tenn. Jflnnounccmcnt for normal Course Students. This book is No. 6 in the Convention Normal Course. For its completion according to the plan herein indi- cated seal 6 will be awarded. Because it seems desirable to offer in the several sections of the Normal Course a limited number of studies, a selection has been made of eighteen from the thirty chapters of this book, and while students should read carefully the remaining chapters, a study of the eighteen selected is all that is required. At the close of the book these selected chapters are indicated and questions to guide class or individual study as also questions for review and examination are printed. The plan of study is very simple. Each lesson is to be studied in the usual way, previous lessons being reviewed by means of the questions submitted for that purpose. At the close of the study the class teacher will submit an examination. (See page 241.) Suggestions and outlines for class teachers and others who teach Christian doctrines, are offered in a small volume entitled "Doctrinal Outlines of 'What Baptists Believe,' and 'The Doctrines of Our Faith,' " prepared by Dr. P. E. Burroughs, Educational Secretary (25 cents postpaid). (5) CaDk of Contents, CLap. Page Introductory Word 7 I. Religious Beliefs and their (ieiiesis. . . . 9 II. The Bihle as Revelation and Authority. 17 III. The Being and Nature of God 25 IV. The Character of God 32 V. The Power and Works of God 40 VI. The Sovereignty of God 47 VII. God's Care of His Creation 55 VIII. The Unity and Trinity of God 01 IX. The God-Man, Jesus Christ 08 X. Concerning the Ilolv Spirit 75 XI. The Origin and Nature of Man 82 XII. How Man Came to Sin 91 XIII. The Prevalence and Power of Sin 97 XIV. The Nature of Sin 103 XV. The Separation hetweeu God and ^laii. . 112 XVI. The Love of God toward Man 122 XVII. The Feeling of Man after God 128 XVIII. The Mediation of the God-Man 134 XIX. God's Work in Saving Man 140 XX. Man's Part in Being Saved 147 XXI. The New Relation between God and Man 154 XXII. The Fellowship of Christians— The Church 103 XXIII. Christian Institutions — Worship and Ordinances 171 XXIV. Christian Activities— the Work of the Church 179 XXV. Life and Immortality 180 XXVI. The Intermediate State 193 XXVII. The Second Coming of Christ 200 XXVI 11. The Resurrection of the Dead 207 XXIX. The Judgment and Punishment 214 XXX. Heaven and Eternal Life 222 An Appendix. What We Believe According to the Scriptures. . . . 229 Questions to Guide and Test Lesson Study 235 A WORD INTRODUCTORY, The Sunday School Board is rendering a most help- ful service, by putting into permanent form the several papers on "The Doctrines of Our Faith," written some years ago by Dr. E. C. Dargan, of the Southern Bap- tist Theological Seminary, and printed in The Baptist Union as a series of suggestive doctrinal lessons for the Baptist Young People of America. Those papers were unquestionably read by very many of our Baptist people with the keenest sense, both of pleasure and of profit. They suggested the practical necessity and became the basis of a series of careful lessons for many classes of our Baptist young people. The writer thus used them with the young people of his congregation, and the interest they awakened was delightfully surprising. That experience very clearly demonstrated that there is an eagerness upon the part of many of our people, both old and young, to know more of the great fundamental doctrines of God's Word, so that they may be able rightly to answer every man who asks for a reason concerning the hope that is in them. He expects thus again to use them with his young people this winter. These papers from Dr. Dargan are unusually clear in statement, and are so well written that the babe in Christ and the learned theologian must alike be deeply interested in them. The time is surely most propitious for a faithful restatement, in every Baptist Church in the land, of the fundamental doctrines of God's Word. Every Vlll INTRODUCTORY. Baptist ought to know why he is a Baptist, and to know it from the specific commands of God's Word. Not to have such knowledge is for our churches to be harmed in every way. Probably not since apostolic times have Baptists had such an opportunity as they have to-day for faithfully teaching the whole counsel of God. If they will give themselves to such work in the right spirit, the increasing favor of God and of men must be upon them. It is earnestly believed that oux churches would gain strength in every way if the pastors would at once arrange for a series of teaching services, week by week, wherein tliey might carefully discuss before all their people, especially the young, the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. Such a series of services would kindle a general interest in the study of the Bible such as we have not seen before, and thus would the faith of God's people be strengthened and their zeal for His work augmented in a way not otherwise possi- ble. Surely, this is a consummation most devoutly to be desired. IVIost cordially do I welcome tliis new book from the Sunday School Board, and most heartily do I commend it to brother pastors everywhere, to the end that they may at once use it as a text-book in a series of doc- trinal studies for their young people. Within the next six months the book ought to be in the hands of tens of thousands of our young Baptists, for their earnest, personal study. That it may have a speedy and very wide circulation, is the fervent hope and prayer of GEO. W. TRUETT. Study First Baptist Church. Dallas, Texas. Cbc Doctrines of Our Taitbo CPIAPTER I. RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND THEIR GENESIS. In beginning a study of the doctrines of the CIiris-> tian religion it is proper that we should consider, by way of introduction, the general subject of the . reality and sources of our religious of Our Reli- beliefs. As we take stock of our gious Beliefs, objects of thought, we notice that there is a very wide range of mat- ters whioh engage our attention and influence our actions. Among these objects and forces there is a large number which falls under the description of re- ligious beliefs. Whatever may be the truth of these beliefs, whatever their prevalence, whatever their na- ture, they are a very noticeable part of human life. .Anyone who takes the trouble to think upon both the practical activities and the intellectual problems of our age cannot fail to see how large a share of these are those which we call religious. We must deal with facts. It is a fact beyond all dispute that we have religious beliefs; and for us Christians that means, of course, Cliristian doctrines. Let us first compare our religious beliefs with other beliefs or opinions, as we see these in the various departments of human thought and effort. Take that 9 10 The Doctrines of Our Faith. great field of effort which we call " ^tu^TE^'^^ business. Ail the way up from a with Other , , . , fhings. "'^y lahorer s job to some vast com- mercial entei^prise, there is in this sphere of human action a set of opinions and prac- tices which are commonly accepted, disputed, and acted ujion. In tlie great world of politics we find the same thing: some rules of action are commonly accepted, others are in dispute, and these furnish a motive of men's actions in the State. In literature, science, and art we observe the same general state of things. Cer- tain principles,* a body of doctrines, a fund of knowl- edge, are found. So in the matter of religion — in all kinds of religion — there is a more or less well- defined set of doctrines considered as things taught, or beliefs considered as things accepted. With us, as already said, this body of doctrines makes up what Ave sometimes call the Christian Faith, meaning by that the sum of things made known in the Chris- tian Revelation and accepted by Christian believers. These religious beliefs are worthy of our care- ful study, not only for their value in themselves, but because of their comparative interest. There is no reason why the principles of any form of human activity should be studied to the neglect of religious doctrines. This brings us to consider the relation of faith to knowledge in regard to these religious doctrines. Are we properly said to fc«ow them, or only to believe them? Here we must make two Relation of distinctions. One is between the Knowledge. o^'jefts of knowing, and the other is between the words knowing and believing. In regard to the things which we may be said to know or believe, of some we may say that we Religious Beliefs and their Genesis. 11 know them, of others only that we believe them. Yet. this distinction is not of much value, for, in the last resort, we shall find that we should properly describe many things as only objects of belief which we often describe as objects of knowledge. Again, if we un- dertake to distinguish between knowing and believing we shall run upon another difliculty. It is impossible to draw any sharp dividing line between knowledge and belief. Knowledge at best is only strong belief, and while we have a vague sort of feeling that knowl- edge is more real than belief, we often use the words without strictly observing the distinction. For ex- ample, a man may say of another man : "I know he is honest," when as a matter of fact, he only believes it, and, strictly speaking, can only believe it of any- body. On the other hand, of the very same man in another conversation, we might say: "I believe he is honest," when we really mean more than that. We have a proverb that "seeing is believing." Now surely, if we may claim to know anything, it is what we see, and yet we know we are often mistaken in seeming, to see. The fact of the matter is that we may call our perception of objects either knowledge or belief, according as we hold them strongly or less positively. Thus the body of doctrines which we as Christians hold may be called knowledge or belief, and either term will not be far astray. A third point of view from which to regard our religious beliefs is that of their prevalence as com- pared with other branches of knowledge. All the branches which have been men- Prevalence tioned prevail among men, more or and Power of j^^^ widely, and this^ is equally true Religious Be- , ,. . , . , tt liefs: Exten- °^ religious knowledge. Here again sively. ^ve must make a distinction between the numbers who have this knowl- 12 The Doctrines of Our Faith. -edge, and the strength of their convictions. In other words: How many have this knowledge, and to what extent do tlicy have it? Comparison with other branches is here again in point. It is, comparatively, only a few who know much of politics or of art. Only a minority of men are artists, and yet art is a great force in the world. Only a minority of men understand business to any large extent, and yet business is a great force in the world. Only a very few men understand science, but that does not argue that science is not worth knowing. So it is in regard to religious knowledge. It must he sadly confessed that only a minority, even in a Christian country, have any real and deep acquaint- ance with religious doctrines, but this is no argu- ment against their value and importance. It should be our earnest desire to learn more of tiiese matters for ourselves, and also to get others to know them, too. The other distinction comes inside the circle of those who may be said to have knowledge. For all have not equal knowledge. Not all statesmen are equally learned in state-craft. Not all literary n nsive y. ^^^^^^ ^^.^ pqj,fj|]y ^ygij versed in lit- erature. Not all real and devout Christians are equal- ly Avell informed upon tlie Christian doctrines. Some know more tlian others, and this Avill, no doubt, always be true. Now all this has been said in order to show that religious belief, or knowledge, is a real, important, and even vital part of our thought and action. No other branch of knowledge can The First-rate justly make any better claim to our Importance of study. In fact, as I think, no other ,. , ^ branch can make so good a claim, and I hope that those who will fol- lleliyious Beliefs and their Genesis. 13 low me in tlie chapters which are to come after will en- ter upon this study with earnestness, and with the pro- found conviction that the things which shall engage our thought are eminently worthy of our best efforts. We come now to ask: "How do we come to have these religious beliefs?" Or, to put the question in another way: "What are the sources of our religious knowledge?" A moment's reflection The Sources ^^'^^^ enable us to see that these of Our Reli- sources are two-fold, external and gious Beliefs, internal. That is, we get knowledge Sources- Per- P^^'^^y from outside ourselves, and gQjial. partly from within. In order to have knowledge we must both be taught and learn ; and here again there is no difference as to nature, between religious knowledge and other branches. All our knowledge is of this general character, partly from without, partly from within. Let us look first at the external sources of our religious beliefs. How do we happen to be Christians, to know anything of the Christian doctrines? We should answer very promptly: Because we have been taught them, per- haps from our earliest childhood. It is sometimes a silly fashion to sneer at this way of receiving re- ligious knowledge, and to call it "traditionalism." The sneer is very empty and superficial. In every department of human knowledge that is worth the name by far the best element is traditional, that is, handed on from one to another. If you were to take from the scientist all his science except what he had learned by his own personal efforts, there would be little left. By far the most of what we know we take on trust from others. In religious matters we have received instruction from our parents and teachers, from min- isters, from our companions and friends; ""^^ r^or- 1-4 The Docirincs uf Our Faith. haps, we have received more kiKJwicil^ic from these personal sources than from any otlier quarter. This personal contact is of tlie utmost importance. We should rejoice in receiving knowledge at the hands of others, and rejoice still more to pass on the truth to those with whom we meet. We owe, of course, much to books and other litera- ture. Above all others we should feel our obligation to the Book of books, the Word of God. But besides the Bible there are many other ^' books which have given us in.struc- tion and religious knowledge. We should be very dil- igent in cultivating religious literature. There is a profusion of excellent Christian literature, and we should constantly seek to use it wisely and well. We must turn now to the other sources of our be- liefs, those which I described as internal, or from within. These may include assent, or acceptance, on our own part. Here again, reli- Internal gious knowledge stands upon the Sources: Ob- very .same footing as all the others. servation and ,, , . • • t u- o. J bach man must receive into his Study. own mind in the various ways of mental acquisition the things which are presented to his acceptance. How do we learn anything? How do we learn mathematics, or history, or music? There may be a great body of instruction in tjiese matters, but if it remain outside of us it is a mere truism to say we shall know nothing of them. We must put our own minds upon the things which are ofTered to us by others, in order that we may know. When we come to apply our minds to the Christian doctrines, tliere are at least tliree ways in whidi we may have knowledge of tliem. namely: observation and study, reflection, and experience. Of these, observation an*^ Religious Beliefs and their Genesis. 15 study form tlie connecting link between the external and the internal sources of knowledge. By looking into these things for ourselves, by reading, by study, we keep adding to what we have learned, and we gain strength of conviction by getting more and more evi- dence of the truth of those things which we believe. In other words, we should keep on learning more and more of religious knowledge, extending our inquiries in many directions. But besides Reflection. ^j^j^ constant reaching out for more, there should also be abundant reflection. We should turn over in our minds the things we have learned, comparing various doctrines with one another, verifying them, reasoning upon them, and thus making our mental possession more and more our own. One more in- ternal source of knowledge is what we call experience. There are many things in religion ±/xperience. which we can know only in this way. This is deeper than any other source of knowl- edge, and it must be to each man the final court of appeal. Do the things presented to my thought agree with what I know and feel within? Are the doctrines of religion a real experience to me personally, or sim- ply some far-off speculations? This is the main ques- tion. I hope all who enter upon the study of these chapters have had a real experience of religion, but, if not, that they may find that pearl of great price in these studies. Now these various sources of belief do not act sep- arately. We only have to mention them thus for the sake of study. The workings of the mind are some- Avliat like the parts of a machine. The Mind a When tlic machine is in motion all Unit Its Ac- its parts must be going, and yet tivi y - ^^,^ j^^^^ think of each separately. So in learning the doctrines of the 16 The Doctrines of Our Faith. Christian faith. All or several of these sources of which I have been speaking, both external and in- ternal, maj' be working at once, supplying us with knowledge. CHAPTER II. THE BIBLE AS REVTSLATION AND AUTHORITY. A jjart of our traditional Christian belief is that the collection of ancient writings known as the Bible is a true message from God, and being that, is a final and trustworthy authority for all Three Consid- our religious beliefs. There are erations Es- here three things very necessary to ?f-"uf^r.*° ^ be held clearly in mind, for there Right Concep- . . ,•«• t ■ ■ tion of the ^"^ great dmerence oi opinion con- Bible, cerning the Bible; and a right conception of it as a basis and source for religious belief is therefore essential. These three things are : ( 1 ) How we may be sure that the Bible is a true revelation from God; (2) The nature of the Bible as a message from God ; ( 3 ) How to use the Bible as the final authority for our religious be- liefs and actions. Let us take up these topics in their order. I. Why Do Christians Accept the Bible As the True Revelation From God? It is evident that this is a fundamental doctrine, and therefore one of the great- How do We est importance. It has always Know it IS a been important, and in our times Divine Rev- ., , , j ,. . ,, elation been made a question of the utmost moment. It is incumbent upon every Christian to have clea-r and strong 17 18 'I'Ik' Doctrines of Our Failh. convictions on this point. Nothing less can satisfy the demands of our own hearts and minds, as well as the demands of the age. Only a brief outline of the argument can be here presented. Those who wish to pursue it further will find help in one or more of the three following books: Basil Manly's The Bible Doc- trine of hispirutioH ; Henry Rogers' Supernatural Orig- in of the Bible, and D. W. Faunce's Inspiration as a Trend. The outlines of the argument may lie seen at a glance from the following statements: 1. The unbroken Christian tradition accepts the Bible as divinely inspired and authoritative. Through the Christian centuries, from the earliest times, this conception of both the Old and New „ r»^«i„«^., Testament Scriptures has been com- so Declares. ' mon to Christian believers. Here and there men not Christians, though professedly such, have challenged this doctrine, and there has been dif- ference of opinion, even among real Christians, in re- gard to some particular book or books, and in regard to the method and extent of the divine inspiration granted to the writers. But apart from these minor differences, which it is not necessary here to discuss, the common Christian creed has been, and still re- mains, that the Bible is the inspired, true and com- manding \Yord of God. The force of this tradition and consensus of opinion is very gi-eat. We may, per- haps, feel it the more if we compare it. as in the for- luer article, with laws of tradition in other depart- ments of knowledge. Among phj'sician? there has been for many years, and still remains the doctrine that quinine is the best medicine for certain kinds of fever. Xo doubt here and there a few have denied it. and the practice of physicians has varied as to the applica- tion of this remedy, but still it remains a fact that Revelation and Authority. 19 among those best qualified to judge there is practically an unbroken consensus of opinion in regard to the merits of this drug. Now this by itself does not prove that quinine will cure every kind of fever, but no- body can deny the force of the argument. For cen- turies, among those best qualified to judge, the Bible has been accepted, and still is accepted as the very Word of God, and this should have due weight. 2. The Bible ivitnesses to itself as the Word of God. It does this in two ways : both by direct statements scattered here an^J there throughout the book, and also by the character of its contents. Internal Tes- (^) The witness of the Bible to it- timony. self is clear, frequent and decisive. Scriptural ijj ^j^g qM Testament, the Prophets Statements. , . , , , , i- j. claimed to speak by direct com- mand of God. Our Lord in many passages recognizes the Old Testament Scriptures as the Word of God, and in one place (John 10:35), he said: "The Scripture cannot be broken." (Compare Matthew 4: 4, 6, 7, 10; 11: 10; Mark 14:27.) Like- wise, in the writings of the Apostles, we find frequent and emphatic recognition of the fact that the Old Tes- tament came from God. Especially notice 2 Peter 1:19-21, particularly the last verse, where he says: "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Consult also the well-known passage in 2 Timothy 3:16, where (R. V.) it is said: "Every Scripture inspired of God is also profitable," etc. In regard to the inspiration of the New Testament, we have the promise and directions given by Christ to the Apostles. (See Matthew 28:19, 20; John 14:26; 15:26, 27; 20:21, 22.) And in respect to the apos- tolic claims, see 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, where the Apos- tle distinctly professes to teach by divine revelation 20 The Doctrines of Our Faith. through the Spirit, and thus claims for his writings the authority of God. See also the same epistle, 14:37, 38. Also 1 Thessalonians 4:2, 8. We have also in 2 Peter 3 : 15, IG, a recognition by that apostle of Paul's inspiration. It is thus plain that the Scrip- tures by direct statements testify to their o\vn divine origin and autlioritj'. (b) In addition to this, the character of the Bible is such as to give a warrant of its divine authority and origin. It would be impossible to pursue this ar- gument at any length in so brief a Unique discussion as the present. It is well Character of inought out in the work of Henry t e crip- Rogers, mentioned above. The sum tures. '^ of this discussion is that the Bible is not such a book as man would have written if he could, or could have written if he would. It bears upon itself, in the truths which it reveals, in the ex- alted moral character of its teachings, in the perma- nency and power of its influence, the proofs of its di- vine authorship. No other book in all literature has borne, or bears, such a character as this. 3. The voice of Christian experience confirms ichat has already been advanced. This is not by itself con- clusive, but it corroborates most strongly what has al- ready been argued. Coleridge is Christian Ex- credited with saying: "I believe perience Cor- ^j^^ gjj^j^ j^ jj^.j^^^ because it finds roborates. „ r^. . ., , , , me. The most spiritual and de- vout among Christians discover a singular agreement between the divine Word and the inward witness of the Spirit. IT. What Sort of Message From The Nature of God is the Bible? the Bible as a ^^^^^.^ ^^^ several points of view Message from ^ , . , . ^u- qq^ from which rto answer this ques- tion. lievelalion and Authority. 21 1. As to the means of communication. In He^ brews 1:1, 2, we read (R, V.): "God having of old time sjjoken unto the fathers in the prophets, by divers portions and in divers manners, Xhe Means hath at the end of these days 01 Lommu- spoken unto us in his Son." Now, as we have seen, our Lord passed on these words to his Apostles. In his prayer, recorded in John 17, he says, (verse 8), "The words which thou gavest me I have given unto them." We thus see that while the Bible is of divine origin and au- thorship, it comes to us through men who were spe- cially chosen, instructed and sent of God, with these messages which have been gathered together into our Bible. It is, as Peter says, that holy men spake as they were borne along by the Holy Spirit. 2. As to form. The Bible comes to us in great diversity. There were oral messages, as in the case of the early prophets with their "Thus saith the Lord;" as in the case of our Lord Form of himself, who wrote nothing, but the Message. taught by word of mouth; as in the case of the Apostles, who gave much more instruc- tion orally than they left on permanent record. But many of these oral utterances have been recorded. Our Lord's speeches and sayings constitute a great part of the Gospel record. Then there is a good deal of history in both the Old Testament and in the New. In the Old Testament there is a large element of poetry, in the Psalms and other poetical books. In the New Testament we have the Letters, some to in- dividuals, but chiefly to churches and other groups of Christians. And there is prophecy, of which we find the most in the Old Testament, and some, more es- Ipecially in the Book of Revelation, in the New. 22 The Doctrines of Our Faith: 3. As to contents. As has just been indicated, we find great variety in the Scriptures — wonderful variety — and yet there is striking adaptation to different ages of men, and to all ages. It is one The Contents of the most remarkable things of tile about the Bible, that it bears so essage. strongly the color of the place and time of each of its separate writings, and yet speaks so clearly and strongly to the human spirit of all times and lands. Of coarse there are many difficulties to be encountered in making a special study of the contents of the Bible, and this striking difference in its contents calls for broad and discriminating treat- ment. 4. As to character. What needs to be said on this point has already been anticipated. These different writings are animated by one spirit, and they have one great aim in view, which is to Its lead the human soul to its Creator Character. ^^^ ^^^.^ Question arises as to the absolute truth and freedom from error in all de- tails. Critics have sought to find flaws in the ac- curacy of the record, but we must boar in mind that the Bible was not intended to teach geology or any other science, or to record history except as this serves its spiritual end. We must also remember the different times and characters of the human authors. Making just allowance for such things as these, we may say with all confidence that, passing by a few minor dif- ficulties which may yet be explained, the Bible is free from error, as tlic absolute authority and guide in matters of religion. Revelation and Authority. 23 III. How Must we Use the How h) use Bible as an Authority in Re- the Bible as ligion? fn Mgion*^ Little needs be said on this point, but yet it is important to bear in mind seA'eral things. 1. We must use it tvith intelligence. It is not fair to study God's Word without using upon it our best understanding. We must endeavor to enter into its Intelliffentlv spirit; but it must also be used with discrimination, because of the va- riety of its contents and the different ages in which its revelations were made. 2. We must use it with confidence. To read or study the Bible half doubting it, will not bring the spiritual blessing which the reader is entitled to re- ceive from its sacred pages. As ^^*" said above, there are some unex- plained difficulties yet remaining, and some passages are hard to understand. Our meth- od of interpretation may, in some instances, be very much at fault, and our mental facilities are subject to weaknesses. All this must be remembered. Yet, as we trust a guide in difficult places, though hp is but human; as we trust a physician, although we know he may make mistakes; as we trust our own senses, though even they sometimes deceive us — how much more should we trust that divine Word of which the Master himself said that it "cannot be broken"? 3. We should study the Bible toith all reverence. In subjecting it to the kind of study which we use upon other books, we must not lose sight of its divinity. We must not forget that in it God speaks Reverently. to us. I am persuaded that in our own times we gi'eatly need to 24 Tlie Doctrines of Our Faith. cultivate a spirit of reverence in dealing with divine tilings, and especially with the Word of God. It is only too easy to treat it flippantly, to use its language in jest, and thus impair our own regard for its sacred character. If now the Bible is such a book as has been claimed, its place as a text and source of religious beliefs is unique and commanding. Its clear teachings are in- formation of inestimable value in Conclusion. themselves, and all that we may The Authority learn or infer from other sources of the Bible ^^^^^^ religious truth is to be tried by this divine test. In the follow- ing chapters our appeal is to the Word of God, not to the speculation of men. CHAPTER III. THE BEIJS*G AND NATURE OF GOD. Tliis great doctrine lies at the very basis of re-' ligion, as both the Bible and our own reflection teach us. There can be no religion without God, and there- fore no thought of religion without A Funda- the thought of God. Hence, after mental Doc— j j. • • j.i , , . determining the sources and au- thority for our religious beliefs, the first one of these which we naturally take up is our belief in God. We consider in this article the be- ing and nature of God. I. The Being of God. Is there a God? A momentous question! Is it not better to put it thus, Is the God of the Christian faith a reality? If so, how does he exist? And then we must ask the further question: Is there but one true God? In answering these questions we discuss the reality, self-existence and unity of God. 1. The Reality of God. How may we be reason- ably sure that the God whom we worship really ex- ists, and is not simply a thought of our minds? We do not know him by actual sight, The Reality or hearing, or touch. We cannot prove his existence by any mathe- matical demonstration. The Scripture tells us (He- 25 26 The Doctrines of Our Faith. biews 11 :G) : "He that conietli unto God must believe that he is." Rational belief that our God is a reality is easily justified. (a) The Scripture assumes the existence of God as a necessary starting point for all else that it con- tains. It nowhere argues the matter. In the opening verse of the divine revelation, we Assumed by i^^^^.^ the majestic words, "In tiie the Scriptures. ... ^ , »> rr, c- • ^ beginning, God . The Scrip- ture also assumes the mental and moral weakness of him who dares to think there is no God. It says (Psalm 14: 1): "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." (b) Our reason, candidly consulted and followed, amply justifies and confirms the assumption of God's reality; and this it does in various ways. (1) By the argument from Cause. Our Reason minds are so made that we must Justifies the believe in causes. Any intelligent b^^^th?*^°° cliild can puzzle the wisest philos- Argument ojiher by asking for the cause of from Cause". things. And after we get back to the First Cause, inquisitive child- hood has been known to a.sk: "But who made God?" This intuition of the child is one of the confirmed mental habits of the man. It can never be laid aside. For everything that we see we know that there must be a cause, and following this chain back, we must either assume a first cause itself uncaused, or else a beginning of material things without a cause. • Now the more rational supposition is to assume an intel- ligent and self-existent first cause, as we shall see presently. (2) By the argument from Design. There are marks in all nature of an intelligent purpose. How Being and Nature of God. 27 any man can believe that the nice adaptations which Ave find in all the universe, from By the the orbits of the suns down to the Argumen adjustment of an insect's eye, could from Design. , •" , , / x, have come by chance or by the operation of blind and uncaused law, is itself a marvel- lous thing. For without an intelligent designer, one or the other of these things must be true. There can- not be poetry without a poet. Thei'e can be no song without a singer. There is no law without a law- maker; and if this universe is under the reign of law, it is under the reign of a Law-giver. (3) By the argument from man himself. The spiritual and moral nature of man is itself a convinc- ing indication of the existence of a greater nature of the same kind. Man carries in his own By the constitution the image of his Cre- from Man ator. We are self-conscious, that is, we think, and we know ourselves as thinking. We can make our own thought the object of our thinking. We know the difference between right and wrong. However much we may argue and differ as to the basis and details of morals, we cannot dis- pute this solemn fact. Can any rational mind, un- prejudiced and candid, really believe that such beings as we are could have come to be by chance, or the evolution of matter? The assumption of a great Mind and Spirit above our own alone satisfactorily accounts for all that is best in man. 2. The self-existence of God. How does God ex- ist? This, of course, is a deep prob- The Self lem, and it behooves us to speak with , ^ , caution, yet there are certain in- of God. , "^ . ^ . dications in Scripture and reason of the mode of the divine existence. 28 The Doctrines of Our Faith. (a) Being the First Cause of all things, he is him- self uncaused. There is no contradiction here; be- cause, as said before, we must, as a starting point, as- sume either a first cause or no He is the cause, and that brings us to say ncause ^]^.^|. ^^.^ must assume, if we deny God, the uncaused existence of mat- ter. If we have to assume that material things exist without cause from all eternity, we still must begin with an assumption. It seems far more rational and credible to assume the self-existence of an intelligent mind than of lifeless matter. (b) This is the clear teaching of Scripture. When God made himself known to Moses at the bush (Exodus 3:14), and Moses asked for his name, God said: "I am that which I am," and the name Scriptural "Jehovah" is an assertion of the di- vine existence. This is also implied in the first verse of Genesis as compared with the first several verses of the Gospel of John. In these pas,- sages, "the beginning" doubtless refers to the coming into existence of all material things, and prior to these God is. (c) Thus we have the conception of the eternity of God. He never began to be and will never cease to be. but is eternally self-existent and sufficient. The reason of his being lies wholly in "•^^ ^^ himself forevermore. The Scrip- Eternal. , , i i., • ■ tures also represent this m various ways. One of the most striking and well-kno^vn pas- sages is the second verse of the 90th Psalm. "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the M'orld. even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." Third: The Unity of Ood. Are there many gods or Being and Nature of Ood. 29 only one true God? We shall discuss the mode of the divine existence as a Trinity of The Unity Father, Son and Holy Ghost in a later chapter. There are not three Gods nor many Gods, but only one true and living God. (a) Our own reason Avould make this necessary conception. There would be no room in the universe for two infinitely mighty and perfect beings. If God be greatest of all, then all lesser Demanded things are from him, and ai'e not ^ ■ God. If there could be any other, such another would be an equal or a rival, neither of which can be admitted. If we imagine such gods as the heathen believed in, imperfect beings, we might im- agine many of them. But the God of the Christian revelation is a perfect being, beside whom there can be no jDlace for another. (b) This great truth is abundantly taught everj^- where in the Bible. It is the very warp and woof of Scripture. Some striking passages will readily occur to mind, as Deuteronomy 6:4: Scriptural "Hear, O Israel; Jehovah our God Testimony. j^ ^^^,„ j^^^ ^-..g. ...^j^^j ^j^jg jg life eternal, that they sliould know thee, the only true God;" James 2:19: "Thou believest that God is one: thou doest well." II. The jSTature of God. What kind of being is God ? Here again we come upon a deep and unspeakable mystery, of a Being so great that we can have no adequate conception of him. Our minds are not large enough or The Nature clear enough to take in so great a thought, and we mnst always keep before us that our knowledge of God, even at the best, 30 The Doctrines of Our Faith. is necessarily partial and incomplete. But though im- perfect, it may be correct as far as it goes. We do not know anything, perhaps, with absolute correctness, but it would be foolish to reject all knowledge on that account. So we should joyfully know whatever we can about God, but we should never act as if our knowledge were or could be complete or final. Bear- ing in mind these things there are three aspects of the divine nature which we must carefully consider These are that God is Personal, Spiritual, and Perfect. 1. God is a Person. We can only describe God in terms suited to our own understanding. When we speak of a person among men, we mean one who thinks, feels, and wills. Now, we are told God is that man was made in God's image, Personal. ^^^ with reverence, therefore, we must say that God, to a certain extent, exists in man's image. If it were not so we could never understand him. So, when we say that God is personal, we only mean that, like ourselves, he thinks, feels, and wills. Doubtless many things in his nature go far beyond these things, of which we have no comprehension, but all the Scriptural representa- tion of God brings him before us as a real person. 2. God is a Spirit. Here is another diilkult con- ception. We cannot see or touch a spirit any more than we can see or touch our minds, and yet we may have a decided belief in the exist- God is ence of spiritual things. We can SpirituaL only get at the truth by denying that God is material. How he can be personal without being material is beyond the range of our experience and of. our present conceptions, but we need not deny the fact, which is at once the deduc- tion of reason and the clear revelation of Scripture. Being and Nature of God. 31 Our Lord teaches us this very distinctly in John 4:24: "God is a spirit." 3. God is Perfect. His nature passes in all direc- tions beyond our thought. Our very thought of him is only like a point in boundless space. What we know we know, but all around what God is we know is the infinite unknown. Jreriect. jtqj. ^jjjg reason we must be con- stantly on our gviard. We cannot confine the perfect nature of God within the limitations of our own thinking. In mathematics infinity can neither be increased by multiplication nor decreased by division. It is not subject to the ordinary rules of arithmetic, and yet infinity is a necessary thought in mathematics. So we cannot measure God's nature by the boundaries of our own or by the small logic of our reason, and yet we must think of him and try to under- stand him as far as possible, by our human analogies and faculties. The perfection of God shows itself in many ways, and these we shall consider more fully in the next chapter. Let us stop here, dwelling rever- ently upon the majestic thought that our God is an infinite and yet personal Spirit. CHAPTER IV. The Character of God. The perfection of God, Avhich we considered in the last chapter, involves his character as well as his nature. Here again we can only speak of God in our human language and after our human an- T^tJ . alogies. It is thus that he is brouglit Perfection ^ . j ^ ^j^ gj^j ^^ of God. Scripture writers always employ words and phrases which, because they are so thor- oughly human, help us to understand God. Yet they never degrade the Creator and Lord of all. Expressed to us in human terms he is still the Almighty One whose greatness is unsearchable. Far beyond all we can think the measureless perfection of God extends. One of the brightest hopes for the future life is that we shall know more and more of the great and glorious Being whom we adore as Lord and love as Father. But we need not, and should not, wait for heaven to learn all we can about God. In the Scripture he is revealed to us as perfectly holy, wise, just and good. I. The Holines.s ok God. 1. The Jioliness of God is his perfect moral pur- ity. He is perfectly good and always right. While this is no merely negative quality, it is most easily 32 The Character of God. 33 The Holiness understood by denying all wrong of God oi" evil of any kind or degree in is His Moral the divine character. To say that Purity. Qfld ig holy is to say that in him is no trace of any evil whatever. No kind of wrong of which we have any experience or any imagination has ever had or can ever have any place in his perfect na- ture. And if there be any kind of evil or badness of which we have no experience or can form no con- ception, this also is and forever must be wholly out- side of God. The Scripture (1 John 1:5) expresses this in figurative language thus: "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." The connection shows that the apostle has in mind moral excellence, and so it is as if he would say : "God is perfectly good, and in him is no badness at all." 2. In the most striking and beautiful language the Bible in many jjassages asserts and enforces the holiness of God. When Moses, awe-struck and yet eager, came near the burn- The ing bush the divine voice pro- Scriptural claimed: "Put off thy shoes from Testimony. "^ off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground" (Exodus 3:5). This was a most suitable impression to make on the mind of the great law-giver in the very beginning of his work. All through the sacrifices and other observances of the Law one of the most conspicuous and frequent lessons is that of God's holiness. The parts of the tabernacle, the priest's garments, the preparation of the sacrifices — all this and more was intended to im- press on the people of Israel the great lesson that their God was holy. In the poetry of the Bible full recognition is given to this great trait of the divine 34 The Doctrines of Our Faith. nature. God is described as "the high and holy One who inhabits eternity, and whose name is holy." In the prophets also this character of God is fully affirmed. In the striking vision given in Isaiah 6, God is repre- sented as seated on a throne and before him the sera- phim hide their faces and their feet as they cry: "Holy, lioly, holy!" In the New Testament also this view of God is strongly set forth. Our Lord, in Matthew 5:48, asserts the moral perfection of God; and in Matthew 19:17 and Mark 10:18 he declares that God only is perfectly good. Peter (1 Peter 1:16) quotes the Law as giving basis for human character in that of God : "Be ye holy, for I am holy;" and in the grand vision of the Revelation (4:8) the four living creatures about the throne are represented as crying day and night: "Holy, holy, holy. Lord, God Almighty!" What a precious thing it is to have the thought of a Being, who is also our God and Father, whose character is one of flawless moral perfection. II. The Wisdom of God. 1. Again we are compelled to use the concep- tions and language of men to express in some degree what may be called the intellectual element of God's character. For with us wisdom is Thp W- God's Plan tor, but he also makes its forms. Purposeful: Wq can better understand this, for The Material • 4- h- i x ,„ ,, our own intelligence can work mat^ World an . ,. ^ * ^ Organism. ^^^ ^"^° different forms, and it is easier for us to trace the designing mind of Uod in the laws which regulate nature and in the wondrous effects of those laws. It is illogical to consider the law as the creator. If material things are subject to law, they were put under law by the Creator, and so those wonderful processes which we see in nature are themselves striking indications of the divine mind and power. The theory of mere chance, or what is sometimes called "a fortuitous concourse of atoms," is a great absurdity. No man, who has not a theory to maintain, would ever think of it as even a possible explanation of the universe. (c) Creation is also displayed in the making of spiritual beings, that is angels and men. God not only made material things and the lower orders of living beings, but we are told in Gen. 1:27 The Spiritual ^^^^^ ,,^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ j^j^ ^^^^ Creation. „ ^, .-,-,. image. The mind and nature of man, wonderful in itself, and wonderfully connected with the body, is the work of God. We cannot understand ourselves fully, but whatever there is in our constitu- tion which is wonderful and admirable, should lead us to admire the creative mind that made a mechanism so perfect, a union between the spirit and clay so mar- vellous. In our bodies there is nothing but what is in the earth beneath us or the air above us, but in our minds we know there is more. And this won- derful creature is God's work. Besides man we are told in Scripture that there are higher spiritual be- ings. "Man was made a little lower than the angels." Potoer and Works of God. 45 We have no actual experience of angels, but there is abundant teaching in the Scripture that such spiritual beings really exist, and are the servants of God. It may be also that the planets and suns are inhabited by other orders of intelligences, some superior, some in- ferior, to man. All this we can only conjecture, but whatever beings there may be in all this universe above or below man, these also are the products of God's power. 2. God's Control of his Creation. This thought will be more fully discussed in the next two articles, but for completeness it must here be men- tioned. There was an old theory God's Control that the Creator, after he had made Creation *'^® world and subjected it to law, turned it loose to work out its o\\^l destiny, as a clock-maker winds up a clock, and lets it go. But there is no ground in reason or Scripture for such a view of things. We may say that God's control of his creation is exercised both in relation to natural laws and to human affairs. (a) Having made the world and put it under law, God still exercises control over those laws. In our study of natural sciences, we are in danger of losing sight of this great truth. We become The Maker of go taken with the wonderful laws 1 ^^^j.1 ^.^"~ of nature as to lose sight of the lates their "^ Operation Law-giver. In ancient times, the presence of God. directing amid natural forces, was more profoundly realized than it is among us. -Men thought of God in the wind and the storms, in the lightnings, in the recurring seasons, in all things. Of course they made mistakes in dealing with these conceptions, and thought of many gods in- stead of one, or sometimes confounded nature itsell 46 T]ic Doctrines of Our Faith. with God; but we in our times are in danger of lasing sight of God altogether. The Scriptures, however, clearly teach that God really controls the forces of nature. In relation to human aflairs, also, the control of God is distinctly and frequently asserted in the Bible. It is true that men are free moral agents, and yet they are under the control of the "Man Pro- great God. God has not altogether P.^^^' „ left men to their own devices, but Disposes." . , , . exercises over them wise and loving guidance. On this point, again, the Scriptures are ample and convincing; their teachings will be more fully discussed in the next chapter. CHAPTER VI. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD. As we saw in the last chapter God has and exercises a real and direct control over the universe which he Ims made. We are now to think a little more definitely of God's direction of his affairs, The Problem , . , , ,, ~ . ... 'Stated which are also the affairs of his creatures. The question may be asked: Whether God may not voluntarily have placed some limit upon himself when he made laws for nature to go by, and when he made man in a measure free to choose his own way? Without discussing the ques- tion fully we may say that if God has put any barriers around his own free action he has done so of his own free will, and for purposes of his wisdom and grace; and thus the sovereignty of God is shown and attested even in any supposed limit which he may have placed upon it. I. What is God's Sovereignty? That is, what does it mean, and what does it include? It is of the utmost importance to What is God's have as clear thought on this great Sovereignty? matter as it is possible for us to attain. 1. What is meant by God's sovereignty? That 47 48 The Doctrines of Our Faith. God i-s sovereign means that having perfect knowledge and perfect power he governs all Meaning of things according to his own Avill. the Term. Two elements are found in this thought: that God works by a plan, and that he is still at work in his universe. (a) God icorks by plan. In Ephesians 1:11 Paul speaks of "the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will"; and there are many other such Scriptures. As has already God Works ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ g^j^j^ ^^.^ j^^g^ ^j^j^j^ ^^ Purpose ^^^ ^" human ways or not at all. We must try to express him in human terms or not at all. Now as among men thinking goes before doing, plan and purpose before achievement, so we may be sure that in some way, the same thing is true of God; he thinks before he acts. If he thinks, he plans; and he purposes according to his knowledge, as we do, then he purposes according to perfect knowledge. Thus we come to those two hard words foreknowledge and foreordination (or predestination, as it is sometimes called). We should not be afraid of these terms; they are only meant to express the reality of God's rule over all things, and to assert that his rule is as real in regard to things future to us as in regard to those which are present or past. (b) God still tvorks in his universe. It is conceivable that Gk)d, having made the universe and subjected it to laws, might have withdravm from it and left it to work out its own way. like a ma- God Works cliine wound up and set going. But Constantly in this notion, though sometimes held His Universe. i,y philosophers, is negatived by a liettcr line of thinking, and also by the clear teaching of the Bible. Our Lord tells us The Sovereignty of God. 49 (John 5:17) : "My Father worketh even until now, and I work." And there are many other passages where the present activity of God in liis world is either stated or clearly implied. This is the doc- T ® trine of God's immanence, that is, Immanence. his remaining with and in his world. But now we must not push this idea so far as to fall into the very hurtful error of supposing that God is one with the vmiverse, that all things are but God ex- pressed in outward form. No; he is a personal Spirit, per;"ading and yet distinct from the things that he has made.^ This is the doctrine of God's God's Trans- ^ , j-i j. • i • i • , transcendence, that is, his being cendence. ' ' " apart from and superior to his world. Thus God manages his creation by being always with it, and yet always above it. We must hold both these truths, or we shall go wrong. 2. What does God's sovereignty include? We are now to consider what things fall Q .jf under this divine rule or manage- Sovereignty ment which has been described as Includes All purposed, continual, present and Things. personal. A brief answer is all that is needed — it may be put in two words: All things. But this means: (a) Things in our view — nature, in all its bound- Things Seen, j^^^ extent and numberless details, men in all their works and ways, past, present and future; time, in all its unfolding and continued prog- ress. But the sweep of God's rule goes even further and takes in: (b) Things beyond inmgs pyj, yjp^y — heaven, the universe be- yond sight and thought; the angels, and whatever other beings and intelligences may lie out of our range of knowing or thinkini>-; eternity, the 50 77ie Doctrines of Our Faith. backward and forward reach of time till it is lost. What a wonderful thing is God's sovereign rule over all his works! Let it not terrify us — it is the rule of perfect wisdom and perfect love. II. How IS God's So\t;reignty Proved? A doctrine so great and difficult as that of the divine sovereignty should rest on adequate proof. In other words, if we hold the views outlined in the pre- ceding section, we should have the Sovereignty ^^^* ^^ reasons for so doing. It de- Proved, volves upon us, therefore to set forth clearly, though briefly, the rea- sons why we haw such a belief in the sovereignty of God as has been given. 1. Proof from Scripture. This, of course, is of the first importance. If the Bible be, as we hold it to be, a true message from God, then what it teaches on this subject is God's affirmation to Scriptural „g concerning the nature and extent ^' of his rule over his own works. The reader will do well to study the following pas- sages, only a few of which can be selected for discus- sion here: Genesis 50:19. 20: Exodus 9:12, 16; Psalm 33:8-15; 46:8-10; 90:2-4; 103:19; 119:89- 01; Isaiah 14:24; 46:9-11; Daniel 4:35; Matthew 11:25-27; 25:34; Luke 22:22; .John 6:37, 39, 44, 65; Acts 2:23; 4:27, 28; 13:48; 17:26; Romans 8:28-30; 9:14-24; 11:3.3-36. 1 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 1:3-12; 2:10; 3:9-11; 2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 2:10; 1 Peter 1:2, 20; Revelation 17:17. A careful study of these passages of God's Word, together with others which a reference Bible and a The Sovereignty of God. 51 good memory may suggest, will show how deep and firm a liold this doctrine of the divine J; , Doctrine sovereignty had on the minds of Both Taught .... , , c ^^ ^ I and Assumed ^^'^ ^""^^ ™^" ^^ '^^'^ ''''^° 'P^''*^ ^^ in Scripture, ^I'^y were moved by the Holy Ghost." But not only in such pas- sages as these, where the doctrine is more or less dis- tinctly affirmed, do we find sufficient basis for our belief in it, but it also pervades the general teaching of Scrip- ture and is constantly assumed. In the Psalms, for example, the overruling power and presence of God in all heaven and earth are so con- stantly expressed or implied, that a world of glorious truth would be weakened or ob- Examnles scured if we forget them. In the prophets the same thing is true. Sometimes the statements are exceedingly definite, as in Isaiah 14:24: "The Lord of hosts hath sworn, say- ing. Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it .stand." Nothing can be clearer than that. In Christ's conceptions of Ills Father the idea of sovereignty, even in details, is prominent. He sets us the best example of how to re- gard the sovereign will of God when he says (Matthew 11:26) : "Even so. Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." In the teachings of the Apostles the doctrine is emphatic. Peter (Acts 2:23) in regard to the cru- cifixion of Jesus says: "Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain." Paul in many well-known passages (see above) asserts and justifies the doctrine. And he concludes one of his discussions with a rapturous psean of praise (Ro- mans 11:33-36) because of this great truth: "For of 52 The Doctrines of Our Fax h. him, and through hira, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory forever. Amen." 2. Proof from reason. Sovereignty, complete and perfect, is a necessary deduction from any proper conception of God. If things are not regulated at all, _ , , but go by chance, then God is not Proof from . '. , ,. .. Reason superior to chance. If they are fixed by law, then God is under law as a subordinate, instead of over it as its Maker. If events are determined by fate, then is fate mightier than God. But none of these things can be admitted. The perfect God, whom Scripture and right reason alike make known, is perfect in knowledge and in power, and there can be no being, force, or influence greater than he. If we limit in any direction the actual and com- plete sovereigntj' of God we encounter as many and as great difficulties as we think to escape. The safest and soundest position to take is to accept in all its fullness the great truth, explaining as best we can its difficulties, and waiting humbly for more light. 3. Difficulties of the doctrine. There are great and to some minds, insuperable, Difficulties difficulties growing out of the doc- Considered, trine of divine sovereignty as it has just been presented. The way to treat these difficulties is to face them candidly, and, where we cannot explain, say as much. In general in regard to these difficulties two thing.^ must be said: (a) They are theo- They are retical rather than practical ; that Theoretical jj.^ they are problems of thoufjht pfacUcal"^^" rather than of life, either spiritual or active. Sincere Arrainians and devout Calvinists are trving to do much the same kind T/ie Sovereignty of God. 53 of Christian work, and enjoy much the same religious experience. (b) These difficulties are fully as much philosophical as theological ; that is, they are problems for the in- tellect, and they meet us in some form or other, what- ever system of thought we have. If Philosophical we hold to fate, chance, law or de- Speculations. terminism, we cannot escape these vexing problems. In fact, they are less difficult to the Christian thinker than to any other. He can wait for the solution and not despair of it. What are the main difficulties? First: TJie prob- lem of natural law. God has put The Main nature under law; how then does Difficulties: ^jg ^yjn overrule nature? We an- , nf Nflt- swer that the divine plan is ex- ural Law. pressed in the law itself, and that any departure, or seeming departure, from law is both competent and credible in the case of the perfect God. Second: The problem of man's free will. This is more serious, because it seems to involve a contradic- tion in terms. How can a man's actions be of his own choosing and at the same time The Problem be fixed by God's foreordination? of Man s Free \Ye may not be able as yet to see ^ ' how this can be, but we must think of God's plan as itself including man's freedom. God's purpose was that man should be endowed with free will to choose his ways, and be accountable for his actions. If a ship is moving westward and you run from prow to stern you are going east and west at the same time. This is no contradiction, because the greater includes ?!ie less. 54 The Doctrines of Our Faith. Third: The problem of sin. This is the most serious dillic'ulty of all. How moral evil could find a place in the government of a perfect and almighty God we sim- ply cannot understand. But the The Problem fact is that it is here, and it is t1 ^^' under God's control. We shall sim- Its Presence. , , ^ x ^ i- i^ ^.u- ply have to wait for light on this .subject, while we deny that God is directly the author of sin, or responsible otherwise than by wise permis- sion for its existence and prevalence. In regard to the punishment of sin, also, msn some- times ask: How can God justly punish sin which he lias permitted, or which is included in the fore- known actions of men? This grows out of Punishment. ''"'"'''" lesponsibility. and out of the perfect holiness of God. H man be free he is responsible; if God is holy and just sin must be punished. CHAPTER VII. God's Care of His Creation. This is commonly called the doctrine of providence, rtud it is closely related to that of , „ ., sovereignty, which was the subject Of Providence. , I i ^ t4. • /^i of our last chapter. It is one of the greatest and most blessed doctrines of our faith, in- volving great difficulties of thought, but full of pre- cious comfort and help. I. The Doctrine Stated and Explained. God's sovereignty and love, wisdom and fore- sight, care and control are all com- The Doctrine bined and directed toward the ob- atatett a Q jects of his creative power. Sing- ' ling out especially the idea of God's care for the things that he has made we may define the doctrine of providence. 1. Definition of the doctrine. It is simply God's wise and benevolent care of all things. Great things as well as small, and small things as well as great fall under the di- vine care. There are no exceptions. (a) The universe in all its broad reach, and doAvn to the minutest details of its life and action, is the object of its Creator's wise and loving oversight. From vast cosmic systems, suns, moons God Cares and stars, down to atoms and mol- Universe ecules; from created intelligences like the seraphs and angels, and un- 55 56 . The Doctrines of Our Faith. known piincijjalities and powers down to tlie minute, microscopic creature which finds its great world in a drop of water ; nothing is too great, and nothing too little, to escape the divine care. (b) Of course this providence includes man, and it is in this that we are most concerned and interested. Individuals and nations, and the whole countless mul- titude of human beings, past, pres- f°^TVT^'^^ ent and to come, all share in the great God's tender care for those who were made in his own image. There is no need to make little of the doctrine, or to try to limit in any way the scope and reach of providence. The civilized man and the savage, the infant and the aged, the strong and the weak, the rich and the poor — all men every- where are under Clod's direction, and are the objects of his concern. 2. Distinctions to be observed. Yet there are some distinctions to be made; we must not confound the divine care with the forces which are only the expression and outflow of his providence; still less nuist we identify God himself with any work or creation of his own. God's world is not God himself, nor is he the means by Avhich he takes care of his world. (a) We must distinguish providence from the reign of law. Hooker's famous saying al)out law — that its seat is the bosom of God, its voice the harmony of the universe, that nothing is too great Providence to evade its power, nor too little to not Merely ^^^j^g j^g care— mav well be applied the Reign of • ' . „ r La^ here; but law is not all of prov- idence. For God is behind and over and with tiie law. It is his tool, it is not he. Nor does it rule him out of hi°; own sphere. Law does not God's Cure of Creation. 57 operate as a coequal and still less as an overruling force with God — it is only a part or an expression of his care. Law thus has the authority and force of God, but itself is his and inferior to him. (b) We must also distinguish providence from fate. There is no such thing as fate. It is only a name, a superstition. There is no person, nor being, nor force, which can rightly be called fate. Providence ,, . , j. x- rn 4. «T:'„t„>» it IS a mere abstraction. Ihe an- is not rate. cients dallied with this conception, but the modern mind rejects it with contempt. Now- adays we must choose between God and law — fate is a back number. (c) And this brings us to say that we must also distinguish between God's providence and his foreordi- nation. God has not set aside his providence by hard and fast decrees. He has decreed Foreordina- ^^,^^^^^ ^^^^ ^ ^ ^^^ gl^^U ^^ Por- tion Does not i, 4. 4.1, j • 1 ^ Supersede evermore; but the decree includes Providence. his own care. He has not decreed himself out of loving and constant touch with his creation, but into it. The decree does not supersede providence, it contains it. II. The Doctrine Justified in Reason and Scripture. Can such a doctrine of the divine care as has been stated be proved? Can it be The Doctrine reasonably shown that God does i exercise the kind of providence that has been asserted ? Most assuredly. 1. Preparatory proof. Before taking up the Scrip- ture passages which teach our doctrine we may no- .")8 The Doctrines of Our Faith. tice that this thought is a necessary and proper de- diution from any just view of God. Reason jf tiieje Ihj a personal God, a Cre- •^^ ator and Sovereign, his controlling care of his creatures and subjects seems a foregone conclusion. As has been already inti- mated, it would be passing strange, not to say unreason- able, if a Sovereign Lawgiver should legislate himself into inactivity, or a Divine Creator should permit him- self to l)e forced from the field by any of his own creatures. God's presence and superintendence in his universe is the most natural and reasonable supposition. Absence and unconcern are inconceivable of a perfect God. 2. Scripture proof. But we are not left to reasonings like these, however clear they may be, for our doctrine. For if the Bible teaches anything with Scrintural clearness and emphasis it is the Testimony. truth of God's providence. Not all the sayings of God's Word that bear on this doctrine can be here adduced, still less inter- preted. But the following are mentioned as clearly teaching or implying the doctrine, and of these a few will be discussed. See Psalms 37, 103, 104; 121:3; 145:9, 15, 16; Proverbs 16:9, 33; Isaiah 45:5-7; Jere- miah l:5ff.; Matthew 6:24-34 10:29-31; Luke 12:22- 30; Acts 17:28; Romans 8:28; Philippians 4:6, 7, 19. In the beautiful and rhythmic flow of the 37th Psalm we hear, like the murmur of the tide, the sweep of God's loving care; in Psalm 103 the praise of a devout -, ... heart finds amid its variations of Specific Examples expression the one ever recurring theme of God's helpful presence; while in Psalm 104 the world and nature share in the same unceasing watch of love. All is summed and God's Care of Creation. 59 centered in the sweet phrase of Psalm 145 : 9, "The Lord is good to all ; and his tender mercies are over all his works." In Isaiah 45:5 God says of Cyrus: "1 girded thee, though thou hast not known me," showing his selection and use of men as instruments of his work among nations. No clearer statements (as is most blessedly fitting) can be found than those of our Lord Jesus. In Matthew 6:24 and following verses he teaches that our care should not anticipate and usurp God's, but tlie rather should confidingly rest in his: "Be not anxious * * * Your heavenly Father knoweth." In the comforting words reported by Matthew (10:29- 31) he tells us that God cares for the falling sparrows, and keeps count of the hairs of our heads. The loving Lord was not afraid to be emphatic in asserting his Father's care. In his great speech on Areopagus at Athens, Paul (Acts 17:28) declares that in God "we live, and move, and are." Other parts of the same wonderful discourse (verses 24, 26, 30) bear also upon the same truth. The special care of God for his own finds immortal expression in Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God." Amid the troubles of life how sweet it is that God has spoken on this great subject with an emphasis that should shatter doubt! TIL The Doctrine As Related to Other Trlths. No truth stands alone. Difficulties are often manufac- . tured by not taking proper notice of as Related to ^'^^ right relations of truths to each Other Truths, other. For truths, as well as forces, work together. So the truth of God's active, personal care of things co-operates with and includes rather than contradicts some other related truths. 60 The Doctrines of Our Faith. 1. Law and progress in nature. There is both law and development in nature; but providence is no bar to these, in fact, providence in- cludes them. Science is only learn- ing how God works, it does not (un- less misguided by an atheistic bias) Providence is greater than law, Law and Progress in Nature. work against God speaks in law. 2. The march The March of Events: God in History. but go on as God appoints, idence. grox^irh of events. Here we see (a) the hand of God in history. The course of events neither makes nor mars God's sovereignty. He rules, and overrules — the course of events is only a course, it does nothing History is unfolding prov- (b) More especially the toward consummation of the Kingdom of God in the world is evidence of his directing over sight. of free men. This was considered sovereignty. We need only repeat that God's providence is so large as to include the freedom — they do not exclude each other. But it is prop- to say in regard to evil actions that thej"^ are jnr- niitted, and in regard to rjood actions tliat they arc helped. 4. The Christian Life. This will be more fully unfolded farther on; but it is our duty now to say that God's care takes in all the elements and stages of our Christian experience: conversion, growth, per- severance, prayer. To him be the praise and glory of our salvation, and gratitude unceasing for his care of all things ! Progress of the Kingdom of God. 3. The actions in the article on The Actions of Free Men. Christian Experience. CHAPTER VIII. THE UNITY AND TRINITY OF GOD. Wo come, in this chapter, to consider one of the great and glorious mysteries of our faith. Triune ^^ embraces the blessed truth of God's oneness as that is related to the Scriptural revelation of God in the characters, or persons, of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I. The Divine Unity. There is onlj^ one true God, the Maker and Lord of the universe, the Creator, Preserver and TT^-i ^^^° Savior of man. Let us first notice Unity. two great errors as to God's oneness. 1. Errors to be shunned. (a) The first of these is called pantheism. It accepts the divine oneness, but makes it a oneness with the universe. It is not prop- erly a belief in God at all, but -f''*'''^ ^ rather a philosophic theory which Pantheism denies the reality of God. It iden- tifies God with everything; it de- clares that the whole universe, the sum total of all forces and objects, is God; that God exists only as he is expressed in things that exist. It is sufficient here to say that such a view has no countenance whatever in Scripture; is thoroughly and wholly opposed to the Biblical representations of God as a personal Spirit and Creator; and that on the philosophical side it is, and 81 62 The Doctrines of Our Faith. must remain, for all that man can see, an unproved speculation. Whatever shadow of truth may linger about pantheism is amply enfolded and justified in the doctrine of providence. God is in and with his universe, hut he himself is not the universe. (b) Polytheism. Among civilized people this view of the divine existence has now come to be regarded as an exploded superstition; but among heathen nations it still in a measure prevails. This Polytheism. . j • j. j * ■' recognizes many gods instead of one God. One of the greatest endeavors of the Bible is to counteract this error, for idolatry was a constant temp- tation to Israel, and was a hurtful influence in the world during the early days of Christianity. It finds abundant refutation, therefore, in both Testaments. One form of perverted Christianity comes perilously near this error in its recognition of something like divinity in Mary, the mother of our Lord, and in the saints. \\'hatever truth there may be in the thouglit that there are spiritual beings in the universe, superior to man and capable of working for and with him, is sulliciently provided for in the Scriptural doctrine of the angels. But these are God's messengers and man's helpers (Heb. 1:0-14); they are not gods. 2. Proof of the doctrine. The Scriptures are clear enough on the point, but it is well to notice that there are also other considerations in favor of the view that God is one^ and but The Doctrine one. (a) When we sift thoroughly Proved. the notions of atheism, pantheism. Considerations. ''^'^^ polytheism, we find them un- satisfactory, not to say irrational. But when we propose to our minds the thought of one true personal God, somehow it fits better; it seems more like the truth. Now this may l>e due in part to education Unity and Trinity. 63 and rearing— we have been brought up to this view, and so it seems the more natural. But it is not altogether due to this cause. For we find among ancient poly- theists a yearning for the one God, and among some almost a definite belief in him; and among philos- ophers of almost all times, even those who do not ac- cept the Bible as a message from God, a decided ten- dency in this direction. It is not too much to say that the conception of the one God is more in har- mony with the best thought of man than is any other view. (b) The Scriptural proof is ample and convincing. The divine oneness lies upon the surface and is enwrapped in the very fabric of Scripture. It is _ impossible to find anything else Scriptural ,. m, i j. • q, 5 there. ihe doctrine receives es- pecial emphasis in such well-known passages as follows: Deut. 6:4: "Hear, Israel, the ]>ord tliy God in one Lord," etc. : Isa. 44 : 6 : "Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God;" and 45:22: "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else;" John 5:44, where our Lord uses the expression (R. V.), "the only God;" and 17:3, where he says: "Tliat they miglit know thee, the only true God;" 1 Cor. 8:4-6, where, in speak- ing of heathen idols, Paul says: "There is none other God but one ; for though there be that are called gods ****** to us there is but one God;" 1 Tim. 1:7: "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for- ever and ever. Amen." Surely these declarations are sufficiently explicit ; and they do not exhaust the teach- ings of God's own Word as to the unity of his being. 64 The Doctrines of Our Faith. II. The Divine Trinity. Along with the great truth of God's oneness we have the mysterious doctrine of the Trinity. Let us ob- serve that this is distinctly a Christian doctrine. It does not come to us anywhere but in Trinitv ^^^ Bible, and clearly only in the New Testament. Illustrations from nature or from polytheism only confuse and obscure our thoughts. No illustration can explain this mj'stery, and no language is adequate to its expression, for the reason that within the range of our observation and experience there is nothing like it. In the Old Testament certain modes of expression are found which are easily interpreted to accord with, possibly to foreshadow, the doctrine of divine three- ness; but these would not, with- A New out the fuller teaching of the New Testament Testament, lead us to formulate the Doctrine. . ^ • -a doctrme. \\ hat is said concerning the "Angel of the Lord," or, as it may be rendered, the Angel-Jehovah, may suggest the Son; and the fre- f uent mention of the "Spirit of the Lord" more dis- tinctly reveals the Holy Spirit. But after all it is to the teachings of Christ and his Apostles that we mainly look for what we know and may infer upon this great subject. 1. Statement of the doctrine. The one and only living and true God exists and reveals himself in the three characters, or persons, of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is not The Doctrine tri-theism. but tri-unitv— it does not Stated mean tliree Gods, but one God in Unity and Trinity. .65 three persons. Now this word "person" is apt to mis- lead us because with us it represents separate being; three persons with us would be three different beings; but it is perhaps as good a word as any, because no word can express exactly what we wish to set forth. For we do wish to assert that there is really distinc- tion between the three; the Father is not the Son, nor the Son tlie Spirit, and yet these three are one God; the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God, and there is but one God. God is both one and three; yet not in the same sense, for it would be absurd to say mathematically that one is three, or to say that one God is three Gods; but it is not absurd to say that the One is Three, because the One is not a mere mathematical quantity, but the living being whose mode of existence is beyond our power to con- ceive or express with exactness. 2. Proof of the doctrine. How can a doctrine so strange and seemingly so near to a contra- diction in terms be proved true? There is only one way: and that is that God himself T, •, should declare it. A man who does rTovea. not accept the Bible as a true mes- sage from God has no reason for believing in the Trin- ity; but how can a believer in the Bible do otherwise! The Scriptures teach the doctrine in two ways : one is by asserting and implying the personality and god- hood of each of the three separately; and the other is by mentioning the three together in such a way as to imply or express their equal divinity. (a) The Scriptures teach that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each one, is God. There is no 66 The Doctrines of Our Faith. need to prove that the Father is God. Tliat lies on the face of Scripture. The Son is Scriptural called God in several passages (as Testimony. John 1:1; Rom. 9:5; Titus 2:13; Each Per- Heb. 1:8); and is indicated to be son of the j- • • mi _, ,, , . divme in many more. These are Godhead is , , . Qq^^ more fully set forth in the next chapter. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is recognized as a separate personality, or character, ' and yet as God, in a number of passages which re- ceive fuller notice in the chapter on the Holy Spirit. (See Acts 5:3, 4; 1 Cor. 3:16; and others conveniently and strikingly grouped in Strong's Theology, p. 151). (b) There are several places in the New Testament where the Divine Three are mentioned together in such a way as to show that each is God and all are the one God. At the baptism of Jesus ^^^J^^^ ^\ (Matt. 3:13-17. and the parallel the One God. accounts in Mark and Luke) the Divine Three are manifested. In the commission (Matt. 28:19) our Lord instructs his followers to baptize con- verts into the name (not names) of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In the benediction (2 Cor. 13:14) the blessing of the Three, which is the blessing of the One God, is invoked. Compare with these also Eph. 2:18-22; 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2; Jude 20:21. 3. Difficulty of the doctrine. This is confess- edly great. We cannot comprehend how one God can be three characters, or persons. But there are many facts, real facts, that we cannot un- T**® . derstand. The unity of human Mysteries of the Doctrine consciousness, the distinction be- tween body and soul, the separate functions of the mind^ all these are a mystery just with- in us — yet we believe them; for they are facts. Unity and Trinity. 67 4. Value of the doctrine. It is a precious truth — valuable for its very vvonderf ulness ; it is no common fact. It has a power for the intellect of ^ . . , man — it puts one to thinkins: of Value of the , ,, . , a ^.x, ^ ^ t Doctrine great things beyond the track of plodding science. It has a comfort for the soul. The great and good God does his work for the soul as the Father who loves, the Son who eaves, the Spirit who calls and sanctifies. Blessed be God! Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him^ all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. CHAPTER IX. THE GOD-MAN, JESUS CHRIST. The doctrine of Christ is the central point of New Testament teaching. It is the distinctive and ines- timable gift of Christianity to the thought and life of man. With the closely related doc- The Wonder- trine of the Trinity it constitutes ful Doctrine ^j^g profoundest mystery of revela- rh t"^ tion. It unites the mysteries of God and man. For information on the subject we are to look only to the New Tes- tament Scriptures, gathering what illustrative material we may from the foreshadowings of the Old Testament, the history of the times in which our Lord lived upon earth, and the tracery of his mighty influence upon human life and thought through the centuries follow- ing his earthly ministry. Within the limits proper to a brief treatise it is of course impossible to do more than point out the general outlines of this great What Does and glorious truth, which has been the New Tes- tj^g theme of volumes upon volumes tamen e ^ learned, profound, and reveren- Us Concern- , „, , ,. - ^ ing Him? ^'•'^^ study. v\e can only bneflj answer the question: What does the New Testament tell us of Christ? It tells us that he was man ; that he was God ; that he was God-man. 68 The Ood-Man, Jesus Christ. Of) I. Jesus Christ was Man. This is where we should begin in our study of the Christ. It is the natural order; it was the way in which his immediate followers learned what they knew . of him; it is the way in which of Tesus '^^ ^^ presented to us in the unfolding teachings of the New Tes- tament; it is the easiest way for us to learn of him, and to ascend as far as we may the heights of truth concern- ing him. The reality of Christ's manliood must lie at the basis of any true conception of his character and work. It is not now seriously questioned, so far as I know, by any Christian thinker; but it has sometimes been questioned doctrinally, and it has very often been at least obscured in the apprehension of many who would not theoretically disbelieve it. One of the notable con- tributions of our own century to theological thought is a larger, clearer and stronger conception of the true humanity of our Lord. In some instances this has been won at the cost of a somewhat relaxed belief in the true godhood of Christ; but in the main the full- ness of his deity has only been itself enhanced in our thought by a firmer grasp on the sweet verity of his manhood. This truth is so apparent in the New Tes- tament that it hardly needs elaborate proof, and yet it may be emphasized for us in the two statements that our Lord's true humanity appears in his own ac- tions and words, and also in the impression he made on others. 1. His own actions and words. The flavor of a distinct, real and charming humanness exhales from our Lord's life and teaching. He ate and drank as Shown by others; he mingled freely and fa- His Own miliarly with his fellow-men ; hft Actions. had his experience of bodily ills, as hunger and thirst and weariness 70 The Doctrines of Our Faith. and pain; he suffered tlie pangs of mental distress, as in temptation, in disappointment and righteous anger, in sorrow, in the burden of responsibility, in the com- bined anguish and joy of self-sacrifice for duty; he enjoyed the sweetness of the spiritual life, as in fel- lowship with his brethren, in communion with God, in realization of truth, in the felicity of a clear con- science, in the prospect of an accomplished and glorious work, in the joy of present and actual service. The passages which suggest these views are familiar, but a few may be mentioned as reminders and inciters to further search. See John 2:1, 2; Luke 14:1; 15:2 Matt. 4:2; Mark 11:12; John 4:7; 19:28; John 4:6 Mark 4:38; Matt. 4:1; Mark 3:5; John 11:35; 9:4 12:27, 28; Heb. 12:2; Luke 4:14, 15 (cf. Heb. 2:12) Luke 10:21; John 17, especially verses 1, 4, 5, 22, 24 25; John 14:6; 18:36, 37; 8:29, 46; 12:27, 28, 32 Heb. 12:2; John 4:32; Mark 10:45; John 15:8-11 17:13. Besides all these indications of a genuine humanity we must remember how our Lord And by His spoke as a man, taught in human terms, and loved to call himself the Son of Man. 2. The impression he made on others. It is aboimdantly clear from the accounts in the Gospels that while Jesus impressed thase who came in touch witli him as being a very unconunon man. Shown by the j^^ ^^.^^ always regarded as a real Impression • f . ,-. He Made on man- ^here is no trace of unreality, Others, nothing to indicate the lack of a true human touch, in his inter- course with others. He impressed many as being other than man. Remember what Xicodemus said (John 3:2); the colloquy between the healed blind man and The God-Man, Jesus Christ. 71 the Pharisees (John 9, especially verses 11, 24, 25, 31, 32, 35 ) ; and other passages. No one can thoughtfully consider these numerous and clear indications and seriously doubt our Lord's hu- manity, but that is not all. II. He was God. This is the real difficulty and mystery concerning Christ ( I Tim. 3:16), but it is the greatest truth in human history and thought. If science had perchance made a discovery so important, had T„„ reasoned out on fair evidence a J esus. truth so profound and momentous, the inherent and accompanying difficulties would have proved no bar to its general acceptance. And so it should be here. The truth is difficult, but the evidence is convincing. (The great classic on this subject in English is Liddon's Lectures on the Divinity of our Lord; the evidence is clearly and ably outlined in Strong's Theology, pp. 145-150). The merest outline of the argument is all that can be attempted here. 1. Consider Christ's own claims. Did he un- derstand himself to be God, and speak out his own con- sciousness? Read carefully the following passages Christ's own ^^ their connection: Matt. 11:27, Claims Attest, compared with John 6:44, 65; Matt. 18:20; 28:18-20; Mark 2:5-11; John 3:13; 5:18, 23; 8:58; 10:30; 14:9, 10. Here we see that Jesus declares that only he can make known the Father to the spiritual apprehension of men, and only the Father can so touch the inner spirit of men as to lead them to the Son; that he is present, as only the omnipresent and prayer-hearing God can be, wher- ever two or three worshippers gather in his name; 72 The Doctrines of Our Faith. that all authority in heaven and on earth is given to him, that his "name" is that of the Father and the Holy Spirit as the splicre or object into which the regenerate are to be baptized, and tliat he will be, as only God could promise to be, with his true believers "all the days." He claims autliority to forgive sins, silently accepting the criticism that tliis is the preroga- tive of God only. He asserts his presence in heaven while talking with Nicodemus on earth. He places himself, and knew he was clearly understood so to do, on an equality with God. He declares eternal unbroken existence of himself; asserts that he is one with the Father, and that those who had seen him had seen the Father. Such claims are unique; and no intelligent and de- vout Israelite, such as Jesus was, could have made theon without knowing what they involved. If we ask why these claims are not more frequent, Unique and ^^.^ ^^ ^^^ cautious and veiled Unanswerable ' •; , ^ , , -,. ^. ^ Claims rather than defiant and distinct, why they are suggestive rather than dogmatic, the answer may be probably found in part in caution, in modesty, in consideration for the hearers, and in a desire to awaken and encourage belief rather than to impose it by authority. 2. Observe the statements of his followers. (a) In the Gospels we find Peter declaring (Matt. 16:10; John 6:68, 69) on behalf of „. ^ ^ himself and the rest a belief which Statements ^ ,, • i j i j 4. of jjjg naturally involves and leads to a FoUoweis. recognition of his Master's full Gospels. deity; John fully asserts thegloriou* truth (John 1:1), shows how John the Baptist regarded Jesus (1:18), and tells of in- The God-Man, Jesus Christ. 73 credulous Thomas as he recognized his Teacher as God (20:28). (b) In the Epistles we find the writer to the Hebrews (chapters 1, 2, especially 1:8) luifolding in glowing terms this great truth ; we have John reiterat- ing the statement of his prologue Epistles. ^^ ^,^g Gospel (1 John 5:20); and we hear Peter (2 Pet. 1:1) finally and clearly uttering his faith. (c) In Paul's writings a few momentous statements in4icate how profound a hold the true deity of Christ p ., had taken upon that great apostle's Letters. mind. Lack of space forbids dis- cussion — the reader is simply re- ferred to: Rom. 9:5; Phil. 2:G; Col. 2:9; Tit. 2:13. These are explicit statements ; the truth is implied in much else that Paul writes. 3. Notice incidental and corroborative proof. (a) The thought of Chirst's real Incidental and godhood harmonizes with the gen- Corroborative eral trend of the Scripture teaching. „ . • , The denial of his divinity goes hand Harmony. "^ hand with rejection of the Bible and of the supernatural. It is only a few logical steps from the lofty Arianism of Chan- ning down to the flat pantheism of Emerson and Parker, (b) The historic development and expression of this doctrine, as it powerfully and clear- History ot j ^^^^ ^^ 1^^ ^j^^ bed-rock of Chris- the Doctrine. /: tian thought, is no light matter. Athanasius was not an accident. (cj The permanent abiding of this grand concep- tion in the hearts and minds of the The Welcome greatest and the lowliest of Chris- it nas tians in all ages is witness to its Received. j i. *• x ^ ^ xu power and testimony to its truth. 74 The Doctrines of Our Faith. III. He was God-man. Never did a hyphen mean so much ! It both joins and divides. There is distinction and yet unity. 1. Both God and man. The Scriptures teach us that God became man in Jesus of Nazareth. Con- sult again, with this in mind: John 1:1, 14 (compared with 1 John 1:1-3); Phil. 2:5-11; ^°? tS°^ Col. 2:9; 1 Tim. 3:16; Tit. 2:13, and Man. ' _ ' 14; Heb. 1 and 2. The divinity did not overwlielm and efface the humanity ; the humanity did not degrade and nullify the divinity; the humanity and divinity did not fuse together and form a third something which was neither. 2. Yet one Personnliti/. Jesus was not a God and a man tied together, lie was one Person who was both God and man. In a single consciousness he possessed a dual nature. It is a ^ ,.^ wonderful mystery; but our own Personality. , j j ' selves are likewise mysterious; each one of us is both body and mind; we cannot explain the union, and yet we accept the oneness of our own being. 1 have used the past tense, and said that Christ v:ns these things. But what he was The Christ of o" earth he evermore is in heaven — the Present. man, God, God-man. Glory to his name! CHAPTER X. CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT. At the present time the truth concerning the nature and work of the Holy Spirit is receiving great at- tention among Christian thinkers and workers. This renewed interest and study are val- The Question; ^able, but there are perils. This Outlook and . e 4.u ■ i. u- *. „ , , IS one of the easiest subjects on which we may go astray and mis- lead others. We may only too easily assume to know more than the Scriptures reveal ; we may force the teachings of the Bil)le into harmony with our own views; we may even imagine ourselves to be special favorites and chosen mouthpieces of the Spirit in this generation. These extremes should give us pause and teach us rev- erently and cautiously to inquire what God reveals to us in his Word as to the nature and work of the Holy Spirit. May himself guide us in our thoughts of him! I. The Personality of the Spirit. This is a strange question to raise, whether the Holy Spirit is really a personal being or not! And yet the strange thinkings of men force us to ask and answer it. If the Holy Spirit be not a per- The Person- i ^ • u « a i ■ i. ,., , ., son, what is he? Some say he is not ality of the •' Spirit. * distinct person, it is only a najne for God ; others would have us think that this blessed term stands only for the divine in- 76 76 The Doctrines of Our Faith. fluence put forth by Ood ; others miglit say, if they told exactly what they think, that the Spirit of God, like the soul or spirit of man. is somehow a part of God, not necessarily the whole of him. Now we are evidently in deep waters when we undertake to dis- cuss the nature of spirit; even our own spiritual life is a baffling mystery to us, and it therefore becomes us to study closely the Word of God and to try to un- derstand as clearly as we can what it teaches on this great and important matter. The passages especially important here are as fol- lows: John 3:8; 14:25, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-15: Acts 2:4; 8:29; 13:2; Rom. 8:11, 26, Teachrng ^7; 1 Cor. 2:10, 11; 12:8-11; Eph. 4:30. There are many other pas- sages which deal with the nature and work of tlie Spirit, but these bear directly upon the question of his person- ality. Their teachings may be summarized somewhat as follows : 1. The Holy Spirit is not simply another name for God, or one of the names of God. It is not merely a synonjTn, but represents a distinction. In tlie dis- cussion of the Trinity this was made The Holy clear, and it does not require elab- Spirit not orate treatment here. But we must o £ _ notice that this distinction does not Synonym for Qq^^ destroy the oneness of God, nor dis- prove the divinity of the Spirit. In these ways the Holy Spirit is a synonym for God. But what is here contended for is that the Scriptures noted do not countenance the view that the Holy Spirit is simply a divine title. 2. Tfor is the Holi/ Spirit merely the divine power or influence. Some passages might indeed seem at first The Holy Spirit. 77 sight to teach this view; but it is so manifestly inade- quate and inexact as to need no ^h*^ D-^^^^^ labored refutation. If one shouW Power substitute the phrase "divine influ- ence" for '"Spirit" in most of the passages adduced, he will see at once how utterly un- tenable is such an interpretation. 3. The Holy Spirit is a distinct Person or char- acter of the Divine Trinity. Let us take up the direct argument for his personality, from the Scriptures mentioned, (a) He is spoken of as Buj. J a person (John 16:13-14). He is Distinct called the Comforter or Advocate, Character in which is a personal name and also Scrintural ' indicates a personal service. (b) Testimony. ^^^ ^^ mentioned in connection with other persons, both human and di- vine, in such a way as to imply his own personality. (Acts 15:28; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14). (c) His acts are those of a person. He teaches (Luke 12:12) ; convicts (John 16:8); gives utterance (Acts 2:4); commands (Acts 8:29); forbids (Acts 16:6, 7); helps (Rom. 8:26); searches (1 Cor. 2:10, 11). (d) He is affected as a person by the acts of others. He is blasphemed against (Matt. 12:31); lied to (Acts 5:3- 9); resisted (Acts 7:61); grieved (Eph. 4:30). IL The Deity of the Spibit. When we accept the separate personality of the Father, Son and Spirit, and the divinity of the Son, we do not need much evidence to convince us of the god- hood of the Holy Spirit. Our i.1. c ■ -l minds and hearts are ready for this the Spirit. . , ^ ■; doctrine to enter m and take posscc- 78 The Doctrines of Our Faith. sion. Tliere is, liowever, sufficient proof in Scripture that the Holy Spirit is God. 1. Passages where the Spirit alone is men- tioned. These clearly exhibit his divinity. (See Strong's Theology, pp. 150, 151). (a) He is called God, as in Acts 5 : 4, 8, where Peter Scriptural asks Ananias why he lied to the Testimony. Holy Spirit, and then says: "Thou Passages jj^st not lied to men, but to God." ., q rit '^^ ^" many places things which ^long^ are properly said only of God are said of the Spirit. This is true both in regard to characteristics, or attributes, and to works. That is, the Spirit is and does what is peculiar to God. As examples of such passages the following may be referred to: Gen. 1:2; Matt. 12:28; John 3:8; 16:13; Rom. 8:2; 1 Cor. 2:10; Eph. 4:30; Tit. 3:5; Heb. 9:14. 2. Passages where the three are mentioned together. These have already been noticed in our study of the Trinity, but they are given again in this connection. They are a most inter- Passages esting and instructive set of cita- Mentioning ^j ^ j studied in their the Three Persons connection give ample and over- Together, whelming proof of the equal divin- ity of Father. Son, and Holy Spirit, and therefore of each considered alone. The passages are: Matt. 3:16. 17; Luke 3:21, 22; Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 12:3-6; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Peter 1:1, 2; .lude 20, 21. In the first two of these we have accounts of our Lord's baptism, on which occasion the Divine Three appeared. \A> do not wonder that one of the old writers said: / ad Jordanem, Ariane, et videbis The Holy Spirit. 79 Trinitatem — "Go to tlie Jordan, Arian, and thou wilt see the Trinity." III. The Work of the Spirit. What do the Scriptures teach us of the special, dis- tinctive work of the Holy Spirit? It is true they do not sharply define between the Persons of the Trinity in declaring the work of "TJ^e Work ^ Goj Yor tlie work of each is the Distinctive ' ^™^'^ ^^ ^°^' ^^^ ^^^^ work of one not Exclusive is sometimes ascribed to another. This is perfectly natural. Yet there is evident distinction made in many things. Neither the Father nor the Spirit became man and did all the Savior's earthly work. Tlie Father was ever with the Son, and yet it is said that he gave the Spirit in full abundance to him. Perhaps it may clear the matter a little to say that the work of the Holy Spirit is repre- sented as distinctive, but not as exclusive. What then are some features of this distinctive work of the Holy Spirit? 1. Hoiv related to the work of the Father and of the Son. God is the all-inclusive term, describing any one of the Persons, but most As Related commonly, when used alone, the to the Work j^^ather. Thus God, the Father, is Father ^^^^^ ^^ ^^''^^ ^'^^ other two. (See John 3:16, 17; 14:26, and similar passages.) And so in some mysterious sense, not in their divinity, but in their personality and service, the Son and Spirit are subordinate to the Father. In relation to the Son there was a work of the Holy Spirit upon and loith him in his earthly life. See es- pecially Luke 4:1, 14; John 1:32, 33; 3: -34. There was And of the ^^^^ i- ^ work of the Holy Spirit Son. for and with our Lord after his 80 The Doctrines of Our Faith. earthly life. See John 1-4:16-19, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15. The holy and intimate relation of service between the Son and the Si)irit are here most beautifully set forth. Have we not too much neglected this wondrous view of God — how tile Spirit came upon the Son, moved and led him ; comes in his place to teach, remind and guide his followers? 2. Hoic related to the tmiverse. Almost noth- ing is revealed as to this. In Gen. As Related j.g ^^g ^^^ ^^^^ ^]^^^^ ^^^ g i^it to the ^ Universe. brooded over chaos, and was thus, as it seems, active in creation. There may also be allusion to the creative agency of the Spirit in Isa. 40:12, 14; but the nature of the Spirit's work in the material universe is confessedly obscure. 3. Hoic related to man. Speaking of the Holy Spirit our Lord says (John 15:26): "He shall testify „ , , of me"; and again (Jolin 16:8): As Related « v ^ , u ,, • •„ to Man And he, when he is come, will con- vict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." These teach- ings indicate a general work of the Spirit in further- ance of the gospel. But the particular features of that work appear in what is wrought in the souls of indi- viduals. Here we note four parts, or aspects, of the Spirit's activity. (a) Regeneration. It is the Spirit who renews the soul and brings it again into right relations with God. . (John 3:5; Rom. 8:14). (b) Sane- L'ScS, t^«^'^*'°"- T'^^ "«^y sp'"^ "•«-- Illumination ences to holiness the spirits of men. and His blessed indwelling is the soul's Inspiration. true life and growth. (Rom. 8:9- 13, 26; 1 Peter 1:2). (c) Illu- The Holy Hpirit. 81 mination. The Spirit enlightens tlie mind of the be- liever, enabling him to enter into and possess the truth of God. (Luke 12:12; 1 Cor. 2:10, 11. (d) Inspira- tion. The Holy Spirit exerted that special influence upon the minds of the Scripture writers which enabled them unerringly to perceive and express the truth of God. (John 14:26; 1 Cor. 7:40; 2 Peter 1:21). Ques- tion arises as to the distinction between these last two. We may not be able to affirm the manner or extent of the Spirit's guidance, nor to define just where that good help he gives to all the saints passed on into the spe- cial grace of infallible inspiration, but we believe there is a difference in favor of apostles and prophets. Let us not claim inspiration for ourselves, lest we be con- demned; nor admit the reality in those who make the claim — unless we have beyond peradventure such cre- dentials as Isaiah and Paul, Moses and John were able to give. CHAPTER XI. THE ORIGIN AND NATURE OF MAN. A study of this subject naturally follows out con- sideration of what the Scripture tells us of God. Our own consciousness, and observation, history and science, . all help us here. We are not shut , ^, up to the Scriptures alone for our Method. knowledge of ourselves. On most points the human sources of knowl- edge and the Scriptures are entirely in accord. Where there seems to be variance, we may wait for further light without rushing to the conclusion on the one hand that the Scriptures are mistaken, or, on the other, that the investigations of science are wholly without foundation. Again, where either Scripture, or human knowledge, speaks without the other, we may accept what is said and wait. Taking the two together, what do we learn of tlie origin and nature of man? I. The Origin of Man. The memory of one who lives to mature life cannot recall his birth, or infancy — there is a mist over the early life; but in the observation of every one, fellow- ^, ^ . . , beings vounger tlian himself are The Origin of 7 /, • ., jjr constantly appearing on the scene and making a continuous suc- cession of human life pa.ssing before his own eyes. And so it is on the broader plane of human 82 Origin and ISature of Man, 83 history. The constant birth, life and death of indi- viduals contributes to the rise, growth and decay of nations, races, species. Looking backward, the stu- dent of history soon loses certainty of knowledge amid the mists of antiquity. Back of all, we ask. What? and Whence ? 1. The voice of history and tradition. This is dim, obscure, confused. In human Answers: tradition outside of the Bible, we The Voice of , ^ ■ i ^ *i, • • History and have no certam clue to the origin Tradition. of man. All nations have, or have had, more or less of traditional and mythical accounts, but these cannot be depended upon very far. 2. The voice of science. Where tradition has failed science has investigated, theorized, The Voice of and inferred, and has some things Science. to say respecting the origin of human life. 1. We have the evolutionary theory ; and those who hold it may be divided into two classes, (a) There are those who hold that by the chance aggregation of matter life began, and other forms The Theory of life were evolved, until after a of Evolution, long course of ages, and through Origin in many species which have perished, Aggregation ^^^g^'^ V chance, but somewhat by of Matter. law, man was evolved. The trou- ble with this theory is that its data are too few. It is a sweeping generalization based upon an unsafe inference. Its advocates have not been free from dogmatism, and many of them fail to recog- nize that there is quite as much of pure speculation as of demonstrable science in the most that is said on this subject. 84 The Docirlntci of Our Faith. (b) There is a modified form of evolutionary the- ory. There are those who accept tlie general outlines of this theory as a probable hypotiicsis explaining the divine method in creation. Those p who hold this form of the tlieory do not deny God or the Bible. They look upon evolution simply as God's way of bringing man into being. They repudiate the doctrine of chance, and do not by law rule the Creator out of his creation. They accept in a general way the account of creation given in Genesis, reconciling it with their views some- what as in the case of Geology. There are many dif- ficulties in this view also, but it is at least entitled to respectful consideration. 2. Other sciences. Some light may be thrown upon the origin of man by ethnology and geology, but it must be confessed that the light is faint. The data are all too few. There is much Other room for speculation and uncer- IthnoTogy *^^"^y- T'^^ P''^"''^""^ "*^" .^''^^^'- and Geology. ^^ "o man remembers his birth or infancy, so the human race without help from divine revelation cannot trace its origin or infancy. As each individual is dependent upon parents and others for knowledge of its earliest being, so are we dependent upon the Word of God for what we know of the beginning of man upon earth. 3. The voice of Scripture. This at least is clear and more definite, though not full nor final. The passages specially worthy of study are Genesis 1:27; _, „ . c 2:7; Romans 5:12f; 1 Corinthians The Voice of Scripture. 15:24f. (a) Suppose we take the Its Plain plain, literal meaning of these pas- Teaching, sages. From them it appears that God made man out of the elements Origin and Nature of Man. 85 found in the earth, and imparted to him the spiritual life coming from himself ; that lie made them first a pair, male and female, and from these two all the hu- man race has descended. This is the plain, unadorned Scripture account. There is inherently no impossibility in it, though as a theory it may present some difficul- ties; but if it comes to us as the plain teaching of God, if we understand correctly the Bible teaching, there is no good reason Avhy the plain meaning of this account should not be accepted. (b) This teaching of Scripture may be variously modified by scientific knowledge or speculation. As mentioned above, some may hold to an evolution of man from the lower animals, and not to Modifications -,■ . .■ a • t-^ p.. , an immediate creation, and inter- pret Scripture in harmony with this view. Others may hold that there were various pairs of different races, and that the Scripture intends to give account only of the origin of the Adamic race, from whom the chosen people and others descended. We cannot discuss all these varying views, but it is better to accept the plain teaching of Scripture on its face and wait, where there seems to be difficulty, for further light. It would be very unwise, for the sake of any scientific or historic theory, hastily to reject the simple narrative and teaching of the Word of God. We may be sure tliat if any discovery is made, and proved, as to the origin of man, it will be found in per- fect accord with the teachings of Scripture, though we may have to modify somewhat our interpretation of the Word. But there is as yet no occasion for so doing. 86 The Doctrines of Our Faith. II. The Nature of Man. We shall not fail to aj^ree with the Psalmist when he said: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." The nature of man is a puzzle to himself. Is that nature simple, two-fold or three- , ^ fold? Is man composed of body alone, or of body and soul alone, or of body, soul and spirit ? We reject without discus- sion the theory that man is body only; that mental and spiritual phenomena are only bodily functions. Some thinkers hold the three-fold view, maintaining that the soul is the principle of life and thought, is inter- mediate between tlie body and the spirit, which is the highest of all human elements. Others, however, with better reason, maintain that there is no need of distinguishing between the soul and spirit; that the spiritual nature of man is the same as the soul. It is very hard to settle the relation between those various elements of human nature. Passages which bear upon the subject are as follows: Gen. 2:7; 35; 18; Num. 16:22; 1 Kings 17:20-22; Eccl. 12:7; Zech. 12:1; Matt. 10:28; John 12:27; (Comp. with 13:21;) 1 Cor. 5:3. 4; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 4:12; 12:23; Jas. 2:2(5. A careful survey of these passages will show that they make very plain the distinction between tlie body and soul, or spirit. A few would seem to imply some distinction between soul and spirit. This is not a nec- essary distinction, but rather a form of expression. The word "»oul" is sometimes about synonymous with life, and does not necessarily always refer to the higher spiritual nature of man, though it sometimes does. Ac- cepting the two-fold constitution of man, we may con- eider his two elements separately. Origin and Nature of Man. 87 1. Man's body. See Genesis 2:7; 1 Corinthians _ 15:45f. How strikingly true in hu- The Body. 4.u + u- f Its Oneness ^^^^^ experience are the teachings of With Earthly these Scriptures! Man is of the Elements. earth, earthy, so far as his body is concerned. (a) The chemical ele- ments of man's body are the same as those of the earth beneath his feet, and the air which he breathes. There is nothing in him, bodily speaking, except what is around him; and when the vital spark of life departs, the dust returns to the earth as it was. (b) But man is also a living organism. His body is a wonderful machine — delicate, complicated and mar- vellous, quick to obey the directions of his spirit, a It Wn fler- sensitive and beautiful dwelling ful Organism, pl^^^ for thought, emotion, pur- pose. His body is not so large and strong as that of many animals, but it is the most per- fect animal body on earth. From feet to brain, man, in his physical make-up, is the most perfect work of God. We are told in Genesis that man was made in God's image, and Paul earnestly requests us to believe that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. We have no right to despise or ruin this temple. 2. Man's soul. Everyone can see that he is more than body, and that in the body, as an inhabi- tant, is the real man. Some may argue themselves into some other kind of belief than this, IS i>OU . jj^j^^ after all, this is a straight de- liverance of the consciousness, and it is abundantly con- firmed by the Word of God. See Gen. 2:7, where it is said that after the breathing of God upon him, man be- came a living soul ; and see also the solemn words of our Lord in Matthew 10:28, where he clearly makes a distinction between the body and soul; compare also 88 The Doctrines of Our Faith. Mark 8: .30. Regarding the soul of man some things must be said. 1. It has a threefold manifestation. The human soul has intellect, feeling and will. This is the com- monly accepted distinction, and there is basis for it^ we do consciously think, feel, pur- ,, ., . ,. pose. There is a materialistic de- Mamfestation V . , ,, ... ^ Threefold. "'^^ ^' ^"^ will, bome modern phi- losophers hold that we have only in- tellect and feeling; that the will is determined by en- vironment and motives. Our consciousness rejects this notion. Others manifest an intellectual scorn of feel- ing, and use the intellect to pour contempt upon the emotions. This also is a very great absurdity. The truth is that all tliree of these elements of the soul are essential to it. There is no soul without thought, with- out feeling, without will; yet these are not separable things, or independent of each other. We may, for con- venience, think of them separately, but they are con- stantly acting and interacting. 2. It has moral freedom and accountability. Con- sciousness and Scripture unite to assure us of this great truth. See Rom. 2:14, 15; Matt. 6:22, 23; John 8: Sl- its Moral 3«' ^''"^- 6 = 1^---^' 14:7-12. This Freedom. i^ "° place to enter into the dis- cussion of human freedom. It is denied by the fatalists and by the materialists; but surely, while we recognize the limitations of human freedom, we yet are conscious of power to choose within limits our own way, and conscious, too, of the responsi- bility of choice. No amount of sophistical reasoning can with most men shake this foundation. Origin and Nature of Man. 89 V 3. It has immortality. Does the soul die when the body dies ? or, leaving the body, Is it does it live under other conditions? Immortal? (a) There is little, if any light does not from nature in answer to this ques- Know. tion. So far as pure science is con- cerned, we shall have to say that we do not know. But science is not hostile to the be- lief in immortality and cannot disprove it. (b) Human tradition and speculation do give some light. The feeling of man favors his own immortality; -, ,.,. traditional teachings maintain this and Specula- truth; and there is nothing inher- tion Infer. ently improbable, and certainly not impossible, in the thought. Many argue that the very limitations of man are themselves a powerful suggestion of his immortality. Others infer immortality from the yearning of the soul for life. These things have some weight, yet they cannot be called decisive. (c) But when we leave these uncertainties and come to the Word of God, we find no lack of light, no lack of definite assurance. In 2 Tim. 1 : 10 we are told that fiM. tTT 3 £ 1^^^ ^""i immortality are brought to The Word of ,. , , . ., , , , God assures. ^'"^^ '^ *^^ ^''^^^^' ''"^ ^^""^ ^''^ rest. In many ways and by many earnest sayings the Word of God impresses upon men the glorious truth of the immortality and preciousness of his soul. It is a great and blessed truth, but it in- volves fearful responsibilities. May God give us the grace to regard our souls in the light of his own Word! The following passages of Scripture may be studied as bearing upon this great truth: Gen. 2:7; 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11; Ps. 16:9-11; Eccl. 12:7; Matt. 22:31, 32; 00 The Doctrines of Our Faith. Luke 16:22; 23:43; John 2:19, 21; 5:24; 10:17, 18; 14:3; Acts 23:6; 26:6-8; 1 Cor. 15:52; 2 Cor. 5:1-8; Phil. 1:22, 23; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17; Heb. 11:13-16; 1 Pet. 3:19; and many well known passages in the book of Revelation. CHAPTER XII. HOW MAN CAME TO SIN. When we consider the moral nature of man, recalling something of his history, and reflecting on our own selves, we know as well as we can know anything that The Question ^^^ ^' "°^ ^^''^"^ 8°°^- '^^'^'^ '' Proposed ^^^ ^^ him, and this means that there is bad in us all. Nobody is as good as he can be, or as he ought to be. We say then that man is a sinner; that his evil nature and his evil deeds are sin. We shall consider the true meaning and the dreadful reality and effects of sin later. The ques- tion proposed in this chapter is as to the origin of sin, how it came about. For the account of the beginning of human sin, we depend on the Scriptures alone. Neither our own consciousness, nor history, helps us to dis- cover the origin of sin ; nor does any scientific investi- gation bring to light a fountain of evil, but the sad story is told for us in the Word of God, and we are to consider here the Scripture doctrine as to the origin of sin. I. The Scripture Teaching. The history of man's original state of goodness, and of his fall into sin, is found in the sec- ,p . ^ ond and third chapters of the book of Genesis. No part of the Scripture story is more familiar, but its main points must here be stated. 91 92 The Doctrines of Our Faith. 1. Eden and innocence. (a) The Scripture ac- count is a simple and clear narrative. It tells how man was made in the image of God, Eden and created male and female, and Innocence. , , . • • v, ^, placed, one happy pair, in a beau- Narrative, tiful garden. Here sin had not yet appeared. Innocence, peace, loveli- ness were the sweet experience of these two beautiful beings. How long this state of innocence continued, whether for years or centuries, we do not know, but it is the brightest, happiest picture on the page of hu- man story. (b) Some difficulties necessarily arise in connection with the narrative, and men have tried in various ways to break its force; but it is decidedly best to hold to the literal narrative of G€nesis as Its A fi. i.- -i ^ true historic account of the orig- inal state of man. There is no trace of mere allegory, or poetic fiction in the story it^ self; and the Scripture writers of later times, as far as they refer to it at all, accept the account as literal his- tory. Certainly, nothing has as yet appeared in sci- ence to overthrow this view. 2. Temptation and fall. In the first seven verses of the third chapter of Gene- "^T^F^V^" sis we have the account of the ori- q>, ' gin of sin. (a) Recall the simple Narrative. narrative. The subtle serpent tempted the woman to disobey the plain and positive command of God and led her to long for, and then to take, that which had been forbidden and denied ; she then tempted her husband, and he like- wise disobeyed his Lord, and broke the sweet charm of his innocence. (b) When we come to explain this simple narrative How Man Came to Sin. 93 we find some difficulties. The serpent was not simply a serpent, but was Satan, the adversary of God and man. (See John 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:3; Rev. 20:2.) These pas- sages show that in the serpent's DiflBculties form there was the real tempter. Encountered. ,, •, • -i. i xi, j i the evil spirit known as the devil and Satan. If we ask what was the origin of Satan, and how he came to sin, we have only to say that the Scriptures do not inform us, and it is vain to look else- where. He led man into sin, but who led him into sin we shall not be able to find out in this world, if Ave ever find out at all. The real origin of sin, therefore, lies back of human existence and quite beyond our reach, but the human origin of sin is set before us in the Scripture narrative. Another difficulty arises as to how perfectly innocent beings, such as Adam and Eve, could be tempted ; but the answer is that innocence does not include the impossibility of sinning, but only the possibility of not sinning. 3. Effects of this fall. These were disastrous in the extreme. It is impossible to exaggerate the sor- row and blight which fell upon that early innocence, upon the hateful intrusion of sin. Effects of the (a) On Adam and Eve themselves A(\ anrl ^^^ effects were sorrowful. Read £ve. ^^® account of Gen. 3:7f. The di- rect penalties were banishment and mortality. They were driven from their beautiful home and denied access to the tree of life. As to this tree of life we may understand that upon the condition of their obedience it would have been permitted to them to partake of its fruit, and tlnis to have perpetuated their bodily existence, but that, being denied the tree of life, the natural tendency to decay in their earthly bodies was allowed to work out unchecked. Some hold 94 The Doctrities of Our Faith. that tliey were created immortal, but it seems rather better to say that their obedience would have given them immortality. (b) The effects on their posterity have been un- speakably grievous. The one summary of it all is in- herited sinfulness and mortality. As a consequence of the sin of our first parents all their _ ^ ., descendants have been born mortal Posterity. and with a tendency to evil. The Scriptures are very explicit in their teaching. ^Ye re- fer here to Ps. 51:5; 53: 1-3; Rom. 5:12, 21; 1 Cor. 15:21, 22; Eph. 2:3. Theologians and philosophers have differed as to some details in regard to this mat^ ter, but we need not follow their arguments, but sim- ply accept the general statement of Scripture that the first sinner, lieing the father of the race, passed on to his descendants a tendency to evil, which invariably manifests itself as human beings come to consciousnees and activity. Such is the simple Scriptural account of the origin of sin. As was said in the beginning, it is all the ac- count tliat we have. If we accept real i i y ^j^^ Scriptures as the inspired reve- of the ^ ^ Account. lation of God, we must believe this account; yet we know that in some details we may not quite understand it ; for in the ap- plication of these general statements there may be some room for difference of opinion. If any further light can be given to us from any source it may help to clear up some of these dark places which still remain. II. The Doctrine Weighed and Valued. The Scriptural account of how^ "sin came into the The Doctrine world and all our woe" has an Weighed and importance and a value all its Valued. own. How Man Came tu Sin. 95 1. Philosophicallt/, it has a value. In the ab- sence of any scientific or historical explanation of hu- man guilt this doctrine comes as a simple and sufficient explanation. Those who hold that p, ., , . , man is of beastly origin, and that Value. ^^1 ^^^^ development is upward, may reason themselves out of any need for an explanation of sin; but the darkest and most dreadful thing in human experience, which sin is, seems to most of us to require an explanation, and the Scriptural doctrine makes it plain how man came to sin . 2. The doctrine has also a practical value. It covers the case as far as we now need to know it. We can easily see how by the law of heredity all men might have a sinful nature ; yet Its Practical .,, ,, . , „ , with that our cor.sciousness of Value. moral freedom and of responsibil- ity is so strong that this doctrine affords us both warn- ing and guidance. If our first parents in their inno- cency were not proof against temptation, how much more imperiled is their sinful posterity. Our struggles need to be greater in order to resist and overcome temptation. We also learn that the slightest departure from God's commands may be fraught with momentous consequences of evil and sorrow. 3. The doctrine has also a value from the re- ligious point of vieic. It harmonizes with the whole „ ,. . Scripture teaching. From the third Its Religious , , , „ ,, , , Vail p- chapter of Cienesis on, the whole Man a Sinner. Bible recognizes in man a state of sinfulness. All the subsequent ap- peals, warnings and teachings of the Divine Word rest upon the assumption of man's sad departure from God. Further, the doctrine shows the need of salvation. 96 The Doctrines of Our Faith. If man shall be reclaimed from his fallen state, it must be by the strong hand of the Crea- His Need or , j ^ u i ■ • r Salvation ' ^ ^ ^ °^^'" vain ef- forts. We thus see how the doc- trine of the fall of man lies at the basis of the whole scheme of redemption as set forth in the Word of God. CHAPTER XIII. THE PREVALENCE AND POWER OF SIX. In consequence of the disobedience and fall of the first human pair all tlieir posterity have come into the world with a taint and tendency to sin. Sin is more than a speculation, it is a stubborn and dreadful fact. It is one of the most noticeable 5!,^ . ^ ^ ^ characteristics, and is the saddest experience of mankind. It is a prevalent and powerful evil. What the Scriptures say here is reinforced by consciousness and observation, or, to put it another way, what we know of ourselves and one another in respect of sin the Scriptures mightily confirm. I. The Verdict of Man in His Own Case. What does man say of himself in respect of sin? There are three sources of informa— TvXan s Testimonv tion: history, observation, and consciousness. 1. History. As we look over the record of man's doings and achievements in this ^* world, one prominent characteris- tic always meets us. The history of every nation and of every age, epoch, century, year and day tells the sad story. (a) The worst that history records of man is hide- ous with its story of crime, de- of Evil bauchery, vice, wickedness and everything that is loathsome and 97 98 The Doctrines of Our Faith. unworthy and hatefvil. No student of history can d(my this fearful verdict. What man's own record tells of him is not beautiful to behold. (b) And then the best that history has to say of man is marred and defaced by imperfection. Alas! the , _ , highest achievements, the noblest Its Records i j ^i, 4. 1 • , of Imperfect ^^^^^' ^^^ "lost enduring and (Jqq^^ glorious triumphs, are flecked and stained with human sin. Over all that is fairest in art, sweetest in story and in song, grandest in deed, the dark pall of error and imperfec- tion is found. Truly has it been said: "The trail of the serpent is over it all." 2. Observation only too sadly confirms the teach- ing of history. As we look about us in our o^vn present world, what do we see? -Vre Observation. .. ^ , • o * our own tunes free from sin ? i^.re our neighbors, our fellow-citizens, our comrades, as good as they might be? (a) It is true we see differences in them. Some are better than others. It is not necessary to maintain tliat tliere is a dead level of ab?o- Au rkiu ^ lute and total wickedness in the than Others. world. Noble deeds emerge here and tliere to teach us that the divine image, though sadly marred, is not totally effaced; and that humanity, though sinful, is not hopeless. We can see a virtue here and there even amidst the wickedest. "Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore." We recognize all around us that there are some differ- ences. (b) But we also recognize that none are perfect. The best have their faults, and in the best we see tendencies which display themselves in the worst. Our Prevalence and Pouer of Sin. 99 friend with a bad temper is, on (b) But None ^,^^^ ^jj^ ^^ j^j^^ painfully like a murderer; and so of a thousand other things. We see all around us tendencies and charadteristics, which, with slight provocation and favoring circumstances of evil, might break forth into the worst cases of sin. Napoleon was credited witli the saying: "Scratch a Russian, and you'll find a Cossack." Tn looking on our fellow-men, without any bitterness, but with only too solemn truth we may say: Scratch a man, and you find a beast. 3. Consciousness. We cannot put the burden of sin back on past history, nor give it all to our neigh- bors; for we are the sons of our fathers, and the neigh- bors of our neighbors; what do our Consciousness. , . vvuoviwuoucoij. ^^^.^ hearts say? (a) The general verdict of conscience is "guilty." Mfm mostly know themselves to be bad. A curious phenomenon of human nature, one which constantly meets us in biographies of the "Guilty" the „ood, is that the better the man Verdict of .. • u k C > p grows the more conscious he be- comes of his own sinfulness. The real saints of Christian histoiy are those who have made the most ample and humiliating confession of their sin. In fact, we are a little suspicious of a man who does not acknowledge himself a sinner; and do not our own hearts, when we press the question home, al- ways bring back this sad accusation? (b) We may know some exceptions as to good deeds. We need not say that we are conscious of only evil. We are also conscious of some good The Balance feelings, and we have recollection the Wrone ^^ ^°'"^ ^°°*^ things that we have 5j^g^ done. We need not accuse our- selves of being totahy and irreme- 100 The Doctrines of Our Faith. diabl\' bad. We say the very best we can of ourselves, and yet, deep down in our honest souls, when we have said the very best, is there not a balance on the wrong side of the ledger ? (c). Tliere is a curious tiling in human nature which goes under the name of self-deception, and a man may sometimes imagine himself to be a great deal better than he really is. Such things have been Self-decep- heard of; and so the deliverances tion and of consciousness may not in all Hypocrisy do ^ absolutelv' trustworthy, not Alter - •' Verdict. Tliere are, also, worse than this, cases now and then of sheer hypo- crisy. Men may affirm their own goodness, when it is impossible to resist the impression that they know they are lying about it. This is most horrible, and happily such cases are comparatively few. But making all de- duction possible for instances of self-deception or fraud, it remains true that the general verdict of the human consciousness upon human nature is "guilty." II. The Verdict of Scripture Against Man. In the Bible we have the fullest and most emphatic confirmation of all that man cian Scriptural say against himself. Nothing in xestimony. Scripture is more painfully emphatic than its condemnation of man. The verdict of Scripture '.s both liistorical and doctrinal. 1. It is historical. The whole record of Scrip- ture confirms and emphasizes the general statement of man's sinfulness. The account of the sin of Adam and „■ J. ■ 1 Eve is followed throughout the Historical. . , , Scripture story by the painful un- folding of human sin. From the day that Eden's gate closed upon them and Prevalence and Poiver of Sin. 101 "They hand in hand with painful steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way," on througli the history of their descendants, sin breaks out at every turn. The sweet and comforting history of divine grace and help is on its obverse the ugly story of human sin. Recall the chief events of Scrip- ture history to see how true this is : the Flood, the guile of faithful Abraham, the dishonesty of Jacob; the rebellions of Israel ; the sin of David ; the downfall of Israel and of Judah; the warnings of the prophets, the weakness of the disciples and of the apostles; the re- jection and crucifixion of Jesus. What a commentary are these upon human sin ! 2. DocirinaUy, also, the Scripture renders its . verdict. (a) There is the doctrine n . ■ , o- of original sin. This was discussed Original Sin. " , , , in the last chapter and needs only mention here for the sake of completeness. (b). The doctrine of depravity. Much has been writ- ten and said amiss on this subject. The expression "total depravity" has been misinterpreted to mean that there was absolutely no good in "Total" _ .. anybody at all; but this is not what Depravity. ^, ^ ■ * u a the Scripture means. Human de- pravity is not "total" in the sense that all men are wholly and equally wicked, that there is no good in any human being. It means that the total man, the whole sum of human life and being, is perverted ; that all the faculties of man are more or less twisted out of shape by sin; that each man, upon the whole, is turned from God rather than toward God; so that the whole na- ture of man, as it now exists, is warped and twisted by sin. This is certainly taught in many well-known pas- sages of Scripture. Read the 14th Psalm, where with 102 The Doctrines of Our Faith. mournful plaint the writer says: "They are altogether become filtliy ; there is none that ?^,^lr^rhE,^^~ doeth good, no, not one." Study sages Cited. & > > j David's pathetic confession in the 51st Psalm, where, condemning himself, lie only too ac- curately portrays the common experience of the hu- man heart. Remember -vhat Jeremiah tells us (17:9) : that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and des- perately wicked"; compare also the words of our Lord (Matt. 12:33-37), and the striking saying of Paul in Eph. 2 : 1-3. Here man is described as being "dead in trespasses and in sins", his whole self under the thrall- dom of his guilt. (c) The Scripture further unfolds the doctrine of the universality of sin. There are no exceptions to its sway; all men are sinners in their age and race. As was said above about our own con— The Umver- j u *• tv. ,.. , o- sciousness and observation, there sality of Sin. are difterences in men; all men are not sinners in exactly the same way, nor to exactly the same e.xtent, but, nevertheless, all are sinners. This, again, is one of the clearest teachings of the Word of God. It does not need to be discussed at length. The following Scriptures are sufficient to set forth this doc- trine: 1 Kings 8:46; Ps. 143:2; Eccl. 7:20; Rom. 3: lOfT; 1 John 1:8. What a dreadful thing is sin! How real, widespread and deplorable are its effects! Hideous Sin: „ , i i -4^ i * Ti , Lvervwhere we look, its uglv face Heavenly • - o . Grace. looks back to us. Within and with- out us, in all the world, and in all human history, its hideous form appears. But let God be praised that "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound!" CHAPTER XIV. THE NATUHE OF SIN. The origin and fact of sin having been considered, we must now study its nature. It might seem best to study the nature first, but the other topics will pre- pare us the better to understand What is Sin? ^^,^^^ ^j^^ ^.^^^j^ j^. ^^^^ jj^^ ^^,^^^ other word which describes an experience or a state, sin is dilHcult to define. In fact, we cannot give a sim- plifying definition of the term, we can only attempt to set forth what is the nature of the thing. It is very difficult to form a just conception of sin, or to explain in clear language just what it is. We may perhaps be able to form a fairly just view of it by considering first the Scripture teaching, and then discussing some er- roneous and inadequate views. 1. The Scriptural Teaching as to Sin. We shall first make a study of some passages of Scripture which bear upon the subject, and then deduce some inferences from these. 1. Exegetical. (a) Let us recur to the third chapter of Genesis and ask : What was the sin of our first parents? They were made after the image and Execetical likeness of God, that is, endowed (a) The with a moral nature and a free will. Temptation It was tlieirs to choose within lim- in Eden. ^tg what they should do. They were 103 104 The Doctrines of Our Faith. toiupelled to do neither wrong nor right. They haxl free opportunity to do either, and without any bias to- ward wrong. Herein they were better off than any of their unhappy descendants have ever been. In order to test the strengtli of their moral nature it was not necessary that a grievous or heinous sin should be of- fered to tliem. Tliat would have terrified and repelled. The teniptt^r, therefore, did not propose to them a crime, but onl}- the sliglitest departure from the will of God. He tempted them with advancement toward the divine life and wisdom. He said: "Ye shall be as God, know- ing good and evil." Here, observe, that the temptation is not to degradation, but distinctly to a higher state of being than they liad yet reached. The means he pro- posed whereby they should attain that high state of being was pleasant and easy — the fruit of tlie tree was pleasant to the eye and the taste — it w^as such an easy thing to do, to pluck and eat it. The only difficulty in the way was that such an action was barred by the divine command. God had said they should not, the tempter said tliey might. He lied. The woman was de- ceived. Desire to do what God did not want done came into her heart — and that was sin. The desire led to the act, and sin was complete. If we were to judge this first sin in the light of the crimes which have followed it, we should say that, comparatively, it was a small affair. If we judge it in the light of its consequences, as the first step in the downward progress of evil, we can form no liglit judgment concerning it. If we judge it in the light of the will and nature of the perfect and holy Ciod, we cannot say that it was a slight or little thing to depart one hair's breadth from his absolutely perfect and kind requirement. So, in our study of the origin of sin, we begin to trace somewhat of its na- The Nature of Sin. 105 ture. It is wilful departure from the holy law of the perfect God. Let us examine (b) another passage of Scripture, viz., Gen. (5:1-13. In this accoiuit of the wickedness of the time preceding the flood we have a description of how terribly and in how short a Antediluvian time, comparatively, the germs of Wickedness. ^.^^ ^^^^ worked out. The sons of God, that is, presumably, the religiously-disposed among the men, married the daughters of men, that is, the worldly-minded, antl thus the race deteriorated spiritually. So it came to pass that God saw that the "wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart Avas only evil continually." This terrible indictment explains that in the antediluvian days men thought only of evil. Their very plans and purposes were saturated in evil, and God could no longer endure the stench of their wickedness. This passage teaches the great enormity and widespread prevalence of sin. It is the great deep of iniquity which had swollen from the little fountain in Eden. Coming along (c) to the 51st Psalm, we find David in his sorrowful lament setting forth the nature of sin as it appears after commission to one who truly hates it, though in his weakness he had David's Con- been led to commit it. This wail fession of Sin {j^s touched the human heart in all and Prayer i « j • u j for Succor ages, and nnds a responsive chord still in every soul that has sinned and sorrowed. Hear him: "Against thee, and thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight." Now, he had sinned against hini-self, against Uriah, against Bathsheba, against his family, against his people, against posterity and all the world; but he loses sight 106 The Doctrines of Our I'uith. of that and concentrates his thoughts in unspeakable penitence on tlie one tremendous thing, that he had done what a holy God hates. "Against thee and thee only" are his words. God's hatred of sin finds frecjuent ex- pression in the Scriptures. One of the most striking of all these passages is found in Jer. 44:4, where, plead- ing with Israel through tlie prophet, God says to his people with unspeakable yearning: "Oh, do not this abominable thing that 1 hate." Coming (d) to the New Testament, we shall notice two sayings of our Lord, tliough there are a number of others \\hich may well be studied. One is in John 8:34, where he says: "Whosoever Two sayings committeth sin is the slave of sin." ^ ' The true freedom of humanity is not found in doing evil, or in being e\il, because the habitual wrong-doer is in the worst kind of servitude. The other passage is the well-known one in John 16 : 8, 9, where, in speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit, he says: "He will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. Of sin because they believe not on me." Here sin is identified with unbelief, and the rejection of God's method of sal- vation through Christ is descrilied as the crown of hu- man sinning. (e) In the Epistle to the Romans we find many allusions and discussions respecting sin, especially in the third and fifth chapters. In chapter 5:13 we are told that "sin is not imputed where Passages in ^here is no law": and again in 7:7: "I had not known sin but by the law." Thcso show us that sin is an infraction of the holy law of God. In Heb. 3:13 mention is made of the "deceitfulness of sin." In all human historv' noth- ing is more painfully noticeable than this. In James The Nature of Sin. 107 1:15 we have the genealogy of sin: "Then lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin ; and the sin, when it is full grown, bringeth forth death." And finally in 1 John 1 : 8 we have the very frank and unavoidable statement that "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us," and in the third chapter and fourth verse we are told that "sin is law- lessness." Citations like these might be multiplied at consider- able length; for the nature and efi'ects of sin are abundantly portrayed in the Word of God. A concord- ance or reference Bible will bring to Conclusions. . , , . , , mind many passages which may be wisely and profitably studied. Let us now, however, pass on to draw some conclusions. 2. Inferential. What doctrinal deductions shall be made from the Scriptural statement regarding sin? It may be convenient to say, mainly, that there are three, viz., that sin is a character, an act (or acts), and a state. (a) Sin is a character. It is uriholiness, unclean- ness, impurity, defilement. All these terms are used, or implied in thA Scripture. There bin IS a jg something ugly, hateful, horrible. Character. in- t+ i 4. abominable in sm. Its character- istics are the opposite of all that is pure and holy. (b) Sin is also represented as an act, or a number of acts. In this view it is disobedience to the will of God. The will of God as expressed finds utterance in his law, or in his pleadings. These bin IS an Act, represent the divine abhorrence of or ACts sin. Sin is doing what God dislikes and forbids. Paul tells us that the law of God is "holy, and just and good." To break his law, there- fore, is to act contrary to holiness, justice and goodness. 108 The Doctrines of Our Faith. (c) Sin is also represented as a state, that is, it is a condition in which man is placed by his evil do- ing. This is a state of guiltiness Sin is a before (Jod. Man stands in the otate. sight of the holy God as one con- demned. He is a culprit. He deserves punishment. Tiiese inferential statements make clear to us, as far as possible, the true nature of sin. Let vis repeat, then, sin is to be luiholy, unclean in character; dis- obedient and hostile to the mind Summary. ^^^^^ j^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ .^ ^^_^_ ^^^ ^^^_ demned before God in our state or condition in his sight. This seems to be, in outline at least, the Scriptural representation if sin. In the main the con- science of man agrees with this Scriptural representa- tion, but not in all cases, as we shall now see. II. Erroneous and Inadequate Views. Over against the Scriptural doctrine of sin. we may Erroneous and V^''^^^ some wrong human notions. Inadequate and these may serve to make clearer Views. to us the true nature of sin. 1. There is what we may call the theory of materialism, or of materialism and evolution combined. This theory would have us believe that the evil char- acter and deeds of men are only Materialism tlie natural development of man in If , i- X his ascent from the beasts; that as Evolution). , . , . his hraiii and conscience are de- veloped man realizes or feels that certain things which are painful and injurious ought not to be done, and so he begins to criticize some of his own natural ten- dencies. Therefore, according to this theory, sin has The Nature of Sin. 109 no particular moral guilt, it is simpl>' wliat man comes to feel ought not to be done ; and so if man's develop- ment had been along a diflerent line, stealing might have been all right, and lying might have been a vir- tue. It is all according to how he felt. There is no such thing as inherent evil. It is simply a question of mechanical physical e\olution. To any enlightened mind and conscience this theory speaks its own con- demnation. It would scarcely be held by any were it not necessary as a part of a great system of philosophy. 2. We have lohat might he called the "dis- ease" theory. This view of the matter says that sin is a misfortune, a hereditary taint, like some diseases; that it is in the blood and. there- The Disease fore, there is no particular fault ^' about it. The man has it in him and it Avill break out. In this view repentance is but weakness and remorse utter folly. Conscience has taken a narcotic and gone to sleep. This will never do. 3. We have what may he called the free and easy inew of siv.. This is utter flippancy. It refuses to take sin seriously. It laughs at sin. It makes fun of evil. It forgets the wise words The Flippant of Scripture: "Fools make a mock View at sin, and go on their flippant way loudly proclaiming their OAvn condemnation. Sin is too dreadful and painful a fact to be treated in this way. All these wrong views of sin, by their emptiness and untruth, serve to set in clearer The Truth light the strong presentment which Emphasized. the Scriptures make of the true na- ture of human sin. 110 The Doctrines of Our Faith. III. Practical Conclusions. Considering the true nature of sin, and eschewing the wrong views above set forth, we Practical shall find it very important to face Conclusions. ^j^^ dreadful fact and profit by what we may learn of its true nature. 1. Right conceptions of sin are the basis of right conduct. We cannot make any resistance against sin without understanding it; nor can Right Concep- we make a real escape from sin in tions of Sm tlie mercy and redemption of Christ p. , , unless we understand enough of its Conduct. dreadful character to convince us of the need of a Savior and impel us to seek liis help; nor can we otherwise wage any effective warfare against our enemy. 2, For practical guidance in the details of conduct we need to have right views of sin. There ure thousands of cases where Ave ought to have in mind the general nature of sin in order Right Views to escape some particular wrong. Necessary Questions of casuistry, tliat is. Guid^a'nc'e.''^^ '''^'^^ ""-''* ^^ "-^* °'" ''"''''"^ ^" some particular difficult case, are best met by good general principles. The very first sin shows us this. The story is repeated over and over in almost very life. How many of us painfully re- member the first step in some career of sin. If only at the beginning we had understood the thing, we would not have begun at all. It is the first step that counts. Knowing that sin is departure from God, let us watch that we depart not, even in the slightest matter. There is a homely story, often repeated, but none too often, for it is a good illustration — of a teamster who gained The Nature of Sin. Ill his place by saying that he always drove as far from the precipice as possible, and had no ambition to show his skill by driving close to it. If we have any con- ception of the true nature of sin, the best way to dc is to keep as far from it as we possibly can. CHAPTER XV. THE SEPARATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN. Because of sin there is a great and painful distance jetween God and man. We must distinguish this from other differences, such as exist between God's greatness and our littleness, God's wisdom Man Separated and our shortsightedness, God's V ojn power and our weakness, and the like. Again, we must observe, what we shall have occasion to notice more fully hereafter, that this separation does not mean indifference on God's part; nor does it mean the utter destruction of the divine likeness in man. It is hard for us to get an exact way of expressing the whole truth on subjects like these. We must give due attention to the related truths, else we shall make many mistakes. The separa- tion between God and man which we are now con- sidering is only that caused and maintained by man's own Binning. Our view is confined strictly to that. I. The Fact of This Separation. Is there a real separation between God and man? and if so, what is its extent? are the questions which face us here. 1. There is a real separation. On this 112 Reparation Between God and Man. 113 The fact of point our appeal is entirely to Scrip- Separation, ture. We find this painful doc- Its reality. trine laid down with marked clear- Testament "®^^ ^^ '^^^'^ ^'^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ Tes- Testimony. tament. In Genesis 6:5, 6, we have the statement tliat God was so im- pressed with the wickedness of man that "it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." Of course this is said in human language, suited to the understanding of man in the childhood of tlie race, but it does not fail to tell the truth. In Isaiah 59:1, 2, we have the striking language addressed to Israel: "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save ; neither is his ear heav^', that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." There could bo nothing more painfully emphatic than this language ; and though applied to Israel in particular, it yet sets forth the fact that sin does separate between God and man. In the New Testament our Lord declares in John 3:3 that "except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." The necessity for a complete and radical change in man's rela- New tions to God is here unequivocally T^^t^m^"* set forth, whatever theories we may have as to the exact meaning of the terms. If any more explicit language were needed we should find it in Romans 8:5-8, where Paul tells us: "For they that are after the flesh do mind (or think) the things of the flesh ; but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit. For the mind (or thought) of the flesh is death; but the mind of the spirit is life and peace: Because the mind of the flesh 114 i'hc Doctrines of Our Faith. is enmity (not °''^ ^* ^^^'^ "^*"''^- '"^"^^ Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works" (Psalm 145:9). Of course this includes Avhat follows. 3. God's love is expressed in his deeds toward wion. Love is not only feeling, it is outreaching ac- tion. It gives itself, it does for its object. The most familiar truths of God's Word teach Manlfe^sHn "" ^^'^- ''^^ ^^'^ ^"^^^ '^^^^^ "^ "'''- His Deeds vation from sin. Our Master told Toward Man. the timid Jewish inquirer the whole Salvation great gospel in <» few words (John from Sin. 3.16): "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son;" and when we hear him say that wlioever has seen him has seen God (John 14:9), we must not forget another saying of his con- cerning himself: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Thus the Father's gift of the Hon was God's gift of him- self. Similarly. John tells us (1 Jolin 4:9, 10): "Herein was the love of God manifested to us, that God hath sent his only-begotten Son into tlie world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not Love of God toward Man. 125 that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." And Paul's gospel {Horn. 5:8) was the same: "God commendeth his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (b) Many other love deeds. God shows his love in many other gracious acts, as well as in the great grace of salvation. In his providential care (Matt. (5:25-34); in the gift of the Holy Other Deeds Spirit (Luke 11:13); in his own of Love. abiding presence (John 14:23); in the supports of his grace (Rom. 5:3-5) ; in the pro- tection of his sovereign choice (Rom. 8:28-39) ; and in the chastenings of his Fatherly hand (Heb, 12:5-13), we have great assurances of the mighty love of God. "When trouble, like a gloomy cloud. Has gathered thick and thundered lovid, He near my soul has always stood ; His loving kindness, Oh, how good!" II. God's Love Viewed from Man's Side. Well may we wonderingly ask with the Psalmist (Psalm 8:4) : "What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou Divine Love visitest him?" What is there in man Viewed from ^ .- .i j. j * • c -j. Man's Side ^ great deep of infinite love? to attract love's care amid the mighty concerns of a universe? to call for such mo- mentous expression as divine love's self-giving? We may not fully understand the greatness of this mystery, only praying with Paul (Eph. 3:17-19) that we "be- ing rooted and grounded in love may be strong to apprehend with a!: the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, and to know the 126 The Doctrines vf Our Faith. love of Christ which pasHeth knowledge." Yet we may, under the guidance of God's own Word, venture to set forth some of the tilings which he sees in sinful man to awaken and call out liis wonderful love. 1. Man, though fallen, hears the likeness of God. Of earthly creatures man alone (Gen. 1:26, 27) was made in the likeness of God. He fell; but did he ut- terly lose the traces of his divine Man's Like- origin? Is the likeness erased or ness to God. ^^^j^ marred? Is there not yet some kinship between God and man? Yes; for even after ages of sinning (Gen. n:()) man is" still spoken of as bearing the di\'ine likeness. In his great speech on Areopagus Paul declares (Acts 17: 20-29 } that there is yet a relationship between God and mankind; in 1 Cor. 11:7, and in James 3:4, the image of God in man is mentioned as a fact; and in Col. 3:10, the new crea- tion of man in the likeness of God is mentioned as thoiigh it were the re-making of what had not been utterly destroyed. We must not, however, infer too much from these passages, as that all men are nat- urally the children of (Jod. Xo, for we are distinctly told (John 3:3, 5) that man must be born again, that to those who receive Christ (John 1:12) the right to be sons of God was given, that even the Jews (John 8:42, 44) were not children of God, but of the devil, and that by nature (Eph. 2:3) men are children of wrath. We may only go so far as to say that in man, ruined as he is, the good God still recognizes traces of himself and yearns with love toward his own. 2. Man needs the help of God because lost. The three parables in the fifteenth chapter of Luke — the Lost Coin, the Lost Sheep, the Man's Need l^^t Son — all reveal tiie outgoing of God's tenderness of (Jod toward lost and rlelp. sinful man. His need makes ap- Love of God toward Man. 127 peal which divine compassion cannot refuse. In Rom. o:6-9 Paul in masterly language expresses the same general truth. 3. Man is capable of a heavenly destiny, though human. God sees what man may be saved to be- come. He loves the possibilities of redeemed humanity. He sees a ])ossible freeman of God Heavenly jjj tliis poor slave of sin, he sees Possibilities ^ ^^^^^^^.^ ^.^j^^^ ^^ ^j^.^ j^^^ ^^^ ^^^_ in Man. ^ , , , , . done sinner; therefore he loved him, and in 'order to bring many sons unto glory he made a perfect Savior by the discipline of human sufler- ing (Heb. 2:10). For Scriptures favoring this view 6ee the following: Rom. 8:20; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. ,3:10, 11; 1 John 3:1, 2. Let us quote the last: "Be- hold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God; and such we are. Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him." What heights of love we have scaled, and yet how far short of the highest we fall ! ^lay this glorious doctrine encourage within us no presumptuous confi- dence, but gratitude, hope, penitence, and answering love! CHAPTER XVII. THE FEELING OF MAN AFTER GOD. We have seen how the love of God reaches out to- ward man; now we are to inquire whether there is anything in man which answers back to this move- ment of God in his direction. Does Man's Inch- man want God? Does he look for nation God- j^^j^ j^^^ ^^y to find liim? If he gets a glimpse of God, does he wish for more light? If he draws near to God, does he long to be nearer still? If he feels his sin to be an obstacle, does he grieve over it and wish it removed? If these questions cannot be answered with a universal affirmative, neither can they be denied with a universal negative. In .seeking tlie right answer we must not overlook the appalling fact of man's sin, as that has already been outlined in former chapters nor must we fail to take account of that sad contradiction in hu- man nature by which it is partly drawn to God and partly driven from him. (See McCosh's Divine Gov- ernment, p. 44 ff). Alas! man often turns away, in fear or rebellion, or both, from the very thought of God. Another tiling; whatever feeling after God we may find in human nature, it is evident that the depth and intensity of this feeling will difier in different ages, peoples, individuals, and even in the same person at difi'erent times! Now, bearing in mind all these v^arious qualifications we may in a general way affirm 128 Feeling of Man after God. 129 that there is in man an inclination of heart and mind toward God, and that this inclination sometimes be- comes one of the deepest yearnings of the soul. In support of this view we shall look first of all to the Word of God, and then gather what corroboration we may from the field of human experience. I. Teaching of Scripture. It is to be expected that in the Bible (so complete are all its revelations of human nature) we should find traces of man's outreach and aspiration toward God. And so we do. 1. In the way of experience. Scripture The descriptions and narratiA^es of Testimony. j,Q^y jjjgjj ^nd women felt and acted „ P , ' toward God show forth this human Personal Instances. trait, (a) There are many per- sonal instances. Before the Flood good "Enoch walked with God," leaving this record for his lasting epitaph. The patriarchs communed with God — faithful Abraham, "God's friend," and meditative Isaac, and even weak and sinful Jacob. Women, like Ruth, and prayerful Hannah, and possibly the in- quisitive Queen of Sheba, were seekers for the true God. Even the mysterious Balaam in his better mood shows evidence of yearning for God. Many others along the course of Israel's history exhibit in one way or another this feeling of man after God. In the New Testament also we have the cases of Nicodemus, the woman of Samaria, the Greeks who desired to see Jesus, Cornelius, and others. (b) We have also numerous expressions of the yearning of the heart for God. This is of course more I'M) The Doctrines of Our Faith. definite and intense in proportion to the faith and Expressions knowledge of the speaiier or writer, of Desire '" the Psalms more especially do Towards we find these utterances of deep de- God, sire toward God. Some are most liappily familiar, voicing the needs and feelings of all time: "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple;" "As the heart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God; my soul thirsteth for God, for the living God." (Psl. 27:4; 42:1, 2. See also Psl. 61:1, 2: 63: 1; 84: 1, ff.) Such longings as these, while espe- cially true of the real children of God, must have their sources deep down in the A'ery nature of man. 2. In the way of doctrine. In other ways also the Scriptures teach the reality of man's outlook and approach to God. Our Lord recognizes this feeling when he .says (Matt. 5:6) : "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled;" for he does not mean a righteousness apart from God. In his tactful conversation with the woman at the well (John 4 ) he awakens this feeling and satisfies it. He ap- peals to it in his sweet invitations to the weary and the thirsty, recorded in Matt. 11:28; John 7:37. The invitations to man in both the Old and New Testaments presuppose something in him which looks to God for help and satisfaction. How tenderly God through Isaiah calls: "Ho! every Isaiah and o^e that thirsteth, come ye to the waters!" and, "Look unto me and be }'e saved, all the ends of the earth." (Isa. 55:1; 45: 22.) So those of our Lord, already mentioned, and the Feelintj of Man after God. 131 loving call on the last page of God's book; "Let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Rev. 22:17). But perhaps the most direct doctrinal presentation of the fact we are considering is found in Paul's re- markable address at Athens (Acts 17:22-31). The lan- guage of verses 27 and 28 is espe- Paul's cially to be noted: "That they Athens^ ^^ should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us; for in him we live and move, and have our being, as certain also of your own poets have said. For we are also his off- spring." This implies and skilfully touches, even in that light and curious audience, a recognized human trait. Ah! truthfully has the great Augustine said: "Thou hast made us for thyself, and our heart is restless till it rest in thee." And with a greater than Augustine may we learn to say: "When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee. Thy face, Lord, will I seek." II. Human Corroboration. Outside of the Bible also we have evidence of the fact that the human soul instinctively and yearningly turns toward God. As already remarked, this feeling may not be universal, and is cer- Human Cor- tainly not imiversally manifest and roboration. strong, but that it is both widely prevalent and powerfully real no thoughtful student of mankind can doubt. Man is a being of wants. He has bodily appetites, intellectual cravings, moral aspira- tions, religious yearnings. Are these last any less real, less worthy of consideration, than the other three? 132 The Doctrines of Our Faith. Scientists who ignore or undervalue them are sin- gularly unscientific, to say the least of it. Let us notice briefly some of the ways in which this feeling after God shows itself among men. 1. History. Looking back over the past we see in much of the literature and art of bygone times the traces of man's heart-hunger for God. Also, in the lives and teachings of repre- ^* sentative men of the ages we dis- cover the same marks. It is true that these indica- tions are clearer and more intelligent among Christians, but they are not wholly wanting among pagans. Such men as Socrates, Cicero, Epictetus, and the sad Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, give expression to senti- ments which others must have shared. 2. Observed Facts. But we need not confine our view to the past to find what we seek, we have only to look about us. We have no desire to overlook the awful fact that we see much of godless- ness, forgetfulness of God, and even atheism in our times. But this is not all we see. Of many of our fellow-men it is as true as it ever has been of mankind, that one of their most persistent longings is for God. The discontent and despair among us some- times cry aloud for God. The disappointment with hu- man science as a solution of life and destiny is reflected in much of the literature and talk of our times. There are tokens of reaction against the materialism that has marred so much of the thought of our age. Man's spir- itual instincts cry aloud for the living God. Tennyson half-despairingly sings of "stretching lame hands of faith", and of "crying for the light", like an infant awakening in darkness; but Browning strikes a saner, hopefuller note when he says: Feeling of Man after God. 133 "Sorrow is hard to bear, and doubt is slow to clear; Each sufl'erer has his say, his scheme of the weal and woe ; But God has a few of us whom he whispers in the ear; The rest may reason and welcome, 'tis we musicians know." Aid not only the poets, but other writers, novelists, es- sayists, philosophers, show forth in one way or another the craving of the soul for its God. 3. Consciousness. May I venture to appeal to this? How is it with the reader of this article? If not a Christian, is there within you Conscious- sometimes a longing deeper than words for the true and living God? If a Christian, is there not a yearning for fuller knowl- edge, more perfect trust? Sometimes with honest if blundering Philip we pray: "Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us." CHAPTER XVIII. THE MEDIATION OF THE GOD-MAN. We come now in our studies to the very heart of the gospel — the work of Jesus Christ in bringing God and man together. The Old Testament prepares for this The Bible work and foreshadows it; the New Alone Sets Testament declares and sets forth Forth the the fulfilment of it. Nature does Demand for „ot reveal this truth, nor does tlie and Reality i • r > c i •«. , „ . y , searching of man s science find it, and Principle '^ of Mediation, "oi" ^^i^ P^^r fancy guess it. Only in God's own Word is it brought to us. And in that Word we find a demand for mediation, because of man's sinful estrangement from God ; the reality of mediation, in the life and character of Jesus; and the method or principle of mediation by the self- sacrifice of the God-Man. We look to the Bible for the truth on these matters; we make no appeal to phi- losophy. Let us take up the I)ranches of the great sub- ject in the order mentioned. I. The Demaxd for Mediation. Is there any reason why a holy God and sinful men should be brought together? And in their approach to each other is there any call for a mediator, that is for one who shall come between those The Demand ^y],Q ^j-e apart and help them come for Mediation. ^^^,^^,,^^7 Could they not be recon- 134 Mediation of the God-Man. 135 tiled without this mediation? Our studies in the last three articles have shown us why there is a demand for just this work. 1. The human demand. As we have seen, the Scrijitures make it very plain that man is a sinner, and therefore is not and cannot be on just the right terms with the good God. On the con- The Human trary, he deserves the wrath and Demand. punishment of the Almighty. This thought runs all through the Bible; it is one of the most certain and fundamental teachings of that won- derful book; and it finds more or less of confirmation in the self-knowledge and conscience of man himself. What, then, can man do to set himself right with God? Of himself, nothing; and that is his need of mediation. 2. The divine demand. Is there anything on God's part which calls for the services of a mediator between him and sinful man? We must answer this question in the affirmative or else The Divine deny or explain away the teaching Demand. ^^ ^^^^ j^j^^j^ y^^. ^j^^ Scriptures teach that on the one hand God's holy justice demands the punishment of sin, and that on the other his holy love demands the restoration of the sinner, and that a way is found for both of these essential parts of the divine nature to be satisfied without injury to either. (For Scriptures presenting this view see the following: Exod. 34:7; Isa. 45:21; Ezek. 18:20; Matt. 25:41-46; John 3:36; Rom. 2:2-12; comparing with them: I John 4:8; John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; Psn. 51:1; Rom. 12:1; these last two showing how divine mercj^ is basis both for prayer to God and appeal to man). Justice and mercy are equally characteristic of God, and their united demand is for a mediator. 136 The Doctrines of Our Faith. II. The Reality of Meiuation in Christ. Tlie Scriptures show that our Lord Jesus Christ is a true bond of reconciliation and The Reality union between God and men. This of Christ's is his unique mission, his distin- Mediation. guishing character, his glorious achievement. 1. The fact of the mediation. This is brought out in many statements concerning our Lord. The one emphatic and comprehensive one is in 1 Tim. 2:5: "P^or there is one God, and one Me- The Fact of diator between God and men, the the Mediation. ,~ii.t » m-u „* man Christ Jesus. ihe services of Christ in this great office are exhibited in various ways: (a). In his dual nature as God-]\Ian. (See the chapter on that subject) ; (b). In his revelation of God to man. (Matt. 11:27; John 1:18; 14:6-9; 17:3); (c). In his removal of the obstacle of sin. (John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; Col. 2:13, 14; Heb. 1:3; and many like the.se ) ; ( d ) . In his representation of us before God. (John 17:9; Heb. 4:14-16; 9:24, and many others; 1 John 2:L 2.) 2. The fitness of the Mediator. This empha- sizes the reality of Christ's work on both the divine and human sides of it. (a). As Christ's Fit- God, the Son of God, Jesus perfectly ness for the comprehends the nature and Divine In- strength of the divine claims sight against sinful man. As the Judge into wliose hands the cause of di- vine holiness and justice is committed (John 5:19-32; 9:39; Eom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10), he will see that the case is not compromised (Matt. 5:17, 18; Rom. 3:19-21", 31; 8:3, 4), but that the utmost penalty is paid, even Mediation of the Ood-Man. 137 at his own cost (Matt. 26:39, 42; Rom. 3:25; 2 Cor. 5:31). (b). As man, the Son of Man, Christ perfectly enters into human nature and sympathizes with it. In John 5:27 Ave are told that God committed judgment into his hands for the very reason His Human that he was the Son of ilan ; and Sympathy. throughout the great Epistle to the Hebrews the perfection of his priesthood is shown in his thorough sj'mpathy with man. See tlie second chapter of Hebrews, verses 10 to 18, and particularly verse 17: "Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." III. The Principle of Christ's Mediation. It is the central truth of Scripture, the distinctive feature of Christianity, the essence of a right Christian faith, that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of men from sin, and that thus by removing the cause The Principle ^f separation between them he brings Mediation! ^°^^ ^^^ ^^^ together. For Scrip- tures see the following: Isa. 53:11; Matt. 1:21; John 1:29; Matt. 20:28; Acts 4:12; Rom. 5:11; Heb. 9:28; 1 Peter 1:19; 1 John 2:2; Rev. 5:0. There are many other passages like these, but a careful reading of these is more than sufficient to establish the general truth laid down. But we ask: How does Christ remove sin as an obstacle between God and man ? By what method or principle does he ac- complish his saving and reconciling work? The answer is : By the sacrifice of himself, and especially as that sacrifice is completed and exemplified in his death on 138 lilt: Doctrines of Our Faith. the cross. But .still tlio question presses: How did the self-sacrificing death of Christ get sin out of the way and bring man back to God? In order to answer this question correctly, and thus get at the essential prin- ciple of Christ's mediation, we must first notice some erroneous and inadequate views, and then show what the Scriptures really teach. 1. Erroneous vieus. There are three of these, (a) One holds that Christ's sufferings and death were only those of a martyr to truth and duty, and that we are saved by following his exam- Three Errone- pjp ^ot necessarily in literal de- ous Views. ^^.,^ jj^j^ -j^ ^jj^ gpjj..^ qJ -^ ^jjj Anotlier is that Christ, the Son of God, in becoming man and djing, so completely identified himself with man as to take the penalty of sin; and thus he ex- hibits the fearful natui-e of sin and leads or influences man to hate it, turn from it, and come back to God. In either of these cases there is no real sacrifice for sin. and both views fail to explain the Scriptures, as we shall see. (c) There was a strange idea in the early ages that, in dying, Christ paid a ransom price for man to the devil and thus delivered him from his captor and tj'rant and restored him to his rightful owner, God. This is a wrong inference from H-eb. 2: 14, 15, and some other passages, and is utterly out of keeping with the true Scriptural view. 2. Inadequate views. Of these there are two, both being partly true, but neither one nor both to- gether expressing the Avhole truth. (a) One is that Christ's death for sin was a satis- Two Inade- faction to God's moral government, quate Views. ^^ ^^.^^^jj ^^ against good govern- ment for God to pass over sin without punishment, but that Christ's death sulficientiv -liows how God hates Mediation of the God-Man. 139 sin, since he punished his own Son for it; and now he can pardon a penitent sinner without injury to his gov- ernment, (b) The other is that sin is a debt owed to God, and that by his ^leath our (Savior paid the debt for all who accept his services, and so God releases tliem from the obligation. All that is true in these views is contained in the real doctrine of Scripture. Both contain elements of truth, but not all the truth. 3. The Script m-al view. This is that Christ voluntarily took the nature of man and with it the place of man as a sinner before God, though without personal sin ; that so in man's The Scrip- stead he suffered the penalty of sin in his cruel death on the cross; that being God he could by becoming man offer himself as a sufficient and suitable substitute for man; and being man his death Avas a real human death, a penalty for sin; and further, being God-Man, the dignity and value of his person makes his penalty sufficient for all the race, though actually efficient only in the case of those who by faith accept him as their substitute. Space does not permit a study of the passages which unfold this view; the student is referred to some of the more important ones: Isa. 53:. 5, 6; Matt. 20:28; John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Scriptural Tit. 2:14; Heb. 7:26, 28; 9:13, 14; Testament. ^q. ^_^2; \ Pet. 1:18, 19; 1 John 4:9. Here we see how man in Christ really suffers the penalty of his sin, and God in Christ is satisfied with it. Love satisfies holiness. "Mercy and truth are met to- gether; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." (Psa. 85:10). "That he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus." (Rom. 3:26.) CHAPTER XIX. god's work in saving man. On the basis of the mediation of the God-Man is Gqd himself further active in saving the souls of men from their sins? And if God does work for and in the souls T /-> J A A- of individual human beings for their Is God Active *= in Seeking salvation, how does he accomplish Man's Salva- this work? These surely are ques- tion? tions of the utmost concern to .us, and the answers to them must be sought in the Word of God, and there alone. Except as he has himself re- vealed it we have no knowledge of the fact or the method of the divine work of delivering man from the power and the results of his sin. But in tlie light of God's own truth, as told us in the Bible, we have good and certain knowledge on both these points, and from this knowledge we infer some other truths, which must be considered. I. TvEALITY OF THE DiVINE WoRK. Nothing is clearer in the Scriptures than the gracious and positive declaration that God does actually save men from their sins. This precious truth runs like a golden thread through the whole . . fabric of the inspired Word. From „, , Genesis to Revelation, from the Work sweet, sad picture of Eden to the glorious vision of the New Jerusalem, we see tlie strong, 140 (loiVs M'uik in Saving. 141 loving hand of God stretched out to deliver man from sin. If God does not save thei'e is no salvation. 1. Old Testament representations. In the Old Testament one of the best known and most frequently recurring descriptions of God is that of a mighty De- liverer and Savior of his people. It Old Testa- is true that tlie deliverance is often ment Testi- jj.^j^^ temporal troubles, from mony. ^ calamities, dangers, sorrows and deatli ; but the spiritual deliverance from sin is fre- quently expressed and oftener implied. For example, let us remember liow in tlie fifty-first Psalm David prays to God to forgive and cleanse him, as if such power rested with (lod alone : "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. * * * * * Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. * « * * Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation." Again, let us re- call liow God declares by the prophet (Isa. 44:22): "I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins; return unto me, for 1 have re- deemed thee." Hear also the worldwide proclamation of God (Isa. 45:22): "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else." (See further: Gen. 49:18; Psa. 6:4; 27:1, 9; G2:l, 2, 5, 6, 7; 80:3; Isa. 12:2; 43:3; 45:15, 17, 21, 22; 59:1; 63:1; Jer. 3:22, 23; 17:14. Though in some of these the reference is rather to temporal than spiritual deliverance.) 2. New Testament teaching. Many well-kno^^^l passages of the New Testament occur to the mind as we think of the saving grace and power of God. These clearly teach that God does ine New ^j^g work when men are saved from Testimony their sins, and that unless he does it it is not done. Yet, of course, 142 The Doctrines of Our Faith. as we shall more fully see in our next chapter this does not leave man out of the account, or treat him as a mere macliine to be operated b^' a force outside of it- self. We may put the case thus: If God does not save there is no salvation at all ; if man is not active in his own salvation, then there is none for him; if he is con- cerned in liis own deliverance he must be actively con- cerned, because this is not a case where he can be inac- tive and still be himself. We are now concerned with the former part of tliis statement: It is God who saves. Read the following familiar passages: Matt. 1:21; Luke 1:47, 69; 19:10; Acts 2:21; 4:12; Rom. 1:16; 5:6-11; 1 Cor. 1:21; Eph. 2:5, 8; 1 Tim. 1:1, 15; 2 Tim. 1:9; Tit. 1:3; 3:5; Heb. 2:10; 7:25; Jude 25. Others v.'ill occur to the student, but let him not omit to study well Phil. 2:12, 13. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that icorketh in you both to will and to work,, for his good pleasure." This does not mean that we must or can save our- selves, as of ourselves, but that on the basis of God's loorking in we are to icork out our salvation. II. The Method of the Divixe Working. We must now ask: How does God work in accom- plishing the salvation of men? Our most general answer Muist be that the Scriptures teach that he works in per- fect accordance with his own nature, ^f^\^D^°^ and also with that of man. He Workine '^'^^^ "'^ violence to either. Oh! wonderful gospel of grace, how it unites seeming opposites. rebuking alike the fatalist, who leaves man out. and the skeptic who leaves God out. The gospel takes in both, that is God's way. On the Divine side, then, we find the Bible teaching that God God's Work in Saving. 143 acts as God in saving men, and so we naturally look for rich displays of divine sovereignty, power, wisdom, righteousness, love. Now as love is the crowning at- tribute ( 1 John 4:8) the (Scripture lays special em- phasis upon it, and as sovereignty is essential to God's perfection (Rom. 11:33-36) it is not left out in his work. So we find one great word which includes both these ideas: grace. This is a favorite word with Paul, and means sovereign love and loving sovereignty. "By grace ye are saved." (Eph. 2:5, but read the whole context, verses 4-10.) Now "the grace of God that bringeth salvation" (Tit. 2:11) works in two ways, for which the Scripture has tw) words: election and regen- eration. 1. Election. This simply means choice. It is divine sovereignty in saving. God's plan of work for the universe takes in the saving of men. If he plan to save, he chooses those who shall be ^^^ ^°^' 3 saved. He wills to save those who Chooses ^^^^ ^^ saved, (a) When does God make his choice? After the man has settled it by choosing God? This makes man su- perior. Along with the man's decision? This makes God dependent. No ; God chooses beforehand, "before the foundation of tlie world." (Eph. 1:4.) (b) Are there any conditions to God's choice? Does he choose because he foresees that a man will repent. or on the condition of faith? No; God s Choice j^ choosing to save men God is God, soverei.-jn, free, untrammeled, gracious, acting on his own initiative. For proof of the doctrine see the following Scriptures: Matt. 24:22; 25: 34; Luke 18:7; John 6:37, 44; 17:2, 6; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:27-30; 0:11-16; Eph. 1:5-8; Col. 3:12; 2 Thess. 2:13- i ^f^tev 1:12. 144 The Doctrines of Our Faith. 2. Regeneration. In carrying out his gracious purpose how does God act on the souls that he has chosen to save? Tlie Bible teaches that it is by The New making a complete change in them, Birth. by making them over again. This is expressed principally by tlie word regeneration, which means being born again. Of course this and other terms employed are figurative language used to state in the most emphatic way the thoroughness of the change which God works in the soul. This work is usually ascribed to the Holy Spirit, who comes into the soul and changes its very life and being so that what it once loved it now hates, and what it once hated it now loves. This does not mean that the soul is made perfect in holiness at once, but as some one quaintly ex- pressed it: "The unconverted sinner is a sinner run- ning into sin, and the converted sinner is a sinner run- ning away from sin." The soul is born anew, but is yet a babe, and grows ever through life toward maturity. The new life is not finished, but it is begun. There are intimations of this doctrine in the Old Testament. See especially Psalm 51:10; Jer. 31:31- 34; Ezek. 11:19, 20. But in the New Scriptural Testi- Testament it is taught with a fuU- ^' ness and empliasis which should leave no shadow of doubt in our minds. Some of the more explicit passages are the following: John 1:13; 3:3, 5; 5:21; Eph. 2:1-5; 4:23, 24; Col. 3:10; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3, 23; 1 John 3:1, 9- III. IXFEKENCES FrOM THE DOCTKIXK If the salvation of man is really God's work and 's wrought out by the divine ciioi^e from the '"'"'^ *'^*^ '^'''^''*^ agency of the Spirit Doctrine. then some inferences follow wh?ch we mu^t candidly meet. God's Work in iSaving. 145 1. Difficulties. It is never fair to evade or mis- represent these; and it must be confessed that we meet with two very rare problems in accepting the doctrines unfolded in the preceding discus- Difficulties; sion. (a) There is the old trouble uman about human freedom. What has Freedom. man to do if God does it all? We shall see in the next chapter that man must and can do' his part, and the Scriptures and his own consciousness alike insist that he too must choose and act in his own behalf. Both sides are true. God is too great to con- tradict man, as though tliey were equals, he simply includes man's choice in his choosing, man's work in his working. Whatever contradiction there is is not between equal forces, but between the great and the little. Man can be very comfortably free loithin the overwhelming purpose and operation of God. (b) There is the greater difficulty of seeing how to harmonize these doctrines with the justice and mercy of God. If. he chooses some, regenerates them, and actu- ally saves them, what shall we say Harmonizing as to those who are left out of Apparently these operations? We can only an- Pj , ■ ^ swer, with all reverence, that this is God's aflair, and he will see to It. We are not his guardians. He is sovereign and does what he will with his own; he is just and will always do right; he is holy and cannot do wrong; he is love and will not be cruel. For our part we can wait. God will take care of himself, and of us. (See Rom. 9: 19-21.) 2. Consolation. In the reality and the method of Ciod's salvation of men thei'e lie precious consola- tions. If God saves, he sores (John 10:27-29; Rom. 8:31-39; Phil. 1:0: 2:12, 13; Heb. Consolation. 0:17-20; 1 Peter 1:3. 5). Put for 14G The Doctrines of Our Faith. God's work there would be no salvation for any; but for the way he works there could be no assurance of salvation even for a penitent sinner. But as it is, "the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal: The Lord knoweth them that are his." (2 Tim. 2:19.) CHAPTER XX. man's part in being SA\'ED. As was intimated in our last chapter, man also has a most important part to perform in the work of his Man's Co- salvation. He cannot be saver works as a ground of merit before (iod. and when we follow James we shall not dare to call that faith which does not show itself in works, and thus they teach the same thing from diflerent points of view, and we are only safe when we follow both, when by faith we trust in Christ wholly for salvation, and when by works we show that such faith is real. Thus do we see how the new relation between Ood and man wrought by the mediatorial work of Christ founds itself upon the bed-rock of God's own work in the soul, and yet it is daily built Insight and i,y tlie active efforts of the re- rospect. deemed spirit working its way up- wards to God. until the fair edifice shall l>e crowned with its heavenly glory in the perfect presence of our God. and in the fellowship of those redeemed ones of wliom it is said that "they do rest from their labors, and their works do follow them." (Rev. 14:13.) CHAPTER XXII. THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIANS — THE CHURCH. The new relation to God makes a new relation be- tween men — the children of God are brothers. Com- mon beliefs and feelings draw men together into so- cieties, or organized bodies. Our The Origin ]^ord recognized this human ten- ^?^^.^""^*^°"^ dencv and founded his church, the of the Church, organic expression of Christian fel- lowship. Twice he is recorded as speaking of the church (Matt. 16: 18; 18:17); among the unrecorded sayings (John 21:25; Acts 1:3) it is reasonable to sup- pose were many that related to his church ; and the charges he gave to the apostles, with the promised guidance of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:10; .John 16:12, 13; Acts 1:4-6). doubtless authorized thein to provide for the gathering of his people into some kind of per- manent body or bodies. Accordingly, we find very early mention of the church and churches. What we find it is the purpose of this chapter briefly to indicate. We shall also take some account of modern ideas and usages regarding the chunli. 1. The New Testament Church. The Greek word e cchsj a^ meaning a ga.thering or as- sembly of people, occurs in the New Tes tament abou t 163 I(i4 The Duchines of Our I'ditlt. one hundred and tifteen times. In five of these passages ■ ^- (Acts T:38; H):32, 3'J, 41; Hob. The New ^.^^. ^^^^ ^^.^^.j ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ Testament , , , ., , i. i Church chuifh. So there ai'e about a hun- dred and ten places where the word is properl}' translated eluireh. and is used to describe a body or gathering of Christ's people. Here we come upon a very important distinction. 1. The church general. In a few but very inter- esting places we find tiie word church used to set forth a more or less general conception of the people of God. (See the following: 1 Tim. 3:15: The Church, ^ U:2S; and compare Matt. Collective or ' ^ General. IS: 17: -fas. 5:14. See also Acts 9:31: Rom. 1G:23; 1 Cor. 1U:32; comparing Matt. 1():18. and Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:22; 2:10; 5:23-32; Col. 1:18. 24; Heb. 12: 28). A careful reading of these Scriptures will bring to view some gradation in the meaning, from a less to a more general sense. Thus, in describing the church as "the pillar and ground of the truth"; the apostle clearly has not in mind any one particular church, and j^et the idea of a local assembly as standing for a class seems to be his meaning. We are familiar witli such modes of expression, as when we say : "The school is the hope of the country", or some such piirase. A more general use of the term ap- pears in Acts 9:31. where it is said: "So the chr.rrJi throughout all .Tudea. (Galilee and Samaria had peace." Here the meaning seems to be the Christians living in those regions, witliout reference to any organized body, either local or general. .\lso. where Paul speaks of "persecuting the church," he most probably does not The l-'clluirsliip of Ckrisliuns. 165 iutfiid the church at Jerusalem or any other particular church, but simply believers in Christ wherever he found them. Thus we are led up to that largest of all conceptions of the church which we find in several of the passages cited, the whole number of the Lord's true people in all times and places. To describe this the phrase "church universal" has been invented, but the expression is not found in Scripture. We may use the phrase for convenience, but we should always remem- ber that there is no mention or even suggestion of a great organized body in any passage of Scripture which speaks of the church. 2. The church local. By far the larger num- ber of passages in which the Avord church is used de- scribe the local church, that is, a particular assembly or society of baptized believers in The Church Christ, meeting commonly in one p x' 1 place for worship, for mutual in- struction, for observing the Chris- tian rites, for work in the name of the Lord, and generally, for Christian service. These passages are too numerous for citation here, but a few of various sorts may be given as examples: (a) Cases where some particular church is mentioned: Acts .5:11; 8:1; 13:1: 20:17; Kom. 16:1; 1 Cor. 1:2: Rev. 2:1, etc. There are also passages which mention particular churches in the plural, a?: Acts 15:41; 1 Cor. 16:1; Gal. 1:2, 22; Rev. 1:11; 2:7, etc. Reference to these passages and many similar ones will show that a special society or body is named or distinctly intended, as the church at Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus, or the churches of Judea, Galatia, Asia. (b) Cases where no particular church is named or l(i() The DorlriiKs nf Our I'ailh. meant, but wlicrc tin- l(i<:il scii-c i> clcur. h\ Matt. IS: 17. i)ur Lmd. in sin-aking of of- Existence fcnscs hctwccn Incl liron, says: of a Local ..'j-,,ii jt j,, ti„. ..imiili." Here no Church is i i ■ i i + n T ,. ., one cliuicli IS nanicil. but the one Implied. to wiiifh tlic oHViKlcrs belong is evidently meant. In Aels 14:2:! I'aul ami Harnabas are said to have appointed elders "in every cliureh." We find the plural used in some eases, as Acts 1(5 :5, where it is said that the "duirches were strengthened in faith." (See also Rom. 10:4: 1 Cor. 11:1G.) We are now |)n'parc(l to eonsider some matters con- neeted witii llic orndiilzfilioii of the local ehureh. (1) The formation of rJnirclir.-<. \\\' have no aceount of liow the apostles established any par- Organization tieular ehureh, nor any directions of the Local liow to proceed in the organization Church. Qf ^ ehureh: but this does not mean The Forma- ,, , it- ^ ^ i + , that we are ntterlv at a loss as to tion of ■ X' m i Churches. ^''*^ eiiaraeter of a Aew Testament cliureli. ^^'e know tliat it was com- posed of those who had made actual confession of Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, upon repentance and faith. (See Acts 2:41-47; Rom. G:l-i; 10:9). There is every reason to lielicve that the churcli itself passed upon applicants for membership, determining w^'o should make up its members. This is involved in tl-c very nature of a society and must be taken for granted. and it is also included in the right to exclude from the church. An interesting event in this connection is the efiort of Saul of Tarsus to join the church at Jerusa- lem, and the unwillingness of the brethren to receive him till Barnabas took up bis case. (See Acts 0:26.) (2) The offxeerH of the ehiirelir.i. ]u two important passages (1 Cor. 12:2S: Eph. 4:11) something like a Tlie FelloicsJiip uf Christians. 1(37 list of ofBcers is given, nnd there are many other places where one or anotlier officer is The Officers mentioned. The subject is too large of the foi- adequate treatment here. We L, urc es. must content ourselves with notic- aDOSlICS Prophets. "^o ^"^^T 'Ji"iefly only the more im- portant matters. (a) In regard to the apostles it is to be observed that they were not called to office by the churches, but by direct divine appointment. The election of Matthias (Acts 1:21-20) is not an exception, as will be seen on careful study. The duties of an apostle were not especially to any one church, but to all the churches ; and there is no evi- dence that the office was to be permanent. (b) Much the same thing may be said in regard to the prophets, and others. (c) The regular and permanent officers of a New Testament church were elders and deacons. The elders are also called bishops (overseers) and pastors. See the following passages : Acts 11:30; Regular Offi- 14:23; 15:2; 20:17, 28; Phil. 1:1; cers Were ^ ^.j^^ g.j g; 5:17, 19; Tit. 1:5, Elders. ' ' 7; Jas. 5:14; 1 Pet. 5:1. The only place where the word pastor is used is in Eph. 4:11. But there is reference to the work of a pastor in other places. A very interesting passage is Acts 20:17, 28, Here the apostle is said to have sent for the "elders", and then he speaks of them as "bishops" (overseers), and exhorts them to watch over the "flock" as pastors. We thus see that the three terms meant the same thing. (Compare also Tit. 1:5-7; 1 Pet. 5:1, 2.) The duties of an elder or bishop are laid down in various places, most notably in 1 Tim. 3 : 1-7. In regard to the deacons not much is said, but they are clearlv recognized as officers of the churches, in KjS 7'hc DdctrincH of Our I'ailh. spvcimI wcll-kiiowi) ]i!iu-o.s. Sec Ads 0:1-4; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. I}:S-1."5. The \^•or(l "deacon" And Deacons. . , . i x. i i simply moans servant, and the lack of any detailed instiuclioiis in rej^ard to tiie odice gives us to imderstand tliat Ihcy mijjfht be charged with any duties at the pleasure of the church. The origin of the ofTice (Acts G:lfi') suggests that they should care for the poor of the church and attend to the finances, hut these duties are nowhere specifically cliarged to them. The qualifications of the office as laid down in 1 Tim. 3:8-13. suggest a more enlarged range of .service. Early in the history of the cluirches, a.s Justin Martyr informs us. the deacons distributed the bread and wine at the Lord's Supper, and this custom may have come down from apostolic times. (3) The (jovernmeni of flic churrJics. From all that appears the New TestaTiient cliurches regulated their own affairs. They had no governing board or ruler within themselves, nor any earthly ^f Th°™^°^ lord or governor outside of them- Churches selves. They w^ere responsible to Christ as their great Head, but they had no earthly sovereign even to represent him. There are many indications of this self-government, too many to discuss here, but let it suffice to say that the way in which the apostles wrote to the churches shows that the seat of authority lay within the church itself. Nor did any church claim or exercise any rule over another, as tlie relations between the churches at Antioch and Jerusalem (Acts 1.")) plainly show. Yet the same occurrence, and some others, indicate that tlie churches had many common interests and were united by many ties of fellowship and by some of co-operation. How far we are bound to follow the model set be- The Fclliiir-sliiit 0/ Chrisl iaiis. 169 fore us in tlie New Tt'slaincnl as to tlic I'onn and order Adherence to "^^'"' ''""'■'''y^ i^;^ question the New which the Baptists delight to an- Testament swer in only one way, namely, just ^l^^- as far as possible. Hence our churches try to reprodvu'e the principles, and, as much as nuiy be, even the details of the apostolic churches. Would that our practice were as good as our theory on this point. II. The Modern Churches. Only a very brief statement of the main things con- nected with modern church life is here called for. 1. Uses of the irord. At least five distinct uses of the word church are current among us: Modern Uses (i, .^ jo^.^i society of Christian of the Word , , . . ', Church people worshiping and working to- gether. (2) The whole body of Christ's redeemed everywhere. (These correspond to the two uses of the word in Scripture.) (3) A build- ing where the local assembly meets for worship. (4) A sect or denomination of Christians holding the same doctrines and practices. (Observe that it is not proper to use the word in this way of Baptists and some others, because they do not recognize any higher organization than the local cliurch.) Thus we speak of the Presbyterian church, etc. (5) Tliere is also an- other use of the word which is not so easy to define as the others. This refers to the general body of professed nnd more or less organized Christians in the world, or that part of the world which is in the mind at the time. Thus we speak of "church and state." "the church and the world," "the history of the church," and the like. Other variations of usage may be referred to one or an- other of these. 17<' 'Jill' Jloclriiirs of Our J'ailli. 2. I'oniis of yoro'iiinciil. 'J'liri'c i)riiiiij);il forms of cluuc'li polity are found in modern times, be- sides numerous minur sarialidiis. (1) The prelatical, where tlie wliole body is y ehh-rs of their own ehoosing. and tlie general body by repi'esen- tatives. {'■i) The eongregational. where eaeh local church governs itself and tiie general luxlies arc only for purposes of co-operation, not at all for government. It is needless to say that this is the form of polity which the Baptists hold, and that tliey liold it because tliev believe it is the one wliich tiie Lord gave to his people and meant that they sliould keep throughout all time. If we are members of the cluircli let us remember that an inspired apostle said that it is "the pillar and ground of the truth." and let us appreciate both our privileges and our duties. CHAPTER XXIII. CliP.ISTIAK INSTITUTIONS — WORSHIP AND ORDINANCES The elements of church life, and the duties of Chris- tian believers as members of the Ecclesiastical churches embrace the observance of Observances. ^.pj-^ajn j-jtes and customs. These are worship and th^ ordinances. I. Christian Worship. The English word "worship" is simply a eon- traction for "worthship." and denotes the giving of suitable honor to whom it is due. It projerly tran s- lates several difi'erent Hebrew and Christian Q,.pp]^, words, and thus in the Bible sets forth the act of rendering to (Jod reverential service. Both the ideas of reverence and of service are necessary in true worship. It is a real service done to and for Ood. and it must be done in a way suitable to his dignity and acceptable to him. 1. Its true Scriptural mean- Its True j„g w'q ^an here only briefly in- Scnptural ^^^..^^^ ^^,^^^^ ^,^g q^^ ^^^ -^^^^ Testa- Meaning. ments teach us concerning worship. (a) Old Testament teachings. The first worship mentioned in the Bible is Abel's sacrifice, which was ac- 171 172 'I'hc Doctrines of Our Faith. ccptiiMe to Gofl, wliile Cain's was not. (Gen. 4:3-5; llc'l). 11:4.) r>ul llic mention ini- Old Testa- plies the ])revi()U.s practice of wor- ment Teach- ^, • ,,j,.|, ,io„btless originated in ing. Ivlcii. Later there was decline and renewal of tlie practice (Ccii. liJtii. \\ e trace tlie oh servance through Noali ((ien. 8:20), Abraham (Gen. 12:7, 8, and many others), Jacob (Gen. 28:10-22; 35: 1-8), to the elaborate ceremonies of llic Tabernacle under Moses and under David, and the established order of the Temple under Solomon and his successors. The prophets speak much of worship, both in its real- ity and in its sad abuses. In fact the Old Testament is full of worship, as the act of obedient and reveren- tial approach to God. It means the recognition of three corresponding pairs of truths: God's power, man's de- pendence; (iod's holiness, man's sin; God's grace, man's gratitude. (b) New Testament teachings. The temple and the .synagogues prepared the way for the worship of Chris- tian churches. There was no sud- New Testa- (i,.,^ break in coming to the new ment Teach- ,ij^p(.„sation. The meaning and many of the forms of worship were passed on by the devout Israelite to his Christian suc- cessor in keeping tlie oracles of God. The example of our Lord is full of interest and in- struction. At twelve years of age he went with his parents to Jerusalem to the Passover (Luke 2:41-4n) : u1 tlie beginning of his ministry in Christ's Example, fj.^ujgp ],e y^.^^.^■^^ j„to the .synagogtie, ''as his custom iras", to take part in the worship (Luke 4:1G); he cleansed the temple of trallickers (John 2: 13-17), and taught the woman of Samaria what wai» true worship (John 4:19-24). Likewise, the apostles Chntiiitni hisdttilions. 173 and early Christians observed as an established and cus- tomary thing the acts of a true worship. (See Acts 1:12-14; 2:42, 46; 16:13; 17:1, 2; 20:7, and many others.) In all this we see the thought of worship as a proper reverential service rendered to God. 2. Its observance as enjoined in Scripture. Does the Bible then tell us how to worship? What may we learn as to its forms and elements? The ways in which it finds expression ? ( a ) As Its Observance to forms, none are prescribed. The as Enjoined elaborate liturgy of the temple in Scripture. .,, ., .„' j a ■ Forms not sacrifices and offerings, Prescribed. passed away. But these were grand occasions. In the families, in localities, in the schools of the prophets, in the syna- gogues, there was other and simpler worship. The syna- gogue, which is i:ot mentioned in the Old Testament, but doubtless originated in the later history of Judah, was a sort of transition stage from Old to New Testa- ment worship, and the ritual of the synagogue was simple. Ro we find in the New Testament no pre- scribed forms of worship. It is to be simple and spir- itual, not formal and elaborate. (b) As to the elements of worship. In the Old Testament we find sacrifices and offerings; but these ])assed away with the fall of Jerusalem, and were never used by the Gentile Christians. In Elements of the New Testament we have the or- ^' dinnnces of baptism and the Lord's Supper, but these did not take the place of the sacri- fices under the law. We do not know what or how much worship was connected with baptism, if there was any at all. But in the ease of tlie Lord's Supper there was worship. (See Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:18-20. The 17-i 'J'hc Ductruics of Our Faith. rebuke in llic hist passage indicates that in a rightful observance of the Supper worship should be real.) The principal, regular and permanent elements of Christian worship are four: (1) Prayer (Matt. 18:19, 20; Acts 1:14; 2:42; 4:31, and others). (2) Praise (besides the Psalms, and other Old Prayer, Testament Scriptures, the follow- Praise, j„^,. ^,l,^il_ 26:30; Acts 16:25; ReadinTand ^P^^" '•■''' ^0; Col. 3:16; Heb. 13: Exhortation. I'')- (^5) Reading of the Scrip- tures (Neh. 8; Luke 4:16; 1 Tim. 4:13). (4) Exhortation or teaching (preaching). (The same passages, and Acts 13:15, 16). A study of these passages will show how old and venerable are these parts of worship. Let it be ours to keep them ever fresh and mighty! 3. Its value as a Christian institution. Deplora- ble is the modern neglect of worship! May our young people work a change! For Its Value as worship is an essential, (a) It is a Christian ^ ,.^^ requirement of God. (b) Institution. T^ • u- u • i -i • +1 It is high spiritual exercise, tlie height of religious activity and Reeling, (c) The most powerful means of developing the Christian life. II. The Ordinances. Certain rites and ceremonies, commanded by the Lord and distinctive of the Christian religion, and called "ordinances," that is, actions pre- scribed by the authority of Clirist. J ,^. Thev are also sometimes called Ordinances, ^, "^ j. „ , ^ -i, a • sacraments ; but neither word is Biblical. The Scripture has no collective name for them. These ordinances are two, and only two: Bap- Christian Iiisiiiutions. 175 tism and the Lord's Supper. They are symbols of Christian doctrines, that is, they set forth some of the main truths of our religion in an external and pic- turesque way. They are also marks of Christ's people, being properly observed only by those who are true be- lievers. 1. Baptism. In regard to Baptism there are five points upon which professed Chris- Baptism, ^jjjj^g j^j^^.g differed, and still differ; and the true Scriptural doctrines may be exhibited by briefly considering these. (a) The obligation to observe baptism. Some have denied this — tlie Quakers and Our others. But the command of the Obligation to l^j.j (-siait. 28:19); the exhorta- Observe it. ^.^^^ ^^ p^^^^. ^ ^^^^ 2 : 38 ) ; and the apparently invariable practice and teaching of the Apostles, seem to leave no room for question on this point. (b) The act of baptism — what is it? It is immer- sion — the dipping of a person into water, of course raising him out again. (When you "dip" your hand in the ewer, you don't leave it there!) The Act of Various attempts have been made, ap ism. jj^ ^j^g interest of established cus- tom and accepted theory, to show that the act of bap- tism is simply the use of water in any way, and not necessarily an immersion, or putting under. These at- tempts are notable failures. The meaning of the word, the descriptions of the act (Mark 1:9; John 3:23; Acts 8:38, 39; Rom. 0:1-4), and the history of the subject, all place the matter beyond any reasonable dispute. (e) The subjects of baptism — who should be bap- tized? Those who by repentance and faith have ac- 1/ti The Doclrints of Our I'aiih. cepted Jesus as their Savior, (uid those only. The ad- _, -, , . (litioii is the significant point. The Subjects; ^. ,• ^.^ , . ■ ^ ^■ of Baptism. t^':>nti"g that professing believers .should be baptized, why should the act be confined to these? The cases of baptism men- tioned in tlie New Testament invariably imply belief, or personal acceptance of Christ, or repentance, or some such experience as indicates conversion and profession of faith. The following are not all, but they will serve as examples: Mark 1:4, 5; John 4:1, 2; Acts 2:41; IG: 14, 15, 33, 34. And the great coniniand of our Lord (Matt. 28:19, 20) shows that '"making disciples" should go before "baptizing them". (d) The administrator — who should baptize? Noth- ing very definite is said as to this, but the implication is that it was done by authority of Christ and the apostles, and by those and those ^ * only who had themselves believed and been baptized. Whether elders, or other officers, alone were authorized to perform baptism we cannot say; but it would seem to be a natural inference. As to the present authority there is difference of opinion among Baptists. Some hold that the performer is lit- tle to be considered, if only the act be sincere on the part of the one baptized. Others hold that the only proper person to baptize others is one who has been himself baptized and is acting by authority of a church. (The writer holds this view.) (e) The design, or meaning, of baptism — what is it for ? Some teach that baptism is a means whereby one is "regenerated" (John 3:3, 5); others that it is a necessary condition of the "remis— The Meaning gion of sins" (Acts 2:38) : but most of Baptism. interpreters do not so understand these Scriptures. The plain teaching of other passages Christian Institutions. 177 is that baptism is commanded as a picture or symbol (Rom. 6:1-4) of the new life, and as a declaration or profession of faith in Christ (Matt. 28:19). As an act of obedience it must be done, and as a sign and ex- pression of belief it is most significant. 2. The Lord's Supper. This solemn and beau- tiful rite was instituted and enjoined by our Lord (xMatt. 26:20-29; Mark 14:22-25; The Lord's Luke 22:17-30; 1 Cor. 11:23-26. Supper. ggg ^jg^. ^^^^g 2:42, 46; 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:17-34). A study of the Scriptures given will enable us to come at the truth in regard to this holy observance, and to test the various views that have been and are held regarding it. (a) Meaning of the Supper. Four different views prevail as to this : ( 1 ) The Roman Catholic teaching, that the whole Christ ("body and blood, soul and di- vinity") is in the consecrated Its Meaning, wafer. The bread is actually made Roman Cath- into Christ. It is useless to say olio, Luther- that there is no Scripture for this an, ca vmian absurd and monstrous doctrine. and Zwing— lian Views ^^^ '^^^ Lutheran view, that there is a "real presence" of Christ "in, with and under" the form of bread and wine. They are not "changed into him, but he is in some actual way really mingled with them. There is no Scripture for this either, and it is needlessly vague and mysterious. (3) The Calvinian theory, that Christ is "dynamically" pvesent with the sacred elements, not his actual body, but his spiritual power and presence, and that in such a way as to confer special grace upon the participants. This also lacks Scripture support, and rational clear- ness. (4) The Zwinglian doctrine, that the bread and wine are only symbols, or tokens, of the body and blood 178 The Doctrines of Our Faith. of Christ; and tliat tlie partaking of them is a memorial observance, done in obedience to tlie Lord, and bringing grace only as true worsliip and obedience bring it, not by any special virtue in the elements. This is con- sidered to be the true Scripture teaching. (b) Keeping of the Supper. The Scriptures given above teach and imply that the rite was to be observed only by Christians (baptized believers ), in the assemblies, and as an act of holy worship. It Observance -was not to be a social meal, nor a ?, superstitious charm ("extreme unc- £»upper. X- >M -1 • •, t tion ) , nor a special privilege of priesthood, nor a test of Christian fellowship. It was to be observed through all time by the true people of Christ gathered in worshipful assembly. Thus it be- comes the churches to guard the ordinance by restrict- ing it to those who have been baptized unto Christ, and to keep it solemnly and with reverence and fear as unto the Lord, and not unto men. CHAPTER XXIV. CHRISTIAN ACTIVITIES— rTHE WORK OF A CHURCH, Christian work may be looked at from at least threS general points of view : ( 1 ) The religious work of the individual believer; (2) the combined work of Chris- tians as represented in a local Aspects of church; (3) the general work of Christian , a • a- -a ^ -a Work. churches and individuals as earned on by co-operation. The second of these is here assumed, because as a middle ground it lies between the other two, and touches and somewhat in- cludes both. The churches were not only formed for fel- lowship and for worship, but being composed of work- ing Christians they must be working bodies as well as worshiping assemblies. So Paul, addressing a church (1 Cor. 15:58), exhorts its members as individuals that they should be "always abounding in the work of the Lord." Work is one of the marks of a true Cliristian; and one of the sure tokens of a • rightly constituted church ot Jesus Christ. We may for convenience study the subject under two separate topics, though as a matter of fact we cannot so divide the work itself. The work of a church is partly within and partly without itself, but these parts are mutually necessary. I. The Church's Work Within Itself. The church must within its ovra range and sphere work for itself. This is not necessarily selfish, for this 179 180 The Doctrines of Our Faith. kind of work is at its best only when it most fully recognizes and supports that which The Church's i-eaches beyond. But in order to do Work Within j^^^ ^^^^^ fruitful service beyond it- self the church must develop its own health and strength. 1. It must grow. Conditions inside and around a church may sometimes hinder, retard, or even arrest its growth. But ordinarily the first duty of a church to itself is to be a growing body. The Church j^ must be constantly gathering Must Grow; ^^^^ members within its fold. There is constant loss ; there should be greater gain in order to avoid standstill and decay. This law is so plain that it only needs statement; but the following Scriptures will enforce the demand for increase: Acts 2:47; 5:14; 11:21, 24; Eph. 2:21; 4:16; 5:16; Col. 4:5. 2. It must edify itself. A church shoiild not only grow bigger, but better also. It should train, as . well as draw in, members. Adding •J, ,r names to the roll of the member- ship without developing the new material may be a curse instead of a blessing. There is too much of this cluirch-stuffing going on. Let us see what the Scriptures say on the subject of a church's building up itself in the Christian life. (a) Worship. This was urged in the former chapter, but it is necessary to call attention to it again in this . connection as an essential factor in ^ ^' the spiritual nurture of a church. A spiritually dead, or at best dwarfed and fruitless, membership is the sad product of neglect of worship. No church can or deserves to tlirive which nedects the glad worship of its God and J\ing. Christian Activities. 181 (b) Teaching. Tlie worship may do this, especially the reading of Scripture and preaching, but there is special insistence in the Bible upon the duty of teach- ing within the church. Consult the Teaching, following passages: Acts 13:1; Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11; Col. 3:16. Our Lord was the great Teacher; he directs (Matt. 28:19, 20) that his gathered disciples should be taught; the Apostles likewise were teachers as well as heralds of the truth; and there were certain "teachers" among the officers of the early churches. Moreover, the breth- ren are exhorted to "teach and admonish one another." Instruction in doctrine, in righteousness, in good and intelligent service to God and man is the bounden duty of a church to itself. (c) Discipline. In a broad sense this includes what goes before, but it is here meant to express the admoni- tion, correction and punishment of unworthy members of the church. Ample provision is _,? . ,. made for discipline in the precepts Discipline; * . „ : of the \^ ord, as the following Scrip- tures will show: Matt. 18:15-18; Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. chap. 5; 2 Cor. 2:5-10; Gal. 0:1; 1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Thess. 3:6-15; and many of the addresses to the Seven Churches in Rev. 2 and 3. Now, discipline does not simply mean exclusion from the churcli. That is its final stage, the last resort when all else has failed to reclaim and restore the erring brother. There is cry- ing need of a wholesome Scriptural discipline among our Baptist churches. 3. It must maintain itself. The church must attend to its business, as any other society, and keep 182 The Doctrines of Our Faith. its affairs in piojuT ordor. (1 (or. 14:40). A church should be in its coiniiiunity an in- And Must spiring example of integrity, dili- Maintain gence, justice and scrupulous fidelity in the conduct of its business. The churches of the New Testament had their business side, (a) Care of the poor — uenevolence was a part of it. (Acts 6:1 ff; Rom. 15:25-27; 1 Cor. 16:1; 2 Cor. 8, 9; Gal. 2:10; 1 Tim. 5:10). (b) The support of the ministry and of missionaries came in for its share of attention. (1 Cor. 9:1-14; Gal. 0:6; Phil. 4:10-18; 1 Tim. 5:17, 18). Besides, "Our Sister Phoebe" (Rom. 16:1, 2) seems to have had some "business" on hand for the good of mankind, and was therefore "commend- ed" to the churches. (c) In addition we may infer that there was business in connection with the keeping of places of worship, for though church-buildings were of later date it is not unreasonable to suppose that the expenses of hiring, lighting and keeping places of wor- ship must have been borne not by tlic owners alone, but by the brethren. (Acts 1:13; 18:7-11; 19:8, 9; 20:7, 8; 28:30, 31). Now, all tliis and more besides devolves on our churches in the piessing demands of our modern life, and a church should be ready to The Right meet these business calls in the Attitude. spirit and the character of Christ's own people. II. The Church's Wohk Oltside of Itself. Of course the activity of a true church of Jesus can- not be confined to its own immediate life and concerns. The very nature of things makes this outside work necessary; and the example and teachings both of our Chrisliini Activities. 183 Lord and of his apostles put upon it an emphasis simply tremendous. The dry rot of selfisli- The Church's ^ess is tlie last affliction which should ., -: T|o„if befall a church of Jesus Christ. The personal efforts of individual mem- bers are here included in the work of the church. The sphere, character and method of that work are to be briefly indicated. 1. The sphere. "The field is the world." (Matt. 13:38). But the world is both nigh The Sphere of and far off, it is neighborhood and ^f ork q^jj ■ beyond. (a) Neighborhood. The Neighborhood. sobody! Arguments cannot demonstrate, experience cannot veri- fy ; therefore, he argues, we cannot know ; and since we cannot know we cannot affirm, and since we cannot affirm we may as well deny! Sad logic, and a sadder conclusion. 4. The materialistic negation. Here we touch the bottom of doul)t, and reach flat denial. According to this view there is no soul, only body. When the body succumbs to death its chemical The elements pass into other forms of Materialistic matter, its forces are dissipated. Negation. „,, , , „ rp, j.. Ihat ends all. Ine utter impos- sibility of proving this repulsive doctrine by either analogy or experience makes no diflference. Your aver- age materialist is a dogmatist of high degree. Let us reverse our steps. From flat denial we reach confessed ignorance, from this we rise to a philosophic "perhaps," and then we grasp and Retracing j^ j^ agelong and persistent tra- Our Steps. ,.^. ^, » ^ , ^ dition; and now we are ready to take a stand on the Rock of Ages. II. The Teachtxg of Scrxptxtre. Accepting the Bible as the true Word we have no further uncertainty, for it teaches the reality of a life Scriptural beyond the grave with a force and Testimony. ilcarness which leave no room for question. 1. The Old Testament foreshadouing. Here a Life and Immortality. 189 sober study avoids extremes. We cannot force New Testament ideas back into the Old The Old Tes- Testament and claim that the doc- tament Fore- , . • * n i i i ^ ^ , J tnne is lully and clearly revealed shadowing. •' •' in the ancient Scriptures, nor can we go so far as to say that before the coming of Christ God's people had no knowledge of this great truth. (a) The distinction between body and soul is taught in such a way as to imply the continual life of the soul after the death of the body. See The Gen. 2:7; 1 Sam. 28:1-14; Eccl. Continued 12 : 7. The last is very clear on the flf ^^Smi? °^ P°^"* ■ "^^^® ^"^^ ^^^^^^ return to Implied. ^'^^ earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." The calling back of Samuel by the witch of Endor, if we take the passage literally, as it is best to do, is mj'sterious indeed; but it at least teaches the point under consideration. (b) The existence of a realm, or place, or state of being, after death is frequently Allusions to mentioned or alluded to. (1 Sam. Af?^*?. ^1, 28:1-14; Psl. 16:10; Prov. 9:18; After Death. ' ' ' Isa. 14:9 ff). This is not very clear, but it has force. (c) Some expressions in regard to the death or de- parture of individuals indicate existence beyond the grave. Of Enoch it is said that he "was not, for God took him." (Gen. 5:24); of Abra- References ham and Isaac it is said that they to the Death "were gathered to their fathers," or peci c "people," in such manner as to Persons. 1 1 > , . , . , show that more than being bunea is meant (Gen. 25:8; 35:29). The death of Moses (Deut. 34:5, 6). and the ascension of Elijah (2 Kings 190 'i'ltc Doctrines of Our Faith. 2:2, 11) point in the same direction, and when we remember their appearance at the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:3) the fact is beyond dispute. (d) Besides, there are a few special passages which seeni clearly and beyond question to The teacli immortality. Lack of space ^™™°^*|^**y forbids discussion, but the reader is of the Soul Asserted. urged to study for himself. See Job. 19:25; 2 Sam. 12:23; Psa. 16:10, 11; Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2, 3, 13; Hos. 13:14. 2. The Xeto Testament teaching. The Old Tes- lament prepared the way for the New, both by what it taught and by what it left for The New fuller teaching. It leads us to Tea hi v Christ, "who liath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (2 Tim. 1:10). (a) Clear and confident are the teachings of Christ himself. In Matt. 10:28 he declares that though men may kill the body tliejj cannot kill the soul. In Luke 16 : 19 ff. he gives us the parable of Lnnst s ^j^^ j.jpj^ ^^^^^ ^^^ Lazarus, teaching Statements. „ , ^ , ,, f in a figure, but no less really fo*^ that, the conscious after-life in heaven and in hell. The evangel of John 3 : 16 asserts that the believer shall "not perish but have everlasting life;" and this asser- tion is repeated in various ways and with emphasis in John 5:24; 8:51; 11:25, 26; 12:24-26; 14:1-6 and others. (b) The words of Paul are unmistakably direct and firm. In the glorious eighth chapter of Romans the doctrine of the future life is woven in all the fabric; but finds its most thrilling assser- Paul's tion in the rapturous persuasion lesti y. ^jj^|. jjgj-^^jgj. death nor anything elst * Life and hnmortulity. 191 can separate us from the love of God. The victorious paean in the fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians, while especially teaching the resurrection of the body, in- volves necessarily the inimortalitj' of the soul; and so of 2 Cor. 5:1-10; 1 Thess. 4:13 ff. In Phil. 1:23 the apostle expresses his personal preference for "depart- ing" that he might "be with Christ," and a similar sentiment is found in 2 Cor. 5:8. (c) Other New Testament writers teach the same great doctrine of immortality, as Peter (1 Pet. 1:3-6, 23), who tells of our fadeless inheritance in heaven, John (1 John 2:17, 24, 25), who The Words speaks of "abiding forever" with of Peter, ^^^ j^^^^ ^2o, 21), who writes of John, Jude and Others. the same "eternal life as the others ; and the book of Revelation in its wondrous visions fully proclaims the great truth. Not- able here is the vision (Rev. 6:9) of "the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God." Their bodies had been martyred, but their souls were safe under God's altar. (d) Apart from these particular passages (and many others not mentioned) we may argue immortality from the general trend and basis of New The Pervad- Testament thought. You cannot ^Yh Ji^ imagine the doctrine of immortality Testament. ^^^^ °"t ^^ *'^® -^^^^ Testament with- out virtually destroying the book. It is in the very fabric of the thought. To sum up : The doctrine of immortality is not a figment of fancy. Notwithstanding skeptical denials or questionings it abides a persistent and cherished belief among men, supported by o m a y. some reasonings, but clearly assert- 192 TItc Doctrines of Our Ftiitti. ed and forever assured in the enduring testimony of tlie \N'ord of God. Tliere let us rest our vexed under- standings and tired hearts "until the day break, and the shadows flee away." CHAPTER XXVI. THE INTERMEDIATE STATE. The Scriptures teach the immortality of the soul, 'as we have seen; they also teach the resurrection of the body, as we shall see ; but what do they teach con- cerning tlie abode and condition of W K nw ^^^^ ^^^^^ between death and the res- About It? urrection? We are wholly depend- ent upon Scripture for information on tliis matter; if the Bible has no message for us we are totally in the dark. It is a matter of interpreta- tion and inference. But the difficulties of interpreta- tion, and the natural tendency of the mind to speculate where things are not j^erfectly clear, have led to the formation and advocacy of some erroneous views. It will be well to clear the ground by considering these before we proceed to unfold the teachings of the Bible in regard to this "intermediate state." I. Erhoneous Views Considered. These wrong notions may be conveniently classified _ as the theory of denial, the theory Erroneous , . ' ,, ,, -^ Yjg of unconscwusness, and the theory of purgatory. 1. The theory of denial. Some deny that there 193 194 The Doctrines of Our Faith. is any "intorniediate state" at all. According to this view the souls of the dead pass jm- "^J^J^^^^^y mediately to their final destiny of of Denial. n- • 1 1- tj ^ 4.'^- suflering or bliss. But we must dis- tinguish between tv/o phases of this theory. (a) The extreme view, which takes the resurrection and judgment to be spiritual and figurative, and as occurring for each individual at his death rather than for all at once in the future. Ac- The Extreme eording to this fanciful notion, for View the believer death and the resur- rection are simultaneous, if not identical. He rises as soon as he dies; this corruptible puts on incorruption by escaping forever from the old body and taking on just then a totally distinct spiritual body! This view not only crosses the plain meaning of Scripture con- cerning the resurrection, as we shall see in unfolding that meaning, but also requires a corresponding change of view in regard to the Second Coming of Christ and the Judgment. This view virtually denies the reality of all these events as future occurrences and makes them only continuous processes, or events only to each individual at his death. (b) Some modification of this view is conceivable, though not perhaps formulated as a theory, by which one sliould hold that the common views of the Ilesur- rection and Judgment are sound, A Modified ,,^,^ ^j,j^^ ^l^^g^, .^j^^. events will View. make no real difference in the state of souls after death. The destiny of each is determined at death, and the subsequent great events will in no wise alter the situation. As to this, our study of the Scriptural doctrine will show that there must of neces- sity be fionic flifference between these states, though we may not be able clearly to explain just what it will The Intermediate State. 195 be. Belief in a real resurrection and judgment logically requires belief in some kind of "intermediate state." 2. The theory of unconsciousness. This some^- what attractive and plausible view is that at the death of the body tho soul passes into absolute and total unconsciousness, a deep sleep, The Theory dreamless and dark ; that from this „«;«„„-«„„ it will be wakened at the resurrec- sciousness. tion, come to judgment, and receive its final award of pmiishment or glory. Thus the be- liever, knowing nothing of the interval, will to all in- tents and purposes enter at once upon his eternal bless- edness. The objections to this view are: (a) That it is evi- dently made to order so as to avoid some difficulties in the other view, but it makes more than it solves, (b) It is so clearly opposed to the Objections general teaching of Scripture, and H*, to the plain meaning of a few well- known passages, as to be untenable. These passages will be discussed later; it is sufficient here to refer to them: Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:5-9; Phil. 1:23. How any one can read these Scriptures and hold this theory is a mystery to this writer. 3. The theory of purgatory. This is the Roman Catholic doctrine. Full discussion here is of course im- possible. In brief, this theory is that all believers, except some martyrs and other ZZ^ r highly favored individuals, do not Theory of I . ■ j^ ■, Purgatory. enter at once into heaven, but pass into a place of purifying (hence purgatory) wliere, by varioius disciplines, they are pre- pared for ultimate admission into heaven. This notion grew out of the opinion of some early Christians, who held that the common believer went to a state of bein^ 196 The Doctrines of Our Faith. but little better than this carthlj' life, to wait for the resurrection. To this was added the belief that these must somehow be prepared for heaven while they waited, and so all the elaborate doctrines connected with purga- tory came to be held by the Romanists. Historically, the doctrine grew out of an early error; it has no rational support, and is utterly without foundation in Scripture. It is thus pure speculation, and can have no force except with those who believe that the Roman church has authority to make doctrines for Christians to believe! II. The Scripture Teaching. On some points the teaching of the Bible is not clear — God has not seen best to reveal all the truth as yet — and as to these we are shut up to reverent inference and waiting. But on two essential Scriptural things, contrary to the errors just estimony. mentioned, the language of Scrip- ture in a few decisive passages is plain and ought to be final. These two points are that the souls of departed believers are still conscious, and that they enter the presence of Jesus. What more than this Ave may infer we should hold with caution. I^t us first consider the meaning of several passages of Scripture, and then infer as we may. 1. Study of Scripture passages. The appearance of Moses and Elijah at our Lord's transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8) makes the impression of Study of their coming from a spliere of con- Specific Pas- scions life and glory to converse with Transfie- ^^'^ cheer tlie Son of Man in regard uration. ^ his near decease (Luke 9:31), and not tliat they were awakened out of The Intermediate State. 197 any dreamless sleep, or called from a sphere no better that this earth. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus gave the parable of the rich man and Laz- if^^o^^ ^ arus, indicating consciousness in Tyj both the wicked and the righteous. Lazarus is happy in Abraham's company; the ricli man is suffering in hell; the bodies of both have been left behind. Lest this should be considered as merely figurative teaching and corre- sponding to no exact reality, we have other and vin- figurative language. In Luke 23:43 our Lord says to the penitent robber: "Verily I say Other unto thee, today thou shalt be with me in paradise." Now the body of Jesus was to be in Joseph's tomb, that of the poor robber to be in the potter's field, but yet he was to be with Jesus in Paradise. (As to paradise see 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7). This promise certainly conveys the assurance of conscious personal life in company with Jesus in another and better sphere. It is perverting plain language to twist any other meaning out of it. Now notice that in Luke 23:46 our dying Redeemer said, when about to expire: "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," as if he expected to be with his Father when released from his suffering body. The first recorded Christian death illustrates this same ex- pectation. For when Stephen (Acts 7:59) was dying under the bruises of the cruel stones he called upon his Savior and said: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," using almost the same language as his Master before him. That this expectation of being conscious and in the Master's presence was the hope of Paul is apparent from two of his most striking sayings : ( 2 Cor. 5 : 5-9 ; Phil. 1:23). In the first of these Paul's Hope. ^e speaks with cheerful confidence 198 The Doctrines of Our Faith. of "being absent from the body and present with the Lord," and in the other he expresses his "desire to de- part and be with Christ, wliich is far better." If we wanted clearer speech than this we could not reasonably expect human language to make it so. In Hebrew 12:23 we read of "the spirits of just men made perfect," and in Rev. 14 : 13, we have the comfort- ing promise : "Blessed are the dead Hebrews and ^lio die in the Lord from hence- Ouoted*^^°° fori/i: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their works follow with them," where the natural force of the language is that their blessedness imme- diately follows their death. Now these passages sufficiently prove the two main points involved, namely, that the existence of the dis- embodied saints is a state of conscious personality, and that it is enjoyed in the presence of Deduction: God. As to the state of the wicked The Soul before the Judgment the only hint , ... conveyed in these Scriptures is in the God. parable of the Rich Man and Laz- arus, and as that is a parable we should be cautious in pressing literally all its language. But it intimates that the souls of the wicked are apart from the good, away from God, suffering and wretclied. 2. Some inferences. We must recognize these as inferences only, but they may be valid none the less, (a) The statements concerning the Second Com- ing of Christ, Resurrection and Some Judgment wliieh we shall study Inferences. hereafter, show that the state of the soul immediately after death is not its final state, though exactly the nature of the difference is not clear. (b) The teachings about heaven, though chiefly applying to The Intermediate State. 199 the final state of believers, may yet in a measure be true of their condition just following death, for the very reason that the distinction is not clearly drawn, (c) Consciousness and company imply mutual recog- nition fimong the saints, and this is confirmed by the blessed thought of being with the Lord. In his pres- ence we shall know him, and each other. Let us be prepared with martyred Stephen to sav: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" CHAPTER XXVII. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. The subject of our study in this article is a grand and glorious one, but it is of vast breadth and of no little difficulty. Earnest and studious men, as well as those who are visionary, have Importance thought and written much upon it. e ^. . We shall find it impossible to solve all the difficulties or to answer all the questions that arise in connection with this matter. It is equally impossible to present any adequate dis- cussion of so momentous a theme within the brief limits here required. But we may obtain some suggestive hints by considering what the Scriptures teach us as to the fact, the time, the purpose and the manner of our Lord's return to earth. I. The Fact. That Christ will come a second time to this earth' in personal presence, is definitely The Fact. ^^^ repeatedly declared in the New Testament Scriptures. It is asserted by Christ himself. In Matthew 16:27, 28, he declares that the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels. He goes on to refer to the rewards which he Christ •will then give his servants. The Asserted it. parables of IMatthew 25, concerning 200 Second Coming of Christ. 201 the Virgins and the Talents, together with that of the Pounds in Luke 19:12 ff. declare that he will come again. Besides these, there are numerous other allu- sions to the coming as a real event. In Matthew 24 and 25, however, Christ discusses his coming at con- siderable length, telling what he desires us to know about that great event and using it as a warning to all. Thus all tliat is said in this chapter and in the 12th of Luke, beginning at tl>e 31st verse, rests on the as- sumption of the second coming as a fact distinctly recognized by himself. Again, in Matthew 26:64, in response to the solemn adjuration of the High Priest, our Lord declared to the assembled Sanhedrin that he would surely come again. In the precious promise of John 14:3-28, he asserts that he will come again to re- ceive his own to himself. 2. It is taught by the Apostles. In Acts 1:10, 11, we have the interesting record that when the apostles stood upon Olivet, there appeared to them two heavenly messengers, who mildly rebuked The Apostles their standing and gazing into heav- aug t t. gj^^ assuring them that their depart- ing Lord would come again. It is evident that they accepted this assurance as the truth, and it entered into their minds and lives as a powerful force. In 1 Peter 1:6, 7, that apostle speaks of the "appearing of Jesus Christ;" James, in 5:7, urges his brethren to "be patient unto the coming of the Lord;" and John in his first epistle, 2:28, urges believers to abide in him that they may be ready to meet him with joy and not with shame at his coming. And in Revelation 1 : 7, before the visions begin, John declares: "Behold he cometh with clouds." IMany passages of Paul's writ- ings occur to the memory, in which he speaks with the certainty of definite conviction as to the return of the 202 The Dnctrives of Our Faith. Lord. See especially 1 Corintliians 1:7; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessaloiiians 4:10; Titus 2:1:5. Also the au- thor of the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 9:28, plainly declares that "unto them that look for him shall he ap- pear a second time without sin unto salvation." 3. Some distinctions to be observed. The com- ing of Christ as a personal appearing to end the present state of things must be distinguished from other com- ings of his of which we have some Certain ijjnt in Scripture. The great Notea*^*^°°^ events of history, such as the de- struction of Jerusalem, are in some sense the comings of Christ. So also, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon Pentecost and into the lives of Christ's people are considered to be the coming of Christ. Also death may be conceived as the coming of Christ — our Lord's taking to himself his people. This may be re- ferred to in John 14:2, 3 and in other places, and by some these comings may not be very clearly distin- guished from the one great event so clearly predicted. But this uncertainty should not obscure in our minds the positiveness of the passages considered above. They certainly indicate a second personal visible return of our Lord to the earth. IT. The Time. Here we fall upon other difficulties. Much specula- tion has been made as to the time of our Lord's re- turn. The exact time is nowhere revealed. Like death, the second coming is a certain event iJTie. with an uncertain time. Some things regarding this we must carefully observe. 1. Christ declined to fix any definite time. See Matthew 24:36-44 and 25:13, as well as Luke 12:40, Second Coming of Christ. 203 and similar passages wliieh may be found by consulting a reference Bible. Add to these that Wot Den- q^jj. Lord in Acts 1 : 7, in answer to nitely fixed , x- f i j- bv Christ ^^ earnest question from his dis- ciples, gently rebuked their inquis- itiveness, telling them that it was not^ for them to know times and seasons which the Father had estab- lished by his own authority. But the most remarkable declaration is in Mark 13:32, where our Lord says that even he did not know the hour and the day of his com- ing. Surely in the face of such statements it is idle for man to fix a day for the coming of the Lord. Some try to escape this conclusion by emphasizing the words "day and hour," saying that we may set in a general way the time, but must not be too definite. This, however, is rather a quibble than sound reasoning. 2. The expectation of the apostolic age. It is evident from the writings of the Apostles that though they did not know the exact time, they expected the great event to occur in their owti The Expec- generation. There are a number of . . ,. indications of this. See 1 Cor. Apostolic Age. 15:5,1, 52; 1 Thess. 4:15, 17; James 5:9; 1 Pet. 1:13; 4:7; 5:1, 4; 1 John 2:18. Yet along with this expectation there are assertions of uncertainty regarding the exact time. Paul in 2 Thess. 2:1, 3, warns that church against pressing too literally his former statements, and Peter in his second epistle, 3:10, takes up the Lord's word that the coming would be like that of a thief in the night. The explanation of this seeming contradiction is, however, simple. The Apastles did not know the exact time, but they lived in constant expectation of the second coming, and that is what tliey meant that Christians should always do. So far as our attitude 204 J'he Doctrines of Our Faith. is conccrnod, we should iffi;;i id tlic coriiiiii^r of tlio I.rird R3 iniiiiiiient. 3. Relation to the Millennium. In a wonderful passage (Rev. 20:4, 10) there is a prophecy concern- ing a period of a thousand years, commonly known as the Millennium, during which there Relation should be rapid progress of the Re- I2.„ . deemer's Kingdom, owing to the Millennium. ^ ^ "^ ' .,^,„, connnement and restraint of Satan. Supposing that while not a literal thousand years, but an indetinitely long period may be here meant, and that a real epoch in future history is intended, Christians are divided in sentiment as to whether the second com- ing will be at the beginning of this period or at its L-lose. The passage itself seems to indicate that the Millennium will follow the arrival of our Lord, and that at the close of that period will be the Judgment Day. But there are other passages of Scripture which seem to indicate the immediate resurrection of all. both righteous and wicked, and their judgment upon the coming of Christ. (See Matt. 16:27; 25:31-33; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:6-10). In a matter so obscure it becomes us to be cautious. Perhaps the larger number of Bible students and theologians consider that the second coming will be at the close of the Millennium period, and that tlie highly figurative language of the passage in Revelation is to be interpreted in concord with the other Scriptures which seem to teach this view. III. TiiK Purpose. We need only briefly indicate the objects of the second coming of Christ, as tliis is taught in The Purpose, the Scripture. Those purposes are as To Summon follows: 1. To summon the dead the Dead ^^ ,., j^,^ g gg, 29; 1 Cor. to Life. ' ' ' 15:51, 52; 1 Thess. 4:15, 16. Hecond Coming of Christ. 205 2. To set up the final judgment. Matt. 16:27, 28; 25:31, ff.; John 5:27, 29; Acts The Final i7:3i; j>om. 2:1G; 2 Thess. 1:6-10; Judgment. •^ Heb. 9:27, 28. 3. To end the present dispensation and inavr- gurate the final state of the Kingdom. Few if any de- tails of this glorious consummation are given to us, but the event itself is sufficiently To Inau- indicated in the following Scrip- gurate the tures: Matt. 24:31; 25 (entire); Kingdom. ^ ^^^ 15:23-28; 2 Pet. 3:10-13; and the 21st and 22d chapters of Revelation, with many other passages in that wonderful book. IV. The Manner. This may also be briefly discussed. Of course all the details and accompaniments of The Manner. Christ's second coming are not made known, but some striking traits are given, as will be seen. 1. None icill be looking for it. The world will be taken by a surprise terrible to Unexpected. ^j^^ wicked and glorious to the saints. Matt. 24:36-51; 1 Thess. 5:1-3. 2. It will be unmistakable. There will be no need to ask: \yhat is this? We Unmistak- cannot tell when it will come, but ^ when it does, there will be no error as to the event itself. Luke 17:24; Matt. 24:27. 3. It ivill be public — world-Tcnown. Y°^^^~ See Matt. 24:30; Acts 1:11; Rev. Known. , ^ 1: /. 4. It icill be unspeakably glorious. Such a 206 The Doctrines of Our Faith. pageant mortal eyes have never seen. Various figures are employed to arouse our ime- fore we go a step further. Shall we take the Bil)le as our guide and accept its plain teacliings ? Or shall we either discard the Bible or twist its language to suit our views and feelings? Following the Bible what do we find? I. Judgment. In various ways the Scriptures clearly teach that God judges men for their character and acts. These Divine judgments sometimes come upon men in this life, T 3 . and sometimes death may be re- Judgment. 4. rru garded as a judgment. These are 214 Judgment and Punishment. 215 not here in consideration. What we are seeking to knoV is the truth of God concerning judgment in the future life. Is there really to be a final judgment? Who will be the judge? And on what grounds will judgment proceed? 1. The fact of judgment. One of the most ex- plicit declarations as to the fact is that found in Paul's sermon at Athens (Acts 17:31): "He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge The Fact or ^j^g world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained." And when Paul stood before Felix to speak "concerning the faith in Christ Jesus" (Acts 24:24, 25), he "discoursed of righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come." In Paul's letters we find the fact asserted in unmistakable terms, as in Rom. 2:3, 5, 16; 1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:10, and others. Peter also in teaching Cor- nelius and his family (Acts 10:42) distinctly affirms the coming judgment, and in his epistles (1 Pet. 4:5; 2 Pet. 2:9) repeats Avith empliasis the teaching. John also alludes to the judgment in liis first epistle (1 John 2:28), and in the Revelation in many places shows forth the truth. (See especially Rev. 6:17; 20: 12). Jude, too, teaches it (Jude 6, 14, 15), and there seems to be allusion to the future judgment in James 2:12, 13; 4:12. See also Heb. 9:27; 10:27. Thus the Apostles distinctly set forth the fact; and their teach- ings are based on those of our Lord himself, as may be readily seen by a study of Christ's own words in Matt. 25:31-46; John 5:27-29. See also Matt. 11:22, and like passages, and the parables of the Tares, the Net, the Virgins, the Talents, where the fact of a fu- ture judgment is clearly indicated. From these passages we learn some important de- tails connected with the fact of judgment: (&,) That 2ir. TItr Dnrlritirs of Our Faith. it will come after doath and the tesiiirection, in con- iioction with the second coming of TV . ., Christ; and (h) that it will be Details. universal; all iiien will be judged, and perhaps even the fallen angels; and (c) that it will be a definite event (called a "day") and not a continuous and endless process. ^Vhat a fearful and solemn truth! 2. The Judge. God is to be the judge, but it is taught that he will act in the person of the Son, not in that of the Father, or the The Judge. ^^-^^ Spirit. (See again Matt. 25: 31-.34; John 5:22, 27; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:16; 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10.) It is a blessed consolation in view of that dreadful day that our Savior will be our judge. 3. The grounds of judgment. These are clearly indicated. We need not err on this point: (a) Char- acter, Rom. 2:16; (b) Works, Matt. 25:34 fT; 2 Cor. 5:10; (c) Relation to Christ, John o?ju^dgment. ^ = ^^' ^^' '^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ '^^""^''^ test, and for two reasons: first, be- cause rejection of Christ is a wucked act toward God, and a revelation of character; and second, because re- jection of Christ is refusal to accept the only means whereby sinful character may be purged and wicked actions may be pardoned. All men, as sinners, are under condemnation; God has provided a way of es- cape, so tiiat he may be just and yet the justifier of him who hath faith in Jesus; if any refuse the offer of God's mercy, they justly remain nnder his condemna- tion, with the sin of rejection addod. And 3o we are led to the second topic of this chapter. Punishment. Judgment and Punishment. 217 II. Punishment. Here we shall find it proper to discuss the fact, the nature, the place, and the duration of the punishment of those who shall l)e condemned at the judgment. 1. The fact of punishment. The doom pro- nounced by the holy and just God at the judgment is to be not a mere formality, a sen- ^^6 fence of words only; but a real and Punishment teiiihle punishment is to follow it. As the passages of Scripture which teach the fact are the same as those from which we de- rive our views on the other points just mentioned, it will be convenient to give the proof-texts here and not repeat them under each following topic. (a) In the Old Testament, in addition to the numer- ous passages which speak of the judgments and punish- ments of God on sinners in this life, there are some which more or less clearly point to Old the punishment of the future state. Testimonv Notable here is the closing word of Isaiah (Isa. 66:24), which our Lord more than once seems to have had in mind when he spoke of this matter. Also in Dan. 12:2 we see un- mistakable reference to the punishment of the wicked in the "shame and everlasting contempt" to which some shall rise. (b) Two passages in which John - , ,, the Baptist speaks of the final re- Baptist's suits of refusing Christ teach a Warnings. fearful lesson. See Matt. 3:12 and John 3:36. (c) It is remarkable that by far the fullest and :il8 The DoclriiKs of Our I'ltilh. (-•learost teachings on tliis painful subject shonld be found in the sayings of Jesus himself. Perfect love gives earnest warning. In numer- Christ's Ex- . , .• plicit Words. ^""^ ^^^ngs, some only suggestive, some parabolic and figurative, and some terribly explicit, our Lord sets forth the certain and awful punishment of the wicked. In Matt. 7:13 he warns as to the broad waj* that leads to destruction, and in verse 23 already foreshadows the doom of false professors. See further Matt. 10:28; 13:40-42, 47-50; 1G:2G; 18:7-9; 18:34, 35; 22:11-14; 24:48, 51. In the 2.jtli chapter of Matthew the teaching is very clear. We have first the parable of the \'irgins, showing the rejection of the unprepared (verses 10-12); then the parable of the Talents, with the casting out of the un- l)nifitable servant (verse 30) ; and then the vivid and impressive description of the last judgment, (verses 31- 40), with the dismissal and punishment of the wicked. In Mark 9:42-48 there is emphatic repetition of the teaching in regard to the punishment of offenses and an allusion to Isa. 00:24. Important passages are also found in Luke's Gospel. See Luke 12:4,5-48; 13:23-28; l(i: 23-37. And in John 5:22-27 we have the teaching about the resurrection and judgment. (d) Other passages are found in tlie apostolic writ- ings, bee Rom. 2:5-9 (especially verse 8); 2 Thess. 1:9, "Punished with everlasting Apostolic 1 4^ f f *i t References. destruction from tlie presence of the Lord." There are several pas- sages bearing on the subject in the book of Revelation, of which that in chajjter 14:9-11 will serve as a fear- ful exam])le. Do all these terrible words mean nothing? 2. The nntine of punishment. From the Scrip- Judgment (unl riDiishniciit. 219 turcs given we infer several ini- The portant things regarding the Nature of j^jj^^^ of pvmishment which the Punishment. •,,•,, • , \ ^^. n^ u Deprivation wicked will receive, (a) It will be deprivation. Tliey will be "cast out" from God, from the angels, from the good; sepa- rated from the righteous; the "talent" will be taken from "the unprofitable servant." (b) There will be the natural consequences of sin. Sin itself will continue (]Mark 3:20); the society of the devil, his angels, and of wicked Environment g^^^jg ^^^^ ^^.jU f^g^^j. j^_ jj^ ^j^^^ of Evil. is "unjust" and "filthy" (Rev. 22: li) will be left to his chosen character. Can anything be worse ? (c) There will also be positive infliction of suffering. Many of the passages show this very clearly, and it is „ „ . necessarily involved in the word "punishment". It is no doubt true that figurative language is employed, as to "fire", "brimstone," the "worm that dieth not," and the like; but these expressions certainly mean suffering, dreadful Bufi'ering ! (d) But we have reason to believe the punishment will be graded or proportionate to the offence. We may infer this in general from the justice of God, and besides from the teaching that "ac- Proportion- cording to their deeds accordingly he will repay", and more definitely etill from what our Lord says (Luke 12:47, 48) in re- gard to those who shall be beaten "with many" and "with few" stripes. But here is a momentous lesson for us : The greater privileges abused the greater pun- ishment received. 3. The place of pindshincnt. The idea of 220 The Doctrines of Our Faith. locality in connection with the punisliment of those against whom judfjment is pronounced is involved in the nature of tlie things. If souls The Place of ]jyg on, they must live somewhere; if they suffer punishment it must be somewhere. Tlie place is not definitely located for us in the Bible representations, but it is named. It is somewhere, and it is named hell. The one English word translates two different New Testament terms. One, "hades", is the general word for the place of the departed, the realm beyond death. It may include the place of punisliment (as in Luke 16:23), but does not refer specifically and exclusively to that. But the other word, "gehenna", does describe the place of suf- fering. The word is of Hebrew origin, and at first meant the Valley of Hinnom, the place of carcasses and fires outside Jerusalem, but was given as a name to the fearful abode of the lost after death. The word occurs with this meaning in Matt. 5:22, 29; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5; Jas. 3:6. 4. The duration of punishment. Our Lord's declaration as to this is explicit and unequivocal. He says of the condemned (Matt. 25:46) : "These shall go away into everlasting punishment." With these words agree the other passages mention- The od. Thus, the plain teaching of Duration of (,^,j,g ^y^^^j j^ ^y^^^ ^.j^^ ^^^^^^ o, Punishment. . . punishment for sm is endless. Ihe same word "everlasting" is used in the Greek to describe the happy state of the righteous and the wretched state of the wicked. If one is eternal, so, also, is the other. Because the doctrine is so dreadful, and our natural feelings revolt against it, men have tried in various ways to break the force of the Scripture teaching, and explain it away, either altogether, or in part. The Judgment and Punishment. 221 limits of tliis chapter do not admit of a statement and refutation in detail of these various theories. The one comprehensive and sufficient answer to them all is a clear and candid exposition of the Scriptures which bear on the subject. It is better to accept the teaching of Christ and act upon it. Our refusal to believe it does not make the doctrine untrue. For ourselves, Attitiiflp ^^^ ^°^ "^'* fellow-men. the evident duty is to put trust in the Savior. In view of judgment and punishment, the certain conse- quences of sin, let us lay hold of the helping hand, which grace extends to save us, and lovingly, faith- fully, warn, exhort and influence our fellow-sinners to do likewise. CHAPTER XXX. HEAVEN AM) ETERNAL LIFE. After tlie resurrection and the judgment what \vill be the life of the saints? Is heaven only a state of being without reference to locality. The Future ^y j^ jt both place and condition? 5j ■ . Tlie Scriptures fully teach that the future blessed life of the saved xs to be considered both with regard to its sphere, and its nature. Thus let us study it. I. The Sphere, or Place, Heaven. Of course, much that the Bible tells us in regard to heaven is to be understood figuratively, and it may be quite difficult in some cases to draAV The Place, the dividing line between the fig- urative and the literal ; but cer- tainly the figures yncun something, and we must not be too easily led to explain tliem away. Trying to be suit-ably cautious in both directions, let us notice what is said as to the locality and character of heaven. 1. Localify. Tn thinking of heaven as a place we need not imagine it a small or separate place. It may be tlie universe in its sweep, or the particular abode of the saint at any moment of his blessed life. We may con- ceive it as centered where the personal, visible presence 222 Heaven and Eternal Life. 223 of God is manifest; or as extended wherever the spirit- ual presence of God is distinctly recognized and felt. Jesus says (John 14:2): "In my Father's house ai'e many mansions", and this language gives us both the ideas of locality and of extent. More particularly the Scriptures variously represent heaven under the human conceptions of a country, a city, a home. (a) Heaven is a coimtry. In one place it is called a "heavenly" country, which those who believe in God seek after and hope to reach (Heb. 11:14716). In an- A "Country." other place (Phil. 3:20) Paul says: "Our citizenship is in heaven." And in many places it is called a "kingdom," giving us an idea of vast extent, great riches and glory, and mighty power. (See Matt. 13:41; 25:34; 1 Cor. 15:24; Heb. 12:28; 2 Peter 1:11; Rev. 1:6 R. V.) (b) Heaven is a city. We find this conception es- pecially brought out in the Epistle to the Hebrews (11: 10, 16; 12: 22; 13:14), and in the A "Citv " ^' Book of Revelation, particularly chapter 21. Perhaps it may not be too literal a way of thinking of it if we conceive the heavenly Jerusalem to be somewhat like the capital of a country. It is the center of divine authority, the seat of the throne of God. (c) Heaven is a home. In John 14:2, 3, Jesus speaks of the "mansions," and of "going to prepare a place", as though there would be something corre- sponding to our ideas of a home- A "Home." ^^.^^^ ^^^. ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^j rj.^^^ ^^^^^^ of Paul al)Out the "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor. 5:1) seem to refer to the raised body, in distinction from the earthly one de- scribed as a "tent", but they strongly suggest the idea 224 The Doctrines of Our Faith. of a home. Again, there is a suggestion to this effect in Eph. 3 : 15, where he speaks of "every family in heaven and on eartli." And once again the glowing language of Peter (1 Pet. 1:4) about the heavenly inheritance leans in the same way. 2, Character. Here again we must neither be too literal ,nor too free in our interpretations of Scripture language. In that heavenly kingdom noth- ing that causes sin will be found it^ ^ (Matt. 13:41); that blessed land Character. ' ' will be free from darkness (Rev. 22:5); tlie holy city will be pure (Rev. 21:27) and splendid (Rev. 21 throughout); the home will be an "abode" (.lohn 14:2) "an inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away" (1 Pet. 1:4). P^igures, you say ? Yes ; but since human forms of speech, totally inadequate to convey all the truth; and yet because human forms of speech, the fitting ones to make those glories real and definite to our imagina- tion. Let us bless God for speaking to us in terms we can grasp, even though they may somewhat crudely fail to reveal the glories they suggest; let us bless God that terms partial and suggestive only will leave us an eternal much to learn! II. The State, Eternal Life. What shall be the manner of life of those who are brought to heaven? Here, too, we have glorious sug- gestions, not full details. In a general way we may say that the Bible leads us to be- The State, jj^^.^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ j^j^ ^^^ ^^.jj^ ^^ Heaven. our earthly life will be done away, Bonie ot tlie best goods of our present e.\])ericnces will be continued and perfected, and that many glorious Heaven and Eternal Life. 225 things of which we now can have no thought will be given to us by him who "doeth exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think." But for the sake of being somewhat definite we may take account of the follow- ing elements of the blessed and glorious state of the redeemed : 1. Perfection of the individual life. Paul tells us that "we shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:51); we shall not be just what we have Perfection of been on earth. (a) In body. It the Individ- shall be "spiritual" (I Cor. 15: T ■Rnil ' 44 ) ; like Christ's glorified body ° ^" (1 Cor. 15:49; Phil. 4:21; 1 John 3:2) ; no more subject to sickness, decaj', hunger, pain, weariness, nor death! (1 Cor. 15:53; 2 Cor. 5:1-4; Piev. 7:16; 21.4). It is hard to imagine so much! (b) In mind. We shall be able to think better, our thoughts will be more pure and clear. Our knowledge will be far greater in sum and In Mind. , . ,-, , i r. more accurate in quality ( 1 Cor. 13:12); and perhaps this means that we shall know things without so much effort to learn. We maj' be able to take in things at a glance, by quick intuition, without process of painful reasoning and labored rec- ollection. And we shall have all eternity to keep on knowing ! (c) In character. This is the crown and sum of it all. We shall be good! (1 Cor. 13:10; 15:50-54; Col. 3:1-4; Heb. 12:23; 1 John 3:2; Rev, 7:9). Ah! how it thrills the soul to think what Tti p, , these promises mean! We, even we, shall be pure and good. We shall never want what we ought not to have, nor do what we ought not to do, nor say what we ought not to 226 The Doctrines of Our Faith. say, nor think what we ought not to think! How good it will be just to be good! (Matt. 5:0). 2. The company of the redeemed. In that heavenly country all will be good; in the innumerable throng no evil person will be found. No quarrels, dis- agreements, wars or tumults will be The Company tjieic. Tliey who love God will come RedppTTipd from all lands and times and be together (Matt. 8:11; Rev. 7:9); their employments of praise and service will be in com- mon (Rev. 7:9-17; 22:3, 4); each shall have his full portion of joy and all shall rejoice together with the Lord (Matt. 25: 21, 23). Besides this general social life there is no reason to doubt that we shall know particular persons there. We sliall meet with tiie good and great of all times (Matt. 8:11; 17:3); and with many pre- We Shall clous characters we have never Know One ,.^^^ j^^f^^.^ ^jj ^^ 12:23); and Another. , . ,. all tills suggests and implies (aa do other Scriptures), as a tiling to be taken for granted without explicit statement, that "we shall know each other there", that we shall renew and per- petuate our friendships and loves, without any draw- backs, faults, or sorrows. 3. The presence of the Lord. Old writers speak of this as the "beatific vision" — the happy-mak- ing sight. It is a good jihrase. Sliall we see CJod? We may not know all it means, but The Presence the glorious fact is surely made Lord'^ known. (?^Iatt. 5:8; John 14:3; 17:24: 1 Tlicss. 4:17; 1 Jolin 3:2; l\ev. 7:15-17: 2 1 : ."> ; 22:4). How beautiful Cod nmst be! and we shall "behold tiie beauty of the Loi.l." Ami lleavcii and Eternal Life. 227 because he shall have made us fit, his presence will not terrify, but win. His j^iesenoe will be our perfect joy. "Jerusalem tlie golden, With milk and honey blest, Beneath thy contemplation Sink heart and voice opprest. I know not, oh! I know not. What social joys are there, What radiancy of glory, What light beyond compare." And now the writer takes the privilege of saying a personal word to those who under A Parting j^jg poor guidance have been trying through these studies to think God's thoughts after him. God bless and lead yoa, every one, and bring you safe home at last, where "We shall see him face to face, And tell the story, Saved by Grace!" A LL Scripture is given by inspira- tion of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc- tion, for instruction in righteous- ness ; ttiat the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly finished unto all good works. — 2 Tim. 3:I6-J7. Be thou an example of the be- lievers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine ; continue in them ; for in so doing thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee. — I Tim. 4:12-16. Go ye, therefore, and disciple all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit ; teach- ing them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. — Matt. 28:19-20. 228 Hn Appendix. ■WHAT WE BELIEVE ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES. F. H. KERFOOT, D.D, It is enjoined upon Clirist's people that they be ready always to give an answer to every nian that asketh a reason concerning the hope that is in them. (1 Pet. 3:15.) And Paul enjoins upon Timothy, not only tliat he take heed unto himself, but also unto his doctrines. (I Tim. 4:10.) We hei'ewith append the leading tenets which we hold, in common with all evangelical denominations, and also those which con- stitute our distinctive principles as Baptists. It is for the sake of the last, that we are constrained to exist as a separate denomination. Doctrines Which We Hold in Common with Other Denominations. We believe, in common witli all evangelical Chris- tians : *The late Rev. F. H. Kerfoot. D. D. LL. D., while serv- ing as pastor of the Eutaw I'lace Baptist Church, Balti- more, Md., prepared this Confession of Faitu for that church as an expression of what is believed by them ac- cording to the Scriptures. It has also been adopted by many other churches and is offered in this permanent form by the publishers with permission of the author, as being helpful in a comparative and discriminating study. 229 230 Wlioi Wc Believe In one God, iMakt-r and lluler of heaven and earth, revealed as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection. Read 1 Cor. 8:4-G; Matt. 28:19; Jude 20:21. In the Holy Scriptures as His infallible word, which are ablo to make us wise unto salvation. Read 2 Tim, 3:16, 17. In the fall of man and his condemnation as a sinner, and God's sovereign grace and love in his redemption. In salvation in the name of Jesus Christ, who was the "word made flesh," God-man, who obeyed the law, suf- fered and died for the sins of men, is risen and exalted a Priest and King. Read Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Acts 5:31. In the free offer of eternal life in the Gospel to all, and the aggravated guilt of those who reject it. Read Rom. 10:11-13; Heb. 2:3. In the necessity of regeneration by tlie Holy Spirit, and of repentance toward God. and faith in Christ. Read John 3:5; Acts 20:21. In the justification and ado]>ti()n of the believer, through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. Read Rom. 3:23-20. In the sacred observance of the Lord's Day for His worship and His work. Read John 5:17; Rev. 1:10; Acts 20:7. In the present life as man's only day of grace, and that, when this present life ends, man enters at once into conscious blessedness or woe. Read 2 Cor. 6:2; Luke 10:19-31. In the resurrection of the body; the righteous, to eternal life; the wicked, to judgment and eternal pun- ishment. Read John 5:28, 29; Matt. 25:46. And, in conniion with a large body of evangelical Christians, nearly all Baptists believe what are usually According io the Scripture. 231 termed tlie "doctiinos of grace," the absolute sovereignty and foreknowledge of God ; his eternal and unchange- able purposes or decrees; that salvation in its begin- ning, continuance and completion, is God's free gift ; that, in Christ, we are elected or chosen, personally or individually, from eternity, saved and called out from the world, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, through the sanctifica- tion of the Spirit and belief of the truth; that we are kept by His power from falling away, and will be presented faultless before tlie presence of His glory. Read Rom. 8, 9, 10, 11; Acts 13:48; Eph. 1:4, 5; Eph. 2:1-10; 1 Pet. 1:2-5; Jude 24; Tim. 1:9; Tit. 3:5. Distinctive Doctrines of Baptists. T. The Bible is an all-sufficient guide in faith and practice and nothing should be taught for doctrine which cannot be found therein. Read 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Matyt. 15:9; 1 John 2:20, 21, 27. II. The Bible makes every religious observance a matter of voluntariness, and hence, of individual re- sponsibility or privilege. And while we recognize the right of churches to exercise Scriptural discipline, and the right of governments to impose civil obligations, yet we hold that no church nor government, nor any power on earth, has the right to bind any man's conscience. This principle of voluntariness and individual responsi- bility also excludes every idea, that religious duty can be done by proxy. Hence, we reject the doctrines of in- fant baptism and sponsorship, and all efforts whatso- ever to perform duties for others. Read John 18:36, 37; Rom. 14:12. III. The first religious duty or act which the Bible requires of every person is repentance toward God and 232 What Wc Believe faitli in the Lord Jesus Christ. TTence, we reject the doctrine of infant baptism, and every doctrine wliat- soever wliicli reco