The Ruin of Christendom
The ruin of Christendom has already been amply referred to, as clearly and certainly foretold in prophecy. But the intelligence the believer has as to the rum will have been the consequence of his believing the gospel concerning Christ.
From believing the gospel concerning Christ and His finished work, he received peace and the Spirit.
It is because of what he possesses and of knowing how he came to possess it, that he perceives the terribly delusive power and the real character of the many other objects of trust and confidence that are found under the profession of Christianity.
The Position of Separation
But as a believer there is no possible uncertainty as to his position in Christendom. By possessing life and the Spirit, he finds himself separated in fact from those who, though professing popular Christianity, are without them. Does he, then, take in Christendom a position that; witnesses to this truth?
The Unity of the Spirit.
But again the believer, by believing the gospel of his salvation, was brought to know a new bond that before he did not even know existed. He found himself to be one in spirit with all those who by believing the same gospel had received the same life and peace, and received the same Spirit. Difficulties and differences might come in to separate and divide believers, but the unity of the Spirit abides as truly in a day of ruin as in the time when it was for a brief moment manifested, as perhaps it was in the first days of Christianity. It was when the believer first had the joy and peace of knowing lie was born again, that he found himself in a new union, with a new membership and part of a new unity. He came to know the unity of the Spirit as a fact; but then, further, Ile finds that it is declared in the Scripture.
Testimony to the Unity of the Sprit
But this gives rise to the question of the believer's responsibility because of the fact of such a unity.
Does his position in Christendom witness to the unity of the Spirit before tin unbelieving world? Or is he with those who, by holding membership in a State Church, openly reject the distinction between believers and unbeliever, and openly disfellowship all who do not meet statutory requirements, whether believers on the Lord or not? Or is he linked with still others, who, perhaps with the best of intentions, have done a worse thing? For in constituting a Church on the ground of spiritual membership, by what they do they wholly ignore that unity of the Spirit that is already formed, and which they are to endeavor to keep. A membership professedly spiritual is recognized and yet, it is not based upon the unity of the Spirit.
Difficulties of Faith Not in Understanding but in Obedience
Every believer, thus, as such, will recognize ruin of Christendom and the unity of Spirit.
His difficulty in testifying to what he has been taught of God lies, not in understanding God's truth, but in obeying it.
He is not told to set Christendom right, or to attempt to do so. His difficulty will be in obeying the injunction to set himself' right in Christendom. He cannot leave Christendom. By baptism he has his position in the world as a, Christian, in the same manner as an unconverted professor. Neither is it the believer's work to pluck the tares out of the world. But he is to separate himself from all iniquity; and in this will be the contrast of his position to that of the mere; professor. His hope is in the Lord's (Joining to take him to Himself. And so with the unity of the Spirit. There is no difficulty in understanding the union that exists in spirit, but, especially in a clay of ruin, the difficulty is to walk according to it. Here once more the Scripture injunction is simple and explicit. The Christian it “to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
The unity of the Spirit, then, bus not to be formed, but being formed the Christian is responsible to “endeavor to keep it." He certainly is not seeking to keep that unity, when he joins sonic canon, or is received into smile membership, that denies it. And by its very constitution every humanly formed Christian denomination or society does deny it. Because humanly formed, it will have those who are not of the Spirit's unity, and it certainly will not have all that are of the Spirit's unity.
It is noticeable that the ground upon which the believer, because of what he has learned from God, recognizes the necessity
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very earnestness of the natural temperament will perhaps unconsciously but deceitfully lead the believer to resent a path of simply believing what God has said about His Son; and such titles to promised blessing appeal deeply to any unrest and want that is felt within.
These doctrines are so widely preached, in sonic manner or form, as a complement to the Gospel, that a few words as to their principles seem called for.
The judgment of the believer in divine truths must be formed upon that which he knows, as a believer, to have already been taught hint by God, and which he '' has been assured of." Without this knowledge there cannot possibly be any right judgment, and thus the unestablished will be greatly influenced by the mere nomenclature awl professed spirituality of these teachings.
Blessings from God most certainly are right; to seek, and “those who seek shall find." But they will find them given in God's way, and they thus become to them the witness that God's way is divine. To the perception of this fact, their very need and lack of success in seeking according to their own ways mid thoughts, will, in His grace bring them in time end.
Until the believer is established, and has himself; by being blessed of God, learned the ground of blessings, he can have no test for doctrines which are presented to him. Thus many a Christian may seek to obtain or attain that which is offered to him in these teachings, hut desire for reality and truth keep hint from being satisfied with what is not of God. It is the profession of attainment of blessing, on principles upon which God does not bless, nor the Spirit act in blessing, and the teaching of these principles to others, that make the teachers of them so solemnly guilty and responsible.
When the Christian has known for himself blessing front God, he has learned thereby what was the ground upon which he was blessed, and he has a sure and sound basis of judgment for all ministry that is presented to him.
The Character of the “Holiness Blessing”
The "blessing” of what may well be called a second conversion " is held out to those who are already Christians, who are told that the proper preparatory state to the reception of it is to have the heart wholly set upon it. "Ponder it till you dare not go on any longer without this blessing. Pray over it till the longing desire is as a burning fire shut up in your bones." Notice here the “blessing" and the “it," and so throughout every popular pamphlet of this nature.) Finally the blessing is received, it is said, as “when breathing upon them, He (the Lord) bade them "Take by faith the Holy Ghost." Notice here that an interpretation of the Scripture is used as a quotation, and actually put in inverted commas. In the Scripture no such words are given. This should lead every thoughtful Christian who values the Scriptures to test, further these doctrines to see if al! be not built on interpretation, and not upon the Scriptures just as written.
Some blessing to be received thus is definitely put before those already saved. No exception would be made on this ground. “Peace with God “and "the forgiveness of sins" are by the gospel preached to the unconverted. It is in the principle upon which the soul is supposed to be blessed, or the blessing obtained, that this teaching stands in direct contrast to the ground upon which God, in the Scriptures, is declared to bless, and upon which those who are His know that He has blessed. Did the believer ever obtain life and peace or liberty on the principle of taking by faith “and find in consequence his ground of blessing sure? Certainly an Evangelical Gospel very similar to this has long been much preached in Christendom, but with the result that settled peace has been undermined. There has either been a hope that satisfaction might, on the same lines, be found, in the higher blessing " or such like, or else with a true sense of need and an exercised heart, troubled souls, going to the Scriptures themselves, have learned the value of the facts there stated and of the words that record them.
The ”Holiness " Phrase "Taking by Faith" Contrasted With the Scriptural “Hearing of Faith”
The Gospel declared from the first that eternal redemption had been “finished” and God's message demanded the hearing of faith. Those who have peace with God know that they received it by " listening " to what the Gospel declared to be God's estimate of the value of the work on the Cross; and believing this, they judged what was contrary to it in their own thoughts and feelings as unbelief and ignorance. It was this hearing of faith that brought peace and joy, and that the Holy Ghost owned. "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the flesh?" Thus the Scriptures declare that the receiving of the Spirit, and the beginning of His blessing was by the hearing of faith. In direct contrast to this, the " holiness movement " makes the Spirit's blessing to depend on " taking by faith " Moreover Scripture declares that only folly can lead the Christian to seek the perfecting ' or fullness ' of the Spirit on any other ground than that which He has owned in the beginning. The solid simplicity of the Scriptures and the confused character of these mystical teachings are well illustrated by comparison of the terms used respectively in Gal. 3, and by the “Second Blessing " teachers.
The confusion between facts themselves and the ideas concerning them—realities and mental conceptions,—that has been traced in the dogmas of the philosophers, the materialists and tire higher critics, is here once more evident.
The message concerning facts of divine import may be believed, and by being believed these facts have to the soul their proper value as realities; but when blessings are announced as." taken by faith," that which is taken must be either nothing at all, or a Satanic delusion.
The Difference Not One Merely of Words but of Results
The real character of the blessings which are supposed to follow as a result, prove that this phrase " to take by faith " is not a loose one used in an attempt to express what is true (a failure to which all are liable) but a phrase that exactly expresses what is meant to be taught. In believing the Gospel of
God, something is learned from the Gospel concerning the Person: and work of the Son of God that brings the " hearer" to know more fully his own need of all that is in Christ, and all He has done, and to find the supply thus given to be according to God's riches in glory in Christ Jesus. The idea of'" taking by faith," is to take into oneself the blessing itself'. Thus the source and center of satisfaction must be self-ward and from within. The contrast between “holiness” teaching and Scripture teaching is not in the blessings spoken about, but hi time character given them. The "blessings" professed to be received are actually contrary in character to what Scripture declares the divinely given blessings to be. The difference may be thought slight, but if we are to learn from Scripture, the fact that it is a solemn and vital difference is plain. The difference between perfect and eternal blessing' and absolute corruption is, in principle, involved in the question at issue.
The Nature of Their Blessings Compared With the Type of Corruption 'In Scripture.
In Ezek. 28 a most remarkable insight into the nature of sin and the cause of corruption is given. Of the 'King of Tyre it is said, "Thou sealest up the stun, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty," "thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast, created, till iniquity was found in thee. . . .Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness." Perfect in his ways, till his wisdom and beauty became the source such center of his own satisfaction. His satisfaction was with what was 'within him ' and he sank to what was the most corrupt of all creatures.
As to the character of these “higher blessings," we read, "[Those possessing them] would have power to give gladness, peace, and life to hearts about them. Yes! this would be time natural abundant outflow of their life! All who came near them should be blessed and praise God for them." This is stated as the result of the Holy Ghost being “taken by faith."
I have here quoted these words because as blessings belonging. to a Christian they are just as truly facts as were the wisdom and beauty which were in the " anointed cherub," "till iniquity was found in him "; but as blessings in the Christian which are themselves made the object of faith and testimony, they witness only to the sad fact that those who make them so are surrendering themselves to the same corrupt nature which seeks some satisfaction from that which is within itself, instead of being satisfied with Christ, as God is, and walking in the Spirit's witness to this truth.
The holiness doctrine by teaching that the blessing is taken by faith necessarily imply that the source and ' center of satisfaction is found within. In Scripture the blessing of the Holy Ghost is found to be the exact opposite of this.
The Ministry and Testimony of the Spirit.
With one who has believed the Gospel of God, the Spirit's blessing began by taking of' the things of Christ as blessing, and by them bringing the believer to judge his heart as contrary to them. Never, the Scriptures declare, from first to last will the Spirit's ministry of blessing differ in character from this. It will often-times alas! be necessary for the Spirit to occupy the believer with what is within MID, but it will always be for self-judgment. And He will always testify to all blessing being in, God's beloved Son. He will always "glorify Christ” and occupy the believer with what the Scriptures reveal Him to be, and to have accomplished.
The ministry of the Spirit by the Apostle Paul to believers who had fallen into a sad state of weakness, ignorance, and carnal ways, who were on the eve of originating sects, is " Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?" 1 Cor. 6:1919What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19). How applicable in the present day, when many stand in doubt as to whether they have the Spirit of' God or not. The Scripture declares that if through believing God's Gospel, love, joy and pence have been known before Him, they are His fruit. A plain testimony that He has been received by the hearing of faith.
Then to the same people, he continues “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.... Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular." 1 Cor. 12:13-2713For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14For the body is not one member, but many. 15If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: 25That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (1 Corinthians 12:13‑27).
What are the words, and the purport of them, in contrast to this: " Even though you arc saved, and have the Spirit, and are living in this dispensation, it does not prove that you are baptized with the Spirit. These blessings are great; but this is greater."
Again the Scripture speaks of Eternal Life. "This is the witness of God which he hath testified of His Son, mid this is the record [or testimony] that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in His Son." 1 John 5:9-119If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (1 John 5:9‑11). “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou halt sent. John 17:33And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3) The plain teaching is that the believer has eternal life within him, but the source and center of it, the capacity for it, is in. the knowledge of the '?ether and the Son, and fullness of joy is found in that which was written of Him whip has been seen, heard and handled.
'What a contrast in the words, " They were, indeed, full of the Holy Ghost, enjoying abundant life in their souls, and so more than conquerors of the world, the flesh, and the devil."
The Lord Himself has declared the character of the ministry of the Spirit. “He shall not speak of Himself', He shall glorify me for He shall receive of Mine and chew it unto you." John 16:12-1412I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. (John 16:12‑14). Nothing indeed is of greater importance to the Christian in the present dispensation, than a true knowledge of the presence and work of the Spirit in the individual and in the dumb. His presence, work, unity, are found as a fact to be ignored and rejected in the present dispensation, in a manner very similar to the rejection of the divine Messiah by His people to whom lie came. But to make use of this ignorance and weakness amongst Christians to present a false ministry of the Spirit while all the time denying His testimony to Christ, is certainly very wrong.
The Claim of the Power of These Teachings Tested by Scripture.
How is it that those who profess the fullness of the Spirit, never have the power to purge themselves from what is contrary to the name of Christ, but abide, as so many do, in the Church of England, or in denominations expressly declared to be carnal? 1 Cor. 1
The power of the holiness teaching is always put forward as the proof of its claim. Whether this power is that of the Spirit of God, the Scripture must decide.
The Spirit in the believer is certainly the only power for his life and for his walk; but the Spirit's power from the first to the last is in answer to faith in what God has said concerning His Son.
The believer needs to continue in his walk as he began. His responsibility is that of a believer. And the temptations about, his path are calculated to make him forget this fact.
How many a believer looks back to the time when he first, imply and fully believed what God said concerning His Son, as the happiest and brightest day of his testimony to what Christ was to him! What caused the attractions of the world to have lost their power? What gave him the power to testify in the world to a personal Savior and salvation? Is the believer really so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit by the hearing of faith, is he seeking "His fullness" by denying this principle?
Believers may be asked to solemnly decide before God as to 'what spirit it is and what power it is that are presented in these teachings.
The Scriptures declare that the Spirit was received by the hearing of faith; these, by the taking of faith.
The Scriptures teach that when those who are already saved' ate becoming weak, and failing in their testimony and walk, the-ministry of the Spirit is to recall: them to what they learned at the first. These teachings hold forth' “what may be called a second conversion “as necessary. The Scriptures certainly identify those who have received the Spirit and those who have been' baptized by the Spirit; these teachings as expressly contrast the two.
The Unscripturalness of the “Gospel of the Holt Ghost.”
Finally this "Gospel of the Holy Ghost "— another unscriptural phrase,—is said in plain language," to contain a message of things " greater " and " better " than that gospel concerning God's Son, Jesus Christ, by which those addressed are presumed to have been saved.
Can a, Christian's heart give evidence of deeper and more deplorable corruption than the profession of such a "gospel" implies'?' The " greater " and " better " things than listening to the glory of Christ and His work are the " taking " of blessings that put the source and center of power within the Christian himself'!
Could there be a grosser perversion of the ministry of the Spirit, who VMS not to speak of Himself but to glorify Christ and take of His things and show them unto His people?
But the believer has been given the truth by which he may know his path through this world to be as sure, and certain, and" as divine, as he knows his standing before God to be.
The message that he believed, which proved its own divine-power and moreover received the Spirit's seal to its truth, was that the believer's attainment of eternal blessing and salvation had been wholly taken out of his hands, and assumed in grace by the great Shepherd of all, though' it took Him to the cross.
So too with the believer's path. Having learned to know the Shepherd's voice, he follows that, because of what it means to him. It declares that the safety, liberty and fullness that he needs are wholly the care of another, whose joy the providing is, in the path whither the Shepherd's voice leads. The testimony of fullness in the believer's path will not be of the blessings which have been taken by faith" but of the Shepherd Who “leadeth" and maketh" and "restoreth" the soul.
Every believer, then, who does know the Shepherd's voice, can be called upon to judge by that knowledge all that is dishonoring to the care, love and power of the Shepherd. And let him judge himself if ever he has given ear to the voice of "the stranger," however plausible and tempting in its promises that voice nay be.