In result the gospel is founded on a series of mighty and divine facts, by which, through the foolishness of preaching, God, in the power of the Holy Ghost, does act on individual souls for salvation, and gather them into one. The church system makes of them a set of outward events, historically remembered by anniversaries, Mr. Sadler rejecting the dealing of God in souls by them. According to him these are born, not by the word as scripture declares, but by a sacrament without any personal faith or operation of the word on their hearts whatever. Of this system I will now speak. The author's statements are as follows:—
“It may be called the great ‘church' truth of God's word; and may be stated somewhat as follows:—
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“This body has always been an outward and visible body known by certain outward and visible marks. Men have always been admitted into this church by a rite or ordinance which betokened God's special goodwill towards each one of them. This church, or body, has always been governed and instructed by a visible ministry. This church, or body, or family, always has been, and, till the second advent, always will be, a mixed body; that is, it has always consisted of two sets of persons, good and bad, penitent and impenitent, those who realize God's love, and those who do not."
Every one of these statements is unfounded. That in Israel and the church there was an assembly, or gathering of individuals, is quite true. Of these we will speak in due time. But it was never God's plan to save people by joining them together in a body or family, kingdom or church; specially it was not so from Abraham's time, and men were called of God before. It is false to say they were always admitted by a rite—false to call them all a church—false to say this church or body has always been governed and instructed by a visible ministry—false to say it has always been a mixed body. The statements following are all equally false, some openly absurd.
People are saved, and always were, individually, by grace, through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and life received from Him, begotten by the word of truth, justified by faith. I admit an outward visible body in Israel and in the church, though in different forms, and on different principles. That God has set His manifested blessings in a known place, as Israel or the church, since He raised them up, is true; but in neither is personal salvation by coming into it as a system set up on the earth, though figuratively and formally administered there in Christian times, and, if connected with the personal confession of Christ, then formally received and enjoyed. The church, or assembly of God, has more than one application or aspect, is never the kingdom, has, in its truest sense, privileges other than salvation, and in this sense is distinct from the outward and visible body as it exists at present, though it may be found in it if viewed in a certain aspect. But we must examine the statements.
Abraham is the beginning of the religious institutions of God in the new world, and is the root of the olive tree of promise. When the world had turned to idolatry (Josh. 24), God called Abram out, and established the promises in his seed. He was the first head of God's family, as Adam of the sinful one. There was no root of a family of God, as Adam was the root of an evil family, till Abram, though there had been saints. This, then, I recognize. But this did not begin salvation. About one third of the world's history had passed away ere Abram was called of God. Abels and Enochs, and surely many others, had been saved before Abram's time. They were saved, according to Mr. Sadler's own statement, for he begins with Abram, without family, or church, or nation. Was the salvation different in its nature and its ground then? Were they saved in a different way? If not, the whole Statement is without foundation. That, as a rule, manifested saved ones are found, where God has publicly and outwardly called a people amongst that people, is quite true. But that is a very different thing from saving men by joining them together as a body, family, kingdom, or church. Either Mr. Sadler must have two kinds and ways of salvation, or his principle is upon the face of it false. For during a third of the earth's existence, taking his own date and commencement of this process of saving men by joining them to a body, family, church, or kingdom, there was nothing of the sort to join them to. Mr. Sadler's system falsifies the nature of salvation. In the next place the scripture states the contrary of what Mr. Sadler says. It is expressly said of Abraham (Isa. 2:2), “I called him alone, and blessed him.” “It is next, with Mr. Sadler, a body, and then a church, as if it was all the same. But the blessing of Abraham was neither in a body nor a church. It was in him, and in his seed, really Christ, The true heavenly promises were made to one Seed only, “and that seed is Christ.” The apostle carefully tells us it was to one. “Now to Abraham were the promises made, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ.” “If we are Christ's, we are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to promise.” Now, that these were in the church, and baptized too, the passage itself shows. I will speak of both, but the promise is exclusively to Christ. (Gal. 3:16-29.) “All the promises of God are in him, yea; and in him, amen.” (2 Cor. 1:20.)
As to Abraham himself, our immediate subject, men have always, we are told, been admitted into this church by a rite. A church means an assembly, and nothing else. Into the church as formed on earth, an external body, or Christian profession, men were admitted by a rite, and that rite baptism; into the body of Christ, decidedly not. But as to Abraham and his seed according to the flesh, this is wholly a mistake. Righteousness—and I suppose that is the way of being saved—was reckoned to him in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised. (Rom. 4:10, 11.) That is, scripture insists on exactly the contrary of what Mr. Sadler teaches. Circumcision was the seal in Abraham of the righteousness of faith, and the formal token of the covenant, according to the title possessed by his family. The title was the being of Abraham's house. Uncircumcision was a condition of forfeiture: one who was of the seed of Abraham, and who was not circumcised, had broken God's covenant. Just as if the old man be not put off we have no part in grace, though baptized twenty times.
But though this was the formal covenant token in carrying out the covenant, God was sovereign. Every one actually born in Abraham's house, or indeed bought with money, was bound to be circumcised. Circumcision was the seal of the promise made to Abraham, and if one of the promised seed was not circumcised, he lost his title, but it was a seal to which he had a title by birth. But, further, the real blessing was by promise, circumcision did not bring into it at all. Abraham's seed was called in Isaac, and the covenant promises to that seed, not with Ishmael; but Ishmael was circumcised as much as Isaac. (Vers. 19-21.) Nor was, indeed, circumcision, as Mr. Sadler speaks, an ordinance which betokened God's special goodwill towards the men of the family: the promise did that. It was an imposed condition subsequent, giving a required state, and, if it was neglected, the person was cut off.
Further, this body, or church, we are told, has always been governed and instructed by a visible ministry. Here, note, family is dropped. It would not do. No one instructed Abraham but God immediately, which He did very often. A large part of Genesis, and a very important part, consists of these revelations. When there was a people gathered, there was a priesthood besides Levitical assistants. When the Christian assembly was gathered, there were gifts bestowed in principle on all, though in distinctive efficacy on some, as apostles, prophets, pastors and teachers, and evangelists, and others called miraculous, or which were subsidiary. There were besides this, local overseers and servants.
The family is now introduced again. This church, or body, or family,” has always been a mixed body.” The family was never a body, nor was the church always a mixed body; for at the beginning the Lord added such as should be saved; afterward, as manifested on earth, it became such; but first by false brethren creeping in unawares. (Jude 4.) Israel never was a mixed body. In Israel moreover it was never a question of salvation, but of the place and inheritance of the promises according to the flesh, and none but those who were of the fountain of Israel, or joined by being circumcised, could enjoy them. There was a strict middle wall of partition. Each part of the statement is false.
To pursue the statements of the book: “The covenant of God has always been with this visible church.” God's covenant was with Abraham, but he was no assembly, which is all that church means, and the promise was confined to his seed—Christ; but God's church of the New Testament was not revealed then (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:3-11; Col. 1:26); the circumcised alone had part in the blessings. If they were in the covenant of promise and were not circumcised, they were cut off. Israel subsisted by keeping the middle wall of partition up, this made the church, or the revelation of it, impossible; the church exists consequent on its being thrown down. (Eph. 2:11-22.) With Israel there was the covenant of the law, or the old covenant, and later, in Jeremiah, the promise of a new one to the same people. Of this covenant we reap the benefit of having it, in the spirit, namely, forgiveness of sins, and to be all taught of God, and know Him. But with the assembly there is no covenant made. The Mediator is come, the blood of the new covenant shed. Israel refused to enter into it; and we, while enjoying the spiritual benefit of it, have, if indeed believers, what is far better—an accomplished salvation, and the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, (the witness, present power, and seal of it, and the earnest of the glory that belongs to it) being heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, and this individually.
Our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which we have of God. Of this “the church” knows, perhaps, nothing; but they cannot deny that it is in scripture, even if they call it fanaticism. They seek to reduce us to the condition of Judaism, but this is not Christianity nor God's church. He has set Judaism aside to establish it. Even in the lowest aspect of it, He has taken away the first to establish the second. The application of church to Israel in the Christian sense (for the word merely means assembly), that is, as the body of Christ or the habitation of God through the Spirit, is without the slightest foundation in scripture. Nay, more, it contradicts its clearest and most important principles in reference to this subject. Every principle of the one system is in direct contrast with those of the other, save that both belong to God. What the church is I shall consider presently.
“The word of God,” we are next told, “has always been addressed to this outward visible body.” The Epistles, where addressed to churches, were so no doubt, but all composing churches were held to be really saints. But to say “the word of God has,” &c. shows only what a mist of their own raising these people are living in. Paul's gospel, he specially declares, was to every creature under heaven. I suppose that was the word of God. In Mark we read, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” And Paul, in the passage quoted (Col. 1), carefully distinguishes his being a minister of the gospel, and a minister of the church to fulfill or complete the word of God; and here was one contrast between Israel and the church. Israel had no such commission. It was a nation; and those of the fountain of Jacob had the word and the promises, and there was no word of God to others, but a law and prophets to them. God has raised up a ministry in Christianity because it is grace to sinners, wherever they are.
Before I proceed further to examine Mr. Sadler's views of the church, I will, because of its importance to souls, examine definitely and more at length whether salvation is individual. The church to which I attach the greatest possible importance I will examine fully; but salvation is individual. If there was but one saved person in the world, he would be saved as men are now, but he could not be an assembly. When the Lord says, “Ye must be born again,” he speaks necessarily and clearly of individuals. Whether it be by baptism we will inquire just now, but it is individual. “So is every one that is born of the Spirit,” is individual. “The wind bloweth where it listeth.” At the end of chapter 3, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” The promise of living water in John 4 is individual. “The Son quickeneth whom he will” in John 5 is individual. The promise in John 6:40 is individual, and whatever the eating means (and most certainly it is not the Lord's supper), it is individual, as verses 85, 44 plainly show. Verse 47 is conclusive as to individual salvation. John 7 is individual, as verses 87, 88. So are chapters 9, 10, ver. 27,28, is as clear as words can make it; and this even if the sheep are all scattered by Satan. “Catcheth,” in verse 12, and “plucketh,” in verse 28, are the same word. Chapter xi. 25, 26 is individual.
I might quote other passages, but the truth is that all John's writings are strictly individual. The church is never introduced as a truth in them at all; not even in chapter 17, which seems most like it. It does not speak of the assembly or church, but of the unitedness of the individuals in grace. There is indeed a threefold unity, of the eleven disciples, of those believing through their word, and of all Christians in glory. It may perhaps surprise some, that in the Epistles the church is never spoken of as a body formed on earth by any besides Paul.
In the Acts, Peter's words apply to individuals. “Repent and be baptized every one of you for [to] the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” It was to as many as the Lord their God should call. They are addressed as individuals, and there is no hint of a body or assembly. Men repent individually, and are forgiven sins individually. I do not doubt they came into the assembly, but nothing is said by him about it. The first intimation of union with Christ in one body is at Paul's conversion. (Acts 9:5.) In Peter's sermon to Cornelius it is the universal testimony,” Whosoever believeth in him.” (Acts 10:48.) So Paul: “By him all that believe are justified from all things.” (Acts 13)
The same story with the jailor at Philippi, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” —no word of joining a body to be saved. I do not doubt a moment that they became part of the assembly of God, but not a word is said of it connected with salvation. So Paul preached “Jesus and the resurrection” at Athens, “kept back nothing that was profitable” at Ephesus, preaching “repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ,” individual dealing with souls, and nothing of the assembly or church, and that in the very place where he afterward unfolded it.
In Paul's account of his preaching before Agrippa, there is no word of the church in his commission to sinners. He was sent to open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me;” consequently he showed everywhere that men “should repent, and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” It was individuals; he pressed a work wrought in them; but not a word of the assembly, or joining it, in his testimony to the world.
Now this is the more remarkable, because Paul was the one who specially, and indeed Paul only, built up in church truth those who did believe. But, as we have seen, it was a distinct part of his ministry, as unfolded in Col. 1 I believe what we may call church truth is more important than ever; and in going to the Gentile as he did, Paul laid the foundation of it, for their free admission was externally the basis of that truth, which God is now mercifully bringing out again; but for salvation he preached “repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ."
I have already spoken of the Romans, where all in the doctrinal part is individual, as responsibility, repentance, justification, and being dead to sin, must be in their very nature with sinners. Hence, having spoken of what Christians knew as such of the spirituality of the law, he changes from “we” to “I” — “We know,” “I am carnal.” But all is without exception and carefully individual.
In Corinthians he speaks of the assembly; but so far is the church, as God's building, from being the way of saving, that he speaks of wood, and hay, and stubble, which was to be burnt; and presses upon them in chapter x., that they might be partakers of the sacraments, so-called—be in the external or sacramental church, and fall in the wilderness all the same. From that on he speaks more of the body than of the house. But of these points anon. But when, as in 2 Cor. 5, he turns to the gospel and salvation, Individuality takes its full place again.
In the end of Gal. 2 again, we see individual state. The promise by faith of Jesus Christ is given to them that believe. The putting on Christ is not salvation, but the giving up being Jew or Gentile, bond, free, male, or female, and being Christians and nothing else. It was, begging pardon of the Thirty-nine Articles, a badge of their profession. But we are children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and heirs crying, Abba, Father; but all this is individual (Gal. 3; 4,), and they are then carefully warned against keeping days and months and years. Faith that worketh by love was the availing thing. All is carefully individual. They were all in the assembly already.
In Eph. 2:8 salvation is individual, though it be the Epistle in which the doctrine of the church is most fully unfolded; but it is a second order of truth, not salvation. It is when speaking of the individual, that he speaks of the gospel of their salvation, and then they were sealed, by which they were members of the body. (Chap. 1:13) The first truth is children or sons by faith, as in Galatians.
Philippians is all individual, though the assembly be fully recognized.
It is in Colossians the apostle distinguishes his ministry of the gospel and of the church. Holy days were but a shadow of things to come, now passed away; Christ being the body, they were now mere heathenish Judaism, against which he was warning them. Take chapter 3, from chapter 2:20, indeed, and see how all is individual.
In Thessalonians men obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, not by the assembly, as in chapter 1:9, where it is clearly individual. In 2 Thess. 2:13, 14 we have a formal statement that it is by sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto they were called by Paul's gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Of Timothy I will speak. Titus tells us that the grace of God brings salvation, but adds no word of the church. Of chapter 3:6 I will speak.
Of Hebrews and the rest I need not speak at large. The assembly or church forms no part of doctrine there.
That Christ leads our praises in it (chap. 2:12) we learn, and (chap. 12:28) that there is an assembly of firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. Conscience, which is always individual, is perfected, and this gives us boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus. Faith is that of an individual coming to God, and by that he obtains witness that he is righteous through the more excellent sacrifice. That salvation is through joining an assembly is alike unknown, and opposed to scripture. Men are justified by faith, then sealed by receiving the Holy Ghost, through which they are of the one body. Baptism is their formal admission into the external company on earth. Of this we must now speak, and show all Mr. Sadler's theory utterly false.
I believe, let me now say, that the truth of God as to the assembly is, in these days, of the last importance; that God's order was to gather souls as well as to convert and save them, and that many of our highest privileges are connected with it. But the assembly or church has two very distinct aspects in scripture, consequent upon its being formed by the descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost—that of the body of Christ, and that of the dwelling place of the Holy Ghost. Besides this, in the latter aspect, that is, as God's house, it has a double character—what Christ builds, and what man builds responsibly.
All this, which is declared in scripture, is missed by Mr. Sadler. All his thoughts are vague and in confusion; all his statements as to the Ephesians unfounded. He says (p. 45), “a kingdom or fellowship which He deigns to call His body.” He never calls His kingdom His body. “He instituted means of grace, by which they were to be brought into this fellowship” (p. 45), and (p. 46) “all baptized into His name are to be accounted as belonging to it.... In this case the baptized are the church (p. 46), and responsible for the grace of having been made members of Christ.” All this is false.
In 1 Cor. 12:18 we read, “By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body.” That this is the Holy Ghost, and not baptism by water, is as clear as words can make it. The apostle is speaking of spiritual manifestations—gifts given by the Holy Ghost: “All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.” One has only to read the chapter to see, with unquestionable evidence, that the apostle is speaking of the Holy Spirit Himself.
But, to leave this beyond all controversy, we have a positive declaration by the Lord Himself of what the baptism of the Spirit is: “Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 1:5.) Accordingly, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spake with tongues. That coming of the Holy Spirit was the baptism of the Holy Ghost spoken of, and of these and other gifts, which were the fruit of it, the apostle is speaking in 1 Corinthians.
That the apostles even ever received Christian baptism there is not a trace in scripture, nor indeed the hundred and twenty who were together. They were to wait for the promise of the Father, receiving power by the Holy Ghost coming upon them, which took place accordingly, and “Christ being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” (Acts 2:38.) This was the baptism of the Holy Ghost, by which they were baptized into one body. That water baptism introduced into the body, or made men members of the body, is a notion wholly unknown to scripture. “He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” The gift of the Spirit is always distinguished from it moreover. They were to repent and be baptized for (to) the remission of sins, and they would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38.)
(To be continued)