In reference to Christian service there is general agreement upon the
broad principles that should govern. Everyone will subscribe to the
Golden Rule (Luke 6:31) and to the Royal Law (Jas. 2:8). We agree that
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and
righteously and godly in this present world, that we should love our
neighbors as ourselves, and that we should do unto others as we would
have them do unto us.
II
The Sufficiency of the Plan
The above is a brief outline, then, of points upon which there is very
general agreement. Let me ask you, dear friend, if you can think of
anything essential to salvation which is not covered, at least in a
general way, in this outline. If one follows the plan presented here, do
you not agree that he will be saved in heaven at last? Can you think of
anything else which is needed to insure one’s eternal salvation? I
believe you cannot.
Upon the sufficiency of this plan I am sure we are agreed. This being
true, would it not be wrong to include anything else? Would it not be
wrong to insist upon adding something to this simple Bible plan and
thereby cause division and destroy the possibility of the unity that the
Bible requires? If the above plan is sufficient to take one to heaven,
what more do you desire? Why add anything to it? Would it not be wrong
to add anything else?
Another question: “What will the following of this plan make of one?” I
am sure we will also agree that it will make him a Christian and only a
Christian. Let it be noted that one can do all that is suggested above
and which we have agreed to be sufficient unto salvation without
belonging to any denomination. You can believe, repent, confess your
sins, and be baptized without belonging to any denomination. You who
have done so can meet in groups upon the first day of the week and
worship God as the Bible directs without becoming members of any
denomination, and you can certainly perform your duties in the field of
Christian service without joining a denomination.
III
More Points of Agreement
But while we are in this agreeing business, let us take it even further.
In this country there is a large religious community known as the
Baptist Church. This group includes many fine people. Many of them are
honest, intelligent, cultured, refined, and good citizens. They have
taken their denominational title from their emphasis upon immersion as
being the only scriptural baptism, in contrast to those who accept
something else. I agree with the Baptists that immersion is baptism and
that nothing short of immersion will meet the definition of baptism
found in Romans 6:4 or Colossians 2:12. I agree with them that the Greek
word “baptidzo” is properly translated by the word “immerse.” But I can
agree with them upon this great truth without belonging to the Baptist
denomination. I can fully accept the very truth from which the Baptist
Church has taken its name and still be just a Christian.
The Methodist Church is one of the largest in this country. I have more
kinspeople in that denomination than in any other. For all of their good
points I give them due respect and credit. Because of their insistence
upon method and system in their religious work, they were nicknamed
Methodists many years ago. This name was later accepted by them as their
denominational title. I agree with the Methodists that system and method
are important. I endeavor to be systematic and orderly in every phase of
my work and activity. I believe that the Lord’s work should be carried
on orderly. “Let everything be done in decency and in order” (1 Cor.
14:40). We should use order, then. We should use the Bible order. But
one can certainly do this without belonging to the Methodist Church.
Why should one exalt the name of this one aspect of Christian activity
to the point of adopting it as a religious title? One can be methodical
without being a Methodist. Just as one can be systematic without being a
Systematist. One can be just a plain Christian and practice everything
the Bible teaches in reference to order and system.
When I was attending the Union Theological Seminary, one of my
professors told me that the New Testament churches were “congregational
presbyterian.” He explained his statement by saying that each
congregation was independent of all other congregations and that each
was overseen by a group of men known as elders or presbyters. I agree
with him exactly. According to his explanation his statement was
entirely correct. But I am not a member of the Presbyterian Church. One
can believe all the Bible teaches upon the presbytery and practice the
same without belonging to the Presbyterian denomination. Why should this
characteristic of church government or organization be exalted by using
it as a religious or denominational title? One can be just a Christian
and still believe and practice what the Bible teaches in reference to
the presbytery. One does not have to be a member of the Presbyterian
Church to obey God concerning the presbytery.
One can believe in the universality of the Gospel without being a
Catholic or Universalist. One can believe in the second coming of Christ
without belonging to the Adventist denomination. One can teach and
practice holy living without belonging to the Holiness Church. If one
had to join the Baptist Church because he believed in baptism and the
Methodist Church because he believed in method and the Presbyterian
Church because he believed in the presbytery of the local congregation
(1 Tim. 4:14) and so on down the list, what would he be when he had
finished? One can agree with the denominations on the very truth from
which they have taken their names, insofar as they have taken their
names from truth, without belonging to any of them.
IV
Some Important Conclusions
One can believe all truth and obey every commandment of God without
belonging to any denomination. Can you think of an exception to this
statement? Can you think of any truth which you cannot believe or any
commandment that you cannot obey without joining a denomination? I don’t
believe you can. Can you think of any truth which you cannot accept or
any commandment which you cannot obey while being just a Christian?
Isn’t it sufficient to be just a Christian? Isn’t it wrong to be
something different from or more than a Christian? Since one can be a
Christian without joining any denomination, then why join one? Would it
not be wrong to join one, since denominationalism is division and
division is wrong? Let me emphasize the statement that I can believe all
truth either in the Bible or out of the Bible and obey every commandment
of the Lord without joining any denomination.
This being true, what then does it take to make one a member of a
denomination? Believing truth will not make one a member of a
denomination, because he can believe all truth on the outside. Obeying
God will not make one a member of a denomination, because he can obey
God on the outside. If believing truth and obeying God will not make one
a member of a denomination, then what will do so?
To become a member of a denomination, it is obvious that one must
believe something besides the truth or do something besides obey God.
Since believing all truth and obeying all God’s commands will not put
one in a denomination, then he must believe something different from the
truth and do something which God has not commanded or leave off
something which He has commanded, in order to become a member of a
denomination. It seems to me that these conclusions are inevitable and
unanswerable.
But it may be that some of my hearers are already in some denomination;
hence, I raise this question: “What must you do to get out of a
denomination?” The answer is, retrace the steps which you took in going
into it. Some seem to think that in order to give up denominationalism
and to be just Christians that they will have to forsake all that they
have ever held as dear and precious in the field of religion. This is a
mistake. Believing truth did not put you into a denomination. In order
to come out of it, you will not have to forsake any truth. It will only
be necessary for you to reject the error which you accepted in becoming
a member of a denomination.
In order to come out of a denomination, you will not have to cease
obeying God upon any point. It will only be necessary for you to change
your conduct on those points where you have been disobeying Him. Since
believing truth did not put you in, you will not have to forsake truth
in coming out. Merely give up the error that you accepted, believe the
truth revealed in the Bible and obey God; then you will be a Christian,
not a denominationalist.
In order to come out of a denomination, you will not have to quit
believing that God is, that the Bible is His word, that Jesus is His Son
and the Savior of the world. You will not have to quit believing in, and
teaching, and practicing, faith, repentance, confession and baptism as
the conditions of salvation. You will not have to forsake any of the
five items of worship outlined in the Bible. You will not have to
forsake any scriptural service to your fellow-man.
Again I repeat, one can believe all truth, obey every command of God, be
a Christian, live the Christian life, die in the Lord and be saved
forever without belonging to any denomination. Since it is unnecessary
to be a member of a denomination, it is wrong to be so. Any
non-essential which causes division is wrong. “Come out from among them
and be ye separate, saith the Lord. Touch no unclean thing” (2 Cor.
6:17). “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed;
but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Pet. 4:16). “Neither is there
salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
VII
EXCUSES
At this season of the year we frequently say something about the custom
of making resolutions. It is a mighty good custom, provided we make the
right sort of resolutions and endeavor to keep them. I would like to
encourage you to resolve to do more for the Lord this year than you have
ever done before. Such a resolution could be broken down into many
elements, but, especially, may I urge that each of you make it your goal
to lead at least one person to obey the gospel during the year that has
just begun.
We have more than 500 members. If each member would lead some person to
Christ during this year, it would mean more than 500 additions. That
would be the most glorious year’s work this congregation has ever had.
With the co-operation of every member, this goal can be reached. Surely
there is someone in Nashville with whom you have enough influence to
lead him to Christ, provided you are willing to fully dedicate yourself
to the Lord and behave yourself each day in the way that will give you
the greatest amount of power and influence for good.
I
A Great Supper
I am not going to speak this morning upon new year’s resolutions. But I
shall say something which I believe will help you in carrying out the
resolution that has just been mentioned. For our text we go to the
fourteenth chapter of Luke, and begin reading with verse 15. “And when
one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto
him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then said
he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent
his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come, for
all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make
excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I
must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said,
I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them. I pray thee
have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore
I cannot come. So that servant came, and showed his lord these things.
Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out
quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring me hither the
poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said,
Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the
Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges and
compel them to come in that my house may be filled. For I say unto you,
That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”
II
Three Slackers
According to the social customs which are said to have prevailed at that
time and in the light of this text, it appears that the men in this
story had already received and accepted the original invitation to
attend this great supper. The servant was sent to tell those who were
bidden that supper was now served. In spite of their social obligation
to attend, they began to make excuse.
1. The nature of their excuses is not very commendable. The first one
said he had bought a piece of land and he was going to see it. I don’t
believe he bought that land without having already seen it. Such things
sometimes happen but not often. He had probably walked over the farm
very thoroughly before he agreed to buy it. He was simply making an
excuse and he is not the last man who has allowed a piece of land to
keep him away from duty.
I was brought up in the country and I have known men to work on their
farms six days a week from early in the morning until late in the
evening and then on Sunday morning they just had to walk over the fields
before they could go to worship. They would get out in the grass and in
the dew and get their clothes wet and come in late, too late to go to
Bible school, or maybe even too late to get to worship at all. Of
course, such conduct is not acceptable in the sight of God.
2. The next man said he had bought five yoke of oxen and must needs go
and try them. I believe again that he had already tried them or by some
other means knew whether they would work. He could have attended the
feast if he had wanted to do so, but he simply preferred to be out with
his oxen rather than to carry out the promise which he had made.
3. The third man merely said, “I have married a wife and therefore I
cannot come.” He didn’t even say, “I beg thee have me excused.” He made
no apology. He thought the fact that he had a wife was excuse enough for
falling down on his duties. He is not the last man who has allowed a
wife to keep him from doing his duty. That has happened many times.
Sometimes it works the other way. The wife allows her husband to keep
her from doing what she ought to do.
You and I regard none of these excuses as being valid. Neither did the
master of the house. He was angry. He would allow none of these
deserters to taste his supper. He didn’t even propose to make any
allowance for repentance. He, no doubt, felt that he had been greatly
mistreated or even insulted. But these excuses were no worse than many
of those which people now offer for rejecting the Lord’s invitation.
Even church members sometimes give silly excuses for not doing their
duty.
III
Common Excuses
This morning we want to discuss the excuses outsiders offer for not
obeying the gospel.[2] If you start out to do some personal work and to
lead people to the Lord individually, and that is the most effective way
to lead them, you’ll find them making excuses. There are twelve or
fifteen excuses which will probably cover 95 per cent of the cases. If
you become familiar with these, and know how to answer them, you’ll be
able to handle most of the objections you meet. I have heard all these
excuses offered many times. If you set out to do some work tomorrow—work
of this nature—you will find people offering one or more of these
excuses. Let us state and briefly discuss them.
1. “_There are so many doctrines preached I do not know which one to
believe. If wise men differ about which church is right, how then can I
be sure?_” Well, friends, wise men are still differing about what sort
of food you ought to eat. The doctors have not yet decided what is the
perfect diet; but you haven’t quit eating while the doctors argue. You
are more practical in dealing with your stomach than you are in dealing
with your soul. You keep on eating the best you can while the scientists
search for the perfect diet.
Furthermore, I never heard anyone offer this excuse who was a Bible
student. It is always offered by those who do not study the Bible,
because anyone who is able to study can find the answer. I could
entertain you at length, and maybe profit you as well, by giving you a
number of examples of individuals who have studied the Bible
independently in search for the truth, with always the same results.
Anyone who will take the time to investigate God’s word, doing his best
to lay aside his prejudice and his bias, if he is sincere and honest,
will be able to understand God’s will well enough to obey the Lord on
this earth and be saved everlastingly. The man who offers this excuse is
simply not willing to make the investigation necessary to gain the
enlightenment or information which he needs.
2. “_For me to be baptized for remission of sins would be to say that my
parents are lost._” Of course, that implies that his parents are already
dead and that they were never baptized for remission of sins. I answer
this objection by giving a concrete example. I visited a lady in West
Virginia and anticipated that she would make this excuse. In fact, when
I entered the room I could see the tenseness in the muscles of her face.
She was expecting me to say that her father had gone to hell, and she
was all set to get angry when I did. But I disappointed her. I didn’t
say it. I have never said that to anyone. I do not see how it can do any
good. There may be times when I am convinced that it is so. But after
one is dead there is no need to discuss it.
My approach was this: “I am willing to admit that your father was just
as good as you think he was. There is no reason why I should deny this.
But remember, if your father was as good as you think he was, then he
did the best he knew, he lived up to all the enlightenment he had;
because if he had not done so, he would not have been a good man. He
would have been a hypocrite. So we will just assume that your father did
the very best he could. Then you are not as good as he was unless you do
the very best that you know, and you know that you ought to be a
Christian. You know you ought to be a member of the church we read about
in the Bible. You know that you ought to be baptized for remission of
sins. If you don’t obey the gospel, then you are not as good as you say
your father was.”
The tenseness left her face. She relaxed and talked more reasonably.
Before the meeting closed she obeyed the gospel. If your father and
mother are dead, if they are on their way to heaven, and if they are
conscious, then they certainly want you to obey the gospel so you will
go there, too. If they are not on their way to heaven, if they are
conscious of being on their way to the other place, then they certainly
want you to obey the gospel, for torment in fire is one misery which is
so terrible that it does not love company. The rich man did not want his
brothers to come to the place where he was in hades.
3. “_I am better now than some of those who are in the church._” In a
sense that might be so. Morally you might be better than the worst
hypocrite in the church, but why do you want to select the lowest
standard that you can find? I have often wondered why a decent man will
select a hypocrite in the church, or an immoral, disloyal, unfaithful
church member as a standard by which to measure himself. To do so is
certainly no compliment to yourself. We do not use such standards in
other matters. We want the best standards in the affairs of this world
and even though your comparison be true, it still remains that the best
man in the church is far better than the best man on the outside. And
the average man in the church is better than the average man on the
outside. Furthermore, when you stand before the Lord Jesus Christ you
will not be judged according to any human standard, but according to the
word of God Almighty.
4. “_There are so many hypocrites in the church that I cannot afford to
become a member of it._” When one makes this excuse I don’t say, but I
feel like saying, “Well, come on in, brother; there is always room for
one more.” The man who offers that excuse is a hypocrite himself. That’s
not what keeps him out. It is just an excuse for not coming in.
Furthermore, there are hypocrites in every organization in the world.
There are hypocrites outside the church. You can’t get away from the
hypocrites by staying outside the church, because they are not all
inside the church. The church doesn’t have a monopoly on them. Most of
them are still on the outside, and you will be with them as long as you
remain there. Furthermore you’ll have to spend eternity with all the
hypocrites, those that are now in the church and those that are now
outside the church. So, if you want to get away from hypocrites, there
is only one way to do it: become a Christian and tolerate the few
hypocrites in the church while on this earth you dwell, then go home to
heaven to be free of all of them forever.
5. “_I’m not good enough to be a Christian._” If you were, you wouldn’t
need to become one. The gospel is for people who need to be better. The
gospel is for sinners. Sinners are the raw material out of which
Christians are made. The people who were saved on the day of Pentecost
were not such good folk to start with. They were murderers. They had
murdered the Son of God. Yet they could be saved. If you are not worse
than the men who, with wicked and lawless hands, nailed the Son of God
to the cross, then you are not too mean to be saved. In fact, Christ is
able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him. His power
is not limited. One of the most wonderful things about the gospel of
Jesus Christ is that it makes no difference how dark or black your
record may have been in the past, you can have it washed clean and white
as snow in the blood of the Lamb. His blood is able to wipe away all
your sins; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool;
though they be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow (Isa. 1:18).
There is no one too wicked to be saved if he is willing to believe in
Christ, repent of his sins, obey the commandment to be baptized, and
remain faithful thereafter.
6. “_Well, I’d like to become a Christian, but I’m_ _afraid I can’t hold
out._” People say a lot of things they don’t mean to say. They use a lot
of words sometimes when they don’t realize what they are saying. So does
the man who makes this excuse. Let’s just look at it a minute and see
what a fellow really says when he states that he is afraid he can’t hold
out. If you analyze his excuse, it simply means this: “I’m on my way to
hell and there is nothing I can do about it.” He didn’t mean to say
that. He didn’t intend to assume such a hopeless attitude. “I’m just on
my way to hell and there’s nothing I can do about it.” Why nobody, not
many people at least, believes that! And yet that’s virtually what you
say when you say, “I’d like to be a Christian, but I am afraid I can’t.”
God is not the author of such hopelessness. The Bible says, “Whosoever
will let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17). The Bible
teaches that God “will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are
able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may
be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13). The Bible plainly declares that all
of those who will may come. Anybody who is willing to try can be saved.
To say it is impossible for you to be saved is to dispute the word of
God Almighty. I do not believe you really want to do that.
7. “_I don’t know enough yet._” That could be so. I think I have seen
some people of whom that was true. But you can learn enough in a very
few minutes. Do you know that in every example of conversion we have in
the Bible, the people who were saved obeyed the first sermon they heard?
In every case! Now, if those people who lived nearly 2000 years ago
could learn enough from one sermon to obey the gospel, how long should
it take one today? In every instance they obeyed the first sermon they
heard. It didn’t take long, did it? I have worked with people whom I had
to teach for a full year before they would obey the gospel. Of course, I
admit that I am not as good a teacher as Peter or Paul, but when I read
to you just what those men said, then, after all, they are doing the
teaching. People of that day could learn enough from them in just an
hour or so to obey the gospel. Surely it ought not to take one several
years now to learn the same. After all, you don’t need to know much to
be saved. You don’t need to know everything. If you wait till you know
everything before you do anything, then you’ll always do nothing.
In order to be saved, you simply need to know that you are lost, that
Jesus is able to save you, and what he wants you to do in order that he
may save you. I can tell you that in less than a minute! “He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). “Repent and be
baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).
Now, that is enough if you are willing to accept it and obey it. Even if
you didn’t know it when you came, you now know enough to be saved.
An illustration which I frequently use is this: Suppose I start to drive
to Columbia, Tennessee, tonight. I get out here on the street and say,
“Well, I can’t see the way to Columbia. There are many crooks and turns
and ditches between here and Columbia. I might have a wreck and kill
myself, so I just won’t start.” That would be silly, wouldn’t it? Why, I
could see a few yards ahead of me and I would drive on in what light I
had. As I moved on the light would move on and if I kept on going, I
would likely reach Columbia or any other place to which I started.
That’s the way it is in going to heaven; you can’t see your way from
here into the Pearly Gates. If you could, you would be walking by sight
and not by faith. “But the just shall live by faith” (Hab. 2:4). You can
see the first step, and if you will take it, you will be able to see a
little bit further. Take the second and then you can see still further,
and if you keep on going, you will reach the goal.
“If a man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be
of God or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17). They that will to do
His will shall know. You can see or learn the way as you go along.
Remember this, if you know of just one commandment that you have not yet
obeyed, you do not deserve to understand another until you are willing
to obey the one you do understand. If a man does not love the truth, God
will send him strong delusions that he may believe a lie and be damned
(2 Thess. 2:8-12). If you know truth and are unwilling to act upon it,
you do not deserve to know any further truth. If you keep on despising
what truth you do have, then God will take even that away from you. He
will send you a strong delusion that you may be deceived, may be deluded
and may be damned forever. It is a dangerous thing for one to trample
under his foot the word of Almighty God. If you know of even one
commandment which you have not obeyed, obey it now.
8. “_I live a good, clean life, I treat everybody right. I pay all my
debts, I tell the truth, I am loyal and faithful to my family, and I am
just as good as a lot of those folk in the church. The church can’t save
you anyhow, so I think I am all right._” Now, you know the answer to
that, don’t you? It’s found in the tenth chapter of Acts. I always like
to suggest that the man who makes that sort of a statement compare
himself with Cornelius. He was a just man. He treated everybody right.
He feared the Lord. He prayed to God always. He was charitable. He gave
much alms to the poor. And he was such a good man he had won the favor
of the Jews over whom he was serving as the head of an army of
occupation! He had a good reputation, even among them. Yet he was not
good enough to go to heaven without obeying the gospel. He was told to
send for Peter, who would speak unto him words whereby he should be
saved. He was not yet saved.
If you have ever committed just one sin, you cannot go to heaven until
that sin is washed away by the blood of Jesus, for sin cannot enter
there. Surely there is no one who would say that he had never committed
one sin. You don’t have to commit a great big catalogue of sins in order
to be lost. Just one unforgiven sin will take you into torment. If
you’ve ever done wrong on a single point, then you’ll have to repent of
that and obey the gospel in order to go to heaven when you die.
9. “_I’m waiting for someone else. I’m afraid my parents or husband or
wife would object. This religion is unpopular and would cause me to lose
my social standing._” This is really three excuses in one, but in each
case the person is being influenced by what someone else thinks, instead
of being influenced by what God says. A familiar answer to such excuses
is that every tub shall set on its own bottom. You’ll find that in
Romans, chapter 14 and verse 12, “So then each one of us must give an
account of himself unto the Lord.” It doesn’t use the word “tub,” but it
says the same thing. “So then each one of us must give an account of
himself unto the Lord.” When you get to the judgment day, neither your
father nor your mother, brother nor sister, husband nor wife—nobody else
can answer for you. Therefore, no one else should be allowed to _live_
for you. No one should be allowed to make your choices or decisions
because they cannot answer for you.
Someone made a remark that one of the nice things about the Catholic
Church was that the members allowed the priests to make all the
decisions, that they rather expected him to make their choices for them.
My answer was that that would be all right if the priest could also
answer for you. But the priest cannot answer for you. Therefore, you’d
better not let him make your decisions. He might not make a decision
that you would want to stand by on the judgment day. Nobody can answer
for you, therefore nobody should be allowed to choose your course. In
the light of God’s word you must accept that responsibility yourself.
Furthermore, if you want to get your husband, wife, or somebody else to
obey the gospel, the way to get them to do it is not to wait for them
but go ahead and lead the way. Step out and do it yourself. In West
Virginia a lady told me that she would obey the gospel but that she was
waiting for her husband. I knew that was not a good excuse and I tried
to get her to see it. One evening while we were singing the invitation
song I stopped and made this remark, “If I were you, I’d rather go to
heaven alone than to go to hell with my husband.” Evidently she knew
that I was talking about her, for when we began to sing again she came
down the aisle. The next day her husband also came. If she had waited
for him, they might both still be on the outside. Now they are two of
the most faithful members in the congregation.
A lady at Madison, Tennessee, made the same excuse. She even went so far
as to say, “If you’ll just talk to my husband and get him to obey, then
I’ll come along with him.” I told her that wasn’t the right attitude.
The next Sunday at church she came down the aisle to make the confession
and be baptized. When I met her, she stopped and whispered to me,
“Brother Dark, I wish you would go back and talk to my husband.” He was
just two steps behind her and she didn’t know it. That’s the way to get
your husband to come! That’s the way to get your wife to come! If you
wait for somebody else, then you’ll be lost.
There was a lady in Chattanooga who didn’t wait for her husband. She
went to church. Her husband tried to keep her from going. That’s
unusual. Most husbands like for their wives to be good whether they are
or not. But this husband didn’t want his wife to go to church. He told
her she couldn’t have any money to give to the church. She began to take
in sewing to make money for her contributions. That made him angry. He
said, “You can’t use that sewing machine, I paid for it.” So she just
kept on going without any money to contribute. He saw that he was
defeated on that point so, in desperation, he locked up her wardrobe. He
said, “I paid for those Sunday dresses and you can’t wear them to
church.” She defied him again and borrowed some dresses from the next
door neighbor and other ladies in the church and just kept on going
anyway. He felt like he had to do something about it, so he went over to
the meetinghouse to see if he could find out what could be done. He
stood on the outside and listened. It didn’t sound as bad as he thought
it would. Before the meeting closed he was baptized. Suppose his wife
had been fainthearted and had refused to go ahead without her husband.
He now says that he used to be the meanest man in Chattanooga and I’m
inclined to agree with him.
I heard another story of a lady who was influenced by her husband. She
was attending a revival meeting and he was going with her every night.
One night while they were dressing, she said something about going to
church, and he said, “No, we’re not going to church tonight, we’re going
to the show.” She replied, “I can’t go to a show. The revival is going
on. You know that! I have to be over there!” He said, “No, we’re going
to a show.” She kept on insisting that they go to church and he kept on
insisting on going to the show. Finally he said, “Now, I’ve been going
with you every night, and it’s only fair that you go with me tonight.”
She still refused. Then he said, “If you don’t go with me tonight, I’m
not going with you any more.” So she gave in.
On the way to town he stopped beside the road. His wife asked him what
was wrong. He said, “I’m not going to the show. I just wanted to test
you out. I was planning to obey the gospel. If this thing is as
important as you and your preacher say it is, then you ought to have
gone on tonight regardless of what I did. Before I accepted I thought I
would test you out.” I admit that he treated her pretty rough; but after
all, you can’t afford to let even the person whom you love best on this
earth keep you from doing that which is right. It would be an act of
unkindness. If you love someone, you ought not to let him keep you from
doing right but you ought to go on anyhow and use your influence to get
him to come along with you.
10. “_There is plenty of time yet._” This one will probably take more
people to hell than all the others put together. Procrastination is the
thief of souls. I’ve never talked to but one person who said he planned
to die and go to hell. Others say, “Yes, I’m going to change my ways. I
know that I’m lost and I’m going to change.” But when? “Well, sometime.”
A man who talks like that never gets it done. When I go into a man’s
home, talk to him, and urge him to obey the gospel and he says, “Well,
I’m going to think it over; I’m glad you came and I’ll think it over,” I
go away without much encouragement. But if a person tells me, “Yes,
Brother Dark, I’ll be over there next Sunday night and be baptized,”
then I know something is going to happen. That is the only way to
overcome the tendency to procrastinate.
I talked to some people at Madison one evening about 5 P.M. Immediately
upon entering the room I learned that they knew what they ought to do.
They had attended our meeting often and they knew that they ought to be
baptized. They understood the plan of salvation. I remarked to them that
one could get into the habit of procrastinating. I said, “Every time you
repeat the act of putting this thing off this habit becomes stronger. If
you aren’t careful, it may get you bound so tightly that you will never
overcome it.” They came forward that night and obeyed the gospel, less
than three hours after I had talked to them, and are now two of the most
faithful members in the church. Afterwards the man told me that the
remark about procrastination had prompted him to act immediately. He
realized that he had got into the habit of putting it off. This habit
was getting stronger and stronger. He had to exert his will power to
overcome it.
None of these excuses are any good. They will not stand the test of the
judgment. I doubt that you would even have the audacity to mention them
before God. There is no excuse for failing, or for delaying, to do what
you know God has commanded.
IV
The Best Resolution
The best resolution that you can make today, if you haven’t already made
it, is the resolution to quit doing wrong and to begin doing right. It
is preceded by faith; it is followed by baptism. The resolution to do
right will naturally lead to baptism, for that is a part of doing right.
Won’t you say at the beginning of this new year, “I’m going to resolve
now that from this day henceforth I will live for God”? If that be your
resolution, come forward and make it known while we stand and sing.
VIII
AN ERRING CHILD OF GOD
It is my purpose this morning to discuss the case of an erring child of
God in contrast to that of an alien sinner. An alien sinner is one who
has never been baptized into Jesus Christ, one who has never become a
member of the Lord’s church, one who has never become a citizen of the
kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The plan of salvation for
such an one is clearly revealed in the Bible. It has been proclaimed
from this pulpit numbers and numbers of times. It needs to be repeated
over and over again, and to be kept constantly before the minds of the
people.
Not only should those who are not Christians know the plan of salvation
in order to become Christians, but those who have already obeyed the
gospel ought to know what an alien must do to be saved well enough to
teach others effectively. The alien must know the gospel well enough to
obey it. The Christian must have a working knowledge of the gospel in
order to help save others.
The Bible clearly teaches that in order to become a child of God one
must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that
he must then repent of his sins (Acts 2:38 and 3:19); that he must
confess with his mouth the faith which he has in his heart; and finally
he must be baptized for remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16, and many
other places which might be cited). These are the conditions of
salvation for an alien sinner. Obedience to these commandments makes one
a child of the Lord.
I
A Word of Encouragement
But suppose one errs from the truth after having obeyed these
commandments. That would make him an erring child of God. The case of
such an one deserves our consideration. Is there a plan of salvation for
one who errs from the truth after having been baptized into Christ—into
the family of God? If so, what are the conditions of his salvation? On
this topic there seems to be some confusion and misunderstanding.
Occasionally we meet someone who thinks that there is no way for him to
be saved, if he sins after he has been baptized—that his case is
hopeless, if he turns away from the church after having once been a
member thereof. I would like to speak a word of encouragement to all
such.
There’s only one thing which can keep any person on this earth from
being saved, and that is unwillingness to repent and obey God. I believe
it is true that no matter how far one may have strayed away, if he wants
to come back, if he will repent, and if he will obey the commandments
which God has given, God is willing to forgive. This is the divine
encouragement and inducement which is held out to all by the word of God
(1 John 1:9; 2 Pet. 3:4).
I believe we can say that anyone who has been a Christian very long has
at some time or other been an erring child of God, for there are none of
us who live perfect lives. I presume there are none here who even claim
to live perfectly. In 1 John 1:8 we read: “If we say that we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Everyone, then,
who has been in the church any appreciable length of time has been, at
some time, an erring child of God. If it were not possible for an erring
child of God to be saved, then none of us would have a chance, and the
whole scheme of redemption would be vain. Of course, we know that such
is not the case.
II
God’s Willingness To Forgive
That an erring child of God may be saved is clearly taught by James
5:19-20, “Brethren, if any one of you do err from the truth and one
convert him, let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the
error of his way, shall save a soul from death and shall hide a
multitude of sins.” That’s a clear-cut reference unto an erring child of
God, for this statement is addressed unto the brethren. It teaches that
if a brother errs from the straight and narrow way, there is a chance
for him to be restored by another brother. The one who restores him
renders a very valuable service which covers a multitude of sins and
saves a soul from death. That is, he saves a soul from the lake of fire
and brimstone, which is the second death, for Christians as well as
sinners are appointed unto physical death. Of course, if the erring
brother refuses to obey, he will be lost. He will be lost because of his
unwillingness to obey, and not because of God’s unwillingness to
forgive.
We have another reference to erring children of God in the third chapter
of Revelation, in the letter addressed unto the church at Laodicea. In
this church there were some lukewarm members. Lukewarm church members
are erring children of God. Of them, Jesus says, “I know thy works, that
thou are neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert cold or hot. So then
because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out
of my mouth.” Surely these people were in a bad spiritual condition,
even to the extent of making our Savior sick at his stomach; but their
case was not a hopeless one. There was still opportunity for them to
repent and to be saved.
This letter itself represents an effort on the part of God through his
Son, Jesus, to lead these people to repentance, in order that he might
forgive them. He pleads with them as follows: “I counsel thee to buy of
me gold tried by the fire; that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment
that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not
appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve that thou mayest see. As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent.
Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open
the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me. To
him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I
also overcame and am set down with my father in his throne. He that hath
an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Rev.
3:14-22). From this, we not only learn that it is possible for the
erring children to be saved, but that their salvation is conditioned
upon their repentance.
III
Unwillingness To Repent
The characters mentioned in the first part of the sixth chapter of
Hebrews were lost not because they were incapable of being saved, but
because they were unwilling to repent. Of them we read, beginning with
verse 4; “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and
have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy
Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world
to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;
seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to
an open shame.” Please note that it does not say that these people could
not be saved; it does not say that it was impossible for them to repent;
but it says it was impossible to get them to repent, that no one could
persuade them to repent, that they persistently refused to do so.
These were not characters who were still striving to live the Christian
life, but making mistakes along the way. They were men who had
completely turned their backs upon that which was right. They were
crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh, and putting him unto an
open shame. And one could not persuade them to repent. They were not
lost because of God’s unwillingness to forgive, but because of their
unwillingness to repent.
It is possible for one to turn so completely away from the Lord that you
cannot get that person to repent, but please remember that the trouble
still lies with the man himself. Even such an one as that could be saved
if he would repent, but he won’t repent. Whosoever will may come, but
there are some who won’t. Jesus says, “Ye will not come unto me that ye
may have life.”
There is nothing in the Bible, then, which teaches that it is impossible
for any individual to be saved, provided he will repent and obey the
Lord. There are simply some who refuse to obey. Anyone can repent, but
there are some who will not. Of such characters 2 Peter 2:21-22 says:
“For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than after they have known it to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according
to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the
sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”
IV
Simon the Sorcerer
In the eighth chapter of Acts we have another example of an erring child
of God. His name was Simon and he was a sorcerer by profession. Of him
verse 13 says, “Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was
baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles
and signs which were done.” Jesus said, Mark 16:16: “He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved.” Simon believed and was baptized,
therefore, Simon was saved. Simon was a child of God because he had
believed and been baptized. That he was afterwards in error is plainly
taught by Peter in the verses which follow. Beginning with verse 18:
“And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands
the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also
this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy
Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou
hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast
neither part nor lot in this matter; for thy heart is not right in the
sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if
perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive
that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of
these things which ye have spoken come upon me.”
Simon was a child of God because he had believed and had been baptized.
Afterwards he erred. That made him an erring child of God. His condition
was serious. He had so sinned as to be aptly described as being in the
bond of iniquity, and in the gall of bitterness. But his case was not
hopeless. Peter’s admonition to him shows clearly that there was still a
chance for him to be saved.
Peter commanded him to repent and to pray. The commandment to pray for
forgiveness implied a commandment to confess his sins. One cannot
consistently pray for forgiveness until he admits, at least to himself
and to God, that he has sinned. One cannot even repent until he first
admits to himself that he has done wrong. The commandment to confess
implied by Peter is clearly stated elsewhere in God’s word. For
instance, James 5:16: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one
for another that ye may be healed.” Again we read in I John, chapter 1,
verses 9 and 10, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say
that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.”
These Scriptures not only teach the possibility of an erring child of
God’s being saved, but also the condition upon which his salvation
depends. These conditions are: repentance of his sins, confession of his
sins, and prayer unto the Lord for forgiveness. Any erring child of God
who conforms to these conditions will be readily and freely forgiven by
our Father who is in heaven. One who refuses to conform to these simple
conditions assumes full responsibility for his own destruction. Having
put his hand to the plow, and looking back, he is not fit for the
kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). He must repent or perish (Luke 13:3).
V
The Prodigal Son
The story of the prodigal son very beautifully and accurately
illustrates the plan we are discussing. The prodigal son does not
represent an alien sinner. He was a son. He represents an erring child.
He went away from home contrary to his father’s will, and he wasted his
father’s goods in riotous living. He was a wayward child. He was a
disobedient son of his father; and finally, when he had tasted the
bitter dregs of sin, he resolved to go back home.
The Bible says that he came to himself. He recognized that he had
sinned. That was the first step in his restoration. When he thought
about the good things back in his father’s home in contrast with his own
suffering, he recognized that he had made a mistake. Then he made a
resolution. He said, “I will arise and go unto my father.” And the very
minute he made up his mind to go to his father, that was repentance.
Repentance is a change of purpose. A determination to quit doing wrong
and to begin doing right. And so when the young man said to himself, “I
will go, I will return to my father, and to my father’s house,” that
resolution constituted repentance. Then the story says that he arose and
came to his father. That was the fruit of his repentance.
He had planned his confession. He said, “I will say unto my father,
Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more
worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.” The
young man expected to plead his case with his father. He didn’t even
hope to be reinstated as a son. But he was going to beg that he might be
allowed to come back as a servant. Imagine his surprise when his father
ran to meet him and welcomed him back into the family circle. The boy
started to make his confession, but before he had had time to finish,
the father interrupted him and said: “Bring forth the best robe and put
it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring
hither the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat, and be merry. For
this my son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost and is found.”
Now this not only illustrates what an erring child of God must do to be
saved, but it also represents God’s willingness to forgive him. This
young man repented, he reformed, he confessed, and he prayed. He prayed
to his father to take him back into his home. (He had planned his
confession in his heart even if he were not allowed to express it all.)
That is just exactly what an erring child of God must do. As we learn
from Peter, James and John, he must repent, confess his sins, and pray
for forgiveness. Just as the father of that prodigal son was eager to
receive him back into his home, so our heavenly Father stands waiting to
receive unto the bosom of his love all of his wayward children who will
come back to him in humility, penitence, confession and prayer. Just as
that father showered his son with blessings, so Jehovah will shower his
wayward children who return to him with the blessings of forgiveness,
protection, and encouragement.
VI
The Church’s Duty
In conclusion it might be well to mention the duty of the church in
reference to an erring child of God. It is the duty of the church and of
all its spiritually-minded members to warn those who are living in
error, to rebuke them, to reprove them and to exhort them with all long
suffering and teaching, to admonish them to do these three things which
are required of them in order to be forgiven by the Lord. When we do so,
we shall in no wise lose our reward.
I close then by calling attention once more to these verses in James,
“Brethren, if anyone of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his
way, shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.”
Now, there may be some erring children of God in this audience this
morning. I want to do just what the Bible teaches me to do. I want to
admonish you, urge you, and beseech you to take advantage of God’s
goodness and God’s mercy and God’s willingness to forgive.
The alien sinner must believe, repent, and be baptized. The erring child
of God must repent, confess his sin, and pray for forgiveness. But I
don’t care how black your past may have been, how many ugly things you
may have done, if you will confess to men, to yourself, and to God that
you have sinned; if you will resolve in your heart that you will turn
away from your evil doing, and ask God to forgive you, He will certainly
do so. He never goes back on His promise. He’s not only willing, but is
eager to have you come. He will welcome you back into the fold of those
who are redeemed.
All of those evil things which you have done will not only be forgiven,
but they will be forgotten. They will never be remembered any more, and
you can start all over again to live the Christian life, with a
perfectly clean, white record; all the blots having been wiped away by
the all-powerful blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Don’t you want
to do that? We urge you to do so, while together we stand and sing.
[Illustration: Three Dispensations]
PATRIARCHAL
God’s law to the patriarchs and Gentiles.
Red Sea
MOSAIC
God’s law to the Jews given through Moses
{Cross}
CHRISTIAN
God’s law to the world given through Christ
IX
THE SABBATH
Negative sermons are sometimes necessary. It is the duty of gospel
preachers not only to proclaim the truth but also to condemn error and
convict the gainsayers (Titus 1:9). Wherever false teaching raises its
ugly head, we must strike it down with the sword of the Spirit. Wherever
it lurks in secret hiding places to destroy unwary souls, we must search
for it and expose it with the light of truth. We must warn people
against it.
Much money and effort are spent to protect people from contagious
diseases. In a public building of downtown Nashville yesterday I saw
above a water fountain a sign which said, “Do not put your mouth on the
faucet unless you wish to catch or spread disease.” Certainly we should
labor diligently to prevent the spreading of _religious_ error. I wish I
were able to place a skull and cross bones sign across every false
doctrine.
I
Purpose and Occasion
It is my purpose this morning to label and expose the false doctrine of
the Seventh Day Adventists with respect to the sabbath. In view of the
current meeting at the War Memorial Auditorium, this lesson is certainly
timely. I’m taking no advantage of those whose teaching I examine, for
my purpose has been duly advertised in the daily press, and they are
invited to be here. The overflow crowd present this morning indicates a
lively interest in this topic. I wish I had the opportunity to speak to
all of those who have been listening to error in reference to the
sabbath. I proceed with malice in my heart toward none.
The zeal and liberality of the Seventh Day Adventists are admirable.
They are spending a lot of money to teach what they evidently believe to
be the truth. The advertising for their current meeting is costing
thousands of dollars. Their winning several converts to a doctrine that
is not only false but also unpopular and inconvenient is evidence that
advertising is effective. But their zeal is without knowledge and their
converts have accepted error. The work they are doing at present
constitutes a public challenge to all preachers of the gospel. That
challenge shall not go unanswered. I make no personal criticism of their
speaker but I condemn his teaching because it is false.
II
Three Dispensations
The Bible reveals unto us three distinct dispensations or periods of
time. On the board I have a little diagram to represent those three
dispensations. (See p. 144.) The first lasted from Adam to Moses; the
second continued from Moses until the death of Christ on the cross; the
third began at the cross and will continue until our Lord comes again.
During the first period, the family was the unit of worship. In divers
manners and various portions God communicated with the heads of the
families, such as Adam, Noah, Abram, _et al_. These men were known as
patriarchs (Heb. 7:4; Acts 2:29; 7:8, 9) and accordingly this period is
known as the patriarchal dispensation. At Mt. Sinai God gave another law
to the Jewish nation which continued in force until Christ died on the
cross. This law was given through Moses and applied to the Jews only.
Hence the second period is known as the Mosaic dispensation. Throughout
this period the patriarchal regulations continued to apply to the
Gentile families and nations but the Jews were governed by the law given
at Sinai. There were two laws in force simultaneously but applying to
different peoples. God never had two different laws applying to the same
people at the same time.
During the third period, or Christian dispensation, we have, of course,
the will or the law of Christ. In Hebrews 1:1-2 we read, “God, who at
sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers
by the prophets, hath in these days spoken unto us by his son.” That
makes a distinct break at the cross. Before Christ came God spoke unto
our fathers by the prophets in dreams, visions, etc., but unto us he
hath spoken through his Son, Jesus Christ. In the New Testament we have
the will of Christ which went into effect when he died on the cross
(Heb. 9:15-17).
III
The Adventist Claim
The advocates of the seventh day sabbath make a very broad claim. They
claim that the command to remember the sabbath day and keep it holy (the
fourth commandment of the Decalogue given at Sinai) has been binding on
all people throughout all ages and will continue to be in force as long
as time shall last. In other words, they claim that it has been binding
throughout each of the dispensations already mentioned. With the diagram
(p. 144) to keep these three periods before our minds, let us examine
the claim in the light of the Bible.
IV
No Sabbath for Man During First 2,500 Years
First of all, I emphatically deny that God commanded anyone to keep the
sabbath before the children of Israel were led out of Egypt. According
to the Seventh Day Adventists, the “fourth commandment” was in force at
least 2,500 years before it was made known. This could not be. Moses
wrote the book of Genesis. He probably wrote it after the law was given
at Sinai. It covers almost the entire patriarchal period. _In this book
the word “sabbath” is not found at all!_ Genesis 2:2 says that God
rested on the seventh day, but it does not say that he told Adam and Eve
to rest; neither does it call the seventh day the sabbath. “And on the
seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the
seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the
seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from
all his work which God created and made.” Please note that that is _not
a commandment_; it is a statement of facts. It is a statement of the
fact that _God_ rested on the seventh day and a statement of the further
fact that (at some later date) he sanctified and blessed the seventh
day. There is no commandment in that Scripture.
Furthermore, the very tense of the verb used in verse 3 shows that he
did not sanctify the day at the time he rested. Note this tense:
“because in it he _had rested_.” It does not say “because he was
resting” but “because he _had rested_” on that day. The very tense of
the verb shows that after God himself had rested on the seventh day, _at
some later time_, when he could refer to the fact that he had rested in
the past tense, he sanctified that day. Genesis does not say _when_ he
sanctified it. Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 reveal that he sanctified it
as a day of rest for the Jews in the wilderness when he gave the law at
Mt. Sinai, after he had led them out of Egypt. The seventh day was
sanctified at the close of the patriarchal dispensation, _at least 2,500
years after the world began_.
The mentioning of the sanctification in Genesis 2:3 has been called a
case of prolepsis, or joining together in statement two events that were
separated in time. Other examples of prolepsis may be found in Genesis
3:20, 4:20, and Matthew 10:4. No one can show where God sanctified the
seventh day, much less where he commanded anyone to keep it, until after
the deliverance of the Jews from Egypt.
The seventh day of the week is first called the sabbath in Exodus 16, in
connection with the giving of the manna to the Jews in the wilderness.
In anticipation of the law soon to be given at Sinai, God instructed the
people to gather two days’ supply on the sixth day and warned them not
to expect any on the seventh day. The manner in which the sabbath is
thus introduced shows that they were not accustomed to keeping it. In
spite of these special instructions, some went out to gather manna on
the seventh day and found none. This shows their lack of familiarity
with the seventh day sabbath. The sabbath was a new institution soon to
be established. Here it was first introduced. At Mt. Sinai a few days
later it was made known. “Thou camest down also upon Mt. Sinai, and
spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true
laws, good statutes and commandments; and madest known unto them thy
holy sabbath and commanded them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the
hand of Moses thy servant ...” (Neh. 9:13, 14; see also Ex. 20:8-11, and
Deut. 5:12-15). If they were already familiar with the sabbath, how
could God have _made it known_ to them at Mt. Sinai?
Soon after the sabbath command was given at Sinai, a Jew went out and
picked up sticks on the sabbath day (Num. 15:32-36). That this
ceremonial institution was new is shown by the fact that Moses put that
man in jail until he could inquire from God what should be done. Don’t
you know that if God’s people had been keeping the sabbath 2,500 years,
_they would have known_ what to do with a man who violated it?
(Incidentally, God commanded that he be stoned to death. I have not
heard of any modern Sabbatarians thus punishing the violation of their
favorite law. If the seventh day sabbath were still in force, _the death
penalty for violating it would also still be in force_.)
And so, my friends, I boldly declare that there is no verse of Scripture
in the Bible which shows that any man ever kept the sabbath during the
period from Adam to Moses. In the history that covers this period of
approximately 2,500 years there is no commandment to keep the sabbath;
there is no example of man’s resting on the seventh day; there is no
promise of reward for his doing so; there is no threat of punishment for
his failing to do so. Those who teach that the seventh day sabbath was
in force during this period are urgently requested to cite the text that
says so. Since they cannot do so, the first pillar in the foundation of
the seventh day sabbath theory is completely destroyed. _It is simply
nonexistent._
V
Never Applied To the Gentiles
Coming now to the second part of the diagram (p. 144), I emphatically
deny that there is any place in the Bible to show that God ever
commanded the Gentile nations to keep the sabbath day, even during the
Mosaic dispensation. Seventh Day Adventists are obligated to furnish the
text which says that he did so, but they cannot furnish it. In fact,
there are plenty of Scriptures to show that this ceremonial institution
was not in force among the Gentiles.
Speaking of the sabbath, God said, “It is a sign between me and the
children of Israel for ever ...” (Ex. 31:17). If the other nations had
been observing the seventh day sabbath also, it could not have been a
sign between God and the Jews. Down in the country where I was reared
each farmer had a certain mark which he used to distinguish his
livestock in the woods from that of others. For instance, one fellow
split his hogs’ ears at two places. That was his mark, but if every
other farmer used the same mark, it would cease to be a sign of the
stock which belonged to that particular man. If every ranchman in the
West used the same brand for his cattle, it would not be a sign of that
which belonged to any one in particular. _Yet the sabbath was a sign
between God and the children of Israel._ Therefore, it was peculiar to
that law which applied to them, and was not a part of any other law
given by Jehovah to any other people or at any other time.
The sabbath was a memorial to an event peculiar to the Jewish family.
“And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that
the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a
stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the
sabbath day” (Deut. 5:15). The Gentiles were never delivered from
Egyptian bondage and, therefore, could not observe the sabbath in memory
of any such event. This Scripture not only proves that the Gentiles were
not commanded to observe the sabbath, but also that the Jews themselves
did not keep it _until after_ they were delivered from Egypt. If a
stranger desired to become identified with the Jewish nation and
religion he was _permitted_ to do so by submitting to the Jewish law,
including the sabbath regulation (Isa. 56:3-7). In this event he ceased
to be a Gentile religiously, but became a Jew instead. If the sabbath
had been a universal practice, it would not have been necessary for a
proselyte to _begin_ observing it when he submitted to the Jewish
religion. What has been said proves conclusively that the sabbath was
purely a _Jewish_ institution. I most urgently request that those who
advocate the observance of the Jewish sabbath show us at least one verse
of Scripture in which God ever commanded the Gentiles to do so. This
they _cannot_ do. Hence, the second pillar essential to the support of
their theory is completely lacking.
VI
Sabbath Commandments Not in The Law of Christ
Coming now to the last section in the diagram (on page 144), I
emphatically deny that there is any verse of Scripture which states that
God ever commanded _anybody_ to keep the sabbath day since Jesus died on
the cross. No one can find such a text in the Bible. I’m not unaware of
some attempts made along that line by Seventh Day Sabbatarians. For
instance, they refer to Matthew 24:20, where Jesus told his disciples to
pray that, when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed (in A.D. 70), they
might not have to make their flight on the sabbath day. But the very
same verse tells them to pray likewise that their flight be not in the
winter. He told them to pray that their flight be not in the winter
because it would be difficult to travel and find comfortable shelter at
that season. In like manner, they were told to pray that their flight be
not on the sabbath day because the unconverted Jews would still be
observing the sabbath and in harmony with the commandment given by
Nehemiah (ch. 13, vss. 15-17) would keep the gates of the city closed
throughout the sabbath day. Under such conditions it would have been
almost impossible for the Christians to have fled from the city on the
sabbath day. It was for that reason that they were told to pray that
their flight be not on the sabbath. Such instructions on the part of
Jesus did not imply that the Christians would be expected to _rest_ on
the seventh day.
Naturally you can find examples of unconverted Jews keeping the sabbath
day after Jesus died on the cross. Paul went to their synagogues and
preached to them on Saturday, telling them that they were no longer
obligated to keep the law of Moses. We have a parallel case in Nashville
today. The Seventh Day Adventists have advertised a religious meeting at
the War Memorial Auditorium tonight. That does not mean that they
recognize Sunday as the sabbath day, for they do not. The apostle Paul
went to the synagogue where the people were on Saturday to preach to
them. That does not mean that he recognized Saturday as the sabbath day,
for he did not.
The sabbath is mentioned sixty times in the New Testament. Forty-three
of these cases are in connection with the life of Jesus Christ.
According to the flesh, Christ was a Jew. He was born under the law, “to
redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption
of sons” (Gal. 4:4, 5). Before taking the law out of the way (Col.
2:14), he _fulfilled_ it by _obeying_ it perfectly (Matt. 5:17, 18).
Naturally, he kept the sabbath, just as he kept the passover and all the
other ceremonies of the law of Moses. All of this occurred before Christ
died and, therefore, before his will, under which we are now living,
went into effect (Heb. 9:15, 17).
In Bible history following the death of Christ, the sabbath is mentioned
seventeen times. In sixteen of these cases it refers to the worship of
the unconverted Jews. In the other case, the only one found in the
Epistles, it is used to state that _Christians are not expected to
observe it_. “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in
respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days ...”
(Col. 2:16). Friends, all of this simply confirms and emphasizes the
conclusion that there is absolutely not one word of Scripture to show
that God ever commanded any Christian to regard the seventh day of the
week as a sabbath day.
VII
The Christian’s Day of Worship
Christians are taught to worship on the first day of the week. “Now
concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the
churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let
every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that
there be no gathering when I come” (1 Cor. 16:1, 2). The last phrase in
this quotation shows that Paul did not refer to merely laying aside some
money at home but rather to putting money into a common treasury. This
definitely implies that the church was accustomed to meeting on the
first day of the week. The purpose of this weekly assembling was to eat
the Lord’s supper. They were rebuked for allowing something to interfere
with this holy purpose (1 Cor. 11:20-26).
The importance of this assembling on the first day of the week to eat
the Lord’s supper is clearly revealed. “... and let us consider one
another to provoke unto love and good works: not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but
exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the day
approaching” (Heb. 10:24, 25). Under the guidance of the inspired
apostle the church at Troas also met to eat the Lord’s supper on the
first day of the week. “And upon the first day of the week, when the
disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready
to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight” (Acts
20:7).
Seventh Day Adventists teach that the Catholic Church changed the
sabbath from Saturday to Sunday, and challenge the public to cite the
Scripture which says that the first day of the week is the sabbath.
_There is no such scripture. The first day of the week is not the
sabbath! It is the day on which Christians ought to eat the Lord’s
supper._ It is a day of _worship_, not necessarily a day of _rest_.
Neither _rest_ nor _work_ should be allowed to interfere with a
Christian’s _worship_ on the first day of the week. We have met today to
eat the Lord’s supper by the authority of the Scriptures cited above and
not by the authority of any church. Christians were eating the Lord’s
supper on the first day of the week several hundred years before the
Roman Catholic Church came into existence. I hereby challenge the
Sabbatarians to furnish even one word of Bible authority for eating the
Lord’s supper on Saturday.
VIII
The Will of Christ
Christians are living under the reign of Christ. They are expected to
obey the word that God hath spoken unto us by his Son (Heb. 1:2). This
word is called the will, or testament, of Christ. As in the case of
human wills, it became of force when he died on the cross. “For where a
testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no
strength at all while the testator liveth” (Heb. 6:16, 17). The will of
Christ teaches Christians to worship on the first day of the week, but
it does not teach them to rest on the seventh day. The will of Christ
forbids murder, stealing, lying, and such like (Rom. 13:9), but it does
not forbid working on Saturday. “For the law was given by Moses, but
grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). This grace teaches
righteous living (Titus 2:11, 12), but it does not teach that Saturday
should be observed as a sabbath.
When the will of Christ was established by his death on the cross, the
law which God had given to the Jews through Moses at Sinai came to an
end. This the Bible abundantly teaches. “He taketh away the first, that
he may establish the second” (Heb. 10:9). “But we have been discharged
from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve
in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter” (Rom. 7:6
ARV). In 2 Corinthians 3:6-18 we have a contrast between the law given
at Sinai, including the sabbath commandments (see verse), and the will
of Christ. The former was glorious; the latter much more glorious. The
former was done away; the latter remaineth. “For if that which is done
away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.”
In Galatians, chapter 3, speaking of the law God gave to the Jews at
Sinai, 430 years after his covenant with Abraham, Paul says, “Wherefore
the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be
justified by faith. But after that faith is come we are no longer under
a schoolmaster” (Gal. 3:24, 25). I ask you if words could be plainer.
“The law was our schoolmaster ... we are no longer under a
schoolmaster.” Is that sufficient? Do I need to cite other texts, such
as Colossians 2:14-16; Ephesians 2:10-22; Galatians 4:1-31, etc.? No
wonder Paul said in Galatians 5:4, “Christ is become of no effect unto
you, whosoever of you are (he who would be—ARV) justified by the law; ye
are fallen from grace.”
IX
Conclusion
Beloved, you have seen that the commandment to remember the sabbath day
and keep it holy is confined to the law God gave to the Jews through
Moses in the wilderness. It is not named in the history of God’s people
during the 2,500 years prior to that time. _It is peculiar to the law of
Moses._ It is not found at any other place in the Bible. It was not in
force during the patriarchal dispensation. Even during the Mosaic age,
or dispensation, it never applied to the Gentiles. It is not binding
during the Christian dispensation. It has no place in the will of
Christ. The only law in which it is found fulfilled its purpose, was
fulfilled by Christ, and was taken out of the way when he died on the
cross.
The law of Moses could not take away sins; the will of Christ can (Rom.
1:16). I beseech you by the mercies of God to believe the will of
Christ, obey its commandments, and enjoy its promises. The will of
Christ says to believers, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). The will of Christ says, “And
now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins,
calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
The law of Christ teaches us to worship God in spirit and in truth, by
singing, praying, studying, teaching and by laying by in store and
eating the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week. The law of Christ
teaches us to love God with all our heart, power, soul, mind and
strength; to love our neighbors as ourselves and to do unto others as we
would have them do unto us. The will of Christ promises the faithful a
crown of everlasting life. This is the perfect law of liberty. It is
holy, just and good. It is complete. It is a glorious law. Its glory
outshines that of all other laws as the sun outshines the stars (2 Cor.
3:10). It furnishes the man of God completely unto every good work. It
is the law of life, rather than the law of death. It is the law of
eternal happiness, rather than the law of condemnation.
Don’t you want to hear Christ and obey this new law enacted upon better
promises, glorious in its origin, glorious in its power and purpose, and
glorious because it leads to a life of eternal glory for all of those
who faithfully follow it? While we stand and sing we bid you come to
Jesus and let him save you from all your sins.
X
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISM REVIEWED
Those of you who were present last Lord’s day remember that I spoke on
the topic “The Sabbath.” Since that time I have received several letters
from people who were not able to be present, but who requested that I
send them a copy of the lesson presented. I’m glad to announce that the
sermon was recorded by dictaphone and will be ready for free
distribution soon. I have also received many requests that I continue
today along the same line that was begun last Lord’s day. To these
requests I am conceding. It would be more pleasant to preach without
naming the mistakes of others but, when the souls of men and women are
involved, we cannot afford to shirk our duty.
I
Review
The main points in the lesson last Lord’s day were as follows:
1. Bible history is divided into three periods: the Patriarchal
Dispensation; the Mosaic Dispensation; and the Christian
Dispensation.
2. There was no sabbath during the first period which lasted from Adam
to Moses.
3. The sabbath commandment never applied to the Gentiles—not even during
the Mosaic dispensation.
4. The sabbath commandment was confined to the law of Moses which was
abolished when Christ died on the cross.