The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-12-26

M=M The church is
under obligation
to test the teach
ings and doctrines offered to her, for
there always have been, and always
will be, men who are desirous to utter
any new fancy that seizes them, or to
dispute any accepted doctrine Of faith
which they themselves are not willing
TO accept. There is need of caution,
therefore, against a too ready accept
ance OF any prophet or teacher. Sin
cerity in a teacher is not sufficient;
earnestness and fervor are no guaran-
tee of the truth of the message deliv-
cred; perspiration is not inspiration,
and il is not a sufficient ground of ac-
ceptance Of a man to simply say, He
believes what he breaches"
Fortunately, It is possible for the
true Christian to make such discern
ment. Paul, in / Cor. IL, and John, in
his first epistle, second chapter, clear
ly state this fact. 1t may be true that
some Christians have the gift of the
discernment Of spirits in special
way; it is nevertheless true that all
Christians may be able to discern the
false from the true.
Not only is such a test possible, but
II is obligatory. A careful study of the
seven letters in the book of Revela-
tion enforces this truth. In apostolic
days false teachers went out" from
the church, but in these days they
stay in" the church when ofttimes
they should be put out. We should be
careful lest in our attempt to be hos
pitable to all truth we entertain the
devil unawares.
In the chapter we are considering,
the apostle tells us that the point TO
be proven about teachers is, Are they
of God?' That means from whence is
their message derived, from God or
from the world. Satan is an imitator.
He has a church (Rev. 2:9); minis
try q Cor. 11:13l5); membership
q John 3:1O); and gives power to
work signs e Thess. 2:9).
The proof that a mans teaching is
divine in it's origin is settled by his at
titude towards Jesus Christ (4:2,6). In
all things he must hold to the Head
(Col 4:9). Names and sects and par
ties fau: Jesus Christ is all in all. All
processing Christian teaching must be
judged by its relation to Jesus Christ.
Belief in the incarnation or Virgin
birth is a sign that mans teaching
is from God-t4:2,3; SID. There must
be the belief that the historical Jesus
is the anointed Savior of the world;
this fact of history must be also fact
Of faith. There can be no lodging this
question: Jesus is anathema" or else
Jesus is Lord" We may make all the
progress in the doctrines of Christ pos
sible. but we must be careful that our
progress is in the truth, and not away
from the truth. There is an advance,
even in the doctrine of Christ, which
is not progress but apostasy q John
81.
The next point to be settled with re-
gard TO Christ is the acceptance OF
his Deity (2:1S-2S: As, Is, 16; 5:5, 20).
True Christian doctrine acknowledges
Jesus Christ not merely as Divine, but
as Deity. and as such he is worshipped.
The Babe in Bethlehem's manger was
God manifest in the flesh, in him dwelt
all the fullness OF the Godhead. That
teaching is false which separates the
Christ from Jesus. This is he that
came by water and by blood"-these
words deny that teaching which states
that some form Of Deity came on
Christ at his baptism and left him at
the cross. Jesus Christ cannot be d.
vided: he is the same, yesterday. to-
day and forever"
Ii is vital that a teacher from God
be sound with regard to the nature OF
the redemptive work OF Christ John
is emphatic about this (compare 2:1,2;
3:5. 4:9,10.14; 5:6). Jesus Christ gave
his life as a ransom for our sins; we
are reconciled TO God by the death Of
his son: Jesus Christ is the propitia-
ton for our sins: he is the Savior OF
the world. All this means that Jesus
Christ took our place and our sins up
on himself. that his death was in our
stead. Ii is not enough TO say that
| Christ's death exerted a moral infiu-
ence upon mankind. or that IL was an
example OF self-sacrifcing love, or
even that God needed. by such a
tragedy. to give the world an illustra-
ton of his anger against sin. OF
course. Christ's death is the supreme
manifestation of Gods love. and IL does
show his anger towards sin. but IL goes
further than that. IL has a relation to
the sin of man. Christ in his death
paid the wages OF sin: the atonement
settles the question OF sims guilt and
redemption: Who. his own self. bare
our sins in his own body on the tree.
that we. being dead to sins. should
live unto righteousness; ty whose
stripes ye are healed"