Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 10:15
I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
15 22. The danger of eating Meats sacrificed to Idols shewn from the example of Sacrificial Feasts in general
15. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say ] Even in the plenitude of his Apostolic authority, he does not forbid the Corinthians the exercise of their reason. They, as well as he, have the unction from above (1Jn 2:20, cf. ch. 1Co 2:12), and can therefore discern the force of what he says. See also ch. 1Co 11:13.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I speak as to wise men … – I speak to people qualified to understand the subject; and present reasons which will commend themselves to you. The reasons referred to are those which occupy the remainder of the chapter.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. I speak as to wise men] The Corinthians valued themselves not a little on their wisdom and various gifts; the apostle admits this, and draws an argument from it against themselves. As ye are so wise, surely ye can see the propriety of abominating idolatry of every kind: for an idol is nothing in the world, and can do nothing for you and nothing against you.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
As to the present case, you are persons that understand the principles of Christian religion, I will make you judges in this case.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. Appeal to their own powersof judgment to weigh the force of the argument that follows:namely, that as the partaking of the Lord’s Supper involves apartaking of the Lord Himself, and the partaking of the Jewishsacrificial meats involved a partaking of the altar of God, and, asthe heathens sacrifice to devils, to partake of an idol feast is tohave fellowship with devils. We cannot divest ourselves of theresponsibility of “judging” for ourselves. The weakness ofprivate judgment is not an argument against its use, but its abuse.We should the more take pains in searching the infallible word, withevery aid within our reach, and above all with humble prayer for theSpirit’s teaching (Ac 17:11).If Paul, an inspired apostle, not only permits, but urges, men tojudge his sayings by Scripture, much more should the fallibleministers of the present visible Church do so.
To wise menrefers witha mixture of irony to the Corinthian boast of “wisdom”(1Co 4:10; 2Co 11:19).Here you have an opportunity of exercising your “wisdom” injudging “what I say.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I speak as to wise men,…. That is, what he was now going to say concerning the Lord’s supper, and the communion which believers have with Christ in it, which they as Christians must have knowledge of; and concerning the participation of the altar the Israelites had, who ate of the sacrifices of it, which many of them, being Jews, as such must know; and therefore being fully persuaded of the propriety and pertinency of the instances he was about to produce, and of the justness of his reasoning upon them, he appeals to the Corinthians, as men of wisdom and understanding in these things, and makes them themselves judges thereof:
judge what I say; consider and weigh the matter well, and you will discern and judge that what I say is proper and pertinent, just and right.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Against Countenancing Idolatry. | A. D. 57. |
15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
In this passage the apostle urges the general caution against idolatry, in the particular case of eating the heathen sacrifices as such, and out of any religious respect to the idol to whom they were sacrificed.
I. He prefaces his argument with an appeal to their own reason and judgment: “I speak to wise men, judge you what I say, v. 15. You are great pretenders to wisdom, to close reasoning and argument; I can leave it with your own reason and conscience whether I do not argue justly.” Note, It is no dishonour to an inspired teacher, nor disadvantage to his argument, to appeal for the truth of it to the reason and consciences of his hearers. It comes upon them with the greater force when it comes with this conviction. Paul, an inspired apostle, would yet, in some cases, leave it with the Corinthians to judge whether what he taught was not conformable to their own light and sense.
II. He lays down his argument from the Lord’s supper: The cup which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Is not this sacred rite an instrument of communion with God? Do we not therein profess to be in friendship, and to have fellowship, with him? Is it not a token whereby we professedly hold communion with Christ, whose body was broken, and blood shed, to procure remission of our sins, and the favour of God? And can we be in alliance with Christ, or friendship with God, without being devoted to him? In short, the Lord’s supper is a feast on the sacrificed body and blood of our Lord, epulum ex oblatis. And to eat of the feast is to partake of the sacrifice, and so to be his guests to whom the sacrifice was offered, and this in token of friendship with him. Thus to partake of the Lord’s table is to profess ourselves his guests and covenant people. This is the very purpose and intention of this symbolical eating and drinking; it is holding communion with God, and partaking of those privileges, and professing ourselves under those obligations, which result from the death and sacrifice of Christ; and this in conjunction with all true Christians, with whom we have communion also in this ordinance. Because the bread is one, we, being many, are one body, for we are made partakers of one bread, or loaf (v. 17), which I think is thus more truly rendered: “By partaking of one broken loaf, the emblem of our Saviour’s broken body, who is the only true bread that came down from heaven, we coalesce into one body, become members of him and one another.” Those who truly partake by faith have this communion with Christ, and one another; and those who eat the outward elements make profession of having this communion, of belonging to God and the blessed fraternity of his people and worshippers. This is the true meaning of this holy rite.
III. He confirms this from the Jewish worship and customs: Behold Israel after the flesh: are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar, that is, of the sacrifice offered upon it? Those who were admitted to eat of the offerings were reckoned to partake of the sacrifice itself, as made for them, and to be sanctified thereby; and therefore surely to worship God, and be in alliance or covenant with him, even the God of Israel, to whom the sacrifice was made: this was a symbol or token of holding communion with him.
IV. He applies this to the argument against feasting with idolaters on their sacrifices, and to prove those that do so idolaters. This he does, 1. By following the principle on which they would argue it to be lawful, namely, that an idol was nothing. Many of them were nothing at all, none of them had any divinity in them. What was sacrificed to idols was nothing, no way changed from what it was before, but was every whit as fit for food, considered in itself. They indeed seem to argue that, because an idol was nothing, what was offered was no sacrifice, but common and ordinary food, of which they might therefore eat with as little scruple. Now the apostle allows that the food was not changed as to its nature, was as fit to be eaten as common food, where it was set before any who knew not of its having been offered to an idol. But, 2. He proves that the eating of it as a part of a heathen sacrifice was, (1.) A partaking with them in their idolatry. It was having fellowship with devils, because what the Gentiles sacrificed they sacrificed to devils; and to feast with them upon these sacrifices was to partake in the sacrifice, and therefore to worship the god to whom it was made, and have fellowship or communion with him just as he who eats the Lord’s supper is supposed to partake in the Christian sacrifice; or as those who ate the Jewish sacrifices partook of what was offered on their altar. But heathens sacrificed to devils: “Therefore do not feast on their sacrifices. Doing it is a token of your having fellowship with the demons to whom they are offered. I would not have you be in communion with devils.” (2.) It was a virtual renouncing of Christianity: You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: you cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and the table of devils, v. 21. To partake of this Christian feast was to have communion with Christ: to partake of the feasts made in honour of the heathen idols, and made of things sacrificed to them, was to have communion with devils. Now this was to compound contraries; it was by no means consistent. Communion with Christ, and communion with devils, could never be had at once. One must be renounced, if the other was maintained. He who held communion with Christ must renounce that with devils; he who held communion with devils must by that very deed renounce communion with Christ. And what a manifest self-contradiction must that man’s conduct be that would partake of the Lord’s table, and yet partake of the table of demons! God and mammon can never be served together, nor fellowship be at once had with Christ and Satan. Those who communicate with devils must virtually renounce Christ. This may also intimate that such as indulge themselves in gluttony or drunkenness, and by so doing make their own table the table of devils, or keep up fellowship with Satan by a course of known and wilful wickedness, cannot partake truly of the cup and table of the Lord. They may use the sign, but do not the thing signified thereby. For a man can never be at once in communication with Christ and his church and yet in fellowship with Satan. Note, How much reason have we to look to it that every sin and idol be renounced by us, when we eat and drink at the Lord’s table.
V. He warns them, upon the whole, against such idolatry, by signifying to them that God is a jealous God (v. 22): Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? It is very probable that many among the Corinthians made light of being at these heathen feasts, and thought there was no harm in it. But the apostle bids them beware. The reason with which the second commandment is enforced is, I am a jealous God. God cannot endure a rival in matter of worship; nor give his glory, nor suffer it to be given, to another. Those who have fellowship with other gods provoke him to jealousy, Deut. xxxii. 16. And, before this be done, persons should consider whether they are stronger than he. It is a dangerous thing to provoke God’s anger, unless we could withstand his power. But who can stand before him when he is angry? Nah. i. 6. This should be considered by all who continue in the love and liking of sin, and in league with it, while yet they profess to keep up communion with Christ. Is not this the way to provoke his jealousy and indignation? Note, Attention to the greatness of God’s power should restrain us from provoking his jealousy, from doing any thing to displease him. Shall we rouse almighty wrath? And how shall we withstand it? Are we a match for God? Can we resist his power, or control it? And, if not, shall we arm it against us, by provoking him to jealousy? No, let us fear his power, and let this restrain us from all provocation.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
As to wise men ( ). No sarcasm as in 2Co 11:19, but plea that they make proper use of the mind () given them.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Wise [] . See on wisdom, Luk 1:17; wisely, Luk 16:8. The warning against the sacrificial feasts and the allusion in ver. 3 suggest the eucharistic feast. An act of worship is sacramental, as bringing the worshipper into communion with the unseen. Hence he who practices idolatry is in communion with demons (ver. 20), as he who truly partakes of the Eucharist is in communion with Christ. But the two things are incompatible (ver. 21). In citing the Eucharist he appeals to them as intelligent (wise) men, concerning a familiar practice.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “I speak as to wise men.” (hos phronimois lego) “I speak as to prudent, discerning, or discreet men.” These people were addressed as people of good sense, capable of evaluating or determining matters that of moral, ethical, and spiritual nature would affect their personal, family, business, church and spiritual lives.
2) Judge ye what I say. (krinate humeis ho phemi) “You all judge what I speak – you are men of prudence.” Paul’s final word on this matter of learning and acting from Old Testament types and object lessons recognized the power of personal choice, volition, or free moral agency in decisions of conduct for every person. Rom 14:11-13; Php_2:10-11.
POOR TASTE IN CLOTHES
In the spring of 1924, I was assisting Pastor N. E. Norwood in a revival meeting at Fort Ogden, Florida. Driving along the highway, we passed a gang of convicts working the road. They were clothed in stripes; and I remarked to Pastor Norwood: “I don’t like their clothes. If I had the selection, I should have selected a different suit.” ‘Why,” he answered, “they don’t select their suits, do they?” “Oh, yes!” I answered. “Well,” he said, “I didn’t know that. I thought the state selected their suits for them.” “No,” I replied, “every man selects his own suit. Those fellows knew the penalty of violating the law before they committed the acts. They made their choice; they selected their suits. And they are wearing the suits of their own selection.” What suit have you selected – the black stripe suit of shame and dishonor, or the “white robe of righteousness?”
“Wings.”
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
15. I speak as to wise men. As he was about to take his argument from the mystery of the Supper, he arouses them by this little preface, that they may consider more attentively the magnitude of the thing. (573) “I do not address mere novices. You understand the efficacy of the sacred Supper in it we are ingrafted into the Lord’s body. How unseemly a thing is it then, that you should enter into fellowship with the wicked, so as to be united in one body. At the same time, he tacitly reproves their want of consideration in this respect, that, while accurately instructed in the school of Christ, they allowed themselves in gross vice, as to which there was no difficulty in forming an opinion.
(573) “ L’excellence de ce mystere;” — “The excellence of this mystery.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15) I speak as to wise men.These words are not hypothetical; they imply the point of view from which the Apostle is now regarding his readersviz., competent to recognise the force of his argument. Having warned them against any participation in idolatry, even such as would be involved in joining in the sacrificial feasts, as dangerous to themselves, he now proceeds to show that such a participation would be derogatory to, and incompatible with, their union with Christ. The identity and intimacy of that union is first established by a reference to the Holy Communion, in partaking of which both the unity of the Church and its union with Christ are vividly expressed.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Wise men In the apostolic Church there was, in spite of every shortcoming, an inspired wisdom, responsive to the inspired teachings of the apostles, and ratifying them as the true doctrine of Christ.
Judge ye For the statement of the true nature of the holy communion he relies on their full knowledge of its history and character. All this shows that the evangelical history was familiar both to apostle and Church, and is full proof of its truth and reality.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘I speak as to wise men. You judge what I say.’
He pleads now that they will think about the question. They put themselves forward as wise men, so let them use their intelligence and consider what is involved by comparing the situation with their own religious ceremonies. His argument will be that religious meals involve communion, a sharing with someone in something, a sharing in common, and that that sharing is in respect to that with which they have the meal, whether Christ, or the ancient altar, or demons. Indeed, he asks, how can they be the body of Christ and participate with demons in sharing a meal?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
A Personal Example: The Lord’s Table Contrasted with Pagan Worship In 1Co 10:15-22 Paul explains the purpose of the Lord’s Supper and contrasts it with the heathen feasts and their foods offered unto idols. This idolatrous feasting was going on around the believers at Corinth. Paul makes the point that as believers they could not partake of both tables because the Lord’s Supper brings a person into unity with Christ and fellow believers just as heathen feasting brings one in unity with demons.
1Co 10:22 “Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy” Comments – The context of this passage is the issue of whether or not Christians at Corinth should eat sacrifices that have been offered to idols. Paul is reminded of the passage in Exodus where the children of Israel made a golden calf, then sat down to eat, to drink and to play.
In this story, the children of Israel provoked God to jealousy.
Exo 34:14, “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:”
1Co 10:22 “are we stronger than he” – Comments – Paul is still referring to the example of the Israelites when they made a golden calf.
Exo 32:35, “And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
1Co 10:15 ff. Paul has just been forbidding his readers to participate in the sacrificial feasts, on the ground of its being idolatry . This he now explains by the analogy of the holy fellowship, into which the Lord’s Supper (1Co 10:15-17 ), and participation in the Israelitish sacrifices (1Co 10:18 ), respectively brought those who partook of them. It does not follow from his second illustration that the idols were gods, but that they were demons, with whom his readers should have no fellowship; one could not partake both of Christ’s table and of the table of demons (1Co 10:19-22 ). The former excludes the latter.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
1Co 10:15 . ] i.e. to those of whom I take for granted that they are intelligent; indicates the mode of contemplation , the aspect under which he regards his readers in saying to them, etc. Comp 1Co 3:1 ; 2Co 6:13 , al [1643] See Bernhardy, p. 333.
refers to . . (comp 1Co 7:12 ), and points to what follows in 1Co 10:16-18 . “ As to intelligent men (who can judge aright), I say: judge ye what I affirm .” On the difference between and , comp Rom 3:8 ; Herod. iii. 35; Xen. Rev 13Rev 13 , Anab. i. 7. 18, vi. 6. 16, ii. 1. 14; Ellendt, Lex. Soph. II. p. 906.
The emphasis is on ; your own judgment shall decide.
[1643] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
DISCOURSE: 1973
APPEAL TO MEN OF WISDOM AND CANDOUR [Note: This, and the three following Discourses, 1974, 1975, and 1976, were preached before the University of Cambridge, and the Discourse on Psa 119:128. was delivered afterwards with a view to complete the series. It may be referred to in that view.]
1Co 10:15. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
AMONGST the various systems of religion that have been promulgated, there is this remarkable difference; that, whilst those which have been devised by man were founded on the deductions of human reason, that which has been revealed by God is founded solely on his own authority. Every declaration, every precept, every promise, every threatening, is introduced with Thus saith the Lord. Deliberation and discussion respecting these declarations of God, are altogether superseded: man has no alternative, he must believe and obey whatever his God has spoken.
But though revealed religion is neither founded on human reason, nor makes its appeal to it, yet it is perfectly consistent with reason, and approves itself to the judgment of every one whose mind is enlightened by the Spirit of God, and whose passions are subjugated to the higher powers of the soul.
The appeal which the Apostle makes in our text to the judgment of the Corinthian Church has respect indeed to only one particular point, the maintaining of communion with heathens in their idolatrous sacrifices and oblations. This, as he observes, was inconsistent with their professed allegiance to Christ, and with all hope of participating the blessings of his salvation: and so unquestionable was this truth, that he did not hesitate to appeal to their judgment respecting it.
We are far from saying that all the truths of Christianity are as level with the capacity of men as that which is the subject of the Apostles appeal: but still we are persuaded, that there is no part of our religion repugnant to reason, nor any part which enlightened reason must not highly approve.
In confirmation of this sentiment we shall endeavour to shew,
I.
That the Gospel approves itself to all who are truly wise.
II.
That it is the duty of every man to exercise his judgment in relation to it.
I.
That the Gospel approves itself to all who are truly wise
There is a wisdom to which the Gospel does not approve itself,I mean the wisdom of this world, as it is called, even that which is both the root and offspring of philosophic pride. Between this wisdom and the Gospel there is as inveterate an opposition as between light and darkness; the Gospel is regarded by it as foolishness; and itself is no other than foolishness in the sight of God. The Apostle tells us, that by this wisdom the world neither knew God, nor could possibly find him out; that God hath so formed his Gospel as to destroy the wisdom of the wise, and to bring to nought the understanding of the prudent. Remarkable is that triumphant language of the Apostle, Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
If it be asked, Why this wisdom is so much at variance with the Gospel? we answer, that men filled with the conceit of their own sufficiency, and wise in their own eyes, are ready to prescribe to God what he shall speak; receiving only what accords with their own preconceived opinions, and rejecting every thing that is not accommodated to their carnal apprehensions. They do not read the Scriptures to learn of God, but rather to criticise what he has revealed, and to sit in judgment upon all that he has spoken. Is it to be wondered at, that the Gospel, which is full of mysteries, should not approve itself to them? yea, that it should be a stumbling-block and an offence to them! It is so, and it must be so, till they shall see that God is wiser than man, and that if any man would be wise, he must become a fool that he may be wise.
But though to such proud and self-sufficient sciolists the Gospel of God is foolishness, yet to the truly wise it is a revelation every way worthy of its great Author.
By the truly wise, we mean those persons who are sensible that they stand in need of reconciliation with their offended God, and that the Gospel is a revelation from God respecting the provision which he has made for our restoration to his favour. These persons, conscious of the insufficiency of human wisdom to find out such a plan for the salvation of mankind, receive with humility what God has revealed; and, the instant they know his mind and will, they receive his testimony with the liveliest gratitude, and make it the one ground of all their hopes. These are truly wise; they presume not to dispute with God about the means he has provided, or the terms he has offered, for their salvation; but they accept thankfully what he has so graciously planned, and so freely offered.
To persons of this description the Gospel does approve itself as the wisdom of God and the power of God. It approves itself both as a revelation, and as a remedy.As a revelation, it appears to stand on a basis that is immoveable; and the evidence of its divine authority is considered as incomparably stronger than any that can be adduced for any other record under heaven. As a remedy, it appears exactly suited to the necessities of fallen man, providing wisdom for the ignorant, righteousness for the guilty, sanctification for the polluted, and redemption for the bond-slaves of sin and Satan. It is further recommended to their approval by the honour which it brings to all the perfections of the Deity, in that justice is no more set aside than mercy, nor truth is violated any more than holiness; but every perfection of God is harmoniously exercised, and more glorified, than it could have been, if such a salvation had never been devised.
We do not at present enter into the particulars of this Gospel, because that will be the subject of our future discourses: but we would give a general clew whereby to discover the true Gospel from every thing that falsely assumes that name. It will be generally granted, that the Gospel which the Apostle Paul preached, was the true Gospel: and we find, that the foregoing marks were inseparable from his doctrines: his statements were disapproved by those who were carried away, either by philosophy and vain deceit on the one hand, or by superstition on the other hand: to the Jews his doctrine was a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but to those who were called and taught by divine grace, it was the wisdom of God and the power of God. If therefore the Gospel which we preach be disapproved by the same persons as disapproved of his, we have so far an evidence in its favour; whereas, if our Gospel be approved by those who were averse to his, then it is evident that we do not preach the same Gospel as he did. To unsanctified wisdom, the truth of God ever was, and ever must be, foolishness; but to those who are possessed of true wisdom, it is, and ever will be, a stupendous effort of wisdom and of love for the recovery and salvation of a ruined world.
The intent of our present discourse is to bespeak your candour in reference to those which may follow it, and to shew that, at least in our own judgment, there is such a reasonableness in all our doctrines as must of necessity commend itself to every candid inquirer. We wish not one sentiment to be embraced, without a firm conviction of its truth: we wish every word we utter to be brought to the test of Scripture and of true wisdom. We would say to every man, Prove all things, and hold fast that only which is good [Note: 1Th 5:21.].
To impress on our minds the importance of making for our ourselves a candid inquiry into the Gospel of Christ, we proceed to shew,
II.
That it is the duty of every man to exercise his judgment in relation to it
God himself is pleased on some occasions to make an appeal to us respecting his own dealings with mankind: Judge, I pray you, says he, betwixt me and my vineyard: and again, Are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? In truth, though he is not to be dealt with by us as if he were bound to give an account to us of any of his matters, yet he treats us as rational creatures, and expects us to use our reason in relation to our spiritual, as well as our temporal, concerns. He draws us indeed, and expects that we should give ourselves up to the influence of his grace; but he draws us with the cords of a man, that is, with such influences as are suited to our faculties as rational agents. Still, however, we must remember, that, in forming our judgment of the truths revealed to us, we are not called to determine beforehand what it becomes him to reveal; but only by a diligent attention to his written word to consider what he has revealed: and if at first we find such things as we did not expect, or such things as seem to oppose the sentiments we have imbibed, we must not hastily determine that his word is not true, but must suspect our own competency to judge of it, and must say, What I know not now, I shall know hereafter.
In executing this important duty we shall do well to observe the following rules; namely,
To form our judgment with care
To exercise it with candourand
To implore of God the enlightening and sanctifying influences of his Spirit, that we may be preserved from error, and be guided into all truth.
We must, in the first place, form our judgment with care.It is no easy matter to search out all the mysteries of our holy religion, and to attain a clear and just knowledge of the inspired volume. There are confessedly many passages which are difficult to be understood, and many passages which appear to have, what may be called, an opposite and contradictory aspect. To explain all these, and to reconcile them with each other, and to gather out of them one entire and consistent plan of salvation, is surely no easy work: it should be undertaken with fear and trembling; and no pains should be spared to execute it aright. To take one set of texts, and to wrest the opposing texts to a sense which they were never designed to bear, will save us indeed much trouble, and gratify a proud contentious spirit; but it will never bring us to a just view of the truth as it is in Jesus. The way to solve the difficulties of Scripture, is, to give to every declaration of God its proper force, and then to mark the subserviency of one truth to others which appear opposed to it. A person, who should in an ignorant and superficial manner observe the opposite motions that are found in a great engine, would be ready to suppose that the wheels would obstruct each other: but on a closer inspection he would find, that there is a subserviency of one part to another, and that all the motions, however opposite in appearance, tend in reality to one common end. Thus it is in the Scriptures of truth; there is no real opposition between one part and another; but every truth has its proper place in the system, and its proper use: if one encourages, another humbles: if one inspires confidence, another stimulates to activity: and true wisdom will lead us to assign to every
truth that place and that measure of importance which seem to be given to it in the sacred volume. Were this mode of investigating the Holy Scriptures more generally adopted, there would be an end of almost all the controversies which agitate and distract the Christian world. The very disposition of mind which would be exercised in such endeavours, would go far to rectify our judgment, and would divest error of more than half its evils.
If it be said, that all have not leisure or ability for such examination of the Holy Scriptures, we answer, That, whether we have more or less of leisure and ability, this should be our mode of proceeding: and those especially, who are to teach others, should be careful to form their judgment in this way. The Scriptures should be studied diligently throughout; the design of the inspired writers should be especially attended to; the scope of every distinct passage should be ascertained by a strict examination of the context; and the general analogy of faith must be borne in mind, in order to regulate us in our interpretation of passages that are of more doubtful signification. In a word, we should without prejudice or partiality attend to every part of the sacred records, and then judge, as before God, respecting the genuine import of the whole. Whatever sentiment is brought before us as of heavenly origin and of divine authority, we must bring it to the law and to the testimony, and give it only such weight in our minds as shall appear to be justified by the general tenour of the inspired volume. It was by such care that the Berans attained the knowledge of salvation; and by similar care we may confidently hope to be guided gradually into all truth.
Having thus formed our judgment, we must, in the next place, exercise it with candour.There will to the last, whatever means he used for the regulating of our judgment, be some points whereon there will be a difference of opinion. The minds of men are differently constructed; and there are no two men in the universe who on all points think alike. It must be expected therefore, that some diversity of sentiment will remain in reference to religion, as well as on every other subject under heaven. Aware of this, we should form our judgment with diffidence, especially on those points where men of piety have differed from each other. We should consider ourselves as liable to err, no less than others. To imagine that we are in possession of all truth, and to take for granted that all who differ from us must of necessity be wrong, is not consistent with Christian modesty. Of course, if we embrace an opinion, we must of necessity do it, under the idea that the sentiment is just; but, knowing how weak and fallible we are, we should think it possible that those who differ from us may be right; or, at all events, that the truth may be partly on their side as well as on ours. But even where we feel greater confidence as to the rectitude of our judgment, we should feel no hostility to those who differ from us; they have the same right to exercise their judgment as we; and we should no more be offended with them for not viewing things in the same light as we, than for their not resembling us in the stature of their body or the features of their countenance. By this observation we do not mean to express an approbation of indifference respecting religious sentiments; for there are sentiments that should be dearer to us than life itself: but it is intolerance which we disapprove; it is a readiness to condemn others on account of their religious opinions, and to load them with all manner of obloquy. This, I say, is what we deprecate; and too much reason there is to deprecate it; since the indulgence of this hateful disposition is the common error of all parties. To be fully persuaded in our own minds, after a long course of diligent inquiry, is well; but to brand persons with opprobrious names, because they see not with our eyes; and to misrepresent their sentiments, putting into their mouths statements which they never make, and loading their real statements with consequences which they disavow and abhor, is a mode of proceeding which tends only to generate endless contentions, and to destroy that love which is the sum and substance of all true religion. The liberty which we use ourselves, we should concede to others; and if we think others have adopted erroneous sentiments, we should endeavour to set them right; but we should do it, not with railing accusations, but in kindness and a spirit of love.
But the third rule which we mentioned as deserving our attention, is above all things necessary to be observed: We must implore of God the enlightening and sanctifying influences of his Spirit, that we may be preserved from error, and be guided into all truth.We are all by nature blind to the things of God: there is a veil upon our hearts, precisely as there was in the apostolic age, and still continues to be upon the hearts of the Jews. The natural man, says St. Paul, receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Even the discourses of our blessed Lord and Saviour, notwithstanding his confirmation of them by miracles unnumbered, could not convince those who did not choose to be convinced: nor were the Apostles themselves so enlightened by his instructions during the whole time of his ministry upon earth, but that they needed after his resurrection the influences of his Spirit to open their understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures. The same influence we need: we must have the Spirit of wisdom and revelation given to us, to discover to us the things of the Spirit; and, unless God shine into our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, we shall continue in darkness to our dying hour. Of this blindness we should be aware; for, if we are not sensible of our need of the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us, we shall never seek his influences, nor ever be qualified to form a correct judgment of the things which are revealed to us. Even Timothy, long after he had ministered the Gospel with great success, needed not only the instructions of Paul, but the teachings of the Holy Spirit, to render them effectual: Consider what I say, says St. Paul to him; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
This need of divine teaching we are all by nature averse to acknowledge. One of the last things that we are brought to confess, is, the insufficiency of our own wisdom to understand the sublime truths of Christianity. But, if we look around us, we see many possessing all the same privileges with ourselves, and yet so blinded by prejudice or passion, as not to discern any one truth aright: the divinity of our blessed Lord, his atonement for sin, the influences of his Spirit, the necessity of a renewed heart, together with many other truths, are boldly denied by them; or, if acknowledged as doctrines that are revealed, they are utterly disregarded as to any practical effect upon the soul. This clearly proves the great truth we are insisting on; namely, that we must all be taught of God, and that, without his teaching, we shall know nothing as we ought to know.
But we observed, that we need the sanctifying, as well as the illuminating, influences of the Holy Spirit: for we have many corrupt affections, which it is the very intention of the Gospel to eradicate; and under the influence of them we lean to those doctrines which tolerate, rather than to those which would mortify and subdue, our favourite propensities. How then can we judge aright whilst we are influenced by such a bias? Our eye being evil, we shall of necessity be in darkness; and our eye must be made single, before the whole body can be full of light. This single eye then must be given us by the Holy Spirit. Instead of loving darkness rather than light, we must love the light, and come to the light, on purpose that the nature and quality of our actions may be made manifest. Let our first object then be to seek of God the gift of his Holy Spirit (for he has said, that, if any man lack wisdom, and ask it of him, he will give it liberally, and without upbraiding:) and then, in dependence on the sacred guidance of the Spirit, let us examine every part of Gods word. Let us in particular desire to be conformed to the word as far as we understand it; and then there is no fear but that we shall be guided into all truth, as far at least as shall be necessary for our own personal welfare, and for the transforming of our souls into the image of our God.
We cannot conclude this part of our subject with more appropriate words than those of our excellent Liturgy, in which we entreat you to accompany us from your inmost souls [Note: Collect for 5th Sunday after Easter.]: O Lord, from whom all good things do come; grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
DISCOURSE: 1974
ON THE CORRUPTION OF HUMAN NATURE
1Co 10:15. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
IN the appeal, which we have proposed to make to your judgment, we shall confine ourselves to things of primary and fundamental importance. We are little disposed to enter upon a field of doubtful disputation: for though we think that every truth in the Holy Scriptures is important, and that some of those points which are more controverted are exceeding valuable, when received rightly, and improved for our advancement in the divine life; yet, as the acceptance or rejection of them may consist with real and vital piety, we gladly wave all consideration of them, it being our wish, not to establish the dogmas of a party, but to bring home to the hearts and consciences of our hearers those principles which constitute the basis of our holy religion.
The very first of these principles is, that man is a fallen creature, guilty, polluted, helpless. The knowledge of this lies at the root of all true religion. In proportion as this is seen and felt, will the provision made for our recovery by Jesus Christ be valued: and in proportion as persons either overlook, or maintain in theory only, this truth, the whole plan of salvation by Christ will be disregarded and despised.
But the views and sentiments of those who maintain the depravity of our fallen nature are frequently and greatly misrepresented. Injudicious persons, it is true, may speak unguardedly and unadvisedly on this subject, as they may well be expected to do on every subject; but as the crudities of an ill-informed and violent partisan could not properly be stated as exhibing a just view of the principles of any government; so neither can the rash unqualified assertions of the inexperienced be justly imputed to those who promulgate truth in its more sober and measured forms. It were to be wished, indeed, that our opponents would content themselves with statements that may be found: but they far exceed the wildest reveries that have ever issued from any ignorant enthusiast, and represent those who maintain the total depravity of our nature as reducing men to the condition of stocks and stones.
We beg leave therefore to state with some measure of precision what we mean, when we say that man is altogether polluted in every faculty of his soul, and destitute of all true goodness.
We do not mean to say that men may not be comparatively good by nature. There is as great a difference between mens natural dispositions as between their intellectual powers. As some children are quick and lively in their apprehension, whilst others are dull and stupid; so some are mild, affectionate, and generous in their tempers, whilst others are fierce, vindictive, and selfish. The children of the same parents, who have seen only the same examples set before them, are often as different in their dispositions, as if no ground of resemblance had existed between them.
In like manner we concede that persons may be morally good, not merely in comparison of others, but to a certain degree really and substantially so: that is, a person may possess by nature such a measure of candour, and benevolence, and integrity, as almost to put to shame those who profess to have been renewed by grace. How much, indeed of these dispositions may arise from education as well as from nature, we are not anxious to inquire: we wish to give to nature as much as can with any shew of reason be claimed for her; and then to point out that kind and measure of goodness which she never communicated to any man, nor ever enabled any person to attain.
We say then, that no man by nature is spiritually good, or good towards God. No man by nature loves God, or delights himself in God. No man truly fears him. There may be a superstitious dread of him as an Almighty Being, but no real fear to offend him, no true desire to please and glorify him. No one by nature has, what I may call, a creature-like spirit towards him. No one feels his obligations towards him as his Creator, or places implicit confidence in him as his Preserver, or rejoices in him as his Benefactor, or delights to execute his will as his Governor, or labours to approve himself to him as his Judge. A spirit of independence pervades every child of Adam, and is, perhaps beyond every thing else, the great effect and evidence of our apostasy from God. Self-will, self-seeking, self-confidence, self-complacency, are but so many branches issuing from this root. The loss of that creature-like spirit which possessed the mind of Adam in Paradise, is absolutely universal. Whatever differences there may be between men as to their moral dispositions, there is none in this: self has usurped the place of God, and is to every man by nature the principle and end of all his actions.
As we have no longer by nature a creature-like spirit, so neither have we, what, if we may be allowed the expression, we would call, a sinner-like spirit. It might be supposed, that the universal fruit of our fall should be contrition, and self-lothing, and self-abhorrence; and that, a way having been revealed for our restoration to Gods favour, we should be occupied day and night in the grateful contemplation of it, and in the pursuit of so inestimable a blessing. But here again we are all upon a par: the men of finer clay and more exquisite workmanship, are here on a level with vessels of the most base materials and most degraded use. A spirit of humiliation is never found, but as it is infused into the soul by the Spirit of God. It might be supposed, that the desire of obtaining reconciliation with God should stimulate every child of man to earnest inquiries after a Saviour, and to grateful thanksgivings to God for the unspeakable gift of his only dear Son. But so far are these feelings from being the natural growth of the human heart, that they are never formed in the heart but with great difficulty, nor ever preserved alive there but with constant vigilance and unremitting exertions. We do indeed read of a Samuel, a Josiah, a Timothy, sanctified from an early period of life: but this was not in consequence of any natural piety in them any more than in others; but in consequence of peculiar operations of divine grace upon their souls.
Connected with this want of a sinner-like spirit, is a love of sin in all its branches. We say again, there is not in every man the same predominance of sin in all its branches; but the same propensity to it there is: the seed of every evil lies buried in our fallen nature: in some it acquires more strength than in others, and manifests itself by more hateful fruits; but in all it lives, it vegetates, and, if circumstances were to arise to call it forth, would grow up to maturity in one as well as in another.
Thus we have delivered our sentiments on the corruption of mans nature; and we will add a few words respecting that which is so intimately connected with itour natural inability to do any thing that is good.
When a nature is so depraved, as ours from the foregoing statement appears to be, there can be no disposition to any thing truly and spiritually good: on the contrary, there must be an aversion to what is good, and, in consequence of that, an incapacity to engage successfully in the prosecution or performance of any good thing. But here we beg to be distinctly understood, that the incapacity to do any thing that is good is a moral, and not a physical, incapacity. A man is not under the same kind of incapacity to stop the progress of his corruptions that he is to stop the sun in its course: it is because of his inveterate inclination to evil, and aversion to what is good, that he cannot bring the powers of his mind to bear on the prosecution of any thing that is truly and spiritually good; if he had the inclination and the desire, his exertions would be proportioned to the extent of those desires: and though we are far from saying that those exertions would be sufficient of themselves for the accomplishment of his object, they would certainly be accompanied with power from on high, and such a power too as should render them effectual for the desired end. It is the want of these pious inclinations that keeps us from looking unto God for his effectual aid; and consequently from attaining that strength, whereby alone we can subdue and mortify our natural corruptions.
When therefore we say, that man is by nature altogether helpless, and incapable of doing any thing that is good, we wish it to be borne in mind, what the incapacity is of which we speak. Were it an incapacity that rendered all exertion nugatory, mans responsibility for his actions would, as far as relates to that point, be at an end; but our incapacity arising altogether from the inveteracy of our love to sin, and the total alienation of our hearts from what is truly good, it ceases to be an extenuation of our guilt, and becomes rather an aggravation of it.
We have now spoken what will be sufficient to mark our sentiments respecting the corruption and helplessness of fallen man. We say of man, that he is altogether destitute of every thing that is truly and spiritually good, and altogether prone to evil; though, in respect of the visible fruits of evil, there is a considerable difference between one and another. We say too that man is incapable of doing any thing that is truly and spiritually good; but that his incapacity arises, not from any want of physical powers, but of moral and spiritual dispositions. He has the same power to exercise his mind in one thing as in another, if he have the inclination and desire so to do; the fault is in his will, which is averse to good, and in his affections, which are set on evil. At the same time, whatever be the state of a mans will and affections, he has not in himself the power to do the will of God; for that end he must be strengthened by the Spirit of God: but that aid no man shall want, who seeks it from God in spirit and in truth.
And now I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say: Is there any thing extravagant in this statement? Is there any thing that can warrant such representations as are too often given of the sentiments of those who maintain the doctrines above considered? We speak not as to wise men only, but as to men of candour and liberality, of truth and equity: is there any thing here which is not most decidedly declared in the Holy Scriptures? Is there any thing which is not sanctioned and confirmed by all the authentic records of the doctrines of our Church?
Let us briefly institute this inquiry, in order that the truth of our statement may yet more abundantly appear.
What saith the Scripture? The testimony of the Most High God is this, that when he looked down from heaven to behold the children of men, he saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart was only evil continually [Note: Gen 6:5.]. Can the total corruption of our nature be stated in stronger terms than these? But it will be more satisfactory, perhaps, to refer to a passage where an inspired Apostle is establishing the very point in question. Look we then to the third chapter of St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans, and let us hear what he says. He is proving that all mankind, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under sin; and in support of his assertions he brings together a whole cloud of witnesses: It is written, says he, There is none good, no, not one: there is none that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God: they are all gone out of the way: they are together become unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no, not one [Note: Rom 3:9-12.]. Have we spoken any thing stronger than this? Yet, in a subsequent chapter, the Apostle speaks in stronger language still: The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be [Note: Rom 8:7.]. In another Epistle he denies the power of any man by nature even so much as to know the things of the Spirit; The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned [Note: 1Co 2:14.]. Nor does he confine these assertions to any particular age or nation: he says of himself and his fellow Apostles, that even they, in their unregenerate state, fulfilled the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature children of wrath, even as others [Note: Eph 2:3.]. Even after he was regenerate, be still speaks of himself, so far as he was yet unrenewed, as destitute of all good; In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing.
We think that this will abundantly suffice for the confirmation of our sentiments from Scripture. The person that will not be convinced by these passages, would not be convinced even though we were to multiply quotations to ever so great an extent.
Turn we then to what, with this assembly at least, must have considerable weight, I mean the authentic records of the doctrines of our Church. In the 9th article, intitled Original or Birth Sin, it is said, Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the fault and corruption of every man that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world it deserveth Gods wrath and damnation. Then, in reference to the impotency of man to do any thing that is truly good, it is said in the next article, The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God: wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will.
We forbear to comment on these articles, because all of us can refer to them and examine them for ourselves: but there is an end of all certainty in language if these articles do not affirm all that we have expressed in the foregoing statement. The homilies of our Church speak in numberless passages to the same effect. In that for Whit-Sunday, it is said, Man of his own nature is fleshly and carnal, corrupt and naught, sinful and disobedient to God, without any spark of goodness in him, (mark these words, without any spark of goodness in him) without any virtuous or godly motion, only given to evil thoughts and wicked deeds. And in our Liturgy, our helplessness is stated in terms equally strong; in the Collect for the second Sunday in Lent, we address the Deity in the following words; Almighty God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves
It would occupy too much time if we were to multiply quotations on these subjects. The Articles, the Homilies, the Liturgy, all abound with expressions to the same effect; so that no man can read them with candour, and doubt what the sentiments of our reformers were on these subjects.
But we will bring the matter still nearer home, and agree to have the point determined by every mans own experience. Let every one of us look back to the earliest period of his life, and see what have been his dispositions towards God. Did we, in proportion as our rational powers were expanded, employ them in the contemplation of God as our Creator, our Benefactor, our Redeemer, and our Judge? Have we felt an unfeigned solicitude to please him, and to glorify his name? Has every thing that is contrary to his will been hateful in our eyes, and has it been shunned by us with abhorrence? Has it been our delight to draw nigh to him from day to day in the exercise of prayer and praise, and to implore help from him that we may mortify every corrupt affection, and be gradually transformed into his image in righteousness and true holiness? Nay, we will go no farther than this very day, and ask, Whether such were the exercises of our minds when we rose from our beds, and whether we find it an easy matter to preserve our minds in such a frame as this? Do we not find, that the things of time and sense thrust out all these holy affections, and that God, instead of being the one object before our eyes, is scarcely to be found in all our thoughts? I speak as to wise men, and to men of integrity; Declare the truth before God: Say whether or not ye yourselves are fallen from God? Say whether piety be the natural produce of your souls? Say whether you find holy and heavenly thoughts, or carnal and earthly thoughts, have the readier entertainment in your minds? Say whether or not ye are impotent to good; or go and try it when you leave this place: Go, and say with yourselves, I will bring my own mind to a state of deep humiliation for my past sins; I will exercise lively gratitude to God for his sparing mercy hitherto; I will look with steadfast faith to Christ as my only and all-sufficient Saviour; and I will rejoice and delight in him as my present portion, and my eternal great reward. Do this; do it, not for a constancy, but only for the remainder of this day; and then will we confess, that all that we have spoken is a libel upon human nature, and that man is neither so corrupt nor so helpless as the Scriptures and the writings of our reformers have represented him. Whatever may be thought of all our preceding observations, it must surely be acknowledged fair, when we leave every man to be his own accuser, and constitute him judge in his own cause. I repeat it; this is the tribunal to which we make our appeal, and by your own impartial judgment we will venture to abide.
Anticipating your decision, (for we doubt not but that the faithful monitor within you has already pronounced it,) we ground on your own acknowledgments a
Word of exhortation
First, if we are such corrupt and helpless creatures, let us seek to obtain a deep and abiding sense of our wretched condition. What ought we to feel, who have lived as without God in the world, who have exalted to his throne all the vanities of time and sense, and have, in fact, been a god unto ourselves, doing our own will, finding our own pleasure, and seeking our own glory? What, I say, ought such persons to feel? What view ought they to have of their own conduct? Is it a small measure of humiliation and contrition that befits such persons? Take into the account also what blessings that God, whom we have so neglected, has from time to time been pouring out upon us; and let us reflect, above all, on his incomprehensible love in giving his only-begotten Son to die for us, and in following us incessantly with offers of a free and full salvation through him: think, moreover, of the strivings of his Holy Spirit with us from time to time, and of the resistance which we have opposed to his sacred motions; reflect, I say, on these things, and then say, Whether our eyes ought not to be a fountain of tears to run down night and day for all our iniquities and abominations. Indeed it is not a mere sigh that the occasion calls for; nor is it a few heartless acknowledgments that will suffice: the very best of us has need to smite on his breast with anguish of heart, and to cry from his inmost soul, God be merciful to me a sinner! Nothing less than this will in any respect answer the demands of our offended God: it is the broken and contrite spirit alone which he will not despise. O let us seek to humble ourselves aright! Let us implore help from God, who alone can take away the heart of stone, and give us a heart of flesh: let us look to Jesus our ascended Saviour, who is exalted to give repentance as well as remission of sins; and let us entreat of him so to discover to us the enormity of our guilt, that we may mourn and be in bitterness as one that is in bitterness for his first-born.
In the next place, if such be our guilt and helplessness, let us not only humble ourselves for it, but seek for the remission of our sins in Jesus blood. O, thanks be to God! there is a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness: there is a Saviour, whose blood will cleanse from all sin, and who is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him. He has made reconciliation for us through the blood of his cross; and through his sacrifice and intercession we may yet find acceptance with our offended God. In his righteousness we may be clothed; and, arrayed in that, we shall stand before God without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, yea, holy, and without blemish. We do indeed, in the first place, urge the necessity of repentance: but no man must rest in his repentance, however deep it may be: the offender, under the law, not only confessed his sins over his sacrifice, but laid them upon the head of the victim. So must we do; we must transfer all our sins to the head of our Great Sacrifice; and he, like the scapegoat, will carry them all away to the land of oblivion.
Lastly: Let us seek to be renewed in our hearts by the influence of the Holy Spirit. He is justly called in our Catechism, the Sanctifier of all the elect people of God. It is he who must give us both to will and to do; and if we set ourselves in earnest to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, we need not fear but that he will help our infirmities, and his grace shall be sufficient for us. Polluted as we are, we should yet be sanctified throughout in body, soul, and spirit, if only we would plead in earnest for his renewing influence: and, helpless as we are, we should yet be strengthened with might by his agency in our inward man, and be enabled to do all things through his gracious communications.
This is the true use of Christian principles. To acknowledge the extent of our fall, is of no use, unless we seek for a recovery through the sacrifice of our Redeemer, and through the influence of the Eternal Spirit. Let us but apply these remedies; and all aversion to see the depth of our guilt and misery will vanish instantly. We shall be in no fear of being too much depressed by a sense of our sin; but shall rather desire to know the full extent of our malady, that God may be the more glorified in our restoration to health. And if indeed we are disposed to implore help from God, then may we profitably sum up our requests in the words of that truly scriptural Collect, Grant to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the Spirit to think, and do always such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may, by thee, be enabled to live according to thy will, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen [Note: Ninth Sunday after Trinity.].
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
DISCOURSE: 1975
ON THE NEW BIRTH
1Co 10:15. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
THE subject to which we would now draw your attention, and which is most intimately connected with that of our fallen state, and of our depravity by nature, is the doctrine of the New Birth. It has been already shewn, that we are altogether born in sin and corrupt in all our faculties; and it is obvious, that a great change must pass upon our souls before we can be meet for the enjoyment of those heavenly mansions, where no unclean thing can enter.
In order to invalidate this doctrine, occasion has been taken from the use of the word , which we translate regeneration, to confound this doctrine with baptism. The argument used is this: The word occurs but twice in the Scriptures, and neither time has it any thing to do with that spiritual change which enthusiasts insist upon as necessary to our salvation. One of the times it is used in reference to baptism, and is expressly distinguished from the renewing of the Holy Ghost; as when it is said God hath saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost [Note: Tit 3:5.]: and the other time, it has nothing to do either with baptism or the new birth, but refers to a totally distinct subject.
Now we grant, that this particular term, the washing of regeneration, is here used as our objector states: and we also grant, that if nothing more were said in Scripture respecting a new birth than what is expressed under that particular term, there would be very great weight in the objection. But the doctrine of the new birth is not at all founded on the use of that particular term. The term regeneration, indeed, has a peculiar fitness to express the being born again: and when it is so peculiarly fit for this purpose, we cannot but think that the non-application of it to the subject in the Holy Scriptures, would be a very weak argument against the doctrine itself, when that doctrine is expressed as clearly as possible by various other terms of the same import. However, we wish not to contend about a word: it is not words, but things, that we insist upon; and therefore, waving the use of that particular term, we shall speak in the common phraseology of Scripture, of being born again, or born from above, or born of God.
But that we may leave no room for misapprehension respecting our sentiments, we shall begin with stating what we do not mean, when we insist upon the doctrine of the new birth.
It is supposed by many, and indeed affirmed by some, that we require a sudden impulse of the Holy Spirit, which, without any co-operation on the part of man, is to convert the soul to God; and that we require this change to be so sensibly and perceptibly wrought, that the subject of it shall be able to specify the day and hour when it took place.
But all this we utterly disclaim. We say, indeed, that God may effect his work in any way that he pleases; and that, if he choose to convert men now, precisely as he did the three thousand on the day of Pentecost, or as he did the persecuting Saul on his way to Damascus, he is at liberty to do it; and no man in the universe is authorised to say that he cannot, or shall not, or will not, do it. But we never require any thing of the kind: we require nothing sudden. It may be so gradual, as that the growth of it, like the seed in the parable, shall at no time be particularly visible, either to the observation of others, or to the persons own mind: it shall spring and grow up, he knoweth not how [Note: Mar 4:27.]. We deny that we ever speak of it us wrought by an irresistible impulse of the Spirit, or without the co-operation of the man himself: for that man is in all cases a free agent: he is never wrought upon as a mere machine. He is drawn, indeed, but it is with the cords of a man; that is, by considerations proper to influence a rational being, and by feelings which those considerations excite in his soul. He is influenced by hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, just as any other man is; only the Spirit of God takes away from his heart that veil which was upon it (and thereby enables the man to see both temporal and eternal things in their true light, according to their relative importance); and then inclines the heart to act agreeably to the dictates of sound judgment. How far the Spirit of God works, and how far the mind of man, is a point which no human being can determine; but that God gives us both to will and to do, we are certain, since every good and perfect gift cometh down from him. But at the some time we know, that man does and must work out his own salvation with fear and trembling; and so far is the Divine agency from being a reason for neglect on mans part, that it is the great motive and encouragement which God himself affords him to activity and exertion [Note: Php 2:12-13.].
Thus we have endeavoured to guard against the misrepresentations with which this subject is usually disguised and deformed.
We now come to state what our views of the subject really are:
We have before shewn, that man by nature has nothing in him that is spiritually good, or good towards God. But in order to be made meet for heaven, he must be made spiritually good; that is, he must love what God loves, and hate what God hates; and be, and do, what God commands. Does God hate sin in all its branches? he must hate it too, and lothe and abhor himself for having ever committed it. Does God love holiness? he also must love a holy God, and holy exercises, and holy affections; and must so love holy things, as to make them the continual objects of his most earnest pursuit: in relation to every thing that is holy and heavenly, the same mind must be in him that was in Christ Jesus. Has God required him to come as a weary and heavy-laden sinner to Jesus, and to live altogether by faith in Christ, for wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; and to glory, not in any human strength or goodness, but wholly and exclusively in the Lord Jesus Christ? the mans mind must be brought to this, and Christ must be exceeding precious to him in all these points of view; yea, he must determine to know nothing, and to rejoice in nothing, but Christ and him crucified. These views and these principles must not rest as mere notions in the head, but must be wrought into the heart, and exhibited in the whole of the life and conversation.
Before we proceed, we will beg leave to ask, Is this, or is it not, a reasonable statement and a reasonable requirement? I speak as unto wise men; and I call upon you to judge, as in the sight of God, whether these requirements can justly be branded with enthusiasm, or severity, or any odious character whatever?
But to proceed:This change far exceeds the power of fallen man. Whatever powers you may be pleased to invest him with, they fall very far short of this. A semblance of these things he may put on; but he cannot form them really and truly in his heart. This is the work of the Spirit of God, who is promised to us for this very end: A new heart will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh: and I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my commandments to do them [Note: Eze 36:26-27.]. As to the mode of effecting this great work, we have already observed, the Spirit is not restricted: but whenever it is truly effected, then we say, that the man is born again, and born of the Spirit; and the change that has taken place within him, we call the new birth.
Now the question is, Whether this be the new birth or not? and whether we do right in insisting upon it as necessary to mans salvation?
In answer to this, we reply, not only that the Scriptures call this a new birth, a new creation, a being born of God, and a being born of the Spirit, but that an experience of it is predicated of all who are in a state of favour with God now, or shall find admission into his kingdom hereafter. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, or a new creation, says the Apostle: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new [Note: 2Co 5:17.]. And our Lord, with repeated asseverations, says to Nicodemus, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God [Note: Joh 3:3-5.].
These declarations of our Lord to Nicodemus are peculiarly strong; because the import of them cannot with any appearance of reason be explained away. Some indeed have endeavoured to explain this of baptism; but I wish that those, who think it can bear that construction, would see what sense they can on that supposition make of the whole context. Let us suppose for a moment that baptism is the new birth, and that baptism was the point which our Lord so strongly insisted on; Why should our Lord, when explaining and enforcing his first assertion, so carefully distinguish between water-baptism, and the operations of the Holy Spirit; Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God? Here, admitting that he insisted on the necessity of being born of water, he insisted also on being born of the Spirit, in order that he might convince Nicodemus that he spoke, not of an outward and carnal, but of an inward and spiritual, change. AgainHow can his subsequent explanations apply to baptism? On the supposition that he speaks of a spiritual birth, his reasons are clear and forcible; that which is born of the flesh, is flesh: and therefore unfit for a spiritual kingdom: but that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit, and exactly suited to that kingdom which he was about to establish. AgainIf it were baptism of which he speaks, what connexion has that with the wind, which bloweth where it listeth, and which, though inexplicable in some respects, is invariably and infallibly to be seen in its effects? If it were baptism, it would blow, not where the Spirit listeth, but where the parents and the minister list: and as for its effects, they are for the most part visible to no human being. Moreover, how could our Lord with justice ask Nicodemus, Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things? Nicodemus might have well replied, Yes, I am a master in Israel, and yet know not these things: for how should I know them? Where are they revealed? What is there in the writings of Moses or the prophets that should have taught me to expect so much from baptism? God required the circumcision of the flesh, as you do baptism: but he required the circumcision of the heart also: and, if there be a spiritual change of a similar nature required of us under your dispensation, and that be the thing which you call a new birth, then I confess I ought to have had clearer views of these things, since they were evidently inculcated in the Jewish Scriptures, and were represented also as particularly characterizing the Messiahs reign.
It were much to be wished, that those who will have baptism to be the new birth would take this passage, and try what sense they can make of it according to their interpretation. Prejudice doubtless is so strong as to be convinced by nothing; but I should marvel if a person possessed of a simple and unsophisticated mind, could withstand the evidence that would arise from this one passage alone.
But as some distinguished characters are very strong and positive upon this point, we think it not improper to enter somewhat more fully into it.
That we may not be misunderstood either in relation to what we conceive to be their sentiments, or what we would maintain in opposition to them, we will state precisely what it is in their views which we disapprove, and which we conceive it is of great importance to correct.
If by the term regeneration they meant an introduction into a new state, in which the baptized persons have a right and title to all the blessings of salvation, we should have no controversy with them.
If they meant that all adults, who in the exercise of penitence and faith are baptized into Christ, have in that ordinance the remission of their sins sealed to them, and the Holy Spirit in a more abundant measure communicated to them, we should not disagree with them.
If they meant that infants dedicated to God in baptism may and sometimes do (though in a way not discoverable by us, except by the fruits) receive a new nature from the Spirit of God in, and with, and by that ordinance, we could cordially join with them.
But they go much farther than all this; and assert, that all persons do necessarily by a divine appointment receive the Holy Ghost in such a manner and degree as really to be changed in the spirit of their minds into the very image of God in righteousness and true holiness, and so to partake of the Divine nature, that they never need afterwards to seek so great a change again. This we are constrained to combat as a fundamental error: and respecting it, we now, in humility and a spirit of love, venture to make our appeal to you.
Is the new birth so identified with baptism as to be universally and necessarily attendant on it?
To determine this question, let us examine what is said of the new birth in Scripture, and what of baptism.
Hear what is said of the new birth: Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Strong as this is, the same is yet more confidently expressed in another place: We know, that whosoever is born of God, sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not [Note: 1Jn 5:18.]. Now we ask, Is this true of all that are baptized? Do they invariably, from the moment of their baptism, overcome the world? Do they never (willingly and habitually) commit sin? and are they incapable of so sinning because they are baptized? Do they so keep themselves, that the wicked one toucheth them not? I speak as to wise and candid, yea, as to honest, men; and ask, Whether in your consciences you can affirm such things of baptism; and, Whether, if you cannot, the new birth must not be a thing very different from baptism? I will even abide by the testimony which every individual must give of himself: you have all been baptized: but have you all overcome the world? Are you all in such a state that you cannot knowingly and habitually commit sin? And have you so kept yourselves, that the wicked one does not touch you? Was there ever such a period in your lives? If there was, when was it? How long did it last? Why did you not continue it? Why are you not panting after it, and labouring for it again? But you know in your own hearts that there are millions of baptized persons of whom these things are not true, nor ever were true; and that consequently the new birth must be a very different thing from baptism.
Now then let us inquire also what is said of baptism. It is said, Our Lord baptized no man.But was he not the means of any being born to God? It is said by Paul, that God did not send him to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: but was he not sent to beget souls to God through the Gospel? He goes further, and says, I thank God I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius. But would he have accounted it a proper ground of thanksgiving, if he had been instrumental to the conversion of no more than these? He tells us of many whom he had begotten by the Gospel, and who were his sons in the faith: and therefore we are sure, that there is a birth effected by the Word and Spirit of God, that is totally distinct from baptism.
How can we account for it, that men, in the face of all this evidence, should maintain, as they do, this fatal error? In some cases it is to be feared, that, being averse to seek the spiritual change of which the Scriptures speak, they are glad to lay hold on any error that shall lull their consciences asleep, and sanction their continuance in an unconverted state. But with some we hope, that there is really an error of judgment arising from the strong things which are spoken of baptism in the Holy Scriptures. They do not consider, that, when it is said, Repent, and be baptized for the remission of sins; those words were addressed to adults, who had just been informed, that Jesus was the Christ, and that, if they believed in him, and became his disciples, their sins should be blotted out. Expressions of this kind were highly proper as addressed to adults; but afford no ground for the idea, that the rite of baptism is the new birth. We are no more disposed to detract from the honour of that sacred ordinance than our adversaries themselves: we admit, and beg you to bear in mind our admission, that great, exceeding great, benefit accrues to the soul from baptism. In many instances, where the ordinance is really attended upon in faith, and prayer is offered up to God in faith, we do believe that God bestows a peculiar blessing on the child: and, though we cannot ascertain that he does so but by the fruits that are afterwards produced, yet are we warranted from Scripture to believe, that the effectual fervent prayer of righteous people shall not go forth in vain; and that whatsoever we ask, believing, we shall receive. But even from the ordinance itself we may consider great good as arising to the soul; since, as in the case of circumcision, the person is thereby brought into covenant with God. The Israelites, as a nation in covenant with God, were highly privileged: for to them, as the Apostle says, belonged the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises [Note: Rom 9:4.]. The same, I doubt not, may be justly said of all that are baptized: indeed, we doubt not, but that our Reformers had that very passage of Scripture in their eye, when in our baptismal service they instructed us to thank God for having regenerated the baptized person by his Holy Spirit; and, in our Catechism, to speak of children as by the ordinance of baptism made members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. These expressions are doubtless strong; and so are St. Pauls expressions respecting the benefits of circumcision: and every blessing which he asserts to have been conveyed by circumcision, we may safely and truly apply to baptism. By the very admission of persons into covenant with God, they are brought into a new state, have a right and title to all these privileges; and by the exercise of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ they come to the actual possession of them.
We hope we shall not be considered as degrading our subject, if we attempt to present it more clearly to your minds, by an easy and familiar illustration. The subject is confessedly difficult; and if we can by any means simplify it, we shall render an important service to those who wish to understand it. Take then a well-known ordinance from the laws of our own land. A person, to whom property has been bequeathed, has a right and title to it from the moment of the testators death: but he cannot take possession, and have the full enjoyment of it, till he has complied with the due forms and requisitions of the law: so a baptized person has a right and title to all the blessings of the Christian covenant as soon as he is baptized; but he must comply with the requisitions of the Gospel, and exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, before he can have the complete enjoyment of them. We do not mean to lay any great stress on this illustration; we are aware it is far from complete; and we particularly desire that it may not be pressed beyond the occasion for which it is used; but we conceive that, imperfect as it is, it may serve to throw some light upon a subject, which has been, and yet is, a source of perplexity to many.
But the chief source of the fore-mentioned error is, that men do not distinguish between a change of state and a change of nature. Baptism is, as we have just shewn, a change of state: for by it we become entitled to all the blessings of the new covenant; but it is not a change of nature. A change of nature may be communicated at the time that the ordinance is administered; but the ordinance itself does not communicate it now, any more than in the apostolic age. Simon Magus was baptized; and yet remained in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity, as much after his baptism as he was before. And so it may be with us: And this is an infallible proof, that the change, which the Scriptures call the new birth, does not always and of necessity accompany this sacred ordinance. As the circumcision of the heart did not always accompany the circumcision of the flesh, so neither does the renovation of the soul always accompany the outward rite of baptism, which shadows it forth; and if only our opponents will distinguish the sign from the thing signified, and assign to each its proper place and office, there will be an immediate end of this controversy.
But it will not be amiss to examine briefly the different tendencies of these opposite doctrines, and to ascertain their comparative worth; in point of sobriety; in point of practical efficacy; and, lastly, in reference to their final issue.
Which has the preference in point of sobriety; the doctrine of a new and spiritual birth, by the operation of the Spirit of God; or that of baptism being the new birth? It is objected to the former doctrine, that it is enthusiastic, and that it is accompanied with many absurd and baneful errors; namely, that its advocates insist on sudden impulses, which irresistibly, and without any co-operation on our parts, at some particular time that may at all subsequent periods be referred to, convert the soul to God. Now we have before denied that the advocates for the new birth give any such representation of it, or that it is in its own nature associated with any such things. But now observe the doctrine of our adversaries; namely, of those who identify baptism with the new birth: it is curious to observe to what an extent they fall into the very errors which they impute to us. They say, that we are born again in baptism, consequently, they,
First, make our new birth sudden.
Next, they make it irresistible; for the child cannot withstand the power of the priest.
Next, they make it without any co-operation on our part; for the child is wholly passive.
Next, they make it arbitrary according to the will of man; who may hasten it, or delay it, or prevent it, exactly as he pleases: whereas it is expressly said of all Christians, that they are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God [Note: Joh 1:13.].
Next, they make it so determinate in point of time, that not the person himself only, but the whole world also, may know it, by consulting the register where the ceremony is recorded.
And, lastly, they are assured of it, not only without any evidence at all, but in the very face of all imaginable evidence to the contrary.
Who, I would ask, are the enthusiasts now? I will further ask, Whether the wildest fanatic that can be found at this day in Christendom entertains notions half so fanatical as these?
The Jews laid great and unscriptural stress on circumcision: but did they ever say that the circumcision of the flesh was the same as the circumcision of the heart? Or do our advocates for baptismal regeneration give credit either to the ancient or modern Jews, as actually born again by the rite of circumcision? The Jews did indeed think that all the circumcised among them would be saved; but it was on other grounds: it was from an idea that, as children of Abraham, they could not perish, being all of necessity interested in the covenant made with him and his seed: but never, as far as we know, did they so confound the sign with the thing signified, as to imagine, that they were of necessity made new creatures by the operation of God upon their souls, at the time that man performed a painful operation on their bodies.
But let us also examine the two opinions in reference to their practical efficacy. What is the tendency of the doctrine which requires men to seek from God an entire change both of heart and life; and declares them to be incapable of entering into the kingdom of heaven till they have experienced this change? Its tendency manifestly is to awaken men from their slumbers in the way of sin, and to stir them up to seek a conformity to God in righteousness and true holiness. But what is the tendency of the doctrine that identifies baptism with the new birth? Is it not to lull men asleep in their evil ways; to make them think that they do not need a new nature, but only a little reformation of some things, which may easily be amended whenever they please? I ask any candid man, Are not these the true and natural tendencies of the two opposite doctrines? and do not these tendencies strongly mark which of the two is right?
Lastly; Let us view them in reference to their final issue.Suppose that the doctrine of baptismal regeneration should prove erroneous, what will be the consequence to those who, having relied upon it as true, have never sought that spiritual birth which we maintain to be necessary to salvation? According to their own principles, they must perish: for, let it be remembered, that our opponents maintain the necessity of a new birth as well as we; only they maintain that they experienced it in their baptism. But suppose that our doctrine prove erroneous; shall we perish because we were fearful that we had not yet attained that new birth, and continued with all diligence to seek it after we had actually attained it? The worst that could in that case be said, would be, that we had given ourselves some unnecessary concern and trouble: but our very opponents must acknowledge, that by that diligence we had made our calling and election sure; yea, if I may be allowed such an expression, we had made it doubly sure. Can any one who considers this, sit down contentedly with the doubtful notion of having been regenerated in his baptism, and not exert himself to put the matter beyond a doubt? The pains used to obtain a new and spiritual birth will injure no man: but a neglect to seek it, from the idea of its having been imparted in baptism, will, if that idea be erroneous, plunge us into irremediable and endless misery. Which alternative, then, will any man of wisdom, yea, of common prudence, choose?
I think, enough has been said to shew what the new birth really is, and that it must be sought and experienced by all who would find admittance into the kingdom of heaven.
But we will yet further confirm what has been said, by two or three passages of Scripture, which bear directly upon the question, and shew us the danger of listening to such delusions as are set in opposition to the truth which we are insisting on. All are not Israel, says St. Paul, who are of Israel [Note: Rom 9:6.]; or, in other words, all are not true Christians who are nominally so. Again, In Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature [Note: Gal 6:15.]. Here substitute the term baptism for the corresponding rite of circumcision, and you have in one single sentence every word that we have spoken. Once more: He is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God [Note: Rom 2:28-29.]. Can there be plainer language than this? O that we may not trifle with God, and our own souls! It is an easy matter to adopt an opinion, and to maintain it in opposition to the most convincing statements: but we cannot change the truth of God; nor, when we have passed into the eternal world, can we come back to rectify our errors. We may laugh at the new birth, and persuade ourselves that we have no need to be alarmed at the declarations of the Lord Jesus Christ in relation to it; but we cannot make him open the kingdom of heaven to us when once the door is shut: we may knock, and say, Lord, I thought my baptism was sufficient: but he will say, Depart, I never knew you: My words were plain enough, if you had desired to understand them; but you did not choose to let go your beloved lusts; you did not choose to give yourselves up to me in newness of heart and life; and therefore you would believe any lie rather than comply with my word: Depart, therefore, and reap for ever the fruit of your own delusions.
And now let me once more appeal to you as men of wisdom and integrity, whether your own experience does not confirm every word that I have spoken? Are not many of you sensible, that, notwithstanding your baptism, you have never been so born again, as to be brought out of darkness into light, and to be turned from the power of Satan unto God? Are you not sensible at this very hour, that it is not the one labour of your souls to walk as Christ walked, and to obtain an entire renovation of your souls after the Divine image? In a word, Do you not find the current of your affections still running, agreeably to the bias of your corrupt nature, after the things of time and sense, instead of flowing, contrary to nature, upwards to high and heavenly things? If so, the point is clear: you have an evidence within yourselves where the truth lies. Notwithstanding your baptism, you are yet unrenewed; you are yet in your sins; and you are lost for ever, if you die in your present state. O cry mightily to God for the gift of his Holy Spirit, and for the influence of his converting grace! Pray, as David did, Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Then shall you know by your own happy experience, what it is to be born again; and in due time shall you be partakers of the inheritance to which you are born, even that inheritance, which is incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away.
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
DISCOURSE: 1976
ON JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
1Co 10:15. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
IF there be any one question of more importance than all others, it is this, How shall a man be just with God? Many errors in relation to other points may be entertained in the mind, and yet our final salvation not be affected by them: but an error in reference to this undermines the foundation of our hopes, and will involve our souls in everlasting ruin. We are anxious therefore to state, with all the precision in our power, what we apprehend to be the doctrine of the Holy Scriptures respecting the grounds of a sinners acceptance before God. And here we are peculiarly solicitous to bespeak your candour; because there are in the world so many misconceptions, not to say, misrepresentations also, of the views of those who maintain the doctrine of justification by faith only.
It is thought by some, that we make faith to consist in a strong persuasion of the mind that we are in the favour of God: but we are far from entertaining any such opinion. Whatever is founded on a mere persuasion of our own minds, is a baseless fabric, a fatal delusion. The only warrant for a sinners hope, is the written word of God: and that word is the same, whether it come suddenly to our minds, and excite in us an assurance of our interest in it, or be brought more gradually to our view, and be received with fear and trembling. The promises made to repenting and believing sinners are, I say, independent of any frames or feelings of ours; and are the only legitimate ground of our hope in God: and a simple reliance on them, and on Christ as revealed in them, we call faith.
What we mean by being justified by faith, we shall also explain in few words.
We all, as sinners, are obnoxious to the wrath of God: but the Lord Jesus Christ is set forth in the Gospel, as having by his own obedience unto death obtained eternal redemption for us. To him we are commanded to look as to the propitiation offered for the sins of the whole world: and we are assured, that, on our doing this with penitence and faith, we shall be justified from all things, from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses. With this command we comply: we look to God as reconciled to us in the Son of his love; and in the exercise of this faith we become interested in all that Christ has done and suffered for us. Our iniquities are blotted out as a morning cloud; the righteousness of Christ is given to us, and put upon us; and, arrayed in that spotless robe, we stand before God without spot or blemish. Thus are we accepted in the beloved, or, in other words, are justified by faith.
We will also add a few words, to declare what we mean when we say, that we are justified by faith without works. We do not mean that a justified person is at liberty to neglect good works; but that the person who seeks for acceptance through Christ must not bring with him any works whatever, either ceremonial or moral, as a joint ground of his hope, or as a price which he is to pay for an interest in Christ. He must, in point of dependence, renounce his best works as much as the greatest sins he ever committed: his trust must be altogether in the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here it will be proper just to mention a mistake which some have fallen into, respecting the works which are so carefully excluded by St. Paul from the office of justifying: It is said, that wherever works are mentioned as not justifying the sinner, the expression used is, The works of the law: and that therefore we may conclude, that not works in general are excluded from this office, but only the works of the ceremonial law. But the truth is, that works are often mentioned in this view, without any notice of the law; and the inference drawn from this unfounded assertion only shews, how hard the adversaries of the doctrine we are insisting upon find it to reconcile their opinions, in any plausible manner, with the statements of St. Paul. Let one passage suffice to settle this point. It is said (where the point in question is expressly debated), If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory. But what works could the Apostle mean? Those of the ceremonial law? The ceremonial law was not promulgated till four hundred and thirty years after the time that Abraham was justified; and, consequently, the works which are spoken of as incapable of justifying him, were not those of the ceremonial law, but works generally, of any kind whatever.
To make known our views, then, in few words: We consider justification as an act of sovereign grace and mercy, vouchsafed to sinners, on account of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done and suffered for them, and in no respect on account of their own merits or deserts: and it is solely through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, that we do, or ever can, obtain this mercy at Gods hands.
Now, then, the question is, whether this be the doctrine of the Holy Scriptures, or not.
Let us then address ourselves to this important subject, and make our appeal to you, as men of wisdom and judgment, to determine, whether or not our statements be right, and whether they be of such fundamental importance as we profess them to be.
But here it may be thought that we shall merely bring forward some passages of St. Pauls writings, which may be differently interpreted; and that, after all, the question will remain where we found it. But this shall not be our mode of proceeding. If the point be as we maintain, we may expect that it will run, like the warp, throughout the whole Scriptures, and not depend upon any particular expressions that may here and there be interwoven with it by one favourite author. We will take then, but with all possible brevity, a comprehensive view of the subject; and will inquire
I.
What is the true way of our salvation? and
II.
What evidence we have that this is the only true way?
Under the former of these heads we will distinctly examine, What was the way of salvation dictated by the moral law 1 what by the ceremonial law I what was proclaimed by the prophets? what by our Lord Jesus Christ himself? and what was maintained by his Apostles? what was the way in which the most eminent saints of old were justified? and what is the way marked out in the authentic records of our Church? Of course, on these several points we must be very concise; but we hope, nevertheless, to be clear and satisfactory.
What, then, was the way of salvation to which the moral law directed us? Our adversary will here exultingly reply, by works. True, as given unto man in innocence, it did say, Do this, and live. But what does it say to fallen man? Does it encourage him to hope for salvation by his obedience to it? Hear what it says to all who are under it: Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them. Does this afford us any encouragement to seek salvation by our works? Our obedience must have been absolutely perfect from the first moment to the latest hour of our lives, or else the law, instead of promising any reward, denounces a curse against us; and on this account it is said by infallible authority, that as many as are under the law, are under the curse. Is it asked, Why then was it promulgated in so solemn a manner on Mount Sinai? I answer, To shew us how awfully sin abounded in the world, and how much we stood in need of a Saviour; and thus to shut us up to the faith that should afterwards be revealed, and to constrain us to seek for salvation by faith alone. This is what we are expressly told by an inspired Apostle: Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added, because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid! for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law: but the Scripture hath concluded (hath shut up) all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to all that believe. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith [Note: Gal 3:19-24.].
Next, let us hear the ceremonial law. In all the burnt-offerings, and the peace-offerings, and the sin-offerings, a fundamental part of the institution was, that the person who brought the offering should put his hand on the head of the victim, in token that he transferred all his sins to it; and then, when the sacrifice was slain, and its blood sprinkled according to the commandment, the offender was liberated from the sin that he had committed [Note: Lev. 1. 2. 3.]. But we will direct your attention to the offerings which were annually made for the sins of all Israel, on the great day of atonement. Two goats were taken: one was to be slain for a sin-offering for the whole people of Israel, and its blood was to be carried within the vail, and sprinkled upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat. Then the live goat was brought forth, and the high-priest was to lay both his hands upon his head, and to confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat: and then the goat was to be led away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness, bearing upon him all their iniquities, unto a land not inhabited [Note: Lev 16:15; Lev 16:21-22.]. Can any thing be conceived more plain and simple than this? Who does not see that the sins of the people were expiated by the blood of the one, and carried away in consequence of their having been transferred to the other? Who does not here see written, as with a sun-beam, the truth it typified; namely, that Christ died for our offences, and was raised again for our justification; and that we are saved entirely by the exercise of faith in him, or, in other words, by transferring our guilt to him, and looking for mercy through his all-atoning sacrifice? Verily, if we make no better use of the explanations given us in the New Testament than to refine, and cavil, and obscure the truth, we had better go at once, and learn of a poor ignorant Jew: for there was no Jew so ignorant, but, when he saw that rite performed, could tell you in what way his iniquities were to be forgiven. And, if only we will bear in mind that ordinance, we may defy all the sophists upon earth: for it speaks the truth so plainly, that he who runs may read it.
Turn we to the prophets: They bear one uniform testimony to the truth we are proclaiming. Through fear of detaining you too long, we will wave the mention of any particular passages; because, if we believe the declaration of God himself, their testimony is all summed up in one infallible declaration: To him give all the prophets witness, that, through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins [Note: Act 10:43.].
Our blessed Lord invariably declared, that his blood should be shed for the remission of sins, and that in no other way than by faith in him could any child of man be saved. I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me [Note: Joh 14:6.]. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so shall the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He that believeth on him, is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God [Note: Joh 3:14-16; Joh 3:18.]. If it be said, that, in answer to one who inquired, What shall I do to inherit eternal life? he replied, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments; we answer, he did so: and we highly disapprove of that mode which some take of evading the force of his words, by saying that he spoke them ironically. We are persuaded that our Lord would not have indulged in irony or sarcasm on such an occasion, and least of all towards one whom he loved [Note: Compare Mat 19:16-17. with Mar 10:18; Mar 10:21]. The meaning of his answer was; Come, and follow me in all that I command you, and you shall gradually be guided into all truth. And the command which he immediately gave the Youth, to go and sell all that he had, and to look for treasure in heaven, put his sincerity to the trial, and shewed him, that, notwithstanding the anxiety he professed to learn the way to life, he was more attached to his wealth than to his Saviour and his God. When our blessed Lord more explicitly declared the way of salvation, he spoke of himself as having come into the world for the express purpose of giving up his life a ransom for many [Note: Mar 10:45.], and of giving men his own flesh to eat, and his blood to drink, for the life of their souls [Note: Joh 6:52-58.].
Of the views given by the Apostles, our opponents themselves have but little doubt; and hence, for the most part, the Epistles are no very favourite part of Scripture with them: and some will go so far as to say, that they think it would have been better if the Epistles of St. Paul had never been written.
But let us hear St. Peter on the day of Pentecost. When three thousand persons at once were crying out with great agony of mind, Men, and brethren, what shall we do? his answer to them is, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins [Note: Act 2:38.]; that is, Change your minds with respect to Him whom you have crucified as a malefactor; and, with deep contrition of heart for your rejection of him, look to him now as the only Saviour of your souls, and become his open followers in token of your faith in him. The same Apostle, addressing the whole Jewish Sanhedrim, speaks thus of that Jesus whom they had crucified: This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner: neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved [Note: Act 4:10-12.]. Of St. Paul it is scarcely needful to speak. Only let a man, desirous of knowing the truth of God, read with an unprejudiced mind the Epistles to the Romans and the Galatians, and he could no more doubt what were St. Pauls sentiments, than he could doubt whether the sun shines at noonday. That a learned and ingenious man may involve the plainest subjects in obscurity, and may maintain even the most palpable absurdities with somewhat like a plausible course of argument, is well known to this audience, who are habituated to investigate theories of every kind. But the Scriptures are written for the poor: and it is a fact, that the poor do understand them; whilst the vain disputers of this world are bewildered in their own mazes, and by the just judgment of God are taken in their own craftiness [Note: 1Co 1:18-29; 1Co 3:18-19.]. But, that we may not seem as if we took St. Pauls testimony for granted, we will bring to your remembrance that answer which he gave to the jailor, when inquiring, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? He replied to the same effect as Peter had done on the day of Pentecost, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved [Note: Act 16:30-31.].
We will mention also that striking reproof which he gave to Peter, for countenancing, by his dissimulation, the idea, that something besides faith in Christ was necessary to salvation: We (we Jews, we Apostles,) knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ; even we have believed in Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified [Note: Gal 2:16.].
Here perhaps it will be urged, that the testimony of St. James is altogether on the opposite side; for that he says, We are justified by works, and not by faith only [Note: Jam 2:24.]. But if only we attend to the scope of St. Jamess argument, we shall see that he does not at all contradict St. Paul. St. James is writing to some who were disposed to abuse St. Pauls doctrine of justification by faith only; who said that they had faith [Note: Jam 2:14-26.], but had no works to support their claim. These he tells that their faith was dead, and no better than the faith of devils. He declares to them, that, as it would be to no purpose to profess compassion for a fellow-creature, when at the same time we made no effort to relieve his distress; so it is in vain to profess faith in Christ, if we shew not forth our faith by our works. Abraham and Rahab were believers; but they evinced by their conduct, of what kind their faith was; namely, that it was not a dead and barren, but a lively and operative, faith. And we in like manner must give, by our works, an evidence that our faith is genuine: for in any pretensions which we make to a saving faith, it is by our works that we must be justified (or proved upright), and not by faith only. St. Paul, on the other hand, is arguing expressly on the subject of a sinners justification before God; and he maintains that no man is, or can be, justified in any other way than by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Next, let us see what the most eminent saints of old found effectual for their salvation. And here the path is prepared for us by St. Paul, so that we need little more than quote his words. In the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, where he is arguing this very point, he asks, What shall we then say, that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found (i. e. hath found effectual for his justification)? for if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God (i. e. he has nothing whereof to glory before God). For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt: but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness: even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works; saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered: blessed is the man, to whom the Lord will not impute sin [Note: Rom 4:1-8.]. We regret that we have not time to make any observations upon this passage: but whoever will read it attentively will find, that every word we have uttered is confirmed by it, beyond the power of sophistry to set aside.
To Abraham and David under the Old Testament, we will add St. Paul under the New; and methinks, if he had no righteousness of his own wherein to trust, we cannot pretend to any. Hear, then, what he says respecting the grounds of his hope: We desire to win Christ, and to be found in him, not having our own righteousness, which is of the law, but the righteousness which is by the faith of Christ, even the righteousness which is of God by faith [Note: Php 3:8-9.]. Are we so much holier than he, that when he renounced all trust in his righteousness, we should make ours, either in whole or in part, the ground of our dependence? After all this, it is scarcely needful to refer to the avowed sentiments of our reformers: indeed we have no time to do it at any length: we will content ourselves therefore with reciting to you the eleventh article of our Church: We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith; and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification.
II.
We now come, in the second place, to shew, that this alone is the appointed way of acceptance with God
This part of our subject being of such vast importance, we must beg leave to enter into it somewhat minutely; and to shew, first, that this alone accords with the character given of the true Gospel; and, next, that this alone is suited to our condition as fallen sinners.
As to the marks which characterize the Gospel, one of peculiar importance is, that it magnifies the grace of God. We are told by St. Paul, that God gave his Gospel to us, that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus. And if we consider salvation as entirely by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the grace of God is indeed magnified beyond all the powers of language to express. The gift of Gods only dear Son to die for us, the laying of all our iniquities on him, the accepting of his vicarious sacrifice in our behalf, the offering of a full salvation to all the sinners of mankind, on account of what he has done and suffered for us; a bestowing of this salvation freely, without money and without price, even upon the very chief of sinners;all this is such a stupendous work of grace, that it fills even heaven itself with wonder. But let man be required to purchase this salvation, either in whole or in part, by any works of his own; and who does not see how the grace of God is lowered? We will grant, for arguments sake, that the giving of salvation on any terms, would have been a wonderful display of grace; but, as compared with that which is revealed, it would have been no grace. As the Apostle says of the Mosaic dispensation, that notwithstanding it was made glorious, it had no glory, by reason of the glory that excelleth; so we may say of such a mutilated Gospel as we are speaking of; it might be glorious, inasmuch as it would be an exercise of mercy; but it would have had no glory, by reason of the infinitely brighter display of Divine grace in the Gospel, as it is revealed to us. Indeed, St. Paul tells us, that if any thing were required on our part towards purchasing of salvation, salvation could be no longer of grace; because the two are contrary to, and absolutely inconsistent with, each other. If, says he, salvation be by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace: but if it be of works, then it is no more of grace; otherwise work is no more work [Note: Rom 11:6.]. Hence he elsewhere says, It is of faith, that it may be by grace: and again, Christ is become of no effect unto you; whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace [Note: Gal 5:4.]. This, then, is one evidence, that salvation must be by faith alone, without works.
Another most important mark of the true Gospel is, that it cuts off all occasion for boasting. God has said, that he has made Christ the great depository of all spiritual blessings, in order that no flesh should glory in his presence, but that all might glory in the Lord alone [Note: 1Co 1:29; 1Co 1:31.]. And it is evident, that by the Gospel, as Paul preached it, all boasting is excluded.
But suppose that our works in any measure whatever formed a ground of justification before God; should we have no occasion for boasting then? Assuredly we should: for in proportion as we had procured it by our works, we might claim it as a debt, and say, I have procured this unto myself. It matters not in what degree this exists: if it exist in any degree whatever, boasting is not excluded. Even in heaven itself we might say, I owe it not entirely to the free grace of God that I am here, but partly to my own superior merit. This is declared by St. Paul in very express terms: Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of faith [Note: Rom 3:27.]: that is, if it were in any degree, even the smallest that can be imagined, by works, there would be room for boasting; but seeing it is solely by faith in the Lord Jesus, all boasting is, and must for ever be, excluded. Hence, in giving an account of the Gospel salvation, he says, By grace ye are saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast [Note: Eph 2:8-9.]. Let these words be remembered, Not of works, lest any man should boast; and there will be an end of all further argument on this subject.
One more mark of the Gospel salvation is, that it secures the performance of good works [Note: Had there been a fifth Sunday in the month, this would have been made a distinct subject: but the whole being to be comprised in four Sermons, this part could not possibly he extended or be rendered so prominent, as the Author wished. But what is here spoken is the most decided sentiment of his heart.
This want has since been supplied in a Sermon, on Psa 119:128. entitled, The true Test of Religion in the Soul.
]. The grace of God, that bringeth salvation, teaches us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world [Note: Tit 2:11-12.]. Many are apt to imagine, that the doctrine of salvation by faith alone destroys all incentive to holiness, and tends to encourage all manner of licentiousness: this was the very objection which was urged against the Gospel in the Apostles days, and which he set himself strongly to refute. Anticipating the objection, he says, Shall we then continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid! How shall we, who are dead to sin, live any longer therein? And again; Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid! yea, we establish the law [Note: Rom 6:1-2; Rom 3:31.]. The fact is, that there is nothing so operative as a lively faith. What was the spring of all those glorious actions that were performed by the long catalogue of worthies mentioned in the 11th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews? From beginning to the end, we are told that faith was the principle by which they were actuated, and the root from which all their obedience sprang. Of the New Testament saints, none exceeded, or even equalled, Paul: and what was it that actuated him? He tells us: The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if One died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them and rose again. This is the effect which faith will, according to its measure, produce in all. It will work by love, and overcome the world, and purify the heart. What if the works it produces be not to be relied on for our justification before God? Is it nothing that they will be adduced in the day of judgment as the evidences of our love to Christ, and as the measure of our everlasting reward? Is it nothing that God is glorified by them, and that the dispositions from whence they spring constitute our meetness for the heavenly inheritance? Surely these are motives enough for the performance of them, without making them the meritorious cause of our salvation; and, if we look to fact and experience, who are the persons at this day that are accounted righteous overmuch, and are represented as making the way to heaven so strait that none but themselves can walk in it? Is it among the declaimers about good works, that we must look for these persons? No; but among those who renounce all dependence on their own works, and seek for salvation by Christ alone: a sure proof, that they who look for redemption solely through the blood of Christ, are by that very principle made a peculiar people zealous of good works.
These, then, are clear evidences that the way of salvation is precisely such as we have declared it to be: for there is no other doctrine under heaven that has these marks connected with it, or these effects proceeding from it.
The second thing we mentioned as establishing our doctrine, was, that there is no other way of salvation suited to our condition as fallen sinners.
Take the way of salvation by our own works: who will venture to build his hopes on such a foundation as that? Who is not sensible that in many things he has offended God? For those offences he must answer at the judgment-seat of Christ. If throughout a great part of our life we had done all that was commanded us, we should still be unprofitable servants: our obedience to some commandments would make no atonement for our violation of others: for the sins that we had committed, we must die. But it may be said, that of those offences we repent. Be it so: still our tears can never wash out the guilt we have already contracted. Even in human governments, a criminal that is under sentence of death may be truly sorry that he has transgressed the laws, and may determine never to repeat his crimes any more; but these sorrows and resolutions will not avail to rescue him from death, or to repeal the sentence that is gone forth against him: much less can any repentance of ours remove the curses of Gods holy law, or avert the judgments which our sins have merited.
But it may be said, we rely not on our works alone, nor on our repentance alone, but on these things and Christs merits united. Go, then, and search the records of your life, and see what works you will bring forth in order to eke out the insufficient merits of your Saviour; bring forth one single work; one only out of your whole life; one that has no defect, and that does not in any respect need the mercy of God to pardon its imperfection: then carry it to God, and say, Here, Lord, is a work in which thou thyself canst not find a flaw; it is as perfect as any that my Lord and Saviour himself ever performed, and is therefore worthy to be united to his infinitely meritorious obedience, as a joint ground of all my hopes: I am content to stand or fall by this one work: I am aware, that if it is imperfect, it stands in need of mercy for its own imperfection, and consequently can never purchase pardon for all my other offences; but I ask no mercy for that, yea, rather, I claim on account of it all the glory of heaven [Note: Let not the reader suppose that any one is exhorted to go thus to Almighty God: the whole passage is intended to shew the horrible impiety of even entertaining such a thought. The Scriptures frequently put such language into the lips of sinners, in order to shew what is the real language of their hearts. See Rom 3:5; Rom 3:7; Rom 9:19.]. You who will dispute against salvation by faith only, and who wish to have something of your own to found your hopes upon, do this: bring forth some work, some one work at least, that shall stand the test of the divine law, and defy the scrutiny of the heart-searching God. But if you cannot find one such work, then see how unsuitable to your state is the doctrine for which you contend.
Perhaps it will be said, that God does not require of us imperfect creatures any thing that is perfect, but only that we be sincere. But who will venture to make his own sincerity the ground of his salvation? If this be the law by which we are to be tried, who shall stand? Who shall say, that from the earliest period of his life he has sincerely striven in every thing to please God, and to approve himself to God? Alas! those who stand upon their own sincerity are little aware of the deceitfulness and wickedness of their own hearts; and if they would but look back throughout their whole lives, they would find, that their sincerity, like that of Saul of Tarsus, has only stimulated them to a greater measure of inveteracy against the Gospel of Christ.
We will mention only one more refuge to which these persons will be disposed to flee, and that is, their having done as well as they could: I have done as well as I could, and therefore I doubt not but that God will have mercy upon me. But in this we shall all fail, as much as in all the fallacious hopes that have preceded it. For, who has done as well as he could throughout his own life? Who will dare to appeal to God even respecting the best day in his life, that there was no one thing omitted which he might have done for him, nor any one thing done in a less perfect manner than it might have been done?
It is clear, that in all the ways of salvation which men devise for themselves, whether by good works, or repentance, or faith and works united, or sincerity, or doing as well as we can, there is not a spot of ground whereon to place our foot: we must go to the ark of God, and there only can we find rest for our weary souls.
Permit me, then, to address you as dying persons, and to ask, What you will think of these things when standing on the brink and precipice of eternity? Now you can speculate, and dispute, and speak with confidence about the justness of your views: now you can discuss these matters as if it were of little moment what your sentiments are, or what is the ground of your affiance. But if you hold fast any of the foregoing delusions, you will not find them so satisfactory in a dying hour as you now imagine. Doubts like these will arise in your mind; What if my works should be found at last, either in number or quality, insufficient? What if my fancied goodness, which I am blending with my Redeemers righteousness, should prove a refuge of lies? Amongst the numberless evils to which this fatal error will expose you, is, that in that hour, when you will most need divine and heavenly consolation, your soul will be trembling with uncertainty as to the ground of your hopes, of those hopes which will in a little time be blasted or realized for ever. For, who shall tell you whether you have attained that precise measure of righteousness which God will accept? And what a fearful thing will it be to be going into the presence of your Judge, uncertain what shall be his sentence upon you, and whether heaven or hell shall be your everlasting portion! Would you but place yourselves, where you must all very shortly be, on a dying bed, we should not find it so difficult to convince you, that it is better to trust in the righteousness of Christ, which is commensurate with all the demands of law and justice, and adequate to the wants of the whole world, than to be trusting in any respect to any poor defective righteousness of your own. Methinks this argument alone were sufficient to convince any considerate man: supposing that your own righteousness were sufficient, your Lord would not condemn you for thinking too humbly of it, and for relying solely on his all-atoning sacrifice: but supposing it insufficient, will he not condemn you for your pride and arrogance in trusting to it, and for your ingratitude in rejecting his salvation? Here all the declarations of his word are as pointed and clear as words can make them: He that believeth on the Son hath life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him [Note: Joh 3:36.]. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned [Note: Mar 16:16.]. Both of these declarations were uttered by our blessed Lord himself when on earth; and he will not forget them, when he shall come again to judge the world.
May I not, then, make my appeal to you? I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. Is it wise to turn your back upon righteousness, which, as a rock, is able to sustain a ruined world; and to be trusting in one that is no better than a foundation of sand? Know ye that your God is a jealous God: he will not give his glory to another: if ye will seek acceptance with him, through his only-begotten Son, no one of you shall ever be cast out: your sins shall be washed away in his blood; and your souls be clothed with the unspotted robe of his righteousness. Being justified by faith in him, you shall have peace with God: you shall be kept also from falling, whilst in this ensnaring world; and in due time you shall be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
Brethren, my hearts desire and prayer to God for every one of you is, that you may be saved: but know assuredly, that there is no salvation for you but by faith in Christ: for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ [Note: 1Co 3:11.]. To whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be glory in the Church throughout all ages, world without end: Amen [Note: The Discourse on Psa 119:128. may be referred to as completing this series.].
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
Ver. 15. I speak as to wise men ] i.e. Well skilled in the doctrine of the sacraments, from one of which I am about to argue. Piscator, after he had read some of the Fathers, gave over for this reason, because scarce any of them did rightly understand the use and efficacy of baptism.
Judge ye what I say ] Jovianus the emperor was wont to wish that he might govern wise men, and that wise men might govern him.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
15 22 .] By the analogy of the Christian participation in the Lord’s Supper , and the Jewish participation in the feasts after sacrifices , joined to the fact that the heathens sacrifice to devils , he shews that the partaker in the idol feast is a PARTAKER WITH DEVILS; which none can be, and yet be a Christian.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
15 .] An appeal to their own sense of what is congruous and possible, as introducing what is to follow.
expresses an assumption on the Apostle’s part, that they are . De W. compares Plato, Alcib. i. 104, .
and both refer to what follows, 1Co 10:16-21 .
is emphatic be YE the judges of what I am saying .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Co 10:15-24 . 33. THE COMMUNION OF THE LORD, AND OF DEMONS. A further warning the Ap. will give against dalliance with idolatry, based on Christian practice as the former was based on Israelite history. He points to the table of the Lord’s Supper , and asks the Cor [1485] to judge as men of sense whether it is possible to take of Christ’s cup and loaf , and then to sit at a table where in reality one communicates with demons! What can be more revolting than such conduct? what more insulting towards the Lord?
[1485] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
1Co 10:15 . : “As to men of sense I speak; be yourselves the judges of what I affirm.” With this prefatory appeal to the intelligence of the readers cf. the introductory phrases of Rom 6:19 , Gal 3:15 ; the ground of admonition in this lies entirely within the judgment of the Cor [1486] , as that of the last did not (1Co 10:1 ). The Cor [1487] are , intellectually clever and shrewd, not (as some of them thought themselves to be, 1Co 3:18 ); this compliment is consistent with the censure of 1Co 3:1 ff.; see parls., also Trench Syn ., lxxv. “The new conception of the caused the word to sink to a much lower level in the N.T. than it occupied in Plato or Aristotle” (Ed [1488] ). Philo disparages , denning it as . ( Quod Deus immut ., 35); he says, , ( De prm. et pn ., 14). On (again in 19), cf 1Co 7:29 , and note. For like appeals, see Luk 12:57 , Act 4:19 . The questions that follow, the readers will easily answer from their knowledge of religious custom and feeling.
[1486] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.
[1487] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.
[1488] T. C. Edwards’ Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
judge. App-122. This appeal is an instance of the Figure of speech Anacoenosis. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15-22.] By the analogy of the Christian participation in the Lords Supper, and the Jewish participation in the feasts after sacrifices, joined to the fact that the heathens sacrifice to devils, he shews that the partaker in the idol feast is a PARTAKER WITH DEVILS; which none can be, and yet be a Christian.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 10:15-19. I Speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
After they had offered the beasts as sacrifices to their idols, it was the custom to sell the carcases in the shambles. Christian men, going into the market to buy meat, and asking no questions, bought and ate portions of these sacrifices, and they did no wrong whatever. But there were some in the church who were very tender of conscience, and who said, If we eat meat which has been offered to idols, we thereby become partakers with the idolaters. Paul therefore writes:
1Co 10:20-21. But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils:
It cannot be; there must be a separation between these two things. We cannot have any delight in idol-worship, and yet worship the Christ of God.
1Co 10:21-28. Ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table, and of the table of devil. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man anothers wealth. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever, is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof:
So, you see, you may eat the meat if you like, for the idol is nothing at all; but, still, if you are told that it is meat that has been offered to idols, and that you by eating of it seem to join in the worship of idols, abstain from doing it, not for your own sake, but for the sake of the man who might be caused to stumble through you. This is a safe rule with regard to Christian behaviour in many other things. There may be things lawful in drink as well as in meat, which a man may take without sinning; but if he knows that his example leads others astray, then let him take heed that he does not set such an example. An example which is an excuse for drunkenness is not a good one; therefore, let none of us set it before the eyes of men. If any man say to you, This meat has been offered in sacrifice to idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof.
1Co 10:29. Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another mans conscience?
That man may not be able to do it without injury to himself, but I may, and I have liberty so to do; but yet, as a Christian man, I am to consider his want of power, and I am not to use my liberty lest I do harm to my brother.
1Co 10:30-31. For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
And if anything you might do would not glorify God, do not do it.
1Co 10:32-33. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
1Co 11:1. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
This exposition consisted of readings from John 9, and 1Co 10:15-33, and 1Co 11:1.
Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible
1Co 10:15. , to the wise) to whom a few words are sufficient to enable them to form their judgment concerning this mystery.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 10:15
1Co 10:15
I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.-[It is a matter requiring judgment and discrimination. They were wise men, and could, out of an abundant personal knowledge, judge as to the wisdom of his counsel when he thus told them to shun all that pertained to idolatry. For idolatry was so interwoven with drunkenness, revelling, and licentiousness that it practically included them, and was not to be dallied with.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
The Table Of The Lord And The Table Of Demons
1Co 10:15-30
I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man anothers wealth. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof: conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another mans conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? (vv. 15-30)
We have in this passage a very serious and solemn word regarding the celebration of the Lords Supper which has been maintained in the Christian church for the last nineteen hundred years. In the earlier part of the chapter we were warned against compromising with the world. Now Paul continues that warning, saying, My dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. In civilized lands we do not come in contact with idolatry in the sense that the apostle primarily means it here, but this is still a very live question in pagan lands, where it is found to be very necessary to separate the converts from absolutely everything of a heathenish or idolatrous character, because if there is any compromise, any fellowship with them, the tendency of all these things is to drag one back to the old levels. Here at home we are more concerned about the gay, godless world around us. We have heard the challenge of the Spirit of God, Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you (2Co 6:17), and as wise men we will apply the principle of this passage to the conditions under which we live.
As Christians we are linked with the table of the Lord, let us see to it that we have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them (Eph 5:11). We are told, The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? In these words he shows us that the Lords Supper, as we commonly call it, sets forth the very foundation principles of Christianity. It is a rallying center, as it were, where Gods people come together to openly confess their adherence to these great fundamental truths. Notice the order given: the cup first, the bread second. When our Lord instituted the Supper, and when we participate in it, thanksgiving for the bread is first, and then for the cup; but the apostle here mentions the cup first because it sets forth the precious poured-out blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and there can be no relationship with God for those who by nature and practice are lost sinners, until they have been cleansed by the precious blood of Christ. Every time the Communion feast is celebrated, the great fact is emphasized that it is the blood, the blood of Jesus alone, that cleanses from sin and gives access to the presence of God. In this we may see the reason for Satans antagonism against this ordinance. It suffers in two ways. On the one hand there are those that have added to it a great many unscriptural superstitious practices and have made it a strange and weird mystery, so that many Christians are almost afraid to approach the table of the Lord. On the other hand there are those who pretend to have a deeper spirituality and a greater Bible knowledge than ordinary Christians, and so put the Lords Supper to one side on the plea that we have no need of ordinances of any kind in the Christian, which is a spiritual, dispensation.
We need to remember that the two ordinances of baptism and the Lords Supper were given, not so much to be helpful to Christian people as such, though they are helpful to them, but to be a testimony to the world outside and to form as it were a line of demarcation between the church and the world. We have already seen how baptism does that. I trust the Lord Jesus Christ in my heart, I accept Him as my Savior, and by my baptism I am saying to the world, I have identified myself with the Christ that you have rejected; henceforward I am
Dead to the world and all its toys,
Its idle pomp and fading joys;
Jesus, my glory be!
If baptism does not mean that to me, it is really nothing more than a mere empty form; but if I see that by my baptism I am confessing my identification with the rejected Christ, it becomes a sweet and precious ordinance and is a testimony to the world outside. The Lords Supper is also a testimony. Baptism speaks of my death with Christ; the Lords Supper speaks of Christs death for me as the only ground of approach to and fellowship with God. And so we read, As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lords death till He come (11:26). The word translated show is exactly the same word which is used on many other occasions in the book of the Acts and in the Epistles for preach. As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do [preach-you proclaim] the Lords death till He come, and so by participation in the Lords Supper today we are preaching to the world around the blessed fact that Christ has died and that His precious blood alone can cleanse from sin. Therefore the emphasis on the cup. First, The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? That is the expression of fellowship which is based upon the blood of Christ. Therefore, you can readily see that no one has part nor lot in this ordinance, no one ought ever to participate in it, who does not put his or her trust in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. I cannot understand how any one who denies the atoning efficacy of the blood of Jesus could even desire to take part in the celebration of the Lords Supper, and yet I am told that in places where Christs atoning death is scouted, in places where men ridicule the thought of salvation by His precious blood, the ordinance of the Lords Supper is still observed in a formal way. It seems to me that is an insult to God, it is an insult to the blessed Savior whose death is commemorated in this service. Christ died for sinners, poured out His blood to redeem us to God, therefore from time to time we come together to remember Him in the drinking of the cup.
Then notice that the bread used in the Supper of the Lord has, if I may so say, a double significance. It speaks of the literal body of our Savior which was offered for us upon the cross, but there is another and wider sense in which it speaks of the mystical body of Christ to which all believers belong. The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? It expresses our fellowship with the body of Christ. He said, This is My body which is given for you. That precious body of His came into being in a different way from any other body. It was the direct creation of the Holy Spirit of God in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary. Christ says, A body hast thou prepared me (Heb 10:5). It was a human body, a body in every respect like ours excepting that there were in that body no sinful tendencies whatever, for our Lord Jesus Christ was, from the moment of His birth as He had been from all eternity, the Holy One of God.
In that prepared body He went to the cross and died for our sins; in fact, He assumed that body in order that He might die. Deity as such cannot die. God, no matter how much He loved us, could not die, but God becoming Man, God taking humanity into relationship with Deity could die as Christ has died on Calvarys tree. And so, every time we participate in the Lords Supper we are again announcing the fact, Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures (15:3). This service preaches, it preaches loudly, of salvation only through that vicarious Sacrifice offered upon the cross.
It is evident that the apostle by the Spirit of God attaches a wider meaning to the use of the bread in the Communion service. The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. When he says, we all he means, of course, Christians. We being many are one bread, and one body. And again he means believers. He is not speaking of mankind in general. Let us never make the mistake of thinking that all men are included in the body of Christ, neither is it true that all believers in all ages have been included in the body of Christ. If I read my Bible correctly, the body of Christ came into existence on the day of Pentecost. There were believers in the world before that. There were one hundred and twenty of them gathered together that morning, but they were one hundred and twenty individuals, separate units, and the Holy Spirit came according to the Saviors promise and in a moment baptized those one hundred and twenty individuals into one, and made of them one body of which the risen glorified Christ is the Head. That body exists in the world today, and includes every one who all through the years since has put his trust in Christ.
The body as presented in Ephesians takes in all saints, living and dead, from Pentecost to the Rapture. The body as presented in 1 Corinthians takes in all saints upon the earth at a given moment of time. They are all members of the body of Christ. The body of Christ on earth is in the place of responsibility; the body of Christ in heaven, of course, is in the place where praise and thanksgiving alone prevail, for there is no longer the need of prayer because saints have passed beyond the bounds of responsibility. But how blessed to realize when we take the Lords Supper that we are doing so as recognizing our unity with every fellow believer on the face of the earth. There is only one Lords table in all the world. Wherever bread and the fruit of the vine are placed on a table in commemoration of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, that is the Lords table, and Christians are responsible to behave themselves accordingly. The apostle emphasizes that when he points out that there are only two other tables. One is either at the Lords table on earth, the table of Judaism, which is the fellowship of Israel, or the table of demons, which is the fellowship of idols.
Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? He is referring to the peace offering. All in Israel had their title to participate when the peace offering was offered; that marked them out as a special communion. On the other hand, The things that the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to [demons], and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Idolatrous feasts and heathen festivals were all expressions of fellowship, just as the Lords table is an expression of fellowship, or as the peace offering in Israel was an expression of fellowship. But these idolatrous festivals express fellowship with demons whether people realize it or not. I wish that the members of the Laymens Appraisal Commission could get the meaning of this. They tell us that we make a great mistake in sending missionaries to heathen lands to draw a line of demarcation between heathenism and Christianity. They say we should go to them and get all the good we can out of their religions, and then share with them what we have. The things that the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to [demons], and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with [demons]. They may not realize it, but behind those idols, those images, there are demon powers controlling the hearts and minds of the people, and Christians are to be separated from everything like that.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of [demons]: ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table, and of the table of [demons]. And, let me say, you cannot be living for the world, the flesh, and the Devil, and be a partaker at the table of the Lord. You may sit in a church pew, and when the bread and wine are passed you may eat and drink of them, but you have not partaken of this fellowship, you cannot do it. You may in an outward sense take your place with Christians, but you know there is no real fellowship if you still belong to the world or love the world and its ways. It is the heart that is occupied with Christ that enjoys the sweetness and preciousness of fellowship at His table. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of [demons]. If we attempt to do so, it would be as though we would try to provoke the Lord to jealousy.
A young man is engaged to a beautiful young woman. She does not know that his ways are very careless, and by-and-by she learns that while he comes to visit her and treats her with kindness and affection, on other nights he is out with other young women and is just as affectionate and free with them. He comes back to her as though nothing has happened. Do you think she would accept him on the same good terms? No, she would say, You cannot go on with others if you expect me to be devoted to you alone. And so our Lord has called us to proclaim our wholehearted devotion to Himself and thus our separation from the world that has rejected our Savior. Looked at from this standpoint how important the frequent celebration of the Lords Supper becomes.
The early Christians used to call this The Sacrament. Where did that term come from? The word sacrament was used for the oath of allegiance which the soldiers of the Roman legion took to their emperor. The early Christians said, In a similar way every time we gather at the table of the Lord we renew our allegiance to our blessed Lord, we are confessing our devotion to Him who in grace gave Himself for us. That is what makes this so precious in His eyes as we thus remember Him.
And so the believer, remembering he is always linked with the Lords table, that his behavior is to be in accordance with the Communion, should be careful as to how far he participates in things that worldlings think nothing of. All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. In other words, the believer is not put under rules and regulations, he is free and is at liberty to do the thing that he believes is right. Let him stop and ask the question in regard to a matter, Will it edify, will it bless, will it help to make Christ more precious to me? Is there a possibility it may stumble any one else? If it would not edify, it is something from which I must turn. I am not bound by these things, I am here to seek the blessing of others, not to do my own will.
The apostle says, as it were, When you go into the market to buy, purchase what you will, take it home and eat it. If you are invited to a meal, feel perfectly free to go and eat what is placed before you. But if when you go to the market and are about to purchase your meat, the butcher should say, This has been dedicated to idols, you say, We do not want it. If you go out to dinner and your host should say, We are eating this today as dedicated to such and such a god, you say, I cannot eat it with you because I am a partaker at the table of the Lord. We are not to make difficulties unnecessarily, but to be very careful of the consciences of other people. He does not want the butcher to be able to say, I sold that Christian meat dedicated to Apollo, or to some other god; he evidently recognizes that there are other gods. He does not want that host to be able to say, We thought him very narrow, we thought he recognized only Christ as God, but you see he partakes with us in the recognition of all our gods. He has so much more liberty than we thought. No, the apostle says, Flee all that kind of liberty, be out-and-out for Christ; do not let any one have occasion to speak ill of that which you feel perfectly free to do.
If I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? I am not to allow myself to partake of anything that would mislead those who are weak in the faith. Each believer is to act thus in good conscience toward God.
The conscience of a young person may be more active than some of the older folk think. Some of us get in the habit of speaking disparagingly of the young, and we would like to see them begin where we have left off. We have had to grow and they have to grow. Well, then, do not expect too much of young believers. Remember how you had to grow, you had to learn little by little what a poor, wretched thing this world is, and you had to learn how Christ could make up for everything else. They have to learn it too; give them credit for being just as honest as you were. They want to live for God, but they come to me and say, What do you think of thus and so? It is generally some kind of amusement. They ask, Do you think that it is all right for a Christian? And I always say, My dear young brother, or my dear young sister, dont you think that you are turning that around? Dont ask the question, Is there any harm in it? but, Is there any profit in it? Will it really do me good? Would it be a blessing to me physically, spiritually, and in other ways? Will it help me to be a better testimony for Christ? If so, do not be afraid of it. But if conscience says, It would not be profitable and it would not be a good testimony to others, it may mislead the weak, it will not lead me toward a deeper knowledge of Christ, then say, I cannot, on the principle that the apostle lays down here, and I will avoid it. Let Christ be the one supreme Object of the devotion of your heart.
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
1Co 4:10, 1Co 6:5, 1Co 8:1, 1Co 11:13, 1Co 14:20, Job 34:2, Job 34:3, 1Th 5:21
Reciprocal: Job 12:11 – Doth Job 34:34 – understanding Pro 1:5 – wise Mat 18:12 – How Mat 21:28 – what Act 4:19 – judge 2Co 11:19 – seeing
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
WORDS TO THE WISE
I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
1Co 10:15
We are met together not to exalt ourselves, but for the great and definite purpose of trying to build one another up in our most holy faith, and of learning how we may the better extend, both at home and abroad, the Kingdom of our Divine Lord, our beloved Master. Our object may be found in the words of St. PaulThat Christ may be magnified. Shall we not pray very earnestly for the gift of the Holy Ghost? Where He is there will be no error, for He is the Spirit of Truth. Where He is there will be no discord, for He is the Spirit of Unity. Where He is there will be no lack of Charity, for He is the Spirit of Love.
I. As Churchmen we need to define our position.Not for trifles do we work and watch, do we pray and contend, but for the greatest and most vital realities. We maintain the supremacy of Holy Scripture as the one Rule of Faith, inspiredwe ask not, we define not, howby the Holy Spirit of God. We accept with all our hearts the blessed doctrine of the Trinity. We believe in the Fatherhood of God, in the redemption wrought out by Christ in the convincing, converting, sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost. We insist on the absolute necessity of good works and holy living. Trifles, indeed, are these things trifles? No more trifles than is the foundation-stone of a building.
II. We need to assert our Churchmanship.We are deeply attached to our own beloved Church of England. We believe her to be the purest branch of the Catholic Church. We love with the deepest and tenderest love, with the warmest and most intense affection, our Book of Common Prayer. We value the Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself as outward visible signs of inward and spiritual grace. We rejoice in the three orders of the Christian ministryBishops, Priests, and Deacons. We claim to be loyal, warm, sincere, devout. We object to any adjective at allwe are Churchmen.
III. We need to affirm that whilst we are valiant for the truth we are neither narrow nor illiberal.We are thankful the Church of England embraces three schools of thought. We gratefully acknowledge our indebtedness to the one for brighter services and more beautiful churches; to the other for leading us to reconsider our interpretation of the Divine Word, and to question whether on some minor but not unimportant points the common may not have been the incorrect meaning; and to the third that the Evangelical fathers were instrumental in furthering personal holiness and increasing spirituality of worship and of life.
IV. We need to have knowledge of the times.There is no reason why we should not accommodate ourselves and our services to the taste of the age, provided we do not sacrifice any principle or obscure any truth, or forget that God is Spirit and they that worship Him should worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
V. We need to be more united amongst ourselves.There is undoubtedly great need for visible unity and cohesion amongst ourselves. Bishop Lightfoot thus closes his introduction to the Epistle to the Philippians: To all ages of the Churchto our own especiallythis Epistle reads a great lesson. While we are expending our strength on theological definitions or ecclesiastical rules, it recalls us from these distractions to the very heart and centre of the Gospel, the life of Christ, the life in Christ. Here is the meeting-point of all our differences, the healing of all our feuds, the true life alike of individuals and sects and churches; here doctrine and practice are wedded together, for here is the Creed of Creeds involved in and arising out of the work of works.
Rev. Henry Woffindin.
Illustration
I have lived a long life, said Bishop Harold Browne, and have seen and known leaders of all parties. In my youth it was my privilege to know Simeon, a leader of one section at that time. I knew Keble, who led another section, and I knew F. D. Maurice, and I can say that I agreed in the main points with every one of these great and good men, and honoured and loved them. I could heartily subscribe to the chief tenet of Simeons school that Christ is the only way of salvation, and that no creature earthly or heavenly can intervene between the soul of the sinner and his Saviour. I can subscribe to Kebles faith in the assured presence of Christ in His Sacraments, the communion of the individual with his Saviour, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the Communion of Saints. I can join heartily in the teaching of Maurice that the Eternal Father regards with all-embracing love those He has created and redeemed. Nay, I doubt not, in the Kingdom of our Father we shall see each of these men, unless, indeed (as Whitfield said of Wesley), they are too near the eternal brightness for us to be able to discern them.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
1Co 10:15. The original for wise means one who is intelligent, a man who is capable of forming logical conclusions. Paul believed the Corinthian brethren were able to “see the point” in all of the present reasoning.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 10:15. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say:Apostolic authority I have no need to urge; to your own judgment as wise men I appeal.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. [As idolatry had proved the mother of sins in Israel, so had it also in Corinth. Paul, therefore, in exhorting his readers to flee from it, appeals to their own past experience. They were wise men in this respect, and could, out of an abundant personal knowledge, judge as to the wisdom of his counsel when he thus told them to shun all that pertained to it. Idolatry was so interwoven with lust, drunkenness, reveling, etc., that it practically included them, and it was not to be dallied with. If we go to the verge of what is allowable, we make it easy for Satan to draw us over the line into what is sinful.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
10:15 {5} I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
(5) Now returning to those idol’s feasts, that he may not seem to delay at all: first he promises that he will use no other reasons, than such as they knew very well themselves. He gives the following line of reasoning. The holy banquets of the Christians are pledges, first of all, of the community that they have with Christ, and next, one with another. The Israelites also do ratify in the sacrifices, their mutual union in the very same religion. Therefore so do the idolaters also join themselves with their idols, or demons rather (for idols are nothing) in those solemn banquets, whereupon it follows, that that table is a table of demons, and therefore you must avoid it. For you cannot be partakers of the Lord and of idols together, much less may such banquets be considered as indifferent things. Will you then strive with God? And if you do, do you think that you will get the upper hand?
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
This statement prepares for what follows. The apostle was confident that the Corinthians had the wisdom to understand the correctness of what he was about to tell them. He believed they could make correct judgments about what they should do. Still, to follow his logic they would need to use their minds. As we have seen, the Corinthians considered themselves very wise. They should judge for themselves that Paul was right.