1200. A Saddening Sentence

A Saddening Sentence

"As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man preacheth unto you any Gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema" (Gal_1:9, A. S. V.).

The words of our key text sadden the soul. God does not deal with gloved hands with the man who steps aside from preaching the Cross, nor with the sinner who spurns to believe the Cross. There is just one dark foreboding word that God speaks, a curse–an anathema.

1. The Gospel Paul preached. We need not hesitate here, for Paul said, "We preach Christ crucified." This was said to the Galatians. To the Corinthians he said, "I declare unto you * * how that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He arose again the third day, according to the Scriptures." Surely the Gospel includes the Cross.

2. Those who preach another gospel are accursed. We have heard many excuse the men who deny the Gospel of Christ, and many excuse the churches who permit the Cross to be denied; but God cannot excuse a sin so grievous, a fault so vile–God says, "Let him be anathema!"

We feel compelled to add a word here. If the man who has ceased to preach the Cross is accursed of God, surely the people of God have no right to sit under his preaching; nor, have other preachers a right to fellowship with him. If we receive such an one we are partakers with him of his evil deeds; we place ourselves under the shadow of his condemnation.

"If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed: for he that biddeth him Godspeed is a partaker of his evil deeds."

If God writes "accursed" over the heads of those who deny the Cross, let us not seek shelter under the churchly roof that shelters him. There is nothing but fire and smoke, the blackness of darkness, and a great tempest around the head of the man who spurns the Cross. Let saints beware.

3. Those who trample the Cross beneath their feet are under vengeance. The Word of God is plain. Those who broke Moses' Law "died without mercy under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the Blood of the covenant, wherewith He was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

God has said that vengeance belongeth unto Him. The man who treads beneath his foot the Son of God, and discounts the Blood, will be judged, and condemned. "God will recompense!"

This is a solemn matter. With what flippancy and passing remark do men cast aside the efficacy of the Blood? Yet with what terror will they cry out unto the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them, when the day of the wrath of the Son of God has come! God will not keep His silence forever. Jesus Christ will descend from Heaven riding upon a white horse; the blood of those who derided and defamed His precious Blood shall be sprinkled upon His garments. He will tread the "winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of the Lord God, the Almighty."

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR