"The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every man that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 2 Timothy 2:19

MOST of the superstitions of Human religion may be traced ultimately to a Divine revelation. The pagan conception of atonement by blood, for example, could never have been evolved from the human mind. It comes from ancient Babylon; and Babylon was to the Old World what the apostasy of Christendom is to the New - the Satanic corruption of God’s revelations to men.

Though it has borrowed much from Babylon, the "Christian apostasy," being nearer to the truth than the pagan, is on that very account more dangerous. But there are two main characteristics, which mark off the true, in Christian doctrine and Christian life. Grace, as we have seen, has no counterfeit even in the so-called "Christian religion." And another characteristic of Christianity is its distinctive hope.

The common belief that the errors of the Christian apostasy had their origin in the darkness of the Middle Ages is a mischievous delusion. They originated with the "orthodox" Fathers in the halcyon days of the "Primitive Church." The great Chrysostom - the most eminent of the early martyrs to the persecuting spirit of the "Catholics" - lamented that "all things which are Christ’s in the truth - nay, even Christ Himself," were counterfeited in the heresies which even then prevailed. And, as the Christians only safeguard, he urged "that they should betake themselves to nothing else but the Scriptures." What wonder then if in our own day the devout but uninstructed Protestant differs from an equally devout Romanist mainly in this, that he has a somewhat clearer view of the Cross of Christ. Both alike are in a position akin to that of men awaiting trial for a crime, but who are happy in expecting an acquittal. They are looking forward to death and judgment to decide their destiny.

But the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ "cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life." (John 5:24, R. V.) He has forgiveness of sins here and now. And he is not only forgiven, but justified. And he has peace with God; and instead of looking forward to the day of wrath, he is called to "rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1, 2.) With the religion of Christendom, the salvation of the soul is a prize to be won by saint-ship; but the Scripture represents it as a blessing which grace bestows upon the sinner who believes. It is the starting-post and not the goal of the Christian’s course.

Upon two main points which concern us here, the teaching of Christ is clear and explicit. The first is that, in the case of those to whom the Gospel comes, the consequences of accepting or rejecting Him are immediate and eternal. And, secondly, the final destiny of all will be decided prior to the resurrection. For the resurrection will be either "unto life," or "unto judgment." (John 5:29, R. V.) And the redeemed will be raised in bodies like His own - "fashioned like unto His glorious body." This and not death, is the true hope of the Christian. Death is not the goal of life. It is rather a disaster and an outrage. And if faith can meet it without flinching, it is because God has "given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

These Gospel truths have been brought into fresh prominence in the Revival of the last half century. But it is to be feared that correlative truths which bear upon the Christian life have been somewhat overlooked. The Gospel of the religion of Christendom finds a fitting symbol in the crucifix. It leads its rotaries to hope for the salvation of their souls through the merits of a dead Christ, and the mediation of the Church. But the Christian’s faith rests upon the living Lord, in whom we are bidden to rejoice, receiving now "the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls." But we must not forget that there is another salvation yet to come - "a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." This is the "living hope" to which we have been "begotten by the resurrection of Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3, 5, 9.)

And we are thus brought into a new position, with new privileges and new responsibilities. The pardoned sinner can say with the Psalmist "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." But let him not forget the words which follow

"Come, ye children, hearken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord." (Psalm 34:4, 11.)

If he has present and full deliverance from all his fears, it is that he may learn the fear of the Lord. We have been redeemed from the law "that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4:5.) And to such the exhortation comes, "If ye call on Him as Father, who, judgeth according to each man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear;" not because redemption is in doubt, but because of the tremendous price which it has cost -"the precious blood of Christ." (1 Peter 1:17-19.) Though the redeemed shall never be arraigned before the dread tribunal of the great white throne, "every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:12.) For "we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad." And the Apostle adds, "Knowing, therefore, the fear of the Lord, we persuade men." (2 Corinthians 5:10, 11, R. V.) "Terror" is a sheer mistranslation. Fear of that kind, love casts out; but, "knowing the fear of the Lord" is one of the characteristics of the child of God.

Just as in the hell of traditional theology all distinctions of responsibility and guilt are lost in the horrors of a common doom, so its heaven is but a fool’s paradise, where the memories of earth will be so entirely effaced that all on which our personality depends will disappear. What wonder is it if men revolt against belief in such a hell, and the realities of the world to come are losing their influence upon the Christian life If the judgment-seat of Christ be not quite forgotten, it is regarded as a function resembling "speech day" at school, when industry and talent are rewarded, and the idle and disobedient are kept in the background, So forgotten is it, indeed, that this simple statement of the plain teaching of Scripture will cause bewilderment and distress to many.

"But, will our sins be remembered?" some will ask. That no question of guilt can ever arise, we may be assured. In that sense the believer "shall not come into judgment," and his sins shall be remembered no more. For 63 him death and judgment have their counterpart in Christ’s appearing as a sin-bearer, and His appearing again "without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:27, 28.) No less definite, however, is the statement that in that day one "shall receive a reward," while another "shall suffer loss." (1 Corinthians 3:14, 15.) "Yes," someone will say, "but that relates to service." Precisely so. And this principle, perhaps, underlies the whole judgment of the redeemed. Only let us avoid the error which so soon corrupted the early Church, of separating off the "religious" from the "secular" element in Christian life. In all his relationships, and in the discharge of all his duties in life, the Christian is the servant of God, and as a servant he shall give account of himself to God.

"If this be true," I hear someone exclaiming, "I never can be happy again." The statement is deplorable. Unless the redeemed in glory are to sink to a lower level both morally and spiritually than that on which they stand on earth, happiness based on ignoring facts will be impossible. Moreover, the Divine purpose in redemption is the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ; and the happiness of the redeemed cannot but be increased by everything which "manifests" what they are in themselves, and magnifies the grace of their salvation.

"The brotherhood-of-Jesus" cult has so corrupted us that we need to be reminded that our Saviour is the risen and glorified Lord, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, whose face is as the sun shineth in its strength, and out of whose mouth proceeds a sharp two-edged sword. A false peace may be attained by bringing Him down to our own level. But if, like "the beloved disciple," we have known what it means to see Him thus in His glory, and falling at His feet as dead, to hear Him say, "Fear not,…I am He that liveth, and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of death and of hell," we have a peace which neither death nor hell can shake. (Revelation 1:12-18.)

The solemnity of being a Christian in a world that has rejected Christ, is growing deeper as the last apostasy develops. The Buddha of the popular religion of the day is the "brotherhood of Jesus" myth, and its devil is the obscene monster of ancient Babylonian paganism. But the Christian’s Christ is "the Lord of glory," and his Satan is the god of this world - that awful being who "fashioneth himself into an angel of light." The "seducing spirits" of the last apostasy are not unclean spirits. They inculcate a more fastidious morality than Christianity itself will recognize; and under their influence Satan’s ministers "fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness." (2 Corinthians 11:14, 15, R. V.; 1 Timothy 4:1-3.)

The test of the true minister, therefore, is not zeal or piety, earnestness or purity of life; for under these evil spiritual guides, even "Christian Science" and "Spiritualism" excel in these respects. "Whosoever goeth onward [takes the lead, as a shepherd going before his sheep], and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God." (2 John 9, R. V.) This is the only sure and vital test. And the same inspired Apostle demands

"Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?" (1 John 2:22.)

That He is "THE CHRIST." It is not that He died, nor even that He died for our sins, for demon doctrine will accept this, and dwell upon it with exquisite feeling. But that "He died for our sins according to the Scriptures"; died to make atonement for our sins; died as the fulfillment of the typical teaching of the Divine religion of Judaism - the fulfillment of "all things which were written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Him." This is "the doctrine of the Christ", and if a man has it not, then, no matter how beautiful his teaching in other respects, no matter how beautiful his character and life, the Holy Spirit declares that "this is the anti-Christ, even he that denieth the Father and the Son." And let Christians who are trifling with these false gospels, and recognizing these false ministers, bethink themselves that they shall have to give account of themselves to God.

It is always sad when Christians fail to live the Christian life, but the failure becomes disastrous in presence of this latter-day development of evil under the guise of good. For if the life of those who have the doctrine of Christ compares unfavourably with the life of men who ignore or deny the doctrine, the doctrine itself becomes discredited. But we must not lower the standard of the Gospel. The remedy is not to veil the truth that God is love, but to proclaim anew the truth that God is light. Not to make less of the truth that Christ is Saviour, but to make more of the truth that He is Lord. We need to be ever reminded of the solemnities of Divine judgment, both in this "time of our sojourning," and at the judgment-seat of Christ.

"This man receiveth sinners" was the indignant protest of the Pharisees when the Lord called the fallen to His side. And if the Sadducees of our own day have different thoughts, it is not because they know more of grace, but because they have discovered, as they think, that there is no impassable gulf between sinful men and God. Theirs is the "gospel" which led to the Eden Fall - a "gospel" which attributes human qualities to God and latent divinity to man. And these prevailing currents of error have an influence on the thoughts and lives of Christians. "Revivalism," moreover, in some of its phases, leads in the same direction, though by another road. For though it has no real affinity with the "brotherhood-of-Jesus" cult, it encourages it, and seems allied to it. But if "the days are evil," let us give the greater heed to the Divine injunction, "Sanctify Christ in your hearts as lord." And let the glory vision of the first chapter of the Revelation be kept more prominently in view. For Divine truth is the antidote to human error.

The Gospel brings peace to the sinner, not because it makes light of his sin, or lowers the inexorable claims of Divine perfection, but because it tells how Christ has made it possible for an absolutely righteous and thrice holy God to pardon and save absolutely sinful and evil men.