TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
February 1925
The T h re e fo id p rogram o f th e T r in i ty Dr. M ark A. Matthews, P a sto r F irs t P resby terian Church, Seattle, W ashington
B E B B f l 38 ■ ■ ■ ■ th e beloved p asto r of th e la rg e st P resby terian church in th e United S tates, and fo rm er Moderator of th e General Assembly. H is sermons are always strong, stirring , fearless messages on tim ely themes, and we greatly appreciate his perm ission to p rin t this, which is no exception. A review of Dr. Matthews’ la te st book, “Gospel Sword T h ru sts,” appeared in th e August K ing’s Business, and we d esire to re ite ra te ou r recommendation th a t i t should be in th e hands of every p asto r and evangelist.
“ B n t th e C o m f o r te r , w h o is t h e H o ly G h o s t, w h o m t h e F a t h e r w ill s e n d in m y n a m e , h e s h a l l te a e h y o n a l l t h i n g s , a n d b r in g a l l t h i n g s to y o u r r e m e m b r a n c e , w h a ts o e v e r I h a v e s a id u n to y o n .” J o h n 14 )2 6. ASK you to carefully read and study the four teen th chapter of John. I t is th e most superfic ially read chapter in the Bible. I ask you to study as th e key th e twenty-sixth verse. The chapter, first of all, testifies to the existence of th e T rinity. Second, it testifies to th e unity of th e Godhead. Third, it testifies to th e personality of th e members of the T rinity. F ou rth , to the w o rk ,;not only of th e T rinity, in unison working, bu t also to th e work perform ed by each member of the T rinity. F ifth 1, it says th a t belief in the T rin ity is essential. We h ear so much about w hat is essential and w hat is n o tf it is well for us to listen to the standard— God’s Word. Sixth, th e chapter testifies to the infallibility of th e Scrip tures. And, ¡seventh, to th e supreme work of the T rinity at the present time. P erhaps th a t will give you a super ficial division of the chapter, and the key, th e twenty-sixth verse, will enable you to unfold th e chapter. The; Threefold P rog ram of th e T rin ity There are th ree divisions in the program— th e three-fold program of the T rinity,—-the program for today, for tom or row, and for the fu tu re , i.e., what the T rin ity is doing now, and will continue to do un til the rap tu re; w h at the T rinity will do afte r the rap tu re and between the period of the rap tu re and th e end of th e m illennium ; and w hat th e T rin ity will do afte r th e end of the m illennium and th roughou t eternity. I shall spenk of the program of today. But let me tell you some of the things God is n o t doing, th a t you may distinguish between th e false teachings so ram p an t today, and th e tru e gospel. F irs t: God is not creating anything. The period of creation ended some tim e ago. God is n o t in the business of making worlds, of creating species, of bringing new life into existence. God finished the work of creation and rested from it. Not th a t God ceased to w ork; b u t th a t He ceased to do th a t k ind of work is th e statem en t of Holy W rit. Second: God is not w riting new revelations. The Book of Revelation is closed. There has no t been a line added to th e Scripture, and th ere has not been a new sentence revealed by th e Holy Ghost since th e inspired record was finished. God will never make ano th er revelation, eith er in th is or th e two succeeding periods. God has thrown away His pen; He has ceased to w rite; th ere are no more manu scripts to be prepared by Him.
Third: God is doing bu t one th ing today, namely, saying souls. T hat is all He is doing, all He is going to do. That is now His supreme business. There are th ree sup ern atu ral persons— th e th ree persons of th e T rinity— engaged in th is work. They are the supreme architects of the soul in its origination. They a r e : the redeem ers of the soul, th e life and th e body. They have prepared a home, and a sta te of labor, progress and devel opment in th a t everlasting home. B elief in th e T rin ity E ssential Now, th is chapter teaches th a t belief in th e T rin ity is essential, and it also reveals th a t the whole tru th of th a t statem en t revolves around Jesus Christ. In th e opening statem en t Christ said, “You believe in God.” T h at is inevitable; you cannot avoid it; you cannot escape it. There is only one way for man to escape believing in th e existence of God, and th a t is to be born a fool. When any man of normal intellect, normal in every way, says he doesj; not believe.in the existence of God, then h e perju res him self; and, th e very denial is proof of the existence of God, for you cannot deny th a t which does not exist. ' But, Christ says, "You believe in God for two other reasons, not because of His existence only, bu t because of His benevolence, and because of His love, and becausb of His provision for you.” Those are things coming out of th e general providence of God th a t everyone inherits; be cause he is a hum an being. Christ states a more significant fact: “ You believe in God, then you must believe in me, if you are going to have th e benefits, the everlasting, saving benefits of the existence, mercy and love of God.” “ In other words, th is chapter teaches th a t th e love of God is suspended ju st so far above th e individual, and th e indi vidual will never come into the benefits of {he love of God other than those th a t general providence bestows on both the wicked and the saved, such as life, air, light, sleep, opportunity, food, etc. They have nothing to do w ith th e salvation of man, have no relationship to th e soul, and should never be tak en into consideration when talk ing about God’s work for the indi vidual. The saving blood of God is suspended above th e individual, and th ere is no way by which th e connection can be made between God and th e individual except through the Mediator, Christ. Christ .says, “You will never be con nected w ith God unless th a t connection is made by me. You believe in God; therefore, if the existence, th e love, (Continued on page 89)
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