T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
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be careful as to giving unnecessary of fense, th e re is also in th e New Testa ment a strong insistence upon a firm a ttitu d e on the p art of believers t'oward those who promulgate heretical teach ings, and are following in the ways of Cain, Korah and Balaam. This insist ence is treated lightly by some in the present day, who seem to be exercised concerning th e rationalistic avalanche which is sweeping over th e professing church; for, in many of the criticisms which appear in religious "periodicals and magazines from tim e to time, th ere is altogether too g réat consideration shown, and condemnation is so modi fied by deference to learning and purely n atu ra l qualifications th a t the average reader must be left in doubt as to whether, afte r all, the questions a t issue are not merely technical and of no gen eral importance. The w riter has in mind a recent ar ticle in The P resby terian wherein a perfectly ju st bu t somewhat scathing arraignm ent appears of a well-known preacher and educator. This arraig n ment is in terlarded w ith complimentary allusions seemingly intended to soften the severity of the accusations, and savoring of a sp irit of free-masoqry, widely prevalent among certain groups of m inisters. Oftentimes th is unscrip- tu ra l “ esprit de corps” is exceedingly offensive to th e lay observer, and it is unquestionably abho rren t to th e glori ous Head of th e Body (Rev. 2 :1 5 ). The impression le ft by the article referred to is of an outwardly hold attack, behind which th e re is a ¡ complacent “kow-tow” and implied apology: In one sentence, g reat indignation is m ani fested toward the man who does not hesitate to deny th e Lord th a t bought him, and in th e next th e re is adulation as to the personality and acquirementsT even to the extent of designating the possessor as “ The Good Doctor.” | Are we not coming perilously near to the
condemnation expressed in Jude, 16th verse, and does not the silly ’ title re m ind us of our Lord’s question. “Why callest thou me good?” and th e sta rt ling tru th involved? 0 I t is plainly shown in the Scriptures th a t all such treatm en t of S atan’s ser vants who to-day are doing th e ir best, to' upspt th e faith of God’s people will be considered unfaithfulness when our w orks are finally manifested. Shall we not be found guilty of commending the very means which Satan is using to carry out his hellish purpose? F o r if these men were not in th e main pos sessed of magnetism in a high degree, both intellectual and .physical, we should have small reason to dread th eir influence. . If th e statem ents made by prom inent present-day rationalists in th e ir u tte r ances and w ritings are a tru e reflection of th e ir sp iritual standing, we ar.e ab solutely forced to the conclusion th a t th e men are unsaved, and headed straigh t for the place prepared for the devil and his angels. If th is is not so, then we may" as well throw th e New Testam ent into “ the discard.” The la tte r altern ativ e cannot be accepted, however, and therefore personal com plim ents should have no place in deal in g w ith such people; i t seems too much lik e m aking jokes a t a deathbed. F o r the sake of the poor sheep who are captivated unw ittingly and led to th e ir undoing by -the very attractiv e ness which elicits. these encomiums, it is well, of course, to combat th e teach ing w ith all th e vehemence possible. W ith the teachers themselves, a rg u m ent is useless; th e resu lt in them is to increase th e ir self-esteem and deepen th e ir satisfaction a t the criticisms evoked. In other words, they are ad vertised to th eir h ea rts’ content. Under all these distressing circum stances, the only recourse for God’s people is prayer: tru e and sympathetic
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