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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
May, 1938
What Is Ou r Attitude Toward Modernists?
Christ when these teachers responded to invitations to speak in the pulpits of mod ernists in union services. Today there are those who even would denounce the great Bible Institutes of the country because these institutions frequently seek to get their speakers into denominational churches where, in many instances, the true message is not regularly given. W e know that Dr. Carter spoke truly when he said that there are hundreds of ministers trained in liberal seminaries who are today at their wits’ end as to what to believe and what to teach. They have come to see that they have no adequate message to meet the needs of the human heart. They have come to think that Christianity has failed, and that their only hope of holding on is to turn the churches into public for ums or amusement centers. Shall we meet this challenge—we who know that we have the message which has behind it the lifting power of the A l mighty? Have we no responsibility toward these deceived leaders of the blind? Have we made a single move to “ expose” these men to the real gospel? Have we given them an opportunity to see the Holy Spirit at work in the salvation of souls? Have we done anything except to raise barriers, to question motives, to criticize men publicly for doing the best they know how? More than that, have not many who are not mod ernists at all been most unfairly accused of having departed from the faith? W e must frankly and fearlessly deal with dangerous errors. W e must allow no com promise with the revealed Word of God. Our task in days of apostasy is to keep shocks of tares out of the bundle by filling it with wheat. But as to our attitude to men who do not agree with us, we need to consider more thoughtfully Jude’s searching word. Many false teachers have become distinguished because of the battle waged against them personally. None of them, so far as we know, has thus been won to the truth. W ho knows what a little friendli ness, prayer, and compassion might have done? W e need to bear in mind the words of Paul to Timothy: “ In meekness instruct ing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth” (2 Tim . 2:25). The Fifth Central Keswick Conference will be held in Kansas City, Mo., from May 15 to 22 inclusive. The speakers are as follows: J. Oliver Buswell, Jr., President, Wheaton College, Wheaton, 111.; Harry Hager, Pastor, Bethany Reformed Church, Chicago, III.; F. William May, President, Kansas City Bible College, Kansas City, Mo., and Walter L. Wilson, M. D., Radio Preacher and Bible Teacher, Kansas City, Mo. Services of the conference will be held in the Central Bible Hall at 106 E. 31st St. Terrace, Kansas City, Mo. The date has been set much earlier this year than hereto fore to avoid the heat. The committee on arrangements feels that the change of time will greatly benefit the friends who are guests at the conference. Keswick Conference in the Middle West
By KEITH L. BROOKS Los Angeles, California
T HE EPISTLE OF JUDE, which constitutes a warning about the fear ful apostasy of the last days, exhorts God’s servants to “ earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” It closes with an exhortation to be lievers to build themselves up in their most holy faith, to pray in the Spirit, and to keep themselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of the Lord at His coming. Regarding the multitude of earnest people who are deceived by the false and Satanic teachings o f the day, a final word is given as to the attitude to be taken toward them by those who love the Lord. It is plain that there will be some religious leaders so completely directed by Satan that they must be forcibly (if at all) pulled out of the fire, while the rescuer hates even the gar ments spotted by the flesh which clothe these ministers of Satan. There will be forms of religion so sensuous and offering such light views of sin, that they lead to moral depravity and mental unbalance. Those who thus ’ “ speak evil of those things which they know not” and preach only the things they have discovered “ as brute beasts,” those “ foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is re served the blackness of darkness”— all these must be handled without gloves. If they heed not warnings concerning their evil teachings, they must, for the good of others, be openly exposed. For the follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, fellowship of any kind with these individuals is out of the ques tion, for they are dangerous characters. But another class of false teachers in the last days is distinguished by Jude, and these are to be dealt with in an entirely different manner. "O f some have compas sion, making a difference.” There are ministers who are truly so licitous for the moral uplift of their fellow men. According to the knowledge they possess, they are doing their best to preach righteousness. They set high standards in their personal conduct and strive to point men to high spiritual levels. But they have been trained to believe that the Bible can no longer be considered the infallible rule of faith and practice. They have been in structed that the old message of the cross must be given a new interpretation, more in keeping with the theory of evolution now so widely accepted. T o reconcile their teach ings with modern philosophies, they must abandon the Bible doctrine of the fall of man, the hopeless state o f the natural man, and the consequent need of the redemptive work of Calvary. The evidences of the divine authenticity and authority of the Scriptures were no part of the theological training of the men of whom we are now speaking. Proofs that the old gospel is still “ the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth” have not been set before them; their in structors did not send these students to rescue missions and street corners for prac tical experience. They learned nothing of the recent discoveries of archaeologists which make clear the historical portions of the Bible. These sincere men, in the majority of cases, had criticism dinned into their ears from morning until night. Modernistic text books only were recommended to them. Orthodox teachers were not invited into their study halls. Fundamentalists were re ferred to as “ funny-mentalists,” and the teachings of orthodoxy were placed in a ridiculous light by their liberal professors. Many o f these young theologians have drawn the conclusion that those who pro fess to preach “ Christ crucified” know little of the experience of keeping themselves in the love of God. By them it is commonly believed that all fundamentalists glory in their ability to hang and quarter all who disagree with them. How shall we treat ministers who have such a background as the one we have described? Many of them manifest exter nally a spirit that appears to be like that of our Lord Himself. They are kind and considerate. They live for others in the most practical way. The one trouble is that they do not know the true gospel, and therefore cannot be expected to teach it. Shall those who know the Book turn to them a cold shoulder, avoid all contact with them, privately and publicly denounce them as servants of the devil, seize every occasion to drive them further from the gos pel they professedly desire that these men shall preach? “ Of some have compassion, making a difference.” Arthur Carter from Scotland, a great defender of the faith, spoke not long ago to a company of premillennial ministers in Los Angeles. He deplored a spirit which he said he had found in many places among American fundamentalists— an ungracious attitude toward sincere men who disagree with them. Dr. Carter declared that he sought con stantly to find opportunity to cultivate the friendship of so-called modernists. By man- ifesting a tolerant spirit toward them, he had found it possible to get close to many of them and to lead them into the truth. By treating them courteously, and by draw ing them into prayer groups, he had found that many ministers had come to see the reason for their inability to reach people who are in sin, and had come to an ac ceptance of the Old Book. Would such a procedure be tolerated in America? W e have known trusted Bible teachers to be openly condemned by certain fundamentalists for preaching the blood of
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