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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
July 1926
3. Orthodoxy holds that the birth of Jesus was supernatural. Modernism holds that the birth of Jesus was nat ural. 4. Orthodoxy holds that the death of Jesus Christ was expiatory. Mod ernism holds that the death of Jesus Christ was exemplary. 5. Orthodoxy holds that man is the product o f special creation. Modern ism holds that man is the product of evolution from lower animals. 6. Orthodoxy holds that man is a sinner, fallen from original righteous ness, and, apart from God's redeeming grace, hopelessly lost. Modernism holds that man is the unfortunate vic tim of environment, but that through self-culture he can make good. 7. Orthodoxy holds that man is jus tified by faith in the atoning blood of Christ and this is accompanied by a supernatural regeneration from above. Modernism holds that man is justified by works in following Christ’s exam ple and, as a result, there is a natural development from within. 8. Orthodoxy looks for Christ’s re turn to earth to receive His people. Modernism declares this to be a vain dream and that the Apostles and early Christians were mistaken about the “ blessed hope." If Christ’s birth was natural, ac cording to the. modernists, a serious doubt is cast on any resurrection, but as Paul makes the resurrection a test of Christianity, they usually pass the subject by with a general statement that good men can never die, but will continue to bless the world by their influence when they .are gone. This, in brief outline, gives a fair contrast between so-called Modernism and what is generally recognized as the fundamentals of orthodox and his toric Christianity. There are. of course, various gradations of Modern ism, for few men ever accept these teachings at once, but when a man moves away from faith in the Deity of Christ and the inspiration of the Bible, it does not take long to place him out side the ranks of Bible Christianity. It is difficult for the average man to distinguish between a full-fledged Modernist and the old-fashioned in fidel. Words of Warning In my youth we were warned against the teachings of the so-called agnostics. Robert Ingersoll was set forth as the chlefest among these un believing Bcoffers. But Robert Inger soll was fairer than many of our Mod ernist preachers today. He never posed as a shepherd of Christ’s flock.
Modernism and Historic Christianity DR. R. C. MANLY Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Here is a well worth while message from a manly man. We always enjoy a straightforward article from a layman, for a layman, and especially a physician, knows human nature, and when he also knows his Bible he is well equipped to minister to sick souls as well as sick bodies. Dr. Manly gives us a true picture of the church, which is composed o f the common people. Read, reflect, rejoice and— pray!
schools are being captured wholesale by the leaders of this new religion. They are not accomplishing this by fair and open methods but by what our statesmen call “ peaceful penetration" or what some of us call "boring from within.” At no time in the history of the church was Paul’s call for believ ers in the Son of God to "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints" (Jude 3, 4) more urgent than today. "Modernism" is a pleasing term and often makes friends of the unthinking who like to be considered "up-to-date” but who are too indifferent to investi gate the basic principles of the cult. Modernism, when followed to its con clusions, is simply rationalism under a new name. It denies all that is super natural in the Bible. On the other hand orthodox or historic Christianity bolds that the supernatural is funda mental to true Christian faith. Ortho doxy holds to the essential teachings of the historic church, and these prin ciples are found in the doctrinal stan dards of all the great evangelical churches. Modernism has been discussed not only by the religious but by the secu lar papers, and it is Interesting to note that many of the great dallies have raised a warning voice against the in crease of this heresy. A summary of the teachings of Modernism as com pared with those of orthodox Chris tianity has appeared in several lead ing papers of Canada and the United States. These are generally based on a summary sent out by the National Council of Churches for America. They are briefly compared as follows: What is Orthodoxy? . 1. Orthodoxy holds that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Mod ernism holds that the Bible contains the Word of God. 2. Orthodoxy holds that Jesus Christ waSj>]/the Son of God in a sense that none other is. Modernism holds that Jesus Christ was the Son of God in a sense that all men are.
|HE frequent mention of "Modernism” In both secular and religious papers in re cent months led me to give a brief address upon the subject before a Christian Alliance fellowship meet ing. This article contains the sub stance of that address, and I trust that it may save some from drifting into a dangerous heresy. The Christian world is almost divided into two camps over the question of "funda mentalism" versus "modernism." To those who wish to preserve historic Christianity, which has given us what is best in our civilisation, these truths are of the utmost importance. The Common People This article is written for the so- called common people, without whose support the churches would soon cease to be. In the days of His flesh the common people heard Jesus gladly be cause He brought to them a message of hope and assurance regarding the present life and the life which is to come. At the hands of the scribes and elders and doctors of law He suffered many things and finally submitted to the shameful death of a criminal on the cross. There are those among us today who crucify the Son' of Man afresh, and. put Him to an open shame, trampling under foot the precious blood of the covenant. Would that we might be able to say like the Master, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do!” That Christian believers may be on their guard, let us inquire into this term "Modern ism” and see wherein it differs from historic Christianity, the faith of our fathers, which was once delivered to the saints. What is Modernism? This question is not, as many seem to think, a matter of small importance. The very foundation principles of Christianity are being attacked by the exponents of this new cult while many of God’s dear children sit idly by and utter no protest. Our churches and
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