Doctrines and Deeds

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 3, 1903

Doctrines and Deeds

It is quite the fashion now to belittle the value of what are called “the doctrines.” The effort to preserve in their purity the fundamental teachings of the gospel, as against the inroads of modern infidelity, is slurringly referred to as merely disputing about theories and dogmas. The people are encouraged to think that it makes little difference what views they hold about the incarnation, or the atonement, or the inspiration of the Bible, or the coming of the Lord, but that the main thing is to be engaged in some definite effort for the benefit of humanity. The inference, of course, is that it is no special benefit to humanity to establish faith in the Bible as a personal revelation from God, and to impart a clear and correct view of the whole work of Jesus the Saviour of sinners.

This matter needs to be understood clearly. It is granted without argument that there is much so-called teaching of religion which is merely a cold argument to maintain a creed, and that there are those who interpret the exhortation “to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints” to mean that they should hurl their theological darts against all who differ from them; but it does not follow from this that God’s method of saving men by faith in the gospel can be lightly set aside, and some method of the professional philanthropist substituted for it. Because in some cases the ministry of the living and life-giving word has degenerated into a mere wordy warfare over the interpretations of the Word

which have been accepted in place of the Word, we are not warranted in concluding that the teaching of saving truth is of little importance. Salvation is wholly of God. It is what God in Christ has done for man, and not what man can do for himself or for humanity, that rescues the lost. And in the acceptance of this salvation believing precedes doing. We believe for salvation, and we do so because we are saved, and not in order to be saved.

In the time of Christ the professed people of God had reversed this order, and were working in order to purchase salvation instead of working out a salvation which had already been paid for, only and would be implanted within them through their faith in the indwelling life. When they saw some of the wonderful works of Jesus, and asked him, “What must we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” Believing and working are inseparably connected, but the working is the fruit of the believing. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love.” That plan of working which dispenses with faith in Christ and his teaching as its essential element is simply self-righteousness.

Much is made in these days of what is called the practical side of religion. A human method is substituted for the divine. An effort is made to uplift humanity by working from without rather than from within. The golden rule is emphasized, but its interpretation is earthly and external. This view is clearly set forth in an editorial in a recent issue of a leading journal, as follows: “The New Experience cares less about the book of Revelation than about the sermon on the mount. Discussions about heaven and hell, purgatory and second probation, interest it less than discussions about child labor, tenement-house life, civic corruption, divorce and the causes which lead to it. It regards life less as a preparation for a celestial kingdom of God; it works more for a terrestrial kingdom of God as the true consummation of earthly life. It pays less attention to individual salvation than the fathers did; it pays a great deal more to social redemption. . . . There are fewer religious excitements and more moral and civic reform conventions, fewer prayer-meetings and more college settlements.”

With this compare the following instruction given through the spirit of prophecy: “Man’s way is to devise and scheme; God implants a principle. . . . Circumstances can not work reforms. Christianity proposes a reformation in the heart. What Christ works within, will be worked out under the dictation of a converted intellect. The plan of beginning outside and trying to work inward has always failed, and always will fail. God’s plan with you is to begin at the seat of all difficulties, the heart, and then from out of the heart will issue the principles of righteousness; the reformation will be outward as well as inward.”

In these two quotations we can see the difference between humanitarianism and Christianity. The one uses earthly methods and earthly power through which to establish an earthly kingdom in society, which it calls a “terrestrial kingdom of God.” The other uses heavenly means and a heavenly power through which to establish a heavenly kingdom in the heart of the individual. The one deals with society, the other with the individual. The one is of sight, the other of faith. The one chases after principles in the mirage of circumstances, the other establishes correct principles as a means of correcting wrong circumstances.

It is a false issue which has been created between the doctrinal and the practical in religion. The doctrinal is the practical, and the practical is the doctrinal. Doctrine is simply teaching, and the teaching of the Bible is the basis of all righteous practise. The sermon on the mount is just as much doctrinal as are the visions of John the revelator. And the teaching of the whole Bible is needed as the foundation of that righteousness which is of faith. “Every scripture is inspired of God, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for discipline which is in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.”

Do not accept man’s way of establishing God’s kingdom. It is simply Satan’s way of overthrowing God’s kingdom. Let your doing grow out of your believing. Let your works be the works of faith. Follow the example of Christ in going about doing good, but let your doing good, as in his case, be the fruit of being good. “He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” The tree good first; the fruit good as a consequence: this is the divine order. This is the only way of salvation.