Question Answered by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 17, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 16.

Question Answered.

By Editor

LAST week we promised to answer the following question: "Do you think the real, live Christian will care what the world thinks or says of him?"

We must answer in the affirmative; we think he will. But the subject demands consideration. We have heard professors say that the world has no right to judge the conduct of a Christian; that it has not discernment of Christian principles and motives so that it is qualified to judge the character of the follower of Christ. This is not strictly true. All people, Christians as well as others, are in danger of letting their feelings and prejudices warp their judgment, so as to misconstrue the actions, and misjudge the motives, of their fellow-men. For this error they are responsible. But the question is not whether people pervert and abuse their judgments, but, have they the ability to form a correct judgment? We think they have.

1. The Saviour said, "Ye are the light of the world. . . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." Matt. 5:14-16. This certainly supposes that the world knows the difference between a true and a false light. If worldly people could not judge between good works and works not good, how would they be led to glorify God by seeing the good works of the Christian? The truth is that God has not suffered the world to depart so far from the light as to have a good excuse for their sins. Of the Gentile or heathen world the apostle Paul wrote thus: "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law [the complete, or written revelation of God's will], do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another." Rom. 2:14, 15. It is for this reason that he says: "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest." Verse 1. See also chap. 1:18-20.

If the heathen nations who have not the revelation of the holy Scriptures, are yet without excuse because God has planted sufficient light on the principles of morality in their hearts to enable them to accuse or excuse one another, why should it be thought that in this land, where everybody has heard more or less of the truths of the Scriptures, the people are not qualified to determine the difference between right and wrong? They who thus judge certainly make a mistake.

2. The world proves its ability to judge by finding fault with the inconsistencies of professors of religion. We have had some travel, and observation, and experience in the world, and we were never yet in a community where the worldlings could not pick out a hypocrite or a godly Christian as readily as Christians themselves, where they had equal chances of observing their lives.

In this, however, they condemn themselves. In pointing out the faults of professed Christians they prove that they know what is right—what men ought, and what they ought not, to do. And thus, as Paul says, "they are without excuse."

3. It is with a mistaken idea that professed Christians sometimes say to their neighbors: "Do not look to me for an example; take the Bible, and follow that." Now it is always right to direct people to the Bible, and point out the narrow way on its authority. But, after all, the world will take you for an example of a Christian, and the Saviour has given them a warrant for so doing. When Jesus said to his disciples, "ye are the light of the world," he intended that they should be; that the world should, in their lives, have an illustration of his teachings. And no person who professes the faith of Christ can throw off the responsibility thus placed upon him by the head of the church. If he holds up a false light; if he misleads some trusting soul, and they both together fall into the ditch, woe to the false leader. The blood of the perishing will be upon him. He may ask, like Cain, "Am I my brother's keeper?" but the evasion is in vain. We are all responsible for the welfare of our brother and our neighbor.

4. Paul, in speaking of the qualifications of a bishop, said: "Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." 1 Tim. 3:7. If a person were set forth as a candidate for this office, and the inquiry were raised as to his reputation before the world, and he should insist that the inquiry should be dropped inasmuch as he did not care what the world thought or said of him, it would be good ground for refusing to accept him; it would at once arouse suspicion that his reputation would not bear close examination. It would certainly be a denial of the rule laid down by the apostle.

5. But all this does not argue that a man should sacrifice his Christian integrity to secure the approbation of his fellow-men. This is not necessary. In the end he will establish the best reputation who best maintains his integrity. And if, in his efforts to maintain his Christian character, he has to come in contact with the feelings and prejudices of his fellow-men, the true Christian will not manifest the "don't-care" spirit, but will have tender feelings both in regard to the truth which is being reproached and to the misguided ones who reproach it.

6. We can only pity those who willfully throw themselves into the way of opposition, and bring needless reproach upon themselves, and then consider themselves persecuted for righteousness' sake. They are laboring under a strong delusion. Their course is always an injury to the cause of Christ. We believe that the gospel of Christ—the whole Bible—is reasonable and sensible. If persons pursue unseemly courses, questionable methods, not in anywise necessary to the gospel work, and are reproached, they have no right to consider themselves martyrs. He who suffers for his folly has no business to lay it to the gospel.

Some members of the "Salvation Army," and "Holiness Band," were lately arrested in San Jose, Cal., for disturbing the peace of that city. A religious paper takes exceptions to the course of the officers, because hoodlums disturb the peace with ungodly noises and are not arrested. But the reasoning is not good. If hoodlums organize for the habitual disturbance of the peace, they would probably be arrested. But, admitting that noisy hoodlums ought to be arrested, is that proof that others equally noisy ought not to be arrested? Our opinion is that if professed religionists disgrace the gospel by acting as hoodlums, they have no right to complain if they are treated as hoodlums ought to be treated, whether hoodlums are treated so or not.

We are fully in accord with the expression of Spurgeon, who, speaking of the actions of the so-called Salvation Army, said that Satan had long tried to make Christianity appear unreasonable, but was now trying to make it appear ridiculous. These apings of military display, and noisy demonstrations, have no more relation to Christianity than has the celebration of a "Chinese New Years." The Lord said to his people: "Let us reason together." Paul said: "We persuade men." We have no right to disgust men with fanatical and nonsensical rantings, and call it the Christian religion.

Paul said that we are, "by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." But was any one ever commended to any one's conscience by noise and senseless clamor? Never. We have deeply regretted that some who called themselves Seventh-day Adventists have fallen under the influence of fanaticism in its various forms. We warn our churches to keep clear of it. We believe in spiritual worship; but there is no spirituality in these "bodily exercises" (1 Tim. 4:8) and non-intelligent tumults.