DO AS THEY SAY, NOT AS THEY DO.
By R. F. Cottrell
“THEN spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not.” Matt. 23:1–3. It is safe to follow the teachings of the various Christian sects, in regard to the common practical duties of life. Even that church which all Protestants accuse of corruption teaches morals that none can object to. For example, on the commandment, “Thou shalt not steal,” the Catholic church teaches as follows:— “Q. What is forbidden by this commandment? “A. All unjust taking away or keeping what belongs to others. “A. All manner of cheating in buying or selling, or any other way of wronging our neighbors. “Q. Must we restore ill-gotten goods? “A. Yes; if we are able, or else the sin will not be forgiven; we must also pay our debts.” This is but a sample of its doctrines on the ten commandments. Who teaches any purer doctrine? Yet Protestants inveigh against the corruptions of this church; and we do not object—we protest too. It is safe however to practice so well as they taught. And is not this the case with the mass of Christian teachers of the present day? All of the most popular churches, calling themselves orthodox and evangelical, teach the perpetuity and obligation of the ten commandments as the moral law of God. But do they keep the Sabbath day pointed out and described in the fourth commandment? They do not. The commandment requires the observance of the seventh day, the day on which God rested from the work of creation. They keep another day, and for another reason. The word of God is set at naught, and a tradition of men is kept in its stead. Still, it is right and safe to do as they say, and keep the commandments of God as they are. The rest-day and the resurrection day are two days—“the Sabbath day, according to the commandment,” is followed by “the first-day of the week.” Luke 23:56 and 24:1. The same commandment, without the least alteration, could not oblige the Jews to keep one day and Christians another; the one for the reason that the Creator rested on it, the other for the reason that Christ rose from the dead on it. And Jesus affirmed the unchangeableness of the entire code, in every jot and tittle—letter and mark. Matt. 5:17–19. But we are told, by way of excuse and self-justification, that any one day of rest after six of labor fully answers the demand of the law. If this is so, it is certainly safe to keep that one day which is mentioned in the commandment and described as the Sabbath of the Lord, the day on which he rested from his work. This was not only one day in seven, but the seventh of the seven. Men may deceive themselves by their sophistry, but God is not deceived; neither is it safe to mock him. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked.” Let those who would please God do as these teachers say, but not as they do.