Human Versus Divine Authority by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 5, 1906

Human Versus Divine Authority

By Editor

THE calm assurance with which men who think highly of their own opinions will make assertions contrary to the declarations of the Word of God, and then expect their fellow mortals to believe them, would be ludicrous if such serious consequences were not involved. Some of these advanced thinkers will talk about the poetic myths of Genesis, will emphasize the alleged mistakes and discrepancies in the Bible, will impugn the reliability of the records given to us by the four evangelists, will stigmatize certain teachings of the Scriptures as being unsuited to the present age, and will thus refuse to recognize the divine authority of the inspired Word; but at the same time they will put forth statements on their own authority which either indirectly pervert or squarely contradict the teaching of the Scripture of truth, assuming that their opinions will be received with due deference, and that their authority will be recognized. How presumptuous is the modern critic!

As a sample of that kind of teaching which is diametrically opposed to the plain statements of the Bible, and which is nevertheless set forth with a positiveness and with a show of authority as if to brook no contradiction, we quote the following from an editorial on "Immortality" which recently appeared in a journal of wide circulation and influence:—

"God is spirit:" this is the first and fundamental faith of Christ. Man is God's child, God's offspring, coming from him, bearing his image, sharing his nature. Man, therefore, is also spirit. His body is the mere incident of his earlier development. . . .

Death and resurrection are the same. They are not merely simultaneous; they are the same phenomenon. Death is the dropping away of the body from the spirit. Resurrection is the upspringing of the spirit from the body. Life is continuous and unbroken. There is not this world and another world; there is one world. There is not time and eternity; it is all eternity. Immortality is not a future hope; it is a present possession.

Here is the most complete substitution of human philosophy for divine revelation. A quotation is first made from the Bible, as if to throw the mantle of Biblical authority over the whole teaching, and then in the face of other equally plain declarations of Scripture, assertions are made which utterly subvert the truth. And this, too, concerning a subject which is entirely beyond the bounds of human knowledge, a mystery which can be imparted to finite beings only through a revelation.

We are further told in this same editorial that "the doctrine of immortality as Jesus taught it has been corrupted by the pagan conceptions of life and death. . . . Paganism identifies man with his body. It can not, or at least does not,

conceive of man apart from his body. . . . This notion that death is a long and dreary sleep . . . is no longer credible. But we are told that there is no other resurrection of the body than its resurrection in grass and flowers."

In order that we may appreciate the better how far modern theology has departed from the truth as it is revealed in the Scriptures, it may be well to compare some of the statements in this editorial with the teaching of the Bible.

Human philosophy declares that "death and resurrection are the same," but revelation treats of them as two entirely distinct experiences: "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. . . . The last enemy that shall be abolished is death. . . . The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible." "They lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first resurrection."

Human philosophy says that "this notion that death is a long and dreary sleep . . . is no longer credible," but revelation, while it does not call it a dreary sleep, plainly speaks of death as a sleep: "Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death." "Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." "David . . . fell asleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption." "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." "We would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him."

Human philosophy says that "life is continuous and unbroken. There is not this world and another world; there is one world." Revelation speaks of "the life which now is, and of that which is to come." It also mentions "this present evil world," and "the world to come." It declares that when Christ was raised from the dead, he was exalted far above "every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come."

Human philosophy says that "immortality is not a future hope, it is a present possession;" but revelation refers to God as "the King, eternal, immortal," and declares that he "only hath immortality." The promise of immortality as a gift to believers is set forth in these words: "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."

It thus appears that the mere speculations of men have been substituted for revealed truth, and that the life and immortality which have been brought to light through the gospel of Christ, and which are promised to believers in Jesus, are claimed as the present possession of all men. And these false doctrines, these satanic sophistries, these fables of infidelity, are proclaimed with an assurance which demands that they shall be accepted in place of that which has been given "by inspiration of God." This is the climax of human assumption.

The doctrine of the natural immortality of man originated with Satan, and has been perpetuated in the teaching of paganism; and yet in this editorial it is distinctly intimated that the Biblical teaching that a body is an essential part of man is paganism. Thus in modern theology paganism is substituted for Christianity, and Christianity is stigmatized as paganism. How could there be a more complete perversion of revealed truth?

The explanation of this whole experience has been given through the spirit of prophecy: "Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place of God. He leads the people to look to bishops, pastors, to professors of theology, as their guides, instead of searching the Scriptures to learn their duty for themselves. Then, by controlling the minds of these leaders, he can influence the multitudes according to his will." It is our duty to study the teachings of the Word of God for ourselves, and then to make known these teachings to others. The doctrines of the good old Book will stand to all eternity. Human authority is not a satisfactory substitute for divine authority. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."