Do We Need a Twentieth Century Religion?—The Gospel Taught by the Old Testament Prophets—The Jews Perverted Their Own Religion; Those Who Followed the Prophets Closely, Saw
By HENRY E. MILES
The question has been asked by modern theologians, “What is to be the religion of the twentieth century?” They make no direct answer, but set about to write a new theology. And what are we getting? To try to name the latest product of the theologians might be puzzling. Religion, like the fashion in dress, changes with man’s conceptions.
The historian is weary of recording the many religions. He views paganism in its various forms, and sees as much harmony in that as he sees among the diverse creeds held by people professedly of the Christian faith. Still, the manufacture of religion goes on; for men allege that, owing to the progress of civilization and scientific research, religion must be remolded—we suppose, to meet the needs of modern social life; or perhaps the idea is that it may be more in harmony with modern thought, in better harmony with the modern school, which, although modernized, teaches the quite ancient theory of evolution.
Such are the propositions of people of no less rank than Mr. Campbell, of England, and others of like caliber, whose mental faculties we are bound to respect.
ORIENTAL PHILOSOPHIES AND RELIGION
And it is evident, in view of the fact that the present-day system of education is based largely on Greek philosophy, which is adverse to the teachings of the Scriptures, that we need at least to revise our religion. That our system of education paves the way for such a revolution may be suggested from the fact that in several American cities, Buddhist temples have been erected. And among the converts from Christianity are graduates from prominent universities. That is a long step backward, but perhaps it is consistent with the training of the students.
We not only find Buddhism gaining a foothold in what is alleged to be “Christian” America, but pantheism has invaded the ranks of many educational circles. This is perhaps as consistent as some other dogmas of more recent origin that have American birth.
“LET HIM BE ACCURSED”
But Paul declares the gospel of Jesus Christ to be “the power of God unto salvation.” He also says that any man who teaches any other gospel than that which Paul taught should be accursed.
We are aware that any one professing to believe in Christ as the Messiah will say Amen to that. But not a few have been led to disregard many of the requirements of God, by a perverted idea of what constitutes the gospel.
IS THE OLD TESTAMENT DEAD?
It has been announced that since we are living under the new covenant, in a new dispensation, the Old Testament Scriptures have become a dead letter. Thus many have come to look upon the Christian religion as contrary to that which the Jews had. One quite prominent divine made the statement, before his congregation, that the religion of the Jews was never intended to be the religion of the human race.
It may be well to turn the searchlight of Scripture on such assertions, that we may see the gospel in its true light; that we may consider the true religion which was, and is, and shall be hereafter; that we may view the only gospel that ever has saved or ever will save a human soul from the curse of that law which was the government of heaven before the world began, that gospel of redeeming love into which the angels desired to look. It is an exhaustless theme, and will be “their science and their song throughout eternity.”
WHAT ADVANTAGE TO THE JEW?
Paul is regarded as pretty good authority by all who believe the Bible; and lest his followers, most of whom were gentiles, get the idea that they had a new religion, and one different from that of the Jews, he said: “What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there in circumcision?” And his reply was: “Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them [the Jews] were committed the oracles of God.” Rom. 3:1, 2.
Ah, yes! God had given the Jews a religion which, if properly exercised, would save every man, woman, and child born into this world. And in this statement is contained the conclusion reached in this whole argument.
Paul declares that to the Jews were committed the oracles of God; and while each reader may be perfectly familiar with the definition of the word “oracle,” we are so likely to overlook the significance of our language, especially when it is associated with preconceived ideas, that we may well pause and consider the full meaning of that term. Our best dictionaries define the word “oracle” as follows: “The medium by which a god reveals hidden knowledge, or makes known a divine purpose.” Again, “A place or medium of communication from the God of Judaism and Christianity.”
THE RELIGION FOR THE HUMAN RACE
Therefore we find that Paul declares that the Jews were the very people through whom God made known the whole gospel; for he does not say that God gave them oracles, or an oracle, but the oracles, the same as he speaks of the gospel, implying some definite thing or things. And to make that thought more explicit, he says that in all his teachings, he has told them nothing but what all the prophets had taught. Acts 26:22.
According to this, it looks very much as though the Jewish religion were intended to be the religion of the human race, and as though such a religion were the Christian religion, too.
But the Jews failed to profit by this advantage, and became narrowed, and so bigoted that they thought they were the only people to be saved—so selfish, and void of the spirit of Christ, that they never even extended an invitation to any one among the gentile nations to come and worship with them.
WRONG INTERPRETATION TO BLAME
By a little investigation, we shall find that the trouble with the Jews was not in their religion, but in their interpretation of it. They had so perverted the religion of the Scriptures by their traditions, that when Christ came and called attention to the great truths with which they should have been perfectly familiar, even Nicodemus, a teacher in Israel, did not know what Christ was talking about.564
Since the Jews had failed to retain the principles of their religion, which we shall see was none other than the religion of Jesus Christ, and had failed to discern the significance of the round of ceremonies which was to keep vividly before their minds the great sacrifice that would cleanse from sin, it is quite natural that they should not discern the Antitype of which their ceremonies were but a type.
But Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, makes this matter very plain when he says: “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” Heb. 8:1, 2. And in speaking of the ministry of the earthly sanctuary, he says: “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.” Verse 5. And again he says: “The way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: which was a figure for the time then present.” Heb. 9:8, 9.
GOVERNOR SPRY, OF UTAH
TYPICAL OF THINGS IN HEAVEN
Thus we see that the ceremonies under the old dispensation were a type of the heavenly. And by these ceremonies, the people showed their faith in a Saviour who was to come. But when type met antitype, it ceased to be; for then they had no more need of the type, because their hopes of the coming Messiah had been met. Therefore in place of the ceremonies of the Jews was instituted the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, which we observe to show our faith in the same atoning blood.
As the blood of bulls and of goats, which was only figurative of the blood of the Christ who was to come, had in itself no virtue to cleanse from sin, so the taking of a little bread and a little wine as emblems of the body and blood of the Christ who did come and shed His blood to atone for us, has in itself no virtue to cleanse from sin. Christ says concerning this ordinance, “This do in remembrance of Me.” So the offerings in the old dispensation were in remembrance of the promises made to Abraham and confirmed by all the prophets.
Hence it is the law or ordinance pertaining to the sanctuary service, the ceremonial law, which was nailed to the cross, and not the moral law of God. For had it been possible for the moral law to be changed, or done away, as some have asserted, Christ need not have died.
THE GOSPEL AND GOD’S LAW
That we may fully understand the significance of the gospel, we must consider the nature of God’s law; for without the law, there would be no need of the gospel. Paul declares that where there is no law, there is no sin. Rom. 5:13. And after discussing the matter of being under grace, and not under the law, since God’s grace is sufficient to pardon through the merits of the atonement of the blood of Christ which we accept through faith, he says: “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.” Rom. 3:31. Also Christ says: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” Again He says, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matt. 5:17, 18. And again Paul said: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed where there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses.)”
NO SIN WITHOUT LAW
Therefore it follows that where there is no law, there is no sin; and as death is the result of sin, and Paul said death had passed upon all, because all had sinned, and as death reigned from Adam to Moses, it is very certain that the law existed away back in the patriarchal age, and that people of that time needed salvation. And since Paul declares that this is the only gospel that can save men (Acts 4:12; Gal. 1:8), evidently those people had the gospel.
Yea, the law always existed, although not on tables of stone in an earthly sanctuary, but in the true sanctuary in heaven (Rev. 11:19), and in principle; and as soon as it was violated, the gospel came into force, as we shall see.
THEY ALL KNEW THE GOSPEL
Peter, in that noted sermon recorded in Acts 3, said: “And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. . . .”
Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.” Verses 20, 21, 24. They all knew about the gospel then, did they not?
But read farther: “Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.” Verse 25. Again we read, in Gal. 3:8, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham.”
MOSES AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED IN CHRIST
Thus we find that every prophet since the world began, has been trying to make the people know about the gospel, and that it was preached to Abraham by God Himself. And we find that Moses was not without the gospel; for Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, tells us something of his experiences with it: “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.” Heb. 11:24-26. A very good experience indeed! He knew enough about Christ to be willing to suffer for Him. And Jude, in his epistle, makes note that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, was so well versed in the plan of redemption that he prophesied of the second coming of Christ, for which we are still looking. Verse 14.
YET HE LEARNED IT FROM THE PROPHETS
By laying all prejudice aside, we can easily see that the gospel has existed ever since sin came into the world, and that it was well known through both the patriarchal and the Jewish age. This is emphasized by Paul’s statement that he was determined not to know anything among them but Christ and Him crucified, while, as we have seen, he declared that he had told them nothing but what all the prophets had taught. We need only to examine the Jewish ceremonies, to see that they were figurative of Christ’s ministry.
After Israel had been in bondage for many years, with little opportunity for spiritual and mental development, and surrounded by the attractive display of Egyptian idolatry, it was quite expedient that God establish among them a system of ceremonies which would ever keep before their minds the true worship of God and the hope of the Redeemer. Abel had the same way of expressing his faith, as is shown by Heb. 11:4, although to a much more limited extent, as also did all the people of the patriarchal age.
WHAT CHRIST SAID OF THE JEWS
God is a God of order. Hence when He called the Israelites out of Egypt, He organized them under a theocracy; and He gave them, in type, a full ministry of the heavenly sanctuary, that they might be a blessing to the world. Although they lost sight of the true significance of their system of worship, so that they became a byword to other nations, who knew not God, yet Christ declared that salvation is of the Jews. To them, as we have seen, were committed the oracles of God.
Ah, yes! To them was committed that great trust of communicating to the entire world the good news of salvation, which we have seen was well known to patriarchs and prophets before there ever was a Jew in existence. When the Jews became so blinded by their traditions that they knew nothing of the significance of their form of worship, and hence, as a nation, rejected Christ, those of their number who did know the meaning of their religion said, “Lo, we turn to the gentiles.” And the gentile nations have been carrying the good news ever since.
