PERVERSION OF STEWARDSHIP AND GRACE.
By G. T. Wilson
There are people who have been trained in a system of religion which teaches that the church has power to grant a dispensation of favor that will exempt those persons who obtain it, from obedience to the law of God in that particular thing, or from an article of faith in the doctrine of the church in that particular case. Such persons think themselves at liberty to violate the law of God, which others are in duty bound to obey, because the church claims the right to grant them the privilege. A Protestant missionary who had labored in Africa, told me that on a certain occasion he visited a priest who had charge of a mission in one of the African tribes where polygamy was practised by the chiefs. He asked the priest if the chiefs put away all their wives but one when they entered the church. The priest replied, “No, we grant them a special dispensation.” Here we have a practical illustration of the perversion of the stewardship of grace which God has bestowed upon His people. Here is a case where wicked men are permitted to creep into the church, yet retain their wicked practises, thus perverting the grace of God for purposes of impurity, as brought to view in Jude 4. While most Protestants protest against this doctrine, yet it has paved the way for Satan’s more destructive doctrine that men may be saved by grace while knowingly violating the law of God. This, too, is changing the grace of God into lasciviousness. It is astonishing how professed Protestants have become intoxicated with these false doctrines set forth by Satan himself, until they claim salvation comes by simply believing on Christ without giving up their sinful habits. Thus is fulfilled the language of the Lord through the psalmist: “Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself; but [He says], I will reprove thee. . . . Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.” Ps. 50:21, 22. These false ideas with regard to the dispensation of grace have led professed teachers of the Gospel to make such utterances as these:— “There was a dispensation that was under the law, but since the Gospel dispensation, we are not under the condemnation of the law, but under grace.” “The law is fulfilled in Christ and abolished to the Christian, but it is still binding upon the sinner. It condemns him, but the Christian has nothing to do with it.” To such the Word of God says: “Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good.” Lam. 3:37, 38. “Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay.” Men are saved by grace, not by law, but the law reveals to us the character of that righteousness which we have received by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Christ and the apostles did not teach that salvation by grace permitted men to continue their sinful practises. And those who teach such perversion of the grace of God, do not understand the foundation principles of God’s government, or the Gospel of His grace, for “they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.” “Their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of Gaul, their clusters are bitter; their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.” Isa. 29:9; Deut. 32:32, 33. Listen to the words of the True Vine: “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch can not bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. . . . For without Me ye can do nothing.” John 15:1–5. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin.” 1 John 3:4, 5. Because the grace of God abounds, “shall we continue in sin?” Notice the inspired answer: “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Rom. 6:1, 2. Now let us read what grace teaches: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Titus 2:11, 12. We are to look for our Saviour from heaven, “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.” “And these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.” Titus 2:14, 15; 3:8. This does not teach that we do good works to be saved, but it does teach, “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me.” “If a man love Me, he will keep My words.” God does not bless men for the doing, but He says, “This man shall be blessed in his deed,” or (margin) doing. James 1:25. We are first saved by grace from our sins, that we may receive grace to keep from sinning. And when through the weakness of the flesh we are3tempted to give over the struggle for holiness of life, we hear the Lord speaking to us, “My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Cor. 12:9. Instead of leaving us to fall, we are invited to “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb. 4:16. When we feel that the help we have had has not been sufficient to give us the victory, we have the promise, “He giveth more grace.” James 4:6. Avondale, Cooranbong, N. S. W.