SUBMISSION VERSUS CREED, POWER, AND FORCE by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 14, 1901

SUBMISSION VERSUS CREED, POWER, AND FORCE

By John Norton Loughborough

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Eph. 2: 19-22.

After the Church has been fitly framed together; that is, after it is properly organized, each person filling his appropriate place in the body, its growth is assured by each so following the Lord’s counsel as to retain the continued indwelling and guidance of His Spirit. This growth is thus beautifully expressed: “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Eph. 4: 16. Some of the instruction given for developing such growth is found in the following words: “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.” Rom. 12: 10. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himself. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Phil. 2: 3, 4. “Giving thanks always, for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” Eph. 5: 20, 21.

Having stated how all the members of the Church should care for one another, the apostle proceeds to speak of their demeanor toward the leaders in the work: “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5: 5. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” Heb. 13: 17. “Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren. . . . Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.” 1 Tim. 5: 1, 19. “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.” Verse 17.

To all the flock instruction is given in these words, showing how to proceed in case faults appear in members of the flock: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” Gal. 6: 1.

The apostles seemed to recognize the fact that when that deference and respect due to those who were really acting as “the Lord’s anointed”—filling responsible places in the Church—should be shown, there would be a liability, on the part of such (if self in them was not fully surrendered to God) of becoming lifted up with pride, as though they, of themselves, were superior to their brethren. To guard against this they received cautions, of which the following are samples: “In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that can not be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.” Titus 2: 7, 8. “Be thou an example to the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. . . . Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” 1 Tim. 4: 12, 16. “Taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” 1 Peter 5: 2, 3.

The apostles saw that with one selected as elder, there would be a conflict of self-denial and self. Even among themselves, when personally accompanying Christ, there was a “strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.” So, in the Church, after His ascension, there might be a desire for power with some of those chosen as “overseers” of the Church. The very root, from which grow so many sins of the carnal heart, is love “of their own selves.” The first advice in genuine service to God is, “Let him deny himself.” Of Christ’s mission to earth, acting as our example, we read: “Made himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant.”

The apostles had a knowledge of the fate of Theudas, who had risen up, “boasting himself to be somebody.” What had been seen in Jewish times was just as likely to develop from human hearts in Gentile times. As Paul at Miletus met the elders from Ephesus, he said to them: “I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” Acts 20: 29, 30. About sixty years after this, in John’s time, there was a striking manifestation of this self-exalted work, in the domineering course of Diotrephes, of whom John said: “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not. [It seems he took the liberty to withhold John’s wholesome epistle from the church.] Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.” 3 John 9, 10.

In writing to the church in Thessalonica, Paul called their attention more fully to the manner in which this self-exaltation, and love of power, was to be developed in the apostasy of the Church. Speaking of Christ’s second coming, and events to precede it, he said: “That day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thess. 2: 3, 4.

We see in this case that the outgrowth of self-exaltation was to result in this great apostasy in the Church. The exaltation of self in the individual dethrones God from the heart, bringing the man directly under the dominion of self, sin, and Satan. As predicted in this scripture, the toleration by the Church of the self-exaltation of the leaders in the Church, resulted in placing in the temple of God (the Church) a head who declared himself as God upon earth to rule the Lord’s people.

To avoid being taken in this snare of Satan, the people were admonished to cleave to “the truth,” to “the word.” Of those who would be involved in this great apostasy, the apostle said, “They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” “Who believed not the truth.” “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth.” As to what truth is here meant we read: “Brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” 2 Thess. 2: 10, 12, 13, 15.

As this “falling away” is traced through the pages of history, there is seen in its growth a departure from the direct teachings of the word of God. Instead of cleaving to the Bible as their only standard of faith, and expressing that faith in scripture language, there came into their teaching a mystical principle of interpretation. Instead of following the advice of Paul, “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things,” they were telling what the Bible meant, their interpretations being often contrary to what the Scriptures in other portions taught. Those who adhered directly to “the word of truth,” saw in this “mystery-work” a development of just what the apostle had predicted. As they proclaimed against this innovation, there arose a direct conflict between those who taught plainly stated Bible truths, and those who adhered to creeds formulated by men. The teachers of the creeds, being “high-minded” and self-confident, soon lost the molding influence of the Lord’s Spirit in their hearts. And so the people who followed the creed-makers were rapidly corrupted from the simplicity of the gospel.

In the setting up of this “abomination that maketh desolate” (Dan. 12: 11), we see that five distinct steps were taken:—

1. Forming a creed. Expressing their faith in man-made phrases instead of adhering to the word of the Lord.

2. Making that man-made creed a test of fellowship, and denouncing all as heretics who would not assent to the exact wording of their creeds.

3. Making the creed a rule by which all heretics must be tried. Many were thus declared sinners, whose faith was more in harmony with the direct statement of the Bible than that of those who decreed against them.

4. Constituting themselves a tribunal for the trial of heretics, and excluding from their fellowship all who would not consent to their creed. Not content to debar such from church privileges in this world, they declared them subjects for the lake of fire.

5. Having thus kindled a hatred in their own hearts against all who did not conform to their creeds, they next invoked and obtained the aid of the civil arm to torture, and kill with sword, with hunger, with flame, and with the beasts of the earth, those whom they had declared unfit to remain in this world.

Then appeared on the stage of action one class of professed Christians with a head over them, actually declaring that he was “God on earth,” persecuting another class of Christians who were conscientiously following the Lord and His word—a class of whom it might be said, in the light in which God views them (as was said of the ancient worthies), “Of whom the world was not worthy.” Heb. 11: 38.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.