Essentials and Non-Essentials.
By Roswell F. Cottrell
We believe that all of God’s requirements are essential; and that men have no right to sit in judgment on the doctrines and duties of revelation, classifying them as essentials and non-essentials. Who shall say that some of the doctrines and duties taught in the Bible are essential to be believed and observed, and that some are of no particular importance? Is it not to the honor of God to say that all he has revealed in his word is important to be believed and obeyed? And do we not dishonor God by calling anything he has revealed and required non-essential? Yet men professing godliness talk of the essentials and non-essentials of their religion. If indeed they have doctrines in their creed not taught in the Scriptures, they are worse than non-essential; but to characterize anything which is taught in the Scriptures as non-essential is impious. When God speaks, it is not for man to decide that what he says is of no special importance. To elucidate the subject we quote the following item of news:— “American missionary societies are almost in exclusive possession of the opening field in Japan. In Yokohama, the Reformed, the Baptists, the Presbyterians, and the Woman’s Missionary Union, are established, and now the Methodists have joined them with one missionary, who has just entered on his work. Sectarian lines, however, are very wisely ignored, and the native Christian church in that city, comprising fifty members, has confined its creed to the essentials of the Christian faith. The same policy is adopted also in other places which are open to missionaries. The number of American workers in Yokohama is nineteen.” Now if sectarian lines are “very wisely ignored” in a foreign missionary field, would it not be equally wise to adopt “the same policy” at home and everywhere. If there is no essential difference between these different sects, why not discard entirely these non-essentials that divide them, and not only ignore, but break down and utterly destroy these sectarian lines? But if plainly revealed truth and duty separates any one of these sects from another, what right have they to compromise the truth of God by acknowledging error to be equally good? We think it would be well for every Christian church to “confine its creed to the essentials of the Christian faith.” But when these sects speak of the essentials of their faith, it is implied that there are also non-essentials among them. What are the non-essentials? Evidently they are those doctrines and duties which divide them. All that they are agreed in is essential; and all that they are not agreed in is non-essential. This is the only rule, we think, by which they can agree in a decision. For example: they differ in regard to baptism. Therefore baptism is a non-essential. The Lord says, “Repent and be baptized every one of you.” But this jury of sects, instead of deciding according to law, become judges of the law, making a part of it non-essential. Accordingly it is decided that baptism is a non-essential; and you may practice immersion, pouring, or sprinkling, or no baptism at all. Suppose them to be divided on the subject of Sabbath observance, some holding to the original Sabbath, some to a change of the day, and some to no Sabbath at all. Of course it is decided that the Sabbath is non-essential; and so you may keep either day or no day at all. Now I submit that all this talk about the essentials of Christianity, implying that there are doctrines and duties belonging to the system that are non-essential, is an insult to the Majesty of Heaven, and a libel on the revelation that God has given us. If men will take the Bible for their guide, there will be no necessity of a division on the commandments of God or the institutions of the gospel. The fault is not in God and his word, but in men. They will hold their traditions in preference to what God has plainly said. He has not spoken to us of non-essentials, but he says, “In all things that I have said unto you be circumspect,” that is, do just what I say. “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” Ex. 23:13; Deut. 12:32.