Popular Religion | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 18, 1873

Popular Religion.

It has been the aim of certain classes of professors of religion, for more than a thousand years, to get religion into such a position in society that there would be no cross connected with it. From the days of Constantine till now, men have been trying to dress up religion so that the offense of the cross should cease; and the masses have succeeded in doing this in our day, most effectually. This has been done by compromise. People think, because the religion of the day has become so popular, that the world is almost converted, and the “good time coming” looked for by sages, poets, philosophers, spiritualists, and doctors of divinity, is about to dawn. Has the gospel changed? Was Jesus mistaken when he said, “Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake”? Was he mistaken when he said, “He that taketh not up his cross daily, can not be my disciple”? Was the apostle in the wrong when he said, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution”? No; the Master was not mistaken. The gospel has not changed. The trouble is with men. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Men are trying to invent another and smoother way; but I find, upon examination, it leaves its travelers outside the kingdom of God. The way that leads to “life” is a narrow one, and few there be that find it.

The standard of popular religion is lowered so much that men can be all bound up in the spirit, fashions, honors, and pleasures of the world, and think it is all right. But whoever will stand up boldly against these things in advocacy of the Bible doctrine, that “if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him,” will still find a Christianity with a cross in it.

Many seem quite unwilling to follow Jesus, unless they can do so without associating with the poor and ignorant. They forget the footsteps of Jesus in the lanes of the lowly. He that is not willing to come down on a level with the poor, can never enter the kingdom. This aristocratic religion is an abomination in the sight of God. James says if we show preference to the man with a gold ring and goodly apparel, we are carnal. And yet this spirit is among us everywhere. There is a great bowing and scraping to the rich, while the poor are passed unnoticed.

Jesus Christ is the poor man’s Saviour; and if the wealthy, or those in easy circumstances, are saved at all, they must be converted the same as the poor man. The high must be brought down, or they can not be saved. If ministers of the gospel show any preference at all, it should be to the poor, and such as feel forsaken by the upper class. But alas, how few do it! The rich are applauded if they do a benevolent act. They are put forward in almost everything, while God’s worthy poor are too often crowded aside. These things ought not so to be. “The poor have the gospel preached unto them.” “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom?” We must be willing to follow Christ in his humility. The cross precedes the crown. We shall never “reign” with Jesus unless we are willing first to “suffer with him.” One way of suffering with Christ is to bear burdens and reproaches with his “little” ones in this world of toil and tears. “Ye have done it unto me,” is the glad greeting that awaits all such in the dawn of that day that shall never be followed by night.—Golden Censer.