What Constitutes a Christian?
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
A SHORT time ago the Chinese of San Francisco had a grand celebration in honor of one of their gods. The Chronicle gave a full account of this heathen festival, and of the procession through the streets, which, with the idol at the head, was marked by all the gaudy display peculiar to the Chinese. The Pacific (Congregationalist) copies the Chronicle's report, and adds the following comment:— "This is still called a Christian country, and there are still some who teach their children, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me,' and 'Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.' What do these boys and girls think as they see the regular sacrificial smoked hog carried in procession to the joss-house, and placed before the idol?" We are glad for this testimony of the Pacific as to what makes one a Christian. Not because it is anything new, but because it is in harmony with the Bible. "This is still called a Christian country," it says. Why? Because parents still teach their children the commandments of God. A more direct and truthful statement of the case could not have been made. Let us see how well it is sustained by the Scriptures.634 The definition of Christian as "one who believes the doctrine of Christ," will be accepted by all. He said, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." John 15:10. That these commandments are not something peculiar to Christ, and distinct from the Father's law, we learn from John 17:14, where Christ says to the Father, "I have given them thy word;" and again: "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me." John 7:16; and yet again from John 6:38: "For I came down from Heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." From these declarations we should understand that Christ came to declare the righteousness of God's law, and to enable men to obey it. In this he set the example, and whosoever walks as he walked, i. e., keeps the commandments of God, is a Christian. This conclusion is verified by Christ's statement concerning the law, in his sermon on the mount. "Think not," he says, "that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 5:17-19. Some affect to understand from verse 19 that breakers of the law may gain an entrance into Heaven, but that they will occupy a low place; but that is not the meaning of the text. The true force of the verse is grasped by Dr. Clarke, who says:— "He who by his mode of acting, speaking, or explaining, the words of God, sets the holy precept aside, or explains away its force or meaning, shall be called least—shall have no place in the kingdom of Christ here, nor in the kingdom of glory above. That this is the meaning of these words is evident enough from the following verse." Christ, then, kept and taught the commandments; and he expressly declares, what the Pacific implies, that none who do otherwise can be followers of him. "Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Luke 6:46. Now read a few testimonies from the apostles. John says: "He that saith he abideth in Him, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." 1 John 2:6. Peter contrasts the frailty of man with the enduring nature of the word of God, saying that all flesh shall wither as the grass, "But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this," he says, "is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." 1 Pet. 1:25. The gospel, then, proclaims the righteousness and stability of God's law. How could it be otherwise? The gospel brings the good news of pardon for sin. But sin is the transgression of the law, and the very act of announcing a pardon bears witness to the existence of the law; for without the law there can be no transgression, and consequently no necessity for pardon. To offer a pardon to a man after the abolition of the law which condemned him, would be an insult. As the gospel of Christ teaches obedience to the law, so it carries with it that assistance which makes it possible for man to keep the law. Paul says: "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh [it could not justify a sinner], God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness [requirement, or precept] of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:3, 4. All these witnesses agree that a Christian is one who follows Christ in obeying the commandments of God, using the strength which Christ bestows. One more testimony we will add. Paul, as the representative of the Christian ministry, says: "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Cor. 5:20, 21. What is it to be made "the righteousness of God"? If "all unrighteousness is sin" (1 John 5:17), then righteousness is the exact opposite of sin; but "sin is the transgression of the law," and therefore righteousness is the keeping of the law. So then 2 Cor. 5:21 simply states that Christ's work was in order that we might be brought into perfect harmony with the law of God. It is true that the Pacific did not mention the entire law as requisite to constitute one a Christian; it only mentioned the first and second precepts of the law. But we recall the Saviour's words, that "it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail." Luke 16:17. Also the words of James: "For he that said [or, the law which said], Do not commit adultery, said also Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." Jas. 2:11. The Pacific will, no doubt, readily admit that the keeping of these two commandments (the sixth and seventh) is as necessary to perfect Christianity as is the keeping of the first and second. Very well, then we will try again: For he that said, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," and "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image," said also, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work." Now if thou make no graven image, nor worship any false god, yet if thou labor on the seventh day, thou art become a transgressor of the law. The law being a unit, incapable of being divided, we cannot see why keeping and teaching the fourth commandment is not as necessary to constitute one a perfect Christian as is the keeping of the first or second. Will the Pacific accept this conclusion, and act accordingly? If not, why not?