THE ONLY EXAMPLE | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, Cal. · Jul 7, 1890

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 16, No. 26.

THE ONLY EXAMPLE.

THE following question and answer we clip from the Christian Advocate:—

"Question—Is it wrong for a professed Christian to read Shakespeare's plays? "Answer—Wesley read them."

We do not quote this question and answer for the purpose of making any comment upon Shakespeare's plays, or upon the fact that Wesley read them, or to say whether or not any Christian should now read them. What we wish to note is the form of the answer,—"Wesley read them." We honor Wesley as a man of God, but the fact that he did a certain thing is no reason whatever why somebody else should do it. If it is right for Christians to do any given thing, it is not because some good man has done the same thing. If the thing is right, the Christian of to-day may do it for the same reason that the old-time Christian did it, but not because he did it.

There is not a man that ever lived on this earth, save "the Man Christ Jesus," whose example in any given thing may be taken as a reason why others may do the same thing. No matter how good the man was, he who refers to him as authority for any practice, is in a dangerous condition. Christ suffered for us, "leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps;" but he is the only example.

This is the reason why it is so dangerous a thing to take any man, however good, as a model either of faith or practice: There is no man who is infallible; so long as his course is exactly correct, his follower may not go astray; but he is liable to err, and then the poor follower, who has substituted another's judgment for his own, is sure to go wrong. To follow any man in belief or practice is to invest that man with infallibility; and to blindly copy his mistakes as well as his perfect deeds. The result will be a poor imitation of his goodness, and an exaggeration of his frailties.

It is no discredit to anybody to say that he is not authority in matters of doctrine, nor an example in the realm of duty. God's word alone is the standard of truth, for it is the truth, and it unfolds its treasures to the humblest as well as to the great. Whoever has a determination to do God's will shall know the doctrine. And he who follows a good practice because some good man has done the deed, really worships the man, instead of God. Even though the man never made a mistake, his imitator would fall far short of attaining to his goodness, because God is the only one whose worship can elevate. *Hero-worship is simply attempted imitation; but he who worships God alone, worships one who is not simply an example, but who lifts the worshiper to his own level.

Therefore, "be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, which is in heaven."