God's Work To-day

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 10, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 49.

God's Work To-day.

But the conflict is not ended, and the platform upon which the Reformers stood is the platform upon which to stand to-day—an appeal to the plain teaching of the word of God. All the truth was not seen by Luther and his associates, and their teaching can be safely followed only so far as it is in harmony with the principle which they themselves laid down, the appeal to the word of God. The principle which is openly avowed by the Roman Catholic Church—"Tradition is to us more clear and safe"—has received altogether too much sanction in some Protestant Churches, and there is need that we "should earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints," and should build only "upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone."

Dr. Adolph Saphir has well said:—

If we have the Spirit's teaching in the Book instead of the Spirit's teaching by the Book, men wish to have it extracted, simplified, reduced to a system, methodized. And then, practically speaking, the creed is above the Bible.

The following statements by Dr. George F. Pentecost are also well worthy of thoughtful consideration at this time:—

The church at the time of Christ's ministry on the earth had well-nigh lost sight of the Scriptures by the accumulation of creeds, glosses, commentaries, and the like, so that they were more given to creeds and traditions and doctrines of men than they were to the word of God. We are in the same danger now. . . . It is a woful evil to substitute the authority of creeds and confessions of faith for that of the word of God, which is the only rule of faith and practice for his people, and the only writing that is of binding authority upon the conscience. . . . Whenever any one yields obedience to the creeds of men or of churches, and surrenders the God-given right of personally searching the Scriptures to find out for himself the truth, then he indeed becomes a slave. . . . Never surrender your conscience to any save God, and that on the sole authority of his word.

Let every one heed these words and follow the example of the "more noble" Bereans, who "searched the Scriptures daily." Acts 17:10, 11. All teaching is to be subjected to the test of the word, and only truth received. Isa. 8:20. "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Col. 2:8. "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." 1 John 2:6. "If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching." John 7:17, R. V. "He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12. Are we ready to follow the plain instruction of the Bible, as interpreted by the example and teaching of Christ, even though it be contrary to creed and tradition? This is the test of our Christianity.

Battle Creek, Mich.