Untenable Grounds by G. W. Reaser

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jan 25, 1905

Untenable Grounds

By G. W. Reaser

SUNDAY-LAW AGITATION IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

TWO meetings recently held in the city of Portland, are worthy of mention, as indicating religious sentiment in certain lines in the Pacific Northwest.

One of these gatherings was convened for the purpose of agitating and perfecting organization, for the enforcement of Sunday observance upon all classes of society.

Nearly all of the churches and religious organizations of the city were represented in the meeting.

Included in the election of officers for the ensuing year, was the selection of a field secretary, whose time and energies are to be devoted to the holding of public meetings for the education of the masses to the idea of Sunday-sacredness, and to the enactment and enforcement of laws, to preserve its assumed sanctity.

Untenable Grounds.

On this occasion, the presumed holiness of the first day of the week was based wholly upon the binding nature of the Decalogue on all mankind, and particularly upon the claims of the fourth commandment.

But why should this position be taken? The seventh, and not the first, day of the week is declared by Jehovah to be sacred, and He has never informed us of the transfer of His blessing from the seventh to the first day.

An astonishing contrast is noteworthy in this connection. When a meeting is convened for the purpose of securing united action to enforce Sunday observance, in order to touch a responsive chord in the consciences of the people, great stress is laid upon the authority of Jehovah's law, and the perpetuity and binding obligations of the fourth commandment; but when the perpetuity of the same law, and the sacred obligation of the fourth commandment, are taught by seventh-day observers, the tactics of first-day keepers are suddenly reversed, and, strangely enough, their usual claim is, that the law of God is not binding upon Christians in this dispensation, and that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment has no sacredness above other days; that the first day is binding upon Christians as a holy day, and all this presumption without a single statement from Jehovah authorizing the change of the Sabbath.

Consistency is a priceless jewel. Questionable is the acceptability of the worship of him who perverts truth, at least after the forthshining of heaven-sent light upon his pathway. Of such the Saviour said, "Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say;" and again, "In vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

One of the greatest stumbling-blocks in the way of unbelievers is the inconsistent course of professors.

What minister of the Gospel was ever driven to the ridiculous extremity of preaching the abolition of the law, except to sustain the practise—borrowed from paganism—of Sunday-keeping?

What can more truthfully account for the alarming increase of lawlessness,—which, as stated by "educators and jurists, imperils the very existence of our nation,"—than the preaching from the pulpits of the land, that anarchistic doctrine, the abolition of God's law. Such ruinous preaching gives license for all manner of crime.

Or, if, on the other hand, as are the tactics of some, the integrity of the law is maintained, and, simply at their own choice and convenience, without divine command or sanction, they attempt to change the fourth commandment, substituting the pagan institution, instead of Jehovah's day, the logical result is equally as pernicious in its effect upon the masses who are within the sphere of influence of the pulpits of the country.

If a preacher of the Gospel has the right to change one precept of the law to suit his convenience, and that he may be on the popular side, why should not his hearers have the same right, relative to all other precepts of the law?

As a matter of fact, we find that every principle of the Decalogue is violated by those who take the liberty of perverting its clear meaning, who are, at the same time, deluded into thinking that they are thus "doing God's service." John 16:2.

We will note some of the more prominent examples of this self-delusive service. Earth's millions of heathen worship other gods, and satisfy their unenlightened consciences with the fond delusion that they are "doing God service." Both heathen, and many professedly-Christian people, bow down and worship images under the same delusion. The scribes and Pharisees justified violation of the fifth commandment, and thus satisfied the ill-guided worship of the willingly ignorant. Matt. 15:3-9. The life-blood of fifty million martyrs was shed at the vile hands of those who thought they were serving God, in thus violating the sixth commandment.

Bigamists freely teach that the only way of salvation for many of their female followers is in misery-producing violation of the seventh commandment. Nations consider themselves as fulfilling heaven-appointed commission in slaying in war, and in stealing property and territory of other nations. Others, claiming that "the end justifies the means," freely violate the ninth commandment.

But perhaps the most popular delusion and inconsistency in so-called Christian lands is the unwarranted change of the Sabbath from the day that Jehovah blessed, to another, its rival, borrowed from paganism, and adopted by that great apostate church, styled "the man of sin," and so incorporated into what passed for Christianity.

Surely one who possesses the simplicity of faith of genuine Christianity, will not be controlled by that carnality, that desire for popularity, that clamoring of the flesh for gratification, that will lead him to select one or more of the commandments, and in the violation of the same, be deluded into thinking that he is thus doing "God service."

The sincere prayer of the one who craves the fulness of Heaven's approval will be, "Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes;" "make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight."

The Carnal Mind

is the only thing that is at enmity against the law of God (Rom. 8:7); the spiritual mind is in perfect harmony therewith (Rom. 7:14).

But, some will say, there are two sides to this law question. The proposition is freely admitted. The untold millions of heathen, of image-worshipers, of profane, of breakers of the true Sabbath, of disobedient to parents, of murderers, of adulterers, of thieves, of falsifiers, of covetous, are arrayed in greater or less degree, with him who undertook to overthrow the government of Heaven, on the one side. Some, not claiming righteousness, except through the merits of Christ, are identified with Heaven, in maintaining the integrity of the law of Jehovah. These are surely upon the other side of the question, and are logically following the leadership of Him who said, "I delight to do Thy will, O My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart." Every individual must choose one of these two sides. There is no neutral ground.

The only safe position is in following Christ in law-keeping. But even a higher motive than eternal, personal safety, is that of loyalty to our Creator. Reader, are you loyal to the government of Heaven? Guilt is not imputed until heaven-sent light is rejected.

Tearing down the law of God in the hearts of men, is laying the sure foundation for anarchy (lawlessness). If anarchy shall ever rule red-handed in our land, to the destruction of the republic, who will share in the responsibility for its cruel, devastating work? Surely not the one who moulds the consciences of men, both by preaching and practise, to obey from the heart, the perfect law of Jehovah as spoken from Sinai and revealed in the life of Christ.

G. W. REASER.

[The other meeting, of another character, will be reported in our next.]