My Dear Friend and Brother,
1911 255 I have no hesitation in saying that adonimos (translated in the English Bible "a castaway") must be interpreted in each occurrence according to the nature and requirements of its context. It means disapproved on trial, which may be absolute or relative. This I freely grant. The question is, What is the necessary sense in 1 Cor. 9:27?
It seems to me very plain that the apostle means in the strictest and fullest way a disapproval of the person, emphatically so, and not a mere condemnation of his service but in contrast with it. He supposes that there might be the preaching to others without a single flaw or drawback specified (i.e. the work all right), but the person adonimos. What has hindered many in ancient times, and yet more since the Arminian controversy, is the fear of weakening divine grace, and of compromising the security of the believer.
But this is a groundless fear; for it is no question of a believer, but of a preacher. It is supposed that the person preaches well enough, but there is no self-judgment, no keeping of the body under, no practical holiness consequently, no faith or conscience before God, no jealousy for Christ, no fear to grieve the Holy Spirit. It is a man unrenewed, therefore, though possibly not a bad preacher, nor lacking in zealous work.
This was the snare laid for the Corinthians. In the eyes of some, gift and work were all, the will and grace and holiness of Christ practically of no account.
Why then does the apostle speak of himself hypothetically rather than of them directly? Because he was led of the Spirit with the finest sense of delicate consideration. He preferred out of love to put it in his own case. Not, as too many imagine, that he had the least doubt or fear as to himself; not that a single text raises the smallest anxiety about any one possessing life in Christ. Whoever throws off restraints, and lives contrary to Christ, may preach as well as you like, but will certainly be lost, were it Paul himself: as he says in chapter 4. of this Epistle, he has transferred the application to himself, if not to Apollos. But it is purely hypothesis, which in fact was as far as possible from Paul, but which he thus applied to himself, if he walked recklessly, for the warning of some of the Corinthians. It is hardly so strong as Heb. 12:14-15, from which we must not be driven either by abuse or by ignorance; nor must we force it like those who would pervert the warning given to professors of Christ into opiates for Christians.
Ever yours affectionately,
[March. 1870].
To the editor of The Bible Treasury
Dear Sir,
1911 256 Referring to query as above, I ask leave to submit as follows, from which it will be seen that it is quite possible for a man to be not only an able, and even an eloquent, preacher, but also an inspired prophet of Jehovah, and yet perish miserably amongst His enemies, fighting against God.
What nobler or more glowing words can be found than the utterance of Balaam as recorded in Num. 24:4 et seq.? yet what can be more appalling than the awful history of his subsequent life, and of his last end? "Balaam also, the son of Beor, they slew with the sword" (Num. 31:8); and a part of his prophecy was fulfilled in his own discreditable death and beyond "I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh." No, wretched Balaam! no, indeed! But how awful to
"dwell
Full in the sight of Paradise,
Beholding heav'n, and feeling hell."
If Balaam's fearful case be not enough, we have the Lord's own solemn declaration in Matt. 7:22, "Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name cast out demons? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you"! And again. In Luke 13:26, another plea is raised, "We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets"! But only the same stern, sad sentence is pronounced, the sentence of everlasting despair, "Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity."
It is thus seen that it is even possible, after having partaken of the Lord's Supper for years — eaten and drunk in thy presence" — to pass eternity at the table of demons indeed!
What then can be done to avert a doom so terrible? The gracious Lord Himself furnishes the reply, "Whosoever shall hear these sayings of mine, and do them, I will liken to a man who built his house upon the rock." Or, as in John 6:40, "This is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day." This then, according to the word of God, is His way of deliverance from the wrath now abiding on every unbeliever, and from the wrath for evermore to commit oneself unreservedly, for present and eternal salvation, to the Christ of God; trusting not at all to one's own works, whether preaching or teaching, or aught else, but wholly to Himself and His one perfect work for the putting away of sins by enduring its dread penalty. Then follow His steps through grace to glory, to glory for evermore.
In Dover churchyard a quondam church minister's body lies enhumed. This is his epitaph: "Life to the last enjoyed? Here Churchill lies." This has been slightly altered: "Life to the last enjoyed? Here Churchill lies.". Churchill had been in "holy orders" for years, and "Then" — as he says — "Then I threw off the cloak!" And in Dover churchyard he lies, and lies, and lies. Geo. S-M.