These are days when things are breaking up. Infidelity is rising like a surging flood on every hand, and that which is affecting the world is affecting the Church. Old landmarks are being rapidly swept away, and those of yesterday are not those of today. The plenary inspiration of Scripture, the doctrine of the atonement, the divinity of Christ’s person, eternity of punishment, are all held by many as exploded theories of an unenlightened past.
Young Christians are more or less influenced by all this, and if they stand up boldly and faithfully for the very words and authority of the Scriptures, they are often dubbed “bigots” for their pains. No, dear young Christians, do not allow terms such as these to close your mouths for Christ, but pray God to give you strength to be faithful to Him and His word.
Paul knew that after his departure grievous wolves would enter in among the saints, not sparing the flock, and from among themselves should men arise speaking perverse things, drawing disciples after them. But what does the front-rank man of Christianity do? Does he give them some well-worded creed to stand by, or some powerful arguments of his to meet the evil teachers with? No; he commends them to God, and the word of His grace (Acts 20:29-32). Our strength lies in dependence upon God, and cleaving closely to His word. We may not be able to understand it all, but we can exercise faith in God and His word, and we shall thus be led on. For instance, how many doubt the first chapter of Genesis, and tell us what science has brought to bear on the question, and how the earth has only evolved after almost interminable ages into its present condition. But what says the Scriptures. “Through FAITH we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God” (Heb. 11:3). Faith in the word of God leads us triumphantly through no end of difficulties. Then these enlightened (?) individuals turn round and call us bigots. Bigotry is blindly adhering to a creed. Bigotry leads to illogical positions, to a hard, dry, unfeeling line of action. But faithfulness to God does just the opposite. However, faith is outside the province of these doubters. The joy of the Holy Ghost is unknown by them. The power of conversion has not affected them or their lives. The outgoings of hearts to our brethren in Christ form no part of their experience.
They may admire, as they do, the terse, forcible language of the Scriptures, its poetry, its history, its moral grandeur, but they know not its power when applied to the heart and conscience by the Spirit of God. All these facts and experiences are foreign, and unknown to them.
We asked a young man, converted a few weeks ago, “if he understood the Bible better since he was converted.” He answered in the affirmative, and agreed that before he was saved it was like dead man coming to a living Book, and now (through the grace of God) it was a living man coming to a living Book, and a stream of blessing passing from it to him. Those who are seeking to undermine the authority of the Scriptures, and the wondrous truths of Christianity, have no conception of their own utter badness and God’s inflexible righteousness. They have never got into His presence, and so they can talk, talk, talk.
The young men in 1 John 2:14 are strong, because the word of God abides in them. What a secret of power! May we be kept thus proof against all the assaults of the enemy, whether as a roaring lion or clothed as an angel of light. May bigotry never be ours, but unflinching faithfulness in these last and perilous days. May the hope of the Lord’s near coming quicken our weary and lagging feet. The sight of His face—never to be withdrawn—will soon gladden our eyes, and fill our hearts with untold joy.