Constant multiplication of corrupted copies!
(J. A. James, "Earnestness in Personal Religion" 1847)
Our idea of the nature of earnest
individual piety must be taken, not from
the conventional customs of the age--
but from the Word of GOD. Once give
up the Bible as the only true standard
of personal piety, and there is no rule left
but custom, which is ever varying with
the opinions and corruptions of the times.
Yet how prevalent is the disposition
to conform ourselves to the prevailing
religion of the day and of the church to
which we belong, and to satisfy ourselves
with the average measure of piety around us!
"I am as good as my fellow members!"
is the shield with which many a professor
wards off the allegation of his living below
his Scriptural duty.
This has been the fatal practical error
of the church through every age of its
existence, by which . . .
its beauty has been disfigured,
its power weakened, and
its usefulness impeded!
Professing Christians, instead of looking
into the perfect standard of Scripture,
and seeing themselves reflected from that
faithful mirror, and adjusting their character
and conduct by its infallible revelations--
placed before themselves the standard
of the Christian profession as it was found
in the church of the day, and regulated their
behavior by what they saw in the prevailing
character of their fellow Christians!
Thus a constant multiplication of
corrupted copies has ever been going on!
And religion, as seen in the conduct of its
professors, compared with that which is
described in the pages of its own inspired rule--
have been quite different things!
(J. A. James, "Earnestness in Personal Religion" 1847)
Our idea of the nature of earnest
individual piety must be taken, not from
the conventional customs of the age--
but from the Word of GOD. Once give
up the Bible as the only true standard
of personal piety, and there is no rule left
but custom, which is ever varying with
the opinions and corruptions of the times.
Yet how prevalent is the disposition
to conform ourselves to the prevailing
religion of the day and of the church to
which we belong, and to satisfy ourselves
with the average measure of piety around us!
"I am as good as my fellow members!"
is the shield with which many a professor
wards off the allegation of his living below
his Scriptural duty.
This has been the fatal practical error
of the church through every age of its
existence, by which . . .
its beauty has been disfigured,
its power weakened, and
its usefulness impeded!
Professing Christians, instead of looking
into the perfect standard of Scripture,
and seeing themselves reflected from that
faithful mirror, and adjusting their character
and conduct by its infallible revelations--
placed before themselves the standard
of the Christian profession as it was found
in the church of the day, and regulated their
behavior by what they saw in the prevailing
character of their fellow Christians!
Thus a constant multiplication of
corrupted copies has ever been going on!
And religion, as seen in the conduct of its
professors, compared with that which is
described in the pages of its own inspired rule--
have been quite different things!
Let us turn away from the religion
we see in the church--
to the religion we read in the Bible!
Let us not go to the imperfect and blurred copy--
but to the perfect and unspotted original!
The Bible's representation of the nature
of true piety is intended for us as our
guide, and is obligatory upon us!
But the inspired, unalterable, and
infallible standard of Scripture is . . .
too spiritual,
too devout,
too unearthly,
too humbling,
too self-denying,
for many professors.
This is still the stern, unbending
too spiritual,
too devout,
too unearthly,
too humbling,
too self-denying,
for many professors.
This is still the stern, unbending
demand of CHRIST:
he must deny himself, and take up his
cross daily and follow ME!" (Luke 9:23)
~ ~ ~ ~
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