To follow Christ is to cultivate his temper, and tread in his steps.
"Christ was meek and lowly in heart." He did G.o.d"s commandments. It was "his meat to do the will of him that sent him." Those who are his disciples have learnt of him. The same mind is in them, which is in him. When this divine temper is wrought into the soul, it appears in the life. Those who have his spirit, walk as he walked.
Some call themselves Christians, who do not follow Christ. But he doth not acknowledge them to be his. He ranks them among those who deny him, "Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and done: the things which I say?
Then are ye my friends, when ye do all things, whatsoever I have commanded you."
Christ"s name is blasphemed, when those who call themselves after him live in allowed wickedness. Sore are the wounds which he hath received in the house of his friends. No other have been so deep and deadly.
But those who while they call themselves Christ"s friends, live like the wicked world, discover their hypocrisy--that they are not of Christ"s flock--"His flock hear his voice and follow him." Others may creep in unawares, but they are not of his fold. The apostle speaks of these false professors in his epistle to t.i.tus. * "They profess that they know G.o.d, but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good works reprobate." +
* t.i.tus i. 16. + t.i.tus i. 16.
Others deny Christ by refusing to confess him: "For the refusal is in works to deny him."
Under the former dispensation certain duties were enjoined as tokens of subjection to the divine Sovereign. To neglect them, was considered as breaking the covenant of G.o.d. "And G.o.d said to Abram, thou shalt keep my covenant, thou and thy seed after thee. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee: Every man child among you shall be circ.u.mcised. The uncirc.u.mcised man child shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant." ++ An attendance on the pa.s.sover was enjoined under the same penalty. The person who should neglect it, was ordered to be cut off from Israel.
Every rite and ceremony enjoined in the law was obligatory. To neglect them was to set up the standard of rebellion against G.o.d--deny his sovereignty--his right to give law. Those who persevered in neglect, after warnings, were no more to be considered as his people.
++ Genesis xvii. 9-14.
Under the gospel dispensation, duties of like import are enjoined, and under the same penalty. The tokens of belonging to Christ are commanded. To neglect them is to reject the Savior, and forfeit the benefits of an interest in him. Among these an open profession of faith in Christ, is one of the chief. So it was considered by the apostles, and primitive Christians. They dared not neglect it when it cost every worldly comfort, and even life. Neither was it a groundless fear which excited them to so costly a duty. Their Lord, had expressly declared, that "whoever should be ashamed of him, before an evil and adulterous generation, he would be ashamed of them before his Father, and before his angels."
If we attend to our context we shall see that the apostle has here a special reference to denying Christ in this way--"Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead, according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of G.o.d is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect"s sake, that they may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying, for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we differ, we shall also reign with him: _If we deny him, he also will deny us_: If we believe not; yet he abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself."
The apostle persevered though he suffered the loss of all things, and incurred every indignity and sorrow; and even when he foresaw the loss of life, in consequence of adhering to the Christian cause and continuing to preach the gospel. When some who were concerned for him, would have dissuaded him from adventuring among the enemies of Christianity, especially as his dangers and sufferings among them, were foretold by a prophet, he refused their counsel and adhered to his purpose, though tenderly affected with their concern for him.
"What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus," and when his last conflict approached, apprized of what was before him, he advanced without dismay--"I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand."
St. Paul might have avoided all the evils which he endured because he belonged to Christ, by only practically denying him: But he dared not deny him. He knew the consequences which would follow the part he acted. "If we suffer we shall also reign with him; _if we deny him, he also will deny us_. Having respect to the recompence of reward," he pressed on, exulting in the prospect before him--"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge, shall give me in that day."
If to neglect professing Christ, when it exposed to such sufferings was considered as denying him, and incurred the forfeiture of an interest in him, will it now be dispensed with? No, when it exposeth to no suffering, or loss? When it both became the most cheap and easy of all duties?
Are the terms of acceptance with G.o.d in Christ changed? Are they not the same as formerly? Doubtless they are essentially the same. "There is no respect of persons with G.o.d." If to neglect the badges of discipleship was formerly to deny Christ, it is still to deny him. _If we deny him, he also will deny us_.
III. Christ may be denied by a perversion of the gospel, causing it to become another gospel.
Some of this description were found in the primitive church. Such were those who made Christ the minister of sin--who considered the design of his coming, not to be "to destroy the works of the devil," but to render it safe to live in sin and indulge depravity. Such were those who held the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes; and the doctrine of Balaam, which were probably nearly akin, giving countenance to uncleanliness.
Such were also those pretendedly enlightened persons, who claimed knowledge in divine things, superior to that of the apostles, and taught that chast.i.ty, and temperance, and sundry other duties enjoined of G.o.d, were not obligatory on believers. These are described by St.
Peter and Jude, as enemies of Christ.
In later ages the gospel hath not been less corrupted, by some, who have called themselves Christians. It hath become in their hands, another gospel.
It maybe difficult precisely to determine, all who in this way deny Christ: But when the manifest tendency of any scheme, called Christian, is to lead to sin, render secure in sin, or build the hope of salvation on any other foundation than the mercy of G.o.d, and merits of the Redeemer, it must lead to a practical denial of Christ. To the sacred standard should every system be referred. Those which deviate essentially there from, lead to a denial of Christ; and will produce a denial by him before his Father in heaven.
REFLECTIONS.
If we do not mistake the Scriptures, those who deny Christ are without hope; and those who reject and those who neglect the gospel, or refuse to confess the Savior, are to be reckoned among them.
Some are otherwise minded. "If a person only acts sincerely, no matter what his religious principles, (say some) or whether he hath religious principles; he will find mercy with G.o.d and be accepted of him;" an opinion which is spreading in this liberal age!
We would gladly adopt it, and receive to the arms of charity all who appear to act honestly, could we see reason for it. But, in our apprehension, the word of truth condemns those who deny Christ, and declares that they will be denied by him before his heavenly Father.
We read of d.a.m.nable heresies--of those who are given up to strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they might be d.a.m.ned.
--And find an express declaration, cutting off unbelievers from all hope.--"He that believeth not shall be d.a.m.ned."
Whatever G.o.d may do with those who have not the gospel, those to whom it is sent must believe, receive and obey it, or perish in their sins.
This is so plainly and expressly declared in the word of truth, that we wonder doubts should arise in the minds of those who believe it.
Nor is it less strange, that confessing Christ should be thought a matter of indifference. Scripture is equally express respecting this matter, as the other. We have seen that under the former dispensation, G.o.d"s covenant and the tokens of it were commanded, under penalty of excision from his people--That in the apostolic age, Christ was to be confessed, under penalty of being denied by him in the presence of G.o.d. These are not matters of doubt.
They are stoney ground hearers who "are offended when persecution ariseth because of the word." These bring no fruit to perfection.
If the terms of acceptance with Christ are the same now as formerly: If they are not lowered down from their original, a denial of him, either verbal or practical, will shut men out of his kingdom.
It becomes those who have a hope toward G.o.d while such their state, to consider these things. "It is a faithful saying--If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him; _If we deny him, he also will deny us_."
SERMON XX.
The Fear which terminates in the Second Death.
Revelation xxi. 8.
"The fearful--shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death."
The terms on which only we can be Christ"s disciples are laid before us in the Scriptures, and we are counselled to consider them before we engage to be his.
Though Christ was born to be a king, his kingdom is not of this world.
He doth not persuade men with the prospect of great things here; but on the contrary warns his followers, that "in this world they shall have tribulation;" pointing them to another, as the place of their rest, and teaching them there to expect the reward of their labors and suffering here. And here the saints in every age, have groaned, being burdened. Had G.o.d provided nothing better for them, he would be ashamed to be called their G.o.d.
The primitive Christians drank largely of the bitter cup. All the apostles, except John, are said to have sealed their testimony with their blood. John at an advanced age, died peaceably in his bed at Ephesus. But he did not escape persecution here. When the revelation was made to him, he was in exile for the word of G.o.d and for the testimony of Jesus. For his consolation, and for the edification of the church, he was visited in his lonely state, by the exalted Redeemer, who unveiled futurity before him, briefly sketching the changes which were to pa.s.s over his people till the consummation of all things. The vision closed with the solemn, dreadful process of the great day, and its consequences to the righteous and to the wicked.
The divine visitant enlarged on the glories of the heavenly state beyond any of the prophets who had gone before. The description is clothed in figurative language, affording only a partial view of "the glory which is to be revealed;" sufficient however to convince us, that "eye hath not seen, ear heard, or the heart of man conceived the things which G.o.d hath prepared for those who love him."
But who will be made to possess these glorious things? They are offered to all who hear the sound of the gospel; but conquering believers will only attain them. Their contrast will be the portion of others.
This life is a warfare, in which we are called to contend with our own corruptions and with the powers of darkness--"He that overcometh shall inherit all things:" But those who are overcome, _will have their part in the lake of fire--which is the second death_.
To understand the grounds of this context is highly important.
Mistakes here may be fatal. To a.s.sist the inquirer, the characters of conquerors and captives are drawn in the scriptures. The verse of which the text is a part, mentions several general characters of the latter kind, and determines their future portion--_The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and wh.o.r.emongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death_.
In the prosecution of our subject, only one of these general characters will be considered--_the fearful_.
Who then are intended by _the fearful_? And what is the fear which leads to destruction?
Fearful, is a term seldom used to describe sinners. It occurs, we believe, in no other scripture. Every kind of fear is not sinful; much less inconsistent with a state of grace. "The fear of Lord is the beginning of wisdom"--it disposes the subject of it to mind the things which belong to peace, and flee to the hope set before him in gospel.
The fear of G.o.d is often used to describe the good man, and given as a leading trait in his character. It is noted in favor of Obadiah, the servant of Ahab, that he "feared the Lord greatly."