[EARNESTLY CONTENDING
FOR THE FAITH.]
AN apostle has thought it needful to enjoin upon us, “Earnestly contend for the faith formerly delivered to the saints.” An old soldier of the cross, when about to put off his armor, rejoiced that he had fought a good fight, kept the faith and finished his course. In the course of his warfare, we are informed that he disputed “two whole years” in a certain school, or contended for the faith. This warfare, disputing or contending, is an advocacy, a defence and maintenance of the faith once delivered to the saints. The first thing, in order to this advocacy, is to ascertain what the “faith once delivered to the saints” is, and the next thing is to advocate it, maintain and defend it with every power. The faith exists in two forms: 1. In its concentrated, embodied, or constitutional form, as it is presented for the confession of the new convert, in a single proposition, that it may be received or rejected by either an affirmative or a negative answer. 2. In its fully developed or detailed form, as we find it spread upon the pages of the christian Scriptures. This is the creed of the church by which she is governed and guided in all her journey through this world.
The whole of the detailed or fully developed creed, so far as its truth or authority is concerned, is in the concentrated, embodied or constitutional creed. Indeed the whole system of christianity was in the purpose of God, which he purposed in Christ before the world, in the promise to Abraham, in the good news borne by the angels to the shepherds of Bethlehem, in the last commission, in the same sense that it was in Christ. But it was not put in due form for mankind to confess, receive and place themselves under it. The same that was in the “eternal purpose” of God, in the promise, in the good news of great joy and in the commission, was in the announcement, “This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased,” in the confession of Peter, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” the same that John testified that we might believe, when he said, “These things are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,” or that God uttered in the mountain when he gave him honor and glory, or the same is contained in any one of these that is contained in “the gospel.” Any one of these expressions, and many others that could be maintained, contain christianity in its concentrated, embodied or constitutional form. These all embrace Christ. All christianity centers in him, comes from him and is authorized by him. Through the holy witnesses of Jesus, men are made acquainted with Christ, convinced that he is a divine person, the Son of God and the Savior of the world; and, in the confession, receive him as their only Leader. This is simply receiving christianity in its constitutional form, without having examined its details or knowing what they are. We do not, therefore, read christianity through, sitting in judgment, as we do, a merely human composition, noticing every expression to see whether it is good or true. When we become acquainted with the Author, find him sent from God, declared his Son in his resurrection from the dead, divine and infallible, we place ourselves under him, and receive his holy instructions implicitly, only wishing to know that they are from him.
Christianity, therefore, in its embodied, or constitutional form, embraces christianity in its details. “The faith once delivered to the saints,” is simply christianity, the complete system as the Lord gave it. All who have confessed Christ intelligently, have received christianity, committed themselves to it. This is “the faith,” that which is to be advocated, maintained and defended. The man who has received it with the whole heart, practices it, and enjoys it, is a christian. The requirement of heaven resting upon him is, to earnestly contend for the faith, advocate, maintain and defend it.
[THIRTY YEARS AGO.]
