This whole theory about the word being a dead letter, whether so intended or not, is the very thing to neutralize the gospel, and cause honest people who believe the gospel, to wait for some immediate power to do something more for them before they come to God. This very theory, in the place of being Scriptural, is directly opposed to the very spirit and intention of the Scriptures, and is, we doubt not, chargeable with hindering more souls from turning to the Lord and receiving the salvation of God than all the out-and-out infidelity in the country. They hear the word of God—the gospel of their salvation—the power of God to salvation to every one that believe it, and honestly believe it. They hear the preaching of the cross of Christ, the wisdom of God and the power of God, and believe it with their whole hearts; but the preacher says you must wait till the Spirit makes it effectual, and till the Spirit quickens you and prepares you to receive it, about which there is not one word in the book of God.
[WE ARE NO SECT.]
WE belong to no sect or heresy, no “denomination,” and recognize none in any sense, only as existing in opposition to the will of God—in a rebellion against the government of God. We know sects only as antagonistic powers to the law and kingdom of God. They are heretical and schismatical, in alienation to each other and to the kingdom of God. We find them in no complete union on anything of importance, except in opposing the gospel of Christ. In this they are a unit. Never did loving brethren more completely unite than they one and all do in this. One voice sounding out the gospel precisely as preached by the apostles, and propounding the terms of pardon as they came from the ambassador of Jesus, to whom he gave the keys of the kingdom of God, will silence all their jars among themselves, their differences and disputes, and bring them all around side by side, facing the common foe. It will call out their confusion of tongues, and the cry, “Lo! here, and lo there,” will be heard on all hands. The cry is raised. “To your tents, O Israel! to your tents! Danger! danger! dangerous doctrine! Do not hear him! Keep away! keep away! He will unsettle your views!”
Why are they all opposed to this? There is a very good reason for it. It is opposed to all of them. In its very nature it proposes to sweep them all away. It leaves not an inch of ground for one of them to stand on. We came not with a new doctrine, but with the gospel of Christ, a distinct entity in itself, not only having no fellowship with any other gospel, but pronouncing a curse on man or angel who shall preach any other, no matter whether near like it or not near like it—a perversion of it or mutilation. The gospel of Christ itself is the thing to be preached, and nothing else; the power of God to salvation to every one that believes; the preaching of the cross, the wisdom of God, and the power of God. To this nothing is to be added, and from it nothing is to be taken away. In this gospel, Christ, the “one Shepherd,” is presented, and the one kingdom of God, or one body of Christ. All the followers of Christ are members of this one body, or citizens of this one kingdom. There are no “denominations” of them. They are all members of his body, citizens of his kingdom by faith, the children of Abraham, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, saints, holy brethren. They know no other king but the “King of kings, and Lord of lords.” Their King, in his times, will “show who is the only Potentate.” Their King has no negotiations with any other spiritual kings. He puts them down against him. He has no communications nor negotiations with Pope Pius, or any other Pope. He has no fraternal greetings for any of them, but his Father has sworn with an oath that he shall reign till he shall put down all rule and all authority and power—till he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The kingdom of Christ recognizes no other kingdom. It is an absolute monarchy. Christ is the Monarch. He has no Parliament, no Senate or Congress, no legislative body in his kingdom. As the rightful Sovereign and the absolute Monarch, he is the Law-giver. His will is the law, as spread on the pages of Scripture—the absolute authority—and his subjects have simply to consult the law, ascertain what it requires, and obey it. They are not responsible for the law. They need not trouble themselves about results or consequences. Do as the Supreme Authority commands, and leave the consequences with him. He is so wise, good and great, that he will bring all out right, for all those that put their trust in him. His subjects stop not to counsel with those who have other laws, to compare them with the law of the Lord Messiah, to see how near they are to his, or how far from it. They have no authority to make any other laws, no matter how near like his law, or how far from it. Their business is to throw aside all other laws, and accept him as their Monarch, and his law, and obey it. This is simply all there is of it. He who is not for him is against him.
The citizens of his kingdom have no authority from him for negotiating with any sectarian party, about union with his people, comparing their views and determining how nearly they agree. He has left them no discretionary power to compromise with anybody, or to stipulate terms of union and fellowship. He has stipulated the terms for us all. If we comply with these terms he receives us, and we are bound to receive each other, and certainly will desire to do so. If we comply not with these terms he will not receive us, and no saint has any right to receive us. No man has a right to prescribe terms on which to receive any man. The terms are already prescribed in the law of the great King. We must not go to man, but to the King, to know who shall be received. It is not a question whether man will receive us, but whether the Lord will receive us.