The All-Sufficiency of Christ. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. IMackintosh, Charles Henry
Religion
The All-Sufficiency of Christ. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. I
Mackintosh, Charles Henry
Theology
True, we shall have to contend with false unity on the one hand and
false individuality on the other; but we have only to hold fast and
confess the truth of God, looking to Him, in humility of mind and
earnest purpose of heart, and He will sustain us in the path, let the
difficulties be what they may. No doubt there are difficulties in the
way--grave difficulties, such as we in our own strength cannot cope
with. The very fact that we are told to "_endeavor_ to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace" is sufficient to prove that there
are difficulties in the way; but the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is
amply sufficient for all the demands that may be made upon us in
seeking to act upon this most precious truth.
In contemplating the present condition of the professing Church we may
discern two very distinct classes. In the first place, there are those
who are seeking unity on false grounds; and secondly, those who are
seeking it on the ground laid down in the New Testament. This latter
is distinctly a spiritual, living, divine unity, and stands out in
vivid contrast with all the forms of unity which man has attempted,
whether it be national, ecclesiastical, ceremonial, or doctrinal. The
Church of God is not a nation, not an ecclesiastical or political
system. It is a body united to its divine Head in heaven, by the
presence of the Holy Ghost. This is what it was, and this is what it
is. "There is one body and one Spirit." This remains unalterably
true. It holds good now just as much as when the inspired apostle
penned Ephesians iv. Hence anything that tends to interfere with or
mar this truth must be wrong, and we are bound to stand apart from it
and testify against it. To seek to unite Christians on any other
ground than the unity of the body is manifestly opposed to the
revealed mind of God. It may seem very attractive, very desirable,
very reasonable, right, and expedient; but it is contrary to God, and
this should be enough for us. God's Word speaks _only_ of the unity of
the body and the unity of the Spirit. It recognizes no other unity:
neither should we.
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