The Kingdom of Promise and ProphecyWhiteside, Robertson L.
Religion
The Kingdom of Promise and Prophecy
Whiteside, Robertson L.
Bible -- Prophecies
“But what difference does it make whether I am ‘pre’ or ‘Post’?” I
should say not enough in and of itself, merely, for it to be made a
test of fellowship as has been attempted even by some “Neither ...
Nor’s.” But it might make a great deal of difference for a man to put
a thousand years between him and the coming of Jesus. Our Saviour
himself shows the likely effect for one to say: “My Lord delays his
coming.” Again, it might make a great deal of difference for him to
teach men so. It is a serious thing to oppose any one’s quoting, “The
Lord is at hand,” or “The Judge standeth before the door,” or “The end
of all things is at hand,” or “When ye see these things, know that he
is near.” Too much store is being set by this “what difference does it
make?” The postmillennial error has many attendant malinterpretations
it were well to avoid. As every truth of God’s word is helpful, so
every error is harmful, and _any_ error _may_ lead to fatality. “Prove
all things, hold fast that which is good.”
Yes, I have said publicly, both orally and in print, that I am neither a
premillennialist nor a postmillenialist. The Gospel Advocate has been
all along making a heroic effort to steer clear of all party, or class,
names. But Brother Chambers thinks it cannot be done. He does not see
how a man can keep from being a premillennialist or a postmillennialist.
In his estimation a man cannot be simply a Christian; he must have some
sort of a descriptive term to designate what sort of Christian he is.
And so we have premillennial Christians and postmillennial Christians.
Here, then, is partyism in religion, the beginning of new denominations.
It will not help the situation any to say that these are merely
descriptive words, and not party names. Why the need of these
descriptive terms, if they are not intended to describe different
parties? _Methodist_ was first a descriptive term, and then a party
name. Premillennial Christian, postmillennial Christian, and Baptist
Christian; in principle, what is the difference? And herein we see one
of the evils of preaching speculative theories that create groups,
classes, or parties in the church. What right has any man or set of men
to create two parties, and then tell me that I must belong to one of
them? That these brethren of Word and Work have created conditions that
make it necessary in their judgment to use descriptive terms to
designate groups of brethren condemns the whole movement as divisive in
nature and sectarian in principle. If they think they have created
conditions in the church that make it necessary for the Gospel Advocate
to line up with one of these parties and be labeled, they are decidedly
mistaken. If, as Brother Chambers says, he cannot help wearing a party
label, he needs the help the Gospel Advocate is trying to give him. But
if he is just bound to be what he is, and cannot help it, what will he
do about it when the Lord comes, if the Lord does not follow the program
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account