Written by John Thomas - Editor of the Herald 1853

Brethren Of Christ Articles - Articles Expounding Biblical Subjects

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An Enquiry & Answer from 1853
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A letter to the Editor of the HERALD OF THE KINGDOM AND AGE TO COME,

New York March 1853 and his answer.

A  MOTLEY  FAITH.

“Be ye perfect, even as God is perfect.”—Jesus,

Dear Sir,

 I wish to be saved; but surrounded by such a multitude of different faiths as there are in the world, I am at a loss to know what I must do to that end.  I thought t I knew some thing about this matter once, having “experienced a hope;” but some of your writings have fallen under my notice, the perusal of which cause me to doubt if I ever knew anything upon the subject as I ought.  I am so shaken in mind that I can hardly tell what I believe at present; but some time ago I thought (I will not term it “believed”) that there existed in my body a soul capable of living eternally unconnected to any body of any sort.  I thought that when the separation of the body and undying soul occurred, the soul if pious would be wafted into realms of bliss beyond the skies, and remain there till the last day: I believed, and do still, that Jesus called Christ is the Son of God, and somehow or other the Saviour of sinners; but I thought he was to come in person and burn up the earth, and destroy all the impenitently wicked upon it; after which he and the saints would reign over the earth (over whom I cannot say), the place of wolves, lions, tigers, and serpents, whose fierceness had been changed into the harmlessness of sleep, and domestic cattle.  I regarded this reign of Christ and his saints as “the Kingdom of God;” and supposed that when their reign commenced, it would be signalised by the reunion of their souls with bodies raised from the dust.  I called this good news, glad tidings of great joy; and the preaching of it I considered as the preaching of the gospel.  As to the restoration of carnal Jews to Palestine, that was in my eyes pure foolishness, and those who preached it I styled “Judaizers.”  As to baptism, I believed immersion was the most scriptural form; but by no means essential to salvation:  yet to be safe, as I thought, I considered it best to be immersed.  You see, then, what was my faith, or creed, and practice.  I was very zealous for these things, considered as pious, and delighted to think that the Lord would soon appear.  Now what I want to ascertain is, in being immersed upon such a faith, did I believe the gospel and obey it?  Your conviction on the matter will be much obliged. 

A Searcher after Truth.

 

 A  MOTLEY FAITH  PROVED  TO  BE  VAIN.

“Your faith is vain, and ye are yet in your sins.” – Paul.

 The question proposed turns upon this for the answer, has God promised the things stated as the subject matter of our correspondent’s faith!  If he has, then he has believed and obeyed the gospel; but if he has not, then he has not believed it, and consequently cannot have obeyed it.  But has God promised the things stated?  Has he promised them to Abraham or to David, the holders of the promises?  Or has he promised them to mankind at large through any of the prophets and apostles?  Nay, so far from having promised these things, he has promised the very reverse—things in truth utterly subversive of our correspondent’s “thoughts.”

        The scriptures of the prophets, as is admitted by the highest authorities of “the Schools,’’ are silent as death on “the immortality of the soul.’’  They do not teach it.  Although believed in Egypt while the Jews were enslaved there, Moses, who was skilled in all their lore, makes not the least allusion to it in any of his books.  This being admitted, it follows that it is not taught in the New Testament; for the writers of this volume through one of their company, declare, that they taught none of other things than what Moses and the prophets said should be.  Hence, being an unscriptural dogma, it is an unscriptural faith that professes it; consequently a “vain faith,” and responsible for all the conclusions that flow from it.