Just Some Quotes
Originally Posted Friday, June 16, 2006
Last Christmas break I read Machen's Christianity and Liberalism. What an unbelievable book. If you listen to the White Horse Inn, you hear him quoted a lot, and for great reason. Although Machen was fighting Protestant Liberalism in the 1920's his words ring so very true today as we go up against today's evangelicals who are straying from Biblical truth in order to be "relevant".
The book is not very long and I highly recommend it.
Below are some select quotes. I am sorry there are so many! I wanted to post more!
Few desires on the part of religious teachers have been more harmfully exaggerated than the desire to “avoid giving offence.” Only too often that desire has come perilously near dishonesty… but [the religious teacher] is unwilling to relinquish his place in the hallowed atmosphere of the Church by speaking his whole mind. (17-18)
But, it will be said, Christianity is a life, not a doctrine. The assertion is often made, and it has an appearance of godliness. But it is radically false, and to detect its falsity one does not even need to be a Christian. (19)
But is any one fact is clear, on the basis of this evidence, it is that the Christian movement at its inception was not just a way of life in the modern sense, but a way of life founded upon a message. It was based, not upon mere feeling, not upon a mere program of work, but upon an account of facts. In other words it was based upon doctrine. (20)
From the beginning, the Christian gospel, as indeed the name “gospel” or “good news” implies, consisted in an account of something that had happened. And from the beginning, the meaning of the happening was set forth; and when the meaning of the happening was set forth then there was Christian doctrine. “Christ died” – that is history; “Christ died for our sins” – that is doctrine. Without these two elements, joined in an absolutely indissoluble union, there is no Christianity. (27)
Jesus had raised in them [the disciples] high hopes; those hopes were destroyed by the Cross.; and reflections on the general principles of religion and ethics were quite powerless to revive the hopes again. (28)
** I love this quote! I don't recall the Scriptures telling us that when Jesus was arrested the disciples stood around asking, "What Would Jesus Do?" All the good examples Jesus gave them did not comfort them at the cross.
We shall never have vital contact with Jesus if we attend to his person and neglect the message; for it is the message which makes him ours.(42)
Here is found the most fundamental difference between liberalism and Christianity – liberalism is altogether in the imperative mood, whole Christianity begins with a triumphant indicative; liberalism appeals to man’s will, while Christianity announces, first, a gracious act of God. (47)
** Replace "liberalism" with "Today's Evangelicalism" and isn't scary how much the two are alike? A simple reading or hearing of popular preaching today makes this ring so true.
Without the consciousness of sin, the whole of the gospel will seem to be an idle tale. (66)
All the ideas of Christianity might be discovered in some other religion, yet there would be in that other religion no Christianity. (70)
** As somebody who has read a lot of popular preacher's sermons I find myself asking almost every time, "What makes this sermon Christian?" More often than not, nothing. As I begin to write my own sermons, Lord willing I will have the cross of Christ and the Gospel forever in front of me.
The sage of Nazareth may satisfy those who have never faced the problem of evil in their own lives; but to talk about an ideal to those who are under the thralldom of sin is a cruel mockery. (103)
** I love it: "a cruel mockery."
According to Christian belief, Jesus is our Savior, not by virtue of what he said, not even by virtue of what he was, but by what he did. He is our Savior, not because he has inspired us to live the same kind of life that he lived, but because he took upon himself the dreadful guilt of our sins and bore it instead of us on the cross. (117)
Salvation, in other words, was not merely through Christ, but it was only through Christ. In that little word “only” lay all the offense. Without that word there would have been not persecutions; the cultured men of the day would probably have been willing to give Jesus a place, and an honorable pace, among the saviors of mankind. (123)
** Isn't that word "only" still an amazing offense for many today?
If God will necessarily forgive, no matter what we do, why trouble ourselves about him at all? Such a God may deliver us from the fear of hell. But his heaven, if he has any, is full of sin. (133)
The Christian has not merely the promise of a new life, but he has already a new life. And he has not merely the promise of being pronounced righteous in God’s sight (though the blessed pronouncement will be confirmed on the judgment day), but he is already pronounced righteous here and now. At the beginning of every Christian life there stands, not a process, but a definite act of God. (140)
Christianity will indeed accomplish many useful things in this world, but if it is accepted in order to accomplish those useful things it is not Christianity. (152)
** Wow! Something to think about as some try to use Christianity to "bring America back to God". As Ken Meyers once said, "With the preaching of the gospel there will be change, because there will be a market for it." If we faithfully preach the gospel in our churches, and properly evangelize we will actually change people by the Holy Spirit working on their hearts, not by forcing morality upon them.
There may have been a day when there could be propagation of Christianity without defense. But such a day at any rate is past. At the present time, when the opponents of the gospel are almost in control of our churches, the slightest avoidance of the defense of the gospel is just sheer unfaithfulness to the Lord. (174)
In such time of crisis, God has always saved the church. But he has always saved it not by theological pacifists, but by sturdy contenders for the truth. (174)
** May we all be "sturdy contenders for the truth."
Is there no refuge from strife? Is there no place of refreshing where a man can prepare for the battle of life? Is there no place where two or three can gather in Jesus’ name, to forget for the moment all those things that divide nation from nation and race from race, to forget human pride, to forget the passions of war, to forget the puzzling problems of industrial strife, and to unite in overflowing gratitude at the foot of the cross? If there be such a place, then that is the house of God and that the gate of heaven. And from under the threshold of that house will go forth a river that will revive the weary world. (180)
** Amen!!
Last Christmas break I read Machen's Christianity and Liberalism. What an unbelievable book. If you listen to the White Horse Inn, you hear him quoted a lot, and for great reason. Although Machen was fighting Protestant Liberalism in the 1920's his words ring so very true today as we go up against today's evangelicals who are straying from Biblical truth in order to be "relevant".
The book is not very long and I highly recommend it.
Below are some select quotes. I am sorry there are so many! I wanted to post more!
Few desires on the part of religious teachers have been more harmfully exaggerated than the desire to “avoid giving offence.” Only too often that desire has come perilously near dishonesty… but [the religious teacher] is unwilling to relinquish his place in the hallowed atmosphere of the Church by speaking his whole mind. (17-18)
But, it will be said, Christianity is a life, not a doctrine. The assertion is often made, and it has an appearance of godliness. But it is radically false, and to detect its falsity one does not even need to be a Christian. (19)
But is any one fact is clear, on the basis of this evidence, it is that the Christian movement at its inception was not just a way of life in the modern sense, but a way of life founded upon a message. It was based, not upon mere feeling, not upon a mere program of work, but upon an account of facts. In other words it was based upon doctrine. (20)
From the beginning, the Christian gospel, as indeed the name “gospel” or “good news” implies, consisted in an account of something that had happened. And from the beginning, the meaning of the happening was set forth; and when the meaning of the happening was set forth then there was Christian doctrine. “Christ died” – that is history; “Christ died for our sins” – that is doctrine. Without these two elements, joined in an absolutely indissoluble union, there is no Christianity. (27)
Jesus had raised in them [the disciples] high hopes; those hopes were destroyed by the Cross.; and reflections on the general principles of religion and ethics were quite powerless to revive the hopes again. (28)
** I love this quote! I don't recall the Scriptures telling us that when Jesus was arrested the disciples stood around asking, "What Would Jesus Do?" All the good examples Jesus gave them did not comfort them at the cross.
We shall never have vital contact with Jesus if we attend to his person and neglect the message; for it is the message which makes him ours.(42)
Here is found the most fundamental difference between liberalism and Christianity – liberalism is altogether in the imperative mood, whole Christianity begins with a triumphant indicative; liberalism appeals to man’s will, while Christianity announces, first, a gracious act of God. (47)
** Replace "liberalism" with "Today's Evangelicalism" and isn't scary how much the two are alike? A simple reading or hearing of popular preaching today makes this ring so true.
Without the consciousness of sin, the whole of the gospel will seem to be an idle tale. (66)
All the ideas of Christianity might be discovered in some other religion, yet there would be in that other religion no Christianity. (70)
** As somebody who has read a lot of popular preacher's sermons I find myself asking almost every time, "What makes this sermon Christian?" More often than not, nothing. As I begin to write my own sermons, Lord willing I will have the cross of Christ and the Gospel forever in front of me.
The sage of Nazareth may satisfy those who have never faced the problem of evil in their own lives; but to talk about an ideal to those who are under the thralldom of sin is a cruel mockery. (103)
** I love it: "a cruel mockery."
According to Christian belief, Jesus is our Savior, not by virtue of what he said, not even by virtue of what he was, but by what he did. He is our Savior, not because he has inspired us to live the same kind of life that he lived, but because he took upon himself the dreadful guilt of our sins and bore it instead of us on the cross. (117)
Salvation, in other words, was not merely through Christ, but it was only through Christ. In that little word “only” lay all the offense. Without that word there would have been not persecutions; the cultured men of the day would probably have been willing to give Jesus a place, and an honorable pace, among the saviors of mankind. (123)
** Isn't that word "only" still an amazing offense for many today?
If God will necessarily forgive, no matter what we do, why trouble ourselves about him at all? Such a God may deliver us from the fear of hell. But his heaven, if he has any, is full of sin. (133)
The Christian has not merely the promise of a new life, but he has already a new life. And he has not merely the promise of being pronounced righteous in God’s sight (though the blessed pronouncement will be confirmed on the judgment day), but he is already pronounced righteous here and now. At the beginning of every Christian life there stands, not a process, but a definite act of God. (140)
Christianity will indeed accomplish many useful things in this world, but if it is accepted in order to accomplish those useful things it is not Christianity. (152)
** Wow! Something to think about as some try to use Christianity to "bring America back to God". As Ken Meyers once said, "With the preaching of the gospel there will be change, because there will be a market for it." If we faithfully preach the gospel in our churches, and properly evangelize we will actually change people by the Holy Spirit working on their hearts, not by forcing morality upon them.
There may have been a day when there could be propagation of Christianity without defense. But such a day at any rate is past. At the present time, when the opponents of the gospel are almost in control of our churches, the slightest avoidance of the defense of the gospel is just sheer unfaithfulness to the Lord. (174)
In such time of crisis, God has always saved the church. But he has always saved it not by theological pacifists, but by sturdy contenders for the truth. (174)
** May we all be "sturdy contenders for the truth."
Is there no refuge from strife? Is there no place of refreshing where a man can prepare for the battle of life? Is there no place where two or three can gather in Jesus’ name, to forget for the moment all those things that divide nation from nation and race from race, to forget human pride, to forget the passions of war, to forget the puzzling problems of industrial strife, and to unite in overflowing gratitude at the foot of the cross? If there be such a place, then that is the house of God and that the gate of heaven. And from under the threshold of that house will go forth a river that will revive the weary world. (180)
** Amen!!
posted by Mark Vander Pol at 6:15 AM
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