It is a most fearful thing to pervert the right ways of the Lord—to try to turn any one away from the faith, or to put asunder that which God has joined together, and which he forbids man to put asunder.
In the last commission, the only authority for all gospel preaching, the Lord has joined together, preaching the gospel, believing the gospel, repentance, baptism and salvation, or pardon of sins, and no man can part these asunder, except at the peril of his soul. Is it possible that any man can fail to see that no man can be, in the true sense, a preacher of Jesus and ignore any part of this commission, or any part of the way of salvation, as set forth by the apostles under this commission?
In the same way, insipid preaching about sweet birds and sweet flowers, plants and stars, etc., etc., appears to have streaks of light in it, but after it is over, the darkness appears greater than before. No gospel light is shed forth, no truth of weight and importance in the salvation of man brought forth or enforced; no obedience is enjoined and no hope is inspired. No Felix trembles. Nothing is said about the preaching, unless it be that “it was splendid,” and “I do love to hear him so much;” “It was very fine,” etc. But, put the question, What did you learn? and silence would reign. This kind of thing may please people who do not intend to hear the gospel, or who, in the language of Scripture, “Turn away their ears from the truth;” but we must have something different from this, something more tangible, intelligible and impressive to save men. We must have something more than mere vaporing.
We must have “first principles,” as they are now styling _the gospel_, and have them in profusion. We must have them for the instruction of the vast numbers who have been brought in without understanding them, and who must understand them before they can be intelligent christians, and we must have them for the multitudes who have never been brought to God. Somehow, from some source, we have a few among us who are styling the gospel “first principles,” and then insist that we must leave the first principles. Those who are in the world must be converted, brought to God, and to this end they must have the gospel, no matter if men and the adversary do call it “first principles.” The right way for those who have never begun, is to begin, and there is no right way to begin only to begin _at the beginning_, no matter if sectarian faces do scowl, or some worldly member of the church grumble. We must walk into the gospel, not as if we were afraid some one would hit us in the face, but “in full assurance of faith,” under a sense of the truth of the gospel, and the conviction that it is good enough for anybody, and that no excuse need be made for preaching it; the certainty that men must hear the gospel and learn the way to God before they start at all. We must show the people that the Bible contains a revelation from God, the only revelation from God; that it is _complete_, _perfect_ and _final_, so far as relates to time; that Jesus is divine; that he is all that he is represented to be in the Bible; that he is sustained by all the testimony necessary to convince candid people; that no man comes to the Father but by him; that no man comes by Moses now or any other; that the Lord Jesus is the way, the truth and the life; that the way set forth by him is the only way to the Father.