Christianity Today, Volume 2, Number 7
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A PRESBYTERIAN JOURNAL DEVOTED TO STATING, DEFENDING III AND FURTHERING THE GOSPEL IN THE M-ODERN WORLD III SAMUEL G. CRAIG, Editor H. McALLISTER GRIFFITHS, Managing Editor Published monthly by THE PRESBYTERIAN AND MID-NOVEMBER, 1931 $1.00 A YEAR EVERYWHERE Entered a•• econd .. la •• maUer May 11, 1931. al REFORMED PUBLISHING CO., Vol. 2 No.7 the. Post Office at Philadelphia. Pl.. urid.. the 501 Witherspoon Bldg., Phila., Pa. Ac! 01 March 3.1879. Christianity as a Way of Life: Its Supernaturalism N a previo~s issue we sought to in appearance of Christianity as a way of can produce good fruit as suppose that I dicate the kind and measure of that living as well as a way of thinking. those dead in trespass· and sin can by supernaturalism that Christianity rec Some considerations that indicate .the their own will and power set themselves ognizes and demands. On that occasion part the supernatural plays in Chris in the path that leads to eternal life. (February, 1931) we dealt with the tianity as a way of life follow: Only as a supernatural power energizes place that the supernatural occupies in (1) We cannot get into the Chris within us does this become possible for Christianity as a mode of thought rather tian way of life apart from the super us. In other words regeneration, a re than with the place that it occupies in natural. When we first discover our birth through the operation of the Holy Christianity as a mode of behaviour. whereabouts we find ourselves in the Spirit is necessary before we can get On this occasion we propose to reverse broad way that leads to death, not in into the Christian way of life. the emphasis and to show that the the narrow way that leads to life. l Weare aware that a different repre supernatural is as inextricably impli Moreover we find that of ourselves we sentation is widely current. Weare told cated in Christianity considered as a are unable to forsake the broad way rather: "The gates along the way of way of life as it is in Christianity con and plant ourselves in the narrow way, life stand open; whosoever will may sidered as a creed. In proportion as we not because the way is barred, as it enter in." Moreover such language is succeed in doing this it will become evi were, by stone walls and iron gates but employed not merely to express the uni dent that in the struggle for and against because of our sheer inability. We versality of the gospel offer; it is em supernaturalism it i's not merely the might as well suppose that' an evil tree ployed to express belief in man's plenary Christian creed that is at stake. It ability to work out his own salvation. will be seen that the Christian ethic, Are we not constantly told that the the mode of life that it commands, is IN THIS I·SSUE: parable of the Prodigal Son is all the equally at stake. Doubtless there have gospel men need? We would be the last been, and still are, those who have re Editorial Notes and Comments. .. 3 to minimize the value of this parable, jected the Christian creed and yet have The Truth About the Presbyterian but we are not blind to the fact that it commended the Christian ethic. But, Church............. .. ....... .. 5 says' nothing of atonement, nothing of unless we are altogether mistaken, that J. G. Machen the Holy Spirit, not even anything of is only because they have not realized Questions From the General Council. .. 6 CHRIST Himself. If this parable con the extent to which Christianity even as W. V. Watson tains the whole, or even the core of the a way of life is through and through Notes on Biblical Exposition. .. .. 9 gospel, then, we can get up of ourselves supernatural. It is our contention that J. G. Machen and go back to GOD and assume the neither the reasonableness nor the prac Books of Religious Significance ....... 12 position of a child in His household ticability of the Christian way of life whenever we choose-no questions asked can be maintained except as the super Letters to the Editor. 14 and a warm reception assured. Such a natural as a factor in human life is Questions and Answers. .. 1 5 conception is pleasing to many but it is frankly recognized. We hold, there Current Views and Voices. .. 17 not the Christian conception.· It is fore, that if the present attempt to up CHRIST Himself who says: "Verily, Ministerial Changes ................. 19 root belief in the supernatural should verily, I say unto thee, Except one be succeed, it would mean the ultimate dis- News of the Church ................. 20 born of water and the Spirit, he cannot 2 CHRISTIANITY TODAY November, 1931 enter into the Kingdom of GOD." We the Christian way will have to be from the world but only from that which are dependent on the Holy Spirit at thrown into the discard .. is evil in the world. And yet unquestion every stage of the Christian life but our It is not enough, however, that we ably it finds its center of gravity in the immediate concern· is ,merel-y to .point know the Christian way of life and that world of the supernatural. Hence it is out that apart from the supernatural incentives be brought to bear upon us to impossible to vindicate its reasonable operation of the Holy Spirit in our lead us to walk in that way. These will Il:ess, 'save as we recognize that super hearts we cannot even get started in the prove unprofitable unless we receive naturalism in which alone it finds its Christian way of living. power to walk in newness of life. We proper setting. If there be no such su .' (2) We cannot make progress along may have the latest model of an auto pernatural fact as the GOD and Father the Christian way of life apart from the mobile; we may have studied our Blue of our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST supernatural. As travelers along the Book and be certain of our route; we or if the present economy be but a short way of life we need directions. Such may be under strong inducement to span of life between two eternities of directions have been supplied us. These follow the route chosen; but if there is death, how can it be maintained that directions, however, are of supernatural no gasoline in the tank or our ignition the Christian ethic indicates the best origin. Christianity does not represent system is not working, we cannot ad type of life or the lines along which our its moral code, its ethical ideals, whether vance a single mile. And so it is because activities may most profitably proceed? as expressed in .words or embodied in the and only because we can do all things A superstructure whose center of gravity life of its founder, as naturalistic in through Him that strengthens us that it lies in the supernatural world cannot be origin. It maintains that if sinful man is possible for us to advance along the built on a naturalistic foundation. had been left to work out his destiny on Christian way of life. Apart from this We do not profess to have enumerated the plane of nature he would be as ig element of power JESUS would still all the points at which the supernatural norant of the Christian standard of con possess significance as a moral and enters into Christianity considered as a duct as he would be of the Christian spiritual teacher; but in that case He way of life. It seems to us, however, dogmas. would not differ in kind from SOCRATES, that we have said enough to make clear As travelers along the way of life we BUDDHA, CONFUCIUS and others. The that it is impossible to vindicate either also need motives or incentives. .Such power that enables us to walk along the the reasonableness or the practicability motives and incentives are provided but Christian way fairly shouts to us con of the Christian way of life apart from the main ones are drawn from the super cerning the indispensableness of the su a frank and generous recognition of the natural. Christian ethics does not disdain pernatural to Christianity considered as supernatural as a factor in human life. motives drawn from purely earthly con a way of life. Even if we could show There was a time when the enemies of sideration, but it places its chief reliance the reasonableness of the Christian Christianity were accustomed to main on motives that according to naturalism standard of conduct, we would not be tain that they were opposed not to its have no existence. The central and con able to show its practicability apart moral ideals but to the puerilities of its trolling motive in the lif~ of the Chris from the supernatural-and that for the supernatural creed. MILL and HUXLEY tian is represented as grateful love to very good reason that it requires the and ARNOLD, for instance, rejected the the redeeming GOD who mercifully set supernatural to make it operative in a supernaturalism of the Christian creed His love upon us and sent His Son to world of sinful men. As well expect an but had only praise for Christianity as die for us. PAUL put it thus: "The love automobile to run without gasoline or a way of life-app'arently unaware that of CHRIST constraineth us; because we an electric spark as expect men to make the supernatural is as essential to Chris thus judge, that if one died for all, then progress along the Christian way of life tianity as a way of life as it is to were all dead; and .that He died for all, apart from the supernatural CHRIST and Christianity as a creed.