The Sacred Import of the Christian Name # 7

The Sacred Import of the Christian Name # 7

Secondly, Hence you may see that, if all the professors of Christianity should behave in character, the religion of Christ would soon appear divine to all mankind, and spread through all nations of the earth. Were Christianity exhibited to the life - in all its native inherent glories, it would be as needless to offer arguments to prove it divine, as to prove that the sun is full of light; the conviction would flash upon all mankind by its own intrinsic evidence.

Did Christians exemplify the religion they profess - all the world would immediately see that that religion which rendered them so different a people from all the rest of mankind - is indeed divine, and every way worthy of universal acceptance. Then would Heathenism, Mohammedanism, and all the false religions in the world, fall before the heaven-born religion of Jesus Christ. Then it would be sufficient to convince an infidel - just to bring him into a Christian country, and let him observe how different things are there - from all the world beside. But alas!

Thirdly, How different is the Christian world - from the Christian religion! Who would imagine that those who take their name from Christ - have any relation to Him, if we observe their spirit and practice?

Should a stranger learn Christianity from what he sees in Popish countries - he would conclude that it principally consisted in bodily austerities, in worshiping saints, images, relics, and a thousand trifles, in theatrical fopperies and insignificant ceremonies, in believing implicitly all the determinations of a fallible man as infallibly true, and in persecuting all that differ from them, and showing their love to their souls - by burning their bodies.

In Protestant countries, alas! the face of things is but little better as to good morals and practical religion. Let us take our own country for a sample. Suppose a heathen or Mohammedan should take a tour through Virginia to learn religion of the inhabitants from their general conduct. What would he conclude? Would he not conclude that all the religion of the generality consisted in a few Sunday formalities, and that the rest of the week they had nothing to do with God, or any religion - but were at liberty to live as they please?

And were he told these were the followers of one Christ, and were of Christ's religion, would he not conclude that Christ was certainly an impostor, and the minister of sin?

But when he came to find that, notwithstanding all this licentiousness, they professed the pure and holy religion of the Bible - how would he be astonished, and pronounce them the most inconsistent, bare-faced hypocrites! 

My friends! Great and heavy is the guilt that lies upon our country upon this account. It is a scandal to the Christian name; it is guilty of confirming the neighboring heathen in their prejudices, and hinders the propagation of Christianity through the world. Oh let not us be accessory to this dreadful guilt - but do all we can to recommend our religion to universal acceptance! I add,

Fourthly, and lastly, Let us examine whether WE have any just entitlement to the Christian name; that is, whether we are Christians indeed; for if we have not the thing, to retain the name - is the most inconsistent folly and hypocrisy, and will answer no end but to aggravate our condemnation! A lost 'professing Christian' is the most shocking character in hell! And unless you are such Christians as I have described - it will before long be your character!

Therefore, be followers of Christ, imbibe His spirit, practice His precepts, and depart from iniquity. Otherwise He will sentence you from Him at last - as workers of iniquity. "And then will profess unto them" (these are Christ's own words!) "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who work iniquity!" (Matthew 7:23.

~Samuel Davies~

(The End)