themillennialkingdom.org.uk - Adolph Saphir on Christian Babyhood

Adolph Saphir On Christian Babyhood

Themillennialkingdom.org.uk Spined HTML

Adolph Saphir On Christian Babyhood ADOLPH SAPHIR ON CHRISTIAN BABYHOOD   What can be increasingly lovely than the Christian in his infancy, in the springtime of his spiritual life, when the flowers towards and the voice of gladness is heard, when in his first love he rejoices in the Saviour?  Such babes are to be cherished with unconfined unhealthfulness and tenderness.  So moreover ‘milk’ (Heb. 5: 12) designates gospel truth preached simply, so that thereby true nourishment is given, and faith is both tabbed forth, and the new spiritual life strengthened and increased.  Hence, there is nothing in the term meant to depreciate, but on the contrary, to exalt the first declaration of saving truth in Christ. But is it sufficient to preach the simple doctrine of the gospel, to declare the fundamental truths of repentance and faith, limiting ourselves to what is veritably essential to the prelude of Christian life, and simply reminding our people of the unconfined [eternal] salvation, that Jesus died considering of our offences, and was raised then considering of our justification?  Is such a method Scriptural? and, viewing it from the lower point of expediency and experience, is it unscratched and effectual?  Does not Scripture teach us that we should alimony when nothing that is profitable, that we should not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, that the children of God should comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height?  Do we not continually notice that scanty, elementary, and one-sided teaching does not plane secure the true, living, and healthy knowledge of simple and fundamental truths?  The most elementary instruction of theological days (Heb. 6: 1) was increasingly comprehensive than what is now tabbed the ‘simple gospel’; and yet these fundamental doctrines did not set surpassing the Hebrews with sufficient fulness and clearness the truth of which they stood in need to alimony them from apostasy. [* ‘The unconfined salvation’ mentioned above, is not the same as that described in Heb. 2: 3: “For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and mutiny received its just punishment, how shall we escape [just punishment for wilful sin and disobedience. See Heb.10: 26-30] if we ignore such a unconfined salvation.”] As a matter of fact, nothing is increasingly needed in our days, both for the Church and the world, than a true-blue and deep exposition of Scripture, of the whole Scripture, of Scripture in its organic unity and comprehensive fulness, in order that by grace, mind, conscience, and heart may be convinced that here are revealed unto us thoughts higher than our thoughts, divine realities and blessings, things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man.  And thus, while they who believe not will unclose God is in us of a truth, the children of God will be kept steadfast and faithful; they will be furnished unto every good work, and, forgetting the things that are behind, will printing toward the mark for the ‘prize’ of the upper calling of God in Christ Jesus. The want of docility and of zippy inquiry into divine truth manifests itself in various ways.  Sometimes in ignoring prophecy, as if prophecy was isolated and not substantially inseparably unfluctuating with the other portions and aspects of truth, as if the whole word was not the sure word of prophecy, the word of Him who was, and is, and is to come.  Sometimes in a shrinking from the deeper meaning of the types, such as the sacrifices and festivals, or those of David and Solomon.  Sometimes in neglect of the Jewish Scriptures, and in forgetfulness of the mystery of Israel, and the relation between Church and the Kingdom.  Again there is the morbid and sectional repetition of the happy truth, "peace in believing", untied from the new life, the mismatch of faith, the service of love, and the crucifixion of the flesh.  What we need is not (so called) intellectual or stimulating or eloquent preaching, but pneumatic (spiritual) preaching of "the whole counsel of God" as unfolded in Scripture. -------