Editorial Keynotes

The need of the world to-day is gen­uine Christians, and the purpose of the church is to develop such Chris­tians. But Christianity is not merely subscribing to a creed, nor giving as­sent to a correct body of doctrine. One can do all that, and not be a Christian, for Christianity is primarily a pro­vision of salvation from sin. It is a relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby our sins are taken by Him, and His righteousness becomes ours. It involves a change of life as well as of belief. And a separation of the two produces partial, one-sided professors of Christianity.

Real Christians are twice-born folks, and this new membership in the family of God bears its fruitage in the life, correcting erroneous beliefs, reforming evil practices, and producing a people for God's own possession. Pre-emi­nently is this to be true in these last days, as the controversy between sin and salvation draws to its tragic close.

Unconsciously and unfortunately, there has developed through the years a wrong impression upon the public mind through the emphasis in our pub­lic contacts. In the concept of multi­tudes we are classed, not as Christians, but as legalists with a Sabbath mania. We ourselves are responsible for this, for we really have one religion for our­selves, while for others we have reserved our doctrinal beliefs. Our own Sabbath services are, or should be, de­voted primarily to the cultivation of spiritual life and fellowship with Christ, with its fruitage of service and sacrifice. But the public is largely un­aware of this, and has little or no opportunity to be so informed. 

This is also apparent in many of our camp meetings. We reserve most of our doctrinal discourses " for the public " in the evenings, while the spir­itual studies, dealing with life and fel­lowship, upon which success or failure hinges, are presented in the daytime when the public is absent.

The same is true of the average evan­gelistic series, with the result that most ministers and members of other denominations regard us as a group of zealous doctrinarians, rather than as Christians. Let us learn from others. Never have I read or heard anything from Russellism other than of an argumentative, doctrinal nature (erroneous and deceptive — but that is not the point); there was not a speck of the gospel in it. It was just a system of religious teaching, a phil­osophy of life producing hard-headed, hard-hearted, argumentative adher­ents, exceedingly zealous in the propa­gation of their cult. May God help us to avoid such a perversion of His de­sign.

The same mistake is observable in some of our approaches in mission fields. Only yesterday I glanced over the missionary magazine of a foreign field. There were articles on prophecy, doctrines, and the signs. There were notes on current happenings. Impetus was given to certain needed moral and social reforms, but precious little sav­ing gospel. There was nothing specifi­cally on the One who alone offers and is able to forgive and cleanse, to justify and sanctify, to transform. Ideals were set forth, but not the power to achieve. Knowledge was imparted, but not sal­vation. It was not so much the gospel as a presentation of ethics, a body of sound doctrines to which we subscribe. 

But it was sadly deficient in redemp­tion, so frightfully needed in a sunken heathen land.

I confess with sorrow that I followed the same policy when editor of such a journal in a great mission field, and also while on our American journals. Could I live over the past in the light of present conviction, there would be a different approach, not stressing doc­trine less, but Christ and His salva­tion more.

Honestly, what impressions do our advertisements, our literature, and our meetings for the public produce? If the features already discussed be pre­dominant, we are clearly responsible for creating a false impression of God's gospel message and movement for this hour. And as an inevitable result, our converts come into the church with the unconscious mental attitude that doctrine is more important than salva­tion. And this becomes the basis of a multitude of woes within the church. Unconverted members cause unending trouble, and ultimately drift away, un­less finally converted. Be it ever re­membered that we are not God's spe­cial people because we hold certain doctrines, but having surrendered ut­terly to be His special people, we are inevitably led to the doctrines He enun­ciates.

If ever there was a time when the whole gospel was needed, with its for­giveness for the past, its provision for the present, and its hope for the fu­ture, that time is here. Apostasy is rampant. The saving gospel of Christ has been mutilated in the hands of His professed followers. Modernism, evo­lution, social service, and rank denial rule the day. This is our supreme opportunity, and the challenge creates a solemn obligation.

Our commission is to proclaim the " everlasting gospel," which if faith­fully presented in the light of the pres­ent world situation, must inevitably correct all doctrinal errors. Its heart is the salvation of God through Christ in the fullness of His grace. But how easy it is simply to stress the bony framework,— the right arm, the eye, the foot, or some other part, important as these are,— rather than the heart. Fellow workers, let us give the whole gospel to the whole world. Let us be, and cause ourselves to be known as, Seventh-day Adventist Christians, the pre-eminent, representative Christians of these last days.                        

L. E. F.