Fallacious Reasoning
We conclude this series in connection with the Book Club selection, A Guide to the Religions of America, by briefly commenting on a few of the religious groups we consider spurious in their views because the Bible does not substantiate their teachings and practices. In the past the unreliability of written and verbal attacks on groups that dared to differ from the teachings of the established churches called for little confidence. And as these observations became diatribes, more harm than good was accomplished. The attacked merely built their defenses on the inaccuracies of flippant reviewers. But we have now come to a new day. It is "the time of the end" in prophecy, and men everywhere are seeking to know what is truth in religion. The sources of information are more reliable, and the spirit of the writers far more kind and objective.
In view of the rising of last-day cults we have been counseled as a people to hold faithfully to the teachings of the Bible. Again, that Satan will be gaining a foothold through false doctrines. Error is declared to be a parasite of truth. The Christian must know what he accepts as a belief. We would suggest that a careful study be made of the instruction in Evangelism, pages 589-595.
Here our attention is drawn to various trends of our times. The instruction is clear that error will gain a foothold among the professors of Christ, defenses of truth and righteousness will be broken down, error will be mingled with truth, some will leave the principles of Christ and the Word and magnify "atoms." The spotlight is on false sanctification, "divine healing," and miracles. Subtle pantheism, spiritism, and theosophy in various forms will delude "the unwary who are not firmly anchored upon eternal truth."—Evangelism, p. 609. Christian Science is listed; phrenology and "animal magnetism" are warned against. The counsel of cultist physicians is declared to be positively dangerous. Further, the servant of the Lord stresses the point that these delusions exist because the Godhead is not understood. She emphasizes that "in Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived." We are then urged to believe in His deity and divinity. Christ and the Father together proclaimed the Ten Commandments on Sinai. Because of erroneous doctrine and reasoning, emotionalism, confusion, and tumult would hold sway in certain religious groups. This instruction closes with an exhortation that our belief in Christ, in His divinity and pre-existence, should be our approach to those who are unacquainted with our doctrines. The instruction in Evangelism stresses principles of truth and the solid approaches we must use when we meet these satanic delusions. These are to be our weapons, and not argument, debate, curiosity, or "feeling."
Christian Science
Again we study the instruction of God's servant as we undertake a closer examination of Christian Science. It is not Christian, nor is it true science. With pantheism and spiritism it is properly classified as metaphysical. It has great appeal in an age when miracles, divine healing, and hypnotism are receiving great emphasis in religion. The danger lies in the fact that to the Christian Scientist, God is not a personal being; He is an essence, a "principle," et cetera. Thus Satan is seeking to sweep away the whole Christian faith. This "science" does not glorify God or His unchangeable Word. It claims that man is not evil and that it is in his power to save himself. God is thereby denied, and there is no need of Jesus as our Saviour. The question, What is health to the Christian Scientist? is answered by George Channing in an article approved by the mother church in Boston. From it we quote:
Health is a spiritual reality; therefore health is eternal. Disease and illness are aspects of falsehood—delusions of the human mind which can be destroyed by prayer of spiritual understanding. The divinely mental can and does replace the spiritually mental.---Religions of America, p. 22.
The following material on Christian Science as set forth by Mary Baker Eddy and her group we consider valuable. In comparing Science and Health with Scripture we immediately detect this last-day deception. We here quote from these sources as we seek an understanding of Christian Scientist doctrines:
Though Christian Science repudiates all creeds or articles of faith, the Manual contains a statement of Six Tenets, whose subscription is obligatory on all candidates for membership, and which therefore in effect as well as in form constitute a Confession. They are a revision of Five Tenets submitted by Mrs. Eddy to the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. The six Tenets are as follows:
"1. As adherents of Truths, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal life.
"2. We acknowledge and adore one supreme and infinite God. We acknowledge his Son, one Christ; the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter; and man in God's image and likeness.
"3. We acknowledge God's forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts.
"4. We acknowledge Jesus' atonement as the evidence of divine, efficacious Love, unfolding man's unity with God through Christ Jesus the Way-shower; and we acknowledge that man is saved through Christ, through Truth, Life, and Love as demonstrated by the Galilean Prophet in healing the sick and overcoming sin and death.
"5. We acknowledge that the Crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection served to uplift faith to understand Eternal life, the allness of Soul, Spirit, and the nothingness of matter.
"6. And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure."--William A. Curtis, A History of Creeds and Confessions of Faith (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1912), pp. 393, 394.
The Bible, together with Science and Health and other works by Mrs. Eddy, shall be his only textbooks for self-instruction in Christian Science, and for teaching and practising metaphysical healing.—MARY BAKER EDDY, Science and Health (1917 ed.), p. 34.
A personal God, a personal man, a personal devil . . . are theological mythoplasms, mere beliefs that must finally yield to the opposite science of God and man.—Ibid. (2d ed.), p. 145.
Yearning to be understood, the Master repeated, "But whom say ye that I am?" This renewed inquiry meant: Who or what is it that is able to do the work, so mysterious to the popular mind?
. . . With his usual impetuosity, Simon replied for his brethren, and his reply set forth a great fact: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." That is: The Messiah is what thou hast declared,—Christ, the spirit of God, of Truth, Life, and Love, which heals mentally.—/bid. (1918 ed.), p. 137.
The atonement is a hard problem in theology, but its scientific explanation is, that suffering is an error of sinful sense which Truth destroys.Ibid. (1904 ed.), p. 23.
The lonely precincts of the tomb gave Jesus a refuge from his foes, a place in which to solve the great problem of being. His three days' work in the sepulcher set the seal of eternity on time. He proved Life to be deathless and Love to be the master of hate . . . His disciples believed Jesus to be dead while he was hidden in the sepulcher, whereas he was alive, demonstrating within the narrow tomb the power of Spirit to overrule mortal, material sense. . . . Our Master fully and finally demonstrated divine science in his victory over death and the grave.—Ibid. (1891 ed.), pp. 349, 350.
His [Christ's] students then received the Holy Ghost. By this is meant that by all they had witnessed and suffered, they were roused to an enlarged understanding of divine Science. . . . The influx of light was sudden. It was sometimes an overwhelming power, as on the day of Pentecost.Ibid., pp. 46, 47.
From the foregoing quotations from Mrs. Eddy's writings it appears that certain terms, such as "God," "atonement," and "resurrection," have an entirely different meaning in the Christian Science vocabulary than they have when used by theological writers generally. This should be remembered in reading and interpreting the Six Tenets quoted from the Christian Science Church Manual. The Bible as interpreted by Mrs. Eddy is not the Bible of the Christian world.
Mrs. Eddy denies the Bible utterly:
2. By denying the creation story of the heavens and the earth.
3. By denying that God created man out of the dust of the earth.
4. By denying that man was ever created at all; for she says man has always existed as a part of God.
5. By denying Hebrews 9:27: "It is appointed unto men once [apax—once for all] to die." She says, "Death occurs on the next plane of existence as on this."
6. By denying the reality of sin.
7. By making God the originator of sin, sickness, and death, since—according to her teaching—he alone is responsible for this "mortal mind" of ours.
8. By saying it is impossible for Soul or Spirit to sin and be lost.
9. By saying the only way to conquer sin is by denying its verity.
12. By declaring there will be no judgment after death;
13. By saying God is not influenced by man's prayers.
14. By teaching that angels are only good thoughts.
15. By calling the Holy Spirit Divine Science and not a person.
16. By saying the Holy Spirit was not the Father of Jesus Christ.
17. By saying that Jesus Christ did not exist from all eternity as a person, only as an idea.
18. By declaring that Jesus was only the human part of the Christ, and that it was therefore Jesus and not Christ who died upon the cross.
For a deeper study of Christian Science we would recommend art outstanding book, The Christian Science Myth, by Martin and Klann, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Lack of space prevents us from expressing our own convictions regarding Christian Science. Those who feel that they must further investigate these teachings will profit much by an article written by Dr. Wilbur M. Smith in the Moody Monthly, of June, 1956. We must thank Dr. Smith for the helpful service rendered in exposing this cult. Adventists should be aware of the unscriptural teachings in Christian Science. Error must always be studied in the light of the Bible.
Christian Science and Hinduism have much in common as far as the theory of reincarnation is concerned. It is important at the beginning to build up a supreme confidence in the Bible. Next, the instructor should persist in building up a new philosophy of prayer. Continue to teach true divine healing as taught in Jesus' methods. Be definite about separating His instruction from the misconceptions of Christian Science. Stress that its silver-tongued fantasies are not truth. Helpful literature such as Steps to Christ, The Ministry of Healing, Education, and The Great Controversy may be recommended.
(Unity and Christian Science have similar roots.)
Mormonism
Those who have studied deeply into the background and teachings of the Latter-day Saints, better known as Mormons, consider this also a dangerous and subtle religion for the unwary. The test of Christian faith when applied to this cult reveals it to be a religion without the true Christ. "What think ye of Christ?" is a question that may well be asked by any investigator, sympathetic or otherwise.
In Mormonism one deals with a migrant philosophy of religion that developed in America. It has met hardship and persecution, and yet survived. To understand this cult, however, one must be informed on pioneer Americanism, and should not close the mind to some of the Moimons' worthier accomplishments. Although orthodoxy of doctrine is not the only test of any group of believers, it is decidedly basic. The doctrinal foundations of a faith must be well laid.
Mormonism's claims of divine inspiration on the part of its founders fail to meet the Bible test of the true Spirit of prophecy. A Bible teacher's approach to the Mormon problem might fail to make any progress unless built on the Bible principle of divine revelation. Again he might think to enlighten a Mormon on one of his distinctive "peculiarities," perhaps polygamy; but this is not an issue, at least not in early contacts. We must bear in mind that although the average Mormon will defend the practice from the Bible, it is the United States Government that has stepped in to control it. However, the test of what is true revelation is a sound approach.
What are some other basic doctrines to emphasize when studying with a Mormon? One is the true priesthood of Christ—His atoning work and a finished redemption on the cross. Symbolisms of the foreshadowed gospel are all met in Christ. Much emphasis should be placed on the study of the sanctuary. The teacher is conscious, of course, that the Mormon interpretation of baptism for the dead needs clarification. Mormonism may here hold to its mysteries, but the Bible is very clear on all that baptism involves. It is an individual, personal experience in accepting Jesus Christ and a belief in His atoning blood; no human being can believe for another or be baptized for another. Although the Christian is ever solicitous for his brother's salvation, he can in no wise atone for his sins or be baptized for him. Baptism for the dead has its roots in heathenism. Become acquainted with its background.
Another subject of importance for the inquiring Mormon is a true interpretation of heaven. It is more than a glorification of family life as stressed in Mormonism; it is centered in our union with God and a true understanding of His government of love. It is the fulfillment of Christ's promise in John 14:1-3. The Mormon may have some gospel truth, but he also has many confusions. The everlasting gospel must be clarified in the light of prophecy. But it must be remembered that the Mormon understanding of this subject differs very widely from Adventist belief.
Jehovah's Witnesses
In considering this group, we again refer to Dr. Wilbur M. Smith's excellent article in the Moody Monthly, of June, 1956. Seventh-day Adventists are too often confused with Jehovah's Witnesses. It must be made clear at the outset that the time-setting elements of this group are certainly not a part of Adventism. We give no credence to the statement made by them that the "second presence of Christ" dates from about 1874, nor to their interpretation of Michael the archangel. We do not teach that Jesus Christ returned to earth in A.D. 1914, that He expelled Satan from heaven and is now proceeding to overthrow his organization by establishing the "theocratic millennial kingdom" to vindicate the name of Jehovah God. (See Moody Monthly, June, 1956.)
We pay tribute to another excellent work, Jehovah of the Watchtower, by the coauthors Martin and Klann, published by Zondervan Publishing House. Their research is helpful to all Protestantism. We consider this treatment thoroughly factual and as kind in spirit as might be expected in an earnest defense of Bible truth.
The background and activities of this cult as they affect our own evangelism need no comment; we are well acquainted with the tactics of this group. Neither is it advisable to waste time in argument and debate; the Bible speaks against such procedure. The Bible teacher may immediately get to the core of the difficulty by asking the question, "What think ye of Christ?" Adventism's strength is in the doctrine of Christ! We suggest, however, that this be done intelligently and sincerely. Where the seeker for truth truly knows his Saviour and recognizes the Bible as the source of all truth he will not want to continue in this last-day deception.
In summarizing, the prophetic misconceptions and chronological confusions found in the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses must be met with a positive "Thus saith the Lord." Again, although we need to expose the Antichrist, yet our interpretation of the Babylon of Bible prophecy is not that of this group. And on a further doctrine, though our teaching on the state of the dead may have some similarity to theirs, we do not follow them in their reasoning. In the Bible, death is compared to a sleep, but there is also a judgment of God for those who rebel against His government. The perishing of the sinner is not simply an annihilation; there is great pain and anguish in being found without Christ. These and various other points should be clarified in the minds of Jehovah's Witnesses who sincerely dpire truth.
Applying the Bible Test
In dealing with the confusions of these last-day erroneous cults we should become skilled in applying a few tests on Old and New Testament doctrines. Whereas for the sake of brevity we may here list four, there are other tests that can be applied. Bearing in mind that the theory of reincarnation in some form or other is also involved in many of the teachings of these false prophets, we list the following:
1.The Bible teaching on the personality of God
2. The atonement of Christ
3. The physical resurrection
4. Divine retribution
In concluding this brief series we are conscious that on contemporary religions we have left much unsaid, especially on the groups rooted in error. There are other available sources, however, for more detailed information. It is not our aim to add words to these helpful dissertations. Truth is commendable wherever it is found, and error has also been well exposed by others.
Nor are we of the opinion that the adherents of these fallacious groups should be considered as hopeless in our evangelism. Referring to one in a similar confusion, the messenger of the Lord has stated, "Yet his condition is not hopeless."—Evangelism, p. 592. So, fellow laborers in evangelism, this points the way! Let us be aware that "many of God's children must still be in Babylon," and that if we follow the leadings of God's Spirit, we will be directed as to when and where to help confused yet honest souls. We believe that many will yet recognize the error of their ways, and with us will exalt the eternal Christ. But let us avoid the use of sarcasm and ridicule as we seek to help them. Nor should we waste time on nonessentials. In the true spirit of the Master the Christian worker feels a burden for the souls who have wandered into these bypaths of error, and lovingly and zealously works to set their feet in the paths of truth and righteousness. May we each be better fitted for this great responsibility.
(End of Series)
L. C. K.
