Evangelical religion may be best described by dwelling upon its chief characteristics. These I consider to be five in number.
[1.] The first leading feature in Evangelical Religion is the absolute supremacy it assigns to Holy Scripture, as the alone rule of faith and practice, the alone test of truth, and alone judge of controversy.
Its theory is that man is required to believe nothing, as necessary to salvation, which is not read in God’s Word written or can be proved thereby. It totally denies that there is any other guide for man’s soul, so-equal or co-ordinate with the Bible. It refuses to listen to such arguments as, “the Church says so” – “the Fathers say so” – “primitive antiquity says so” – “the Councils say so” – “the Prayer-book says so”, unless it can be shown that what is said is in harmony with God’s Word.
The supreme authority of the Bible, in one word, is one of the corner-stones of our system. If the thing is not in the Bible, deducible from the Bible, or in manifest harmony with the Bible, we must have none of it. Like the forbidden fruit, we dare not touch it lest we die. Our faith can find no resting place except in the Bible, or in Bible arguments. Here is rock; all else is sand.
[2.] The second leading feature in Evangelical Religion is the very great prominence it assigns to the doctrine of human sinfulness and corruption. Its theory is that in consequence of Adam’s fall, all men are as far as possible gone from original righteousness, and are of their own natures inclined to evil. They are not only in a miserable and bankrupt condition, but in a state of guilt, imminent danger, and condemnation before God. They are not only at enmity with their Maker, and have no title to heaven, but they have no will to serve their Maker, no love for their Maker, and no meetness for heaven.
We hold that a mighty spiritual disease like this requires a mighty spiritual medicine for its cure. We dread giving the slightest countenance to any gospel of dealing with man’s soul that even seems to encourage the notion that his deadly wound can be easily healed. We dread fostering man’s favourite notion that a little church-going, a little patching and mending, white-washing and gilding, polishing and varnishing the outside, is all that the case requires. We maintain that all such religion is founded upon an inadequate view of man’s spiritual need. It requires far more than this to save, satisfy, or sanctify a soul. It requires nothing less than the blood of God the Son applied to the conscience, and the grace of God the Holy Spirit entirely renewing the heart. Man is radically diseased, and man needs a radical cure.
[3.] The third leading feature of Evangelical Religion is the paramount importance it attaches to the work and office of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the nature of the salvation which He has wrought out for man. Its theory is that the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ, has by His life, death, and resurrection – as our Representative and Substitute – obtained a complete salvation for sinners, and a redemption from the guilt, power, and consequences of sin; and that all who believe in Him are (even while they live) completely forgiven and justified from all things – are reckoned completely righteous before God – have an interest in Christ and all His benefits.
We hold that nothing whatever is needed between the soul of man the sinner and Christ the Saviour, but simple, childlike faith. We hold that an experimental knowledge of Christ crucified, risen, and interceding, is the very essence of Christianity, and that in teaching men the Christian religion we can never dwell too much on Christ Himself, and never speak too strongly of the fulness, freeness, and simplicity of the salvation there is in Him for every one that believes.
We say that life eternal is to know Christ, believe in Christ, abide in Christ, have daily communion with Christ, by simple personal faith in Him.
[4.] The fourth leading feature in Evangelical Religion is the high place which it assigns to the inward work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of man.
Its theory is that the root and foundation of all vital Christianity in any one, is a work of grace in the heart, and that until there is real experimental business within a man, his religion is a mere husk, and shell, and name, and form, and can neither comfort nor save. We maintain that the things which need most to be pressed on men’s attention are those mighty works of the Holy Spirit – inward repentance, inward faith, inward hope, inward hatred of sin, and inward love of God’s law. And we say that to tell people to take comfort in their baptism or Church-membership, when these all-important graces are unknown, is not merely a mistake, but positive cruelty.
We maintain that there can be no real conversion to God, no new creation in Christ, no new birth of the Spirit, where there is nothing felt and experienced within. We hold that the witness of the Spirit, however much it may be abused, is a real true thing. We deem it a solemn duty to be no less jealous about the work of the Holy Ghost, in His place and degree, than we are about the work of Christ. And we insist that where there is nothing felt within the heart of a man, there is nothing really possessed.
[5]. The fifth and last leading feature in Evangelical Religion is the importance which it attaches to the outward and visible work of the Holy Ghost in the life of man.
Its theory is that the true grace of God is a thing that will always make itself manifest in the conduct, behaviour, tastes, choices, and habits of those who have it. It is not a dormant thing that can be within a man and not show itself in the outward behaviour. Where the Spirit is, He will always make His presence known. We hold that it is wrong to tell people that they are children of God, and members of Christ, and heirs of heaven, unless they really overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. We maintain that to tell a man he is “born of God,” while he is living in carelessness or sin, is a dangerous mistake, and calculated to do infinite mischief to his soul. We affirm confidently that “fruit” is the only certain evidence of a man’s spiritual condition; and if we would know whose he is and whom he serves, we must look first at his life. Where there is the grace of the Spirit there will be always more or less fruit of the Spirit. Grace that cannot be seen is no grace at all. Where there is nothing seen, there is nothing possessed. Such are the leading features of Evangelical Religion.