The Sacred Import of the Christian Name 2
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There was nothing that Christ was so remote from—as sin! And therefore, for those that indulge themselves in sin—and yet to wear His name, is just as absurd and ridiculous as for a coward to denominate himself a great hero; or an illiterate dunce to call himself a university professor!
Therefore, if you will not renounce iniquity—then renounce the Christian name! You cannot consistently retain both!
Alexander the Great had a fellow in his army who had his same name—but was a mere coward. "Either be like me," said Alexander to him, "or lay aside my name!"
You servants of sin, it is in vain for you to wear the name of Christ! It renders you the more ridiculous, and only aggravates your guilt! You may with as much propriety call yourselves 'princes' or 'kings', as 'Christians', while you are so unlike to Christ! You are a scandal to His precious name! His name is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you.
2. To be a Christian—is to deny yourselves and take up the cross and follow Christ. These are the terms of discipleship fixed by Christ himself. He said to them all, "If any man will come after me—let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23.
To deny ourselves, is to abstain from the pleasures of sin, to moderate our sensual appetites, to deny our own interest for the sake of Christ. In short, it is to sacrifice everything inconsistent with our duty to him, when these come in competition.
To take up our cross, is to bear sufferings, to encounter difficulties, and break through them all—in imitation of Jesus Christ, and for his sake.
To follow Christ, is to trace his steps, and imitate his example, whatever it cost us.
But this observation will coincide with the next head, and therefore I now dismiss it. These, sirs, and these only, are the terms, if you would be Christians, or the disciples of Christ. He honestly warned people of these terms when he first called them to be hisdisciples. He did not take an advantage of them—but let them know beforehand upon what terms they were admitted. "Large crowds were travelling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me, cannot be my disciple!" Luke 14:25-27
By 'hating' is here meant a smaller degree of love, or a comparative hatred. That is, if we would be Christ's disciples, we must be willing to part with our dearest relations, and even our lives, when we cannot retain them consistently with our duty to him.
He goes on: "And anyone who does not carry his cross", and encounter the greatest sufferings after my example, "cannot be my disciple." The love of Christ is the ruling passion of every true Christian, and for his sake he is ready to give up all, and to allow all that earth or hell can inflict. He must run all risks, and cleave to Christ's cause at all hazards.
This is the essential character of every true Christian. What then shall we think of those crowds among us, who retain the Christian name—and yet will not deny themselves of their sensual pleasures, nor part with their temporal interest, for the sake of Christ? Who are so far from being willing to lay down their lives, that they cannot stand the force of a laugh or a sneer in the cause of Christ—but immediately stumble and fall away?
Are they Christians, whom the commands of Christ cannot restrain from what their depraved hearts desire? No! A Christian, without self-denial, mortification, and a supreme love to Jesus Christ, is as great a contradiction as fire without heat, or a sun without light, a hero without courage, or a friend without love!
Does not this strip some of you of the Christian name, and prove that you have no right at all to it?
3. A true Christian must be a follower or imitator of Christ. "Be followers of me," says Paul, "as I also am of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1. Christ is the model after whom every Christian is formed; for, says Peter, "He left us an example—that we should follow his steps!" 1 Peter 2:21. Paul tells us, that we must be conformed to the image of God's dear Son, Romans 8:29; and that the same mind must be in us—which was also in Christ Jesus. Phil. 2:5. Unless we partake of his spirit, and resemble him in practice; unless we are as he was in the world—we have no right to partake of his name!
Here I would observe, that whatever was miraculous in our Lord's conduct, and peculiar to him as the Son of God and Mediator, is not a pattern for our imitation—but only what was done in obedience to that law of God which was common to him and us.
Christ's heart glowed with love to His Father! He delighted in universal obedience to Him; it was His food and drink to do His will, even in the most painful and self-denying instances! He abounded in devotion, in prayer, meditation and every pious duty.
He was also full of every grace and virtue towards mankind! He was meek and humble, kind and benevolent, just and charitable, merciful and compassionate towards all. Beneficence to the souls and bodies of men was the business of his life; for he went about doing good. Acts 10:38.
In regard to Himself—He was patient and resigned—and yet undaunted and brave under sufferings. He had all His appetites and passions under proper government. He was heavenly-minded, above this world in heart—while He dwelt in it.
This is an imperfect sketch of his amiable character; and in these things every one who deserves to be called after his name, does in some measure resemble and imitate him. This is not only his earnest endeavour —but what he actually attains, though in a much inferior degree; and his imperfections are the grief of his heart.
This resemblance and imitation of Christ is essential to the very being of a Christian, and without it, all profession is a vain pretence!
Does your Christianity, my friends, stand this test? May one know that you belong to Christ—by your living like him, and manifesting the same temper and spirit? Does the temper of the divine Master spread through all his family; and do you show that you belong to it by your temper and conduct? Alas! if you must be denominated from hence, would not some of you with more propriety be called Epicureans from Epicurus, the sensual atheistic philosopher; or mammonites from Mammon, the imaginary god of riches; or Bacchanals from Bacchus, the god of wine; rather than Christians from Christ, the most perfect pattern of living holiness and virtue that ever was exhibited in the world!
If you claim the name of Christians, where is . . .
that ardent devotion,
that affectionate love to God,
that zeal for His glory,
that alacrity in His service,
that resignation to His will,
that generous benevolence to mankind,
that zeal to promote their best interests,
that meekness and forbearance under ill usage,
that unwearied activity in doing good to all,
that self-denial and heavenly-mindedness
which shone so conspicuous in Christ, whose holy name you bear?
Alas! while you are destitute of those graces—and yet wear his name—you only mock it, and turn it into a reproach both to him and yourselves.
I might add, that the Christian name is not hereditary to you by your natural birth—but you must be born anew by the Spirit to entitle you to this new name.
Every Christian is also a believer; believing in him whom he calls his only Savior and Lord.
Every Christian is also a true penitent. Repentance was incompatible with Christ's character, who was perfectly righteous, and had no sin of which to repent. But it is a proper virtue in a sinner, without which he cannot be a Christian.
On these and several other particulars, I might enlarge—but my time will not allow; I shall therefore conclude with a few PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.
First, You may hence see that the Christian character is the highest, the most excellent and sublime in the world; it includes everything truly great and amiable. The Christian has . . .
exalted sentiments of the Supreme Being,
just notions of duty, and
a proper temper and conduct towards God and man.
A Christian is a devout worshipper of the God of heaven, a cheerful observer of his whole law, and a broken-hearted penitent for his imperfections.
A Christian is a compilation of all the amiable and useful graces and virtues: temperate and sober, just, liberal, compassionate and benevolent, humble, meek, gentle, peaceable, and in all things conscientious.
A Christian is a good parent, a good child, a good master, a good servant, a good husband, a good wife, a faithful friend, an obliging neighbour, a dutiful subject, a good ruler, and an honest citizen. And as far as he is such, so far, and no farther—he is a Christian.
And can there be a more amiable and excellent character exhibited to your view? It is an angelic, a divine character. Let it be your glory and your ambition to wear it with a good grace, to wear it so as to adorn it. To acquire the title of kings and princes, is not in your power. To spread your fame as scholars, philosophers, or heroes, may be beyond your reach. But here is a character more excellent, more amiable, more honourable than all these, which it is your business to deserve and maintain.
And blessed be God, this is a dignity which the lowest among you, which beggars and slaves may truly attain to. Let this therefore be an object of universal ambition and pursuit, and let every other name and title be despised in comparison of it. This is the way to rise to true honour in the estimate of God, angels, and holy men. What though the pseudo-Christians of our age and country ridicule you? let them consider their own absurd conduct and be ashamed. They think it an honour to wear the Christian name—and yet persist in unchristian practices; and who but a fool, with such palpable contradiction, would think so? A beggar who imagines himself a king and trails his rags with majesty, as though they were royal robes—is not so ridiculous as one that will usurp the Christian name without a Christian practice! And yet such 'Christians' are the favourites of the world. To them—to renounce the profession of Christianity is barbarous and profane; but to live according to that profession, and practice Christianity, is preciseness and fanaticism!
Can anything be more preposterous? This is as if one should ridicule learning—and yet glory in the character of a scholar! And are they fit to judge of the wisdom and propriety; or their censures to be regarded—who fall into such an absurdity themselves?
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 worshipping 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 the 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 neighbouring 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 I profess unto them" (these are Christ's own words!) "I never knew you; depart from me, you who work iniquity!" Matthew 7:23.
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