THE aim of the proposed “Christian” amendment to the Constitution, is to make the “revealed will” of Jesus Christ our “supreme authority in civil affairs.” In other words, it is to make that revealed will the civil law of the land.
What is the revealed will of Jesus Christ? For a complete answer, it would be necessary to cite all that has been divinely revealed to man; for in both the “law and the prophets” 549 which were until John the Baptist, and the writings of the apostles, it was the “Spirit of Christ” 550 that testified the things that were spoken. But in brief, it may be said that the revealed will of Jesus Christ is the gospel of salvation through faith in him. And it is now proposed to make this the civil law of the land!
The revealed will of Christ is that all persons shall be saved from sin. And the gospel is “the power of God unto salvation [from sin] to every one that believeth.” 551 The power of God is seen in his work of creation. “He spake, and it was; he commanded, and it stood fast.” 552 Through faith in Jesus Christ, by the power of God, we are re-created in him. 553 Being crucified with him, we also live with him—or rather, he lives in us, 554 and while dead to self, we are alive unto God. We yield ourselves to his will, saying Amen to all his word, and by the infinite power of God, which was manifested in the creation of the world and all things in six days, we are put to death with Christ and created new, so that we are without sin. Being thus without sin, we are free from death, and fitted for eternal life with God. This is the “mystery of godliness”—the plan by which God saves men in his kingdom.
All this is the revealed will of Jesus Christ; and it is now seriously proposed to incorporate this into the civil law of this land! Did ever absurdity reach a more appalling height?
“The power of God unto salvation” is not experienced by all, but only by “every one that believeth.” It is Christ’s revealed will that every person should believe on his name: in other words, he wants all persons to be saved. But belief is a matter of free choice; for we are not automatons, but free moral agents, in order that we may develop character. Now it is proposed to make Christ’s revealed will the civil law,—that is, to force all men to believe on him whether they want to or not! A “Christian” scheme, truly!
Christ wills that all men should love one another. “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another.” 555 This is to be made the civil law, and men are to be forced to love each other, or punished by the usual legal penalties! This also is very “Christian,” as well as reasonable!
Christ wills that all men should keep his Father’s commandments. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” 556 But in a state of sin, men cannot keep God’s commandments; “because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” 557 But now it is proposed to make Christ’s will the civil law; so now that law will say to the sinner. No matter about your inability to do the will of God, you must do it whether you can or not. If you do not, you will be fined or imprisoned, or otherwise punished! How preëminently “Christian” is this!
We read that “without faith it is impossible to please him [God].” 558 As it is the will of Christ that all men should have faith, the civil law (under this “Christian” amendment) will say to all, Have faith, or you will be accounted a criminal. We shall then see people converted by wholesale, no doubt!
Let this amendment be adopted, and an era of bigotry, hypocrisy, strife and persecution will be ushered in, the like of which this country has never witnessed.
The only way in which the revealed will of Christ can be carried into effect is by the power of God, through the operations of the Holy Spirit. And therefore this scheme to make his will the civil law of the land, is one which substitutes man’s littleness for God’s infinity,—man’s ignorance for God’s wisdom, man’s sinfulness for God’s righteousness. And this scheme is labeled “Christian”! Verily it is true that “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light!” 559