BIBLE AND THE CHURCHES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20331, 12 August 1929, Page 12

BIBLE AND THE CHURCHES.

BY BEREAN CIIRISTADELVHIAN.

(Published by Arrangement.)

"He who has no sword .... . . . . sell his garment and buy one."

These words of Christ (like some of Paul's writings, of which another Apostle said were hard to be understood, and with which the unlearned and unstable wrest, 11. Peter, iii., 16) have been sadly wrested from their context to support a principle which the speaker (Jesus Christ) never countenanced, either by precept or practice. His whole teaching was embodied in the following words:—''Resist not evil, who smites on the ono cheek, turn to him.. the other also" (Matthew, v., 39). As far as His own followers were concerned, it was "a tima of peace," but as regards the world or state, He had not come to send peace, but rather the opposite—"division in families" (Luke, xii., 51-53), which His teaching has done all down the centuries. The above principle was upheld by the Apostles, summed up by Paul—"the weapons of our warfare are not carnal" (IT. Cprinthians, x., 4), and durjng the first, few centuries its conquering effects was truthfully represented by an arrowless bowman (Revelation vi., 2). The incident and circumstances when tho words (mentioned at the head of this article) were uttered was on the occasion when Christ was about to leave His followers. Up to that time for three and a-half years, their life had been comparatively 'easy, they had "lacked nothing," but on His departure they would be pub on their own initiative, more or less, therefore, like His Apostle, after Him, who said: "Take the sword of the Spirit" (Kphesians, vi., Christ said:."Ho that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one" (Luke, xxii., 36). His followers did not then perceive His meaning, for they replied: "Here are two swords." Jesus did iiot say "they are enough," as He would "have done had He meant literal weapons; instead, He used the same expression of His great ancestor Jacob (on the human side), when convinced that Joseph, his son, was alive. "It is enough" (Luke, xxii., 38), or, in modern parlance, "enough said on the subject." The fact is, on that samo night He healed a serious wound mada by one of those literal swords (Luke, xxii., 49-51), saying "they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" (Matthew, • : I • t . Though "harmless as doves," Christ and His followers were no simpletons; they were also "wise as serpents."lf they persecute you in one city, flee into another" (Matthew, x., 23). In the last message from Heaven (Revelation, xiii., 10) as far as Christians or Saints wera concerned, "he that killeth with tho sword must bo killed with the sword." The early Christian Church remained in this non-militant state up to the beginning of the 4th century when, under the leadership of their Imperial Champion, Constantine, they set Christ's teaching on one side and "resisted their enemies" by the force of tho sword. Constantino was a fair sample of a Christian of that period; though Christian by name, in practice was the opposite, refraining from baptism until three days before his death. No Christian or follower of Christ can use a carnal weapon, sword or its modern rifle, either in offence or defence, until the Captain of their Salvation appears again on tho earth. They are not of this world or state, whether living in Britain, New Zealand, or any other country.

Having avenged themselves with carnal weapons, the Christian Church, on tho testimony of Gibbon, the author of "Tho Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," soon discarded the foundation of Christianity. "The personal appearing of Christ to reign for a millennial period of a thousand years'' (Revelation, xx., 4). also bringing in tho heathen dogma of immortal-soulism with all its debasing practices, and about the 6th century tho "men of corrupt minds" (predicted by Paul) taking to themselves God's holy and sacred name of "Reverend," and which even in this enlightened ago tho Popes and clerpy of almost all Christendom have "allowed" by retaining tho same name in addition to "Holy Father," "His Holiness," exclusively names of God (Gospel of .Tolvn. xvii., 11). Also bracketing on to Christianity the Fevp* ti.an and Chaldean mythology of a Trinity of Gods —Three in One. and One in Three, truly incomprehensible in the faco of the simplo Biblo truth.

In previous articles the writer has demonstrated from the#* Bible that tha world is now entering tho "latter years," or "last days" (tho time of trouble such as never was), when tho Gentilo Federation of Nations will overrun Palestine, Egypt, and adjacent countries, which is also the Epoch of Christ's appearance on the earth, when the "Saints" of the present and past ages will tako the "Kingdom" (of God), and possess it for ever (Daniel, vii., 27). and into whose hands will bo committed a "two-edged" sword (Psalm cxlix). Reader.—The Gospel of the Kingdom of God cannot be found in its purity in the Churches. Tho Berean Christadelphian Community, having arrived at a knowledge of the "first principles of tho oracles of God." are prepared to give th<> same freelv "without money and without charge" (1. Corinthians, i.w, 181. T. J. CONNOLLY.