By Rev. JOHN NEWTON.
ESSENTIALS in Christianity are those things without which no man can be a Christian in the sight of God, and by the decision of His Word; and, on the other hand, those things only are essential, which, whoever possesses, is, by Scripture declaration, in a state of favour with God through Christ. These might be branched out into many particulars; but they are fully and surely comprised in two—faith and holiness. These are essential to the being of a Christian; are only to be found in a Christian; are infallible tokens that the professor is accepted in the Beloved, and whoever dies without them must assuredly perish. These are essentials; because they are absolutely necessary; for it is written, “He that believeth not shall be damned,” and “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord;” and they are essential likewise, because they demonstrate an interest in the promise of everlasting life. Thus our Lord declares, “He that heareth my words, and believeth in Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life;” and the apostle, writing to the believing Romans, tells them, “Now being made free from sin, and become the servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” These, then, are the essentials of religion; and though they are produced by the same power of the Holy Spirit, and derived from a knowledge of the same truths, and therefore cannot be separated, they may properly be distinguished, for the conviction of those who pretend to one without the other. The most specious appearances of holiness, which are not accompanied with faith in Christ, may be safely rejected as counterfeits. On the other hand, a profession of faith which is not evidenced by the fruits of holiness, by gracious tempers, and a tenor of life becoming the gospel, is dead, delusive and destructive.
If the question is removed another step, and it should be asked, which, or how many, of the doctrines of Scripture are necessary to produce the faith and holiness supposed requisite? It may suffice to say, that, in the nature of things, no person can be expected to believe in Christ till convinced of his need of Him, and of His ability, as a Saviour, fully to answer his expectations. And as a supreme love to God, and a hatred of all sin, are evidently included in the idea of holiness, it supposes a disposition of mind which every man’s experience proves to be beyond the power of fallen nature; and therefore, a competent knowledge and cordial acceptance of what the Scripture teaches, concerning the nature and desert of sin, the person and mediatory acts of Christ, the causes, ends, and effects of His mediation, together with the necessity of that change of heart which is expressed by a being born again, appear to be essentially necessary to that faith and holiness which are described in the gospel.