by Rev. John Angell James
The professors of Christianity may be divided into three classes — the sincere, the hypocritical, and the self-deceived. Of the second class there are very few. I have rarely met with them. It is not often that any one attains to such a pitch of audacious and disgusting wickedness, as to make, for some sinister purpose, a profession, which at the time he knows to be false. But while there are few that are intentionally deceiving others, there are very many who are unconsciously deceiving themselves. Alarming consideration! To be self-deceived in a matter of such tremendous importance as the salvation of the immortal soul! To suppose that we are justified before God, while we are under the condemnation of His righteous law: that we are truly regenerated, while we are still in an unconverted state; that we are the children of God, while we are the children of the devil; and that we are travelling to heaven, while each day, as it passes, leaves us nearer to the bottomless pit! The very possibility of such a case should rouse our lukewarm souls, excite all our fears, and put us upon the most cautious and diligent examination.
PROFESSION IS NOT POSSESSION
This common, yea hackneyed, yet true and impressive sentiment, is thus put out by itself in bold and prominent relief, that it may attract the reader’s attention, and come upon his heart and conscience with all possible emphasis. A church member is not necessarily a real Christian: and outward communion with the members is no certain proof of vital union with the Divine Head. It is to be feared that fatal mistakes are made by many on this momentous subject. Among those who pay little or no attention to religion, it is very commonly supposed, that dying is somehow or other to fit them for heaven; that some mysterious change is to pass upon them then, by which they shall be meetened for the kingdom of glory: as if death were a converting ordinance, instead of a mere physical change; a sacrament of grace, instead of a mere dissolution of our compound nature. Others attach the same mistaken notion to the act of uniting with a Christian church, making a profession of religion, and receiving the Lord’s Supper, as if it were in some way or other to effect a change in them, and by a process of which they can form no definitive idea, to make them true Christians. But there are others who, better taught, attach no such incorrect opinions to church fellowship: who admit the necessity of faith and regeneration, as pre-requisites to communion, but who after all, deceive themselves in the supposition that they possess those qualifications.
First, I shall prove that self-deception is not only possible, but frequent.
This is evident from the many warnings against it, contained in the apostolic writings. “Be not deceived”, is an admonition thrice repeated by Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians — Chaps. 3:16; 6:9; 15:33. How impressive is his language to the Galatians, “If any man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” Gal. 6:3. The Apostle James follows up the same subject; “Do not err my beloved brethren — be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:16, 22. What solemn admonitions are in other places given on the work of self-scrutiny: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates.” 2 Cor. 13:5. “Let every man prove his own work.” Gal. 6:4. But what can equal the force and impressiveness of the apostle’s language and caution in reference to himself? “I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means after I had preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away”. 1 Cor. 9:27. If such a man, the greatest, the holiest, the most distinguished member, minister, and apostle of the Christian Church, found it necessary to exercise such caution, what must be the need of it on our own part?
The danger of self-deception is also apparent from the alarming declarations of Christ. In the parable of the sower, he divided the hearers of the Word into four classes, of which one only, is composed of sincere believers, although two, at least out of the other three, are represented as receiving the Word and professing it for a while. How solemn and awakening are His words in the sermon on the Mount: “Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, who is in heaven. Many will say unto Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name have done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from Me ye that work iniquity.” Math. 7:21, 23. These persons were not only professors of religion, but of high standing in the Church; they were confident of their safety; yet they were lost; and there were many of them!!
Dwell upon the FACTS recorded in the New Testament. Judas, though he ended up as a dissembling hypocrite, began in all probability as a self-deceived professor of religion. One Apostle out of twelve a false professor of religion! What multitudes at one time followed Christ, and in some way believed on Him, among whom were many rulers of the Jews; and yet so great was the number that afterwards abandoned their profession, that our Lord put this question to the twelve, “Will ye also go away?” implying that the rest had nearly all left Him. Peter speaks of some “who after they had known the way of righteousness, had turned from the holy commandments delivered unto them. 2 Peter 2:21; and John, in describing the case of some in his time, says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us.” 1 John 2:19. Let any one read attentively the addresses to the seven churches of Asia Minor, contained in the second and third chapters of the Apocalypse, and observe the description of those communities given by One who could not err; they seem to have contained, at least some of them, a great portion of merely nominal Christians. Yet these were Churches under the care of an Apostle.
Does not our observation confirm the fact of the danger of self-deception? To say nothing of open apostates who turn back to sin, error, or the world, and who are cast out of the Church, how many are there that still remain, who though their inconsistencies are not sufficiently gross to make them the subjects of discipline, too plainly indicate by their total want of all spiritually and earnestness of piety, that they have nothing of Christianity but the name! It is no violation of the law of charity to say that persons so worldly in their spirit, so unsanctified in their temper, so little interested by the concerns of Christ’s kingdom, either in their own Church or in the world at large, are making but an empty and heartless profession!
However painful, then, the fact may be, it is a fact that the danger of self-deception is alarmingly great.
(To be continued)