The nature of the Christian doctrine is set forth by R. R. in 1856, page 198, as follows:

      In our last number, we endeavored to direct attention to a very common and a very unfortunate error of the religious world, which consists in supposing doctrine to be the object of the Christian faith, when, in reality, Christ is that object; thus making the Christian faith doctrinal, when, in fact, it is personal. We showed, from the express language of the Scriptures, that true Christian faith is simply belief in Christ--a trusting in Christ, and that it has nothing to do with the reception of doctrinal tenets, such as are propounded in Protestant creeds.

      Regarding this error as of the utmost importance, since it is the basis of all Protestant partyism, and the chief cause of the inefficiency of the modern profession of Christianity, we would earnestly commend it to the careful consideration of the reader; and would beg leave here to present, in connection with what we have already said, some reflections on the nature of the Christian doctrine, in order to detain his attention a little longer on the general subject, and also to prevent certain misconceptions, to which our views are liable.

      Now, it is very far from our present purpose to controvert any supposed religious truth, or to question the soundness of any "doctrine" based upon it. Neither would we be understood as doubting the propriety of holding "religious views," or of having these clearly defined and stated. Unquestionably, the propositions contained in what are termed the "evangelical doctrines," acknowledged by most of the Protestant denominations, however sometimes awkwardly expressed, and confused in scholastic jargon or sectarian cant, are, nevertheless, fairly deducible, as to their substantial import, from Scripture premises, and some of them might be expressed in the very terms of Scripture. Our inquiry is not, whether, in the general or the [355] particular, "religious doctrine" be true, but whether such doctrines or "tenets" do really constitute what may Scripturally, and hence properly, be considered the Christian doctrine. That they do not form the object of the Christian faith, we have already shown, and we will now endeavor to prove that they are just as far from constituting THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.

      There is, again, another matter which renders the difficulty, just mentioned, still greater, viz.: that as a necessary consequence of a departure from Scriptural ideas, our religious vocabulary, has become greatly changed from that of apostolic times, and it is scarcely possible to use the latter any longer so as to be understood. New terms have been introduced in countless numbers, and Scripture words and phrases have received senses and applications wholly novel and foreign to those which they possess in the Book of God; or these have been so curtailed or so expanded that the real value of the expression can no longer be determined. The sterling coin of truth, stamped with a Divine impress, has been mutilated by the file of the sectary, or debased by the alloy of the theorist, so that it is no longer current even with those, who, though they may still recognize a portion of the image and superscription which it bears, can never, by its reception, sanction such corruption of the currency of Heaven.

      In the Scriptures, however, in striking contrast with modern usage, the word doctrine, in the singular, though of frequent occurrence, is never, in one single instance, applied to a particular tenet or dogma; and, what is worthy of special notice, whenever it is used in the plural, when of course it does embrace particular opinions or usages, it is always employed in a bad sense. Hence we have before us, in the outset, the remarkable fact that, in Scripture, while no "doctrine," in the special modern sense of the word, is ever taught or recommended, all "doctrines," in the plural, are condemned, and Christians are warned against them. Thus, those are censured who "teach for doctrines the commandments of men;" who "give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils," and who are "carried about with diverse and strange doctrines;" but, in no place, do we have mention made of "doctrines" which are to be received as true. We read in Theology of the "doctrines" of Luther, of Zwingle, of Calvin, but we never read, in the Scriptures, of the doctrines of Christ.

[ROBERT RICHARDSON]      

      The primitive Christian faith, as defined by Paul, is simply "trust in Christ" (Eph. i. 12, 13). Christ is not a doctrine, but a person--"One who liveth and was dead, and behold he is alive for evermore." The sinner is not exhorted to believe in doctrines, but "in the Lord Jesus Christ, that he may be saved;" and the entire economy of the gospel and its ordinances, is designed to present Christ to the mind, [356] and to the heart, as the object of faith, and hope, and love. Faith is just as personal as love or hope, and the same perversion which makes faith doctrinal, makes love also doctrinal, and hope a theory. It is not the love of Christ that animates the sectary, but the love of the system, or particular tenets he has adopted, and for the defence and dissemination of which, he lives and labors. It is not Christ that is formed in him "the hope of glory;" but an intolerant spirit of bigotry and spiritual pride, which hopes for religious domination and for praise of men. What a terrible perversion is this, which pervades and poisons the whole trinity of principles through which the soul must derive its redemption and its life!

      It is the characteristic feature of the present reformation to endeavor to disentangle the Christian faith from doctrinal controversy, and to restore it to its original character, as a simple reception of the facts concerning Christ--a heartfelt personal reliance upon Christ alone. Hence it is, that we plead so earnestly for the original formula of confession, by which the true nature of the faith is so clearly exhibited. We propose to the whole religious community a return to the simple confession of faith made by the converts under the apostolic ministry--a confession which, while it affords no legitimate ground of controversy, is yet sufficiently comprehensive to include all necessary truth, and sufficiently definite to exclude all fatal error. This confession is, in substance, that made by the Ethiopian eunuch: "I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;" and that such was the primitive confession, is incontrovertibly evident, not only from the inspired writings, but from the testimony of all authentic history.

[ROBERT RICHARDSON]      

      Alas! it is a sad mistake to suppose that Christianity is a theory, or that it consists essentially in accuracy of intellectual conceptions. Christianity is not a theory. It is a life--an inner and an outer life. Christ came to implant this inner life in the soul that the outer life might be fruitful in good works. Hence, his teachings are not theological disquisitions. They address themselves to the conscience and to the heart. They reveal, indeed, sublime truths, but these are as simple as they are sublime, and as practical as they are simple. He labored to make the tree good, that the fruit might be good. He sought to correct errors of the heart and conduct, and to furnish rules of life, rather than directly to expose mistakes of reason, or deliver rules of thought. This is the doctrine that is truly divine--the wisdom which descended from heaven, and which alone can take any one to heaven. "My doctrine is not mine," said Jesus, "but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself." It is the plan of Divine wisdom to correct the errors of reason by regulating the [357] affections. It is the method of human folly to attempt to remedy the errors of the heart, by prescribing religious opinions which address the intellect. Oh, to set the heart right first, saves the head a world of useless trouble, for it is truly through the heart alone that any one can comprehend the "doctrine of God." As well might one attempt to hear sounds by the eye, as to understand Christianity by mere intellectual ability. It was by the seeming wisdom of the head that the world "knew not God." It is by the same wisdom that they know not Christ. But it is by "the foolishness of preaching"--by the simplicity of the gospel, which addresses itself to the heart, that He is pleased to save "them that believe."

[ROBERT RICHARDSON]      

      All difficulties arise from the two great errors against which we are contending, viz: 1st. Supposing the Christian faith to be doctrinal, and to consist in tenets, when, on the contrary, it is personal, and has respect to Christ himself; and 2ndly. Imagining that the Christian doctrine was mainly designed to make men think right, when its great and obvious purpose is to make them do right. These two errors have rendered both the faith and the practice of religion doctrinal, and the "works" carried on by each particular party are, consequently, as sectarian as their belief. They are not "works of faith and labors of love;" but efforts to maintain theories, and to subserve denominational interests; struggles for power and pre-eminence; conflicts of opinionism, bigotry and pride.

[ROBERT RICHARDSON]      

      Protestantism is, in its very nature, a grand doctrinal controversy. It has never been a converting power for Christ. The character stamped upon it in its inception, continues with it in all its progress. There is no question here of any thing but "doctrine." Even the gospel, which is for the world, can be contemplated only through the medium of doctrine, and is made really the exponent of the doctrines of each particular party. Thus doctrines are confounded with the gospel. No distinction is made between the gospel and the doctrines of the gospel. Doctrines are preached for the conversion both of "saints" and sinners--of "saints," from one party to another; of sinners, from the world to some particular sect. The Swedenborgian preaches the reveries of Swedenborg; the Calvinist, the doctrines and "Institutes" of Calvin; the Arminian, the opinions of Arminius. Each one has his theory, even of conversion, which, to be valid, must be in conformity with some intellectual view or theory of the process. Hence conversion has come to be not so much a change of heart as a change of head. It is in fact, in popular practice, the adoption of a religious theory, rather than of a religious life.

[ROBERT RICHARDSON]      

      Let no one imagine, that in opposing the substitution of belief in doctrinal tenets for faith in Christ, we oppose what are called [358] "evangelical doctrines," or disparage the true doctrine of Holy Scripture. We say, simply: Let everything have its due place. Let not an intellectual assent to points of doctrine be mistaken for the Christian faith. But let this faith be allowed to stand forth in its true character, as a personal trust in Christ, and let the doctrines of Christianity be the study of those who are already converted to Christ. From this point of view, all doctrines appear to be equally unevangelical--that is to say, equally foreign to the gospel proclamation, and the faith which this is designed to produce. In this view, the declaration that "Christ died for our sins," is not a doctrine, but a fact; and the same may be said of the announcement that he "was buried," and of that, also, which completes the gospel, viz: that "he rose from the dead." These are simple statements of fact; not doctrines, tenets, or deductions of human reason from premises Scriptural or unscriptural; not matters of speculation to engage the intellect, but divine realities to control the heart. The gospel, nevertheless, is the foundation of all true Christian doctrine, but the foundation must precede the superstructure. The gospel is thee title to a rich inheritance, from which industry may derive the most precious fruits, and in which sagacity may discover the richest mines of treasure; but these are not mentioned in the deed. Or, it may be compared to the seed which includes and enwraps, but does not display, the future plant which it is designed to produce with its branching stem, its verdant outspread leaves, its flowers and fruits. It is this seed of the divine word, in all its intact simplicity, that the true evangelist seeks to implant in the human heart, confident that while "he sleeps, and rises night and day," it will "grow up, he knoweth not how," "for the earth bringeth forth of herself first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear."

[ROBERT RICHARDSON]      

      I do not, indeed, know a single religious party that is content to preach the simple primitive gospel as the apostles preached it. Each one has its own modification of it. Each one connects with it some religious theory. Each one demands, in addition to the simply faith demanded by the apostles, or rather instead of it, the acceptance of various tenets and tests of orthodoxy.

      The great evil that results from this perversion is, that men are thereby led wholly to mistake the nature and the subject matter of the Christian faith. They are led to conceive of it as a belief in doctrines; as consisting in correct intellectual views of the most profound mysteries of the Bible; as having respect to the mind rather than to the heart. They are led to regard a correct view of doctrine as something absolutely necessary to salvation, and as having in itself, if not a [359] saving efficacy, at least a meritorious orthodoxy, which will go very far toward securing acceptance with God.

      This is a sad and unfortunate mistake; for what is properly called the Christian faith, has direct and exclusive reference to Christ himself, and is hence personal, instead of doctrinal, and designed to fix the attention, the affections, and the entire trust of the soul upon the Lord Jesus, in his personal and official character, as our Saviour, our Leader, and our Hope of Glory.

[ROBERT RICHARDSON]      

      How charming, then, is the simplicity of Christianity! The Christian faith is a personal trust in Christ as the Messiah, the Son of God--an entire reliance upon Him for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. The Christian doctrine is a teaching to do whatever He has commanded--a practical instructing in the privileges, duties, and obligations of the Christian profession. This is all. Here only have we a religion fit to be preached "to every creature," because here only have we one adapted to the capacity of "every creature," as well as to the actual condition of fallen humanity--a religion able to renovate the lowest as well as the highest of our race, and to prepare all to meet that august tribunal, before which men will be judged, not, after the fashion of orthodoxy, for their opinions or their reasonings, but according to the gospel and doctrine of Christ, for the secret motives of the "heart," and "for the deeds done in the body."

R. R.      

Sources:

1. Robert Richardson. Extract from "Nature of the Christian Doctrine.--No. I." The Millennial Harbinger 27 (April 1856): 198-200.

2. ----------. Extract from "Nature of Christian Faith." The Millennial Harbinger 27 (March 1856): 157.

3. ----------. Extract from "Nature of the Christian Doctrine.--No. I." The Millennial Harbinger 27 (April 1856): 204.

4. ----------. Extract from "Nature of the Christian Doctrine.--No. II." The Millennial Harbinger 27 (April 1856): 208-209.

5. ----------. Extract from "Nature of Christian Faith." The Millennial Harbinger 27 (March 1856): 154.

6. ----------. Extract from "Nature of Christian Faith." The Millennial Harbinger 27 (March 1856): 159.

7. ----------. Extract from "Nature of Christian Faith." The Millennial Harbinger 27 (March 1856): 156.

8. ----------. Extract from "Nature of the Christian Doctrine.--No. II." The Millennial Harbinger 27 (April 1856): 211.

[MHA2 355-360]