EASTER ALERT!
DELINQUENCY AND DUTY
Avoiding the -ism isthmus
From Mainland Christ:
The WAY is Narrow
No ROOM to Roam

 

v           Dispensationalism (a changing God, distilled and various,

wandering strangely, over time *1);
 

v           Decisionism (unfallen will, God you elect,

John 15:16 blazes, No! incorrect...);
 

v           Neo-evangelicism (forms and phrases, duty lazes);

Neo-orthodoxy (doctrinal mazes with philosophic crazes);
 

v           Pentecostalism,

in tongues

Much multiplied in supply,

As far from Pentecost

As mountain peaks arranged in glory

From the plashing of the seas,

As far as infant stammering

From the miraculous

Missionary intelligibility

That marked the apostles' crusade

Where,

Marvellously clear

And wholly unafraid,

Defying and denying

Babel through sudden grace *2,

They sharply brought the Gospel

To the fallen human race,

Now linguistically in pieces

Through its wanton sins;
 

v           WCC ecumenism *3

A scourge and division

To fracture the outward unity

Of the body of Christ,

Manufacturing false christs

In unholy communions

Intermeshed with flesh;
 

v           Schullerism (man so good,

defying Romans 7:9);
 

v           Adventism (no assured place -

accorded from the first by grace:

so give heaven time, or heaven help you!

Romans 5:9, Ephesians 1:4

Do not alas here come on line) ...
 

whatever the intention

the hope or pretension:
 

In this or that form or dimension,

One and all

Move towards

Avoidance of duty

divinely expressed,

Or distance from grace

the carnal enmeshed.
 

In departure from embracive mercy,

or wandering from the way of duty,

they roam and wander,

so much they squander:

BUT

Jesus, Lord

Facing nails

And heedless taunts (Matthew 27:42-44)

Embraced His duty.

At all points (Luke 9:51).

 

Unflinching,

Face like flint

And yielding all in love and truth

He showed entwining

Holiness, beauty,

Met the sting without support

Of any carnal wit or sham,

Which sin He never wrought had bought -

Poured out grace

That grace alone

In love by truth

All His should cover.
 

Perfect pure,

Holy, free -

His was the shame:

He died for me.
 

Neglecting none

Who came to Him -

For mercy ardent

Without admixture,

Given faith

Given place -

He poured on all who came

The wonders of His name.

He does it still,

So vast His will.
 

A new, celestial Christian race -

No more the bellowing of bull

But bleating of sheep

Under one Pastor -

Lives upon these rolling hills:

Hearts now in Him

Soon heaven to follow.

Then

Wars are driven

Leaves by wind

And life is peace

And truth and joy

Without admixture;

Pilgrimage past,

They see the wonder of His face

At last - His glory is the light divine.
 
 

On every face

Large-written?

Grace !

The name of God on lively foreheads

Gleams and glistens.

The spiritual sun -

Who ?

Christ the Temple, Christ the Light:

Glorious God -

Thy will be done!
 
 
 
 

References

*1 See Part 13 infra, esp. pp. 55-62.

*2 See A Question of Gifts; see Acts 2.

*3 WCC cf. The Shadow of a Mighty Rock, pp. 867-868, 721-726, 743-744, 750B-E; Questions and Answers, No. 4, pp. 37-41.