Let Us…
Winter 2022
A recent hospital visit near Princeton University gave me an opportunity for a walk around the campus of the historic seminary. On the wall of Alexander Hall is a plaque noting the structure as the first to be built in America “for use as a seminary by the Presbyterian church.” Those in the Reformed tradition will think with fondness on the names Alexander, Millar, Hodge, and Warfield. They will also consider the events at the turn of the twentieth century that led to the departure of Gresham Machen. Liberalism had crept in, and Machen knew that liberalism and biblical Christianity cannot co-exist.
As I walked around the various buildings, I noticed banners announcing the ethos of Princeton Seminary today. “Reformed and Ecumenical.” “Traditional and Innovative.” These oxymorons are striking and thought provoking. And yet, they betray the fact that this once-great institution has continued its slide from the days of Machen.
Our responsibility is to defend the faith. We are Reformed and must disavow any tendency to ecumenical unity with the apostate Roman Catholic church. We do this, not out of Protestant bigotry, but out of love for the Savior and love for the souls of men.
We are called to hold fast to apostolic traditions. Innovation in a theological institution will always invite the ideas of man. Revealed truth is eternal truth and as revealed to man is as old and traditional as the Bible itself.
At the turn of the year, many think about making resolutions. These are often sincere attempts to change a pattern of behavior. Given that these good intentions are broken in a day or two, it is understandable that we often keep resolutions close to our chest. But what if Christians came together and resolved publicly and unitedly to live for God? Would that not help us to keep our promises? When the church meets, we have the opportunity to make public resolution in the setting of community. In community, we have people encouraging us and holding us accountable.
The writer to Hebrews understood the benefit of making resolution in community. Thirteen times in twelve verses he uses the phrase “let us”, followed by some words of exhortation. It would edify your soul to do a simple study of these verses. They serve as inspired declarations reminding the believers of the need to take responsibility in community. “Let us hold fast our profession” (Hebrews 4:14). “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Hebrews 10:23-24). “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach” (Hebrews 13:13).
The Free Presbyterian Church is Reformed and traditional. These terms reflect the faith of the gospel–sinners are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. We need to resolve to hold fast that profession as the Lord spares us in 2023. And being part of a church will help us in our resolution to persevere in these gospel traditions.
Interacting with men proposing cooperation between Christians and Liberals, J. Gresham Machen stated, “…with such persons we cannot possibly bring ourselves to agree. Light may seem at times to be an impertinent intruder, but it is always beneficial in the end. The type of religion which rejoices in the pious sound of traditional phrases, regardless of their meanings, or shrinks from “controversial” matters, will never stand amid the shocks of life. In the sphere of religion, as in other spheres, the things about which men are agreed are apt to be the things that are least worth holding; the really important things are the things about which men will fight.”
Christianity and Liberalism, J. Gresham Machen