NO CONCORD BETWEEN
CHRIST AND BELIAL

by Daniel Musser

This shows how much people will bear, and even praise men for denouncing sin in a general way, if they only do not reprove it in the individual, or do still countenance their way, by going with them, or according to them what they profess.  The Scribes and Pharisees would have borne with Christ, and praised and commended him, if he had condemned all the sins which he did, as long as he had not charged themselves with being guilty of them.  If it had only been the publicans and sinners that he denounced, it would all have been well, but when he exposed their own hypocrisy, they could not endure him.

The religion of Jesus Christ is based on the principle of love.  God is love, and all his dealings with man are characterized by love.  In conversion, the love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit.  This influence so changes the heart and mind of its possessor, as to induce obedience to the commands of the Gospel – not because they are commanded, but, being possessed of the principle, the effect must follow as a fruit.  This is what forbids them to resist evil and induces them to be just, moral, humble, and meek in their deportment.  All these virtues together, or any number more of them, do not make true Christian religion.  The strictest obedience to outward Gospel commands does not make a Christian.  But true Christian religion begets these virtues in the believer and brings forth obedience as a fruit, and where obedience to the Gospel commands does not exist, there the love of God and religion of Jesus Christ cannot exist.  The Savior said, “Make the tree good and his fruit good.”  If the soul is truly converted to God, then the good fruits of obedience to the Gospel commands must follow as its effect, because “a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.”

War, strife, contention, pride, ostentation, emulation, and reveling, which we have referred to in the foregoing pages as existing among those who profess to be disciples of Jesus Christ, are not Gospel fruit.  How can anyone, as a rational creature, endowed with only a natural understanding, conclude otherwise than that these cannot be the good trees referred to by Christ?  This cannot be judging, for this Christ has forbidden, but refers us to the fruits to know the tree by.

It is either the duty and the privilege of God’s children to fight, or it is their duty and privilege to walk in non-resistance and non-conformity.  This point, then, rests altogether on the fact, whether Jesus Christ and the Apostles taught non-resistance and non-conformity to the world.  If they did so teach, then certainly those who teach the contrary are anti-Christian teachers.  This position cannot be controverted.  I may say with the Apostle Paul, if Christ and the Apostles do not teach non-resistance and non-conformity to the world, “then is our preaching vain, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified that Christ and the Holy Spirit teach it, which they do not teach, if so be.”  (1 Corinthians 15)  The same must be the case with our opponents, if Christ does teach what we uphold.  They must be false witnesses of God, and their preaching, service and worship anti-Christian and idolatrous!  That there are many well-meaning, innocent, and deluded souls among them, I do not deny; but this does not change the character of their service, any more than it changed the character of the services of the Gentiles, because there were well-meaning, innocent, and deluded creatures among them.  Let every candid and God-fearing reader exercise his own understanding in answering this question: what is it that influences the party, which is in error?  That party which is teaching and contending for that which Christ forbids, cannot be under the influence of the spirit of God!  They must then be under the influence of the evil spirit, the same as the Gentiles were; and their service must be the same idolatry as theirs was.

The religion of Jesus Christ is not a matter of opinion.  The mind of man is so constituted that it cannot be satisfied without religion, and man has fallen into the error of looking upon religion, or acting as if it were only designed to satisfy this want; and, whatever religion men embrace, if it brings contentment, then the end and object of religion are attained.  But this is an error.  The religion of Jesus Christ is a reality, and nothing short of our possessing that reality can serve the end for which this want was constituted.  The great system of popular religion of the present day acts upon the delusive view referred to.  They preach and proclaim their own, as the true Gospel ground, and contend against each other, expose their errors and inconsistencies of doctrine and practice, even denounce each other as hypocrites and deceivers, and then turn about and give each other the right hand of fellowship, worship together, and greet each other as fellow-servants of God and joint heirs of Christ.  This would make religion a mere matter of opinion.  For our strict separation in religious fellowship, we are denounced by all as bigots, Pharisaical, self-righteous, and uncharitable, yet these same persons will unite with us in worship, and accord to us the credit of what we profess to be, children of God.  The Pharisees professed to be children of God and teachers of righteousness, but Christ told them they were blind guides, children of the Devil, and makers of proselytes who were two-fold more the children of hell than they were themselves.  If we possess a Pharisaical spirit, then we must be the same children as they were.  If even our opponents were right, in their views on those controverted points referred to in the foregoing pages, they would be very inconsistent in giving us the hand of fellowship, and thereby comforting us, and those deluded by us, in our erroneous views.

The prophets and holy men of old did not denounce the idolatry and superstition of the Gentiles, and then unite with them in their service and ceremonies, or once, by word, act, or deed, countenance it as a Divine service at all.  Daniel, and the men who were cast into the fiery furnace, would not, to save their lives, give the slightest countenance to the worship of idols.

For this reason, we feel ourselves constrained to withdraw from, protest against, and avoid the teaching, service, and worship of those who teach and uphold those things that Christ and His Apostles have so pointedly forbidden.  Christ said, ‘‘In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.”  These are the unfruitful works of darkness, which Paul said we shall reprove, and have no fellowship with.  They are unbelievers, with whom Paul said we shall not be unequally yoked together.  They are strangers; therefore, as the lambs of Christ, we cannot hear or follow them, but will flee.  They bring not the doctrine of Christ; therefore we cannot receive them into our house, or bid them God speed, lest we become partakers of their evil deeds.  But, out of love to the souls of men, and jealousy for the honor of God, His children must ever protest against all false doctrine, and beware of everyone who comes as a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

But there are also great numbers who profess to be non-resistants, who protest that it is not right for Christians to fight, and who also hold that we must not be conformed to the world, in following their fashions and customs, but who are plain in their dress and manners.

The prophecies in the Old Testament represent Christ’s kingdom or Church as being one of unity and love.  All the figures and representations of it are of the same nature.  They point to a visible unity.  When Christ came, His teaching and commands were of the same import, and He prayed to His heavenly Father that it should be so.  When the day of Pentecost was fully come, and the time arrived which had been spoken of by the prophets, the time when he would establish this kingdom, it was such a visible unity.  They were all by one spirit baptized into one body, and became of one heart and mind.  The Church, or kingdom of Christ, agreed with the prophecies and figures represented in the Old Testament.  It accorded with the teaching, figures, and prayers of the Savior.  “The Scriptures cannot be broken,” and the Church could be nothing less or more than what God had declared it should be.

This unity was the work of the Holy Spirit, which, by converting souls to God, makes believers to be of one heart and mind; and all those who allow themselves to be led by the Holy Spirit must continue to be one.  This cannot be otherwise, for there is but one truth, the Holy Spirit is called “the spirit of truth,” and it is said, “It will lead us into all truth.”  Wherever opposite or conflicting doctrines are held by professed Christians, one party must be in error, and these cannot be led by the spirit of God.

I have observed that Christ prayed for this unity and its continuance.  The Apostles, after the establishment of the church, earnestly urged its preservation and continuance, and severely reproved and condemned those in whom the first symptoms of divisions, or ideas tending to that end, manifested themselves.  Paul, writing to the Romans, said, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them.  For they that are such, serve not Our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words, and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple.”  According to the declaration of the Savior, we cannot be His disciples, or enter into the kingdom of Heaven, unless we observe His commandments, keep His sayings, and abide in His word.  The commands of Christ cannot be obeyed and observed in the Church unless there is this visible unity existing among its members.  Those who deny the necessity of a visible unity in the Church, admit that there must be a unity in the “essentials.”  All professed Christians hold conversion to be essential, and the idea that it is unnecessary would be rejected as heresy.  But, if conversion is essential, are not its fruits equally essential?  Conversion is the parent, or cause of unity, and throughout all nature, effect must follow cause.  Where there is not unity, there the Holy Spirit’s influence cannot exist.  Therefore, unity among believers must be as essential to salvation as conversion itself.  To deny the visible unity of true believers is therefore to deny the doctrine of Christ, and is contrary to what true believers have learned.  Nothing can tend more to cause offences and divisions among believers than the denial of this principle of absolute visible unity among the children of God.  Those, therefore, who deny and reject this doctrine, deny and reject the doctrine of Christ, and cause divisions, contrary to the doctrine which every believer has learned; and Paul said we shall mark such, and avoid them.  They hold a doctrine that is contrary to love, the voices of those who advocate it are strange to the sheep of Christ, and the sheep will not hear or follow those who utter it; for they know not the voice of strangers, but will flee from them.

There are large numbers of those who profess the religion of Jesus Christ, divided among societies of different names, who call themselves defenseless Christians.  Many of them also protest against the right of Christians to follow the fashions of the world in dress and style of life.  Many of these are plain, unassuming, upright citizens, and their general deportment and character is unexceptionable.

It may be asked why we refuse to worship or have Christian fellowship with these, seeing they are free from the extravagance and folly chargeable to so many others of the great sects of Christendom.  We have already shown, in the foregoing part of this work, that they are mostly inconsistent with their profession.  They still take part in the kingdom of this world, and show thereby that their non-resistance is not founded on the true principle.  There may, perhaps, be some who do not take any part in elections, or hold any office in the worldly kingdom.  Of this, I am not certain.  But, so far as I have knowledge, they all deny the visible unity of the church.  They all reject the idea that the children of God must be of one heart and one mind. [22]  As I have said before, nothing can tend more to cause divisions than the doctrine these hold.  If it is contended that everything that is in the way of union and harmony is from the devil, it will cause those who have the fear of God before their eyes to search diligently for every cause of dissension, and endeavor to remove it.  But if it is held that divisions are allowable, such causes as lead to divisions will excite no alarm.  The devil will not be resisted, and thus divisions are encouraged or caused.  Therefore Paul said to “mark and avoid them.”  The spirit of disunion is a grievous wolf.  The true and faithful shepherds of Christ will be exceedingly alarmed for the safety of the flock where they see him make his appearance, and will labor earnestly to preserve the flock from being scattered.  But, if they are told this is no wolf, the sheep may be thrown off their guard, and thus fall a prey to the devourer.

The fruit of this denial of the unity of the Church, or children of God, is confusion and discord, with a great train of inconsistencies.  Some of these “defenseless Christians” contend that there is no visible Church on earth!  Others contend that it consists of the upright in all the different churches; and others, again, that all the different denominations are different branches of the true Church.  Christ said to his disciples that He is the vine and they are the branches.  If these are the branches of the vine, Jesus Christ, they must all bring the same fruit.  If the fruit is not the same, they cannot be branches of the same vine.  Those who hold that Christ and his Apostles teach the doctrine of non-resistance cannot possibly believe that those who teach that it is the duty of Christians to take up arms and defend themselves on the field of battle can be called of God to preach.  If non-resistance is true, then these must be false witnesses of God.  Yet, they will contend that they may be ambassadors of Christ, and that the Lord may bless their labors and work through them.  They will worship with them, preach with them, and thus give them the right hand of fellowship, bidding them God speed, and still contend that their doctrine is false!  Christ said that we cannot gather grapes from thorns or figs of thistles, yet these contend we may.

Those who deny that the Church is visible at all, thereby condemn themselves.  They break the bread and drink the cup of the Lord, and still admit that they are not the Lord’s body!  If God’s Church is not visible, then those bodies which profess to be Christ’s Church must be dead.  Yet they will worship and preach with them.  Do they not admit they themselves to be dead by this?  Can a living member of Christ be attached to a dead body?  If their own body is not the body of Christ, then they themselves, with all that are in it, must be defiled; for Paul said that a little leaven leavens the whole lump.  No one can continue in a leavened body without becoming leavened themselves, or else Paul’s word in 1 Corinthians 5 is not true.

Some of this class of professed Christians acknowledge that they should not make a practice of attending the meetings and worship of those who are so directly opposed to them in principle.  They say it would not be right to go to their meetings on purpose to hear them preach, or worship with them; but on the occasion of a funeral, or if they accidentally come in contact with their assembly, it is not their duty to withdraw.  These acknowledge having some perception of the duty of a separation, but make it a partial one.  If the worship is idolatrous, or their exercise is displeasing to God, and it is our duty to reprove, or lay off a testimony against them, can the occasion excuse us?  Will the sheep hear the stranger’s voice, if he chances to meet him in an opportune place?  There is a great deal said in the Scriptures about spiritual fornication.  Christ’s Church is compared to a chaste bride.  But, if the bride of Christ thus has interaction with the world in its idolatrous exercises, does she not lose this comparison?  Or would a bride be considered chaste and virtuous if she should receive the advances of a stranger because it was a particular occasion, or she had not sought his society?  This all comes from denying the doctrine of the unity of the church, and an indistinct perception of the principle which must govern the true believer, and on which all commands of the Gospel hang and rest.

Christ does not say that his sheep will hear the voice of a stranger at a funeral!  Neither did Paul tell his brethren they need not mark and avoid those who cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine, if they fall in their way by chance!  Neither did he say that we need not reprove or rebuke the unfruitful works of darkness at funerals.  Nor did Christ say that we need not beware of false prophets there.

The great cry about the self-righteousness and uncharitableness of those who separate themselves from the worship of those who do not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ, charging them with tacitly saying, “I am holier than thou,” is all a device of Satan to make God’s people appear odious to the world, so that he may counteract the influence of their good example and the reproof they administer to those who yield to the flesh and desires of the mind.  Those who truly and faithfully walk in the spirit do not regard this.  They could even rejoice in it, and would rather desire it than otherwise, if they did not know that, in their ignorance and blindness, their enemies are treasuring up against themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God.  Neither would we think it worth our while to attempt to vindicate our cause, if it were not for the hope that the prejudice may thereby be removed from the minds of some, and the way opened for truth to reach the understanding.

The true non-resistants and faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, whose hearts have been thoroughly changed by conversion, and who are led and influenced by the Holy Spirit, will keep the narrow way unfalteringly, regardless of all the opposition which Satan, the world, and their own flesh can make; regardless also of the number and size of the anti-Christian sects which may spring up around them.  Time and circumstances make no change in their minds or principles.  Truth is true and unchangeable; and, however much science or popular opinion may change, truth is still the same.

The great Babylonian structure of the popular system of religion, commonly called “the Church,” may be fitly compared to a chain composed of an almost interminable number of links.  The two ends of this chain might be very distant from each other, but still there would be a connection running through the whole; and unless a link was entirely severed from the rest, the extremities would be dragged together, wherever the body would be taken.  Those societies, therefore, whose profession and general practices are ever so distant from the most extravagant, and those guilty of the most scandalous disorder, have no association with them.  Yet, they still associate with others who are not quite as strict as themselves, and these again with others, until the chain is completed and forms one united body.  Therefore, the spirit in Revelation said, “Come out of Babylon, my people, that ye be not partaker of her sins, and receive of her plagues.”

The Apostle Paul said, “A covetous man is an idolater, and “covetousness is idolatry.”  Again, “Be not deceived.  Neither thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God.”  Paul further said, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”  If covetousness is idolatry, or makes all the worship or service such a person can render or bring sinful and idolatrous – and if such a covetous person is a member of the Church, and the pastor and congregation have knowledge of it, and they do not purge out this leaven, then they become leavened with him, and are partakers of his sins.  They become an idolatrous and impure body, and, as a consequence, their service or worship can be nothing else than idolatry!

Covetousness may dwell in the heart, and others may not be aware of it.  For others to know it, there must be fruit to reveal it.  So long as our deeds and actions do not convict us of it, those associated with us in worship do not become defiled.  But when our business, acts, or deeds reveal the spirit which influences us, the leaven will speedily leaven the whole lump – if it is not purged out.  A professed gambler, one who makes any game of chance his business, or one who is in the habit of resorting to games of chance must be easily known to be covetous, for the tree is known by his fruit.  Certainly, then, any “ Church,” or body whose pastor or members knowingly retain a gambler in their congregation, or communion, must be a dead, idolatrous body.  All those who associate with him, in a spiritual capacity, are justly chargeable with his sins.

It has not been a long while since (nearly, if not quite) all the States in the Union tolerated or legalized money lotteries, and in some States they still exist.  Numbers of members of the popular Churches, of good standing and influence in the Church, made lottery brokerage a business, to say nothing of those who were in the habit of dealing in tickets, and seeking gain by the chances of the lottery wheel.  Even Churches, as a body, resorted to it to raise money to build houses of worship and raise funds for church purposes.

In our own and most other States, the law has interposed and put a stop to the system; but up to the time the law made the proscription, Church members were as actively engaged in the business as others.  If gambling is coveteousness, and coveteousness is idolatry, must not these popular Churches have been a body of idolaters?  I suppose there were some clergymen who labored and exerted their influence to have lotteries abolished.  In a moral point of view this was right and good, and I rejoice exceedingly, and am thankful to God that he put it into the heart of the powers to abolish so great a moral evil and fruitful source of misery and degradation.  But what is the duty of the ambassador of Christ?  Can he sit down and cry wolf only, while the wolf is tearing and devouring the lambs of Christ, until the law interposes and delivers them?  It is his duty as a porter in the house of God to see that no covetous idolater enters the temple, and if he should creep in unawares, or if he should become leavened by the enemy after he had entered, to purge the Church speedily of all such leaven, and not allow the whole body to become defiled.

Dr. Bellows, in his letter explaining the correspondence between the standing committee of the Sanitary Commission and the managers of the Metropolitan Fair, on the subject of raffling, speaks of a “rising tide of Christian sentiment.”  If the Church, by the light of her example, exerts such an influence on the moral sentiment outside of the Church as to lead men to abandon immoral practices, and thus create arising tide of moral sentiment (or if you choose, Christian sentiment), it is highly commendable and an honor to God.  But it may be questioned whether this is an expression which can be applied to the Church with propriety.  Can there be a rising tide of Christian sentiment in the Church?  There may be such in the popular or nominal Church, but can there be such in the true Christian Church?  Christian sentiment has never risen above that of the primitive Church, and it is doubtful whether it could ever sink much below it.  That spirit which makes us Christians, and reigns in a true Christian Church, is the same which wrought so effectually in the Apostolic Church, and is a spirit of truth, and will lead men into all truth.  Covetousness and gambling are not truth, and the sentiment cannot sink so low as to tolerate them, and still remain a body of Christ.  It is the Holy Spirit’s influence that makes us Christians.  It will bring us into remembrance of all that Christ has taught, and lead us into all truth.  Where then is the room for this rising tide if we already have the Holy Spirit?  And if we have not the spirit of Christ, we are none of his.

I have observed before that popular religion changes with popular opinion or sentiment.  For years – I might say centuries – this moral evil was tolerated by popular sentiment.  Popular religion also tolerated it.  No doubt numbers of the clergy saw and spoke against the evil, but so did those not professing Christianity, for the evil was so glaring that the light of nature could easily perceive it.  But still the Churches tolerated and took part in it.  I suppose it was, as Dr. Bellows said of raffling, “The objections to it had not taken so clear a form as to give any body the impression it could be abolished.”  Must the Church then tolerate evil until objections take such form in the public mind as to lead the community to abolish it?  And when evils are abolished in this way by law, or even the canon of the Church, the spirit still remains, and will exert its influence in some other form if the root is not exterminated.

My attention was attracted a few days ago by an article in a public journal on the subject of stock speculations.  The editor remarked that “much of the dealing in stock and gold, at the present day, is simply gambling, and is only a change of name of the old vice of the lottery system, which was formerly patronized even by the Churches themselves.  But, tabooed and proscribed by law, yet the same passion which then found gratification in the chances of the lottery wheel, now takes the wider range in the fluctuations of the stock and gold market.”

The popular Church, which tolerated lotteries to the last, and still later, raffling, now tolerates the same spirit in another shape.  There was no actual reform, or rising Christian sentiment.  The evil only changed form.  What is the difference between an open gambler with cards or dice, and a speculator in gold, stocks, produce, wares, or merchandise?  Neither of them renders an equivalent for what they gain.  They often cause distress and widespread ruin.  They do not “work with their hands, the thing which is good.”  Nothing but covetousness can induce men to gamble or speculate.  They produce nothing, render no service, and all they gain is taken from others.  Conscientious people may raffle, patronize lotteries, and speculate with perfect “innocence of feeling,” but does it follow that they are innocent, or that God will not hold them guilty of covetousness?

I have observed before that the Waldenses, Albigenses, and Mennonites were far in advance of the great and learned Reformers in their Christian sentiments.  I venture to assert that no one ever heard of such a thing among them as a dealer in lottery tickets, a raffler, or a speculator.  In later years, when the Church had degenerated, such things might have crept in; but they were then no longer a true, separate, non-resistant church.  Wherever such a true non-resistant church exists, wholly separated from all idolatrous worship, such things as those alluded to are utterly unknown!  In worldly wisdom, refinement, and literary attainment, these churches are usually far behind the fashionable churches; yet why is it that they should have been so far in advance in these Christian sentiments?  Evidently, because they are born of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit enlightens them, and leads and guides them into all truth.  I remember, many years ago, seeing a poor, unassuming shoemaker come into the store of a merchant, who offered him a lot of cheap shoes.  The shoemaker replied that he thought the shoes were cheap, and he expected he could make some money on them, but this was not his business, and he feared there might be danger of encouraging a spirit of avarice.  The reply of this poor, illiterate man made a deeper and more lasting impression on my mind than any learned and eloquent discourse could have done, and will remain as long as memory lasts.  I venture to say that this man would not have had any fellowship with speculators or lottery gamblers.  If he would have had any knowledge of a brother taking any part in such things, he would have addressed him personally, and, if he could not bring him to repentance, he would have told the heads of the Church, and, if they had not discharged their duty, he would (to avoid being partaker of their sins, and being leavened) have withdrawn from them, and had no dealings with them.

I mention these things to show how pliable and accommodating a thing popular religion is, and how unchangeable true religion is.  Popular sentiment may be what it will; the religion of Jesus Christ cannot change.  It is always the same.  True Christian sentiment is always the same; and with those who are possessed of this true sentiment, the objection to such evil practices as alluded to always has such form as to give the impression that it can and must be abolished.

If covetousness is idolatry, and we are to flee from idolatry and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, how can we do otherwise than withdraw ourselves from all such idolatry, and protest as loudly as we can against all such anti-Christian practices?  There is no way for us to make ourselves free from the blood of all men, except by withdrawing ourselves from all who do not walk orderly and after the tradition of the Apostles.

With regard to those societies who do not take part in the extravagances noticed in these pages, who profess non-resistance, and who denounce conformity to the world, but, as I have observed, will not entirely separate themselves from this idolatry, but still, on particular occasions, unite and worship with them, and contend against and deny the visible unity of the Church of Christ and its separation from all idolatrous worship – what can we do otherwise than class them with the great Babylonian structure from whom they will not come out?  We cannot serve two masters, and he who does not gather together, scatters abroad.  There is among the different denominations a regular grade, which, as we have already observed, may be fitly compared to a chain.  The two extremities may be far distant from each other, and their separate links not in contact with each other, yet by the intermediate links they are connected, and form one body.  What would it profit us to be attached as an extreme link; and however remote we might be from the main body, if it would sink into perdition, what could prevent us from being drawn with it into the abyss of destruction?

In conclusion: I wish the grace and blessing of God to every sincere and God-fearing reader, through Jesus Christ.  –  Amen.

[22] Paul wrote that we should “accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.”  There appear to be few, if any, disputable matters with Musser.  You must either agree with him on every point, or you must be an idolater.  And, even if you agreed on every point, you would still be an idolater because, by not belonging to his denomination, you have compromised the unity of the Church!  These points are probably Musser’s greatest shortcomings.