2 Timothy 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase to more ungodliness. On approaching my subject I shall premise four things: 1. I have no disposition to underrate the importance of right beliefs in religion. 2. I hold it to be the right of every man to endeavour to propagate his beliefs. 3. I recognise the value of a rightly-conducted theological controversy. 4. The controversy of which I have to speak is that of a conventional theology. By a conventional theology I mean a theology which a man has received from others, rather than reached by his own research; a theology which has been put into his memory as a class of propositions, rather than wrought out of his soul as spiritual convictions; a theology which is rather the manufacture of other men than the growth of individual reflection and experience; a theology which is more concerned about grammar than grace — symbol than sense — sign than substance. Now, such controversies, in the nature of the case, must always be marked by two features. (1) Technicality. (2) Personality. I. SUCH CONTROVERSIES DEVELOP THE MOST IMPIOUS ARROGANCY. All the arrogancy of mere worldly men pales into dimness in the glare of the arrogancy which that man displays who dares pronounce a brother heretic because he subscribes not to his own views. II. SUCH CONTROVERSIES DEVELOP THE MOST LAMENTABLE DISHONESTY. The polemic of a mere scribe theology has ever been a cheat. 1. He cheats by the representation he makes of himself. He would have his readers or hearers believe that he has reached the conclusions in debate by a thorough study for himself of the holy Book. It is false. It is a law that self-reached convictions expel dogmatism. But the polemic of a mere scribe-theology cheats also by representing himself as being inspired only in the controversy by love for truth. It is not lore for truth; it is love for his own opinions. 2. He is dishonest in his representation of his opponents, he imputes motives not felt — ideas and conclusions not held. III. SUCH CONTROVERSIES DEVELOP A MOST DISASTROUS PERVERSITY. The conventional controversialist perverts the Bible, the powers of the intellect and the zeal of the heart. IV. SUCH CONTROVERSIES DEVELOP THE MOST HEARTLESS INHUMANITY. They blind the polemic to the excellences of others. The technical theologue who looks at a brother through the medium of his own orthodoxy, will fraternise with a modern scoundrel if he is orthodox; but, like Caiaphas of old, will rend his robes with pious horror at incarnate virtue if it conform not to his own views. What inhumanities have not been perpetrated in the name of orthodoxy! What built the inquisition? What kindled the flames of martyrdom? What animated Bonner? What prompted Calvin to murder Servetus? What roused the Jewish rabbis to put the Son of God to death? The remarks made will suffice to justify the proposition that the controversies of a mere conventional theology are the most effective means of developing depravity. (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.WEB: But shun empty chatter, for they will proceed further in ungodliness, |
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