The question, therefore, really is: What ought to be our attitude toward modernism? Have we exhausted every diplomatic possibility in seeking a basis of peace? Has the time come to abandon diplomacy and take to the field? I believe it has! It is no longer a question as to whether modernism shall go to war. The question is: Shall the fighting be all on one side? For modernism has openly declared war upon every fundamental of the Christian faith; and every day brings tidings of some new act of violence to the truth. How shall our attitude be determined? From whom shall we receive orders? If fight we must, in whose spirit shall we fight? Whose leadership shall we follow?

Beyond doubt, this battle must be fought in the spirit of Christ; but does that mean that error is to be permitted to proceed without opposition? Does that mean that we are to be led as a lamb to the slaughter of this new tyranny, and that in its presence we are to be like a sheep before its shearers, dumb? What was the attitude of Christ toward the false teachers of His time? Did He not make a whip of small cords and drive from the house of God those who prostituted the holy place to their own purposes? Did He not say to the preachers and teachers of His day: "But woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves…Ye blind guides! Which strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel…Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers! How can ye escape the damnation of hell?"

Furthermore, let us pause to inquire what was the apostolic attitude in post-Pentecostal days. I have already quoted to you from the twenty-third chapter of Matthew. I recommend for your inspiration a careful study of the Acts of the Apostles. The apostles were true soldiers of the Cross. They pushed the battle to the gate, and in answer to the objections of those who repudiated the authority of Jesus, "Peter and John answered and said unto the, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." And when later the opponents of the Gospel said to them: "Did we not straightly command you, that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us;" Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men."

Did the Apostle Paul, for example, preach a doubtful Gospel, or did he plead for leniency toward those who denied the faith? Let us hear him speak for himself: "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you and would prevent the gospel of Christ. But though we, or and angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again. If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? For if I persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Gal 1:6-12.)

But there is another instance recorded in the Acts of the Apostles where the Apostle Paul was seeking to win "the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man: who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God." The deputy desired to hear the word of God, as multitudes of others do; and when they do not actually desire to hear, they, at all events, need to hear it. But Elymas, the sorcerer, withstood them, "seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith." How did Paul deal with this case? Did he invite the sorcerer to meet him at the club to lunch that they might talk the matter over, that they might, if possible, find a place in the middle of the road where they could walk together? Did he address the sorcerer with honeyed phrases, assuring him of his warm personal regard? Let the Scripture itself answer: The Saul (who also is called Paul) filled with the Holy Ghost, set eyes on him. And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. Land immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at eh doctrine of the Lord." (Act 13:7-12.)

Do we not need to sit at the feet of this mighty defender of the faith to learn how to meet the errors of the time?

This is not the first time in the history of the Christian church that the devil has opposed the truth of the Gospel. This vile world has never been a friend to grace or to the doctrines of grace. Let the martyr fires witness to us of the faithfulness of those who counted the Gospel to be dearer to them than life. Furthermore, we have the most explicit teaching in the Word of God bearing upon this subject. Are we to put personal friendship before loyalty to Christ? Or are we to make Him in everything Lord?

There is a passage in the sixth chapter of 2 Corinthians which we have too long allowed the Plymouth brethren to monopolize; but the day has come when it is necessary that we should apply it to ourselves: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with and infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them; and I will be their god, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed; for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deed." (II John 9,10).