WG-05-6. THE GOSPEL OF SELF

6. THE GOSPEL OF SELF THE inducement which impelled the woman and the man to commit the forbidden act was the desire for self-improvement. The promise was that they should become God-like. As we look within and around us we cannot fail to perceive that this inducement is still held out as the great incentive to mankind. The Gospel of Self, and particularly of self-improvement, is vigorously promulgated, not only by the leaders of the world-movements who make no religious pro­fessions, but even by “eminent divines.” Improve yourself, strive ever upward and onward, make something of yourself, rise to your highest possibilities, get knowledge, be as gods! Is not this the burden of the exhortations that are incessantly sounded in the ears of men?

Philosophy takes note of the liability of repetition of an act once committed, and of the effect of re­petition in the formation of habit. What more plausible or satisfactory explanation can we have of this fixed habit of devotion to self-improvement than that given us in the Bible—namely, that it is traced directly back through innumerable repeti­tions to an act committed at such an early and plastic stage of the race as to influence its entire development?

Put against this the equally striking fact that the Bible is the only Book which directly opposes this gospel of self-knowledge and self-improvement, and we have data from which a mind not impaired by the effect of sin could conclusively deduce the Divine authorship of the Bible. Even if uninspired men could conceivably produce a collection of writings containing a central teaching so radically opposed to the deepest-rooted human tendencies, it would yet require an exercise of almighty power to give that Book an influence exceeding that of all other books combined!

Whence, then, came this gospel of self, which is in such direct opposition to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? The existence of the gospel of self-im­provement is a fact, and it is the province of phil­osophy to account for that fact. But again, we have not here a choice between several explanations, any one of which may be the true one. Either that gospel was delivered to the human race in the persons of its parents, or we know nothing about its origin. And does not the Divine origin of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ appear from its direct opposition to the gospel of the natural man? The teaching of our Lord is to deny self (Mat 16:24; Luk 9:23), instead of exalting or improving self; not to be as gods, or even “to make a man of oneself,” but to “become as little children” (Mat 18:3). He teaches, not self-reliance, but self- distrust, and reliance solely upon God. According to His instruction, we are not to develop our faculties to the utmost, but to mortify the members which are on the earth (Col 3:5). His witness is ever willing to say “I must decrease” (John 3:30), even to the very extinction of self, until he can joyfully exclaim, “Not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Gal 2:20).

Just as was done in Eden, this gospel of self- improvement has been proclaimed throughout the ages, and is to-day proclaimed in the name of God Himself, and by those who profess to speak as His Apostles. Of all this we have been duly warned: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works” (2Co 11:13-15). The world is peopled today by worshippers of the “progress” and “destiny” of humanity—a progress which is effected, and a destiny which is to be achieved, through the very means com­mended by Satan to our first parents. Even those who try to live according to the Word of God are not free from the disposition to give praise and glory to man for his wonderful achievements, and for the supposed success which has attended his strivings after progress in the direction chosen by the first man at the instigation of Satan. As we contemplate the complex world-system which has resulted from the zealous pursuit, con­tinued throughout the period of six thousand years, of the Satanic doctrine of self-improvement by the acquisition of knowledge, do we wonder that here and there a voice is raised in appeal for the “simple life”? And, as has been well said: “What is the simple life but to follow Christ?" The true man of God has always been the man of the tent and the altar. He has no part or interest in the multitudinous affairs, pursuits, interests, and pleasures of the world-system. His citizenship is in heaven, and he looks ever ahead to a city that hath foundations, whose Maker and Builder is God. And the only Perfect Man who has yet trodden this earth is One who in this world-scheme had not even where to lay His head. He was cut off and had nothing (Dan 9:26, R.V.); and on the other hand, He could say, “The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me” (John 14:30). The prince of this world had nothing in Him, and He was cut off and had nothing in that world- system whereof Satan is prince. They that are His are content to be like Him in “this present evil world” from which He came to deliver them (Gal 1:4).