The Christian Professor

A profession of Christianity is the most solemn engagement on earth, and he who makes it, is either one of the best or one of the worst members of society. Much then does it behoove all who call themselves by the name of Christ, to inquire with the deepest concern, whether they are sufficiently aware of the nature and obligations of the act which they performed, when by entering into fellowship with the church of God, they publicly said, "I am a Christian." Being apprehensive that there is much ignorance on this subject, and much neglect even where there is not ignorance, I most earnestly entreat the serious and prayerful attention of all professors who may read these pages to what may now be stated, as to a matter personally and individually applicable to them.

To "profess" means "to declare publicly and solemnly something that we believe, or that we intend to do so," that a "profession" of Christianity signifies, a public, solemn and emphatic declaration that we believe the truths and submit to the obligations of Christianity. The translators of the Scriptures have given in our English version, two renderings of the same original word, sometimes construing it profession, and sometimes confession. In this they have conformed to a difference which modern use has established, and by which profession means, the declaration of our religious faith in the ordinary and tranquil circumstances of the Christian Church, without any reference to persecution; while confession means the avowal of our belief, in times of danger, and before persecuting rulers. A confessor is synonymous with a martyr—while a professor means simply a person publicly declaring himself a Christian. Still, however, it must be admitted that as there is no difference in the original Scriptures, so there is none in reality; for he who makes a profession of religion declares, if he be sincere, his intention to seal his testimony, if required to do so, with his blood.

It may not be amiss to present the reader with some of those passages of holy writ in which the two words are employed. Speaking to Timothy, the apostle Paul tells him that he had "professed a good profession before many witnesses." 1 Tim. 6:12. This refers to the declaration of his faith before the Church—while in the text verse he is said to have witnessed or testified a good confession before Pontius Pilate. Jesus Christ is called "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession." Heb 3:1.; and in Heb. 4:14, it is said, "Seeing we have a great High Priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." The passages in which the other term is used are still more numerous; only a few of which need be given. "Whosoever," said Christ, "shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10:32. "If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved—for with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Rom. 10:10, 11. "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God." 1 John 4:15.

Let us now consider,

1. WHAT the Christian profession includes.

It is a public, solemn, and emphatic declaration to this effect, "I am a Christian; I wish to be considered one; and I mean to live as one." Or, to use the comprehensive language of Christ, it is confessing HIM before men. It is important to remark, that whatever be its import, it has special and explicit reference to Christ; it is not a declaration of belief merely in the existence, attributes, and purposes of God, as the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of the universe; an avowal of Theism, as opposed to idolatry—no, it is a profession of CHRIST! Whoever, said our Lord, shall confess ME, I will confess him. Whoever, repeats the Apostle, "shall confess that he is raised from the dead shall be saved. To him every tongue shall confess." This is both instructive and impressive, and contains a strong presumptive proof of his true and proper divinity.

The Christian church is a collection of witnesses for Christ; a public embodied testimony to Christ—a spiritual temple, bearing on its lofty front the inscription "TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST." Everything under the New Covenant refers to HIM; the Sabbath is to honor HIM, it is the Lord's day; the Lord's table is to commemorate HIM; the Christian profession is to testify of HIM—so that if Christ is not divine, we are under a dispensation which seems to shut God out. If Christ is not divine, worship and obligations are diverted from God, and directed to a mere creature. There was nothing like this under the Old Covenant. Moses was but a servant of the house under that economy, and is not held up as receiving the honor of a proprietor; but Christ is a Son over his own house. This is our profession—that we are Christ's.

But what is it concerning CHRIST that we declare when we make a profession of him? We profess to believe in him and receive him as the Son of God, and the Savior of the world, divinely appointed by the Father as the Word who was in the beginning with God and was God, to be the great PROPHET by whom is made known to man the nature of Jehovah and his purpose of redeeming mercy towards our fallen race; and that with docility and meekness we receive all his doctrines, whether declared by his own personal ministry on earth, or by his inspired apostles, however mysterious their nature, or humbling their tendency.

We profess that we are convinced of sin as transgressors of the law of God, that we repent of our manifold and aggravated transgressions; that God will be just in our destruction; and that hating and forsaking iniquities, we mean to live a righteous and holy life.

We profess that as sinners lost and condemned, not only by the fall of Adam, but by our own actual transgressions—we truly believe in him and thankfully receive him as the divinely appointed PRIEST and sacrifice for sin, and that we rest exclusively upon the infinite merit of his obedience unto death for our justification, together with all the blessings of grace here, and glory hereafter; and that through faith in him we have received a present salvation, and do really hope for an eternal salvation.

We profess that we cordially receive Christ and cheerfully submit to him as our KING, Lawgiver, and Judge—who has promulgated his Laws in the New Testament, and who requires an unhesitating, unreserved, willing, affectionate and uninterrupted submission to his authority; however self-denying that submission may sometimes be as regards our ease, wealth and worldly esteem. We acknowledge his right to rule over the body, with all its senses, organs, members, and appetites; and the soul, with all its varied and noble faculties. We declare that the rigid, refined, solemn morality of the sermon on the Mount, and the law of brotherly love laid down in the epistle to the Corinthians, are and shall be the rule of our conduct; and that as Christ has enjoined it, we will, by God's help, follow whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. And also since he has instituted various ordinances of religion for his own glory, and our benefit, such as the Sabbath, the sacraments and other public services—we will punctually, and seriously, and constantly observe them.

"Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession." Heb 3:1. We profess that we receive Christ as our pattern and example, and that we are determined, as God shall assist us, to conform ourselves to him in our spirit, temper, and conduct; that we will strive to come, as near as our circumstances will allow, to Him, who was so dead to this world, that he renounced wealth, rank, ease, fame. Jesus was so holy that he could appeal to the most malignant of his foes for the sinless purity of his conduct. Jesus was so submissive to the divine will, that he drank the deepest, fullest, bitterest cup of human woe, without a murmur. Jesus was so meek and lowly, as to bear the greatest injuries and insults with unruffled serenity and peacefulness. Jesus was so full of benevolence, as to pray for his foes, to die for them, and save them. Yes, we say to the world, "Look at Jesus of Nazareth in his holy and beneficent life, or in his ignominious and agonizing death—see him whose whole character was a compound of purity and love—and there is our model."

We profess to receive his cause and kingdom in the world, as ours; to identify ourselves with true religion, and to unite our hearts with the church as the most important community on earth; we avow that whatever relative and temporal importance may attach to the cause of literature, science, liberty, commerce, yet the salvation of immortal souls is the most momentous interest in the universe, and that our time, influence, talents and property, are at Christ's command, to promote this object.

We profess that we have received Christ as the scope and end of our very existence; that we have ceased to live for wealth, ease, or reputation, as the supreme object of pursuit; that for us to live is Christ; and that so long as he is honored by us, it is of secondary consequence in what situation or circumstances he may place us for this purpose.

We profess to be looking for Christ's universal spiritual reign and second coming to manifest himself to his church and to judge the world, as the supreme object of our joyful hope; and compared with which, all the greatest changes and most glorious revolutions that are...