A HOLY LIFE 6

A HOLY LIFE: the Beauty of Christianity

a treatise by John Bunyan
edited in modern English by Jon Cardwell

SECOND, THE EXTENSION OF THE EXHORTATION:
TO EVERY ONE THAT NAMES THE NAME OF CHRIST (a)

Now, I proceed, and come to the next place in extending this exhortation, namely, that it reaches to all those that name the name of Christ. “And let everyone that names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

To handle this a little, and to show you what the apostle means here by naming of the name of Christ: he does not an irreligious naming of that worthy name, nor those that name it irreligiously. This is evident because he passes by the way they name it without the slightest reproof, which he would not have done had the fault been in their way of naming of the name of Christ. Now I say, if he does not mean those that name the name of Christ irreligiously, then, though the exhortation, “let everyone,” seems to extend itself to all, and all kinds of people, that name the name of Christ in any number of ways, yet it is limited by this, namely, that rightly, religiously, or according to the way of the professors of Christ, name His worthy name. It must be taken in that way; and that for these reasons:

First, for that, as I said before, the apostle takes no notice of their manner of naming of His name, so as to reprove any indecency or unseemliness in their naming of Him; and for this reason he allows the manner of their naming of Him.

Secondly, because the apostle’s design in this exhortation was, and is, that the naming of the name of Christ might be accompanied with such a life of holiness as might put an additional luster upon that name whenever named in a religious way; but this cannot be applied to every manner of naming the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man shall name the name of Christ unduly, or irreligiously, though he won’t even bring himself to depart from iniquity, nor exercise prudence to the utmost in all civility and morality, yet he does not answer the apostle’s purpose for which he seeks by this his exhortation. For,

1. Suppose a man should name the name of Christ vainly, idly, in vain delight, depravity, false or vain swearing, or with such other behavior like that, and shall back this, his manner of naming the name of Christ, with all manner of justness and uprightness of life, would this answer the apostle’s purpose in this his exhortation? Certainly not; for this manner of naming the name is blameworthy; “You shall not take My name in vain,” or vainly make use of it: and moral goodness that accompanies naming the name of Christ will do more hurt than good (Exodus 20).

2. There is a reproachful and scandalous naming of the name of Christ, such as the Jews and Pharisees familiarized themselves with, as to call Him Jesus, the deceiver; and Christ, in a way of scorn and contempt. Nor were these men quite destitute of that which put a luster upon their opinions; for the Lord Christ himself said unto them, “You indeed appear outwardly beautiful” (Matthew 23:27).

3. There is such a naming of the name of Christ as to make it a cloak for false and dangerous errors: that men, by the use of that name, and placing it upon such errors and delusions, may better put off their errors upon others. “For many will come in My name,” namely, with their delusions, presenting them, in My name, to the world, and shall palm them off, in My name, to the destruction of the soul (Matthew 24:5). Now, can any imagine that the apostle should extend his exhortation to such men, that they, thus continuing to name the name of Christ, should depart from iniquity. To what purpose should such be comprehended in this exhortation of his? To no purpose at all: for the more an erroneous person, or a deceiver of souls, shall back his errors with a life that is morally good, the more mischievous, dangerous, and damnable is that man and his delusions; for this reason such a person is not concerned in this exhortation.

4. There is a naming of the name of Christ magically, and after the manner of exorcism, or, conjuring something up; as we read in the book of Acts: vagabond Jews, the exorcists, there say, “[We] adjure you by the Jesus, whom Paul proclaims” (Acts 19:13-15). Thus they used the name of the Lord Jesus upon them that had evil spirits. But what if these should clothe this, their devilish art and devilish way, of using or naming of the name of the Lord Jesus with a departure from iniquity, so as to commend their whole life to by-standers, for such: as is morally good: what advantage would Christ, or Paul, or the gospel, get thereby? verily none at all. Instead, it would rather damage and reproach, as will soon appear to any man’s reason, if it is considered that goodness of life, joined to badness of principles is like the devil clothed in white, or Satan transformed into an angel of light. And Paul was grieved in his spirit, when the slave girl that had a spirit of divination did acknowledge him to be the servant of the most high God, for he knew it would not further or help advance the Lord’s design, but be rather hinder it. For when witches and devils come once to commend, or make use of the name of Christ, neither Christ nor Paul likes it. Therefore Paul’s exhortation, which is presented here by the text, is not extended to any of the four sorts mentioned above, but… [to be continued in the next installment tomorrow]

[“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

“Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The King James Version is in the Public Domain.”]