William Nevins, part 19: The Conversion of the Church
The conversion of the church might sound like a contradiction in terms. Isn’t the church made up of people who have been converted from a life of sin and set apart to a life of good works? Nevins uses this thought-provoking title to cause us to listen. It is really the renewal and revival of the church that he is after. Surely, in some cases there are individuals within churches who have not yet experienced a spiritual new birth (John 3). But Nevins was observing a great deficiency in the churches of his day, and his words speak directly to the churches of our day. He asks, would the Apostle John address our churches as made up of “little children”? He in no way is downplaying the need to earnestly contend for the faith—he makes this fully clear. But he does emphasize that Christians are to be known as those who speak the truth in love. There are two extremes for a church or an individual. One is to be so “loving” that truth is never spoken—this is not truly love, for love compels us to speak what is true. The other is to speak truth without love—but this is to misrepresent truth, for Jesus embodied both truth and love.
We hear a great deal now-a-days about the conversion of the world. It is in almost every Christian's mouth; and we cannot be too familiar with the phrase — we cannot be too diligent to promote the thing. It ought to have our daily thoughts, prayers, and efforts. It deserves our hearts. It is the great object of Christianity. But there is another community besides the world, which I think needs to undergo a measure of the same process that the world so much needs. It is the church. While the conversion of the world is made so prominent, I think we ought not to overlook the conversion of the church, especially since this comes first in order.
Every thing, we know, begins at the house of God, both in judgment and mercy (1 Peter 4:17). But what do I mean by the conversion of the church? Is not the church converted already? Suppose I admit that; may she not need a new conversion? Regeneration is but once, but conversion may be many times. Peter had been converted when Christ said to him, “and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren." There is no doubt the church might be converted again, and that without any injury to her.
But why do I think the church needs conversion? I might give several reasons, but I will assign only one. It is founded on Matthew 18:3: “Except you be converted, and become as little children.'' Here we see the effect of conversion is to make the subjects of it as little children, and hence St. John addresses the early Christians as little children. Now my reason for thinking the church needs conversion is, that there does not seem to be much of the little child about the church of the present day. There is a great deal more of “the old man" about it, I am afraid. I think if John were living now, he would not be apt to address the members of the church generally as “little children." No indeed. I question whether, if he were even addressing an assembly of the ministers and officers of many of our churches, he would not be apt to apply other terms than “little children" as a preface to his exhortation “love one another," which I am sure he would not forget.
Little children are humble, but humility is not a remarkable characteristic of the church of the present day. I don't think the scholars of either of the schools have got the lesson of lowliness very perfectly from their Master. I fear, if the Master were to come in upon us now, he would be likely to chide many in both the schools. Why two schools? There is but one Master. [He is referring to a growing divide between “Old School” and “New School” Presbyterianism. As has happened many times in history, two groups of thought developed over how to respond to changes in society. Many lessons can be learned from this strain that would be thoroughly timely for the church in our day. We have neither time nor space to pursue this issue here.]
How confiding little children are, and how ready to believe on the bare word of one in whom they have reason to feel confidence, and especially if he be a father! But not so the church. “Thus saith the Lord" does not satisfy her sons now. They must have better reasons for believing than that. They must hear first what he has to say, and then see if they can get a confirmation of it from any quarter before they will believe it. How unceremoniously many of these children treat some of the things which their Father very clearly says, because they do not strike them as in accordance with reason, justice, or common sense!
How docile the little child is! Mary, who “sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word," was such a child. Never a why or a how asked she of him. I cannot say so much for the church of our day. Simplicity also characterizes little children. How open and artless they are — how free from guile. Such was Nathanael (John 1:47). Whether this trait of character be conspicuous in the church now, let the reader say.
Little children are moreover characterized by love, and their charity “thinks no evil." How unsuspicious they are! But too much of the charity of the present day, so far from thinking no evil, thinks no good. It suspects every body. It “hopes" nothing. Indeed love, and her sister peace, which used to lead the graces, are become as wall-flowers with many; into such neglect they have fallen. They seem to be quite out of the question with many. Some good men appear to think that contending for the faith is the end of the commandment and the fulfilling of the law. But it is not. It is a duty, an important duty — one too little regarded by many — one never to be sneered at as by some it is. I acknowledge some treat it as if it were nothing. I only say it is not everything. There is walking in love, and following peace, which, as well as contending for the faith, are unrepealed laws of Christ's house. I believe they can all be done, and that each is best done when the others are not neglected. I am sure truth never lost any thing by being spoken in love. I am of opinion that a principal reason why we are not more of one mind, is that we are not more of one heart. How soon they who feel heart to heart, begin to see eye to eye! The way to think alike is first to feel alike; and if the feeling be love, the thought will be truth. I wish, therefore, for the sake of sound doctrine, that the brethren could love one another. What if we see error in each other to condemn, can we not find any thing amiable to love? I would the experiment might be made. Let us not cease to contend for the faith — not merely for its own sake, but for love's sake, because “faith works by love." But, in the conflict, let us be careful to shield love. It is a victory for truth scarcely worth gaining, if charity be left bleeding on the field of battle.
You see why I think the church needs converting. It is to bring her back to humility, and simplicity, and love. I wish she would attend to this matter. She need not relax her efforts for the world. She has time enough to turn a few reflex acts on herself. The object of the church is to make the world like herself. But let her in the meantime make herself more like what the world ought to be. It is scarcely desirable that the world should be as the church in general now is. Let her become a better model for the world's imitation. Her voice is heard for Christ; but let her “hold forth the word of life" in her conduct, as well as by her voice. Let her light shine. Let her good works be manifest. Let her heaven-breathed spirit breathe abroad the same spirit.
The work of the conversion of the world goes on slowly; but it makes as much progress as the work of the conversion of the church does. No more sinners are converted, because no more Christians are converted. The world will continue to lie in wickedness, while “the ways of Zion mourn" as they do. Does any one wonder that iniquity abounds, when the love of so many has waxed cold? We are sending the light of truth abroad, when we have but little of the warmth of love at home.
We are often asked what we are doing for the conversion of the world. We ought to be doing a great deal — all we can. But I would ask, what are we doing for the conversion of the church? What to promote holiness nearer home, among our fellow Christians and in our own hearts? Let us not forget the world, but at the same time let us remember Zion.
