The Aggressive Power of Christianity in Scattered Witness

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the Word (Acts 8:4). The aggressive power of Christianity demonstrates that the Church prospers pre-eminently through active movements. By this means she maintains spiritual life in her own soul, causes religion to flourish at home, and extends its triumphs abroad.

The truth of this doctrine flows from the first impulses of the religious principle—the spirit of love in every Christian's bosom. False religionists, both among Pagans and nominal Christians, have taught that piety was a dormant, contemplative spirit, manifested in patient endurance rather than holy action, in voluntary withdrawal from the world rather than in resolute efforts to make the world better. Yet the unsophisticated promptings of the new-born soul are always toward active effort for Elohim. This is strikingly exhibited in young converts and illustrated beautifully in Christ's earliest disciples.

Truth is the grand instrument which Yahweh employs to overthrow the kingdom of Satan and establish the kingdom of His Son. The Word of God must not only be translated into all languages of the earth, but carried to every man's door, its great truths pressed home upon every man's conscience. The fallen world maintains hostility to His character and opposition to His truth. As the Saviour sought humanity, so He requires the Church to seek sinners. She must not study her own comfort but her enlargement—making external and aggressive movements as Scripture precept demands.