All Christians Are Anti
During the present controversy relative to the institutional orphan homes and The Herald of Truth type of church cooperation, it has become very common to hear the word anti. It has been thrown about in a very reckless fashion by those who are attempting to justify the above. Quite often someone is branded an an anti or is said to be one of the antis. There seems to be some sort of stigma about the word that makes it repugnant to most people. It seems that the strongest argument (?) that can be made in behalf of these current practices is the branding of those who question such as antis. This just seems to work wonders! It answers all questions, makes scriptural the practices and soothes all consciences! If people can be persuaded that the objections to these things come from the antis, then that means to most of them that there is no need to pay any attention to them nor even consider the objections made. Along with the term anti, there are other epithets and brands used with equal weight and force; such as, hobby-rider, crank, radical, trouble-maker, church-splitter, creed-maker, and the "Guardian angels." The leaders in the defense of the benevolent societies and sponsoring church type of cooperation, have really made use of this smoke-screen defense and have employed such name calling to an advantage. In this fashion they seek to belittle and destroy both the objectors and the objections to their projects. The impression is left that we are anti everything — just born in the objective case and the kickative mood, therefore, the conclusion desired is that everyone will completely ignore everything we may say. With some this conclusion has been accepted. But thanks be to God there are thousands of others who have not fallen victims to this mind-closing and prejudicial appeal.
Is it so terrible to be an anti? Ordinarily it is not. It depends upon what one is anti. The heading of this article is: All Christians Are Anti and they definitely and positively are if they are Christians as they should be. The word anti is defined by Webster as "A person opposed to a practice, law, policy, movement or the like." There are many "practices" in the religious world to which Christians are opposed. To all those engaging in the particular practice a Christian is an anti and they would so label him. Should the Christian be ashamed of opposing wrong simply because it brings upon him this label? Should he be intimidated by such an epithet? There are "laws" made to guide people in religious matters which are contrary to the "law of Christ," and to which Christians are anti. Likewise there are religious "movements" which Christians oppose — they are anti such. Faithful Christians have through the years pressed their opposition to any and every "practice, law, policy, movement or the like" which they believed to be wrong. Because they did they have been branded as antis, hobby-riders, cranks, radicals, trouble-makers and other such things. However, this in no wise deterred them in their opposition to wrong. Behind such a defense the advocates of error have always sought to hide and protect their practices. With such they have always succeeded in closing the eyes and minds of many to the truth and thus hold them in the clutches of error.
I make no denial of the charge that I am anti many things practiced in the religious world. In fact, I would be ashamed not to be and do not believe that I could please my Lord if I was not. There are many practices, laws, policies, movements and the like to which I am violently opposed — even some within the church. I am not ashamed when someone calls me an anti. It is in this regard an honor to be thus aligned with the Lord (who was a first-class anti, radical, crank, hobby-rider and trouble-maker — take a book at His record and see if he was not so regarded!), His apostles and the faithful of God in all ages! Christians are radicals to the world. They are hobby-riders relative to their stand for the Lord's way and will. They are cranks for nothing but the truth. They are trouble-makers because of their intensive opposition to the devil and all his force. They are Guardian angels, Guardian boys, and watch-dogs in their efforts to guard, defend and uphold the gospel in all its purity and to keep the church in harmony with the Divine pattern. Let us never waver in such responsibilities. May God help us to ever be true and faithful in this regard, and may He pity us if we ever cease to be such.
There are many things in the religious world to which I am opposed; in fact, so many that it would nearly be impossible to detail them all. With reference to all such things I am an anti, and in all probability those who espouse such things would call me all the names listed above. Here are a few things to which I am anti:
Anti-sprinkling for baptism.
Anti-salvation by faith only.
Anti-salvation by grace only.
Anti-total depravity.
Anti-direct operation of the Spirit.
Anti-Pope.
Anti-dancing.
Anti-gambling.
Anti-liquor drinking.
Anti-modernism and infidelity.
Anti-lying, slander, back-biting.
Anti-Catholic Church.
Anti-denominationalism.
Anti-instrumental music in worship.
Anti-women preachers.
Anti-church associations.
Anti-church conventions.
Anti-a whole host of other things.
I am anti one congregation setting itself up as the agency through which many churches work in either evangelism or benevolence. It is not scripturally right for many churches to combine their funds (or a part thereof) and centralize the control over the use of those funds in one congregation and under one eldership as a means of cooperating in fulfilling their mission. Hence, I am anti!