Progymnasmata

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Omnibus 3
Christianity and Liberalism
Session IV
I. Panegyric

J. Gresham Machen was an American Presbyterian New Testament scholar and educator
in the early 20th century. he was a man of many talents. He performed so well in school
that he gained a scholarship to university. Machen was a brilliant scholar and in 1901
was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society after graduation. This shows us that he was a
brilliant man and in addition to this he was also well educated on the Bible and the
topics that are found in the Bible. This made him able to rightly interpret and speak
about the things found in the Bible.

II. Paraphrastic

The whole Bible is filled from beginning to end with events and actions which show the
difference which exists between God and man. It shows us how man is sinful and cannot
in and of himself do good and on the other hand, it shows us that God is perfect and
incapable of sinning. This fundamental difference is wonderful as it shows us that we
serve an almighty perfect God. However, on the other hand, it is terrifying as it reveals
to us the difference between God and man which is too vast to sufficiently describe in
words.

III. From the Cause

J. Gresham Machen wrote down these wise words in light of the subtle streak of
liberalism that was slowly invading the Church and turning it from the Biblical teaching
that it was proclaiming and turning it into a sinful trap for many people. Machen wrote
his whole book called, Christianity and Liberalism showing how liberalism was not a
correct view of Christianity and how it was slowly making the Church stray away from
the true faith. This was the cause for Machen to write down these wise words.

IV. From the Contrary

If the opposite of the saying, “From beginning to end the Bible is concerned to set forth
the awful gulf that separates the creature from the Creator,” were true then it would
mean that there was no separation between God who is the creator, and the man who is
the creation. This would mean that we worship a God who is the same as us. Essentially
it implies that God can sin just like us or that we could be perfect and holy just like God.
The opposite of this statement implies that God isn’t God. Because we can be just like
him, there would be nothing separating us from Him.

V. Analogy

A good analogy for this saying is found in the Bible. Isaiah 64:8 says, “But now, O Lord,
you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your
hand.” This analogy shows us that there is a waste separation between the creator and
creation. Imagine if a man were to sculpt a little clay figure. Would that clay figure be
equal to the man, of course not! Therefore it only makes sense that there exists a
separation between God and man. Because man is the creation and God is the creator.
VI. Example

A perfect example of what happens to man when he tries to be like God and put tries to
make himself God’s equal is found in Genesis 11. In this chapter, we read about the
Tower of Babel. In this story, men tried to put themselves in a position equal to God.
They even disregarded His commandments for them to separate from each other and
cover the face of the earth. God justly punished them for this by confusing their speech
and giving each person a unique language. This shows us what happens when men try to
bridge the gap between God and man by their means.

VII. Testimony of the Ancients

One of the wisest men who ever lived even attested to this saying. This man was called
Paul. He said in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
This shows us that even Paul saw that there was a separation between man and God
that no effort on the part of man alone could bridge. Paul was not the only man to attest
to this throughout the Bible we can see that not only men but also God shows men that
there is a separation between God and man.

VIII. Epilogue

In summary of these points that we have briefly looked at. We must acknowledge that
there is a separation between man and God which nothing but the divine grace of God
can build a bridge across. We must always remember that God is the potter and we are
the clay. He is the creator and we are the clay. This is what J. Gresham Machen meant
when he said, “ From beginning to end the Bible is concerned to set forth the awful gulf
that separates the creature from the Creator.”