Wilberforce and doctrine

Beloved,

 

William Wilberforce was a politician in England during the early 1800's who worked fervently to end slavery for over 20 years.  He was censured by Parliament because of his relentless pursuit.  It occurred to him that his arguments were of a moral, spiritual nature, and the people of England, although claiming to be Christian, really didn't know what they believed.  They were called a Christian nation without knowing what Christianity was, much like our own country.  Because of this, Wilberforce, who was not a theologian, wrote a booklet entitled, A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians, in the Middle and Higher Classes in this Country, Contrasted with Real Christianity.  In this booklet he contrasted the prevailing thought of what the people in general came to believe Christianity was, to the true reality of Christianity as revealed in the Bible and its doctrines.  He initially had printed only 500 copies as he did not know how the book would be received, but the book became so popular it went into numerous reprints and was translated into different languages.  It started a wave of revival and it was said that Wilberforce was the soul of the nation.  It also changed the spiritual atmosphere of Parliament, and with that, slavery was not only outlawed in England, but England became the most staunchest antislavery advocate in the world.

This is a brief quote from his book which I pass on to you with blessings.

 

~Al

 

 

 

SCRIPTURE DOCTRINES.

 

That "God so loved the world, as of his tender mercy to give his only Son Jesus Christ for our redemption:"

That our blessed Lord willingly left the glory of the Father, and was made man;

That "he was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:"

That "he was wounded for our transgressions; that he was bruised for our iniquities:"

That "the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all:"

That at length "he humbled himself even to the death of the Cross, for us miserable sinners; to the end that all who with hearty repentance and true faith, should come to him, might not perish, but have everlasting life:"

That he "is now at the right hand of God, making intercession" for his people:

That "being reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we may come boldly unto the throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need:"

That our Heavenly Father "will surely give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him:"

That "the Spirit of God must dwell in us;" and that "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his:"

That by this divine influence "we are to be renewed in knowledge after the image of him who created us," and "to be filled with the fruits of righteousness, to the praise of the glory of his grace;"—that "being thus made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light," we shall sleep in the Lord; and that when the last trumpet shall sound, this corruption shall put on incorruption—and that being at length perfected after his likeness, we shall be admitted into his heavenly kingdom.

These are the leading Doctrines concerning our Savior, and the Holy Spirit, which are taught in the Holy Scriptures, and held by the Church of England.

A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians, in the Middle and Higher Classes in this Country, Contrasted with Real Christianity. William Wilberforce, pg 44