Robert Milligan (1814-1875), like other early figures in the Restoration Movement, was raised in denominationalism and eventually learned the truth and abandoned the churches of men. In the case of Milligan, he was raised in the Presbyterian church. His commentary on Hebrews, which was published after his death, contains a biographical sketch at the end written by J.W. McGarvey. In it, McGarvey explained how Milligan came to learn the truth and leave the Presbyterian church to become part of the Lord’s church:
“Shortly after this he prepared to enter the chosen profession of his life, that of teaching. For the sake of a milder climate he sought a situation farther south; and in 1837, when twenty-three years of age, he opened a classical school in the little village of Flat Rock, Bourbon County, Kentucky. While thus engaged he began to be puzzled by questions which his pupils propounded to him concerning the meaning of passages of Scripture, and he then realized, as he has stated, for the first time, the responsibility of those who are called on to teach others the word of God. He went to work in the fear of God, and re-examined the entire ground of his religious convictions. The result was, that by the force of the Bible alone he was compelled to change his views in some important particulars, and soon afterward he was immersed by John Irvine, an elder of the church at Cane Ridge, Kentucky, and became a member of that congregation” (A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, p. 506).
Luke noted that the Bereans were “more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Milligan examined the Scriptures – not after being taught, but after being questioned by those whom he was teaching. So he studied to see what things were so. As a result of his study of the Bible, he concluded that he needed to change. H. Leo Boles said this about Milligan:
“While teaching at Flat Rock he made a careful study of the New Testament in the original Greek. He soon found that the church to which he belonged was not authorized by the word of God. He immediately renounced it, and was baptized on March 11, 1838, by Elder John Irvin, at Cain Ridge. He did not hesitate to accept the truth, but renounced everything for which he could not find authority in the New Testament” (Biographical Sketches of Gospel Preachers, p. 171).
There are two lessons we can learn from Robert Milligan’s conversion:
- The Bible alone is sufficient to convince men of the truth. After all, it is truth (John 17:17) and has been revealed in such a way that we can understand it (Ephesians 3:4).
- We must be willing, as Milligan was, to give up any belief or practice that is contrary to the Scriptures so that everything we say and do is “in the name of the Lord” (Colossians 3:17).
Let us be content with the Scriptures, for the gospel is “the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16). If one refuses to be saved by the gospel alone, no worldly enticements will ever convert him, except to a perverted form of the gospel. On the other hand, if one will be saved by the gospel alone, it is useless and counterproductive to dilute the power of the gospel with human wisdom and the frivolous distractions of this life.
