WHAT IS THE “STANCE” OF THE CONGREGATION?

That is a good question, and one especially appropriate in our day. It has been shown, time and time again, that a person baptized can grow and develop into a knowledgeable, working, and faithful child of God due, to a great extent, to the congregation wherein he has his membership. The opposite has been shown also. In fact, it is seen in the movement that some members must make, through job transfer, etc. Leave one sound and faithful congregation, and then place membership with and serve with a congregation known for “what it will tolerate,” and that child of God will change also. The individual will accept and blend in with the congregation. It depends on the congregation’s “stance.”

Be sure, a congregation will have a name, a reputation, based on its work and its “stance.” Rome was known for having a faith spoken of throughout the world (Romans 1:8). Thessalonica was known for its sounding out the word into far distant areas (1 Thessalonians 1:8). The churches of Macedonia were known for their liberal giving (2 Corinthians 8:1-5). Sardis, once having a good name, and with some of that still lingering in the minds of men, nevertheless was told by the Lord that “thou are dead” (Revelation 3:1). We recall hearing of one person saying, “This congregation is known for its love and that congregation is known for its doctrine!” That, brethren, is tragedy? Love and doctrine are combined within the system of the Lord. Jesus combined them in his statement in John 14:15.

What, by the way, wherever this is received, is the “stance” of the congregation where you are? Is the doctrine of God sounded forth powerfully and plainly, and without modification, addition, subtraction or dilution? Is the congregation a “disciplinary” one, in that sin is rebuked, and the wayward and disobedient are seen to with dispatch? Are the Bible classes known for their emphasis on the word of God, or are the classes given to playtime and waste-time? Have the elders led the congregation in taking a stand against worldliness, sectarianism and every other form of error that will weaken and finally kill the church? Is the emphasis of the congregation’s work that of preaching and teaching rather than entertainment and social work? Are those in the congregation content to abide in God’s will, rather than always having a desire for something new and appealing that they can borrow from sectarianism? Are those who stand up to preach and teach grounded in the faith, with no disposition to traipse off into liberalism, anti-ism, Crossroadism or any other “ism”? Oh yes, a congregation has a “stance”―a name―a reputation.         

Preachers can help it be known for what it is, good or bad. Elders can do the same. So can Bible class teachers. So can the members. What is entered into the eternal record books, under our names, will be those things we did/failed to do while members of the congregations where we lived. We will partake of, support, condone, and further whatever “stance” the congregation has taken. Now, the question again: How is it where you are? Are you ready to face God concerning it?

Bill Jackson

“That You May Grow Thereby”

We probably have no dearer statement in Scripture on just how Christian growth comes than I Peter 2:2: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” There is set before us (1) The Word of God, (2) The purity of it, (3) The nutrition therein, (4) The appetite that we must have for it, and (5) The growth that thus comes. It could not be plainer, and yet many have expressed our day as being the “time for church growth emphasis.” By that is meant, meet and talk about growth, but doing very little of it! Why is so little accomplished in a time of workshops, seminars, and “encounters” supposedly related to growth? One thing is certain: In such meetings, very little Bible is presented. A second thing is evident: Fun, games, “Gymnastics for Christ: “Jogging for Jesus; “Kung-Fu For the King,” (and for the aged, “Dominoes for Deity”), etc., will entertain, but will not make for church growth. If a religious body drew from all over a metropolitan area, and had 10,000 people for every service, if drawn by the fun, the social, and the entertaining; growth, as God calls growth, is still not there! Application of the Word makes for growth. In what ways should one desire to grow? (1) From being a babe to being full-grown and mature, (2) From being non-spiritual to being spiritual, (3) From having no or very little knowledge to really possessing a fine Bible knowledge, and (4) From being one of little or no discernment to having great discerning skill. There is no way on earth to achieve this apart from a continual study of the Word of God!

A good portion of the problems to come upon the church in all of her history has been from those with little knowledge or discernment, grabbing a point of truth or a half-truth, and then rushing forward to divide the body of Christ; yea, desiring to be teachers, but understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm (I Timothy 1:7). When all is said and done, our need is to grow—to grow in keeping with what the Lord said about growth, and really, that is the one protection we have, if we do not grow, we will always be “fair game” for those out to damage our souls!

Bill Jackson

A Good Rule

Everybody needs a rule to work by, and here is a good one: The whole church, and the furtherance of Truth, is more important than one man, or a few, and more important than one congregation or a few. The Word is to be preached (II Timothy 4:2), and ALL OF IT (Acts 20:27), and in a spirit of love of Truth (II Thessalonians 2:10) and hatred for all false ways (Psalm 119:104, 128). To “let error pass” is to declare that one cares nothing for Truth, cares nothing for the souls of men, and cares not if souls are lost. No man calling himself a Gospel preacher can afford to be in that position. And, he cannot allow himself to be compromised in spirit and heart that some man or some men stand between himself and the Truth! Our speaking and writing brethren, around the world, need to take this lesson most seriously!

Bill Jackson

3,000 BAPTIZED!! WHY WAS IT NEVER MENTIONED AGAIN?

“...the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:42)

We all know the church has entered the age of promotionalism – the age of drum-beating. We constantly hear of THE BEST, THE MOST, THE BIGGEST, THE GREATEST: any triumph in one congregation gets the publicity experts at work to try and top that in some other congregation. The trumpets sound when some activity is successful.

We’ve said that to call attention to the fact that this very atmosphere is foreign to the New Testament. In the text cited above, we find that about 3,000 were baptized on the day of Pentecost. The interesting thing about this is: it never was mentioned again in God’s Word! Never once! We wonder why! We have the rest of Acts, twenty one other letters, and we have seven different congregations addressed in the book of Revelation, and never once did any of the inspired writers ask, “Why can’t 3,000 more be baptized like they had on Pentecost?” It wasn’t that many years and many congregations were yet covered in the New Testament, for the events of Acts 2 take place in the very FIRST congregation. It wasn’t that no apostle knew of the events of that day, for twelve apostles were there at the time. It wasn’t that the apostles didn’t want the church to grow. It wasn’t that they weren’t interested in baptisms, for the Great Commission put them into that business (Mark 16:15-16).

Again we wonder: why wasn’t the success in Acts 2 mentioned in each and every epistle? Why didn’t the inspired writers take advantage of this whooping it up before all other congregations? Now, notice that this fits in with the low-profile given to programs and successes in the entire New Testament. While every letter deals with the importance of study, growth, increasing in godly attributes, and the need for improvement in every spiritual area, very little in the way of publicity is given to actual circumstances of sums and numbers, and certainly not in any way to “beat the drums” before the brotherhood. We do not believe the early church wanted second-rate performance, but we note they also didn’t whoop and yell about BIGGEST, GREATEST, LARGEST, TREMENDOUS...they didn’t even mention that they had 3,000 to be baptized on Pentecost! We can learn something from this in the age of the promotional, sensational, and publicity!

Bill Jackson

1929-1991

The Modern-Day Diotrephes

Diotrephes! As Judas brings to our minds a picture of betrayal, and as Jezebel brings to our minds the worst in female unpleasantness and ungodliness, so the name of this man brings to our minds a pride and arrogance that should never be in God's kingdom. We find this record of the man:

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteththem out of the church (III John 9-10). 

Our purpose now is to examine that passage, and to note the qualitiesabout this prideful man, and then to note how these same characteristicscan be found in the church today. The purpose is that all of us might be thus warned, and then let each and every one keep himself pure (I Timothy 5:22).

The behavior of a Diotrephes is (1) First, in ATTITUDE. Note that John states that he loved the preeminence. Jesus is to be the preeminentone (Colossians 1:18), and one has a real character flaw if he desires a higher place than God gave him. Love of preeminence is seen in thebehavior of the hypocrites in Judiasm (Matthew 6:1-18). It is animproper motive for one desiring any work in the church, and is contraryto the Will of God in any event. Diotrephes first had a problem with humility.

(2) Then, IMPROPER USE OF THE TONGUE. John states that Diotrephes was “prating against us.” That is, overflowing with talk, and the apostle states, “malicious words” at that! The arrogance of man is seen in his speaking against the apostles and those in company with the apostles. The greater portion of the inspired New Testament message is borne to us through the work of the apostles. To “receive them” is to receive the Christ (Matthew 10:40). Their words were the words of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 2:13). It is a lack-of-humility and an arrogance “gone to seed” when anyone becomes so big that they stand against inspired apostles!

(3) Further, this man stands TO FORBID OTHERS IN RIGHT DOING. John states that he would not receive the brethren, but forbad those who were doing so! His is a voice and an “authority” in the kingdom that God has given to none! Some have speculated that Diotrephes was an elder in the church, that we cannot say, but no matter, for his behavior was sinful and all the more repugnant if he had entered into the leadership. Anyone in the kingdom, regardless of their particular work, is first of all God’s SERVANT, and has been shown by the Lord that service to others is true greatness (Matthew 20:26).

(4) The last picture of Diotrephes is that of CASTING MEN OUT OF THE CHURCH! A standing against the apostles, and those who would fellowship the apostles, so as to bar acceptance in the kingdom to those who dared oppose him. The Lord adds to the church (Acts 2:47), and it is not the function of any of us to “cast men out.” Men may, due to persistence in impenitent sinfulness, be disfellowshiped, but their sins have removed them from fellowship. They were not “cast out”at the whim and fancy of some arrogant church “leader.”

It is significant that the record of Diotrephes follows the plea by John that we all should be “helpers to the truth” (v. 8). Helpers, not hinderers; helpers, not stumbling blocks. Diotrephes was working contrary to Truth, and therefore against the Truth. We note also that the record of Diotrephes is followed by the admonition to follow the good, and not the evil (v. 11). Diotrephes needed that advice, just as he needed to follow the example of Demetrius (v. 12), who seemed to be his opposite in terms of life and character.

We can avoid having modern-day Diotrephes’ among us when we all remember that: (1) Greatness in God’s sight is in humility, (2) that we, as servants, must always be open to the apostolic message, (3) that preeminence is given to the Christ, (4) that our influence on others should be to lead them toward spirituality, (5) and that none of us hasauthority to cast men from the kingdom. An elder who would be a Diotrephes is unworthy of the office. A man desiring to be an elder who longs for preeminence is unqualified for the office. A person not an elder should not be allowed by those of us in the kingdom ever to achieve the preeminence Diotrephes had! Let us, in looking into III John, seek to be a modern-day Demetrius rather than a modern-day Diotrephes!

Bill Jackson

A Good Working Rule

Everybody needs a rule to work by, and here is a good one: The whole church— and the furtherance of Truth—is more important than one man or a few, and more important than one  congregation or a few. We are to preach the Word (II Timothy 4:2) and all of it (Acts 20:27), and in a spirit of love of Truth (II Thessalonians 2:10) and hatred for all false ways (Psalms 119:104, 128).    

To “let error pass” is to declare that one cares nothing for Truth, cares nothing for the souls of men, and cares not if souls are lost. No man calling himself a Gospel preacher can afford to be in that position. And, he cannot allow himself to be compromised in spirit and heart by letting some man or men stand between himself and the Truth. Our speaking and writing brethren around the world need to take these matters most seriously.

Bill Jackson

The Silence of the Scriptures

Surely one of the most effective, and most scriptural, arguments the  saints have made down through the years is that of the authority of the SILENCE of the scriptures. In hundreds of debates with proponents of  every kind of error, audiences were shown that when God legislates in a  certain area, making clear his requirements, then man has no authority  to go beyond that, adding similar or like things to what God has  specified. We have correctly used the gopher wood, the pitch, the  dimensions of the ark in the case of Noah (Genesis 6), and we have  used the fruit of the vine and the bread on the Lord’s table (Matthew  26:26-28) on the same point.  

Of late, men are stating that there can be no argument based on “the  silence of the scriptures.” As one recently put it, “Man is free to do any  and every thing that God has not specifically forbidden.” And one other  man, in the kingdom, said that “any matter falling within the silence of the  scriptures should be treated as options, based on the rule of Romans  14.” In correspondence with one in another state, and when the matter of  dancing in worship was brought up, and our having no specific  condemnation in the New Testament of such, his answer was that if the  congregation’s elders gave approval, and if they then could see some benefit to be gained, it would be proper! Thus, the end to which one will  be taken if he feels there can be no legitimate argument based on the  SILENCE OF THE SCRIPTURES!  

We know the argument we now are supporting is a legitimate one, for we  find it used in the Word! In Hebrews 7, as the writer speaks of the  priesthood of Christ under the New Testament, he states that there has  been a change of the law, thus necessitating a change in the priesthood  (v. 12). He speaks of our Lord coming from the tribe of Judah (v. 14), and  in making then the point that the Lord could not be a priest if the law of  Moses were still in effect, the writer states, “…of which tribe Moses  spake nothing concerning priesthood.”  

Thus, the argument is made that Jesus could not be a priest under the  Old Testament law, because THE SCRIPTURES SAID NOTHING about  one of Judah being a priest! Let us, as we continue to stress Biblical  authority, and the right handling of the Word (II Timothy 2:15), also  continually stress the SILENCE OF THE SCRIPTURES!

Bill Jackson