WHERE DOES THE CONGREGATION STAND?

TAKING SOUND GOSPEL PREACHING FOR GRANTED

Sometimes those of us who have been privileged to routinely hear sound gospel preaching come to take it for granted. To those who have had the “other kind” of preaching, the plain unvarnished truth boldly proclaimed and defended is a cool, uplifting, and refreshing draft of essential spiritual nourishment. I assure you that is not what many churches that continue to have church of Christ “above the door” are hearing. Many of the churches that are not openly promoting false doctrines, refrain from dealing with the first principles and fundamentals of Christianity that set the church of our Lord far apart from denominational sectarian churches founded and sustained on the commandments and doctrines of men.

“AS THE PULPIT GOES . . .”

Someone has well said that “as the pulpit goes, so goes the church.” I may also add that “as the eldership goes, so goes the pulpit.” But, that is not the end to “what and when” and “where they go.” If the church members do not respect Bible authority in all things (Colossians 3:17; II Timothy 3:16-17; 2:15; Hebrews 4:12; Luke 8:11,15; Ephesians 6:17; James 1:25; John 12:48), they will not tolerate scriptural elders who superintend the church according to God’s will. Such a rebellious church will raise up elders who are “men pleasers.” When this happens and is not corrected, gone is “the faithful spiritual neighborhood that is the church.”

A FABLE LOVING AND FORGETFUL PEOPLE

As noted, one of the first things to go when such rebellion permeates the bride of Christ is the faithful courageous gospel preacher. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (II Timothy 4:3-4).

Indeed, today we are in the midst of a “fable” loving people. Furthermore, we are living among “forgetful” people. As good Jeremiah declared of apostate fleshly Israel, so it is with spiritual Israel, the church. “Can a maid forget her ornaments or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number” (Jeremiah 2:32). Because so many in the church love “fables,” they have replaced the truth of the gospel with them. In general brethren have forgotten that…:

  1. “God is not man that he should lie” (Numbers 23:19);
  2. To rebellious man “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31);
  3. “God is not mocked” (Galatians 6:7)―man shall reap what he sows.
  4. “The conclusion of the whole matter…” for man “is to fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13);
  5. The love of God always manifests itself in faithful obedience to God’s commandments (John 14:15; I John 2:5; 5:3).
  6. Christ saves only those who obey him (John 14:6; Hebrews 5:9; Romans 6:3-4; 17-18; Acts 10:48);
  7. There is only one plan of salvation (Romans 10:17; Acts 17:30; Romans 10:10; Acts 22:16);
  8. There is only one church acceptable to God and she contains all those who are saved by Christ (Acts 2:38; 47; Ephesians 4:4; 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; 5:25-27).
  9. The Lord’s church exists any time and any where men will obey the gospel and “continue stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Mark 16:15; Romans 1:16; Acts 2:42).
  10. The church of Christ is not a denomination; that is, she is not a part of the whole church, but she is the whole church or realm of the saved (Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23);
  11. The kingdom of Christ and the church of Christ are one and the same institution (Matthew 16:18-19; Mark 9:1; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; 2:4, 41-42, 47; Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9; II Corinthians 15:24-28).                                                                         

WE MUST PREACH THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD

While there are other marks of identity of the Lord’s church found on the pages of the New Testament, the above are sufficient to set forth those gospel truths that are not being taught by certain brethren. Yet, to be a faithful gospel preacher one must, with the apostle Paul, be able to declare: “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).~

with a question. “Why do ye transgress the commandment omind. It was the commandment having to do with honoring father and mother (Matthew 15:4). But how were they reacting to this word?

David P. Brown

Victory in Christ

God's Word clearly teaches that each one of us can triumph over Satan and his snares. However, even those who understand and believe this sometimes err greatly in their conception of the means by which the victory will be accomplished.

Let us notice some ways in which it will not be accomplished. We will not overcome Satan and evil by carnal, fleshly, or material means. We are indeed engaged in a war, but not one with physical/material weapons (II Corinthians 10:3–4). Our struggle is a spiritual one, originating with invisible, yet very real, forces (Ephesians 6:12). As Christian “soldiers” we are commanded to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might” (6:10). Be strong is in the passive voice (literally, “be made strong”), implying submission to the avenues of spiritual strength the Lord has provided. Our strength does not come through some direct profusion of Holy Spirit power enabling us to resist temptation, understand His written Word, and be victorious in our personal spiritual struggles. Rather, the Lord provides us with all of the “weapons” and resources we need through His inspired Word (Ephesians 6:13–17; II Tim. 3:16–17).

Selfishness causes casualties among rank and file Christian soldiers, resulting in simple neglect of spiritual duty on the one hand and/or rebellion toward His authority on the other. This self-will often manifests itself by opposing those who faithfully preach God's Word. Many saints are not as wise or as spiritually mature as were those sinners in Thessalonica who became saints. When they heard the Gospel, they “…accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God…” (I Thessalonians 2:13). Tragically, many who would like to be known as “soldiers of the cross” accept the Word of God as if it were the words of men, despising its authority if it in any way reproves them. Often such seek to silence the messengers who faithfully deliver that message of Truth.

Note that spiritual strength is “in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10), as opposed to “outside” the Lord. In the Lord or its equivalent appears several times in the New Testament. This phrase indicates fellowship with Christ, attained by coming into the spiritual sphere where the Lord and salvation are. It is equal to being in the church/kingdom/body of Christ and to being saved, redeemed by the blood of Christ. Outside of Christ and His church, men deprive themselves of spiritual strength sufficient for their struggles with Satan. Regardless of how sincere, pious, or morally good one outside of Christ may be, salvation and spiritual strength are found only in Christ. Our labor avails “in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58). Two passages tell us plainly that baptism in water is the point at which the sinner enters into Christ (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27).

Further, our hope of victory is not in the devices and inventions of men, but “in the Lord.” “…The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh… (II Corinthians 10:4), either in the sense of physical military weapons or the philosophies, reasonings, and gimmicks of men, “…for our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, …but against the spiritual hosts of wickedness… (Ephesians 6:12). If we overcome Satan, it will be through reliance upon the Lord's way, not the ways of men.

Dub McClish

IN ONE GENERATION

Joshua’s days were glorious ones. He was a minister to Moses, servant to God, captain of the host of Israel and conqueror of Canaan. The people were faithful during his time (Judges. 2:7).  Then there arose an unfaithful generation (Judges. 2:10).  Things can change very quickly.  If children are allowed to grow up without God's word, the same thing will occur in the Twentieth Century.   Apostasy can and does happen.  It happened to the church at Ephesus (Ephesians 2:1; Revelation 2:4) Also see Galatians 5.4 and I Timothy 5:12.  But in Judges 2 we find certain things which brought about apostasy.

From our text we see that the first step to apostasy was their SPIRITUAL ILLITERACY (vs. 10).  This ignorance of God's word has and will bring a great fall to many people.  It is said that the Bible is the best selling book of all time.  The American Bible Society sold 70 million Bibles last year.  I wonder just how many are read and studied.  Of course we know that there is no way to know God without the word, and one cannot please God without knowing Him (Hebrews 11:6; II Thessalonians 1:8).  Someone has said, and rightfully so, “We have never before gone to worship so often and studied so little.”  Spiritual illiteracy is rampant today.  The word must be studied so as to be “furnished unto every good work” (II Timothy 3:15-17).  If we are not really careful, we, too, will raise a generation which know not the Lord and His word.  Keep your Bibles open and we will not find the doors of heaven closed.

From Judges 2 we also find that apostasy came because they ABANDONED GOD.  They “forsook the God of their fathers” (vs. 12).  When we raise a generation of children without the word we have serious problems because they will abandon the God made known therein.  Safety is found when we stay near to God.  James 4:8 states that we are to “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”  God never abandons us; it is our decision to move away from Him (Isaiah 59:1-2).  We can help save a generation by teaching and showing our allegiance to our Father in heaven.

The people went into apostasy also because they DEGENERATED INTO IDOLATRY (vs. 12-13).  Notice that they “followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them” (vs. 12).  Sin is progressive.  It begins with thought and progresses into action.  As Israel began to fellowship the people around them, they began to act like those idolatrous nations.  We are warned against such (Romans 12:1-2; I Thessalonians 5:22; I Peter 2:11).  A generation can be saved if we will practice the age old principle of running from all evil circumstances (Proverbs 4:27; 14:16).

Apostasy brings about the anger of the Lord (vs. 14-15).  It happened to Israel when there arose a generation that knew not God.  We face the same problem today.  We must not raise a generation that rebels against God and His word.  It can be overcome with the disposition of Joshua when he said, “As for me and my house we will serve God” (Joshua 24:15).  Apostasy must be avoided because there is a heaven to gain and a hell to avoid.  May God be our guide as we raise our families.  If we will allow Him to rule in our lives, generations will be saved.

Author Unknown

What Is Acceptable Worship?

Jesus said, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

First, notice that according to Jesus our worship is to be directed toward God. We are to worship Him. Only Deity is worthy of worship. Men are unworthy of worship. Cornelius knew that Peter had been sent by God to tell him the Word of God through which (if obeyed) he and his household would be saved (Acts 11:14). When Cornelius first saw the apostle Peter he “fell down at his feet, and worshiped him”(Acts 10:25).  Peter was a great man, an apostle of Christ; but Peter made it clear that men were unworthy of worship. “But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man” (Acts 10:26). Twice (Revelation 19:10; 22:9) it is stated that John, the apostle, when beholding the glories of heaven fell down to worship at the feet of an angel. He was forbidden to do so. He was told, “Worship God.” When Jesus was  tempted in the wilderness, He stated, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10).

Second, observe that man is the one whose responsibility it is to worship God. In the previous verse Jesus had stated, “...for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23). Clearly God desires worship from man. The primary purpose of man is to glorify God. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:5).

Third, this worship must be “in spirit” for it to be accepted by God. God demands that our worship be offered from the heart sincerely. God rejects worship that is not sincere. Jesus described some who offered such worship to God. He stated, “This people draweth nigh to me with their mouth and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8). Scripture speaks of those who are acceptable to God as “them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (II Timothy 2:22). Worship is to be sincere expressions of praise and adoration of God which come from the genuine thoughts and intents of the heart.

But, sincerity is not all that is necessary to make worship acceptable to God. Fourth, acceptable worship must be “in truth.” Truth is God’s Word (John 17:17). Our worship must be according to God’s instructions. When man injects his own ideas into worship, his worship becomes worthless. “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9).

There are certain acts of worship that God has approved. All other acts are thereby condemned by God for worship. Prayer is worship (Acts 2:42; James 4:8; 5:16)), singing “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” is worship (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), preaching God’s Word is worship (Acts 2:42; 20:7); giving financially of our means on the first day of the week is worship (I Corinthians 16:2), and partaking of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week is worship (Acts 20:7). It should be clearly observed that acceptable (i.e. acceptable to God) is not everything that man might want to do and call it worship. Acceptable worship follows the parameters set forth by God in His Word. God determines what acceptable worship is. He has revealed to us in His Word what acceptable worship is. Everything else is NOT acceptable worship.

Regardless of what man may call it, the playing of mechanical instruments of music is not worship because God has not authorized it. Even if man suggests that burning incense is worship, it is not worship because God has not authorized it. Man might suggest that everything that man wants to do is worship if his heart is sincere. God’s Word tells us that this is not so. Some might suggest that all that man does is worship to God, but according to God’s Word this is NOT the case. Doing righteous acts are service to God, but “good works” are not worship. Dedicating one’s life to God is right, good and proper; but Christian living is never spoken of in the New Testament as worship. If all of life is worship, then worship is possible without the person realizing that he is worshiping (The person’s heart, according to this view, at the time may not even recognize that worship is taking place. How can such worship be “in spirit”?) Such is absurd! God has authorized only five acts of worship. Those are the acts that are engaged in when worship takes place; worship only occurs when one or more of these acts are done.

Fifth, only two of those five acts are restricted in time. God has specified when we are to take the Lord’s Supper–the first day of the week. God has specified when we are to give financially to support the work of the church (local congregation)–the first day of the week. With God’s approval we can engage in these acts of worship only on the first day of the week (i.e. the first day of every week). We can worship God through singing (psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs), praying and the preaching of His Word at any time. If God has regulated these acts in some way, then we must follow those regulations when we engage in that action. For example, God has given us guidelines for prayer (i.e. addressed to the Father, in the name of Jesus, etc.). Prayer must be offered according to those instructions of God wherever and whenever we pray.

Worship is an activity on the part of man to praise God and to reverence Him and His Word. Worship is according to God’s pattern if it is acceptable to Him. Almost from the beginning of man’s presence on this earth, man has tried to ignore God’s Word, do his “own thing” and call it worship expecting God to be pleased. A study of the New Testament and a review of the cases of Cain and Nadab and Abihu ought to cause us to know that what we offer to God in worship is not always acceptable to Him just because we think what He has not authorized is okay, or better.

Lester Kamp

Work of the Church

The Lord's church is His spiritual body (Ephesians 1:22–23). It would seem to be unarguable that Jesus wants His spiritual body to engage in the same work He came to do in His physical body. Most would not argue otherwise verbally, but many strongly so argue practically.

Some years ago a few “promoter-type” brethren began spreading a spiritual “virus” in the church that has infected many congregations. Its practical effect is to “provide all things for all men” (not to be confused with our personally “becoming all things to all men” in optional matters [I Corinthians 9:22]). Some call this approach “ministering to the whole man” or “meeting felt needs.” It spawned a troupe of church growth “experts” who began compassing sea and land with their weekend How to Grow a Church “seminars.”

My first preaching work out of college (1959) was as one of the preachers with a large church in Wichita Falls, Texas. A Methodist Church building a few blocks away had a gymnasium in its basement. You could have tortured our elders and they would not have built such a building. They knew there was no authority for such use of the Lord's money. Twenty years later, with a new set of elders, that congregation had its own gymnasium. Oh, they call it their “Family Life Center” (but when I see an expansive room with basketball goals, net poles for volleyball and lines on the floor for boundaries, pardon me for calling it a “gymnasium”).

When one starts down the minister-to-the-whole-man road it is difficult to find a stopping place. Accordingly, another symptom of this viral disease is the pleasure jaunts of senior citizen and teenage groups in the church (pity the “middle-aged” folk—almost always left out). I enjoy travel, fellowship, and pretty scenery as much as the next person. However, I have never figured out why the Lord's church should pay for it or employ someone who spends much of his time planning such activities and excursions, often on a bus or van owned, operated, and fueled out of the church’s bank account.

Can you imagine apostolic consent for a three-day sightseeing trip to Tyre and Sidon for the Jerusalem church’s “39ers” or the “Autumn Leaves” group? Try to picture Timothy's planning a ski retreat on Mt. Olympus for the “keen teens” of Ephesus. I somehow doubt that Paul ever considered taking a contribution from the Gentile churches to build a “Family Life Center” for the church in Jerusalem.

Such suggestions are ludicrous, bordering on blasphemy. But only liberals among us have jumped on this meeting-the-felt-needs bandwagon, right? The September 2013 “Polishing the Pulpit” extravaganza, planned, overseen by, and participated in by brethren who consider themselves (as we once considered them) to be “men of the Book, included classes in conflict management, weight loss, the risk of dating, sibling rivalry, budget shopping for clothes, nutrition, preparing for SAT, and such like. Somehow they overlooked small engine repair and basic auto maintenance.

Such activities and emphases are no more the work of the blood-bought church of Christ in the twenty-first century than they were in the first. The kingdom is a spiritual entity by definition (John 18:36). Its work and mission are tied innately to its nature. Its work, as was that of its Builder/Head, is spiritual—to bring the saving Gospel to lost humanity (Matthew 28:19–20; Mark 16:15–16; Romans 1:16). All else we do as His church is peripheral to this one grand task.

Faithful saints desire congregational growth as much as any of the “church growth experts” do, but that end will never justify the sacrifice of Scripturally authorized means. “We must work the works of him that sent me…” (John 9:4a).

Dub McClish

Lessons from Genesis One

Genesis 1 is intended as an introduction to God: 

  1. Genesis 1 is an introduction to the wisdom of God. This becomes a background of the wisdom for the rest of the Bible. There is not anything that is short or lacking in God’s creation. God did not have to ask anybody about His methods of procedure in creation (Romans 11:31-36).
  2. Genesis 1 is an introduction to the power of God. If God had the power to bring the worlds into existence then why should He have any problem with any other miracle that is recorded in the Bible? This includes the Virgin Birth or resurrection!
  3. Genesis is an introduction to the eternity of God (Isaiah 57:15—ASV).
  4. Genesis 1 is an introduction to the goodness of God. All that is needed for man’s happiness is provided for him. The goodness of God becomes the background for our redemption. God has an interest in what happens to man. His grace has ever provided what man has needed (Deuteronomy 8:18; James 1:17; Titus 1:17).
  5. Genesis is an introduction to the love of God (John 3:16; Romans 5:6-9).
  6. Genesis introduces us to the spiritual nature of God. The spiritual nature of God becomes the background of man’s fellowship with God. Faith is a spiritual principle. Love is a spiritual principle. These have to do with our responses to our Creator (Genesis 1:26-27; Deuteronomy 6:5-6; Matthew 22:37; I John 5:3; John 14:15).
  7. Genesis is an introduction to the authority of God. When God delegates authority that does not diminish God’s authority. Note Jesus and the apostles (Matthew 28:19).
  8. God’s method of operation is through His Word (And God said). Notice the number of occurrences in Genesis 1 of: “And God said.”
  9. Genesis is an introduction to the perfection of God. The knowledge of God is fundamental to all correct knowledge. Error is based on a misunderstanding of the character of God. God will not overlook false doctrine (Matthew 15:9, 13; Galatians 1:6, 9).
  10. Genesis 1 gives emphasis to the unity of God. The unity of God opposes Denominationalism. The New Testament teaches the necessity of unity based on truth (I Corinthians 1:10; John 17:20-21). Each denomination has its own distinctive name and doctrines. This would be foreign to II John 9-11. False teaching is filled with poison. We must not follow after that which is crooked and perverse. We must see righteousness as the solution to all our problems. Sin is the root of all of our problems. Sin creates was in the soul. This being the case, the only solution for us today is the Gospel of Christ (Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15; 1:16- 17; Mark 16:15-16). 

The Gospel must be believed and obeyed if we want to be saved.

Franklin Camp

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Preventatives

The title of this article is a derivation of prevent. Webster defines prevent to mean:

to be in readiness for (as an occasion): to meet or satisfy in advance: to get ahead of: to arrive before: to deprive of power or hope of acting or succeeding: to keep from happening or existing: to hold or keep back: hinder, stop: to interpose an article (Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary).

The study of polio, mumps, measles, influenza, etc. vaccinations would be classified in the area of preventive medicine. Vaccination, therefore, are for the purpose of depriving the germ or virus of the power to succeed in infecting its host.

As surely as there is preventive medicine for the physical body, there is preventive medicine for the spiritual being. The Great Physician spent much of His earthly ministry vaccinating the disciples against persecution, false teachers, hypocrites, etc. (Matthew 5:11-12; 7:15-20; 6:16). The apostle who had been vaccinated spent much of their time, blood, sweat, heartache, and tears in vaccinating the church against infectious error (Acts 20:28-31; Philippians 3:2; I Timothy 4:1-3; II Timothy 4:3-5). We would do well to receive these vaccinations of love lest we find ourselves unprepared to deal with Satan’s efforts to infect us with sin when they appear (II Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:13; I Thessalonians 5:22).  

There will always be those spiritually weak, insipid, unwise, and short-sighted brethren who believe that one should not preach against the errors of such things as denominationalism, women exercising dominion over men, the divided worship assembly, the error of mechanical instruments of music in the worship of the church, turning the worship of the church into a three- ring circus to entertain the assembly, and a host of other errors infecting the church today. To this present hour unqualified men in the position of elders attempt to justify such a false view by teaching that unless the congregation is having trouble with such things there is no use to mention them much less preach against them. Such a position has no Biblical foundation and is directly opposed to the Biblical idea of being forewarned is to be forearmed. This false view itself must also be exposed and refuted.

If people of this stripe had the same attitude about physical vaccinations as they do about spiritual ones it would be a ridiculous and sorry world indeed. I am thankful that my parents did not have that attitude when it came to the polio vaccine.

Over a century ago brother Moses E. Lard gave this timely warning that will never be out-dated:

The prudent man, who has the care of a family, watches well the first symptoms of disease. He does not wait till his wife is helpless, and his children prostrated. He has learned that early cures are easy cures, while late ones often fail. On this experience he resolutely acts, and the world applauds his wisdom. Why should not this same judicious policy be acted upon in the weighty matters of religion? (Moses E. Lard, “The Work of the Past—The Symptoms of the Future,” Lard’s Quarterly, Vol. II, No. 3, April 1, 1985, pp. 251-262. As quoted in The Search for the Ancient Order, Earl West, Vol. 2, 1950, Cushing-Mallory, Ann Arbor).

Then, as now many brethren refused to see the importance of the Biblical sentiments of Lard, and the church of that day suffered greatly for it. Today the Lord’s church is in the tight grip of a terrible apostasy that has been going on for years and shows no sign of abating. More and more churches are turning back to the beggarly elements of human denominational religion and worldliness.

Much of this digression could have been pre-vented if forty years ago brethren would have received the spiritual vaccinations of those who boldly sounded out the first symptoms of the spiritual errors that greatly infect the body of Christ today. But, sadly, it was not to be. Thus, we must reform and regroup the remaining remnant of faithful saints and press on. The victory is ours, but would it not be wonderful if more of our brethren were as spiritually prudent in the care of God’s family as at least some of them are in the care of their own bodies and those of their physical families?

David P. Brown