"A Sad Day"

Israel was the chosen nation. They had the special watch-care of the God of heaven. Yet ingratitude seemed to characterize their relationship to Jehovah. As one reads the story of the nation of Israel, he is caused to wonder how anyone could have departed from God so many times. Even when they had been delivered from Egyptian bondage, they murmured against their deliverer in the very sight of the Red Sea. The period of Judges saw no improvement. When the kingdom divided so did their allegiance, and Israel went awhoring after other gods. Isaiah 9:16 reads, “For they that lead this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.” It is a sad day when leaders lead their people into apostasy, but such was the case in Israel. They forgot their God and their salvation. They became a rebellious people bowing down to gods that had been made with human hands.

The prophet Hosea penned the words of God when he wrote, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee” (Hosea 4:6). God later said through that prophet, “my people are bent on backsliding from me” (11:7). What sadder day ever dawned in Israel of old than that day when God had rejected them because of a lack of knowledge?

Spiritual Israel

Just as the nation of Israel went away from God in the long ago, Spiritual Israel, the church, can depart from God today. The Israelites were destroyed because of a “lack of knowledge.” And one untaught generation is all that is needed today for the church to be destroyed for the same reason. Christians are charged to study the Word (II Timothy 2:15), elders are enjoined to feed the flock (Acts 20:28), and preachers are commanded to preach the Word (II Timothy 4:2). When Christians, elders, and preachers fail to fulfill their God-given responsibilities, then a sad day for spiritual Israel is on the horizon. God’s people will apostatize because of a lack of knowledge.

Preachers

Paul told Timothy, “I charge thee in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables” (II Timothy 4:1-4). In the next sentence Paul said, “do the work of an evangelist, fulfill thy ministry.” Earlier he had written, “Till I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching.... Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy progress may be manifest unto all” (I Timothy 4:13, 15).

The day that preachers cease to do the will of God and begin to please the members and “pastor” the congregation, is the day the church will cease being as strong as it could be, and it will be a sad day in Israel. Heaven knows we have enough of this among us today! We have preachers that are more concerned with the image they present than the Word they preach. We have preachers that know more about politics, social injustices, and the book of etiquette than they know about the Word of God. Pulpits are filled with “How to win friends and influence people” and stories from the leading magazines of the day while people are starving to death, spiritually, for the preaching of the Bible.

Congregations are generally no stronger than their pulpits. Note the congregation that is staying within the “old paths” and then note the kind of preaching they hear. You will find that the preacher they have is a student of the Word. You can listen to him preach or read what he writes and tell where he stands. There is no ambiguity in what he teaches. He stands solidly on God’s Word. He is a student of the Book and seeks to fulfill his God-given responsibility to preach the Word.

We are concerned that too many pulpits (one would be too many for that matter) are not being filled with the kind of preaching that God wants. We firmly believe that churches are being led into apostasy by men who are supposed to be preachers of the Bible.

Elders

Elders are supposed to “feed the flock” (Acts 20:28). Among the responsibilities that are en-joined in that statement would be to see that the pulpit and the classroom have the right kind of teaching. It is sad indeed when preachers rebel against the command to preach the Word, how-ever, it is sadder yet when elders refuse to demand that the Bible be taught by the preacher and classroom teacher. Elders need to tell the preacher that the Bible is going to be taught from the pulpit under their oversight or they are going to know the reason why. They then need to carry out their word. An eldership recently remarked that they were not hearing any Bible preaching from the pulpit at all. They had talked it over with the preacher, but it had done no good. And, they hated to replace him because he was so well liked in the congregation. How ridiculous can one eldership be? Any preacher that refuses to preach the Bible does not need to be replaced, he needs to be removed! (II Thessalonians 3:6).

This writer recently saw a list of responsibilities that an eldership was using in the securing of the services of a preacher. That list demanded of him that he be the perfect “denominational pastor,” however, not a one of the more than a dozen requirements even hinted at his responsibility to study and preach the Word. Several Gospel preachers who have seen the list, some are known brotherhood wide, remarked in unison that the list was ridiculous. Brethren, do all elderships want the Bible in its entirety, taught in the pulpit?

If the church had preachers that would preach the Word and elders that would demand that the Word be taught, widespread apostasy would cease to be a problem. There is nothing that will cure going away from God like a well taught, rooted and grounded in the truth, brotherhood. Elders are going to lose their souls because they failed to feed the flock that was given under their oversight.

Christians

Even if preachers failed to preach God’s Word and elders failed to demand that the Word be taught, all would not be lost if Christians would fulfill their responsibility. They should see to it that the church is fed the Word of God. When a congregation becomes satisfied with the social gospel that never reproves or rebukes it becomes a sad day indeed. What more could you expect than full-scale apostasy? Nothing but destruction could come if preachers did not preach the Bible, elders did not feed the flock, and members no longer cared for the teaching of God’s Word.

An Admonition

We see the church in many areas of the brotherhood drifting away from the ancient landmarks. New sounds and uncertain sounds are coming from their ranks. At the tap root of this digression is the failure—either intentional or unintentional—to teach the Word of God in its purity, simplicity, and entirety. The Bible needs to be preached and its message must be proclaimed without fear or favor. It comes to an attitude that many hold toward the Bible. It is sad but true—some no longer have respect for its teachings. May we awaken before it becomes too late! Preachers, preach the Word. Be a student of the Bible. Spend your time doing what God has commanded you to do! Elders, demand that the Word be taught. See to it that the flock over which you are overseers are fed. And when the Word is taught, stand behind it with all of your support. Christians, see to it that your preacher and elders know that you want, appreciate, and stand behind the preaching of God’s Word. And if you are in a congregation where the Bible is not taught, let your disapproval be noted. The day the church fails to preach the Word is the day the church will begin its journey away from God. Remember Hosea quoted God as saying, “My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge.”

William S. Cline

Defender - May 1972

Gospel and Doctrine

For some the Gospel of the New Testament is completely different from the doctrine of the New Testament. Because of this supposed difference some have concluded such things as: fellowship is to be based on Gospel but not doctrine; the Gospel is for non-Christians and doctrine is for Christians; preachers are to preach the Gospel, and therefore a preacher cannot be hired by a congregation of the church for him to preach in that place regularly; a preacher is to preach the Gospel and “leave everyone else alone” by staying away from doctrines upon which men differ; withdrawing fellowship should not be done because of doctrinal differences, etc. We have all seen these ideas advocated and practiced. Because of the importance of understanding these terms, I want to briefly consider the legitimacy of this distinction.

Gospel

First, the facts and foundation of the Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (I Corinthians 15:1-2). These facts must be believed in order for a person to be saved. Without believing that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, man will remain lost because he will die in his sins (John 8:24). But the Gospel is not just those facts. In describing the second coming of Christ (when He comes to judge all humanity), Paul indicated that those who “obey not the gospel” will be lost (II Thessalonians 1:9). The Gospel facts cannot be obeyed, but the commands of the Gospel must be obeyed. The commands to be obeyed in the Gospel are revealed in Romans 6:3-6, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life…Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” The process of a believer repenting of sins (Acts 17:30) and being baptized for the forgiveness of sins portrays the death and burial of Christ. When that person rises from the watery grave of baptism, the resurrection of Christ is portrayed in symbol. Rising to walk in newness of life indicates continued faithful obedience. The Gospel includes facts, but the Gospel is also something which must be obeyed by man in order to be saved!

Doctrine

Secondly, doctrine simply means teaching and is sometimes s translated. We read of the early Christians continuing steadfastly in the “apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42). The apostles’ doctrine would be a reference to what the apostles taught. The apostles were given their message by the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 16:13). During the first century that message (the apostles’ doctrine) was spoken orally; now the New Testament is that same message (the apostles’ doctrine) in written form (Ephesians 3:3-5). Christians today must continue in the apostles’ doctrine. We must teach what they taught. What they taught had to do with the obligations of Christians and non-Christians. The apostles’ doctrine is not just about the responsibilities of Christians in remaining faithful, but also about non-Christians and their obligations in order to be saved. The apostles’ doctrine is the entirety of the New Testament. The New Testament speaks of “sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). Sound (healthy) doctrine is the New Testament without alterations of any kind.

Gospel and Doctrine

Thirdly, in the New Testament the Gospel is not only directed toward non-Christians and in the New Testament Doctrine is not exclusively for Christians. The Gospel is preached to Christians according to Romans 1:15-16; the Gospel in Mark 16:15-16 is to be taught to non-Christians. The Christian must obey the Gospel or be lost (II Thessalonians 1:8-9); so must non-Christians. In the New Testament Doctrine is directed toward Christians (Titus 1:9) and Doctrine is directed toward non-Christians (Acts 5:25; 13:12). The non-Christian will be lost without obeying the Doctrine (Romans 6:16-17); the Christian who rejects the Doctrine will also be lost (II John 9-11; Titus 1:9-11). Christians will be saved by the Doctrine (II Timothy 3:16-17). Clearly there is no difference in the New Testament between the Gospel of Christ and the Doctrine of Christ! No legitimate distinction can be made. Both terms refer to the same body of teaching. This same body of information is also called the Faith, the Truth, the Way, the Law of Christ, the Word.

 It Does Matter

There is only one Gospel that saves (Galatians 1:6-9; Romans 1:16); it is the same as the Doctrine of Christ (II John 9-11). Deviations from that Doctrine (the Gospel) break our fellowship with God. We must not fellowship those who are not in fellowship with God. It does matter what we teach and practice on doctrinal matters! The message of Jesus, the apostles’ doctrine, must be taught to others in its purity (II Timothy 2:2). We will all ultimately give an account to God of our lives based on the standard of the Gospel, the Word (John 12:48). The doctrine that we believe and practice must be the Doctrine of Christ, the Gospel of Christ!

Lester Kamp

More Bible!

“Why take my Bible to church? I never use it.” “My [preacher] doesn’t use the Bible; he just tells stories.” {We} speak of being “a people of the Book.” But is that only in name?   In a growing number of churches, the Word of God is not referred to as it used to be. In some churches hearing the Bible in any significant way is rare.   Even the best of churches would benefit from Scripture being heard more. In too many of our churches there is a famine for the Word of God, as well-meaning [preachers] attempt to substitute sermonettes and stories for dynamic Biblical preaching. The result is a growing hunger for the Bible. (“Putting the Word Back in Worship,” Ministry, July 2001).

What a sad commentary on the present condition of the church in many places today! Among those who used to be known as the “people of the Bible,” the Bible is only “rarely” heard “in any significant way.” What a shame! Do we not still recognize the power of God’s Word? Shouldn’t the assembly of God’s people be a place in which the Word of God is heard regularly?   Shouldn’t preachers of the Gospel preach the Word (II Timothy 4:2) as Paul instructed? If we expect our people to be edified and “grow... in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18), shouldn’t the Bible be referred to, quoted, read and preached? If it is the case where you attend that the Word of God is not heard very often, let’s commit ourselves to emphasizing again God’s Word in classes and in worship! Many reasons could be stated regarding the importance of this activity. Let’s notice only a few of them.

1. When the Word of God is neglected, we have denied ourselves of the power of God (Romans 1:16). The power to save is in God’s Word! Since the power to convert is in the Word, souls are being lost when “sermonettes and stories” describe the content of the messages in our worship. Souls will not be converted to Christ and His church if they hear only amusing stories and entertaining illustrations from the wisdom of men. Many of us need to wake up (Romans 13:11-12). It may be later than we think! Souls are dying without the saving Gospel of Christ. 
2. When the Word is not heard, many lose their spiritual appetite (Matthew 5:6), and the result is spiritual death from starvation (4:4).When a person is born into the kingdom, he naturally has the craving for the “sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (I Peter 2:2). When those individuals are not fed a proper diet of God’s Word, they become first become weak and then die. When they are fed other things they may think they are full, but what they have eaten provides no spiritual nourishment. New and older Christians need the Word of God that they might grow.
3. When the Word of God is not emphasized, then Christians cannot grow in their knowledge of our Lord (II Peter 3:18). Worship assemblies and Bible classes are not to be the only time Christians open their Bibles and study from God’s Word; but it is certainly the case that when we are together we should be able to gain more knowledge about our Savior. How can Christ and Him crucified be preached without preaching and teaching God’s Word? 
4. When the Word of God is not thoroughly taught, how can we be edified? Paul told the Ephesian elders, “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). Is it any wonder that there are so many weak Christians when we see the famine of the Word of God (Amos 8:11) which exists in so many congregations today? The Word of God is that which is able to build up and encourage those who are Christians!
5. When the Word of God is not known, then Christians are unable to distinguish between error and Truth. When the Word of God is preached and taught, then those that hear are reproved and corrected by the authoritative Word of God (II Timothy 4:2). One reason that so many are being swept into error today is because they are not hearing and/or heeding God’s Word.    Many of these people do not know the difference between the Gospel and a perversion of the Gospel (Galatians 1:7), simply because they have not heard or studied the Word of God. It is indeed sad when one can be present during any worship service or Bible study period without hearing much, if any, from the Bible.
6. When the Word of God is not in mind, it is impossible for Christians to “continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42).   What is the “apostles doctrine”? It is the message that these inspired men taught orally during the first century which was then through inspiration written down so that we might read and understand the Will of God (Ephesians 3:3-5). It is the “pattern of sound words” (II Timothy 1:13), and that pattern must be followed. But if we are not exposed to the pattern (we do not know what it is), then we are lost.

Many other reasons could be cited for placing a proper emphasis on God’s Word in our assemblies and otherwise, but these should suffice. We need more Bible – personally, privately and publically, collectively! Let’s restore the Bible to its proper place in our worship – in all of our assemblies!  Note: The quotation at the beginning of this article came from an unusual source. Ministry is a Seventh Day Adventist publication. The [ ] which appear in the quotation show where I have replaced the word “pastor” with the word “preacher,” and the { } show where I replaced the word “Adventists” by the word “we.” The article described so well what is taking place in so (too) many congregations of the church today that I borrowed these words. Other religious groups are apparently experiencing the same problems we are. It is sad indeed that many of our brethren don’t even recognize the problem. The author of the original article emphasized the public reading of Scripture, but I believe the problem can be solved only by more reading, preaching and teaching of God’s Word. We must do a better job!

Lester Kamp 

Just Some Logical Answers to Some Very Unusual Questions: What Saith...?

Because people are often looking for a way into something without having to do what is actually required for entrance, many have asked me the question: “Can you be taught wrong and baptized right?” In response, I have thought (and sometimes asked), “Can you be taught wrong and hear right?” “Can you be taught wrong and believe right?” “Can you be taught wrong and repent right?” “Can you be taught wrong and confess right?” If we cannot do these things, then what makes us think that we can be taught wrong and baptized right? The bottom line is that God has clearly identified the purity of purpose for baptism. There is no reason for someone not to know what the purpose of baptism is when they are baptized, and if they are not following the purpose that God has clearly set forth, they are just getting wet.

When we really get down to the truth of the matter baptism is an act of faith. When a person is baptized, they must believe that baptism is for the remission of their sins—that is the act of faith. In Colossians 2:12 the Bible says, “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Without that act of faith involved in baptism, one is merely getting wet. If a person is just baptized “to obey God,” what is the act of faith? Where are you putting your trust when you are baptized “to obey God?” One might say, “I am putting my trust in God.” Great! So what are you putting your trust in God to do? When faith trusts God, it trusts God to do something (Romans 4:20-22; Hebrews 11). Baptism does not need to show that one merely believes God; confession accomplishes that. Baptism is not just a restatement of one’s confession. It is much more than that.

Notice what Peter says on the matter of baptism. “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”Please notice what is said in that (1 Peter 3:21) passage: (1) Baptism saves us. (2) Baptism is not merely taking a bath. (3) Baptism is the response to God of a good conscience. (4) Baptism saves by the resurrection of Jesus. Notice item number three. When we are baptized, we have to have a good conscience about it — we must do it with the right purposes in mind. The good conscience when taught properly is going to understand that baptism is necessary for salvation and is going to motivate the individual to take the appropriate action. To say that one can be baptized correctly without understanding the purpose of baptism denies the role of the conscience in baptism.

There is nothing magical in the waters of baptism. The water is just water. So dunking a person under the water just for the sake of dunking someone under the water is not going to cut it. If the proper motive and purpose is not present, it is meaningless, just like all the other steps of salvation. If a person is not baptized for the proper motives and purposes, he is just getting wet. The Bible clearly teaches that the purpose of baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).

This is why we must insure that those we teach clearly understand the purpose of baptism. One cannot feel safe just because they went through the motions, and we should not feel that this has somehow relieved us of the need for more thorough and detailed teaching before baptism. We do no one any favors by putting them in the baptistery if they have no real appreciation for the fact that their sins are being forgiven.

Johnny Oxendine

JUST SOME LOGICAL ANSWERS

Because people are often looking for a way into something without having to do what is actually required for entrance, many have asked me the question: “Can you be taught wrong and baptized right [sic]?” In response, I have thought (and sometimes asked), “Can you be taught wrong and hear right?” “Can you be taught wrong and believe right?”

“Can you be taught wrong and repent right?” “Can you be taught wrong andconfess right?” If we cannot do these things, then what makes us think that we canbe taught wrong and baptized right? The bottom line is that God has clearly identified the purity of purpose for baptism. There is no reason for someone not to know what the purpose of baptism is when he is baptized, and if one is not following the purpose that God has clearly set forth, he is just getting wet. When we really get down to the truth of the matter, baptism is an act of faith. When a person is baptized, he must believe that baptism is for the remission of his sins — that is the act of faith. In Colossians 2:12, the Bible says:

Having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Without that act of faith involved in baptism, one is merely getting wet. If a person is just baptized “to obey God,” what is the act of faith? Where are you putting your trust when you are baptized “to obey God”? One might say, “I am putting my trust in God.” Great! So what are you putting your trust in God to do? When faith trusts God, it trusts God to do something (Romans 4:20–22; Hebrews 11). Baptism is not needed to show that one merely believes God; confession of one’s faith accomplishes that. Baptism is not just a restatement of one’s confession. It is much more than that. Notice what Peter says on the matter of baptism:

The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (I Peter 3:21).

Please notice what this passage says: (1) Baptism saves us. (2) Baptism is not merely taking a bath. (3) Baptism is the response to God of a goodconscience. (4) Baptism saves by the resurrection of Jesus. Notice item number three. When we are baptized, we have to have a good conscience about it — we must do it with the right purpose in mind. The good conscience, taught properly, will understand that baptism is necessary for salvation and will motivate the individual to take the appropriate action. To say that one can be baptized correctly without understanding the purpose of baptism denies the role of the conscience in baptism.

There is nothing magical in the waters of baptism. The water is just water. So dunking a person under the water just for the sake of dunking someone under the water will not suffice. If the proper motive and purpose are not present, it is meaningless, just like all the other steps of salvation. If a person is not baptized for the proper motives and purpose, he is just getting wet. The Bible clearly teaches that the purpose of baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).

We must therefore insure that those we teach clearly understand the purpose of baptism. One cannot feel safe just because he went through the motions, and we should not feel that this has somehow relieved us of the need for more thorough and detailed teaching before baptism. We do people no favors by putting them in the baptistery if they have no real appreciation for the fact that their sins are being forgiven by Jesus’ blood in that act (Acts 22:16).

Johnny Oxendine