The Church Is Different

God has always taught His people to be different. One of the major problems of His people has been forgetting this truth and losing their distinctiveness. The nation of Israel wanted to become like the other nations around them (I Samuel 8). They became like them and God cast them off. Surely there is a warning for the church.

The Church Is Different From the World

The church is different from the world in its attitude and ambitions. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). The values of Christians are different from sinners. Sinners live for self. Christians live to glorify God and serve others (Matthew 16:24; Mark 10:45). Are we losing this distinctiveness today? Are the attitudes and ambitions of Christians different from non-Christians?

The Church Differs From Judaism

Judaism was carnal, the church is spiritual. “Then verily thefirst covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldlysanctuary...which stood only in meats and drinks, and diverswashing, and carnal ordinances imposed until the time of reformation” (Hebrews 9:1,10). Look carefully at the word, carnal.The church is spiritual (Ephesians 1:3). It is heavenly (2:6). Its worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24; Romans 1:9). This is one reason that mechanical instruments of music have no place in Christian worship. If one granted that it was right in the Old Testament it does not suit the spiritual worship of the New Testament. Christian worship must be from the heart. “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).

The Church Is Different From Catholicism

The church differs from the Catholic church in that it accepts the authority of Scriptures. Catholics do not accept the authority of the Scriptures. Consider the following quotation. “One must keep the commandments of God and the church” (Catechism of Christian Doctrine, No. 1, pl. 31). The Scriptures are an authority but not the only authority. In truth it is no authority since the pope must interpret it. Catholics teach that II Peter 1:20 denies the right of individual interpretation. This is a perversion of the passage. Peter is speaking of how Scripture was given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit (1:21). Paul commanded the Thessalonians to “prove all things, hold fast to that which is good” (I Thessalonians 5:21). He did not say prove all things by what Peter said. The church differs from Catholicism by “speaking as the oracles of God” (I Peter 4:11). The church urges all to have an open mind and “search the scriptures daily” to see if what is heard is in harmonywith what they have read.

The Church Is Different From Protestantism

The church differs from Protestantism in that it accepts the completeness of the Scriptures. The church has no creed but Christ and no book but the Bible. All teaching is based upon the Book. All questions are decided by what the Bible teaches, not a manual or discipline. It also differs from Protestantism in accepting the completeness of the Scripture and denying the need for a direct operation of the Holy Spirit in order to be able to understand it. Protestants generally misapply I Corinthians 2:14. They think the natural man is the sinner without a direct operation of the Spirit he cannot understand the Bible when he reads it. It has always been strange to me that even though the Bible is made of words just like one finds in the school books or the newspaper on can understand them in the book or paper but not in the Bible.

The Church Is Different From the Christian Church

The church differs from the Christian church in its respect for the silence of the Scriptures. The Christian church teaches that where the Bible is silent we may speak or act. This opens the door for anything that is not specifically forbidden. This is a real difference between it and the church.

Conclusion

We should not be afraid or ashamed to be different from the world, from Judaism, from Catholicism, from Protestantism, and even from the Christian church. Without a doubt one of the greatest problems we are facing in the church today is the fact that most people are afraid to be different.

Franklin Camp

1915-1991

It Survives Still!

In I Peter 1:25 the record reveals, “But the Word of the Lord abideth forever, and this is the Word of good tidings which was preached unto you.” As a young preacher I preached a lesson called “3 Reasons Why I Believe The Bible” and later changed it to “7 Reasons Why I Believe The Bible.”

Now as a not so young preacher it is “12 Reasons.” In each outline my final point has remained the same. I believe the Bible to be God’s inspired, inerrant and infallible word because of its indestructibility! The Bible has been subject to attack from without and within. A book written by mere men alone could not have undergone the attacks the Bible has sustained, and still survive!

Consider the persecution of the early Christians for believing the gospel message. Some were burned alive, others were delivered to the lions, still others were crucified, some were placed into leather bags with scorpions and snakes – then thrown into a body of water. The listing could go on. The first translators of the English Bible were persecuted and some martyred for their efforts.

Contemplate the efforts of modernism and liberalism toward the destruction of the Bible. One of their most vicious attacks has been through the modern versions (perversions) of Scripture; whereby they have denied the deity of Christ, the existence of hell, the virgin birth of our Lord, the resurrection, the truth that one day this earth will be burned up, Jesus’ teaching on the subject of divorce, that there is but one church, ad infinitum.

Call to mind the efforts of denominationalism to “kill” the Bible. Both the state and the corrupted church tried to stamp out its influence during the middle ages by openly burning copies of the Bible and subjecting those who owned a copy to severe persecution and sometimes even death. Yet, in spite of all these attacks across the ages – the Bible lives on!

Continually the Bible is attacked from without and within. The Bible still survives! Ingersoll held up a copy of the Bible and said, “In 15 years I’ll have this book in the morgue.” Fifteen years rolled by and Ingersoll was in the morgue – the Grand Old Book lives on. Voltaire said that in one hundred years the Bible would be an outmoded and forgotten book. At the end of that century, Voltaire had died and his house was used by the Geneva Bible Society to print, store and distribute the Bible. Recently in a pulpit in this area a preacher (?) held up a copy of the King James Version and a copy of the New International Version. He adored and praised the NIV – then referring to the KJV he stated the world would be better off if all the copies of it (KJV) could be gathered up and cast into a giant fire. Nobody came to the defense of God’s precious Word that day. But, to this day the Bible remains the #1 best seller and KJV of the Bible outsells all the others (NIV included) combined! The Bible lives on!

Clifford’s poem, “The Hammer and The Anvil” says it...

Last Eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

When looking in, I saw upon the floor,

Old hammers worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,

To wear and batter all these hammers so?”

“Just one,” said he, then said with twinkling eye,

“The anvil wears the hammers out you know.”

And so, I thought, the anvil of God’s Word

For ages skeptic’s blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed – the hammers are gone!

“But the word of the Lord abideth forever...”

Jesse Whitlock

Lowering the Bar

When I was young I played a game with my brothers and sisters and other neighborhood kids that required the participants to jump over sticks held at various heights. These sticks would be raised with each round of the game and if you did not successfully “clear” the stick by jumping over it you’d be humiliated, muddy-kneed, and eliminated from the game. Sometimes in an attempt to “look out” for my younger siblings I would “lower the bar” for those which were younger and less athletic than the older kids. This allowed them “to think” they were included and accepted. I suppose this is a natural human instinct which is evidenced in our schools when grading is done on the curve and no kid is left behind. It is far easier to lower the bar than have one suffer the shame of not being passed with his classmates. 

Surely this must be a human action since God did not “lower the bar” for Cain in regard to his sacrifice (Genesis 4:4-5). God did not “lower the bar” for Noah in that the requirements for the Ark had to be met for Noah to survive the flood. God did not “lower the bar” for the other inhabitants of the earth in Noah’s day in that those that did not get on the Ark perished (Genesis7:23). In Moses day, in the wilderness when serpents were sent to bite the people, the bar was not lowered in that all who failed to look upon the fiery serpent provided by Moses as directed by God, died (Numbers 21:8-9). 

We could follow the history of man and mankind’s dealing with God and we will find that God never lowers the bar. Israel “lowered the bar” when it desired a king so they could be like the nations around them (1 Samuel 8:4-7). They continued to not only “lower the bar” but tore it down when the prophetJeremiah pleaded with them to return to God’s ways and be faithful in Jeremiah 6:16 and when they responded: “We will not walk therein.”

We see in the scriptures that God does not “lower the bar”, so does it not stand to reason that if we try to seek redemption in any other way than that which God has prescribed that we will fail to be victorious and will not receive that which He has prepared for the faithful? If “we” attempt to “lower the bar” to make others feel included and accepted, we attempt to circumvent God’s plan for redemption, and we too will be lost for eternity. 

Sadly, “lowering the bar” is evident in many congregations of the Lord’s church today. We see it in congregations when they no longer carefully consider the “thus sayeth The Lord” in everything but take the “pulse” of the congregation and allow that to be the basis for their decisions. 

Let us be careful not to “lower the bar” when it comes to our service to God, but rather seek to know what God wants us to do according to His Word and faithfully do it to the best of our ability while here of earth. Don’t be deceived. The bar may be lowered here on earth to accommodate more folks, but at the judgment, ”the bar” has been set by God and WILL NOT BE LOWERED. (John 12:48)

Dennis Strickland

Right Path of Life

Let not the right path be forsaken

As you live from day to day

Let all evil, be put behind you

And follow Christ Who is the way

His teachings are the Bible

By obeying, you will reach your goal

Only trust His Word completely

The only way to save your soul.

O. J. Walker

What is the Kingdom of God?

That the same is meant by “kingdom of God,” “kingdom of heaven,” “his kingdom,” and the “kingdom of his dear Son,” as a general rule, there can be little doubt, whether the same is meant in every instance or not. That which is called “his kingdom” (Matthew 16:28) is called “the kingdom of God” (Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27). The same kingdom mentioned in the phrase, “the Son of man coming in his kingdom,” is also mentioned in the phrase “the kingdom of God,” for these are two reports of the same speech. The two expressions are simply two designations of the same kingdom. The same, precisely, that is called “the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:23) is called “the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:25).In Matthew the record is: “That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of God.” The “kingdom of heaven” is at hand, as recorded (Matthew 3:2), is undoubted the same as “the kingdom of God” (Mark 1:14), for these are two records of the same thing. The same kingdom is meant (Matthew 13:11) in the words, “Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,” that is meant (Mark 4:11) in “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.” “He that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11), and “He that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28), are simply two records of the same thing, and the same kingdom is meant in both records.

In the following language the phrases “my church” and “the kingdom of heaven” are two designations for the same. That which is called “my church” is called “kingdom of heaven.” “I say also to you,that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it; and I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (See Matthew 16:18-19). When we think and speak of what the Lord calls “my church,” we should keep in mind that He calls the same thing, in the same connection, “the kingdom of heaven,” and that He calls the same “my kingdom” (John 18:36). Paul’s “general assembly and the church of the firstborn,” to which he said “we are come”(Hebrews 12:23), is the same as his “kingdom that cannot be moved”(verse 28 of the same chapter). It is the same as His “one body”(Ephesians 4:4; I Corinthians 12:13). All who enter the “one body” at all are immersed into it, or all who enter the kingdom at all, which is the same as entering the “one body,” enter it by being born of water and of the Spirit. “Except a man be born again, he cannot see [or enjoy] the kingdom of God.” (See John 3:3.) “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (See John 3:5.) The same community is styled “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth” (I Timothy 3:15). “In Christ” is in the body, church, or kingdom. To know what the church is, the body of Christ, the house of God, the temple of God, the building of God, is to know what the kingdom of God is. This view will assist much in ascertaining what the kingdom of God is, and several other things to be investigated in this article.

When we are thinking of the Lord’s community as a body, we think of the head and the individual members, the life and support of the body. When we think of the same community as a house, or family, we immediately think of the head of the family, the members, the discipline and ruling of a family, the care and oversight of a family, the support and dependence of a family, the accession by birth or adoption, whichever figure may be used, and the losses by death, or those who have abandoned the family. When we think of the same community as a temple, or building, we think of the proprietor, foundation, the lively stones built together in it, and the builders. When we think of it as a kingdom, we think of a king, constitution, laws, territory, subjects. When we think of it literally, as the church, congregation or community founded by Christ, the only divinely founded religious community on earth, we think of God, who authorized it; of the prophets, who predicted its founding, with many of its stupendous and momentous surroundings—the Lord Messiah, who founded it; the great truth on which it is built; the authorized apostles and evangelists who first preached the Gospel, called people together, under their new head, in the new community, or the church, making “one new man.” It has Christ for its head; the Gospel—the power of God—to turn the world to God; the teaching of Christ and His apostles for its edification and instruction.Christ is its supreme authority for everything. His authority is set forth in His own teaching and that of His divinely authorized and inspired apostles.

The church, community of living God, is composed of members, and has a head, Gospel, teaching or territory. Bishops or overseers, and deacons, in their work, are limited to the congregation in their own vicinity, having no jurisdiction in other congregations. The church of the living God, the body of Christ, or kingdom of God, embraces all the local congregations, with the members, in all the world—all who are truly the people of God. As a whole, it is not an organized body, and has no method of acting in conventional form, in making decrees, laws or decisions. Its head has made, signed, sealed and delivered to it His laws and decrees, and demands of the church, or kingdom, implicit obedience. It is not the business of the church to make laws or decrees, but implicitly to obey and submit to the laws and decrees made by the head of the church.

This community, church or kingdom, of which Christ is the head or King, and all that pertains to it, was embraced in “the eternal purpose of God,” but had no existence, in the form of a community, church or kingdom, only in the purpose of God, for ages. The same that was embodied in the eternal purpose—“a secret,” “hid in God”—was subsequently embodied in the promise to Abraham. It was still a secret, a mystery, in the promise of a blessing for all families of the earth, without any revelation explaining what that blessing was. That promise embraced the Messiah, the Gospel, the church, and all the attendant blessings for the human race. Still, the church, or kingdom, did not exist in fact, and the blessings were spoken of as “good things to come,” and not good things already come. The same precisely, embodied first in the purpose, and then in the promise of God, subsequently filled a large space in prophecy, but still as “good things to come.” Peter has the following comment touching the prophets: “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come to you: searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us, they did minister these things, which are now reported to you by them who have preached the gospel to you with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; into which things the angels desire to look.” (See I Peter 1:10-12.) The kingdom of God is found, first, in the eternal purpose of God, then in the promise of God to Abraham, then in the prophecy, and then in the preaching of John the Immerser. In the preaching of John it is in different form, and a new item comes into the preaching. It is now “the kingdom of God is at hand,” “the kingdom of God approaches.” 

Benjamin Franklin

1812-1878

Taken from New Testament Christianity, Vol. I (1923), pages 198-204.

Rebuilding Jerusalem

“Unless we have a distinctive plea we have no right to exist. The day we become like the denominations around us, that day ends our right to exist as a distinct religious people. If we have a distinctive plea, in that consists our strength. I believe that our distinctive principles are made less prominent in our pulpit now than formerly. I do not mean that our preachers should be always on what is called ‘first principles.’ Very far from it. But I do mean that all our members should be deeply indoctrinated in the things that distinguish us from other religious peoples. The people should understand why they occupy the position they do. The better this is understood the more it will be appreciated, and the more firm and consistent will be the Christian life. When people are led to believe that sectarianism is about as good as New Testament Christianity their influence for the cause we plead is positively hurtful. Whenever we begin to curry favor with the sects and fawn upon them for recognition, we are certain to say but little about a plea that lays the axe at the root of the whole denominational tree. Whenever we begin to curry favor with the world, we are certain to fall in with the world’s notions, and adjust ourselves to the world’s ways. Hence much of that in which churches now indulge in the way of worldly amusements, carnal methods of raising money, the spirit of mere entertainment in the worship, etc., is due to the fact that they copy the sects, rather than the New Testament churches; and are filled with the spirit of the world, instead of the spirit of Christ.”

F. G. Allen (1836-1885)

From a sermon entitled “Rebuilding Jerusalem” published in 1926 in New Testament Christianity

Marriage

Marriage

Marriage is the highest and happiest of human relationships. It is the preserver of true love, the foundation of the home, and bulwark of society. Marriage began in the bowers of Eden under the bowers of Eden under the direction of Almighty God. Moses gave legal regulations on matters connected with marriage for the old dispensation. Christ endorsed marriage as it existed in the beginning for the Christian age and performed His first miracle at the wedding feast in Cana. Paul likens the relationship between Christ and His church to that of husband and wife.

There are three divine institutions in our world. (1) The home, (2) civil government, and (3) the church. The institution of marriage keeps the moral world in being and secures civilization. Without it, natural affection and amiableness would not exist, domestic education would become extinct, industry and economy would collapse, learning and refinement would expire, government sink into the gulf of anarchy, and man would be left to the precarious existence of the savage.

Two persons, a man and a woman, who have chosen each other out of all others, with the design to be each other’s mutual comfort and care, have, in that action bound themselves to be loving, affable, discreet, forgiving, patient, and joyful, with respect to each other’s frailties and imperfections,to the end of their lives. Marriage is to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity, until death do them part. It is a solemn vow taken in the name of 

1. Marriage is divine in origin. When one compares Genesis 2:24 with Matthew 19:4-5, he finds that it was God “who made them male and female” and it was God who said, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.” Marriage is honorable in all (Hebrews 13:4). Eunuchs by birth, surgery, or choice would not marry for obvious reasons (Matthew 19:11-12). Also, under certain conditions of great distress one might not wish to marry (I Corinthians 7:1, 26). But it is better to marry than to burn in passion (I Corinthians 7:9). God saw in Adam that “It was not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18).
2. Monogamic in form. This means married to one person or having only one Scriptural mate at a time (Matthew 19:5-6, 9; I Corinthians 7:3). In the Christian age polygamy or many wives, and polyandry, having many husbands are both wrong. Commune marriages practiced among some ... groups are also condemned by Jesus.
3. Companionate and procreative in design. “Let the husband render unto the wife her due: and likewise also the wife unto her husband” (I Corinthians 7:3; cf. 7:4-5). God told the first couple to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth (Genesis 2:28).
4. Mutual in obligation. The husband is to love the wife (Ephesians 5:25) and the wife is to love her husband (Titus 2:4). Man and woman are complements of each other and dependent upon each other.
5. The husband is the head of the wife. This is the way God set up marriage (Ephesians 5:22-24). We sometimes hear people joke that the husband is the head, but his wife is surely the neck that turns the head the way she wants! But the Bible is quite serious about the wife being in subjection unto her husband. To tamper with God’s order can bring serious consequences. 
6. United by God. What God hath joined together let not man put asunder (Matthew 19:6). In God’s sight the marriage contract is final until broken by death or infidelity (Matthew 19:9; Romans 7:1-3). There is no marriage in heaven, says Jesus (Luke 20:27-40). This voids the Mormon doctrine of celestial marriage.
7. God wants Christian homes. This is where parents are obedient to God’s laws (II Peter 3:9; Matthew 7:21), and having been baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:26-27), are bringing up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 22:6; Psalm 78:4; Genesis 18:19).

The sordid moral record of the world in general and America in particular is sad. Twenty five percent of American marriages wind up in the divorce courts. About one in twenty has some venereal disease. One out of six brides is an expectant mother before she gets to the marriage altar according to one journal. The obvious immodest dress of many women shows that while some dress to be chaste others may dress to be chased! There is a vast difference between the words. While parents shout for someone to do something to help the young people, the truth of the matter is that the responsibility is theirs and they need to face it. Parents need to provide opportunities for their children to be with other Christian young people so they will marry a Christian mate. Young people should date clean, pure and compatible partners. Before marriage ask yourself seriously if you are really ready for marriage, if you are mature enough, and is it love or infatuation? 

The following entitled “A Recipe for Home” by an unknown author is fine.

“First, get out the cooking utensils. You will need one husband, one wife, and children to suit yourself. Next, cream one cup of love until it is fluffy and mellow. Add one-half cup of tears and hardships and stir gently. Whip in a cup of joy; when smooth, add one teaspoon each of thoughtfulness, heartfelt tenderness and sympathy. Add one cup of ambition with two cups of Christianity. Bake in moderate oven, top with kindness, and serve repeatedly.”

Christ should be the Lord of our home and He is our ever present silent guest. To put marriage and the home on the right path, Christ should be the center: Christ at the marriage altar; Christ on the bridal journey; Christ when the new home is set up; Christ when the baby comes; Christ when the baby dies; Christ in the pinching times; Christ in the days of plenty; Christ for time; Christ for eternity, this is the secret of home. 

J. Noel Meredith

Gospel Advocate (August 12, 1971)

[Some of the statistics in the above article may be out of date, but the general principles taught are just as true as when they were written. Lester]