Truth Magazine

At the passing of influential brethren, the words of David in mourning for Abner are often heard: “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?” (2 Sam. 3:38). It is not a stretch of language to use these words in reference to the death of James R. Cope. He was a figure in many ways larger than life because of his stand for truth and his influence on many of our lives.

Brother Cope was born in a small community near Sparta, Tennessee on January 27, 1917. He passed from this life early on June 18, 1999. The funeral service was held the morning of June 22, 1999 in Hutchinson Auditorium on the campus of Florida College. Numerous family, brethren, and friends were present to pay their last respects. His body was laid to rest by the side of his beloved Georgia Deane at the Hillsboro Memorial Gardens in Brandon, Florida. In keeping with our hope for faithful saints, we trust that brother Cope’s soul is at home with his “loving Father” where his mind is restored and he awaits the spiritual body in the resurrection.

Brethren of his generation will no doubt write more eloquently about the work of brother Cope throughout the years. Close friends for many years can share more personal stories about his life and their associations. However, as one of the students who was deeply influenced by brother Cope, it seemed proper to write a short remembrance of his impact on my life.

While at Florida College in the fall semester of 1975, I began to attend the Antioch congregation in Thonotosassa, Florida where brother Cope was preaching. During the next year, brother Cope asked if I would work with the congregation in teaching classes and preaching in his absence. In the year that followed, I had a great opportunity to learn many lessons from brother Cope and I grew to love him.

Brother Cope arranged for me to come to his office for a visit each week he was in town so that we could discuss the work and other things. In the midst of the conversation, brother Cope would usually reminisce about the past. Before that time, I only knew brother Cope as the President of Florida College and as a renown preacher of the gospel. Since that time, I have seen him as a man of great courage, deep spirituality and tender emotion.

Brother Cope’s reputation as a man of courage was well secured by the time I first heard his name. His defense of the truth in discussion over the years was widely reported and held in great respect. As the issues regarding institutional- ism began, most brethren had heard of his firm stand for the truth in a faculty meeting at Freed-Hardeman College. Brother Cope’s convictions were never for sale or rent.

When he became President at Florida College, that same character caused him to stand against the encroachment of liberalism even in the midst of strong opposition. By the time my generation was able to attend Florida College, Jim Cope was generally conceded to be the main reason the college had not been swept into the control of institutional brethren. Though there was always a need for greater funds to maintain the school, brother Cope was known for several stands on principle despite the fact that such stands might cost contributions. Such stands were not a result of a lack of love for the school, but because of a greater love for the Lord and his truth.

Having grown up at the very end of the division over the institutional issues, I viewed preachers who endured hardship and ridicule to stand for the truth as heros. I still do. However, I never saw the depth of the price they paid within for their stand. During one of our talks, I asked brother Cope what had been most disappointing to him during the institutional division. Almost immediately, his eyes began to tear and he replied that it was when he real- ized Guy Woods and several others would never be beside him in the work again. Brother Cope spoke of several of his peers with whom he thought he would grow old as co- laborers in the kingdom and how it hurt to know that such would never be. I remember that as the first time I realized how deeply painful the effects of such courageous stands were upon such men. Though he knew friendship of long standing would be severed as a result, Jim Cope did what was right and took his stand with the Lord. May the Lord increase his tribe in our time.

During my second year at Florida College, I took an Epistles class from Melvin Curry. For some reason, brother Curry had to be out for a period and brother Cope stepped in to teach the book of Philippians. It was an excellent class. Brother Cope dealt in depth with the text. I still go back to my notes from that class and gain from the rich material he brought out.

In his last class with us, brother Cope said he would take the last part of the class time to review and prepare us for the test. When that time came, one of the first questions asked by a student was something like, “What do we really have to know for the test?” I can still see brother Cope’s jaw clinch and his eyes begin to burn and I knew we were in trouble. He responded by asking the questioner what he was wanting, all the things which he did not need to study for the test. With his index finger pointing out to the class, brother Cope told us in no uncertain terms what we needed to know to get a good grade on the test. He said that if we memorized the book and committed everything he said in the class to memory, we should have no trouble with the test. Having so stated, he walked out the door. This was the only time I have ever known of brother Cope stopping before the allotted time. Two days later at test time, we all found out he was not joking. The expectation for students to know the text and the depth of its teaching was an expectation brother Cope had of himself and of all others because it came first of the Lord (2 Tim. 2:15). He did all of us in the class a great favor by reminding us of that fact.

Two things will always remind me of brother Cope. The first is a book he gave me, Christ’s Second Coming by Da- vid Brown. He gave it as an award, but told me to use it to learn about the error of premillennialism and how to combat that error with the truth. To me, it is a constant reminder of brother Cope’s militant stand for truth and opposition to error (Psa. 119:128). The second reminder of brother Cope is a song, God Will Take Care of You. At the close of every service at Antioch, brother Cope would lead us in one verse of that song. At his funeral, it was also the final song. I could not sing it then with dry eyes, nor do I think I will do so for some time. No song could better express the confidence brother Cope had in his “loving Father” to provide for the faithful Christian, nor could any song better express the trust I have in the care now being provided to one who meant so much to my life. Indeed, beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of Jim Cope.

By Vernon Love

Do you really believe the words of Jesus? It is easy to quote Mark 16:15-16 or Acts 2:38 to one that is lost and insist every word is true. What about all the other words that Jesus spoke? For instances, Jesus said to his disciples, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). Do we believe that when two or three worship together that it is acceptable? Or, must we have a large number gathered together before we would think meeting with them?

In this day of modernization it seems that bigger is better. The smaller stores and companies sell to the larger. The larger stores seem to draw the business. But, also there seems to be among some Christians that the congregation they assemble with must be several hundred before they will go there. We know of a denominational church nearby that built a very large building and then sent buses out over the country to pick up people which took the people away from congregations that were smaller. This really caused some hard feelings. However, we know of some preachers who are “sheep stealers,” that is they will try get members to leave their congregation and go to where my preacher is preaching.

We also have some in worship services get up and say “we are just a poor small struggling group.” That really is a lot of encouragement to the listeners. Do we really believe the words of Jesus that “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them”?

There are many congregations in our nation that are small, but are faithful and worshiping their Lord. Many of these cannot pay a preacher so he can work full time but that does not matter. They assemble, and all are grateful for all who come. Does this make the members second class, or the preacher a “one horse preacher”?

If one is baptized in a small congregation does this make him a second class member? I think not. If a congregation is small, does this mean that they are lazy, or sinning because they have not built it up to a large group? I think not. In many place in the world there are small communities that never grow, so the potential for the church to grow is not as great as in a larger city.

What can we do for the small congregations where only a few may be meeting? I suggest that when you are traveling on a trip for a vacation or coming to the south for the winter look up a small congregation and stay awhile. This will be great encouragement to them. We know of a man and wife who spent their summers traveling in the north going from one church to another which was small in number. They would go out during the week and pass out literature and invite the community to services. This man and wife attended a large congregation but was willing to help small ones during the summer.

Another thing we can do more of, is to send the preacher into communities where the church is small and hold a gospel meeting . We know of some preachers who are willing to do this and it really means a lot to a small group. We could also send support to preachers in small congregations. Any amount would be deeply appreciated.

But most of all we need to believe our Lord when he said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” If Jesus will do this, should we not also be willing to assemble with small churches also?

 

There are various meanings given by godly and learned men to these verses. Is the Spirit the Holy Spirit or the human spirit? What is the meaning of “makes intercession,” and whose “groanings which cannot be uttered” are under consideration here — man’s or the Spirit’s? Do we know how to pray and for what we should pray? If we do, how do we come to know it? If we do not, why don’t we?

The things I shall say are uttered with fear and trembling, knowing that men of greater knowledge than myself understand these verses differently. I certainly do not fear disagreement nor criticism, but my prayer is that we always understand that we are brethren in the Lord who are studying and seeking truth.

I do believe in prayer. I do believe that God answers prayer. If the Holy Spirit plays a part in our prayers that I do not fully understand — if he renders help to us that I do not fully see — then I, standing in need of all of the help I can get, readily accept such. I want to always be open to study and I surely want to be open to assistance that is afforded to me from God.

My thoughts on this matter flow from my overall understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit, that being, revealing the mind of God to man. I hope you will be moved to further study of this matter and your comments and thoughts are solicited. These are difficult verses in a difficult context and I certainly am not dogmatic in rejecting another view as long as it does not violate clear and scriptural principles.

I do believe that we err when we do not interpret passages dealing with the Holy Spirit in their proper time set- ting. When we take passages with an application relating to the age of spiritual gifts when the revelation of God was being given (orally in the man), and give them the same application today when God’s complete revelation has been given and is now in the book, we arrive at erroneous conclusions. Thus, understand Holy Spirit passages as one would understand them who possessed and witnessed spiritual gifts that made possible the revelation of God’s final and complete revelation, and do not strain and interpret them to fit today when we neither possess nor witness spiritual gifts, because God’s final and complete revelation is here.

The most common interpretation of the verses we are considering is the following: “When a Christian cannot express his prayer in words, the Holy Spirit takes his groanings and intercedes for him before God who does understand and know what the mind of the Spirit is.” I believe there is another interpretation which makes more sense, at least, to me, and

so I shall precede to try and point it out to you.

Let me begin by saying that the work or mission of the Holy Spirit was revelation! He was to make known God’s mind to man (see 1 Cor. 2:7-16; 1 Pet. 1:10-12; 2 Pet. 1:21).

Thus, the Holy Spirit gave us God’s mind unmixed with error and we can be assured that the Bible is the Word of Truth and that it is all of the Truth. (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13). The reason we can have this assurance is because the Holy Spirit confirmed the truth as a divine revelation. Had God’s revelation not been confirmed it would have been impossible to distinguish between the genuine revelation and counterfeit ones. Thus, miracles to confirm the Word were the means of furnishing supernatural evidence of a supernatural revelation. Hence, the Holy Spirit’s confirmation of the Word by miracles assures us of the integrity of the Bible and validates its claim to be from God.

What a wonderful thought this is. The Holy Spirit’s mission and work was to reveal to man God’s wisdom and plan in his great work of human redemption. How else would we know God’s mystery (see Eph.3:1-7)?

The Bible teaches that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal the mind of God to man, through selected men, and confirm the revelation as being genuine. If Romans 8:26-27 means that the Spirit takes the groanings of the Christian and makes them known, or reveals the mind of man to God would this not be a direct reversal of the general work of the Spirit in revealing the mind of God to man? I can understand why it was necessary for the Spirit to reveal the mind of God to man, but I have difficulty in under- standing why God needs the Spirit to reveal man’s mind or interpret his needs to God. This is especially true since there is no creature hidden from his sight “but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb.4:13). All is bare and uncovered before God’s penetrating eyes. He is aware of every act and every thought and can judge the very secrets of men. I realize all too well that because I may have difficulty understanding a matter does not prove a thing one way or the other.

Was this work attributed to the Holy Spirit in behalf of Christians also available to the Israelites while they were in Egyptian bondage? In other words, did the Spirit work in this way in the Old Testament also? I know of no indication of such. Perhaps there is, but it has escaped my attention. Exodus 2:23 says: “The Israelites groaned in their slavery, and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and He remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.” Chapter 3:7, says: “. . . I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. The word “groanings” in verse 26 is the word used with reference to the Israelites in Egyptian bondage. They groaned, cried to God, God heard them, he understood them, and was thus concerned about them! Also, were the prayers of Cornelius under- stood by God (Acts 10:4, 31)?

The following quotations will set forth the common view with regard to the Spirit’s work in Romans 8:26-27. Read them carefully.

Paul said: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities.” “The idea is, he gets, as it were, his shoulder under them, and bears them. He carries them with us, in us, and for us, strengthening and enabling us for the burden. We know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Holy Spirit knows. It knows perfectly both what we need and how to pray for it. It therefore becomes, in some measure, a remedy for our weakness. The mode in which the Spirit intercedes is by prayer; and the mode in which it prays is in groanings which cannot be framed into human speech, for the reason, it may be, that they embody wants for which human speech has no names. They are the deep real wants of human nature. The groanings which give inarticulate expression to these wants are not the Spirit’s groanings. They are our groanings. But the Spirit, if it does not cause them, which it may, so forms and directs them as to make them express our true wants and in strict harmony with the Father’s will. For otherwise, I can see no advantage they would have over our common prayers. Is not this passage proof that the Holy Spirit does something for us beyond the aid which he gives us in his Word? This intercession and help which the Spirit gives us is not through the Word but apart from the Word. This does not mean that the Holy Spirit has a will for us which is not revealed in the Word, but it does mean that in this he does a work on our behalf which he does not do through the written Word. He does this work in heaven for us who are on this earth.” These quotes are taken from The Holy Spirit And The Christian by James D.Bales, 101-103.

These quotes are typical, especially with brethren who believe in the personal, literal, indwelling of the Spirit in the Christian. The men quoted by Bales, and James Bales himself, are very knowledgeable men and I certainly do not come up to their level of scholarship, but I must respectfully disagree with their conclusions. From their statements one would have to conclude that the Holy Spirit: (1) Strengthens and enables us for our burdens, (2) Helps us overcome sin, (3) Becomes a remedy for our weaknesses, (4) We don’t know what we should pray for but the Holy Spirit does, and so he takes our groanings (which are uttered in our common prayers) and makes them express our true wants, thus changing them so that they are in strict harmony with God’s will, (5) The Spirit does the aforementioned things apart from the Word of God. (6) Thus, he takes our common prayers and transforms them into uncommon or prayers in harmony with God’s will.

If the above is true, where does this place our common (?) prayers? A good definition of prayer is “Expressing our deepest desires and yearnings of the heart to God.” Are we able to do this when we pray? How do we know how to pray? Are we not instructed by the Word of God? Aren’t we thoroughly furnished unto every good work and made perfect or complete through the Scriptures? If what some are saying is true, then, apparently, the Word of God is insufficient, at least in the area of prayer.

What connection then, does the Holy Spirit have with prayer? In the apostolic age, there was inspired prayer. “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful” (1 Cor. 14.14). We know that “tongues” was one of the spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:1, 10). If one spoke in a tongue, it was by direct revelation. If one sang in a tongue, it was by direct revelation (v. 15). If one prayed in a tongue it was by direct revelation. Therefore, a prayer in a tongue was an inspired prayer!

“. . . they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 18-20).

Ephesians 6:18, speaks of “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit . . .” It seems reason- able to conclude then, that praying in the Holy Spirit” was “praying by inspiration of the Spirit.” Thayer says, regarding the prepositional phrase, “in Spirit” “to be in the power of, be actuated by, inspired by, the Holy Spirit; Rom. 8:9 (Greek-English Lexicon of The N.T. 211; see also Rev. 1:10;  4:2).

In the apostolic age there was (1) inspired preaching (1 Cor. 14), (2) inspired singing (l Cor. 14), (3) inspired prayer (Jude 19-20; Eph. 6:18; 1 Cor. 14). But, we do not live in the apostolic age. Is there inspired preaching to- day? No! We preach what has been revealed by the Spirit to inspired men contained in the written Word of God. Is there inspired singing today? No! God’s record is complete and we teach and admonish one another with regard to it, when we sing (Col. 3:16). Is there inspired prayer today? No! We understand how to pray through the teaching of the written record and we have prayers recorded to guide us. I can understand why they needed the miraculous aid of the Spirit in the area of preaching, singing, and praying while the Word of God was being given. But I have difficulty in understanding why we today do not need the Spirit’s help, apart from the Word in our preaching and in our singing, but we do need the Spirit’s help when we pray. Why just prayer?

It appears to me that when we argue that the Spirit does things for the Christian beyond the aid he gives in his Word, i.e., he does a work on our behalf which he does not do through the written Word and then we, at the same time argue, that the Spirit does not aid or do a work on behalf of the alien sinner, except through the written word, we show our inconsistency and face a dilemma from which we can never extricate ourselves.

For example, the alien sinner seeks God but knows not how he ought to seek him, but the Spirit knows his intentions and helps him to the Word and to obedience. Thus, the Spirit is working apart from means. At the same time the Christian seeks God in prayer, but knows not how, but the Spirit knows his intentions and helps him to pray, turning his common, unacceptable prayers into acceptable prayers according to God’s will. Again, the Spirit is working apart from means. It seems inconsistent, to me, at least, to say that the Christian who has infirmities and needs help has the Spirit in the Word and in addition to the Word, but the alien sinner has the Spirit working and aiding and helping him only through the Word. Thus, the Christian has infirmities and needs extra divine help and power through the aid of the Spirit, but that to the alien sinner, the Spirit working through the Word is sufficient.

J.B. Moody stated the following in his debate with brother J.A. Harding: “I believe that man is so depraved that he cannot render acceptable obedience to the Gospel unless aided by the divine power of the Spirit in addition to the Word” (The Nashville Debate 415). Is it also true that the Christian cannot render acceptable worship (prayer) unless aided by the divine power of the Spirit in addition to the Word?

Is the inspired Word of God insufficient to teach us to pray understandable and acceptable prayers? Is it sufficient to teach us, but we are unable to understand its teaching? If it is sufficient to teach and instruct us and if we can understand its instructions, but we are still unable to pray as we ought, and the Spirit must take over and turn our insufficient prayers into sufficient prayers, thus interpreting them for God, is this not a direct working?

The Holy Spirit worked miraculously in giving and confirming the Word of God, but today the Holy Spirit does not work miraculously, but through the Word of God. Thus, when we study the work of the Holy Spirit, communication is at the center. Any position that has the Spirit, today, operating above and beyond the written Word casts doubt upon the inspiration of the Scriptures as the all-sufficient guide for sinner and saint.

It is important for us to look at the term “intercession. “ The verb signifies “to fall in with a person; to go to or meet a person, esp. for the purpose of conversation, or supplication; hence, to pray or entreat” (Thayer). “It means properly to be present with anyone for the purpose of aiding . . . ; hence, to intercede for anyone, or to aid or assist in any manner” (Barnes Notes, Romans). I believe intercession in some passages simply means, to intervene, interfere, to aid or assist, thus in Romans 8:26, it is not the Spirit that pleads in our behalf, but that he throws himself into our case, takes part in it, for the purpose of conversation, thus aiding and assisting the saints in accordance with God’s will. In inspired prayer didn’t the Spirit fall in with the person, thus intervening, aiding and assisting him?

James Macknight gives this as a possible explanation. He said: “Perhaps the apostle meant that the Spirit helped their infirmity by inspiring them with a proper prayer” (Macknight On The Epistles 99). I conclude, therefore, that the term intercession is not always used in the same way. Most understand that Christ is our Intercessor in a unique way (1 John 2:1; Heb. 7.25). The Holy Spirit and Christ do not sustain the same office. James Macknight, again says: “Besides, nowhere in scripture is the Holy Spirit said ‘to intercede for men’ in the proper sense of intercession, which is the merit of the intercessor pleaded in behalf of another. In the proper sense there is but one intercessor with God, the man Christ Jesus” (99).

In John16:13-15, we read: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”

I want to emphasize: “He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” This highlights the work of the Spirit — revealing the Lord’s will to mankind! Where is the passage which teaches that “the Spirit will take of what is man’s (his insufficient prayers) and declare them to God (interpret them or make them sufficient)? But, on the other hand, if the Holy Spirit’s intercession in this context is inspiring the prayer, then, the Spirit was making known the mind of God to man. We must study the Holy Spirit passages in the context of the setting in which they were written.

The idea that the Spirit is literally in man and doing things for man that are not accomplished by the Word of Truth, be he alien sinner or saint, is an untenable position and cannot be sustained. To hold to the theory of an immediate indwelling of the Spirit without the Spirit having an immediate influence is to hold to an insignificant theory, unworthy of argument. I submit to you the following quotation for your consideration:

It is further maintained, that whatever God does in the Christian, is done through faith, through gospel facts believed, gospel truth apprehended, and appropriated by the soul, as the food of its life, and not by immediate, super- natural energy. . . . the work of the Spirit in strengthening and comforting Christians is confirmed to the ordinary laws of thought and the inner life quite as completely as is His work in the conversion of sinners. . . . The presence of this truth in connection with every divine effect in the inner man, whether in the conversion of sinners, or the growing holiness of saints, is an unquestionable fact of the universal Christian consciousness. That the Spirit of God enlightens and converts sinners, comforts and strengthens saints, through the truth; that love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, self-control, are fruits of the Spirit, we learn, not from consciousness, but from the Word of God . . . . For myself, I make no pretense of having been the subject of any influence which I could consciously recognize as immediately, i.e., without the intervention of truth, from the Spirit. The con- conceptions of God, of Christ, of the Holy Spirit and His work, as they exist in most minds, even with all the advantages of revelation, are painfully crude and inadequate. The source of all clear truth on these questions, is undoubtedly, the Word of God. Whatever may be said about the idea of a Creator and Moral Governor, it is certain that, without revelation, we should not know that there is any Christ or Holy Spirit, This knowledge comes to us, confessedly, from without — through the revelation that God has given us. However real these personalities, we know them not by sense, nor by direct cognition, but by holy Scripture. The facts regarding them are facts of faith, or they are mere delusions . . . Whatever present, personal agency (of the Holy Spirit — call it providential, suggestive, or whatever name may be thought most appropriate — can be held in consistency with the view that divine influence, whether in converting sinners or comforting saints, is not by naked impact, but mediated to the soul by divine truth. I most willingly accept. Said Alexander Campbell, in his debate with Dr. Rice: ‘The Spirit (of God is ever present with His truth, operating in it, and through it, and by it’ . . . Similarly, let us insist that God, in the sphere of redemption, is immanent in truth, in the forces of truth — that He quickens morally dead sinners, sustains and comforts believers, in no case, by naked, mechanical impact, but evermore through influences mediated by truth . . . (Symposium On The Holy Spirit, 63, 64, 69, 71, 76, 77).

Make no mistake about it, the teaching that the Holy Spirit literally and personally indwells the Christian inevitably leads to the Spirit doing things for the Christian apart from the Word, accomplishing things the truth cannot accomplish.

Stanley E. Sayers says in his book, Reflecting On TheSpirit, 190:

The very fact that the great preponderance of Scripture bears upon the indwelling of the Spirit in the Christian as a Person, not outside the Christian, but inside where the need is known and the comfort called for, not in concept but in reality, urges that if He is there to help us, help us He will. And this help extends strongly to prayer where we often find ourselves the most inept.

As I said at the beginning of this study. I need all of the help and guidance available to me. I believe and accept any spiritual influence, any help, any comfort that is conveyed from the loving and Infinite God, realizing that I am a pray- ing, struggling, and trusting human soul — but I believe such help comes through faith, mediated by divine truth! Is this position devoid and destitute of true spirituality? I don’t think so. How else can one be spiritual except it be by the guidance of the Spirit through God’s revelation?

By Jarrod Jacobs

In the first century we find where the Apostles and early preachers placed the emphasis upon spiritual truths, upon spiritual needs, not on physical things.

Recently, I received a very cordial letter from a young man in White Bluff concerning some of the practices of the Pleasant View church of Christ, the congregation with whom I work. I thought it would be interesting for us to consider what this young man asked. Though the young man was upright and honest enough to give me his name, and ought to be commended for such behavior, I will not mention his name in this article for it has no bearing on the answer given. (Both letters have been edited for space.)

His letter to me:

“. . . It has been rumored by several neighboring congregations that you do not believe in having kitchens in the building. I am in no way condemning you. I am not trying to spread rumors either. I just wanted to know if this is true and if so why do you believe this? Please reply with a response. Thank you for your time.”

My response:

Thank you so much for taking the time to write and ask your questions. We really appreciate that. . . . From your letter, you said that you had heard some rumors about the church at Pleasant View from “neighboring congregations.” Please tell me, which congregations? I just wondered why they felt the need to tell people what we do and do not do. They are not like you, for you took time to write and ask about our practices. This is to be commended.

Now, to your questions. You asked, whether or not we “believe in having kitchens in the church building.” You further asked, “Why do you believe this?” These are both very good questions, and I will try to give you an answer from the Bible. First of all, let me begin by saying that it does not matter what “I believe” on any subject, but what matters is “what saith the Scripture?” (Rom. 4:3). There- fore, we need to start with the Scripture, and then base our lives around what God says (Col. 3:17). We are not to practice things we like, and then turn around and try to find authority for it “after the fact”! I’m sure you realize this, or you wouldn’t have written.

In order to answer your questions, let us ask ourselves, what is the nature of the church? Is it a spiritual entity, or physical? I believe we both would say that the church is a spiritual institution. Christ said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). The church is described as the bride of Christ (John 3:29-30; Rev. 22:17). In Romans 14:17, we read, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink: but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” This passage makes clear that the function of the Lord’s church is not found in physi- cal things, but in spiritual matters. Romans 14:17 makes a progressive statement. Here, we see that the kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. When one strives for righteousness (God’s word, Ps. 119:172; Rom. 1:16-17), he will find peace with God, and then joy results from this peace. Notice again the fact that the peace and joy come not through worldly appeals, but through the spiritual appeal of Scripture! Therefore, the nature of a thing will determine its function! The nature of the church is spiritual, therefore its function is spiritual as well. In like manner, something with a physical nature will have a physical function (example: a block-laying company, etc.).

What purpose does a kitchen serve? Does it serve a physical or spiritual need? If it serves a spiritual need, every congregation of God’s people needs to have one! If physical, it has no place in the spiritual function of the church. In the first century we find where the Apostles and early preachers placed the emphasis upon spiritual truths, upon spiritual needs, not on physical things. Their objective was to preach the gospel (Rom. 1:16). Their goal was to bring lost souls to Christ (2 Cor. 5:20). Their mission was to “preach the word. . .” (2 Tim. 4:2). They also commended local congregations who did those very things (Rom. 1:8; 16:19, 26; 1 Thess. 1:6-8). Knowing that we may only “speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11), where do we find Jesus, Peter, Paul, James, or any other inspired man telling a local congregation that they need kitchens, or similar things in order to carry out the work God wanted them to do? Consider also the fact that if someone shows we can do the Lord’s work without the kitchen, then why have it at all? I enjoy eating as much as anyone, but we need to remember what the nature and function of the church is. Paul said, “if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation” (1 Cor. 11:34). If each local congregation adhered to this command, there would not be a problem concerning kitchens and the like.

Perhaps some might say to you that they see nothing wrong with a kitchen. Maybe some will say, “Look at all the good it does.” Others may argue that we are “too picky,” etc. But, when people do this, have they answered the argument? When people make comments about the brethren at Pleasant View, or when they spread rumors such as the ones you heard, does that change the nature of the church from spiritual to physical? Again, it is not what “I believe,” nor what the “brethren believe.” We are striving to do and to act only as the Bible says. I know you can appreciate this.

Please come and visit us any time! . . . In closing, let me commend your good attitude again. Thank you for writing and asking your questions. Thank you for having the courage to sign your name as well! To honorable people like you, this may seem to be nothing, but many refuse to sign their name for fear of any real contact. I appreciate what you have done, and hope to meet you at some future time.

Sincerely, Jarrod Jacobs