Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds (2 John 9-11).

This text of Scripture warns a church against receiving into its fellowship those who are transgressing the doctrine of Christ, not being content to abide in the doctrine of Christ. In our age of loose fellowship, it is a concept that is not readily accepted.

The unity-in-diversity plea has rejected the concept expressed in this verse. The Christian Church calls for a unity-in-diversity with members of the Lord’s church. The kind of unity they accept is one in which the Christian Church continues its unauthorized practices (which initially were the church support of missionary societies and instrumental music in worship, but now has expanded to church operated schools, women speaking in the assembly, receiving the pious unimmersed, etc.) and gospel preachers ceasing to preach that these practices are sinful. It is immaterial to the Christian Church whether or not we choose to use instrumental music in worship. The same unity-in-diversity plea has been espoused by our institutional brethren. The kind of unity they accept is one in which they continue to support their human institutions (colleges, orphan homes, hospitals, old folks homes, etc.), participating in the sponsoring church arrangement, and building “fellowship halls” (another name for recreational facilities ranging from a kitchen to a gymnasium). These brethren do not care whether or not we decide to support these activities so long as we do not condemn their participation in them. Some among us clamor for the same kind of unity on divorce and remarriage. They want to preach their doctrines that allow those who have divorced their mates for causes other than fornication to hold membership in the church while staying in these unscriptural marriages and want us to quit preaching that is unscriptural doctrine and conduct. They do not care that we do not accept into our fellowship those involved in unscriptural marriages and do not invite preachers who preach their false doctrines on divorce and remarriage, so long as we don’t condemn them for doing those things!

The unity-in-diversity plea is a different platform of unity than is the plea for unity grounded on the revealed word of God. Just as we have unity with one another based on our common acceptance of what the Scriptures teach about the person of Christ and the conditions for salvation, we can have unity with one another so long as we have common acceptance of what the Scriptures teach about the worship and work of the church, and divorce and remarriage.

There can be no on-going fellowship with those who continue in the practice of their sin, defend it as an act of righteousness and invite others to participate with them in the practice of their sin. John did not think he could invite those Gnostic teachers of the first century who denied the humanity of Jesus to a special series of lectures on the evidences or the home, so long as they did not teach their loose views on the humanity of Christ. Those who taught these false doctrines could not be received, plainly and simply.

There are many other Scriptures that emphasis this same truth about fellowship. Consider the following:

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them (Eph. 5: 11).

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple (Rom 16:17-18).

The unity-in-diversity is plea is not the Bible plan of unity. Years ago, our brethren used to illustrate the difference in doctrinal unity and union. They said, “You can tie two cats tails together and throw them over a clothes line and you have union, but you don’t have unity.” The difference between union and unity should be obvious. God calls us to the same kind of unity that exists between him and his Son, Jesus Christ: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:20-21).

Bible unity is grounded in adherence to the revealed Word of God and to that unity God’s people are commit- ted. (Reprinted from The Exhorter, bulletin of the Danville, IN church of Christ, June 4, 1999.)

By J. Wiley Adams

Sometimes small children set some mighty fine examples for the adults in the congregation. Such an example was set recently by a six-year old who did not even realize that he was doing anything out of the ordinary.

We’ll call this young boy, Jacob, since that is really his name. His father was away on a business trip. His mother stays home and tends to her children and the ways of her household. How wonderful to see this happen in this day and time!

It was the time of year for colds, allergies, and sinus problems in Central Georgia. These ailments had run through the whole family as this kind of thing will do. Jacob had been running a fever but it had subsided. Still the little guy felt pretty bad.

But Wednesday night came. Time to go to services. Noting, as an attentive mother would do, that her son felt bad, she asked him if he felt like going. Without hesitation Jacob said, “I think we’d better go.” He knew that if he stayed home that his mother and two sisters would have to stay too to care for him. So the van pulled up to the building with all four of them. You can’t keep a good kid down!

I hope many adults in the church will read this and bow their heads in shame. Surely there are legitimate reasons for not being present but many hide under the ambiguous umbrella of “I feel bad.” My brother’s first gospel meeting in Newport, North Carolina (arranged for him by Harry Pickup, Sr.) would have been a non-meeting because of an awful throat condition that developed almost as soon as he arrived had it not been that the nice couple with whom he stayed “mopped” his throat every night and every morning throughout the meeting. But, preach he did. I mean he did. Sore throat be hanged!

But I cannot let my brother outdo me in this. I have preached a lot of times when I “felt bad.” Once I traveled straight through from middle Georgia leaving on Sun- day after morning services, stopping over for evening services, traveled through Kentucky and West Virginia nonstop, changed clothes at a gas station near Charles- ton, West Virginia, hit the ground a-running at 7 P.M., was greeted by the brethren at the Three-Wells Church of Christ (for further reference on this designation contact Paul Casebolt) and was in my seat ready to start at 7:30

P.M. Drunk as a fish mind you from those crooked West Virginia roads but I propped myself up in the pulpit holding on to the sides of the stand for dear life. Brethren, I mean to tell you I “felt bad.” But, as Weldon Warnock would say, by George I preached and it turned out pretty good the brethren told me.

We teach, and rightly so, that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. This is taught in Hebrews 10:23-26. In this passage we not only have the command to assemble but it also states why and what it amounts to if we do not. We are to stir one another up to love and good works so our faith will not waver. We assemble in order to do this and it amounts to wilful sin if we fail to comply.

Yes, brethren, we all “feel bad” a lot of the time but not so bad that we cannot tighten up our belts and go to services in spite of it.

I agree with my little friend, Jacob. I think we’d better go.

You may have been driving down the road and by chance saw a sign on a vehicle which read something like this, “Start the week off right, join the church of your choice.” This saying implies that any church is sufficient, it must only be deemed good by your choice! This saying does not say or give any thought to what God’s choice is. It does not say, “Start the week off right, join the church of God’s choice.”

There is no consideration for what God’s choice is but only that of man. Consequently, those who have this mind set make the choosing of a church equal to the choosing of a flavor of ice-cream. One church is just as satisfactory as another depending on the individual’s choice, like chocolate is just as satisfying as vanilla, depending on choice alone.

If this is true, what difference does it make whether one is a member of the church of Christ or the Baptist Church? And if this is true, what difference does it make whether one is a member of the church of Christ or the church of Satan for members of both have chosen whom they serve. I wonder if those who advocate the standard of “choice” alone will consent to those who follow Satan? I think not! Most will deny that it is acceptable to be a member of the church of Satan, but if they deny it, they have shot down their philosophy of choice. What then makes it right or wrong to be a member of the church of Satan? Is it not the word of God? If it is not the word of God, then what is it? If we agree that the word of God condemns those who are members of Satan’s church, then should we not use the same word to justify our membership? Jesus said, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

He also asked, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Does the church where you worship do the things Jesus has asked? Do they teach what Jesus taught and do what Jesus commanded? Concerning salvation, do they teach as Jesus did, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16), or do they teach faith only? Does the church of your choice partake of the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), as the first century church did, or does it “choose” to do it once every month, quarter, or year?

Does the church of your choice teach that one must remain faithful to Christ until death in order to inherit life (Rev. 2:10), or does it teach falsely that once someone is saved, he is forever secured for salvation with- out regard to his conduct (1 Tim. 3:15; Heb. 3:12; 2 Pet. 3:11, 14)? Does the church of your choice have Jesus alone as the head (Eph. 5:23), or do they have some man residing in that position?

The Catholics have chosen the pope to be their governing head; the Mormon’s have chosen their so- called “apostles”; the Episcopal and Presbyterians have their councils, but where in the Bible do we see such positions authorized for mere

men to occupy? I ask those who think that we are mean spirited for condemning the Catholic’s pope or the Mormon’s apostles, are you mean spirited when you condemn Satan, the obvious head of the church of Satan? There are some who have openly chosen and confessed Satan as their head! The fact remains; however, that any church which doesn’t submit fully to the authority of the King, Christ Jesus, is headed by Satan (Matt. 12:30; 28:18)! Does the church of your choice hold fast to the written word of God as their standard for authority, or are they governed by some man made written confession or creed? “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). Why be governed by creeds of men when the Bible says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17)? Does this sound like you need anything other than God’s word?

Imagine if Jesus came down to earth and wanted to start a church of man’s choice rather than God’s? Imagine if Jesus wanted a church that is more tolerant on perversions like homosexuality and adultery. Wouldn’t this make the church so much more attractive to the masses? Why not have a church that calls drunkenness a disease rather than sin? Why not have a church that justifies stealing (on the grounds that you really need what you are taking)? Why not build a church that tolerates unrighteousness? Why build a church that teaches “ . . . the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God . . .” (1 Cor. 6:9ff)?

Imagine if Jesus wanted to build a church that would tolerate religious diversity. He could have enjoyed a longer life, perhaps, if he never stirred up and accused those religious teachers around him of being hypocrites, blind guides, fools, whitewashed tombs, murderers, serpents, brood of vipers (Matt. 23:13ff.). Wouldn’t it have been easier for Jesus to remain silent, concerning their “choice,” rather than openly rebuking their sin?

What if Jesus wanted to build a kingdom of people who were allowed to deny him if they ever need to do so as to promote peace in certain environments? If Jesus would have denied himself as the Son of God, he probably could have lived a longer life (i.e., Luke 22:66-71). But Jesus never did deny himself and he expects us not to either. The inspired apostle Paul wrote, “If we endure we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim. 2:12-13).

Finally would not Jesus have rather built a church with a lesser amount to purchase? If it was up to him, would he not have rather purchased the church with his words rather than his life? Could he say, “Father, I want to build the church of My choice with the price of my choice and not yours?” Yet many think they can join a church of their choice and not God’s and still be acceptable. Was it a small cost to be taken by lawless hands, beat on, spit on, stripped, ridiculed, literally nailed to some wood in the form of a cross, and publicly erected so that all who had eyes to see with could witness? Was this Jesus’ personal choice? This was God’s choice (2 Tim. 1:8-9)! Was this not rather a big price to pay for the church of God’s choice? How much would you be willing to pay for it? Jesus purchased the church with his blood (Acts 20:28), yet sadly some will not even sacrifice their own selfish lust for it.

The cross was not fun. In fact the Bible teaches that he despised the shame of the cross (Heb. 12:2), but endured it because of the reward. The reward was worth the price. This is why Jesus so often prayed, “Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will” (Mark 14:36). Is the church of your choice the church of God’s will?

Not all churches are genuine because they are built on sand (man-made doctrines, creeds, opinions, etc.) and not on the holy word of God. Jesus never promised to accept any person or church who fails to do the will of God (Matt.

7:21-23). Jesus never died so people (or churches for that matter) can live the way they want, but he demands that we live the way he wants us to (John 15:14; Rom. 12:1-2). The Bible is clear that there is just one body or church (compare Eph. 1:22-23 with Eph. 4:4). The question is, however, is that one church your choice? “. . . The churches of Christ greet you” (Rom. 16:16).