Category: Associate Editorials

The apostle Peter put it this way. “For the time {has come} for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if {it begins} with us first, what will {be} the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17). Judgment, the righteous judgment of God, begins at home, in the house of God. How can we go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature when we are divided and in sin at home?

The truth of the matter is that style and form of preaching is not the issue. If there is room in the Lord’s church for all kinds of methods of preaching (and there is), why is the “watchman” method (a Biblical approach: Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:14-15) not acceptable? What needs to be stressed is that a compromising spirit has affected many who actually object to truth being taught.

Have you read your Bible lately? In it you will find Jesus Christ, the Son of God, laying down His life for the sins of the world. Those who respond in obedient faith (“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” Mk. 16:16) are saved and added to His church (Acts 2:47). In the church, each one finds a place of service and builds a faith which directs the saved to Heaven. You need look no further. Jesus and His church are as near as your New Testaments.

If honesty were to prevail, most people would admit that these meeting rooms and recreational facilities are acquired and maintained to serve the fleshly desires of the members of the local churches who have them. We want “our” fellowship hall to be just a bit bigger, a bit better than the one down the street. May we never forget, though, that the pressing questions still remain. (Matthew 21:23) “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”

Brethren, what we need is truth! And that is one thing that a false teacher can never give. They may be simple brethren who are mislead. They may be as honest as Paul and as eloquent as Apollos while they teach lies. They may even “believe the lie” (2 Thes. 2:11), but their faith in a lie does not make it true. For the sake of our own soul’s salvation, and those that hear us, we must be found teaching truth and exposing error. This is the burden and joy of being a child of God.

Study your Bible. Study the Scriptures inspired of God. {They are one and the same}. Believe the truth contained in God’s word. Obey it. Change your life to conform to His will. In Matthew 18:3 Jesus said, “…Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Recognizing that there is a realm of judgment in “how” the gospel is preached, let me suggest that if anyone does not like “how” we do it, you feel free to do it in another way. But I give you this guarantee: If you do the work of a watchman, no method is going to be acceptable to those who teach error. You see, there may be fifty ways to skin a cat, but he won’t like any of them!

The sad part about the current state of affairs in the church of our Lord is that we have raised up a generation of people who know not the nature of the controversy that continues to divide the church. Even worse, we have a multitude of preachers who refuse to deal with these issues any more. Brethren, the fight with the evil influence of the Devil in dividing God’s people is not over. The war rages on.

One of the biggest lies ever told by the Devil (and used by false teachers) is that it is a lack of love that motivates every person that opposes error! But one thing is sure: I love my brethren too much to keep my mouth shut and let them teach error without hearing about it. I love truth to much to keep silent. I love the church too much to allow it to be led into digression without some effort on my part.

I am some 2,000 years departed from that great Day of Pentecost when twelve uneducated men turned the city of Jerusalem upside down by preaching the good news of a resurrected Savior. These twelve men made a promise to a believing people who had heard the truth about Jesus. That promise was the gift of life, eternal life, the gift of the very Holy Spirit of God. It was for them, and it is for you. Accept the gift and receive the promise is our prayer for every reader.

Those who are presently disturbing brethren with their concocted, inconsistent, illogical and prejudicial arguments in favor of binding the Old Testament because they wish to find a loophole for unscriptural divorces and remarriages are opening doors which they will never be able to shut. It would be interesting indeed for one who appeals to Deuteronomy 24 for authority for divorce today to debate a Sabbatarian.

By definition, the Book of Genesis is a book of Beginnings. Included in the list of beginnings in the book must be the beginning of faith. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Creation is the beginning of the proof that God is. We must take the rest of the evidence and believe what the Bible says about the reward of the believer. There is no need to alter in any way the story of creation. It stands as the great testimony of God concerning our own personal origin and our perpetual destination.

Doctrinal matters, brethren, are in the public domain. No subject is taboo; no theme is forbidden; no field of study is restricted to closed doors and an elitist’s set of arbitrary rules. Teach the truth. Record it and spread it abroad. Only error will suffer by comparison. “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops” (Mt. 10:27).

Gospel Meetings — Are we Relevant? Only in one way, if we preach the Word! It does not matter if it is positive or negative, and it really does not matter if it might otherwise be true, what it must be is the word of God. If preaching is to be relevant, it must first be scriptural. There is only one way for it to be scriptural, and that is for it to be the scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Only the Scripture can equip us to good works. “Preach the word,” brethren, preach the word.

There should not be any doubt as to the burden God has given the faithful preacher. Whether inspired or not, the messenger must be true to the message. The responsibility of the preacher is crystal clear. Hear the word of God:

“And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people. Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed” (Isa. 8:-10; cf. Matt. 13:13-15).