Category: Defense of Truth

History tells us that Don Carlos Janes was one of the most zealous advocates for foreign missionary work of his day. We are told that he traveled 9,000 miles to visit various mission fields in the year 1919 alone, and that he conducted a world tour in 1920. However, our feelings towards him are tempered by the fact the brother Janes believed in premillennialism. Earl West writes of one of the results of brother Janes’ work: “Clearly, then, premillenialism reached out to touch the vast mission fields over the world.” (Search for the Ancient Order, Vol. 4, p. 204) This brief look into the past should cause us to be circumspect in our view of mission work in our day. This is especially so in light of the convictions some brethren today have expressed with regards to unity.

Much was said a generation ago, by able contenders for the faith, about “tendencies” that led to the departure from the New Testament order of things. Departures were gradual and always began with “tendencies” which the thoughtless and uninformed thought innocent enough, and they often became very impatient with, and just as often used bitter speech in denouncing loyal and able men who were able to see what these “tendencies” would ultimately lead to.

We have however, in the church today, a new generation, many of whom are unfamiliar with the battles waged in the past against digression and the tendencies that developed into it. They appear to be blind to any dangers, and like Galileo of old, “care for none of these things.”

It is clear, then, that individuals may support Christian schools–primary, grammar, high school and college. Let us so support Christian schools that they may grow and prosper, while remaining sound; but let no secular institution be joined to the church, and let the church as such keep itself separated from any secular institution.

We need again to say that when the energy, money, prayers, and abilities of the church in any community are given to do this work, God’s purposes are served. But when they are diverted to serve other purposes, the church of God, divine in design and purpose, is prostituted to serve human aims, and God cannot be pleased.

For the church to burden itself down with benevolences of every kind, much of which is the obligation of individuals or of the state, tax supported, so that it cannot preach the gospel, is to defeat its primary purpose. Hence, God placed around these works of benevolence the restrictions which we have already noted. It cannot be right to let the eternal souls of men go down to destruction because of the church being overburdened with caring for temporal wants and necessities.

Teaching, exhortation, admonition, and instruction in righteousness are all required. The word of God is designed to fill each one of these needs, and must only be taught to do so (2 Timothy 3:16, 17.) The church is designed to do the teaching; hence, all that is needed is for the church simply to carry out God’s plan, and do that which God designed it to do.

Be not afraid to speak that word which these dead soldiers preached. Their courage and their determination and their devotion serve to instruct, to motivate, and ultimately to save us by the preaching of the implanted word of God (James 1:21).

Satan is a master at charging his opponents with what he himself is doing. When he first introduces error, it is often on an optional basis but it soon becomes enforced as a human creed which must be accepted or at least tolerated. While Satan is stirring up strife, unjustly accusing men of evil intentions, and establishing a new human creed, he charges all who oppose him with doing those very things.

Let us never forget that we are soldiers of the cross who must adorn and use the armor of God (Eph. 6:10-17). Let us love the souls of men like the Messiah, and be determined, no matter the consequences, to press the true light into the world around us!

A recognition of the current troubles that face the people of God ought to rouse each of us to a zeal for Him and His word. It ought to cause us to conform our conversation to revealed standards, and cause us to “contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered” (cf. Jude 3) against all error.

Watchmen in Zion will sound forth warnings against sin and error – wherever it is found – in an effort to turn lost souls away from certain and sure destruction to the salvation found in the Messiah, Jesus Christ the Lord (Jude 3-4, 20-23). Those who watch for the welfare of souls will mark those who cause divisions contrary to the doctrine of truth, and turn away from them (Rom. 16:17; 2 Tim. 3:1-5). They will identify false teaching and when necessary, the false teachers of that error so that innocent souls will not be corrupted and lost (Rom. 16:18; Col. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:16-18).

Do we have conviction? Are we willing to accept the Lord’s teaching? “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:34-37).

Yes, it has always been true that those who have the truth fear no investigation, but those who have not the truth, dodge, run, avoid, and squirm when confronted. Why are some preachers so reluctant to come forth with their doctrine? Could it be, they do not have the truth?

The programs on my computer were written by intelligent beings; in fact, it is inconceivable that they should have happened by accident. The ants’ programs appear to be even more complex than those on my computer. Am I to believe they happened by chance?

Brethren, an apostasy is brewing. Local congregations are being affected. Preachers are going “hither, thither and yon” and preaching error. They are hiding behind the biblical concept of autonomy, distorting this grand principle established by God and using it to further their pernicious cause. Those who speak out against this error are being falsely charged with “meddling” and trying to “run things.”

Error demeans, destroys, and damns the souls of men. Why would anyone want to toy around with it? Why try to be tolerant of it? Why cater to it and seek to win its confidence and hope to change it?

We are not required to accept without question that scripture is from God, but to look at the facts and draw some rational conclusions as to its origin. Only then, after we come to the conclusion that scripture is God’s word, do we follow it faithfully – even when its instructions are contrary to what we would have thought to be right.