Truth Magazine

By Bill Robinson, Jr.

Local church membership is not an end within itself. However, that does not preclude its relevance to the need and goal of every faithful Christian. Extremism often begets extremism. We cannot “throw the baby out with the bath water” when it comes to local church membership because it has been misunderstood or abused. We must strive to understand from the Scriptures its significance in the life of a faithful Christian. We should not make more or less out of it than the Bible does.

It is understood, at least we hope it is, one is making more out of it if he thinks having his “name on the roll” establishes faithfulness before God.

A local congregation is a relationship among saints who adhere together to do the will of the Lord. When the disciples “were scattered abroad upon the tribulation that arose about Stephen ” some of the disciples went to Antioch “. . preaching the Lord Jesus. . . and a great number that believed turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:19-21). Up to this time, there was no record of a local church in Antioch. When the Jerusalem church heard of the progress of the gospel in Antioch, they sent Barnabas (v. 22). When he arrived “and had seen the grace of God … he exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord” (w. 23-24). Barnabas then brought Saul to Antioch “. . . that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people; and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (v. 26).

It should be obvious that the local church is not some affectation of the wisdom of man, or even of God, to harness disciples into a feigned holiness. It is a relationship among those who “gather together” (“assemble”) and out of a “purpose of heart they . . . cleave unto the Lord” (vv. 23-24). Such truths make us wonder why some disregard in their teaching and/or lives the significance and necessity of the local church. It is certainly not out of a “purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord” because those with such a purpose are “gathered together with the church.”

The Hebrew writer exhorts “. . . not forsaking our own assembling together” (Heb. 10:25). Many things (good and bad) have been written from this passage concerning the word “forsaking.” What is often overlooked, or at least seldom discussed, is the phrase “our own. “The word “our” is a personal plural possessive pronoun. It is personal because it includes me; plural because it involves you and me; possessive because it belongs to us together. What belongs to “us” together? The responsibility of “our own assembling together.”

In the physical realm, as responsible adults, we care for and protect that which is our own. In fact, we are quick to identify with that which belongs to us. Why should we not have the same attitude in the spiritual realm? If the Bible refers to the assembling of saints as “our own, ” shouldn’t we seek to be identified with them? The Bible clearly teaches “. . . so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another” (Rom. 12:5; Eph. 4:25). If I am about to swing a hammer to drive a nail which my fingers are holding in place, those fingers want to be identified with the rest of the body and its purpose not with the nail and its purpose. Perhaps it is an oversimplification but the point can be seen. Collectively, as a congregation, those who do not identify with our purpose are not availing themselves to the care and protection of the rest of the body.

In Acts 9:26 the Bible says, “Paul assayed to join himself to the disciples” in Jerusalem. That is, Paul sought to be identified with the purpose of faithful brethren to cleave unto the Lord. The faithful brethren, exercising care and protection for one another, refused to accept him at first. “They were all qfraid of him, not believing he was a disciple” (v. 26). When evidence was given to show that Paul’s “purpose of heart was to cleave unto the Lord, ” the Bible says, from that point “. . . he was with them going in and going out . . . preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. ” If we note the phrase “with them,” we recognize that it indicates the brethren’s acceptance of him in their purpose. Even more than that, from the account which follows it demonstrates their desire to care for and protect one who is “with them.” Paul made enemies in Jerusalem among the Grecian Jews because of his preaching in the name of the Lord. In fact, the Bible tells us these Jews “were seeking to kill him. And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus” (vv. 29-30). Paul was “with them” after his intentions were known and verified. Paul identifying “with them” (the local church) availed himself to the care and protection of brethren.

A passage of Scripture in 1 John 2, emphasizes the points we have been trying to make regarding this relationship among saints (viz. the local church). “They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be manifest that they are not of us” (1 Jn. 2:19). A careful consideration of this passage shows one’s mere physical presence, or “showing up,” in the assembly does not make one “of us” or “with us.” W.E. Vine notes on the phrase “with us” in this text, “The preposition meta: ‘with,’ implies not merely that they would have company with (sun) the believers, but that they would have actual fellowship with them” (The Epistles of John, p. 36). The local church, then, is a fellowship (with us) stemming from a common origin and likeness in a purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord. Fellowship makes each member of the local congregation “of us,” “from us,” and “with us.” In view of this, can someone tell us how they expect to have such fellowship in the local church if they never identify “with us”?

Like Christians in the First Century, faithful Christians today will seek to identify with other faithful brethren in a local church. For, they recognize its purpose as an integral means of fulfilling their spiritual needs in helping them to reach their blessed and eternal goal of heaven.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 18, pp. 563, 569
September 18, 1986

By Hal Synder

There has been much talk lately throughout our brotherhood that has centered on the title of this article. The confusion concerning this topic stems from a non-Bible understanding of both the church and denominationalism.

Most Christians understand that when someone obeys the gospel (Rom. 6:17) the Lord adds him to His church (Acts 2:47), which is the only blood-bought (Acts 20:28) institution the Bible speaks of. This is the “church.”

The Bible speaks often of the Great Apostasy (2 Thess. 2:3-4; 2 Tim. 4:3-4). This manifested itself in Roman Catholicism, from which every denomination in the world today sprang (Rev. 17:5). Error really does begat error.

The Bible also speaks of (and condemns) sectarianism, partyism, and division, which, if men would only be honest with themselves, is what denominationalism really is, as each term stands firmly against the Bible-based unity of Ephesians 4:4.

In Galatians 5:19-21, the Holy Spirit, through His instrument Paul, lists “factions, divisions, and parties” as being “works of the flesh,” and warned all men everywhere and for all time that “they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

In trying to understand why there are no Christians in any denomination, let us consider three points.

First, there was division at Corinth. Just a mere six years after the Corinthian church was planted, some of these brethren had developed a sectarian spirit. In 1 Corinthians 1:11 Paul begs his brothers in Christ there to free themselves from all contentions.

The problem with the Corinthian church was that they’d become “preacher-followers,” a modern problem with many in the religious world. Apollos, an “eloquent” speaker and “mighty in the scriptures” (Acts 18:24-25), was mentioned. Some Corinthian brethren preferred the apostle Peter, while others were partial to Paul, who was their “father in the gospel” (1 Cor. 3:3). A fourth group, though, rejected human leaders and held only to Christ (1 Cor. 1:12).

Brethren need to understand that the problem was not in liking to hear any one of those preachers preach. Their real problem was that they had elevated “their preacher” to the level of Christ. We must always follow after Him (Matt. 4:10).

Many of the Corinthian brethren had been numbered among the vilest of sinners, but they had been redeemed (1 Cor. 6:11).

Which brings us to our second point of consideration, that of the modern denominations. The overwhelming bulk of the denominations in the world today subscribe to most of the views of John Calvin, in particular the “faith only” (that they are saved at the point of belief, separate and apart from further obedience, regardless of what John 3:5 may say) false doctrine.

Therefore, those in the denominations have never obeyed the gospel. They have deceived themselves into believing a lie (see 2 Thess. 2:11-12), and will, therefore, be destroyed at the Lord’s coming (2 Thess. 1:7-9).

Our being given the “crown of life” is predicated upon our being “faithful unto death” (Rev. 2: 10). Those who continue in error, even those who somehow render initial obedience to the gospel (Matt. 13:18-30), will not enter the kingdom of God (Matt. 7:21).

Besides their failure to render Bible obedience to God (see Luke 6:46), denominationalists advocate worshiping God after the traditions of men, which is in vain (Matt. 15:9).

Perhaps the height of sectarianism is denominationalism, as each of these man-made organizations do have several things in common, yet are different in many ways. Christians, though, have assurance from the Scriptures that whatever the denominations may claim to be, they have their reward laid up for them (Matt. 15:13).

Finally, New Testament Christians must be careful not to make man-made laws for our brethren (as some sought to do in Acts 15:1-2). When such happens, a sectarian spirit will develop and will result in something other than New Testament Christianity (Psa. 127:1).

Our remaining faithful to God depends on where we walk (1 Jn. 1:5-7). Let that be the “strait and narrow” way of Matthew 7:13-14 and based only on what Scripture reveals (Jn. 17:17; 8:32; 12:48; 2 Tim. 3:15-16).

Guardian of Truth XXX: 18, p. 555
September 18, 1986

By Jimmy Tuten

Introduction:

A. God has decreed the acts to be rendered in worship. His Word, the truth, reveals these acts. To be acceptable to Him, we must express our devotion through the means divine wisdom has prescribed. There is a divine order of acceptable worship.

B. He who is worthy of veneration, seeks worshipers and blesses those acceptable to Him.

1 . Because of His sovereign power, God has the right to demand how men should honor Him. To God alone belongs the prerogative to specify the acts of worship.

2. Since God’s words are truth and He seeks true worshipers, all worship must be that made known in the New Testament.

3. Human alterations will not be acceptable, but rather are presumptuous.

C. Our purpose in this sermon is to determine what constitutes worship.

Body:

I. Man Is Incurably Religious And Must Have An Object Of Worship.

A. The archaeological spade has proven time and again that man in every generation is a worshiping creature. A reasonable man is forced to acknowledge a power greater than himself (Rom. 1:20). The logical response is a bowed knee and raised devotion.

B. God, through Christ, has presented a perfect picture of His nature and character, and thus a perfect object of worship. Man’s need for an object of worship will not need to be fulfilled by creating gods in his own image, unless of course, he forsakes Jehovah again.

II. The Definition Of Worship: Two Frequently Used Words.

A. Proskuneo – Originally it meant simply “to kiss forward,” but it came to mean in the New Testament an act of reverence of obeisance toward God and Christ.

1. God (Matt. 4:10).

2. Christ accepted the worship of the leper in Matthew 8:1-2 and of His disciples in Matthew 28:9.

3. This act of worship can be paid to a creature also (Rev. 22:8-9). However, this homage is not to be paid to fellow creatures: “see thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee. . . Worship God” (cf. Jn. 4:23-24).

B. Latreuo – This is defined as “to serve or render homage.” It is most often rendered or translated “to serve or render homage.” It is most often rendered or translated “serve.”

C. These are the words from which “worship” is translated and convey to our minds the idea involved in the expression, i.e., not just a condition (attitude) of the heart, but an action (Gen. 4:4, “respect unto Abel and his sacrifice”).

D. “A man worships God in the Spirit when . . . he brings all his affections, appetites and desires to the throne of God. He worships in truth when every purpose and passion of his heart, when every act of his religious worship is guided and regulated by the Word of God” (Adam Clarke).

III. The Standard And Measure Of Worship (Jn. 4:23-24).

A. God, the proper object (Jn. 4:23; Acts 17; 1 Kings 13, Jeroboam had the wrong object, whether he intended it or not). He could not excuse his worship of the calf.

B. Spirit, the right attitude of the heart (Jn. 4:24). Since the “spirit” is listed first, the attitude must be right before the expression (or, act) is accepted by God (Psa. 32:1; Josh. 24:14; 1 Sam. 12:24).

C. Truth, the proper standard (Jn. 4:24; 17:17).

1. There is a divinely authorized order of worship. If not then there can be no transgression, no error and no innovation in worship.

2. Note. men are seeking to justify the instrument in worship today by arguing that the New Testament is silent on the matter (where there is no law, there is no transgression). Don DeWelt. “All references to singing in the New Testament refer to individual singing and not to corporate worship . . . when we gather as a group to sing we do so without a New Testament command, example, or inference” (The One Body, 1985). Since worship is restricted, it must be kept within prescribed bounds laid down in the New Testament. Note. this entire point needs to be remembered since instrumental music brethren have ceased to argue that the instrument is authorized and deny instead that “singing” is authorized (Don DeWelt and the Joplin brethen).

IV. Worship Is Not Restricted To Place Or Location (Jn. 4:21).

A. God prescribes the worship, but He dwelleth not in temples made with hand (Acts 17:24).

1. Places have to do with comfort and convenience, but are no more a part of worship than is the pew, etc.

2. They are authorized expedients.

B. The place of worship can change, but not the worship itself.

V. The Worshiper Must Be A Christian And Temple Keeper (1 Pet. 3:10-12; Jn. 9:31).

VI. The Five Items Of Worship.

A. The Lord’s Supper – In the house of God (1 Tim. 3:15; Heb. 10:21). There is a Table (1 Cor. 10:21, 16) and one loaf (1 Cor. 10:17).

1. Christians are members of the house of God and Conclusion: have access to the Lord’s Table (Heb. 3:6; 1 Pet. 2:5-9).

2. “Breaking bread” – Emblematic of His own consent to die and be broken for the sins of the world.

3. Breaking bread and drinking the cup are commemorative of the Lord’s death (1 Cor. 11:25-30).

4. It had a fixed time of observance – Acts 2:42; 20:7,16.

B. Singing – Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Matt. 26:30; Rom. 15:9; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Heb. 2:12; etc.).

C. Prayer – 1 Corinthians 14:15-16; Jas. 5:16.

1. Do not pray to be seen of men (Matt. 6:5-13).

2. Conditions of acceptable prayer:

(a) Addressed to God (Matt. 7:7-12).

(b) In the name of Christ (1 Tim. 2:5).

(c) Involves praise (“hallowed be thy name”), thanksgiving (“give us our daily bread”), confession (“God be merciful to me a sinner”), petitions (“lead us not into temptations”), etc.

D. Teaching – Admonishing, etc. in sermons, songs and Bible Studies (Acts 2:42; Col. 3:16).

E. Contribution – 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.

1. As God is revealed before men as an eminent, transcendent Being, may all men be struck with their need for communion and fellowship with Him. The provisions for worship have been made by God and they are available to all in every place. It is up to us to accept them.

2. By worship God is honored, reverenced and given homage in “Spirit and truth.”

3. Let us be content with the most sublime plan of worship that man can attain by worshiping God (proper object) with all our heart (the proper motivation) according to His truth (the proper direction).

4. “Oh worship the King. . . . ” Worship is a deep and special privilege that children of God enjoy. It should not be a burden, but a blessing. It will be a blessing if we will make the effort to enter into it with the right motivation and attitude.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 18, pp. 556-557
September 18, 1986

By Charles E. Davis

As we turn to Genesis 1:26,27 and search the pages of inspiration, we find the patriarch Moses giving this inspired testimony concerning the creation of man: “And the Lord God said, Let us make man in our image and in our likeness and let him have dominion of the fowl of the air, the fish of the sea, the beast of the field and everything that creepeth upon the face of the earth. So God created man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” No matter what scientists, geologists or archaeologists say about their theory of evolution, the Scriptures assert that man was created in the image and likeness of the Almighty God.

Our adversary, the devil, is not satisfied with influencing men to reject the infallibility of the Scriptures, which affirm creation and deny the theory of evolution. He has gone a step further and reached a little deeper into his “bag” of deception. He has convinced the majority of the human race to reject the God of Heaven and earth, who is revealed in the Scriptures, and created a god in the image and likeness of mortal man (Rom. 1:18-25). This idea is not new, for in Exodus 32, the children of Israel were found guilty of making a god in their own image in the absence of Moses. Historically speaking, the Bible shows man as a habitually rebellious being. This type of rebellion allows every man of every walk of life, from the very devout to the very abased, to preach and practice his own self-righteous, egotistical belief without condemnation from his god. Even the world’s most renowned religious leaders and advocaters of Bible belief are guilty of this ungodly and despicable sin because they, being ignorant of God’s law, have not subjected themselves to the righteousness of God (Rom. 10:1-3).

A brief look at the divine nature and eternal power of the Godhead (Col. 2:9,10) should be sufficient proof for any man to know who is the Creator and who is the created. When properly trying to define and describe God, four adjectives are commonly used. They are: Omnipotent, Omnibenevolent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient. God is Omnipotent because He is unlimited in power. He depends on no outside source or agency to sustain Him. God is omnibenevolent because His love is matchless, as evidenced by His creation of man and the giving of His begotten Son as a ransom for the sins of the world (John 3:16; Rom. 5:6-9). God’s infinite love is not physical, neither is it self-serving, but rather it is as wide as the heavens and endless as space (Eph. 3:16-21). God is also omnipresent. He is everywhere He desires; He see all He needs to see. We are told in Luke 12:6 that even the sparrows are under the watchful protection of God. Nothing is withheld from the sight of the Almighty God (Heb. 4:13). The Scriptures also teach that God is omniscient, meaning that God has all knowledge and needs no counselor to advise Him. He also knows the intents and thoughts of man’s heart (Heb. 4:12). Yet God doesn’t know sin because God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. From the above definitions we can firmly attest that God is the Creator and man is the creature because man is not all powerful, he is not capable of infinite love, neither does he have access to the power of being in all places at all times. He most assuredly does not have all knowledge.

In light of the above adjectives which depict God as the Creator, man, with his finite wisdom still tries to assert himself as the creator of God. This carnal-minded man has a picture of what God looks like, whom he will accept and not accept, and what God can and cannot do. This depraved and presumptuous attitude has even crept into the body of Christ. As a result, many have soiled their garments and alienated themselves from the cleansing power of Jesus Christ. To illustrate, let’s look at some examples.

Man has created a god in his image and likeness by making god anthropomorphic (that is, to give God human traits and characteristics). This kind of rationale allows man the privilege of making God male and female. After all, God created male and female and gave them their sexuality, therefore, He must have those same qualities. Also, since we are His offsprings, it would no longer be a sin to practice alternate lifestyles. Homosexuality and lesbianism would no longer be classified as sexual deviation, but rather our liberty to express our sexual freedom. The God of the Bible is neither male nor female, neither does He have physical desires as a man. He has however, given strict judgment concerning sexual perversion and, according to Galatians 5:19, He considers them works of the flesh and those who practice such are eternally lost.

Consider this example: Man has created a god in his image and likeness who is a respecter of persons like man. This is the only way man can justify his deep-seeded hatred for his fellow man. Those who practice racial bigotry for social, economical or religious purposes stand before God condemned. The God of the Bible shows no preferential treatment to any race of people (Acts 10:34-55). Men who teach that God is partial to one race, creed or color are dangerous and poisonous. Revelation 7:9 describes heaven as a place where all nations will dwell, a place where all who have obeyed the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ will dwell. Brethren, it is pathetically sad to know that some New Testament Christians practice and embrace this same cancerous belief.

Man has also created a god in his image and likeness who has authorized man to worship at the church of his choice so long as he is sincere. This could never be farther from the truth of the Scriptures. The young, nameless prophet of God in 1 Kings 13:1-35 should be enough proof that sincerity alone does not save. The God of the universe has clearly and definitely condemned the sin of denominationalism. Religious divisions are contrary to Jesus’ prayer for unity (John 17:20-22) and it makes Jehovah, our Heavenly Father, the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). Such heretical thinking has permeated the body of Christ also. We find God’s people becoming more and more divisive, factional, opinionated, traditional and liberal-minded.

Man has created a god in his image and his likeness whose judgments are based on finite human logic and reasoning. If this be correct, then truly God will not condemn alcoholics, drug abusers, wife abusers, child molesters, etc., because society has judged them mentally incompetent or socially misguided. The god created by man undoubtedly has judged the same. Exonerate the guilty, persecute the innocent for being his victim. Man has a warped sense of values and of the final judgment of the world by Jesus, our Lord (2 Pet. 3:9,10; 2 Thess. 1:7-9).

Unfortunately, dear friends there is almost no end to man’s god making. Man has created a god in his image and likeness who will grant a divorce or separation for almost any reason imaginable. As a result of this, divorces, separations, and remarriage are at epidemic proportions. We find more broken homes and single parenting than ever before. The home, as the God of Heaven would have it, has been reduced to social agencies, under the control of our federal government. Justification for this is simple; times have changed and so should the laws governing divorce and remarriage. Statics show that the average marriage can’t stand up under the pressures of our modern society. People sometimes fall out of love and need a way out of their stressful situations. There can be no doubt that our atheistic and humanistic society is guilty of creating this god. A god who would permit something as ridiculous as a no-fault divorce or a divorce for irreconcilable differences truly is a god created by man! The God of the Bible, in Matthew 19:1-12, has explicitly expressed His law on divorce and remarriage. In verse 9 God says: “And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doeth commit adultery.” Can God be any plainer? How can the practice of today’s divorce courts be justified by God’s law which is the “same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8)?

Conclusion

In closing, I quote from Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Whom will you serve, the God of creation or the god whom you have created?

Guardian of Truth XXX: 18, pp. 558-559
September 18, 1986