Truth Magazine

By Hoyt Houchen

Question: Is smoking a sin in the sight of God?

Reply: Medical reports show that cigarette smoking is one of the nation’s leading killers. An are familiar with the statement issued by the Surgeon General of the U.S. Air Force: “The ever-increasing evidence linking cigarette smoking with lung cancer, pulmonary diseases, cardio-vascular diseases, etc., can no longer be ignored.” The U.S. Public Health service said, “That smoking is a hazard to health is known by practically everybody who has studied the subject. In this country, an overwhelming majority of physicians, the American Medical Association, numerous other professional organizations, and the Congress of the United States have accepted the evidence that smoking is a health hazard. To our knowledge, no medical or scientific body in the world has taken the position that it is not” (Congressional Record, Volume 114, Number 5 1, March 27, 1%8). According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer today kills approximately 43,000 persons in the United States annually. To clarify the connection with cigarette smoking, highlights of a study were presented to the American Medical Association in June 1957. At that time, it was concluded that the lung cancer death rates were ten times as high among regular smokers as among those who never smoked. Among a two-pack-a-day smokers the rate was more than twenty times as high as among nonsmokers. Men who stopped smoking had a lower lung cancer rate. Those who smoked a pack or more a day, but who had given up smoking for at least one year, had a death rate less than half that of those who continued smoking. (This report furnished by the American Cancer Society.) Smoking is not only hazardous to the health of the smoker himself but also to those around him. Nonsmokers who have respiratory problems (perhaps unknown to the smoker) such as asthma, emphysema and allergies, often suffer from the second hand smoke which they must inhale from the smoker.

But people continue to smoke, in spite of all the warnings and evidence of smoking being a health hazard. It is not uncommon to see a young child of elementary school age with a cigarette in his mouth. Millions, no doubt, become addicted to the use of tobacco because of their susceptibility to worldly influence. Peer pressure is a cause for so many pursuing the habit. The misery of one suffering from lung cancer, emphysema and other related diseases (which may have resulted from cigarette smoking) are not shown in the commercial advertisements of tobacco companies. Films are available which portray patients suffering in misery from such diseases, and even some in their dying condition, requesting an opening to be made in the throat so that a cigarette can be inserted. They must have a few last puffs from it. As in the words of the song, people continue to “puff, puff, puff that cigarette!”

Smoking involves more than health. Paul wrote: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). Can one say that he is glorifying God when addicted to smoking?

Cigarette smoking enslaves the user. Paul states in 1 Corinthians 6:12, “All things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under the power of any.” There is a lawful use of appetites but no one is to become a slave to a habit, whether it be alcohol, tobacco or some other drug. Gluttony is prohibited in any area of the appetite. Nicotine is definitely a drug. Dr. Richard H. Overholt, a Boston chest surgeon said: “The body of the long term smoker requires a replenished supply of nicotine for a feeling of well being. He is the victim of drug addiction.” Dr. Alton Ochsner said, “Tobacco is a poison . . . it is as harmful and addictive as any drug, perhaps even more so.” (Quotations from article, “King Nicotine or King Jesus?,” by Don Potts, Truth Magazine, Vol. 20, p. 635). The habitual smoker cannot do without his cigarette because he is addicted; he is enslaved by the nicotine which his body craves.

Cigarette smoking is not a good example to others. This should be admitted by the smoker himself. We cannot conceive of any smoker who would encourage his child to smoke; in fact, most if not all, would discourage his child or anyone else from taking up the habit. We are told by Paul in Philippians 2:15,16: “that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life A member of the church who smokes cannot exert the best influence upon others. Even many who are not Christians frown upon the use of tobacco. What effect does a member of the church have upon the nonsmoking outsider when he lights up a cigarette and smokes?

To summarize it: (1) Cigarette smoking is harmful to one’s health. There is sufficient and reliable evidence as to the harm that. results from cigarette smoking. It may do irreparable damage to the body. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth: “Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body” (1 Cor. 6:19,20). (2) Smoking enslaves the user and (3) it has a destructive influence. We are to “abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22).

Much more can be said on the subject of smoking. In view of what I know, involving both medical and scriptural considerations, it would be a sin for me to smoke because it would violate my conscience. Each should carefully consider and evaluate the facts and then decide for himself whether smoking is a sin. All must agree that it is a dangerous, unclean and expensive habit. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1, 2).

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 7, p. 196
April 5, 1984

By Tom Roberts

How fortunate we are that our scientists do not approach medicine, research, physics, etc., with the utter abandon of reason that characterizes the study of religion. Surely a return to the Dark Ages would be imminent if scientists worked in their fields as do people with the word of God. How slowly, if ever, would electricity have been invented, men have walked on the moon or computers have been developed if the same principles of thought had been applied to these disciplines as are applied to the study of the Scriptures. Ever breathed there a scientists worthy of the name who randomly flipped through texts, putting his finger upon sentences at will, expecting this procedure to reveal some important truth? Do researchers make it a practice to ignore definitions and treat substances as it suits their whimsy? Do scientists bring a sense of predestination of their study, expecting that everything is beyond their ability to influence and that their efforts make no real difference? Do researchers just fling different substances together without thought of alignment, direction, compatibility, complementation or harmony? Do they just take a “blind leap” into situations without some basis or foundation upon which even their theories are built? Pseudo-scientists may be guilty of such behavior, but no one of training and reason would elect to follow such a course. Why, then, do so many religious people use this foolishness when entering into a study that is vastly superior to science, the salvation of their soul?

Salvation of man is the theme of the Bible. Whatever else a Bible reader receives in the way of moral training, social behavior or love of life, nothing is as important as the salvation of his soul. The Bible asserts that man is lost by man’s own choice, that God desire for man to be saved and has shed His grace to make salvation possible, that man can be saved, that the plan of salvation is understandable and that what God has revealed about the subject is logical, following discernible reason. We find in the Old Testament: “Come, let us reason together . . .” (Isa. 1:18). A companion passage in the New Testament implores: “. . . present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). We should, therefore, approach the Bible with the mind, using it as we would in any logical process to discover what God has said about our salvation. With this approach, using our God-given reasoning ability, we are able to see a logical progression from sin to salvation, from guilt to remission. True, there are those who use the random method of Bible study, placing a finger here and there on separate pages, hoping for some Ouiji-board power to lead them to God. There are others who ignore Bible definitions and “pour their own theology” into words and phrases, making God speak in their own language. Or still others who are fatalistic in assuming that everything is already decided and that it really doesn’t make any difference since man has supposedly lost his free will and can only act as a robot in predetermined patterns set out before the world was formed. A large number ignore the established patterns of speech and language, joining words and phrases together that do not match or that contradict each other. Is it any wonder that the religious world is so divided or that there is no agreement on what a sinner must do to be saved?

It is to be hoped that we can contribute a little to a proper understanding of the plan of salvation. There is a certain logic to the subject: God has something in mind for us, has revealed what He wants us to do and the Bible is that record of His will. Let us attempt to work our way through the plan of salvation as it is revealed, looking at it in the manner in which God presented it. Is it reasonable to teach people to hear the gospel, believe it, repent of their sins, confess the name of Christ and be baptized for the remission of their sins? Is there a logic about this order, a reason why this order should be followed? Or is it just as reasonable to teach it in another order: baptism, faith, repentance and confession? or confession, faith, repentance and baptism? or repentance and faith without baptism and confession? Does it make any difference? Will just anything achieve the same results? “Come, let us reason together. . .” God wants us to be saved. What is His will?

Take The First Step: Read The Bible

Where there is no seed, there can be no life. This is a fact of life in the vegetable, animal, human and spiritual worlds. Our Creator’s rule is that each produces after its own kind and that the life is in its seed (Gen. 1: 11,25). This is no less true in the spiritual world than in the animal world and if we would accept this truth, much progress would be made. Jesus taught that the seed of the kingdom “is the word of God” (Lk. 8:11). For there to be life in the spiritual world, there must be seed, the word of God, and where the word of God has not gone, there can be no spiritual life. But God has sent the message (Rom. 10: 15) and we are to receive it. It is by the learning process that we come to God. “He that hath heard and hath learned, cometh unto me” (Jn. 6:44, 45). “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing, by the word of God” (Rom. 10: 17). Paul taught the Athenians that God was not far from each one of us and that He commands us (Acts 17:22-32). Since there can be no life without the seed and since the seed is the word of God, it is logical to begin with the proposition that the very first thing that is essential to salvation is a knowledge of what God commands (1 Pet. 1:22,23). This is not a random thought, a Ouiji board concoction, or a blind leap. This is a principle of truth upon which we may act because it is reasonable and understandable. Hearing God’s will is the first step in becoming His child, being born again.

Hearing Produces Faith

Where shall we go next? Confession? Baptism? Repentance? Is there any way that we can know or must we just plunge blindly along, hoping to stumble into the right way? No, my friend. The word of God points us in the way we ought to go. Faith is not a blind leap! Rather, it is the next logical step toward salvation, based upon the sure foundation of the word of the Lord. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my pathway” (Psa. 119:105). After hearing the word of God, faith is the result. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10: 17). Here is a plain statement of Scripture, identifying the source of faith. Faith is not an arbitrary gift of God, given to one but withheld from another. Faith is not something better felt than told. Faith is not absorbed out of the air by osmosis. It is not some mysterious force that ebbs and flows with cosmic tentacles, touching this one and that one but missing others. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Isn’t this beautiful and logical, understandable and fair. Doesn’t it make sense? Where the seed goes, faith goes. That is why we hear the gospel called the “word of faith” (Rom. 10:8). That is why John asserted that “these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:3 1). This is why Jesus commanded the apostles to carry the message to every creature. Every creature needs faith and it comes through hearing the gospel. This is God’s order for salvation and there can be no other.

Faith Leads To Repentance

Jesus stated that “except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Lk. 13:3). But what is repentance and where does it fit into the scheme of things? How does one know that he ought to repent? Can anyone repent before he reads the Bible and has faith? Is there a perceivable logic to the place of repentance?

When Paul met the heathen philosophers in Athens, he declared the existence of God to them and, upon his foundation, commanded repentance (Acts 17:16-31). Note that he did not command repentance and then speak of God. Proper repentance is produced by the knowledge of God and, by contrast, our shortcomings regarding His will. Jesus said that Nineveh repented “at the preaching” of Jonah (Lk. 11:32). Proper preaching will produce “godly sorrow” (2 Cor. 7:10) and a sense of the “goodness of God” (Rom. 2:4), both of which enhance true repentance. Thus, it can be seen that repentance will follow a hearing of God’s word and faith. This is the logical, sensible order presented by the Scriptures.

The doctrine of “faith only” is neither logical nor scriptural. First of all, “faith only” denies the truth of the gospel (James 2:24). Secondly, it does not follow the logic of God’s plan of redemption. I have heard Baptist preachers state that Salvation comes at the instant one believes in Christ. When pressed about repentance and when it occurs, they are in a quandary. If they say that repentance comes after salvation (which occurs at the instant of faith), they would be teaching that one is saved without repentance. Quandary 1. But since they insist that salvation is by “faith alone,” faith cannot be accompanied by anything, even repentance. Quandary 2. When pressed, they will insist that repentance comes before faith. Quandary 3. Hebrews 11:6 asserts that “without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing unto God. . .” Any action, therefore, including repentance, that occurs before faith could not be well-pleasing to God. Additionally, we might ask, why would anyone repent in the first place if they didn’t believe in God at all? You see, there is a logic to the plan of salvation that must be followed. So far, we have seen that it is established by hearing the word of God, believing it and repenting of one’s sins.

Repentance Is Followed By Confession

Up to this point, all that has happened in the plan of redemption is inward, of the heart. Up to this point, a sinner could be reading his Bible and come to the point of repentance without expressing a word or sign. But the Lord has laid upon us the obligation of making an acknowledgment of our faith. There can be no secret disciples in heaven. There is no back door into the kingdom. Such an acknowledgment of faith in Christ Jesus is expressed by a public, oral confession of the name of Christ. (This should not be confused with a confession of sins). Jesus is Lord! We must be ready to die for that fact and there is no middle ground. Jesus said, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven” (Mt. 10:32,33). Paul taught that confession is “with the mouth” (Rom. 10:9-10). Since one would not confess before he had faith or before true repentance was present in his heart, there is no place for public confession until after one has repented. Faith changes the heart, repentance changes the life and confession changes the allegiance. Until the heart and life has been changed, no change of allegiance can or will be made. You see, there is a logic to the plan of salvation.

Baptism Completes The Action

In the Great Commission, Jesus commanded faith and baptism (Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15,16) and predicated salvation upon these actions. We understand this more completely in the light of Ephesians 2:3,9, “saved by grace through faith.” Grace refers to God’s part in the salvation of the lost, faith refers to that which man does in response to grace. We realize, then, that whereas God has graciously given His son and made salvation possible, man must act in obedience to the terms of the gospel.

Baptism is unique in the plan of salvation in that it relates us to the death of Christ in a manner that nothing else does. Paul tells us that we are baptized “into the death” of Christ (Rom. 6:3,4). We are not baptized into the birth of Christ, nor the life of Christ but into His death. Why is this so important? Is it not because the blood of Christ was shed in His death and that we are saved by the blood of Christ? Further, while faith changes the heart, repentance changes the life and confession changes the allegiance, it is baptism that changes our relationship. We are baptized “into” Christ and “put on” Christ (Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27). By this new relationship, we are “born anew” (Rom. 6:4) or “begotten” (1 Pet. 1:22,23). The word of God tells us that it is at this point that we are saved, forgiven, have our sins washed away, added to the church and change our relationship (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Acts 2:47). Again, there is an inescapable logic and progression to this order.

No one would submit to baptism unless he had read of it in the word of God, had believed in Jesus, had repented of his sins, was willing to make a public confession of that faith and wanted to be forgiven of all past sins. Baptism before faith makes no sense at all. Baptism before repentance would be a farce. Baptism before one changes his allegiance would be hypocritical. But baptism as the final step in a process that begins with instruction from the word of the Lord and ends with a public declaration of the death of sin in your life and being added to the Lord’s body conforms to every principle of truth taught in the Bible.

Foolishness?

When Paul spoke of the gospel being “foolishness” (1 Cor. 1:18-31), he did not mean that there was nothing logical to the plan of redemption. According to human wisdom, the gospel is foolish because it presents a crucified Savior. But this should not be construed to mean that there is no spiritual logic in the Scriptures or that a discernible plan of salvation cannot be seen. “To them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24). By presenting Jesus to the world, God chose that which the world counted as foolish, but God did not present Jesus foolishly or without proper logic or order. Sinners are not asked to abandon all reason or sense in accepting Christ. We do the gospel a disservice when we speak of faith as being a “blind leap” into eternity. Rather, faith can be demonstrated to be the acceptance of God’s plan of redemption. The words of Paul take on new meaning in this light when we read, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith unto faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1: 16,17).

Conclusion

If, as has been demonstrated, there is a plan of salvation, it should also be noted that to re-arrange the order or to remove any of the parts is to destroy the logic. Furthermore, if, as Paul asserts in Romans 1: 17, that the “righteousness of God” is revealed therein, it borders on blasphemy to tamper with God’s arrangement of the gospel. It is by the righteous arrangement of the gospel that God can both pardon sin and maintain His own righteousness (Rom. 3:24-26). Dare we ignore, change, delete, add to or re-arrange that which God has worked out through the centuries to His own glory and the salvation of the lost?

All that remains is for us to have the right kind of attitude in allowing God to work in our lives. We must hear the gospel, accept Christ as God’s son, repent of our sinful lives, be willing to confess Jesus as Lord and be buried with Him in baptism for the remission of our sins. It is in this manner that Jesus becomes to us the “wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption” of God (1 Cor. 1:30). It is in this manner that we can say, “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (v. 31).

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 7, pp. 207, 210-211
April 5, 1984

By Leo Rogol

I will use quotations from Brinsmead’s work in which he points out the unscriptural arrangements of church organization and institutionalism. I will then make a comparison between his attack on the Adventist structure and the liberal practices among churches of Christ. I will also deal Campaigns for Christ because they too are involved in this matter of hierarchism among liberal churches. When I quote Mr. Brinsmead, I will then give a definition of “hierarchy” and “sponsoring” and show how they are related or parallel in nature.

Quotations From Brinsmead

In Judged By The Gospel, Mr. Brinsmead writes:

A hierarchy is an “organized body of persons, especially sacred persons graded so that each rank controls or directs those below them.” In a hierarchy the government of the church is in the hands of a ruling body of ecclesiastics instead of the priesthood of all believers (p. 272).

We may well understand that he said this because he realized this existing in the Adventist church and, therefore, felt compelled to deal with it. He further states:

In a civil suit before the California courts, the General Conference president testified that the Seventh-day Adventist church was a hierarchal church and that he was its first minister (p. 272).

Mr. Brinsmead made an accurate observation that “all local churches must be subject to some supreme authority is the Romanist view of church government” (pp. 273-274). So let us observe one important fact: Any form of hierarchism is Roman catholic in nature. Later we will see how this same principle applies to liberal churches in their sponsoring programs.

Notice again what Brinsmead has to say: “A number of the features of Adventist ecclesiology resemble the Roman system” (p. 272). Mr. Brinsmead quotes Augustus Strong, a Reformed Baptist: “Augustus Strong . . says that ‘no ecclesiastical authority higher than that of the local church is recognized in the New Testament… (p. 274). Again Mr. Brinsmead writes: “After the 1975 General Conference session in Vienna, Spectrum showed that lay people have less voice in the actual operation of the Adventist church than in any other recognized Protestant denomination” (p. 274).

As we deal with sponsoring churches, we will see that the same holds true with regard to them. “Cooperating” churches of Christ have absolutely no voice, no control over the affairs under the supervision of sponsoring elders/churches. Every detail of every arrangement in the organization and work under sponsoring churches or elders is absolutely under the authority, control and direction of these sponsoring elders.

In order to fully understand the relationship between Mr. Brinsmead’s charge of hierarchism in the Adventist church and the sponsoring churches among churches of Christ, we must understand the meaning and inherent nature in both “hierarchy” and “sponsoring.” Let us see what these definitions are and how they are related or parallel to one another.

1. Hierarchy: “body of rulers, especially of ecclesiastics, disposed organically in rank and orders each subordinate to one above it.”

Thus, in a hierarchal system, you have one on top who rules, has oversight and responsibility of all those under him.

2. Sponsor. “One who assumes responsibility for some other person or thing.”

It is significant to note that the precise word, “sponsor,” was adopted to define the arrangement which we call sponsoring churches/elders. Because the arrangement or set-up is exactly according to its meaning.

Thus we observe two things. Both, “hierarchy” and “sponsoring” have the same meaning. Thus, both are the same in nature. Next, liberal brethren chose the word, “sponsoring” to define the arrangement of their system of work, and since this is true, it is identical with the concept of “hierarchy.” Let the liberal brethren, who chose to set up a system they defined as “sponsoring” deny that it is not the same as “hierarchy” since both have the same meaning and concept of arrangement of work, and the same structural form of a hierarchy.

This is true in the set-up of Herald of Truth and the many similar sponsoring arrangements that have been set up in this country. I want to show from their own writings that this is a fact. (In reality, the Herald of Truth is now an independent organization from the Highland church. The elders at Highland are “sponsors” only in name.) Yet, under this system, the sponsoring elders assume the responsibility, authority, oversight – all that is defined as “sponsoring,” of all churches submitting to their arrangement: one eldership controlling a “brotherhood of churches.” But, as I said, let them tell it themselves.

As far back as 1936, plans were being made to establish a nationwide radio broadcast (later TV) for the brotherhood which would be centrally controlled. William S. Banowsky, formerly the preacher for the Broadway church of Christ, Lubbock, Texas, said in his book, The Mirror Of A Movement.

Although it required sixteen years for those plans to reach fruition, such a program was finally engaged in 1952. That year, James W. Nichols told the Lectureship (Abilene Christian College – LR) that the Highland church in Abilene had undertaken the responsibility of enlarging its area broadcast into a nation-wide radio program called the “Herald of Truth.” As a result of these efforts and due to the fact that the brotherhood had long dreamed of such an opportunity, some $265,000 has been raised to make possible the preaching of the gospel …. It will be interesting to note, added Nichols, “that some 647 churches and individuals from 40 states have been willing to have fellowship in the sponsoring of this work” (p. 320).

Again, “Within a few years the Highland Church added to its outreach a nation-wide television broadcast” (p. 320). It should be known that this book was written nearly twenty years ago. Thus we can understand that this has grown rapidly since the time of this writing.

What Are The Issues?

The issues are crystallized in Banoswky’s own statements. Notice that this deals with Highland Church or “its area broadcast. ” It is solely their work and arrangement. Now, involved in this are terms I have emphasized. Such words as “responsibility,” “nation-wide,” “brotherhood,” “fellowship” and “churches.” This is what is all involved in “its area broadcast. ” These five words practically define the entire issue involving the Herald of Truth. In short, this effort involves and defines the “responsibility” for a “nation-wide, brotherhood fellowship of churches. ” These last five words define the “responsibility” (or sponsorship) of the Highland church. It involves the activating of the church universal in “its area broadcast.” Hence, the issues deal with a hierarchal set-up among church of Christ under the leadership and authority of Highland.

The very thing that Brinsmead condemns among the structure of the Adventist church as being the same as the hierarchal system of Catholicism, simultaneously is a condemnation of liberal brethren, for they are both the same in nature. Liberal brethren have arranged a “nation-wide, brotherhood fellowship of churches” in “its area broadcast.” Thus, when Highland brought together a nation-wide fellowship of churches it was for its own “area” of work, not the work of each church independent of another. They have brought a gathering of “nation-wide” churches into their fold and under their authority. This makes it .”sponsoring,” or “hierarchism,” for it is patterned after the papal system. Since it is Catholic in origin, then our liberal brethren cannot find a shred of evidence in the New Testament to defend their position, for Catholicism with its hierarchal arrangements were unknown in apostolic times.

Who can successfully challenge the inherent, parallel meaning and arrangements of “hierarchy” and “sponsoring”? If they are both the same in meaning and arrangement, who can say “hierarchy” refers to the papal system, but “sponsoring” is consistent with the New Testament pattern for the church? Since they are the same, then those who insist on sponsoring churches as being scriptural must also be ready to admit that the hierarchal system of Catholicism and Adventism are scriptural, for they are parallel in meaning and nature. Thus, how can we understand hierarchism under sponsoring churches9 How does hierarchism apply in this issue?

Churches join together in a cooperative effort in a certain project or church work. They all look to one main source, or rather, the collective action and contributions are directed to one localized, centralized point – one church – Highland. (Of course, this holds true of the many other sponsoring efforts among liberal brethren.) This is opposite to local autonomy – each church within, by itself – independent from another church carries on its action or work.

The collectivity, financing, work, is within the collective membership of each individual church in the New Testament pattern of church autonomy. On the other hand, a sponsoring church program demands not the collectivity of individual members working in each particular church, but the collectivity of churches, working together in an organic structure under an overseeing, sponsoring church.

The scriptural method of work is a collectivity of members in one church working together within the framework of that local church. The unscriptural, or hierarchal, method demands a collectivity of churches working together under the authority of the sponsoring church. This is the important difference between the Catholic structure of sponsoring churches and the New Testament pattern of local autonomy of each church doing its work. Again, under the sponsoring type arrangement there is the collectivity of churches under the oversight of the sponsoring church. On the other hand, according to the New Testament, the collectivity of members in the local church carry on its work under the oversight of the elders “which are among them.” In the New Testament, there is no collectivity of churches; there is a collectivity of members in each church in the mission of the church.

Thus, when churches work in a joint effort, in a union or in the capacity of a collectivity of churches under the direction and supervision of a sponsoring church, this constitutes a hierarchalform of church organization in the work of evangelism. This is just the thing that Mr. Brinsmead is opposing among the Adventist structure of church government. Let us break this down into a more specific contrast to demonstrate what we are dealing with in our study of hierarchism among the sponsoring type arrangement of liberal churches.

Local Church

1. Each church plans, arranges and carries out its own program of work in evangelism.

2. Each church uses money for its own work – its own treasury – and thus has direct control over what the money is spent for, who spends it, and how it is put to use.

3. Each church selects its own preacher and is responsible for the purity of teaching. The elders of the local church are to “convict the gainsayer” among them, not in another church. The church has the right to dismiss a teacher who preaches false doctrine.

4. No church is under the oversight of any other church in any of the above matters.

Hierarchal System of Sponsoring Churches

1. The sponsoring church plans and carries out its program of work. It is its work, not the individual work of all the collective churches.

2. Churches send money out of their treasuries to the sponsoring church. The right to what to do, who spends it, how it is spent stops at the point the money is sent to the sponsoring church. From then on, no church has any voice, or right to determine how, or what, the money is used for. From then on the sponsoring church has absolute control and authority over the money it receives for its “area broadcast.” Local churches yield their rights to the oversight of sponsoring churches. Thus local churches, in a cooperative, or “fellowship of churches” function in a work that is strictly the work of the overseeing church, and thus the sponsoring church has absolute control over these churches in that area where they work under the sponsorship of the centralized system of hierarchism.

3. Local churches have no voice in the selection of the preacher on the Herald of Truth or any other sponsoring work. They have absolutely no control over his teachings and cannot discipline him if he teaches error. Elders of no local church of the entire “fellowship of churches” are given the right to voice their judgment or criticism in a single phase of the hierarchal system of the sponsoring church.

4. The sponsoring church has absolute authority in all of the above matters. This is the difference between local autonomy, in which each local church is responsible for its own affairs and the hierarchal system of sponsoring churches in which that hierarchy has absolute control over everything the cooperative churches give over to the sponsoring church.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 7, pp. 202-203, 208
April 5, 1984

By Tom Roberts

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat. but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren” (Lk. 22:31-32).

These are chilling words indeed. They show the reality of Satan’s desire to capture the souls of men. Satan is not an abstract theological concept but a real spiritual entity, an evil force to be reckoned with. How naive we are sometimes to think that Satan is just a character of a “fairy tale,” a figment of our imagination. The Bible instructs us that he is real, an adversary to all of us, and the reason for all temptations. He is an ever present danger and watches for opportunities to strike when our defenses are down. The devil is after you and me.

Jesus knew that Satan would strike Peter and the apostles when the “Chief Shepherd” was taken away. The apostles would be demoralized at the death of Jesus, not understanding the tremendous power of God nor the plan of redemption that was in progress. The Lord had to die in order to be raised, to show the triumph of Christ over Satan. But while the ordeal was in progress, Satan knew that the disciples would be discouraged and that their faith would be low: an opportune time for him to strike.

What was Satan going to do to Peter? “Sift him like wheat. ” What this means is that as wheat was tossed in the air to allow the wind to sift the grain from the chaff, even so Peter was going to be tossed to and fro to see if he had a kernel of true faith that would stand the testing of Satan. “Satan asked to have” Peter. Terrible thought! Has he asked to have us? Who can doubt it? If you have any faith at all, you will be tested. Those without faith are already in Satan’s grasp, but if you have faith in God, you will be tried like Peter. Will your faith withstand the sifting?

Sifting never comes when you are strong. It comes when your defenses are down, when you feel strong temptations. Satan picked the very time to test Peter when he was in turmoil, when he wondered about Christ due to His death, when everyone was scattered and he was alone. At such a time there is no one to help us; our faith in Christ is the lone line of defense against Satan. Will it stand the test? Will we be strong enough to hold out?

While Peter was tossed and turned, even when he denied the Lord, Peter clung to his faith. Much of Peter was chaff. He boasted, “I will never deny thee. ” The testing of Satan reduced Peter to bitter tears after he denied the Lord. All his empty boasting was gone, he was reduced to the ultimate test of all humans: “Do I have faith in Jesus even when I don’t understand all that is happening9 ” Shorn of all human reasoning, strength and effort, can I trust in the Lord?

Thank God that Jesus prayed for Peter! And He has prayed for us (John 17:22ff). We are not left alone, even unto the end of the world (Matt. 28:18-20). Jesus cares for us and supplies strength for our labors (1 Cor. 15:58; etc.). With Paul, we can say, “I can do all things through him that strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). 1 cannot overcome Satan alone nor with all human help. I must have the Lord. But the strength that God supplies is to increase my faith through supplying the divine word of truth (Rom. 10: 17). Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. He didn’t supply him with supernatural strength any different from that available to us. Jesus has made our faith that we reach the grace of God (Eph. 2:8,9).

What are we to do when we have overcome through our faith? Sit back and boast? No, there is no room for boasting in such matters. It is not our strength that has defeated Satan, but the faith to the saving of the soul” (Heb. 10:39) that is rooted and grounded in Christ. He is our hope and the center and circumference of our faith. So when we have overcome, we are told (as Jesus told Peter), “establish thy brethren.” In Galatians 6:1 we are further instructed, “Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted. ” We are never above the “sifting” of Satan. But when we are enjoying periods of spiritual strength through our faith and trust in God, we should care about those who are weak, and “overtaken in any trespass. ” We must “establish our brethren.”

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 6, pp. 173-174
March 15, 1984