Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

More and more I read articles on how a Christian’s sins are forgiven. Some brethren affirm that a Christian commits sins without leaving the light. Below are several statements which take that position. The names and sources are omitted to focus our attention on the issue rather than the persons involved.

But there are many incidental sins: (1) I unintentionally offend a brother but never know of it. (2) I unintentionally cause a brother to offend but never know of it. (3) I repeat a falsehood but never learn of it or if I do it is impossible to make correction. (4) In extreme circumstances and in momentary weakness I use God’s name in vain and die with the words on my lip . . . . (5) Because of distraction, I “eat and drink unworthily” at the Lord’s table . . . . Well, those are merely examples. The fist could be almost endless. And I believe that the truly faithful child of God may have the faults above (and others like them) and still be always walking in the light and always forgiven, conditionally, because he does walk in the light – because he is faithful and has a real friend at God’s throne mediating for him.

Another brother wrote as follows:

I do not believe that a child of God becomes an apostate each and every time he sins . . . . Any sin may separate one from God, but it does not necessarily follow that every sin does . . . .

Someone else argued:

Certainly one must admit that it is hard to conceive of defining a person who would commit adultery or murder while he was sincerely seeking to obey God’s will. (A possible exception might be where one innocently married someone who had lied about a prior marriage.) (Could we not also add such things as having an abortion thinking that nothing was wrong with it, divorce and remarriage in cases where one believes that the guilty party has the right to remarriage, and any other sin committed in ignorance?-mw) If one could define a situation where the sin was committed inadvertently and with a heart subject to God, consistency would demand that we conclude that such a one receive the continual cleansing of Christ’s blood.

A fourth brother wrote:

I am not saying that we can continue in sin that grace may abound. God forbid! But I am saying that the godly life of the righteous man counts for something before Heaven. This humble individual who lives before God with a penitent attitude benefits from the blood of Christ even as he sins (his ernphasis-mw); for if he walks in the fight the blood of Jesus cleanses him from all iniquity . . . .

Similar statements from other gospel preachers could be reproduced to demonstrate that several brethren are teaching that some sins which a Christian commits do not separate him from God. Not everyone who made such arguments and claims in the past has drifted away into sectarianism, but a number have. Those who have drifted off have quoted the brethren who have not gone off, in search of aid and comfort. That is what brought this discussion we are presently having out into the open. Not everyone who today is making statements like those quoted above win finally depart from the faith, but others among us are headed for final departure. That is why these studies have not stopped and shall not stop. More study is needed in a spirit of helping each other.

Which Sins?

Nearly every brother who takes the position that some kind of constant or continuous cleansing occurs for a Christian engaged in the practice of sin is quick to point out that they do not mean all kinds of sins. Some writers limit the sin covered to a few sins of ignorance and inadvertence, others limit it only to sins of ignorance but not to inadvertence, while still others say that it covers all sins of ignorance and inadvertence. Ibis raises several questions.

1. How does one determine which sins do not separate from God? What is the criterion to be used to determine which group of sins separate from God and which do not? I want to see how one is going to avoid a category of “mortal” and “venial” sins.

2. If the important criterion is the heart, does this mean that any and every sin can be committed without being separatedfrom God? Those who want the criterion to be whether the act was committed from a “pure” or “impure,” sincere or insincere, heart must face up to the conclusion that every sin mentioned in suc)i texts of the Bible as Galatians 5:19-21, Romans 1:28-32, and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 can be committed with a sincere heartl Are they ready to admit that when adultery, murder, idolatry, homosexuality, and such like things are committed from an honeit heart that the Christian who commits, the sin is not separated from God thereby? Let’s just walk right up to the “lick log” and accept the consequences of our position. Is this the correct conclusion? If not, why not? We already know of brethren who have avowed these full consequences of their argument. There are brethren who will back up and restudy these matters if only they can see where the logic of their argument leads.

How Many Times?

When brethren take the position that one sin of ignorance or inadvertence does not separate a person from God, they need to tell us how many a person must commit to be separated from God. If one sin does not separate us from God, does one more – two? If not two, does three separate a person from God? Four? Five? Six? The truth is that every individual is going to have to say that after a certain number, one more sin separates from God. If a person picks the number ” 15″ as the number of sins that separate a person from God, fourteen did not. But one more did.

There is something wrong with the arguments our brethren are making when they are embarrassed to face up to this question. They will not tell us just how many sins a person must commit before he is separated from God.

Some among us are willing to say that the sin can be committed repeatedly and indefinitely without ever separating a person from God – so long as it is committed in ignorance or inadvertence. For example, they affirm that a Christian could worship ignorantly in the Christian Church with mechanical instruments of music for a lifetime without ever recognizing that sin was committed and yet maintain his fellowship with God and have the hope of eternal life at death. If that will work with a person worshiping with mechanical instruments of music in violation of the Scriptures, why won’t it also work for the man committing fornication and adultery as well? A few have admitted that it will so work. When some others among us see that consistency demands that they admit the same thing, they must either back up or consciously maintain an inconsistent and incoherent argument.

Sinning While In The Light

This idea that 1 John indicates that a man is still walking in the light even while he is sinning is an interesting position. What is said is that “walking in the light” refers to a man’s general demeanor and that it includes those times when he is guilty of sin. Consequently, they argue, the blood of Jesus is continuously cleansing a person from sin (before and without repentance and confession) so long as he is walking in the light. For instance, one of the quotations we gave above claims that the blood of Christ cleanses the Christian constantly “even as he sins.”

What kind of sins is the blood cleansing? What kind of sins are committed by one who is “walking in the light”? There is absolutely nothing in the text of 1 John to limit the discussion to sins of ignorance and inadvertence! If this text teaches that one who is “walking in the light” is guilty of sins, it also includes sins of willful rebellion. If not, why not? You and I both know faithful Christians whose general demeanor might be described as “walking in the light” who have, on occasion, committed sins of willful rebellion. (If you have any trouble thinking of any one like that, go look in the mirror and I think someone’s name will come to mind.) If his general character of “walking in the light” takes care of sins of ignorance and inadvertence, it also takes care of those moments of willful rebellion. If you disagree, show me what there is in the text of 1 John to limit its application to ignorance and inadvertence. Neither the word “ignorance” nor “inadvertence” appear in the text. Whatever this passage teaches about one kind of sin it teaches about all kinds of sin!

Revise Our Bibles

If what has been written by some of our brethren is true, we need to revise our Bibles. Paul wrote, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which-do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21). This passage needs to be revised to read:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft. hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God, except in cases of ignorance and inadvertence.

Again, Paul wrote, “know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). But, this cannot be true inasmuch as a person can commit any and all of these sins out of a sincere heart. Consequently, this text needs to be revised as well to say:

Know ye not that the willfully unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God, except in those cases in which they commit these sins in ignorance and inadvertence.

The words of Jesus need to be revised as well. Jesus revealed that one could determine the heart of a man by his deeds. He said, “. . . for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies . . .” (Matt. 15:19). Some of our brethren are saying that these things can come out of a clean and pure heart. Revise the text to read for out of the insincere heart . . . “

Again Jesus said, “. . . if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matt. 15:14). This must be revised to say, “. . . if the blind leader is intentionally blind, he will fall into the ditch; if the blind follower is intentionally following one who he knows is a blind leader, he will also fall into the ditch; however, if a man does not know that he is a blind leader, he will not fall into the ditch; if the blind follower knows that the unintentional blind leader is a blind leader and yet chooses to follow him, he will fall into the ditch; if the blind person unintentionally follows a blind leader, whether that leader be intentionally blind or not, he will not fall into the ditch.”

Consequently, brethren, we can no longer know for sure what is the condition of those who use mechanical instruments of music in worship, support human institutions from the church treasury, support recreational activities from the church treasury, participate in the sponsoring church arrangement, and other sinful activities, inasmuch as we do not know whether or not they are intentionally blind leaders or intentionally following a blind leader! Try to apply this amended text to the Jim Jones mess and to other cults which involve every form of immorality and ungodliness known to man. Brethren, if you are embarrassed and unwilling to consistently apply your argument, you need to quit making the argument at all. It is time to back up and restudy.

Conclusion

While these things are being publicly preached, all of these men assure us that they are not teaching or influenced by Calvinism’s doctrine of “once in grace, always in grace.” They could have fooled me! The old statement of Sam Morris, the Baptist preacher, needs only slight editing to represent what our brethren are teaching. Sam Morris wrote,

We take the position that a Christian’s sins do not damn his soul. The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul . . . .

. . . All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services he may attend, all the sermons he may practice, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; and all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger (Rev. Sam Morris, “Do A Christian’s Sins Damn His Soul?”).

The only changes which need to be made are as follows:

We take the position that a Christian’s sins of ignorance and inadvertence do not damn his soul. The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatsoever to do with the salvation of his soul.

. . . All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services he may attend, all the sermons he may practice, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; and all the sins of ignorance and inadvertence from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 18, pp. 578, 582-584
October 6, 1983

By Irven Lee

We should be able to learn something about how precious the role of the mother is in the home by asking those who have been fortunate enough to have truly great mothers. “Her children rise up and call her blessed” (Prov. 31:28). There are very many good things that may be said about a good mother. The excellent mother is the happy woman. One who thinks she knows something better and more fulfilling has been deceived by some false philosophy and vain deceit. To love is to be loved, and to dwell in a house where love is to be as near heaven as one can get on earth.

A Mother’s Contribution To Society

The very traits that make one great as a mother will make her a good Christian, a good wife, and a good neighbor. She is a good citizen for she has the positive characteristics that bless any community. Her husband and others will praise her. Any who do not appreciate her will reflect upon themselves. It takes a strong personality to be a good mother. This does not mean that she is a publicity seeker. Great women are humble but strong.

If motherhood were a position for which women could apply, and if Christ were the Chairman of the committee to select them, I fear that He would find very few who could qualify for the best positions. The fact that so few are well qualified to be good mothers is one of the most serious deficiencies of our times. “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies” (Prov. 3 1: 10). In commercial markets an over supply of some item depresses the price for that item. There could not be too many good mothers. This is an impossibility. If every Woman in the land were a truly great mother that would not be too many.

If the powerful influences in our country suddenly turned toward training and encouraging young women to be worthy mothers, this would do much to stop the crime wave, solve the problem of unemployment, decrease the alarming divorce rate, and control the problem with alcohol and other drugs.

Social pressures in schools, through television, and even in homes is in the direction of careers for women. Children then are in the way of a career. Their children are neglected and lonely. These children take up drugs and follow after the animal or carnal nature. These women in a man’s world are tempted to immorality so divorce is very common. Children are then more in the way and are further neglected or abused. This is the serious malady of our age.

If guiding the house or keeping the home were more popular, men could rind more jobs in industry, for women would be fulfilling their role in the home. The government would not have reason to spend so much on aid to dependent children, or on maintaining criminals in prisons, or in trying to protect the public from drunk drivers. There would not be so many deserted children, criminals, or drunks if there were more good mothers. Politicians and even well trained law officers cannot effectively cope with crime and rebellion. Many more well trained and happy mothers could bring many wonderful changes in the moral standards of the next generation. The right kind of mothers would love their children, teach them the wonderful words of life, and guide them into a better way of life. (See Titus 2:3-5; 1 Tim. 5:14; 2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14,15.)

A Mother’s Spiritual Influence

Various aspects of a virtuous woman are mentioned in Proverbs 31:10-31. One key to her great power for good for her children may be found in verse 26. “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” The children of today suffer much from the lack of wise and kind instruction even from mothers who. are with them very much. If they lose their mothers’ love and time, they lose their sense of security. Without that discipline and affection they become selfish, losing respect for the property rights of others and their reverence for God. Unbelief turns people into “natural brute beasts” (2 Peter 2:12, KJV). If more mothers were devout Christians, there would be more precious faith among the young. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10;17). Mothers, do your children hear the word of God from you? Are they regularly in worship services?

There are good homes in this decade. These best homes have good fathers and mothers and wonderful children. I am convinced that there are women with unfeigned faith like that which Timothy’s mother and grandmother had and there are young men as pure and devout as Timothy. There are just not as many. There are enough to demonstrate that proper teaching, example, and discipline bring the same results as they did in past centuries. There are not many mothers who were Christians in that pagan world in which Timothy lived and worked.

It is not easy for the very best mother to succeed in seeing her children become the young adults such a woman would want to claim as hers. It is not easy, but it is possible. Much of her good work is done while she has her children with her so much in those very precious pre-school years. More and more pressure is exerted to get the state to take the children early. Kindergarten is considered a must. Nursery schools are crowding into more prominent positions. Parents whose children are in the way are very glad to rind ways to get them out of their homes early. There is one thing we can be certain of today. Public schools will not train the children to be Christians. Evolution, immodesty, dancing, and promiscuity may be taught but not righteousness, faith, and purity. Organizations like the American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) and the National Organization of Women (NOW) are seeing to that. Such groups would like for the schools to be against the religion of Christ. Parents, be awake to the danger!

Ungodly Influences To Overcome

Alcohol is advertised before the eyes of your children about every day that they watch television, if they watch much. Vulgar songs, violence, lust-provoking movies, evolution, and blasphemy are also available on the screen. Modern theaters seem to offer little other than these things. Hollywood has no respect for the marriage law or for other laws given by the Christ. Mothers, are you aware of this? Are you honestly trying to save your children from these evil influences?

Every good mother who is a Christian, and eager for her children to be Christians, knows that she certainly does need a devout husband to help her in her worthy goals. Any young Christian woman should be aware of this need before marriage. A very large per cent of the young women who are members of the church quit the church when they marry non-Christians. Are people blind to this fact? Does it matter? Some of these drop-outs from the church remain fairly good citizens in a negative sort of way, in that they do not become ungodly reprobates. The woman who fulfills her role in the home is more than a nonentity. She is not the worthy woman whose price is far above rubies unless she is a strong character with great faith. If father and mother are irreligious their influence is against Christ. “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” (Matt. 12:30).

An unbelieving father with the typical bad habits of the faithless exerts a very bad influence. Wives of such men may neglect their children in trying to cope with husbands with the drinking habit. They should try by their reverence, chastity, and humility to reach the unworthy husbands. By all means they should devote much time and effort to train their innocent children and save them at all costs. Their task may appear to be impossible when they consider the forces that would destroy faith in the schools and community, Hollywood’s unholy productions, and the unholy influence of their worldly husbands. It is very hard to guide the house, but not impossible, if a wife begins early and is always consistent in her determined effort to make Christians of her children. It is very difficult to succeed under such circumstances, but the soul of every child is worth more than the world itself. It will be a horrible experience if her children join the ranks of the criminals. Irreligious mothers bring up irreligious children, who, in turn, then bring up more criminals. Something needs to be done to change this trend for there are tens of thousands of mothers who are putting forth little effort to guide their children to the more abundant life.

Beer-drinking fathers who are blasphemers will not bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Women who marry such men will likely be no better. They may be even more ungodly in many cases. There are so many homes with ungodly parents that the home is seriously threatened as an institution. Children in such cases are to be pitied. Is there anything else for us to do but pity them? Some few young men and women become Christians in spite of their parents. A woman or a man who neglects the children and even set evil examples before them will find that it is no small thing to cause them to lose their souls. Some ungodly reprobates do not have children. This is better since we have enough criminals that come out of such homes.

Earnest appeals should go out to men to fulfill their mission as worthy fathers. If we fail to reach them, it may be possible to reach some mothers early enough for them to love, teach, and guide their children. If we fail to reach either, what hope is there for the children? Neighbors may try, but there is very, very little chance of their succeeding in efforts to see children from such homes become Christians. All young people, both good and bad, come from one home or another. This home background sends them on their way with a powerful force. If we reach the children we will likely have to reach them through the parents, or at least through one parent. Mother, are you filling your heaven assigned role?

Godly Mothers And The Church

If a good woman is trying to succeed in fulfilling her role as a mother, she needs to know the truth of God so she can teach and so she can see the value of the church for which Christ died. The word is a powerful influence for good, if it is taught effectively. The printed word collecting dust on a shelf is no blessing. The blood-bought church which is here by the eternal purpose of God stands as a light in the world. Mother, if you would be worthy you must be a devout member of the church. There you can find help in guiding your children. Sermons and classes can help. Worthy friends, both young and old, for your children can be found at the assemblies. Mother, one sure way for you to be a failure in your role as a mother is for you to ignore worship and happy association with Christians.

It is sad but true that many members of the church are careless parents. They allow schools, television, and worldly peers of their children to exert the more powerful influences. The love of money, pleasure, and praise of men cause them to be very poor parents. The worthy mother must overcome the unholy influence of the children of some church members if they would save their own children. This is an unfortunate situation.

Many of the denominational preachers in this generation were trained in modernistic seminaries. Such preachers were taught evolution, to deny the inspiration of the Scriptures, and even to deny the deity of Jesus. The devil is now able to use prominent preachers in large Protestant and Catholic churches in his effort to spread infidelity. Many parents are not awake to this fact. These infidels in the pulpits of the land often keep their unbelief from some who sit in the pews when they conduct services. These preachers busy themselves in the fellowship halls, family life buildings (gymnasiums), and on ball parks. Parents in such social gospel churches may not even notice the total lack of spirituality. Religious groups are wearing themselves out in efforts to provide entertainment in a world that has already gone insane over games and entertainment.

It is no marvel that so many marriages end in divorce. Unbelief prevails and the love of money and of worldly pleasures have become idols to consume the time of the public. We are painting a very dark picture. What other realistic picture is there to paint? Many churches bickering, and many church members are worldly. Parents who would do their work well as home makers for their children are going to fight a hard and lonely battle.

Let us open our eyes and ears and discover that here and there homes may be found that are excellent. These fathers and mothers in this wicked world are doing their duty as parents. Each such home is like a pleasant mountain peak in rugged country.

Conclusion

Moses’ mother lived in a wicked world, but it seems that she planted some good seed in the mind of her little ones. (See the first few chapters of Exodus.) If you read the book of Judges you see that sin was common among the Israelites. Read the book of Ruth and learn of Naomi and Ruth and their good home in that period of the Judges. Paul was stoned in Timothy’s home area until they thought that he was dead. It was a land filled with pagans and some unbelieving Jews. Eunice and Lois taught Timothy. It can be done. There is a crying need for more mothers who realize the importance and the difficulty of their work.

The cares, riches, and pleasures of this world destroy mothers and others in our day as they have in ages past (Luke 8:14). Selfishness, pride, lust, and other harmful traits prevent parents from fulfilling their mission. The pleasures of sin are deceitful, but many do not see this (see Heb. 3:12, 13). These pleasures are only for a season, but the mad search for them goes on endlessly. Awake parents, you have work to do! Some mothers and fathers wake up after the children are grown when they can then see the horrors of their failures. It is too late then to save the children.

Gospel preachers and other devout Christians should realize the urgent need to try to get the message across to young people and to the young parents that the home responsibilities are great. As we go out to teach we should do more than try to get people to be baptized. We need to try to see those who are baptized walking in newness of life, being steadfast in worship, and being diligent as parents. Let us cry aloud and shout from the house tops that children are an heritage of the Lord, and that they deserve love, training, and worthy examples and not just things that money can buy.

Of course, America needs skilled persons in engineering and science, but more importantly America needs virtuous women for mothers and godly men for fathers. Houses are larger and more comfortable than they were a few decades ago. We have luxuries now that even the wealthy did not have then. People know how to earn a living, but they do not know how to live. Schools train in athletics and skills for careers for men and women, but they do not teach honesty, obedience to law, purity of morals, or the religion of Christ. The social gospel has taken the place of the gospel of Christ for millions. Let those who are still awake sound an alarm to mothers and fathers that they may realize their duties in their homes.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 19, pp. 577, 589-590
October 6, 1983

By Roy E. Cogdill

A professional attitude is one seriously destructive mistake that especially needs to be avoided. When a preacher begins to feel in some respects toward his work as a doctor or lawyer does toward his profession he ceases to be a safe teacher for anyone. The promotion of my own welfare and position into the highest possible plane from the viewpoint of influence, popularity, demand, earnings, or rank is an ambition that evidences a professional disposition that is unsafe and unsound all the way through.

Some indications of such an attitude can be seen in the way a preacher talks about his work. When you hear one talking too much of “my work – “my job” – “my usefullness” – “my influence” – “my elders” – “my church” – “my members”, etc., you may know that he is at least in danger and likely has already contracted the ailment.

When a preacher becomes a hireling, paid so much to do what the brethren want done, rather than supported that he might give his time to reading, exhortation, or wholly to the work of the Lord, both the preacher and-the brethren have put his work on a professional basis. When it is upon such a basis the brethren can prescribe what he preaches right along with the stipulations that govern the rest of his work and he becomes a pleaser of men instead of a servant of God. His main purpose and effort becomes a struggle to keep his “job” and prevent himself from being ousted by another job hunter.

Some have about the same attitude toward the elders of the church that a corporation president has toward the board of directors. If one or more will not go along with his “program” he is minded to start a campaign of maneuvers that will get him or them out of his way and others in who will be more agreeable.

The preacher’s attitude toward his support sometimes betrays that he is a “professional.” The t4oition seems to be to measure it by what another preacher is getting or by what some other church might pay rather than the need and ability of the church where he is laboring. Some are on a constant search for a higher salary and such a consideration will move them almost inevitably. Then too, if he can get an offer of a higher salary from some other congregation, he can probably get a raise for preachers are not so easy to find.

The idea of “making tents” to enable him to do a greater work in some needy field or place would be beneath his dignity for that would seem to put him in the class of “part time” preachers and besides he wouldn’t have enough time to study though he does not use his time that way when he has it.

“Professionalism” is the primary cause of jealousy among, preachers. If one really loves the cause of Christ and wants to see the truth advanced he would rejoice to see all other preachers more successful in accomplishing good than he. But as we measure ourselves by others, we can see many reasons why we should be reocgnized above others. A preacher who has a degree and has attained quite a standing scholastically frequently will resent the fact that he isn’t called for as many meetings, or doesn’t preach for as big a church, or receive as large a support as one who doesn’t have those attainments. He has been educated to think that such attainments in the sight of the world are really the measure of greatness in the Kingdom of God.

What is my purpose as a preacher anyway? Is it to “guard my influence and usefulness” so as to be kept busy and have a good living out of my work as long as possible? Is it to advance myself in the eyes of the brethren until I am in demand and can require the most liberal support? Is it to be recognized as. a scholar and ranked high in the esteem of men? Is it to be able to control others and wield the greatest power? None of these are worthy of even our weakest efforts.

They should not enter into our consideration for a moment. Surely we need to use the best possible judgment in all our affairs and with the utmost skill strive to serve the greatest good of the cause of Christ. But can we say with Paul, “I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). [Originally appeared in Bible Banner, 10, 5 (May 1948):13]

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 18, p. 565
September 15, 1983

By Loren N. Raines

We often hear it said that “history repeats itself.” This may not always, but it is often true because human nature remains very much the same. Only the gospel of Christ can change man’s nature, and not many people are willing to receive and wholly submit to the Lord’s will as revealed in the gospel.

When we carefully analyze the great apostasy which all but destroyed the church of our Lord from the face of the earth we can better understand some things that have taken place, and are taking place today in religious circles. The same things that caused the apostasy, foretold by Paul (2 Thess. 2), have caused and are causing others to apostatize from the faith which was “once for all delivered unto the saints.”

One of the underlying causes of all apostasy is a lack of proper respect for divine authority. After Jesus had driven the money changers from the temple the Jews asked Him: “By What authority doest thou these things, and who gave thee this authority?” It was presumptuous on their part to ask Jesus such a question, but it is a good one for us to ask ourselves, and to ask others. Apostasy results when men hold the wrong attitude toward the Scriptures. In his book, The Disciples In Kentucky, professor A.W. Fortune points out two widely divergent attitudes which have been and are now prevalent among professed followers of Christ. He said:

There have been those who believed it is the Spirit of the New Testament church that should be restored, and in our method of working, the church must adapt itself to the changing conditions.

In other words, the church should be made to conform to prevailing conditions in the world; as conditions change the church must change. Then he said:

There have been those who regarded the New Testament church as a fixed pattern for all time, and our business is to hold rigidly to that pattern regardless of the consequences.

In view of Peter’s statement, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11) it is clear that the latter position is both safe and scriptural. To the degree that the former position prevails apostasy becomes inevitable.

Another cause of apostasy stems from an attempt on the part of liberal-minded men to modernize and streamline the gospel. We would naturally expect this when in n believe that the church should adapt itself to changing conditions. Some of the leaders of the early church were so anxious to see the church grow and become a powerful influence in the world that they were not careful about the methods they used. They ignored the Scriptures, adopted methods of the pagan religions, modernized the gospel, and the result was the church of Rome. Those who advocate a streamlined, modernized approach to scriptural problems, and who preach a social gospel would do well to pause, ponder and profit by the experience which all but wrecked the early church and made necessary both the Reformation and the Restoration.

Paul said, “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, knowing that I am setfor the defense of the gospel” (Phil. 1: 15-17). Only to the degree that men today, like Paul, are “set for the defense of the gospel” can apostasy be avoided. Unfortunately, many today are so busy making a living and pursuing pleasure that they do not take time to familiarize themselves with the teachings of God’s word.

Lack of knowledge is always a source of danger. In anticipation of this danger arising, Paul said, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17). In Hebrews we read, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of, God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat” (Heb. 5:12-13). Not only are the clouds threatening, they are ominous.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 18, pp. 564-565
September 15, 1983