Truth Magazine

By Herschel Patton

Brethren who feel that it is the mission of the church to relieve the whole world and to provide social benefits in the form of banqueting and recreation have often charged those of us who object with believing the church building is sacred. They have said, “If an accident happened in front of the church building, you would let an injured person die because the church phone couldn’t be used for calling an ambulance, water for relief provided, or the building for shelter from the elements.” Since the church pays the phone and water bill, they say, “If the church provided these, then the church is doing something that we say is not its mission.”

This actually happened while I was preaching during 1973 with the Jordan Park congregation in Huntsville, Alabama, right in front of the Jordan Park church building – a three car accident. No one died, but a man was injured – severely cut. It was raining, and the church building (porch) was used for shelter. The phone in the church building was used for reporting the accident, and water from the church building was used for the bleeding man. Now, I preach, and the Jordan Park church believes that it is not the mission of the church to serve as a welfare agency for the world – that the church is not to support and provide that which is not its mission. So, did the Jordan Park church, in the above case, contribute to an unbeliever and use its facilities for an unauthorized thing?

Expediencies-Incidentals

This matter involves the using of an expediency. The church building is an expediency, authorized by the command to “assemble.” Who has the right to make laws regarding an expediency – e.g. “It must be rented” “of brick” – “of wood” -“painted white” – “have a steeple,” etc.? Here is a place where good judgment and charity must be employed, not a Scripture. To force on others an opinion, as if it were Scripture, to the disturbance of peace, would be sinful (Rom. 14:15).

Churches often use expediencies to expedite work, such as the church building, and then there are “incidental” uses of an expediency which do not involve the church in its mission.

The church parking lot is often used by people who live nearby, are visiting, have business at an adjoining place, but this is not in the purpose and plans of the church, and the church, having neither purposed nor planned this, is not engaged in providing parking for the general public. If the church purposed a parking lot for public parking, it would then become a function of the church – an unscriptural function.

I recently visited a neighboring congregation during a meeting, and during the prayer there was suddenly the strains of instrumental music flowing from the public address system (an expediency provided by the church for more effective teaching). The system was picking up signals from the local radio station. Was that church providing instrumental music with the service? Of course, the church was not providing that, though it owned and had installed the system bringing it in. There was no purpose and plans for this on the part of the church. It was just something incidental. Likewise, the Jordan Park church did not purpose its building, with the plumbing and phone, as a first aid station. These facilities were used for this, all right, on the occasion mentioned, and may, sometime, be so used again. But it was not a case of the church purposefully engaging in something that is not its mission.

I have preached in meetings where the brethren habitually had “dinner on the ground” on the beginning day of the meeting, and a few times, when it started raining, everyone went into the meeting house, turned some of the benches around, facing each other, spread the dinner and ate – in the dry. Was some scriptural precept violated? I think not. That church building and the benches were not purposed and planned by the church as a place of eating together, and the church was not providing for “eating together” as part of its program of work. Such action was nothing more than an incidental use of an expedient, not at all involving the mission and work of the church. This is all together different from a church purposing and providing proper facilities for banqueting, recreation, a kindergarten, or anything else not in the prescribed mission of the church.

Radicalism

Because liberal brethren who do purpose and provide things not in the divinely revealed mission of the church, in an effort to justify themselves, often point to some of these “incidentals” on our part, some brethren have backed into radicalism and absurdness with reference to the use of church buildings. Some are saying that church buildings cannot be used for a wedding, funeral, or even an announcement concerning some activity that is not a work of every New Testament church. I have already mentioned “incidental” uses of an expedient where churches are not the participant. Concerning weddings and funerals in the church building, I believe these can be justified either as the church using an expedient in its work or as incidentals not involving the work and mission of the church.

True, you do not read of weddings or funerals in church buildings in the New Testament. But teaching is one of the things to be done that involves “place.” What would afford a more effective time for impressive teaching on the sacredness, sanctity, and permanency of marriage than a wedding? The “wedding” could serve as an object lesson, like the little child Jesus one time used to enforce His teaching on humility. And, when would more impressive teaching concerning the certainty of death, eternity, and the need for preparedness, be done that at a funeral? The church building is not expected to be a funeral parlor or wedding chapel, but for actions involving an assembly for teaching and edifying. The wedding or funeral is simply an occasion for teaching. The church may not be obligated to furnish you a place to get married in, but your marriage can be an instrument for some very effective teaching which should be the chief objective of those charged with using judgment about incidentals.

On the other hand, weddings and funerals may be looked upon as incidental uses of the church building, granted to others. The activity is purely a family affair – planned and arranged by them – apart from the church’s program of work. The church would no more be involved in this than it would in secular education if the school building burned down and the elders granted permission for classes to be conducted in the church building for a temporary time, with the school paying for the utilities and incidentals used. Granting permission for such uses of the church building would involve discernment concerning who, what, and how.

The church is not engaged in the work of social and secular activities when announcements are made about these things in the church building or church bulletin. The church building public address system, and bulletin are for teaching and edifying, which would involve teaching and admonishing people about important actions in their personal lives. If it is important for parents to “nurture” their children “in the Lord,” it is proper for preachers, elders, or teachers to tell them so, warning of the dangers of infidelity and immorality in schools of learning and even identifying and recommending places where these dangers are at a minimum.

If the Bible teaches that Christians should seek out, and provide for their children wholesome social and recreational activities, it is proper for spiritual teachers to announce, identify, and encourage such, even in the church building while the saints are assembled. The church is neither contributing to nor furnishing secular education, or social endeavors, when parents are instructed and informed of where and how they may discharge their duties in this realm. In fact, there is Bible precedent for using the time and place of assembly for informing saints of personal duties. Paul wrote letters to the Colossians and Laodiceans and said for the letters to be read at each place and then exchange the letters and read (Col. 4:16), which letters contained numerous instructions to be followed by various individuals in their personal activities. For instance, the Colossian church was not contributing to or doing the work of Masters when these were instructed, at the reading of Paul’s letter, to “give unto your servants that which is just and equal” (Col. 4:1).

Instruction may be given saints at the church building, or in church bulletins, about Catholic aims and the dangers of one with these aims standing in the room of highest authority in the land, as was often done a few years back during an election campaign, but this is not comparable to the church building being used as a campaign headquarters. This would be putting the church, with its building, into the work of conducting an election campaign, which is not its mission.

A church is not making a contribution to, or helping do the work of a hospital or clinic when announcements are made in the church building about a need for blood donors and instruction about where and how to make the donation.

It is radicalism, indeed, for brethren to conclude that the church has engaged in something not its work when announcement and instruction is given in the church building, or bulletin, about an educational, medical, or social need wherein Christians have a responsibility, or to look upon some incidental action, not purposed or planned by the church, and say “the church has apostatized from its mission.” It is good to carefully weigh all matters and always follow the prescribed path, but let us not try to make laws regarding expedients and incidentals and read into certain actions what is not there. Such action leads to strife and indicates we are the “nuts” that many charge us with being.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 13, pp. 403-404
July 7, 1983

By Dudley Ross Spears

Premillennialists thrive on the alleged thousand year reign of Jesus Christ on earth. They tell us that Christ will come back to set up the kingdom of God on earth and sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem. They believe this takes place in time and is a prelude to eternity. But they are most vocal and blatant in affirming that the Bible mentions the 1000 year reign (Rev. 20:2-6). They claim that if we take the Bible literally there is no doubt that Christ will set up a millennial kingdom when He returns.

We will test the view of the millennialists on the reign of Christ. They themselves affirm that the kingdom Daniel spoke of in Daniel 7:13 is the kingdom Christ will set up when He returns. Hal Lindsey, the voice of the millennialists, wrote, “The `Ancient of days’ who is described here is identified in Daniel 7:13 as `one like the Son of Man’ brought on the clouds of heaven – the One who will put down all human authority and establish His kingdom forever” (Late Great Planet Earth, p. 81). Pray tell me how the kingdom Christ comes to establish will be “forever” and a “thousand years” at the same time? Who takes the Bible literally?

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 13, p. 402
July 7, 1983

By S. Leonard Tyler

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1, AV). “Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction (`test,’ marginal reading) of things not seen” (ASV, emphasis mine to identify these words, SLT).

The different renderings of Hebrews 11:1 are very interesting. The word “substance” or “assurance” is translated from hupostasis meaning, “assurance, substance or confidence.” “Evidence” or “Conviction” is from elegmos, meaning a reproof, vindication …. which denotes a proof, proving, test, as in Heb. 11:1, `proving,’ R.V. marg., `test”‘ and is found in 2 Tim 3:16 (W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. 3, p. 283, and Vol. 4, p. 88). Faith has evidence to sustain the assurance, the confidence, and the proving. Faith gives a basis or ground upon which true confidence can rest.

The gospel reveals these truths in respect to Christ, even as it reveals all spiritual things (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3-4). We can see how evidence leads to faith in John 20:30-31). “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But 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.” Faith is produced and sustained by the word of God which was written for this purpose (Rom. 10:17). Paul so declares it in 1 Timothy 3:16. Perhaps, we have not come to appreciate and rely upon this statement as we should. It reads:

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen of angels, Preached unto the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up into glory.”

A Look At The Passage

“And without controversy” means no one may rightfully even question the greatness of the “mystery,” if he understands. This should create in the minds of all of us a keen interest in the “mystery” and give a desire to motivate effort to learn what the “mystery” really contains as revealed.

“The great mystery of godliness” is the revelation of the truth regarding God’s provisions through Jesus Christ for man’s salvation. “Mystery” has reference to something unknown or unrevealed, not to something unlearnable, mysterious in its very nature, confusing, and unattainable. This “mystery” is now reveal4d (Eph. 3:3-12; 5:32). Paul explains that one by reading can understand. This, according to the apostle was accomplished by Jesus Christ in whom we are to have “boldness and confidence by faith of him.” This was not known in ages past “as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.” The gospel is now revealed for the obedience of faith (Rom. 1:5; 16:26).

“Godliness” is explained by W.E. Vine: “. . . In 1 Tim. 3:16, `the mystery of godliness’ is godliness as embodied in, and communicated through, the truth of the faith concerning Christ” (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. 2, p. 162). One must imbibe these truths into his own heart and life to be of the faith “which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). Let us now notice the expressions used to impress upon men and women the evidence upon which assurance may be established with firm confidence – not imaginative, wishful, dreamy feelings or some sort of a mystic vision.

Firm Evidences Of Christ

(1) “God was manifest in the flesh” presents Jesus as indeed the Son of God. John so declares Him, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14). This is the manifestation of the “mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations . . . . to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:26-28). This is also the basis and strength of John’s presentation as declared that the “fellowship is-with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:1-7). Jesus is the Divine Son of God sent for the redemption of all men (Gal. 4:4-5; Rom. 5:8).

(2) “Justified in the Spirit.” This is proven in the light of the following points. He was conceived of the Spirit (Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:35) and had the Spirit without measure (John 3:34). The Spirit was a sign to John by which to identify Jesus (John 1:32-34). The Spirit testified that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God by descending upon Him at baptism (Matt. 3:16). The Spirit vindicated Christ of all charges alleged against Him and confirmed that He is the Son of God (John 15:26; Rom. 1:4). Justified means vindicated and proven true or righteous. Christ is the genuine, Divine Son of God.

(3) “Seen of Angels.” The angels announced His birth (Luke 2:9-11) and they ministered unto Him after His temptations on the mount (Matt. 4:11). When he prayed in Gethsemane, an angel came and strengthened Him (Luke 22:43), and at His resurrection an angel watched over the tomb (Matt. 28:1-8). When the woman came to anoint the body of Jesus, two men stood by them who caused them to be afraid and to bow down their faces to the earth. The men said unto them, “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen” (Luke 24:5-6). Christ is risen! He is alive!

(4) “Preached unto the Gentiles.” This happened first by Peter at the house of Cornelius (Acts 15:7-8), and Paul was a chosen vessel to the Gentiles (I Tim. 2:5-7). In Romans 9:30-33, Paul plainly shows that the Gentiles obtained unto righteousness by faith and Israel lost their place with God for refusing to believe in Jesus Christ. The Gentiles believed Jesus to be God’s Son.

(5) “Believed on in the world” declares that Jesus Christ was accepted in His own time to be the Divine Son of God. This is the essential truth for man’s salvation. Christ is the author and finisher, the perfecter, of our faith (John 3:16-21; Heb. 4:2-3; 11:1, 6; 12:1-3). Faith will accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Without that faith, a person cannot come to God (Mk. 16:15-16; John 1:12; 5:39-47; 8:24; 14:1-7; Matt. 7:24-27). “Believed on in the world” is given as one of the great facts of the “mystery” because it is a manifestation that Jesus was accepted by those with whom He lived as the Son of God, the incarnate Deity, as John so firmly declared (1 John 1:1-7). The inspired Word is given to produce faith and lead one to accept Jesus as both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:37-42; 8:37-38; Mk. 16:15-16; Heb. 3:12; 10:38-39; James 1:25; 2:17, 20, 24).

It is faith which worketh by love that brings salvation (Gal. 5:6; 1 John 2:22-25; 5:4-5, 9-13). Truly, Jesus was believed on in the world in spite of the forces of all false, human reasoning. The inspired Word of God reveals the only firm, proven reasons upon which faith in a Divine Personal Savior can be substantiated. It was a “great mystery” while kept secret, but now being revealed, it is understandable and sufficient to produce the faith which moves one to accept Jesus (Phil. 3:8-11; Gal. 2:20). This is God’s grace provided to give man the only way of salvation (Tit. 2:11-12). What a wonderful revelation. They believed and obeyed. We should follow their example. The message is trustworthy (2 Cor. 4:13).

(6) “Received up into glory.” This points to Christ’s ascension back to the Father (John 17:5; Acts 1:9). As Paul declared, “When he ascended upon high, he lead captivity captive and gave gifts unto men” (Eph. 4:8). Thus, Christ took His seat at God’s right hand with all authority in both heaven and earth (Acts 2:36; Eph. 1:18-23). The gospel of Christ is God’s power unto salvation to all who believe (Rom. 1:16-18). “O the depth of the riches both of wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways are past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again! For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Rom. 11:33-36).

Herein lies the substance, assurance, and conviction upon which faith is produced and sustained. Will you believe and imbibe these precious truths into your heart and life? After Jesus prepared the way, the Holy Spirit revealed it in an understandable manner to make it available and attainable to all men (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 10:34-35; Rom. 1:16-18; 1 Cor. 15:1-3). Will you hear, it, believe it, and obey it to the saving of the soul? God has provided – will you accept? The answer lies within your own reach. Your soul depends upon your answer. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world . . . who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee” (Titus 2:11-12, 14-15).

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 13, pp. 401-402
July 7, 1983

By Dudley Ross Spears

In 1947 brother Otis Gatewood was drumming up support for the work of “evangelizing” Germany. World War II left Germany a beaten nation and the ravages of that war brought a once proud and prosperous people l o their knees. The Marshall plan to refurbish Europe was in effect and Gatewood and his team set out to refurbish Germany in a “Church of Christ” style.

Gatewood made a speech at the 1947 lectureship at David Lipscomb College and in it said, “We at least can say that we must work for fifteen or twenty years, in order to have what we would like to have in that country” (1947 Lipscomb Lectures, p. 83). The “fifteen or twenty years” have more than passed and what Gatewood and his team wanted then is not what they have now. The passing of time has seen many changes in the German society. No longer is Germany a war-ravaged nation that eagerly seeks hand-outs, second-hand clothing, surplus food and charity packages. But when Gatewood and his team went to Europe, that is what they went with. They sought to convert people to Christ by first feeding and clothing them, hoping to reach their souls through physical means.

Gatewood also said in that 1947 lecture that unless the people are fed and clothed, they are not disposed to hear the gospel of Christ. Here is the exact statement. “We will be confronted with the problem of feeding the people, and unless we do so we cannot reach them with the gospel of Christ, but that is a gigantic task” (Ibid., p. 32). With the purpose behind the relief work being the saving of souls, the Gatewood expedition launched a gigantic program of feeding, clothing and entertaining the German people they could reach. One report says that three million dollars worth of relief was distributed. Much of this came from individual Christians, but the greatest segment was from churches in America.

Senkenberganlage 17 is the address of what was once a meeting house for one of the congregations in Frankfurt, Germany. Gatewood found a piece of property which was part of the University of Frankfurt and with the help of the mayor of Frankfurt was able to purchase it. Gatewood later wrote, “We even gave the mayor of Frankfurt butter for his bread when he could not get it. These citizens have not forgotten what we did to help them, and Oberburgermeister Kolb, the mayor of Frankfurt, has expressed his appreciation in numbers of ways that have been a great help to the church. The present location of our building in Frankfurt, Senkenberg Anlage 17, was made possible on one of the best streets in Frankfurt because of relief work we did” (Preaching in the Footsteps of Hitler, Gatewood, p. 74).

One cannot argue with the immediate success of the Gatewood plan. There were over eight local churches in the Frankfurt area by 1950, just three years following Gatewood’s speech at Lipscomb. In the book cited above there is also a report of the membership of the church in the Frankfurt area. By January 14, 1951 there had been 945 baptisms in Frankfurt alone and that the membership of the Niederrad congregation was 90 members by March 7, 1951. 2500 were being taught weekly in Frankfurt. At this point, Gatewood and others came to the decision to build a building for the church in Frankfurt. They located a choice location near the University of Frankfurt and bought it. Gatewood returned to the United States and raised $200,000 to build the building. Gatewood wanted a large auditorium and got it.

If you travel to Germany today and look for a meeting house at Senkenberganlage 17, you will look in vain. It is no longer there. In fact, the University bought it from the brethren. There was a plan to provide another building across the street. Having just recently returned from Germany myself, I can give you a first-hand report. The building that cost so much money and that was so important to the German work has been torn down and a huge high-rise office building is standing where it was. At one time there were congregations in Bornheim, Niederrad, Sachsenhausen and other locations in the greater Frankfurt area. Now, there is one small handfull of Germans meeting in the Frankfurt area.

One has to be somewhat. curious about the scripturalness and expediency of the Gatewood method of evangelism. It is the procedure that many churches of Christ seem intent on taking. Currently (May 1983) the liberal brethren are undertaking a similar effort in Ghana. They say, we will attempt to follow the pattern of the New Testament and that of the Poland Food Relief work in an effort to feed our brethren and others in Ghana. With God’s blessings we will use this terrible tragedy to also feed the souls of that most receptive people” (World Radio News, March-April 1983). There is nothing in the word of God that teaches churches to try and reach the lost through relief programs. In the pattern for the church, there is nothing that authorizes a general program of benevolence among those who are not Christians. Yet, the empty words of the liberal brethren continues, “. . . we will use this tragedy to also feed the souls of that most receptive people.” A Methodist preacher once told my father, that when you convert people to hamburgers and cokes, you have to keep them converted with hamburgers and cokes.

Time has demonstrated that people who are converted by the social gospel methods of feeding the hungry in order to teach them the gospel will not work. The experience of the Gatewood expedition in Germany, Austria and Switzerland has demonstrated this. Even if one could find some scriptural precedent for such a thing, would it be expedient? All who have engaged in such a method of reaching the lost admit that it is dangerous and likely to attract those who are more interested in the “fishes and loaves” than in salvation.

Senkenberganlage 17 is a good example of how the works of men come to naught when they are not founded on solid scriptural truth. Indeed, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it” (Psa. 127:1). “Every plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up” (Matt. 15:13). The gospel is the power of God to save the lost (Rom. 1:16). Until men are convinced they are lost is sin and in need of God’s saving power, they are really not subjects of the gospel. You may feed them, doctor them, entertain them and provide every physical benefit they want and possibly interest them in the gospel, but the only enduring work in evangelism comes through simple gospel preaching, good Christian living and persistent prayer for the strength that God supplies.

Germany is now an industrial giant. The German people do not now need care packages, but they do need the gospel. Truly, not many will obey the simple call of the gospel in Germany now, but those who are reached with the gospel alone will remain. We plead with all to return to the biblical pattern of evangelism for the church. May God help each of us to lay aside our own ideas and accept only what we know will be pleasing and acceptable to God. The social gospel concept has shown its own weakness and failure – the pure gospel concept remains the only way that a lasting work can be accomplished. Senkenberganlage 17 is a prime example.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 13, pp. 399-400
July 7, 1983