Truth Magazine

By Leonard Tyler

In Luke 18:1-14 are two parables on prayer. Both of these present some needful thoughts regarding prayer. Both impress that God hears and responds to the prayers of His children. The purpose of the first parable was: “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” This instruction goes right along with Paul’s, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Did this mean that Jesus expected those of His day to be on their knees at all times or uttering a prayer without stopping? If He did, they did not obey and neither did He practice it nor did His disciples. It must have meant something other than that. Yet, it meant a constancy. To me, what it meant then it means now. We should pray “always, without ceasing,” just as they were taught to pray in the first century. If not, why not?

The parable of the unjust judge teaches this very lesson. He neither feared God, nor regarded man. This was a wicked, unbelieving judge. He did not subject himself to the law which constituted him a judge (Ex. 18:21; Deut. 16:18; 2 Chron. 19:6-7). He was not even careful to practice the law in his judgeship (Ex. 23:6-9; Lev. 19:15; Deut. 1:16-17). His lack of respect for God led him to disrespect the law; and, when one disrespects God’s law, he disrespects God. One cannot respect God without respecting His law; neither can one respect God’s law without respecting God. Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). This is just as true in respect to prayer as it is in any other relationship with God.

There was a widow in the city who came to the judge asking him to “avenge me of mine adversary” or “deliver her from the oppression of unjust men.” The judge refused to give her audience at first. She kept asking until the judge finally reached the conclusion, “I had better grant her request or she will continue to annoy me.”

Jesus said, “Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?” Jesus used this type of character to impress upon each person that if an ungodly, wicked judge who cares neither for God or man, can be touched by the pleading of a widow, then surely God who loves and cares for his children will hear and answer their pleading. He said, “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.” This teaches that God will hear. It also teaches that a faithful Christian will continue to pray and allow God to respond at His own time and way. “Avenge them speedily” seems to contradict any delay, but as the Expositors Greek Testament explains the terms, it is understandable: “Quickly, quite compatible with delay; quickly when the hour comes, that is suddenly.” God can accomplish and grant at His own will. Our part is to trust Him and be content.

The second parable teaches humility. A meek spirit is essential when one approaches God. This attitude leads one to recognize his dependence upon God. It also builds in one confidence that God is able and will hear and respond -not because of one’s own accomplishments but because of God’s grace and mercy. This, rather than overlooking man’s faith, emphasizes it.

Jesus pictures two men going into the temple to pray: one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. These two men are extremes. The Pharisee was very religious, and accepted as a teacher; the publican was much less respected, and especially in religious circles. The Pharisee was self-righteous and set others at nought. He prayed as if God did not know anything about either of them. He first told God everything that he did not do and then added all the things that he did do (vs. 11-12). He was the one classified by Jesus as “certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.” An attitude of self-righteousness or self-centered religion thinks, “I do no wrong. I do right completely and am pure, clean and need no forgiveness.” Not only did he justify himself but also sat in judgment on others, “and despised others.” His prayer was about himself. A selfish prayer will not be acceptable to God.

The publican was of humble disposition. He “would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me as a sinner.” This is the attitude that all need to have toward God. We are not able – God is. We are praying – God listens and answers, if the answer comes. We need – God is the giver. We are weak – God is strong. God is our only hope for salvation – God gives help in the time of need. Therefore, we ought to approach Him in a humble, submissive and obedient spirit. This publican did. Now listen to Jesus: “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

Humility alone is not sufficient. In the parable of the rich man and the beggar, being poor was not enough. The parable teaches that if a person is going to pray acceptably to God he must do so with a humble heart. The person who humbly submits himself to God to do His will and with a meek and quiet spirit prays to God can confidently arise with assurance – God heard me.

To whom shall one pray? Paul wrote in Col. 1:3, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.” He said to the Romans, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Rom. 1:8). Therefore, one’s prayer should be made to God through Jesus; our mediator (1 Tim. 2:5; Col. 3:17).

How often should one pray? Romans 12:12 answers, “rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). One must keep his heart in a prayerful mood, being thankful to Almighty God and depending upon Him completely for every good thing. Therefore, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Phil. 4:6). Be instant in prayer; pray always without fear. Pray wherever you are any time, always “let your requests be made known unto God.”

Why pray? “Let us therefore come boldy unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

Conclusion

The Bible plainly teaches the child of God to pray. He is to pray for all things, all. men everywhere and for his own well being. Therefore, pray. This means that God will hear. We are taught to pray not as to an idol or a post but rather to our heavenly Father and His ears are open and His hand is limited only by His own will. Pray! We need God’s help every day and every hour of our lives. In the eternal world He and He alone is our only Hope. Therefore, Pray! As Peter put it, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Robert Grant expresses it thusly:

Savior, as in dust to Thee,

Low we bow the adoring knee,

When repentant, to the skies,

Scarce we lift our weeping eyes,

O by Thy pains and woe,

Suffered once for man below,

Bending from the throne on high,

Listen to our humble cry!

Truth Magazine XXIV: 10, pp. 168-169
March 6, 1980

By Morris W.R. Bailey

In this article in this series, I shall point out that a wrong attitude toward the truth is implied in the fact that there are some who become

Enemies Because Of The Truth

The epistle to the Galatians is, perhaps, one of the most controversial of the New Testament epistles. It was written, primarily, to expose certain Judaising teachers who were endeavoring to bind circumcision and the law of Moses on Christians. It was a problem that Paul encountered many tunes during his apostolic career, and which often brought him into sharp conflict with the purveyors of this error. In recalling one particular clash – with such false teachers, he described them as, “. . . false brethren privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.” Then in speaking of the uncompromising manner in which he opposed them, Paul said, “To whom we gave place by way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Gal. 2:4, 5). It was obviously a hotly contested battle; but in the end it was a victory for the truth. Methinks, however, that if some of our brethren who want peace at any price had been there, they would have been shocked at the unyielding attitude of Paul, and would perhaps have suggested that he should not be so dogmatic. They might have even recommended that Paul take a course on “How To Win Friends And Influence People.”

Paul’s Concern For the Galatians

Paul’s intolerance of error is seen in his concern for the Galatian Christians who were being led astray. Early in the epistle, he expressed surprise and implied disappointment that they had been “so quickly removed from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel; which is not another gospel: only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (Gal. 1:6, 7).

In chapter three, Paul begins on a note of rebuke, with the question: “O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified?” (Gal. 3:1). He thus regarded their conduct in forsaking the gospel and seeking to be justified by the law as the result of having fallen under some enchanting spell cast over them by false teachers.

In chapter four, Paul again expressed deep concern over their defection from the truth when he said, “But now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, wherein ye desire to be in bondage over again? Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain” (Gal. 4:9-11).

It was in this context of concern because of their seeking to be justified by the law that Paul, in an impassioned appeal to their better nature, asked them the question of verse sixteen: “So then, am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?”

Hitherto Paul had seemingly been held in the highest esteem by the Galatian brethren. Something of their warm feelings toward him is implied in the following words: “I beseech you brethren, become as I am, for I also am become as ye are. Ye did me no wrong: but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time: and that which was a temptation in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that if possible ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me” (Gal. 4:12-15).

Whether or not Paul did incur the enmity of the Galatians because of the truth he had told them, we are not told. We do know, however, that it was his sad experience in other places. Often he had been the victim of those who became his enemies because of the truth which he preached. Paul had preached the truth without fear or favor. To the elders of the church at Ephesus, he said, “Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26, 27). No one ever had any trouble knowing where Paul stood on any issue. And it mattered not to him whether or not it pleased men. To the Galatians, he said, “For am I now seeking the favor of men or of God? or am I striving to please men. If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10). So, without fear or favor he had exposed the error of false teachers (Gal. 6:12, 13) and rebuked the sins of church members (2 Cor. 12:20, 21). He had one all consuming purpose, and that was that the gospel might be preached and souls saved (1 Cor. 9:19-22).

The Grim Result

The sad story is that Paul’s determination to preach the truth often incurred the ingratitude, and even the enmity of those whom he was trying to save. Sometimes he was misunderstood. His unbounded zeal was mistaken for a misguided fanaticism (Acts 26:24). Sometimes his good intentions were misconstrued. Some in Corinth suggested that he was afraid to come there (1 Cor. 4:18) when in fact he had purposely delayed his coming in order to give them the opportunity to repent of sins that needed to be corrected, so that his coming would be an occasion of joy and not one of administering severe discipline (2 Cor. 12:19-21). Saddest of all, he was often the victim of violence. The eleventh chapter of second Corinthians tells us indignities he suffered at the hands of enemies of the truth -imprisonments, beatings, once stoned and left for dead. (vs. 23-25).

Paul was not the only one to experience the displeasure of those who were enemies of the truth. No sooner had the apostles began preaching under the great commission than the same spirit that lead men to persecute and crucify the Lord Jesus Christ was unleashed in all its fury on them. The fourth chapter of Acts tells of an imprisonment of Peter and John, instigated by the priests and Sadducees who “were sore troubled because they taught the people, and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead” (vs. 1-3). The fifth chapter tells of an incarceration of all the apostles, and from which they were released only after they had been beaten, and charged not to preach any more in the name of Jesus (vs. 1-3, 40). Chapter seven tells of the death of Stephen, the first martyr, the result of his blistering indictment of Jewish conduct, both present and past (51-60). Chapter twelve tells of the death of the first apostle, James, the brother of John (vs. I, 2).

An Ongoing Disposition

Human nature has not changed since the days of the apostles. There are those today whose attitudes toward the truth is such that they regard the preacher of truth as their enemy, and thus, in effect become his enemy. It is somewhat disturbing to hear someone make the claim that in years of preaching he has never made an enemy, or to hear some one praising the diplomacy (?) of some preacher who “never says anything to offend anyone”. Make no mistake about it! The gospel preacher who preaches the same gospel that Paul preached, with the same zeal, and in the same uncompromising manner will make enemies because of that truth just as Paul did. It may not result in death or even imprisonment, but in other ways he will be made to experience the displeasure of his foes. If he preaches that there is but one plan of salvation, one church, one way of getting heaven, he will be branded as narrow-minded. If he preaches as Paul preached that those who do not obey the gospel will be lost forever (2 Thess. 1:7-10), he will be accused of judging.

Enemies From Among Brethren

Enmity on the part of the unconverted, though a sad experience, is, to some degree, to be expected. Paul said, “For the word of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness” (1 Cor. 1:18). What is even sadder, however, is the fact that some of the most bitter enemies Paul encountered were professedly brethren in Christ. This was especially true of the Jewish element. They brought with them a long-standing prejudice against Gentiles, and resented Paul’s preaching to them (Acts 22:21-22). The first two chapters of the Galatian epistle was Paul’s answer to implied efforts of false teachers to deny his apostolic authority. He called them “false brethren” (Gal. 2:4). To the Philippians, he wrote of some who “preached Christ even of envy and strife . . . thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds” (Phil. 1:15-17).

It can be – yea is – just as true today that some of the most bitter enmities can arise within the church of the Lord. It should not be, but it is a stubborn fact that it is. Let a preacher begin exposing worldliness in the church, and all too often he will incur the wrath of the worldlyminded. He will be called a square and out of step with modern times. Let a preacher preach about the necessity of giving of our means as we have been prospered, and he will be accused of preaching for money by the tight-fisted. Let him expose the false teaching of some brethren on premillennialism or the subject of the Holy Spirit, and he will be labelled as a heresy-hunter and troublemaker. One may criticize the church of the Lord without causing anything more than a few raised eyebrows, but let him oppose human institutions built to do the work God gave the church to do or the sponsoring church set-up, and see how quickly he is branded as an anti, church-splitter, noncooperative and other such names. Those who resort to such name-calling have proved themselves to be enemies because of the truth.

Truth Magazine XXIV: 10, pp. 166-167
March 6, 1980

By Mike Willis

The word nomos which is generally translated “law” appears a number of times in the New Testament. The greatest concentration of references to the law occur in Romans and Galatians, as one familiar with the theme of these two books would expect.

Law Before Moses

Inasmuch as sin is the transgression of the law of God (1 Jn. 3:4), where there is no law, there is no sin (Rom. 4:15; 5:13). Without divine law, sin is dead (Rom. 2:8). If there was ever a period during which man had no law from God, there would have been no sin committed.

Consequently, we see that some law from God existed from creation. Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden. Others were guilty of sin prior to the giving of the law of Moses. Hence, Paul wrote, “For until the law (of Moses) sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed where there is no law” (Rom. 5:13).

Furthermore, the Gentiles , were under law to God, though not under obligation to obey the law of Moses. Paul’s argument in Romans 1 is designed to show that the Gentiles rejected God’s revelation and turned to lawless conduct. In summation of his argument in chapter 3, Paul stated that he had proved that “both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin” (Rom. 3:9). If the Gentiles were sinners (which they were), they were under a law of some kind from God.

Whatever law the world in general was under prior to God revealing a special law through Moses was the law under which the Gentiles lived until the Christ came. They were guilty of sin because they violated that law.

The Covenant And The Law

Some people tend to confuse God’s covenant with the Law of Moses. Let us remember that God established His covenant with Abraham, promising that through his seed all families of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3), over four hundred years before the law came.

In Galatians 3:15-18, Paul affirmed that once a covenant is made between two parties, new conditions cannot be added.

Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise (Gal. 3:15-18).

Hence, one becomes an heir of God, not through the law, but through the covenant. Salvation comes through the covenant, with its perfect forgiveness of sin, not through mere law-keeping, with a perfect life void of all sin. In Romans 4:14, Paul, emphasized this same point; he said, “For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect” (Rom. 4:14).

Understanding this, one can see that man has never been acceptable to God on the basis of perfect law-keeping. A law system of salvation never has been used for justification. If it had been used for justification, no one could have been saved.

The law of Moses was never thought of as other than divine in origin. The law came from God; Moses only repeated what God revealed to him. “It was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator” (Gal. 2:19). Hence, the law of Moses was the law of God.

The Law’s Demand of Perfect Obedience

The greatest concern for the book of Galatians is with reference to the law conceived as a system of justification. Paul contrasts salvation by works of obedience to the law with salvation by faith through grace in both Romans and Galatians. To understand the theme of these books, one must understand the contrast intended by Paul and his usage of the word law.

The law promised salvation to the man who obeyed its commandments. Paul stated,

For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified (Rom. 2:13).

For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them (Rom. 10:5).

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them (Gal. 3:10).

Hence, life is promised to the man who obeys the law of God whereas the curse of the law falls upon the disobedient.

The law never was intended as man’s means of justification. No one has ever been justified by a flawless life of law-keeping. Paul’s argument in Romans 4 is that no one was ever expected to be justified by perfect obedience. The case of Abraham, who was justified by faith, was cited to show that God has always justified man by faith and not through perfect obedience to the Mosaical law (or any other law for that matter). Hence, Paul said, “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect” (Rom. 4:13-14). Similarly, he added, “But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness” (Rom. 9:31). In Galatians, Paul added the following:

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified (2:16).

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith (3:10-11).

What was true of the Mosaical law is true of any law. No one can be saved by perfect obedience to law inasmuch as none of us are perfect keepers of the law; we all have sinned, have become transgressors of the law, are lying under the curse of the law, and are doomed to damnation. If law could justify, there would have been no need of anything except the law of Moses; “for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law” (Gal. 2:21).

Inasmuch as all men are guilty of sin, the law left man in a condemned and doomed condition. It worked wrath (Rom. 4:15); it brought death (Rom. 7:5); it left man in a wretched condition (Rom. 7:24); it left man under a curse (Gal. 3:10-11); it left all men under sin (Gal. 3:22); it left all men in prison to sin (Gal. 3:23). Hence, it was a yoke of bondage (Gal. 5:1). Peter described the law as a “yoke” which “neither our fathers nor we were able to bear” (Acts 15:10). The law of commandments contained in ordinances was enmity (Eph. 2:15). The very strength of sin was the law (1 Cor. 15:56). The law was unable to deliver us from the bondage of sin (Rom. 8:3). It could not justify (Gal. 3:21); it made nothing perfect (Heb. 7:19). Those under the law needed redemption (Gal. 4:5).

No one could live a perfect life. All men have sinned (Rom. 3:23). Jesus alone has lived a life of perfect obedience to the law. He came to this world, being subject to the law (Gal. 4:4). Though tempted in all points, He never sinned (Heb. 4:15). He was able to meet all of the law’s demands. Having lived a perfect life, He was qualified as a Lamb without blemish (1 Pet. 1:19) to be offered for the sins of the world.

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ was needed in order to deliver mankind from sin. Hence, Paul preached, “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38-39). Notice that the Law could not justify man (whether the Mosaical law or any other law; for surely no law of human origin could do what the Law of Moses could not do).

The demands of the law cannot be met by me living a perfect life, inasmuch as I am guilty of sin.-However, the demands of the law can be met by the shed blood of Christ; hence, the “righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us” (Rom. 8:4). Christ is the end of the law of righteousness (Rom. 10:4).

If the law could not justify, why was it given?

Why Was The Law Given?

There are several statements in the New Testament which reveal the purpose of the law. Paul said, for example, that “by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). We need to look at several of these statements to see God’s purpose in sending His law.

1. The law revealed sin to man. The only way in which man could know what sin is was through the revelation of God. Paul said, “I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet” (Rom. 7:7). “By the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). In this sense, the law made offences to abound (Rom. 5:20). The law “was added because of transgressions” (Gal. 3:19).

When we look at this aspect of law, we appreciate the fact that God has given a law to mankind. The only thing that makes murder, rape, stealing, etc. sinful is that God has said, “Thou shalt not.” Without a revelation from God, we would not understand these things to be sinful for “where there is no law, there is no transgression” (Rom. 4:15). Hence, the existence of a law makes certain things sinful; the revelation of the law manifests to man what things displease God. God’s law is not transmitted in man’s physical nature by conception and birth any more than the guilt of sin is thusly transmitted. Special divine revelation is required in order for man to know right from wrong. Hence, the law revealed to man what sin is.

2. The law revealed the correct way of life to man. Even as the law revealed sin to man, it also revealed righteousness to man. The “law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Rom. 7:12). It was ordained to life (Rom. 7:10); that is, it was ordained to reveal the way of life to man.

As a Christian, I look upon the law of God, not as a yoke of bondage which is grievous to be borne (though were I trying to be saved through perfect obedience to law, I would probably so consider it), but as a revelation of how God wants me to live. The law reveals to me the kind of conduct which God approves and wants me to manifest in my life.

We can see therefore a two-fold purpose of the law. It was given to hold the wicked in check (1 Tim. 1:8-10) and to reveal the proper conduct in life for the righteous. For this reason, one can understand why Paul listed the giving of the law of Moses as one of the blessed privileges given to the nation of Israel (Rom. 9:4).

3. The law brought one to Christ. The law was added because of transgressions (Gal. 3:19). Its temporary nature was seen in that it was to last until “the Seed” (Christ) should come. Hence, the law was “our (the Jew’s) schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ” (Gal. 3:24). Paul told Timothy that the Sacred Writings (the Old Testament) was able to “make thee wise unto salvation which is in Christ Jesus”(2 Tim. 3:15).

4. The law typified the work of Christ. Through types and shadows, the Mosaical law foretold and explained the great work of Christ in the redemption of mankind. The book of Hebrews demonstrates this usage of the law in detail by comparing Christ to the Levitical priest and the sacrifice in Levitical worship. Without the ordinances of the law, we would have trouble understanding how Jesus is “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin, of the world” (Jn. 1:29).

Truth Magazine XXIV: 10, pp. 163-165
March 6, 1980

By Irven Lee

No man upon the earth has a perfect understanding of the perfect law of liberty, therefore there is none with an exact copy of the life of Christ. Some of the false teachers among us have started with this fact. and with the direct or indirect influence of John Calvin have come up with the idea that the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed to us. The instruction or teaching in the epistles loses much of its importance in. their hands as they make a distinction between doctrine and gospel. They see people baptized into Christ, and they then would take away much of the occasion for fear and trembling and the special diligence suggested in taking heed lest we fall. This doctrine is more wide-spread than many admit, and only the tip of the iceberg has come to light. Let us give thanks to God for those who have worked hard and sacrificed much to awaken a precious body of people to the coming storm. Storms, you know, can be devastating. This danger is being pointed out by more and more who are aware of it. No babe in Christ is safe in the presence of skilled teachers of this grace-faith-unity movement, because they can make error look like truth.

There is another unfortunate problem that grows out of the fact that we do not all know everything there is to know. Can two people worship together if they find that there is some subject on which they cannot agree? Must every church divide into two warring camps if some question arises . among the members? If one cannot meet for worship with any church in which there are a few who do not agree with him fully on every topic that comes up for discussion, he may be forced to hunt far and wide for such a group. If he does find this sound church (in which the members all agree with him), it may soon divide and begin biting and devouring one another over some new question which some one happens to bring up for discussion. When troublesome questions arise there are at least two tasks we could consider. We may patiently search for the scriptural answer for the question that will settle all trouble for all time to come, and we might give prayerful thought as to how we can live with the problem.

Some questions are of the type that will not stay answered. If Bible doctrine and styles or customs are in conflict, there is the perennial problem and the continuing arguments. None, not even the most skilled, can come up with the answer that will settle the issue to the satisfaction of all in all communities. If some position is taken by strong-willed and able public teachers, they may be able to drive every member to conformity by making a hobby of their concept. If this strong-willed leadership is less skilled, they may only succeed in dividing the church. If a man has forced his ideas upon the church by his dogmatism and sarcasm or if he divides the body, he has no great room for boasting even if he is correct in his doctrine. The inspired teachers depended more on reasoning and persuasion and less on intimidation to get the desired results: The lord’s church is not encouraged to, use the forte, of discipline-that was’ characteristic of the concentration camp, such as Hitler used in the day of his power. This is not to say that the church may. .never mark, avoid, reject, or withdraw front the ‘disorderly brother. Sometimes the wrong people are marked. The., proud and-dogmatic teacher Who would ridicule and reject all who differ with him may be more seriously guilty than those he would score,

It seems that there are some who would quarantine and isolate some very excellent and useful men who hove not accepted their official position on some question that is ever with us. Thereby much talent goes to waste, and ill will takes the place of the brotherly love and patience recommended in the good book. From Romans, chapter 14, it is evident that brethren who were better informed were being taught to love and to worship with some weak brethren rather than to despise them. Weaker brethren were taught to avoid harsh judgment of those who did not accept their scruples. Both groups were taught to allow the Lord and Master to handle the matter of judgment in such cases. In cases mentioned in this chapter, one from either view could be easily convinced that he was right, but the servant stands or falls before his own master. Sometimes it is the publican servant, the bowed head, that is justified before the Master rather than the Pharisee who was so thankful that he was not like the publican. He was not like the publican, but this was not grounds for his pride or vaunting.

Should we offer the Lord’s Supper at the evening service? Should women answer questions in a class where there are men and women? May women teach classes of children or women? Should women wear some head covering in hours of worship? We are not suggesting that it is wrong to study or to discuss these questions, but we are saying that no man will arise tomorrow and say something that will please God and satisfy all the hearts in the Lord’s church from coast to coast. There can be courteous discussions, and there can be mutual respect among those who differ. There are churches blessed with wise leadership who seek ways to live with these problems rather than crucifying those who do not agree with the local preacher at the time. In such cases, happy congregations continue to grow and to accomplish much to the glory of God. Must every one who does not say what you say on one of these questions be crushed and abandoned regardless of his good attitude, clean life, and the great good he has accomplished in the Lord’s vineyard? Be careful. The one who is criticized may be better in God’s sight than the critic.

–Via. The Sower.

Truth Magazine XXIV: 10, p. 162
March 6, 1980