Truth Magazine

By Stan Cox

In our last article, we discussed the first of three questions concerning the office and authority of elder. The question answered was, “Who are elders?” Remember that Charles Holt and other writers for The Examiner magazine believe that the term signifies any older Christian. They deny that the office of an elder exists. That discussion naturally leads us to the next question . . . What is the role of elders?

As I initially began preparation for my presentation at the “Truth and Freedom Forum,” I thought I would get a representative quote from The Examiner to contrast our positions concerning the role of elders. It became obvious that it would be impossible to so do. They don’t believe the work exists. They don’t accept that elders are anything other than older Christians, therefore they can’t delineate a specific role for them. Of course, the New Testament can, and it does. Let us quickly read some passages which define the role of the elder in the local congregation.

First, Acts 20:28-31, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.” This is a record of Paul’s instructions to the elders of the church at Ephesus, as he met with them in Miletus. Here he tells them to shepherd the church of God. The extent of their authority in this matter is also indicated as he instructs them to take heed to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers. They were also exhorted here to watch and protect the flock,

Another passage which is helpful in defining the elder’s role is 1 Peter 5. Begin in verse 1. “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” Once again the terms “shepherd” and “oversee” appear, as well as the instruction to be examples to the flock. Titus, chapter 1, beginning with verse 7, “For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision.” Of course, this is a list of qualifications, but contained in the list is at least a partial description of the elder’s work: To serve as a steward of God; To hold fast the faithful word as he has been taught. To exhort and convict those who contradict; the insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers. Titus 1:13 says to, “Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.” Contained in the list of qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3, is the explanation that elders must be able to rule their own house well, and then he indicates the reason why in verse 5: “for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?” So we can see here that God expects elders to “take care of the church of God.”

Finally, 1 Timothy 5:17. Here Paul states, “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.” This is another very simple statement. That elders are to rule. Those who rule well are even to be supported materially as they labor, which is another sore spot with Holt and his group. But again Paul is clear in his statement. God expects elders to rule in the local church.

The Examiner writers use misrepresentations, and untrue statements in an attempt to gain sympathy for their ungodly cause. Representative of this is the following quote from the January 1989 issue, this time from the pen of Dusty Owens. He falsely attacks godly men serving and doing the work of elders by saying the following:

“The majority of those called ‘elders’ are ‘apt’ not to teach instead of being able to teach the word. Most cannot ‘convict the gainsayer,’ as is required of them (Tit. 1:9). But, have no fear, they will take care of these little inadequacies by bringing in the professional preacher, who has been to one of ‘our schools’ and who is properly trained and is qualified for this kind of work. It matters not that God placed these responsibilities upon the shepherds, they will discharge them by proxy! They will hire someone to do their work for them while they busy themselves looking after things like bank accounts, church buildings and parking lots (and don’t forget the thermostats and door locks).”(1) This is what I mean when I say that these writers for The Examiner are vindictive and deceitful. What I have just quoted is simply not true. It does not describe the hundreds and hundreds of godly men that serve their God in this capacity. It is not representative of the position that I and brethren throughout the world take concerning the need for men to serve in the work of oversight. And to say the concept of the Lord’s church and the work of elders which I described leads to such practices is to say something totally false! Now once again, I don’t know Dusty Owens personally, and I do not know his motive or his heart, but one thing I do know is that when he states that most elders make up a “glorified finance committee,”(2) he is accusing godly men everywhere of something that is simply not so!

I have simply shown, from the scriptures cited, that God has given certain qualified, appointed men an important work to do. This work is in the realm of spiritual oversight and care for the local congregation. Holt and his followers deny this to be true. In our next article we will deal with the question, “Do elders have authority? “

Endnotes

1. The Work of Shepherding,” The Examiner, Vol. IV, No. 1 (January, 1989), p. 7.

2. Ibid.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 8, pp. 229-230
April 16, 1992

By Bobby Holmes and Ron Halbrook

The plight of the saints meeting in Sturgis, Mississippi has been described in two articles published during the summer of 1991. The deed for this small church’s building and property had been kept in the name of the larger Lee Blvd. church in nearby Starkville, a liberal church. The Sturgis church had earlier been placed under the oversight of Lee Blvd. but had learned the truth about the autonomy of the local church and requested that the deed to their property be turned over to them, in keeping with the Scriptures. Instead, Lee Blvd. offered to sell the Sturgis church their own property (!). Rather than go to law, Sturgis obtained the help of brother Thomas D. Keenum, Sr. (an elder and a lawyer) of Booneville in an effort to meet Lee Blvd. on middle ground by offering about half of the $35,000.00 which Lee Blvd. demanded. But while these negotiations were in process, the Lee Blvd. elders signed the Sturgis deed over to the Hwy. 82 church in Starkville. The Hwy. 82 church then offered to sell the Sturgis church their own property (N), but while Sturgis was in the process of raising the $17,000.00 agreed upon, Hwy. 82 sold the property to a denomination for $2,000.00 more (!!!).

The saints in Sturgis lost their property but not their faith in God. They have continued to meet and to worship the Lord in an abandoned service station and bus stop. In the meantime, the response of brethren all around the country to our previous appeals for help in getting a new meeting house for the Sturgis church has been most encouraging. About $20,000.00 has been given by individual Christians to the building Fund. Brother David Haley, an architect in Dallas, Texas, donated his efforts to prepare a set of building plans. Bobby Holmes visited the Sturgis brethren in October of 1991 and found them in good spirits. They approved the building plans. David McCarter of the Sturgis church and Bobby Holmes located an excellent piece of property which the owner was willing to sell for $2,400.00.

The Strugis brethren plan to press forward step by step with the help of God and faithful brethren. The land has been surveyed, a title search done, and other legal work completed to get a clear deed in the name of the church in Sturgis. Brother Keenum is donating his time and legal expertise to complete those steps. Brother Clark Buzbee, evangelist for the sound church in Starkville, has made himself available to help in every way he can. The foundation of the building along with the plumbing and septic tank will be contracted out; brother Buzbee will look after that phase of the work. Brother David McCarter and others at Sturgis will take care of such things as getting a water line from across the road onto the property, getting a culvert in place to allow access to the property, and getting the dozer work done.

As soon as possible, a week will be set aside this spring to construct the building with the help of volunteers who wish to contribute their talents, time, and abilities. By the time this report appears in print, or shortly thereafter, the week will have been selected. Those who are interested in participating should contact Bobby Holmes (214-227-1119 or 298-4466) or Ron Halbrook (409-345-3818 or 345-2501).

The Strugis brethren not only thank God for sustaining them in the midst of their trials but also wish to thank brethren far and wide for the prayers, moral support, and the money which have been offered on their behalf. By diligently shopping around on bids and estimates, and taking into account donated labor, it will be possible to complete the new Sturgis meeting house if another $5,000.00 can be raised. Please remember that these brethren are doing everything possible to help themselves and are not asking us to do anything which they can do for themselves. Though very poor financially, they are rich in faith and willing to suffer and make every sacrifice possible to obey the Lord. They have already demonstrated that godly and faithful character by the things which they have endured.

Those who wish to help financially in completing this effort, already so near to completion, may send donations to Sturgis Church of Christ Building Fund, P.O. Box 418, Booneville, Miss. 38829. Your contribution will be tax deductible. More importantly, it will be blessed by God and will result in many thanksgivings unto his throne in heaven.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 8, p. 234
April 16, 1992

By Edward O. Bragwell, Sr.

Since the fall of man in the garden, men and women have needed to be adequately and decently clothed. When Adam and Eve sinned they became conscious of their nakedness and were ashamed – a consciousness and sense of shame needed in a world invaded by sin. They tried to cloth themselves with aprons of fig leaves, but God clothed them more adequately and decently (Gen. 2:25-31). It is interesting that the sacred text does not say that the aprons clothed them, but rather the coats or tunics that God made for them.

I heard a brother say that if he could find some of the fruit that Adam and Eve ate, he would pass it out to the sisters by the bushel – so that they would open their eyes and know that they were naked (Gen. 3:7). I might add that many are still sewing together less than fig leaves and calling themselves clothed.

Adornment: Inside and Out

Misinterpretations of Peter’s teaching about outward adorning (1 Pet. 3:1-4) have led to several extremes. Some conclude that all outward adorning such as wearing gold, braiding the hair, and the like is forbidden. It should be obvious that this is not what Peter meant, or else one could wear no clothes because another example given of outward adorning is that of “putting on of apparel.” While some versions other than the King James and American Standard say fine apparel, fine is obviously an interpolation supplied by the translators and is so indicated by italics in the New King James.

This is one of those “not . . . but . . . ” passages where the “not” portion of the passage may indeed be important, but is not nearly as important as the “but” portion. (John 6:27 is another example of such a passage.) Having correctly understood that the inward adorning is far more important than any outward adorning, one must not conclude that outward adorning is of no importance. Whoever said that “clothes do not make the man” may have been right, but it is also true that clothes may be a reflection of the man (or woman). The way that we dress sends certain signals about ourselves. This is why godly women should dress as women professing godliness (1 Tim. 2: 10). They want to signal their true character before all.

One’s dress may reflect one’s socio-economic standing (Jas. 2:14). Since, among saints, no partiality should be shown based on this factor, we should not show favoritism toward one whose clothing may reflect either prosperity or poverty. However, the fact still remains that the way one dresses does say something about the person.

One’s dress may reflect one’s attitude toward an occasion. Joseph was about to appear before the Pharaoh, so he “shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh” (Gen. 41:14). Queen Esther wanted an audience with the king, so she “put on her royal apparel” (Esth. 5:1). A wedding guest was expelled from a king’s wedding feast for his son for not wearing the wedding garment (which, I am told, was customarily supplied by the host, Matt. 22:11,12). All of this points to the fact that special occasions call for special attention being paid to one’s dress. How one dresses for the occasion reflects his attitude toward the occasion.

When we assemble around the Lord’s table to commemorate the great sacrifice of our Savior and to otherwise worship him, is this not a very special occasion? Is it a casual event? Yet, I sometimes see brethren who have good clothes, fitting for other special occasions, and who are careful to arrange their appearance for those occasions, attend the worship services looking like they had just come from or were heading to a hog-killing. Casual occasions may call for casual and unkept appearance, but publicly worshiping the Lord is no such occasion.

Dress and Character

One’s dress may reflect one’s personal character traits. For example, if one, with the means to do otherwise, habitually appears in public with unkept clothing, hair and general appearance; it is a pretty good indication of laziness and carelessness on his part.

Likewise, one may indicate either godliness or ungodliness by the way one dresses. Solomon speaks of seeing a young man devoid of understanding meeting a woman with the attire of a harlot (Prov. 7:6-9). Judah mistook Tamar for a harlot because of her outward appearance (Gen. 38:14,15). This did not justify Judah’s action, but it does show that one’s outward appearance can send out ungodly signals. How often have I heard it said of some sisters that they dress “like street walkers” and I find it hard to disagree. A person who professes godliness should dress as a person professing godliness (1 Tim. 2:10). If Christians are not the wrong kind of people and do not want to be identified as such, then they should not signal by the way that they dress that they are.

The way Christians dress should indicate a sense of modesty, propriety and moderation because these traits should be a part of their very character. Three significant Greek words, referring to a Christian’s character, are used relative to a Christian woman’s apparel in 1 Timothy 2:9: kosmios, aidos, and sophrosune. The way one dresses is indicative of whether or not the person possesses these characteristics. Kosmios (“modest”) means “orderly, well-arranged, decent, modest . . . of good behavior (1 Tim. 3:2, KJV)” (Vine). Adios (“propriety” – NKJ, “shamefacedness” – KJV, “shamefastness” – ASV, “decency” – NIV) is “that modesty which is ‘fast’ rooted in the character” (Vine). Sophrosune (“moderation” – NKJ, “sobreity” – KJV, ASV) is a “habitual inner self-government, with its constant rein on the passion and desires” (Vine).

Those professing godliness are to be governed by chastity or purity (Greek: hagnos – Phil. 4:8; 1 Tim. 5:22; Tit. 2:5; Jas. 3:17; 1 Pet. 3:2; 1 Jn. 3:3), rather than sensuality. They seek to conceal rather than shamefully (or shamelessly) reveal their nakedness (cf. Exod. 28:42; Rev. 3:18; 16:15). They should refrain from sexually provocative clothing or gestures (cf. Prov. 7:10,11,21-23). By doing this they can keep themselves pure and avoid being a stumbling block to others (cf. Matt. 5:28; 18:6-9).

What We Are Seeing

More and more Christians are dressing in a sexually provocative manner. In fact, Christians who have been taught that sexually provocative clothing is wrong and still want to wear such clothing to be “in style” are about the only ones who try to deny that such is provocative. Most people in the world freely admit that this is why they find such apparel appealing. Sex appeal is the name of the game with many of the fashion designers of this world.

Many wear clothing in public that barely stops short of complete nudity. The shame of their nakedness is revealed either by clothing that is too brief or too tight. I sometimes see sisters out in their yards, out shopping around recreational areas, at beaches and pools or at sporting events (both fans and participants) that expose at least as much flesh as they would in their underwear. I also see brothers at the same places in very short shorts without a shirt. If all of this is decent or modest apparel — pray tell what could be immodest or indecent and still be called apparel. Remember there is such a thing as “modest apparel,” necessarily implying the reality of “immodest apparel.” Others wear clothing, even to church services, that may not be as brief but is about as revealing. Skirts and dresses sometimes are so short they make it impossible for one to stand or sit in a decent manner and reveal as much or more flesh than the shorts mentioned above. Dresses, skirts, pants, and tops that are near skin tight and reveal the very form of private parts are all too frequently worn. Dresses and skirts, though they may be nearly to the ankles, are sometimes slit so as to reveal the entire leg with every step. Dresses very low cut at the top are not uncommon. A person who defends the design of such clothing as decent and non-sensual is either woefully naive or shamefully dishonest.

Brothers and sisters, we need to be careful about how we dress; but, more importantly, we need to constantly examine our hearts so as to develop and protect that basic sense of decency and shamefastness that should characterize Christians – then dress accordingly.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 8, pp. 227-228
April 16, 1992

By Larry Ray Hafley

Our title is taken from Acts 20:13. While his brethren sailed to their next destination and a rendezvous with him, Paul determined “himself to go afoot.” We may feel guilty for wondering why he did so, for his wearied, wounded, worried heart evidently desired the solace that, at times, only solitude can provide. Thus, it is almost an intrusion to ask why he had decided “to go afoot.” What doubts, fears, hopes, concerns, pressures, prayers, promises, and purposes filled his aching, anxious soul as he tread along, alone? If he wanted anyone to know, he would have remained with the company of disciples and shared with them his burdens. That he chose not to do so is a signal for us, even twenty centuries later, to keep our distance and allow him the quite privacy that he needs.

Accordingly, we shall leave Paul to himself for this time. Though there is much we would like to know, it is not our place, our business, to become involved. At times, neither we nor Paul need to be alone. We need the comfort and compassion of those who love us (2 Tim. 1:16-18; 4:16,20). However, this is not such a time for “our beloved brother Paul.” “Minding himself to go afoot” may serve to ease and soothe the sorrow that he suffers in the sanctuary of God.

Our Lord himself knew the value of time away from even the legitimate cares of this life. Said he, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while” (Mk. 6:31). Perhaps you are one who needs this advice to recoup and regroup your energies for labors of love that he ahead. If so, neglect it not. It may require that you lay aside necessary items, but if you, like the Lord and Paul, have had “no leisure,” then you must mind yourself to go afoot and rest a while.

All of us realize that brooding self-pity, bitterness and depression may drive us out into the wilderness of despair, defeat and discouragement (Elijah, 1 Kgs. 19), and that circumstance we must avoid. “It is not good for man to be alone” often applies to more than marriage. There are times when we need the caring companionship of those whom we love. Will you be there for me? Will I be there for you? “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees” (Heb. 12:12). “Encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all men” (1 Thess. 5:14, NASB). “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body” (Heb. 13:3). Whether we go to heaven or not will be determined, in part, by our response to the suffering of others (Matt. 25:34-46).

Still, we are drawn back to Paul as he strolls and struggles alone, “minding himself to go afoot.” Of this poignant scene, J.W. McGarvey wrote:

His motive in choosing to walk this distance, and to go alone, has been a subject of various conjectures. But the deep gloom which shrouded his feelings, caused by prophetic warnings of great dangers ahead; by the critical state of the churches everywhere; and by the final farewell which he was giving to churches which he had planted and nourished, naturally prompted him to seek solitude for a time. On shipboard solitude was impossible . . . . His only opportunity, therefore, . . . for solitary reflection, such as the soul longs for amid trials like his, was to seize the occasion for a lonely journey on foot. Amid the more stirring scenes of the apostle’s life, while announcing, with . . . authority the will of God, and confirming his words with miraculous demonstrations, we are apt to lose our human sympathy for the man, in our admiration for the apostle. But when we contemplate him under the circumstances like the present, worn down by the sleepless labors of the whole night; burdened in spirit too heavily for even the society of sympathizing friends; and yet, with all his weariness, choosing a long day’s journey on foot, that he might indulge to satiety the gloom which oppressed him, we are so much reminded of our own seasons of affliction, as to feel with great distinctness, the human tie which binds our hearts to his. No ardent laborer in the vineyard of the Lord but feels his soul at times ready to sink beneath its load of anxiety and disappointment, and finds no comfort except in allowing the very excess of sorrow to waste itself away amid silence and solitude. In such hours it will do us good to walk with Paul through this lonely journey and remember how much suffering has been endured by greater and better men than we.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 8, p. 231
April 16, 1992