Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

Denominationalism is the only religion that most Americans have ever known. We grow up accepting denominationalism as a fact of life without questioning whether or not God approves of it. The Devil uses the “course of this world” (Eph. 2:2) – the accepted moral values and attitudes of a given period of time – to keep men deceived and in their sin.

The New Testament churches were familiar with denominationalism, not in its modern form but in principle. Judaism was divided into its various sects – Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Herodians, etc. Generally these sects practiced unity-indiversity in learning to live with one another. But, the church of Jesus Christ did not become a part of the denominations of Judaism. First Century Christians opposed all sects of the Jews as religions which could not lead one to salvation. They were equally opposed to every idolatrous religion invented by the Gentiles.

Some Christians have quit preaching against denominationalism, apparently thinking that kind of preaching is outdated. Perhaps some have forgotten that every new generation must learn again the fundamental principles of Christianity – to distinguish the Lord’s church from denominationalism. I fear that some have not only forgotten this fact but have consciously looked at the idea and rejected it. They have made a conscious decision to quit preaching against denominationalism, lest they offend visitors and cause their attendance to go down. They view the Lord’s church as a denomination of men with its own traditions. Instead of seeing the Lord’s church as distinguished from the denominations, they see the church of Christ as a sister denomination to the Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians and other denominations.

Denominationalism is still a sinful expression of religion. We must ever keep this truth before our members lest we adopt the principle beliefs of modern denominationalism and become one of them. Here are factors to consider about denominationalism.

1. The denominations are churches started by men. The church of the New Testament was established by God in fulfillment of divine prophecy (see Isa. 2:14; 9:6-7). Jesus came to build his church (Matt. 16:18). The denominations are founded by men.

There will forever remain a difference between restoring the Lord’s church and establishing a denomination. The Lord’s church is restored wherever and whenever men preach the pure word of God and men respond in obedience to it. Denominations are formed when men decide to start their own church, make its laws, determine its conditions for membership, its structure of worship, etc. The difference between the two is this: one is divinely revealed religion and the other is humanly devised.

2. The peculiar doctiines of the denominations are unrevealed and false doctrines. Here are some of the particular doctrines to which we object:

Sprinkling or pouring as substitutes for baptism (Rom. 6:4)

Baptizing babies (Matt. 18:3)

Salvation by faith only (Jas. 2:24)

Organizational structures different from the organization of the New Testament church (popes, archbishops, cardinals, synods, councils) (cf. 1 Tim. 3)

Present day tongue-speaking (1 Cor. 13:8)

Present day “miracles” (1 Cor. 13:8)

Worship departures, such as instrumental music in worship, choirs, bands, lighting of candles, partaking the Lord’s supper on days other than the first day of the week and with some frequency other than weekly, changing the items of the Lord’s supper, prayer through Mary’s name, tithing (See Matt. 15:8-9; Col. 2:21-23 for Jesus’ appraisal of humanly devised worship.)

Space does not allow me room to list all such doctrines or to make replies to them. Denominationalism teaches a variety of false doctrines not revealed in the word of God. About doctrines of men, Jesus said, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:8-9).

We must be careful not to allow the lessons we frequently preached in the past to slip away from our memory. We need to preach from the story of Cain’s murdering Abel that not all worship pleases God (Gen. 4). We need to teach a new generation of the sins of Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-2), Uzzah (2 Sam. 6), Saul (1 Sam. 15), Naarnan (1 Kgs. 5), and other examples which illustrate the danger to one’s soul of devising his own worship.

3. Denominationalism uses a variety of unscriptural ways to raise funds. The funds of the church are to be raised by the free-will contributions of its members. Paul wrote, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come” (1 Cor. 16:1-2). Most denominations raise funds in such ways as the following: tithing, bingo games, rummage sales, a circus, Las Vegas nights, offerings taken on days other than the Lord’s day, betting, businesses, etc.

4. Denominationalism draws its crowd through entertainment. The only thing which the Lord used to draw people to him was his love for their soul. Jesus said, “And 1, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (Jn. 12:32). Not being content with the number drawn by the crucified Savior, men use special singing groups, public figures (baseball players, politicians, actors, etc.), special events (Mothers Day – free prize to the oldest and youngest mother), and other carnal tactics to attract a crowd. This generation needs to be taught the sinfulness of trying to draw men with something other than the gospel.

5. Denominationalism uses unscriptural names for its churches. Denominations wear names such as Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, etc. which cannot be found in the Bible. The Bible condemns the wearing of such names in passages such as 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 – “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” If first century saints had to learn that it was a sin to call men after Paul and Peter, twentieth century saints must learn that it is a sin to call oneself after Martin Luther, baptism, the name of elders (presbyterian) or bishops (episcopalian), and other non-biblical names.

We should be content to call Bible things by Bible names. The guiding principle should be, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11). No generation ever becomes so educated that these lessons are not needed.

Rather than allowing our thinking to be shaped by the denominationalism around us, let us resolve to teach these fundamental lessons which we have gleaned from God’s word to a new generation. Only in this way can we be faithful to the charge given to us: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2).

Christians preach the gospel, establishing the church which the Lord built rather than the denominations built by men.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 2, pp. 38, 50
January 16, 1992

By Paul K. Williams

I was on the phone to a Methodist minister seeking information about the inter-denominational “March for Jesus.” After he answered my questions he asked me why I asked, as I sounded disapproving. So I told him that the Bible is opposed to denominationalism and that the church of Christ in Eshowe could have nothing to do with the March. He let me know that I sounded proud and judgmental, so I told him that if he would just read what the Bible says about baptism and listen to what those verses say he would see one reason why the Methodist Church is wrong. He gave a mocking laugh and wanted to know why I was talking about such a peripheral issue.

I replied that Paul made it a central issue when he listed the “one baptism” along with “one Lord” and “one God and Father” in Ephesians 4. This the Methodist minister chose to ignore but said, “I have studied and debated this issue for years. If you would study with others you would change.” I called his attention to the great pride his statement betrayed, and then said, “If you will debate me publicly on this subject I will be pleased,” but he of course refused.

His point was that since people have debated and discussed baptism for many years and cannot seem to agree, it is not something which is important. It is “peripheral” (confined to the external surface of a body, hence not of central importance), hence we may differ on it while maintaining Christian unity. This position implies that there are central, or core, issues upon which we must agree, and peripheral doctrines upon which we may disagree while being pleasing to God.

How Do We Classify Issues?

The problem with this is that each person classifies different issues “central” and “Peripheral.” There has been and continues to be debate and disagreement on every Bible doctrine, including whether Jesus is the Son of God and whether he rose from the dead. Who is going to classify these issues? What standard are we to use to classify doctrines as important or unimportant? We are seeing the result in religious circles where “every man does what is right in his own eyes” (Judg. 17:6). This kind of thinking makes every man a judge, judging by his own standard, not God’s.

The Methodist minister’s proof that baptism is not important was that the Salvation Army does not baptize or observe the Lord’s Supper, yet God works great things through them. I think it is significant that his proof is not biblical, but “experience.” By testimony and experience one can prove every religion on earth, including ancestor worship and the Muslim religion. Experience is what keeps people in those religions. They are convinced those religions are true because they believe they work – that God works through them.

Bible Classification

But when we take the Bible as our authority, a different picture emerges. God’s commandments cannot be divided into central and peripheral commandments. “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me, in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age'” (Matt. 28:18-20). Not only were the apostles to teach all that Jesus commanded, they were to teach the disciples to observe all that he commanded. Jesus did not say that we must obey the central commandments and can obey or not obey the rest!

The psalmist loved the commandments of God. “The sum of Thy word is truth … .. All. Thy commandments are truth.” “From Thy precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way” (Psa. 119:160,151,104). He did not divide the commandments into some to be loved and some to be ignored!

Paul pleaded, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,.that you all agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10). Paul did not give us the liberty to disagree and divide on the doctrines revealed by Jesus.

The only peripheral issues are those in which we have liberty, where God has neither commanded nor forbidden. According to Romans 14 we must not condemn one another in these things, nor must we force one another into our opinions. In matters of meats and days God has given us liberty. We can choose to eat or not eat, observe or not observe. But in matters of revelation and commandment, we must observe all things Jesus has given.

Baptism is not a peripheral commandment, nor is any other command given by Jesus. When we ignore or despise a single precept of Jesus we are showing our complete lack of respect and love for him.

“How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! From Thy precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way” (Psa. 119:103-104).

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 2, p. 43
January 16, 1992

By Ken Weliever

“Sports builds character” is a cliche that I have often heard, truly believed and frequently parroted. However, a sign that I recently saw in an athletic locker room may be more nearly the truth in many cases – “Sports do not build character, they reveal it.” And, if “character is what you are in the dark,” recent events further underscore that there isn’t a lot of character left in the professional sports world.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson, the superstar point guard for the L.A. Lakers, has the HIV virus. You don’t have to be a sports fan or basketball fan to have heard this news. It has been headline news on all major newspapers, on television newscasts, talk shows and sports programs as well as the feature story in many magazines, including Newsweek and Sports Illustrated. However, much that has been written has left me with an empty and hollow feeling, Some of it has made me sick.

Since “Magic” Johnson is a hero to many young people, and because he is now thrust into the spotlight as a spokesman for HIV and AIDS, we need to look at this from a moral viewpoint. I believe there are some spiritual lessons we can learn from this situation.

After Johnson announced to a stunned press conference and a shocked viewing audience that he was HIV positive, David Stern, NBA Commissioner, commented, “This is a very courageous and heroic person and a very heroic act.” While you have to admire the man’s courage, forthrightness, and optimistic attitude, I don’t believe we can properly label him a “hero.” “Magic” Johnson is an immoral man with a sexually transmitted disease.

Patrick Buchanan, a syndicated columnist and TV commentator, correctly observed, “Magic’s public life – his dedicated team play on the court, his unstinting support of good causes – was admirable. But a private life of sleeping around in every city the team visited is not a ‘role model’ for black youth; it is the road to hell.” Dave Anderson writing in the N.Y. Times also concurred by saying, “Magic is a victim, not a hero. Sympathize with him as you would anyone who has contracted the dreaded HIV virus.” But, Johnson is “. . . hardly a model or ideal to anyone with a sense of sexual morality.”

In an exclusive Sports Illustrated article, “Magic” tells his own story. Among many revealing things he says, “I am certain that I was infected by having unprotected sex with a woman who has the virus. The problem is that I can’t pinpoint the time, the place or the woman. It’s a matter of numbers. Before I was married, I truly lived a bachelor’s life . . . I did my best to accommodate as many women as I could – most of them through unprotected sex. . . Now, I’m pleading for every athlete and entertainer who has also been ‘out there’ to get tested, from now on, to practicc safe sex.” Does this sound like a man we should crown as a moral hero for our youth to follow?

Sex Outside of Marriage Is Sinful

“Magic” is publicly advocating that young people practice safe sex. What he is saying is tragic. We need to hear and heed the words of the apostle Paul who warned, “Flee fornication” (1 Cor. 6:19). “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:4). The only “safe sex” is inside the bond of marriage.

I am a basketball fan, and a fan of “Magic” Johnson. It’s hard not to like such a gifted athlete whose smile captivates your heart. But, Johnson is sending young and old alike the wrong message. As Cal Thomas, a syndicated columnist wrote, “How wonderful it would have been had Magic Johnson stood before the press and the watching world and said, ‘avoid sexual looseness like the plague. Every other sin that a man commits is done outside his own body, but this is an offense against his own body.”‘

Your Sin Will Find You Out

The warning Moses gave the children of Israel before entering the promised land – “be sure your sin will find you out” -rings so true in this case. We may fool people for a while, but sin usually has a way of exposing us. One thing is for sure, We can’t fool God. The wise man said, “For God will bring every work into judgment including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil” (Eccl. 12:14).

“Magic” Johnson lived a promiscuous life-style. He lived n the fast lane. Now he’s been caught for speeding. Everyone of us needs to learn this valuable lesson. Sin will finally reveal our true character, either in time or in eternity.

There Are Consequences to Your Actions

“Do not be deceived. God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Gal. 6:7-8). There are three important points from this passage: you reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow and you reap later than you sow.

“Magic” Johnson has sown the seeds of sexual immorality and now he is reaping the harvest of sexual disease. It has compounded itself many times over in a virtual “death sentence.” But, it has taken him at least twelve years to reap the harvest. Sin is like that. It seems so innocent, so much fun, and not nearly so naughty as “narrow-minded” preachers proclaim it to be. Yet, harvest time arrives and then its produce is so much more hideous and hurtful than anything we could ever imagine.

Patrick Buchanan observed, “We are an infantile people. We want to ignore traditional morality, but never pay the price.” Writing concerning the moral state of our country, Senate Chaplin, Richard Halverson, said, “We demand freedom without restraint – rights without responsibility, choice without consequences, pleasure without pain. In our narcissistic, hedonistic, masochistic, valueless preoccupation, we are becoming a people dominated by lust, avarice and greed.” Sad, but well said.

Conclusion

Young people and old people, we must return to an old fashioned, Bible-based morality that is ordered by our Creator, commanded by Jesus Christ, and endorsed by the inspired apostles. We must learn to look at people in the sports and entertainment world for what they really are those who can amuse us, entertain us and thrill us – not as role models for morality, and certainly not as God’s spokesman for right and wrong.

Let us be the light of the world and the salt of the earth and show the world that it is possible to live “soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.” Let us learn to control our passions and emotions and not allow our fleshly appetites to dull our senses, master our minds and finally cause us to lose our souls in eternity.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 2, pp. 37, 50-51
January 16, 1992

By R.J. Stevens

The teachings of Jesus on the subject of divorce and remarriage need to be read over and over in the homes and churches throughout the land today. There is one thing on which we all agree and that is that there are too many divorces and remarriages in our society. The major reason for this problem is the ignoring of what the Lord taught in his word on this subject. Many have read and listened to what men think Jesus meant instead of reading and meditating on what Jesus said.

Let us notice Matthew 5:31,32 – “It hath been said, whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: but I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” This is from the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus was teaching his disciples to hear him and do his sayings.

What is Jesus teaching them and us on this subject? The Jews had a tradition that allowed men to put away their wives and give them writings of divorcement for any cause. It really doesn’t matter whether this was a tradition of that day or if it was a tradition of Moses taught in his day. Jesus said the tradition is not pleasing to him and his Father in heaven today. We must always remember that Jesus spoke the will of his Father (Jn. 12:49-50). Jesus is plainly teaching that if a man puts away his wife for any cause other than fornication, and she marries again, that man is the cause of her adulterous marriage. When a husband and wife “cleave to,” “love” and are “one flesh” to each other there will be no divorce or thought about marrying again as long as they both shall live. The greatest safeguard against divorce and remarriage is for both to love one another as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25).

It is sinful to be a party to murder, stealing and adultery. The put away companion and his/her new spouse are guilty of adultery when they marry, but the one who did the unlawful putting away is the cause of that adulterous relationship. In Matthew 18:7 Jesus said, “Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh!” (ASV) The man who causes his wife to commit adultery because he unlawfully put her away is in serious trouble with the Lord. This ought to cause a man to think long and hard before he puts away his wife for burning the biscuits or because she is not as healthy and pretty as she used to be. However, if the companion was guilty of fornication while they were living together, Jesus says the innocent party has the right to put away such a companion and is not the cause of an adulterous marriage if he/she marries again. Matthew 5:32 doesn’t say anything about the husband who has unlawfully put away his wife marrying again. It stands to reason that if the unlawful putting away of his wife causes her to commit adultery if she marries again, there is no question that the unlawful putting away would cause him to commit adultery should he marry again. It is implied in Matthew 5:32 that neither of them has the right to remarriage when fornication is not the cause of the divorce. The apostle Paul quoted Jesus in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 – “And unto the married, I command, yet not 1, but the Lord, let not the wife depart from her husband: but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.” This needs no comment. In Luke 16:18 Jesus taught, “Whosoever putteth away his wife and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.” The exception of fornication is left out of this passage and if you leave the exception out of Matthew 5:32, it is perfectly clear that neither of them has a right to remarry when an unscriptural divorce has taken place.

In Matthew 19:3-9 Jesus taught some more on the subject when questioned by Pharisees.

The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

In Mark 10:2-12 the same thought is repeated. The chief thing under discussion in both of the above passages is this: “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” Jesus answered the question by urging them to go back to the beginning and not put asunder the one flesh relationship that God has joined together. They continued tempting him by turning to Moses about their question. I have never fully understood why Moses because of the hardness of their hearts allowed them to put away their wives. In fact I have never read anything that makes any sense why this was allowed. But it is revealed that it was allowed. If God had wanted us to know why it was allowed in the Mosaic age, he would have revealed it in his word. But there is one thing for sure, God has not revealed that such behavior is allowed in the gospel age. We are not subject to the law of Moses and we will not be judged by it. We are subject to God’s Son, who has all authority in heaven and on earth, and we will be judged by him and his word (Jn. 12:48). In Matthew 19:9 it is clearly taught by Jesus that there is only one cause for putting away a companion and marrying another, and that cause is fornication. The marrying again is for the innocent party and not the one who is guilty of fornication. Surely we can see that if a wife not guilty of fornication marries again and commits adultery, a wife guilty of fornication who marries again also commits adultery. The rest of Matthew 19:9 teaches the same thing taught in the other passages we have previously discussed.

In this article we have tried to have more quotes from Jesus than comments from this writer. What the Lord taught about divorce and remarriage can be understood and doesn’t need to be propped up by some uninspired man like myself. As we have heard through the years, a fellow would have to have a lot of help to misunderstand what Jesus taught about divorce and remarriage.

Beware of the philosophies of men and those who wrest the Scriptures on this subject (Col. 2:8; 2 Pet. 3:16,17).

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 1, pp. 2, 8-9
January 2, 1992