Truth Magazine

By Sammy Bynum

Simply stated, “No.” Paul wrote, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Cor. 14:33). We see in the immediate context that God (inclusive of the Holy Spirit, Acts 5:3-4) was not responsible for the disorder, confusion, and tumult that would arise through the improper exercise of spiritual gifts. Neither is he the author of the confusion that exists in the religious world today. Rather, as the same inspired writer shows from Ephesians 4:1-16, the Holy Spirit is the author of unity, there revealing the attitudes, effort, and teaching necessary to “keep the unity of the Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit Desires Unity

The religious world in general does not view diversity as such a bad thing. A Methodist preacher once stated to this writer that diversity is not a bad thing in that it allows each one to find teachings and practices which suit him. Like countless others, he overlooked the fact that what is important is not pleasing men, but pleasing God. In stark contrast to that prevailing, idea, the Psalmist wrote, “Below, how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Jesus prayed, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father art in me, and I in thee” (Jn. 17:20). Obviously the unity for which Jesus prayed is not a unity-in-diversity, but a unity characterized by oneness such as exists between the Father and the Son. Paul exhorted, “. . . 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.” No loose denominational kind of union do we find here, but unity of teaching and practice. This is the kind of unity we find in the first century church and read of in the New Testament. Disciples were simply called Christians (Acts 11:26); and local churches, churches of Christ (Rom. 16:16). Each local church had the same kind of oversight (1 Pet. 5:1-3; Acts 14:23) and engaged in the same worship and work. This unity was achieved because the same gospel was preached to all. Paul taught the same thing in every church (1 Cor. 4:17), and what he taught was the same message that other gospel preachers proclaimed (Gal. 1:23; 1 Cor. 15:11). Not only that, but those who presented a perverted or corrupted gospel stood condemned (Gal. 1:6-8).

The Foundation For Unity

The foundation for unity is truth and the work of the Holy Spirit in producing this unity is the revelation of truth. The Holy Spirit revealed all truth. Jesus, to the apostles, promised concerning the Holy Spirit, “he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance” (Jn. 14:26). “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth” (Jn. 16:13). The Holy Spirit fully accomplished that work and today we have in written form that complete, perfect, and all sufficient body of unifying truth (Eph. 3:3-5; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 3).

The Nature of Truth

The Holy Spirit revealed truth, and the very nature of truth shows that the Holy Spirit is not the author of confusion. Truth is absolute, not relative. What the Holy Spirit revealed yesterday, is just as true today and will be tomorrow, regardless of how times and men may change. Truth is objective, not subjective. Its origin is external to man, and does not find its source in his speculations, desires, and feelings – the things for which so many exchange it. Truth is consistent and harmonious. One passage of Scripture will not contradict another. If it appears to do so, we can rest assured that it is the fault of our interpretation, and not the word of God. Truth is understandable. It is not uncommon to encounter people in the religious world who, in effect, blame division on the Holy Spirit by referring to the “vagaries and deep, dark mysteries” of the word. Such thinking not only indicts the goodness and power of God, but stands in direct contradiction to the Bible’s teaching. “Whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3:4). “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17).

Religious Confusion

Almost without exception, the religious groups and denominations in our land lay claim to being guided by the Holy Spirit. Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Lutherans, Catholics, Episcopalians, etc. would claim the guidance of the Spirit, and many would allow that others differing from them are also guided by the Spirit. Each group not only holds to many doctrines and practices which conflict with the word revealed by the Spirit, but also with one another as well.

Consider one of many possible illustrations. With respect to the nature of the Godhead, the Mormons teach that God has a body of flesh and bones; the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal activating force; and Oneness Pentecostals state that there is only one person in the Godhead. Each group claims the guidance of the Holy Spirit. On the surface, obviously, all three could not possibly be led by the Spirit, for their teachings are contradictory, whereas the Spirit is the revealer of truth. Also obvious is that none of these is led by the Spirit for each is in confict of the truth.

Some observations on the preceding:

1. Those who claim that the Holy Spirit leads diverse groups, in effect, place the blame for religious confusion on the Spirit.

2. When two groups teach and practice differing doctrines, at least one (perhaps both) is not being led by the Spirit.

3. Only those whose teaching and practice are contained in the word revealed by the Spirit are led by the Spirit (1 Jn. 4:1-6; Acts 17:11).

4. The Holy Spirit is not the author of confusion.

Some Causes of Confusion

In view of the fact that the Holy Spirit is not the author of confusion, we will in this last section note some things that do produce confusion.

1. A failure to understand that the Holy Spirit leads men today only through the written word (Eph. 3:3-5; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). Many individuals believe that the Spirit instructs them directly and personally apart from the word. They speak of being moved by supernatural impulse or spoken to by a still small voice. Such erroneous beliefs only give occasion for feelings to be elevated to the level of Scripture (Jer. 10:23; Prov. 14:12).

2. A failure to respect the authority of the word revealed by the Spirit. Many will speak of following the Bible’s teaching, but do not hesitate in the least to augment it, diminish it, or supplant it with their own feelings, human traditions, or creeds of men (2 Jn. 9; Matt. 15:9; Rev. 22:18-19).

3. A failure to appreciate the truth. The claims of many who would say that they desire and love the truth, are contradicted by their own actions. Those who press for unity at the expense of truth, those who shy away from open and honest investigation of differences, and those who simply fail to grow in knowledge and understanding of God’s word manifest a lack of appreciation for truth.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 8, pp. 246-247
April 18, 1991

By Mike Willis

We are delighted to publish this of special issue of Guardian of Truth on this important subject. In recent years, radio and television evangelists have spread their false teachings about the work of the Holy Spirit all over this country. They teach that the Holy Spirit continues to work miracles in the lives of men today. Tied to their “health and wealth gospel,” this doctrine states that God will heal the body of the sick saint, lead him to a better paying job, correct every family problem he had, and otherwise promises to make the Christian’s life a “heaven on earth.” In their desperation, many suffering Americans plant their “seed faith” by sending a contribution to the radio and TV evangelists, being deluded and deceived by their false doctrines.

Another tenet of the radio and TV evangelists is the doctrine that the Holy Spirit leads them separate and apart from the revealed word of God. The strong inclinations and feelings of the preacher are equated with the word of God. This teaching leads one away from God, causing one to identify as the voice of God his own subjective feelings. Whatever an individual thinks or feels about any subject becomes the voice of God. Every man becomes a law unto himself.

The spread of these false doctrines on the work of the Holy Spirit reminds us of the need to teach on the subject of the Holy Spirit. Another generation has reached physical maturity since I have been preaching. They need to be grounded in the same basic doctrines as every other generation. Consequently, this special issue has been prepared with the hope that it can serve to remind us of these fundamental truths about the work of the Holy Spirit.

O.C. Birdwell, Jr. and I worked together to plan this special issue of the paper. We intentionally planned to use those near Athens, Alabama, the home of the CEI Bookstore, to participate in producing this special issue. We appreciate the good work that is done by the faithful brethren in that area and wish to use this special issue to introduce many of them to Guardian of Truth.

It is our prayer that the Lord may use this special issue to ground us in the fundamentals of the faith, that Christians might be reminded that the Holy Spirit works through the revealed word of God in the conversion of the sinner and sanctification of the saint.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 8, p. 226
April 18, 1991

By Michael Baggett

That there are cowards in the church is no new discovery. Paul, the apostle had many friends among the brethren until “the sun was up, and when they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away” (Matt. 13:6). Such were Phygellus and Hermogenes: “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes” (2 Tim. 1: 15); and Demas: “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia” (2 Tim. 4:10). And at Paul’s first answer before Caesar, he said, “No man stood with me, but all men forsook me” (2 Tim. 4:16). “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me” (2 Tim. 4:17). Men with frail back-bones are certainly not new discoveries in the Church. It is a shame, however, that a preacher often learns who his “spineless” brethren are when he has already come “under fire” for standing up for the truth!

When I was in the “liberal” church, “out on a limb sawing off my support for my family” by proclaiming the truth concerning the work of the church and the invasion of human organizations into the treasury of the church, some of my good brethren said, “We will stand with you,” but backed down in the heat of the fire! One couple whom I had recently helped restore to the Lord said, “What you are teaching is the truth; there is no Bible authority for local churches to support human organizations to do the work the Lord has assigned to them.” They said I was teaching the truth! Yet, they let no one know they were on my side! Another family said, “We will go with you if the church fires you. ” They too, ducked down and hid themselves from the heat of battle! One of my best friends, who had helped me secure this work in the first place, agreed with what I taught “privately,” but denied me in the heat of combat! He simply sat by while the brethren in the meeting decided what my fate would be! The sad point of it all is that these brethren knew I had taught the truth on the issues but were too “spineless” to stand with me in support of the whole truth of God! However, two fine sisters did leave with my family. They are now worshiping with us at Laws Hill. These two women have more true backbone than any of the “men” left behind!

Recently, a good preaching friend of mine, and brother in the Lord, fought the “continual cleansing” error, which had erupted in the congregation where he preached, almost single-handedly! Instead of the so called ‘!faithful” brethren backing him up, most of them left the congregation! What a bunch of “men “! It is easy just to leave! But it takes real “backbone” to stay and face false teachers face to face! This congregation which was a year ago “60” strong, fell off to around “25” people in less than a year. In fact, some of the members fled to the large “institutional church” across town! Why all of this cowardice? Because there are some among us that can’t stand a little discomfort, and a little heat! Learn this: when you become a Christian, there is going to be a little fire from time to time! Note: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). Those who will not endure “the rising of the sun” will not “endure unto the end”! “And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Mk. 13:13). These, therefore, will not be saved. God’s promises of eternal life are only to those who will stand up under the “pressure cooking” sometimes associated with living the Christian life. “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast [some] of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).

God demands soldiers who are able to “endure hardships.” “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3). God requires his soldier to take up the “spiritual sword,” and the whole “armor of God,” and do battle against Satan, darkness, and all forms of error (Eph. 6:10-18)! “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is in the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” Are you a soldier for Christ? Do you have the “backbone” to fight a spiritual warfare?

Paul, the apostle, wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:13: “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” This language describes a courage soldier. A soldier whose eyes are open and alert to all signs of danger; a soldier who has his feet firmly planted in the faith, who doesn’t move from the front lines of the battle. He is a soldier who “acts like a man” (Young’s – “quit”), and is “strong.” He has backbone!

We need servants of God today, who, like Joshua and Caleb will declare: “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it”, and: “Only rebel not ye against the Lord neither fear the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not” (Num. 13:30; 14:9)! We need men like Paul, who declared at death’s door: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). Are you a soldier with this kind of backbone? Then always stand up and be counted when the truth comes under fire!

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 7, pp. 213-214
April 4, 1991

By Ron Halbrook

When Paul wrote to the saints in Rome, he relayed greetings from other “churches of Christ” (Rom. 16:16). Each of these churches were made up of Christians in a given locality who gathered to worship God under the leadership of local bishops or elders, and with the help of special servants called deacons. Christ alone was head of each church without any interlocking structure, centralized agency, denominational bureau, or human headquarters (Phil. 1:1; Eph. 1:22-23). Each church was designed by God to sound out “the word of the Lord” both far and near. Several churches sometimes cooperated in supporting a gospel preacher in the field, but without centralizing their funds through a single church or any kind of human board (1 Thess. 1:8; 2 Cor. 11:8-9).

When the Lord planted these churches and equipped them to preach the gospel, society suffered from many social, economic, political, and educational problems. The Lord did not equip his church to conduct reform movements to resolve those crises. Whether those difficulties are solved or not, man must save his soul. “All have sinned” and Christ shed his blood “for the remission of sins” (Rom. 3:23-24; Matt. 26:28). As “the pillar and ground of the truth,” the church brings men face to face with the crucified and risen Savior (1 Tim. 3:15-16). Men must hear that they can be saved by grace through faith when they repent of their sins, confess Christ, and are baptized in water (Acts 2:38; 19:5; Eph. 2:8-9).

Restoration vs. Rise of Social Gospel

In the first half of the 1800s, many people turned away from denominationalism and lives of sin. They searched the Scriptures, obeyed the gospel in its original purity, and restored New Testament churches. During the same time period, social reform movements were being promoted by some traditional denominations, by rising liberals, and by secular rationalists. They had the idea that churches could both save souls and help to build a great American republic. An interchurch program in Boston in 1826 aimed to alleviate urban poverty. Educational reforms were emphasized and man church-related colleges organized. Other crusades included women’s rights, improved prisons, better hospitals, and a world peace movement. Many denominations got caught up in the national debate of the 1850s-70s over the nature of America’s political union, slavery and anti-slavery, the War Between the States, and the reconstruction era.

In the meantime, true churches of Christ kept preaching the gospel and saving souls as God ordained. They had no social agenda, no poverty program, no colleges, and no political platform. They preached Christ to rich and poor, high and low, male and female, free and slave, Northerner and Southerner, Easterner and Westerner.

During 1880-1920, urban poverty and other social problems increased with growing immigration and industrialization. Also, Darwin’s theory of evolution and other attacks on the accuracy of the Bible were becoming more popular. A full-fledged Social Gospel emerged. The Social Gospel shifted the emphasis of religion from the enduring problem of man’s sinful ways to the prospect of his perfectibility; from the Bible as the solution for man’s sinfulness to human sources of learning about how to improve mankind (study political science, economics, sociology, psychology, etc.); and from the goal of heaven as man’s all-consuming desire to the goal of better living conditions here and now. The Social Gospel “was always chiefly concerned to find out the truth about society, and on the basis of that knowledge to chart programs for ameliorating the country’s social woes” (Sydney E. Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People [New Haven: Yale Univ. Press, 1972], p. 796).

Although the Social Gospel movement of this period included spokesmen ranging from religious conservatives to moderates to socialists, it was the preeminent message of many theological liberals who denied the accuracy of the Bible. Not all liberals shared the Social Gospel vision of man’s perfectibility, but they generally shared its humanitarian impulse. Both liberalism and the Social Gospel exalt man, his carnal needs, and his rational powers at the expense of God. True churches of Christ have continued to oppose these false movements so that men may continue to hear and obey the gospel of Christ to the saving of their souls.

The Social Gospel Among Churches of Christ

The Lord organized local churches of Christians to focus on the work of spreading the gospel, worshiping God and edifying saints, and caring for needy brethren. The church is perfectly organized by the Bible pattern to accomplish the work God gave it to do, with elders, deacons, and other Christians cooperating together. God’s simple plan of local church organization is perfectly adapted to the mission of the church, and the mission perfectly suited to the divine plan of organization. More organization would be needed only if the mission were expanded beyond Bible limits, and expanding the mission would require additional organization.

The Holy Spirit warned through Paul that some elders would pervert the truth and lead brethren to practice error. Satan stays busy promoting apostasy in the church in every generation. Some who “depart from the faith” do not quit professing religion and claiming to be faithful to God (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Thess. 2; 1 Tim. 4:1). Some ardently claim they are only adjusting the gospel to the times, expanding the mission of the church to win more people, and adapting the organization to meet the needs of modern culture. John condemned such “progress”: “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son” (2 Jn. 9).

Churches of Christ in the early decades of the 20th century roundly condemned the Social Gospel’s carnality, exaltation of man at God’s expense, and this-worldly focus. One phase of the Social Gospel movement was the “institutional” church, a term referring to the desire to organize committees, departments, experts, ministries, and services “to cover the entire life of man” (Aaron I. Abell, The Urban Impact on American Protestantism 1865-1900 [Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Press, 1943], p. 137). The broadest program opened the church doors all day every day to provide meals, entertainment, athletics, gymnastics, kindergarten, legal training, police matrons and rescue missions to keep people out of prisons, day nurseries, coffee houses, libraries, health and first-aid instructions, medical clinics, job training and employment bureaus, special services for immigrants – the list is endless.

Institutional churches organized services on local, regional, and even national bases through clubs, societies, boards, bureaus, leagues, and associations of every kind. Facilities were built for child care, abandoned women, schools, and summer vacations for the needy. Church architecture shifted from providing a place for the spiritual work of teaching and worship to accommodate the explosion of new services and programs. Doctrinal concerns were sacrificed in favor of interdenominational cooperation in social ministries and community services.

The Social Gospel and institutional church concepts left their mark on American religion, taking souls further away from New Testament Christianity. After World War II, many churches of Christ began drifting away from the Bible pattern into apostasy. Some have left the spiritual mission God gave his church and are doing anything and everything the denominations do – providing facilities for day care, secular education, gymnastics, and all sorts of social activities. The list is endless. One Texas church sends a van and team out to aid fire fighters on the scene. Churches conduct suppers, parties and banquets galore.

Some churches disguise their facilities for food, fun, and frolic under such names as “fellowship hall,” “all-purpose room,” or “family life center.” A Church of Christ in Angleton, Texas often promotes dinners, picnics, and banquets in its bulletin. A front page “gospel meeting” announcement emphasized before even giving the lesson subjects, “‘Sunday lunch after services for all our families and all our visitors!” After the church’s “Wild Game Dinner” and several other March meals, the editor exulted, “I believe we have eaten more meals as a congregation than we have eaten at home” (Angelton Accents, 21 Feb.-28 Mar. 1989 issues). Rubel Shelly tells the Woodmont Hills church in Nashville, Tenn. their new facility is not so much “a church building” as “a place to feed and house homeless people,” a place for “community service to take place all day, every day” (Love Lines, 15 Feb. 1989).

True churches of Christ must preach and practice the spiritual gospel of Christ, not the social gospel of man-made religions (Matt. 21:25).

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 7, pp. 206-207
April 4, 1991