Truth Magazine

By Randy Cavender

In some of my religious discussions with others, I have found that individuals are disturbed by the number of denominations if our community. They are troubled by the different “gospels” that are preached. This is very difficult for some to understand. Sometimes it is difficult to explain also. What does the Bible say concerning denominationalism? Is it of God? Did Christ promote or encourage denominationalism in his death? Did the apostles establish denominations? Let us investigate what the Scriptures teach concerning denominationalism.

First of all, we must realize that the Lord expects his people to be one. Jesus prayed earnestly to the Father on behalf of those who would believe, “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” (Jn. 17:21). What does it mean to be one? Paul pleaded with the Corinthians, “let there be no divisions among you” by speaking the same things and being perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10). Now it is obvious that the religious community does not speak the same things. They are not perfectly joined together in the same mind or judgment. You might hear some who are members of the Methodist church proclaim that one’s baptism may be a sprinkling, while the Baptist church believes baptism is immersion, but neither of the above believes that baptism is essential to one’s salvation. Notice the following quotes:

We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deserving. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only (emp. mine, RHQ is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort (Discipline of the Methodist Church 1956, Articles of Religion, IX. Of the Justification of Man, p. 71).

We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin, and the promise of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith (emp. mine, RHQ in the Redeemer’s blood; by virtue of which faith his perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of God (Baptist Church Manual, J.M. Pendleton D.D., Declaration of Faith, V. of Justification, p. 48).

While these two denominational bodies disagree concerning the mode of baptism, both agree that it is not essential to one’s salvation. Still yet, many of the Pentecostal groups believe and teach that one must be baptized to be saved. The amazing thing about this is these groups all claim to be one. They claim to believe the same Bible; they claim to follow the same God; but these religious bodies do not speak the same things. They are not of the same mind or judgment. Neither are they one as the Lord prayed.

Still yet, denominationalism violates another Bible principle. In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul gives a list of the works of the flesh. Two words one should notice are “seditions and heresies” (Gal. 5:20). The term “seditions” means, “disunion, dissension: division, sedition” (Strong’s Concordance). Also notice what W.E. Vine says concerning this word in his Dictionary of New Testament Words, “a standing apart, hence a dissension, division.” Kind reader, if denominationalism does not fit this description, what does? They are divided among themselves on various subjects such as salvation, their religious names, and their worship. The term “heresies” means, “a choice, i.e. (specially) a party or (abstractly) disunion: heresy [which is the Greek word itself], sect” (Strong’s Concordance). Again, I suggest to you that denominationalism violates this Bible principle by the various groups dividing into parties or sects. Each group calls itself by a name foreign to the New Testament. Some call themselves Pentecostals, while others call themselves Methodists. Many are Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others, Baptists. Friend, you can search your Bible completely, and you will never find any of these names mentioned. Those who were members of the church of Christ died for were called Christians. That’s all, nothing more.

One might object and say, “I believe the church of Christ is a denomination.” Well, let us see. If you attend the congregation where I preach, you will find that everything one must do to be saved will be preached. You will be given Bible proof for the teaching we do. If you attend the church of Christ elsewhere, you will find nothing different preached concerning how to be saved. The reason there are no differences in doctrine is that each church is “of Christ,” teaching and practicing only those things which please him! There is no variation at all because the Bible is being taught! You will also notice that there is no difference in our worship services. Oh, the order or arrangement might be different, but each act of worship will be the same. Our work is the same also. You will find each congregation doing its own work, abiding in the teaching of God’s word. If you were to find something different concerning these subjects, then that is evidence that the truth is not being followed and someone is wrong.

Furthermore, the church of Christ is not a denomination because Christ established it, not man. You can look back in history and see where man, not God, established denominations. Jesus promised, “. . . and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). The Bible clearly points out when the church of Christ was established, i.e. on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2). The church Christ built was not a denomination, for they all obeyed the same commands and were added to the church by Christ himself (Acts 2:47).

We also see members of the New Testament church were called Christians. They did not call themselves “Church of Christ Christians.” These people were simply disciples or followers of Christ, and the Bible declares plainly what name God chose for his followers. Notice two passages, “The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name. ” “And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Isa. 62:2; Acts 11:26). We are simply Christians, wearing this wonderful name given by the great God of Heaven.

Where will you put your faith, in denominationalism or the Lord? Please don’t close your eyes to the truth of the Bible. Denominationalism is wrong and sinful. It promotes sects, divisions, and men. The church of our Lord seeks to promote only God and his Son (Eph. 3:21). How can you be part of the Lord’s church? Simply obey the commands of God as the Jews did on Pentecost and be added by Jesus himself to his church (Acts 2:47).

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 2, pp. 33, 41
January 17, 1991

By Jerry Parks

As our globe continues to shrink because of Boeing 747 jet liners and instantaneous communications around the world, there seems to be more and more interest in the spread of the gospel to distant lands. Our generation is without parallel in the opening of so many doors of opportunity for preaching Christ around the world. Along with these opportunities comes responsibilities. It is encouraging to see brethren all over this country who are seeing the opportunities and meeting the challenge by having a part in the full extent of fulfilling the great commission.

Thanks to many brethren with just such concern, brother John Humphries and I were able to complete another six week stay in India preaching and teaching in over 40 towns and villages. In addition to the time spent in India, I was able to visit brother Jeff Kingry in Hong Kong and a number of brethren in the Philippines. I sat spell bound as I listened to brother Kingry describe the opportunities for preaching in Hong Kong and China. He spoke with great urgency because of the door of opportunity that is now open but soon will be closed when China takes over Hong Kong in the year 2000.

This year in India, we faced more problems than usual. The political situation in India is very unstable at present. There is fighting between Hindu and Muslim groups as well as problems between the high caste Hindu people and the government authorities who are trying to reserve 49 percent of government jobs for the low caste poor people. There is also a severe shortage of gas and diesel fuel as a result of the Persian Gulf crisis. All this was in addition to the usual problems of rain, mud, and much flooding in many of the areas we were trying to visit. Still we were able to cover about 2000 kilometers and visit about 40 villages throughout the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Brother Humphries conducted Bible classes in the Secunderabad area as well as preaching in Nalgonda District, Warangal District and Nizamabad District. My travels took me to the western part of Andhra Pradesh covering Khamman District, Guntur District and Krishna District. It is probably a little more dangerous for us to split up and go in different directions, but in this way we were able to cover twice the amount of territory and preach in twice as many places. We worked with Indian brethren such as T. George Fred, T. Wilfred, Vinaya Kumar and others who helped with translating, scheduling and arranging meetings as well as transportation and housing accommodations.

In spite of the unusual number of problems, we were still able to baptize 54 people and start two new congregations. Another congregation was salvaged from the influence of liberal brethren and a number of problems were dealt with and dishonest brethren rebuked and exposed.

We were able to see first hand the devastating effects of last May’s cyclone that killed nearly 2000 people in Andhra Pradesh. We talked to many brethren who survived the cyclone. We listened as they told of the loss of property, the destruction of crops and livestock. We were able to check on the funds that had been sent by concerned brethren here in the USA, It was gratifying as Indian brethren would express their appreciation for the help that has been provided in the form of food, clothing, and money for housing material.

We were also able to purchase and distribute about $1,000 worth of Telegu Bibles as well as 80,000 Telegu tracts which were also distributed as we traveled from place to place.

Thanks again to those who have continued to help to make such trips possible. Thank you also for the confidence that has been placed in those of us who make such trips to distant lands. May God continue to bless you with vision to see the need of spreading the gospel in others parts of the world.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 2, p. 39
January 17, 1991

By Lewis Willis

I was recently given a copy of the Wayne County Bargain Hunter (Vol. 8, No. 50). My attention was directed to one of the front page articles. It was about a lady who is a member of the First Church of God in Wooster, Ohio. She and her church have launched a marvelous ministry. “What Julie Snyder does, is minister to others her love for God through dance and aerobic exercise, ” She believes her aerobics ministry “is a tool that the Lord can use to reach people. It reaches a lot of people who wouldn’t hear the message otherwise. ” She plays contemporary Christian music (whatever that is), and her students do aerobics to that instead of rock ‘n’ roll music. The article says, “To Julie, her exercise program means ‘that people not only can feel good physically, but spiritually as well. “‘ Babysitting is provided at a cost by the First Church of God.

Obviously, if You grant that such foolishness is scriptural, the potential is great for many other I ministries. ” Most churches already have programs which enable their members to “minister to God” as cooks, dishwashers, and floor scrubbers. These activities, like aerobics, usually take place in the fellowship hall. However, limiting activities to just these things greatly diminishes the ability of other Christians to perform their “ministries.” These churches should arrange facilities for Christian (?) ping-pong and golf ministries. Certainly, this would enable people to “feel good physically” and “spiritually as well.” It would be difficult to build a church building to accommodate the golf, but if the church can provide the class, why can’t it provide the golf course also? Is the potential for this kind of thing registering with you?

If anything a person is able to do can be turned into a personal and/or congregational “ministry,” just think of the services churches could begin to provide. Those who are good at washing and ironing clothes could begin their “laundry ministry.” The mechanics could begin their “garage ministries.” Get the farmers, dairymen, and grocers to unite their ministries and a church could open a “Christian grocery store.” (At a cost, of course. If you can charge for babysitting, why can’t you charge for groceries and milk?) This would really get the church on the move, wouldn’t it? Next you could have a “bankers ministry,” a ministry for the congregational TV repairmen, painters, plumbers, photographers, etc. There simply is no end to the potential offered if you grant that such is scriptural.

Of course, Ephesians 4:12 limits the activity of the church to edification, benevolence, and evangelism. Everything the church does must fall into one of those categories. Unfortunately, none of those things we’ve talked about go under those headings. Thus, it is unscriptural for the church to engage itself in such activities, even though someone might call it a “ministry.” It was about 50 years ago that some of our brethren forgot this lesson and started doing like the denominations around them – such as the First Church of God in Wooster. However, unless we keep ourselves instructed in the Truth of God, it will not be long before someone suggests that the church help them “minister to others (their) love for God” through computer programming or some such thing. Incidentally, a computer programmer ministry has as much New Testament support as does an aerobics ministry. Which is to say, none! If we would protect the church from such apostasy, not to say, heresy, we are going to have to be taught that such things are sinful. May God help us to keep the church unspotted by the sins of denominationalism.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 2, p. 36
January 17, 1991

By Mike Willis

From ancient times, man has believed in life after death. When God created man, he placed him in the Garden of Eden with access to the tree of life (Gen. 2:9). Because of sin, Adam and Eve lost access to the tree of life which enabled them to live forever (Gen. 3:22). Ever since that time, man has lived in hope of regaining the paradise which he lost through sin.

Evidences of the hope of eternal life are seen in many cultures. The American Indians believed in a “happy hunting ground.” The ancient Egyptian pharaohs displayed their belief in life after death in the building of their pyramids which housed things they might need in life beyond death. The publishing of “after death” experiences of those who have “come back from the dead” shows that our modern world longs for information about life beyond death.

These subjective experiences can never replace what revelation has spoken about life after death. Jesus, who was raised from the dead, speaks authoritatively about life after death. He points us to the resurrection.

What Happens to Man at Death?

The Scriptures reveal that at death the body goes back to the dust from which it came and the spirit goes back to God who gave it (Eccl. 12:7). Jesus revealed the nature of the habitation of the immortal spirits of the dead in his discussion of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk. 16:19-31). The dead go to a place called hades (translated “hell” in the AV in Lk. 16:23). Hades is separated into two compartments: (a) Torment, the place of the wicked dead, is a place of anguish and suffering (Lk. 16:23-24); (b) Abraham’s bosom, the place of the righteous dead, is a place of comfort (Lk. 16:25). The two places are separated by a great gulf which makes crossing from one place to another impossible. Hence, the righteous cannot “fall from grace” after death nor can the wicked be saved.

Paul expressed his yearning to go home to be with God at the hour of his death in passages such as Philippians 1:21-24 and 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10. He understood that death is the gateway to the presence of God. Properly viewed, death can be a blessing to man; it takes him from a world of suffering (Lk. 16:23-24); (b) Abraham’s bosom, the place of the righteous dead, is a place of comfort.

What Shall Be Raised From the dead?

The Scriptures direct our hope to the resurrection. What shall be raised from the dead? Not the spirit, for the spirit does not die. That which shall be raised from the dead is that which dies – the body.

Men asked, “How shall the dead be raised” (1 Cor. 15:35). Perhaps they were thinking of the various things which can happen to the body. A body may be eaten by animals, burned in a fire, blown to bits in an explosion (as in the Challenger disaster), drowned in a sea and eaten by fish, or decay in a tomb. Men asked, “How shall the dead be raised?” How shall the various parts of the body be reassembled when the body has gone back to dust and may have blown a thousands different directions?

Paul reminds the Corinthians that the resurrection from the dead is not without analogy in nature. Even a seed does not produce a living plant except that it first die (1 Cor. 15:34-37). And the plant which grows from the quickened seed does not resemble the seed which was planted. If God is able to produce this natural event, he also will be able to raise the dead body of man. He is the Almighty God.

What Kind of Body?

What kind of body will man have? The answer is this: one fitted for eternal habitation. God has prepared a body fitted to every kind of life: he has prepared a body fitted for those birds which fly in the heavens, a body fitted for the animals of the sea, a body fitted for the various animals which is adapted to their peculiar habitations (1 Cor. 15:38-42). The same Lord is able to prepare a body fitted for heavenly dwelling.

The simplest answer to “what kind of body will man have at resurrection?” is this: the same kind of body which the resurrected Jesus had. Paul said, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Phil. 3:20-21). However, in teaching the nature of the resurrected body, Paul wrote, “It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Cor. 15:42-43).

Just as surely as man has a natural body, he also will have a spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:44).

Man’s physical body cannot inherit heaven (1 Cor. 15:50). Consequently, those who are alive at the moment that Jesus returns to this earth will experience a change in their body. Paul wrote, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:51-54).

Who Shall Be Raised?

The resurrection shall not be confined to the righteous. Instead, both the wicked and the righteous shall be raised from the dead (Jn. 5:29; Acts 24:15). The wicked shall be raised to face eternal damnation; the righteous shall be raised to eternal life.

Jesus Christ: The Guarantor of the Resurrection

What assurance do I have that man shall be raised from the dead? Jesus Christ is the guarantee. He is the “first fruits of them that slept” (1 Cor. 15:20). Thayer explains the image of Jesus as the first fruits: “Here the phrase seems also to signify that by his case the future resurrection of Christians is guaranteed; because the first-fruits forerun and are, as it were, a pledge and promise of the rest of the harvest” (p. 55). Even as God has given assurance that he will judge the world in righteousness by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, so also the resurrection is our proof that we too shall be raised from the dead (Acts 17:30-31). “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:21-22). When the dead are raised, Jesus will have destroyed his last enemy (1 Cor. 15:26).

Consequences of the Resurrection

Belief in the resurrection should effect how we live. Rejection of the resurrection surely effects how the wicked live. The wicked push out of their minds the idea that God will raise them from the dead and call them to account for their wickedness; they say, “God hath forgotten: he hideth his face” (Psa. 10:4-11). If there is no resurrection of the dead, men may as well live the hedonistic lifestyle. Even Paul exclaimed, “If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us cat and drink for tomorrow we die'” (1 Cor. 15:32, RSV).

In contrast to the wicked, the righteous believe in the resurrection and judgment. This effects how they live. Paul exhorted, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). Peter exhorted that, since we look for a new heavens and new earth, “what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (2 Pet. 3:11-14). Belief in the resurrection motivates one to godly living.

Belief in the resurrection provides comfort in the hour of death. Christians do not mourn in the face of death like those who have no hope. Paul expressed this faith as follows:

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words (1 Thess. 4:1318).

The sting of death is removed by the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:54-56).

Conclusion

Each person shall live forever in a resurrected body. That body will either be in an place of everlasting torment or everlasting bliss. Every individual has control of his own eternal destiny. Where shall you live eternally?

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 2, pp. 34, 42
January 17, 1991