The church of our Lord today is under many attacks on many different doctrinal fronts. Christians are asking questions like "why can't we add this to worship" or "why can't we support this work"; instead of "why can we change this or support that". Members of the church are walking away from Bible authority and walking into doctrines and commandments of men. Today people look back over the last 10 to 200 years of history for their authority. They use excuses like "the church has been practicing this for fifty years" to explain their erring ways. Liberal brethren can quote Guy N. Woods and N.B. Hardeman better than they can quote the word of God. A liberal preacher named Darrell Broking wrote this in an e-mail to his e-mail list:

We have some brethren today who are trying to change God's word. We have men like Homer Hailey teaching that God's marriage law only applies to Christians. Has the word of God changed? Did Christ use the term "Christian" instead of "whosoever"? Notice the questions that are posed to Jesus Christ and then His answers: (Matthew 19:3-9) "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." Hailey would suggest that this is the Kingdom law. Yet, Christ said it was so from the beginning. The word of God applies and governs all men. The definition of sin is transgression of the Law (I John 3:4). If non-Christians were not governed by the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25), then what would they have to repent of prior to conversion? Why would Peter, who was lead by the spirit, command repentance (Acts 2:38)? The word of the Lord is to all men! The Lord said that "All unrighteousness is sin..." (I John 5:17). Jesus expressed this truth to the Samaritan woman at the well. She was not under the "Kingdom Law" yet Christ bound the marriage law on her. (John 4:16-18) "Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly." There are many doctrines proposed on this subject. For instance Al Maxey a well known liberal writes:

There are those whom are liberal in many areas, and the continue to go further from the truth. For instance, James Meadows (Director of the East Tennessee School of Preaching) who teaches error on several matters of biblical authority in which we can support more through the treasury than the Bible defines. This erring brother and others who hold the same erring views relative to bible authority also hold another extreme doctrine which will be noted after their names.

Brethren, we have "Preaching Schools" that are actually Missionary Societies doing things like building 1.1 Million Dollar libraries in honor of men such as N.B. Hardeman. This school is the Memphis School of Preaching. Where is the scripture that authorizes solicitation of funds from congregations to build a library? Why is it that sound preachers struggle to raise support for the work of an evangelist when schools can raise 1.1 million dollars for a building? How many books should a school of preaching be teaching from? Whom should all glory be given to? (I Corinthians 10:31) "...whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Why name anything after a man? This same school has a well known belief that it is OK to have a woman translator in the foreign mission field. Now ask yourself this: does that agree with the Bible's view of the woman's role in the church? (I Corinthians 14:34-35) "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." (I Timothy 2:11-12) "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." This same school has a reputation for attacking good sound men such as Brother Wayne Goforth who came out of the errors taught there and realized the truth. Brother Goforth studied the word of God and questioned by whose authority he practiced things. Instead of being comforted by answers that unsound men gave him he looked to God's word. Notice what brother Goforth writes:

Dear reader, it is time to ask "why are we doing this", not "why can't we do it". It is time to establish Bible authority for those things the church practices. The apostle Paul wrote this by inspiration: (Colossians 3:17) "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." It is time to be the church of the New Testament. May I challenge you? Why don't you make a list of those things you do in worship. After you make the list, put a verse behind each item that clearly authorizes it. Then make a list of things done with the Lord's money in your congregation. After you list the items put a verse next to each of the things supported. Make a list of how your congregation raises it's funds, and again support that with verses. After doing this you ask yourself, are we really the church of the New Testament? If you're a preacher, back your sermons up with scripture. If you are not a preacher, make sure the person preaching from the pulpit where you attend is proving all things (I Thessalonians 5:21). (I Peter 3:15) "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." It is time to put the Bible back into pulpits where it has not been. It is time to put God's word back in heart's that it has fallen from. It is time for Christians to stand for the truth (Jude 3)! I am thankful that I came out of liberalism and found the truth. I now question everything and put it to the test of finding authority from God's word. I do not believe any honest person would want to fall into Revelation 22:18-19! You must do the will of God to get to Heaven (Matthew 7:21-23). Now we must take the church from the hands of men, and give it back to the Lord who purchased it and built it (Matthew16:18, Acts 20:28, and Ephesians 5:25)!
- B.A.Y.