Have you ever heard brethren talk about how few congregations there are today that stand for the truth? Have you then heard them continue to talk about those who are far from the truth? What about those conversations that then go on in talking about those who are close to the truth? It is true, the number of true disciples of the Lord is small (Matthew 22:14 and Luke 13:23-24). However brethren, we either are walking in the truth or are not walking in the truth. There is no such thing as being close to sound in the faith. I have heard brethren for years try to pick and choose what they term as “tests of fellowship”. Some conclude that you just have to teach the fundamentals about faith, baptism, no mechanical instruments in song worship, that there is one church, etc. Others believe that you must hold the fundamentals and also reject institutionalism, the social gospel, etc. Others want to know just what you believe on grace. Some are more concerned about divorce and remarriage. Some want to know your view on Romans 14. However, I have rarely heard brethren concerned about what you teach, believe, and practice relative to the whole counsel of God. Shouldn’t we be more worried about who God is in fellowship with than what “our” lists of approvals are? How is instrumental music more sinful than anything else? How is potlucks hosted by the local congregation in the meeting house soul damning, but weddings and funerals being sponsored, or overseen, or conducted through the local church okay? What scriptures list the bad things, the really bad things, and the most really bad things (if such could even be a phrase)? Many brethren have concluded that you are close to the truth if you are worshipping with a non-instrumental and non-institutional congregation, but off on a number of other issues. However, if you are pro-institutional, non-instrumental, and teach the truth on some of those others the NI group was off on, you’re doomed. Who made these rules of “close to the truth” and “far from the truth”? This subject is so easy and the answers are very familiar passages. For example, how many brethren are familiar with the “Great Commission”? Notice what those passages say: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20). You see, our Lord requires our teaching that brethren must observe [attend to carefully] all that Jesus instructs. This was even true of the Old Law: “Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen” (Deuteronomy 27:26). Whenever we go outside of the teaching of Christ, we then lose our fellowship with God: “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” (II John 9). While some think its okay to go to the right and just horrible to go to the left of God’s instructions, the Lord equally condemns both (Joshua 1:7-8 and Revelation 22:18-19). Paul even made all things clear when he instructed Timothy, by way of inspiration, to do nothing by partiality (I Timothy 5:21). As most preach repeatedly, there is a straight and narrow way that leads unto life and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:13-14). Imagine for a moment you are in an airplane and the pilot announces that the runway is narrow and he is right on target. You then notice he starts to turn to the right a little. He then goes further right. Now he’s heading a little left. Wait, you look down and see the runway and you can see you’re missing it to the left and now the plane is overshooting the runway. Now the runway is ending and the plan is descending fast. The flight attendant passes and you express your concerns. She hurries to the pilot and comes back calmly and says “don’t worry, the pilot knows he’s off the mark, but he’s going to land it in the lake as close to the runway as possible.” That scenario explains many congregations that claim to be of Christ today. They’ve missed the runway and are landing off target instead of even trying to approach the truth again and adjust where they made earlier mistakes. Folks, most of us have graduated from some secular school with a high school diploma or at some point have had some schooling that taught us to read, write, do math, etc. We have had to study math books, English books, history books, and other books that all individually contain many more words than does the entirety of God’s word. We had to learn, commit these things to memory, and pass tests on what we’ve studied to proceed from one level to another level of secular education. We never tried to argue that 2 + 2 = 16 is an acceptable answer because we followed a standard that said otherwise. We could not argue that the U.S. Civil War occurred in 1265 AD because the standard says otherwise. Educators did not explain that our wrong math or history accounts were okay because we just have a different way of understanding things. The standard on math, history, etc. is the same from New York to California. There’s no such thing as a close answer on these standardized subjects that will accomplish a passing grade. How can we understand that, and expect that the book of life is something we cannot understand alike when God says we can and must (I Corinthians 1:10, Philippians 3:16, and James 2: 10)? John said: “I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father” (II John 4). God wills that we are all able to be found walking in the truth (III John 3-4). No where in the scriptures does God rejoice that someone made it close to the truth. When brethren do not walk upright according to the truth, they need to be confronted and corrected (Galatians 2:14). If we love the Lord, let us be sure that the same truth is taught in every congregation (I Corinthians 4:17). |
| Volume VII ~ Issue XXIV ~ March 11th, 2007 |
Words of Truth Weekly - Online Edition
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What must one do to be saved (Acts 2:37)? Hear and believe the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16 & Romans 10:17),
repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of
sins into the church of Christ (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Romans 6:1-6). One must then remain
faithful (Rev. 2:10).
repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of
sins into the church of Christ (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Romans 6:1-6). One must then remain
faithful (Rev. 2:10).
| Edited by: Brian A. Yeager |
| “Well, They’re Close to the Truth” By: Brian A. Yeager |
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| God is Not the Author of the “Close to the Truth” Ideology |
| Conclusion |