The Truth in Print Vol. 25 Issue 8, Sept. 2019
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
Website
Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
How to Deal With Issues
While Loving and Following Jesus
The Charge Concerning
Others and Strange Doctrines
1Ti 1:2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
1Ti 1:3 As I urged you upon my departure for
Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to
teach strange doctrines,
1Ti 1:4 nor to pay attention to myths and endless
genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the
administration of God which is by faith. ….
1Ti 1:18 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my
son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by
them you fight the good fight,
1Ti 1:19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some
have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.
1Ti 1:20 Among these are Hymenaeus
and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught
not to blaspheme.
Paul Certainly Told
Timothy to Deal With Issues and Doing So Was What Serving God Was About
1Ti 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later
times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits
and doctrines of demons,
1Ti 4:2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in
their own conscience as with a branding iron,
1Ti 4:3 men who forbid marriage and advocate
abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those
who believe and know the truth. ...
1Ti 4:6 In pointing out these things to the brethren,
you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words
of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.
Nothing Indicates That
He Will Not Have to Repeatedly Contend Against Such
In doing so throughout his lifetime he’d
be doing what he was charged with doing:
2Ti 4:1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God
and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His
appearing and His kingdom:
2Ti 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out
of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will
accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
2Ti 4:4 and will turn away their ears from the truth
and will turn aside to myths.
2Ti 4:5 But you, be sober in all things, endure
hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
As He Does So What Is
The Outcome?
1Ti 4:16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your
teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure
salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
There Were “Other”
Scriptural Concerns Than Dealing With Deceitful Doctrines of Error
That there were “other” scriptural concerns related to brethren,
churches and himself personally is obvious as is the case for all Christians.
Who could envision the “other” being justification for Timothy neglecting to
deal with the apostasies that came? And the apostasies certainly were not to
keep him from the “other” --- all had to do with serving God in Christ and
doing the work of an evangelist. Go tell Timothy that apostasies are here and
there are more important things to do!
The Example Paul Set
He kept back nothing that was profitable for those at Ephesus (Acts
20:20). To the elders of the church he said “Therefore I testify to you this
day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to
declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26-27). So what did Paul want
for the church at Ephesus? Did he desire for them to have some, part or all of
the truth?
Issues Concerning the
Organization and Work of the Church
In the 1950s-60s (generally dating) issues like the Sponsoring Church
Apostasy and the Church Support of Human Societies sprang up. Brother H.E. McCaskill said when he was a young preacher he spoke out
before all at a large gathering in Texas when some of the biggest names in the
brotherhood were making their push to add colleges to the church budgets. When
they asked if any in the audience had comments he stood up and stated that he
saw no authority for the College engaged in edification and worship much less
for the local churches including the college in their budgets. He was a
graduate of one of the colleges at that time. He related that he was quickly
removed from being an up and coming young preacher for brotherhood meetings for
immediately he began receiving notices from churches that his meeting had been
cancelled. His advice — stay clear of brotherhood politics and preach whatever
needs to be preached on.
Don’t Be Ashamed
2Ti 1:8 Therefore do not be
ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me
in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,
Some spend their lifetime telling others they’ll have to help you on the
side line knowing that their support might be cut or hang in the balance should
they speak publicly.
If You Love Me Keep My
Commandments
Joh 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
1Jn 2:3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we
keep His commandments.
1Jn 2:4 He who says, "I know Him," and does
not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Jesus doesn’t set sound doctrine and scriptural authority on the side
line! Not even for the biggest names in the brotherhood or for any doctrinal
issue.
Knowing That Apostasies
Repeat Themselves
The autonomy of local churches came under attack in the 1800s. The
American Christian Missionary Society (1849) was planned and activated. Go tell
the faithful brethren that fought against it that they just “ranked” the
apostasy higher than they should have as they fought for the survival of the
Lord’s church.
The Society advocates used “Go” and “Teach” (Mk. 16:15-16; Matt.
28:18-20), which was given to the apostles (the “who” that was to “go”).
Failing to identify the “who” they injected their own “who” (their Society)
into “what” (teach the gospel) and were told frankly that their Society is a
human organization that employs methods of teaching, and the organization God
gave and “specified” is the local church (I Tim. 3:15). They changed the “who”
from the organization God ordained by adding the human society to the local
church. It would have still been an addition to God’s plan had the Society been
supported by individuals only. That’s why brethren who claim their right to
build their own human institutions for edification, evangelism and benevolence
to saints need to repent.
The Work of the Church
in “Edification”
How high does scriptural worship rank? What happened in the 1850s-70s to
“music” as ordained by God for the churches as the Instrumental Music apostasy
materialized alongside the human societies for evangelism (including
individually supported societies)? Those
contending for the faith in that fight did not feel so busy that they
decided to let it ride for the “other” things. Go tell them that “issues”
didn’t stand at the heart of following Jesus and see what they tell you back.
False Doctrines on MDR
and Fellowshipping False Teachers Are Still Strong
Preaching in such a way that leaves the impression that loving and
following Jesus preempts dealing with issues is deceptive. That the church was
damaged by Homer Hailey and those who sought to keep fellowship with him, by Ed
Harrell and his false Rom. 14 teaching, and by “fellows” of like mind is an
understatement (circa 1980s-90s). The politics to either stay undecided, cover
for, minimize or support was sickening! The nonobjective self-serving
politicized press today reminds me of all of it.
Both stand on equal footing — those who teach and condone the error and
those who press their index finger tightly to their closed lips making the
“SHUSH” sound (don’t speak on it here) — meaning, do you think, let’s just keep
on loving and following Jesus.
The Arrogance That
Exempts From the Task
Those who deal with all issues are often considered arrogant for doing
so. Was Paul just too arrogant? (Cf. Acts 20: 20, 26-27). Did he give the wrong
warning in stating the Word is the only remedy for apostasies? (Acts 20:28-32).
As one sister said after a sermon dealing with such, think about the arrogance
that exempts from the task. Brethren (including all members) don’t get to
decide “which issues” they’ll deal with for the “issue” comes to you and your
church by evil men entering in among you, and from within i.e. from among
yourselves men arise speaking perverse things.
Deal with the issues — shut mouths, reprove severely when needed, name
them when they persist and take souls with them, name the ones whose souls they
overthrew and remember both of them as examples in bible classes and sermons;
there is nothing new under the sun and a different face but the same error will
show up again, sooner or later. Don’t shy away from talking about why
unfaithful brethren left — their motives, doctrines and current unfaithfulness
are to be warnings to others.
It is sheer arrogance for one to think they are so important that they
do not have to deal with any issue that involves sound doctrine. As a brother
recently said in closing before we were dismissed from a worship service: “If
there is any issue that anyone feels we are neglecting here please speak up.”
Valley Church of Christ
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364
(928) 782-5058 ~
http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
Sunday Services – Classes ~10:00;
Assembly 10:50 am; Evening: 6:00 pm.
Wednesday evening – 7:00 pm
To learn more call, visit or visit our website at:
http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com