THE
TRUTH IN PRINT
April 2004, Vol. 10: Issue 3
A Publication of the Valley
Why The Difficulty In Getting
People To See God Gave The
By Bob W. Lovelace
I am fifty-eight years old. Over the years I have read a great deal on
discussions among brethren concerning their building human organizations to do
the work God gave the local church to do. One noticeable thing is the unique
way that passages addressing "individual" action are always used as
authority for Christians building organizations for collective action. This was
true of the institutional controversies of the 1950s. The liberal mindset that
quoted James 1:27, an individual's obligation, to justify "homes"
built and supported by donations from both individual christians
and churches, erred by transferring individual responsibility and action to
"organizational," thus collective action. The two actions are not the
same, thus to make such a jump was indeed twisting the scriptures. However,
from what I've read it is apparent that some brethren were known for being
willing to do just about anything to justify themselves in their human
institutions. Rather than going to the scriptures first, and establishing
authority for what God authorized, they built their human organizations and
then tried to justify what they had put into practice. In order to gain the
support from individuals and churches for their human organizations they
unashamedly used James 1:27 in an unscriptural way. Younger preachers should
acquaint themselves with the unscriptural arguments, as well as the manifold
tactics used to push human institutions off on the brotherhood.
Beloved, I observe denominationalists and their counterparts doing
this all the time. One doesn't have to read their literature long before it is
apparent that they will say almost anything to justify enormous support for
their own organizations. It is as if they think that "majority
support" is justification enough! For an example allow me to use the
Salvation Army. In a particular public setting I had criticized the Salvation
Army's methods as well as their organizational structure. As I recall, I had
stated that "general benevolence" was not a work of the church that
we read about in the New Testament (Acts 6:1-6; I Cor. 16:1-3). I also
explained that the local church receives its funds through the offerings of its
own members (Acts 4:34-37; I Cor.16: 1-3). I stated such because the Salvation
Army presents itself as being both a religious and general benevolent
organization. I just can't stand to hear or see the money begging tactics of
the Salvation Army ("Salvation" emphasis is strong) knowing that it
is indeed a religious organization. One might say that it has a dual-role or
function, i.e. general benevolence and religious items of worship and
instruction. Many institutions built by men, especially schools, exercise a
dual-role of education and also worship, edification and evangelism. I'm
certain that you are familiar with some. Following this, the Army leader
presented Matthew 25:40 as scriptural authority for the Salvation Army as an
organizational "ministry." Jesus said, "And the King shall
answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it
unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." By
his own play on words He actually called their massive organizational structure
an "inasmuch as" ministry, based upon this verse. And following that
I pointed out in another article that Matthew 25:40, in context, is by no means
a "general benevolence" statement. In its own context it relates to
those whom Jesus referred to as His "brethren." Above all, the verse
does not address organizations! No! The Salvation Army and its massive
organizational structure is not authorized by Matthew
25:40. I am also confident in stating that neither Matt. 25:40 nor verse 45, should any liberally minded member of the church desire
to make them such, authorizes brethren building benevolent homes of various
kinds! Remember, God gave us His organization, the local church for benevolence
to needy saints (I Cor. 16:1-3).
It is certainly a difficult task to get such people, who are so
enthralled with "their" organization, to understand that human
societies built by men to do the work that God gave the local church to do are
a depreciation of the divine organization God gave. Beloved, the way one uses
such scriptures as Ja.1:27 (individual responsibility), Matt.25: 40 (does not
deal with organizations), Gal. 6:10 ("we", Paul is not a church),
Eph. 6:4 (instruction to fathers), Acts 8:5 (an individual preaching), Acts
16:13 (concurrent action of individuals) and more will indeed give evidence to
their love of God's divine wisdom in giving the local church for evangelism,
edification, worship and benevolence to needy saints (I Tim. 3:15, Phil. 4:15,
I Cor. 14:26; Acts 20:7; I Cor. 11:17-34, I Cor. 16:1-3). The fact that God
gave us what He wanted should be sufficient for us to understand that what He
does not ordain He does not want!
Have you ever, and it is probably so, talked with one of these
young adults who come by asking for donations in order that they can be a part
of some national or internationally known ministry? These evangelistic ministries
(organizations) were contrived and set up by some well-known people in the
secular religious world. When you ask them what local church they belong to
they haven't the faintest idea, if you know what I mean. I labored to instill
some concept of God's organization into the mind of just such a person. His
reply was, "I just want to be a part of this particular ministry and I
have been told that I need to raise so much in order to get in." It is
almost impossible to get some to comprehend that God gave the local church!
NOTE: Concerned reader, to learn more
about God's divine organization the local church why not study more at this
link: Fundamental
Lessons On The Church, Lesson Four. This article
may also be accessed from our Article Index. Simply scroll down until you find
Fundamental Lessons on the Church, Lesson Four, Part
One.