An Open Letter To V. P. Black Of Mobile, Alabama
Dear Brother Black:
I have been a viewer of the "Know Your Bible" program from its inception and have enjoyed it, as well as profited from it. I think you brethren are doing a good work, and I hope the program will continue for some time to come.
I heard your feeble effort to prove the institutions that are sapping the life's blood from the church of our Lord are scriptural, and also your un-Christian denunciation of brethren in Christ who oppose all such man-made societies as the institutional orphan homes and sponsoring church and all such clap-trap methods of man to do the work that God intended the church should do.
I noticed, that while your program is called "Know Your Bible," not one time did you quote the Bible as authority; but as do the denominational preachers, you made a touching appeal to the emotions, and played upon the sympathetic nerve, and brought in a little boy sick, hungry and freezing to death, and lo and behold, he was turned away! The Baptist and Methodist people use the same argument in their efforts to prove salvation by faith only. And, brother Black, they can prove salvation by faith only by the same way that you prove the institutions scriptural, and I have some of them do an even better job! They take the poor old dying soldier out in the desert, a thousand miles away from water and condemn him to hell just because he was not baptized! Brother Black, I am sure that in 1950 you would have deplored such tactics.
You also said that it was shown "those boys" that the orphan home was not parallel to the missionary society. I wonder when it was shown and by whom? You forgot to tell us who, when, or where. You also said that "those brethren" teach that the orphan home is a sin. But once again you forgot to tell us who, when or where. Brother Lynn Headrick, who preaches for the good church in Saraland, Ala., said in the Sword of Peace, November 1981:
"Concerning institutional benevolence, we notice first that legitimate business institutions or corporations have a right to exist. No one questions the right of an individual to own and operate a grocery store, service station, hospital, rest home, ORPHAN HOME (emp. mine, J.D.B.), publishing house, educational institution, cotton gin, repair shop, -etc.; in order to earn a livelihood and have wherewith to give to others. Some of these are so-called "non-profit" organizations, but they are business organizations of human origin, nevertheless."
Now, brother Black, when an honest man is shown that he has misrepresented a person, he will be glad to correct it. But a dishonest man will just say nothing. I have shown you that "those brethren" do not teach, as you said, that the orphan home is a sin.
When God established the church He made her sufficient for the task he assigned for her to perform in the world. As Jesus is an all-sufficient Saviour, the church is the completeness and fulness of Christ to do all the work God intended her to do. (Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 3:10) The only functional organization known in the New Testament is the local church. It is not right for the church to shift her responsibility by letting human institutions do the work God assigned her to do.
There is neither command nor example of the New Testament church supporting any human institutions. Here are some scriptural reasons why the church cannot support human institutions:
1. Jesus never taught it. (Acts 1:1-2)
2. The apostles never taught it. (Matt. 28:18-20) Yet they were to teach the gospel of Christ to all nations.
3. The Holy Spirit never taught it. (John 18:13) Yet the Spirit was to guide the apostles into all truth. He was silent on this matter, hence, it does not belong to the truth.
4. One cannot speak as the oracles of God speak and teach that such practice is right, for such practice is no part of the oracles of God. (1 Peter 4:11) If part, book, chapter and verse, please.
5. Such is not the truth. (John 17:17) The word of God is truth, and truth knows nothing of such practices. Book, chapter and verse, please.
6. God has given all things that pertain to life and godliness. (2 Pet. 1:3) But church support of human institutions is no part of revelation, hence, it does not belong to life and godliness. Since your program is "Know Your Bible," I am sure you will furnish Bible reference.
7. The Bible furnishes the man of God completely unto every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) Such practice is not furnished by the Bible. Remember your program is "Know Your Bible."
8. Such practice is not of faith. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. (Rom. 10:17) Know your Bible.
9. Such practice is outside the doctrine of Christ. (2 John 9)
10. Preaching and advocating such a practice is not preaching sound doctrine. (2 Tim. 4:1-2) If so, book, chapter and verse!
Perhaps you will try again, brother Black, on your "Know Your Bible" program, and this time, give us the Bible for such practice and authority. If you fail, or should I say when you fail, to give Bible reference, I suggest that you change the name of your program from "Know Your Bible" to "Why The Bible."
Yours for the truth, John D. Barnes
P.O. Box 97 Coffeeville, Alabama