Clarifying The Issues (III.)
Our purpose in this paper is to clarify the issues which we face today, which have divided the Lord's body, which have shamed us before the world, and which have caused some to blaspheme the word of God. Our primary purpose is to help those who do not know the real issue because they are new converts and are facing the problems for the first time.
In our first article, we dealt with the real issues over the Herald of Truth in particular and the Sponsoring Church in general. In our second article we gave some attention to the matter of benevolence. This paper finishes our study by devoting some space to the issues involved in recreation and colleges.
Remember first of all that the fight is not over recreation, but over church sponsored recreation. What we stand opposed to is NOT that Christians may enjoy wholesome recreation or entertainment. Only a 14K crank would deny that such is right. Our contention is NOT over whether the church building is sacred. I know of no one who says it is wrong to eat in a meeting house. More than once since I have been preaching here, I have eaten my lunch in the meeting house. Simply eating in the meeting house is not the issue. Of all the things for those whom we oppose to bring up, the idea that we perhaps think the meeting house is sacred is the strangest. They are the ones who are dedicating meetinghouses. We are not. And I would not know how to do it if I tried. Again, we are not spending any time contending over the right of Christians eating and drinking together in a group. For we do not oppose this.
Our opposition concerns the matter of getting the church into the field of recreation and entertainment. The issue IS over the question: Is it the God-given mission of the local church to provide facilities for and to oversee recreation and entertainment for the young or the old? Do churches have a right to spend their funds for the erection of kitchens, have a right to spend their funds for the erection of banquet halls, gymnasiums, playgrounds, youth camps, ball teams, etc. for the entertainment of anyone? Churches are doing it; we are calling for the Bible authority that sanctions the practice. We have not found it. They have not supplied it. Some of them have tried to justify it on the grounds that it gets people interested in the gospel of Christ. This we deny. And as yet have not found one iota of scriptural evidence to justify it on such grounds. If food and entertainment are necessary to get a man interested in the gospel and his soul's salvation, then such things are necessary to keep him interested in either the gospel or his soul; it was his belly all the time.
Finally, there is an issue in the matter of colleges where the Bible is taught. And the issue is NOT over the question: May Christians operate schools and colleges in which the Bible is taught as a part of the standard curriculum? May Christians teach the Bible in a school or college, either as a member of the faculty or otherwise? Neither is the issue over the question: May individuals support schools or colleges operated by Christians in which the Bible is taught as a part of the standard curriculum?
In this matter, as in all the others we have discussed, the issue IS still one of authority. Where is the Bible authority for the local church to support such a school from its treasury? Where is the authority for the college to have any connection with or to be dependent upon the local church in any way? Some have argued that church support of Bible colleges is as scriptural as the institutional orphans' homes being supported from the church treasury. And they are right. One is just as scriptural as the other. They stand or fall together. However, such an argument carries no real weight for there is no scriptural authority for either. Neither one is scriptural.
Men in this city and elsewhere have divided the body of Christ over the issues discussed in this paper. Not all of these people hold to all of the things mentioned. But some of them do. So these are the issues that represent the difference between us and others wearing the name of Christ herein this city and in other cities.
Remember Paul's words in Rom. 16:17,18 and John's in I Jno. 2:19. We urge all to study all matters of issue in the light of the Bible. Learn the facts and then make up your mind. Then take your stand on the truth of God's word. (II Cor. 5:7; Rom. 10:17) Never be guilty of stultifying your conscience, ignoring the truth, or trying to brush aside the whole matter just because controversy surrounds it. (Jno. 8:32; 17:17; II Thess. 2:1042; II Tim. 4:1-8,10.)