"By What Authority?"
One of the readers of Bible Teaching Leaflet has raised some questions with reference to the matter of authority for practices of the church. This leaflet will be devoted to a study of the areas which the questions explore.
When an action is authorized by the scriptures without being qualified, or limited as to the means of accomplishing the action, the faithful Christian is to use those means which are available to perform the duty. To illustrate: The Lord's command is, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel..." (Mk. 16:16). Now the "go" is generic; one can go walking, riding in a car, on bus, train, plane, ship etc., and still be obeying the command. This is, however, not the case with the matter preached. To preach anything other than the gospel is to fail to obey. The action, "preach," can be accomplished by writing or speaking either from pulpit, over radio and television, but in all these mediums of communication, the church is limited to the gospel for subject matter. This is the way that the purchase of postage stamps, mimeograph machines, telephone, pews, meeting houses, hymn books, radio and television time, etc., are authorized.
To "preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching" (II Tim. 4:2) is a duty which God has expressly bound upon us. This is not contrary to the equally imperative duty of loving those who sin. One does not exhibit love for a brother by avoiding necessary reproof, rebuke, exhortation and teaching. Failure to "question the activities of others" whether elders, preachers or other Christians, when these activities constitute a going onward and abiding not in the teaching of Christ (read II John 9) is a display of indifference to the welfare of those in error.
"Hair-splitting scripture" is condemned in the scriptures. "If any man teacheth a different doctrine and consenteth not to sound words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but doting about questionings and disputes of words..." (I Tim. 6:3,4). This does not conflict with, nor relieve the Christian of his duty to "be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Eph. 5:17). "Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3) etc. "Hairsplitting scripture" is not approved by anyone known to this writer but "handling aright the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15) is required by the Holy Spirit.
The proper "emphasis in Christianity" is emphasizing a thus saith the Lord. "Love of the Lord and of fellow man" cannot be properly placed in opposition to efforts to do God's commandments and persuade others to do the will of God. "Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments..." (I John 5:2, 3).
Jesus condemned leaving undone the weightier matters of the law (Matt. 23:23,24). He did not condemn the tithing of mint, anise and cumin but said, "These ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone." No one who leaves undone "justice, mercy and faith" has any ground for hope. If the concerned saint knows of any brother or sister who is leaving undone these necessary things, the Christian thing to do is specifically point out the violation and persuade them to make correction.
Teaching and promoting error constitutes the one so performing a false prophet. Error is defined: "Belief in what is untrue -- an act involving a departure from truth." False is defined: "Not according to truth or reality." A false prophet then is one whose teaching is "not according to truth." "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are-of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world." (I John 4:1). If the teaching of error does not make the teacher a false prophet, what would it take to make a false prophet?
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