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 The
Pillar & Ground of the Truth
By Wayne Greeson
Before the beginning of this world God prepared a plan. Within that
eternal purpose God designed His kingdom, the church, which would
display to the powers of Heaven His divine wisdom (Eph. 3:10-11).
Through the Old Testament, God promised by His prophets to set up
His eternal kingdom of peace which would never be destroyed (cf.
Dan. 2:44; Isa. 2:1-4). In the New Testament, Jesus began His public
ministry proclaiming, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God
is at hand" (Mk. 1:15). Jesus promised to build this kingdom which
would be His church (Matt. 16:18-19).
This long planned and awaited promise became a reality on the first
Pentecost after Christ's resurrection. On that day the kingdom of
God, the church of Jesus Christ, was established as those who obeyed
the instruction of Peter to repent and be baptized were added to the
church (Acts 2:36, 47). The church of Christ was and is built upon
the immovable foundation of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). It is a
special body of people belonging to Christ, the head of this divine
institution. In this relationship the church is the glory and
fullness of Christ (Eph. 1:23; 3:21). To this special body, Christ
has given a special work of universal scope and everlasting
consequence. The church is to be the "pillar and ground of the
Truth" (1 Tim. 3:15). The church is to support and uphold the
eternal Truth of God's Word in everything it is and does.
But how is the church to carry out this heavenly mission? The church
has not been left to stumble in the dark. The God of heaven and
earth revealed to His apostles and prophets His complete and final
will to men (Eph. 3:1-5; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). "His divine power has
granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness," (2 Pet.
1:3), leaving the church a perfect pattern to follow in all it does
(Col. 3:17; 2 Tim. 1:3). This pattern is not to be altered, added
to, or diminished from (Rev. 22:18-19; Gal 1:6-10).
The work of the church in upholding the Truth, according to God's
pattern in the New Testament, is three-fold: evangelism, edification
and benevolence. Evangelism involves preaching the gospel of
salvation to those lost in sin. Edification refers to the work of
teaching and building up those who are members of the church.
Benevolence is the work of the church in relieving destitute
Christians (cf. 1 Thes. 1:8; Eph. 4:12-16; Rom. 15:26-27).
Since God has given the church a complete pattern in His Word for
the work of the church, then it naturally follows that He has
thoroughly equipped His church to do everything He has commanded it
to do. His church is all sufficient to perform its work of
evangelism, edification and benevolence.
Jesus "gave gifts for the equipping of the saints for the work of
service, to the building up of the body of Christ" which will bring
us "to a mature man, the measure of the stature which belongs to the
fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:8-13).
There is absolutely no room for human "wisdom," "organizations" or
"improvements" to supplement any aspect of the work of the church.
Unfortunately, there are those in the body of Christ who may make a
claim to believe in the all sufficiency of the church, yet manifest
contrary actions (cf. Matt. 7:15-20). Some churches contribute money
to organizations to do the work God has given them to do. They make
a mockery of Christ's provisions for His church.
The church has been hacked to pieces by those who have distributed
the church's work to missionary societies, benevolent institutions,
schools and colleges. These human organizations are not built upon
the foundation of Christ nor are they charged with upholding the
Truth as is the church. When the church distributes its work to
human organizations it has repudiated the eternal divine wisdom and
planning of God and destroyed the glory and fullness of Christ.
In the New Testament local churches did their own work of
evangelism, edification and benevolence without human organizations
or schemes. In evangelism they supported preachers directly rather
than making contributions to "missionary societies" (Phil. 4:14-18).
In the work of edification and benevolence, churches never sent
money to colleges or benevolent organizations, but carried out this
work within the local congregation and under its oversight (1 Cor.
14:26; Heb. 10:24-25; Acts 6:1-6; 11:27-30).
Let us recognize and return to the beauty, simplicity, wisdom, glory
and perfection of God's pillar and ground of the Truth. ~
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 The
Door of the Sheep
By Roger Lindsey
Above is a photo of a sheepfold (click it for a larger view) from
the Middle East. Notice that the entrance has no closure (the rock
would be too heavy to move easily). At night as the shepherd is
bedding down his sheep, he leads them into this shelter then lies
down in the opening, becoming the “Door.”
Some of these are large enough for several herds to share, so each
morning, each shepherd begins to speak to his flock, they recognize
his voice and they follow him, and only him.
How hauntingly beautiful then are the words of our Lord…
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.” John
10.7
“...and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by
name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and
the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.” John 10.3b-4 ~
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 Simply
Christiansby Gene Taylor
Many people are growing disenchanted with present religious forms
which originated in the middle ages and have become meaningless.
There is displeasure with denominational structures and dogma. Some,
because of such views, have even decided that "Christianity" is not
relevant today. We believe they have made that decision because they
are not sufficiently acquainted with the Scriptures to be able to
distinguish between the gospel of Christ and what men over the
centuries have attempted to add to it.
If some of these things have troubled you and you have felt a
yearning to return to the simple, uncomplicated religion of Christ,
stripping away all the nonessential elements of religion and simply
abiding by the truths of Christ, truths which transform the soul and
bind it to God, let us suggest that it can and has been done.
The Bible, God's word to man, presents Jesus Christ as the Son of
God. He was foreshadowed and predicted in the Old Testament which
God used to govern His people until Christ should come and establish
the New (Jer. 31:31-33; Gal. 3:19, 23-24). That New Testament
reveals the religion of Christ. By studying it we learn all there is
to know of the way of Christ.
We learn that among the followers of Christ there existed no
denominational organizations whatever. All began at a later time. In
the New Testament we see people hearing the gospel and obeying the
conditions of God's grace. Being thus saved, they were added to the
Lord's people, the church (Acts 2:36-47). As the gospel spread, we
find them assembling together in congregations in various
localities. Each congregation was under its own elders (Acts 14:23)
and no one else on earth. These elders could not make laws and be
masters. They were given the responsibility of tending and caring
for the congregation as shepherds would a flock (Acts 20:17, 28; I
Pet. 5:1-3). The only headquarters those disciples knew was heaven,
where their head, Jesus Christ, was and is (Eph. 1:22-23).
Their worship was something in which to participate, not something
to watch. On the first day of the week, for instance, they would eat
the Lord's supper and hear preaching (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-29),
they would all sing (Eph. 5:19), they would all pray with various
ones leading (1 Cor. 14:15-16), and they would share in their mutual
responsibilities by sharing their prosperity (1 Cor. 16:1-2). We
find no contributions being collected on any other day than the
first day of the week and no hierarchy taxing them or telling them
how much to give. They had no organizations clamoring for their
support. They gave as they individually purposed in their own hearts
(2 Cor. 9:6-7). In all this they were all necessarily involved for
each saved person was a priest (Rev. 1:5-6). No one could perform
his service or worship for another.
They lived godly lives. They cared for their poor. They taught
others. They sent out preachers to teach others in far communities.
With simplicity of faith and fervor there was no need of
centralization. Without organized machinery, the gospel was preached
to the whole of civilization in a short time (Col. 1:23). These
disciples of Christ were known as Christians (Acts 11:26; Acts
26:28; I Pet. 4:16). They wore no sectarian names. Their religion
was not materialistic or sensual. They did not seek to impress men
with pious ceremony, rather, they sought to impress God with the
only thing that has ever impressed Him, contrite obedience (2 Sam.
15:22). Their appeal was not social or recreational. They offered
the gospel, for they knew it was God's power to save (Rom. 1:16),
and any other appeal was beneath them.
Many sigh, "Oh, if only such could be today." But it is! Free men
and women over the earth have despaired of denominationalism, seeing
in it neither necessity nor relevance but only a cause of division.
They desire the simplicity of what Christ authored, and their number
is increasing. How many have taken such a stand? Who knows! They are
related and connected only in Christ and not in some organization
with machinery to keep a tally. We will not try to number them. What
is important, though, is that a group of such people meet within
minutes of where you live.
They are just Christians. They worship and serve God in the same way
the early disciples did. Christ is their only creed and the
Scriptures their only guide. They are not members of any human
organization, they are simply a congregation, or church, of Christ.
They, in turn, would like to share Christ with you and with all the
world.
You too can be just a Christian and serve God without belonging to
any denomination, bound by denominational laws or obligations. If
such freedom appeals to you, please contact us. ~
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The
Door of the Sheep