Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 12
February 23, 1961
NUMBER 41, PAGE 3,11b

"It's Something Old --- Divinely True"

C. D. Plum, Paden City, West Virginia

But what is my subject? It is this: "In Church Worship and Work Apostolic Example is as Equally Binding as a Direct Command."

Most of the forty-three years I have been preaching (I am sixty-two years young) gospel preachers were preaching that, in the worship and work of the church a thing was established by the word of God as being divinely right in three ways: 1) Direct Command; 2) Apostolic Example; 3) Necessary Inference. If such were being preached and practiced by preachers and congregations today, we would not be faced with the disgraceful division that now confronts us. Our liberal brethren do not have a direct command, apostolic example, or necessary inference for their sponsoring church activity, or for their support of a humanly organized benevolent home. If they had such they would give it. Some brethren, knowing they do not have such, boldly declare that we do not need such.

Then there are other brethren that declare that apostolic example in church worship and work is not binding. This is as false as it can be. Communion on the first day of the week cannot be established by direct command. You can establish communion by a direct command, but you cannot establish communion on the first day of the week by direct command. There is ONE passage of scripture that connects the "breaking of bread" (communion) with the first day of the week. (Acts 20:7) And the connection is not by direct command, but by apostolic example. You can whim and haw, fuss and fume about this all you want to, but it is so. Paul and the other disciples met on the first day of the week to break bread. Thus communion is established on the first day of the week by apostolic example. And it was the apostle Paul.

"Do"

Paul said, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, 'do': and the God of peace shall be with you." (Phil. 4:9) In Acts 20:7 we have seen in Paul his example of communion on the "first day of the week." He said "do" this. That is, follow his example, apostolic example, in church worship and work. His example established communion on the first day of the week. Apostolic example does not establish the place to worship or work. Note the following:

1) The command to assemble for worship includes a place. (Heb. 10:25) Jesus emphasizes that we can worship any place. (John 4:20-21)

2) The place of our work has been designated by Jesus as the "world."

To belittle an apostolic example in church worship and work, is as bad as to belittle a direct command of our Lord. For shame!

Church Work,

Church work is threefold: 1) Evangelism (preaching the gospel); 2) Benevolence (caring for young and old who do not have relatives to look after them: 1 Tim. 5:4, 8,16; providing they scripturally qualify 1 Tim. 5:9, 10); and

3) Edification. 2 Tim. 2:2. Let us note these in the order here given.

Evangelism

The church is God's only organization for evangelizing, for the preaching of the gospel. The American Revision states it this way: "To the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be 'MADE' known through the church the manifold (many-fold) wisdom of God." (Eph. 3:10) No human missionary society needed. They had none then. We need none now. Please, brethren, get this. The true church fed the soul without a human missionary society or sponsoring church.

There is a pattern as to how the church did this feeding. The church at Philippi sent support direct to Paul at Thessalonica. He fed the gospel, preached the gospel, to the souls in Thessalonica. No missionary society, no sponsoring church collecting funds from other congregations for this work at Thessalonica. There should be none now. Read Phil. 4:9.

The church at Philippi sent "direct" to Paul at Thessalonica. Philippi sent Paul's support "to" him, not through a missionary society, not through a sponsoring church, to him. Says Paul, "What you have seen in me, do." So, why not do it this way and save strife and separation? Were this example followed, it would eradicate this bone of contention. Brethren, please, in Jesus name I ask you. Re-study Philippians 4:15-17 as one who loves to see the people of God united.

Benevolence

In view of peace among God's people, and in view of Philippians 4:9, let us look at benevolence. THERE IS A PATTERN IN BENEVOLENCE. And Paul is connected with this pattern. There was a "great dearth" (scarcity, want) "throughout all the world." "Then the disciples, everyman according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea. Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul (Paul)." (Acts 11:28-30) For years these scriptures were accepted for what they said and for what they meant. For years brethren taught and practiced sending help "direct" to the "elders" where the "need" was present.

There was little or no contention over the matter at all. It was considered as final. Brethren sent help "to" the "elders" for their needy. "For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality." (2 Cor. 8:13-14) "Macedonia" sent help to the elders for the poor saints in Jerusalem. "Achaia" sent help to the elders for the poor saints in Jerusalem. But Macedonia did not send help to the elders in Jerusalem through Achaia. Achaia did not send help to the elders in Jerusalem through Macedonia. No sponsoring church between the "senders" and the "receivers" then. There should be none now. Teach this, and practice this brethren as it says, and as we used to do, and we will still have peace among us on this point. Re-study Romans 15:26.

Congregations in New Testament times sent "direct" to the elders where the need was. They sent it direct by messengers. (Mail service gives us today the same "direct" service.) Paul was one of the messengers which carried this help "direct" to the elders where the need was. This was his apostolic example. He said, "What ye have seen in me, do" (Phil. 4:9) His example in this benevolent work was as equally binding as a direct command. Note this:

I. The true church fed the soul without a human missionary society.

2. The true church fed the body without a human benevolent society.

I know the claim, we get more work done "our" way. It doesn't say NOT to have a sponsoring church, or benevolent society. (Does it say not to put butter on the bread on the Lord's table? Would you do that? Jesus tells us "what" to do. (Matt. 28:20) Not what not to do, in every instance.)

I know brethren say we get things done better and faster with sponsoring churches and homes. This is quite a reflection on the intelligence of God which I do not care to make. It seems to me if God's way doesn't get things done fast enough for us we BETTER SLOW DOWN. Doctors tell us to slow down, and lose some weight. "Danger of heart trouble," they say. I wonder if that is not what is the trouble with us. We have too much weight (human machinery in the work of the Lord) and we have heart trouble. "Let us cast off our weights." (Heb. 12:1-2)

Edification

As to edification I wish only to say that the apostle Paul mentions the only qualifications of a gospel preacher. He declared he must be a "faithful man" and an "able teacher." (2 Tim. 2:2) Brethren today insist in many plates that a preacher must be a "college graduate." No matter how "faithful" and how "able" he is with common school learning, he must have some college. Our requirements are higher than the requirements set by God. We are too "wise in our own conceits." (Rom. 12:16)