The Middle Of The Road -- But What Road?
Under the heading, 'The Seed of Sectarianism", there appeared an editorial by Reuel Lemmons in the Firm Foundation of March 3, 1959. In this editorial, Lemmons tries again to place himself in "the middle of the road" in regard to the issues with which the church of the Lord is faced today. He attempts to portray two extremes which, in his words, consist of "Hide-Bound conservatism" and "the liberalist" with himself and "the bulk of the brethren" in "the middle of the road" between the two extremes. But in the same issue of the paper, Lemmons places himself squarely in the "middle" of the "liberalist" extreme. He says that an institution under an eldership (sponsoring type) is the best way but he believes the church can support an institution under a board of directors. There are some among the "liberalists" who are not liberal enough to accept both, but Lemmons will accept both.
Now, if Lemmons is in "the middle of the road", it should be reasonably clear to all what road he is in. It is not "The way of holiness" prophesied in Isa. 35:8; nor "that way" of Acts 19:9,23; nor the "narrow way" of Mt. 7:14. The way of the "liberalist" could be none of these. But the way of the "liberalist" might qualify for the "broad way" of Mt. 7:13; or the "way which seemeth right unto a man" of Prov. 14:12; or "their own way" of Ezek. 36:17. At any rate, the way of "the liberalist" is broad enough to allot enough of that which is foreign to the truth to pass so that the inevitable result would be "sectarianism". Lemmons chose the wrong title for his editorial because the very things which he is seeking to defend contain "the seed of sectarianism". The thing which has always caused sectarianism has not been what the Bible taught but that to which people hold which the Bible does not teach.
To deny that there is division in the church today would be to deny a plain, evident fact. But the planting of "the seed of sectarianism" which is responsible for the division has not been done by those who point out that division. 'The seed of sectarianism" is sown by those who advocate things which are not authorized by the word of God. Institutionalism and the defense of it has opened the flood-gates of digression until now 'the seeds of sectarianism" are of such a wide variety that a large part of the body of Christ is threatened with being overrun by sectarianism.
Brother Lemmons says, "The body of Christ suffers today as it has in all ages from those strong willed men who insist that they have the truth and that the majority of the brotherhood has surrendered it". And again, "Sometimes we show signs of the bigotry that comes from assuming the erroneous conclusion that we have arrived at a perfect knowledge and possession of all the truth". Brother Lemmons, would you not say that you have the truth? Would you say that you have arrived at a perfect knowledge and possession of all the truth? As we understand it, there are two different things involved in these two questions. To say that one has the whole truth in one thing but to say that one has arrived at a perfect knowledge and possession of all the truth is a different thing entirely. The latter implies a perfection of knowledge so that no further study of the truth is necessary and that nothing more can be learned. We know of no one who claims nor indicates that he has such a perfect knowledge or possession of all of the truth. As to the first, to have the whole truth is to recognize the inclusive and exclusive nature of the truth as revealed in the word of God.
Sectarianism covers a wide range of things. It may make its appearance under a host of different forms and at different times. And when it appears, it will depend upon what form it takes as to which part of the truth must be applied. It has appeared under the forms of "instrumental music", "missionary society", "premillennialism" and others. And it is not that brethren do not know the parts of truth which apply but the form must take shape before the application can be made. A passage of scripture may be known and the truth which it teaches may be clear but it may be that when the seed of sectarianism to which it applies appears, the truth of the passage is more fully realized and it takes on added significance. We believe we have the whole truth but it takes a lot of study to make the application of it. It is when brethren become so enraptured with what they want to do and justify, that they refuse the application of the truth when it is pointed out to them, and even though they had the whole truth, they are in danger of losing it. They are in danger, 'lest at any time we should let them slip". (Heb. 2:1.)
Paul said, (Acts 26:26) that 'this thing was not done in a corner". There is no one who has a 'corner" on the truth. If anyone fails to come to a knowledge of the whole truth, they will fall short of what the Lord desires for them. To know the word of the Lord is to know the truth because the word of the Lord is truth. And our freedom from sin depends upon our knowledge of it. See Jno. 8:31,32. But many brethren today are interested in a different kind of freedom. They are interested in the kind of freedom which frees them from their obligation to be governed by the truth so they may do that which they want to do and walk in "their own ways". Many of them have become drunken with this kind of freedom. They have a "running start" in "the middle of the road" (their own ways) and have accelerated themselves to such a high rate of speed that if the "walls of Jericho" were still standing ("the wall fell down flat" in the days of Joshua) and they ran into them, there would be nothing left of them but a cloud of dust. But Brother Lemmons suggested that the way to Jericho was through Jerusalem. That being the case, the road which these brethren are traveling will never come close to Jericho because it certainly does not lead in the direction of Jerusalem. It leads more in the direction of Rome and 'we shudder to think" of what might be encountered on the other side of that.
May we study diligently to come to a full knowledge of the truth and pray earnestly for the courage to humbly submit to every part of it as we study and find the application of it.