A New Doctrine
Untenable theories often arise in the church and disturb sincere brethren. These must be refuted or some will be led away from "the faith". This is especially true when advocates of the theories are well-known, educated and occupy positions of influence. Exposing their teaching is sometimes unpleasant and unpopular, but the love of souls demands it; the purity of the church requires it. Truth is not determined by one 's influence, personality or degrees; by sophistry, human traditions and emotions, but by the word of the Lord.
The New Testament teaches that the church — congregation — cared for or distributed to certain destitude persons (Acts 4:32-35; 6:17); that it relieved — "took into the number" "widows indeed" (1 Tim. 5:8-16); that other churches sent "relief" when one congregation had more poor than it could care for (Rom. 15:26; 1 Cor. 16:1-3); that the relief was sent to the elders (Acts 11:2730). This is the "pattern", but institutional promoters are "bombarding" brethren with a new docrine. They tell us that the church cannot care for its needy. The private home cares for the needy, all the church can do is furnish the money. The benevolent society (Boles Home) is like a private home. One preacher friend wrote a nice letter to me in which he drew a parallel of the two and asked for comments. His parallel argument with my comments are given here for the benefit of others.
| Sinton Children's Home I. Consists of father and mother and their five children. Comment: This is also a father-mother home. It inheres in divine relationship: husband-wife, parent-child, etc. Man and woman were united as one flesh (Mt. 19:5); the only way that the home, in the sense used here, can be formed, It was not established by the church; if broken by death, this home (family) cannot be restored or "re-established". II. In need of physical necessities. (Unable to completely provide for self). III. Sinton congregation can support such a home from the church treasury. Comment: That depends on what you mean. The church does not contribute to a home. It may give to a needy saint to help him and dependents under certain conditions. Acts 4:35. IV. To do so is authorized by passages such as James 1:27; Matt. 25:36-31. Comment: These passages have no reference to church obligation. They set forth individual responsibility. If this was all that the Bible said about helping the needy, there would be no scriptural authority for the church to help anybody out of its treasury. V. Administration of this home is left to the parents and directors and not done by elders, etc. (spanking children, sending to school, farming, etc.) Comment: The church has no authority to assume the work of parents. However, the elders would oversee the ministering to needy saints. Acts 11:27-30. VI. This home is a corporate body (see Webster) "combined into one body, united". (See Matt. 19:5) Comment: It is a different kind of body, inheres in divine relationship. Members of the family have obligations because of the relationship. | Boles Home I. Consists of board of directors and numerous children. Comment: This is not an accurate picture. The directors are not a part of the home. They do not live with the children as parents, nor train and discipline them. Each is a member of his own home (family); has a wife and children and lives in another town. Boles home (the society with directors and officers) is one thing and the home that it provides at Quinlan (buildings, care) is something else. Some of the children who live there have parents; they are there on a room and board basis; their families visit them regularly. The organization that provides what is at Quinlan (the home) was established by the church. II. In need of physical necessities. (Unable to completely provide for self). Comment: Some of the directors are very wealthy men; they are not in need. If they occupy the place of parents, do they not have an obligation to use their money before they beg for help? The interest alone on it would probably meet the real financial needs at Quinlan. Besides, the superintendent reported (several years ago now) that Boles Home had assets worth about a million dollars. Evidently, donations are used to increase the wealth of the institution. III. Sinton congregation can support such a home from the church treasury. Comment: Here you are using the home in a different way and have a society between the church and the needy of broken families. IV. To do so is authorized by passages such as James 1:27, Matt. 25:36-41. Comment: Where is the passage that authorizes the church to operate in the field of general benevolence? These do not. God assigned this work to individuals. V. Administration of this home's left to the board of directors and not done by elders, etc. (spanking children, sending to school, farming, etc.) Comment: This is not a home with parents. It's an institution that was set up to do the work of the church. The congregation can provide for its needy without turning the work over to a society. It can buy the services and products of individuals, schools, businesses, and farms without running any of these things; without establishing an organization unknown to the Bible. The elders oversee the work of ministering to destitute persons for whom the congregation is responsible. VI. This home is a corporate body (see Webster) "combined into one body, united". Comment: What do you mean by this home? Do you mean the society or the buildings, care (home) provided by Boles Home? On one side the home means a family. Here it means a corporation that provides for the needy of many broken families. On one side the church is ministering to members of a family. Here it is giving to a board of directors made up of rich men, and the board gives to the needy. |