Give An Answer
When a question arises in religious matters it deserves an answer. These questions must be answered with the utmost conviction. Questions about the weather or politics may be passed quietly by, but not religious matters.
In the present-day issues, attitudes have been expressed or shown. Answer with conviction — does the following express your attitude?
1. "I want to condemn every work. Do nothing!" If your answer to this is "yes", you have no beginning place and nothing can be done.
2. "I want to find a way to do everything that is being done in the brotherhood, in a way that all will accept. Let's all help each other in any project, just so long as it is the 'church of Christ' doing it. Do anything!" If your answer to this is "yes" you have no stopping place, and anything can be done.
3. Or is this your conviction? "I want to do what the Lord said to do, as the Lord gave authority in His word!" My brother, if this is your conviction you have both a beginning place and a stopping place! Now if this is what you want, listen to these verses as you have never listened before. "0 Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." (Jer. 10:23.) Let the Lord direct. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa. 55:8,9.) The Lord's way is best. "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26.) If the apostles did not teach it, it should not be taught nor believed! "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16:13.) If what you are doing is not what the apostles taught, then you are following the wrong guide and are not walking in the truth! "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." (Acts 20:27.) Where did Paul declare what you are doing? "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Where do the scriptures teach what you are doing? "According as his divine power bath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue." (II Peter 1:3.) Has "his divine power" given what you are doing? If it has, it "pertains to life and godliness," but if it has not, it pertains to death and ungodliness. "Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things that are written ...." (I Cor. 4:6.) The Holy Spirit saw the need of giving this warning! How we should take heed today! "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God . . ." (I Pet. 4:11.) "Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the mount." (Heb. 8:1-5.) If it was necessary for Moses to follow the pattern pertaining to the tabernacle which man built, how much more necessary for us to work and worship in harmony with the teaching pertaining to the tabernacle that the Lord built. "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God." (II John 9.)
As people who love the Lord and desire to be governed by His word, let us think carefully about what His word has said, for by it we will be judged.
Now With Conviction Answer These Questions:
1. Can the church, as God gave it, do all the work that God intended it to do? If your answer to this is "no", then the church as God gave it is imperfect.
2. Can an organization that is not the church do the work of the church" If your answer to this is "yes" then the church is not necessary to do its work. If your answer is "no" then Boles Home and all such must not be supported by the church to do the work of the church.
3. Can the church, out of the treasury of the church, support an organization outside of the church, just because that organization is doing a good work? If your answer to this is "yes", the church can support anything! If your answer is "no", Boles Home and all such should not be supported out of the treasury of the church, for brother Oler says, "Boles Home is not an organization within the church and will never be."
4. Can the elders of the church oversee a business enterprise as a work of the church? If your answer to this is "no", then all institutional organizations are with out this scope of operation. Just check the kinds of business that they carry on. If your answer is "yes", then we should put the church into all kinds of business and let the elders oversee it.
5. Can the church go into business for gain to support itself? If your answer is "yes", then we should put the church into business and demand that the members support that business. If your answer is "no", you should check what great farming business some are already in.
If the word of the Lord has made regulations, (and no one would deny it) you must with conviction occupy some position. If you find the position that you take is out of harmony with the word of truth, have the courage to admit that you are wrong, and the love of truth in your heart to change, and the honesty to admit that you have changed, and pray to the Lord that you will always be ready to change your teaching and practice to conform to His will.
Do You Occupy One Of These Positions? ....
1. Orphans homes, such as Tipton and Lubbock, must be under the oversight of elders. If your answer is "no", all the ones that are under elders are condemned. If your answer is "yes" then the ones that are not under elders are condemned. And if "yes" the elders are overseeing many kinds of secular work.
2. Orphan homes, such as Boles, must not be under the oversight of elders. If your answer to this is "yes" then the work done by them cannot be the work of the church, because the elders are to oversee the church.
3. Orphan homes, such as Boles, Lubbock and Tipton, may or may not be under the oversight of elders. If your answer to this is "yes", then we have the same situation that existed under the judges, "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.' I hope things are not so that every man does as he pleases. I can't believe that it is that bad. What position do you take? There is another. Maybe this is it:
4. Congregations must care for its needy within the organization of that congregation. If your answer to this is "yes" then all institutional homes are contrary to scripture.
Also you must take a position as to the scope of the work done by the elders of the church. Do you take the position that ....
1. Elders may work oversee a national or brotherhood? OR ....
2. Elders may oversee the work of one congregation only. "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof . . . ." (I Peter 5:2.)
A clear understanding with firm conviction and forthright answers to these attitudes, questions and positions will help you, I think, in doing the will of the Lord.