"That Shall He Also Reap"
Read the article on the front page by Sewell Hall. It has to do with the uneasiness some of our brethren feel as they watch Brother Pat Boone increasingly align himself with, participate in, and endorse denominational programs of error and false teaching. There have been a considerable number of church bulletins carrying comments on the subject; the Christian Chronicle has carried a number of "letters to the Editor" both condemning and commending Pat's participation in such programs — and several of them really "socking it to" Pat's critics.
Frankly, we rather feel that the whole thing is a lot of tempest in a pot of tea. But the aspect that is a bit puzzling is the attitude of many brethren who have commended Pat all through the years, lionized him, exploited him (that's right — that is the word we wanted to use), and pointed to him as a shining example of how it was possible for a Christian to be a popular movie star and a faithful and humble follower of Christ all at the same time, and then react with amazement and astonished chagrin when Pat follows the logical, natural, and predictable course of such an endeavor! From the kind of teaching that has been prevalent in many quarters these past two decades we would opine that there are thousands of disciples who fully share Pat's feeling that they "cannot say with assurance what He (God) is or is not pleased with." This is a perfectly natural consequence of belittling and degrading the authority of God's word. If, indeed, we are to "do many things for which we have no authority," then who is to draw the line on any particular practice or teaching? How can we "say with assurance" that God is, or is not, pleased with Oral Robert's "faith healing?" And when many of our own brethren are claiming to speak with tongues, and the "underground Church of Christ" is flourishing on several college campuses, who can fault Pat for being confused?
For more than a third of a century the Gospel Guardian writers have been pointing to the dangers inherent in any effort to minimize the authority of the written word. For, as all students of church history know, once the bars are lowered, there is no stopping place. The sad history of the Disciples of Christ gives eloquent testimony to that depressing truth. We doubt that there was a single preacher in the Disciples of Christ group at the turn of the century who would not have been shocked by any statement to the effect that one "cannot know God's mind sufficiently to say with assurance what He is and is not pleased with." In other words, Brother Boone (and a great company with him) has already gone far, far past the point on the apostate road where the Disciples preachers were at the turn of the century. But the one common denominator of both groups is: they minimize the authority of the written word.
It was just a hundred years ago, in the 1860's, that Moses E. Lard edited his great "Quarterly." Only five volumes of it were ever issued, and the fifth volume was terminated with the publication of the second quarter (April, 1869). In these writings Lard stoutly defended the Missionary Societies, and did so on the basis that they were "doing a good work." He stated frankly that the Societies "are not provided for in the New Testament, but originate in the discretion of men." With skill and irrefutable logic he established the right of such organizations to exist and to function, once given his initial assumption. And that assumption was just about identical with the position now being taken by Brother Boone and so many others: namely, God's word is not sufficiently clear to give us an exact and unequivocal expression of God's will; we cannot assume that we can say with any positive assurance what is, and what is not, pleasing to Him.
Lard's position was that "God wants the gospel preached; but he has not told us how to do it. Therefore, the Societies offer an acceptable and productive method for preaching the gospel." Modern applications of this teaching are: "God wants the orphans cared for; but has not told us how to do it. Therefore church supported institutional homes can do the job." Or again, "God wants the young people given good teaching and good training; but He has not told us how to do it. Therefore, the churches may establish recreation centers, summer camps, and various agencies and organizations to provide the needed teaching and training including Christian colleges."
The whole thing can be pretty well summed up in a law that no legislature or court of men will ever repeal or abolish: "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." For a whole generation now the evil seed has been sowed; men who should have known better have championed one thing after another, all on the basis that they are "doing good," with little or no regard to Bible authority. The harvest should surprise no one. And, mark our words for it, that harvest is really just beginning! Pat Boone may, or may not, continue and increase his support and encouragement of false teachers; but regardless of what Pat does, there will be scores of others, and eventually hundreds and thousands, who will exhibit in their own lives and attitudes the fruits of the teaching they have received. The harvest is certain; the seed has been sown; the fruit will be forth coming.
— F. Y. T.