WAYMARKS No.43, Winter 2005/6
Report of open air Preaching
August 30th DUNSTABLE. It seems always, when one is about
to begin preaching there are a few rough looking people hanging about. So it
was today. As I began to preach one shouted at me, “Speak up! We can’t hear
you.” I spoke up. He and his friends sat on the wall next to me and there was
no further interruption. I had half expected officers of the law to arrive
seeking to prohibit my freedom of speech but this never happened. Most people
totally ignored me as they had done in the past and I suspect this state will
continue even if restrictive laws are introduced.
So
we begin as I left off eight months ago. A Bible held in my hand and a public
declaration that God has no other Book. The Holy Bible is God’s only Book. He
doesn’t need two books because He got it right the first time. Then, we preach
that there is no God but the One revealed in this Book. Next there is only one
mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
There
were no conversations ensuing so I walked back to my car. (This was a triumph
for me. I hadn’t walked alone for eight months. No I didn’t use a Zimmer
either! Yes, God does use disabled OAPs).
August 31st LUTON
TOWN CENTRE. The response was the same as yesterday. The only difference being
a lot of Muslims present but none of these taking any notice of the gospel
either. Standing for me is now limited to ten minutes at a time.
September 7th L.T.C. Today two people in this conurbation of some ¼ million souls stopped to listen to the gospel. They were still there when I
finished so I asked them if they were saved.
They told me they were saved. The lady had been saved at a Bible camp
when she was nine but had drifted for twenty years and had only recently come
back to the Lord. They were both from California.
There
was another man listening. He was sitting on a bench with his back to me, four
yards away. When I mentioned that the great apostle Peter preached repentance
and never ever called for penance I was met by a torrent of obscenity from this
man whose accent revealed him to be from a part of the British
Isles outside the UK.
Most of the winos in Luton come from either
this part of the world or Glasgow.
He made a few other threats, enough to take him off the street for a while had
there been a police officer around.
September 20th DUNSTABLE. Ashton
Square. Things are getting back to normal at last─I
had some serious heckling today. A man shouted at me as he walked past and then
a woman confronted me and raged at me for a few moments. I do not stop
preaching for this kind so I did not take in what she was shouting about.
It was
at this place several years ago I was assaulted by a Muslim woman, a Turk I
think. She asked me if all babies went to heaven if they died. I assured her
that was my belief. Even Muslim babies? Yes, God is no respecter of persons.
Eventually she asked me what I thought of Mohammed. I told her that civilized
folk would regard him as a paedophile. She then beat me about the head.
September 21st LTC. Three young people, a male and two females, had been
listening to the preaching. When I finished they emerged from their hiding place
to tell me they had been listening. They wanted me to know that God had sent
them to Luton
to make way for the revival which was about to hit us.
Well,
the town is full of such folk and has been so for many years but still no
revival! I did not regard these three as believers. The women were dressed the
same as the man. The only difference I could see, he hadn’t got paint on his
face and nails. Despite this
disobedience to the word of God they assured me that they lived according to
the Ten Commandments. Alas they were not familiar with the first one. The sad
thing is they were desperately sincere and had a zeal not found among my
brethren.
Then
this lad wanted to pray over me so that God could give me an anointing. They
appeared to be totally ignorant of the gospel of Christ.
October 9th NEW BRADWELL. On the Green. We were preaching on the
Green at the end of the road in which is our Gospel Hall. It is a cul-de-sac
made up of terraced houses with front doors opening directly on to the
pavement. When we had finished preaching we made our way to the hall to hold a
Gospel Meeting. A couple from the meeting who hadn’t joined us in the open air
followed us down the road towards the hall and found themselves accosted by
several residents who were very angry that we had preached publicly. One woman
claimed that she had been insulted by our words. I suppose this would be
regarded as a public order offence. Our friends found themselves having to make
a defence.
October19th LTC. A young man had a hand-out for
me which I stuffed in my pocket. I handed him a copy of Luke’s Gospel which he
seemed pleased to accept. I rediscovered his hand –out a week later. It was a
signed contract for a college course, giving his name and address. How strange!
I
began to preach and the motorised road sweeper arrived and continued to sweep
my bit of road, up and down, up and down. This I thought must now be the
cleanest bit of road in the EU. I prayed him off, and resumed my preaching.
A
young lady wanted to know what I was going to talk about. I told her it was the
same message as last week but she said she had never heard me before. She is a
philosopher. At least, she told me she had just passed Philosophy ‘A’ level. So
did she now have the answer to life? No, but she had covered comparative
religions and the Bible.
I was
then able to tell her that when I was 18 I started to read Philosophy but found
it so utterly boring I threw away the books I had bought on the subject. I was
searching for Truth, and I found Christ. She listened to my testimony. It
struck me she was just content to listen, although she did ask a few questions.
The
result was I stood for 45 minutes talking to her and this was the longest I had
stood for about a year. A sudden downpour brought our conversation to an abrupt
end. Pray for this young lady. She is 18 years old and her name is Sam.
The
long stand brought on leg cramps and I had difficulty moving away. (Poor
circulation, I’m told.)
October 20th DUNSTABLE AS. The vultures hovered around me today. They
thought my presence would supply them with prey. I saw them coming as I
preached. Black creatures with name
tags, “Elder Bob” or whatever. When they saw me they immediately dived on their
first target. It was an old man who had just walked past me. I saw him
gesticulate and then he turned and pointed his walking stick towards me. I hope
he advised them to listen carefully to the truth of the gospel so that they
could avoid the depths of hell. Even Mormons can get saved.
Beware
believer! Mormonism is going “mainstream”. It is being accepted in so-called
Evangelical circles. It is a false hellish cult. This pair didn’t make any
attempt to approach me.
October 23rd NEW
BRADWELL. An old woman came out of her house to complain about the preaching.
We now know that our preaching can be heard INSIDE the houses up to about 300
yds away. We do not use an amplifier. We
have found increasing hostility over the years when preaching in residential
areas. However we do stand on the village Green here in N B.
In Luton the central mosque has a tall minaret and calls to
prayer are wailed out from the top of it through an amplifier several times a
day. A local by-law prohibits this but it hasn’t made any difference over the
past few decades, and as far as I know not a soul has ever complained.
AV Verses Vindicated
Genesis
4: 7
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well,
sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be
his
desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Whether khat-taw-aw’ should be
translated “sin” or “sin offering” depends on the context. Where a sin offering
is involved it is usually obvious from the passage, as we find in the first
mention in the Bible ─ But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his
dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering. Ex.29: 14
(The
first time an offering is mentioned is in Gen. 4: 3,5 where the offerings were
voluntary.) Cain’s offering, a bloodless offering, was unacceptable to God.
Cain sinned in making such an offering and with this he was charged. If he
would not acknowledge his error, sin, lying at the door would enter and seize
hold of him, desiring to master him. Failure to master (rule over) sin in his
life would have disastrous consequences.
Those
who insist that the English Bible is defective in this reading will need to
explain how a sin offering would desire Cain, and how he could rule over it.
Matt.
27: 3, 4
Then
Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented
himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and
elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.
The word
metamellomai, here translated “repented” is used only five times
in the New Testament and is not the usual word for repent. Some don’t like the
idea of Judas repenting (though he brought forth fruit meet unto repentance) so
they tell us he did no more than “regret” his betrayal. See God’s Word to the Nations now being
quoted by one of our leading conservative evangelists.
If it is
regret here, then it must be regret in the other four places. (Matt. 21: 29,32;
2 Cor. 7: 8; Heb. 7: 21).
Luke
2: 14
Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.
B Osborne, in the neo-evangelical magazine Precious
Seed (Vol. 60, No.3, p.2), writes;
‘Peace on earth, goodwill to all
men’. That was the message of the angels to the shepherds at Bethlehem. But the coming of Jesus did not
bring peace on earth and wars have raged throughout history since then. And
‘goodwill to all men’? What of the industrial strife, disputes, family
discords, church divisions?
We do
not know where Osborne found this quaint reading. It is certainly not AV,
neither did I manage to locate it in the 30 or so versions that I checked. He
goes on to quote the NIV and several other parodies of Scripture that happen to
agree with the NIV. He seems unaware that these have all trotted out from the
same Westcott and Hort stable. These tell us it is “Peace on earth among men on
whom His favour rests.” This can mean
only one thing ─ Christ came only for the favoured few. What caused some to be
among the favoured few? Osborne tells us they are those who “receive His life”.
So Christ died only for those He knew would later “receive his life”!
We
note that God’s goodwill is removed by the modern versions and replaced by the
goodwill of men. Robertson shows that they are the usual Alexandrian mss that
make the alteration ─
Among
men in whom he is well pleased (en anthrōpois eudokias). The Textus
Receptus (Authorized Version also has eudokia, but the genitive eudokias
is undoubtedly correct, supported by the oldest and best uncials. (Aleph, A B D
W). C has a lacuna here.” – Robertson’s word Pictures.
We
believe the TR to be correct, supported as it is by the overwhelming majority
of manuscripts. Those who deny it fail to grasp the message of the angels.
There will be complete peace on earth in the ultimate fulfilment of the angelic
pronouncement.
Of
course there is peace on earth now. It is available individually through faith
in Christ to a whole human race alienated by wicked works. This alteration by
the critics is therefore a doctrinal change. It denies the doctrine of
salvation, denies the millennial reign of Christ, and supports Reformed
Theology.
Hebrew 11: 3
Through
faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that
things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
A few
modern versions change worlds to ages. This is not due to ms differences but to
interpretation. Certainly the Greek word is aion, which literally means
age but this does not make sense in this context. Ages cannot be seen. Material
things are in view This is a verse that speaks clearly of Creation. The use of katartizo
(framed) implies this.
By the Way….
How do we know what is the Lord’s will for us in our
daily actions? There are those who think what ever happens it is the Lord’s
will but this is mere fatalism. We have been made in the image of God and
within this image we have been given natural intelligence and the ability to
make choices. As a believer my choices are to be made within the framework of
Bible teaching.
One is at liberty to choose to marry or remain single.
One does not need to ask the Lord what is His will in the matter. He expects us
to make a decision according to His word. If one chooses to marry he is again
at liberty to make his own choice, only now there is guidance; it has to be “in
the Lord”. A believer may not marry an unbeliever neither may he marry a person
not in fellowship with the Lord’s people.
I heard a young man tell a young lady it was the Lord’s
will she should marry him. They had hardly spoken to each other previously. How
did the Lord speak to him on the matter? He had a sensation when their eyes met
across the Hall. The young lady very wisely replied that the Lord hadn’t spoken
to her on the subject so she would wait until He did before replying. The man
was using spiritual blackmail which is a form of bullying.
It takes a little time for two people to discover if they
are compatible. It isn’t even enough that both go to the same church.
An
experienced preacher of the gospel told his congregation, there is none too
young to be saved. What? Even babies in arms? The preacher never thought to qualify
his statement. All you have to do is come to Jesus. No repentance is required,
and no faith either, presumably. He went on to say there is none too old
either. I have visited a few geriatric wards full of old folk whose minds are
too far gone even to know their own name. What a strange gospel there is being
propagated among the Brethren.
I
spoke to an elderly sister after the meeting and pointed out that nowhere in
Scripture do we find the gospel being preached to infants. This dear lady
became very angry with me and was considerably abusive.
I
listened to two North American preachers recently. I heard them both several
times over four weeks. Neither mentioned the virgin birth of Christ, His
sinlessness, His resurrection, His deity, the need for baptism, the wickedness
of sin, repentance. There were one or two vague references to the cross. It was
all “only believism”. They were very popular.
One of
them read Isaiah 44: 22 I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy
transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins. He then assured his audience which
included at least a dozen unconverted that this applied immediately to them. He
did not explain that the words were spoken directly to Israel and have
a future fulfilment. The other preacher
had already warned the unsaved their works would be judged from out of the
books at the Great White Throne. But if their transgressions have already been
blotted out ─without the need for repentance or faith─ then the pages will have
to be blank at the Great White Throne. You can’t have it both ways. Peter knew
better when he warned the men of Israel Repent ye therefore, and be converted that
your sins may be blotted out. Acts 3: 19.
Peter
assures us that if sins are to be blotted out, repentance comes first, then
faith in Christ.
Do
we have a right to tell others what version of the Bible they should use? A
correspondent wrote to me several years ago in this vein. I quote,
"No-one has any right to tell
another what bible they should use"
Reply:
“Not even elders in the assembly? Must we tolerate confusion? Must we say
nothing when we know that modern versions are the work of unregenerate men who
have used lies and deceit to produce their work? If the elders in the assembly
may not speak on the matter, what may they speak on?”
I
wrote this reply ten years ago. The man who wrote to me has refused to shake my
hand ever since!
The
situation today is more confused. The lies and subterfuge of the Bible critics
has been well documented over these past ten years and the evidence is available
for any who care to look for it.
The Rise, Progress, and Doom of Apostasy revealed in Jude’s Epistle
Jude
tells us apostasy began in heaven. He writes of the angels which kept not
their first estate, v.6.They were in a state of rebellion against God. He describes how apostasy then continued on
earth among the Israelites that believed not. v.5. He tells how it
manifests itself in the Church era where from early days certain men crept
in unawares…denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. v.4. He
shows how this apostasy will continue and develop after the rapture until
finally the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute
judgment on all, and to convince all that are ungodly… vv.14,15.
Paul
confirmed that there will be a significant departure from the faith before the
rapture in 2 Thess. 2: 3 where the Day of Christ cannot come except there
come a falling away first. Paul used the word apostasia for “falling
away” which, interestingly, Jude did not use.
(The
only other place where apostasia is used is Acts 21: 21 where Paul was accused of
inciting the Jews to forsake Moses.)
Falling
away means literally, a defection from the truth. A born again soul cannot do
this, and those who do, apostates, would never admit it. They do not fall away
from religion or external appearances.
We
are concerned in this article with the apostasy immediately prior to the Lord’s
return. Paul speaks of this also in 1 Tim. 4: 1,
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils; Departing from the faith is apostasy. We note they do not necessarily
depart from the local church. They may remain as fully active members, and be
well respected, many of them holding office in the church, and appear as chief
men among the brethren. But they are men who have renounced what once they
believed. They may appear to hold to fundamental teaching and be very hot on church government or “Assembly
Principles” as some put it. But they are apostates and are destined for the
lake of fire.
Paul described to Timothy the character of these men in
his second epistle; self-lovers, having a form of godliness but denying the
power thereof. This form may deceive some believers into thinking they
are sound brethren, but there are other characteristics that need to be
considered.
What is it they have given heed to? ─Things that are
false because they emanate from seducing spirits and devils.
Being lovers of self they listen to that which will
glorify themselves. In this age scholarship is worshipped, and the seducing
spirits will produce their “scholars” who will be authorities on the Bible. The
devilish doctrine put forward will be “There is no single book that can
adequately be called the Word of God.” i.e. you don’t have a Bible you can
trust implicitly from cover to cover. The seduced apostate will be much taken up
with this so he will strut the platforms informing ill-taught audiences that “a
better rendering is thus and thus and our dear old AV is wrong again.”
A devil’s doctrine which is much
in the ascendancy now is that inspiration perished with the first manuscripts.
Verbal Inspiration of Scripture is denied and I add with grief that in my 50
years with the Brethren I have never heard it properly taught. Faith and
confidence in the Bible has been replaced by what is no more than German
rationalism. It is the 19th century rationalism emanating from the Tübingen school
which now pervades the whole of Christendom. The works of Eichorn, Griesbach
and Lachmann have been idolized by men from all sectors of Christendom.
What does the Scripture tell us to do about it? We learn from Jude that apostasy will be dealt
with finally by the Lord at His coming, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten
thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that
are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly
committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken
against him. These are murmerers…
v14,15,16
This judgment is after the tribulation when the Lord
returns again to earth.. This is evident from the words “with ten thousands of
his saints”. Those caught up at His coming into the air will return with Him at
His coming again to the earth.
Those
who have made hard speeches against Him will be judged. The Lord warned of this
when He said
He that rejecteth me, and
receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken,
the same shall judge him in the last day. John 12: 48
The textual critics, and those
who give heed to these seducing spirits, are those who will not receive His
word. This is evident in the thousands of changes they seek to make to the word
of God. They may be fine preachers, chief men among the brethren, but they will
not be caught up at the rapture. They are reserved for judgment.
The child of God need take no
action against these men, apart from warning against their errors, and
separating from them as Paul taught on several occasions. 1 Tim. 6: 5; 2 Tim. 2: 23; Rom. 16: 17; 2 Thess.3: 6.
Aspects of Children’s Work
Over the years I have been deeply involved in working
with children. A few days after I was saved 50 years ago I began to take a
children’s Bible class on an RAF base. Later I was responsible for a teenage
Bible class in the local assembly and assisted in the children’s “Happy
Gathering” each week. Working as
evangelist, as well as conducting extended gospel campaigns, I took series of children’s campaigns. I was
a Junior School teacher for 30 years. I have
raised seven children and have fifteen grandchildren. I think I am qualified to
write on child evangelism.
The practice among us of urging small children to “get
saved” is to be depreciated. A small child cannot understand the requirements
of the gospel but will\often be anxious to please. Telling children to ask
Jesus into their heart is a false gospel which will produce many an apostate in
later years.
We are told that small children can have a simple faith.
Faith in whom and what, we ask. We are told that the Lord would have small
children come to Him. On what terms, we ask.
Gospel preaching in the book of Acts was to adults and
often commenced with “Men and brethren….”. The response of those who believed,
taking the Ethiopian as an example, was “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son
of God”. If a small child tells us he is
saved, we would like to know what brought him to this understanding that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God. How does he know this to be true? Simple faith will
not give an answer. But what about his coming to Jesus as a child? We ask,
where do we read that the Lord bade any child approaching Him to repent and
believe the gospel?
Greater
care must be taken in receiving the children of church members into fellowship.
These have been well saturated in the gospel.
Many of those who respond show little evidence of new life.
The
majority of those in assembly fellowship today are the children, and
grandchildren, of those in fellowship. They were encouraged to “get saved”
while still infants (under the age of eight). So they asked Jesus into their
hearts, because of a desire to please their parents. We now have a generation in fellowship who do
not know the Lord. These may be orthodox in their beliefs, but very worldly.
Are
we then to abandon children’s work? Not at all! Teach the Bible. Teach gospel
truths. Do not press for decisions. In some assemblies the children are
rewarded when they will ask for baptism. This writer, from an ungodly home,
believes that Scriptures heard in Sunday School had a great bearing on his
conversion when, at the age of 19, he heard the gospel preached for the first
time.
Conversion
is an adult experience. It has to be preceded by conviction of sin. What seven
year old has done this? It is followed by a recognition and acknowledgment that
Christ was our substitute upon the cross. It will be done with the
understanding that our sin-bearer is Himself the Son of God.
An apology for the Common English Bible
(This is an excerpt from the book with this title by Arthur Cleveland Coxe, 1857.
It demonstrates that Burgon’s voice was not the only one raised against a revision of the Bible in the 19th century.Bible believers have always stood against rationalistic interference with the Scriptures )
Can it be necessary to argue that no one can inflict a graver wound on
the unity of the race, and on all the sacred
interests which depend on that unity, under god,
than by tampering with the English Bible ? By the acclamation of
the universe, it is the most faultless version of the Scriptures that ever
existed in any tongue. To complain of its
trifling blemishes, is to complain of the sun for its spots. Whatever
may be its faults, they are less evil, in every way, than would be the evils
sure to arise from any attempt to eradicate them; and where there is so much of wheat, the few tares may be allowed to
stand till the end of the world. Two centuries, complete, have identified
even its slightest peculiarities with the whole literature, poetry, prose, and
science, as well as with the entire thought and theology of those ages, and the
time, to all appearance, is forever past, when any alteration can be made in
it, without a shock to a thousand holy things, and to the pious sensibilities
of millions.
The care with which the Hebrews guarded every jot and tittle of their
Scriptures was never reproved by our saviour. It is
our duty and interest to imitate them in the jealousy with which god's Holy "Word is kept in our own
language. Even the antiquated words of the English Bible will never become
obsolete, while they are preserved in the amber of its purity ; and there, they
have a precious beauty and propriety which they would lack elsewhere. The
language lives there in its strength, as in a citadel, and knows no damage,
while it keeps that house like a strong man armed. He who would rub off those
graceful marks of age which adorn our version, vulgarizes and debases
that venerable dignity with which the first ideas of religion came to the
youthful mind and heart from the old and hoary Bible. But it is a graver
thought, that no individual, and no set of individuals, can leave even a mark
upon the Bible, in these days, without disfiguring and injuring it, in the
estimation of the great majority of readers. No commission from the Queen, no
concurrence of the Universities, no act of Convocation of the Church of England herself, could make any change involving
matter of faith, opinion, or even of taste, that could be accepted so
universally, as is the work in its integrity, as it now exists, petty faults
and infinite merits together. The best and the most that can be done, even in
England, is to ensure the strict preservation of the text and its accessories,
as they are according to the present standards. For, granting all that can be
said against the present translation, the question is, can any other that can
now be made, become what this is, to the world ? It will not do for England to take
an insular view of this question, nor for us to take an American one. It is of
the utmost consequence, that the whole Anglo-Saxon
people should have one Bible, as one god.
It is of vast consequence to Christendom, that there should not be a multiplication of Bibles, every
sect setting forth its own. It is of the highest importance, as every
thoughtful Christian will admit, that the unhappy divisions which now exist, should not be made manifold more and greater, as would certainly be the case,
should this idea of sectarian Bibles gain the ascendant. For who does not feel it all important that Christians
should re-unite, and not increase their quarrels ? Who does not deplore the existing estrangements among
professed disciples of christ ? Who would not suffer the loss
of many things for the sake of bringing all "who love the lord jesus christ in sincerity," into one accord, and one
mind, that all might strive, together, for the faith of the Gospel!
The movement, in England,
which has made some little stir in Parliament, in behalf of a new translation,
seems to have been set on foot by parties confessedly averse to the great
doctrinal truths of the Gospel.
What is wrong with the Brethren?
(There is nothing wrong
with New Testament “church” teaching)
1. They have a false
rallying cry.
It is “We gather to the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ”. The Brethren have produced a number of works
defending this slogan. One such work is Gathering unto His Name by N Crawford
and was published in 1985 by Truth and
Tidings, an American Brethren magazine. There is no Scripture calling
believers to gather unto His Name. The phrase is an invention of the Exclusive
Brethren. It is found in the hymn Gathered
to Thy name Lord Jesus, written by C. Anne Wellesley, a member of the Exclusive Brethren. The hymn is retained in
Penfold’s Gospel Hymn Book. This hymn
book is very popular among assemblies in Northern Ireland.
The phrase is built on a
mutilation of Scripture, For where two
or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst. Mtt.18:
There are some who make a
play of the first “in”. They want to make it read “unto my name” on the grounds
that the preposition eis may be translated “unto”. J N Darby appears to be the first (and only
translator, that I can find) who makes this change. The change was made in
order to promote an ecclesiastical system. The system became known as Exclusive
Brethrenism and is now as much a false cult as any can be. We note that
Exclusive Brethren continue to proclaim they gather to the name of the Lord
Jesus. (see Stephen Hesterman; Plymouth
Brethren.com).
“Unto” is an archaic word
and has been replaced almost entirely by “to” (not “in”) in modern usage.. Eis is translated by many English
prepositions; to, into. in, throughout, for, unto, by, at, among, against,
upon, toward, on, concerning. “In” is used at least 70 times, so we may deduce
there is no reason at all why it should not be “in” in Matt. 18: 20.
The phrase is use to set up
an ecclesiastical boundary. Outside are
the denominations and systems of men. They are regarded as gathered to a
system, e.g. Methodism, or another name; Wesleyan, or a practice, e.g. Baptist.
etc. They are regarded as “Christendom”.
The use of the phrase
“gathered unto His name” takes us to 1 Cor. 1: 12 where we read every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I
of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
Those saying they were of
Christ were the most spiritually arrogant. They were claiming a higher standing
than all other believers. So today, many of those “gathering unto His name”
refer to themselves as Assemblies of Christian Brethren. I contacted a few
assemblies listed in Hill’s Book of Assembly Addresses to confirm this. They
appropriate to themselves a title which belongs to all those born again by the
Spirit of God.
2. They have a false
gospel
The error is more in what is
omitted rather than in what is said. Essentially there is no call for
repentance made. There is no warning given of final judgment. There is no
teaching that one must believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. There is
scant reference to the person of Christ. The cross is hardly touched upon. The
Brethren’s gospel is more an emotional appeal to be saved rather than a
preaching of Christ crucified. The resurrection is not spoken of nor His coming
in Judgment. Certain passages are never preached on, such as Luke 16, The rich
man in hell, or Rev. 20, The Great White Throne.
Emphasis is placed on the individual
gaining happiness in this life.
3. They have a false bible
In early days emphasis was
given to Darby’s New Translation. It was the bible of the Brethren. Few could
explain why they considered it to be
superior to the AV Bible. Also high regard was given to the RV for reasons
which appear obscure; this version quickly became obsolete. Now the NKJB and
the NIV are given prominence and the AV is decried publicly by almost all those
engaged in public preaching.
The rejection of the AV Bible
has led to much false teaching. An example may be seen in false translation of
2 Thess.2: 2 by the Brethren. They deny the Scripture, God was manifest in the
flesh. They reject 1 John 5: 7-8. they shift the atoning work of Christ to the
three hours of darkness instead of being at His death.
The acceptance of the
Critical Text underlying most modern versions is due to the influence of 19th
Century German rationalism.
4. They have a false
baptism
The emphasis the brethren
give is not in the answer of a good conscience
toward God (1 Pet. 3:21),
but in a public show to draw others. Baptism is used as an initiation rite into
the assembly. The majority of those baptized are the children of assembly
members. These do not usually speak of Biblical conversion experiences but of
when as small children they “asked Jesus into their hearts”.
5. They have a false
government.
Assemblies
are ruled by an oversight comprising several brethren. As most assemblies are
very small the control is often in the hands of one man.
Historically
oversights (this term indicating a collective oversight is not found in
Scripture) have been self perpetuating. From time to time brethren are invited
to join the oversight. There is of course no Scripture for this procedure.
Those invited are not selected because of their labours among the saints in
shepherding and teaching; rather because they will uphold the views of those
already ruling. The main exercise of oversights is to get the members to
conform to their decrees. There has always been a degree of interference in the
personal lives of the members. Members are taught to show unquestioning loyalty
to the leaders. Their decisions may not be challenged or even questioned.
If
an oversight exists it must be recognized as ordained of God. We assume by this
that Diotrophese was God’s chosen man. The oversight must be obeyed implicitly
whether they are seen to be wrong by all or not. This is cultism.
6.
They have a false class of teachers .They will not separate from evil.
The
most conservative brethren are willing to preach in liberal assemblies and to
work alongside those who hold to error. They are prepared to have fellowship
with those who blaspheme the name of Christ rather than risk losing a preaching
engagement. There is at least one assembly where a man has been in fellowship
who has publicly taught the Lord could sin. This does not prevent our teaching
brethren from sitting down and breaking bread with him.
Undiscerning
secretaries will invite men to preach because their names have appeared on the
circuit cards and other assemblies have accepted them. So a secretary not holding to the errors of
Calvinism invites a man to preach who holds to a limited atonement, because he
is a leading Brethren teacher.
They
will not permit their teaching to be challenged.
Preachers
from liberal assemblies are not barred from the platforms of more conservative
assemblies, particularly if they can draw a crowd. One such goes about preaching that the Lord
did NOT die for all.
None
of the public men are prepared to name a bible they can trust implicitly as the
word of God from cover to cover. But
they do nevertheless claim to be authorities on what is Scripture and use the
Critical Text to form their own circle of clerisy. The ordinary believer cannot
know what is Scripture and what is gloss so they must approach the men of
authority, who themselves have drawn from the polluted wells of infidelity.
7. They have no pastors
The
only place where pastors are mentioned in the N T, is at Eph. 4: 11, And
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers.
The
Greek word poimēn means literally, a
shepherd. It is translated 16 times thus in the N T and once as Pastor. It
denotes the shepherd care of the elder or overseer.
Brethren
do not recognize pastors, because they think by implication it shows one man to
be in charge, which they claim is a characteristic of apostate Christendom.
They ignore the fact that most assemblies are each in the control of one man.
It is rare to find a man with a true shepherd
heart in assembly fellowship. Governing bodies are preferred. If a sheep should
be found to be straying he made need disciplining or excommunication. There
will not be a shepherd seeking him out on the hills ready to carry him lovingly
back to the flock. Pastoral work as seen in Eph. 4: 11 is linked to teaching.
i.e. feeding.
8. They have false terms
for fellowship
In
many assemblies there are no conditions laid down for fellowship other than
that the person requesting fellowship is a baptized believer. Jehovah’s
Witnesses make this claim and have on at least one occasion known to the writer
presented themselves for fellowship at a Gospel Hall. Likewise charismatics
make the same claim.
On
the other hand some assemblies require a letter of commendation and as long as
one is presented a person will be accepted. Their home assembly, if it exists,
may be unsound doctrinally. The personal doctrines and practices of the person
requesting fellowship may be unscriptural but this is of no consequence if they
can produce a letter.
Men
holding and teaching false and even blasphemous views are allowed to remain in
fellowship. Prof. F F Bruce was a notorious apostate but he was influential
among the brethren so he remained in fellowship. We can cite others. Some
Brethren teachers hold to a Limited Atonement. Others encourage the remarriage
of divorcees within the fellowship.
9.
They use the unscriptural term “The Assemblies”
Use
of the term “The Assemblies” sets a denominational boundary. It is used instead
of speaking of local churches, to define a religious system, and to differentiate
themselves from all others. They argue that they are not a denomination, which
they patently are to all observers. It is insisted that the word church has
connotations that suggests it means no more than the building. Believers have
never had any problem with this New Testament word, knowing it refers to a
gathered company of believers.
Assembly
is a secular word. Church is a properly translated Bible word.
What is the answer?
Brethren
will speak of the autonomy of the local assembly. By this they claim they are
self governing but will hasten to add that really the Holy Spirit is ruling in
the assembly. But assemblies are locked into a circle of fellowship and its
members are strongly influenced by what is believed and practiced in other
assemblies. If the belief and practice is scriptural so well and good, but this
is not always the case. All accept the false rallying cry. All accept the “no
reliable bible” philosophy.
J
Hay in his booklet Which Church writes
The autonomous character of local assemblies is a
safeguard against false teaching. Error affecting one assembly will not
necessarily corrupt another; but if a central authority exists, Satan need only
invade it with his evil teaching and this diabolical doctrine will then be
pushed out to every congregation in the group.
The
Brethren have a central authority, the circuit teachers, who are united in
pushing out a most diabolical lie that God’s word is best found in the Critical
Text. They do so because this is the very core of Brethrenism.
The
answer is not in autonomy but in independence. If the local assembly is
independent it may still enjoy fellowship with other like-minded gatherings but
will not be influenced by the majority of assemblies which are now apostate.
Bible criticizing preachers must be denied access to the platform. They cannot be accepted simply because they are
popular among the Brethren at large.
Being
independent means there will be individuals and assemblies with whom one will
not have fellowship. Those who appear to be sound in faith and practice yet
associate with those who are not will not be free to take the platform.
Greater
care must be taken in receiving the children of members into fellowship. Many
of these show little evidence of new life.
The
majority of those in assembly fellowship today are the children of Brethren
parents. They were encouraged to “get saved” while still infants (under the age
of eight). They asked Jesus into their hearts, because of a desire to please
their parents. We note that the New Testament gospel was preached to adults.
So
we have a generation in fellowship now who do not know the Lord. These tend to
be orthodox in their beliefs, but very worldly.
Where
the symptoms of apostasy are resisted, it is still possible to have a healthy
fellowship. Where a local church is truly independent, it need not be affected
by false system practices. So we must not throw the baby out with the bath
water. True Scriptural practices are precious to us and particularly we think
of the gathering for the breaking of bread.
It
is good to be free of the wrong practices of professing Christendom. I have
seen people kneeling at the altar while the priest places a piece of bread on
their tongue. I have witnessed in another place the priest passing around the
company handing a piece of bread, and then the cup to individuals. I have been
present when all the congregation simultaneously swallow their piece of bread
and then drink from their personal cups. May God preserve us from all of this.
We keep the ONE cup and the ONE bread. A brother will give thanks, then ALL
break the bread as it is passed round, and ALL drink from the ONE cup. Anything
else is a departure from New Testament practice.
The
silence of the sisters is to the glory of God. Their head covered is a
testimony to their submission and is a recognition of headship. All be it the
covering is alas not much more than lip service in these days of apostasy, for
usually the head is not COVERED. All the hair must be hidden if the word of God
is to be obeyed.
THE
EXCELLENCY OF THE
SCRIPTURES
0 blessed Book,
the Bible!
A glory shines within,
And points the way to
heaven,
From sorrow and from sin:
It tells me I am ruined,
And far from God and right,
Yet leaves me not to wander
In paths of endless night.
No other book is like it,
In sickness and in
health,
It is a balm, a treasure,
A mine of precious wealth:
No tongue can speak its value,
But hearts its worth can feel,
When quickened by the Spirit, :
When quickened by the Spirit, :
The witness, and the seal.
This Book of inspiration
Tells of a second birth,
And proves the gift of
heaven,
To thousands here on earth;
Yea, millions now in glory,
Who taste its fullest bliss,
Know its great Author better,
Know its great Author better,
And see Him as He is.
anon.
This poem is taken from Waymarks Vol.X; no.5,
1938. The sub-heading to these magazines was “A Magazine established in the
interests of all Strict Baptists who seek humbly and faithfully to abide by the
Word of God as their final appeal in all matters relating to faith and
practice”.
My Waymarks was first established in the interests
of those meeting in Gospel Halls (commonly known as Brethren) and for similar
reasons. I am heartened to discover it has now a wider appeal. I was never a
strict Baptist.
This issue of Waymarks, no.43, is strictly no.50
because the first seven issues were simply called “Newsletter” while I tried to
think of a suitable title.
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