A PREACHERS FEAR OF TRUTH VS HIS LOVE OF TRUTH

Why do some preach differently on the "form of doctrine" (Romans 6:17-18) regarding God's plan of salvation?

Because of the CHIEF TRAIT of a false teacher: FEAR OF PERSECUTION FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST [Gal. 6:12, "Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, SIMPLY SO THAT THEY WILL NOT BE PERSECUTED FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST."]

Otherwise, they would preach what the Lord's apostles preached when telling a sinner, [under conviction] how to "call upon the name of the Lord".

The apostle Paul here is addressing false teachers! It is THEIR fear of suffering persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST!

This is not just persecution in that it is hardship in general; this is persecution over what you preach on how to be saved.

What was the answer given IN THE BIBLE, that will cause persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST? It is to preach BELIEF, REPENTANCE, CONFESSION OF FAITH, BAPTISM FOR REMISSION.

Find a preacher who is not preaching THAT "form of doctrine", and you will find a preacher who fears to do so because he fears persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST!

To be saved by the Lord, is to be saved by the preaching that the Lord authorized and commanded the apostles to preach (for which they suffered persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST - 2 Tim. 2:9).

A preacher who fears to preach truth on how to be saved is likened to the 'hireling' of which Jesus spoke of in John 10:11-13, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep."

The apostle Paul attributed his persecutions FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST, to preachers who preached, not out of love for lost souls, but to stop him from preaching FAITH, REPENTANCE, CONFESSION, AND BAPTISM. He explained this in his letter to the Philippians in chapter 1:12-17, "Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to ca-use me distress in my imprisonment."

Preach anything other than this "form of doctrine" [BELIEF, REPENTANCE FROM SIN, CONFESSION OF FAITH, & BAPTISM FOR REMISSION OF SINS]; and there will be no persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST. However, in doing so, you will declare to those who know what the apostles’ taught on the “form of doctrine” that frees a sinner from sin, your own fear of persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST. You will place yourself in the company of those of John 12:43, who, “loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God”.

But if you preach this “form of doctrine” [BELIEF, REPENTANCE FROM SIN, CONFESSION OF FAITH, & BAPTISM FOR REMISSION OF SINS]; you will declare: your love for truth; for lost souls; that you are “set for the defense of the gospel”; and you will be in company with Timothy, fighting “the good fight of faith” [1 Tim. 6:12, 18].

Jesus said it this way, "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” [John 3:20-21].

The apostle Paul warned of those who would preach so as to make disciples of themselves, rather than of the Lord. He said, “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, TO DRAW AWAY DISCIPLES AFTER THEM. [Acts 20:29-30]

The church that Jesus promised to “build” (Matt. 16:18); has become divided into denominational bodies because of this change in the “form of doctrine” on how to be saved.

The sinner doesn’t know that there is a “form of doctrine” that will save him, nor does he know that there is “another gospel” (Gal. 1:6-9).

But the preacher who reads what “form of doctrine” the apostles’ preached in the book of Acts, will know.  Should he THEN continue to preach “another gospel”, God’s curse is upon him.

The “FORM OF DOCTRINE”, that a preacher preaches regarding HOW a sinner is saved, reveals which is stronger in that preacher’s life; his FEAR OF the truth, or his LOVE FOR the truth.

Let each preacher ask himself in regard to his preaching on the “form of doctrine”, the questions asked by the apostle Paul in Gal. 1:10: “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."

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Haddon Robinson observed:

Men have preached a lie, knowing it's a lie if, in preaching it, they have put gold in their pockets.
Men have preached a lie, knowing it's a lie if, when preaching it, they have achieved power and authority.

But men do NOT preach a lie, knowing it's a lie if, every time they preach it, they are courting imprisonment, persecution, poverty, and death.

It is contrary to all human experience for men to go out and spend their lives preaching a lie, knowing it's a lie, if every time they preach it, they are ostracized from the community, hounded by the authorities, and turned into the laughingstock of society.

And yet THAT is precisely the penalty the early Christians paid for preaching that salvation was ONLY possible by faith thru repentance from sin, confession of Jesus as the Christ, and immersion in water into the death of Jesus Christ.

This was the "form of doctrine" (Romans 6:17-18) preached to a sinner throughout the book of Acts.

Note carefully that it was NOT until this was OBEYED that forgiveness came to them ~ "...being THEN made free from sin....NOT BEFORE OBEDIENCE!

Abraham's WORKS: meritorious or obedient?

To the Jews which believed on him, yet trusted in their physical heritage, Jesus said, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the WORKS of Abraham...

What "WORKS" of Abraham were meant?

The Bible answers this for us in James 2:14-24 [note especially verse 21]

14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,

16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?

17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

21 WAS NOT ABRAHAM OUR FATHER JUSTIFIED BY WORKS WHEN HE OFFERED UP ISAAC HIS SON ON THE ALTAR?

22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;

23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.

24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

In Gen. 22:18 God said to Abraham, "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, BECAUSE YOU HAVE OBEYED MY VOICE." [see also Gen. 18:19; 22:3, 10; 26:5 on Abraham's obedience]

Faith that is only a "verbal" profession; apart from obedience will not save.

From James 2, we learn:

Faith, if it has no WORKS, is dead, being by itself. v. 17

Faith without WORKS is useless v. 20

Faith was working with his WORKS, and as a result of the WORKS, faith was perfected v. 22

A man is justified by WORKS and not by faith alone v. 24

In all these verses, where the word "WORKS" is found, it means OBEDIENCE.

Each of these verses can be read and the word OBEDIENCE can be put in place of WORKS, because obedience was what the "works" of Abraham were.

Obedience cannot exist without something to obey, and that "something" is a command from God. In the offering of Isaac, it was not Abraham's idea to do so, but a command from God to do it. That is why obedience is not a work "of merit".

We cannot be saved by "EARNING" our salvation through any works of our own doing.

What classifies as a work of merit?

IT IS ANYTHING THAT WE DO THAT IS NOT FOUND TO BE A COMMAND OF GOD IN THE BIBLE.

IT IS ANYTHING THAT IS "PRESUMED" TO BE A GOOD WORK (PRESUMPTION IS ALWAYS SINFUL - Psalm 19:13; 2 Peter 2:10).

When there is a command from God to act, any "work" will NEVER be justified on the basis of silence (i.e., "the bible doesn't say we can't")

A command from God in the bible provides us with the authority to act (walk) "by faith" in any/every area of our life.

Eph. 2:8-10 contrasts works of merit with God's works per His grace. [Grace teaches - Titus 2:11-12]. God purposed for man to be obedient to HIM, not Satan. Thus the giving of commands.

Commands prove, by means of simple obedience, who fears God.

Commands prove, by means of simple obedience, who loves God.

The Lord taught, "If you love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:15)

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

Abraham was saved by faith, which worked through love. God commanded him, and he obeyed.

So likewise, will you and I be saved. We are all under the same commands today ~ the gospel.

The gospel contains a uniform "form of doctrine" to be preached; for it has commands from Christ that are to be obeyed [Rom. 6:17-18].

These commands are:

Faith, repentance, confession of faith, and baptism in water. All of these were preached to sinners in the book of Acts.

AFTER their obedience, sinners were saved from their past sins.

Maintaining good works is being obedient to commands. (Titus 3:8, 14)

Obedience is adding to one's faith as directed in 2 Peter 1:5-11.

Don't be mis-led by anyone who suggests in any way that the Bible teaches that you are saved by faith ALONE! As with Abraham, faith without obedience is DEAD.

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Standing in the COUNSEL of God: THE REASON WHY

The importance of preaching the Lord's will.

From the text of Jeremiah 23 - notice especially verse 22!

1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord.
2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. 

Then, beginning with verse 9:

Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me;
all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the Lord and because of his holy words.
For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up.
Their course is evil, and their might is not right.
“Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their evil, declares the Lord.
Therefore their way shall be to them like slippery paths in the darkness, into which they shall be driven and fall, for I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment, declares the Lord.
In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.
But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his evil; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.”
Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with bitter food and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”
Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.
They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’”
For who among them has stood in the council of the Lord
to see and to hear his word, or who has paid attention to his word and listened?
Behold, the storm of the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked.
The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it clearly.
“I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.
BUT IF THEY HAD STOOD IN MY COUNCIL, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE PROCLAIMED MY WORDS TO MY PEOPLE, AND THEY WOULD HAVE TURNED THEM FROM THEIR EVIL WAY, AND FROM THE EVIL OF THEIR DEEDS.
“Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away?
Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.
I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ 26 How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart,
who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal?
Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the Lord.
Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who steal my words from one another.
Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the Lord.’
Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the Lord, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the Lord.

If you "stand in the council of the Lord" when you preach, you will preach the same message that the apostles preached in explaining HOW to "call upon the name of the Lord".

Where do you find the apostles ever telling people to "pray the sinner's prayer"?

Instead, what DID they say? ---->Acts 2:38; 3:19 etc.

This is what Jesus COMMANDED them to preach!
see Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47-49

Does YOUR preacher "stand in the council of the Lord" when he preaches on the new birth?

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FROM ONE CHURCH TO MANY ~ HOW/WHY IT HAPPENS

An instrument of music was introduced into the worship at Midway, Kentucky about 1858. This innovation moved slowly among churches in the North and finally came to the South about 1900. Of course, the church support of the missionary society and other central collecting and disbursing organizations came with the instrument. The intra church organizations also came along about the same time, as well as church sponsored entertainment and fraternization with the Protestant denominations who taught that one is saved at the point of faith before obedience.

If a stranger had come to some little town in the early part of this century and had inquired as to the location of the meeting place of the church, some local man might have asked, "Which one?" The stranger might then have asked; "What is the difference?" He would have been told that one used instruments of music and the other did not. Division usually came when the instrument was added. Actually, the social gospel and the church support of manmade institutions also marked the difference, but these facts were not so conspicuous to the neighbors at first. Even the churches themselves gave almost nothing but lip service to the societies with an occasional small token gift of money.

The greatest difference of all was not seen or generally realized. THE REAL DIFFERENCE WAS IN THE ATTITUDE TOWARD THE BIBLE. Those who brought in the innovations would say that the Bible does not say that we should not have these things. To them the silence of the scriptures meant liberty to add samples of human wisdom. Those who did not approve of the instrument and the societies pointed out that these things were without New Testament authority. They were not commanded, implied, or taught by approved example. To them it was a sin to go beyond that which was written (2 John 1:9; Rev. 22:18-19; 1 Peter 4:11; 2 Peter 1:3). Those who approved the changes thought of themselves as progressives. They were bringing in the things that were similar to the practices of the neighboring religious bodies so they would not be so "narrow" (different). In their sight, those who opposed the innovations were non-progressives. Then, as always, the church division was accompanied by bitterness. One group thought that the others were fanatics, hair-splitters, moss backs, antis, and non-progressives even though they were teaching and practicing what their fathers and grandfathers and the Bible taught.

The "progressives" carried most of the members in this movement which was more popular with the religious organizations about them. It was a move in their direction. The progressives wanted to be more acceptable to their neighbors. They were tired of the word "narrow" even though our Lord spoke of the way that leads to life as being narrow (Matt. 7:13, 14). Finer buildings were erected, kitchens were added, and plans were made to have more fun and "fellowship." There was less emphasis on the fellowship often mentioned in the New Testament. That fellowship was with God and with fellow soldiers in earnestly contending for the faith. The battle with denominational errors in faith and practice gradually came to a halt where the instrument and other innovations came into favor. The progress of the progressives was not in winning the fight against error in the good warfare (1 Tim. 1:18; 2 Tim. 4:7; Eph. 6:10-20).

Emotionalism and sensationalism came with the progressive movement. The interest came to be in numbers, prominent members, good buildings, and social recognition in the community. These ideas and practices did not come to every place at the same time or to every member to the same degree. There was a package of things to be accepted, and some would offer resistance at times; but the machine was moving rapidly by the time the instrument was added. Big changes in attitude had already come or it would never have been added. Changes continued to such an extent that those who first added the instrument would be shocked by the "Disciples" today if they could come back to life and walk in among their descendants in religion. It would be hard for them to believe that they were more than distant cousins.

Typical arguments for the instruments of music were: (1) David used them; (2) Others use them; (3) We like them; (4) The Bible does not say that we cannot have them. These arguments are as strong as they could make; they are not indications of their desire to please God in the church that is according to His eternal purpose. They had reorganized the church until they could speak of "our church, our money, and our business." Their desire was the final and highest law. To speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where it is silent was too narrow for them.

The only choice the "non-progressives" had was to go along with the innovations or get out and worship with the few kindred spirits they could find. They might meet in some one’s living room, a store building, a court room, or a school house. In several years, they would reach a point where they could build a meeting house of their own on some little inexpensive lot. These "anti’s" were almost always the members with less money and with less social prestige. There was a sense of responsibility (often too weak) that caused them to start one little church after another in communities all around the good building where the "progressives" met and continued to become more and more progressive.

By the late thirties, this growth of the more conservative people became rather amazing. In the more rapid growth of the forties many came to these conservative churches from the religious groups about them. Some of them were not fully converted, and teaching was inadequate in many places. They were not grounded sufficiently in the basic teachings of the one body and the importance of doing all things according to the pattern. The progressive, social gospel, and institutional spirit started among them.

In the last thirty or so years, history has been repeating itself in a very vivid way. It is easy to see that attitude, arguments, bitterness, and the back to denominationalism movement are the same as they were a few decades earlier.

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WORSHIP MATTERS

Does it matter HOW we worship? Does it matter WHAT WE DO when worshiping God? [Can we worship WRONG?] Consider what Moses told the children of Israel:

Leviticus 18:3, 26 ~
You shall NOT DO as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and YOU SHALL NOT DO AS THEY DO in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes...But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you

Deut. 12 ~
1 These are the statutes and rules that you shall be careful to do in the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth.
2 You shall surely destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
3 You shall tear down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and burn their Asherim with fire. You shall chop down the carved images of their gods and destroy their name out of that place.
4 YOU SHALL NOT WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD IN THAT WAY.

29 When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land,
30 TAKE CARE THAT YOU BE NOT ENSNARED TO FOLLOW THEM, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you DO NOT INQUIRE ABOUT THEIR GODS, SAYING, 'HOW DID THESE NATIONS SERVE THEIR GODS?—THAT I ALSO MAY DO THE SAME'.
31 YOU SHALL NOT WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD IN THAT WAY, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.
32 Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.

Joshua admonished them: Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. - Joshua 1:7

ISRAEL FAILED TO OBEY THESE COMMANDS; AS A RESULT, THEIR WORSHIP WAS WRONG; UNACCEPTABLE...AN ABOMINATION!

Notice from 2 Kings 17:15 ~ "They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them."

Indeed it DOES matter HOW we worship. It DOES matter WHAT WE DO in worship. We can do the wrong things.

God is a spirit and they that worship Him MUST DO SO IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH! - John 4:24

6/2/2018

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