|
 The
early church was troubled by certain Jewish Christians who
insisted that Gentile converts submit to circumcision and
observe the law of Moses (Acts 15:5). In writing to the churches
in Galatia, Paul says such men are perverting the gospel of
Christ (Gal. 1:7). They make it "different", as he
puts it. As a result, God's people were being troubled and were
removing themselves from Him (v.6, 7). In addition, the false
teachers made themselves accursed (v.8, 9).
Since
the gospel is of divine origin (Gal. 1:12), and "not after
man" (v. 11), it is obviously everything God intended it to
be and, therefore, without need of alteration of any kind.
Trouble still comes when men start to "plus and minus"
the gospel. Like the Judaizing teachers, many desire a gospel
that includes their own ideas, innovations, and
"improvements"— and herein lies the root of most
religious division today. In fact, denominationalism itself is a
living monument to a perverted gospel. When, for example, men
are willing to extend salvation to sinners on completely
different terms than those set forth in the word of God, they
pervert the gospel. Others alter the gospel pattern of worship
by adding instruments of music (giving a plus to Eph. 5:19) or
by deleting weekly observance of the Lord's supper (giving a
minus to Acts 20:7). Such things as infant baptism and
sprinkling as baptism represent further blatant perversions of
Christ's gospel and are no more a part of it than circumcision.
Little wonder we are troubled and divided in the religious
world! — and that so many are removed from God.
| |
But
worse, and closer to home, we see the Lord's church still
troubled with the problems of a perverted gospel. The
"plus" and "minus" may come in different
places, but the effects are no less hurtful — not even when
you assume the perverting is being pushed and accepted by
well-intentioned brethren (no doubt the Judaizers meant well).
But the question is NOT whether such brethren mean well or
whether they consider their "improvements" right —certainly
they do! However the real question is (and pardon me if this
sounds old-fashioned): IS THERE SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY FOR THEM?
Are they a part of the God-given gospel?
For
example, where in all of the God-given gospel did elders ever
oversee ANYTHING other than the flock among them (1 Pet. 5:2)?
Where in that complete and all-sufficient gospel do you find the
Lord's church making a donation to any kind of human
institution? Where do you find the popular sponsoring-church
arrangement? Where in all of the glorious gospel do you read of
churches providing for the social activities of its members?
Remember, we are the people who used to say, "We speak
where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is
silent"! We must not allow prejudice to replace conviction;
we must be honest with self! We must continue to "prove all
things" (1 Thss. 5:21). Not even apostles and angels have
the liberty to make something a part of the gospel that God
didn't (Gal. 1:8,9). Dare to take your Bible and learn that
most of what troubles the church today is no more a part of the
gospel than was circumcision. Dan S. Shipley
[Previous
Article] [Next
Article]
|
