Volume 31 – 1990 (PDF) - Searching The Scriptures

Page 8
I have little more to add regarding the "war question,
" and other such issues. All such involve
brethren in sin, according to some. Fellowship exists in
regard to most of these issues in spite of such. I am
unable to detect any logic or consistency in Brother
Spears' comments on this. I think he has his apples
and oranges all mixed up.
I did not misunderstand the thrust of Dudley's
statement: "If brother Green's use of Romans 14 is
right, there can be no wrong position to take on anything...
" I reject the notion that such is a consequence
of my understanding of Romans 14.
You ask, "which was the wrong party?" Why the
party that maintained a distinction in foods was wrong.
I do not say thy sinned by not eating meats, but they
were wrong in their understanding (Mark 7: 18; Rom.
14: 14; Acts 10: 14-24; 1 Tim. 4: 4), and aren't we to
understand what the will of the Lord is (Eph. 5: 17)?
Those who kept certain days were wrong on that
question (Gal. 4: 10). I do not believe I am guilty of the
judging that Paul warned against (Verses 4, 10, 13)
when I conclude that one party was wrong on those
issues. It is the brother who draws the line of fellowship
and concludes that one party or the other stands
condemned by God that is guilty of such judgment.
Some seem to think that one must be right on everything
to have any hope of salvation. I venture we had
all better hope that such is not the case.
Dudley is especially concerned over whether I believe
God might accept some who are in adulterous
marriages. To give a specific example, what about the
woman I referred to in my previous article whose
parents annulled her marriage when she was a youngster
and who is now remarried. Is she living in adultery?
I don't know for sure. But why don't we just let the
Lord do the judging on such matters (Rom. 14: 10-12).
Is that a hypothetical case? No, she's a real person in a
real situation and it's my conviction that we had best
leave such questions to those involved and to God.
The letters I have received from brethren ready to
draw lines on practically every disagreement prove
little to Dudley. Well they prove to me that if we
maintain our present course we are going to splinter
into several dozen factions over questions of personal
application. Dudley refers to such issues as "unrevealed
matters. " There is at least some revelation on
most all questions that arise; and fully as much or more
on some of them (the war question, for example) as on
the divorce — remarriage controversy.
FELLOWSHIP:
NO RIGHT TO BE WRONG
DIVINE MESSAGE: "Therefore I said to you that you
will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He,
you will die in your sins" (John 8: 24).
In the midst of controversy, the Christian should first
go back to basic indisputable principles. By doing so, he
will help insure that the foundation upon which he establishes
current positions is sound.
It seems that all of us are grappling with difficult
applications of God's teaching regarding "FELLOW-
SHIP. " These are certainly not new issues but in dealing
with them some seem to be forgetting ancient Bible
principles. I would like to say "up front" that wisdom,
study, patience, and love must be involved anytime we
talk about fellowshipping or disfellowshipping. Whatever
we do, however, must be done within the context of certain
truths taught by Christ and His apostles. One such
principle is that when essential truth is involved, we
have no right to be wrong. I am certainly aware that
on most of today's topics there is disagreement over what
is "essential" to believe and/or practice, but many are
making sounds which imitate denominational preachers
who teach that what one believes or practices on any Bible
doctrine should be tolerated if he is generally pious or
usually sound in teaching. The charitable position, they
say, recognizes that "there is much good in every faith"
and that "we all differ. " To fail to recognize "believers" for
fellowship is bigoted, intolerant, uncharitable, and even
un-American.
This notion grew out of the Reformation period when
men were given Bibles and told they should read them.
Instead, however, Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and others
formulated systematic written creeds upon which others
established faith. When creeds did not agree, many came
to justify holding differing beliefs on matters of Bible
doctrine concluding that everyone can be right from his
own viewpoint.
Now if one is to believe that all religious beliefs are
right, he is logically forced to believe that there is no error
being taught anywhere. Jesus said, "Beware of false
prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly
they are ravenous wolves" (Matt. 7: 15). Peter
taught, "there were also false prophets among the people,
even as there will be false teachers among you, who will
secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the
Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift