Volume 31 – 1990 (PDF) - Searching The Scriptures

Page 10
a chain that is broken apart by the breaking of one link
or a circle marred by one piece out of place. If any part of
a man be leprous, the whole man is judged a leper. If I
stub my toe, not only does the toe hurt, but the whole
body is affected. As Paul said, "And whether one member
suffer, all the members suffer with it" (1 Cor. 12: 26).
James' statement, "For whosoever shall keep the
whole law, " is a theoretical statement because no one
keeps the whole law and offends in only one point. He
had previously said, "For in many things we offend all"
(Jas. 3: 2). But, IF a man could be perfect, except in one
thing, he would still be a transgressor, a law-breaker,
and, therefore, guilty of the law as a whole.
The context of Jas. 2: 10 is dealing with partiality to
the rich. Some of those to whom James wrote might have
reasoned, "Why make so much of this matter of respect
of persons? It is only a single offense and it is surely not
to be taken too seriously?" But James said, though you
keep all the law of God, except impartiality toward
persons, ye sin and are guilty of all.
Some of us may look at serving God as accumulating
merit points for good conduct. "Lord, look at how well I
have followed thy precepts and how faithful I have been
to thy law. Surely, all this will overshadow my one sin
and make it an insignificant matter. " "No, " God
says, "you are a transgressor!"
"BY ALL MEANS SAVE SOME"
A BELATED RESPONSE TO THE EDITOR OF
THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE
Furman Kearley, editor of the Gospel Advocate,
editorialized that the church may support camps, colleges,
day care centers, build gymnasiums, swimming
pools, etc. because Paul said "By all means save some"
(G. A., Nov., 1988). The article appeared just before the
Nashville Meeting. I have thought about it considerably
before responding.
Was Paul using "all" in an unlimited sense (as some
brethren misused "all men" in 2 Cor. 9: 13 and some
Pentecostals misuse "all flesh" in Acts 2: 17)? Did
Paul mean to include any and every method of gaining
converts? This was the position taken in the editorial.
Or, did Paul mean all means that are lawful? There
is a vast difference in saying "anything goes" in
evangelism and in saying we may use all means that are
authorized. We are not authorized to make converts by
means of:
(1) THE SWORD. People have often joined a move-
ment because they were physically coerced. History
shows that during the Crusades and during the Dark
Ages many "joined the church" because of the threat of
violence. Some have joined other world religions and
even communism for the same reason. When Paul in-
toned that he might "by all means save some, " the all did
not mean without limitations. It was limited to all
means authorized by the word of God.
(2) BOYCOTT. Without using physical violence one
may be persuaded to see things our way if we organize,
plot and boycott this product. This method has been used
by pro-pornography and women's lib forces. It is also
used by anti-pornography and pro-life forces. People
have a right to shop where they want. But we have no
right to send the message that if you are not converted
we will, through boycott and political maneuvers, make
you wish you had. This is a means not available to us.
(3) THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY. The society was
formed in 1849. It was an unauthorized man-made
institution, separate and apart from the church. It was
designed to do evangelistic work. Consider this state-
ment:
The first charge that was hurled against the Society
which was that it was a substitute for the church.
The Society had no divine authority for its existence;
it owed its inception to human wisdom and human
opinions. Whereas God left the evangelizing of the
world to local churches..., the Missionary Society
was, in effect, a substitute for God's plan. It implied an
imperfection in the divine plan and suggested that
human wisdom could improve upon divine. Therefore,
as some men, particularly David Lipscomb,
looked at the Society, man could only defend the
Society by first defending his right to substitute
human plans for the divine. This, in summary, was
the most serious charge hurled its way (Earl West,
SEARCH FOR THE ANCIENT ORDER, Vol. II, p.
57).
Because of Missionary Society a major division took
place that led to the formation of the Christian Church
which, itself, has divided into two separate bodies.
Brother Kearley tries to make Paul say "the end
justifies the means. " Paul said "God forbid!" He had been
falsely accused of teaching that we may do evil that good
may come (Rom. 3: 8). Any unauthorized practice is
"evil. " The editor said, "if the church is... spending
money with the clear goal of saving souls then it is
justified. " Those who invented the Society wanted to
save souls, brother Kearley.
The Advocate has a long history of editors who stood
solidly against the Society as an unscriptural organization
(beginning with David Lipscomb).
(4) WOMEN PREACHERS. There is a good deal of
teaching a woman may do (Acts 18: 26; Tit. 2: 3-5).
Some women in the church taught over the men at the
recent "Nashville Jubilee. " There are women who would
like to be preachers. The Advocate editor believes the
need is more important than the means. Elaborating,
he said "What is legitimate church work is not
determined by an artificial list of items but rather is
determined by the