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“WHAT DO MEN DO WHEN THEY DO NOT LIKE OR CANNOT ANSWER THE TRUTH? - Part II”
"You are a legalist or law-keeper." How often have we heard that accusation after we have taught the Bible Truth in a discussion or class! We want to say plainly that regardless of what names others might call us ("legalists," "commandment keepers," "Pharisees," "ultra-conservatives," "antis," or whatever), if God be our helper, we will continue to preach the Truth of the Gospel, all the Truth of the Gospel, and only the Truth of the Gospel. For only the Truth of the Gospel can make men free (John 8:32) and only the Truth of the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16).
Does Jesus have commandments we must obey? He Himself said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Which is better, to keep Jesus' commandments, or to break them? You know the answer! Does Jesus have a law? Paul wrote of the "law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2), calling it also "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:2). Through James the Holy Spirit wrote that one is blessed who hears and continues in "the perfect law of liberty" (James 1:25). These references plainly show that, yes, the Lord does have a law under which Christians live today. No, we do not count on perfect obedience to save us, but we with joy accept God's promise to extend His grace to those who live faithfully.
Is it wrong to strive with all of one's heart to obey the Lord's law (the teaching of Christ)? Of course not. But does the Bible not say that we are saved by mercy and grace? It surely does, and it also teaches that one's good works could never save him (Eph. 2:4,5,8,9). However, the Bible clearly teaches that in order for a child of God to remain in fellowship with God and to continue to please Him, he must "walk in truth," "walk after his commandments," and "abide in the doctrine of Christ" (2 John 4,6,9). True, only the blood of Jesus can wash away a Christian's sins, but that blood washes away one's sins only when he walks in the light (1 John 1:7), that is, lives in harmony with Jesus' teaching. There can be no salvation where there is no obedience to Jesus' teaching.
"Let's quit arguing about little things and just work together to preach Christ." This is what some brethren say when we point out the error they are openly teaching or supporting. First of all, in the New Testament "to preach Christ" (Acts 8:5,35) means the same as "to preach the word," "to preach the word of the Lord," and "to preach the Gospel" (Acts 8:4,25). Thus, if one is really "preaching Christ," then he is preaching the Truth, not only about the earthly life of Jesus, but also the teaching that comes from Christ. Second, when a brother in Christ teaches that one can receive the remission of sins before baptism, we do not consider it a small thing, for the Scriptures teach that baptism is for one who is not yet saved (Acts 2:38; 22:16). We could never consider it a small thing for a congregation to have sisters leading prayers and songs in worship services or preaching when men are present, for the Holy Spirit clearly shows that men are to be in the role of leadership in the church (1 Tim. 2:8,11,12). It is not a small thing when one teaches a man can divorce his wife (not for her fornication) and marry another woman, and that God approves of this second so-called marriage. Jesus called this relationship "adultery" (Matt. 19:9), so how could we consider it a small thing? I mention these three specific examples of departure from the Scriptures because these things are currently being propagated in the Ukraine.
We have no desire to be the kind of people with whom it is difficult or impossible to work in peace. Our sincere desire is to strive "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3), but we will not compromise the Gospel just in order to please men and avoid division. We hate division in the church, but compromising the Truth is not the answer to avoiding division. We can have true unity only when we walk together in the light of God's Word.
"You think you know everything." This is what some say to us when we stand strong for the Truth and against their false positions. This accusation is not pleasant to hear, because we know that it is not true. "God knoweth all things" (1 John 3:20), but we do not. We have many times confessed "I don't know the answer" when asked questions in a Bible class. However, there are some things we must know. We must "understand" the will of God (Eph. 5:17). We must "know" the Truth before it can make us free (John 8:32). We "understand" that God created all things by His word (Heb. 11:3). We "know" God sent His Son to the earth (John 17:23), and we "know assuredly" that God made Him Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). We can know how to become a Christian and how to live faithfully in Christ. Again, there are some Biblical matters of which we personally do not have full understanding, but this will not cause us to stop preaching the Gospel, nor will it cause us to cease pointing out and rebuking "the unfruitful works of darkness" that brethren are supporting (Eph. 5:11).
Some members of the church leave one congregation and begin attending another when they do not like the hard preaching they hear at the first one. There is nothing wrong with making a decision to attend a different congregation as long as we leave the first one in peace (that is, if the congregation is sound in the faith), and the one we now attend teaches and upholds the Truth. But, for one to decide to leave a church because the Truth is being preached there and he just does not like to hear the whole counsel of God, is not going to help anyone, and will in no way build up the body of Christ.
Let all of us think on these things and determine to strive to please the Lord in all things (Gal. 1:10), not allowing Satan to cause us to waver in our stand for the Truth.
