Defending the Indefensible

1
Defendingthe Indefensible

• Examining proof-texts of liberalism

2
Liberalism

• Not restricted to the literal meaning free and
  unconfined
• Going beyond / changing Gods word (2 Jno. 9
  Rev. 2218-19)
• Continue to need scriptural authority!
  Colossians 317

3
A New Hermeneutic

• Has changed the way many in churches of Christ
  view and apply Bible authority

4
Bible Authority Acts 15

• Approved example, 156-11
• Necessary inference, 1512 (143)
• Direct statement, 1513-19
• At one time Christians generally agreed with this

5
Guy N. Woods, 1957
With much of brother Cogdills speech I am in
complete agreement No one calls in question
these matters which he discussed regarding the
authority of the scriptures, the all-sufficiency
of the church of our Lord in the matter of
performing the work which God gave the church to
do. (Cogdill-Woods Debate, p. 26)
6
A New Hermeneutic
But there is no infallible method for
interpreting Scripture. There is no heaven-given
system of Bible study. (Rubel Shelly Randall
J. Harris, The
Second Incarnation, p. 19)
7
A New Hermeneutic
Thus we reject a rigid pattern theology that
simply proposes to transplant religious-cultural
forms from the Bible to the 20th or 21st
century. (Ibid., p. 31)
8
A New Hermeneutic
Our hermeneutic is therefore theological and
Christocentric. (Ibid., 28)
9
A New Hermeneutic
Is the activity or methodology under
contemplation consistent with the person and work
of Jesus Christ? If we do this, will the people
who see it think we reveal Christ? Will we be
doing what people would expect to see Christ
doing in this situation? (Ibid., 29)
10
Broad Consequences
This principle has broad consequences for
ecclesiology. It says, for example, that the
church need not have either explicit mandate or
permission for everything it wishes to do. The
church may confidently ground its activities of
compassion and service in the character of its
head. (Ibid., 29)
11
The Results

• Fewer will attempt to defend their practices
  using Bible patterns 2 Tim. 43-4 (313)
• Silence of the Scriptures will increasingly be
  used to approve practices
• Ecumenism (unity in doctrinal moral diversity)
  will increase

12
Are You an Anti?

• Opposed to a given proposal, policy, etc.
• The charge We are opposed to church cooperation

13
No Binding Patterns?!

• So, it becomes necessary to raise the question
  is there an exclusive pattern of church
  cooperation taught in the Bible? My answer.
  No.
• (Guy N. Woods,
  Cogdill-Woods Debate, 196)

14
No Binding Patterns?!

• The Bible does not provide an exclusive pattern
  for evangelism.
• (Jackie M. Stearsman,
  Church Cooperation and Evangelism,
  The Harvester, Feb. 1997)
• http//www.fsop.net/harvest/1996_97/february.htm

15
Cooperation Among Churches
EVANGELISM
C


Preacher
Preach Gospel
C

C
Acts 131-3 Phil. 415-16 2 Cor. 118
15
16
Cooperation Among Churches
EVANGELISM
C

Missionary Society Sponsoring Church

Preach Gospel

Preacher
C

C
Scripture Please!
NOT THIS!
16
17
Cooperation Among Churches
BENEVOLENCE
C

Local Church (elders)


Relieve Need
C

C
Acts 1127-30 1 Cor. 161-3 2 Cor. 81-4, 13-15
91, 12-14 Rom. 1525-27
17
18
Cooperation Among Churches
BENEVOLENCE
C

SPONSORING CHURCH INSTITUTION



Relieve Need
C
Need

C
Scripture Please!
NOT THIS!
18
19
Scripture Please!

• Church support maintain human organizations to
  do its work?
• Sponsoring church overseeing benevolence
  evangelism for many churches?
• One church soliciting other churches to support
  its work?

20
Liberalism Says

• There is no binding pattern for the work of the
  local church
• Whatever love for God and man dictates, is the
  law of God for the church. - Cogdell, The
  Cogdell-Turner Discussion, 90)

21
NT Pattern Work of the Local Church

• Preach the gospel - 1 Ths. 18 Acts 1122 Phil.
  15-7
• Edify the saints - 1 Cor. 1426 Eph. 411-12
  Acts 1122f 131-2
• Relieve needy saints Acts 61-6 1 Cor. 161 2
  Cor. 8-9 1 Tim. 516

22
Local Church All-Sufficient

• The local church, under the oversight of its own
  elders, is fully-equipped to accomplish its
  God-given work (Acts 1423 1 Pet. 52)

23
The issue Evangelism

• May churches of Christ build maintain
  missionary societies to do the work God gave the
  local church to do?

24
The issue Evangelism
Select areas
Select preachers
Church
Provide place, support
This!
Facilities
25
The issue Evangelism
Select areas
Missionary Society (President, Board, Treasury)
Men
Church
Provide place
Support, Facilities
Not This!
26
The issue Edification

• May churches of Christ build maintain colleges
  to do the work God gave the local church to do?

27
The issue Edification
Select curriculum
Select teachers
Church
Provides place
This!
Provides support, Facilities
28
The issue Edification
Select subjects
College (President, Board, Treasury)
Select teachers
Church
Provides place,
facilities
Not This!
29
The issue Benevolence

• May churches of Christ build maintain
  benevolent societies to do the work God gave the
  local church to do?

30
The issue Benevolence
Sees need, Acts 6
Appoints men, Acts 6
Church
Provides place, support
This!
Care, facilities
31
The issue Benevolence
Sees need
Benevolent Society (President, Board, Treasury)
Appoints men
Church
Provides place,
Support, care, etc.
Not This!
32
Benevolence Saints ONLY

• SINGING
• Eph. 519
• Col. 316
• 1 Cor. 1415
• Matt. 2630
• Jas. 513
• Acts 1625
• Heb. 212

• SAINTS
• Acts 244-45
• Acts 61-6
• Acts 1129-30
• Rom. 1526-27
• 1 Cor. 161
• 2 Cor. 8-9

ONLY
33
Liberalism Says

• Whatever the individual Christian can do the
  church can do

34
Fail to Distinguish Individual Action Church
Action

• Galatians 610 Misapplied to okay general
  benevolence
• James 127 Misapplied to okay church support
  of human organizations
• - Mark 147 -

35
Churches or Individuals?
36
Scriptural Distinction

• Matt. 1815-17 One, one or two more, the
  church
• 1 Tim. 516 Let not the church be charged, but
  the individual family member is charged
• Acts 1122 The church acted, and so did an
  individual

37
Liberalism Says

• The local church should provide benevolent relief
  to all men (saints sinners)

38
The Argument

• Jesus compassionate miracles allow the local
  church to relieve the needs of saints sinners
  alike
• Matthew 423 2535-40

39
The Argument

• Jesus not only releases but compels the modern
  church to find incrementally more effective ways
  to feed the hungry, cloth the needy, minister to
  the outcasts, and provide homes for the homeless

40
The Argument

• Literacy programs, soup kitchens, drug
  dependency programs, and prison outreaches need
  no other justification than that, in such
  activities, the church takes on both the heart
  and demeanor of the one she calls Lord and
  Master. (Shelly/Harris, 29)

41
Defending the Indefensible

• Confirming miracles, Jno. 536 1038
• Not all were healed, 2 Tim. 420
• Individuals stand in judgment, not churches

42
The Argument

• 2 Cor. 913 ALL MEN
• Are told that churches relieved the needs of all
  men
• Are told that churches sent funds to relieve all
  men in Jerusalem, not just needy saints

43
Defending the Indefensible

• Translation men supplied by translators of
  KJV NKJV
• Pantas all of a like kind, everything
• Humanity does not adhere to the word (context
  determines)

44
The Context

• Saints (Jerusalem all others)
• 2 Cor. 84 to the saints
• 2 Cor. 91 to the saints
• 2 Cor. 912 needs of saints
• 2 Cor. 913 (Rom. 1527) Sharing (fellowship)
  (Eph. 511 2 Jno. 10-11)
• 2 Cor. 914 Recipients prayed for sending
  churches

45
2 Corinthians 913

• Money RAISED for saints, 1 Cor. 161 Rom. 1526
• Money SENT to saints, Rom. 1525
• Money RECEIVED by saints, Rm. 1531
• Money SUPPLIED NEEDS of saints, 2 Cor. 912

DID PAUL MISAPPLY THESE FUNDS?!
46
Liberalism Says

• The local church may build /or support human
  organizations to do its benevolent
  evangelistic work

47
The Argument

• Church-supported benevolent organizations
• The end justifies the means
• The church has a primary mission to perform and
  work to do - saving souls and keeping them saved.
  But any activity that will contribute to that end
  which is not of itself sinful, is permissible for
  the church to engage in, as long as it is done
  with that end in view

48
The Argument

• The end justifies the means
• Furthermore, the church can use any means and
  methods that it sees fit to accomplish this end
  so long as those means and methods are not in and
  of themselves sinful.
• (Gaston Cogdell, p. 91-92)

49
Defending the Indefensible

• The end does not justify the means Rom. 38
• The view in mind must be good in Gods sight
  Heb. 1321
• That is defined by Gods word, not our good
  intentions! 2 Tim. 3 16-17

50
The Argument

• Church-supported benevolent organizations
• No instructions to the church
• There are no instructions in the scriptures as
  to how the church is to carry on its work of
  evangelization and benevolence. (Gaston
  Cogdell, p. 95)

51
The Argument

• Church-supported benevolent organizations
• No instructions to the church
• Helping the needy is a matter of faith the how
  to do this work is in the realm of human
  judgment.
• (Perry B. Cotham, Anti-ism,
  The 18th Annual Mid-West Lectures,
  2000)

52
Defending the Indefensible

• A method (expedient) must first be authorized
  1 Cor. 1023
• Local church is the organization authorized to
  meet such needs among the saints
• Bible silent re. another organization to be
  built, funded and/or operated by the local
  church!

53
The Argument

• Church-supported benevolent organizations
  James 127
• Pure religion allows a church to build, fund /or
  maintain organizations (orphans homes, etc.) as
  method of benevolence

54
Defending the Indefensible

• Context of James 127
• Individual Christian, not the collective action
  of the local church
• Remember, individual church are not the same
  thing!

55
James 127
Visit Fatherless and widows

• Bridle tongue
• Not deceive himself
• Keep himself unspotted

The Same Man
56
The Argument

• Sponsoring Church Arrangement in Evangelism
• Philippi was sponsoring church in Macedonia -
  Phil. 415-16
• Acts 185 - Historical setting
• 2 Cor. 118 - Wages from churches
• Philippi the accounting church for other
  churches

57
Defending the Indefensible

• Contradicts Paul Phil. 415-16
• No churchyou onlyyou sent
• Destroys independence autonomy
• Whose work is it Giving church? Sponsoring
  church?
• Who exercises oversight Giving church?
  Sponsoring church?

58
The Argument

• Sponsoring Church Arrangement in Benevolence
• Jerusalem was sponsoring church Acts 1127-30
• Relief to brethren in Judea (1129)
• Sent to the elders (1130 Acts 1225)
• Conclusion Funds sent to Jerusalem elders, who
  distributed the relief

59
Defending the Indefensible

• Paul was unknown to brethren in Judea before
  relief of Acts 11 Gal. 118-24 (v. 22)
• Acts 2620 Paul preached throughout all the
  region of Judea before going to the Gentiles.
  When?
• This relief tripto elders in Judea!
• Last stop Jerusalem Acts 1225

60
Church-sponsored Social and Recreational
Activities

• For the church to turn aside from its divine
  work to furnish amusement and recreation is to
  pervert its mission. It is to degrade its
  mission. Amusement and recreation should stem
  from the home rather than the church. The church,
  like Nehemiah, has a great work to do and it
  should not come down on the plains of Ono to
  amuse and entertain.
• (B.C. Goodpasture, Gospel Advocate, May 20, 1948)

61
Church-sponsored Social and Recreational
Activities

• Building recreation rooms and providing and
  supervising recreational activities at the
  expense of the church is a departure from the
  simple gospel plan as revealed in the New
  Testament.
• (Gospel Advocate Annual Commentary, 1951, p. 229)

62
The Argument

• Church-sponsored Social Activities and Acts
  242-46
• The early Christians ate together
• The church can facilitate such social gatherings
  today

63
Defending the Indefensible

• Acts 242 - Lords Supper, not a meal to satisfy
  hunger
• Acts 246 Church met in the temple to worship
  learn
• Acts 246 Meals from house to house Not a
  fellowship hall!
• Homes church-provided facilities are two
  different things!

64
The Argument

• Church-sponsored Social Activities 1 Cor.
  1117-22
• Paul was rebuking abuse of Lords Supper, not
  banning church-provided social activities

65
Defending the Indefensible

• 1120 Purpose of coming together Eat Lords
  Supper
• 1122 Perversion rebuked
• 1134 Solution Remove meals from your
  meetings! (1122, 34)
• Churches have assumed a work the Lord did not
  authorize!

66
Liberalism

• Takes one away from the word of God thus, away
  from God (2 John 9)
• Bible patterns for work and organization of the
  church are revealed settled in Scripture 2
  Timothy 316-17

67
Truth

• Buy the truth and do not sell it, Also wisdom
  and instruction and understanding.
• (Proverbs 2323)

68
Bible Authority

• And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in
  the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God
  the Father through Him.
• (Colossians 317)