liberalism

WHY I LEFT THE NAZARENE CHURCH

By Manlif Barnes

INTRODUCTION

I suppose that the circumstances of my leaving the Nazarene Church are somewhat different to the other speakers on this lectureship. Mine was a situation where I began visiting the services of the church of Christ with a friend during my senior year in high school and gradually learned what the Bible teaches about salvation, worship, the nature of the church and rightly dividing the word of truth. These were things that were totally foreign to me because I had never really studied or been taught the Bible in the Nazarene Church. I believe this was the first thing that really made an impression on me about the church of Christ. I immediately began to learn things about and from the Bible that I bad never heard before. Things that were so plain and simple I could not understand why I bad not seen them in the past. It became obvious that I had never really studied the Bible. All of the emphasis had been upon feelings and emotions.

PRAYING THROUGH

In the Nazarene Church we were taught that a sinner would come under the conviction of the Holy Ghost and should go to the altar, a long wooden bench at the front of the auditorium, and pray to God until the Holy Ghost came upon him in some overpowering way to assure him that his sins had been forgiven. This was commonly referred to as "praying through" or "getting the Holy Ghost." It was also a common practice during the "altar call" or invitation for a member of the congregation to go to someone in the assembly that they thought was "under conviction" and try to persuade them to go to the altar. From my own study of the Bible I soon learned that these doctrines do not come from God.

In all love and kindness I submit to you that there is not one passage in all of the New Testament that even hints of the idea that a person who is not a Christian can "pray through" in order to become a Christian. The New Testament clearly teaches that one is born again through a process that includes hearing the Word of God, believing it, repenting of past sins, confessing Christ as the only- begotten Son of God and being baptized in water for the remission of one's past sins.

Jesus Himself said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Like Nicodemus,, many today are confused about what is involved in being "born again." I Peter 1:3 states that God "according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a Lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." Just as Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 that the death, burial and resurrection of Christ constitutes the foundation of the gospel, in 1 Corinthians 4:15 he affirms "for in Christ Jesus I have BEGOTTEN you through the gospel" (Emph MB).

1 Peter 1:23 points out that the Word of God Is the SEED by which one is born again. Thus we know that the Word of God is the seed that produces the new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).

FAITH IS NECESSARY FOR ONE TO COME TO GOD

Romans 10:17 reveals and Hebrews 11:6 emphatically teaches that one must already possess faith in order to come to God.

The Nazarene Manual states,

"We believe that regeneration, or the new birth, is that gracious work of God whereby the moral nature of the repentant believer is spiritually quickened and given a distinctively spiritual life, capable of faith, love, and obedience.. ." (Manual, p.31)

This doctrine contradicts what we have just noted from the Word of God. The Bible says that one must possess faith before coming to God. The Nazarene Manual says that the new birth is the means whereby one is made "capable of faith." In fact, upon careful examination, this statement from the Nazarene Manual contradicts itself by saying that one can be a "repentant believer" before he is "capable of faith." In order for one to be a believer one must already possess faith.

FAITH COMES BEFORE REPENTANCE

It is also important that we examine another statement from the Nazarene Manual, this time in connection with its teaching concerning repentance.

"We believe that justification, regeneration, and adoption are simultaneous in the experience of seekers after God and are obtained upon the condition of faith, preceded by repentance; and that to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness."(Manual, p. 31)

2 Corinthians 7:10 states, "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation." This statement was written to Christians, those who had been born again, those who already possessed faith. It is abundantly clear from the context that it was their faith that brought about the godly sorrow that in turn brought about their repentance.

In Acts 2:37,38 those whose hearts were pricked by the apostles' preaching concerning Christ said, "Men and brethren, What shall we do?" It would be inconceivable for someone who did not believe what he had heard to make such a statement. They asked for a solution to their predicament because they had faith in what the apostles had clearly demonstrated to than from the scriptures. In response to their query they were instructed to "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." Thus it becomes evident that the Word of God teaches that faith precedes repentance, not the other way around, as the Nazarene Manual states.

THE PROPER TIME AND SIGNIFICANCE OF BAPTISM

I vaguely remember going to a lake one Sunday afternoon quite a long time after I "prayed through" where I, along with several other people, was baptized. There was considerable significance attached to the occasion, but it was not the significance that the Word of God attaches to baptism. The primary difference is that all of those who were baptized that day were believed, both by themselves and everyone else, to already be saved. We had never studied what Jesus meant when He said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;" (Mark 16:16). We had never meditated on the words Ananias spoke to Paul, "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). We had never contemplated Peter's analogy of the salvation of Noah's family and our salvation when he wrote, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:" (1 Peter 3:21).

WHY COULDN'T SAUL OF TARSUS "PRAY THROUGH?"

As I mentioned previously, the concept that an alien sinner can "pray through" is totally foreign to the Bible, A supreme example of this is found in the Conversion of the apostle Paul as recorded in the book of Acts, chapters 9, 22, 26. In these accounts we find Saul of Tarsus going to Damascus looking for more Christians to persecute. On the way there Jesus Christ appeared to him and spoke to ban personally. When Saul learned it was Jesus speaking to him, trembling and astonished, he asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6). Jesus told him to go into the city and there he would be told what to do. He was led into Damascus, "And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink" (Acts 9:9). Although he prayed (Acts 9:11), most likely without ceasing, those three days, Saul was still lost in sin Jesus instructed Ananias to go to Saul and tell him, among other things, to "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). There can be no doubt, to the sincere student of God's word, that Saul was not able to "pray through." He did not receive the forgiveness of his past sins or the baptism of the Holy Ghost until he did what the Lord, through Ananias, told him to do, "and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized" (Acts 9:18).

It was this same apostle who later wrote to the church at Rome (Rom. 6:3,4). In this supreme statement Paul shows how baptism corresponds to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus our Saviour. Then in verses 17,18 he rehearses how these Roman Christians had obeyed from their hearts this doctrine of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ when they were baptized into Christ's death and were at that point made free from sin.

I HAVE BEEN SAVED AND SANCIIFIED

It was not until I had studied these passages, along with many others, that I came to a proper understanding of another false doctrine that I had been taught in the Nazarene Church. Again I direct your attention to a quote from the Nazarene Manual:

"We believe that entire sanctification is that act of God, subsequent to regeneration, by which believers are made free from original sin, or depravity, and brought into a state of entire devotement to God, and the holy obedience of love made perfect" (Manual, p. 31).

Casual attention to this statement does not reveal the full import of the doctrine it conveys. One must note the reference to sanctification as an act of God subsequent to regeneration in order to fully understand the gravity of this assertion.

It was commonly called "the second working of grace." By this was meant that salvation was the initial working of God's grace upon the sinner and that sanctification was a second working of God's grace upon that person after he became a Christian. An oft-used phrase in the Nazarene Church was, "God has saved and sanctified me." It was adamantly taught that this "second working of grace" equipped the Christian to live a life of sinless perfection. That, in fact, is what is meant by the statement, "brought into a state of entire devotement to God, and the holy obedience of love made perfect" in the previous quote. This doctrine was a strong factor in my mother's decision to leave the Nazarene Church and become a New Testament Christian.

SALVATION AND SANCTIFICATION SIMULTANEOUS

There isn't much to be said about this false doctrine other than it just is not taught in the Bible. Neither the statement nor the concept of a "second working of grace" can be found in all of Holy Writ. Sanctification is never equated with an act of God other than that which puts one in Christ. The first letter to the church at Corinth was addressed "to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus" (1 Cor. 1:2). In chapter 6, after cataloging those who "shall not inherit the kingdom of God," Paul states, "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God"(v. 11). If these three terms refer to separate events, then where is the "third working of grace" doctrine.

It is evident that all three terms refer to the one event that put these Christians in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). And how does one get in Christ? "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3). I ask in all kindness and sincerity, since all things are become new when one is baptized into Christ, then where is "that act of God, subsequent to regeneration, by which believers are made free from original sin, or depravity, and brought into a state of entire devotement to God, and the holy obedience of love made perfect" that the Nazarene Manual avows.

SANCTIFICATION IS ALSO AN ON-GOING PROCESS

Evaluation of a couple of other passages should be beneficial to the consideration of this matter (1Thess. 4:3,4 and 2 Tim. 2:21). These passages clearly declare that remaining in a state of sanctification is dependent upon man's own volition in abstaining from fornication, knowing how to possess his vessel and purging himself from these, rather than being an act of God.

WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH

Worship in the Nazarene Church was a continuous succession of events designed to lead to an emotional frenzy. Everything focused on stimulating the emotions of everyone present. This emotion was believed to be the work of the Holy Ghost and the intention was to arouse as many as possible. It seemed that this was more prevalent when an unsaved person was present. The idea was, the more the Holy Ghost was working in the group, the more likely it would be to have an effect on the unsaved person. It was in this environment that members would approach the unsaved person and plead with him to seek salvation. The situation was usually uncomfortable if not outright embarrassing to the person being approached because the attention of the entire assembly was focused on him. It was not. uncommon for numerous appeals to be made by different members until the person either gave in or left.

God's Word says concerning New Testament worship, "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Cor. 14:40). With all kindness, yet candor, I assure you that these assemblies were anything but orderly. I have no desire or intention to belittle or ridicule anyone. To the best of my knowledge, these were fine, honest, sincere people. But they were doing what they felt was right instead of finding out what God has told us in the Bible is acceptable to Him. "By what authority doest thou these things?" This was and still is a good question to ask it is unfortunate that those asking the question were not so willing to have their practices put to the same test (Matt. 21:23-27).

AND THEY SHALL BE ALL TAUGHT OF GOD

In His discourse on "the bread of life" Jesus declared, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, "And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh to me" (John 6:44,45). God's grace is extended to mankind through the process of teaching men to know God and His means of bestowing that grace through Christ (Titus 2:11,12).

Christianity is a "taught" religion. The Lord stressed this fact in stating that one must be taught in order for God to draw him to Christ. Hearing and learning are essential to the process of coming to Him (Heb. 11:6). "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17). The grace of God teaches us what we must do to go to heaven. God has given us "all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (2 Pet. 1:3).

EMOTION AND ZEAL MUST BE ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDGE

Man's emotion or zeal can lead him away from God rather than to Him. Paul said concerning the Jew's of his day, "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God" (Rom. 10:2,3).

The Galatian Christians were being zealously affected, but not in a way that was pleasing to God (Gal. 4:17,18). They were being drawn away from the grace of Christ by teachers who were perverting the gospel of Christ. This perversion of God's Word brings damnation upon the teacher and those who accept anything different from what God has revealed (Gal. 1:6-9). An eternal principal was noted by Jesus while talking with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well: "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). Most religious people would consider His statement, "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship:" unloving and judgmental if it were spoken directly to them today. But it is still just as true now as as the day He said it. Why did Jesus condemn their worship? Because it did not meet God's requirements. Jesus acknowledged that those requirements were about to change, but the Samaritans' worship was still unacceptable because it was not in keeping with God's law for that time. We must commend this woman who, though many things in her life were wrong, willingly accepted the truth even when it condemned her own actions. The real key to resolving religious differences is accepting the proper standard of authority, it is not really a matter of interpretation. When people truly accept the Bible as the only absolute authority and put their own selfish desires aside, everyone can understand God's will alike. The chief priests and elders who questioned Jesus about His authority could not dispute His proposition that there are only two sources of religious authority, heaven and men. Every religious matter can be shown to have its origin either in God's mind or in man's mind. Worship is either "in spirit and in truth" or it is "will worship" and therefore is vain worship (Col. 2:20-23).

GOD ACCEPTS ONLY THE WORSHIP HE HAS AUTHORIZED

I never thought much about what is right and what is wrong in worship to God before I started studying the Bible. Whether you study the Old Testament or the New Testament, it is abundantly evident that God always has and always will require that men worship Him according to truth, that is, as He has authorized in His Word. Both Testaments are replete with examples and instructions concerning those who would modify or substitute something different for the worship God has declared to be pleasing and acceptable to Him. On numerous occasions God openly and immediately punished the offender. Ominous warnings of an impending day of judgement when God will deal with the rest are abundant also. Disobedience, whether in our daily living or in the way we worship Him, is net taken lightly by God. Mechanical instruments of music are used extensively in the worship of the Nazarene Church. It was one those things I had never questioned because I had no idea that the Bible really had something to say about the kind of music we use to worship God. When I began to study the Bible for myself, I soon learned that what God has not said about something is just as important as what He has said. The validity of the authority of the silence of the Scriptures can be demonstrated in several ways. Let me use only two.

THE AUTHORITY OF THE SILENCE OF THE SCRIPTURES

In the Old Testament as God was establishing the nation of Israel as His chosen people and instituting the tabernacle-centered system of worship an innovation arose. God's attitude toward that change in His divine pattern can give us insight for today since these things are written for our learning (Rom. 15:4). In Leviticus 10:1-7 we find the account of Nadab and Abihu offering "strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not" "And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord." If it doesn't make any difference what we do in worship to God, why did this happen? There was nothing wrong with Nadab and Abihu offering the incense. They were the priests who were designated to do this. They apparently used the correct censers and the correct incense. It is also note-worthy that they offered it "before the Lord." They were not offering it to some pagan god. The only problem was the fire they chose to put in the censers. All we know about the fire is that it was "strange fire, which He commanded them not." However, Leviticus 16:12 reveals that God had commanded that the fire for the censors was to be taken "from off the altar before the Lord." We aren't told where they got the fire they put in their censors, but it is evident they did not get it from the altar. When God specified the fire to be used in the censers, all other fire was eliminated. It was not necessary for every other source of fire to be mentioned with prohibition stated for its use. One kind of fire was commanded and thereby any substitution of another kind was condemned.

If God would not allow the substitution of something so seemingly insignificant as the fire used in the incense censers, why do people think they can substitute things that men have devised and concocted for the pure and simple design of worship that God has revealed to us in the New Testament? Especially is this true when we understand this occasion transpired under the law of Moses. We live under the law of Christ. It is a better covenant, which was established upon better promises" (Heb. 8:6). "For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation" (Heb. 2:2-3a). If God's grace would not cover blatant disobedience under that lesser covenant, what could possibly convince a reasonable person that God will overlook men's substitutions in worship under Christ's "more excellent ministry?" (Heb. 8:6).

TILE NEW TESTAMENT MUST AUTHORIZE WHAT WE DO IN WORSHIP

Now let us turn to the New Testament for the second reference concerning the authority of the silence of the Scriptures. Just before Jesus ascended back to heaven He gave instructions to the apostles about the work He was leaving in their hands. Concerning those people from all nations that the apostles would teach and baptize, Jesus said, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20a). From this statement we can readily see that Jesus wanted the apostles to continue teaching those who would become Christians by being taught and baptized. But notice that He was explicit about what they were to be instructed to observe. Jesus was exact in stating "all things whatsoever I have commanded you." It was not necessary for Him to say, "But don't teach them anything else," because the statement itself is exclusive. That is, it excludes anything that He had not commanded. Silence in Jesus' instructions to the apostles demanded silence in their teaching of Christians.

Therefore, when we look to the teaching of the apostles to determine what we are to observe in regard to singing praises to God, we must respect Jesus' authority. In all of the New Testament there is not the slightest hint of any authority for the use of mechanical instruments of music in the worship of the church. Some have rebutted, "But they used it in the Old Testament." Reason replies, "that's all the more reason to be impressed by the absolute silence of the New Testament on the matter." Others have complained, "but the Bible doesn't say not to use it." The truth responds, "If it is not authorized in the New Testament then it is prohibited by the authority of the silence of the Scriptures." Look to the inspired penman in Galatians 1:8,9, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any mm preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

THE LORD'S SUPPER AND THE NAZARENE CHURCH

I have no clear remembrance of partaking of the Lord's Supper in the Nazarene Church. I cannot recall ever doing it with any regularity. When I started visiting the church of Christ I was intrigued by the weekly observance of the Lord's Supper. However, it was not difficult for me to see why it should be this way. When Jesus instituted this memorial on the night before He was crucified, He told the apostles, "this do in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19).

At this point He did not give any of the details pertaining to it. It was not until the church was established that it was revealed through the apostles how this commemoration was to be observed.

The example of the church in the first century under the direction of the apostles is clear "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them" (Acts 20:7a). Paul wrote to the church at Corinth concerning their abuses of the Lord's Supper. In this context be clearly shows that it was to be done in the assembly upon the first day of the week as he had received instruction from the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:17-26; cf. 16:1,2).

I have often wondered why those who say it is not important how often we partake of the Lord's Supper are so insistent upon taking up a collection every Sunday. If one should be done every week, then why not the other? It is an indisputable fact that secular history bears out these conclusions about the worship of the church in the first century. The example of the church during the time that it was under the inspired guidance of the apostles and prophets, yet uncorrupted by the innovations of men, affirms the validity of these principles of reasoning.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT TESTIFYING

Testifying was a significant part of the worship services of the Nazarene Church. This aspect of the worship consisted of one or more members telling about an experience in their personal life that was of some religious importance to them. This may seem well and good on the surface, but when it is evaluated from a Biblical perspective there is no precedence for this practice. . Notice the characteristics of testifying in John's defense of Jesus, "And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth and no man recevith his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God:" (John 3:32-34a). Jesus testified of heavenly truths that He had SEEN and HEARD. Jesus told the Jews, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39). The scriptures bore record that Jesus was who and what He said He was. This is the true meaning of testifying, to bear record to the truth. And as it is used in the Bible it refers to bearing record to heavenly truths. Dear friend, get you a good concordance and study carefully every occurrence of every form of the word testify, and you will find that testifying is never used in reference to the emotional telling of personal experiences.

MALE CHAUVINISM OR GOD'S DIRECTIVE?

It was not uncommon for women to take leading roles in the worship assembly of the Nazarene Church. I cannot recall having ever heard a woman actually preach a sermon, but women frequently got up in front of the audience to testify and sing solos. Though this custom was not unique to the Nazarene Church at that time, it has become much more prevalent in the religious world of our day. Regardless of the popularity and acceptance of a religious practice the Bible remains constant in its declaration of God's will. 1 Corinthian 14:34 stated the same truth in the 1950's as it always has and still does, "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law."

This prohibition was not just a byproduct of a male-dominated society or the cultural environment. The inspired penman reminded the Corinthians and us that this principle had been in effect from the beginning by his statement, "as also saith the law." And then he reinforced his position by reaffirming his inspired authorship in verses 36, 37. "What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord."

In a similar, but lengthier, discourse on this topic, Paul points to two specific reasons why women had previously been and still were required to be in subjection to men: "For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression" (1 Tim. 2:13,14). Peter used the example of Godly women in ages past to encourage women to be in subjection to their husbands. "For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement"(l Pet. 3:5,6).

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS NOT JUST ANOTHER DENOMINATION

The Nazarene Church does not claim or attempt to be anything other than just another denomination among the multitude. Their doctrine differs somewhat from other denominations, but they manifest no desire to be unique. I heard the snide remarks that people made about "Those Church of Christ people think they're the only ones going to heaven," but I never thought much about why there were so many different churches. Once I began to study the Bible for myself, I noticed that there are many things about the church as the New Testament describes it that are so totally different from what the denominational world does and teaches.

Jesus spoke frequently of the kingdom that He was about to establish. But on one occasion He referred to that kingdom with another term. In saying, "I will build My church. . . .And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 16:18,19). Jesus undeniably used both terms in reference to the same institution. Christ also affirmed, "Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power" (Mark 9:1). The Lord promised that the kingdom of God would come with power in the lifetime of some of those present with Him.

Just before He ascended back to heaven Christ commanded the apostles to not depart from Jerusalem saying, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). On the following day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and through their inspired preaching Christ's church, His kingdom, was established (Acts 2). Throughout the remainder of the New Testament this church is pictured as a unified body of disciples under the headship of Christ.

Jesus Christ is the head of the body which is His church, Ephesians 1.22, 23; 4:15,16, 5:23; Colossians 1:18; 2:19; 1 Peter 2:5-10. He designed it to be a unified body (John 17:20-23; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:12; singular in nature Ephesians 4:4; singular in mind and doctrine, 1 Corinthians 1:10). Nowhere in the New Testament is the concept of denominationalism instructed, encouraged or condoned. This concept is totally man-made.

ARE WE REQUIRED TO KEEP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS?

One of the first things that I learned when I started studying the Bible was to distinguish between the Old and New Testaments. In order for anyone to be approved unto God requires diligent study and one must "handle aright" (ASV) or "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). This includes evaluating every passage within its context. One must understand and accept the fact that "the law" which was given by God through Moses was for the children of Israel, the Jews, and was never intended to be binding on anyone else, (Exodus 6:2-8; 31:12-18; cf. Galatians 3:17-29).

It is crucial to a proper understanding of the Bible to accept what Christ accomplished in "blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross" (Col. 2:10-17).

The realization that we serve God under "a better covenant, which was established upon better promises" opens the honest mind to the truth that Jeremiah, as well as other inspired prophets, foretold the old Law would "vanish away" (Heb. 8:6-13).

THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY SOURCE OF GOD'S WILL

Space does not allow me the liberty to discuss these matters as fully as I would like, but hopefully t1~e points will be carefully and honestly evaluated by all who read or hear this lecture. Dear friend, let me plead with you to think seriously about these things. How would you know about God, Christ and the Holy Spirit if it were not for the Bible? How would you know about sin and God's grace that makes it possible for you to be saved from sin if it were not for the Bible? How would you know that there is a heaven and a hell if it were not for the Bible? Why then would you turn your back on the very thing that reveals all of these marvelous truths? Why would you not be willing to accept what the Bible says about salvation, worship, the nature of the church and rightly dividing the Word of truth? The Bible is the ONLY SOURCE of information about these things! Arid since "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace" (1 Cor. 14:33), He cannot be the originator or condoner of the many different teachings that we hear and read about these things.

Beloved, you will not be judged by how honestly and sincerely you believe what you do about these matters. Jesus made it very clear on numerous occasions that the only standard of judgement would be the Word of God! It will not matter bow good you FEEL about your religious experiences. It will not matter what you THINK your relationship is to God. In the sermon on the mount Jesus pointed out the difference between what men THOUGHT was right and what God SAYS is right (Matthew 7:21-27). All that will really matter in the day of judgment will be whether or not you have done what the Word of God says! He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, bath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48).