There Is A Need
By Israel Crocker
March 2008
The power of the printed page has demonstrated itself as a valuable asset to the growth of the church. The Pattern Precepts will resume with the intention of aiding the church in spiritual growth and exhortation. As one observes the present times in and out of the church, there is a desperate need for Christians to reach deeper into the Scriptures.
Far too often efforts that have been made to help brethren become serious Bible students are ignored. This has lead some to abandon writing brotherhood publications, or even to be pessimistic toward printed works altogether; and to be fair to the supposed apathetic reader, some papers are watered down, hateful, or even distasteful. So, one can understand why some have become detached or soured. There is power in being positive, and the Pattern Precepts will be only for the good of the brethren (Eph. 4:29). However, to put forth the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27), this work will address the controversial; not for the purpose of being controversial, but to help give answer when needed (1 Pet. 3:15).
History shows that brethren in years gone by were well-read persons, and people had a general respect for members of the church as knowing their Bibles throughout. We were referred to as "walking Bibles." Sadly, preachers only speak of these credentials in the past tense. However, this writer truly believes that the same is possible today. Members of the Lord’s church have a greater challenge today to be better equipped with Biblical answers, and to help their neighbors to find salvation through Christ.
REASONS FOR DEEPER STUDY
The Lord has commanded us to grow in knowledge. " But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." (2 Pet. 3:18). Those who are young in the faith are to seek the milk of God’s word (1 Pet. 2:2); but as one understands and lives these principles, he is to seek additional knowledge. The Holy Spirit reprimanded those who had not:
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb. 5:12-14)
It is disheartening when the "average" member of the church is still having to be convinced that there is only one church, or mechanical instruments in worship is a soul- damning sin, or baptism in a denomination is not after the New Testament pattern. These and other similar issues should be basic teachings, but so many seem to struggle over these subjects.
People are more educated today with Naturalism. Norman Geisler describes this term:
Philosophical or metaphysical naturalism refers to the view that nature is the "whole show." There is no supernatural realm and/or intervention in the world.1
To not believe in supernatural realm is to deny all biblical miracles and the testimonies that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:30-31). Ultimately, one will throw off God’s authority altogether.
Our children have atheistic evolution crammed down their throats, and our peers have been duped into believing that all intelligent people believe in evolution. Evolution, to the average American today, is true science for the educated man; and the Bible is blindly accepted by the ignorant and gullible.
The far-reaching damage of naturalism produces in one’s thinking the so-called right to ignore God’s authority; considering if God did not create this world, then why should one believe in the Bible at all? God as the Supreme Being of the universe, in the evolutionist’s mind, is a mythical concept that has evolved alongside man’s evolution of culture. We can send our gratitude to all of the mediums of entertainment and higher education (The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, and even Disney cartoons) for brainwashing our society with naturalism. These popular avenues of entertainment constantly attack the Bible as being uninspired and unreliable; leading people to believe that Christianity is "out of date," or harmful to one’s self-realization. However, God has an answer for this:
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. (1 Cor. 1:18-21)
The Great Almighty knows that His wisdom will be refused by the carnal minded; but not only is His wisdom superior to the arrogant of mankind, His wisdom confounds the greatest thinkers of history and today. It seems that people who have the least knowledge of the Bible are the ones who attack it the most. Shame on them for their intellectual dishonesty!
To defeat the enemy, one has to know his ways. The Holy Spirit stated it this way, "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor. 2:11). Christians should know something of these falsehoods in order to answer them; and with a more "educated" society among us, children of God have to be prepared.
One of the more prominent obstacles with religious people is their confusion with how God communicates with man today. In his book, Christian Theology, Millard J. Erickson supports this misconception under the subheading, The Bible, Reason, and the Spirit:
We have noted that the illumination by the Holy Spirit helps the Scripture reader or hearer understand the Bible and creates the conviction that it is true and is the Word of God. This, however, should not be regarded as a substitute for the use of hermeneutical methods. These methods play a complementary, not a competitive role.2
He further confuses the premise:
A view of authority emphasizing the subjective component relies almost exclusively on the inner workings of the Spirit. A view emphasizing the objective component regards the Bible alone as the authority; it relies on methods of interpretation to the neglect of the inner witness of the Spirit.3
Mr. Erickson generally has brilliant material in this book but, as a common denominator among theologians, he misses the mark on how the Holy Spirit guides anyone. He says to rely on hermeneutics (i.e., sound biblical interpretation) alone is to "neglect the inner witness of the Spirit." While saying this, he contradicts himself by saying that one cannot just "subjectively interpret the Scriptures" without using the rules of proper interpretation.
Even during the days of miracles, the Holy Spirit never showed anyone how to interpret His words. Case in point is the apostle Peter, who spoke by inspiration on the Day of Pentecost, saying the Gentiles would soon be included in Christ’s church (cf. Acts 2:39, Eph. 2:13). It was not until several years later when Peter saw the vision of the "unclean" animals, and saw Cornelius’ house receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, that he would say, "... Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him" (Acts 10:34-35). Peter’s perception came by his own cognitive observation of the two workings of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit did not operate on the mind of Peter, but expected him to draw the warranted conclusion based on the outward evidence. The same is expected today.
The Bible is God’s instrument by which He touches the Biblical heart. "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17). And, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12).
Gone are the days when one could sit down and study the Bible without having to prove that God’s word is sufficient for guidance. So many believe that they must have a direct guidance from God (i.e., illumination) to understand the Bible. The word of God teaches contrary; claiming that it is sufficient (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Yet, can you prove it? It is one thing to say something true, but, can you substantiate that truth with scripture? God expects us to do so. "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15).
The church also has its problems that requires one to know truth from error. The church will relentlessly be attacked by Satan (1 Pet. 5:8), and his methods involve leading those away from the soul-saving truth by false doctrine. "Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:104). One should remember that truth saves—not error. Men and women are still trying to lead disciples away from the old paths (Acts 20:29, ff.) Issues with marriage and divorce, the woman’s role in the home and congregation, indecent clothing, forsaking the assembling, elder re-affirmation, social drinking, covetousness and greed, Premillennialism, handclapping during worship, adding mechanical instruments to worship, praise teams, and sharing efforts with denominations to aid in community projects, are a few of the errors that have been used to lead away the ignorant and selfish. Christians can not stand on the sidelines and watch the Lord’s bride be ripped apart. The Pattern Precepts will make no apologies for meeting the Devil head on, and exposing these false doctrines and ungodly ways.
MORE...NOT LESSThis writer mistakenly believed at one time that having "just another brotherhood paper" would be unfruitful and a wasted effort. "Besides, who would read it anyway?" However, a fellow preacher revealed his conversation with an older, well-respected preacher that placed this dilemma into proper perspective. He said that the brotherhood does not need less fruitful works today; it needs more. It needs more opportunities to reach the lost. It needs more opportunities to strengthen the weak; more opportunities to defend the faith from error. All the avenues that can be used to inform the brethren should be employed. There are so many mediums that attack the church, the Bible, and godly principles; thus, why not use every opportunity we can? Brethren, we must never leave the fundamentals of the faith, but we must also reach more deeply into the word of God. There is a need, and we need more...not less!
End Notes:
1. Norman L. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 521. 2. Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1998), 283.