Articles
Not Your Job ! V
During the reign of King Saul: “The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven” (1 Sam. 13:5).
So, Saul “tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring hither the burnt-offering to me, and the peace-offerings. And he offered the burnt-offering. And it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt-offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash; therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of Jehovah: I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt-offering. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of Jehovah thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would Jehovah have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: Jehovah hath sought him a man after his own heart, and Jehovah hath appointed him to be prince over his people, because thou hast not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee” (1 Sam. 13:8-14). Saul! Not your job!
In today’s religious society there is a great deal of legislation being passed by Synods, Councils, and Conventions, and unfortunately among some who profess to be the church that belongs to Christ, that are not in accordance with the direction of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the apostles, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you. All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you (Jn. 16:13-15). These truths, as Peter says, “seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust” (2 Pet. 1:3-4), were given that the promises of God can be realized.
Concerning the religious issues of the day the notice has gone out that “the Churches of Christ is running out of time, as a point of no return — a time at which enough people with the interest and energy to study and support and make such a change have given up and departed that such a change becomes impossible — cannot be far off.” Even to the point that a failure to do so “is a sin.” Therefore, “It is past time to do this, to ask the elders to engage on the issue and to have the congregation study the issue as a congregation, including engaging with resources and people that look at the issue from all sides, and not just resources designed to affirm what the congregation is already doing. Declining fellowship membership is just one more motivation to finally take the time to spend substantial time, as a congregation, studying the issue together in a deep, real, meaningful way” (https://authentictheology.com).
Two-thousand years ago doctrine was settled, as Paul stated, “As in all the churches of the saints,” (1 Cor. 14:33). They say, “Study the issue together in a deep, real, meaningful way!” as if brethren had not done so two-thousand years ago! (so to speak). To them, if not abusing Paul’s words, “I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel; which is not another gospel: only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (Gal. 1:6-7). It’s Not your job! ret
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