Old Paths Advocate - Church of Christ

‘
Sincere preachers of various churches have been Many people have come to believe God does not
so overwhelmed by His love “wherewith He loved care what church a man is a member of, nor care
us,” and by the greatness of his grace so freely to what doctrines he holds. But the Bible shows
bestowed, that they have announced sinners have God has never looked ai religion thay way. The
nothing to do in order to be saved. But no matter Almighty did not accept the sacrifices of both
how sincere those preachers are, if you‘ do not do Gain and AM. Genesis 4 :4. Both boys went to
something, namely, “obey” the gospel of the some church, so to speak, and both worshipped
Lord Jesus Christ, YOU will be punished “with an the true God. People today say if a man’goes to
everlasting destruction from the presence of the any church and worships, that such is fine
Lord.” (11 Thess. 1:s-9). But men should not
have to be threatened to get them to obey Him enough- But the Almighty turned Gain down
who did so much for US. They should be eager flat. Why? He did not have Heaven’s authorizato
hear the good news, the gospel, that someone
died that we might live, the just for the unjast, commanded tion for his a special lamb be kind offered; of sacrifice. Cain offered God pro- had
was buried, and rose the third day. Paul said duce from the field. some today would say,
three facts are the gospel: the Lord’s death for usurely God would not be that technical;, Who
our sins, his burial, his resurrection (1 Cor. 15:
1-4). Have you “obeyed the gospel?” Approved art thou to reply against God?
of the Almighty are they who have “obeyed from Jesus never did lead men to believe that just
the heart that form of doctrine” (Rome 6:17)- because they were religious that the Heavenly
What is the form?
a “likeness” of the gospel: says in it baptism we “were is baptized a form, Father approved them. . Rather, the Master &oIv-
into his death,” “buried with him by baptism,” ed that if a religious practice or doctrine did not
raised from the water “in the likeness of his ‘Come from Heaven, it CSLme from men and Was
resurrection.” (Ram. 6 :3-4). Isn’t that a beau- vain. (Luke 20 :1-8; Mark 7 :7) - Was the bap-
tiful service ? Everyone should be eager to obey tism of John from Heaven O r from men, He asked.
“that form” or mould of pattern of the gospel. “But,” objects somebody today, “baptism is just
If You have only been sprinkled for baptism an outward ordinance, and is really not essea-
YGU have not been “buried with Him by baptism,” tial;* jesus believed that to reject john,s hapnor
shown “the likeness of his resurrection.’’ If tism to reject God himself; Luke 7:30. so with
were baptized when were a
the baptism, not of John, but of Jesus, which He
could not have done it “from the heart.” If you it has from commanded Heaven or for m8n? everybody; If from Matt. Ileaven, 28:1$-20. one re- Is
thought YOU were saved before YOU were baptized, jects God to reject it; if from men, one sins to
you have not realized what Paul said in Romans submit to it.
6 :16-18: before baptism, you were ‘‘servants of
sin;” then you obeyed the form of the gospel; When people do that which is right in their own
“then” you were “made free from sin” and became eyes, they are not doing Heaven’s will, but their
“servants of righteousness.” If YOU say, IISUCh own. Sprinkling for baptism, is it from Heaven,
an idea makes baptism all of conversion,” YOU or from men? The heavenly command is to be
have failed to remember Paul said it must bs buried (Rom. 6:4) in baptism; men say some-
“from the heart.” Thus when ~ou, old‘ /enough thing else will do as well. Baptizing babies, is it
to believe in Jesus with all your he&, convicted from Heaven or from men? In the eyes of some
enough to repent of every sin from the heart, go it is beautiful and sentimental. In God’s eyes it
down in the watery tomb, and rise to ,“walk in makes void the word of the Father, for it is only
newness of life,” you have obeyed the gospel and a man-made doctrine.
are saver1 b.v His blood. ..
An eloquent minister told his hearers he would Incense burning and organ playing are both
like to go to the Holy Land, find the very tomb pleasant. For ourselves we certainly may use
in which our Lord lay, and there lie where Christ them to our heart’s content. But as acts of worhad
lain, thus showing the whole world he was ship, they must be from Heaven commanded, or
not ashamed of his Lord. Yet that preacher had they are from men and therefore vain worship.
only been sprinkled for baptism. Christ has not
Jesus told his twelve apostles (Matt. 18:18) what-
Commanded us to lie in the Jerusalem tomb, but ever they bound on worshippers would be bound
he has commanded us to lie in the watery grave. in Heaven: it would be from Heaven. The apostles
bound the Lord’s supper but not footwashmg;
Buried with Christ and dead unto sin; they bound singing, but not playing on mechanical
Dying but living, Jesus within . . instruments; they bound praying but not incense
Risen with Christ, my glorious Head,
. burning. What they bound is Heaven’s law ; what
Holiness now the pathway I tread . . . . they did not bind must be omitted, for it is from
Beautiful, sacred, memorial ordinance ! men, not from Heaven. “Whosoever goeth on *1
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those ward and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ
‘things which are above, where Christ sitteth on hath not God. Whosoever abideth in the doctrine
the right hand of God.”-Selected.
hath bot-3 the Father and the Son.” 11 John 9.-
Selected.
“In the day when tiod shall juage me SCLWS VI
I
By Richard Donley
men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ.”
What is “the judgment”? Who will be there? (Rom. 296).
What will occur? When will it be? These are Every man will receive to his
questions that attract the attention of all men works, “But after thy hardness and impentinent
who seek for truth. There is considerable dif- heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day
ference of opinion on these questions among many of wrath and revelation of the righteous of God ;
religious people, yet I believe that. the Bible an- who will render to every man according to his
swers all these questions so positively that there works ; to them that by patience in well doing seek
need be no doubt as to the answers, if one be Will- for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life;
ing to accept what God has said. but unto them that are factious, and obey not the
truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be’ wrath
WHAT 1s THE JUDGMENT?^ in the N~~
Testamellt the word judgment is a translation of and indignation, tribulation and anguish, upon
the Greek krisis, which is defined in Thayer Lexi- every Soul of them that worketh evil, of the Jew
con as follows : 1. a separating, sundering, sepa- first and also of the Greek.” (Rom. 2 5-9) Eternal
ration ; 2. selection; 3. judgment, i. e. opinion or life is to be given to those who seek for glory and
decision given concerning anything ; 4. the college honor and incorruption. All who do evil will reof
judges; 5. right, justice. Many times the word ceive and
is used of events on the earth, sometimes acts of WHEN WILL IT BE? After death. (Heb. 9:
-
*-
man, and sometimes acts of God. There iS a sense 27). The day of wrath. (Ram. 2:5) When the
in which man is forbidden to judge (Rom. 2:1), dead come forth from the grave, “For the hour
and a sense in which man is told to judge (Jno. COmeth, in which they that are in the tombs shall
7:24). There is however, an event designated as hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that
“the judgment.” It is not just judgment, but a have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and
definite event. It is in the future. An event before
us.
they that have done evil unto the resurrection of
judgment.” (Jno. 5 :28-29) Judgment is used here
WHO WILL BE THERE? We shall ALL be in the sense of condemnation. Both good and
there (Rome 14:10) diFOr we shall all &and before evil will be raised; the good to life, the evil to conthe
judgment-seat of God:” moever is included ed, demnation. “For the When Lord the himself Lord comes shall for descend the redeem- from
in “we” will be there. It might be argued that heaven, with a Shout, and with the VolCe Of the
Paul refers to bnly Christians, and that only the and the
church will be at the judgment. The context does
arch and with the trump Of God;
not sustain that position, but even if it aid, it dead in Christ shall rise first.” (I Thess. 4:16).
would give no comfort to the evil doer who thinks
Some Common Mistakes
that he may be excused fromethe judgment, for, 1. Th5 judsnent will be a trial to determine
“Inasmuch as he bath appointed a day in wEch he guilt. I Once heard a Baptist preacher preach on
Will judge the world in righteousness by the rnt the judgment, and in his he depicted the
whom he lhath ordained.” (Acts 17:31)
witnesses would apof
these passages affirms that the church will be judgment as a trail in which
teaches
at the judgment. the other affirms that the world pear for and against each man* The
will be judged in that day. If that misses any no by such his life foolishness. on earth. Man’s When destiny that life is is determined over, his
accountable man, I would like to know who he is. destiny is sealed, for God knows our life and Will
The writer of Hebrews argued that the judg- not have to call witnesses to determine our guM.
ment is just as certain as death.” And inasmuch 2. only the church will be at the judgment.
as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after This idea also is false. Some quote Jno. 3:18 to
this cometh judgment.” (Heb. 9:27) TKe Cer- sustain the idea that only the church will be judg-
tainity of mans appointment with death is the ed, d i g e that believeth not bath been judged al-
premise from which the Writer draws the Con- ready.” This passage clearly refers to the state
clusion, that, judgment is sure for all, and it is of condemnation in which the ulibeliever lives, and
after death. I’ am sure that many Of the pas- not to the final judgment at all. If it referred to
sages of scripture which Some apply to the final the judgment, no unbeliever could ever become a
judgment do not really apply to it at all, but the believer and be saved, for his judgment ivould be
ones that I have cited to beyond reasonable ques- past.
tion. They establish that the judgment iS 51 fU- 3. hly the wicked will be judged. This also is
ture event which will be attended by all men, both false. The advocates of this theory quote jno.
the church and the world. 5:24, “He that heareth my word, and believeth
WHAT WILL OCCUR?, All men will be made him that sent me hath eternal life, and cometh not
manifest. “For we must all be made manifest into judgment, but hath passed out of death into
before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one life.” If this refers to the day of judgment then
may receive the things done in the body, according Jno. 3 :18 (where the same kind of language is
to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” used) must also refer to the final judgment. In
(21cor. 5 :lo). TO make manifest is to make visi- that case no unbeliever could become a bellever;
hie. The innermost thoughts of the heart will be no believer could become an unbeliever; and the