29. Going Onward

Sermon 29

In the American Standard Version of the New Testament, 2 John 1:9, we are taught, "Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ hath not God." Also we are taught, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." In order for our worship to be accepted by God, we must worship Him in spirit and in truth. In addition to these scriptural statements we are taught, "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." With these statements before us, we are prepared to affirm that God's commandments which we must do are not only inclusive, including all things in the command but are also exclusive—excluding all things not mentioned in the command. For example, when God told Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, this command not only included Isaac, but it also excluded Ishmael. So when God commands us to eat bread and drink wine in memory of Him that excludes eating meat and drinking water for that purpose.

Notice in the diagram, there are certain commands which God has given us that we must obey, under the head of positive, or spiritual law, before we reach that place of worship in the church where we worship God as an act of faith. In coming to God, it is taught us in His work that we must "hear" Christ in all things (Matthew 7:24). But as faith is to come by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17), as soon as I hear the word of God I must "believe" with all my heart that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:30) . Then my faith is tested by doing His commands further. He commands me to repent, or turn from my sins (Acts 17:30). In forsaking my sins, and showing to the world that I am not ashamed of the Son of God. I am required to "confess" Him before men (Matthew 10:32). After confessing Him, I have the promise that if I am "baptized". I shall be saved (Mark 16:16). This baptism not only puts me into a safe state from all past sins, but it also puts me into Christ; for Paul tells us in Galatians 3:27 that as many of us as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Then as soon as I come into Christ, or into the church of Christ I have the assurance that there is no condemnation to me, as I have been made free by the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, and must walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh (Romans 8:1-2). To walk after the Spirit, I am to walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). Then I ask the question, what is faith? Paul says it is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Or to put it in simpler language, faith is the belief of testimony. Then, as I am to walk, worship, and work by faith, how may I be able to know when I am doing God's will?

......By referring to the diagram at the beginning of this chapter, you will notice that under the heading, "Faith," I give references in the Bible first to reading (Colossians 4:16). I am commanded not only to recta but to have the word of God read among the churches. Second, we are commanded to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In 1 Timothy 4:13; 1 Timothy 4:1 am commanded to exhort the brethren to continue in the doctrine. Then as I have been taught by the word of God the things God wants me to do and as I am to go about doing these things, earnestly praying, as a servant of the Lord that I may be led to do the Master's will, I find He forbids, in the 10th chapter of Hebrews, that I forsake meeting on the first day of the week, and I find they come together on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:7). In this coming together, the church was commanded to teach in songs (Colossians 3:16). Not only on Lord's day, but every day, as I have opportunity, I am commanded to do good unto all men (Galatians 6:10). Then as an act of faith, the call comes to all church members to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15). While some are not able to go out and from the pulpit preach like others can, yet all are commanded to give as they have been prospered to help those go who can preach (1 Corinthians 16:2).

The above items properly belong in every local church of Christ throughout the land. These are acts of faith because they are commands of God, and in doing these things we have no desire to go beyond what is written to find outside items to do, which some doing has resulted in dividing churches of Christ wherever they have gone.

But some people are not satisfied with what is written and forget that God has said "Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the doctrine hath not known God." A great many good people forget we are under Christ and not under Moses, yet they go back under the old law and add the burning of incense, as Catholics do. But as we have no command to burn incense today, and as God's law not only includes all things mentioned, but excludes all things not mentioned, and as we are taught, "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin," no one can introduce the burning of incense today and force it on the church as a part of worship, without committing sin.

Again, eating meat for food while I am hungry is altogether under the approval of God, and is beneficial to give me strength and sustain the physical body. But should I reason that eating bread alone at the Lord's table does not suit me, and as Christ taught that man should not live by bread alone, each Lord's day in worship I should set a dish of meat on the Lord's table with the bread and wine and force all to eat or stay away, I would become a transgressor of God's law by going onward, and would be offering a vain worship, as Jesus teaches, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

If I wash my hands as an act of cleanliness before eating—altogether right and scriptural and not condemned. But if I make it an act of worship and bind on all, I then go beyond the law of faith and become a violator of God's law.

Also if I add sprinkling, infant baptism, keeping the sabbath; or claim that Joe Smith or Mrs. White were prophets, or add polygamy, and declare that I find most of them in the old Bible and bind them on my brethren and force them to accept these things, or declare non-fellowship, in each case I sow seed of discord, and for so doing God says He hates me. I cause division contrary to the doctrine I learn in the New Testament and Paul says to mark me and avoid me, for I am not serving Christ. If in doing these things I cause one of God's children to stumble and fall by the wayside, He says it would be better for me if a millstone were put around my neck and I should be cast into the sea.

In addition to the above items of outside matter, what about instrumental music in worship?

• It is not mentioned once in all the writings of Christ or the apostles to be used in worship.

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• It was introduced into worship in the Old Bible 435 years after the law was given by Moses with God's command that they should not add to nor diminish from this law

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• David introduced it into the worship of God in the fourteenth year of his reign, and 255 years after David, God sent Amos to condemn its use (Amos 5 th and 6th chapters).

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• It was never used in the regular Sabbath services, nor in the Holy place of the tabernacle or temple which represents the church. It was only used in the outer court at their three annual feasts, and no man can use it in the church of God today by divine authority. The same law that would permit us to use instrumental music in our churches today would also permit us to burn sacrifices, offer incense and keep the sabbath. Then the only safe ground to occupy is to be satisfied with what is written, and not go beyond the word of God to do more than He has commanded us.