Noteworthy News

(Current events in the light of Scripture)

To tell the truth
Nearly 90% of adults say it is hard for them to tell a

lie, although 24% say lying is sometimes justified.

Assignments: Sunday - March 29, 1998

Announcements: Rick Holt

Opening Prayer: Rick Holt / Dan Head

Closing Prayer: W. Golightly / Walt H.

Song Leader: Gary Bass / Jason Holt

Scripture: R. Henderson / Chris Holp

Lord’s Supper: R.McGrew, T.Haith, P.Price

Bldg. Cleanup (Apr 4): Morris & Nancy Bass

T HE SPIRIT’S SWORD

“And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17)

The Northside church of Christ

Meeting at the North Bellingham Grange Hall · 5201 Northwest Road · Bellingham, WA

Visit our Web Site on the Internet: http://members.tripod.com/~northsidecofc/index.html

Volume II, No. 7 March 29, 1998

ARE YOU A FRIEND?

by: Thomas G. O’Neal

Someone has said that through life you will have a lot of acquain­tances but few friends. "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" (Prov. 17:17). "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother" (Prov. 18:24). "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Prov. 27:6).

If you are a friend, a genuine friend, you love your friend all of the time. You do not love them when they can or are doing something for you. There is an expression I have heard that says of someone that they are "a fair weather friend." We have all had that kind of friend. When things were going well, they said they were your friend. When the storms of life came, they deserted you. You were left alone to survive, if you even were able to survive. They did not care. Of all the uninspired definitions I have seen of a friend, I like this one. "A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you." Another is "A friend will stand beside you - when you are beside yourself."

There are people who have few friends. The reason for this is "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly" (Prov. 18:24). If you do not have many friends, it could well be that you have not been very friendly yourself. Nobody cares to be around people who are not friendly. Life is too short to put up with the proverbial grouch.

Normally we think of a brother sticking with his brother. However, God tells us "there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother" (Prov. 18:24). I feel sorry for the individual who does not have such a friend. I count myself fortunate to have several of that kind.

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Prov. 27:6). A friend will shoot straight with you when all the world will not. A friend can and will wound just like the doctor will cut. However, when the doctor is cutting and there is pain, you know he is trying to help you. You understand when the doctor is concerned about your pain and if or when he is not. Because a friend is a friend he will not let wounds keep him from trying to correct you when he sees you need correction. He "sticketh closer than a brother."

Are you a friend? How many friends do you have?

Biblical Principles of Unity (Part 11):

Efforts to Defend Unity in Doctrinal Diversity

by: Joe R. Price

We have been studying reasons given by some brethren for using an “agree to disagree” approach to fellowship and unity. In our last installment we saw that some are appealing to “individual vs. collective action to justify ongoing fellowship with those in doctrinal and/or moral error. We looked at Romans 14 which allows for differences in individual conscience in the area of authorized liberties but which says nothing about tolerating sin among the saints.

Romans 14

The following is representative of the effort to convince us that we must “agree to disagree” since we are to be gracious to each other:

“It is that we must show grace to one another. To the one who thought it wrong to eat meats, it was not a matter of expediency, but of faith. Yet how can he refrain from judging his brother on something he considers to be a matter of faith (Paul didn’t say, “After you realize your error, then you must stop judging your brother who eats”)? He can refrain from judging because it was an individual matter. He was not participating in his brother’s eating.”

Let me use this statement to illustrate the difference between matters of personal conscience and matters of the revealed faith as it applies to Romans 14. Taking these same words, substitute ADULTERY for “eat meats,” etc. in Romans 14 to see what one is advocating:

It is that we must show grace to one another. To the one who thought it wrong to COMMIT ADULTERY, it was not a matter of expediency, but of faith. Yet how can he refrain from judging his brother on something he considers to be a matter of faith (Paul didn’t say, “After you realize your error, then you must stop judging your brother who COMMITS ADULTERY”)? He can refrain from judging because ADULTERY was an individual matter. He was not participating in his brother’s ADULTERY.

Adultery is not a matter of expediency or personal conscience. Yet there are brethren who want to put it and related subjects into Romans 14. They will not fit!

It has also been suggested that

“...the Bible teaches us that we are not guilty by association with everyone who practices what we believe to be wrong (Rom 14; Rev 2.14; 3.4). Since we are not “sharing” in the practice, we need not “disfellowship” over it.”

Of course, what makes something wrong is not whether we believe it to be so, but whether God’s word says that it is wrong (1 Cor. 4:4; Col. 3:17). This subtle appeal must be exposed with the light of truth. Were the Corinthians sharing in the practice of fornication with the man in 1 Corinthians 5:1? No, but they were to “put away from yourselves the evil person” (5:13). Was every Thessalonian walking disorderly in 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 11-15? No, but those who did walk disorderly were to be “noted” and “admonished” (3:14-15). By withdrawing from him, the sinning Christian could be made ashamed and brought to repentance (3:14). To have ongoing fellowship with brethren who are teaching and practicing error fails to provide them the discipline they need in order to be ashamed of their sin and repent before their souls are eternally lost!

Congregational Autonomy

Congregations are independent and autonomous. That is, each is to have its own overseers and none is given authority to become a brotherhood clearing house for oversight of “brotherhood work.” However, the same ones who are urging us to agree to disagree over some doctrinal matters are now appealing to congregational autonomy for the right to do so. They have concluded that any effort to warn brethren of sin who are in another congregation is a violation of autonomy. As it has been stated,

“...this same principle (see previous quotation above, jrp) must be applied between

congregations. Since congregations do not “fellowship” as congregations (i.e., they

are autonomous),...”

In fact, there are some areas in which fellowship between churches can and does occur. In the work of benevolence, one congregation is authorized to have fellowship with another church:

2 Corinthians 8:1-4: The “churches of Macedonia” implored the apostle that they might be allowed to have “fellowship of the ministering of the saints” at Jerusalem. Here are several congregations, each independent of the other, having fellowship with another congregation.

2 Corinthians 9:13: “While, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing (koinonia) with them, and unto all men.” The churches of Macedonia and Achaia shared with (had fellowship with, koinonia), the Jerusalem church.

Romans 15:25-27: “But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia (churches, 2 Cor. 8:1-2, jrp) to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.”

These Gentile congregations had fellowship with the Jerusalem church in the matter of benevolence. Therefore the statement, “congregations do not ‘fellowship’ as congregations (i.e., they are autonomous)” is not entirely accurate. Congregational autonomy is not violated when churches today follow these New Testament examples and have the same sort of fellowship in matters of benevolence.

Congregations are not authorized to have fellowship through intercongregational organizations. They must remain autonomous under Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:11). However, speaking out against sin and error among the churches does not build an intercongregational organization. It does not violate local church autonomy in any sense (1 Cor. 4:17; Col. 4:16; see Rev. 2-3). (to be continued)