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 I
am frequently asked, “How does one explain the sudden changes
that take place in brethren. A good sound church may, within a
few months time, accept liberal preaching and practice
completely incompatible with their former position.”
A
good sound church DOES NOT make such sudden changes, any more
than a genuine Christian individual “suddenly” becomes a
vile reprobate. Changes take place beneath the surface, and are
extensively developed before the fruit is apparent. They are
often so well hidden that even the victims are unaware of their
presence — or, detecting changes in conviction, are ashamed to
admit them.
Pride
is the veil. We refuse to be honest with ourselves, to see our
own weakness. But the veil is woven with threads of various
hues. We learn “by rote” the answers to “doctrinal”
questions. Q. “What is the church?” A. It is the body of
Christ — Eph. 1:23.” We have answered the question,
and given the scripture — but we may have not the slightest understanding
concerning the matter, and so be unable to make application to
problems that may arise in the future. (Brethren should know the
definition
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of “catechism” before condemning it.
)(Look it up!!)
Another
thread in the veil is “popular approval.” If the majority of
“Churches of Christ” do it, it must be right. This ignores 2
Cor. 10: 12-f. and establishes a “party” creed by which we
measure “orthodoxy”. Our eyes are further blinded to
departure from the doctrine of Christ.
Pride
makes us “number hungry” and “money hungry” and hungry
for a less controversial position in the community. We justify
these things as being necessary, to “reach souls for Christ”—
but they dull our senses to our change in loyalty, from Christ
to men. We are spiritually sick, but we call our fever “growing
pains”.
And
then some “upstart” “crank” or “anti” calls
attention to a practice and asks for “authority”. We can’t
produce it — we swing rapidly into the “camp” of liberals
who rush to champion our cause (more pride) — AND ANOTHER
CHURCH SUDDENLY CHANGES. Hmmm!
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