Watchman Magazine

The headline read, "Weekly Communion Backed." The article said, "Although many Protestants celebrate communion monthly or quarterly, a study committee of the United Methodist Church has endorsed weekly observance….The committee said weekly practice would enrich worship and fit the practice of Methodist founder John Wesley, though it does not plan to seek legislation mandating it, United Methodist News Service reported" (Houston Chronicle, 2/16/02, 4F).

Imagine that-Methodists eventually may forsake a common Protestant practice and actually break bread as those non-Methodist, New Testament disciples did (Acts 20:7)! What’s more, the "weekly practice" would not only "fit the practice of Methodist founder, John Wesley," but it also would "fit the practice" of the church of Christ’s founder, Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:20; Acts 2:42; 20:7).

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Furniture restoration often involves the use of chemicals and abrasives which are intended to strip away years of refinishing and grime just to return to the mint state of the piece before them. It seems as though mainstream religion in the late twentieth century is in a similar state.

Religion That Is God-Imposed

There is religion that is God-imposed, and can be studied in the New Testament. In order to meet Christ’s demand that all worship of his father be both in spirit and truth, man’s praise must hew to what can be ascertained from revealed authority (John 4:23-24). That authority rests in Jesus (Matt. 28:18-20) and his twelve apostles who were chosen to reveal much of it through the inspired dictates of heaven (Matt. 18:18). As the first century of Christ drew toward its dusk, Jude could write that the faith had been once for all delivered (Jude 3). That system of belief, practice and religion was being completed. Any form of religion which God had imposed was in its masterpiece state even 1900 years ago.

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Churches in many places in the U.S. have been harmed by preachers who have been involved in immoral relationships with women.  Most preachers who have preached for any length of time have probably been involved in some kind of effort in reaction to damage done by such sins.   Beyond the damage done to churches and Christian families, the Lord’s cause in many places has received serious set backs due to the sins of the very ones supposed to be furthering it.

With the above facts in mind, one can understand that preachers must take extra care to guard against such sins while working in foreign countries.  Such a man is often the first Christian many people in foreign countries see.  His example must be one that conforms with the holy life and teaching of Jesus (1 Pet. 1:16; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).  Also, experience has taught me that many people in foreign countries will watch Americans more attentively than they will those of their own nation. They will note inconsistencies between one’s profession and practice.  Sadly, the devil takes no holidays.  Hence, the dangers presented by the opposite sex are common to all cultures, some, of course, more than others.

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Jesus Christ is our source for authority today. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18).

However, none living today has ever seen Jesus. Also, despite claims to the contrary, Jesus does not speak to us directly today. So, how is it we are to know the will of Jesus? He is the authority, so how are we to know what he authorizes?

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Editor’s Note: Brother Roberts is presently preparing for a move to the Tampa, Florida area, to work with the Forest Hills congregation.  As such, I have taken the liberty of reprinting an article Tom wrote for the West Side Weekly, a bulletin published by the West Side church in Fort Worth, TX in the time brother Roberts preached for that congregation.

The date of the article is November 20, 1977.  At that time, brother Roberts was dealing with the error of “Neo-Calvinism” in the Dallas, Fort Worth area.  Among other criticisms he and others received in their defense of truth was the charge that they were “meddling” in the affairs of other congregations.

While the illustration is dated, (typewriters instead of computers and the internet),  the argument used to refute this quibble is the same.  Truth does not violate autonomy! We commend his article to you. (Stan)

One hears a lot of objections these days to the use of bulletins by churches.  They are used, it is said, to meddle in other churches’ affairs and to ruin the reputation of preachers who deviate from orthodox positions.  I believe we need to consider these charges.

A bulletin, properly used, is simply a teaching medium of a congregation.  It is used in much the same way that a radio program is used:  to expand the teaching area that can be reached by the local church.  A bulletin can be as versatile as gospel preaching in that it can be used for local members or for those not Christians or for a combined audience of Christians and non-Christians.  In and of itself, there is nothing wrong with a church using a bulletin, nor a radio program, nor any other means to proclaim the truth.

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Christians have faith in God.  Basically, we believe that God exists though we have not seen Him.  Despite our inability to prove the existence of God by the use of our physical senses, we accept the affirmation of Scripture.  We freely admit that this is faith, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

This does not mean that there is no evidence as to the existence of God.  Indeed there is. "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead" (Romans 1:20).  The argument of design is one that cannot be successfully refuted by those who deny God’s existence.  If there is no designer, why does structure and organization abound in the physical universe?  Why is it "cosmos" (ordered) rather than "chaos"?  Design demands a designer.

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Approximately 3,500 years ago, the inspired scribe recorded in the book of Genesis the events which signaled the beginning of physical creation.  "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." The first chapter of Genesis records in straightforward, concise language the origins of the universe, life, and man himself.  For thousands of years men accepted at face value what the inspired writer penned, "Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.  Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done" (Genesis 1:31-2:2).

The presentation of the Genesis account, together with the geneologies contained in that book present a clear history which shows the creation of the universe and the history of mankind to be of recent origin in relation to the claims of great antiquity advocated by evolutionary theorists.

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A reader asks for clarification:

"The Bible speaks of two baptisms – baptism with water and baptism of the Holy Spirit. Both are referred to on several different occasions, so both are essential (a few examples include Matt. 3:11, John 1:3, John 3:4, Acts 10:34-38).

"Ephesians 4:5, however, speaks of there being one baptism. Since the Bible actually mentions two of them, then this must mean that one of the baptisms takes precedence over the other. …which baptism is referred to here? Explain what it means to have [either] one superior to the other."

Baptisms Of The Bible

Actually, the Bible speaks of more than "two baptisms." It speaks of a baptism of suffering (Mk. 10:38, 39; Lk. 12:50), "the baptism of John" (Matt. 21:25), a baptism of fire (Matt. 3:11), and a baptism "unto Moses" (1 Cor. 10:2), as well as the aforementioned baptisms of water and the Holy Spirit.

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Hill Roberts’ Work in Russia

A report on a missionary trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, was recently brought to my attention. It was written by brother Tom Couchman and detailed efforts in which he and brother Hill Roberts had taken part, and was posted on brother Roberts’ web site. (To access the article, click here.  If the "Enter Network Password box comes up, click cancel, and the article should still load.  At the time this article was posted to Watchman Magazine, the mentioned article was still available on the Lord I Believe site). Note: Some of you may remember that brother Couchman circulated a response to the open letter which was sent to Florida College regarding its use of Hill Roberts in their lecture program ). Though somewhat dated (the trip took place Feb. 17-25, 2001), this report should be of interest to all who hold the cause of Christ in foreign lands near and dear. This is because it involves compromises that most of us will find hard to believe. Without further ado, let us notice a couple paragraphs from brother Couchman which tell of the brethren with whom he and brother Roberts worked while in Russia:

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Let me ask you something.  If you noticed that others applied a stricter, harsher standard to you than they applied to themselves, how would you feel?  I write this article in defense of my fellow evangelists; I write this article, not in the spirit of complaining, for we are to “do all things without complaining and disputing.” (Philippians 2:14)  Nevertheless, it is equally evident in the scriptures that, when we see an injustice or error, we are to expose it and fight it. (Ephesians 5:11)

“Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: and look! the tears of the oppressed, but they have no comforter—On the side of their oppressors there is power, but they have no comforter.” (Ecclesiastes 4:1)  No doubt human cruelty and oppression have always existed, and God knows this.  But, is it right when this oppression and cruelty comes from within the church?  There is an oppression under the sun today, and it involves setting a double standard for evangelists.

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