In This Issue

• WHOSE WIFE SHALL SHE BE?
• THE SOCIAL GOSPEL: DID JESUS DIE FOR THE CHURCH OR FOR A COUNTRY CLUB?
• THE HEART AND THE HANDS
• MORE INFORMATION...

WHOSE WIFE SHALL SHE BE?

Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus "and they asked Him, saying, 'Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.' Jesus answered and said to them, 'Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do now know the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken'" (Mark 12:18-27). Matthew tells us that Jesus' answer "silenced the Sadducees" (Matt. 22:34).

Most likely, the people of Jerusalem had heard the Sadducees ask this same question of the Pharisees on numerous occasions, but they had never before heard it so adequately answered. "When the multitude heard this, they were astonished at His doctrine" (Matt. 22:34).

Scholars suggest that the Sadducees viewed the other writings of the Old Testament as less authoritative than those written by Moses. This helps to explain why they questioned the resurrection. Daniel, Job and David had clearly spoken of resurrection, but the Sadducees did not view them as authoritative. This also explains why Jesus went to Moses' writings to show them their error. The main reason the Sadducees denied the resurrection was that they were materialists. "For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit" (Acts 23:8). Had they believed that a part of man survives death, they would have had no reason to reject the concept of resurrection. So, Jesus went to the precise part of the Scriptures in which they had the greatest confidence to show them that God identified Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even after they had died. They were still living in another realm, "for all live unto Him" (Luke 20:38). The Sadducees erred because they did not know the Scriptures as thoroughly as they thought they did.

They also erred in another area. They forgot to take into account the power of God. The God who put us here in a physical, material body, can remove us to a realm where physical needs and relationships no longer exist, and this He has promised to do.

--Clarence R. Johnson

THE SOCIAL GOSPEL: DID JESUS DIE FOR THE CHURCH OR FOR A COUNTRY CLUB?

The very reason Christ came to this earth was to live His life perfectly in accord with the Will of the Father and die on the cross for all mankind. His blood cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). With this same innocent blood He ratified the New Covenant (Matt. 26:28). Both Jew and Gentile who were afar off from Christ were brought near Him into the church by His blood (Eph. 2:13). Furthermore, Paul charged the elders of the church at Ephesus to "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28). Truly, your soul, the New Covenant and the Church are all of great value to God because of the great cost and sacrifice made for them. Of all the institutions on earth, only one was purchased with the blood of Christ. All that is purchased, cleansed and ratified by the blood of Christ is made holy unto Him. I am a holy saint of God only because of coming in contact with the blood of the Holy One. The New Testament because of Christ blood it is the Holy Bible. Likewise, the church is His holy Bride.

When we take the church and turn it into a carnival, circus, country club or a cafeteria we cheapen and make light of its value and the price paid to purchase it. When the Corinthians were making a common meal out of communion Paul indicated that their actions showed they despised the church (1 Cor. 11:22). Those who sinned willfully were condemned by the Hebrew writer for having "counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing" (Heb. 10:29). Is the blood of Christ a "common thing" or "holy"? If Christ wanted to establish a country club, circus, carnival or cafeteria He could have bought one for a far cheaper price than His blood. None of these things were authorized by the New Covenant which is sealed with His Blood (Heb. 9:23-28).

Jesus shed His precious blood to establish an institution with a spiritual mission. Because of His death and resurrection Christ was made "to be head over all things to the church, which is His body" (Eph. 2:20-23). Since Christ is the head over all things to the church, this includes the work of the church. Since the church is His body and a body must function as the head directs, then Christ has authority over every function of the church. Just as the bride must be subject to her head (husband) so the church (the bride of Christ) must be subject to its head "in everything" (Eph. 5:24). The church has no right to function in any area of work unless Christ the head authorizes it.

As the Head of the Church Christ has the right to assign its mission and direct the way it carries out the mission and how the money is spent. A axiom well known in corporation law is: "all the operations of a chartered corporation must be set forth in its charter, and any operation in which it engages which is not thus set forth is an illegal operation". For a congregation to operate in a way contrary to its charter, the New Testament, is for it to perform an illegal operation. The same can be said of unauthorized use of the church's money. If a business man gave a million to a business manager. That million is "holy" or set apart for that certain use. If the business manager uses the million for something else, it is an unauthorized use, and thus violates the law.

Christ has all power of authority. Before His ascension into heaven He told His disciples "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Mt. 28:18). Authority comes through His Word. It is established in three ways: direct command, approved apostolic example, and necessary inference. Where is the passage of scripture that authorizes a church to provide social recreation for the members? The Social Gospel proponents have the liberal attitude of taking the liberty of doing what they want without respect for God's Word. They feel they do not need authority. Every apostasy is traceable to this attitude. The Social Gospel is also justified by the idea that we can do something because it is not expressly forbidden in the scriptures creates respect for what the Bible does not say, rather than what it does say! "Where did God say not to build a gym, fellowship hall, put on a circus or carnival?" Such an view violates the silence of the Scriptures "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11).

Throughout the book of Acts, activities of Christians centered on evangelism (8), edification (11), and benevolence to needy saints (11). Every time benevolent work is mentioned by the church in the New Testament it involves needy saints. When it comes to evangelism only the church is "the pillar and ground of the truth" (I Tim. 3:15). The church is not the "support of entertainment," but the "pillar and ground of the truth". It is the only organization in the world designed and able to save men's souls. The establishment of the church had nothing to do with giving men jobs, proper housing, decent recreation and entertainment, and other social ills. Redemption of mankind refers to saving mankind from his sins, not saving him from social ills. Besides not one of these programs, or all combined, will save one soul! The third area of the church's mission is to edify, that is, build up one another spiritually. Building up each other in no way involves filling up on chicken, ice cream or potluck dinners. Building up is through the Word, not food (Ac. 20:32; Jude 20; Col. 2:7; Heb. 13:9). Moreover, how does a church kitchen relate to the church's mission of evangelism or edification?

It would be sinful to add a work to the church that was never given by God. There is not one jot or one tittle from Genesis to Revelation implying that such is the work of the church. Why can't people just be content to let the church be the church? Those to advocate the Social Gospel have totally lost sight of what the Church is and what is its mission.

--Daniel R. Vess, Forum Terrace Forum, Grand Prairie, Texas

THE HEART AND THE HANDS

The story is told of a man who went to a watchmaker with the two hands of a clock. He said, "I want you to fix these hands. They haven't kept time correctly for the past six months or more."

"Where is the clock?" asked the watchmaker/
"I left it at home," was the answer.
"But I must have the clock," insisted the watchmaker.
"But there is nothing wrong with the clock except the hands," replied the owner.

As we read this little story, we think, "What a foolish man he was." He did not realize that when the hands of a clock won't work, the trouble is not in the hands, but rather in the heart of the clock. If there is faulty fruit on a tree, it is not the fault of the fruit, but of the tree; and the problem will not be solved simply by picking off the bad fruit.

Many times we make the same mistake in matters that are spiritual. When you fail to attend worship services regularly, the problem is not with your feet, your shoes or your car - it is with your heart. When you fail to give as you have been prospered, the fault is not with your hands but with your heart. "As he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7). When you say things that you should not - things that are not true, idle gossip, etc. - it is not the tongue that is at fault, but it is the heart.

The heart of man - his mind, intellect, will, etc. - is at the root of all sin and unrighteousness. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7). Jesus expressed the same truth in these words: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matt. 12:34).

Let us get to the "heart" of our spiritual problems.

--Roy L. Foutz, Lord's Day Reminder, Gainesville, Fla., July 23, 1972

MORE INFORMATION...