CHURCH TRUTH - Bible Counsel - Section C
CLICK A TITLE TO SEE
A PAGE
SOME FEATURE PAGES
******************************************************************************************************************************************************
A FOUNDATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSEMBLY
By R. DeWitt, '07; rev. 09/10
[A few thoughts here from other papers to help Christians, who have never heard of the revival of 1827, and were not reared within a scriptural assembly. Some Christians are associated with so-called High Churches who have a formal hierarchy of priestly men and many rituals, with their doctrines, rules, and form; some believers are at the other extreme with various independent, casual, and open sects who follow varied innovations to make them appealing and popular with men; and many Christian groups are somewhere between these. We need, rather, to endeavor to be pleasing to God and yielded to His Word, and that is what this fellowship from 1827 is about.]
The Gathering Place according to the scriptural order for the church, is probably not like anything one has known from the various Christian gatherings they have seen in the world, who often take a name, have a hierarchy of leaders, follow rituals, ceremonies and rules, may embrace worldly ways, have entertainment and activities, programs, innovations, etc. That is man's ideas to please men, rather than true to the Word of God. One needs to decide if they want to be a part of a scriptural assembly as a worldwide fellowship, and as a local expression of that, or follow traditions and the popular ideas of men. A true believer ought to seek to know church truth, church history, talk with the elders associated with the gathering, be baptized, pray much, and be an observer for a time before asking to be received into that scriptural fellowship from 1827. Reception is not dependent on knowing all the Scripture, but one should come simply in faith as a learner. One should come with the thought of "unity of the faith" and in truth. Certainly, we do not expect perfection with any saints, but God has preserved the testimony and pathway that He ordained.
The Word Of God should be our only authority for the Christian faith, not rules, creeds, the reasoning of various men and personal preferences. One should study the Word, seek some counsel from sound Bible teachers, and pray earnestly.
The Assembly Life concerns Christian love, happy fellowship, and the various meetings and function as in Acts 2:41-42 and the Epistles, a Godly spirit, and the care and fellowship for all the saints. One should stand apart from various sects and appreciate the truth of expressing the "one body of Christ” as given for the church, rather than the independent ways or mergers of the various religious sects of men. Mergers is not scriptural.
The Holy And Royal Priesthood (1 Pet. 2) is a precious truth given all saints, and something different than one will find in the various sects and systems, where the liberty and gifts of God's calling and participation is not allowed. One should study this and value the priesthood of the saints. Men are not called to make rules.
The Order And Government Of God speaks of the scriptural form of the collective gatherings, unity worldwide, a Godly spirit, correction and discipline, and honor to God; and God's mind and purposes for His testimony from the beginning of the church.
The Honor And Glory Of The Lord ought to be paramount among the saints in our personal life and the assembly, rather than pleasing men with their religious ideas.
The Collective Worship And Ministry speaks of the Lord's table and the supper as worship in both a collective and personal way; and the ministry shared in Bible studies and in messages delivered among the saints.
[It is important to appreciate that in all this it is speaking of God's standards and testimony in the world after His order. There is no such thing in the Holy Scriptures as "a church of your choice", so one ought to seek to find what God intended for the church, rather than look for a popular place of convenience and our preference. One cannot speak for others, and surely each child of God ought to pray earnestly to find God's mind for one's pathway. - from a paper: CF10. - RLD ]
CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE
There seems to be three great spheres of Christian experience: Redemption Way, Church Truth, &
Spiritual Life (John 14:6). Most believers can ap-preciate redemption way and spiritual growth, but church truth seems to be much neglected. We need to take "all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27).
 | ||||
It is not required by God to be gathered in a scriptural assembly, but there is a blessing for saints to meet on that ground and be a part of a collective testimony, as God intended for His church, and by His revival of 1827 AD. Faithful readers here can gain some understanding of such fellowship, and may desire to be associated to also express the "one body in Christ", embrace "all the counsel of God", and show forth "unity of the faith" by the Word of Truth. There is no such thing in the Bible as going to "the church of your choice", as many believers say. Write to the Site Manager for further understanding and to find a Scriptural fellowship.
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************
CHURCH TRUTH is about faithful compliance and conformity to what God intended in Acts 2: 41- 42 at the beginning of the church, and then the Epistles. It speaks of obeying and honoring God collectively without innovations. One who is saved (Jn.3: 16) ought to follow the Word (see Jn.14:23-24; Jn.17:17; Titus 1:9; Phil. 2:2); including baptism, the gathering locally, the collective testimony in the world; and obedience to the Word, a Godly walk, the Lord's glory and honor, etc. A local gathering in accord with Scripture may be near to one to visit, if interested.
From time to time papers will be set forth here and on the Feature Pages herein, concerning various aspects of this truth. We ought to love all saints everywhere and be a help, even if we cannot walk with all. - RLD
ADDENDUM: When we speak of a scriptural assembly we need to be prepared to show what it is biblically, and what it is not by the innovations of men. This writer feels free to invite inquiry on each issue or order of Scripture ---and distinguish between what men have invented (and often prefer), and what some of us are holding as true to God's Word and that recovery of circa 1800 AD. One might disagree, and that is a choice, but Scripture is quite plain as to what God has intended for His testimony in the world. One can write for help herein to find such a fellowship. - RLD 08/15
Conservative, Fundamental, or Scriptural?
SIMPLE STATEMENT OF SCRIPTURAL ASSEMBLY
[There is much one might say about finding the Christian path, understanding it, and following it with other believers in Christ, but here is a concise statement to introduce the subject. One can learn more about it by writing to Bible Truth Publishers in Addison, Illinois for books and literature down through history by esteemed Bible Teachers to guide one. This is only to share what is found to be the pathway from the "Word of Truth" with a hope it will help sincere seekers. – R. DeWitt 4/12: from biblecounsel. homestead.com]
In thinking about joining a church group, one ought to first know what he is thinking of joining, and be very sure and much in prayer before linking up with any fellowship, which might lead one astray. If it is not holding close to the Bible it should be suspect. The Bible is very old, but the truth is still there today for the Church (note Acts 2:41-42 and the Epistles --recommending the KJV Bible as more dependable). God did not leave us to wander and wonder, and He surely does not intend that we add to His Word or change what He gave for His Church ---that “one body of Christ” in "unity of the faith" ---the "priesthood" of all believers.
Actually, one cannot join a church, for God’s Church is the universal and spiritual “body of Christ”, which is not a social club nor an organization, but a fellowship of true "born again" believers. Then one must know what it means to be a true believer, and see how one can become that to participate in the fellowship God intended ---universal and locally of “one accord”.
Most earnest seekers can visit a sound scriptural assembly (which are yet found in many places) that holds to the Word of God for all authority for the Christian faith, but to be in full fellowship there it will be required first that the visitor be “born again” (John 3); and that means to have the indwelling Holy Spirit of God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ --God’s beloved Son who died on the Cross for our sins, and rose again and returned to His Father in Heaven. That personal relationship with the Savior is fundamental to the faith, for just being a disciple (follower) of the teachings of Christ is not salvation. Var-ious sects today teach works and pleasing activities and opinions as doctrine, which is contrary to the Epistles and surely offensive to God. He still has His faithful gatherings in the world (though not popular places) if one is earnest in inquiry.
It should be understood that church history was bound in ignorance and tyranny after the Apostolic period. God then began to move by His Spirit to restore His testimony. My study of church history shows the most scriptural rendering and practice of church truth in the world is that revival of circa 1800 AD, when the biblical form and practice of church truth was recovered out of the tyranny and rigid controls of religious men ---especially in the Roman Catholic Religion from about 500 AD to 1500 AD. From that time of protest, called the Reformation in the Middle (dark) Ages to circa 1800 AD, most denominations and sects then were following those rituals and practices much like what they learned over the 1,000 years of religious bondage under RCR control. Many new sects being formed to this present day are simply splinters from those sects that came out of the Reformation.
With the revival of church truth (specifically in 1827 AD in Ireland and England) the rituals, ceremonies, hierarchy, activities, programs and innovations were rejected by serious Bible teachers, and there was a return to the pure Word of God. That recovery has continued in what is commonly known as “the brethren movement" or "brethren from 1827". One can learn of this and see the history and form of the universal Church if they wish, through Bible Truth Publishers, Addison, IL, and on the Internet at biblecounsel.net.
-Some Fundamentals-
God’s pathway in this world for church truth is not just promoting a conservative religion, or fundamental ways, but Scripture only. So many professing Christians say that is what they follow, but in truth they do not. All so-called conservative or fundamental denominations are man-made religions with innovations, for God never gave us such religious sects. He gave us His immutable Word. If one intends to bow to the Word of God, he/she must know what the universal church (bride of Christ) is in the world, and be in conformity to it (see Acts 2:41-42 and the Epistles for instructions). As stated above, one needs to also understand God’s dealings with His Church in the world and see how He preserved it from the Apostolic time to the present, in spite of the failure of men to uphold the Scripture. Surely one is left to their own choices, but this is worthy of thought and prayer to honor God. - RLD: CH11
