9/17/2023 0 Comments Perish for lack of knowledgeIt is hard to find material that is strong in doctrine. The Bible school literature that we have produced in recent decades is woefully anemic. Is it any wonder that some of our schools have become the Trojan horse by which corruption has wormed its way into the church? Some colleges constitute one of the greatest threats to the church today. Many labor under the illusion that one cannot be an effective herald of the gospel unless he has at least a Master’s degree. Too, we have become so “degree oriented” that we have allowed the secular accrediting systems to structure our teaching programs according to their ideals. Many of our current administrators have arrived in their positions because they are adept at fundraising. The time was when the presidents and faculty-members of our colleges were great gospel preachers and teachers who knew how to powerfully proclaim the truth and win souls. Most of our schools are not the solid training centers they used to be. Many members of the church never carry a Bible to worship, and they could not cite scriptural references on the most basic doctrinal issues. The days are gone when God’s people were known as a “Bible-toting, Bible-quoting, Bible-living” people. So he simply called for a Christian man and had the witness place his hand upon the brother’s head. You may have heard the old story about the judge who couldn’t find a Bible in his courtroom with which to swear in a witness. It is no longer the case that the average person in the pew is a good Bible student. But, unfortunately, numerous people love it this way. They know nothing, teach nothing, and stand for nothing. These new princes are theological clones who can scarcely frame a sentence that the common man can understand. They are experts in everything except the Word of God. The church has on its hands a new generation of preachers who have matriculated through some of our schools (or denominational seminaries), but who do not understand the most elementary matters about the role of the gospel preacher. There are still some great elders, but far too many who are serving in this capacity have been given the job because they were successful businessmen, had wealth, or possessed other traits that were wholly unrelated to tending the flock of God. ![]() Where are the godly elders who know the Bible from cover to cover? Where are the bishops who can stand for truth, exhort in sound doctrine, and convict the gainsayers (Tit. There probably has not been a time in this generation when Bible knowledge among the Lord’s people has sunk to such a low level. So the church must jazz-up its services to appeal to an entertainment-oriented culture. They think the church of Christ is just another denomination.Ī number of prominent personalities contend that there are virtually no guidelines for regulating worship. Many are very fuzzy on what constitutes a Christian. ![]() Not a few have made serious compromises with the dogma of evolution in an effort to mesh with society. There are those among us who have a pathetically low regard for the concept of Bible inspiration and authority. 6:45).Īnyone with a smattering of Bible knowledge, and any experience at all within our brotherhood, is aware of the fact that the church of today is facing a time of great crisis. Jesus declared that favor with God must involve instruction, reception, comprehension, and commitment (Jn. One of the basic differences between the Mosaic regime (into which one was born physically) and the church of Jesus Christ, is the fact that knowledge is prerequisite to identifying with the faith of the gospel (Jer. Where there is no solid biblical instruction, the Christian system can neither commence nor continue. Christianity: A Religion of LearningĬhristianity is a religion of instruction. 15:4), surely we can conclude that a sustained ignorance of Jehovah’s will can bring nothing but tragedy to the modern church. Since the great truths of the Old Testament serve for our learning (Rom. The prophetic curse was fulfilled in the Babylonian Captivity (606-536 B.C.). “My people are gone into captivity for lack of knowledge” (Is. In a similar vein, Isaiah, speaking for the Lord, warned the southern kingdom of Judah of a coming time of punitive devastation: In those days before the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians (722 B.C.), the prophet Hosea focused upon one of the causes of Israel’s impending destruction - ignorance was a fundamental problem (Hos.
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