Study of Revelation 01/16/2011

The author of the study book holds to late date of the writing of Revelation, I hold to or believe it was written before the destruction of Jerusalem. Thus, I shall be writing my views below as stated in class.

There are five ways to look at the following events, and each view is most logical by the holder: 1) The events have not happened since the late date of writing Revelation {c.90 A.D.} But will happen at the end of time. 2) The events have happened since the late date of writing Revelation but there is no historical record of the events. 3) This is dealing with the current at that time as well as the continuing struggle the faithful have, i.e. the philosophy of history {cf. page i or 4 if viewing in Adobe}, and the late date is correct. 4) The events have happened in the O.T.  past and thus one can accept the late date of writing 5) The events fit the historical events that happened a few years before the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem but it means one must reject the late date (the most popular date) and accept the early date{before 70 A.D.} of the writing of Revelation.. Currently I am of the opinion number 5 fits the events of Revelation the best and I will accept the proof of an early date of Revelation’s writing. (This is not the author’s view; he goes with number 2.).

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Section 3 THE SEVEN TRUMPETS OF JUDGMENT
Chapter 8 - The  Seventh  Seal  and  The  First  Four  Trumpets

1- The silence suggest something dramatic was going to happen - Mat 24:29, the end of Jerusalem; i.e., the end of the nation Israel. The reason Israel exist today is the UN at the end of WW II said so.

2- The trumpets, the alarm of war; they give seven, i.e. complete, warnings before the judgement.

3- 4 - The prayers of the newly killed saints (6:11b) are added to the prayers of OT saints (6:9-10) and brought to God.

5 - What those under the alter (6:9) wanted came about. The fires thrown on earth may be making reference to what happened when Vespasian subdued the Jews 66 A.D. as told by Josephus’ in his account of the Roman-Jewish wars. Josephus, account of the Roman-Jewish war similarities seems to go along with this section.

6-7 - Josephus says “Galilee was all over filled with fire and blood.” This probably does not mean a third of the earth was burned up but the places where there was war.    

8-9 - “and had life” in verse 9 may suggest human life and not only animal life for such would not be necessary. In Bible times there were four prominent seas: Mediterranean Sea, Dead Sea, Red Sea, sea of Galilee. Josephus describes a sea battle that was fought on Mediterranean Sea at Joppa that showed the sea was not a good defense for Israel during the Roman-Jewish wars.

10-11- The star is could be a person that was well thought of but was turned on because of his actions. This could be Josephus for at one time he was well thought of by the Jews, then he became a traitor.

12 - The Vespasian campaign conquered 1/3 of Israel, i.e. Israel’s light (God’s help) was going out

13 - It was at this time there was a pause in the Roman-Jewish wars when Nero died (June 68 A.D.) and Vespasian went back to Rome; but the Roman army did return to Jerusalem and destroyed the temple, thus, the woes by the eagle (the eagle was the ensign of Rome).  

Study of Revelation

The author of the study book holds to late date of the writing of Revelation, I hold to or believe it was written before the destruction of Jerusalem. Thus, I shall be writing my views below as stated in class.
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 Some historians state that the persecution of Christians expanded dramatically during Domitian’s reign. However, noting that he maintained debaucheries, there is simply no historical evidence of any persecutions during his reign, despite mention of a handful of individual trials for heresy which took place in Rome. These are listed by both Eusebius and the Roman historian Dion Cassius. Eusebius’ List of Martyrs did have its beginning during Domitian’s reign, but comparatively speaking, it is not a very long list, with less than one hundred names most of whom were identified in the second and third century. It is interesting to note that Edward Gibbon speculated that the inquisition in Spain was responsible for more Christian martyrs than were all of the rest emperors combined excepting Nero, of course.

Some things to ponder.
1    The only persecution against Christians identified in Revelation are by Jews [cf. Revelation 2:9; 3:9].  There are additional persecutions but the source is not identified [cf. Revelation 2:13].

2    Tacitus and Suetonius, who were members of the Roman Senate during Domitian's reign, nor Pliny, who lived in Rome, leave any record of a campaign against Christians.  Yet, Tacitus and Suetonius both left a record of Nero's persecution against Christians.  Strange is it not.
    2.1    Tacitus (55?-120?) - Roman public official and historian whose two greatest works, Histories and Annals, concern the period from the death of Augustus (a.d. 14) to the death of Domitian.
    2.2    Suetonius (Second century a.d.) - Roman historian whose major work, Lives of the Caesars, is an account of the lives of the first 12 Roman emperors.
    2.3    Pliny the Younger (62:-113? a.d.) Roman consul and writer. His letters provide valuable information about Roman life.

3    Robert Young in his "Commentary on Revelation" published prior to 1885 gives the reason for the tradition of Domitian.  "It was written in Patmos about A.D. 68, whither John had been banished by Domitius Nero, as stated in the title of Syriac Version of the book; and with this concurs the express statement of Irenaeus in A.D. 175, who says it happened in the reign of Domitianou — i.e. Domitius (Nero).  Sulpicius, Orosius, etc. stupidly mistaking Domitianou for Domitianikos supposed Irenaeus to refer to Domitian, A.D. 95, and most succeeding writers have fallen into the same blunder.  The internal testimony is wholly in favor of the early date."
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Section 3 THE SEVEN TRUMPETS OF JUDGMENT
Chapter 8 - The  Seventh  Seal  and  The  First  Four  Trumpets

1- The silence suggest something dramatic was going to happen - Mat 24:29, the end of Jerusalem; i.e., the end of the nation Israel. The reason Israel exist today is the UN at the end of WW II said so.

2- The trumpets, the alarm of war; they give seven, i.e. complete, warnings before the judgement.

3- 4 - The prayers of the newly killed saints (6:11b) are added to the prayers of OT saints (6:9-10) and brought to God.




 

Book of Revelation 10/17/2010

We have started a new study.

Shall use a study by  James M. Booth at www.padfield.com
This is study based on the position the book was written in the earily 90 a.d.'s and is based  on a historical background with Rome being the fulfillment with some things to be fulled in the future.

As was noted in class this is an opinion of one man and a person can have a different view. The point being one should free to state their opinion.

We went through the introduction and shall start chapter 1 Sunday morning

Study of Denomintions 10/10/2010

The Church Treasury, II: Other Considerations
A Study of Denominations


Kitchens/Fellowship Halls

Many churches today have built kitchens and/or fellowship halls to encourage fellowship amongst the saints. While it may seem like a good idea, has the church been so burdened?

Christians certainly should get together and have association with one another; hospitality involving the saints is commanded by Peter in 1 Peter 4:9 . While we have examples of Christians getting together for social reasons, including the eating of meals (cf. Acts 2:46 ), nowhere do we see that the corporate church has in fact facilitated such association with a building or any other such thing. Further, we read the following in 1 Corinthians 11:19-22 :

For there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you. When therefore ye assemble yourselves together, it is not possible to eat the Lord's supper: for in your eating each one taketh before other his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God, and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I praise you not.


Clearly, the church in Corinth had division fostered within itself, and it would seem from this passage that some of this division was being caused by eating and drinking during their assembly. Paul here is delineating between activities while assembled and activities to be done at home: partake of the Lord's Supper together, eat and drink at home.

Individuals are to open their homes and share meals with brethren; the church has not been so burdened.

When the matter of the fellowship hall or the kitchen is discussed, many times people will ask what is wrong with "eating in the building". The matter is not about "eating in the building," so to speak. Many times children require food during a long assembly; some people for other health reasons need to eat at specified times. There may be a time when people are working on the building and it is convenient to eat there. Nevertheless, there is a vast difference between an individual or two eating in the building for some necessary purpose and setting aside space in the church building or erecting another building for the sole purpose of preparing food and/or eating within. The issue is not about "eating in the building," per se, but whether or not the Scriptures have burdened the church with the obligation of facilitating the association of its constituents; no such authorization has been put forward.

Argument: The fellowship hall is an expedient for us to have fellowship.

Answer: As we have seen previously in The Church Treasury, I: Benevolence: Expediencies? , if one is going to have an authorized "expedient," the expedient must be facilitating the fulfillment of a command. As with giving benevolence to non-saints, so it is with association: nowhere is the church commanded do such things. Yes, there are examples of the church getting together for a social function, but where do we see that examples are to be expedited? Where has the church been burdened with the responsibility of expediting the God-given obligations of the individual? The Scriptures indicate no such burden!
Gymnasiums

There are many denominations and churches that have built gymnasiums. Such facilities are designed to help better the physical bodies of the members and to provide association.

While 1 Corinthians 6:19 indicates that our bodies are the "temple of the Holy Spirit", and therefore that it would be a good idea to keep the body in good shape, the Scriptures nowhere command physical exercise, even for the individual. Paul does establish that physical exercise does profit a little in 1 Timothy 4:8 , and therefore a Christian certainly has the right to exercise. Nevertheless, since physical exercise is nowhere commanded, even for the individual, in the Scriptures, how can a church building a gymnasium for that purpose be justified Biblically? It is clear that the church has nowhere been so burdened!
Business Enterprises

In many larger churches today, it is popular for various kinds of businesses to be run within the church campus, somehow or another connected to that particular church. These businesses include coffee shops, bookstores, and other enterprises. Some denominations even serve as landlords or run investment corporations and may perhaps own and run facilities in no way connected to any religious purpose.

While it may be profitable for individuals to engage in business and to support their families ( 1 Timothy 5:8 ), the church has nowhere been burdened with the responsibility of operating or overseeing business enterprises. The Bible indicates that the church is to support its work by the freewill contributions of its members ( 1 Corinthians 16:1-3 , 2 Corinthians 9), or in times of distress, money for benevolence from other churches (2 Corinthians 8-9). There is no other Biblically-approved way for the church to make money. We see no indication that the church ought to be involved in coffee houses, bookstores, real estate, or any other such thing.
Evangelism?

Sometimes one or more of the above practices will be defended in the name of evangelism: the fellowship hall or the gymnasium or the bookstore or some other such thing may lead someone to Christ. Is such a sufficient justification for these practices?

We have previously discussed a similar matter in The Church Treasury, I: Benevolence: The Ends Justify the Means? . One of the important points mentioned regarded to what you convert people when you use food or medical care or a gym or other such things. Are such persons being converted to Jesus and His truth or to the various services provided?

Jesus provides a helpful illustration in John 6. After He has fed the five thousand, and the people have followed after Him, He says the following to them in verse 26:

Jesus answered them and said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled."


While it is true that Jesus fed the multitude, the multitude was converted to bread, not Jesus. As Jesus preaches some difficult truths in verses 27 through 65, this fact becomes apparent. In John 6:66 , it is clear that only the original twelve disciples remain with Him. Of the five thousand who ate bread, how many were converted to serve Jesus? Not one. If such was the result for our God and Savior, how should we expect to fare any better?

To build and maintain such facilities is by no means a profitable form of evangelism, and such is indicated by the example of our Lord Himself. We ought to preach the Gospel of Christ by promoting His spiritual truth, and to not try to attach the Gospel to some form of a gimmick or some "bait and switch" concept.

Study of Denomintions 10/3/2010

The Church Treasury, II: Other Considerations
A Study of Denominations

General Considerations
As we have seen in The Church Treasury, I: Benevolence , many denominations burden the church with responsibilities it has not been called upon to bear, especially in terms of benevolence to non-saints and the creation of unnecessary institutions to facilitate benevolence and evangelism.

Many denominations also burden the collective with other responsibilities, including healing the ill, educating children, and feeding people, among other things. We will investigate many different aspects of these responsibilities below. Before we do, however, it is important that we remind ourselves of two important principles that we have elsewhere established.

In Instrumental Music: Silence Considerations , we establish that silence does not authorize or condemn in and of itself, but that there must be either corresponding generic authority to establish liberty, or specific authority to establish prohibition. The following practices come with no New Testament command that the church should engage in them; it is hard to say, therefore, how they could in any way be authorized and profitable for the church.

In The Church Treasury, I: Benevolence: The Individual and the Church , we establish that the individual and the church, while often sharing obligations, are not interchangeable. 1 Timothy 5:16 provides the principle that establishes that the individual is not the same as the church, for the individual is to be burdened with a believing widow so that the church can help others. Many of the practices concerning which we will speak are profitable for individuals to do; there is no evidence from the Scriptures, however, that the church has been burdened with these responsibilities.

Nevertheless, many times when people are questioned about many of the practices mentioned below, especially in terms of where the church is authorized to erect buildings for the purposes of healing, fellowship, exercise, etc., they will respond by wondering what authority exists for a church building at all.

It is a good question, indeed; there are no church buildings in the New Testament, nor is there ever a command to build one. The church building is really a liberty-- an expedient for the assembling of the saints. The expedient is authorized from the New Testament by the clear commandment to assemble in Hebrews 10:25 :
not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.


The command establishes that we are to assemble; we have examples in Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 that Christians assembled on the first day of the week to break bread and to have a collection, and that further assemblies could also be held daily if one so desired ( Acts 2:46 ). Nevertheless, what do we see in regards to where we should assemble in the New Testament?

We see the following three examples in the New Testament:

1.The Temple, from Acts 2:46 :
a.And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart.

2.Solomon's Portico, from Acts 5:12 :
a.And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

3.Houses of Christians, from Philemon 1:2 :
a.and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house.

We see from these three examples that Christians met wherever they could, and that because of the varying places, God has shown through His Word His indifference to where His saints meet. Thus, since we have generic authority concerning our meeting place, we have authority to build a building for that purpose.
Sections
● Hospitals
● Centers of Education
● Kitchens/Fellowship Halls
● Gymnasiums
● Business Enterprises
● Evangelism?


Hospitals
Some denominations create and support hospitals to care for the sick. Oftentimes it is argued that since Jesus healed the sick, the church can help to heal the sick. Is this what we see established in the Bible?
As individuals, if we have the opportunity to help some people who are ill, by all means we should do so. Such is what James expects in James 5:14 :
Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him.


It is interesting to see that James expects the elders to pray over the ill person, and that it is the prayer of faith that shall save. James does not expect the church to build hospitals for this purpose; instead, the elders and the sick person are to trust in God.

Does the fact that Jesus heals people mean that we should build hospitals? It is clear that part of Jesus' ministry did include healing the sick ( Matthew 4:24 ), yet what was the primary mission of Jesus while on the earth? Jesus Himself establishes His purpose in Luke 19:10 :

For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost.


Jesus' purpose, then, was to "seek and save the lost"-- not from their illnesses per se, but from their sins! Healing the sick was a sign for the people to realize that Jesus was the Christ. Many who were healed realized in the process the need to follow Jesus (cf. John 9). Nevertheless, Jesus' primary purpose has always been to redeem lost souls, and the church is to carry on that mission ( Matthew 28:18-20 , Philippians 4:15-17 ). The church has nowhere been burdened with the responsibility of building and funding hospitals.
Centers of Education

Many churches today fund centers of education, be it for primary or secondary education, private colleges, or schools for religious instruction. Do the Scriptures indicate that the church has been so burdened?

Christians have the right to be educated; Luke himself was a physician ( Colossians 4:14 ). We are also to be educated in religious matters, as Paul says to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 :

Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.


We are to teach and to learn ( Colossians 3:16 ), but we never see a church erecting a facility for the purpose of educating anyone. The only New Testament examples of religious instruction involve the regular teaching and preaching in the assemblies of the saints (Cf. Acts 2:42 ) and Paul and Timothy, Titus, and others, when the more experienced preacher (Paul) continually taught Timothy and Titus while they worked with him in the churches and by letter (cf. 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus).

The primary responsibility for the education of children lay with the parents of the child ( Ephesians 6:4 ). If the parents decide to send their child to a public or private school to learn of secular matters, and instruct in religion in their home, or if they decide to home school in both secular and religious matters, well and good; they have liberty in that matter. Nevertheless, the church has not been burdened with the responsibility of training up children in secular matters, nor to create and/or fund an institution to teach children in any way, shape, or form

Study of Denomintions 09/19/2010

The Church Treasury, I: Benevolence

A Study of Denominations
Cont. from last week

Argument: James 1:27 shows that we are to help orphans and widows; why can't we as a church?

Answer: The text:

Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.


James is very specific in this passage as to whom the burden of visiting the orphans and widows falls upon: "oneself." Since these two principles consist of "pure and undefiled religion," and one is qualified as to be done as "oneself" and the other shows no qualification, it is clear that James intends this pure and undefiled religion to be practiced by the individual.

Retort: Are you saying that the church cannot practice pure and undefiled religion?

Answer: James 1:27 is not discussing the church in any way, shape, or form. James is making no comment toward the nature of the church or its function. We learn the following from Ephesians 5:27 :

That he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.


We see that the church is holy and blameless, thus "pure and undefiled...unstained from the world" The need for "practicing religion" as seen in James 1:27 needs not be a burden placed upon the church, and thus neither is it to be burdened with the assistance of non-saints.
Expediencies?

Argument: We give to the church so that the church can give to the poor as an expedient for us to fulfill our commands.

Answer: As discussed in Instrumental Music , an expedient is the way that one fulfills a command. Expedients are surely to be used when a command has been given, i.e. a songbook so that we know what to sing, a car to transport ourselves to assembly and back, and such things, but there is no Scriptural right to have an expedient for a command which has not been made. An expedient in the case of benevolence for a non-saint would be if a Christian financially supported an institution that assists the poor and needy (if that were a profitable way to go about assisting the poor). Involving the church constitutes an addition not sanctioned in the Scriptures.
Distinctions Between Responsibilities

Some, when discussing this issue, wish to cloud the matter under consideration by attempting to discuss orphans in general. The church has the responsibility to help anyone who is a saint no matter what he or she happens to be, a widow, a mother, a father, a "child," or an "orphan." If they have called upon the name of the Lord and have been added to His church ( Acts 22:16 ), the church is under obligation to help them in any need. The church, however, has no such responsibility to anyone who is a non-saint, be them mothers, fathers, widows, children, or orphans, for this is the responsibility of the individual Christian (as discussed above; James 1:27 , Galatians 6:10 ).
The Ends Justify the Means?

When discussing giving benevolence to non-saints, some will argue that the church can give money to non-saints in order to help convert them. They argue since some of these individuals will convert, what could be wrong with assisting them beforehand?

It is very true that we are to convert any and everyone we can ( Matthew 28:18-20 ), and that the church ought to support evangelism ( Philippians 4:15-16 ), yet does anything go when converting people? Should we do whatever we can to convert people? For instance, if a Christian would go into a bar to spread the Word and he buys a prospective Christian a drink, and the prospect later converts, does this justify the purchase of the alcohol? By no means! We are to lead others to Christ by our example ( Matthew 5:7-13 ); what kind of example do we set when we implicitly approve things which God has not? We must always strive to evangelize and help those in the lost world, but we must not do so at the expense of our own purity and holiness, as evidenced in James 1:27 .

Furthermore, to what are we converting people if we use benevolence? Are we converting people to the spiritual Kingdom of God or to a handout? Let us consider the example of John 6 and see that we need to preach the Gospel to convert people to the Gospel, and that we ought not preach food or benevolence.
The Missionary Society

Many denominations have established what are called "missionary societies," institutions established to fund the needs of missionaries throughout the world. These missionary societies generally receive funding from individual churches within the denomination or denominations and distribute the funds to the missionaries. Do the Scriptures allow for such a practice?

There is no command or example in the Scriptures of any church or churches giving to a separate institution to support missionaries. It is argued, however, that since evangelists were funded in many different ways in the Scripture, by their own work ( Acts 18:3 ), by the church they are currently working with ( 2 Corinthians 11:7-10 ), or by different churches supporting them ( Philippians 4:15-17 ), that God has established a liberty in the way that missionaries may be funded.

It would be possible to justify a group of Christians coming together to pool their resources to fund an evangelist/missionary with the argument given above, yet, as we have seen earlier, the individual and the church are different entities. The difficulty within the Scriptures concerning the establishment of the missionary society is not in how the missionaries are funded but because of the means by which they are funded. A church is required to give up its funds into the hands of a different organization which determines who shall receive the funding in the missionary society system; where is the Scriptural pattern for a liberty in this regard?

The Scriptures teach that each individual congregation of the Lord's people is an autonomous entity: it is self-governed. Each congregation is to have its own elders shepherding the flock and deacons to serve its needs. We read the following in Acts 20:28 and Titus 1:5 :

"Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood."


For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge.


It may be noted here that Paul's words in Acts 20:28 are directed to the elders of the church in Ephesus, and the elders of the church in Ephesus only ( Acts 20:17 ). We have no evidence in the Scriptures that any of these churches were governed by any higher official of any kind.

Therefore, since each individual congregation is an autonomous entity, each congregation is responsible for encouraging and edifying one another and to support evangelism. There is no pattern or example in the Scriptures of churches combining their efforts into a separate institution to fund evangelism. How can a local church wield any form of control over the funds they send to the society? If their funds go to pay for the support staff of the institution, have they fulfilled the commandment to fund evangelism or have they spent the money improperly? The local congregation evidently has no control over where the money goes, and if asked cannot definitively claim that their funds were spent directly on evangelism nor can they affirm the soundness of those to whom funds were given. Thus, the "missionary society" is an institution without Scriptural foundations, and churches which fund these societies violate the Scriptural pattern of local church autonomy.
The Sponsoring Church Arrangement

There have been some, especially in some congregations of churches of Christ, who do not have missionary societies but instead fund evangelists through a "sponsoring church arrangement," where one local church supports a missionary in a given place and all other churches who desire to fund that missionary send aid to that church. Another church may support a missionary in another place, and other churches would send money to that church to help that missionary. Is this a pattern established in the Scriptures?

The idea is quite similar to the missionary society, with a local church taking over the responsibility of the society. While this system would have less bureaucracy, there is still no Scriptural support for such an arrangement. The local church would still not be directly funding the evangelist, and the pattern of the autonomy of the local church would again be violated.

It is argued by some that such an arrangement was in place with Paul and the church of Jerusalem in Acts 15:22 and Acts 16:4-5 with the churches of Antioch and Asia Minor. Since the church in Jerusalem gave a message of truth to Paul to proclaim to these churches, it is argued that this is an example of the church in Jerusalem assisting the other churches in evangelism. What do the Scriptures say?

We read the following in Acts 15:22 and Acts 16:4-5 :

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren.


And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.


It is difficult not to notice that the Apostles factor heavily in this episode; but why are the elders in Jerusalem involved? The reason is made clear in Acts 15:1 :

And certain men came down from Judaea and taught the brethren, saying, "Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved."


This matter was discussed by not only the Apostles but also the elders of the church in Jerusalem because the source of the conflict came from this area. We know from 2 Corinthians 3:1-2 that the men teaching this error would come with letters of commendation, and since they were at least formerly part of the church in Jerusalem ( Acts 15:5 ), the elders of that church stood up for the truth of the Gospel because the error originated in their own congregation.

The source of the authority of the message proclaimed by letter through Paul and the others is the approval of the Holy Spirit, understood by the apostles and the elders of the church of Jerusalem. This decision was not proclaimed by the church in Jerusalem to the churches in Asia Minor: the decision was proclaimed through Paul and the others with the approval of the other Apostles and the elders of the church in Jerusalem by the authority of the Holy Spirit.

Study of Denomintions 09/12/2010

A Study of Denominations
Cont. from last week

The Lord's Supper

Argument: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 show the need for one loaf and one cup: unity amongst Christians.

Answer: The text in question:

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ? Seeing that we, who are many, are one bread, one body: for we are all partake of the one bread.


Nowhere in this text is the bread limited to one loaf, nor is the fruit of the vine limited to one cup. As we have seen above, Paul is in Ephesus and the Corinthians in Corinth, and yet Paul includes himself in the discussion-- how can it be that they all share one loaf and one cup when they are separated by the Aegean Sea? We all partake of the "one bread", just not the same loaf; the "one cup", just not in the same cup. The emblems themselves, not the containers, are the thrust of the Lord's Supper, and the fact that we partake of the same type of emblems across the world is the basis of the communion in Christ.

We can see, therefore, that there is no Scriptural basis by which to bind one loaf and one cup for the Lord's Supper. God has established the number of loaves and cups as a liberty for His disciples.
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The Church Treasury, I: Benevolence

Statement of Belief
The Scriptures teach that the church is to give benevolence to any needy saint,
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come ( 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 ),


and also to provide for evangelism,

And ye yourselves also know, ye Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving but ye only; for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need ( Philippians 4:15-16 ).


It is also the responsibility of the individual Christian to help saints in need,

If any woman that believeth hath widows, let her relieve them, and let not the church be burdened; that it mat relieve them that are widows indeed ( 1 Timothy 5:16 ),


but the duty of assisting any others in need falls upon the individual Christian,

Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world ( James 1:27 ).


The Scriptures do not teach that the church may fund evangelism through the use of an extra-church organization or for a group of churches to fund evangelism through one church alone.
Sections

● The Individual and the Church
● Church Benevolence to Non-Saints
○
○ Scriptural Considerations
○ Expediencies?
○ Distinction Between Duties
○ The Ends Justify the Means?
●
● The Missionary Society
● The Sponsoring Church Arrangement


The Individual and the Church
When discussing the responsibilities of the church and the individual in regards to benevolence, there often seems to be confusion regarding the relationship of the individual and the church. Many feel that since the church is made up of individual Christians, whatever the individual is commanded to do is something the church is allowed to do. Does Scripture show this to be true?
While it is certainly true that the church is the collective of individual Christians with Christ at its head ( Colossians 2:18 ), we see that the roles of individual and collective are differentiated in 1 Timothy 5:16 :
If any woman that believeth hath widows, let her relieve them, and let not the church be burdened; that it mat relieve them that are widows indeed.


The individual first has the responsibility, and only when there are no individuals to assist, then the church is to step in and care for widows. If the church had the same responsibility as the individual, this distinction in 1 Timothy would not be necessary.

Furthermore, we have the example of the Judgment scene in Matthew 25:31-40 :

"But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats; and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me.'
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, 'Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink? And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?'
And the King shall answer and say unto them, 'Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.'"


As we can see, the sheep collectively represent the church, yet the judgment is based on how each person as an individual helped those in need.

The church exists for the assistance of its members, spiritually, physically, and emotionally ( Hebrews 10:25 , 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 ). Yet, as we have seen from the above in Matthew 25, the saints are saved not by virtue of the church with whom they assemble, but because they have been found righteous in the eyes of the Lord. We work as a collective to assist each other in this walk, but in the end, the judgment shall be made on an individual basis, as seen clearly from Romans 14:10 :

But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? Or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.


Therefore, as we have seen, the individual has more responsibility than the collective church, for the individual can act in one of three ways:

1.Individual as an individual [i.e. evangelizing ( Matthew 28:18 ), being an example ( Matthew 5:13-16 )]

2.Individual as part of the collective church [i.e. Lord's Supper ( Acts 20:7 ), collection ( 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 )]

3.Individual as either an individual or as a part of the collective church [i.e. singing ( Colossians 3:16 / James 5:13 ), praying ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17 )]


All of these acts, done in accordance with the Scriptures, will lead to the building up of the individuals and the Body of Christ. When we blur or destroy the lines that God has made, we place ourselves in danger of apostasy (2 John 9).
Church Benevolence to Non-Saints
Many groups and denominations teach that the church is authorized to use part of its treasury to assist non-saints in some way, either through direct subsidy or through some institution established for this purpose. Do the Scriptures teach that the church is allowed to assist non-saints through benevolence? Let us examine the Scriptures.
Scriptural Considerations
Many arguments are made using the Scriptures to justify the use of the funds of the Lord's treasury to assist non-saints. Let us examine these now.
Argument: 2 Corinthians 9:12-14 shows that the church gave to more than just saints.
Answer: The passage in question:
For the ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings unto God; seeing that through the proving of you by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution unto them and unto all; while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.


This passage does say that the church gave to "them and to all," but who is contained in the "all?" We know from verse 14 that "they" (referring back to the phrase "to them and to all") were "pray[ing] on [their] behalf." Who prays but the believers? Therefore, it is certain from this passage that Paul is referring to the giving to the saints, and to the saints alone.

Argument: We are to do good to "all men" in Galatians 6:10 . The letter to the Galatians is written to the churches of Galatia, therefore, the church is to do good to "all men."

Answer: The text in question:

So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.


When considering this verse, we must examine the context of the letter to the Galatians, especially around the sixth chapter. Throughout the sixth chapter, Paul makes reference to individuals, that they should bear one another's burdens (verse 2), bearing your burden (verses 3-5), that the individual should teach the things of Christ (verse 6), that one will reap what he sows (verses 7-8). Therefore, as we can see, the individual Christian is the focus of this portion of the Galatian letter; it stands to reason that verse 10 thus also refers to the work of the individual, and not the work of the church.