The above sign was erected by some institutional and centralized control minded brethren in Hamilton, Alabama who wanted to show their contempt for the new congregation recently started there.  It is pitiful and disgusting to see this kind of bitterness exhibited by these brethren.  Yes, the brethren who have left the “old paths” are in the last stage of their evolution of apostasy.  First, they tried the human emotionalism and prejudicial appeal; now, as they stand in defeat their bitterness pours forth.  Their base weapons have failed—now they are taking up vile weapons.

The Lord said, “and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  The enemies of truth meet defeat when people learn the truth, and brethren all over are learning the truth about the “issues.”  Everyday, brethren learn the truth about centralized cooperation and see where it is leading.  Everyday, the blinding fog of emotionalism and prejudice is lifted and brethren learn the truth about the institutional and sponsoring church business, and that those who oppose these arrangements are not heartless brethren who take delight in seeing others distressed.

            Now, the real colors of some brethren are beginning to show.  They chide us for discussing the “issues” in the church bulletins, they forbid brethren to hear a sermon on the organization and work of the church, they mercilessly misrepresent us, and they get real bitter and ugly when someone learns the truth through one of those church bulletins or by hearing a sermon dealing with these “issues.”  Yes, they have learned the dearly purchased wisdom of the sectarian world: the death-dealing blow comes when people are exposed to the truth.  It should come as no surprise to us when we find brethren using such ugly vile tactics as represented by this sign that they have erected.

            To the faithful brethren in Hamilton we can only reflect the words of the apostle, “taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Eph. 6:16).

Attitudes Toward Bible Authority

By Bob Myhan

         It is indeed sad that there is division among churches of Christ over what is and is not the work of the local church.  But it is sadder that this division is the result of different attitudes toward Bible authority.  What are these attitudes?  What attitude ought we to have?

         These attitudes can be illustrated by the changes in the Israelite’s attitude toward the Law of Moses.  Initially, they had an attitude that pleased the LORD (Ex. 19:1-8; Deut. 5:23-28).  This attitude may rightly be called “conservative” [“tending to prepreserve established institutions and methods and to resist or oppose any changes in these”].  In time, however, they developed an attitude that displeased the LORD (1 Kings 11:1-13; 26-38; 12:25-33; Jer. 31:31,32).  This attitude may rightly be called “liberal” [“favoring reform or progress”].  Of course, those who love the Lord know that any attempt to “reform” the Lord’s revealed will is not progress, at all; it is digression.  But those who love “the praise of men more than the praise of God” will sacrifice the doing of God’s will in order to gain [or retain] the favor of men (Matt. 6:1-5; John 12:42,43).  And, more often than not, they will come to despise any and all who refuse to do likewise (John 15:18,19).  Thus, we see that the terms, “liberal” and “conservative” are not merely party names but contrasting attitudes toward the revealed will of God.

         This liberal attitude eventually crystallized into full-blown sectarianism among the Jews of Jesus’ day.  The Jewish council, for example, was made up of two religious sects—the Pharisees and Sadducees, the former of which were stricter than the latter (Acts 23:6-8; 26:5).  But both were liberal—only in different ways.  The Sadducees, for instance, accepted only the five books of Moses as inspired literature.  This was a liberal attitude toward the other thirty-four books of the Old Testament.  The Pharisees, on the other hand, while accepting all of the Old Testament as the word of God, nevertheless elevated the uninspired traditions of their fathers above the Law of Moses (Mark 7:1-13). 

Jesus was neither a Pharisee nor a Sadducee; He was simply a faithful Jew.  But this does not mean He was neither a conservative nor a liberal.  He “upheld the institutions and methods established by His Father, and opposed those who wanted to reform them.”  Therefore, He was conservative in His attitude toward the authority of God’s word!  He was not a “party” man; His conservatism kept Him out of the parties of the day.