From the Pen of Paul

Don't Limit God!

Are we guilty of limiting God in our generation? The nation of Israel fell into ruin because they limited Almighty God; when they finished limiting Him and diminishing Him, He was, in their theory, unable to do anything for them. David wrote, "Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel" (Psalm 78:41). Then, if you continue to read through verse 64, the psalmist tells how God destroyed those unbelieving people. Look also at Psalm 106.

If one believes the first verse of the Bible as it is written and without any reservation, he will never quibble or stumble at anything the Bible says. The God of Genesis 1:1 is an ALMIGHTY GOD! Read Isaiah 40:10-31 and contemplate the power, the majesty, the knowledge, and the limitless ability of our God! It is foolish to claim to believe in God and then LIMIT him by accepting infidel theories of men and trying to force God to play by man's rules. God is the great God and Creator of our universe, or He is not God at all! Read carefully the following Scriptures, and marvel at His greatness: Neh. 9:6; Job 12:7-9; 26:7, 13; Psalm 24:1-2; 33:6-9.

God is good and merciful. We are His offspring (Acts 17:28-29); He is the Father of our spirits (Heb. 12:9). Thus, He is mindful of us (Psalm 8:3-6). He has always matched the proper and holy desires that he placed within us with that which is needed; and He has done so in abundance. He matched our lungs with air, our eyes with light, our ears with the ability to perceive sounds, hunger with food, etc. He gave us seedtime and harvest, heat and cold, day and night, sunshine and rain. He created man to be happy and when sin entered the world to cause unhappiness, He provided the way of redemption.

Let all of us study God's Word diligently and never be guilty of limiting the Holy One of Israel as
—Paul Wilmoth

From the Preacher's Viewpoint. . .

No "Super-Church" Organization"

From eternity God had in mind the church (Eph. 3:10-11). This was before the world and man came into existence. The church is a divine institution which was brought into existence by the mind and work of God. It is a glorious body and so high and noble that man cannot fathom it. Its function is to seek and save the lost (Matt. 28:18-20). The church of Christ knows no earthly headquarters and each congregation is to be autonomous with no power over another congregation other than correcting them when they depart from the faith and encouraging them in every scriptural and worthy work.

God has never wanted a super church organization or any earthly organization calling the shots for individuals, churches, preachers, and gospel-spreading programs. The Herald of Truth was scripturally organized and did a world of good for a number of years. But what happened to them? One thing that happened was they followed denominationalism. Another thing that happened was they got too big for their britches. They tried to impact the brotherhood by trying to control churches and brethren. If one did not agree with them, then he was cast out as a heathen and a publican. They tried to control churches and preachers by religious politics. In essence they said, "If you will not listen to us, then we will not use you." In this they were like the missionary society. You do it our way or not at all. This kind of control is unscriptural and is not authorized of God.

Christian colleges and universities can be a wonderful thing and can help the cause of Christ tremendously. However, Christian colleges and universities can be a detriment to the cause of Jesus Christ. It all depends on their respect for the Bible and following the truth therein. I have been in Christian education for 40 years and have started 3 institutions to train gospel preachers and Christian workers. I am now serving as the president of Tennessee Bible College and have served in this position for 32 years. It would be very easy for me to play politics and to get into realms unscriptural in the work of Tennessee Bible College. The only stand I am going to take is the Bible stand and no pressure is going to move me from this—so help me God. I do not intend to pressure people to do and see it my own personal way in order to be one of the popes in the Lord's church. I have never considered buying preachers, elders, deacons, and members out by using them in some way in the lectures or work of Tennessee Bible College. How much lower can one get in the work of the Lord by so doing?

But on the other hand, I would like to say more. We have had preachers and teachers bribed and threatened if they appeared on some of our programs. One big operation that is in the brotherhood today has been pressuring others not to appear on programs at Tennessee Bible College, and yet they say they are against missionary societies. They are just like the missionary societies in this kind of work. They also teach that it is unscriptural for the church to give to any work that is not under an eldership. How "zig-zaggy" can they get? They are opposed to the missionary society but work like the missionary society. In fact, they have gotten so big in their own sight that the leader does not have the Christian decency and gentlemanliness to respond to a sincere letter. Who can conclude that God is in this type of action and that such attitudes can succeed? Such conduct is building on the sand of pride and arrogance and the house will fall and great will be the fall of it. They have an anti position in some things at the head of this work while at the same time they are asking churches and individuals to help them in their work. We could say more but will not. Time has a tendency to tell what folks sometimes have been rejecting to hear and see.

We are not opposed to church cooperation and orphan homes but have defended them in their right to exist. We can humbly say we know of no other that has stood for church cooperation and orphan care more than we have. So do not conclude that what we are going to say is coming from an anti. When it comes to the work of the Lord, we have concluded that in some things our vision can become blurred and darkened even though when brethren started out to do a certain work their motives may have been pure. For an example, a congregation may have a vision to get the gospel into the world and of course we all desire this. A congregation may ask the brotherhood to help them in this good work and the brotherhood may do so. But let it be remembered that might does not make right. Let our brotherhood remember that God does not want a missionary society nor does He want a super church organizational structure dictating and pressuring churches and brethren in where they can appear and in what activities they may engage. We have in our files where such has and is taking place.

A work may get too big even though the structure is scriptural. God wants local churches doing their scriptural work and He does not want any congregation trying to run the brotherhood through pressure tactics and self-exaltation schemes. He does not want a congregation saying if you will support our work then we will use your preacher. This is like the missionary society. Their big mistake was the desire to control and we fear we see this on the horizon in some present-day work. God does not want a work to get so big that it tries to run the churches and all connected therein.

One reason God is opposed to the missionary society is because it wants to control churches and preachers and yet some brethren want to get a work so large that it does the same thing. We find good brethren fighting God's way at times. We truly believe that in the church of Christ if it is not of God it will come to naught in process of time.
—Malcolm L. Hill