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The Apostolic Times DEVOTED TO THE PROPAGATION OF PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY Vol. 15, No. 1 NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, SEPTEMBER, 1945 50 Cents a Year JAMES A. ALLEN Editor and Publisher world should come, unto him would the great salvation be offered. W. A. ETHRIDGE Field Editor “HE THAT BELIEVETH AND IS BAPTIZED G. E. WOODS Nashville, Tenn. SHALL BE SAVED.” Now for the first time Christ gives the conditions of His salvation. This was not the badge HOMER A. DANIEL Paducah, Ky. of any party, no ceremony of any sect, but these were the J. B. GAITHER Springfield, Tenn. conditions, and only these, which they were to preach to sinners by which they might be saved. Subsequent New THE APOSTOLIC TIMES Testament history shows how faithfully this particular in struction was adhered to. “Believeth and is baptized” is 117 Fifth Avenue, North Nashville 3 Tenn. the watchword of New Testament teaching, and it was the order and the practice of every Christian, conversion re Entered at the Post Office at Nashville, Tenn., as corded in the Bible. Second Class Matter, Published Monthly. Every one of the twelve apostles, with the exception of John, eventually died a martyr to the faith and have gone We hope those to whom this paper comes will give serious to their enteral reward, and every Christian on earth to and thoughtful attention to the articles presented. Human day enjoys whatever of faith and hope he may possess as happiness and destiny is predicated upon rightfully deciding these matters. Our aim is to present the teaching of the the fruits of this great commission. Bible, as only what the Bible teaches is right. Hence we urge Attend the Church of Christ in Your Community that every man obey the divine injunction which says, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (II These. 5:21.) ARE THEY TOO NARROW? “THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST SALUTE YOU” From “The Commission” (Adv. in Nashville Newspaper) Why are the people of the church of Christ so narrow? THE GREAT COMMISSION Why don’t they cooperate with, other churches in union meetings, etc? Frank Winters, Oklahoma City, Okla. The church of Christ is just as narrow as God’s word. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to Jesus has commanded us to enter in through the narrow every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be gate, and has warned that the gate is narrow and the way saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark straitened that leads to life with few to find it. On the 16:15, 16). other hand, the wide gate and broad way lead to destruc This text is the last recorded words of Christ, spoken to tion and many are they that enter in thereat. the apostles just before His ascension, as He laid upon We can and will cooperate with any church that is will them the duty and responsibility of preaching the gospel ing to take what the Bible says on all points. We dare not to “all the world.” A mere handful of men, surrounded by compromise with error or sacrifice the truth. It has al every adversity; how they must have recoiled at the ways made men unpopular to stand for the truth of God sweeping command. Matthew adds these heartening words, against the creeds and doctrines of men. It often makes “and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the us unpopular today, but we strive to please God rather world,” and in Luke 24:49, Jesus restrained them from than men. preaching a word until they were endued with power from The Bible teaches clearly and unmistakably in Eph. 4:4, on high, which happened ten days later by the miraculous 1:22-23, Col. 1:18, and other places that there is only one coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost as re church. Jesus promised to build only one church Mt. 16:18. corded in the second chapter of Acts. Jesus has never built but one church, and that church The commission naturally divides itself into three divi wears his name, Rom. 16:16. Hundreds of years later sions, “GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD”; unlike the law Martin Luther, Henry VIII, John Knox, John Wesley, of Moses, these parting words stamp Christianity as a uni John Smyth, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, Charles T. versal religion. These marching orders to His ambassa Russell, and others established denominations that call dors laid down the great missionary duty of the church. themselves churches. Unto every nation wherever God’s sun shall rise and all The Bible no more authorizes these human organizations upon which it sets, the word and the spirit of the charge than it does the Woodman of the world. Ku Klux Klan, or reveal it as a religion of activity and conquest for these Lion’s Club. Those who respect the authority of Christ and men and all disciples of Christ as long as the earth shall his word cannot compromise the truth by recognizing the stand. institutions that Christ has not recognized. Jesus says “PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE”; concerning these religious bodies, “Every plant that my Unto the rich and poor; the high and low; master and heavenly Father hath not planted shall be plucked up.” slave, the white, the yellow, the black, wherever and to Why do the church of Christ folks not call on preachers whomsoever the story of Christ’s death for the sins of the of other churches to lead in prayer? Page 2 APOSTOLIC TIMES September, 1945 Prayer is a privilege of the children of God. We are sages of scripture bearing on the judgment—Acts 17:31; born into the family of God by faith, repentance, confes John 5:29; Matt. 25: 31-46. The language of Paul: “God sion, and baptism. We cannot call upon those to lead in . commandeth men that they should all everywhere re prayer or any other part of the worship who have never pent; inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he been buried in baptism (Rom. 6:4) or who teach others will judge the world [Gr. “the inhabited earth”] in right that it is not necessary for them to obey this plain com eousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he mand. hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised We cannot recognize and endorse false teachers. Any him from the dead.” God has appointed a day for the man who teaches that baptism is not essential to salvation general judgment; all men will be there, the penitent and in the face of the clear and plain language of Acts 2:38 the impenitent; Christ shall judge all. No honest mind 22:16, Mk. 16:16, and I Pet. 3:21 is a false teacher. Any can mistake this meaning. The language of Christ, “the man who defends the divided condition produced by denom righteous Judge”: ‘‘Marvel not at this” [the theorists do inationalism in the face of Eph. 4:4, 1:22-23, I Cor. 1:10, “marvel” at it and misconstrue it]—“Marvel not at this: 12:13, 12:20, John 17:20-22, and Mt. 16:18 is a false for the hour cometh [when?], in the which all that are in teacher. the tombs [of all the ages—“all”] shall hear his voice The churches of Christ stand squarely on the Bible. We [the Lord’s awful “shout”—1 Thess. 4:13-18], and shall are waiting with open arms to welcome all who are willing come forth [for judgment]; they that have done good to speak where the Scriptures speak and remain silent [they will be there, too], unto the resurrection of life; and where the Scripture are silent. they that have done evil [they also will be there] unto the resurrection of judgment [condemnation].” All die, both good and bad; all are resurrected; all are judged and ap DEATH—“AFTER THIS COMETH JUDGMENT” pointed their final abode. No honest heart can mistake the Savior’s words. To wrest from their true import will By James E. Chessor certainly jeopardize the guilty in this selfsame judgment Death and Judgment Appointed to come! The Righteous Judge on H is Throne A few congregations of the Church of Christ—some in In Matt. 25:31-46 Jesus, “the Son of Man,” “the man Arkansas, others in Tennessee, and maybe others indif whom he hath ordained” to “judge the world in righteous ferent States—are being troubled by the “No-Judgment” ness,” gives a vivid picture of that great and awful day. theory preachers. We ought to meet such so-called preach He describes the scene under two figures—first, a King ers of the gospel “at Philippi”—that is, in decisive con or Judge sitting upon a throne or judgment-seat, in regal flict wherever they appear. They preach the gospel “of glory, attended by angels, before whom are gathered all faction, not sincerely,” and certainly not “of good will.” the nations to hear the awful verdict; second, a Shepherd, Their pride of opinion and envy of the true, humble men who knoweth the sheep, and also the goats—the two di who proclaim the gospel in simplicity, to the saving of verse flocks—which he separates. But we lose sight of the souls and the upbuilding of congregations, lead them to latter figure which is subordinate to and explanatory of teach things which they ought not.