REFLECTIONS ON OUR RELIGIOUS SOCIETY

     To each listener I express my sincere appreciation for your
being in our audience this morning.  It is good to have you in our
audience and I hope and pray that you have your Bible before you,
with pen and paper handy that we might study, "What Sayeth the
Scriptures." This is the title we have chosen for these times spent
together and there is a reason for this. It is my sincere desire to
do only those things which are authorized by God's Word. I trust
that is your desire also. When we have book, chapter and verse for
that which we do, we can then rest assured that Heaven approves.
Whereas, when one does something that is not found on the pages of
God's Book, that one is taking a tremendous chance with their
eternal destiny. How can we know of what Jehovah approves?? Only by
allowing Him to speak and to tell us. And how does He do that?  By
and through His revealed truths in the book we call The Bible.
     It seems to this speaker that there are many in the religious
world who are not content to do what the Bible says, nothing more,
nor nothing less. At the risk of sounding argumentative and perhaps
even causing some of our listeners to become offended, I call your
attention to an article that appeared in the Beaumont Enterprise
last Saturday, November 14. The article was entitled "Some churches
drop 'Baptist' to boost image." Since this article and material
appeared in the daily paper, none should take offense of our quoting
the article. It was written by a Tammy L. Lane and appeared under
"The Associated Press" by line. The article begins, "Even Southern
Baptists, the nations largest Protestant denomination, find that a
church without a loaded label sometimes can draw in more people for
Jesus Christ." I have always been of the opinion that the only thing
which should draw people into religion was the truth of Jesus
Christ, not the wearing or not wearing of a certain name. My
friends, if something other than the truth of God's Word is used to
draw people, it will make them something other that a follower of
Christ Jesus. Jesus, Himself, said, "Ye shall know the truth and the
truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Nothing else can make man
free from sin, except the obedience to the truth of the gospel, the
word of God. Now, I will agree that denominational terms should be
dropped from the name of churches, not because they keep people out,
but because there is no authority for human names. Paul said that we
should "all speak the same thing, and that there should no divisions
among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in
the same judgment" (1 Corinthians 1:10).  So, we compliment the
dropping of human, divisive names, but differ as to the reason for
the removal of these names.
     A Mr. John Sharp, pastor for one church, is quoted as saying,
"Sometimes a name or a denomination will put up an automatic
barrier." And I will readily agree to that conclusion. He goes on to
say, "Such stances as wives submitting to husbands and Christians
boycotting Disney also can turn off people who don't worship
regularly." Has this gentleman never read the inspired words of the
apostle Paul when he said, "Wives, be in subjection unto your own
husband, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife,
as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour
of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the
wives also be to their husbands in everything" (Ephesians 5:22-24).
Here is a pastor, a public proclaimer of religion, who teaches
something exactly opposite to what the apostle Paul commanded. Whom
shall we believe? To differ with an inspired apostle in order to get
people to attend one's church is certainly treading on dangerous
ground. To this pastor's credit it is stated that although he is an
ordained minister, he prefers not to use the title of reverend.
Truly, he is headed in the right direction, because the term,
"reverend," was never applied to those who taught the scriptures in
the first century. In fact the only time that the word, "reverend"
is applied to anyone, it is unto Jehovah. "Holy and reverend is his
name" Psalms 111:9.  I would surely be afraid to apply a term to my
name that is only used with reference to Jehovah.
     Further in this newspaper article I find this statement,
"Sketch drama, computer and video presentations, contemporary
sermons and casual clothes mark many a Sunday morning service. At
North Point, the young pastor preaches in blue jeans and plays
acoustic guitar in a five-man band." End of quote.  Once again, we
see the use of whatever comes into the mind of man being used in an
attempt to entice those in the world to come visit with them. Does
the simple story of the cross of Christ Jesus no longer have any
appeal to the minds of man?  My friends in this radio audience, the
religion of Christ Jesus has been turned in a three-ring circus by
the denominational world around us. If you can put on a better show
that your neighbors down the street, you will draw a bigger crowd.
Is that what it is all about??? My friend, Jesus did not suffer on
the cross for us to enjoy "sketch dramas, computer presentations,"
and the like. I have no objection to one wearing blue-jeans, if that
is the best that one can. But to wear them as a come-on to the crowd
seems to be very suspect.
     And of course the "guitar in a five-man band" has no Bible
authority.  You can begin with Matthew and continue on through the
book of Revelation and you will not find even the slightest
suggestion to any kind of instrumental instruments of music being
used in the church of the first century.  When those people worship
their God, they lifted up praise unto Jehovah with the fruit of
their lips (Hebrews 13:15). They were found "singing and making
melody with their heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19).  They "sung
with grace in their hearts unto God" (Colosians 3:16). In fact, in
every place that you find their music referred to it was SINGING,
and there was no exception to that. Evidently the religious world no
longer has any desire to pattern their congregations after the
congregations of the first century; congregations which were taught
and instructed by inspired apostles of our Lord.
     While we are on newspaper articles, did you happen to see the
Beaumont Enterprise of Wednesday morning?  On the front page was an
article, complete with full color pictures with this inscription: "A
John Wayne impersonator may not be what you normally expect to see
in the pulpit on Sunday morning, but that's what parishioners at
Fellowship Baptist Church found. Dr. Gene Howard gave a message on
'Freedom and Sacrifice,' as well as reciting some of his own poetry
and giving a rifle- and pistor-drawing demonstration. Here, he is
shown with a custom-made Winchester rifle."
     The article began, "His silver spurs jangled, his gun belt
shifted on his waist, the silver star emblazoned with 'U.S.
Marshall' glinted on his own West-style leather vest. Howdy,
pilgram, he said in a voice as unforgettable and familiar as the
old-time Western movies that a generation grew up on."
     Can you imagine our Lord and Savior standing before an audience
with "silver spurs jangling, his gun belt around his waist and a
silver star pinned on to his leather vest"??? That just does not
seem to me to reflect anything like the picture I have of the Son of
God, the one who loved me enough to die upon the cruel cross for my
sins, and for yours.
     Can you in your wildest imagination visualize the apostle Paul
giving a demonstration in the usage of a bow and arrow?? Or
impersonating Caesar or Pilate?? But, someone says, "What is wrong
with that?"  My answer is: The message of the Christ and salvation
does not need the sophistry and offerings of human wisdom. Paul
states, "And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with
excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony
of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus
Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in
fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not
in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit
and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,
but in the power of God" (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).
     As stated already in our brief time spent together this
morning, the religious world has brought the message of the gospel
down to carnal man's appeal. They have made it appealing to the
flesh. It has become a message of entertainments, a Grand Old Opry
show-time. All the while souls are crying for the simple message of
the cross. We now have performers, entertainers, standing before
audiences, with the appeals of the flesh to entice people.
     It was never the purpose of the preaching of the gospel of
Christ Jesus to please the masses. Jesus did not please the
multitudes; in fact, the public finally crucified Him.  As long as
our Lord and Master fed the multitudes with the loaves and fishes,
they were willing to follow Him, but when He ceased appealing to
their fleshly desires, they turned on Him and when Pilate asked,
"What shall I do unto Jesus who is called Christ?" the multitude
cried out "Let him be crucified."
     I do not doubt that there are some who may be listening to me
this morning who will likewise seek to "crucify him." Rather than
listen to what is being said, the Jews sought to destroy the
teacher. Perhaps there are some out there in this radio audience who
may be offended by what has been said this morning. Let me assure
you, it is not my intention to belittle, nor to cast reflections
upon any. It IS my intention to arose people to examine what they
are practicing and what they are doing.
     I am afraid that our generation is looking for the loaves and
the fishes; they are seeking the fleshly entertainments; the things
which appeal to the flesh, rather than the spirit.  To those of
you who are honest in heart, sincere in life, please, please, be
challenged to seek authority for all things which you practice and
believe. Jehovah can be pleased only when we follow His teachings;
those teachings which are founded upon truth, the truth of His Word.
     Before our time escapes, let me call your attention to a series
of lessons at the White Park church of Christ. They will begin a
week from tomorrow evening, November 30, and continue through Friday
of next week, December 4. Our speaker will be Jim McDonald of
Jasper, Texas. You have a cordial invitation to come and visit with
us. I shall say more about this next Sunday morning over our
broadcast. And until then, I bid you a most pleasant good morning.

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