Foot Washing - Literal or Allegorical?

“Many interpreters consider Christ's washing his disciples' feet as a representation of his whole undertaking. He knew that he was equal with God, and all things were his; and yet he rose from his table in glory, laid aside his robes of light, girded himself with our nature, took upon him the form of a servant, came not to be ministered to, but to minister, poured out his blood, poured out his soul unto death, and thereby prepared a laver to wash us from our sins”…Matthew Henry

 

When I first entered the ministry, I was taught that the literal washing of feet was necessary if I was to be in full obedience with the order of the church. After looking into the subject in depth, to my surprise I found that there seemed to be a lack of written information, both biblical and historical, on this topic.

 

Among Baptists as well as other denominational churches that perform this rite, it seems that John chapter thirteen is used exclusively to build the entire foundation as to the reason it should be carried out in a literal sense. If we are to allow this one and might I say only, scripture to guide us in this direction, must we not consider the multitudes of other scriptures in which Christ teaches us to follow his example? We must ask ourselves; are we to follow each one in a literal fashion?

 

Putting all this aside, we find, if studied closely, that Christ is not actually directing us to perform this as a literal application but rather is teaching by His actions, a wonderful exampled lesson in humility. Usually those who “wash feet” present it indeed to be a literal commandment of Jesus Christ, treating it as if it were a third ordinance given to the church. Then, there are others who perform it simply due to its traditional value.

 

A.H. Newman, writes in “A Manual of Church History”, published in 1933.

 “There is no indication in the New Testament, or in any Christian literature of the first three centuries, that our Lord was understood to have instituted feet washing as an ordinance, by the acts and words under consideration in John 13. Feet washing was a common and needed practice in Palestine at the time, and the teaching that Christ intended to convey was the manifestation of brotherly love and humble service”

 

Both baptism and communion are mentioned multiple times throughout the New Testament scriptures. Both are recorded in all four gospels and in the Acts of the Apostles.  Apostle Paul mentions Baptism in many of his epistles. He also stresses the proper and correct manner in which we are to serve and receive communion. We find this stated in no uncertain terms in his letter to the church at Corinth. By this we understand that these are indeed ordinances that are to be recognized by Christ’s church, and are to be carried out, according to the scriptures. On the other hand, foot washing, while considered by many as a literal commandment, is mentioned only once in the New Testament (John 13).

 

For us to better understand what was done the night that Jesus washed his disciple’s feet, we must first look at the historical era in which it took place. The footwear of this day was almost always sandals, and the mode of transportation was, in most cases, walking. Obviously, after traveling for any length of time, the feet would become very dirty or dusty. When a traveler would enter a house as a guest, as an act of hospitality, the host would offer water and a basin in which his guest may wash his feet. In some cases, if the master of the house was wealthy, he might have his servant, usually gird about with only a towel (to show that he carried no weapons and was harmless), stoop and clean the guest’s feet. Whichever the case, the master of the house would never lower himself to do such a menial task. Keep in mind that this was an act performed on another only by a servant.

This was a strong time-honored and might I say necessary tradition that had been kept from Old Testament times, and Jesus would use this tradition as a tool with which to teach, not only His Apostles but all generations to follow, this much-needed lesson in humility.

 

We must also keep in mind the scene that was unfolding during this our Lord’s last meal. We find Jesus relating that one of those in His presence would soon betray Him:

(Lk 22 v.21). But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table They, being troubled by His statement, began to question him, as well as each other, as to which of them it could possibly be.

(Lk 22 v.23). And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

This caused quite a stir to say the least. However, they didn’t dwell on this for long, for we find only a moment later that a pretty heated argument had arisen among them as to who would be accounted as the greatest: How do we know is was heated??? Look at the verse.

            (Lk 22 v.24).  And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

This was not the first time this had come up. This same debate had come up before when James and John began to ask permission to sit beside the Lord in His glory:

(Mk 10 v.35-37).  And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

We find this dispute arise at another time among some of the others, after coming down from the mount of transfiguration and after witnessing the miraculous feeding of the five thousand:

 

(Lk 9:46). Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

Even James’ and John’s mother had gotten in on this request: (Matt 20:20-21) Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

It is evident that these roguish young men were more that just a little selfish and self-centered.  They were still rough around the edges, and would require some trimming and a lesson in humility. We can find many of these same non-redeeming qualities in ourselves?

 

Can we not almost see Jesus, as all the bickering was taking place, quietly rise from His seat and without a word, begin to remove His clothes and to gird Himself about with only a towel (Jn 13 v.4), thus taking upon Himself not only the role but also the look, of, a simple servant? No doubt as these men first saw Him out of the corner of their eyes, their voices, one by one, began to trail off until finally, there was a deafening silence. Then, with all eyes fixed upon their Lord, they watched intently as He began to pour water into a basin, walk toward them, and then kneel in humble submission at the feet of the first disciple to be washed. What a great lesson He was teaching. For while they were jockeying for position as to who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus Christ, the Lord of all creation, was showing them by this act what it would take if any wished to claim this title; that before one could be considered as great, he must first learn the taste of humility through humiliation itself; before one could become a good master, he must first understand the role of his servant. With this one illustration, He established the words, which He had already taught these men, (Mat 23 v.11) “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant”, also in (Mark 10 v.44). “And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all”

 

We find, as our Lord comes to Peter, that Peter asks Him the question, (John 13 v.6) “Lord dost thou wash my feet?” Jesus gives him an answer that may have seemed somewhat strange to Peter “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter” (v.7).

 

No doubt Peter had witnessed the washing of feet hundreds of times before. So why would Jesus tell him that he would not understand what He was about to do… unless…this indeed was to be viewed not as a literal administration, but rather as an exampled teaching of a needful lesson?

 

Sure enough we find that Peter does not immediately grasp what Jesus is doing, and makes the statement, not in a rebellious manner but rather as a statement of his unworthiness; “Thou shalt never wash my feet”. (v.8) In this, Peter was conveying that he could never allow the perfect hands of his Lord and master to touch his filthy feet, nor could he have his Lord and his God to bow before him in such a demeaning fashion… but then we hear the words of Jesus in the same verse, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me”.

 

We must understand that Jesus is not threatening Peter with apostasy if He is not allowed to wash his feet. He is simply relating to his beloved follower, that if he misses the true meaning of this lesson, and fails to understand its true application, then Peter can lay no claim to true discipleship. Peter, no doubt, hesitates for a few seconds as his brain is sorting out what is going around him. Then, suddenly, it all comes together. He finally gets it! 

Jesus is not doing this because our feet are dirty, but HE is showing us, by His example, how we are to live our lives, and that is; in humble service to our Lord, by serving each other. It is here that Peter makes the statement,

 

”Lord not my feet only, but also my hands and my head”! What Peter is saying is, Lord, take all of me; my entire life and do whatsoever you will with me, I am ready for you to use me in whatever capacity you so desire!

 

Even though the literal administration of feet washing is still performed among a few religious factions, the example and lesson that Christ was conveying is not fully comprehended. We find in many cases (even if unintentional) that pride, rather than humility is prevalent in many who “wash feet”. Sadly, many have been known to “boast” in the fact that they indeed practice literal “foot washing”? We also may find in some, disdain for those who do not agree with them in their views. This is in total opposition to the lesson that Jesus was conveying as he washed his disciples feet.

 

In my opinion, this act should not be given any more of a literal significance than many of the other examples which our Lord has given. For instance, as Jesus gave us the model prayer, He told us to pray “thusly”. Are we then to take His direction as a given commandment, using His words that He spoke, verbatim? No, for we find when placed in its proper context, that Jesus was giving us an outline, or structure, as to “how” we are to pray and not “what” we are required to say. Let us also take a look at a familiar passage that can be found in three of the four gospels. “And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Matt 16:24), (Mk 8:34) and (Lk 9:23). Barring only a few minor nuances this scripture speaks the same message in each of these gospels. I doubt any named Christian would take this “commandment” of Jesus to be of a literal sense. No I think that most all understand that He is speaking figuratively. We indeed have a “cross” to bear, but this is not a cross of wood on which we are to be hung on a daily basis. Even so in feet washing, as the Lord said in John 13, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to (or should) wash one another's feet”, we find that Jesus, again, has given us the structure of how we should look at ourselves and what we are to do for, our fellow man, and not literally what we are to do to him.

 

To fully understand the lesson that our Lord has taught, we must keep in mind that humility is the theme for His actions. After He had bowed before His disciples, taking their feet into His hands, carefully washing each one, then wiping them dry with the towel, He declared His authority and position as being Lord and master (v.13). Then, with the same authority, He spoke to all by using this beautiful example (He even tells them that this is an example that He has given to them) that all should do as (not what) He had done (v.14-15). In this great paradox, His greatness is manifested by this exhibition of His lowliness. So we find in Christ’s beautiful lesson that the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (here on earth) is he that serves, and not he that is served. I have heard (v. 17) quoted many times, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them”; as if Jesus is speaking of the literal washing of feet. Even though this is usually quoted correctly, we must look at the previous verse to find the correct context in which verse 17 is to be used. (v.16) states “Verily, verily, I say unto you, “The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him”. He is saying that if you understand these things about the servant and his lord or the sender and he that is sent, then happy are you if you put this into action. He expresses very plainly that all who follow this example will find happiness.

 

Again, this act of self denial on the part of our Lord and master, speaks volumes on how we are to treat our brothers and sisters in Christ. For if we claim Him as our Lord then we are without exception, to follow His great example. His teaching shows us how we are to live in this world; that we should walk and live in all humility, preferring others above ourselves, being givers rather than receivers; ministering rather that being ministered unto, for “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (I Pet 5 v.5)

 

In closing, we find there are those who earnestly “feel” the need to kneel once or twice a year before the saints in order to wash their feet in this defined fashion. This may give satisfaction that they have openly proven their humility to everyone, even themselves. I will never condemn anyone for this. For one to place oneself in this position of humility is never to be taken lightly. However, I would only ask that those who do this should continually remain in this position or should I say condition of meekness and lowliness before men; manifesting this humble attitude that should be a part of our new nature given in Christ Jesus; ever taking into consideration that humility is not an act or deed performed, but rather should be considered the established way of life for the professed child of God and disciple of Christ.   

 

   

In all humility,

 Sam Everett

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identical Bodily Resurrection

But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

I Corinthians 15:35

This term used in the title is not meant to be confusing, but seems to have become so in the last few decades. The resurrection of the dead is one of the most blessed and beloved of doctrines in the bible upon which the very foundation of our hope is built; hope that we shall live again as has been promised throughout the bible. It is our only hope of a bodily reunion with all those of the family of God who have lived upon this earth.

 

It is of my opinion that the greatest problem with understanding identical bodily resurrection lies within the terminology itself. When we use this term to define our belief in the resurrection of the dead, we are not stating that the body, which comes forth from the grave, will be exactly as it was when it lived on earth. It will not have the birthmarks, the wrinkles or any other evidences of age, or in the case of the infant, will not be small and fragile but it will be “changed” (not exchanged) to a glorified body like unto the body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, this does not mean that we will be identical to Him in every feature to the extreme that we will not be able to identify the child of God apart from our Blessed Lord, but simply means that we will have a glorified incorruptible body, as does He. We will have an identity or, to use another term, individuality. It will be the same body with which we were cloaked on earth, yet changed or glorified as the scriptures teach.

 

          Most everyone who has been through science classes at school understands that a diamond is only a piece of coal, a piece of coal that has been changed (again, notice it was not exchanged) from its original state to its new form. As a piece of coal, it is dirty with a pungent odor, and can be easily destroyed. Its main purpose is to be burned. However, after being changed into the diamond, it is a beautiful, valuable precious stone to be admired by all who look upon it, and is virtually indestructible. Yet, amazingly, it is still a piece of coal, only changed! So it is with the caterpillar, after it spends its time in the cocoon, it is changed into the butterfly. It is the same caterpillar but now its body has been changed to a totally different creature. Its substance remains the same; the qualities of that substance have been changed.

           

I find it sad that so many today profess a belief in the resurrection, but continue to conclude that the grave is the eternal destiny of the body.  I have heard it said many times, “I don’t know what’s coming out of that grave, but I know something’s coming out!” Well, I do know what’s coming out of the graves. The scriptures teach us that it will be the bodies of those who once lived upon this earth. If we accept anything short of this, then we do not truly believe in “the” resurrection, and if this is the case, where is our hope? Can we honestly consider that God has no power over death? The actual definition of “resurrection” itself refutes this misunderstanding; “A rising again; chiefly, the revival of the dead of the human race, or their return from the grave, particularly at the general judgment” (as taken from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary).

 

We find in Apostle Paul’s writings, … “that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust”. Who are the dead if not those who at one timed lived? The soul never dies nor does the spirit, so what is it that dies or is dead? It must be the body! 

He speaks very plainly in the 15^th chapter of the Corinthian letter when he says:

·         Verse 42: “It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

·         Verse 43: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory; It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

·         Verse 44: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.”

 

There are a lot of “its” (eight to be exact) used in these few verses but in every case, it is speaking of the body that is planted into the earth at death, and it is the same body (yet changed or glorified) that is raised again from the earth unto new life at the resurrection.

            

In the following verses the Apostle uses very strong language as he causes us to pause and consider: “What if there is no resurrection of the dead?”

·         Verse 12: “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?”

Here he is asking those of the church at Corinth: “How can you even consider that there will not be a resurrection of the dead, since you have heard it preached and have believed in the past the message that Christ himself has risen from the dead?”

·         Verse 13: But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

 First notice that the Apostle did not say that if Christ were not raised from the dead then neither would we.  He articulates this in a manner that speaks to us that if we are not to be raised from the dead then neither did Christ arise from His tomb. Pretty bold language. I don’t think this could be made any plainer. He states very strongly that if we have no hope of coming out of the grave, then Jesus does not live today!

·         Verse 14: “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain”.

Paul tells us if Christ did not come forth from his tomb, then all that we have preached is a lie and those who heard our message have believed a terrible falsehood.

·         Verse 15: “Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not”.

And we ourselves are found to be liars, because we have declared that God brought Christ back from the dead, and now according to what you believe, this never occurred.   

·         Verse 16:“For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised”:

If one believes that the bodies of those who are dead will not be reconstituted and will not come forth, then he must also conclude that Christ, again, is still dead and his bones remain somewhere in an unmarked tomb.

·         Verse 17: “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins”.

Therefore, if Christ remains in the grave, we are still in our sins, and God’s wonderful gift of faith is become vanity. Without the resurrection there is no hope of justification before God! The life and all the teachings of Christ hang on this one event. If Christ is not risen then the testimony of his life and all that is taught of Him and by Him is a lie.

·         Verse 18: “Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished”.

The bodies of all those who have died will remain in their graves, forever

·         Verse 19: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable”.

And here is the statement that so many misunderstand. If the only hope that we (us, or our identity) have in our Lord is in the here and now, with no hope of living again after death, then comfort takes its flight and we are miserable creatures. 

 

            Why would our Lord descend from heaven and open the grave if not to receive what is in it? We can be assured that nothing in the grave is “sleeping” but a body that once belonged to a person who once lived upon this earth. Also, when they or we, which are alive and remain, are changed, there won’t be millions of bodies littering the earth for they shall be changed, just as the dead are changed.

           

There will be a resurrection of whom? THE DEAD! All those in the graves will come forth with a glorified body, and if it were possible to look inside the grave after this occurs you would find no bones or even dust where this body was once laid, for it is risen.

 

One might argue that after eons of time there is nothing but dust and it is completely incorporated with the ground, or you may say that one’s ashes were scattered over miles of terrain and what of those who were disintegrated by massive explosions?        How can we believe that all these will be brought back together into a body fit for heaven and immortal glory?

 

Let me try to answer that with a question. If God gathered dust in the original creation of man why should we limit him in this great event? Remember this; It is not man that will be at the helm in the resurrection, but an all-powerful God who is limitless in His abilities. If we will not or cannot believe that God will raise the dead at the last day, then how can we believe that he made man from the dust of the earth in our origin?

           

We can rest assured in this, just as Joseph’s bones were not left behind in Egypt at the exodus of the children of Israel, neither shall our bones be left behind in this “Egypt” as all of God’s people make their exodus from this world into heaven itself!

           

Praise God for this great hope that He has given us in His word.

 

Sam Everett

Was Jesus a Legalist?

Things have changed over the years. My, how things have changed, and many of these changes have come within my lifetime. It seems that very few today who name the name of Christ find any need to live a consecrated life for Him. What most “Christians” do not understand is that the way we conduct ourselves does one of two things. It either brings honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ or it disgraces Him. The use of vulgar language; living a licentious life; dressing indecently; sex outside of marriage; homosexuality,  are only a few of those things that are considered to be sin by biblical standards, and these things cannot be excused within the realm of the professed Christian’s life.

The sad truth is that, in almost any church, if a man aspires to be sanctified; to live a consecrated life for Christ; to dare stand and preach against sin or a sinful life, he most likely will be labeled as a legalist or as an extremist. Any man who would dare define sin as recorded in the Bible will not be tolerated for long. However, contending to keep oneself unspotted from the world while teaching others in the church to do the same is not legalism, it is the duty of the Christian.

The bare bones and the truth of the matter is that Jesus called sin, sin and did not flinch in doing so. Not once did He ever pull one from the mire and filth of a sinful life and direct or even insinuate that it was acceptable for that person to return to the sty. His directive was “go and sin no more”. It is sad that we some should question today what He actually meant by this saying.

We can be assured that even though salvation is by Grace alone, we are not excused of those duties we are expected to perform as Christians. God’s promise of forgiveness does not give us license to do and live as we please. We are biblically summoned to live our lives in a manner as to honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Anyone who thinks they can do this while walking in rebellion against God’s laws is way off the mark and has received their teaching from something other than the Bible.

We are commanded to “Go and sin no more” We are commanded to “Come ye out from among them and be ye separate”. We are commanded to: “be not conformed to this world”. We are commanded to “depart from iniquity”; to “abstain from all appearance of evil”. and the list goes on and on. And yes, these charges remain as current today as the day in which they were given.  

Sin, whether defined in the day of Moses or in the day of Christ, still remains sin today. Anyone who reads the Bible should understand what sin is, and what it can and will do to the individual who knowingly commits it. Yet there are those who read the Bible and attend church each Sunday, who are inching away from the Godly life. Common logic tells us the more we inch away the wider the gap becomes.

To answer the question in the title of the paper; no, Jesus Christ was not legalistic in the sense that we use the term today, but it is a biblical fact that He required strict obedience from those who would call themselves his disciples, and by the way, He still does today.

Sam Everett

For By Grace Are Ye Saved

   Ephesians 2:8

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

 

 

“Grace” is probably one of the most frequently used words in the world of Christendom today, but I dare say that it could also be one of the most misunderstood within our churches today. We have heard it used repeatedly in such a frivolous manner that to the majority, it no longer holds the precious meaning that was given it by our Lord and the Apostles. Until we can understand the true meaning of this wondrous word, we will never comprehend what we are by nature, nor will we ever be able to conceive or appreciate what our Lord alone has done for us…by his grace.

 

The actual definition of grace according to Webster’s 1828 dictionary is as follows: “Appropriately, the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from him”. Notice Mr. Webster added the words “the spring and source of all the benefits men receive of Him (God)”. Simply put, the only hope of any goodness toward us or in us in this life or the life to come is by and through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is God’s grace toward us that we have any desires toward Him. Keep in mind the scripture that we hear quoted so much: “We love him because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19)

 

Most are quick to say that grace is free, yet in the same breath, begin to relate what must be done in order to receive it. If Grace is indeed free, as the Bible so clearly teaches, how can we possibly do anything to earn or merit it? What most do not understand is that grace is very one sided. It does not require the permission or even the knowledge of the recipient. Cannot one be gracious toward another without receiving permission? Grace is always decided by a greater toward a lesser. Grace lies in the will and choice of the powerful, not in the wants or wishes of the impotent. Grace lies in the purpose of the sovereign, not in the works or abilities of the servant. The dead have no ability, neither have they any voice or vote as to their disposition (Ephesians 2:5); it is an impossibility to receive grace as a result of an act, a work or even a desire on our part, for, again, the dead have no ability. Any act or deed that is done for the purpose of receiving is a “work”. Anything received due to an action is a reaction and no longer a “gift". As Apostle Paul stated, “If it be by works then it is no more grace”. “If by grace then it is no more works”. To put it simply and plainly, we cannot have it both ways. Still some say that one must walk an aisle, repeat a certain prayer, give a hand to the preacher, (according to whatever belief system one may be affiliated with), but must we not consider these things as “requirements” in order to receive something for what we have done? If this is the indeed the case, then the very meaning of grace has been negated. Salvation has now become “salvation by works” and can no longer be considered “salvation by grace”

 

No! God’s grace is the first cause of our desires toward the Lord. Grace is our only hope of an eternal salvation. It is by Grace that He first loved us, and it because of this Grace that we now love Him. Grace is our only hope an eternal security and our only hope of an eternal home in heaven. Grace is not attained but is rather bestowed. When one begins to seek Christ, that person has already been blessed with the life by and through the grace of God. Grace is always the first cause. Grace is the cause for our asking. Grace is the cause for our seeking. Grace is the cause for our knocking, for without the grace of God we all would be completely satisfied to remain in our sins. Simply put, it’s God’s grace that causes us to see ourselves for what we really are. Within and of ourselves we are completely blinded to our true sinful nature.

 

Yes, it is fully, wholly, entirely and only by His grace that we are eternally saved, and it by His Grace that we are continually saved in this troublesome world.  This is the reason that John Newton used the adjective “amazing”, for it truly is amazing, more so than most can understand. It is so amazing that I still struggle to understand why the great God of all creation would show gracious favor to a wretch like me.

 

Sam Everett

 

 

Why Unite with a Local Church?

“I have heard it said that there is only one Church and it is “the” Church for which Christ gave His life; that local church membership is not necessary for one to worship his creator; that one can worship alone just as well as with a bunch of people. As a side note here, let me ask, “Is a meal more enjoyable while dining alone or with someone we love?”  

 

I would never be so bold as to disagree that there is “The Church of Christ” and it is “the” true Church and that it is made up of all those for whom He died. It may even be safe to refer to it as “The Kingdom of God” here on earth. However, we must understand that it would not or could not be feasible for all of God’s people to be gathered together into one venue, at least not while here on earth. Therefore, God made a way for his people to be “assembled” for unity and worship. It is called the local church, which is made up of a united membership of those Christians who live in close proximity of each other. How do we know there is more than one of these churches (or institutions)? We need only to look to scriptures:

 

“And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily”.

Acts 16:5

 

Do we not find that most of Apostle Paul’s letters or epistles were written to local churches in certain geographical areas?

For Example:

The churches of Galatia I Cor 16:1

The churches of Asia 1 Cor 16:19

The churches of Macedonia 2 Cor 8:1

The churches of Judaea Gal 1:22

This is only referencing a few…there are many more.

Also, notice the “es” at the end of church each time it is referenced? We all learned very early in grammar school that this means there is more than one.

 

So I must stand in disagreement with those who say that church membership is not needed for a fruitful spiritual life and has no bearing in worship. It is my belief that those who profess a hope in Jesus Christ should commit themselves to a band of God’s believing children, joining together with them by covenant agreement or promise. This is not debatable or argumentative. Again, it has been established and confirmed throughout the scriptures.

“And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed (or attempted) to join himself to the disciples (a unified group) Acts 9:26. It seems as if Saul (or Paul) was entreating those disciples (not yet called Christians) to be a part of their Godly community (or church). They were very hesitant at first to receive him; thinking he was not really a disciple, but we read  that after hearing the testimony of Barnabas, he was received of them. We see later in Acts 9:31 “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”

 

Please understand that placing one’s membership in a church is not merely putting a name on the roll. It is “legally” joining oneself to those others who are already in a promised commitment with each other for the purpose of uplifting the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in this present world.

 

When we present ourselves to the church for membership, we are making a promise to those who are already established members, assuring them that we are now ready to bind ourselves with them and to them; that together we will be one body in Christ.  (Notice it is not referred to as bodies but body, singular). Local churches are living organisms that are made up many parts or members Rom 12: 4-5, I Cor 12: 20 et al.)

 

 One might say, I don’t need the attachment to others (or membership) to be a part of the church. My answer is this: Does not the arm nourish the hand? The hand separate from the arm is not part of the body. The hand may be near, even touching the arm, but without the attachment it is still not of the body. The hand without the arm (or body) will wither and die even though it remains close, even within reach. Again, there is no nourishment outside the body. One cannot grow or flourish in a proper scriptural or spiritual manner outside the body of the church.

 

There are those who do not care for the responsibility of any commitment that goes along with holding membership in a local church or any group or band of people for that matter. This way if any disagreements should ever arise (since we as humans are involved, the potential is always present) they don’t have to worry about becoming involved because in reality, they have no real ties. If things begin to get rough, they can just walk away. Legally, they are not bound by membership that church.

 

The invitation, or as we call it, “publishing an open door to the church” is not an effectual call to repentance or the call of our Lord that gives life to the dead. This call goes out from those of the church body as they are holding out their arms to the penitent and restless souls, desiring them to come into the love and security of the church family.

 

Why not become a “member” of the church body, by uniting with it. Let us praise our Lord together. Let us rejoice together, and if need be, let us suffer together, but always keep this in mind; whatever may come, whether enduring times of suffering or times of rejoicing we will do it together!

 

Sam Everett

The Fishing Hole

And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. Mark 1:17

As a teenage boy going up in a small community, I recall a gentleman who lived in our neighborhood that might have been considered a bit eccentric, but then, cannot almost every community boast at least one such character? He was pretty rough around the edges, and to describe him as unrefined would be an understatement. He was definitely not a man to try and impress anyone. His clothes were not always the cleanest, nor was his language of purest quality. Due to his “eccentricities”, many would not stop and give him the time of day.  

Although I cannot say that I thoroughly enjoyed the “colorful” way with which he would express himself, I found him to be intriguing, and actually very wise in many aspects of life. In fact, he would say things that would make you stop and go, hmmm! He made one such statement that has stayed with me throughout the years. A little while back, this wise maxim from years ago, was brought to the forefront of my mind. I’ll touch on that a little later on.

First let me say that this gentleman mentioned earlier, was an avid fisherman. He fished every day, literally. He would set his lines on the way into work and then check them on his way back home; but unlike most of those who thought themselves to be true fishermen; he fished the small tributaries, or creeks, as we called them. Some of these little trickles of water a man could step across without stretching his legs, but the old gentleman would walk these streams until he would find a hole deep enough for his prey to hide in and would bring out some of the most beautiful fish I have ever seen.

I was driving one day when I saw him climbing up the bank of one of these little streams. In his hand was a largemouth bass that had to be at least a three pounder. I pulled over to see his catch. As he walked up to the car, he held this fish up high while grinning from ear to ear. After he had made his way to the rolled down window of my car, he lowered the fish to his side, then leaning over and bracing himself with his forearm at the base of the window, he made the statement I earlier mentioned.

He said, “Sammy, I watch these people going up and down these roads every day, pulling their big boats on the way to the big man-made lakes, trying to catch the biggest and best fish. They don’t have a clue that they are driving across hundreds of the best fishing holes in the country”.

I chuckled as I thought of how true this statement was and how most of those he was talking about in their big boats would never believe he was actually pulling fish, like the one he was holding in his hand, from a tiny creek.

You might ask, “Where is he going with this”? Please bear with me.

A few weeks ago, a dear elderly friend of mine visited with us for our Sunday morning service. He met me at the back door after the benediction and pulled me aside. He made a statement that I seemed to have heard before. Only this time the topic was not fishing. However, it was still uncanny how close the two were in nature. Listen to the statement he made and see why the old fisherman came to mind.  

He said, “Sammy, every Sunday people are driving up and down these roads going to the large man-made churches, trying to find peace in their lives and for their souls. They don’t know that they are driving past some of the best churches in the country”.

 He went on to say, “Many of the smaller churches like this one are still trying to worship Christ. Many of the big places are only trying to fill the pews by offering the excitement of entertainment and motivational speeches designed to make men and women feel good about themselves, all the while Christ is left out of the picture.

I guess my point is this: Whether fishing for bass or for men; never be deceived into thinking that these can only be found in the biggest lakes or in the largest congregations. Also, keep in mind that wisdom can come from some of the most simple of statements spoken by some of the most simple of men.

Listen carefully to what is being said! Many nuggets of gold are found in the muddiest of waters. And always remember:

 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” Proverbs 25:11

Is the Church to be Considered as an Institution?

Institution:

An established custom, law, or relationship in a society or community:

 An organization or establishment founded for a specific purpose,

This has been a great topic of discussion that has arisen over the last few decades over whether or not the church has become institutionalized. This debate has come to surface, due only to the conception of the new age religious movement. As for myself, I find this to be an unfounded argument. The New Testament church is and has always been an institution. We only need to look to scripture or even historical texts to find that the institutional church has had its existence from the pre to the post apostolic age, and up to the present time. In the scriptures of the New Testament, “churches” are mentioned as individual entities over different areas of the then known world. I must concede that we find no records of the early Christian church having sanctified “facilities” or specific buildings in which to worship, but they were definitely organizations with unified, exclusive membership, which could very well define them as “institutions”.

 

The question arises only when the focus of the people is moved from the simple working of the true church to the dealings of the modern “churchianity” of today. Many of these new age organizations operate more on the lines of a corporation rather than the institution of the church. In fact most choose not to carry the word or title of “church” anywhere in their names. This is not an absent-minded omission, but is a deliberate move on their part, for the word church in the original Greek was “ekklesia”, a compound word from “kaleo” (to call) and “ek” (out), therefore “ekklesia” meant “called out ones”. Since most new religious establishments today have no desire to be “called out” from the world or to be aligned with the doctrine of separation that comes with true Christianity, they remain attached to the world while at the same time attempting to identify themselves with at least some smattering of Christian religion. For the same reason, many of these neo-modern organizations also boast the fact that they are non-denominational. I must confess that laying claim to any denomination can add nothing to the worship and adoration of Jesus Christ.  However, a denomination (which is simply a name or title), at least identifies itself with a specific area of religion or belief system that has a proven historical theological orthodoxy.

 

I agree that many of the newly established denominational churches may have become completely unorthodox in their means of “worship”. Yet, non-denominational “worship centers” have no stamp of scriptural or biblical identification whatsoever. The attitude of most of these facilities is “come as you are and stay as you are; whose mission is to advance individual self worth, with no identifiable change to a Christ like life required.   

 

   We need not search long to find that the modern church has been swallowed up by the world, or should I say the “church” of today is swallowing up the world. Let’s look at it this way; the church is much like a ship on the sea; surrounded by its waters on every side. As long as the sea is kept outside and not allowed to “seep” into the bowels of the ship, the ship remains intact and safe. If the ship begins to take on water and nothing is done stop its influx, it will most certainly founder and will eventually be overcome by the sea and sink into its abyss.

 

In conclusion, I say again that I must believe that the church of Jesus Christ, regardless of denomination has been, and exists today as an institution. We are to be an organized membership of God’s believing children, bearing in mind that for any institution or organization to claim the title of Christian Church, Jesus Christ must in every case, be the Head not only of “the” Church, but of each individual body of believers which is called “a” church. We as the church’s membership are charged with keeping our respective institutions, in line with scriptural teaching, while guarding them from the influence of the world. The church should be seen as the very exemplar of separation from the anti-Christian lifestyles that are connected with what we call “the world”.

 

Keep in mind that God is not a God of anything goes, but rather a God of order. And even though we may indeed worship as individuals, we are also biblically commanded to worship collectively (Heb 10:24-25).

 

Sam Everett

“The Lord's Supper”

On this night, the time honored Passover would be transformed into what would become known today as “The Lord’s Supper” or “Communion”. Only twelve men would be chosen to witness the inception of this great ordinance. One of the twelve carried malicious intent in his heart, which would soon bring about the suffering and death necessary for the salvation of God’s people.

That which was being consummated on this night would be imperative in the establishment of the New Testament Church.  Jesus was moving these men’s focus from the traditional Passover lamb, to the true sacrifice by using the breaking of this bread (his body) and of the wine he poured (his blood).

 

As they were eating the roasted kid, little did these men know that not only were they consuming the paschal lamb, but it was the true Lamb, the Lamb who John had introduced at the river of Jordon, who was serving them. It was the night of the feast of unleavened bread. As stated in the instructions given to Moses, this was to be honored by all generations, and so here they were. Yet Jesus said that He would not take of the cup of this Passover, neither would He eat thereof any more of the lamb, “Until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God”. Thus signifying this would be the last of the required animal sacrifice. Little did these men know, that before the next day’s end, the one and only ultimate and eternal Sacrifice would be made for all those included in the everlasting covenant; past, present and future.

 

In order that all prophecies, types and shadows of the true sacrifice might be fulfilled, the Lord introduced this “new” ordinance, which was purposely transposed from the “old” or original. From here forward there would be no more “types”, for the Antitype had arrived and within a few hours He would be slain once for all… there would be no more bitter herbs; for the suffering these represented would be accomplished in the suffering of Jesus Christ. There would be no more slaughter of the kids of the goats or lambs of the sheep; for this also would be accomplished in the death of Jesus Christ…Perfect Man would suffer and die for imperfect humanity.

 

Virtually every Christian denomination or church today observes, in some manner, this New Testament directive. From this one event there has arisen many conjectures; some believe that this should be offered at every worship service (However, we must take care for if this ordinance is observed too often, it is very possible that its true meaning or substance may become lost in habitual tradition); some observe it monthly, and some quarterly. Biblically, all of these can be correct. Even though there is no set time pattern that the Lord gives us (He directs us only that; “As oft as you do this do it in remembrance of me”), it is the opinion of this writer that this rite should, as with the traditional Passover of old, be performed at least once per year.

 

There are those others who are of the opinion that almost any type of “bread” may be used (including saltines and other types of crackers) along with many different drinks (including grape juice, apple juice or even water). Since these cannot be biblically confirmed, I feel that it is the church’s responsibility to remain as close to the original as possible, which I find by scripture to be unleavened bread and wine. One of the strangest observations we may find in any Communion service is the belief of transubstantiation, which is prevalent among the Orthodox Catholic Church. Those who allege this to be factual believe that the bread and wine, for this moment in time, actually become the body and blood of Jesus. However, if we look closely, we find that there is no grand mysticism in the communion service. The bread and wine are no more transformed to the body and blood of Christ than the Baptistery, when used for a baptismal service, is transformed into an actual grave or tomb. The bread and wine are “only” representative of the body and blood. However, let us be careful with the use of the word “only” for it does not give any leeway for any to take this rite lightly or to be observed without utmost reverence. Apostle Paul would go into great detail on how we are to conduct ourselves during this service, as we can plainly see in his letter to the church at Corinth.

 

So we find that the death of Jesus Christ did not abolish the sacrifice, but rather made the greater sacrifice, after which they could be no other sacrificial death. The shed blood of animals was used until the fullness of time should come. Let us recall that which was mentioned earlier; “until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God”.

 

 Today, the only sacrifice that we are commanded to make is the “living” sacrifice or the giving of ourselves; not to die, but to live for Jesus Christ, Who was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

 

So we conclude that the Passover was the “type” of our Lord’s suffering and sacrifice which carried with it a continual looking forward to His coming, which would bring with it the deliverance of His people. The Communion service is a remembrance of His suffering and sacrifice which we observe in retrospect, keeping our hearts and minds on what He has accomplished in order to deliver His people and to secure their salvation.

 

Sam Everett