LectureshipIssue.com

The Stand Before The Fall

Truth Foundation: Re-Writing History

by Chris Peltz

There is a battle being waged between those who are demanding Bible authority for missionary and edification societies and those who insist on using the Truth Foundation as a modern day institution for teaching and preaching the gospel of Christ. It is a disturbing and heart-breaking battle which has brought to light an attitude of old, as the men of the Truth Foundation "…did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judg 21:25).

Bearing fruit of bitterness and division, this man-made institution has proceeded with annual gospel meetings in spite of the plea of brethren to stand down. Interestingly enough, there was a time when the plea to stand down from any and all forms of institutionalism came from men associated with the Truth Foundation (Guardian of Truth). In an article entitled "The All-Sufficiency Of The Church In Edification (2)" by Cecil Willis which appeared in "Truth Magazine" V: 7, pp. 19-22, April 1961, several points were made which can certainly apply today. Brother Willis closes his first paragraph with the following statement: "If the church properly cannot discharge all of its mission, we cannot be assured that it properly can discharge any part of its mission. Similarly, if the New Testament cannot be trusted in every particular, we cannot be sure it may be trusted in any instance. We must therefore either commit ourselves to the all sufficiency of the church unreservedly or we mute blatantly deny its sufficiency. As for ourselves, our commitment is already made."

While this by itself is powerful, I like what was said in the beginning of his article as he declares "that the church is its own educational society. Paul declared that the body is to build up itself in love (Eph. 4:16)." Also, "the church also is its own missionary society." He goes on to explain, in essence, that man-made societies are formed when men deny the sufficiency of the divine church to discharge God's divine plan. Cecil points out "Once the organizational 'bug' gets hold of a group of brethren, he seldom lets loose." That is certainly the case today.

Before I go any further, let me make note that the article being referenced is part two of a series. Also, I concede that Cecil is dealing with the specific issue of church-sponsored institutions and societies. However, in defending the truth and denouncing man-made institutions, Cecil does not talk about the source of funding, but rather the fact that they are doing the work which God has given exclusively to the local church. For this reason, brother Cecil Willis concludes that human organizations deny the sufficiency of the local church and do not have the right to exist. Notice the following statement: "But the good they accomplished did not justify the human organization through which it was being accomplished, since God had provided a divine organization through which this good should have been performed. And brethren, in like manner, the alleged good accomplished by modern human organizations among the churches of Christ does not justify their existence to do the work of the church."

Cecil Willis goes on to talk about the “Gospel Hour” organization.  While he points out the fact that churches were contributing to this organization, he concludes by saying “this is another instance of an organization outside the church engaging in the work of the church.” Clearly, the stand which brother Willis took was not solely based on where the funds came from, but the fact that this organization was doing the work of the divinely planned local congregation.

In closing his article, Cecil Willis says that he will deal with other “organizations of edification inside the church…”  However, the rest of this sentence gets to the heart of the matter and does in fact apply to organizations outside the church, such as “Truth Foundation” since they began their annual gospel meeting.  He finishes the sentence by saying, “whose existence also constitutes latent denials of the all sufficiency of the church in edification.”

Brethren, it is my plea that we would resolve to uphold the all-sufficiency of the church and to glorify God through the church (1 Tim 3:15; Eph 3:21).  Let us then set aside any and every man-made institution which, by it’s work, denies the all-sufficiency of the local congregation to fulfill the work which God gave it to do.  We must commit ourselves unreservedly to God’s divine plan or deny it. What say you?