 DANGEROUS ASSUMPTIONS
When Naaman, the Syrian leper, was told to wash in Jordan and he would be cleansed of his disease, he responded, "Behold I thought, He will surely come out to me and stand, and call on the name of Jehovah his, God, and wave is hand over the place, and recover the leper" (II Kings 5:11). His plaintiff words, "Behold I thought" have been the basis for thousands of sermons. They are most appropriate for the church at the beginning of the 21st century.
These words of Naaman reflect a mistaken assumption on his part that could have caused him to die a leper. Among contemporary churches of Christ such mistaken assumptions could also result in irreparable damage. Powerful and influential men and schools among us are working feverishly to impose changes on our churches that are neither scriptural nor helpful. These changes have to do with the name we wear, the doctrine we hold, the worship we offer to God, the role of women, the way of salvation, the authority of the Bible and numerous other matters. When folks read or hear of the work of these change agents some make dangerous assumptions.
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Some assume it is no big deal. How wrong they are. These changes, if accomplished, will destroy the very foundation on which the church stands. The rubble that will survive will not be a church of Christ but a denomination. |
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Others assume it involves just a few young preachers. Wrong! The changes are being championed by a bevy of professors associated with our Christian Universities. The problem has already spread throughout the country and affected several of our largest churches. It is found in virtually every large city in the country. It is safe to say that several hundred preachers are already committed to this program, maybe more. |
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Some assume it will go away if left alone. Wrong again. Error works like leaven and if left alone it will soon affect the entire brotherhood (I Cor. 5:6). It is like a deadly virus. Once turned loose in a church it will not cease until it is driven out or until it has conquered its host. It also spreads from church to church especially through youth groups and campus activities attended by young Christians. |
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Others assume that no one will listen to them. Already a significant host of our people have embrace the clamor for change. Large audiences at some Christian university lectureships stand and applaud the outlandish pronouncements of such speakers
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Some assume it will not effect us. This is a tragic assumption which can have destructive results. No congregation is immune to the possibility that someone will try to bring in this heresy. Members can however be inoculated before hand by sound teaching and proper warning. If done they will not be vulnerable to the erroneous message. |
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Still others assume that someone else will rise up and squash the false teachers, therefore I need not inform myself or address the issue. The church is more vulnerable today than in years past. We have no David Lipscombs, G. C. Brewers, Guy N. Woods, or Thomas Warrens prepared to do battle with the false teachers among us. We are an army of soldiers with few brilliant, courageous generals among us. Each of us must prepare himself and fight the good fight of the faith in our own community (I Tim. 6:12). |
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Many assume that God won't let it happen to his church. Wrong! It happened a hundred years ago when digression swept away 85 percent of our congregations and people, all of our schools, most of our mission work. Look around you and see the Disciples of Christ and Christian Churches that are the proof that such has happened and can happen again. We must learn and heed the lessons of history lest we repeat the mistakes of the past. |
Naaman escaped from his leprosy only because he abandoned his false assumption and did what God instructed him to do. So it will be for the church of our generation. We must stand fast, we must resist every effort to subvert the faith, we must contend earnestly for "the faith" of Christ revealed in the New Testament (Jude 3). We must take note of them that are causing divisions among us and turn away from them (Rom. 16:17-18).
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