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Challenge to modern churches: Return to the 'Ancient Paths'
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RELIGIOUSLYINCORRECT.org
Many Christians who comprise modern churches are convinced we are among the few who are "walking in the ancient paths."
But are we really?
We claim to be "Bible believing"—but are we "Bible practicing?"
Can we honestly claim to be "Bible-practicing" Christians when so many areas of fundamental neglect persist?
I am convinced that no honest mind can deny—after witnessing modern churches in action—that clearly
a divergence has occurred from the practices of faithfully-functioning Biblical churches (such as those in Acts).
But—does anyone really care? Is anyone listening?
Has spiritual Israel become, as had physical Israel, so convinced
of its salvation that it ignored the many warnings from the few true prophets of God—prophets who were not among the popular,
not among those on the "lecture circuit," not among those validating their traditional norms? (Isaiah 6:10)
Why is the "ancient path" so important?
God informed the nation of Israel ("His people") through Jeremiah that if they expected to avoid catastrophe they needed to do the following:
"return to the ancient paths" (Jeremiah 6:16).
In other words, back to the word of God as written in the Law of Moses. Back to the Bible.
And that "ancient path" was almost 900 years old when Jeremiah spoke.
What they failed to realize, of course, was that God's
word should never be modified, no matter how ancient it appears to be. When one tries to perfect the already perfect, the result is imperfection.
Naturally, we see the same today. The New Testament is old—really old.
Almost 1900 years old. And it's quite clear that many modernists consider it "too old" to be following.
As "mature modernists," they prefer to "adapt" to modern religious and political pressures, combining their man-made religion
with whatever portion of the Bible they choose.
In so doing, they bow to the false god of self, interpreting the Bible as self pleases, and mentally re-writing the Bible as self
desires. If only they could save themselves too!
[God to Job]: "...look at every proud man and bring him low,
look at every proud man and humble him, crush the wicked where they stand.
Bury them all in the dust together...in the grave.
Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you.
(Job 40:11-14)
Without question, many people today have no desire to walk in the "ancient paths" of Christ, the apostles, and the first century church.
What does it mean to "walk in the ancient path?"
It means basing your practice—both corporate and private—on the teachings of Christ and His apostles.
In other words, on the Bible.
That means patterning your life, AND your congregation, after the churches we read about in the New Testament.
Please understand this vital fact:
These churches functioned as a direct reflection of apostolic oversight.
Said another way: they operated under the Holy Spirit's oversight (since the apostles were inspired by the Holy Spirit).
And said yet another way: Faithful Biblical churches reflected the very will of God Himself—in teaching AND
practice (both unpopular today).
So, it's simple. Just compare your church to those described among obedient New Testament churches, and you have an exact
picture of how your church needs to be functioning today.
Same leadership. Same fervor. Same activity. Same rules of conduct and worship. Same teachings. Same everything.
Some today choose to ignore any Biblical command they construe as "doctrinal," apparently due to their disastrously wrong belief that
"only moral commands" matter to God. Of course, God, Christ, and His apostles have never made such a distinction between "moral" and "doctrinal,"
but have instead ALWAYS emphasized the importance of obeying EVERY command.
If only people today understood this fact: in BOTH conservative modern churches and the denominational world.
Indeed, obedience to so-called "doctrinal" commands are
also tests of our true faith and whether or not Christ is truly our "Lord"—or if, like many in Jesus' day, we're merely
lip-service-only, "Lord, Lord" Christians that fully obey ONLY when Christ's will intersects with the "god of self's" desires (Luke 6:46).
It is evident that today we have the same situation in our utterly derailed denominational world.
While they claim to be "Bible-believing"—their churches bear almost no resemblance to the foundational teachings and practices of
Christ and His apostles.
Digressions in conservative churches
While it is a relatively easy exercise for any sincere Christian to point out (in the denominational world) numerous digressions
from Biblical instruction
and practice, what is of more concern to me is how that we—in more conservative churches—have now largely followed suit.
Not in the same way, of course. Our digressions are more subtle, more abstract, more philosophical.
Indeed, it's hard to point
sometimes to any overt area of neglect (although not as hard as you might think—as we plan to unveil in this series). Often,
our digressions involve sins of omission, not sins of commission.
However, many modern Christians and churches are unquestionably and habitually off the ancient path that was paved by the flowing
blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Many apparently have incorrectly assumed that as long as a few Biblical practices are preserved: such a habitual assembly, Biblical communion,
an old English translation, and a miscellany of traditionally favorite church teachings—this
therefore qualifies them as "being on the ancient paths."
So, in this series I'd like to start drawing your awareness (if you haven't noticed this already) to several fundamental areas of neglect
in modern churches.
Areas that I believe are responsible for the crumbling walls of Zion, the dwindling churches, the lost young people, the failed marriages—and
many lost souls.
CONTINUE TO NEXT PART OF THIS SERIES...
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