“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”

Jeremiah 6:16

God Prepared ~~~~~~~~ God Presented

Man Departed ~~~~~~~~~ Man Returned

“Speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent.”

1 Peter 4:11 “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God;”

WEB “If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God.”

Utterance, Words

Early Years ~~~ Infant Baptism

Joseph Bryant - sprinkled as a baby Alexander Campbell & Margaret - new baby ???

Should they sprinkle? - Studied Bible

Col. 2:12 - “Buried with him in baptism”No authority for infant baptismThey had been sprinkled as a baby

June 12, 1812 - baptized by immersion

Early Years ~~~ Infant Baptism

Col. 2:12 - “Buried with him in baptism”

Romans 6:4 - “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:.”

Mark 16:15-16 - baptism was for believers

Early Years ~~~ Infant Baptism

Campbell: “If infant baptism be not found in the scriptures, we can have nothing to do with it.”

Alexander Campbell

Early Years ~~~ Infant Baptism

Worship Plan of Salvation Organization Work Name

What does the Bible teach ?

Two groups merged

“Let us, then, my brethren, be no longer Campbellites, or Stoneites, New Lights, or any kind of lights, but let us all come to the Bible and the Bible alone, as the only book in the world that can give us all the light we need.”

Alexander Campbell

Barton W. Stone

Jan. 1, 1832

They wanted to walk in “the old paths” of the Bible.

Forget doctrines of men

Go back to the Bible

Restoration Principle

Return to a standard

Progress made by going backwards

Go back to the Bible as voice of authority

Did God intend for the N.T. to be a Standard ?

“Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Tim. 1:13

“…I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.” Jude 3 asv

1 Cor. 4:6 ESV “…that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written,…”

1849 - American Christian Missionary Society

1859 - L.L. Pinkerton - instrumental music

Problems for those trying to follow old pathsNo Bible authority for these things

Churches Divided

• “We can do anything unless it is prohibited in Scripture” …

• “We cannot do anything unless it is authorized”?

• “Speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent.”

Luther (Germany, 1483-1546) said we may do what the Bible does not forbid.

Zwingli (Switzerland, 1484-1531) said what the Bible does not command we may not do, and on that account he gave up images, and crosses in churches...Organs in church also were given up”

1849 - American Christian Missionary Society

1859 - L.L. Pinkerton - instrumental music

Argued that they could do this because they were not forbidden in the N.T.

Caused a Division: “Christian Church” - 1906

Beginning of many departures…

Lord’s Supper on Thursday Women preachers and elders Selling merchandise to raise money Pageants for entertainment Dedication of Babies Open Membership Acceptance of Darwin's theory of evolution

Beginning of many departures… caused a division

Christian ChurchConservative Christian ChurchDisciples of Christ

Have abandoned the concept of restoring the N.T. Church.

We can do anything unless it is prohibited in Scripture

What is wrong with this attitude ?

Murder - by shooting with a gun “Thou shalt not take a gun and shoot someone”“Thou shalt not kill” Rom. 13:9

Robbery - Use a gun to rob a bank“Thou shalt not rob a bank with a gun.”“Thou shalt not steal” Rom. 13:9

Some do not like the idea of a pattern or example

Reasoning: If it is not specifically condemned then we can do it !

OPEN MEMBERSHIP

WOMEN PREACHERS

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

The Only AuthorityThe Only Authority

We need in religionWe need in religion

Many plead for a new Religion today !

21st CenturySpace AgeComputer Age

Need a modern church

God provided for our physical needsSunAir

Water

God provided for our spiritual needs

ChristHis

Church

We don’t need a new religion !

We need the old time religion, the Gospel !

We need the religion revealed to us in the Bible !

“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” Jeremiah 6:16

Sermon by Arthur Pigman

Evans Church of Christ

515 Gibbs Road

Evans, Ga. 30809

706-855-1249

evanscoc@bellsouth.netevanscoc@bellsouth.net

www.evansgachurchofchrist.orgwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org

Sunday Evening September 11, 2011