By T. PIERCE BROWN

If most of us who consider ourselves sound, conservative gospel preachers were asked the question, "Do you think I need to change churches?" by a member of some denomination with whom we were studying, probably at least 99% of us would answer with a resounding, "Yes!" The primary problem with that is that about 99% of the time we would not be answering the question he thinks he has asked. In his own mind, he has asked, "Do you mean to tell me that I need to leave my denomination and join yours or some other one?" Deeper in his mind is this thought: "You think that the Church of Christ church is better than any other denomination." If you merely answer his question, "Yes" as a large number of persons who claim membership in the Lord's church would, you have confirmed his opinion. If you found a person living on the street in a pasteboard box or under an overpass, if you wanted them to come into the house where food and warmth was found, would you say to them, "You should change houses?" The very idea that a pasteboard box is in the same category as a house is erroneous. Any time we use language that suggests that any man made institution is in the same category as the Lord's church, we do damage to the gospel truth.

The more nearly correct, although partial, answer would be, "Merely changing churches would not do you any good." Surely anyone who has done any personal evangelism knows that the normal concept of the religious world is that we teach that joining the Church of Christ church is what saves a person. Do you not see that the expression, "You need to change churches" means to most persons that the organization they are in is about the same as the organization they are being asked to join (even if we say "come into"), but we think ours is a little better. It is our strong opinion that thousands who are more or less loosely connected with the Lord's church, some of whom are elders, deacons or preachers, think of the church as "a glorious, blood-bought institution or organization into which a person must come in order to get salvation." Accurately speaking, the church is not an organization, although it should be organized in order to function as God ordained. If I come into your community in which there is no church, and I baptize three persons into Christ, the church is now there, but no organization is there.

I know that I may risk the wrath of some brethren when I write anything contrary to the notion that the Bible emphasis is that a person chose to come into the church in order to be saved. However, for those of us who speak so highly of calling Bible things by Bible names and doing Bible things in Bible ways, it is amazing that more of us do not realize that in New Testament times, no Apostle ever preached to an alien sinner anything about a blood-bought institution into which he must come in order to get salvation. Did Jesus die to save an organization or institution, or did He die to save individuals who were then classified as a part of the body of Christ, the church?

Surely it does not take an especially astute person to see the difference in the concept of the church as a sort of glorified country club in which one should seek membership if he wants to be saved, and the concept of rendering obedience to Christ at which time he is saved and placed in God's record among the other called out ones. Is anyone so naive as to think that when Peter preached on Pentecost any one of the 3000 who obeyed the gospel had any concept at all of trying to do whatever it took to get membership in the church?

There is almost as much difference in the two concepts as there is in night and day. It is our conviction that much of the lethargy we see in church of today is because most of the members think getting membership in the church saved them. They think they got membership in the church by getting baptized. So they assume that they "got saved" merely by being baptized. Of course no gospel preacher ever preached it that way, but many that claim membership in the Lord's church seem to think that getting membership in the church is what saved them. Whether they submitted to Christ as Lord was not at the center of their consciousness. They are told that they have "completed their obedience" and are now part of the family of God. What more could a person want?

This is probably why the idea of "total commitment" so strongly promulgated by the Crossroads philosophy gained so much prominence. They saw that the thousands who would so strongly say, "I am a Church of Christ" had no real commitment to Christ. So they tried to arrange a program that would change that. In the process they made more problems than they solved. But the sad truth is that we are still plagued with the concept that getting membership in the church (however that may be done) is the really important thing. This is why so many say, "Christ, yes; but the church, No." They do not understand that when one is properly baptized into Christ he IS in the church, but simply "changing churches" will not put him there. So we may teach people that if they change churches it will solve their problem and gain salvation for them. When a person by language or action puts the Lord's church, which consists of all the saved persons in the world, in the same category as any human institution, he does a great disservice to the cause of Christ. Even if he thinks of it as a divine institution, into which a person must come in order to get saved, he has perverted the Bible emphasis. I did not "come into the church" in order to get saved, as if there were two steps in the process: First, coming into the church, then the result of that was salvation. Nor was I saved in order to be fit to join some church. I was saved and added to the church at the same time, and our language about the value of "changing churches" may hide that truth, for it usually leaves a person with a denominational concept of the church.

By T. Pierce Brown

As far back as I can remember I have heard preachers say such things as "It must be admitted that faith and hope will terminate at the coming of Christ. Love is the greatest because it will abide forever." It is my judgment that a deeper study of the question will convince us that the conclusion is incorrect, and based on either faulty logic or faulty exegesis, or both.

I believe the song says, "faith will be lost in heavenly sight," and the idea, no doubt, partly comes from a misuse of 2 Corinthians 5:7,

"For we walk by faith, not by sight (eidos--appearance)."

And Romans 8:24 says,

"But hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopeth for that which he seeth?"

If one takes those scriptures and makes an improper application of them, he involves himself in some ridiculous absurdities. For example, a man may see a new car. Does the expression, "For who hopeth for that which he seeth?" negate the idea that he may yet hope for that car? Surely not!

Let us examine with a little more care whether or not it must be admitted that "faith and hope will terminate at the coming of Christ." It is true that we walk by faith, not by sight. It is true that by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, and we would not need to have faith in the truthfulness of that statement if we had seen it done with our own eyes. It is true that when the Apostles saw the risen Lord, they did not need to have faith in the testimony of another that He was risen. But does that mean that when they SAW him, they no longer had faith in HIM? The very idea is preposterous! The simple fact is that faith in the truthfulness of a proposition and faith in a person are two different things. If a man should say, "I have a book in my hand," and you can see it, you do not need to have faith in the statement. You KNOW it. But that does not mean you have therefore lost faith in the man who made the statement. Furthermore, a man may say, "I have a book in my hand" and you may have faith in the truthfulness of his statement for any number of reasons, but you know him to be a liar, and may have no faith in him at all!

Would anyone be so bold or thoughtless as to say that when the Apostles saw the risen Lord they lost faith in HIM? Or would anyone assume that if they had hoped for His resurrection, they lost ALL HOPE when He was resurrected? Or can you not see that they simply no longer had to believe that He would be raised from the dead, or to entertain THAT hope. When Jesus said to Thomas,

"Reach hither thy finger and see my hands: and reach hither thy hand and put it into my side, and be not faithless but believing" (John 20:7),

do you think Thomas should have replied, "No, Lord, faith has been lost in sight"? He said (v.29) ""Because thou has seen me, thou hast believed." He did NOT say, "Because thou hast seen me, thy faith has disappeared in sight."

The fact that we walk by faith and not by sight simply means that when God says anything, we trustingly rely on HIM, whether or not the thing appears that way. God calls things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17), so our faith is the basis of our actions, nor what appears to us. But this has nothing whatever to do with the strange and non-scriptural idea that "faith will terminate at the coming of Christ." Rather, we shall no doubt have even greater faith in him than ever before. We will simply not have faith in the reality of the proposition that He is coming again. That will have become knowledge.

Does the fact that we hope for ENTRANCE into the eternal reward and receive THAT mean that we lose hope for all eternity? Should there be written above the gates of pearl, "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here?" If a man sees a new car, he may hope for it. When he gets it, he no longer hopes to get it, but does that mean he has lost all hope? Can he hope to drive it, keep it, enjoy it, etc.? 1 Corinthians 13:13 does not teach, nor does any other passage, that faith and hope will terminate with His coming. Faith in the PROPOSITION that He will come will change, and HOPE FOR HIS COMING will be realized, but faith is not necessarily "lost in sight," but may be increased by sight (John 20:29). The MIRACULOUS GIFTS, whether it is faith or anything else, were to cease when that which is perfect came, but that has nothing to do with our proposition today.

Let us define our terms more accurately and sharpen our exposition a little more definitively in order that we may not pervert the truth in ANY fashion. To summarize: When we have reached heaven we will still be able to have faith in God and Christ, but will not have faith in the statement that there is a heaven. It will be knowledge, not faith. We will still be able to hope that we will enjoy the next experience. We will not be able to hope that we will GO to heaven, for that hope will have been realized. Hope for a particular or specific thing may cease without hope itself ceasing. Faith in a particular proposition may cease without faith itself being destroyed.

By Joe Andrasik through oldpaths.com

This is a question that is as ancient as man himself. First we must understand that GOD did not desire that we suffer. Suffering came into being because man chose to sin. There was no suffering in the Garden of Eden until man sinned, and Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden.

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned--. Romans 5:12.

Man brought suffering into the world by sinning. Much suffering continues in the world caused by men who sin. Sin has long-lasting consequences.

GOD cares very much for us and does not want anyone to suffer.

Psalm 116:3-5; The pains of death surrounded me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the LORD: O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul! Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yes, our God is merciful.

Man's disobedience caused the loss of GOD's blessings. Our bodies are no longer immortal as Adam and Eve were in the garden before they sinned . Therefore we suffer from disease, sickness and physical death. All are the result of sin. Death literally means separation from GOD. Without being in a right (correct) relationship with GOD, we are no longer deserving of GOD's blessings. All that remains for us is to suffer at the hands of the devil. All suffering is inflicted on us by our enemy the devil.

Without being in a right (correct) relationship with GOD we have no hope at all of restoring GOD's blessings to our lives. When a person becomes a Christian that person can then begin to trust that GOD will answer his prayer.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8.

The Christian who is in a right (correct) relationship with GOD can trust that GOD will return many of the blessings he lost before he became a Christian. This includes hope of eternal life.

Just because we become Christians does not mean all suffering ceases. It does means that we can begin to rely on GOD who will help us with our burdens.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28.

GOD begins to ease our suffering and helps us by carrying our most difficult burdens.

GOD lives in Heaven away from sin and suffering. He wants us to be with Him. He wants us to look beyond this world to Heaven. If there were no suffering in this world, there would be very little desire to go to Heaven and be with GOD.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:3-4.

Suffering therefore helps to remind us that we do not belong on this earth. We belong with GOD our Father. Jesus is preparing a place for every Christian who is willing to obey Him.

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3.

Sometime we suffer because of our sin and GOD disciplines us. This occurs not because GOD desires to inflict pain on us but because He wants us to change our mind and return to Him. He does not want anyone to be lost.

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? Hebrews 12:5-7.

Let us study the life of a very special man in the Old Testament. There was a man named Job who is described in the Book of Job.

Then the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? Job 1:8.

Job was a very righteous man. For most of Job's life he received many countless blessings from GOD. He was about to learn that even the righteous experience suffering.

So Satan answered the LORD and said, Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face! Job 1:9-11.

GOD allowed Job to suffer at the hand's of the devil. Job's suffering was brought on by the devil, not GOD. GOD allowed it to happen but only to achieve a far greater purpose in GOD's plan. We may not fully understand but GOD is able to use our circumstances of suffering and turn them into blessings for us later in our life, as we shall learn from Job's experience. GOD also knew that the outcome of Job's suffering would far outweigh the limited amount of suffering that Job would experience. This is not to minimize the suffering that Job experienced. He lost his entire family except for his wife and was in great pain for months. The book of Job would become an ageless example of the suffering of the righteous, and a source of encouragement for us.

First we must understand that we are not alone in our suffering. GOD experienced the agony of suffering himself in the person of his Son. Jesus came to live and die as the Son of GOD that we might have hope. He experienced hunger in the wilderness for forty days.

And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. But He answered and said, It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:2-4.

He certainly knew what it was to be cold or to experience the heat of summer. He lived as a carpenter's son for over thirty years. He knew what it was like to go without sleep. He was even tempted by sin and had to resist without sinning, to accomplish GOD's greatest sacrifice for us.

Hebrew 4:15; For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus, the Son of GOD, experienced what each of us experience every day to help us with our own suffering.

Perhaps the greatest suffering man will face is the fear of death. Jesus went before us to take away this fear by overcoming death with the hope of a resurrection to eternal life with GOD.

Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,.. Hebrews 5:7-9.

Jesus feared death as we do, but He especially feared death on the cross. He understood what kind of death He would suffer, as He knelt down in the Garden.

Then He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me. He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will. Matthew 26:38-39.

Jesus prayed three times to his Heavenly Father to be spared the death on the cross. This is the death that would satisfy GOD's justice for our sins. We deserved to be on that cross in His place, each of us dying for our own sins. He did not deserve it. Jesus thus became the perfect sacrifice in our place.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, Hebrew 2:9-11.

When we share in suffering as a Christian, GOD sees us as part of His family. We become part of the family of GOD by sharing in Jesus' suffering. This is especially true when we suffer because of our attempts to be like Christ.

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 1 Peter 4:1-2.

Remember! We previously considered the suffering of Job. Job overcame his suffering at the hands of the devil. Let us see the final outcome of Job's faithfulness to GOD.

Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. Job 42:12-13.

Christians can have an even better hope today.
December 1999

All references are from The New King James Version.