The Old Paths
A. THE PLEA OF JEREMIAH WAS A PLEA FOR RESTORATION.
1. Many of Israel had left God completely( Jer. 2:13 ).
2. Those remaining happily followed lying priests( 5:30-31 ).
B. OUR PLEA ALSO IS FOR RESTORATION.
1. Our existence as a separate body must be explained( 1 Pet. 3:15 ).
2. To separate without just cause is wrong( 1 Cor. 1:10; 12:25 ).
A. OURS IS NOT A PLEA FOR A NEW CHURCH OR DENOMINATION, BUT IT IS
RATHER A PLEA FOR A RESTORATION, AMONG ALL BELIEVERS, OF
DOCTRINE, FAITH, SPIRIT, AND PRACTICE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
CHURCH.
B. WE ARE WARNED AGAINST GOING BEYOND THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS
( 1 Cor. 4:6; Gal. 1:6-9 ).
C. IT IS THE TRUTH THAT MAKES US FREE( John 8:31-32; 17:17 ).
D. THE RESULT OF FOLLOWING THE BIBLE, AND THE BIBLE ONLY IS
THE RESTORED CHURCH.
1. Luke 8:11. The seed of the kingdom is the word of God.
2. Where the word is planted, the church will grow.
3. If I want watermelons, what do I have to plant? The church, what seed?
E. IF WE DO WHAT THEY DID, WON’T WE BE ONE WITH THEM?( 1 John 1:3-4 ).
F. NO NEED FOR A CHAIN OF SUCCESSION IF I HAVE THE SEED.
A. IT IS NOT A PLEA FOR CONSOLIDATION OF DENOMINATIONS, CHURCH
FEDERATION, OR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ECCLESIASTICAL TRUST
OR COMBINE. IT IS A PLEA FOR SUCH UNION WITH CHRIST AND SUCH
CONFORMITY TO HIS TEACHING AS WOULD BRING ALL BELIEVERS INTO
FELLOWSHIP AND COOPERATION.
B. JESUS PRAYED FOR UNITY( John 17:20-21 ).
C. CHRIST, THROUGH PAUL, DEMANDS UNITY( 1 Cor. 1:10 ).
D. IN REALITY, ALL OF CHRIST’S PEOPLE ARE ONE( Eph. 4:4-6 ).
1. Who is to blame for division( 1 Cor. 4:7, 6 ).
2. If we all forget denominational names, creeds, and practices and go back to what
the Bible teaches, we will be one.
E. OUR CLAIM IS NOT THAT WE ARE THE ONLY CHRISTIANS, BUT THAT WE
ARE CHRISTIANS ONLY.
1. Our plea is that all who believe in Jesus be Christians only.
2. Jesus is not divided over denominational ideas and practices( 1 Cor. 1:10-13 ).
F. THE DENOMINATIONAL MODEL IS NOT IN THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS.
A. THE GREAT ADVANTAGE IN OUR UNDENOMINATIONAL SEPARATE
EXISTENCE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE AMOUNT OF DIVINE TRUTH WE
HAVE DISCOVERED AND WHICH WE MAY PRACTICE, BUT RATHER IN
THE GREAT FACT THAT WE ARE FREE FROM ALL HUMAN AUTHORITY TO
SEARCH THE WORD OF GOD FOR THIS TRUTH AND TO ACCEPT AND
PRACTICE ANY AND EVERYTHING WE FIND.
B. WE ARE NOT BOUND BY SOME CENTRAL CONVENTION OR BOARD.
C. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO GOD( John 12:48; Acts 17:30-31; Rom. 14:10-12 ).
D. TO SUBMIT TO THE NOTIONS OF MEN IS TO FALL AWAY( Col. 2:8 ).
A. JESUS HAS ALL AUTHORITY( Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 3:17 ).
B. WE DO NOTHING TO SHAME HIM( 1 Pet. 2:11-12 ).
C. WE MUST NOT BE ASHAMED( 1 Pet. 4:15-16 ).
D. WHATEVER IT TAKES( Prov. 23:23 ).
A. WE ARE TOLD TO CONTINUE GROWING( 2 Pet. 3:18 ).
B. SOME WERE UPBRAIDED FOR NOT GROWING MORE( Heb. 5:11-12 ).
C. OURS IS A PLEA FOR PROGRESS IN THE DISCOVERY AND PRACTICE OF
DIVINE TRUTH, THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR PLEA, AND OUR SAFETY IN
MAKING IT DO NOT CONSIST IN THE PARTICULAR TRUTH WE HAVE
ACCEPTED AND WHICH WE PRACTICE, BUT RATHER IN OUR ATTITUDE
TOWARD ALL TRUTH IN CHRIST.
IF WE EVER ALLOW OURSELVES TO BECOME SATISFIED WITH OUR
ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE REALM OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE AND
PRACTICE, OUR USEFULNESS WILL BE ENDED. IT IS NOT THE TRUTH
THAT WE KNOW AND PRACTICE THAT IS IMPORTANT, BUT ALL TRUTH
REVEALED IN CHRIST JESUS.
OUR MINDS MUST EVER BE KEPT OPEN AND OUR HEARTS MUST WARM
AS WE CONTINUE TO SEARCH THE SCRIPTURE.
A. OUR PLEA IS ONE FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE ORIGINAL DOCTRINE,
FAITH, SPIRIT, AND PRACTICE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
AMONG ALL BELIEVERS IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND NOT A PLEA
FOR “OUR CHURCH” OR “OUR DENOMINATION.”
B. RESTORATION ONLY OCCURS AS THE RESULT OF PLANTING THE SEED.
C. OUR MOTTO OVER THE YEARS IS A PARAPHRASE OF 1 Pet. 4:11:
“Speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where the Bible is silent.”
D. IF WE CAN DO THIS, THEN THE OTHER PLEAS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
E. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT SALVATION?