DANGEROUS SUBSTITUTES by Dr. John DeBrine
A conference leader approached me minutes before I was to speak with the comment, "Now you're going to tell these people to love one another, aren't you?" I replied, "No, I'm going to teach them the doctrine that results in your goal; in fact, if we don't use this method we'll actually be trying to thwart the prayer of Jesus Chris." To understand this follow the progression of John 17:17-21. First you understand doctrine (Vs. 17-19) and then you have unity (Vs. 20-21). This is the Divine Order and it cannot have a substitute!
There are some fine psychologists who are Bible-oriented Christians and then there are those who view the Bible through the lens of psychology instead of psychology through the lens of the Bible. This kind of thing is really a re-packaged humanism. Of course, there are many illustrations of dangerous substitutes. In my reading, I have been noting human viewpoint methods in dealing with church disunity. One of these methods is to call in an arbitrator. Actually the world of sports does this when the contract of an athlete is in dispute. Christian work does not pattern its methods after the secularists. Perhaps an outside personality does need to help eventually but not until we follow the Divine method which is what?
We must diagnose Biblically. The Apostle Paul used this method. Read I Corinthians 1:11. He said, "Look - here is the diagnosis -- contentions! "For it has been declared to Me concerning you, My brethren, by those who are of the household of Chloe, that there are contentions among you."(KJV)
Then Paul offered a prescription. As we take that word "contentions" and see its use elsewhere, we find the prescription. In Galatians 5:19-21 I find the word used as one of the results of the old sin nature in control. So what is the basic Biblical method of dealing with contentions? "Look you...not the people down the street but you." You have contentions which means that you are living according to the wrong force. You are letting your old sin nature and not the Holy Spirit control you! You can "name call" and you can command people to get along and offer all kinds of human viewpoint advice, but there is no solution if we substitute for Divine Viewpoint. Teach what the Bible says about the old sin nature and then teach in detail the fact that the Holy Spirit is the only One who can solve the problem. Of course, there is also a practical solution and that is evangelism. Whereas the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 16:14 calls the church to unity, we must note that I Corinthians 16:15 points out that Christ-centered Biblical evangelism produces this unity. Let's face it -- when you are involved in leading people to Christ and then you are involved in discipleship of these persons you have discovered the expulsive power of a new affection!
There is no time to fight. There it is again -- Doctrine plus application as the preventive and corrective measure for disunity. Let me illustrate: A few years ago, I gave some Sundays to a church that was in a major split. Then I encouraged a Pastor-Teacher to serve on an interim basis for several months. Recently I returned to that church. It now has a fine young man as pastor who is a Moody Bible Institute and Dallas Seminary graduate. The church is vibrant and they love the pastor -- and one another! Another church where Songtime USA is doing a similar project said to one of our staff: "The love has returned."
Since we make no financial demands and since we want to continue this type of ministry, we need your financial involvement. Let me describe a service. Dan Miller at Calvary Church in Charlotte, NC recorded some accompaniment tapes so a little church of a hundred people can sing to the accompaniment of one of the eight largest pipe organs in America. Dave Donnelly shows the video presentation of his "Road to Bosnia" and he sings and then I teach the Bible and with the use of video equipment, illustrate the teaching. If your church needs help, we'll come! However, I'm counting on the financial support of everyone reading this article to help us so Songtime USA can continue this "Celebrate America" project.
We raise about 25%
of our budget in December. We can't continue to do that and accept these
many I Corinthians 16:9 opportunities because the financial demands of
the project have to be met before next December. It has never happened
but I'm praying that everyone reading this article will do something.
Mark your gift "Celebrate America" and send it to: Songtime
USA, 131 Old Route 132,
Hyannis, MA 02601
or call our toll free number and use your credit card to make an immediate
gift possible. This phone number is not an 800
number. It is toll free but you must use 1-888-
SONG USA. Help Songtime USA
prevent the use of Dangerous Substitutes!! Remember...thousands of Americans
spent well over $250 for a Super-Bowl
ticket. The words of David come to mind: "....neither will I offer
burnt offering unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing."
(II Samuel 24:24)(KJV)