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This is the other primary foundation stone in the doctrine of "The Truth." We have always loved this concept; it is very warm and personal. However, does the Scripture make meeting in homes a criterion for salvation? Did those first Christians always meet in homes? Luke (24:51-53) tells us the disciples returned to Jerusalem after Jesus parted from them. Where in Jerusalem did they go? "And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God." In Acts 2:46, believers continued daily to meet together in the temple, and went from house to house breaking bread (eating). They also met in the temple in Acts 3:1 and 4:1. Paul "reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath." (Acts 18:4) In Acts 20:7-9, they were meeting in a 3-story (loft) building. A home?
Doubtful. It doesn’t say. And it doesn’t matter! In Acts 19:9, they met in the school (revised version: "lecture hall") of Tyrannus for two years. Where were they meeting in I Cor. 11:18, when Paul addressed the erring Corinthians, "...when ye come together in the church..." In vs. 22, he asked, "What? Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God, and put them to shame that have not?" They weren’t meeting in homes here!
As we well know (!), Paul greets several churches which were in homes in several of his letters. Many of the early Christians obviously did meet in homes. As Christianity spread from those early days in Acts, it became more dangerous to meet in the temple and synagogues. Christians soon began to be persecuted and feared for their lives. They met behind locked doors for fear of the Jews we are told. They met secretly, not by choice, but by necessity. There would have been a measure of safety in home churches that there wouldn’t have been in public buildings. Certainly, construction of church buildings in that time would have been impractical, even foolhardy. Nowhere does Scripture dictate that homes are the only place in which to worship.
We have been told many times that Jesus instituted the church in the home in Matt. 26 when He arranged the Last Supper in that upper room. But if He did, folks, no one recorded any words of His which stated that. For one thing, this was not Sunday morning. It was sometime in the middle of the week. (Just before Jesus was crucified on [Good] Friday, remember?) Also, neither Matthew (26:18-20) nor Mark (14:13-16) nor Luke (22:8-13) indicate that the homeowner or his family were even in the house at the time. John apparently didn’t feel it important enough to record where the meal took place. (Ch. 13:1-4) "The disciples made ready the passover." Only the twelve were present during the meal. Perhaps they merely borrowed/made use of that guestchamber/large upper room. In any case, there was safety there, as well as privacy for an intimate discussion with His disciples. This would have been a perfect time for Him to say, "This is how you must worship from now on. You must always use a home." But did He say that? Not in our Bibles! He introduced the bread and wine then, but said nothing about instituting church in the home. We are not saying the church in the home is wrong. Definitely not. But neither are church buildings wrong. Jesus did emphasize throughout His ministry the importance of worshipping "in spirit and in truth." The where is not important; the how is. Jesus always focused on the inward.
Incidentally, the bread eaten at the passover meal would have been unleavened bread. (Ex. 12:18). The bread we use is always leavened (yeast) bread. Jesus also washed the disciples’ feet after that meal. (John 13:4-16) Do we do that? The point is, why is the church in the home so crucial, when there are many other Scriptural details which we ignore completely?
We’ve often heard quoted Peter’s words in Acts 7:48 and Paul’s in 17:24, that God does not "dwell in temples made with hands." That is absolutely true. God does not dwell in buildings - OR homes - OR convention tents/sheds (all of which are also "made with hands"). God dwells in people. People are His church, His bride. This is the point that both those men were emphasizing in those verses: "Ye are God’s building." (I Cor. 3:9)
When Jesus commissioned the disciples in Matt. 28:18-20 to go and teach all nations, He gave no guidelines as to the number who should travel together while preaching the gospel. It would have been impossible for the eleven disciples to whom He was speaking to evenly divide into pairs, and He said nothing about such a requirement. How many times is "two and two" mentioned in the Bible? Twice. Mark 6:7 and Luke 10:l. (Neither time did Jesus indicate this was mandatory, nor for all time.) Some believe Acts supports the necessity of preachers going "two and two." Does it? Do a study of Acts. We found that ONE person went alone on an evangelistic journey ten times; pairs going ("two and two") are mentioned 8 times; 3 persons, 7 times; 4 persons; once: 7,8, and 10 persons, once: two persons plus an unspecified number, once; 3 persons plus an unspecified number, once. To conclude, disciples went out "two and two" only 8 times out of 29 in Acts - or just under 28% of the time. Dear friends, shall we remove our "truther" lenses - so we can stop reading into the Bible what is not actually there?
Did you know that collections are Biblical? See I Cor. 16:1-3. "Upon the first day of the week..." These collections were to be done on Sundays! In Acts 11:29, "every man according to his ability" sent relief to needy Christians in Judea. In Acts 24:17, Paul spoke of bringing "alms to my nation, and offerings." Actually, Paul addressed the money issue quite frequently. He must have realized that it is indeed a necessity. See also Romans 15:25-28, II Cor. 8:1-24, 9:1-13, Philippians 4:15-19. Jesus, in Matt. 10, said, "The workman is worthy of his meat" - a principle that Paul reiterated in I Cor. 9:14, "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." Paul added that "the laborer is worthy of his reward" in I Tim. 5:18. He spoke and wrote of these things openly. Does our method most closely resemble the New Testament church?
When Jesus threw the moneychangers out of the temple, was it because they were making money for the temple? Or was it because they were making money for themselves, and dishonestly. He said they had made His Father’s house a den of thieves. When Jesus was in the temple, watching the people casting money into the treasury, (Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4) He didn’t find fault with them, did He? He would have known the temple needed money for maintenance, etc. He commended the widow who had cast in "all her living."
Workers may not receive a stipulated salary, but they do receive money, quite a bit of it. In addition to letters and "handshakes," workers, particularly overseers, frequently are the beneficiaries of sizeable estates and trusts. Some have bank accounts. Likely, certain of them own stock. However, there is minimal, if any, accountability. The very real possibility exists that many workers actually receive far more of a "salary" via these means than most "worldly" pastors do.
"THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER": Paul originally applied these words to Jesus (Heb. 13:8) but that phrase, too, has been applied to the fellowship. There are many dissimilarities in "The Truth" worldwide, some minor, some major. Dress code varies substantially, not only from region to region in the US, but internationally, as well. (Did you know that ladies’ hats in meeting are a must in some countries!) Just within the US, the acceptance of such things as radios and stereos in the friends’ homes has always varied. In the east, they are still outlawed; in the west, they have been casually accepted for many decades. American visitors overseas to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, etc. are surprised to sip real wine in the communion cup passed around at meeting! Beer is an acceptable beverage in many European professing homes. During the early years and still currently in Australia, the bread and real wine (usually Port) are passed during Sunday morning meeting at convention. Several cups are passed around simultaneously, being topped up as required from jugs carried by those serving. Military service in the armed forces is NOT acceptable in some countries, yet very common here in the US. The time frame between professing and baptism and being allowed to partake of the bread and wine have varied greatly by both time and geography. Just one generation ago, many activities were absolutely forbidden that are now considered acceptable. In some parts of the US, the friends celebrate Christmas quite openly, in others, clandestinely! However, in Britain as well as Australia, and perhaps other countries, Christmas is celebrated very openly, complete with Christmas trees! In some areas, marriage to an outsider has meant excommunication (disfellowshipping). In others, it still means prohibition of taking part in meetings; in still others, there is no punitive action. The rules regarding divorce and remarriage are constantly changing, and vary vastly according to both geography and time - and overseer.
Now, the above paragraph is easily read. However, we are talking about people here—individual hearts hurt, cut to the quick, devastated, and lives sometimes shattered by the arbitrary application of these man-made rules.
MARRIAGE: Several of the Apostles were married: Jesus’s brothers, "other apostles" and Peter. I Cor. 9:5, "Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas (Peter)?" The NIV (New International Version) reads:
"Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?" Although Paul chose to remain single himself, he condemned the practice of "forbidding to marry." (I Tim. 4:3) He said "marriage is honorable in all." (Heb. 13:4) The evangelist Philip (Acts 8:5-40), who brought the gospel to many people, had a house and four children (daughters). (Acts 21:8, 9) In the early days of our fellowship, there were numerous pairs of married workers, but no longer. Incidentally, weren’t most/all of the OT prophets also married?
NO HOME: Peter and Andrew had a house in Capernaum. (Matt. 8:14, Mark 1:21, 29). In Matt. 4:13, it says Jesus "dwelt" (lived) in Capernaum (in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy), probably with Peter’s family. See Matt. 8:5, 14; 17:24; Mark 2:1; 9:33; John 2:12; 6:17, 24, 59. All these verses would indicate that Jesus used Peter’s home in Capernaum as his base of operations. That explains Luke 10:15, "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell." The people of Capernaum had many opportunities to see and hear Jesus. Therefore, their condemnation for rejecting Him was the greater.
John also had a home (John 19:27), and likely other apostles, as well. See John 20:10. These men obviously left their homes while they were traveling with Jesus. We don’t doubt the gracious promises of Jesus in Mark 10:28-30 to those who had "left all...house, brethren... father...mother...lands..." but He gave no commandment that all preachers must do this, or how long they should do it. He merely assured them that they would be rewarded for it. Many "worldly" pastors and missionaries make such sacrifices, as well.
NO NAME: We say we take no name. Yet as early as 1914, our fellowship registered with the British government under the name "The Testimony of Jesus." In 1942, we registered as a church with the U.S. government using the name "Christian Conventions." The name "Christian Assemblies" is used in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. See attached sample letterhead, used for official correspondence.
"FAMILY," NOT ORGANIZATION: Did you know we’ve been incorporated? Or some of us have. A 14-page incorporation document has been unearthed by a vigilant ex-2x2 detective! Yes, believe it or not, our fellowship was incorporated on May 5, 1995 in Alberta, Canada, under the name of Alberta Society of Christian Assemblies, complete with a Board of Directors and Voting and Non-voting Members. Copies of the title and signature pages of this document are attached; the complete document is available upon request. Do you think this information would ever be disclosed to us voluntarily? Update: After exposure, and the resultant uproar, the corporation was dissolved in November of 1996. We find no fault with this type of document, nor with the official letterhead. Both are accurate, honest representations of a highly organized sect. But why the secrecy?
SCRIPTURE IGNORED: We ignore I Cor. 14:34 ("Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak...") and I Tim. 2:11 & 12 ("Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach..."), yet insist that women not wear jewelry, just two verses prior (I Tim. 2:9). We ignore the admonition about braided hair, two words away from "gold or pearls..." Wouldn’t it make more sense to admit the real meaning of Paul’s words - that women should be more concerned with good deeds than with outward appearance. Our appearance and behavior should be appropriate and honorable in our culture. Scripture always focuses on the inward. Notice vs. 8. Do our men "lift up holy hands"? Many issues we place such importance on were purely customs of Biblical times and places, and not commands for all time.
MISQUOTE: "The truth as it is in Jesus." (Haven’t we all heard this time and time again?) Eph. 4:21 actually reads, "If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus." When did the it get inserted? When did God’s Way change from being Jesus, a person, to an "it" - a method of ministers and meetings? ANSWER: William Irvine’s letter dated August 17, 1921: "It was so wonderful, both in numbers who heard, the numbers who professed, the numbers of workers, the ground covered and the clearness of the truth as it is in Jesus." That misquote goes all the way back to our founder! "Know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed." (Luke 1:4)
GOSPEL: When the friends think of the word "gospel," what do we think of?
"The Truth," right? This fellowship to which we belong. This method. This "Way." Read I Cor. 15:1-10 for a definition of what Paul considered "the gospel." He clearly tells us that it is Christ dying for our sins, His burial and resurrection. What Christ has done for us is the "good news" - the gospel.
SCANDALS: We hesitate to add this, friends, but it is only fair that you be fully informed, so you may weigh this fellowship accurately. The vast majority of the friends and workers lead honorable lives. Honest, Godly, upright. But, regrettably, our fellowship has never been immune to scandal. However, covering up scandal and truth has been, and still is, given top priority, usually at the expense of innocent victims. All to maintain the fallacy of this fellowship’s "perfection." Just as "worldly/false" churches have, we also have had our share of sexual promiscuity and child abuse among both friends and workers. This is not surprising, since we are all human, and workers, in particular, are under the stress of a very unnatural lifestyle. Irreparable damage has been done to innocent victims (who rarely have received any kind of counsel but an admonition to keep quiet about it). Exacerbating this iniquity is the pattern established of merely moving the guilty offenders to a different field, where offenses are often repeated on other unsuspecting victims. Additionally, these offenders have not received desperately needed help/counseling to overcome their sexual problems.
How were things like this handled in the Bible? When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, did God allow it to be hidden? David tried to hide his sin, but the Lord sent Nathan to confront him. You all know the story. Why do we know it? Because it was recorded for all posterity to read, that we might learn from it. And David was King of Israel! "...who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts..." (I Cor. 4:5) David’s sin was dealt with openly, he repented honestly and paid a high price for his sin. (The baby died, and Nathan warned that David would be afflicted by warfare the rest of his life in punishment.) God did forgive David, and he rose up and continued his close relationship with the Lord. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." (Prov. 28:13)
HYMNS: Do any of you have the Authors booklet for Hymns Old and New (1987 Edition)? Look up #179, "As We Gather," #182, "Lord, We Are Met Together," #183, "Our God Our Father," and #184, "Here We Come." Notice that out of all the hymns, only these four have nothing beside them. No author names. Isn’t that strange? Not when you consider how thoroughly this fellowship excommunicates those who dare to disagree with the status quo. Those hymns were written by Eddie Cooney. If you doubt this information, a letter from a worker verifying this is available by contacting us. #10 in the "old" book (1951 edition), "Jesus Died for Sinners," and #105, "Hear the Voice of Jesus Calling," were also written by Eddie. Incidentally, the authors names in the booklet are coded. Those in all capitals are written by professing people; those in initial caps are written by "outsiders."
Have you missed an old favorite, "Cease Not to Praise God"? (#239 in the "old" book) We wonder if the reason it was not included in the 1987 edition was because of its reference to the Trinity in the chorus: "I will not cease to worship Him, my Savior and my God." Another hymn, #6, "When I Survey," has been changed slightly. Verse 2 now reads, "Save in the cross of Christ, my Lord." #15 in the "old" book read, "Save in the cross of Christ, my God." This was the original author’s wording. Neither of the original authors were professing.
#389 now only has 3 verses. It was #165 in the old book, and it is now missing verse 1: "As humbly we prepare/Our hearts to seek Thy face, Admitting Christ to dwell within, And save us by His grace." The chorus of #40 in the "old" book reads: "...through His blood I now am saved." #45 in our current book reads: "By His blood I am redeemed." This modification required major changes in the original author’s wording in order to make it rhyme. Both these changes reflect more accurately our ‘saved by works’ doctrine and our lack of assurance of salvation now, respectively.
For those of you who have heard the history of "The Truth" already, yet refuse to believe it, here is information which may help clear your thinking.
What about George Walker, remembered by many of us with great fondness? Some say that he grew up in the fellowship, so it couldn’t have been started by William Irvine. According to the 1905 Workers List (the earliest Workers List in existence), George went out in 1899. Those of us who knew George and heard him preach, remember his story about his father telling him he wouldn’t last, that he would starve. His father certainly was not professing! George was raised a Methodist. At a funeral service for sister worker Ida Hawkins in March, 1978, when he was 101 years old, he stated that he had made his choice around Easter time, 1898, "80 years ago." (That would have been 1898, and he, 21 years old.) "On Easter Monday I met a man that told me of his desire to go as the disciples did. I could see that was the right way." Who was the "man"? No doubt William Irvine. In a 1930 letter to an Alice Flett, Eddie Cooney wrote that "...I met William Irvine, through whom George Walker, William Carroll, Willie Gill and a number of the present leaders professed, including James Jardine..."
Mar. 24, 1942: On Christian Conventions letterhead, George Walker wrote to the Office of the Director of Selective Service, Washington, DC:
"...during the closing years of the last century and the first years of this century, a number of people in the British Isles and in America were exercised in heart and mind, through their study of the Scriptures, in regard to the methods of preaching and worship in the several churches of which they were then members. They were deeply concerned about spiritual things, and became fully convinced that there should be a return to the methods and purpose taught and carried out by Christ and His first disciples. This conviction led...to religious meetings, and in due time a number of these people went forth to devote their lives to the preaching of the Gospel."
Friends, those are George Walker’s own words recording the time frame this fellowship began - at the turn of the century. It has NOT continued down from the apostles through the workers, as we have been led to believe all our lives. Ask yourselves, why is this myth still being perpetuated in a fellowship known, of all things, as "The Truth"?
Some say that a "remnant" of this fellowship was preserved underground for a period of time and then was "restored" by William Irvine. Indeed, early Christians were severely persecuted and forced to go "underground" for a time. But no religious persecution had been going on for a couple of centuries before 1900. Why wouldn’t it have been "restored" far earlier? Why wait around til nearly the 20th century? Not one shred of evidence, nor a single person’s name, has come to light who was in this supposed "remnant" prior to the turn of the century.
God promised that His truth would be revealed to ALL generations. "Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations." (Ps. 90:1) "One generation shall praise Thy work to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts." (Ps. 145:4) "Thy faithfulness is unto all generations..." (Ps. 119:90) Psalm after Psalm proclaim that His name will be remembered and praised in all generations. See also Luke 1:48-50. No generation would be skipped. That means God’s saving truth has been available to people of all generations, including all those before 1900.
Another rationalization we have heard is "I know it’s right because it works," or "God wouldn’t have allowed this way to continue if it wasn’t His way." Folks, that proves nothing. Many other groups "work" - Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, even Hinduism, Muslimism, Buddhism. Some abuses, such as slavery, "work," and lasted for centuries! Because a thing endures, doesn’t indicate God’s favor or preference, because He allows many things. "For He maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and unjust." (Matt. 5:45)
Some of you believe that William Irvine was a prophet to whom God gave a revelation. Irvine himself claimed to be a prophet. However, in the Bible, no prophet was self-appointed. God always took the initiative in calling a prophet. (Jer. 1:9, II Pet. 1:21) Besides, God’s true prophets were accurate in their prophesies! Claiming he had been divinely anointed to bring the last message of Jesus to the world before the end of the world, which he believed was to be in August, 1914, William Irvine went so far as to warn his friends all over the world to prepare for a great worldwide famine and drought, advising them to sell their farms and homes, and instead invest their money in fisheries, railroads, canneries, shipping, etc. Unfortunately, many of them followed his advice. According to the Scripture, any minister who prophesies the end of the world is a false prophet. Even the workers believe this. Irvine’s message did not line up with God’s Word. Jesus Himself announced the futility of speculating on the date of His return in Matt. 24:36. The Israelites asked in Deut. 18, "How may we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?" In His infinite wisdom, God anticipated future generations would also need to know the answer to this question. His answer is preserved in Deut. 18:21-22 and Jer. 28:9, "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously." The test God gave is perfect and complete - no exceptions given. Time was, and is still, a false prophet’s worst enemy.
Now, how can William Irvine’s first message be the words of a true prophet and his later message the words of a false prophet? "Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can a fig tree bear olive berries?" (James 3:12) Is there a single example in Scripture where a true prophet ever predicted that something would occur in his lifetime which did not actually come to pass? No. If a prophet uttered a false prophecy, wouldn’t that invalidate all his prophesies - put them all at risk? Wouldn’t that make him a false prophet? Of course! Our God is not "the author of confusion." In Jeremiah 23:16, God says, "Hearken not unto the words of the [false] prophets...they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord." There are no exceptions made indicating that certain words of a prophet are to be attended, and others are not. In the light of Scripture like this, how can anyone think it would be God’s will for any of Irvine’s claims to be true?
William Irvine did what many others have done - predicted the end of the world and made false prophesies. How is he different from any other deluded religious zealot? Why does he deserve the status of a "prophet raised up" or a "man used of God"? If God had planned on raising up another prophet, nearly two thousand years after Christ, don’t you think this most definitely would have been recorded in the Bible? Instead, Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son..." Friends, keep in mind verses like these: "...of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them; therefore watch." (Acts 20:20) "And many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many." (Matt. 24:11 and 24) In Rev. 2:2, Jesus warmly commended the church at Ephesus for testing those "who call themselves apostles and are not." From these and other Scriptures, it would be wise for us to test men’s word against God’s Word.
Additionally, William Irvine, and many early workers, did not meet the criteria of James 1:26, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain." In those early days, workers said hurtful and hateful things. "One young girl of 15 at a meeting rose to leave. ‘I saw the devil in that girl’s face, and the devil would not let her wait,’ said Mr. William Irvine most improperly." They regularly condemned people to hell, even naming them in meetings! "A ‘Tramp,’[early workers were called "tramp preachers"] illustrating some point, said that a certain neighbour woman had gone to hell. Her son demanded of the foul-mouthed fellow why he had done so. ‘Jesus Christ told me to do so,’ was the impudent reply." "Mr. Irvine...spoke of the clergy of all denominations in scathing terms and stated that in all ages the clergy were the marks of the devil...Hell is a place where every man will be made to serve God in the Jesus way." "There was the usual torrent of abusive talk, bristling with denunciation and everlasting torment..." "Mr. Cooney is excellent as a spouter of damnation and hellfire, but when it comes to the love of God, and the tenderness of the Saviour for mankind, Mr. Cooney appears to know nothing of it. He reiterates the statement which his hearers know so well, how he left his home about eleven years ago, and discovered the ‘Jesus’ way of preaching the gospel."
James 3:13, "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom." William Irvine was, basically, a product of his time and place. Founding this fellowship was his protest against the religious practices, social conditions and values of the late Victorian period in Britain. His style of preaching appealed to those who already had an anti-clerical attitude, and most of the early converts came from the north of Ireland. Now, the north of Ireland is noted for many things, but religious tolerance is not one of them! When Irvine attacked the clergy, they responded by preventing him from using church halls, so Irvine, becoming even more hostile, decided he was the only one right; therefore, his was the only right way.
Read the Impartial Reporter articles and other various newspaper articles written during those early days on TTT web site at the above link. Additional information is available, and a worldwide network of loving and supportive friends are able and anxious to help you. You have only to reach out to us ...
Telling the Truth (TTT), E-mail: truth@earthlink.net fax No. 918-499-1665
Research & Information Services, P.O. Box 2141Sisters, OR 97759 E-mail: PRCW48A@prodigy.com
Jeanie and Sam Dudley, jdudley5@juno.com
Threshing Floor Ministries, P.O. Box 9899, Spokane, WA 99209
For any of you who are interested in serious Bible study, there is an international, interdenominational organization with excellent study methods, called Bible Study Fellowship. People of all faiths attend, and no monetary requests are made. The teaching is relaxed, but in depth. No pressure. Contact BSF at 19001 Blanco Road, San Antonio, TX 78258-4019 or call 210-492-4676 to find out if there is a group in your area.
Our dear friends, please believe us when we say that we love this fellowship and all in it, both friends and workers alike, very much. (This letter is far from "hate mail." Rather, it has been a labor of love.) We have appreciated your walk, your prayers, and your testimonies, as well as our years of fellowship with you. "The Truth" has much to commend it; there is much that is admirable about it. However, it is our earnest prayer that you will allow the words of Scripture to sink deep into your hearts and cause you to examine your beliefs and where your faith lies. May the Holy Spirit do His perfect work; apart from that, this letter can accomplish nothing
Our dear friends, would you censure us for this letter? Is telling the truth wrong? Because it hurts? Because it disrupts lives? "...these that have turned the world upside down are come hither, also." (Acts 17:6) How can trying to rectify deception be wrong? "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many." (Matt. 24:4-5) Perhaps this letter could remove the "bushel" under which Truth has been hiding for a century. May real Truth now "give light unto all that are in the house."
Before you would judge this letter for its impact, please judge for its content. We see eternal danger in continuing to believe in salvation by works instead of grace. "I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Gal. 2:21) "Of how much sorer punishment...shall he be thought worthy, who hath...counted the blood of the covenant...an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? " (NIV-insulted the Spirit of grace) (Heb. 10:29) And we see eternal danger in continuing to place our trust in a system, when it is Jesus alone who saves us.
If we have erred in any of our statements, please show your love for us by telling us where we are mistaken. You may contact us at any of the above addresses. Thank you.
With love and caring,
Attachments:
Western USA & Canada letterhead, 1996
Title/signature pages of incorporation document for Alberta Society of Christian Assemblies, 5/5/95