Accountability

Acts 13 describes the sending forth of two men, Barnabas and Saul, for the spread of he gospel. They were called and sent forth by the Holy Spirit. Their call was revealed to certain named men in the church at Antioch. They were not called, selected, appointed, or ordained by any member of the church. They were to be separated, released from, all commitments in the church at Antioch.

The manner of this calling can hardly be a template for all further exercises in missionary endeavour. We do not believe the Holy Spirit reveals to a select company within the church, however godly, gifted, and faithful, what are His purposes for other brethren and what they are, authoritatively, to do about it.

This passage, however, is used by certain Brethren to justify what they call “Commending to the Work”. This is a practice which allows a rigid control over any who wish to serve the Lord in a full time capacity. But our Brethren go far beyond what we read in Acts 13.

So we read in Truth and Tidings,

“With Barnabas and Saul, the Spirit of God used the leadership in the commending assembly to recognize that God called these individuals (Acts 13:1-4). In a special sense, the workers commended from Antioch were accountable to that assembly to inform them about how they had fulfilled their work (14:26, 27). A report of their work to another assembly would not have that same specific focus on "fulfilling" their work. Barnabas and Saul were particularly accountable to the Antioch assembly, because through that assembly, the Lord confirmed their work. [my italics –RS]

A present-day worker may become part of an assembly the Lord has planted through his labours. In this case, he definitely should retain accountability to his commending assembly. An assembly planted through his labours may find it difficult to carry out responsibilities associated with accountability for either doctrinal error or moral misbehaviour. As devastating as such a case would be for this relatively new assembly, having to confront a father in the faith and deal with such a matter could divide and destroy this assembly. In addition, some believers might question the objectivity of the worker’s own spiritual "children."

In a different scenario, a commended worker may move to an established, mature assembly. Even in this case, the commending assembly still seems to bear some unique responsibility for commending that individual. If, for instance, the assembly to which he has moved decides that the worker needs to limit his work or that he should be removed from the work, that assembly would hardly negate his letter. That assembly’s elders would contact the commending assembly. Altering his letter would be the commending assembly’s responsibility; they signed it. [my italics-RS] The principle of Christian courtesy (1 Peter 3:8) would require that consideration! Even Paul would not make a decision in a matter that was Philemon’s responsibility (Phe 14)”—David Oliver..

It appears that the “commended worker” will carry a letter; his licence to preach, a kind of work permit which will detail the kind of work and where he is to perform it.

Here is another departure from Acts 13. We cannot believe that Paul and Barnabas carried with them a “letter of commendation”. As they were engaged in pioneer work, to whom would they have presented it?

To whom are the commending brethren accountable? They will answer, “we are accountable to the Lord”. But they will not allow this for the Lord’s servants. The commending Brethren are the elders and they answer to none but themselves.

Guidance
I have heard some say that it is very difficult to know God’s guidance. Would God wish to make it difficult for us to know His guidance in our live? I think not. The difficulty is often within ourselves. We have already made up our minds what we want the outcome to be concerning some future circumstance. We mould our prayer requests around the required answer.

The answers to all guidance lie in the Bible. There is one answer to all circumstances and I is found in Proverbs 3: 5,6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Keep close to the Lord. Don’t trust your own wisdom. Make sure the course of your life is consistent with Scripture. He will do the rest.
A believer, in tune with the Lord, doesn’t need to pray about every little detail along the way. Paul didn’t. He purposed to return through Macedonia. Acts 20: 3. He made up his own mind about it. He had the mind of the Lord and was free to make his own decisions within the purposes of God.

Some may yet ask, “how do I know that the Lord is directing my path?” This is the cry of doubt. The Lord has pledged Himself to this. Don’t be a Gideon in this. He put out his fleece only because he was unsure of the Lord’s word to him.
Believers must not tempt the Lord their God, even though He was patient with Gideon. Gideon was a valiant man, but the Lord had already told him what was required of him.

The travellers had long and arduous journey ahead of them. They awaited their guide who was familiar with the terrain before them. Thy knew he would direct their path so they did one thing. They stuck close to him.
Of course, if one’s time is taken up with worldly pursuits and pleasures, the guide will be lost sight of.

Lastly,God has given us free will. He has created us with the ability to think and to make decisions. As believers we have the indwelling Holy Spirit Who is teaching us all things..

I came across an article recently, while doing a book search, titled ContradictionsinBible (sic).
It became apparent that this was a blind bigotted attack on Scripture before I had got past the first page.
This is what I read:
“Every word of God proves true.” says the Bible, Proverbs 30: 5. KJ version). Is the Bible, then, entirely the word of God? Does every word prove true?....
The writer, K E Nahigian of Sacramento assumes that his readers, being Cretins, would not think for a moment to pick up a Bible and read for themselves.
If they do, they will read at Proverbs 30: 5 in the English King James Bible, Every word of God is pure.
We do not waste our time reading the rantings of sin-laden theological scholars so the thing was dumped immediately. The man had nothing to say that related to truth.
We are not concerned with answering every smear against our Holy Spirit given Bible. We are not anxious to convert the soul sitting in the gathering with his perversion of Scripture on his knee. We are concerned with strengthening the faith of those who know and love the true Bible.
□ Another book: The Invisible War caught my attention while reading an article by E Wilson. Written by Donald Grey Barnhouse, it describes the conflict between good and evil. Barnhouse was an outstanding theologian but alas, I discovered in the first few pages that he held to the “Gap Theory” and much of his work was based on this error. I discarded the book.

O what a to do among the Brethren now. Some mischievous bro of a certain ilk is spreading a most heinous lie. "If you can't remember the date of your conversion, you haven't had one".

Articles are being posted and letters are sent to editors. We must have this cleared up!We want to know.
The sages of Bee-Em have been approached and after taking down their dusty tomes have made the pronouncement, first presented in 1936 in the Witness of the day, "Never mind the date. Do you remember the experience?"
Mummies have been questioned. Yes dear, of course you are saved. You told me one evening when you were 4.75 years old, just as I was lifting you out of the bath. Don't you remember? Never mind, darling, I was there. I'll vouch for you at the Golden Gate.
Richard wishes he hadn't raised the issue with Precious Weed. Don't worry about it, he was told. Not many of us have had such an experience. Those who have usually prove to be fanatics and extremists.
Auntie says you get a warm glowing feeling when you have had the experience. My Dads sit glumly by the telly, just hoping when the kids said yes to Jesus at age 7.15 it will be good enough.

The fact is the preaching of repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ is anathema among the Brethren and they are reaping the consequences with their 3rd, 4th, 5th generation of apostates.

The Brethren Magazine, Precious Seed*, announced in its May 2010 issue that “The Kingdom of God— mediatorial, not universal aspect—is presently in abeyance” in an article written by J Gibson, Derby.
This poor fellow, thinking himself a child of God no doubt, confesses he has no Mediator capable of reaching him. He is stating that God does not intervene on behalf of those who by faith in Christ are subject to Him.
The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Ps. 103: 19.
Gibson is teaching Progressive Dispensationalism and we trust his elders will bring him to task. God has not lost control and still intervenes on this earth.

There will be more on the subject in Waymarks 62, to be published in august.

*The name Precious Seed is a Scripture term for the Seed, God’s Word. It has no right to be appropriated by apostate publishers. This mag. Is known among brethren as Precious Weed.