Personal Faith and General Assembly Guidelines

Personal Faith and General Assembly Guidelines

Personal faith applies to that which an individual believes, observes, or practices before God in a personal individual relationship with Him which does not necessarily apply to any other individual. This faith is also one which does not violate or contradict any principle or standard of Holy Scripture. It is strictly between the individual and God and is not necessarily intended to be imposed upon others, or to be used a standard for judgment against any other person.

The 14^th chapter of Romans is very explicit and clear on this matter; however, although the General Assembly has repeatedly not seen fit to make a guideline on some of these things, even after earnestly seeking God for guidance, they tend to crop up.

The Church of God is guided by the fact that the Bible, the inspired Word of God, applies to mankind universally and was not given to favor or accommodate any particular individual or group over everybody else. Yet, there continues to surface from time to time the attempt by individuals and sometimes groups of individuals who share a faith meant to be personal on everyone else. These attempts are often so intense that the individual upon whom they are made feels intimidated or condemned to the degree of misery and confusion.

Personal faith may be just what the individual needs to have a happy and fulfilled relationship with God, but would not be that with another person. What one eats and drinks, with the exception of strong drink and gluttony, is strictly a personal freedom which God does not condemn and no one has the right to deny the individual that right.

Usually, but not always, it is the weaker member who is most affected by being condemned for his personal faith or intimidated by someone attempting to impose their own personal faith upon him. God takes a very dim view of this action with the words of Paul, “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way”.  Romans 14:13.

When personal faith is promoted as applying to everybody then trouble begins in the Church. Since it is not promoted by the General Assembly it becomes a take-it-or-leave-it thing by the general membership and the devil has a fertile opportunity to bring division by forming “for” and “against” groups. This invariably causes a loss of harmony in the Body. We are too far along and too near the end to allow this to hinder the perfection process. We must be prepared to deal with these situations when they get out of the realm of personal faith and become a bone of contention in the Church. They destroy unity and a charge of sowing discord can be brought against those involved in them.

What is the answer to run away personal faith? Paul tells us very clearly in Romans 14:22. Here he says, “Hast thou faith? Have it thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth”.

If you have a personal conviction about Church doctrine, practice, or government which the General Assembly has not addressed or is a matter which does not pertain to the membership worldwide, keep it to yourself for the sake of unity in the Body. If it is an issue important enough to be brought before the Assembly, it is fairly certain that the Holy Ghost will also prompt someone else to present it for general consideration for the whole Church.

Disunity never solved anything and it certainly is not going to bring us any closer to perfection. Seeing eye to eye and speaking the same thing is necessary.

Let us keep our personal faith personal and see how quickly the Holy Ghost can bring us into complete unity and prepare us for that momentous and long awaited event of the Rapture.

Other than what our advice to members has to say about dress, The Church of God does not attempt to prescribe a lifestyle other than pure, holy, godly living. That can be and is throughout the world in many variations.

Rather than imposing personal faith on others, it would be better, if it truly is a personal conviction, to strive to perfect that commitment to God and do as Paul instructed in Romans 14:19, “Let us therefore follow after the things wherewith one may edify another.”

It would seem that Paul is saying it is much better to edify another than to gratify one’s own personal faith at the expense of others who may not understand nor embrace it. The result would be greater unity, greater harmony, and greater love within the Body of Christ.

Written by Bishop Robert J. Pruitt and delivered as part of his Annual Address to the 94^th General Assembly of The Church of God in 1999.

WITNESS…HEALING

WITNESS…HEALING

I Was There When the Miracle Took Place!!

by the late C. T. Davidson

 

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the ut­termost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

 Forget that man? Never! I watched his half-bent figure darken the doorway of the tent as he leaned upon canes and labored to slide one foot before the other in an effort to walk. He would take a step or two and then stand tottering, seem­ingly overcome with exertion. I watched his every move and very soon I saw that he could not or did not so much as lift his head so that I could see his face.

I watched an associate endeavoring to assist him on his weary and distant journey from the doorway to the front seat. At times it looked as though he tried to half-carry the unfortunate man whose determinate purpose seemed fixed in his groggy meandering down the aisle.

Several ministers shared in my scru­tiny of a man—a paralytic for more than eight years—and someone murmured, “Lord, have mercy on that man,” when we saw his gnarled hands that tried to grasp the canes upon which he tottered along. Paralyzed for eight long years! Not so long to a well person, but a long time to be sick—a day, a week, a year is too long to be sick.

That bony structure called a man! Perhaps he had been an average size per­son, clean-cut, robust, good looking with a stamina that would rival the zeal of any athlete. But those eight years of pain and sorrow had wrecked his physical stami­na, had made him a helpless, groggy, tot­tering skeleton—called a man.

The congregation began to eye him as he reached the middle of the mammoth tent, struggling onward, while beads of perspiration trickled down the sides of his neck. “Poor man!” was whispered promiscuously and none gave attention to the speaker—everyone watched the paralytic. Some of the ministers tried to assist him by offering him a chair when he neared the front, and helped him to sit.

We looked at him for a few moments as he slumped in the chair and never raised his head to stare at the speaker.

Very unusual in a good tent meeting! Many of us risked a glance at the bony, knotty distorted hands as they lay on his lap to ease them as best he could. Natu­rally, sympathy solicited mercy—some sort of compassion to bestow upon the needful, helpless victim—the kind that Christ had bestowed upon suffering hu­manity when He walked the shores of Galilee. The speaker might have alluded faintly as he finished his discourse, and the moderating minister dismissed the afternoon session of the convention. But the paralytic victim sat still, wait­ing, watching.

Relax period was brief—as a matter of fact, many of the ministers and most of the laity lingered in and around the large gospel tent. They had reason for so doing; a severe storm was approaching swiftly. The large gospel tent was heav­ing up and down, while the side curtains that were rolled, beat noisily against the side poles. Not too long would the stakes hold the anchor ropes, then the large tent would be beaten into canvas ribbons in places by the fierce gale that would sweep across. The people real­ized the peril of such a storm on the sea­coast of Virginia, for just last year it was a “northeaster” that wrecked Buckaroo Beach, and South Norfolk was obvi­ously no rendezvous for safety. Distant rumbling thunder and chains of light­ning kept flashing the warning and the wind kept gathering momentum.

Several ministers sauntered outside the tent and gathered at the rear of it to watch the great dark clouds vie with each other in their onslaught upon us help­less creatures. We began to discuss the danger that awaited us. Fear seized us and we tried to swallow the aggravating lumps that lodged in our throats, but all the time we were trembling like shrubs in a strong March wind, even if it were the last of June. We knelt there in the sand and prayed, beseeching God for mercy.

Some of us reminded our State Overseer of the perils of the storm we now faced. But there sat the paralyzed man, helpless, not per­turbed in the least by the advancing storm, seeming­ly resigned to the will of God. Perhaps he realized that he was helpless and therefore it was of no avail to worry. Perhaps he felt safe in the tent—maybe not.

At any rate necessity demanded action! The State Overseer mounted the platform and called for prayer. No trouble to have a voluminous prayer for ministers and laymen mingled their voices, imploring the mercy of God in behalf of the storm. A kind of fear­ful uncertainty kept nagging at me and my voice trembled as I prayed. I didn’t need the sanctimonious lingo common to many prayers. Fear had worked per­fectly. I don’t know how long we prayed but when we finished folks shouted and praised God for deliverance—the storm had abated, had seemed to divide near the tent, leaving it motionless. We had felt a touch of the Master’s hand which was a reminiscence of the days of yore when He cried out, “Peace, be still.”

My little faith in a big God soared higher and higher as a continuous vol­ume of praises went upward. The days of miracles had not passed. I had seen the very hand of God in perfect deliverance. If He could calm the raging storm He could do other things! My zeal climbed like the mercury of a thermometer in summer temperature—God could heal the paralytic, could change the life of the vilest man, for mercy stood out like a colophon upon the title page of Christ’s career. He looked upon the multitudes with compassion! Those two blind men who sat by the wayside received mercy; the leper was cleansed when the Mas­ter said, “I will; be thou clean”; devils were cast out; the woman who had spent her life living to be cured of the issue of blood—twelve long years of suffer­ing—was healed by the virtue of the Son of God; He had once stopped a funeral in procession and raised the dead. My faith was spurred to its highest, as well as others—I hurried to the paralytic’s side, zealously affected by the power of prayer—“Would you like to be healed?” I said calmly into his downcast face. Too full of zeal and faith to await his answer, I added, “Come right out here, where we can get around and pray for you.”

Before he could realize it some of the ministers had him sitting in his chair in front of the rugged pulpit. Tears were streaming down the cheeks of the vast throng of praying people as their voices mingled together in supplication and prayer for this unfortunate man.

A sudden outburst of “praises” and “hallelujahs” rang forth in triumph as the people prayed. One could feel the su­preme sacredness of God hovering around as He sent wave after wave of His mighty power, sweeping through the huddle of praying people.

Like a flash the huddle of men and women widened as the paralytic threw aside his canes, sprang to his feet and leaped and shouted and praised God. Healed by the power of God! He ran up and down the aisles of the tent like a bare­foot boy chasing a rabbit in the clover fields. He had lost his half-bent posture with his head thrown back, he was kicking up the shavings on the tent floor, crying out, “I’M HEALED! I’M HEALED!” I watched him ram his hands into the pock­ets of his pants; he had not been able to do this in eight years. I heard him talk loudly to attest the healing virtue of the Master, whereas before he could barely whisper. His face was lifted to manifest the pres­ence of the glory of God, gleaming, shin­ing with the brightness of heaven.

Tears streamed fluently down my cheeks as I watched this imitable reaction from the mercy of the Man of Galilee. The paralytic’s face was lifted in exultation— mine was bowed in humility and appre­ciation for a Savior who brought salvation and healing to suffering humanity.

(This miraculous healing took place in June 1934 in a tent at South Norfolk, Virginia, during a District Convention moderated by Vernon H. Smith who was Overseer of Virginia’s District No. 10. Among witnesses present were W. M. Lowman, Vernon H. Smith, O. A. Duding, R. E. How­ard, Pearle Davidson, the author of this article [C. T. Davidson] and sev­eral others too numerous to mention.)

 
(The following is a reprint from a tract printed by the White Wing Publishing House many years ago.)

Trouble In The Land

Trouble In The Land

M. A. Tomlinson

 Any of us who read or listen to the news these days are aware of the fact that there is “trouble in the land.” And it seems to me that the same can be said of almost every country in the world. Con­ditions may not be the same everywhere, but in one form or another trouble is plaguing the nations.

We are often reminded by our good ministers about the things that are to happen in the last days. Jesus left us a warning of troublesome times in the world before His return, but although the troubles exist, He says to us, “see that ye be not troubled” (Matt. 24:6). He tells us that many things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

O course, the rumors of wars, and wars themselves, are not new to us; but He continues: “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the begin­ning of sorrows” (vv. 7, 8). Yes, these things are “sorrows” to the people ex­periencing them, but evidently there are much worse things ahead for those who do not take heed to the warnings while the troubles are bearable.

Famines, pestilences, and earth­quakes have been known here and there to all generations of people, as history will show. But have we not noticed the prevalence of all of these in recent years? Some countries have experienced famines and hunger time and again be­cause of the prevailing weather or eco­nomic conditions common to their land. But today, places where times are pros­perous and the land has always been highly productive are faced with short­ages of various kinds.

 Think of the many floods in our own United States of America in the last few months. Millions of acres of good soil have been kept out of production unseasonably by these flood waters. Then, consider the late frosts and freez­es which cut back the fruit crops much deeper into the South than normal. Economic problems are seriously affecting the “law of supply and demand.” We are facing a serious shortage of food­stuffs because the produc­ers cannot afford to supply them under existing circumstances. After just a few weeks, or at the most a few months, of these conditions the effects are already being felt. Nobody can be sure of what lies ahead within the next year or two.

Yet Jesus continues to say, “see that ye be not troubled…All these are the be­ginning of sorrows.”

Luke gives us some more of our Lord’s words, the description of which becomes more and more visible almost by the day. “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts fail­ing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:25, 26).

Many have tried to interpret all of these signs and happenings, but no pri­vate interpretation seems to apply to all, or in all places. They are best under­stood in their own time, and as we see their fulfillment and experience their effects. In fact, some of our Lord’s pre­dictions are now so plain that little in­terpretation is required. But to His own, again He says: “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28).

 “The beginning of sorrows”— “when these things begin to come to pass”—“be not troubled”—“your re­demption draweth nigh.” Hallelujah! O what a hope He has given us! Yet so many seem not to understand. They are fearful and perplexed. Their hearts fail them with dread of what they fear they must go through. Some even find the strain too great physically and die be­fore their time. Still the promise is there —“look up, and lift up your heads.”

 I suppose it would be possible to become very disturbed reading the newspapers, listening to the radio, and viewing television if one did not know the Lord. Some might feel that it would be better not to hear and know so much about world conditions; that it would save much anxiety over things that can­not well be helped. But there is another way to look at the situation. While many of the conditions themselves are pro­phetic, and apparently will grow worse instead of better, the Lord will not let the end come upon this world without its people being sufficiently warned and given opportunity to escape.

 We who have made our peace with God and are striving daily for a closer walk with Him must set the example by our “looking up” attitude. We can­not afford to let the same things de­press us that depress the lost. We have no reason to do so. Like the children of Israel of the Church in the wilderness, we who have hope must keep saying to the “serpent-bitten” ones, “LOOK AND LIVE!” By our “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith,” we will cause others to look also. We may not be able to supply the famine stricken countries with food. In fact, if the trend continues, we may find ourselves with little to spare. But we can share with them the Bread of Life—the true manna from heaven.

We cannot deny that the world’s population is frightened today. Its enter­tainers go all-out to keep people laugh­ing in an effort to alleviate some of the stress of heart and mind. But in the quiet moments, the fear and perplexity returns with even greater force. When the mirth dies down for a while, there is the news of still more famines, pesti­lences, and destruction. Tornadoes have been numbered in the hundreds this past year. Homes have been destroyed, leav­ing many at a loss to know how to start over. Thousands, already debt-laden, seek loans to get them out of a hard place. Laughter produced by revelry and worldly pleasure is not very effective.

Saints and sinners alike have to learn to face reality. The present-day troubles, and forebodings of tribulation, are far from imaginary. We just don’t wake up and find them gone. They are with us because of the mismanagement and mis­conduct of men. And they are with us because the foreknowledge of God knew what was in man, and what he would do to the good world that was given him.

But above all the din of revelry— yes, and the groaning and lamenta­tion of the suffering ones—comes the voice of thunder, “REPENT YE: FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND!” Or, it may be the still, small voice of the tender Shepherd—“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30).

The children of God can laugh for joy; and when the spirit turns to more sober things, our hope is still there. There is no let-down such as the lost ones must feel when their merrymaking is over. We have found our rest in the Lord. We have our burdens and trials, but they are not nearly so heavy since we got in the yoke with Je­sus. Hallelujah! The rest we experience in our souls makes every other burden lighter.

 It seems that the alert is being given, and all the warning signals are up for the whole world to see. This world is in trouble; this cannot be denied. But there is still a little time. We must tell the fear­ful ones that the time must be used in the right way. There is cause for fear on the part of the lost, but they who fear the Lord and call upon His name will find the way of escape.

“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him” (Luke 12:4, 5).

 Let us give close attention to a final word of warning, for we do have to meet our Lord’s conditions: “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:34-36).

(The following message was taken from the July 28, 1973, issue of the White Wing Messenger)