Who is Who?

Written by A. J. Tomlinson and was part of his Annual Address to the 23rd Annual General Assembly in 1928.

Do any of you remember of a conflict between two prominent men of the early Church? The trouble rose between Paul and Barnabas. On their first missionary journey they had John Mark with them for a while, but by and by he became homesick, or concluded the hardships were too great, or the persecutions too severe, or something, and deserted them and went back home. When it was decided to go on a second journey, Barnabas insisted on taking the young man with them again, but Paul thought it not good because he forsook them and went back home before.

The contention became quite sharp between them. Paul was filling the place as Overseer over the churches of that region and Barnabas was a companion in labor. But when this conflict arose between them Barnabas refused to submit to his superior in office. As a result of this parting asunder one from the other, Barnabas took Mark and sailed unto Cyprus, while Paul chose Silas and departed to his field of labor, where they went about confirming the churches and pushing out into new fields. It was on this trip that Timothy was found and harnessed up in the work.

But the important matter to which I wish to call attention is that concerning Barnabas. His name was there dropped from the record by the historian as if he had died. Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, makes no more mention of him. Had he submitted to Paul, who was over him in the Lord, doubtless his name would have been carried right on in the record. But on account of failing to recognize constituted authority under God’s order which He put in The Church of God, his name was carried no further.

Those who have studied our records have been able to trace quite a number of names up to certain times and places and then they are not found any further. What is the cause of this disappearance of names? Well, here it is in short. When names of ministers have disappeared along in the records when there is no notation given of their death, it is a sign that they have failed to submit to God’s order in some manner, and others have enlisted to fill up the ranks. Some have rebelled against the Overseers—those who are over them in the Lord; some have done just what Paul said they would do, spoken perverse words to draw away disciples after them. This class has undertaken to set up something over which they could have the rule and preeminence.

All of these uprisings, rebellions, heresies and names disappearing from the records, have occurred to prove who is who. John explains it very clearly when he says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us” (1 John 2:19).

In other words, John shows that they went out in order to show who is who. And this cleansing process is still going on. During the past year some names have been expunged from our records that may never appear again. This disintegration has been caused by a spirit of rebellion against constituted or established authority. The minister that bluntly refuses to recognize the authority, instructions, advices and counsels of the Overseer that is over him in the Lord will sooner or later go on the rocks. It is sorrowful, it is pitiful to look on the faces of some of these I know, but they have done it to themselves by refusing to submit to the wise counsel of those who are over them in the Lord. And the sooner the balance of our people learn who is who according to the Bible way of putting it, the better off they will be. It is the self-willed, the rebellious, the insincere, those who despise dominion and government that sooner or later fall on the rocks and are usually ruined forever. Very few of such people ever recover. I have seen them try, yes, apparently they have made tremendous efforts only to fall back again into the whirlpool of discouragement, or still further and deeper rebellion, to never rise again. Truly it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living and angry God. He is determined to have His order of government recognized and obeyed. If some will not do it because they love to have the preeminence themselves, He will let them go to the rocks and get others that will follow His order of government. The minister that stands up boldly before his congregation and irreverently declares he is going to do thus and so whether it suits the Overseer or not, and at the same time knowing he is running over the counsel and advice of him that is over him in the Lord will sooner or later go on the rocks so his name will disappear from the record in the future.

It might be considered a light thing for Barnabas to have rejected the counsel and advice of Paul who had evidently been placed in the position as overseer of the territory to which they were going, but by his doing so, even that little, left his name off the record thereafter. And whether it would be considered a light offense or a grave offense the effect was just the same. No more mention of him is made in the book of Acts. And if he ever did retract, repent, and come straight so he served further in the early Church, there is no mention of it made in Luke’s writings, who was evidently the historian of Church work in those days. But whether he did or not, this incident is surely a danger signal hung out to show others the danger of disregarding the wise counsel of those who are over them in the Lord.

Paul had good reasons for thinking it was not best for John Mark to go back over there. He might have acted in a way that he lost his standing or reputation as a preacher over in that country. Paul felt the responsibility and wanted things to be carried on in good order in his territory, as every good State Overseer desires. I have heard some of our State Overseers make statements in a similar manner. Referring to a certain minister they have said, “I’d rather he would not come into my state.” Doubtless Paul knew it was not best for John Mark to go back over there again. It was the duty of Barnabas to submit to Paul and let John Mark go to other fields, because it was Paul’s territory as overseer. And even as General Overseer I would not knowingly send a minister into a state contrary to the wishes of a good, dependable and faithful Overseer. And when those ministers went up from Jerusalem to Antioch representing themselves as having been sent by James to teach that the Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the law, it was learned afterward that their representation was false for James declared he never gave them any such instructions.

It is evident that those false teachers learned who was who before they got through with James and that council of apostles and elders, of which James was presiding officer as well as General Overseer of all the churches, including the churches in Paul’s territory as well as under John, Peter and all the others. I tell you, I am afraid to depart from God’s order. And on the other hand I feel a tremendous lift in my spirit when I speak or write in its defense. I agree with Paul that it was not best for John Mark to go on that trip into Paul’s territory without knowing his reasons, because of the position Paul held.

It has been said that some who were our preachers, but are gone now, used to lay special emphasis on Hebrews 13:17 as long as they could put it to the members of the congregation under them, but when the same rule was to be applied to them by the Overseers who were over them, they disobeyed, rebelled and bolted. Then a few of the State Overseers in the past have been very attentive toward having the ministers in their territory to obey them, but then when it became necessary for the General Overseer to call them to account and give them counsel, advice, and instructions, it was another thing. And some have even uttered words of defiance which has thrown them into the rank with those mentioned by Peter and Jude in their last days’ messages who were not afraid to speak evil of dignities—those who are above them in rank and position. This is quite serious because of what will follow such disregard for constituted authority. Of them Peter says, “But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption” (2 Peter 2:12).

Peter states further that such people have forsaken the right way, which shows they were once in the right way, and were probably good workers in the Master’s service. But they have gone wrong some way and gone so far that they utter words of defiance of any rule or authority over them. Then, look out, matters are becoming serious for them, and Peter mentions them as cursed children, wanting more money than they are getting, and will put into practice any kind of a covetous or dark scheme to get it.

All of these references have been given to illustrate who is who after the Bible order. And in concluding this topic I wish to make an attempt to express my gratitude to the many of my fellow helpers and co-workers for their loyalty, sticktoitiveness, uprightness and cooperation, and for their honor and respect toward their General Overseer. Many of these are here in this presence today, into whose faces I can look while this message is going forth. To say “I love you” is putting it very mild. Many of you have ravished my heart, enchanted and charmed me by your valiant service during this five years’ period of special conflict. Your noble deeds and brilliant victories you have achieved in the hard fought battles, in my estimation have made many of you worthy of a badge of honor and the applause of angels. I say, “Hurrah for the faithful soldiers who have fought heroically for liberty and truth up to this hour!”