Barnes church of Christ

In order for a person to be acceptable before God he MUST know AND do the Will of God. Regarding the extent of fellowship, God’s Will is that they who are in fellowship with God have no fellowship with false teachers nor practitioners of false doctrine (1 John 1:7; 2 John 9-11; Eph. 5:11).
Although Promise Keepers present the admirable plea for men to keep their promises, with further investigation it becomes clear that a member of the Lord’s church cannot participate (thus, fellowship) in Promise Keepers without sinning in so doing.
I. The meetings of Promise Keepers are meetings of fellowship in worship. Many who have not attended a meeting do not realize this. “By attending a Promise Keepers conference, you will join men from around the nation and world for worship, prayer and teaching” (PK, pp. 8-9). Thus, by participating in their national conferences or their community rallies (CR), you fellowship with (as presented in the next point) false practices, teachings and teachers.
II. If you participate in Promise Keepers, you fellowship with false practices, teachings and teachers. [1] Promise Keepers teach salvation by faith only (MC, ‘96). [Note: How can a Christian have spiritual fellowship with a man who has never become a Christian?!] [2] In their rallies they sing with mechanical instruments (CC, pp. 14-15; CR). [3] They teach that the Holy Spirit gives a special empowerment in a mysterious or miraculous way (MC ‘95, inside cover; PK, p. 1; CFF, p. 4). [4] They preach, practice and accept denominational-ism (PK, p. 4). The inside back cover of the program for the Men’s Conferences of 1995 has the pictures of numerous speakers and leaders who are of various denominations. While there are many other false teachings involved, it is clear that one who is in fellowship with God cannot participate in Promise Keepers without loosing his fellowship with God (see: 2 John 9-11).
III. Promise Keepers is an ecumenical movement among denominations. Their attempt to unite all denominations is just as crucial to their agenda (if not even more so) as is their well known plea to “fix America’s men.” “We believe that we have a God-given mission to unite Christian men who are separated by race, geography, culture, denomination, and economics. We refer to something much greater than humanistic unification and more powerful than political equality. Rather, the biblical directive to pursue reconciliation compels us to address the division that has separated the body of Christ for too long (John 17:20-23; 2 Cor. 5:18-19)” (PK, p. 4). Promise #6 states: “A Promise Keeper is committed to reach beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity” (PK, p. 11). The Promise Keepers’ booklet closes with this statement: “More than an event, we believe God wants Promise Keepers to be a spark in His hand to ignite a worldwide movement calling men to reconciliation, discipleship, and godliness” (p. 12). How then, can a member of the church be loyal to promise #6 and their ecumenical goals, while at the same time be loyal to God and Ephesians 5:11 and 2 John 9-11? A man may deceive himself, but he does not fool God.
Brethren, do not wet your finger and hold it in the air to see which way the wind is blowing in the church to determine what you are going to believe in this (or any) issue. Rather, learn God’s Will on the matter and then stand fast in the Lord!
PK=Promise Keepers Men of Integrity booklet. MC=Men’s Conferences program. CR=Community Rally at Harrah, OK, ‘97. CC=Christian Chronicle, Aug. ‘95. CFF=Contending For The Faith, July ‘96.
Gary Henson

A genius architect designed and built a masterful tree-house for his son and said, “Son, here is the house I said I would build you.” The house provided perfectly for every need of the boy. However, much to the grief of his father, the son gathered up some scrap lumber and built a tree-house of his own design.
Jesus the all-knowing (Heb. 4:13), built the perfect church (Mat. 16:18), and gave to it and it alone the mission of making known to man the Word of God (Eph. 3:9-11) by which “the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). However, from time to time, men try to establish an organization to replace the church and her mission. Promise Keepers is such an organization. Founded in 1990 in Boulder, Colorado, it still recruits and attracts today.
That Promise Keepers is a religious organization, there is no doubt. Promise Keepers president Randy Phillips stated, “It is not political preferences we are concerned with but biblical convictions” (The Sunday Oklahoman, Oct. 5, 1997, p. 1, 16). The October ‘97 gathering at Washington D.C. was described as “…one of the largest religious gatherings in American History…” (Ibid.). Yes, Promise Keepers is a religious organization. Thus, it must be asked, “Isn’t God’s organization good enough anymore? Or can we snub our nose at what our Father has provided and go about building our own ‘tree-houses’?”
That Promise Keepers has a creed, there is no doubt. In the booklet Promise Keepers: Men’s Conferences, 1996 (Firm Foundation, Jan.’97, p. 18), there is the “Promise Keepers Statement of Faith.” Again, it must be asked, “When did God’s Word stop giving man everything we need to become ‘ perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work’?” Or, are we to make ourselves out to be God by making our own creed (tree-house) and replacing His?
Although Promise Keepers certainly has in mind that which is good, they fail like Uzzah, Nadab, Abihu and others who, while doing God’s things, did not do it God’s way. They “…have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2). They have taken it upon themselves to “…go onward and abide not in the teaching of Christ…” (2 John 9). They have gone about “teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men” which is vanity before God (Mat. 15:9).
Since Promise Keepers has such a noble cause, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for some good people to accept the fact that religiously, the Promise Keepers movement is not of God. However, we must not see things through men’s eyes, but through God’s: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways, my ways, saith Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8-9).
Gary Henson

Those in the church and those out of the church know that the Christian is not to use words of cursing. Followers of God are to “curse not” (Rom. 12:14); “put off…filthy communication out of your mouth” (Col. 3:8); and “let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth” (Eph. 4:29). Yes, the good and honest Christian willingly keeps his vocabulary wholesome so as to glorify God, to stand approved and to be a good example among men.

Since most non-Christians recognize this truth, they will, if they normally use foul language, employ the use of “lesser offensive words” which are not deemed by the general public as outright curse words. While we certainly appreciate their consideration, we would also wish (at least for their sake) they look up those words in the dictionary. Upon doing such, it would be learned that words such as “gee,” “golly” and “darn” are euphemisms. A euphemism is “…the substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered offensive.”1 Consider some of these:

“Gee” is an euphemism for Jesus.1 “Dickens” is an euphemism for devil.1
“Gosh” is a substitution for God.1 “Heck” is an euphemism for hell.1
“Golly” is an euphemism for God.2 [Consult the dictionary for others].

Furthermore, as Guy N. Woods stated:
It is of serious consequence that many members of the church today have allowed to creep into their phraseology words and phrases the use of which amounts to profanity. Others, who would not dare use the holy names, God, Christ, Jesus, Jerusalem, Heaven, Hell, Hades, as interjections (“An ejaculatory word or form of speech, usually thrown in without grammatical connection,” Webster) and for emphasis, will, nevertheless, use euphemisms (the substitution of a word or phrase less offensive or objectionable), the derivation of which goes back to one of the foregoing forms. Were those who thus do aware of the origin of many of these common by-words they would be shocked!3

May we, of all people, be aware of this trick of the devil, and truly “let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.”
Gary Henson

1 The American Heritage Dictionary, 1985.
2 Webster’s New International Dictionary.
3 Guy N. Woods, A Commentary on the Epistle of James, Gospel Advocate Co., Nashville, 1967, pp. 290.

It is certainly true that God is a loving and kind God, but it is also just as true that He is perfect in His justice, judgment and punishment which necessitate His warnings (negative preaching).
Doesn’t the person who makes the claim that no one should preach/teach negatively (i.e., concerning sin and what not to do) realize that he is doing the very thing he forbids?! Such a claim is not a biblical teaching because it is both hypocritical and self-contradictory – – neither of which does God commit (Mat. 23:13-14; Titus 1:2).
Furthermore, it is impossible to make a positive statement without implying a negative statement. To preach the positive statement: “Jesus is the Son of God,” is to imply the negative statement: “Jesus is not merely a man” (as many critics maintain). Thus, those who claim there is to be no negative preaching are implying negative statements every single time they preach a positive claim!
A casual reading of the Bible quickly reveals that God required much negative preaching. There was negative preaching toward Adam and Eve,1 Lot and his wife,2 in eight of the ten commandments,3 and in hundreds of the old law.4 It was negative laws by which Jesus overcame Satan.5 Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is full of negative preaching.6 Jesus’ Apostles and prophets spoke and wrote continuously with negative preaching.7 Truly, all throughout the Bible, God required negative preaching.
Why does God require negative preaching? The answer: for our admonition so that we should not sin.8 Thus, as it turns out, negative preaching is an act of love! Hence, what kind of act is it to withhold negative preaching?!!

1Gen. 2:17. 2Gen. 19:17. 3Ex. 20. 4Lev. 4:2. 5Mat. 4:4,7. 6Mat. 5,6,7. 7Acts 2:36; 3:13-15; 7:51-52; 8:21-23; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Tim. 4:2; etc. 81 Cor. 10:6-11.
Gary Henson

It Was Built By No One Other Than Jesus.
“I will build my church” (Mat. 16:18).
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11).

It Began At No Location Other Than Jerusalem.
“…and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).
The church began (Acts 2) in Jerusalem (Acts 1:12).

It Began At No Other Time Than The First Pentecost Following The Resurrection Of Jesus.
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1ff).

It Has No Head Other Than Jesus.
“And he is the head of the body, the church” (Col. 1:18).

It Has No Organization Other Than:
Elders/Bishops [when certain qualifications are met (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9)].
Deacons (1 Tim. 3:8-13).

It Worships In No Way Other Than:
Praying (Acts 12:5).
Preaching (Acts 20:7).
The Lord’s Supper (Mat. 26:26-28).
The Contribution (1 Cor. 16:1-2).
Making Music Only By Singing (Eph. 5:19).

It Has No Creedbook Other Than The Bible.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Gary Henson

Question: When Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, is Jesus referring to a small door in the wall of a city or the eye of a sewing needle? And, how much money can a person have before he is classified as being rich?

Answer: The account of this teaching is located in three of the four Gospels: Matthew 19:24; Mark 10:25; and Luke 18:25. The New Testament was written in the Greek language (an extremely precise language) and the word for needle in Matthew and Mark is ραøφισ (pronounced: RHAPHIS). The word used in Luke is βελονησ (BELONE). The monumental lexicon by Arndt and Gingrich reveals that RHAPHIS is “needle, esp. one used for sewing” (p. 734), and BELONE is defined by the scholarly lexicon by Thayer as “a. the point of a spear. b. a needle” (p. 100). In Vine’s excellent dictionary, after defining RHAPHIS “to sew,” and BELONE as “a dart, denotes a sharp point, hence, a needle,” adds: “Note: The idea of applying ‘the needle’s eye’ to small gates seems to be a modern one; there is no ancient trace of it. The Lord’s object in the statement is to express human impossibility and there is no need to endeavor to soften the difficulty by taking the needle to mean anything more than the ordinary instrument. Mackie points out (Hastings’ Bible Dictionary) that ‘an attempt is sometimes made to explain the words as a reference to the small door, a little over two feet square, in the large heavy gate of a walled city. This mars the figure without materially altering the meaning, and receives no justification from the language and traditions of Palestine’” (Vine, vol. 3, p. 106-107).
Furthermore, the disciples’ reaction (“exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?”) and Jesus’ reply (“With man this is impossible”), is not the reaction to a (supposed) common and not impossible practice of a camel squeezing through a small door, but is rather the reaction to the thought of a camel going through the eye of a sewing needle.
What, then, is Jesus teaching? Is He teaching that rich people cannot go to heaven? Obviously not: Job was rich; Abraham was rich; Christians who are rich can still have the hope of the time to come (I Tim. 6:17-19). Rather, Jesus is teaching, that like the rich man who had just chosen riches instead of God (see the account in Mark), so are they who love money and what money buys instead of loving God, and trust in riches rather than in God. Such a person cannot be saved. Yet, as I Timothy 6:17-19 teaches, the rich man who realizes that he has been blessed by God and that his riches are not his, but they belong to God, and who uses these to accomplish God’s will, can certainly be blessed, both here and in eternity.
Gary Henson

There was a time when the kings and their armies of four cities united and rose up against the kings of five other cities. The four were easily victorious over the five (which indicates their power and strength). As spoils of war, the invaders took captive some of the inhabitants of the defeated. One of whom was a man named Lot. Abraham, Lot’s uncle, in spite of the four kings display of might in their preceding victory, pursued with only 318 men. One would think a victory for Abraham to be humanly impossible. Yet, he was not only victorious, it was described as a slaughter. How could this be? From whence came Abraham’s power? One in a most unusual position stated that truth when he spoke to Abraham: “Blessed be God Most High, who hath delivered thine enemy into thy hand.” Yes, Abraham’s impossible victory came by the power of God (Genesis 14).
Today, with God’s Word, we can do the same. Works, efforts and conversions which appear hopeless to our eyes, are possible with God. Without a quiver in his voice, Paul could say: “I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God” (Rom. 1:16). As we do God’s things in God’s ways, the strength in our efforts is of God. He said His Word “shall not return unto me void, but shall accomplish that which I please” (Isa. 55:11). True, hardened hearts may not respond to the Gospel, and good works may be unfulfilled by those who doubt, but this is due to the weakness and wickedness of man who hinder the truth (Gal.5:7).
Yes, our enemies may be great: evolution, humanism, denominationalism, apostasies, etc., but God is greater and with the proper attitude (Jam. 2:8), proper disposition (Col. 4:6) and proper use of The Power (Rom. 1:16) we can “do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13).
Gary Henson