(Which Includes Government, Practice, and Advice)
Oscar Pimentel, General Overseer
The Church of God
I have not been able to pull away from this thought. It may seem odd, it does to me, that such a topic should be the subject of a commencement service message. In my own judgment, a different subject, topic, or title would be more appropriate, even convenient. But I stand before you, God, and His holy angels today in fear and trembling. I feel that I would be a coward if I did not yield to God and proceed with this message. In times like these, we must pray for boldness to speak His Word. Someone has said, “It is going to take more than jawbone to defend Bible Doctrine, it is going to take some backbone!”
With Bible Doctrine in hand, we must take a bold stand and march against the sinful, ungodly, and dark currents that the dragon (the devil) is casting out of his mouth in these last days. These are spiritual floodwaters of diabolical ideology, cloaked in messages of equality, meant to pressure men into not declaring the truth of very basic things that make up the cornerstone of society—wherein men should not be called men and women should not be called women. Whoever thought, whoever imagined, that we would be living in such a time? But here we are nonetheless. Teachings that preach a “Jesus” who only calls people to join Him but never to repentance, so as to not trouble or agitate man’s conscience. Doctrines of devils draped in new light apparel. Abominable teachings approved by so-called “Christian churches” wherein it is declared that Jesus Christ has enabled, counted faithful, and put homosexuals, lesbians, and transexuals into His ministry. I say, “Never!” Not the Christ of Calvary!
Consider it well, though it is seemingly shrouded in the love of God, so-called; it is Satan himself transformed into an angel of light! (cf. 2 Cor. 11:14). The devil would like nothing better than for the beautiful Bride of Christ “to be carried away of the flood” that is spewing out of his mouth. He is mad at this beautiful Woman. He is making war with the remnant that is keeping the commandments of God and holding to the testimony of Jesus Christ, and who is concerned for Bible Doctrine. But God’s promise stands sure that “…When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him” (Isa. 59:19). He shall lift up a standard!
As an adjective, concerned means: worried, troubled, or anxious. As a verb, concerned means: regard it as important. This second definition of concerned is what I mean to impress upon our minds today.
The Bible says, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Tim. 4:16). Our salvation, and the salvation of those we minister to, depends upon our giving attention to Bible Doctrine and CONTINUING IN IT! Whatever we do, wherever we go, whoever is around, wherever we are—we must give attention and regard Bible Doctrine as important. God’s doctrine must never be second place in The Church of God, nor in the life of any Church of God member.
Jesus said, “…My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me” (John 7:16). Christ, in praying to the Father said, “For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them…” (John 17:8), and Jesus went on to say, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word” (John 17:20). The Bible says that those who believed “…continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine…” (Acts 2:42). In 2 Timothy3:10, Paul called it “my doctrine!” Is it your doctrine? Paul wrote Timothy, “…the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2).
There is to be an unbroken chain of Bible Doctrine passed from one generation to the next. The only way that this can happen is if we give attention today to Bible Doctrine and stay CONCERNED for it. If we, the Church, do not regard it as important, then who will? We are the pillar and ground of the TRUTH! A citadel in this world, the last line of defense. We should regard it as so important that we will earnestly contend for the faith. It is a faithful saying that if we do not, our children will ignore it, their children will declare it unnecessary, and their children’s children will deny it. We may refer to it as the GOSPEL, the WORD, the FAITH, our TEACHINGS, etc., but it is all Bible Doctrine. Bible Doctrine includes GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE! It is so important to us that if we should let it go and lose it, we will have let go of and lost every good, noble, righteous, and holy thing. Bible Doctrine importance cannot be relegated to a mere need of committing it to memory. Its importance is such that, unless we allow Bible Doctrine to come into our hearts to make its home there, our generation will never be saints—our generation will never be “…a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing…holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27). I may sound a bit ambitious; I may sound go-getting, but I don’t want to leave it to another generation! Why should we wait for another generation to come around? Is there not a cause? Will we not fight for our brethren? Will we not fight for our sons? Will we not fight for our daughters? Will we not fight for our wives? Will we not fight for our households?
“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein” (Jer. 6:16). The crucial mistake of God’s people in times past, and through the years, has been that they would not walk in the “old paths” and “the good way.” But today we declare that, by the grace of God, with the help of the Holy Ghost, a determined mind, and a heart yielded to Christ, WE will walk therein!
The “old paths” can only be taught by “the old school.” Some pronounced this school closed and dead about thirty years ago. It must have been a case of “mistaken identity!” If “the old school” is dead, then what is this “sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees” (2 Sam. 5:24) that I hear? If “the old school” is dead, what is this sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind that I hear? If “the old school” is dead, what is this tramp, tramp, tramping of an army that I hear? If “the old school” is dead, who is this, “that looketh forth as the morning” (Song of Sol. 6:10)? If “the old school” is dead, who is this “fair as the moon”? If “the old school” is dead, who is this “clear as the sun”? If “the old school” is dead, who is this “terrible as an army with banners”? The death of “the old school” may be the visionary hope of the enemies of the Church, but today I’d like to report that “the old school” is not closed and it is certainly not dead! Bishop R. O. Covey once wrote, “We prefer that our caskets be closed before our ‘old school’ is pronounced closed.” They said “the old school” is dead in reference to the Church’s teachings and practices, but what some failed to understand is that the teachings and practices of The Church of God are predicated on the ageless and Holy Word of God.
In the 1990s, the “old school” (the Church) declared that it was committed to the defense and preservation of the Church, and committed to preserve those biblical, doctrinal teachings which were revealed to A. J. Tomlinson and to the Church, and that there was no intent to change the Doctrine, but rather to strengthen it in preaching and teaching. It also declared: WE WILL STAND WITH ALL THAT IS WITHIN US FOR THE GLORIOUS DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH OF GOD OF THE BIBLE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK GOD AND DO HIS BIDDING. WE WILL SACRIFICE AND SUFFER IF NEED BE TO PRESERVE THE CHURCH THAT JESUS DIED FOR. WE WILL NOT BE BOUGHT, COMPROMISED, DETOURED, TURNED AWAY, TURNED BACK, DELUDED, OR DELAYED. WE WILL NOT FLINCH AT SACRIFICE, HESITATE IN THE PRESENCE OF ADVERSITY, NEGOTIATE AT THE TABLE OF THE ENEMY, PONDER AT THE POOL OF POPULARITY. OUR FACE IS SET. OUR PACE IS FAST. OUR GOAL IS HEAVEN. THE ROAD MAY BE ROUGH AND OUR COMPANIONS MAY BE FEW. HOWEVER, OUR GUIDE IS RELIABLE AND OUR MISSION IS CLEAR. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE IN THE DOCTRINE WHICH WAS ONCE DELIVERED UNTO THE SAINTS.
Bishop Covey also wrote, “Consider this. Forty, fifty or sixty years from now…if the Lord tarries…another generation may be labeling the 1990s as an ‘old school’ which operated on artifacts.” But Bible Doctrine is not man-made, it is not our workmanship, it has not been shaped by us. Bible doctrine is not an object of historical interest—it is the FAITH once delivered unto the saints for which we must contend. It is LIFE—GOD’S BREATH IN THE CHURCH! The Bible is God’s textbook for His “school.” It is ageless and, unlike today’s electronic devices that perpetually and frequently need “updates,” unlike today’s educational systems of higher learning whose textbooks are repeatedly revised, this textbook is more up to date to meet all that humanity needs than any other system.
God got it right the first time! His Word is forever settled in heaven (Psa. 119:89)! “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). The truth of the matter is that no man, or devil, has the authority to “close” anything God has opened. God said “ask for the old paths” and He has a people today who know a thing or two about “the old paths.” Unto us, who are no better and no less than the early Church, has this grace been given to uphold, retain, preach, and teach among humanity, the unsearchable riches of Christ. “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery…To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God” (Eph. 3:9, 10). The Word of God is timeless and ageless, everything else will pass away. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). Peter wrote, “…the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up…wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat” (2 Peter 3:10, 12). 1 John 2:17, “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
Seeing how the Word of God is the only thing that will not pass away, that cannot be destroyed, that shall never be annihilated, it is reasonable that it is the best ground on which we can stand today. Since God’s Word is the channel that He has chosen to communicate with mankind (so we can know His will), is it not reasonable that we should keep it close, love it, and hide it in our hearts? Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded…” (Matt. 28:19, 20). How can we do this if we do not remain Concerned for Bible Doctrine? His injunction of “teach” has not changed nor has the message, it is still “whatsoever I have commanded.” We have not received notice of a change of plans to this command.
Our need to remain Concerned for Bible Doctrine cannot be over-emphasized. The GOVERNMENT of the Church and the DOCTRINE OF THE BIBLE are given as our protection and stay in these PERILOUS TIMES.