By: Sidney White
“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” (Jeremiah 6:16).
This often quoted passage, a plea for the Israelites to return to God’s way, is as meaningful today as when given to Jeremiah by God. The significance of the passage is just as binding today as ever. Wholesale changes are taking place among God’s people — changes that are certainly not according to God’s direction. For us to properly apply the principle of this passage in the church today, we must understand some demands of God’s way.
First, we must accept the fact that God has spoken to us today. “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son” (Hebrews l:l-2). “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5). “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). Thus, the writings of the New Testament are given to direct our paths today.
Second, understanding that God has spoken to us today, the old paths demand to be read and studied. Far too much time and attention is spent on denominational methodology and far too little on the old paths. If we want to develop a great soul winning program, do we examine the methods of some fast growing denominational organization or do we examine the activities of the early Christians as recorded in the Bible? Copying denominationalism will ultimately lead to more denominationalism. We had better re-evaluate our sources of instruction. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Third, the old paths demand to be believed. “I know that is what it says, but…” is a phrase heard all too often. God told Israel, “I have loved you,” but Israel said, “We don’t believe it.” “Without faith it is impossible to please him…” (Hebrews 11:6).
Fourth, the old paths demand to be obeyed. We say that we study and believe the word of God, but do we? Consider some of the changes that are taking place in organization, worship and work of the church. Much of what is taking place in the church and called the work of the church has no similarity at all to the church and its work that we read about in the New Testament. How many churches do you know of that obeys the teaching of the old paths to “withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly” (2 Thess. 3:6)?How often do we find the kind of hospitality and fellowship today that characterized the church in the first century?
How many pulpits today are filled with preaching that would follow the pattern of 1 Peter 4:11? Too much “preaching” gives the hearer nothing but oracles of men, not the oracles of God. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
Fifth, the old paths demand that we reject all other teachings. Yet the cry of our day is “fellowship everybody.” “In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:9). In spite of the efforts by some to distort and twist the meaning of the passage, 2 John 9-10 still reads,
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed….”
If we are going to stay with or return to the old paths, these demands must be met. (P.O. Box 1761, Tupelo, MS 38802)
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