These words began an excellent article by Walter Pigg, the editor of Banner of Truth in the April 200 issue. I am adapting it with permission for our readers of the >I>Alternative.
The subtitle of this article comes from the words of Jeremiah 6:16 that reads, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (New King James Version).
This Old Testament passage applies to all living today, in principle, because all are under the New Covenant, or Testament. We learn this from what Paul said in Romans 15:4, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
Though we are not under the religious laws of the Old Testament, there is much to be learned from them that are invaluable to our understanding of the things in the New Testament.
“The old paths of Jeremiah’s day had reference to those things God had approved in the past, and which still had His approval. The people then, still needed to walk therein to have God’s approval and be recipients of his promised blessings.”
“In our time, walking in the old paths, as it applies in principle, is just as important as it was for those in Jeremiah’s time.” The old paths, which we are to walk in, were recorded in the New Testament about two thousand years ago. “It has not changed and will not change.” They are God’s old paths for us today.
We need to look and ask for the Gospel of Christ as it was given in the first Century. Just as Israel had turned away from the right way and needed to get back on the right paths, so we today should do the same thing. The old paths for us are those of the Gospel, they contain the good way that we need to ask for and in which we are to walk.
In the last two issues of Alternative I contrasted First Century Christianity with modern day Christianity. The contrast was shown between the church, which acknowledged the authority of Christ and the apostles, and the wholesale departure from following His authority, by failing to follow what He taught. The contrast was shown between the apostles and the church that made no laws of their own to the wholesale departure by denominational and independent churches that have made their own laws and traditions, following them instead of Christ.
The contrast was shown between the church set up and governed as taught by the apostles with each congregation independently governed by elders who were members of that congregation who selected them as their leaders and the hierarchal systems followed by many today with those outside the individual congregations, ruling over them, and the many other forms of government foreign to the New Testament.
We noted briefly how this change in church government enabled those in authority to impose the errors they had accepted on the local churches under them, leading to the formation of the 1st denomination, the Roman Catholic Church, from which has come the multitude of denominations of today. . .
Our task is to read, study, understand and follow God’s inspired word in the scriptures.
What the apostles taught concerning salvation, the church, worship and Christian living is what we must teach today.
What they taught concerning the leaders of the local churches, with the elders, deacons and preachers being men, must be taught today. What they taught concerning women in the church must be taught today. What they taught about the sins of immorality, including homosexuality, must be taught today.
The contrast between these things under 1st Century Christianity and modern day Christianity was shown. Instead of applauding these changes, we must follow in our day, what the Lord said through Jeremiah in his day.
In the Banner of Truth article, emphasis was given on showing that what Jeremiah said was from the Lord. ~ A
“If one is to be a follower and worshiper of the Lord, what the Lord says in not just important, it is all important. There is no aspect of religion that is more important than that of authority. Christianity – true Christianity – is the only God-ordained religion on earth, and what the Lord says is the only true authority. Any religion which does not derive its authority from what the Lord says is a false religion, the end of which is eternal destruction of the soul of man….
“Our discussion, primarily, involves those who identify themselves as ‘Christians.’ According to a just issued report, this category includes about a third of the world’s population. It should be noted that among those professing to be Christians, there are almost endless difference[s] as to what is believed and practiced. This of course goes back to the subject of authority. By whose authority do they teach and practice such a wide variety of things, which are often very contradictory and not in harmony with God’s word?
“As far as I know, about everyone who claims to be a Christian in the broad sense of the term, would say they look to the Lord as their authority in religion. But is this the truth? It cannot be, since truth does not contradict itself. Truth teaches the same thing to all people, regardless of whether they accept it. People typically only accept the truth in part.
“With so many claiming the Lord as their authority, why are there so many things which disprove it? For example why do these religions have various guides which originated by uninspired men? Most religions [and denominations] have some source of authority other than God’s word as recorded in the Bible – creeds, confessions of faith, disciplines [book of order, manuals] and what have you [The Book of Mormon, The Watchtower, Prophecies of Ellen G. White, The Koran, etc.] Everyone of these guides, sources of authority, contain more than the Bible or less than the Bible. If this were not so, then all could say, ‘We take God’s word, as recorded in the Bible as our only source of authority.’ But, … we know this is not the way it is.”
“The picture here is that of a traveler at the junction of a number of ways. He must make a choice as to which he will take. The choosing of a way is worthy of his most serious and thoughtful consideration, due to the fact that there are many ways which lead to the wrong place; destruction, rather than heavenly reward….
“When we think about the condition we face in our time, it is rather frightening. Just think of all the religious ways that are before men today. There are literally hundreds of religious groups which claim to be authorized by God; yet, God has approved only one way for ours and all times, the way of Christ.
“There are ways today which condone and uphold all manner of things which God has condemned. This includes homosexuality, the sin which brought about the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, and which is still a violation of God’s will (Romans 1:26-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10). There are man-made churches which exist without God’s authority and allow many things contrary to God’s will. We are reminded that ‘There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end is the way of death.’ What seems right is not the basis for serving the Lord acceptably, rather that which the Lord says.
“The Lord not only said, ‘Stand in the ways,’ but He also said ‘see.’ I have not yet figured out why it is that people generally need less evidence for what they practice in religion than they need in any other area of life; yet, this is the most important area of one’s entire life. Where it comes to seeing that which is right religiously speaking, blindness often prevails where it does not do so in secular things.
“It is often the case that people simply do not want [to] see. It is harder still to understand why people want to see that which brings condemnation rather than eternal life, but that is the way it is….”
“One of the great problems today is the fact that people are not asking for the old paths. One can no more accidentally walk in the old paths, than they can live a Christian life by accident. There must be a desire to know the truth, God’s way….
“The N.T. warns concerning those who would choose paths which God does not approve. Paul said, ‘Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith…’ (1 Timothy 4:1-3)….
“Paths’—the plural—does not mean that God has different wills or truth [or ways]; rather it refers to different teachings of God’s law…. In the very next statement, Inspiration refers to ‘the old paths’ as ‘the good way,’ using the singular. It is men of today who say that there are many ways to heaven, not God.
“One eternally costly problem of today is that many do not know what the ‘good way’ is, or where it is found. In my time, people’s concept of good and evil has drastically changed….
“In just a few decades, our society’s views have changed drastically relative to the concepts of good and evil. Because of a general belief in God’s word, it used to be that most people had some moral guidelines, even if in many cases they did not profess any religion. Now that the influence of God is being banished from more and more areas of our society, moral guidelines are fast disappearing….
“To a growing number of people abortion is good; homosexuality is good; sexual permissiveness and living together out of wedlock is good; lying is good, and we could go on and on with many things….
“It is good to ‘see’ and ask for ‘the old paths,’ but this is not all that is involved. If one comes to know God’s will, and what is necessary to please Him, action is still required. The Lord said of the good way:
“Even though a considerable number of people have come to know much of what is in the Bible, and given that such knowledge is of great value; yet, if there is no ‘walk(ing) in it’ what has it profited a man?...
“Paul says, ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight’ (2 Corinthians 5:7). Walking by faith demands that we walk in accordance with God’s word, the source of faith (Romans 10:17).
“Living according to God’s will requires that kind of love which is manifested in action, not just by words. John says, ‘For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments…’ (1 John 5:3). Christ said, ‘If you love me, keep my commandments.’ And ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep my word…’ (John 14:15, 23).
…“The great reward for walking in the old paths should motivate us to make this the very highest priority in life….No amount of earthly gain pursuing our lusts can compensate for the loss of the heavenly rest which can be ours, if we desire it above every thing else. The loving Savior raised a timeless question which should be forever before us in the way we live and in everything we do –‘For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? (Matthew 16:26).
“As sad as it is, few people today are walking in the old paths today where the good way is. This is in spite of all that God and His Son have done for unworthy man. An everlasting sacrifice has been made for man, to enable him to be cleansed from soul-condemning sin. An all-sufficient revelation has been given to man to enable him to walk in the old paths, the good way.
“In spite of all the goodness extended to unworthy man, today it is so much like it was in the days of Jeremiah. People’s response to a loving Lord is one of indifference, denial and outright rebellion. About so many today, it could be truthfully said:
“Who is willing to ask for and walk in the old paths? Most of the religious world is saying, ‘We will not walk in it.’”
“The old paths constitute the only good way where rest for our souls can be found. All other paths lead to eternal destruction “The old paths constitute the only good way where rest for our souls can be found. All other paths lead to eternal destruction. Even if nine out of ten follow those paths, the end will be the same.” –Walter Pigg, editor.
If you would like to read this entire excellent article, write to Editor, Banner of Truth – 164 Coles Campground Rd., Murray KY 42071. ~ A