The Flood Gates Are Open

“Floodgates are adjustable gates to control water flow in reservoir, stream or levee systems. They may be designed to set spillway crest heights in dams, to adjust flow rates in sluices and canals, or they may be designed to stop water flow entirely as part of a levee or storm surge system.” “In the case of flood by pass systems, floodgates sometimes are also used to lower the water levels in a main river or canal channels by allowing more water to flow into a flood bypass or detention basin when the main river or canal is approaching a flood stage.”

Probably most of us have lived in areas where a major dam existed on a river and when heavy rains occurred over an extended period of time, the floodgates had to be opened to allow excessive water to flow downstream. Usually a warning is given to people living below the dam so they can prepare for the flooding that will surely occur in the lowlands. When we consider the church of our Lord, there have been scores of warnings regarding the probability of some apostatizing from the truth. Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). The apostle Paul stated to the elders of the church in Ephesus while he was at Miletus, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. “Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (Acts 20:28-30).

Paul also mentioned in I Timothy 4:1-3 of the Spirit’s warning of a departure from the faith. And there are many other warnings given in the New Testament concerning digressions from the Word of God. In my lifetime I have read scores of books written by brethren that contained information regarding various brethren who were teaching error and leading others into an apostasy. The influence of different leading brethren have permeated the church so much that the ‘flood waters’ of false teachings have forced the ‘floodgates’ to open and to cause a tremendous amount of damage (division) in the body of Christ. Previous restraints have been removed and brethren are moving more swiftly in their departure from the teachings of the New Testament of Jesus Christ. This is of great concern for brethren who have to examine every congregation where they might want to place membership and/or who are traveling and desire to worship on any given Sunday.

For an example, a friend and sister in Christ mentioned to me the other day that while she and her husband were visiting a relative in another state, they attended a congregation where they had previously worshiped in years past. They were informed that a lady would be reading the scriptures during the worship assembly but what they did not know prior to the beginning of the assembly was that a lady would be leading the congregational singing. They were surprised and greatly disappointed. In fact they left and make effort to worship with another congregation in the city. It was a few years ago that my wife and I attended the Sunday morning Bible class and worship assembly at this same congregation. It was only in a short period of time that the elders of this church, along with the consent of the membership, began using women in leading roles in their worship assemblies. I checked the website of this congregation and found the following statement: “The Role of Women in the Church. After more than a year of congregational study, prayer, and discussion, the elders and members of the Cole Mill Road Church of Christ agreed that it is both biblically appropriate and evangelistically desirable for spiritually mature women to teach classes and to participate in the public worship of our congregation. In doing so, our sisters in Christ follow in the tradition of Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, Priscilla, Phoebe and a host of other women raised up by God to serve Him and His people in particular ways. By thus exercising their God-given gifts – and without disparaging the many gifts used by other women in the service of our congregation – our sisters who pray, sing, read Scripture, serve at the Lord’s table, and teach adult classes are blessing our entire church family while serving as witnesses to our community. For more information on gender justice and Churches of Christ you are invited to visit Gal328.org.”

While it is not surprising that brethren are ‘re-thinking’ their understanding of the role of women in the church, it is most disappointing and discouraging to learn that otherwise faithful congregations are now violating the Scriptures in such matters (See I Corinthians 14:34, 35; I Timothy 2:11-14). In times past when members of the church were traveling they could easily recognize that the church of Christ they were attending was not the right one when they saw a piano or an organ in the auditorium. Now you cannot know until the worship has begun to learn if you are in the ‘wrong pew’. How sad! I fondly remember the days when this was not a problem; furthermore, a congregation could invite preachers to speak in gospel meetings without having to be concerned about the soundness of their preaching. In the third stanza of the hymn ‘The Church’s One Foundation’, are the following lyrics that express the sentiments of concerned brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ: “Tho’ with a scornful wonder We see her sore oppressed, Her doctrine rent asunder, By names and creeds distressed, Yet saints their watch are keeping, They cry, “How long, how long?” And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song.”

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