Books

Focus On The Fundamentals Of The Faith

By W. Douglass Harris

Remove Not the Ancient Landmarks
(Deuteronomy 19:14; 27:17; Proverbs 22:28)

It was the purpose of landmarks to identify land areas and personal holdings of landowners. Israel was commanded not to remove them and a curse was pronounced upon those who did (Deuteronomy 27:17). Their homes, possessions, and their security depended upon them.

Our eternal salvation with a home in heaven depends upon some “ancient landmarks” erected by our Lord and His apostles. Efforts are being made today by “change agents” to remove some of these spiritual landmarks. We cannot dispense with the landmarks of Scripture history. Certain generic matters may be changed as good judgment dictates and not affect our inheritance of a home in heaven, but certain specific ancient landmarks established by Christ and His apostles cannot be changed without forfeiting our title to “mansions in the sky”. The primary landmarks of Christianity are the teachings of Christ and His apostles. What are some of the ancient landmarks that must not be removed?

1. The supreme and absolute authority of Christ, as opposed to councils, conferences and conclaves of men. All of the legislative, executive, and judicial authority for the Lord’s church resides in Christ and in the authority He delegated to His apostles (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:22,23; Matthew 16:19; 18:18). Commitment to His authority includes the recognition that the church belongs to Him and that He alone has the right to determine its teaching and practice. Some marks erected before or since Jesus established His church are too old or too young to be the original. To recognize other sources of authority for the church is to remove an ancient landmark and comes under the curse of the Lord.

2. Another “ancient landmark” erected by inspired men is the New Testament plan of salvation. There is a definite plan (Ephesians 3:10,11). The only scriptural plan of salvation is the one made possible by Christ’s death on the cross and revealed in the New Testament. It is a plan of grace and faith, but not grace and faith only (Ephesians 2:8,9; Acts 18:26b). God’s grace is the original factor in our salvation; man’s obedience is the appropriating factor. God’s plan (provided by His grace) requires obedience (Hebrews 5:8,9), which involves faith, repentance, confession, and baptism. There is controversy in the religious world about baptism only. There are only two positions: it is either necessary or unnecessary — it cannot be both. The New Testament says it is necessary (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21). But it is necessary only as an appropriating act, not as a meritorious act. The death of Christ is the only meritorious act in the gospel plan of salvation. To change this plan in any way is to remove an “ancient landmark”.

3. Proper identity of the New Testament church is another “ancient landmark”. The Lord built it according to His own wise plan (Ephesians 3:10,11; Hebrews 8:5). He instructs us on how it is to worship (John 4:24; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 5:18,19); what it is called (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 1:2), the kind of government it is to have (Ephesians 1:22,23; Philippians 1:1; Acts 20:28), how people are added to it (Acts 2), what its mission is (Matthew 28:18-20; Galatians 6:10), and how it is to be financed (1 Corinthians 16:1,2; 2 Corinthians 8 & 9). If this landmark for identifying the New Testament church is not important, why is anything about it important?

Conclusion: If we cannot depend upon the “ancient landmarks” given by inspired men in the early church, surely we cannot trust modern methods to guide us to our heavenly home. Our only hope of future security is to be found in the ancient order of Christ and His apostles.