Is It Progress?

The word translated "furtherance" in Philippians 1:12, 25 is translated "progress" in the American Standard version of the Bible. The word means "a striking out." Originally this word was used of a pioneer cutting his way through brushwood. As he continued cutting, he was making progress.

We may think of progress as going onward and forward, but not every action is progress. Some misjudge change for progress. Progress may consist in holding to the good you already have, and standing "fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel."

The attempt to restore New Testament Christianity was progress. It was a matter of removing long years of theological debris to rediscover the old paths made bright by the light shining from the revealed Word of the Almighty. Pioneers of restoration cut through the jungle of human opinion and brought to the surface biblical doctrine. One by one human innovations were examined, found wanting, and discarded; one by one the items of Christian faith were found and reinstated. The Bible was exalted, and human opinions were cast down. That was progress.

Years ago some among us began to seek what they misunderstood as progress. Like the prodigal son, they went out and soon spent what truth they had on innovation, alteration, and change. Instead of growth and development in the gospel of Christ, they fed on the husks of religious error and are fast becoming just another vain religion of the world. Turning from the simple, basic truths of the New Testament, they encouraged the revival and growth of human inventions-music in worship corrupted by machines; downgrading of the importance of absolute obedience to every command of the Lord by misunderstanding and misapplying the grace of God; giving women positions of authority over men; even denying the complete accuracy of revelation and thereby striking at the root of authority. On and on it goes and once again the old paths become difficult to see, being obscured by human traditions. What they call progress is retrogression.

Some of them think the mother of Jesus was "a sexually questionable woman" and that the birth of Jesus was a scandal. This casts doubt on the deity of Jesus and his claim to be the Son of God. They are now in a position similar to that in which the wasteful son found himself - destitute and away from home.

No progress in pure and undefiled religion will be made apart from returning to the Father and abiding in his Word.

Events in history repeat themselves. Those who fail to heed the lessons learned from mistakes of the past make the same errors again.

How sad that in our time some have abandoned the "old paths" of truth and are bent on walking in forbidden ways. Like the Athenians, they seek to tell or hear some new thing, but wind up reinstating old error, and bowing before all idols, including the unknown one.

These brethren seem to feel their wisdom is superior to that of all others. In an attempt to go along and get along, they bow before the idol of denominationalism and eat the dry and tasteless husks of Calvinism, and think they have discovered something bright and new.

Paul spoke of some who claimed to be wise, but "they became fools" (Rom. 1:22).

It is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness. God is wiser than men; because the foolishness of God is wiser than men (I Cor. 1:25).

Misguided men, in fellowship with denominational bodies, strive to make the one­church a denomination. They heap scorn on stalwart preachers of yesteryear who were in the forefront of the restoration of the church of our Lord in this country. They loose where God has bound; they bind where God has released.

They make serious changes in the public worship, allowing women to lead prayers, serve at the Lord's table, and teach where men are present - thereby exercising authority over men. Salvation by grace alone is advocated as is instrumental music in worship. Solos and choirs have gained their approval as well as clapping and waving of hands. Applauding the preacher is acceptable in worship and as worship.

Is this progress? Is it blazing a trail for truth?

It is the same kind of progress as that of the prodigal son in the hog pen. He was away from home and daily sinking deeper into sin. His new­found friends were laughing in their sleeves at his stupidity and his loving, brokenhearted father was looking longingly down the road for his return.

Progress is returning to the Father. It is renouncing sin and determining to walk in the light. There is no progress in religion that does not "fall out to the furtherance of the gospel."

We pray for a renewed zeal for such progress; we call for the furtherance of the one faith by walking in the old paths.

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