1989 McCordsville End Convention, Indiana, U.S.A. by E. Robinson
"I have had people virtually mock us, especially religious people ministering in the religious world and others when they found out how we go out preaching. Oh, if this is supposed to be the Truth, if this is really the way of God, why don't you go out and advertise it - who even knows about this? Get out and advertise and let everybody know. How are people going to get to know about it?
There is one thing I am thankful for and that is that the way of God has been devised that diamonds can be found in the most accurate, most affective way in the whole world. There is nothing in the whole world that can touch it or come even near to it, and I'll explain why. It's amazing and absolutely perfectly effective - if there's a diamond somewhere you can be quite sure that it will be found. You may remember in the last chapter of 1 Kings, you read about Ahab going to battle and he disguised himself. In fact he let another man there put on his change of raiment so that nobody would guess that he was the King. He did not want an arrow shot at him. But you know what happened that day? We read that a man pulled a bow at a venture (it says in the margin, in his simplicity he just pulled a bow). I suppose just hoping that it might hit somebody of the enemy - and you know what happened? In his simplicity he did that but God had already decided that Ahab's last day had come. God had decided and so when that man pulled the bow in simplicity, God himself took over that arrow and directed it. Can you think of anything more deadly? There is absolutely no chance of a miss. God himself directed that arrow and that was the end of King Ahab. Now that is how the gospel works. It's so quiet nobody in the world knows about it, but some of the greatest miracles that are happening - no less are these miracles than the miracles you read about in the Bible. Right
under your eyes, but God has done it so quietly and so amazingly that most people in the world, and most of our friends even don't know a thing about what's going on.
....when God sees an honest soul, God himself directs and brings that person in contact with His servants......" etc...
__________________________________________
This sermon is typical of the type of sermons that are preached by this group. Within the first few minutes this 'worker' has attacked other Christians, called their group the truth and the way of God and emphasised the specialness and uniqueness of the group. In these short minutes he has reinforced much of what I have written in this book showing how limited their preaching is with the same things being preached year after year. This passage of Scripture has been taken completely out of context to back up something he has unsuccessfully tried to prove.
"Religious people ministering in the religious world" are none other than other ministers and people that go to church. They liken them as being the pharisees mentioned in the Bible. Not that these are separated from "others" who are not seen as a threat to them. Right in the first paragraph he has subtly referred to the group as "the Truth (their capital T). He has likened finding the "way of God," their way, as finding diamonds. Something so unique and special that "nothing in the whole world can touch it or even come near to it..."
Three times the word 'simplicity' is used. They continually use this word in preaching, saying as noted previously, that the 'way of God' is a 'simple' way. That they 'simply' give up all and go preaching the gospel. The apostles 'simply' gave up all to follow Jesus. They dress 'simply', not wearing make-up or indulging in any of the worlds activities. However, it is far from simple requiring people to live unnatural lifestyles and a lot of man made effort to conform to 'the workers' rules which often creates anxiety and fear in their people. Their ministry is anything but simple.
Probably the most outstanding feature of this sermon is the quietness in which "the gospel works." "It's so quiet that nobody in the world knows about it...God has done it so quietly and so amazingly and most of our friends even don't know a thing about what is going on." Those close to them know very little about what they believe because as we have seen, they do not share their faith with others. The quiet way in which they claim the gospel works adds to the air of secrecy surrounding the group.
This 'worker', as is common practice by 'the workers', has referred to those who believe in them as 'honest souls'. Those who do not are considered 'dishonest'. Often added to this is 'those who do not believe in them are not willing for the 'truth'. Note that he also refers to himself and the other 'workers' as "His servants." Of course this refers to them as being the 'only true servants of God', something which must be acknowledged if one wants to join the group.
Although these people may leave this meeting feeling 'special' and believing that this is all 'amazing', they still would not be able to give a satisfactory answer to questions that people ask because this teaching carries no weight in light of Scripture. This is probably one of the reasons they are not able to answer the questions that people ask them about the group. Never once does it tell us in the Bible to keep the Gospel a secret. In fact we have noted the opposite is true e.g. the New Testament Christians "turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6) and Jesus's fame went everywhere (Matthew 4:24; 9:26,31; Mark 1:28; Luke 4:14,37; 5:15.). John the Baptist's name was also "spread abroad" (Mark 6:14). One does not light a candle and put in under a bushel (Matthew 5:15). It is no wonder they do not want people getting hold of their notes. Finding a diamond is likened to finding them. Jesus Christ, which is the central message of the Christian faith, is not even mentioned.
Click here to return.