"Drawing the Line"

It is reported that in the courtyard sand of the Alamo, Travis drew a line with his sword and ask the men who believed in the fight for freedom to step over it. These men very well knew that in so doing, they would probably pay with their lives. The cry for freedom was rung at the Alamo! "Remember the Alamo" was on the tongues of those who followed these brave men and victory was soon won.

Years ago, there was another line drawn. Men and women who desired a return to religious freedom under Christ determined that they would do what it took to just be free in Christ. Their plea was to RESTORE the ANCIENT ORDER. They cried for a return to Christianity that was given in the first century. The abuses of man had caused much division and innovations had been accepted as gospel. The plea was to return to a "Thus saith the Lord." These people were jeered and
laughed at. Some received physical as well as verbal abuse. But they held the line. They would not give up. The line was drawn. The ancient gospel was once again preached. People by the thousands began to obey the old Jerusalem Gospel. They cried: "We will speak where the Bible speaks; we will be silent where the Bible is silent." They realized that in order to be CHRISTIANS ONLY, they had to follow the BIBLE ONLY.

Today we bask in the results of their dedication. They held the line and CHURCHES OF CHRIST were established all over the world. This was not a new man-made body, but the restoration of the ORIGINAL SPIRITUAL BODY OF CHRIST. They had no man-made creeds. There were no articles of faith...these people simply followed what was written in the NEW TESTAMENT. They cried: "THE BIBLE ONLY, MAKES CHRISTIANS ONLY."

Today, even among those in the churches of Christ, we hear: "We need to change with the times." But this is what got the religious world into
division to start with. Those who hold the line will stand on the BIBLE
ONLY. Others have even gone so far as to drop the name CHURCH OF CHRIST saying in effect: "It will offend someone." Where did we ever get the idea that we were to please self? God is the one we should please. He tells us "not to add, nor take away from His word" - Revelation 22:18, 19. Those who hold the line will do no less. God drew the line when He gave us these verses: "Thus saith the Lord, Stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls"-Jeremiah 6:16.
Jesus, our Lord, said: "Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven"-Matthew 7:21.

And, what about that line drawn in Proverbs 14:12? "There is a way that seems right to a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death." By the way, the Holy Spirit thought that passage so important that He repeated it verbatim in Proverbs 16:25!

Enough said! Hold that line!

- Dan Carter