Greetings,

This is another article that I thought was really good. I hope you all think 
so too.

                                                  In Christ, Steve Preston

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<> My Source: THE GOSPEL REMINDER, 8/13/2000
<>
<>
<> Author: Marvin Rickett
<>
<> File Under: Christian Living
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SHOULD WE BE CONSERVATIVES?
by Marvin Rickett

We should be Christians, without any kind of label or hyphen on the name. 
One is either a Christian or not a Christian. If he is a Christian he is 
either a faithful Christian (Mt 24:45; 25:21; 1 Cor 4:2; Rev 2:10), or an
unfaithful Christian. We do not read in the Bible of various "kinds" of 
Christians. Yet, it is relevant to ask, "Should a Christian be 
conservative?"
     The term conservative needs defining. Conserve means "to keep, to 
preserve"; "to keep from being damaged, lost, or wasted" (WEBSTER'S NEW 
WORLD DICTIONARY). A Christian who is conservative is committed to
conserving the principles of New Testament Christianity. If there is a 
departure from these principles, the conservative will seek to return to 
them and restore the original pattern of the New Testament faith.  To 
conserve New Testament Christianity, we speak where the Bible speaks and 
remain silent where the Bible is silent. Where the Lord put a period, we 
stop, and do not go beyond that which is written. We do not take liberties 
with God's Word, run beyond that which He has authorized, and add some new 
thing. We will not make laws where God didn't make a law and bind them upon 
men to protect them from "going too far." This is not being conservative. 
Neither will we release men from the Laws God has made. We desire to be just 
as broad as the Bible is, but not a bit broader. We, likewise, desire to be 
just as narrow as the Bible is, but not a bit narrower. The Bible is right!
          We intend to conserve the church which Jesus built, and no other 
(Mt 16:18). He built only one church and He has no denominations. His church 
contains the saved because that's where He places the saved. It is fully 
described in the New Testament as to its name, organization, origin, and 
nature.
          We intend to conserve the Lord's plan of salvation. The Lord 
revealed only one plan. On the basis of His Divine grace, He promised to 
save those who hear His gospel, believe on Jesus Christ, repent of their 
sins, confess their faith, and are baptized into Christ for the remission of 
their sins.  We intend to conserve the Lord's original plan of worship as 
shown in the New Testament. He has never expressed approval of any 
subsequent plans. In the New Testament times, the church met the first day 
of each week to worship God in the Lord's supper and giving. They also 
worshipped with singing, prayers, and preaching. We are assured that this 
was acceptable to the Lord.
          The question to be answered is, Does the Lord approve of and 
accept the "conservative" way? What are the Scripture evidences that this is 
the way the Lord intended? First, all that was needed for man's salvation 
and eternal life was delivered in the first century, and is contained in the 
New Testament. They were given all things that pertain unto life and 
godliness (2 Pet 1:3). The faith was once-for-all delivered (Jude 3, ASV). 
To take liberties and add anything later was to "damage, lose, or waste" the 
complete and perfect plan of God.  Second, inspired writers of the New 
Testament urged Christians to hold fast what they had (2 Tim 1:13), to keep 
the ordinances that had been
delivered (1 Cor 11:2), to defend the gospel that they had already received 
(Phil 1:17), and to pass on to others the same things they had heard (2 Tim 
2:2). They were being urged to conserve the faith which they had received in 
that time. People have not changed but require the same gospel in our time. 
Third, the Bible warns against anyone tampering with the plan of God 
delivered to man in the first century. No man is to add to or take away from 
it (Rev 22:18-19), nor is he to go beyond that which is written (1 Cor 4:6, 
ASV), and he must not preach another gospel (Gal 1:8-9). Thus, the Bible 
makes it clear that the Lord wants His disciples to conserve the principles 
of Christianity that He revealed in the New Testament in the first century. 
In this sense, every Christian ought to
be conservative.



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