BACK TO THE BIBLE
by LAHRY SIBLEY
I have been a student of the Bible for almost 50 years. That's not of much value, except that I have been led by the HOLY SPIRIT in my labors, when I paid a mind to HIM, and not to other men. So I say that, to say this:
The TRUE BODY OF THE MESSIAH, has NEVER needed a REFORMATION. The congregation of believers we read about in Luke's expose' we call The Book of Acts of the Apostles is fully explicit of what our MESSIAH ordained, not man. And any "controversy", is settled there, and further established in the writings of Paul, Peter, James, John, and Jude. There is nothing that needs to be added to it, or taken from it.
Few folks back then had access to the Old Testament Scrolls and the new writings of what is not called the New Testament. So the Gospel message began to be spread by word of mouth. And we all know what happens, when fact is spread by "WORD OF MOUTH". Though well intended, no doubt, error was introduced as man began to set up "covenants" and "statements of faith", based on personal opinon and hear say, in order to attempt to bring uniformity to "convert" faith. Thus leaven is introduced and "branches" begin to bud, and that has continued down through the Centuries, to the present day. Most called this effect "denominations", or DIVISIONS.
By the 16th century, this cauldron of error was embodied in what is commonly called The Roman Catholic Church. Most of us are aware of how unbiblical this giant of AUTHORITY had become, along with it's world wide corruption rooted in PRIDE and GREED.
So in the 16th century, Luther, Calvin, Whitefield, and others begin to write their views of scripture. By this time the printing press had been grinding it's gears cranking out Bibles in native tongues. Men were reading them, and comparing it's teaching, to what their "present day" "CHURCH" looked like, ie, the Catholic Church.
Yes, somebody needed to stand up for TRUTH and many did. Many were brutally tortured and put to death, for their efforts, trying to "reform" the Catholic Church. At this time, apostasy was in full bloom, and man controlled "faith" rather than the HOLY SPIRIT among most who were immersed as a personal testimony of FAITH. But faith in what?
I am of the conclusion, that there has always been a REMNANT of "saints" outside of the Catholic domain, with its protesting reformers. I say it that way, because if you take gross error and try to reform it, you can only produce more error. So, as I understand it, Catholic and Protestant (reformers) religions are as worthless as any form of paganism known to man. WORTHLESS. DANGEROUS.
The Body of the MESSIAH exists by the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT. It's foundation is the Sacred Scriptures. And all errors of faith must be CORRECTED and RESTORED according to the teachings of what we call "the Bible". Nothing more. Nothing less. Every time man steps in as an authority, another branch of error is given birth, and the HOLY SPIRIT IS QUENCHED! Take the spirit from the body, and the BODY DIES.
And so you may rightfully ask, "what are you, Bro Lahry"? I would answer, I AM REDEEMED by the BLOOD of the LAMB! GLORY!!!!