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BULLETIN THREE

1

THE AUSTRALIAN PRESBYTERIAN BIBLE CHURCH, Christ without Compromise and

the Bible without Qualification, delights to emphasise a recent movement which it is hoped may later pass the General Assembly of the  Presbyterian Church of Australia.

On Sunday, June 5, this small body of zest for the Bible and the  Lord Jesus Christ as there depicted, had in its Service Sheet, with great pleasure, the following. It was one of the few major steps readily to be noted,  and well publicised, in the  direction of bible based defiance of State swallowing up of religion, in recent times on the part of a large denomination. As such it reminded of some of the past zeal, before the great fall of 1935-1974 which occurred in the PCA, which led on to further sorrows.
 

Nevertheless, when such things are found, it reminds of some of the greater times in the past.

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Below is the point made in the APBC Service Sheet.

News

It is great to hear in The Australian newspaper, that a Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Australia is recommending that if the State changes its ideas about marriage, then the united front on this topic which has long been the case between State and Church, will cease. There had been a joint action since they formerly agreed on its nature, but with this disagreement, this would no longer be fitting.

If that happens, then the Church is recommended, by its Committee,  to perform its own marriage services without relationship to the State, and to recognise those marriages which it alone solemnised, as valid. If the State does not recognise them, the agreement no longer being in place, then those concerned could if they so desired, have the matter confirmed by the State, for its purposes such as pension and so on.

From the State's viewpoint, then, those married in the Church alone, would be unwed. After all, while Christians are in I Peter encouraged to be obedient to law (that does not violate the commandments of God), they are not permitted to bow to what contradicts the holiness of God, His word and their sacred duty. A spokesman for the PC of Australia noted that if this is to be the new way in marriage, determined as the State wishes, it will not be long before freedom of speech and then freedom to choose religion will follow as the State takes over these also.

In fact, as seen in Revelation 17 and 19, II Thessalonians 2 and Matthew 24, State power and religion is indeed certified in the prophecies, to attempt a take-over which only Jesus Christ will overcome in power, at His return. In this refining test for Christians, it is important to stay with the Bible in its commands, remembering that pursuing the biblical teaching is part of the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20. It is by no means ONLY to preach the Gospel and reach mankind, but to TEACH ALL,  said Christ Jesus, "all that I have commanded. " It is not only to give the Gospel entrance to the eternal life of God, but equally in scope, the teaching of His word and will that goes with it. It is lapse of a profound kind from that which has led so many denominations so far away so fast. Please read also Psalm 119:1-20.

Other items are planned for note in this Bulletin, in the coming days.