Perhaps I am unique in my observations, but it seems to me that there are some that use the name Primitive Baptist who say that they believe the same things that we believe, they gladly lay claim to the faith; but they "differ slightly" on the practice of the Old Church. They seem to justify their departures by suggesting that practice isn't a fundamental precept of the faith and doctrine. Does God's doctrine teach us that there are diversities of acceptable practices? There is a difference between doctrine and practice. There are plenty of God's children who are blessed by grace to believe the scriptures. Not everyone that only believes the scriptures are fit subjects to take the Lord's Supper in the Primitive Baptist Church. Is that an indictment of the Primitive Baptists? The Lord's Church is subject unto Christ. She is obedient to the faith, which dictates her practice. If you were to do away with the obedience to the faith how would we recognize the Lord's Church? What good is practice alone? Are there not plenty of children of God sitting in worldly denominations that practice immersion and conduct what they call the Lord's Supper, some even washing feet? Conducting practices doesn't make one a member of the Lord's Church. The gracious desire to be obedient to the faith is the prerequisite of every viable candidate for acceptance into the Lord's Church.

Again perhaps it is my unique observation but it seems that those that desire to deviate from the Old Church's practice are often the same that desire to hear more and more duty preaching. They seem either unwilling or unable to recognize that a child of God cannot do any duty unless God graciously blesses his children with a willing heart. Some seem preoccupied with hearing only how they ought to behave in the world while they neglect how they ought to behave in the house of God. When it comes to the weightier matters of judgment, mercy, and faith, some seem to think that God is responsible for those matters and his children need not work out what God has worked in them. Can we not agree on the necessity of grace to do anything in the service of God? Can we not rejoice in our insufficiency knowing that our sufficiency is of God? Shall we not earnestly content for the faith that was once delivered to the saints?

Brethren, it seems that contending for the faith is the hardest work that a Brother or Sister can do in this world. Let's pray to be found fighting the good fight of faith, laying hold on eternal life, whereunto we are called, having professed a good profession before many witnesses in our Lord's Church. Doesn't the battle continue without and within? I am persuaded that the battle doesn't get easier. Paul spoke of the same battles in his day when he exhorted Timothy to endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. He said that no man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. We know of many that have fought the good fight before us. None of them sought praise or honour. They thanked Him and praised Him by whom we can say our warfare is accomplished. We thank Him by whom our iniquity is pardoned and by whose hand we have received double for all our sins. Let us praise the holy name of Jesus our Lord and pray to be endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 11/11/2003 Elder Marty Hoogasian