The First Day Of The Week
By H. E. Phillips

  The first day of the week, known to us as Sunday, has a significant place in the religion of the New Testament. Two things are to be done on the first Day of the week that cannot be done on any other day of the week: Eating and drinking the Lord’s Supper and the contribution of our prosperity to the work of the gospel (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1,2).

   Now since Christians are commanded to eat and drink at the table of the Lord, and they were authorized to eat and drink in the assembly, there must be some time for observing this supper of the Lord because Christians were to “to come together to break bread” (Acts 20:7) and “when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another” (1 Cor. 11:33). We look for the day of the week when the disciples in New Testament days assembled to observe the Lord’s supper. Acts 20:7 says, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to bread...” For the first few centuries Christians assembled upon the first day of the week to eat and drink at the Lord’s table in remembrance of his suffering and death as he ordained for them to do. Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-35).

   Also upon the first day of the week the disciples gave of their prosperity to the Lord. “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come” (1 Cor. 16:2). This authorizes saints to give on the first day of the week. The only reason we give to the work of the church on the first day only is that no other day is authorized for that purpose. It is the same with the Lord’s Supper. We eat and drink at the Lord’s table on the first day of the week because that is when he authorized saints to do it. No other day is authorized in scripture.

   Justin Martyr who lived in the early second century said, “But Sunday is the day on which we hold our common assembly, because it is the first day. . . and Jesus our Saviour, on the same day arose from the dead” (First Apology, Vol. 2, page 116).

Who Can Stop The Gospel?
By H. E. Phillips

  When things begin to happen in the church that appear to be hindering the preaching of the gospel, or at least some think the gospel is hindered, shall we conclude that the gospel is destroyed and the church is defeated? Of course not. No one can defeat the work of God. However, Paul did speak of some who “hold the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18). This means that the unrighteous conduct of some keeps the truth from the hearts and lives of those who are influenced by them. It does not mean that the truth fails among those who are not led by the sins of some Christians.

   The pure gospel, untainted by the traditions and doctrines of men, must be proclaimed freely, fully and forcefully. Some would try to hinder the truth by suggesting that it should not be freely and uncompromisingly reported. They say, “Remember, you can catch more flies with sugar than with vinegar.” Well, it just so happens that we are not fly hunting, but if we were, I think a fly swatter will do a better job than sugar. We are trying to help people escape hell, and that is not a matter to be taken lightly. We must preach the truth in love and kindness, but freely, fully; in its entirety, forcefully: with meaning and emphasis.

   There are two extremes that do equal damage to the effects of preaching truth today. The first is, as we have just mentioned, a soft and weak approach to the truth, which puts more social emphasis than spiritual teaching in the preaching. This does not convert people to Christ. The second is the harsh, loveless, cynical, abusive preaching that does more personal denunciation of character than condemnation of sinful practices. There is a difference in attacking sin and in attacking persons who are in the sin. Jesus loved us “while we were yet sinners,” but he condemned sin among all men. The right kind of preaching condemns sin in all people without compromise, but longs to lead the sinner to salvation. Let us love the lost souls of men and women, but let us hate sin in all forms and in every place.