Deu 19:14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
Hundreds of years after Moses gave this commandment, Solomon reiterated it twice. The issue of landmarks became more prevalent as unscrupulous men demanded more land. However, it was critical to keep the inheritance intact as they were previously measured. The marker established the property line and its value. Even more critical was the assumption that every generation after the first, knew their inheritance and the boundaries of their homes.
In regards to the Doctrine, Jude wrote: Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
The Faith for which we are to contend for was established long ago. Inward and outward holiness was never an option for the first church. The infilling of the Holy Ghost, evidenced with speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance, was part of the original Gospel. Jesus said that we would be baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire. Water Baptism in Jesus’ name, which Acts 4:12 declares as the only way to be saved, was and is the only mode and method of scriptural baptism.
This is the “faith once delivered.” Not only are we to honor these settled landmarks, we are also encouraged to honor those who have given them to us. Our senior saints have kept the Faith. They have invested their lives in delivering the Doctrine of Jesus Christ to this generation. They have given of their time, money, prayer, and sacrifice.
When a body of believers, a church, fails in honoring those who deserve such honor, they in turn disobey the Scripture and set in motion the devaluing of the biblical tenets upon which the body is established. Our future revival is tied to our past sacrifice. They that sow in tears shall come again reaping in joy. Thus, our vision is founded in the faithfulness and commitment of those who came before us. In light of these truths, we must not move the landmarks. They guide us, direct us, tell us when we are off course, and lead us back to God’s Word. We must let the landmarks stand!
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole