Paying a High Price For a Foul Mouth

By John C. Robertson

While most of the book of Leviticus relates the law of God given to Moses on Sinai, there is an incident of history that takes place wherein is a valuable lesson. There was a son of an Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian that “strove” (Lev. 24:10) with an Israelite man. During this striving, “the son of the Israelitish woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him unto Moses” (Lev. 24:11). Moses, being judge of the people (Exod. 18:13), conferred with God on the matter. The Lord’s judgment is recorded in Leviticus 24:14: “Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.” This man paid a high price for his foul mouth, he lost his life.

There are two valuable lessons to be learned from the son of an Israelitish woman: 1. The incident is an illustration of God’s view towards a foul mouth. The Lord hates a foul mouth. In Proverbs 8:13 Solomon records “The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.”  If God hates the sin of using foul language so should the Christian.
  
An area of danger that exists among brethren today that seems to be avoided is the subject of our sanctification. The Christian is one who has separated himself from the cares of this world; however, with many brethren this is hardly noticed. Christians today like to dress like the world, talk like the world, and be entertained by the world. Teenagers are participating in revelry, attending concerts, going to see “R” rated movies all under the guise of “I don’t let it affect me.” God’s people today need to be reminded of Isaiah’s pronouncement of woe in 5:20: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter . . .” The Lord’s people are a people called to be separate from the world (2 Cor. 6:17). Christians are to have their senses exercised to discern good and evil (Heb. 5:14). Parents, teenagers, and children ought to be offended upon hearing such foul language instead of saying “it doesn’t affect me.” 

2. The second lesson we learn from the son of the Israelitish woman of Leviticus 24 is that we should detest a foul mouth. When we understand God’s view of cursing and sin, we too shall detest it rather than be entertained by it (Deut. 7:26). I underlined the phrase “let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head” (Lev. 24:14) in my Bible. On the day of atonement the priest would lay their hands on the “scapegoat” thereby symbolically transferring the sins of the people to the innocent animal. The laying on of the hands in this passage is in like manner significant. “The hearers or witnesses were to throw off from themselves the blasphemy which they had heard, and return it upon the head of the blasphemer, for him to expiate” (Keil and Delitzsch, 623). Does that not tell us how careful we ought to be as to what we allow into our ears? 

Entertainment is not wrong; however, it can be fatal to us if we chose worldly entertainment. If I choose to let filth enter into my mind, I have sinned. I have lost my sanctification. David said, “I will set no base thing before mine eyes” (Ps. 101:3). Why is it that Christians not only set base things before their eyes but they too have “no problem” with the foul mouths that exist today? Brethren, it ought to cause us great indignation when we hear the name of our Lord cursed. It ought to anger us (Eph. 4:26). 

A fatal mistake was made by the son of the Israelitish woman in the book of Leviticus. A high price was paid for his foul mouth. He lost his life. Shall we loose our souls over a desire to be entertained by the filthy language being used today in movies and stand up comedians? Is entertainment that important? I hope not. May we ever learn to hate sin as God hates sin and therein we shall find a peace that far surpasses any entertainment that can be experienced on this earth.

3816 Vegas Dr., Las Vegas, Nevada 89108 jcrobertson1@juno.com

Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 8 p8  April 20, 2000

You’re Not An Apostle (4)

By Mike Willis

In this final article, we intend to look at the work of Paul in providing us examples for how one should conduct himself in his treatment of false teachers and in regard to church autonomy. We are doing so in order that we can follow “apostolic example” in dealing with error today. Some brethren wish to undermine the binding force of apostolic example by limiting certain conduct in addressing false teachers and false teaching to the apostles and by denying that uninspired men have the right to so address such matters.

Paul’s Conduct in Dealing With False Teachers

1. Elymas. One of the earliest works that Paul did in the first missionary journey was his opposition to Elymas who was trying to prevent Sergius Paulus from obeying the gospel. The Scriptures record Paul’s words,

Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand (Acts 13:9-11).

We have previously identified that God gave to the apostles the ability to work miracles, which cannot be duplicated today. Having acknowledged that, we still consider Paul’s method in addressing this false teacher. Is the only way that one may know that one is perverting the rights ways of the Lord, a child of the Devil, and an enemy of all righteousness through inspiration? Of course not! Jesus instructed men to identify false teachers by their fruits (Matt. 7:16). Can we follow an apostolic example in addressing false teachers? If exposing false teachers as Paul did is sinful, one must ask, “Was Paul allowed to sin because he was an apostle?”

2. The controversy over circumcision and keeping the Law of Moses (Acts 15; Gal. 2). Paul participated in the conflict that arose in the church over whether or not Gentiles had to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved. The issue was forced by some from Jerusalem who came to Antioch insisting that Gentiles had to be circumcised, to whom Paul refused to yield because a principle of the gospel was at stake (Gal. 2:4-5). Paul contended with these men (Acts 15:2). However, the writer never condemned the Judaizers from Jerusalem for violating local church autonomy. (Some today would lead one to believe that any brother who engaged in such contention was less than he ought to be as a gospel preacher.) The brethren debated the issue and God revealed his will to men  through command, example and necessary inference.

Were Paul and the other apostles the only ones allowed to contend with such men? Is one guilty of sin when he does what Paul did? Did his being an apostle give him the right to sin? 

3.Controversy at Corinth. The conflict at Corinth forced Paul to engage in spiritual “war” with his enemies, although he refused to resort to the use of carnal weapons (2 Cor. 3:3-4). The charges and counter charges are evident in these words:

That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise (2 Cor. 10:9-12).

He described his opponents in no uncertain terms:

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works (2 Cor. 11:13-15).

Is Paul the only one allowed to make such assessments? Are we today not allowed to characterize the pope of Rome as a “false apostle”? If it is sinful to so label the pope, did Paul’s being an apostle justify his “sin” in doing the same thing?

4. The Judaizers at Galatia. Paul marveled that the Judaizers had such a rapid impact on the churches in the area in turning men away from the grace of God to a system of legal salvation (Gal. 1:6-10). He charged that these men had “bewitched” the churches (Gal. 3:1) and he called upon the churches to break fellowship with these Judaizers (Gal. 4:21-5:12). He said these harsh words about the Judaizers who tried to impose circumcision on the Gentiles, “I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves!” (Gal. 5:12). Were a gospel preacher to say something similar to that today, his own brethren would condemn him. Can we do what the apostles did? Can we follow the apostles’ example? Can we call upon churches to break fellowship with teachers of false doctrine in imitation of the apostle Paul?

5. The Judaizers at Philippi. Paul warned the brethren, “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision” (Phil. 3:2). He furthermore described these brethren saying, “(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)” (Phil. 3:18-19). Every false doctrine condemns the truth which saves our soul and thus false teachers are enemies of the cross of Christ. For this reason we can and must expose and refute every false doctrine and identify and reprove those who teach such things.

 One should also notice that “concision” (Phil. 3:2) and the “circumcision” (Tit. 1:10) are used as labels very similarly to how the terms “liberal,” “modernist,” “pre-  millennialist,” “unity-in-diversity advocates,” “A.D. 70 advocates,” and “one covenant brethren” are used today. Some today accuse others of sin when they use the label “liberal” to describe a brother. Yet, Paul used the “label” “concision” to describe those at Philippi. Was he permitted to “sin” because he was an apostle? The answer seems obvious: Brethren have bound some personal judgments on others as if they were “law and gospel.”

6. The Gnostics at Colossae. Paul warned the brethren, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Col. 2:8). He described their apostasy (Col. 2:18-23), showing how their false doctrine was an indictment of the all-sufficiency of Christ for salvation.

7. The Threat at Thessalonica. In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul warned brethren of a “falling away” that had the potential of leading them also into apostasy. He described the nature and work of the “man of sin” (2:4) and foretold his destruction at the Lord’s second coming. He also warned that those brethren who did not have the love of the truth were threatened by these false teachers (2:10-12). 

8. Paul’s Instructions to Timothy. In the two books addressed to Timothy, Paul exhorted the young preacher to do the work of an evangelist (2 Tim. 4:5). Doing that work included teaching men not to turn aside to other doctrines (1 Tim. 1:3). Paul specifically identified Alexander and Hymenaeus as two who had made shipwreck of the faith and had to be delivered to Satan (1 Tim. 1:19-20). He warned Timothy of a coming apostasy that would include in its doctrines forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats (1 Tim. 4:1-3). Was he warning Timothy about “trends of a new apostasy”? He admonished Timothy not to turn aside to “oppositions of science falsely so called” and other profane and vain babblings (1 Tim. 6:20). He told Timothy that Phygellus and Hermogenes had turned away from him (2 Tim. 1:15). He told him that Hymenaeus and Philetus had erred from the truth teaching that the resurrection had already passed (2 Tim. 2:17-18). He described the conduct of wicked men who would come in the perilous times that lay ahead for the brethren (2 Tim. 3:1-9) and instructed him to turn away from such men (2 Tim. 3:5). He told him of the apostasy of Demas (2 Tim. 4:10), the damage that Alexander the coppersmith did to him (2 Tim. 4:14), and other threats to the faith.

9. Paul’s Instructions to Titus. Paul told Titus to teach elders to stop the mouths of false teachers (1:10-11) and told him to rebuke such men sharply (1:13) so that men may be sound in the faith. He told him to avoid foolish questions that engender strife and contention. He instructed, “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him” (Tit. 3:10, NIV).

From this study of Paul’s conduct toward false teachers, we derive these conclusions: (a) The gospel preacher has the moral responsibility to resist false doctrine. Preaching a “positive” message does not sufficiently address the false doctrines and false teachers that come among us. (b) The false doctrines of men need to be addressed specifically and directly. (c) On some occasions, the false teachers need to be directly confronted, exposed by name, and their false doctrines challenged. Human judgment must be used as to when this should be done, but one can certainly see that one is not guilty of sin for following an apostle’s example in so resisting false teachers and false teaching.

Paul’s Conduct With Reference to Local Church Autonomy

This material is presented to help correct mistaken ideas about church autonomy. Unless one takes the position that the first century church was a brotherhood of churches over which the apostles served as officers, one may be forced to re-think some modern concepts about local church autonomy currently circulating among us, such as that the autonomy of the local church is violated by sharing information (like Chloe did at Corinth, 1 Cor. 1:11), by a preacher sending teaching to a church of which he is not a member (as Paul did to Corinth, not only in his canonical letters, but also in his non-canonical letters, see 1 Cor. 5:9), by addressing in public teaching dangerous problems that are confronting local churches, etc. We do not believe that the apostles had a divine right to commit sin — that is, to violate church autonomy. We do not believe that they were officers in a brotherhood of churches. Consequently, what the first century saints did with divine approval can be done today with divine approval. Let’s consider some of Paul’s actions.

  1. Working With the Churches at Lystra, Iconium, etc. The text says, “And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed” (Acts 14:21-23). Were I to visit the churches where I have previously preached and offer to help them to appoint elders in every congregation, I would firmly and politely be told to mind my own business and move on because that congregation is an autonomous church. Did Paul violate the autonomy of these churches?
  2. The Church at Corinth. Years after Paul labored at Corinth, he received word through the household of Chloe of several problems in the church at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:11). Did Chloe sin by so communicating this information to Paul? Did Paul sin by involving himself in the work of a local church of which he was not a member in addressing their problems? The Scriptures do not condemn either Chloe or Paul! Paul addressed the church at Corinth, giving them specific information about how to address the problem of divisions at Corinth (1 Cor. 1-4), the fornicator who was living with his father’s wife (1 Cor. 5), the problem of brethren going to law with one another (1 Cor. 6:1-8), problems about divorce and remarriage (1 Cor. 7), problems related to eating meats and attending banquets in idols’ temples (1 Cor. 8-10), the Lord’s supper (1 Cor. 11:16-34), spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12-14), the problem of some among them who denied the resurrection (1 Cor. 15), etc. He expressed his intentions to come to them to address these problems and told them that their conduct would determine whether he came with a rod or with love (1 Cor. 4:21). Were a gospel preacher to send teaching instructions to a church of which he is not a member today, citing for them what the Bible teaches on any subject, he may be subjected to severe criticism for injecting himself into problems that were not his own and violating the autonomy of the local church!
  3. The Churches of Galatia. Paul addressed the churches of an entire Roman province when he addressed the several churches of Galatia. (Were one to do the same today, some would charge him with believing in a brotherhood of churches, an association that was unscriptural.) He lamented the influence of the false teachers in the region and then instructed the churches that they should remove the leaven of their influence from their midst (4:21-5:12). Were one to do the same today, some would say that he was violating the autonomy of the local church.
  4. The Church at Philippi. Paul instructed the church to help Euodias and Syntyche, two women in conflict with each other, come to the same mind (4:2-3). Was he intruding into the matters pertaining to the local church when he so wrote? Could a brother do the same thing as Paul did today?
  5. The Church at Colossae. Paul instructed that church to read his letter to the church, cause it to be read at Laodi  cea, and to read his letter to the church at Laodicea to the brethren at Colossae (4:16). Was he intruding into their autonomy when he so wrote?
  6. The Church at Thessalonica. When Paul warned the church at Thessalonica about a coming apostasy, was he violating their autonomy (2 Thess. 2:1-12)? Did he violate their autonomy when he commanded them to withdraw from the disorderly (2 Thess. 3:6)?
  7. Timothy. Paul sent the evangelist Timothy to Ephesus with this charge: “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do” (1 Tim. 1:3-4). What impact would a gospel preacher sending another gospel preacher to a given congregation with such specific instructions have on brethren today? Would we send him away telling him to mind his own business and respect the autonomy of the local church, or if we know him to be a faithful brother, would we be willing to give a fair hearing to what he had to say?
  8. Titus. Paul wrote, “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee” (Tit. 1:5). Would one gospel preacher send another gospel preacher to a given church with specific instructions to help them ordain elders in that local church? If so, how would it be received?

Were the apostles authorized to sin — to violate the autonomy of local churches? Or have we become so sensitive about the autonomy of local churches that we condemn men who do much less than what the New Testament gives examples of the apostles doing? Some among us condemn men for violating the autonomy of local churches when (a) they warn churches about apostasies that are developing (2 Thess. 2; 1 Tim. 4); (b) have communication with members of a church about problems in that church (1 Cor. 1:11), (c) preach about false teaching, specifically mentioning the false teachers who are threatening churches (1 Tim. 1:18-20; 2 Tim. 2:17), (d) suggest Bible solutions to problems and how to handle false teaching/false teachers (1 Cor. 5; Gal. 4:21-5:12). Indeed, brethren do have mistaken ideas about the autonomy of the local church when they become so righteous that they condemn as sinful that which is authorized by apostolic example!

“You’re not an apostle,” is being used to undermine the legitimate work of gospel preachers who are addressing congregational problems today. The Lord himself charged men to preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). There is not a man living who has the right to limit or countermand the Lord’s charge by appealing to some mistaken concept of the autonomy of the local church. 

The charge to preach the gospel still protects the autonomy of the local church, just as it did in Paul’s day. When Paul instructed the church, yes, even commanded the church, to withdraw from the Corinthian fornicator, that congregation still exercised its autonomy in deciding whether or not to obey that divinely revealed commandment. When preachers preach on subjects of relevance for churches facing problems today, the autonomy of the local church is not violated. Those saints still have their autonomous power to decide whether or not to obey the Lord’s commandments. A person’s and a church’s autonomy is not violated by preaching to them.

Conclusion

Jesus spoke of the Pharisees who honored the prophets but were guilty of the very sins that led to the death of the prophets (Matt. 23:34). There are those among us who honor the apostles, but whose attitudes toward those who walk in the footsteps of the apostles is such that their conduct confirms that they would dishonor those very same men were they among us today.

Let others do what they will, but I do not intend to let someone’s misunderstanding of the apostleship stop me from obeying the Lord’s command to preach the gospel to every creature. I will preach what I perceive to be God’s Word to any and every individual whom I have opportunity to teach, without regard to which local church he may be a member of. If that violates someone’s mistaken concept of the autonomy of the local church, so be it. I am under a greater charge, that of the Savior himself who said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

6567 Kings Ct., Avon, Indiana 46123 mikewillis1@compuserve.com

Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 8 p2  April 20, 2000

The Contrast Between the Old and the New

By Wayne S. Walker

In four previous articles, we have been discussing a rather new theory, at least new to me, that the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John actually belong in the Old Testament, and that most, if not all, that Jesus said which is recorded in those books was really just an explanation of the law of Moses by Jesus to the Jews so that it has no application to us under the New Testament. “Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him’” (Mark 1:27). When the people of Jesus’ day listened to him teach and saw his miracles, did they get the impression that he was merely calling them back to the Old Testament law? Evidently not, because they talked about the “new doctrine” which they perceived to be the outcome of what Jesus was saying and doing — not something old, but something new!
   
This raises the question as to whether Jesus ever made any contrast between his teaching and the teaching of the Old Testament. If he did, then obviously, his mission during his earthly ministry was not only to call the Jews back to the Old Testament law. In fact, one of the first responses on my part when I heard of this theory was, “What about all the places where Jesus quoted the Old Testament then said, ‘But I say to you . . .’”? In answer to this, the proponents of this theory claim that Jesus never compared the Old Testament law of Moses to New Testament doctrine. Rather, they say, he simply was correcting the misunderstandings about God’s original intentions of the law that had developed over the years among the Jews because of their traditions. Thus, we must ask if this is true, or in the teaching of Jesus while he was on earth can we see a contrast between the old and the new?

First, we must come back to what Jesus’ purpose was as noticed in a previous article. Yes, there were times when Jesus did remind the Jews about the original intentions of the law of Moses, in contrast to their traditions (cf. Matt. 15:3-6). However, we must remember that the focus of Jesus’ preaching was on the gospel of salvation (Matt. 4:17, 23). So the primary purpose of Jesus’ teaching was to point forward to the coming kingdom, not back to the law of Moses.

Second, we find that Jesus contrasted the very basis of citizenship in his kingdom with the Old Testament law. Speaking to his disciples (Matt. 5:1), he said, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20). The individual righteousness of Jesus’ followers must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. The word “exceed” means “to be over and above.” The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees rested on the Old Testament law of Moses (Matt. 23:1-3; Acts 22:3; 26:5; Phil. 3:4-9). Hence, Jesus was here doing more than just encouraging the righteousness which is according to the Old Testament law. He is talking about something which is above and beyond what the Old Testament law taught.

Third, we note that the Sermon on the Mount contains contrasts between Old Testament teaching and Jesus’ teaching. His phrase, “You have heard that it was said” frequently introduces exact Old Testament quotations against which Jesus contrasts his own teaching. Consider two examples. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery’” (Matt. 5:27). This is a direct quote from Exodus 20:14. However, Jesus taught something else. “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:28). The Old Testament law says nothing specific about lusting after a woman in one’s heart being equal to committing adultery.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’” (Matt. 5:38). This matches exactly with Exodus 21:24. Yet Jesus taught something different. “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” The law of Moses never teaches this. It is true that sometimes Jesus did correct misunderstandings that had developed under the law. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’” (Matt. 5:43). The law nowhere taught people to hate their enemy. But even in this, Jesus’ response was not to say, “But the real meaning of the law is . . .” Instead, he still responded to it by saying, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). Try to find that in the Old Testament law! In all these passages of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was teaching something besides just what the Old Testament law taught.
Fourth, we see that Jesus’ teaching on marriage and   divorce is also plainly contrasted with what Moses allowed. In Matthew 19, the Pharisees asked Jesus a question about divorce. “The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?’” (v. 3). Jesus reminded them of God’s original intent stated at the beginning. “And He answered and said to them, ‘Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (vs. 4-6). The Lord here refers to Genesis 2:24, and even though this statement is found recorded in the Old Testament law, thus applicable to the Jews of that time, Jesus makes it clear that God intended it to be for all mankind for all time and implies that it would be so under his covenant.

Then the Pharisees asked why Moses allowed divorce. “They said to Him, ‘Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?’” (v. 7). This apparently refers to Deuteronomy 24:1-4. There has been a lot of debate over what the passage in Deuteronomy means, but that is really not germane here. The important point to note is that Jesus did not answer their question by saying, “What the law really means in this . . .” No, he again answers, “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery” (v. 9). In fact, the phrase in the original can just as well be translated, “But I say to you . . .” showing that Jesus was saying, “Yes, I know what Moses said in the old law because of the hardness of your hearts, but this is what I, who have come to bring God’s new law, am saying about it.”

The conclusion that we can reach from examining this subject, and the subjects of the previous four articles, is that New Testament teaching is found in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, especially in the pronouncements of our Lord, whom God the Father sent to reveal his new covenant to mankind, and through whom he speaks to us today. As testator, Jesus could and did reveal portions of his New Testament before his death in preparation for the coming of his kingdom. The writers of Acts and the epistles consistently appeal to Jesus’ words and actions while on earth as authoritative New Testament doctrine and thus binding on Christians.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were all written by New Testament apostles and prophets of Christ after the cross for the benefit of New Testament Christians. John the Baptist’s ministry in preparation for the Messiah as recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, was not intended as a reiteration of Moses’ law but as the preface to the New Testament. And it is plain that even in his personal ministry Jesus contrasted his new covenant teaching with Moses’ law because it was different. Yes, Jesus nailed the Old Testament to the cross when he died there. But no man should be allowed to nail Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to the cross too, because no man has the right to take books that were not even written at that time and tack them to the cross as well. They are part of Christ’s new covenant.

(Author’s note: I want to express my sincere thanks to brothers Wendell Wiser and Steve Klein, both of Athens, Alabama, for many of the concepts and several of the illustrations used in these articles. Their study and teaching on this topic have been of great help to me in preparing these articles.)

310 Haynes St., Dayton, Ohio 45410

Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 8 p6  April 20, 2000

“What Shall We Say Then?”

By Glendol McClure

Recently, a preacher who was invited to hold a gospel meeting was asked by the preacher of the congregation inviting him what he thought about having the meeting in a neutral place and not mentioning the name of the church due to prejudice on the part of denominational people. Is such a method boldly preaching the gospel of Christ to a lost and dying world as Jesus and his apostles did? Consider this:

“What shall we say then?” If a Jew is in the audience; shall we avoid preaching “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” because of the prejudice of Jews (1 Cor. 2:2)? “God forbid” — Mark 8:38; Romans 1:16; 9:33; 2 Timothy 1:12.

“What shall we say then?” If a Muslim is in the audience, shall we avoid teaching the Deity of Christ because of the prejudice of Muslims? “God forbid” — Matthew 10:32, 33; Acts 8:37; Romans 10:17; 1 John 4:2, 3, 15; 5:1.
    
“What shall we say then?” If members of denominations are in the audience, shall we expect the preacher to avoid preaching on the identity and purpose of the Lord’s church because the denominational world teaches, “one church is good as another,” or for fear of “embarrassing our visitors” or being accused of “blasting denominations”? “God forbid” — Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 2:21, 22; 4:1-16; 5:22-33.

“What shall we say then?” If we have evolutionists or atheists in the audience, shall we avoid teaching that God exists and that he is the creator of all things, because of the prejudice of evolutionists and atheist? “God forbid” — Genesis 1-2; Psalms 8:3, 4; 40:5; 74:17; 95:5; 100:3; 104:24, 30; Isaiah 40:28; 43:7; John 1:3; Acts 17:24-29; Romans 1:19, 20: Colossians 1:16. 

“What shall we say then?” If immoral people are in the audience, shall we avoid preaching “repentance for the remission of sins” because they may be prejudiced regarding certain moral issues such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, polygamy, abortion, drinking alcohol, stealing, etc.? “God forbid” — Matthew 5:32; 19:9; Romans 1:21-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; 7:1, 2; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:28; Colossians 3:1-10; 1 Peter 4:1-4.
 
“What shall we say then?” We must declare “ALL the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). We must “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2). If we seek to please men, we will not be the servants of Christ (Gal. 1:10). We must “speak the truth in love” and teach all things commanded by God for man to do (Eph. 4:15; Matt. 28:19, 20; John 14:15, 21; 15:10; 1 John 5:1-3; Rev. 22:14). Now, what will you say then?
                                 
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Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 8 p15  April 20, 2000