Truth Magazine

By Wayne S. Walker

There are those who affirm that everything which Jesus taught during his personal ministry on earth, and for that matter nearly everything in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are merely explanations of the Old Testament law, thus pertaining only to the Jews and not applicable to us today. One of the main arguments made by these teachers is that nothing new could be introduced until after Jesus died on the cross and the New Testament was revealed on Pentecost. This would mean that Jesus could not make known any of the conditions of his will while alive, and also that John the Baptist, Jesus’ forerunner, could not have said anything relating to the new covenant that God was going to make.
 
In fact, it is claimed that both John and Jesus only prepared the Jews for the coming kingdom by simply calling them back to the original intent and purpose of the law of Moses. It is true that John and Jesus lived and died while the old covenant was still in force. But does this necessarily mean that all their teaching had to expound nothing but the Old Testament law? Or is it possible that some of their teaching might also point directly to the New Testament and its provisions for our salvation? “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light” (John 1:6-8). What was the mission of John the Baptist? Was it to bear witness of the old law or to bear witness of the Light of Christ? In other words, did John just come to remind people of the old or to prepare them for the new?

To begin, John’s coming signaled the beginning of “preaching the kingdom of God.” Old Testament prophets had prophesied about the kingdom of God, but Jesus said, “And the law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it” (Luke 16:16). This does not mean that the law actually ended or that the kingdom came with John. The point is that with the coming of John there is something different, something new, in stark contrast to the law and the prophets. This was more than just another prophecy of the kingdom like those of the Old Testament prophets. Of course, the gospel had been preached to Abraham in promise (Gal. 3:8). And the Old Testament prophets had prophesied of the gospel in the coming of Christ and his kingdom (1 Pet. 1:10-11). However, Jesus’ statement means that, up until John the Baptist, the law of Moses was preached, but after John came, the emphasis was no longer on the law of Moses. Rather, it was on the coming kingdom of God. Thus, the preaching of John, and of Jesus after him, was primarily the kingdom of God or the church of our Lord, not the old law.

Next, it was prophesied that John would be a preparatory messenger of the covenant. “‘Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Mal. 3:1). The “Messenger of the covenant” apparently refers to Christ, who came to establish the new covenant (Heb. 8:6-13). So again the question is raised, did Christ come just to teach the Old Testament law to the Jews, or to bring something different? And the point here is that John was to be the messenger to prepare the way before Christ. So here it is affirmed that John’s work had to do with the new covenant, not the old one. To accomplish this purpose, it was prophesied that John would come in the spirit and power of Elijah (Mal. 4:5-6). The Jews apparently were looking for Elijah to be literally raised from the dead as a sign of the Messiah’s coming. Some even today believe that Elijah or someone like him will arise to signal the second coming of Christ. However, the New Testament indicates that this prophecy found its fulfillment in John the Baptist (see Matt. 11:13-14; 17:10-13; Luke 1:17). John said that he was not Elijah (John 1:21). He was not literally Elijah raised from the dead. He was like Elijah in many ways, but he was not Elijah himself. Why is this important? Elijah was a prophet of the Old Testament, but John was a messenger of the Christ who would bring in the New Testament.

Then, John preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matt. 3:1-2). This is the same kingdom that had so long been prophesied in the Old Testament (cf. Dan. 2:44). However, John’s message was not just another Old Testament prediction, but a new message. It was now “at hand.” And this is the same kingdom that Jesus began to preach (Matt. 4:17). Again, He did not just say, “The kingdom is coming someday” as did the Old Testament prophets, but that it was “at hand.” The whole atmosphere at that time was that change was in the air, something new was afoot. Thus, the focus of John’s preaching was to prepare the people for what was coming, not to point them back to what had been. He was the prophet of transition.

Again, John’s practice of baptizing was certainly not old covenant law. “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:3). We do not read anything about baptism for the remission of sins in the Old Testament law to the Jews. Some try to make this equivalent to the various washings for uncleanness under the law, or to the priests’ bathing in the golden laver, but those were only ceremonial rites. John’s baptism was something else. It was “for the remission of sins.” And this baptism was a divine requirement. Jesus necessarily implied that it was from God (Matt. 21:25). The Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for them by not being baptized by John (Luke 7:28-30). What was the purpose of John’s baptism? Was it just to call the people back to the Old Testament law? The Old Testament prophets did that without teaching baptism. “And they asked of him, saying, ‘Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’ John answered them, saying, ‘I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to loose’” (John 1:25-27). John’s baptism was to help prepare people for the coming Messiah. Requiring people to be baptized to have their sins remitted was something new. We have to remember that under the old covenant, God could add new revelations by inspired prophets, and evidently he did so here by bringing something different to signal that a radical change was about to occur.

Finally, the specifics of John’s demands for repentance did not echo the old law. In Luke 3:8-14 he told the people that they must bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, and then said, when asked questions by specific groups of people, that this included giving to the poor, tax collectors being honest, and soldiers behaving fairly. Certainly, the Old Testament law taught the Jews to repent of their sins and to live right before God and man (cf. Ezek. 18:30, Mic. 6:8). It is true that God has certain moral principles which are rooted in his very nature and have always been part of his revelation to mankind in every covenant. However, John did not just tell the people the demands of the Old Testament law. In fact, he even spoke to the Roman soldiers who were Gentiles and not   under the Old Testament law. No, he pointed to a whole new arrangement. While he was in prison, he was still talking about “the Coming One” (Matt. 11:3). We must understand that John was not just trying to get people to go back to the Old Testament law. He was urging them to look forward to things that were coming.

Yes, we recognize that the work of John the Baptist was carried out under the law of Moses. Hence, the law that he himself kept and urged others to keep during that time was the old covenant. However, the focus of his mission was not to testify concerning the Old Testament law. That had already been done. Rather, it was to testify of the Christ as part of the preparation for the kingdom that was to come under the new covenant. As a result, the law and the prophets were preached until John, but after he came, the kingdom of God was preached. He said that it was at hand, and then the One for whom he prepared the way came and began revealing various aspects of that coming kingdom along with some of the things to be required of those who would be citizens of his kingdom. The very mission of John the Baptist precludes the idea that Jesus’ teaching only expounded the Old Testament law of Moses to the Jews. Both John and Jesus taught New Testament concepts.  

By Don Wright

When someone is going to argue something in an attempt to prove a point, it is best if he has some facts to substantiate his claim. A fact is simply a piece of information presented as having objective reality, i.e., it is an actual truth. Some people, however, do not like facts, especially when they are contrary to the position they hold. The old saying, “Don’t confuse me with the facts” is how some people really feel. Nevertheless, facts are important and when it comes to spiritual matters, facing the facts can be a soul saving experience. So, let’s face some facts. 
 
Fact #1: The pleasures of sin last but for a season. It would be naive to say that there is no pleasure in sin. The Devil is no dummy. Well, actually the Devil is a dummy, but he knows enough to realize that unattractive sin is not going to lure too many people to it. In order to catch a fish, you have to have bait that is going to be desirable to the fish. Satan at least knows this much about sin and people. Most sin, therefore, is attractive at first glance. It is pleasurable to the flesh to experience. But the attractiveness of sin wears off soon enough. Its pleasure is transitory. The Hebrew writer wrote, “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:24-25).  
 
Getting drunk with the boys may be fun at first, but soon the pleasure fades away and the drunkard is left with a hangover. It may be satisfying to the flesh to commit fornication, but the gratification is temporary and the end result is often some kind of disease or unwanted condition (Rom. 1:27). 

Let’s face the facts! There is some delight in sin, but the pleasure is fleeting and the end result of unrepented sin is eternal damnation (Matt. 25:46). 
 
Fact # 2: There is only one church. From man’s perspective a person  can choose the church of his choice. From God’s perspective, however, there is no choice to be made. How can you choose between one? The fact is Jesus did not built a plurality of churches, he built just one. When promising to build the church, Jesus used the singular in referring to the church. He said, “I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18), not churches. In his inspired writing, Paul consistently referenced the fact that there is one church or body wherein Christians can be found (Eph. 4:4; 1 Cor. 12:12-13). Would it be popular to affirm that all the man-made churches in the world today belonged to Christ? Yes! In fact, that is what most of the religious world affirms. But that is contrary to the facts you read about in the Bible. The fact is Jesus built just one church even as he declared he would; and facts do not change just because they are unpopular with the majority.  

Fact # 3: Of those who have reached the age of accountability, only those in the church that Christ built are saved. Where can you find a Christian? There is only one place! You can find a Christian in the church of Christ and nowhere else. Why do I say that? Consider the following facts. In order to be a Christian, one has to obey the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16). Those who refuse to obey the gospel are lost (2 Thess. 1:7-9). Paul closes the door on the concept that ignorance is excused by God. Those who know not God are lost and there is no one to blame but themselves. God has revealed his will to mankind in plain fashion. It is not his fault if people refuse to listen to him. Be sure to read Acts 17:30 in regard to ignorance. 

Now what happens to those who do obey the gospel? The Bible answer is that their sins are washed away (Acts 22:16), righteousness (justification from God) is imputed unto them (Rom. 4:5-7), and they enter into fellowship with God. But something else happens too. That person who obeys the gospel is immediately added to the church. Acts 2:47 declares, “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” What does the Bible teach about the saved? They are added to the church. What church? We have already faced the fact that there is only one church; therefore, we know what church the saved are added to, don’t we? It is the only church there is which belongs to and was built by Christ. It is the church that wears his name because it belongs to him. The saved are added to the church of Christ. If you are saved, you must, then, be a member of the body of Christ. That’s where you were placed upon your obedience to the gospel. If you are not a member of the church, you are not saved. If you were, you would be a part of the body since that is where God places all of the saved.  
 
What about all the talk among some more liberal brethren of finding Christians in every church (denomination)? It’s error. You cannot find a Christian in any denomination. It may be that a person who has obeyed the gospel has left Christ to follow a human doctrine in a man-made church, but upon doing that, the person ceased to be a follower of Christ. In other words, there may well be many wayward brethren in different denominations, but true Christians can only be found in Christ. The church does not save, but it is made up of all the saved. That is a fact that must be faced.  
 
Fact # 4: Baptism puts one into the church of Christ. Faith only may put one into the Baptist church. Having some water sprinkled on one’s head might make one a member of the church of the Nazarene. Being baptized as an infant might satisfy the Catholic church; but only scriptural baptism puts one into the church of Christ. That baptism is more than an outward sign of an inward grace can be seen by such passages as Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; and Galatians 3:27. For those who may deny the necessity of baptism, it should be observed what baptism does. It washes away sin (Acts 22:16). It is a part of becoming a citizen of the kingdom of God (John 3:3-5). It is the place where God cuts away our sin in a spiritual operation (Col. 2:12). It puts us into Christ (Gal. 3:27). It should be remembered that all spiritual blessings, including salvation, are found in Christ (Eph. 1:3). Since baptism puts one into Christ, one should readily see its importance. 
 
Let’s look at the words “into” and “unto” for just a moment. The prefix un means “not.” For example, we talk of those who are unskilled, undressed, unashamed, etc. The suffix to in the word “unto” describes movement towards something. For example, I might say, “I drove my car to the bank.” “Unto,” then, means moving towards something, but not there yet.  
 
The prefix in indicates entry and reveals location or position. For example, “I was in the bank.” The suffix to in the word “into” describes contact. I might say, “Put your pedal to the metal.” Therefore, “into” means entering in and contacting something. 
 
Now let’s see the application of this. Faith brings us unto righteousness (Rom. 10:10). Repentance brings one unto life (Acts 11:18). Confession is made unto salvation (Rom. 10:10). All of these things (faith, repentance, and confession) are necessary, but they only send us in the right direction. They help one move towards Christ, but they do not put one in Christ. Baptism, being the final step in obeying the gospel, is the thing that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:27). Don’t just walk up to the door of Christianity, step inside by being buried in the waters of baptism (Rom. 6:3-4). Face the fact! Without being baptized, you are still outside of Christ, not a member of his church, and therefore still living in sin. 

Bible facts are important. They don’t change because of the opinion of man. They do not change with time. The facts that we just looked at are as true today as they were

Yes, it has been nearly forty years. I think back to a Gospel Meeting. The little congregation of twenty-five or thirty souls met in a typical white frame building so common in those days. It was not quite the middle of September, but fall came early that year. There was a nip in the air every evening when we assembled. 

The meeting progressed quite nicely. The attendance began at thirty and the last night there were 92 present. Visitors came from all around. 

There was nothing cutesy or frilly about the sermon topics. Rather, they were a selection of some of the countless, timeless topics of the Bible! Monday night we started out with “Binding and Loosing,” a lesson showing the difference between the Old and New Covenants. (In those days we had never heard of the “One Covenant Theory.) Later in the week we spoke on, “Dangers Facing The Church” and closed the meeting Sunday night with, “What Shall I Do With Jesus?” I suppose the invitation was extended with average enthusiasm as I explained step by step the Gospel plan of salvation. That would have been followed with an earnest exhortation to “respond before it is eternally too late!” When we stood to sing the 92 present joined wholeheartedly in singing the invitation song.

As we were concluding the song, from the body language and facial expressions, I had a strong feeling that some present really had been convicted by the sermon and the song. It was the last service of the meeting and the last song. What was I to do? I alerted the song leader and the audience to be prepared to sing the last verse of the invitation song again. With that, I with great urgency, pled with those who were not Christians to respond while there was “time and opportunity.”

As we sang the verse again, much to the delight of         everyone, five adults from two different towns came forward. And they were baptized the same hour of the night!

That night I learned some great lessons. (1) Never get in a hurry to close a service. (2) Never be reluctant to ask for one more verse of the invitation song if it seems warranted. (3) And, never get in a hurry in extending the invitation! After all, that is what the gospel meeting had been all about. From that time forward, with few exceptions, I go through the plan of salvation very methodically, step by step, at the conclusion of every service. Those who need to be baptized are the ones who likely know the least about the scheme of redemption. Take time to tell them one more time. It may move them. Telling people about God’s plan for saving them has motivated folks for two thousand years!

By James Hahn

While living in the St. Louis area a few years ago I read an article in the local newspaper which stated that the divorce rate in the United States was “leveling off” at the rate of about one in every two marriages ending in divorce. With this kind of “leveling off” we do not have much to be excited about. For many years the number of divorces in this nation has increased. In 1975, for the very first time in history, there were over one million divorces in this nation. That number has increased since then. What is the cause (or causes) for this alarming number of divorces? I do not claim to have all the answers, but I do believe that I have observed certain things that contribute to the many divorces that take place each year.

The very fact that so many are getting divorces is one factor that encourages so many divorces. In years past divorce was frowned upon by nearly everyone in our society. Getting a divorce was an admission of failure and was a shameful thing. I am sorry to say that such is no longer the case. The attitude of “everyone is doing it” seems to prevail. Getting a divorce is now the “in thing” and nothing for which one needs to be ashamed. This should not be the case.

Another problem is the failure of parents to properly teach their children. Paul instructs fathers to bring up their children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). One has not done this if he fails to teach his children the Lord’s will pertaining to the marriage relationship. God’s will is very plain. When a man and woman are married, they have made a life-long commitment to one another (Rom. 7:2, 3). Parents, we need to teach our children from the time they are able to be taught that when they reach the age when they will be selecting a marriage companion they must consider this a relationship which will exist so long as they both shall live. To fail in teaching this truth is to fail in providing proper teaching for our children.
This failure in teaching is a contributing factor in another cause of divorce. Many young people enter into marriage with the attitude of mind that if things do not work out as they would desire they can always get a divorce. Young people (and old ones as well) need to understand that when difficulties and problems arise (and they surely will) divorce is not an option they have and must never be considered as a solution to their problems.

Selfishness is another cause of divorce. Paul instructed husbands to “love their wives as their own bodies” (Eph. 5:28). A failure to show such love will lead to problems and heartaches. I have known men who thought of no one but themselves. They would spend all their “free” time doing only the things they enjoyed doing. They would spend large sums of money on themselves and on things they wanted, but would never consider doing the same for their wives. As long as husbands or wives continue to think only of themselves and their own selfish desires we will continue to see these marriages ending in divorce.

Several years ago I had the opportunity to talk to a judge that had presided over many divorce cases. I asked him what he thought was the number one cause of divorce. I was somewhat surprised at his answer. He told me that the number one cause of divorce, in his opinion, was the interference of in-laws. He noted that, even when other problems were given as the cause of the divorce, investigation would show that these problems had often come about as a result of either his or her parents interfering in the marriage. Whether you agree with this judge about this being the number one cause or not, you must admit that this is a problem in many marriages. God said that “a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife” (Gen. 2:24). This applies to the woman as well. So many young people are not willing to leave father and mother. They fail to realize that their first responsibility (as far as human relationships are concerned) is now to their husband or wife. They need to let their mate know this in word and in action. To fail to do so is to invite disaster.

However, not all of the problem lies with young people unwilling to leave father and mother. Many parents are unwilling to let them leave. Many fathers just cannot accept the fact that someone else now has the responsibility of providing for his “little girl” and many mothers feel that they must tell that daughter-in-law how her “little boy” must be cared for. Parents, we need to teach our children to obey God’s will and this means that we need to teach them to “leave father and mother and to cleave” to their husband or wife. I have seen parents interfere in their children’s marriages and then when divorce finally comes they are ready to say, “See, I told you he (or she) was not good for you.” What they never admit is that if they had not interfered their son or daughter could have had a very happy and long-lasting marriage.

Of course, in all of these causes we see a failure to respect God and his will. This we must do if the divorce problem is to be eliminated. To follow his will is to insure happiness here and a home in heaven in the hereafter.

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