Truth Magazine

By Irvin Himmel

One of the greatest powers possessed by every human being is the sway of influence. Each individual has ability to affect others. Influence is power exerted over the minds and conduct of others. Just as a stone, whether a pebble or a boulder, makes a ring of waves when dropped into a pool of water, all people have influence. Whether we are rich or poor, learned or unlearned, strong or weak, prominent or obscure, we have a circle of influence.

Our influence may be conscious or unconscious. Many times we influence someone without realizing it. Our actions touch chords that vibrate. Another person is swayed or moved without our knowing it.

Most of us, with a little reflection, can call to mind some of the people who have influenced our thinking and our pattern of behavior. Our parents, our teachers, perhaps an uncle, an aunt, or a grandparent, our classmates, our neighbors, a business associate, our close friends, the author of a book, a famous person who was regarded as a hero — the list grows long when we try to recall all the people who have influenced our lives. 

Christ’s Influence

The greatest influence in the life of a Christian should be Jesus Christ. He is the central figure in our faith, our walk, and our goal. It is to him that we have turned for salvation. It is by him that we are reconciled to God. It is in him that we have fellowship with the Father. It is through him that we have hope of glory. It is because of him that we rejoice with joy unspeakable. It is on him that we rely for sustenance and strength. It is under him that we serve. It is with him that we inherit. It is from him that we receive the teaching given in the Testament. It is after him that we follow. It is before him that we shall appear in the day of judgment.

Our Master expects us to have a good, wholesome influence on others. He instructs us to be “the salt of the earth” and the “light of the world” (Matt. 5:13-­16). He does not want us to hide our light under a bushel. He teaches us to make a conscious and sustained effort to influence others for their good and the Father’s glory. Our attitude, our speech, our conduct, our teaching, and our example should mirror Christ’s influence on us.

Parental Influence

Parents have a powerful sway over their children. Hypocritical or unfaithful parents are influencing their sons and daughters in the wrong way. Parents who give top priority to material things, pushing the interest of the spiritual side of life to a secondary role, are influencing their offspring to think that God’s kingdom is not the most important thing. Yet Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness . . .” (Matt. 6:33).

Normally, parental influence begins at a very early age. Impressions projected early in life are lasting. Lessons learned in our tender years may stick with us throughout life. Bad influences in our early development can produce injurious attitudes, objectionable traits of character, and warped perceptions. How vigilant parents must be over the kind of influence they are wielding on their little ones.

Influence of Teachers

Bible class teachers who instruct youth are in a position to exert strong influence over impressionable minds. This is one reason why qualified teachers need to be selected. Some who volunteer to teach children’s classes are poorly prepared. A teacher influences by the example of his or her life, as well as what is done and said in the class room. Teachers of adult classes likewise make impressions on other people that influence their thinking.

Public school teachers have a weighty impact over the minds of their pupils. College professors and other types of instructors make an imprint on the minds of students. God-fearing parents must be prepared to offset the influences that come from educators who foster atheism, evolution, modernism, and humanism. 

Influence of Leaders in the Church

Elders, deacons, and preachers have a hefty impact on the general direction in which a congregation moves. A preacher’s influence out of the pulpit is just as important as his influence in the pulpit. He must live the gospel and preach the gospel. Elders are to be “ensamples to the flock” (1 Pet. 5:3). Deacons must be “blameless” (1 Tim. 3:10).

Church leaders having a loose and lenient attitude toward God’s word and who desire to keep pace with the denominations emit an influence that produces digression. Weak members are easily swayed by leaders who do not stand up for a “thus saith the Lord.” Many congregations have been swept into apostasy by influential elders, deacons, and preachers who preferred numerical growth over walking in “the old paths.”

A Christian’s Influence

Every child of God has a sphere of influence. It does not require dramatic overt acts for a measure of influence to be exerted. Each life touches other lives. One has an influence, for good or for bad, in his family, on the job, at school, at play, when traveling, when shopping, when transacting business, etc. Let us be aware that others are observing our words and our deeds. Let us use whatever degree of influence we have on the side of truth and righteousness.

2820 Hunterwood Dr. S. E., Decatur, Alabama 35603-5638

By Bobby Witherington

More Than Just A Historical Being

The fact that a man called “Jesus of Nazareth” actually lived upon this earth and died upon a cross is a matter of historical record. If we can believe that such men as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or Julius Caesar lived on this earth and interacted with fellow human beings, then we must surely acknowledge that Jesus Christ once dwelt among men on planet earth. Various reputable, contemporary historians were unanimous in their affirmations concerning the actual existence of Jesus, as well as the fact of his death on the cross. Notwithstanding their erroneous conclusions concerning the nature of Jesus, most informed atheists and infidels agree that a person known as Jesus of Nazareth lived at the time and place ascribed to him in the Scriptures. In fact, our calendar is dated from the time of Jesus’ birth. Hence, notwithstanding the inward agony it must give them, infidels cannot even write a check without providing mute testimony that Jesus lived!

But Jesus was not just a man. He claimed equality with God the Father (John 5:17, 18). He referred to himself as “the Son of God” (John 9:35-37). On another occasion, referring to God, Jesus said, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). That Jesus regarded himself as more than man is evidenced by the facts that he accepted the worship of men (Matt. 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25, etc.), claimed to “have come down from heaven” (John 6:38), as well as having the power to give “life” (John 5:21), and even said the “Father . . . has committed all judgment to the Son” (John 6:22). In fact, Jesus made claims which no mere sane mortal could ever make. He said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48), “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), “I am the door” (John 10:9), “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11), “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), “I am the true vine” (John 15:1), etc. Jesus went so far as to say “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” and then said, “. . . no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Jesus also said that “Moses . . . wrote about Me” (John 5:46), and he even claimed the “power . . . to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10). Moreover, he even said that “all authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth” (Matt. 28:18).

Surely, in view of the affirmations made by Jesus regarding himself, we must agree that no person ever made greater claims for himself  than did Jesus of Nazareth. And we must all agree that his claims were either true or false. If they were true, then he was nothing less than “Immanuel,” meaning “God with us” (Matt. 1:23), or “God . . . manifested in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16). On the other hand, if his claims were false, then he was either the world’s biggest liar, or the world’s most self-deceived lunatic! We admit that some people brazenly charge Jesus with being either a liar or a lunatic. However, in so doing they obligate themselves to explain how a liar could deliver the greatest moral code which ever existed, or how a lunatic could devise the most workable system ever revealed for enabling human beings to clean up their own lives and to live peacefully, successfully, and happily with others!

Proof That Jesus Is the Son of God

In a sense, there are many “witnesses” who affirmed the Deity and Divinity of Jesus Christ. On two separate occasions (at his baptism and his transfiguration) our heavenly Father said concerning Jesus, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17; 17:5). At Jesus’ death, after witnessing the amazing chain of events which then occurred in such close proximity, “the centurion and those with him . . . feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly this was the Son of God’” (Matt. 27:54)! On a prior occasion, Peter, who had witnessed so many of his miracles, said to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). After seeing the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and remaining upon Jesus at the time of his baptism, John the Baptist “testified that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34). Yes, there are so many credible witnesses who affirmed the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ, all of whom deserve to be heard. However, for the sake of space we must reserve our further comment to three reliable and irrefutable “witnesses.”

1. Prophecy and fulfillment. That Jesus would be the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Judah, born of a virgin, born in Bethlehem, begotten of the Holy Spirit, introduced by a harbinger, rejected by the Jews, betrayed by a friend, become a sin offering, be buried in the grave of the rich, and ascend on high had been foretold centuries in advance (Gen. 12:3; 49:10; Isa. 7:14; Mic. 5:2; Ps. 2:7; Isa. 40:3; 53:3; Ps. 41:9; Isa. 53:4, 5; 53:9; Ps. 68:18). Amazingly, each of these prophecies was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, burial, and ascension of Jesus (Gal. 3:16; Heb. 7:14; Matt. 2:1; Luke 1:35; Matt. 3:1-3; John 1:11; 13:18-30; Matt. 20:28; 27:57-60; Acts 1:9). In fact, in the birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus some 300 Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled. The mathematical improbabilities of all of these prophecies being “fulfilled” simply through a string of unplanned coincidences are simply too great for an honest, intelligent person to reach any other conclusion than this: prophetic fulfillment proves that Jesus is the Son of God!
2. The Miracles Jesus worked. Jesus healed the sick (Matt. 4:23, 24), fed the multitudes (John 6:1-10), walked on water (Matt. 14:26), calmed the wind and the sea (Matt. 8:26), gave sight to the blind (John 9:6-9), cast out demons (Matt. 8:28-32), raised the dead (John 11:43, 44), etc. His miracles were not faked; they were genuine! Even his enemies acknowledged that “this Man works many signs” (John 11:47; Acts 2:22). In fact, Jesus performed many more miracles than are recorded, but the ones that were recorded were “written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God . . .” (John 20:30, 31).
3. His resurrection. Jesus repeatedly foretold the facts pertaining to his death, the location of his death, the persons involved, and his resurrection some three days later (John 2:19; Matt. 16:21; 17:9; 20:18,19). Even his enemies were aware of his pronouncements concerning his resurrection, so they requested Pilate to place soldiers at the tomb to prevent his disciples from coming by night and removing his body (Matt. 27:62-66). However, notwithstanding the fact that Roman guards were placed at the tomb to make sure that Jesus’ body could not be removed, some three days later on the first day of the week visitors to the tomb discovered that it was empty (Matt. 28:1-6; Luke 24:1-7). Moreover, the resurrected Jesus remained on the earth for another 40 days, presenting himself “alive . . . by many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3), was seen by Peter, then “by the twelve,” by over 500 “brethren at once,” by James, and last of all by Paul (1 Cor. 15:4-8). In view of the fact that all the remaining apostles, save John, reportedly died a martyr’s death for their declarations concerning the resurrected Jesus, then you can be sure that all the ones closest to Jesus knew that he is the Son of God! They never wavered in their testimony as to the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Jesus Christ is the Son of God! But, with reference to our salvation, he is more than that! He is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). He is our Teacher and has all power to instruct us in the moral and spiritual realms (Matt. 7:28, 29). He is our Redeemer, who shed his blood for our salvation (Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19). He is our King (1 Tim. 6:14, 15), and has “all authority” (Matt. 28:18) to reign in our hearts and lives (Eph. 1:20-23). Having conquered death himself (John 10:18), he has power to raise us from the dead (John 5:28, 29), and to judge us by his word (John 12:48). He is our “High Priest” (Heb. 3:1), and upon the merits of his own shed blood he has the authority to forgive our sins against God (Luke 24:46, 47).

Yes, what a wonderful Savior is Jesus our Lord! However, he does not save man apart from man’s ready, obedient response to his revealed will. Jesus is the “author of eternal salvation to all who obey him” (Heb. 5:9). In New Testament days, he saved those believers (John 8:24) who repented of their sins (Acts 17:30), who confessed their faith in him as the Son of God (Acts 8:37), and who were baptized “into” him “for the remission of sins” (Gal. 3:27; Acts 2:38). Upon so doing, such people constituted the “saved” whom God “added” to his church (Acts 2:47), and who then had the obligation to be “faithful unto death” (Rev. 2:20). Dear reader, do you have a deep and an abiding faith in Jesus as the Son of God, and have you exerted your faith in scriptural obedience to his saving gospel? Consider ye well!

2807 Malone Dr., Panama City, Florida 32504-3820

By Larry Ray Hafley

Many have come, the article said, to “pay respects to the relics of St. Therese,” a Roman Catholic nun, whose bones are being carried around the world in a cathedral-shaped box (Houston Chronicle,  December 7, 1999, A1). They also came to ask the dead “for their intercession to God on our behalf.” Such relics as dead men’s bones are “a very simple path to God.” 

Neither the dead nor their bones can do anything for us, “for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest” (Eccl. 9:10). The spirits of the dead cannot assist us in any way (Luke 16:26-31). 

When Stephen and James died martyr’s deaths, the apostles and brethren did not appeal to them for help when they fell into difficulty (Acts 7:58-60; 12:1, 2; 2 Cor. 1:8-11; 7:5; Phil. 4:13). David’s bones were in his tomb, which was known to the apostles, yet none of them appealed to David for his intercession unto God (Acts 2:29). Since they did not do so, why should we?   

There is one God and one mediator, one intercessor between God and man, Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5). “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). We must “come boldly to the throne of grace” when we need help and not to the relics of the dead. At that throne of grace we will find abundant “grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14). “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). 

How profoundly sad it is to see otherwise intelligent people falling down before dead men’s bones and begging blessings. Such superstition is a veil over their hearts, blinding them to the light of Christ. It also serves as a barrier to unbelievers who are repulsed by such spiritual ignorance and superstitious mythology. They identify such foolishness as being representative of “Christianity.” Thus, the key of knowledge is taken away and multitudes are left to grope blindly down the broad way which leadeth 4626 Osage, Baytown, Texas 77521 LarryHafley@compuserve.com

By Wayne S. Walker

Two previous articles have discussed the theory that the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are really part of the Old Testament and that all the teachings of Jesus contained in them are merely explanations of the Old Testament law given to call the Jews back to God. This theory thus concludes that what Jesus said during his earthly ministry is not applicable to anyone under the New Testament. Who were the men who wrote these books, and what positions did they hold? When did they write and to whom were they writing? And what was their purpose — was it to write Old Testament Scripture or to write New Testament Scripture?

We know that Jesus chose certain men identified as apostles and prophets to reveal his New Testament will for mankind, including his instructions for the church. We read in Jude 17, “But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This, and several other passages which we shall be noticing in this article, make it plain that anything written by an apostle of Jesus Christ or someone with apostolic authority, such as a prophet, deserves our most serious attention. Hence, the subject for this article is the gospels and Scripture.

To begin, the apostles were promised guidance in remembering and testifying to what Jesus had said and done. The Holy Spirit was to bring to their remembrance what Christ had said. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you” (John 14:26). However, why would he need to do this if everything that Jesus said during his personal ministry was only explaining the Old Testament law and not applicable to the church?

The Holy Spirit was also to enable them to testify of Christ concerning things which pertained to the fact that they had been with him from the beginning. “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning” (John 15:26-27). Again, why would the apostles need to bear witness of such things if those things that Jesus had said and done during his earthly ministry applied only to the Jews under the Old Testament? These are questions that deserve to be answered.

Next, there can be no doubt that, using this guidance, Matthew and John wrote their accounts of Jesus’ life. Of course, Matthew and John were apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 6:13-16). It is generally thought that Matthew wrote sometime before A.D. 70, perhaps in the mid to late 60s, and that John wrote his gospel very late in the first century, most likely in the early to mid 90s. The point is that both Matthew and John were written well after the events which they record — at least after the day of Pentecost when they received the promised Spirit to guide them. According to John 21:20-25, enough time had elapsed for brethren to have circulated a rumor by the time the book was written. If the teachings in these books pertained only to the Jews under the Old Testament and not to the church, why did Matthew and John write them after the establishment of the church? This is another question that needs to be answered.

Then, we must understand that Mark and Luke both were helpers of the apostles, and thus they were prophets of Christ. Mark was a companion of Peter (Acts 12:12; 1 Pet. 5:3). He was also a helper to Paul (Acts 12:25; 2 Tim. 4:11). Luke was a companion of Paul who was not only a physician but also a fellow-worker with Paul in the gospel (Col. 4:14; Phile. 24). As men who wrote at least three books inspired books in the Bible, also after the cross, Mark and Luke would have to be regarded as prophets. Yet, were they prophets of the Old Testament law or prophets of the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ? The answer is obvious. They were New Testament prophets of Christ.

Now, we must emphasize that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were all written after Jesus had died on the cross and the events of Acts 2 had taken place. We find in Mark 16:19-20 that the preaching of the gospel had already begun when Mark wrote his book, and the same thing must be true of Matthew, Luke, and John. Also, according to Luke 1:1-4, the book of Luke, and we would presume Matthew, Mark, and John as well, were not written to people under Moses’ law but to believers to help explain the gospel of Christ.

Hence, we need to determine exactly what the function of apostles and prophets was. What was revealed to the apostles and prophets? Paul says in Ephesians 3:3-5 that it was the mystery of Christ, not that which was made known in previous ages. Does Paul say that God revealed to the apostles and prophets of Christ things which pertained to the Old Testament law or to the gospel of Jesus Christ? To ask that question is to answer it. The work of both the apostles and prophets forms the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:19-20). So, what the apostles and prophets of Christ, including Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, wrote had nothing to do with the Old Testament law, but was for the purpose of laying the foundation for the New Testament church and the gospel of Christ.

Finally, therefore, we conclude that when we read from the apostles and prophets of the Lord, we must be reading New Testament Scripture. When Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, he said that reading Moses is equated with reading the Old Testament. We know that the apostles and prophets were part of God’s plan for the church (Eph. 4:11-12). Hence, reading the apostles and prophets of Christ must be equal to reading the New Testament. When we read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we are reading New Testament Scripture!

If Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are to be considered as part of the Old Testament, it is odd that they were written by the apostles and prophets of our Lord Jesus Christ to Christians after the Old Testament had already been nailed to the cross. The truth is that the authorship of these four books demands that they contain New Testament teaching, precisely because they were written by apostles and prophets of Christ and addressed to Christians after the Old Testament had been done away. Sometimes denominational folks reject any teaching that they cannot find in “red letters” in the Bible. 

It is interesting that we now have some brethren who are rejecting any teaching if it is found in “red letters” in the Bible! The fact is that we need to accept all the Bible as God’s word. No, we are not under the Old Testament law today, and we know that Jesus lived and died while the Old Testament law was still in effect. But we also need to remember that God speaks to us by his Son. Therefore, the books that contain a record of his life and teachings were written for us that we might learn those principles enunciated by Jesus during his personal ministry which would govern the kingdom that he promised to establish. 

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