The Sword & Shield Begins

By Ron Halbrook

A new gospel paper named The Sword & Shield was launched in the Republic of the Philippines during 1999. It is being published quarterly under the able editorship of Lordy G. Salunga. The masthead quotes Ephesians 6:16-17, “taking the shield of faith . . . and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” which well expresses the spirit of this new journal. Each issue carries the following clear statement of the purpose of the paper: “The Sword & Shield is committed to the open study of the Scriptures and to the preaching & teaching of the truth. It is set for the defense of the Gospel. It is not the voice of the church but each author speaks only for himself.” 

With the special encouragement of Jim McDonald and Bill Cavender, brother Salunga agreed to publish and edit this new paper. Those of us who know Lordy have complete confidence in his soundness in the faith, his ability as a writer, and his sense of fairness, the very qualities most needed to effectively edit a gospel paper.

Brother Salunga’s first editorial, entitled “The Sword & Shield Begins,” includes the following statement of principles which will guide this new journal:

Any journal has underlying principles and guidelines to steer its existence. This paper will be an open paper. This means first that both sides of an issue will be given an equal opportunity in its pages. Truth does not fear investigation. Christ told the Jews to “search the Scriptures” for these “are they which testify” of him. Christ did not fear investigation. Truth is with him. The editor does not have respect for papers which fashion themselves to be “gospel” papers but shy away from controversies and would only allow articles which are positive in nature and discussion of issues affecting the brethren are never allowed. They “accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.” Such a philosophy is alien to the Scriptures. . . . The New Testament is replete with examples of brethren discussing an issue to resolve it (e.g. Acts 15). This journal will encourage such honorable discussion of issues affecting the brethren in the light of what the Scriptures say. It is set for the defense of the Gospel! The Scriptures are our standard. The paper will expose error and name the names of the exponents if need be. Paul wrote the Ephesians, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them . . . all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light” (Eph. 5:11, 13) (The Sword & Shield I, 1 [Feb.-Mar.-Apr. 1999] 2, 18, 11).

A paper published on such principles is the friend of truth and the enemy of sin and error.

Most articles to be published in The Sword & Shield are to be written by Filipino brethren. So far, a number of experienced and seasoned preachers have written excellent articles, including R.G. Carino, Sr., Domie A. Jacob, Juanito Balbin, Emilio S. Lumapay, and Cipriano S. Carpentero. Also, a number of younger men are producing fine material, including Egdon Sabio, Richley Lumapay, Ric Darasin, and Rolando P. Azurin. Good articles by W.G. “Bert” Enostacion and the Torreliza brothers, Leonito and Romeo, have appeared. The front page series by brother Carino entitled “The Scriptures Came from God” is superb, as is Cecilio S. Galosmo’s recent article, “Preaching the Whole Counsel of God” (I, 3 [Aug.-Sept.-Oct. 1999]:6-7, 13). These materials would be suitable to appear in any gospel journal published in the U.S.

Virtually all articles will be written by Filipino brethren because there are many strong, sound, solid Filipino preachers. There are so many dialects in the Philippines (about 80) that English is widely used as a common avenue of communication. Therefore, most articles in The Sword & Shield are in English, though some are in the national language (Tagalog) as well as in other widely spoken dialects (Cebuano and Ilocano). A wide range of subjects will be covered so that the paper will serve as an evangelistic tool, cover topics of interest among saints, provide some news of the work around the Philippines, and provide a question-and-answer column.

Filipino readers may receive The Sword & Shield free upon request to the editor by writing Lordy Salunga, P.O. Box 6, Tarlac City, 2300 Tarlac, Republic of the Philippines (e-mail address: lordy 1 @flashemail.com or Isalunga@hotmail.com). American brethren who may wish to read this new journal should send brother Salunga $10.00 each year. The gospel is spreading far and wide in the Philippines and multitudes of souls are being saved, just as occurred in the early days of the church in the book of Acts. The Sword & Shield will be a valuable asset to the Filipino brethren to strengthen the saved and help the lost to be saved!

3505 Horse Run Ct., Shepherdsville, Kentucky 40165-6954

Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 6 p8 March 16, 2000

“Hallelujah, Christ Arose!”

By Daniel H. King

No doubt you recognize the title of this article as the beautiful closing line of Robert Lowry’s century-old hymn Christ Arose. It appears in most song books used by brethren because it represents the victorious theme of authentic Christian preaching from the day of the apostle Peter’s Pentecost sermon to the present time. Those triumphant words, “This Jesus did God raise up . . .” (Acts 2:32), must have ripped through the hearts of those Jewish leaders and their dupes who had only a month before sent Christ to his death. Imagine their frustration at the thought that they were not rid of him after all! 

But imagine the joy in the hearts of the disciples in knowing he was risen to sit at the right hand of the throne of majesty on high, “Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted . . .” (Acts 2:33). How central this theme of the Risen Christ is to the church of the first century and the church today is not well enough recognized by many who claim to put their faith in Jesus. Some who assert that they are Christians do not wish to affirm the resurrection of Christ as a fact of history, or they are not willing to argue the point. “Maybe it happened, maybe it didn’t,” they tell us, “who knows for sure?” 

I shall not forget a lectureship which I attended years ago, wherein a Roman Catholic biblical scholar addressed the audience on the topic of the resurrection. After he had spoken for some 45 minutes or so, a student (who apparently was not particularly bright), inquired of the professor: “Well, did it really happen or not?” To which the distinguished savant replied, “I’m not sure.” My friends, one thing I can tell you without any hesitation: the early church was sure that Christ rose from the dead on the third day. Early Christians lived and died for this faith. Paul said that Jesus “was declared to be the Son of God with power . . . by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 1:4). His Lordship, in their thinking, was attached inextricably to his having triumphed over death and the grave.

Some have striven mightily to explain the disciple’s faith. They cannot accept it at face value, because “people just don’t walk out of tombs,” in their own experience, at least. So, they have invented shallow explanations which, to their minds at least, satisfy some of the criteria surrounding the case and explain a few aspects of the gospel records. 

One theory suggests that Jesus did not actually die, but only swooned. According to this view he later succumbed to his wounds, but the disciples were fooled by his temporary “resurrection.” But, how could Jesus have moved the stone from before the tomb and escaped the guards in this weakened condition? And, what about the fact that John says that one of the soldiers on the death squad forced a spear up into his chest cavity to assure himself that Jesus was finished? 

Another view says Jesus’ followers had a grandiose hallucination and saw what they hoped for rather than reality. But, if this is true why could not the enemies of Christ produce the body? That would have ended the preaching of the resurrection! And, as F.E. Hamilton wrote: “Now it is perfectly possible for one man to have an hallucination, and two men might have the same hallucination by a singular coincidence, but that eleven men of intelligence, whose characters and writings indicate their sanity in other respects, or that five hundred men in a body should have seen the same hallucination and at the same time, stretches the law of probability to the breaking point!” 

A third hypothesis supposes that the Lord’s body was stolen. But this does not explain why the disciples of Jesus would preach what they knew to be a lie at the risk of their lives. Many of them endured horrible persecution and ultimately died as martyrs. Do men suffer or die to perpetuate what they know to be a lie?

None of these views renders a satisfying explanation for the disciples’ preaching of the resurrection. They preached a Risen Lord because they believed with all their hearts that the Lord was risen. It is that simple, and nothing else can ever explain away what they believed and why they believed it. 

The evidence found in the four Gospels, and related by all the witnesses in the first century, is characterized by great unanimity and synchrony, while obviously being told from different perspectives and in different words (proving that the witnesses did not conspire among themselves to lie, and were not coached). The summary result of what their corporate testimony announced to the world was that Jesus came forth from the grave on the third day after his crucifixion, and that he is alive forevermore as Savior and Lord, King and High Priest.

Moreover, they were willing to risk it all for their conviction. They realized that everything was on the line, and if they had believed a lie, then all was lost. They did not philosophize as do moderns as to whether it was worth it to follow Jesus anyway, regardless of whether he was only an extraordinary man or not, whether or not he really rose from the grave. The times and circumstances in which they lived did not permit them this modern luxury. Christianity was an illegal religion. And proponents of illegal religions were punished with death. As Paul declared, “. . . if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable” (1 Cor. 15:16-19).

In that noble declaration Paul spoke for all Christians of every age, not just of his own. Truly, if we have only believed in empty promises, if we have only followed a deceiver and a charlatan, if we have only believed a lie — then we have only trusted in Jesus Christ in this life, and there is nothing for us beyond death and the grave, and we are “of all men most pitiable.” No doubt about it! If the world is right and we are wrong, then we have wasted our lives in the service of Jesus. We have lost everything. But, if we are right and the world is wrong, then the world has lost everything!

Howbeit, the Christian now is as the Christian then, convinced that we have not followed “cunningly devised fables” (2 Pet. 1:16), but persuasive and authentic testimony from eyewitnesses who were willing to risk life and limb to proclaim to the world that “The Lord is risen indeed . . .” (Luke 24:34). And if the Lord is risen, then our future is wrapped up with him, in glory! As the song-writer so fittingly said it, “Hallelujah, Christ arose!”   

P.O. Box 148335, Nashville, Tennessee 37214

Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 6 p10 March 16, 2000

Exhortations From Our Young People

By Mike Willis

A few days ago, I received an e-mail from Leonard Ford of Beaver Dam, Kentucky that related some good things happening among our Christian teenagers. I want to pass it on to you that you might be encouraged as well.

The main reason that I am writing, is that there is something going on in this area with our teenage children that I think is very exciting and I would like to share it with you and hope that there is some way that you or someone else can write about this in hopes that it might spread to others. 

About nine years ago, Kathy and I felt that we needed to take the plunge and purchase a computer, not only for our needs, but as with many other parents, felt that our three young boys needed to be prepared for the twenty-first century. We bought one when we really couldn’t afford it because we felt we were doing the best for our children.  When the internet came along, we were torn whether we should “get on the net” so our children would have this wealth of knowledge or as many Christians were saying, and rightfully so, keep this from them due to all the filth that can be accessed from it. Well, after much thought, we took the plunge again because we thought that we could monitor what they were viewing, which we did, and still do. We realized that our children have been exposed to so many things in this world today that are pulling them away from the Lord such as television, movies, school activities, and we were concerned that we were just adding to these temptations. However, we have found something that has been a very pleasant surprise from our internet plunge.

When our youngest son, Steven, began surfing on the net, we were cautiously monitoring where he was going.  After a very short time, we were pleasantly surprised to see that he was “chatting online” with many other Christian friends from all over Kentucky and Tennessee whom he had met at FC camp or at meetings in the area.  During the past year we have seen the group grow swiftly and have been encouraged by their hunger to chat with one another each evening after they get home from school.  I suddenly realized that they have been starving for this “spiritual food” that they need so much, just as we adults do, and are “feeding themselves daily” with these conversations with one another. I have found a much better benefit from this “internet” than I thought was possible, and am so glad that my child has this avenue to get close to so many other wonderful young teenagers. I have seen his spiritual growth over the last year and I can’t help but sit back with pride to see how he is developing and that I had a small part in it. I know that there are still so many things on the web that are not good for Christians and that we as parents should still be watchful and protect our children as we do with all other things, but I think that many other Christian teenagers should know that there are other young people out there who are experiencing the same difficulties and peer pressures that they are suffering from, and that they have someone out there to talk to who is their own age, who can relate in a way that we as parents can’t. Each day, these young people send out a “Scripture for the day” to each other and it is very encouraging to see them “feeding” each other this way and to see their hunger pains disappear after a session with another Christian.

I would like to send you one these Scriptures that Steven sent out to about 100 teenagers just yesterday. The school homecoming dance was last Friday night and he was home on his computer, talking to his friends and sending them this message that I am about send to you.

Mike, I am so proud of Steven and all of his Christian friends and am also humbled to know these blessings and all others are from God and I give him all the thanks and glory for all his blessings. I can’t help but to be a little jealous of Steven and what he has received from this unexpected medium, but I guess we as Christians can benefit from this as have many others in other ways. 

Given below is the Scripture and commentary that brother Ford’s son Steven wrote:

Hey,

Just a few days left and it’s back to Shan . . . it was fun while it lasted. 
It snowed here a lot this weekend, I hope that we FINALLY miss SOME school for it.  It has snowed off and on lately but we haven’t missed a single day (sigh).  Better make this short, the Super Bowl starts in about 20 minutes).  Today’s verse is:

And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ (Acts 5:40-42).

Okay, my commentary is very long today but please read it all because I assure you it’s the last long one I will do, and it took a lot of time to do. These three verses give an account of the first punishment given to the apostles as a result of their spreading the gospel. In the years to follow, all Christians were severely tormented for their beliefs, and had pain inflicted on them in many ways. Despite all this, very few of them ever quit doing what Jesus had commanded them and knew was right.  

Some were only scolded and were forced to flee, others were beaten and/or imprisoned, some were executed by the traditional beheading, and others were martyred in more “creative” ways. There are accounts of Christians who were taken to public events, tied to posts, and set on fire to serve as the light for that event. To the Romans who persecuted them, those such Christians were nothing more than candles. Yet the Christians never relinquished their faith or discontinued to practice their good works.
If you do a little bit of historical study outside the Bible (and in some cases in the Bible), you will find that of all the known apostles, only one of them died a death of natural causes, and that was John, the brother of James, who had been exiled to Patmos. Every single one of the others were executed in many different ways. James was the first, he was beheaded under the orders of Herod as we are told in Acts 12:1-2. Paul was beheaded after years in Roman captivity (and he kept on preaching until the very end!).  Peter was supposedly crucified upside down. Bartholomew suffered, in my opinion, the most terrible death ever recorded. He was fileted (skinned) alive. The list goes on.  Yet all these men were incredibly brave and strong in the faith, and never once faltered in teaching the gospel. 

I must say that we should thank God that persecution of that sort does not go on today. Sometimes we complain about how hard it is to be a good Christian. Stop. I myself am guilty of it, I think many of us are. Each time a dance comes around and some girl comes along and asks who I am taking, obviously hinting, and I have to tell her that I’m not going, it bothers me. Of course, then they always have to ask “why not?”, and I briefly explain to them why; all the while I have to sit there and watch the weird look that comes over their faces which expresses their thoughts (“What kind of religion is that?”). I remember just the other day (homecoming) telling someone about how awful that is, but when I think about it, I am lucky that getting a weird look occasionally is the worst thing that is brought on me by my Christianity. Getting 1,000,000 weird looks is way better than being beheaded or having my skin cut off of my body by a knife while I’m fully conscious and aware of what is going on.  

Also, notice how the apostles in this passage not only took their punishment and went on their way as if nothing had happened, they were rejoicing that they were “worthy to suffer shame for His name.” Using that as an example, I think that from now on whenever I have to explain why I can’t do something that is “normal” for all the other people at school, and I get a weird look, I’ll try to be proud and rejoice instead of sulking and getting upset.  I hope the rest of you feel the same way.

Good  day,
Steven

I can assure Steven that this did make a “good day” for me, and I am sure you for others who will read this as well.

Brother Ford also asked that I  mention that if anyone who reads the article wishes to have his e-mail address added to the list of Christians that receive the “verse of the day,” he can e-mail Shannon O’Neal at shanshine5@aol.com, and she (the teenager who created and regularly sends the verse of the day) will gladly add his name immediately.

While we wring our hands about the moral deterioration in this country, let us not be blinded to the fact that there are still many good, righteous people serving the Lord. May their tribe increase!

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

Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 6 p16 March 16, 2000

Preaching the Whole Counsel of God

By Cecilio S. Galosmo

Bible preaching involves teaching all of God’s word. In fact, God’s word clearly sets forth that at times there must be negative preaching in order that the positive may take place. There can be no doubt that exposing error is preaching the gospel as is the presenting of the positive precepts of God’s word, and he who fails or refuses to do it fails to declare the whole counsel of God (Acts 20.27). This fact is undeniably proven by the following Scriptures.

God’s Instruction to the First Man

The very first instruction from God to man was in the form of “Thou shalt and thou shall not.” The first man had positive things to do. “And the Lord God took the Man, and put him in the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (Gen. 2:15). Then came the negative instruction: “But the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17).

God’s Commission to Jeremiah

The Old Testament prophets were spirit-guided preachers. Please notice the scale between the negative and positive preaching in God’s commission to Jeremiah: “See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down,  to build and to plant” (Jer. 1:10). In this verse are found six terms: four negative and two positive. That is two-thirds negative and one-third positive. This is the same process that preachers must need to use in preaching and teaching the truth and dealing with error.

Paul’s Instruction to Timothy

Interestingly, this same scale obtains in Paul’s instruction to Timothy, another evidence for the need for balanced preaching. “Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2). This verse contains three terms. Two negative and one positive. So both the negative and positive types of preaching are necessary to carry out the Lord’s orders. Unfortunately there some preachers who spend two-thirds of their time, or maybe more, in negative preaching, not in fighting error though but those who expose it! Often gospel preachers think they can convince others of their soundness when they fellowship and/or compromise with error, and fraternize with those who espouse error while destructively criticizing those who expose error! They don’t believe in criticizing the denominations, but they criticize those who criticize the denominations. Some think the credentials of their soundness as gospel preachers are how long they have been preaching and how well-known they are in the brotherhood. A sound gospel preacher is not measured by how long he has been preaching or by his popularity among brethren. Soundness is determined whether he preaches the truth or not! Often, the most popular preachers are just that because they carry on a public relations campaign among the brethren; promoting themselves and standing for almost nothing. “He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips” (Prov. 20:19; 11:13). Some brethren will swallow just about anything he preaches. We must not “think of men above that which is written” (1 Cor. 4:6). Our love for men must not overrule our love for the truth.

Preachers Should Be Balanced in Preaching

1. Must Be Combatant “Soldiers of  the Cross.” Those non-combative “soldiers of the cross who have, more sympathy for the espouser of error than for the exposer of it need to spend more time taking inventory of their own preaching. You better check to see if they are following the divine pattern for preaching the gospel.

I grew up and lived with my parents on a farm, before coming to Manila for my college education. I remember before we planted the seeds, it took more time and energy to clear a new ground of the trees, stumps, briers, and noxious weeds in order to be much more pleasant in planting the seeds. The same is true the spiritual realm. It is much harder and far more unpleasant and time consuming to unteach people of their error than to teach the truth. It is foolish to even think of going into an uncleared new ground and planting seed without first clearing it. It is worse than ridiculous to think of implanting the positive truth of God’s word in the heart of men still infested with moral and religious errors (Luke 8:14).

In the early centuries of this era, the church accepted people from false religious without clearing the new ground of the noxious weeds and thorns of paganism. Once the Roman emperor Constantine came to power (A.D. 321) and “accepted” the “Christian religion,” unconverted well-to-do pagans poured into the church by the thousands to be members of the same church that the emperor belonged. Pagan temples were turned into church buildings. Some of the pagan idols remained in place, and are still there today in another form — the result of that apostasy, namely the Catholic Church. I am sure there was much rejoicing over the “growth of the church”! But we must realize that not all growth is good — it may just be a swelling from infection! Growth is good only when it is the result of sowing the certified seed of the kingdom, the word of God (Luke 8:11; Gal. 1:11).

In our time the refusal to unteach denominational people by exposing their errors in the light of truth admits into the church half-converted persons. Pacifist preaching does not teach people essential gospel truths, but makes them feel good where they currently are. It does not take people from where they are to where they ought to be. Some say to stop opposing error and “let it die a natural death.” Brethren, error doesn’t die! It has to be killed with the sword of the Spirit. This is the point I am driving at. Many members of the church have come out of denominational backgrounds. They were never untaught, so they still cling to these concepts. In time, these people will become elders, deacons, Bible class teachers, preachers, etc. The consequences of such are obvious. A gospel preacher must learn what David said, “Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way” (Ps. 119:104). “Therefore, I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way” (Ps. 119:128). Like David, gospel preachers must also hate every false way “because it leads into the broad way that leads to destruction” (Matt. 7:13-14). And that hate should motivate all of us to love people enough to teach them out of false ways by every right means in the interest of their salvation. “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11). It’s not enough just to refuse to fellowship them, but we are commanded to reprove them. Nobody can declare the whole counsel of God and obey only half of it.

2. Truth Must Be Properly Presented. If one preaches the gospel, it certainly will not let anyone alone. In fact, nobody. Every part of it will “hit” someone, be he a Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, Adventist, Baptist, Iglesia ni Cristo, drunkard, fornicator, etc. We have to live with these people. If we follow this pacifist principle, we will live with them in hell. Jesus preached the truth and drove away multitudes, even some of his disciples. “From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him” (John 6:66). “Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?” (John 6:60). If we preach the same gospel as did Jesus, can we expect a different result? If the truth properly presented drives people away, there is nothing we can do about it. We did not manufacture the truth and can do nothing that will alter it. “For we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth” (2 Cor. 13:8).

3. Never Compromise Truth. Although this is God’s plan, modernists (and even some of our own brethren) ridicule this arrangement. They do not want us to use this arrangement in preaching. They want us to be positive in our preaching. “Let’s preach love and grace and mercy.” But where does this positive approach lead? It leads to compromise. Yet Jesus our example, never compromised truth. In Matthew 15:1-9, as you can see reading the Scripture, Jesus was not only negative, but would be considered harsh in his denunciation of these people. In fact, his disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” (Matt. 15:12). This would have been an excellent opportunity for Jesus to have corrected himself by telling the Pharisees that he should not have been so harsh. But that would have compromised the truth. Instead we read, “But He answered and said, ‘Every plant which my heavenly Father  has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone, they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch” (Matt. 15:13-14). Truth and error are like water and oil — they do not mix. We must follow Jesus’ example: We must “root-out” error and plant truth in its place.

Warning And Explanation

Let me make something clear, before closing this article. I am not encouraging a mean spirit or the use of hateful language or vitriolic language. Arrogance has no place in the pulpit. We are to preach with longsuffering and teach ing (2 Tim. 4:2). We should not throw caution to the wind and use the pulpit of the Lord’s church to insult, belittle, or embarrass people in error, but with patience, love and gentleness, we should use every effort and right means to teach them. In light of this, please read 2 Thessalonians 2. What we want to do is convert them to Christ. We must be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves (Matt. 10: 16). The seasoned preacher will use good judgment in this and will know when and how to do it to the greatest advantage.

A preacher has upon his shoulders the heaviest responsibility ever borne by human beings because by using the wrong tactic he can lose his soul and that of his hearers. It should always be done with kindness. The pulpit is no place for the preacher to stroke his own ego or take unfair advantage of his hearers. Preaching is serious work. Any blunder or instance of poor judgment can endanger his soul and that of his hearers (1 Tim. 4:16). Preachers must give attention to the fact that when Paul told Timothy to “reprove, rebuke and exhort” he also told him to do it with all long-suffering and doctrine. It is easy to emphasize the first part of the verse and overlook the last part.

Conclusion

All error is serious and must be opposed and exposed at all costs. Error does not lead to heaven. If it did, the Bible would be a worthless book fit for the shredder or the dump­ster. Jesus said, “He shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). I ask you candidly, what does that say about error? Error will damn the soul, and he who thinks exposing error manifests a lack of love for the person in error has a convoluted concept of love. That is like saying that saving a neighbor from a burning house manifests a lack of love for one’s neighbor!

(Reprinted from The Sword & Shield, I, 3 [Aug.-Sept.-Oct. 1999] 54-55, 61; edited by Lordy G. Salunga, P.O. Box 6, Tarlac City 2300, Tarlac, Republic of the Philippines.)

Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 6 p6 March 16, 2000