Truth Magazine

R.L. Kilpatrick of Huntsville, Alabama edits a magazine called Ensign which he says “Advocates the restoration of spiritual freedom in Christ” and is “further dedicated to the teachings of ‘justification by Faith’ and the imputed righteousness of God as the basis of our relationship to God. Manu- scripts to advance these teachings are welcomed.”

There is no doubt that we are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1). Neither is there any doubt that the sinner is made free from sins. Paul said the Ro- mans had “obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteous- ness” (Rom. 6:17-18). God does not impute sin to one whom he has forgiven. “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Rom. 4:7-8).

The question arises as to what kind of faith saves. Is it inactive or active? Is it obedient or disobedient? Throughout the Bible saving faith has always been obedient faith. Hebrews 11 clearly shows that to be so. Does God’s grace save conditionally or unconditionally? This has always been the battleground with denominational preachers.

In Ensign the editor has advocated the inherited depravity of man, has argued that it is legalistic to preach that there are conditions upon which God proposes to save the sinner. Now in the March 1999 issue, he has an editorial entitled “Baptism FOR The Remission of Sins” in which he states, “Nowhere in scripture is the sinner commanded to be baptized ‘for the remission of sins.’ It is not a commandment, or an act that can be obeyed by the sinner. He can only submit and God takes care of the rest.” If the sinner “submits” is that not an act? Or do we round them up and drag them kicking and screaming to be baptized? Certainly forgiveness of sins takes place in the mind of God. But whom does he promise to save?

The statement that “Nowhere in scripture is the sinner commanded to be baptized ‘for the remission of sins’” flies in the face of several well- known passages. Let’s start with Acts 2:38. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins . . .” Eis here is variously translated “for” or “unto” in translation after translation. God grants the remission of sins to those who “repent” and are “baptized.” Kilpatrick argues that it does not matter whether or not a sinner understands the purpose of baptism or not. If he does not need to understand that baptism is “for the remission of sins” then does he not need to understand that repentance is also included “for the remission of sins”?

Saul of Tarsus was told to “Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). This penitent believer was to be baptized for the same reason as those on Pentecost — to wash away, or receive remission of sins.

In Mark 16:16 Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.” What “he” shall be saved? Is it not the “he” that believes and is baptized?

In Acts 10:48 Peter “commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” There is no difference between baptism “in the name of the Lord” and baptism “for the remission of sins” or baptism to be “saved.”

God’s revelation is addressed to the understanding of man. “Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me” (John 6:44-45). Isaiah said, “he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths” (Isa. 2:2-3). On Pentecost it was not until they “heard these things” that they were pricked in their hearts and cried out to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” They had come to “know assuredly” certain truths. “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).

If the sinner does not need to know that baptism is “for” the remission of sins, does he need to know that the blood of Christ was shed “for” the remission of sins (Matt. 26:28)? Same word both times. Kilpatrick says that insistence that the sinner must understand the purpose of baptism has come to be a requirement “only in recent times.” The preaching of the inspired men as reported in the New Testament surely pre-dates the “recent times” to which R.L. Kilpatrick refers.

So opens each of the seven letters to the churches of Asia in the book of Revelation. Men have wrestled with the meaning of the phrase which is somewhat enigmatic. Swete opts for the understanding of “angel” in its normal sense (The Apocalypse of St. John 22), Summers states that it means “the elder, the leading pastor, of the church” (Worthy Is The Lamb 108), Caird describes the angels of the seven churches as “no doubt also the seven planets, pictured as a necklace of glittering jewels hanging from the hand of the Son of Man” (The Revelation of St. John 25), Hailey believes “the stars may well represent the inward life or spirit of the congregations addressed by Jesus” (Commentary on Revelation 116), Dusterdieck says the angel “appears as the living unity of the one organism of the church, which, as it were, in mass clings to the Lord” (Meyer’s Commentary on the New Testament 119), “angels representing the com- munities” (TDNT I:87), and the list could be extended.

A few months ago, I was reading the following interesting observation by John Lightfoot about the organization of the synagogue. I will reproduce his original languages:

Besides these there was ‘the public minister of the synagogue,’ who prayed publicly, and took care about the reading of the law, and sometimes preached, if there were not some other to discharge this office. This person was called rwbyc xyl#$, the angel of the church, and tsnkh Nzx, the Chazan or bishop of the congregation. The Aruch gives the reason of the name: “The Chazan (saith he) is rwbyc xyl#$, the angel of the church (or the public minister), and the Targum renders the word h)wr by the word hzwx one that oversees; tw)rl Kyrc )wh#$ for it is incumbent on him to oversee how the reader reads, and whom he may call out to read in the law.” The public minister of the synagogue himself read not the law publicly; but, every sabbath, he called out seven of the synagogue (on other days, fewer) whom he judged fit to read. He stood by him that read, with great care observing that he read nothing either falsely or improperly; and calling him back and correcting him if he had failed in anything. And hence he was called Nzx, that is e0pi/skopoj, or overseer. Certainly the signification of the word bishop, and angel of the church, had been determined with less noise, if recourse had been made to the proper fountains, and men had not vainly disputed about the signification of words, taken I know not whence. The service and worship of the Temple being abolished, as being ceremonial, God transplanted the worship and public adoration of God used in the synagogues, which was moral, into the Christian church; to wit, the public ministry, public prayers, reading God’s word, and preaching, &c. Hence the The leader in prayer who as the respresentative of the congregation recited aloud the prayers in the synagogue, was called rwbyc xyl#$, “delegate of the whole” (rwbyc is the name of the collective body assembled in the synagogue, in opposition to the individual, dyxy). This leading in prayer was a voluntary function discharged by members of the congregation who were qualified for it and invited to undertake it.

In the article on “synagogue” in McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, the following description of the role of the rwbyc xyl#$ is presented:

3. The Legate of the Congregation, or the Leader of Di- vine Worship(rwbycxyl#$= a!ggeloje)kklhsi/aj,a)po/ stoloj). — To give unity and harmony to the worship, as well as to enable the congregation to take part in the responses, it was absolutely necessary to have one who should lead the worship. Hence, as soon as the legal number required for public worship had assembled (Nynm), the ruler of the synagogue (snrp = poimhn), or, in his absence, the elders (Nynqz= presbu/teroi), delegated one of the congregation to go up before the ark to conduct divine service. The function of the apostle of the ecclesia (rwbyc xyl#$) was not permanently vested in any single individual ordained for this purpose, but was alternately conferred upon any lay member who was supposed to possess the qualifications necessary for offering up prayer in the name of the congregation. This is evident from the reiterated declarations both in the Mishna and the Talmud (X:75).

When I read these comments I thought of the custom in Canadian congregations of having a “chairman” over the services. He has no role similar to an elder. His only responsibility is to conduct the service in an orderly way. He will make announcements, call on men for prayer, designate who is to serve in the public worship, and dismiss the assembly. The early churches may have called such a man rwbyc xyl#$, variously translated “reader for the Congregation” or “messenger of the congregation” (a!ggeloj e)kklhsi/aj). This appears to be the man so designated as the “angel” of the church in the letters to the seven churches of Asia. If this material is correct, this would simplify what has been considered an enigmatic reference in the book of Revelation.

 

By Bill Cavender

For though the fig-tree shall not flourish, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive tree shall fail, and the fields shall yield no food; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in Jehovah, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Jehovah, the Lord, is my strength; and he maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and will make me to walk upon my high places (Hab. 3:17-19, ASV).

Through the years when I have taken time for meditative reading, study and thinking, I have often read the prophets. Not studying for sermons to preach nor classes to teach nor lessons to prepare, but for my own edification and increased understanding of our Father’s will, I find the prophets to be especially instructive and edifying.

Reading again some days ago the book of the prophet Habakkuk and studying each word, phrase and sentence, my thoughts were stirred by the above passages, the last three verses of this small book, small in number of verses but immeasurably lengthy and enlarged is “food for the soul.”

Habakkuk prophesied in Judah, contemporary with Jeremiah and Zephaniah, some six hundred years before the advent of our Savior. The shadow of death was descending on Judah. The Chaldeans — Babylon — Nebuchadnezzar were coming to destroy Judah, ravage the land, and take the people captive into a faraway land.

Gloom and the grave were before them, captivity and slavery. Their doom was sealed. Habakkuk justifies the plans and ways of God to Judah. In chapter 1:2-11 righteous people ask how can Jehovah allow wicked- ness to go unpunished, lawlessness seemingly unending. The prophet tells them that God is raising up the Chaldeans to punish the evildoers.

Chapter 1:12-2:20 presents the question as to Jehovah using such a cruel nation as Babylon to accomplish his will and punish Judah, a people less wicked than the Chaldeans, i.e., in the eyes of the Israelites.

The prophet tells them “the righteous shall live by faith” (2:4; Rom. 1:16-17). God has two ways of destroying evil. Evil is its own enemy and eventually destroys itself, it reaps what it sows (Gal. 6:7-8); and God intervenes and punishes wickedness by using nations to punish nations (Dan. 4:25). Five “woes” are then pronounced upon the wicked and the cruel avenger. Chapter 3 is an inspired hymn, describing Jehovah’s righteous judgment, with verses 17-19 affirming the convictions and thoughts of those righteous people of the ages who live by faith.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law. And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof” (Gal. 5:22-24, ASV). This “cluster” of fruit (for we do not cultivate one without the other) grows and matures as we grow older in faith and in good works. The “joy in the God of my salvation” does not come without the dedication and endurance required to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18).

The life of a believer, a true Christian, is one of continual progress. We should grow steadily from spiritual childhood and youth to manhood and maturity, reaching the fulness of stature of children of God in Jesus Christ. Many do not do so. As in the first century church, so today it is that “for when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Heb. 5:12-14, KJV). Often believers are like the children of Israel in the wilderness, going forward and backward, to and fro, criss-crossing, walking in intricate paths, and making very slow, if any, progress toward the heavenly Canaan.

Some time ago a beloved sister in Christ Jesus made confession at the conclusion of a sermon, responding to our Lord’s invitation, saying to the effect that “I wonder if I am really a Christian. I do not seem to have the strength I need to resist temptation, and I do not have the joy and peace that I ought to have,” and asked for understanding and for prayers of the saints, and forgiveness of our Father. I learned she had been a Christian about three years. And I thought later, as I reflected about this child of God, that many in the church far longer than she, also have these same thoughts and doubts. You don’t put “old heads on young shoulders,” for they would be out of place. Let heads, hearts, shoulders and bodies be of the same age!

Younger saints ought not be discouraged when they have doubts, and when they witness others who are older in the faith demonstrating joy, peace, patience, love, kindness, strength, etc., of mature brothers and sisters who for years have studied, learned, prayed, worshiped, practiced, and fought the good fight of faith.

Rather the younger should be encouraged by the examples of those who are fathers and mothers in the family of God, and by older brothers and sisters who are diligently striving for the “crown of life that fadeth not away” (1 Tim. 5:1-2; Tit. 2:18; Jas. 1:12). Forward, onward, upward we daily travel through life, purposing to continue doing so until we behold the face of him whom we love, for then “we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:1-3). “For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise. . . . But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul” (Heb. 10:36-39).

There are obstacles to cultivating and experiencing “joy in the God of my salvation.” We have great joy in the spirit when we worship each Lord’s Day, eating the supper of Jesus Christ, remembering his body and blood, his death on the cross for our sins. It is a joy to sing from the heart beautiful psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, which take our souls on a flight from earth to heaven, into the very portals of glory. It is a great joy to hear the full, unadulterated, enlightening word of God spoken and preached by good men from pure hearts. But that joy of worship may soon be diminished and dampened when they leave the assembly to go about encountering the world and it cares. We may go home to sadness, sorrow, sickness, and even death. One lady in a congregation goes home to a cursing, alcohol- drinking husband.

There are believers who cannot pray in their family life, cannot offer audible thanks for a meal, because of ungodly, opposing people in the family. “Joy in the God of my salvation” must be fought and contended for, learned and cultivated in spite of oppositions, sneers, and ill-will toward one who loves God truly, even from foes in our own house- holds (Matt. 10:36).

We have great joy when we think of heaven and eternal life in the presence of our God and the redeemed of the ages. We think of how joyful will be the greetings and the reunions in heaven. We joy to think of him “whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your soul” (1 Pet. 1:8-9). It is unbounded joy to know that there is God, Jehovah, and he is our Father (1 Cor. 8:3, 6; Eph. 4:4-6; John 17:24-26). Like Enoch and Noah, we should walk with him and please him each day (Gen. 5:24; 6:9, 22; 7:5; Heb. 11:5, 7). “Ye must be born again . . . of water and of the spirit,” if we would claim God as our Father and enter into his kingdom (John 3:1-8; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38). He says to us, “I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Cor. 6:16-18).

As his children we “joy in the God of my salvation” who does his will among the inhabitants of the earth as he does in the army of heaven: “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” (Dan. 4:35). The world of unbelievers has always wanted a god but not a Sovereign, a King, a Monarch, who commands them and demands obedience. The world wants a god who is made in their image, who will do as his creatures think and command him, who agrees with them, who has no certain will, and endorses and approves of all the doings of his subjects. I rejoice that our God and Father is firm and true, dependable and trustworthy, a God “who will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion,” and “is a consuming fire” in punishing the lawless and opposer (Rom. 9:14-16; Heb. 2:28; 2 Thess. 1:3-12).

We have “joy in the God of my salvation” for he has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ who died for us. “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Rom. 5:10). Our Father hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, through the minis- try of reconciliation (the preaching of the glorious gospel of Christ Jesus to the lost) committed to the Holy Spirit guided apostles, in which God forgives our trespasses and we be- come new creatures (a new creation) in Christ through faith (2 Cor. 5:17-21; 1 Pet. 2:1-2). We “joy” when we see Jesus on the cross, “the Lamb of God, which taketh way the sin of the world” (John 1:29). We “joy” when we suffer for the sake of Jesus. “And they (the apostles, bc) departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5:41). We “joy in the God of my salvation” when we truly consider and understand that “we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:1-11).

Like the innumerable blessings from our Father which we can neither know nor number, never realizing all that our God has done for us, so are the immeasurable joys which we have day by day in Jesus. In Habakkuk 3:17-19, the prophet affirms that if the fig tree bears no blossoms nor fruit; if there are no grapes on the vines; if there are no olives and olive oil; if there is no grain in the fields; if there are no flocks and herds, no milk to drink and flesh to eat; and no cattle in the stalls and folds; yet he and those who are “righteous, justified by faith” (2:4), will never forsake and turn away from our God and Father. With Job we should hold, as a matter of deep confirmed faith and conviction, that “though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain my own ways before him” (Job 13:15), even if, as with Job, we were to lose ten children in death, all our material goods, our wife in unbelief, and our physical health (chapters 1 and 2). “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” A Christian never has any circumstances in which he should not be found rejoicing (Phil. 4:4).

By J.S. Smith

I am all for school spirit. I have season tickets for the Pflugerville High School football team and rant and rave with the best of them at every game. My objection to cheerleading is not about school spirit or extracurricular activities, which are both profitable. My objection to cheerleading centers on the undeniable fact that it places young women and girls into immodest costumes and engages them in lewd exercises before hundreds of boys and men.

The Costume

In days gone by, the cheerleading uniform was not immodest and I would have no problem with it at all. It consisted of a skirt that descended below the knees and a top that concealed both chest and midriff. Today’s cheerleading uniform is often times nothing more than a miniskirt and halter top. Many uniforms today even bare the mid- riff.

If this uniform were stripped of its insignia and worn as everyday attire, most Christians would see its impropriety. Because it is associated with a school activity, considered wholesome in America, should not mitigate the clear fact that such attire is immodest and will tend to incite lust in the vulnerable hearts of young men (Matt. 5:27-28).

Paul addresses even our young women when he admonishes them to “adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation . . . which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works” (1 Tim. 2:9-10). To imagine a Christian gleefully donning such a costume in public is beyond belief. Any young women dressed in what amounts to a miniskirt is not professing godliness, but a lack of concern for the souls of men who see her. Her attire is a stumbling block that will surely help some souls down the road to perdition (Matt. 18:6-7). Can anyone seriously deny that her costume is likely to cause someone to lust?

The Bodily Movements

The Holy Spirit includes lewdness among his list of works of the flesh that will disqualify anyone from inheriting the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21). Lewdness is one of those words which meaning in the English language has evolved away from the intent of the original Greek Paul used. Thayer defines aselgeia as “wanton acts or manners, as filthy words, indecent bodily movements, un- chaste handling of males and females, etc.”

Again, take the cheerleader off the side- line and have her perform the same exercises on the dance floor to music. Modern cheerleading is an exhibition of young women performing indecent bodily movements in the presence of hundreds, if not thousands, of men. It has the same power to incite lust as modern dancing and is just as lewd. We might want to excuse it as a school activity, but such a justification amounts only to situation ethics, a byword of humanism, wherein the black-and-white nature of sin is blurred for our convenience.

Not All Bad

I am aware of at least one high school which has cheer- leaders who wear modest uniforms and refrain from performing lewdness on the sideline. Their cheers are done in a respectable way and I think that is fine. These young women are engaged in a wholesome activity, which does not place them in thigh-and-belly-bearing outfits or direct them to dance about in a way that might incite lust (Matt. 14:6).

Just how important are the souls of our young people? Lewdness disappoints God and will keep them out of Heaven. Is that more important than popularity on Earth?