Truth Magazine

By Irven Lee

Let us look at some of the best of men who have died through no fault of their own. At the head of the list, of course, would be Jesus of Nazareth who went about doing good. He was tempted in all points as we are, but there was no sin in His life. He was despised and rejected of men, but He showed no sign of hate in His entire life in the flesh. He was as innocent and quiet as the lamb on the day of His illegal, cruel treatment and mockery during His trials before Annas, Caiaphas, Herod, and Pilate. He prayed for the people while He was on the cross, and it was on that cross that He paid the redemption price for sinful men. He taught men to overcome evil with good, and He has turned millions from evil to good through the preaching of the story of His life, His death, and His resurrection.

Abel being dead yet speaketh (Heb. 11:4). He pleased God by his sacrifice that was offered by faith. No fault of his is mentioned, but he was killed by the jealous violator of God’s law. This first recorded murder was in the first family on earth, and the record of the unholy event is in the first book of the Bible (Gen. 4). Have you thought of how many sins that are so common in America today were found among the people mentioned in the book of Genesis? There was lying, drunkenness, murder, stealing, fornication, hate, jealousy, love of money, and lust in the heart that led to the overt acts.

“God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth . . . . and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth . . . . And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold I will destroy them with the earth” (Gen. 6:5-13). When the Lord was ready to destroy the earth, it was a time when “the earth was filled with violence” (Gen. 6:11). One thing that God hates is “hands that shed innocent blood” (Prov. 6:17). Men who know something of what God has said realize that He said, “Thou shalt not kill.” This is first recorded when God spoke when mount Sinai quaked and smoked, and God Himself gave the commandment with the thundering trumpet voice so that even Moses did “exceedingly fear and quake” (Heb. 12:21). “Moses said unto the people, Fear not, for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not” (Ex. 20:20).

The New Testament speaks as plainly against murder and against the anger that may lead to it (Matt. 5:21,22). We are taught to understand that those who have “trodden under foot the Son of God” are worthy of “sorer punishment” than those who received capital punishment because they “despised Moses’ law.” It is still God who says, “Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense.” “The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Let willful sinners have the “fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation” (Heb. 10:26-31). Abel’s blood cried unto God from the ground. God had no trouble learning who was guilty of the murder (Gen. 4:10). “God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). Many do not realize that God has spoken and means what He says. Do you? Do your children?

Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans can stop the crime wave in our country, but parents with great faith who own well worn Bibles could in their own special realm of influence. Why write here of the wave of violence that covers this land? Which criminal will read this and be converted? We are writing this as an ounce of prevention. Some who have taken guns and entered banks and other such businesses have nominal church members as parents, and the robbers themselves, in some cases, have been baptized. I find undisciplined and untaught children in “church homes” that already show the complete lack of respect for God and man that is the background for a life of violence. I am begging those who do read this to please work at the task of building reverence for God, respect for man, and self discipline into the hearts of your children. Has God spoken in vain on such serious crimes?

Jonah; after a period of rebellion and a rude awakening, finally went to Nineveh to “preach unto it the preaching” that God had commanded (Jonah 3:2). He must have put his point across because the King said: “Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands” (3:8). Nineveh was in great danger of being destroyed, and violence is singled out as one special reason as it was in the day of Noah when men were destroyed off the face of the earth.

In explaining the destruction of Jerusalem to Ezekiel, the Lord allowed him to get a vision of the idolatry and other abominations to be seen in Jerusalem. Here is a portion of what He said: “Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence” (Ezek. 8:17). The same prophet foretold the destruction of Tyre. Among other things he said, “By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned” (Ezek. 28:16). Were they worse than many cities in America where one cannot walk the streets in safety, and where so many businesses are robbed at gunpoint daily? Does the same God rule in the kingdoms of men (Dan. 4:17, 25, 32; ,5:21)? What are the prospects for God’s hands of vengeance upon our land? Is not the whole earth being shaken by guerrilla warfare, assassinations, kidnappings, and highjackings?

Sins of violence are not new, and I am no prophet or the son of a prophet, but I am convinced that there is the strong arm of vengeance ready for a land that will bring up such sinners from innocent childhood. I am afraid for the future of our nation. I plead for more people to make zealous effort to know, practice, and teach the word of God. The rebuilding of America must start in the home, and the truth should go to every creature. More laborers are desperately needed for this spiritual vineyard. In the days when the Old Testament prophets lived and reported on some of the Lord’s activities, they told of His use of pestilence (disease), famine, and the sword (Jer. 24:10; 42:17; 44:13). The Lord can handle the populatipn explosion without any trouble. We all know the fate of Jerusalem for its rejection of the Christ, who was the gift of God’s love.

Read the last half of the first chapter of the book of Romans and compare it with your observations in this country and as you read or listen to the daily news reports. The pagan world at the time of the apostles knew and condoned the deeds of people who were guilty of the sins which are today said to be normal sexual behavior. I refer to homosexuals, lesbians, and other sex perverts. They also knew of “envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.” Sinners of this nature are not to be without punishment. It is in order to preach sermons or to write the truth to any who will listen or read about any one of these sins. God has spoken on violence and on the other grievous sins mentioned here. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit has revealed of the mind of God.

Truth Magazine XXII: 24, pp. 391-392
June 15, 1978

By Peter McPherson

Know Your Bible

Brother Gene Tope (whom I have never met but have heard a lot about and corresponded with once) has written a correspondence course. This course is published by the Cogdill Foundation (they did not ask me to write this article) and can be ordered by writing to Box 403, Marion, Indiana 46952. These lessons can be an invaluable aid in sowing the seed of the kingdom, in helping people to learn of the Way and in getting them to become disciples of the Lord. I am personally thankful to Brother Tope for his efforts made public and to the Cogdill Foundation for printing these great six lesson course.

The lessons in this course are: (1) Understanding The Bible, (2) Sin And The Blood Of Christ, (3) What Must I Do To Be Saved?, (4) Denominationalism, (5) The New Testament Church, and (6) Baptism. The lessons are simple, sound and scriptural. They are attractive, clear and brief. What better way could there be of teaching people in mass than by intensive efforts along the line of a mail Bible Course? I have been using Bible courses to teach people in the areas where I have been located over the years and will continue to do so. And though I have used other correspondence courses I have found that the Know Your Bible lessons are as good as any and better than-many. They are reasonably priced at about 75″ a set. They need to be used and used widely. There is no need for you to go to the work to make up your “own” Bible correspondence course when such a fine set is available. What few things you would change in Brother Tope’s course are very minor. The work and cost involved would not be worth it. Again I say, let us make use of this fine Bible Course.

Bible Course Suggestions

Order a set of 100 of these Bible lessons (order 150 of No. 1’s as you always use more No. 1 lessons than the others). Post a display of the Bible lessons on the church bulletin board. Give every family in the local church a complete set to look over and to keep for themselves so that they can see how good they actually are. This way no one is in the dark as to the material being used and, besides that, this should encourage the members to enroll someone on the lessons, perhaps a relative, even a son or a daughter, a father or a mother (at least it is a wonderful wish and a few will fulfill your dreams).

Offer your Bible Course free to all who would like to learn more of God’s word. Run a 4 inch by 4 inch ad in the local newspaper and/ or place a small ad in the personal section. Do not give the church address or even mention the church of Christ (will someone jump me on this?). Most people look upon the church of Christ as simply another denomination and, therefore, they would not take the lessons if they knew that they are connected with “that church”! By not giving them this pre-mature information you will be able to get some, in time (patience good friend and tact old buddy), to know about the true church.

Some More Advice

Some areas are more receptive to one form of teaching than others. Some areas have more outlets for this kind of teaching. Let me tell you what has been working well for us here in Lethbridge, Alberta the past couple of months. Undoubtedly the following has helped in our success: We have been making up little pouches from poster-board (cut a piece 7 inches by 5 inches and fold up the bottom 1 inch and staple). Into these little pouches we have been placing about ten 3 1/4″ x 5 1/4″ “no postage necessary” business reply cards (get a number from the Post Office and use a box number or a non-church address). On the one side of this card have the address printed where you want the cards sent. On the other side something like the following

Know Your Bible Program

A Special FREE home Bible Study Course is now being organized. This Course is:

Completely Undenominational

Absolutely free of charge

Conducted entirely by mail

Based directly on the Bible

Contains 6 lesson booklets which you keep

To enroll, simply print your name and address on this card and mail as you would any postcard. Your first lesson will be mailed to you immediately.

Name…………..

Address …………………..

Why Not Do It Now Before You Forget?

Here at Lethbridge we have been tacking up these cardholders containing the above cards all over town: on the bulletin boards in the cities, in laundromats, in the university (which has some 10 bulletin boards), in the community college (which has a dozen bulletin boards) and in other public places where there are bulletin boards. Then we have just sat back and waited! In less than two months we have had over 50 cards returned. And already some have finished their lessons and we have started having home Bible studies with them. We are confident that others will be developed. We keep complete records on each student. This is important.

After the student has completed all six lessons that person should be called on immediately. At the first contact, be friendly, congratulate the person for completing the lessons, introduce yourself as the one grading, or overseeing the Bible lessons, talk about things concerning their family, work, weather, etc. Finally, after you have made friends, suggest that you would like to come into his or her home and continue in Bible study. I have found that the Jule Miller Bible Film Strips make a good next step in teaching most families. Usually people are favorable to this approach. You might play it by ear as to whether or not you invite them “to church” just yet.

Keep At It

Any program must be worked at and kept up. The bulletin boards should be visited at least once every two weeks. (Most bulletin boards are for public usage and unless they are marked for some specific thing just go ahead and use them.) Do not offer any gimmicks, rewards or prizes for completing the lessons. This way you will get mostly sincere and genuine Bible students. This helps to weed out the “loaves and fishes” seekers. Preachers, grade the lessons yourself of” get a knowledgeable Christian to help you. Talk up the Bible Course to the members regularly. Get them to work for you. Be enthused about it and others will get the idea. Expect,.some results. Be positive and optimistic. It is a super way to teach people but we will have to sell ourselves on the idea and push it at the members for it to work profitably. Do not become discouraged. Understand that quite likely only about 10 percent or less will complete the lessons. And, of course, less than that will obey the gospel. This is just the way it is. But you are trying. You are sowing. God cannot expect more of us than this for it is He that “giveth the increase” (1 Cor. 3:6; Mt. 13:8). Make It Easy and Encouraging

Pay all postage for the Bible Course enrollees. Use a stamped and self-addressed return envelope for their finished lesson. Write their name on each lesson sent as they sometimes forget to do this. Give them a grade on each lesson with an added “Perfect,” “great,” or “Very Good” and then sign by using your initials. This is only polite, gives it a personal touch applies tact and help in the long run. Answer each question kindly and try to defer them for later (especially if the other lessons will cover that point).

A Scriptural Plan

What could be more scriptural than the Bible Correspondence Course program? Whenever it is said in the scriptures that the people came back to hear the word of God or whenever people were asked a question, there is a type of Bible correspondence course being employed (well, use your imagination just a little!). Anyway “teach” is generic and any arrangement used by individuals and churches that does not violate any scriptural principle is scriptural. Use the Know Your Bible Correspondence Course. Be Sowers; Get Learners; Make Disciples. Enroll Them in a Bible course!

Truth Magazine XXII: 24, pp. 390-391
June 15, 1978

By 

Earl RobertsonTompkinsville, KentuckyThe creeds of men allege that a sinner is unable to believe the message preached by the apostles because he is dead in sin and that, therefore, God gives faith to the sinner. Faith is not a gift; faith is the confidence one has in God because of what God has said to him through His word. All who do not believe shall be damned says Jesus (Mk. 16:15, 16). If faith is a gift of God, all who do not have it may rightly hold the Maker responsible for their condition! Who can believe it? “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). One’s trust in God comes after hearing (Eph. 1:13). Paul asks, “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?” (Rom. 10:14b).

Faith alone is of no value to anyone. Salvation is not offered by faith only and never has been. Many declare that the doctrine of justification by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort, but it is a lie. The creeds teach it, but the Bible says the very opposite! The Bible says, “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). That verse cannot be explained away; it will always say not by faith only.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. The Bible says, “He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). God must always be sought after the due order (1 Chron. 15:13). His will must guide the actions of man. Acting contrary to the explicitly revealed will of God is not faith, but unbelief. Moses understood what God wanted at the waters of Meribah (Ex. 20:8), but his faith was not implicit. God said unto him, “Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them” (Ex. 20:12). God said “speak” to the rock, but Moses “struck” it with his rod. Moses did not do what God told him; God said his actions amounted to unbelief.

This well illustrates our point: God has spoken to man, and unless man accepts unreservedly the word of God it is unbelief. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mk. 16:15, 16). Some say they believe but refuse to be baptized-they not only disbelieve, ut are disobedient also.

Truth Magazine XXII: 24, p. 389
June 15, 1978

By Mike Willis

Several years ago, I wrote an article on “Fellowship and First Corinthians” (Truth Magazine, Vol. XIX, No. 14, p. 8) in which I presented the teaching of that book pertaining to the subject of fellowship. I thought that the material was relevant to the discussion of the issues of the day. As somewhat of a sequel to that article so far as style is concerned, I would like to consider the teaching of the book of Galatians as to the subject of fellowship. I have sought to use the material in this book in such a manner as to relate it to our problems today.

The churches of Galatia were troubled by men who were coming among them disturbing them. The peace and harmony which normally characterized the local church were broken by these brethren. Consequently, Paul had to write instructions explaining how these false men needed to be handled in order that whole churches would not be led away from the teachings of Christ.

The Nature of the Apostasy

In order to understand the subject of fellowship in Galatians and to relate it to modern problems, we need first to know what the apostasy in the churches of Galatia was like. The book speaks of those who were minded to revert to the Law of Moses as a means of justification. However, there was not a total break with Christianity; instead, they wanted to keep the best of both systems. The Judaizers did riot deny the virgin birth, the atoning death of Jesus Christ, His burial, His resurrection, His ascension, His present position as Lord of lords and King of kings, or baptism. By present day definitions among the “grace-fellowship” brethren, they believed the “gospel.” Rather, the Judaizers tried to compel their Gentile brethren to be circumcised, observe the Jewish holy days, and otherwise to keep the law. Their apostasy pertained to “doctrine.”

One of their reasons for wanting to bind these Mosaical laws upon their Gentile brethren was to avoid persecution. The Jews were persecuting their brethren who became Christians because they abandoned observance of the Mosaical law. Paul wrote, “But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also” (4:29). Later, he asked, “But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished” (5:11). As he concluded his letter he stated the motive of the Judaizers; he said, “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply that they may boast in your flesh” (6:12). By persuading the Gentiles to be circumcised, the Judaizers could avoid persecution from their Jewish brethren; they could brag about how many Gentiles they had proselyted.

The book of Galatians shows that the two systems of salvation through observance of the Mosaical law and the obedience of faith to the Law of Christ are incompatible. One cannot mix the two. The man who tries to go back to the Mosaical law to receive circumcision falls from grace, severs his relationship with Christ, and is a debtor to observe the entire law of Moses (5:1-4).

From these comments, we see that the apostasy that was going on in Galatia was from within the church. By today’s terminology among the “grace-fellowship” brethren, it was a “doctrinal” apostasy. With this in mind, it is interesting to notice some of the passages which speak about fellowship found in the little book to the Galatians. How did Paul treat the subject of fellowship with those who reverted to the law of Moses? Did he say, “We may as well expect everyone to like the same kinds of food as to expect everyone to agree on doctrinal matters in the church”? Did he believe in a unity-in-diversity of the sort which is advocated by Carl Ketherside and Leroy Garrett with reference to this “doctrinal” matter? Let us consider several of the important passages in this book with this in mind.

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.

Gal. 1:6-9

1. The apostasy led by the Judaizers perverted the gospel of Christ. Notice the several things which Paul said of the Judaizers. They were following a different gospel; they distorted the gospel of Christ; the gospel which they preached was not really a gospel at all; the gospel which they preached was contrary to that which the apostles preached to them. Hence, this doctrinal error destroyed the very heart of the saving gospel, although it neither denied any of the seven facts or denied the one act (baptism) which,, brought men into fellowship with God’s Son.

2. The doctrinal apostasy damned one’s soul. The man who preached this doctrine was accursed. Brethren, I have read several different descriptions of what awaits the saints in heaven, but this is not one of them. The men involved in this doctrinal apostasy were destined to hell! They were not pleasing to God and, therefore, stood condemned before Him. We shall see later in this article that not only were the ones who taught this heresy condemned but also they who followed it.

3. The Judaizers were disturbing the churches. They went everywhere to teach their apostasy of binding the law of Moses upon Gentile Christians. Everywhere they went, churches were disturbed. Even as the church in Antioch was disturbed by these brethren, so were the churches in Galatia.

Gal. 2:1-10: Paul’s Trip To Jerusalem

Space will not permit me to reproduce this long passage, but open your biblical text to that place and notice the points which we observe from it. Paul went to Jerusalem as a result of a direct revelation from God (2:2). While there, certain Jewish brethren attempted to compel Titus who accompanied him to be circumcised. Paul described these brethren as “false brethren” (2:4). To these brethren, Paul refused to yield by way of subjection for even such a short period of time as one hour (2:5).

(In light of the fact that Paul circumcised Timothy to avert Jewish prejudice (Acts 16:3), his refusal to cir-cumcise Titus becomes even more significant. The former was done because Timothy was a Jew who would be working among Jews; the latter was not done because such would have been tantamount to accepting the Judaizer’s legislation that Gentiles had to be circumcised in order to be saved. Inasmuch as this would have been to compromise the gospel, to bind where God had loosed, Paul refused to allow Titus to be circumcised.)

Consequently, Paul presented the gospel which he preached to “those who were of reputation” in private. When they saw that he was preaching the revelation of God through Jesus Christ, they gave to Paul and Barnabas “the right hand of fellowship” (2:9). This right hand of fellowship would not have been extended to the Judaizers nor would it have been extended to Paul and Barnabas had they been preaching a gospel contrary to the revelation of Jesus Christ. Hence, the apostles and elders in Jerusalem somehow concluded that they must have doctrinal agreement before the right hand of fellowship could be extended to these men.

Those who preach “unity-in-diversity” would have extended the right hand of fellowship to the Judaizers as well. They would have told us that it would be ridiculous to expect all brethren to understand this matter alike. Not so, the first century apostles! They believed that all brethren had to accept and believe the same thing about this. They did not write about poor, ignorant brethren with imbecility of intellect who could not understand these matters.

Truth Magazine XXII: 24, pp. 387-388
June 15, 1978