Truth Magazine

By Irvin Himmel

It was on his second great journey that the apostle Paul came to Corinth. What did he find during the year and six months that he remained in that important commercial center? First, he found a Jew and his wife who were tentmakers by trade. Paul abode with Aquila and Priscilla because he was of the same craft. He worked with them in making tents (Acts 18:2,3). Second, he found a synagogue of the Jews. It was the custom of the Jews to build places of worship called synagogues wherever there might be enough Jews to justify the erection of such a house. Paul went into the synagogue each Sabbath to reason with the people and to try to persuade them to follow Jesus (Acts 18:4). Third, he found strong opposition. When the people who assembled at the synagogue opposed and blasphemed, he said, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles” (Acts 18:6). Fourth, he found some who were willing to obey the gospel. Crispus, chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians heard, believed, and were baptized (Acts 18:8). Fifth, he found encouragement. Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia. Their arrival gave new impetus to Paul’s efforts. Furthermore, the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and said, “Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city” (Acts 18:5, 9, 10).

Later Developments

After Paul took his leave of the newly-established Corinthian church, Apollos went there from Ephesus and was a great help to the new converts (Acts 18:27, 28). Many problems arose in the months that followed. A factional spirit was in evidence, discipline was neglected, brethren became involved in lawsuits against one another, dissension arose over eating meats sacrificed to idols, the Lord’s supper was perverted, some began denying the resurrection of the dead, and there were abuses in connection with the exercise of spiritual endowments. Paul wrote a letter (1 Cor.) designed to correct, instruct, and edify the church at Corinth. That letter was penned during the time that Paul was at Ephesus on his third journey.

From Macedonia another letter (2 Cor.) was written by Paul to the Corinthians. In it he expressed uncertainty as to what he might find when he returned to Corinth. “For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: And lest when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed” (2 Cor. 12:20, 21).

What He Might Find

Note what Paul was fearful that he might find if he paid another visit to the brethren at Corinth:

(1) Debates -This refers to strife, wrangling, or contentions growing out of enmity. It is sad when God’s people are found wrangling rather than working; contending against each other rather than contending for the faith. (2) Envyings-“Jealousy” is the word used here in some translations. Paul told the Corinthians in the first letter that envying, strife, and divisions were proof that they were carnal or fleshly (1 Cor. 3:3). (3) Wraths-This term points to hot anger or keen indignation. There were heated animosities growing out of the opposing factions in the church. (4) Strifes-Thayer defines the word as meaning a courting of distinction, the desire to put one’s self forward, or a partisan spirit. “Disputes” is a good synonym. (5) Backbitings The reference is to evil speaking especially slandering someone behind his back. (6) Whisperings-This applies to secret gossip that is repeated in hushed tones to defame someone. (7) Swellings Vine says the word denotes “a puffing up, swelling up with pride.” Some preachers are troubled with this kind of swelling. (8) Tumults-The thought is that of disorder, confusion, and disturbance. One can catch a glimpse of the commotions in the Corinthian church by reading Paul’s first letter.

It would be humiliating to Paul to find such evils as these in the church at Corinth. It would be more disheartening if he visited them and found that they had not yet repented of other sins to which their attention had been called previously. What would Paul find in your community or mine, particularly among members of the church, if he could pay us a visit today? Would he commend, or rebuke?

Truth Magazine XXII: 17, pp. 285-286
April 27, 1978

By Jimmy Tuten, Jr.

Under the Old Testament the law of giving for the Jews was in terms of percentages. Of his income, he was to give a tithe of 10 ofp (Deut. 14:22-27). Under the New Testament our giving is not regulated in terms or percentages, but in terms of liberality. We must first give ourselves and of that which God “hath prospered” us. We are to give “bountifully” (2 Cor. 8:5; 9:6; 1 Cor. 16:1-3).

Occasionally, brethren having more zeal than knowledge, strive to bind this tithe of a tenth upon Christians. Their authority is Matthew 5:20, “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Little do they realize that in applying this verse as they do to giving, they are misapplying it and are taking it out of the context just as surely as they would misapply “touch not, teste not, handle not” (Col. 2:21) if they applied it to smoking or drinking. Generally, these ten-percent advocates do not practice what they preach in that they give ten percent, no more and no less. Their proof text says “exceed.” Brethren, if this verse applies to giving, then our giving would be. based upon a minimum. Even though we are capable of giving more and should give more because we are under a better covenant, we could give 11 % of our income and say “my righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees” and let it go at that.

Let’s leave this ten per cent idea in the Law where God put it and cease this effort to bring it over into the covenant of Christ. After all, the New Testament is a better covenant (Heb. 9:11-15), and the law of giving found therein is a better standard: Learn the New Testament principles of giving and learn them well! Give yourself first and when you do this there will be a “willing mind” with knowledge that “the Lord loveth a cheerful giver” who gives “according as he purposeth in his heart.” Away with this attitude of “how little can I get by with.” See that “God is able to make every blessing abound to you” (2 Cor. 9:6-8). Give all that you can give each Lord’s day for the support of the cause of Christ. Prove the sincerity of your love!

Truth Magazine XXII: 17, p. 285
April 27, 1978

By Roland Worth, Jr.

“David Martin tells an interesting parable. He describes a time and a place where the elite of a society have become agnostic and skeptical. The masses are superstitious; the young either do not care about religion or are experimenting with strange oriental sects; political leadership pretends to be religious for its own purpose. Religious organizations continue to exist, but there is little of the prophetic about them in their ministry to the cultural and psychological needs of their members.

“Is this the decline of organized religion pictured in Harvey Cox’s The Secular City? Is this the beginning of religionless Christianity prophesied by Dietrich Bonhoeffer? Not exactly, for what Martin is talking about is the city of Rome in the year 30 A.D.” (Andrew M. Greeley, Religion in the Year 2000, Sheed and Ward, New York: 1969, p. 15).

The story is one worthy of being kept in mind whenever we hear the doomsayers speak of the dismal future ,of religion. Time and again the pessimists have spoken of the imminent collapse of all religious faith. Voltaire even predicted that within a century the only remaining Bibles would be found in museums. How wrong they were!

Part of our problem is that we have created a halo around the past. We take for granted that they were more “moral” than our own age. This myth of a “righteous past” is one reason we exaggerate the evils of our own age, as if ours were the worst that ever was. Let us briefly look at the past in order to keep things in perspective. Most of the leaders of the American Revolution were deists and only a very small percentage of the population claimed church membership in any form. One recent (and excellent) historian by the name of Rowland Berthoff estimates that “it was well before 1800, the earliest date for which a general estimate can be made, that church membership fell below 10 percent of the adult population” (An Unsettled People: Social Order and Disorder in American History, Harper and Row, Publishers, New York: 1971, page 235). In the 170O’s “half of the frontier ministers themselves lamentably had to be disciplined at one time or another for intemperance, wrangling, licentiousness, or heresy” (p. 241). The corruption of society had rubbed off on organized religion to a degree that we would consider shocking even today. During the 1800’s there was even a period in which there was “a vogue for illicit abortion” (p. 206).

Nor was the American family in all that great a shape. An Italian wrote in 1827 some words that sound strangely applicable to our own era, “In a large family the sons gather together at mealtime, each coming from his business; each enters the room, says not a word to father or brother; opens not his mouth, in fact, except to put something therein; devours in a few instants the few ill-cooked dishes, and whoever is first satisfied, without waiting till the others have finished, rises, takes his hat and is off” (pp. 206-207). Likewise families were, as today, child-centered to a fault in the mid-1800’s (pp. 214-215 ).

Times may be rotten and things gone to an extreme but there have been times in the past just as bad or even worse! That there will always be religious faith in some sense seems certain. However, whether there is a genuine, biblical faith is something we must decide by our conduct and conviction.

Truth Magazine XXII: 17, pp. 284-285
April 27, 1978

By E. N. Lovel

On February 20, 1978 the Kingdom of Jesus Christ; my Lord, suffered a great loss. It occurred in Nashville, Tennessee, at St. Thomas hospital, second floor surgical suite. There death came to my beloved friend, my fellow laborer, my co-worker, a great soldier, a Christian, Gilbert W. Holt.

His Operation And Death

I had car trouble that morning and arrived in a borrowed car about eleven o’clock. Fully an hour later than I had intended. Shortly thereafter, Gilbert and I had a few minutes with just the two of us and the Lord. I cherish those moments. I wish I had extended them just a little and said a few more things. I really never thought Gilbert would not make it. It was past noon when they came to take him to surgery. A host of friends were with the family. We were in a long line down the hall. Gilbert raised his hand to touch us, or wave as he passed by. We all went to lunch. Someone was in the proper waiting area at all times.

About seven p.m. word came. The by passes of those arteries near his heart were complete! All had gone well! He would be closed up in about an hour and a half. We all rejoiced and gave thanks. Brother A. C. Grider, who followed Gilbert at East Side, Shelbyville, Tennessee, remarked, “He’s on his way.” (Brother Grider had this surgery several months ago and has done wonderfully well.) Several of us left. A few minutes later there was a message for Gil (Gilbert and Bettye’s only son). They were having a problem and must notify a member of the family. My wife and I went with the family to a small waiting room in the surgical area. (Neither my wife nor I are part of the family. We just have a relationship as though we were.) All were anxious, “What could it be?” “Just some problem they are trying to work out,” Brother Dorris Rader sought to assure us. (He is Gil’s father-in-law, and preaches at Westwood, Tullahoma, Tennessee.) About 8:10, a nurse came from surgery. Gilbert’s heart was not taking the load. It was serious. They would notify us every fifteen or twenty minutes. About 8:30, one of the doctors on the team came. The problem continued. They had attached a booster or helping device, but his heart was still not taking the load. “Can’t you let him stay on the machine?”, Bettye asked. “The machine will save your life for a while. But, if you stay on it too long it will kill you. It beats up the blood,” the doctor explained. “How serious is it?” “Very serious.” “What are his chances?” “Slim.” He stayed a few minutes and left explaining that he would return to surgery for any further assistance he might be. It was nearing nine o’clock, I saw a man through a small glass in the door. His clothes told me he was from surgery. For the first time I felt Gilbert was not going to make it. “He’s coming,” I said. Every eye was on the doctor when he opened the door. Two words, “He’s gone.” Thus the life of a brave and gallant soldier of the cross, Gilbert W. Holt, was ended.

His Life

My friendship and co-labors with Brother Holt go back to our very early years. We both grew up in Limestone County, Alabama. We both had secular jobs for our living and preached with smaller congregations in that county. We both preached at the congregation where he grew up. Neither of us could now preach there. The influence of the present digression on that congregation prevented it. Since that time we have been through many things together. We have preached, prayed, wept, sung, fought for right, debated and been threatened with jail together.

We moved from Athens, Alabama within a week of each other to go into full-time work. He went to Illinois; I went to Kentucky. It was during this time that we were threatened with jail. Gilbert was in town for a meeting with us. When he came to our house so did his dear wife, Bettye and his adored children, Becky and Gil. Some of those people who preach on the court house lawn in the small towns on Saturday afternoon had been making their rounds. You know how they did, always taking up a collection. For some weeks I had spoken after they did. It was getting to them. Pressure was on the county judge. Gilbert and I were there that Saturday afternoon. I was speaking. The county judge sent the Chief of Police to pick us up. Gilbert kept telling them, “You can’t do that.” Of course, he meant it was not right, or legal or constitutional. But believe me they could do it. While the judge sat on his desk, the crowd whooped and hollered. Some leaned in through an open window to hear. The judge seemed ready to show the people a favor. If certain critical things had not happened as they did, I believe he would have locked us up as he threatened to do.

Gilbert had his first heart attack in Pekin, Illinois. He was twenty-seven. I was scheduled for a meeting there and arrived the next afternoon. He had gone through some difficult times with the brethren there. More than that, they were just completing a building program. Typical of his whole life, Gilbert had worked day and night on both of these things. He had a second heart attack there. He was teaching a Wednesday morning Bible class. At this time I was preaching in Washington, Illinois, in the same county as Pekin. This enabled us to again be with the Holt’s. The burden on his heart was great. The volume of work and hours spent in it were also great. He was ready to spend and be spent.

I later moved to Richmond, Indiana. Very shortly I began encouraging Gilbert to move to Cambridge City, Indiana. He had been in Pekin, his first full-time work, seven years. He left it in very good condition. I knew he could help save that congregation from institutionalism and other modernistic tendencies. He did. I failed to do the same in Richmond. From Cambridge City he moved to Clarksville, Tennessee. There were a handful of faithful brethren meeting in a rented store building. Before long, they were in a building program. Although they had some almost impossible hurdles, they did it. Again, Gilbert left the church in very good condition.

Next it was Shelbyville, Tennessee where much work was to be done within and without. Again by the grace of God, Gilbert was equal to the task. And again it was a building program. This brought about the East Side Church where Gilbert was when he left Shelbyville. They now aid in the support. of a number of men.

Some two and a half years ago Gilbert moved to Lewisburg, Tennessee, to work with the Hickory Heights Church. Once again a great and needed work was done. This is attested to by predecessors, elders, deacons and members of the Hickory Heights Church. Gilbert was thrilled this last year when he preached in a meeting where his parents now attend. His good wife, Bettye, plans to live in Lewisburg. His loving daughter, Becky Thompson lives there. Her husband, Dan, adored Gilbert. So did his daughter-in-law, Diana. His grandson, Danny Thompson, soon to be three, should faintly remember him. His other grandson, just ten days old when Gilbert died, will bear his name, Gilbert Wilkerson Holt III. Gil is in the process of moving to Dayton, Tennessee, to work with the church there. Even the undertaker said, “Gilbert was like Jesus, he would come into your heart if you would let him.”

Gilbert had rendered invaluable assistance to me in a debate last August. I was to assist him in debate this July. This was to be in the Gary-Hobart, Indiana area. Gilbert had worked long and hard just to get propositions signed. Please pray that this will go through with someone filling in where Gilbert would have been.

The Funeral

Funeral services were February 23rd at the building of the Hickory Heights congregation, Lewisburg. Another service was held at the building of the East Side Church in Athens, Alabama. The great number present at each service testified to the respect in which he was held. Some attended both places. Lessons were presented by Brother Dorris Rader, Brother Steve Patton (who said, “I was one of his Timothy’s”) and myself. Congregational singing was led in Lewisburg by Brother Marvin Andrews, an elder and song leader there. In Athens it was led by Brother Tom O’Neal, preacher at Bessemer, Alabama Burial was in Roselawn Cemetery in Athens, Alabama.

After the death of Moses, God charged Joshua, “Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people.” And so when one has fallen others must rise up and carry forth the work of our God. Indeed “A prince and a great man is fallen.” A man “of whom the world was not worthy.” Let us work diligently to the glory of our God. Let us pray for more who are so dedicated as was Gilbert Holt.

Truth Magazine XXII: 17, pp. 283-284
April 27, 1978