Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

John Oxenham wrote,

“To every man there openeth

A way and ways and a way;

And the high soul treads the high way,

And the low soul gropes the low;

And in between on the misty flats

The rest drift to and fro;

But to every man there openeth

A high way and a low;

And every man decideth

The way his soul shall go.”

(Quoted by William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. 1, p. 282)

Jesus taught something similar to this when He said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life and few are those who find it” (Mt. 7:13,14). Inasmuch as every soul of man must face the choice of which road he is going to take as he goes through this life, let us examine these verses for a few minutes together.

Two Gates

This passage mentions two different gates, the narrow gate and the broad gate. The King James Version refers to the narrow gate as the strait gate. The word strait is not synonymous with straight which means “not crooked.” Rather, it means “narrow, compressed.” This describes a gate which has a small opening. The strait gate requires that man make changes and alterations in order to enter it. Man cannot enter this gate as he naturally is. Jesus is teaching that Christianity is not a come-as-you-are party; rather, Christianity requires that man alter his life in order that he can enter the strait or narrow gate. To enter the narrow gate, a man must lay aside the old-man of sin (Col. 3:5-10); he must cease to be self-willed (Mt. 16:24); the sinful things of this world must all be discarded (1 Cor. 6:9-11). Inasmuch as the gate is narrow and compressed, the man must alter his life in order that he can pass through the gate. Think of a man carrying a large cargo trying to enter a small gate with a low overhead. In order to pass through the gate, the man must remove some of his cargo. Similarly, in order to enter the narrow gate, man must lay aside his cargo of sin.

The broad gate, on the other hand, is sufficiently large for man to enter without laying aside his cargo of sin. Because it is so large, any kind of sin can enter its portals. A man can pass through this gate without making so much as a change in his life. It is a gate of convenience. Sin, self-righteousness, false notions, vice and follies of all sorts can easily pass through this gate. Man must make no changes in his life to pass through the wide gate.

Let it also be observed that every man has made his choice to enter one gate or the other. No man is on neutral ground. Perhaps there is someone who thinks that he is not walking through the wide gate although he has never chosen to pass through the narrow gate. My friend, you chose the wide gate when you decided to go along with the crowd in the telling of filthy stories rather than be ostracized by taking your stand for righteousness. You chose the wide gate when you decided to tell a lie when telling the truth would have caused you pain. Already you are walking down the broad way if you are not in the narrow way.

Two Ways

Whereas the gates contrasted the entrances, the ways contrast the differences in walks of life. The narrow gate leads to a narrow way. This reminds us of just how narrow truth really is. A person is either in the way of truth or he is in error. The path in which a man walks is hedged in by the law of God. God has forbidden the way of the flesh, specifically forbidding adultery, fornication, lasciviousness, etc. and demanding that the Christian be a man of love, joy, peace, etc. (Gal. 5:19-25). He has given the narrow way for man in his worship of God. He has described the nature and kind of worship which He desires and man is expected to walk in that narrow way. Hence, the narrow way is the way of the man who walks by faith (i.e. walking within the revelation of God) and not by sight (i.e. his physical senses or his reason).

The broad gate, however, leads to a broad way. The broad way allows man to do anything he so desires. The man who walks in the broad way can pursue wealth, chase women, forsake the Lord, use profanity, dabble in Oriental religions, and believe any human philosophy. The broad way makes no restrictions on man, except that he stay out of the narrow way.

Two Groups

Even as there are two gates and two ways, there are also two groups which are traveling the different ways. The group which enters the narrow gate and walks in the narrow way is composed of few. Only a few men will ultimately be. saved. I recognize that this is contrary to popular opinion. Popular opinion states that God’s mercy will triumph over His judgment in order to save the man who is walking in the broad way. Yet, God’s revelation plainly states that only a few will be saved (Lk. 13:23-24). God cannot be true to His word and save those who are traveling the broad way. Hence, only a few will be saved.

The broad way is traveled by many. Just as water travels the course which offers the least resistance, so also most people travel the way which allows them to do as they please. The hordes of mankind will always choose to do evil over good because it is so much easier. Hesiod, the Greek poet, wrote, “Wickedness can be had in abundance easily; smooth is the road, and very nigh she dwells; but in front of virtue the gods immortal have put sweat.” Human nature is such that man prefers the easy road to the sweat. Consequently, the greater proportion of humanity has chosen to walk through the wide gate and down the broad way.

Two Destinies

The two different gates which lead to the two different ways and which are traveled by two different groups lead to two different places. The narrow gate which leads to the narrow way and which is traveled by few leads to life. Life is understood to refer to the eternal life which God has prepared for His saints in heaven. (Notice that life is not a present possession. The man does not receive life upon entering the gate but at the end of the narrow road.) Eternal life is available to those who want to put forth the effort to obtain it; God has made it accessible to man.

The wide gate which leads to the broad way and which is traveled by many eventually leads to destruction. The eternal punishment of Hell awaits those who have decided to walk the broad way. Though the broad way is much easier to travel, the destination to which it leads makes one desire not to walk that way. The undisciplined, immoral life results in eternal destruction.

A Universal Invitation

The call to “enter” the narrow gate implies that whosoever desires to walk on the narrow way may enter. The blessings of the gospel are available to the one who wishes to participate in them (Rev. 22:17). God’s blessings are given without respect of persons. Christ’s blood was shed for the whole world so that salvation could be offered to all men (Tit. 2:11; 1 Tim. 2:3-4).

The call to “enter” also implies that man must do something to get to the life which God has prepared for him. To participate in God’s blessings, man must act. God has already done all that He will do to save us. Man must respond to His gospel to receive His grace. Every man must enter, i.e. make some conscious choice to walk in God’s way, in order to be saved in the end.

Conclusion

William Barclay said, “There is always a certain dramatic quality about life; for, as it has been said, `all life concentrates on man at the crossroads.’ In every action of life man is confronted with a choice; and he can never evade the choice, because he can never stand still” (The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. 1, p. 282). How true this is! My friend, you are going to make a choice of the road which you are going to travel in life. The choice which you make is going ,to determine whether you spend eternity in heaven or in hell. Which will you choose?

Moses said, “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity . . . So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants” (Dent. 30:15,20). Similarly, Jeremiah wrote, “Behold, I have set before you the way of life and the way of death” (21:8). Now, which will you choose? “Choose you this day whom you will serve” (Josh. 24:15).

Truth Magazine XXI: 41, pp. 643-645
October 20, 1977

By Irvin Himmel

We need to know what the Bible teaches. Sometimes people are surprised to learn that popular ideas are without support in the word of God.

Deathbed Repentance

Many religious people, and some who are not really religious, hold to the belief that an individual can go through life in disregard of God’s will then in his dying breath ask for forgiveness and thereby become the heir of eternal life. There is no example in the New Testament of a preacher’s going to someone in his dying moments to preach “deathbed repentance.” There is no command to offer salvation to anyone short of full submission to the gospel. I am unable to find any passage which infers that a person can throw away his life serving Satan and rejecting the gospel, but at the last moment breathe a prayer of penitence that will wash his soul pure and white.

It is possible that a person might be sick or even near the point of death when he is taught the way of salvation. If he truly believes, repents, and is baptized into Christ, the Bible promises forgiveness of sins. However, this is a far cry from one’s deliberately ignoring the gospel until he has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, and he supposes he can cry, “Lord, save me,” and thereby obtain remission of sins without being baptized.

The Bible does not teach that one can reject the gospel all through life and then be saved by praying for mercy as the spirit is leaving the body.

Speculative Mercy

A number of weak, poorly-informed members of the body of Christ, like a lot of people outside the body, are disposed to do considerable guessing about how the mercy of God may be applied. The Bible is plain in teaching that we are saved by mercy. Paul said that God is “rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us” (Eph. 2:4). Peter spoke of God’s “abundant mercy” by which we are begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead(1 Pet.1:3). In Tit. 3:5 it is declared that “according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”

Some men speculate that God’s mercy will save even without the washing of regeneration. Some imagine that if a person lives and dies in ignorance of the will of God, divine mercy will overshadow him and his ignorance of the truth will prove no real disadvantage in the end. Others conjecture that God will extend clemency to all who are sincere even if they are grossly in error in their religious practices.

The Bible does not teach that we frail mortals are entitled to speculate about God’s mercy. Why do we not quit this business of theorizing about what God is going to do because He is just and kind? It would be far better if we would occupy ourselves in preaching and teaching God’s plainly revealed word than in saying, “I think God’s mercy will save that fellow even though he did not obey the gospel,” or “I don’t see how a merciful God could do thus and so.”

Jesus told the apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He did not instruct them to preach speculative mercy. I thank God for His mercy, but He has not given me the liberty to extend hope where His word expresses no hope. I have no authority to use divine mercy for a lot of guesswork. Our imaginations of how God may apply mercy are purely conjectural. We should not guess what God will do out of mercy, nor speculate about what He might do out of wrath.Salvation Without Obedience

Popular preachers declare that salvation is by “faith only.” Some of them say one is saved the moment he “accepts Jesus as his personal Savior.” Others tell sinners to “believe and trust the Lord.”

Read and study the following passages carefully:

“He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36, American Standard Version).

“And being made perfect, he (Christ) became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb. 5:9).

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:17,18).

“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth . . .” (1 Pet. 1:22).

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Pet. 4:17).

“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2 Thess. 1:7-9).

The Bible does not promise salvation without obedience to the gospel. We cannot speak as the oracles of God if we promise salvation by belief without obedience.

Many cherished doctrines are not taught in the Bible. Let us test every teaching and practice by the word of God. May we have the faith and courage to accept whatever the Bible teaches and to reject whatever it does not teach.

Truth Magazine XXI: 41, p. 642
October 20, 1977

By Morris W. R. Bailey

In our previous article, it was pointed out that handling aright the word of truth requires that we make the proper distinction between miraculous phenomena and the permanent order which said miracles were instrumental in establishing. Examples given were the miracle of creation which brought the universe into existence, and the miracles of Christ during His personal ministry which were to prove his claim to be the Son of God (John 20:30,31). In this article we pursue the same line of thought as we discuss another miraculous phenomenon . . .

Holy Spirit Baptism

The baptism of the Holy Spirit was foretold by the prophet Joel (Acts 2:14-18). In the New Testament it was first spoken of by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:11). During Jesus’ personal ministry He spoke in general terms of the coming of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39; Luke 11:13). As the time for His crucifixion and subsequent departure from this world drew near, He was more specific with regard to the recipients of the Spirit and of the Spirit’s mission. John records Jesus as saying, “But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you” (John 14:26). And again, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come” (John 16:12,13).

In a conversation with his apostles just prior to his ascension, Jesus said, “. . . But ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence” (Acts 1:5). The context (verses 2-4) shows beyond doubt that this promise was made only to the apostles.

From the above scriptures the following salient facts are evident:

1. Jesus’ promise concerning the baptism of the Holy Spirit was addressed only to the apostles.

2. The purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles was (a) To call to their remembrance the things He had taught them while with them. It would be impossible for the human mind to remember all this without supernatural help. (b) To guide them into truth yet to be revealed.

The Promise Fulfilled

The promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, fifty days after the resurrection of Christ from the dead, when “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). Again the context (Acts 1:26-2:1-4) with its use of the pronouns, “they” and “them,”‘shows conclusively that it was the apostles on whom the Spirit came.

Since the stated purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit to the apostles was that of calling to their remembrance the things that Jesus had taught them during His personal ministry, and to guide them into truth yet to be revealed, it is thus we see that this aspect of the Spirit’s work was connected with revelation. Moreover they were to be guided not only into truth, but into all truth. This leads us to conclude that, (1) If all truth was not revealed to the apostles in the First Century of the Christian era, then the Holy Spirit failed in his mission. Or, (2) If all truth was revealed to the apostles in the First Century, that aspect of the Spirit’s work was completed and does not have to be repeated, for we have that truth today in a permanent record in that part of the Bible called the New Testament. Therefore for men today to pray for, or lay claim to the baptism of the Holy Spirit to guide them into truth is to pray for, and lay claim to something that was never promised to them.

Confirmation Of The Word

Another supernatural influence that was exerted upon the apostles was the ability to work miracles. While it is true that they worked miracles during the personal ministry of Christ (Matt. 10:8), it was after the Holy Spirit came upon them in baptismal form that “They began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 1:4). From Acts 2:43 we learn that “Many signs and wonders were done by the apostles.” And we are told in Acts 5:12, “By the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.” Thus, up to this point, it is obvious that only the apostles were able to work miracles. These miracles were referred to by Paul as “the signs of an apostle” (2 Cor. 12:13).

The purpose of these signs was the confirmation of the message preached by the apostles. Mark tells us that following the giving of the great commission to the apostles, “They went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed” (Mark 16:20). The writer of Hebrews asks, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken by the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will” (Heb. 2:3,4).

Since there were false apostles in those days (2 Cor. 11:13), it was necessary that the true apostles of Christ be identifiable. That was the purpose of the miracles wrought by the apostles. They were thus identified as apostles of Christ, and they confirmed the message they preached as being, “Not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth” (1 Cor. 2:13). They bore witness to the fact that the gospel which was preached was, “not from man . . . but by revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:12).

A witness, once sworn in, in a court of law, does not need to be sworn in again. A message that has been confirmed does not have to be confirmed again and again. The New Testament message, having been confirmed by the signs and wonders wrought by the apostles, thus stands as a permanent record. The purpose of the miracles having been fulfilled, the need for them ceased. What further proof could miracles today offer that the gospel was from heaven than has already been given?

The Case Of Cornelius

Some eight or ten years after the events of Pentecost, another case of Holy Spirit baptism occurred. This was at the house of Cornelius, the first Gentile convert to Christianity. Up to his time the gospel had been preached only to the Jews. Because they regarded the Gentiles as unclean, the Jews had no social intercourse with them, not even to so much as eat with them. By means of a vision-a miracle-Peter was convinced that he should no longer regard the Gentiles as unclean (Acts 10:28). Moreover he was told to go to the house of Cornelius, who, in turn, had been instructed to “Send to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname is Peter: who shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy house” (Acts 11:13,14).

The coming of the Holy Spirit upon the house of Cornelius is recorded by the writer of the book of Acts in these words. “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word. And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God” (Acts 10:44-46). It is thus seen that the effect of the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon the house of Cornelius was to cause them to speak with tongues.

When later called to account by the Jews for going into and eating with uncircumcised Gentiles, Peter, in his defence, expounded the matter unto them in order (Acts 11:2-4). Verse fifteen records him as saying, “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them even as on us at the beginning.” The expression, “at the beginning” referred back to the baptism of the Holy Spirit experienced by the apostles on the day of Pentecost. From this we conclude that during the intervening years between Pentecost and the conversion of Cornelius no one else had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If it had been given to Christians all along, why did Peter go back to Pentecost for an example? The obvious answer is that the events of Pentecost was the only example to which he could refer.

The Purpose

But we are interested in the purpose of this miraculous event. Bearing in mind the fact that Cornelius and his house were to be saved by the words spoken by Peter, Acts 11:14, it thus becomes obvious that the baptism in the Spirit was not to save them. Nor was it to demonstrate that they had been saved, since it came before the saving words were spoken (Acts 11:15).

We can determine the purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit at the house of Cornelius by the use that was made of it. Acts 10:47 records Peter’s asking the question, “Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?” After Peter’s recital of the events as recorded in the eleventh chapter of Acts, verse eighteen says, “And when they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, Then unto the Gentiles also hath God granted repentance unto life.” In the light of these plain passages of Scripture is it not obvious that the baptism in the Holy Spirit at the house of Cornelius was for no other purpose than to convince the Jews that the Gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews? Since that was the use that was made of it, that is obviously the purpose for which it was intended. That purpose having been accomplished, the miracle does not have to be repeated.

Holy Spirit Baptism And Water Baptism Compared

Since there are some who confuse Holy Spirit baptism with the water baptism of the great commission, it is pertinent to this study that we notice a few points of distinction.

1. Holy Spirit baptism was a promise. Jesus charged his apostles to “Wait for the promise of the Father . . . for John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence” (Acts 1:4,5).

Water baptism, however, was a command. “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 10:48). No one, however, was ever commanded to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.

2. Christ was the administrator of Holy Spirit baptism. John the Baptist said of Christ, “He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire” (Matt. 3:12).

Water baptism, however, was administered by man. Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:38); Ananias baptized Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:18).

3. Holy Spirit baptism conferred miraculous powers on the recipients (Acts 2:4; Acts 10:45,46).

Water baptism confers no miraculous powers (Acts 8:14-17), but does confer remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).

In an article to follow we shall discuss other miraculous phenomena in the form of spiritual gifts.

Truth Magazine XXI: 40, pp. 634-636
October 13, 1977

 

William Barclay is a preacher and writer of some note in the Church of Scotland. His books should be read with discrimination, but they can be very refreshing and informative. I was impressed by his comment on the seventh beatitude. In part, here is what he said: “The blessing is on the peace-makers not necessarily on the peace-lovers. It very often happens that if a man loves peace in the wrong way, he succeeds in making trouble and not peace. We may, for instance, allow a threatening and dangerous situation to develop and our defence is that for peace’s sake we do not want to take any action. There is many a person who thinks he is loving peace, when in fact he is piling up trouble for the future, because he refuses to face the situation and to take the action which the situation demands. The peace which the bible calls blessed does not come from the evasion of issues; it comes from facing them, dealing with them and conquering them. What this beatitude demands is not the passive acceptance of things because we are afraid of the trouble of doing anything about them, but the active facing of things and the making of peace even when the way to peace is through struggle” (Daily Bible Study, Matthew, I, Westminster Press).

Everybody knows that what Mr. Barclay says here is true. Nations have lost their freedom because representatives sat around a conference table and let the smoke of a phoney peace pipe get in their eyes. We do not need to go back farther than World War II for a classic example of this. Some European statesmen wanted peace so much that they let the mad paper-hanger deceive them and the Nazi swastika became the symbol of bondage for most of Central Europe. The head of our president must rest uneasily on his pillow because his decisions may very well kindle a fire that could destroy half the world in a fortnight. I am glad I do not sit in his chair. In times like these, it must indeed be a lonely place.

The people of this nation want to live in peace. But peace has its price. Sometimes that price is high. What are we willing to pay? What risks are we prepared to take if the way to peace is through struggle? It has been said that the brave often do not live long; the fearful do not live at all.

Peace in Zion

What has been said here concerning peace is no less true as it applies to the church. Sometimes peace must come through struggle. The period of prosperity that began with the Roosevelt’s “new deal” and was accelerated by WW II created an atmosphere that has enabled the church to enjoy an economic growth unprecedented. With the economic growth came a corresponding numerical growth. Word got around that we were the fastest growing religious body in the country. I doubt that this was ever true, but it sounded good. Anyway we came from “across the tracks” out of modest church buildings into magnificent structures whose steeples and windows, in many cases, cost more money than the average church building a generation ago. Nice buildings are fine if they don’t cost too much. But the ones I am thinking about cost too much-not simply in money-but they symbolize a people who have largely forgotten who we are and what makes the church great. Money and expensive buildings didn’t do it. The greatest growth the church ever had, both in numbers and spiritual strength, was at a time when many of the leaders of the church spent a lot of their time in jails; at a time when the very name, Christian, was worth dying for. You cannot buy that with money. If you care about the church it makes your heart ache to see a once great people surrendering their glorious heritage for the fawning recognition of those who have always been enemies of the truth.

On the March

Big money attracts men with big plans. So when we began to feel our financial strength, plans began to materialize whereby money from hundreds of churches could be pooled in one treasury. This would be bigger than anything undertaken since the Missionary Society of 1849. The Missionary Society split the church. This plan would do what the society of 1849 was designed to do. So Broadway church in Lubbock became a “sponsoring church.” Money from churches throughout the country poured into the treasury of this big church. “Missionaries” were sent abroad under the “oversight of the Lubbock church.” Other things were done. A church building was erected in Frankfurt, Germany costing $190,000.00 It has since been sold or taken over by the University of Frankfurt.

Another plan made its appearance that was designed to finance a nation-wide and eventually a world-wide radio broadcast. This too would require money from hundreds of churches, perhaps thousands eventually. Protests from all over the country were heard, butthey fell on deaf ears. The church was on the march. I do not doubt that a sincere desire to save souls was a major factor in their determination to continue this program. The same was true of those who established the Missionary Society. But, whatever their motive, the Herald of Truth is nothing less than an effort to activated the church universal, and it cannot be scripturally defended. Not only that, but it has done more to split the church than any other project. Moreover it is the most overrated of all the projects. I may not get around as much as Brother Cawyer from Highland in Abilene, but I have preached in meetings in 22 states since the Herald of Truth made its debut. I have read what is said about it. I have been where it was broadcast.

Peace at any Price!

But, whether scriptural or not, I think that the Herald of Truth will continue for some time, and likely get bigger. Many people accept it without question. These would accept most anything that some “leading preachers” endorse. Others. have gone along with it, but with considerable misgivings. That is their idea of keeping peace among brethren. Still others know that it cannot be defended scripturally, but they, too, console themselves with the thought that it is better to have peace by compromise than by struggle. Let me say with Mr. Barclay: “What this beatitude demands (blessed are the peacemakers) is not the passive acceptance of things because we are afraid of the trouble of doing anything about them, but the active facing of things and the making of peace even though the making of peace is through struggle.”

Truth Magazine XXI: 40, pp. 633-634
October 13, 1977