Truth Magazine

By Bill Cavender

C. D. Plum was born on June 5, 1898 on a farm in the hills of Wirt County, West Virginia, a place he later referred to lovingly as “Starvation Point.” He died at home, 2503 Liberty St., Parkersburg, West Virginia, at 12:30 p.m., June 30, 1977, at age 79 years and 25 days.

He went through the eight grade of school, then attended State Normal Colleges at Elizabeth and Ripley, West Virginia, and began teaching school. While teaching, at age 19, he met and married one of his students, Goldie May Henderson, age 16. They loved each other and lived together in holiness and devotion to God and to each other for 60 years and 3 months. To them three children were born: Wilma, who became Mrs. Carl Parsons and who passed away Aug. 20, 1965; Russell D., now age 56, who is crippled due to illness in his youth and who lives at home with his mother; and Charles D., who passed away Aug. 7, 1976 at age 51, who was a faithful gospel preacher and the Chief of Police in Parkersburg at the time of his death.

Brother C. D. Plum is survived by his wife, by Russell, by one sister who is in a nursing home in California, and by five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Sister Plum is 76 years of age, appears to be in good health, and for the more than three years of Brother Plum’s illness and the one and one-half years he was bedfast, she tenderly and lovingly cared for him day and night without complaint, assisted by her two sisters and by her excellent daughter-in-law, sister Lillian Plum. Sister Plum is of the old school of womanhood, a gracious, lovely, modest, godly woman, who loves the Lord, the church, her husband and children, and all that is good and true. She and Russell will continue to live at their home which they built in 1941. (All preachers ought to own a home of their own.) Cards and letters will reach sister Plum at her home address if any of our readers wish to write her, to thank her for what she, her husband, and family have meant to the Lord’s cause and kingdom for these many years.

Brother Plum was baptized during a gospel meeting in 1911, held by J. H. Pennell. “One little twelve year old boy was baptized,” it was remarked, but that boy gave sixty-six years to the Lord’s work, fifty-six of them in active gospel preaching. He went to embalming school in Cincinnati, Ohio, immediately after marriage but never worked as a mortician. He began preaching in Hundred, West Virginia and in 1918 moved to East Liverpool, Ohio. After preaching there, he did located work in Moundsville, West Virginia; .Wheeling, West Virginia (where he did extensive radio preaching); Lynn Street in Parkersburg; Belpre, Ohio; West Broad Street and Whitehall churches in Columbus, Ohio; and in Paden City, West Virginia. In 1964 they moved to Coraopolis, Pennsylvania to care for their daughter who was terminally ill. Brother Plum began holding meetings and preaching for churches within driving distance of Coraopolis when he was not in meetings. He continued to do this for the next ten years, the remainder of his preaching life. After their daughter’s death, they moved to their own home in Parkersburg in March, 1966. In his 56 years of preaching, he baptized hundreds of people, holding meetings in twenty states and Canada. He held six meetings in Port Arthur, and was scheduled to hold another for us when he became too ill to preach anymore. We then asked Brother Charles D. Plum to come in his father’s place for the meeting. He consented, but then became ill with cancer and passed away before the time agreed upon.

Brother Plum engaged in two religious debates, both with the Seventh-Day Adventists. He wrote several tracts and for many years was a regular staff writer for the Gospel Advocate. He spoke on college lectureships, especially at Freed-Hardeman College, and was well known as a personal friend to the notable preachers, elders and brethren of the twenties, thirties and early forties. But all this changed in the forties, after World War II. In the late forties and early fifties, when the Gospel Advocate became the foremost voice for institutionalism (human institutions being supported, maintained and subsidized from church treasuries) and centralized church cooperation (many churches working through a centralized, sponsoring-church arrangement, with a concentration of plans, funds and personnel under the oversight of a central eldership), Brother Plum opposed this unscriptural movement and wrote in opposition to these digressive, liberal practices and plans. The Advocate editor, Brother B. C. Goodpasture, ceased printing his articles, so Brother Plum resigned from the Advocate staff. He later remarked that the twenty-five dollars a month he received as a staff writer was greatly needed in those days, yet he could not take it to the peril of his soul. He was the first writer to quit the Advocate due to the paper’s liberalism. He contributed articles afterwards to several papers among faithful brethren, the Gospel Guardian and especially Truth Magazine being the main outlets for his views. His writing was ever like his preaching-true to God’s word, simple, understandable and appealing.

One of the great sadnesses of Brother Plum’s life was the condition to which the majority of churches of Christ in the Ohio Valley have come. This was home to him, the area and people that he loved best, and where most of his life’s work was done. He grieved at the digression of the churches in that area and at the fact that he was greatly ostracized by the very people he had helped the most in earlier years. The college begun and operated by liberal brethren in Parkersburg and the Ohio Valley has been and is a prime mover of digression throughout the entire area and Brother Plum ever looked upon it with disdain and sorrow. He had great sorrow of heart due to broken fellowship and friendships as digression gained more and more power and fewer brethren in his area arose to speak and stand against it as time went by. Especially keen was the loss of association with gospel preachers who had been bosom friends and fellow-laborers, men who had preached and proclaimed similar convictions as his own, but who would no longer preach and stand by their convictions when divisions began to occur. Brethren Fred E. Dennis and Tom Butterfield were extremely valued fellow-soldiers, yet their fellowship was lost when he stood for truth and they tacitly and quietly gave their influence to the digressive movement. They continued to hold the meetings for churches in the Ohio Valley, churches which were and are embracing more of error and becoming more denominational as time passed, while Brother Plum preached elsewhere and had to go further out into the countryside to weak and small churches to find places to preach. In his long illness they never contacted him in any way, never came to see him nor inquire of him. Brother Butterfield attended his funeral. Brother Plum often remarked that if he, Dennis and Butterfield could have stood together as one man in the truth during the crucial years of the fifties and sixties, they could have saved much of the cause of Christ in the Ohio Valley from digression.

In the nineteen years I knew Brother Plum well, I came to love and appreciate him as I have few other men. He stayed in our home in two meetings; I stayed in their home in Parkersburg during two meetings. We corresponded often. I will never forget the way he walked, his unusual speaking style and voice, his beautiful and perfectly-drawn blackboard diagrams, the scripture-filled sermons, his tenderness of heart and feelings. He was a deeply pious man, given much to prayer, Bible study and meditation. He always talked of the scriptures, the church, home and heaven. I never heard him discuss sports, politics, fishing, hunting, or gossip about anyone. He loved his family as much as any man I have ever known. Only to preach the gospel would he leave them, while gone he wrote them every day, and when a meeting was over he wanted to return home. Humble in spirit, reverent in demeanor, always moderate in his habits, very unassuming and quiet in disposition, thrifty with money, undemanding and simple in his needs, accurate and meticulous in his work, kind and gentle in manner, forgiving and without rancor toward any enemies, hopeful for the best in all things, believing in God’s will and providence in every facet of his life, he tried to live as much as possible at peace with all men, consistent with God’s will, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this world.

His funeral was conducted in Parkersburg on July 5 by Brother Richard Greeson, preacher of the Marrtown Road church in Parkersburg, and by this writer. His mortal body was laid away to await the resurrection by the side of his son, Charles, in the Chapel of Peace Mausoleum, Sunset Gardens Cemetery, Parkersburg. May God continue to be with and bless Sister Plum, Russell, and this entire family as they serve Him, and may Brother Plum’s life, preaching and works be a continual blessing and influence in the lives of all of us who knew him.

Truth Magazine XXI: 41, pp. 647-649
October 20, 1977

By Morris W. R. Bailey

In our study of handling aright the word of truth, it has been pointed out that it is important that we recognize the distinction between miraculous phenomena, which served a temporary purpose, and the permanent order. The last article dealt with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, sent upon the apostles, and later on the household of Cornelius, and the purpose that it served in each case. We now turn our attention to another miraculous manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the form of. . .

Spiritual Gifts

The apostle Paul dealt at some length with the subject of spiritual gifts in the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth chapter of first Corinthians. I shall take time out while the reader turns to, and reads Paul’s words in 1 Cor. 12:1-11.

In this scripture it is obvious that spiritual gifts were miraculous powers given to certain of the disciples of the First Century. It will be pointed out later that they were given for but a limited time.

The first three of the gifts, as designated by Paul-wisdom, knowledge, and faith-while ordinarily natural mental exercises and received through natural channels, are herein described by Paul as supernatural gifts, and received, not through natural channels, but, as will be shown later, by the laying on of apostolic hands.

Wisdom, as a spiritual gift, was the ability to reveal divine truth. Paul said, “We speak God’s wisdom in a mystery” (1 Cor. 2:7). Knowledge, as a spiritual gift, was a supernatural insight into “. . . the mystery of Christ which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit” (Eph. 3:4,5). Faith, as a spiritual gift, was not. the faith described in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, and which comes by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17), but a supernatural faith that enabled the recipient to work miracles (Matt. 17:19,20).

Spiritual gifts must not be confused with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. While it is probable that the apostles, who had received the baptism of the Spirit, possessed all the above gifts, not all who received such gifts received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is obvious from the following . . .

Points Of Difference

1. Holy Spirit baptism was received directly from heaven. The writer of Acts, in describing the descent of the Spirit on the apostles at Pentecost, said, “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:2-4). In the sermon that followed, Peter showed that Jesus was seated at the right hand of God, whence “he hath poured forth this which ye see and hear” (Acts 2:33).

In describing the descent of the Holy Spirit on the household of Cornelius, the writer of Acts said, “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word. And they of the circumcision . . . were amazed . . . because that on the Gentiles was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 10:44,45). Peter described the same event in these words, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning” (Acts 11:15). Thus, in each case the Holy Spirit was sent from heaven.

Spiritual gifts, however, were conferred by the laying on of apostolic hands. This is obvious from the following facts:

(a) Up until the events of the sixth chapter of Acts, only the apostles worked miracles. Acts 2:43 says, “And many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.” Acts 5:12 says, “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.” If others were working miracles does it not seem strange that the miracles of only the apostles were mentioned?

Beginning with the sixth chapter, however, a change took place. A crisis arose in connection with the administration of benevolence, that resulted in the appointment of seven men to “serve tables” (vs. 1,2). Upon these men the apostles laid their hands (vs. 6). Immediately following this, Stephen, one of the seven, “wrought great wonders and signs among the people” (vs. 8). Here, for the first time, we find someone other than an apostle working miracles.

(b) Later, Philip, another one of the seven, went down to the city of Samaria and preached unto them the Christ (Acts 8:5). Of Philip’s experience in Samaria the writer of Acts said, “And the multitudes gave heed with one accord unto the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did. For from many of those that had unclean spirits, they came out crying with a loud voice: and many that were palsied, and that were lame were healed” (Acts 8:6,7). Where had Philip received the power to work miracles? Obviously through the laying on of the apostles’ hands. This becomes a certainty in another verse in this same chapter.

Following the conversion of the Samaritans, Peter and John came down to Samaria. The purpose of their coming is described in the following words. “Who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit . . . Then laid they their hands upon them and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:15-17).

Of Simon, who had obeyed the gospel under Philip’s preaching, the writer said, “Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money” (Acts 8:18). Could language be plainer?

(c) Still another example of impartation of miraculous power through the laying on of apostolic hands is seen in Paul’s experience at Ephesus, in Acts the nineteenth chapter. Following the baptism of certain disciples in the name of Christ, “Paul laid his hands upon them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:6).

From the above considerations it is thus obvious that spiritual gifts, or miraculous powers possessed by the early Christians, were conferred by the laying on of apostles’ hands.

2. A second point of distinction between Spirit baptism and spiritual gifts was that while the apostles were able to impart spiritual gifts to others by the laying on of hands, that power did not extend to those on whom hands were laid. This is obvious from the following evidence:

(a) While Philip had the power to work miracles, it was necessary for the apostles, Peter and John, to come down to Samaria to lay their hands on the new disciples there. At least that was obviously the intent of their visit to Samaria.

(b) Although Apollos labored for some time in Ephesus, and was an eloquent man, and “Powerfully confuted the Jews . . . showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ” (Acts 18:28), it was not until Paul came to Ephesus and laid hands on the disciples there that “the Holy Spirit came upon them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:1-6).

The Purpose Of Spiritual Gifts

Spiritual gifts served a dual purpose. Miracles, healings, and tongues were confirmatory in their effect, and inspired confidence in the inspiration of the preacher (Acts 8:6; 1 Cor. 14:22). Knowledge, wisdom and prophecy had to do with inspiration, and enabled those who possessed those gifts to teach such truth as was necessary for the edification of the church. Speaking of the gifts that were given to men, Paul said that their purpose was, “For the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12).

In thinking of the purpose of spiritual gifts, it needs to be borne in mind that during the first twenty years of the history of the church there was no revelation (of the New Testament) in written form. Preachers could not appeal to book, chapter, and verse as proof for the things they taught. Their teaching had to be supplied by inspiration. So when an apostle, or other inspired man, established a church in a certain place, and then moved on somewhere else, it was necessary that provision be made for the continued instruction of those babes in Christ. It was for that purpose that spiritual gifts were given to men.

Their Duration

Like all other miraculous phenomena, spiritual gifts were temporary, and consequently ceased when their purpose was fulfilled. We may as well be looking for the miracle of creation to be repeated today, as to expect the continuation of spiritual gifts.

Paul placed a time limit on these gifts when he said in Eph. 4:13 that they were given “Till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” That word, “till” is an adverb of time, and thus sets a time limit on the duration of spiritual gifts. Not, as some tell us, when all men are united in what they believe. That is not likely to ever be. It had reference to the time when the various parts of the faith, (1 Cor. 13:9) would be brought together in one unified body of truth.

In the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians, Paul specifically names three spiritual gifts, prophecies, tongues, and knowledge, and said that they would be done away when that which is perfect is come (1 Cor. 13:8-10). Since I plan to deal with this passage more. fully in a later article on misused scriptures, it will suffice to make this closing observation that since these greater gifts were to cease it seems illogical for anyone to contend that the other gifts will continue. Having all served their time and purpose they have given way to the permanent-the written word in the New Testament.

Truth Magazine XXI: 41, pp. 645-647
October 20, 1977

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