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Non-Profit Publisher

Did you know the publisher of Truth Magazine is a non-profit organization? Guardian of Truth Foundation is in the “business” of publishing quality Bible-study materials. Being a non-profit, though, means the profits are put back into the business. Any money left over after meeting our expenses is reinvested into publishing more materials. We have expenses such as printing, salaries, building rent, advertising, and more. There are no board member salaries and no dividends to stockholders.

The sale of our publications helps to ensure funds for future materials. In other words, whenever you buy one of our workbooks, commentaries, or the new hymnal*, you aid current and future projects—you help support the continued availability of sound Bible-study materials for the next generation.

Traditionally the materials have been print, but we are now branching out into the electronic realm. For instance, our flagship publication, Truth Magazine, is available in Kindle format and on the website as a PDF download. Plans are to put all Truth Commentary books into digital format as well. This will take some time, but it is in the works.

Consider this…

With our Truth Commentaries our aim is to provide a biblically sound commentary set written by brethren that will bless Christians for three, four, or more generations. Think of the Pulpit Commentaries that many brethren have on their shelf now. These have been around for over 100 years. We hope Truth Commentaries are around for that long and longer.

Further, the new hymnal, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, will be used by brethren for decades, God willing. This hymnal is fundamentally different from others in several ways. It has five editors. Scores of brethren gave their input for what songs should be included. The hymnal also utilizes Phrased Notation. This means the layout is driven by the phrases of the song, not the size of the page. It avoids line breaks in the middle of a thought. Hence, you complete a phrase with each line, avoiding the all-too-common disruption of jumping to the next line.

*As noted above, we have a new hymnal due out in June and available exclusively from CEI Bookstore.

Destructive, Damnable Deceit of the Devil (2)

“When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (Jn. 8:44).

Satan is the father of lies because of the events in the Garden (Gen. 3:1-6). He has never ceased lying to men to lure them away from God. His work is relentless, but so is God’s.

One great deceit with which the devil has had much success is that salvation is by faith alone. Most of our religious friends and neighbors adhere to this doctrine. It is a part of Calvinism, though many are not strict Calvinist or would even know what that means.

The Methodist Book of Discipline teaches that salvation by faith only is a wholesome and comforting doctrine. If it was true, that would be true. However, it is a false doctrine and so any comfort is misleading and wholesomeness a fraud.

Faith-only salvation contradicts straight-forward language.

James teaches that salvation is “not by faith only” (Jas. 2:24). Rather, he says, it is by putting faith into action (Jas. 2:14-26). He points to Abraham as one example of true faith; so does the Hebrew writer.

In Hebrews 11, the writer sets before us not only Abraham, but also many others who lived by faith. They are concrete examples of faith. Abraham left his homeland at God’s command and offered His son for the same reason (Heb. 11:8-19). Able sacrificed by faith (Heb. 11:4). Noah built an ark (Heb. 11:7). Moses forsook Egypt and Israel crossed the Red Sea by faith (Heb. 11:24-29). Each case in this chapter is of individuals or groups that obeyed God’s command by faith. In other words, they believed what He said and acted on it.

If Israel believed God could part the Red Sea and save them, but refused to cross it when the waters rolled back, would they have been saved? If Noah took the position that God had the power to save him without the ark, and thus he neglected to build it, would he have been saved? The obvious answer is no. We are required to act on God’s commands, not just believe them.

Here is a specific case in point. There were men among the rulers of the Jews that believed in Jesus as the Christ, but refused to confess Him (Jn. 12:42, 43). They would not because of their love for the praise of men exceeded their love for the praise of God. Jesus said if we would not confess Him before men, He will not confess us before the Father (Lk. 12:8, 9). So, were the rulers saved by faith only? No. They lost their souls in spite of the fact that they believed in Jesus. There was another condition for salvation besides and beyond faith.

Faith-only salvation ignores plain teaching.

That more than faith is needed is abundantly clear from even a casual reading of the New Testament. Jesus said men must believe, repent, confess, and be baptized for salvation (Jn. 8:24; Lk. 13:3; 24:46, 47; Matt. 10:32, 33; Mk. 16:16; Matt. 28:19, 20). Peter commanded men to repent and be baptized in order to have their sins remitted (Acts 2:38). Note that at Cornelius’ house it says, “he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:48). Command is not an option, though that is what most people believe about baptism today. Ananias told Saul of Tarsus to arise and be baptized to have his sins washed away (Acts 22:16). The Spirit-guided apostle said baptism saves (1 Pet. 3:21). It cannot be any plainer than this. For one to miss these truths, he must either willfully ignore it or blindly follow the teaching of another.

Faith-only salvation leads men to hell.

When a person accepts the deceit of the devil he is lost. If he dies in this state he is eternally lost and will go to hell with the devil and his angels. As examined above, faith-only salvation is one such deceit. It is partial truth, which means it is a lie.

Our family, friends, and neighbors may be caught up in this lie. Our duty is to help them see the truth. It may not be easy. They may not like it. Still, we must do it.

Finally, it is important to understand that the difference between faith-only salvation and what the Bible teaches is not academic. It has real consequences. We must view it as a weapon of the enemy, Satan, and seek to destroy it. If we are successful, souls will be saved.

— Steven F. Deaton

Call-in Radio Programs

By Ken Green

Brother Mike Willis has asked me to write a few comments regarding the call-in type radio program. I’ve decided to follow the same general outline that I used for this topic in the ’73 Florida College Lecture Series. For some five years I hosted such a program in Louisville, Kentucky. This was a Monday through Friday 30-minute program, aired at 2:30 each afternoon. Since moving to Owensboro, Kentucky, I have conducted the same type radio broadcast each Tuesday from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. This type program has demonstrated itself in many ways to be more fruitful, more appealing, and more prone to attract and hold attention than the straight preaching, conventional gospel broadcasts.

This type work was first brought to my attention by an article in the Gospel Guardian by Lowell Williams regarding their call-in program in Seattle, Washington. He referred to this medium as “a modern-day marketplace.” Shortly after, I discussed the matter with Peter Wilson who participated on such a program in Portland, Oregon. He sent a sample tape of one of their broadcasts, and the elders of the South End congregation in Louisville decided to increase our radio time from 15 to 30 minutes and give the new idea a try.

There were three of us on that first program: Rodney Miller, Bobby Witherington, and myself. I cannot speak for the others, but I have never felt more inadequate, unnecessary, and just plain scared in my life than I felt awaiting that first call-in program! I had already decided that I would make it clear that we did not claim to know all the answers, and that we would quickly admit it if we did not know an answer. But then, I asked myself, “What if I don’t know any of the answers?” or “What if we receive no questions?” Somehow we got through that one. We had plenty of questions, and we knew the answers! I have always started these programs by requesting that callers deal in principles, not personalities; that they be brief in their comments; and limit their calls to one per week. Most callers have complied with those ground rules.

Type Questions Received

Most of the calls that we receive contain the type questions that we are often told nobody’s asking. Questions such as: “Why do you say there is just one church?” or “What about the thief on the cross if baptism is necessary?” or “Do you baptize in the name of Jesus?” or “Why don’t you use instruments of music?” or “What do you mean, the Old Testament is no longer binding?” or “What does the Bible teach about falling from grace?” This type broadcast has reinforced my convictions that many people are still interested in such “doctrinal” questions.

Often, specific scriptures are quoted by callers which they believe will support their doctrines: `Don’t you believe that according to Matthew 24, the second coming is imminent'”; “You say children of God may fall from grace. What about 1 John 3:9 (or John 10:28, or Romans 8:35-39)?” or “If instrumental music is not right in worship, please explain Psalm 150.”

Sometimes people give vent to bitter feelings prompted by prejudice and emotions. How we deal with such calls is extremely important in view of the entire listening audience. For example, one lady asked why God put all the snakes and spiders and flies here.

“I don’t really know,” I confessed. “Do you reckon it was just to worry and aggravate us?’1 she asked. She then went into a rather lengthy description of how “aggravatin’ ” flies were, “especially,” she emphasized, “the old green flies!” She made her point. I laughed, and took another call.

Brethren have often asked, “How do you keep your temper?” “I’d blow my stack,” some have said. But we are not there to lose tempers, blow stacks, and let off steam. We are there to teach the word and try to save souls. Sometimes when a subject has been driven in the ground for some time, I may get tired of hearing the same old thing. But I must remember that people are listening, and the manner in which I react will make an impression for good or bad.

On many occasions, opportunities for direct dialogue are presented. Some callers do not want to argue their point, but some do. I have always found that a program is much more interesting to the listening audience when some dialogue between the callers and us takes place.

Timely questions and issues often arise. In recent years many callers have raised questions on such subjects as abortion, ecumenicity, law and order, ERA, etc. Several questions were asked regarding scriptural teaching on capital punishment during the Gilmore controversy in Utah. And then some incidents occur that are quite humorous. My “preacher’s tales” have multiplied exceedingly as a result of many of the programs I have participated on. Such incidents do no harm. In fact, they increase the interest of the audience.

Valuable Possibilities

One of the great things about such programs is that we know people’s questions on the Bible are being dealt with. They are making these questions known. The specific matters which need greater emphasis at any given time will necessarily receive attention, for they will be asked about more often. We should not grow weary of answering the same questions over and over. People steeped in religious error may have to hear something fifty times before they really begin to consider it.

The great interest in this type programming is reflected in the increase in mail. On our 15-minute daily broadcast in Louisville which consisted of straight preaching, we rarely received a letter. The same was true of the Sunday morning, 30-minute program here in Owensboro. But several letters are usually received each week in regard to our call-in program. Both in Louisville and here in Ownesboro, I have heard from several who tape the programs and listen, to them again, or play them to others.

Another valuable service such broadcasts offer is the edifying of Christians. While many members of the church do not listen to the straight-preaching programs (though they ought to), it has been my observation that almost all members who have the opportunity listen to this type broadcast. Many are strengthened in their convictions by being witness to this constant confrontation of truth and error. Several have successfully used such programs as a springboard for conversations with neighbors and co-workers.

Measurable Good Accomplished

Here, as in most cases, we cannot know all the good that has been done. But we do know of some. In Louisville, close to fifty people that I knew of, obeyed the gospel as a result of our radio efforts. These were baptized in different congregations in the city. Of the first of these were Junior and Susan Bronger. This couple came out of the Nazarene Church. Junior is now preaching the gospel at Willisburg, Kentucky.

While some of these have fallen away, many are more stable than the average convert. They knew what they were doing and were well taught on the differences between the church and denominations. They are also aware of such matters as institutionalism, Bible teaching on divorce, premillennialism, etc., for they have heard these matters discussed many times.

Here in Owensboro, the program has not yet borne a lot of visible results. Some good has been accomplished, however, in teaching tie liberals. Three families have renounced institutionalism, and I have had opportunity to study with others. In my estimation, the call-in format is the best approach to radio work. It truly constitutes a “modern-day marketplace.” Used as a means to the end of reaching and teaching and persuading people, it is very rewarding.

Truth Magazine XXI: 28, pp. 437-438
July 21, 1977