Truth Magazine

By Larry Ray Hafley

Premillennialism, the doctrine which says Christ will return to Jerusalem, restore the Jews and rule on a material throne for 1,000 calender years, pervades all segments and sections of sectarianism and parades under the flag of fundamentalism. Its incipient influence is seen everywhere. In this, it is analogous to the theory of evolution. A scientist, who otherwise reasons fairly and factually, often has his information besmirched by his evolutionary interpretations. So it is with premillennial preconceptions. A Baptist preacher recently wrote an article in defense of the inspiration of the Bible. His theme cited fulfilled prophecy as one line of evidence for inspiration. However, his premillennial persuasion led him into Scripture perversion. As an example thereof, please note the following quote.

“Many, many years ago Moses prophesied: `And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth to the other; and there shalt thou serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.’ Deut. 28:64.

“Years later Ezekiel restated the reason for the scattering (ch. 36:19). No one questions the fact that the Jews were scattered among the nations of the world. But now comes the amazing thing that has happened in our day. He also prophesied that Israel would return to their own land, Ezek. 36:2638. The 37th chapter of Ezekiel relates the vision of the resurrection of dry bones in the valley. This vision he explains (vs. 11-12) ‘. . . these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold they say, `Our bones are dried, our hope is lost: we are cut off from our part . . . I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.’

“On May 14, 1948 the Nation of Israel was revived after 2500 years of dispersion. Can any say that it was not the hand of the Lord? Can any deny the prophecy?” (L.D. Capell, “IS THE BIBLE REALLY INSPIRED,” Missionary Baptist Searchlight, May 10, 1976).

The Scattering And Gathering

God indeed scattered His people for their sins. God in truth promised to gather His elect from their captivity. Has the fulfillment of this prophecy “happened in our day,” namely, “On May 14, 1948?” “Yes,” says our premillennial Baptist. This view overlooks a variety of things.

First, and foremost, the fulfillment of the pledge to gather Israel from among the nations occurred, “not in our day,” but in the days of Ezra. In fact, Nehemiah cited the threats of the book of Deuteronomy in his prayer for rebuilding (Neh. 1:8, 9). See Jer. 25:11-13; 2 Chron. 36:1723; Ezra 1:1-4.

Second, the king of Babylon and the land of the Chaldeans were to be punished “for their iniquity.” If the restoration of Israel occurred on May 14, 1948, when did the banishment of Babylon transpire? The land of the Chaldeans was not to be consumed until the restoration of Israel. But if the restoration of Israel was not accomplished until 1948, how could God fulfill His vengeance against the king of Babylon? Must Babylon and the Chaldeans be restored from the dust of antiquity so God can back up and hitch on to his threat to desolate them?

Third, the recovery and reformation of Israel was contingent upon their obedience (Dent. 4:29-31; Neh. 1:8, 9). “If thou shalt hearken …. and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thy heart,” “then the Lord thy God will return thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee” (Dent. 30:1-10). The 37th chapter of Ezekiel, if verses 11 and 12 were fulfilled in May, 1948, requires that Israel not only be returned “unto your own land,” but that they then hate their sins and begin to serve God faithfully and fruitfully (Ezek. 37:24-31). Has this characterized “The Nation of Israel” which was formed in 1948? No, a thousand times, no. A destroyed nation, such as Israel was, before it could be restored, had to repent and return. “At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them” (Jer. 18:7, 8). Does that describe “the Nation of Israel,” 1948 vintage? No; therefore, the 1948 Israeli nation cannot be the nation resurrected and restored by the hand of the Lord. Further, is “the Nation of Israel,” begun in 1948, characterized by “a new heart?” Does that 1948 nation “walk” in God’s “statutes” and keep His “judgments?” Does that nation “remember (their) own evil ways and (their) doings that were not good?” Do they loathe themselves in their “own sight” because of their former “iniquities” and “abominations?” No, they do not. But that was to typify and identify the Israel restored and returned by Jehovah (Ezek. 37:24-31). Therefore, “the Nation of Israel” of 1948 is not the fulfillment of the restoration prophecies.

Conclusion

A multitude of other issues could be used to strengthen and bolster our present proposition. This will suffice to show that a false theory, like a drop of poison in a glass of water, can mar what is essentially the truth on other topics. Fulfilled prophecy testifies to the inspiration of Scripture. No one denies that. But premillennial propaganda blunts the effect of the truth.

Truth Magazine XXI: 22, p. 338
June 2, 1977

By Philip S. North

Oddly enough, these two words do no mean the same exact thing. Actually, they go from one extreme to the other. When we talk about someone that is “different,” we think of the individual who is not one to merely “follow the crowd.” We look upon that person as an individualist;. not like other people; offset from the majority; opposite of same; and to a certain degree, independent. A person who is different certainly and most always attracts attention. In some cases, especially with reference to being a true, faithful, and devout Christian, being different is not bad.

An individual that is “indifferent” is usually categorized as being contrary; stubborn; disobedient; delinquent; not reacting to; unconcerned. This is often said of an outlaw, troublemaker, or a contrary son or daughter (a problem child). This person, though he may be classified as different in his manner of living, his life is at the same time indifferent with regard to law and order and respect to authority. Most people may obey the law, while he chooses not to. This is an example of being indifferent. Thus, here is our conclusion. A person that is different will stay away from those things of the world that are sinful and from people who choose to follow such. While one that is indifferent will be wayward to those who have selected to follow as their pattern of life that which is right and good in the eyes of the Almighty God. Now let us examine our lives and see just where we fit in. Are we of a different nature or of an indifferent nature? We are doubtless going to be one or the other.

Are We Different?

When we decide to put off the old man of sin and put on the new (Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22-23; Col. 3:9,10), we should also resolve ourselves to be different — that is to say, no longer a partaker of the lusts of the world and its sensuous pleasures (Rom. 12:2). Paul teaches us that we must live in the world, but not be of the world (Titus 2:12). King Solomon teaches us all throughout the book of Ecclesiastes that man is going to have to live under the sun. However, he went on to conclude that the whole duty of man is to “fear God and keep his commandments” (Eccl. 12:13). Christians are a group of people that are looked upon by the world as being strange; unusual; weird, if you please; odd. Paul calls us “a peculiar people” (Titus 2:14). That is why it should not constantly bother us, if even at all, when you hear some worldly individual call you “square,” “sissy,” “redneck,” “sweety,” “Mr. Nice Guy,” “party pooper,” “stick-in-the-mud,” or whatever!! As long as somebody thinks one or more of the above about us, we must be alright, provided we are not hypocrites concerning the way we act around people. WOE INDEED TO THE MAN THAT EVERYBODY SPEAKS GOOD OF! Just how different should we as Christians be?

Do we refuse that alcoholic drink that is offered? Do we refuse to take and pedal dope? What about the use of profanity of ANY kind? Do we stay away from evil companions? Do we engage in premarital sex? What about gambling, cheating people, lying, stealing, obeying the law of our land, etc.? Or better still, what about taking the Bible in its entirety and therefore refusing to add to or take away from that inspired Word? Do we follow the Bible and obey exactly what it dictates and all of what it dictates? These are but a few of the things that the world beseeches us to do in our everyday life-or else beseeches us not to do. Jesus states that “ye are the salt of the earth” (Mt. 5:13). This means that we are to make use of our name “Christian” and be an especially good example for others, that they may see Jesus in our lives. God never intended for anyone to be “good for nothing” and hence do no more in this world than “take up space.” In Matthew 5:16 Jesus teaches us, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Gentle reader, I ask you this question in the name of your precious soul’s eternal destiny: Are you different? Are you “set apart” from the world?

Are We Indifferent?

Now friend, with reference to the Word of God, this is just what you should not want to be. Just look at the number of moon craters we could fill with people that are indifferent! First of all, they do the exact opposite that the civil law requires and also which God commands. (NOTE: we must obey civil law only as long as it does not conflict with the law of God). These people are just as contrary and as wayward as they know how to be! Next, some people with regard to following the scriptures, will look point blank, bulls eye, at the Bible and argue, pervert, and twist the scriptures around, until after awhile, they have you believing (if you are not on your p’s and q’s) that the sky is naturally pink, black is white, and manual labor is really the name of a Mexican worker. These people will argue with a billboard standing right in their very presence. There are many verses in the Bible that are not at all hard to understand, therefore they mean what they say. I speak of self-explanatory verses. Jesus said in John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth and truth shall make you free.” In Jn. 8:24 Jesus also told us, “Except ye believe that I am He, ye shall die in your sins.” The Hebrew writer PLAINLY tells us in Hebrews 10:25 not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together . . . .” Again, Romans 12:2 tells us not to be “conformed to this world . . .” 2 Peter 1:5 tells us to add to our faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, and love. 2 Timothy 2:15 and James 1:21 tell us to study our Bibles. The list is almost endless about “direct commandments.” The young man Stephen called the Jews in Acts 7:51, “stiffnecked and dncircumcised.” This certainly is an example of being indifferent. Those Jews had their heads bent on rejecting Jesus, and therefore refused to mend their ways to God’s will.

Many members of the church are indifferent in their attitude of faith-church attendance. You cannot, even with a wire brush and an act of Congress, get them to attend more than just one service a week. “Sunday morning onlys” is what I speak of. They are good bench warmqis, but they can never be good heart warmers. These persistent “Sunday morning onlys” seldom or never ask anybody to attend the services with them, if there is a man in the family, he will not in any way

attend the business meetings, you can never persuade them to read the scripture or word a prayer (even if they may possess the talent to do so), and the other members seldom or never see Christ in their lives. These indifferent people persist on living the kind of life that they wish to live, and rain on anyone that shows concern for their souls.

How is with you, friend? When it comes to obeying the gospel and being faithful to God until death, are you different or indifferent? As long as you live and breathe God’s air upon this big earth, remember that there is one little, simple word in your life that you show every day you exist. This one little word will work either way or the other for you on the day of judgment. It is a word that will send your soul to either Heaven or Hell-attitude!! Let us live every day for Jesus only-as if it were our last. One day it will be. I pray that we always strive for the truth and once we learn what God commands of us, we obey Him without question or hesitancy. Are you different or indifferent?

Truth Magazine XXI: 21, pp. 333-334
May 26, 1977

By Ron Halbrook

For the Truth’s sake, we must learn to avoid hypocrisy in all forms. God condemns it repeatedly. Preachers and teachers of the Word can be as guilty as anyone else. Jesus told the Jews, “All therefore whatsoever (the Pharisees) bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not” (Matt. 23:3). Paul asked, “Thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?” (Rom. 2:21) When Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” he referred to hypocritical judgment (Matt. 7:1-5). We must “judge righteous judgment,” not condemning what we allow or allowing what we condemn for the sake of man’s favor (Jn. 7:24).

Hypocrisy comes in many forms. (1) Men often try to appear “better” than they are. Men “join the church” of their choice, because the community “expects” it, without ever examining the Bible to see what God’s choice is! (Matt. 7:15-27). Meeting community standards in religion, while disobeying God’s Word, is hypocrisy. Community approval is _the only “reward” for such religion, for God rejects it (Matt. 6:lff).

(2) Men often try to appear “worse” than they are. Peter tried to blend in with unbelievers, by denying the Lord. When the Lord “looked upon Peter,” he “went out, and wept bitterly” (Lk.11:54ff). Some Christians today need that same repentance: “let your laughter be turned into mourning” (Jas. 4:9). To laugh with our friends at immoral jokes, to have a “social” drink with them, to smoke with them, and to use their cursing, is to destroy our influence by hypocrisy! God’s children are to be “without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life” (Phil. 2:15f).

(3) Men often claim sincerity in religion, but refuse discussion, examination, and debate. A child who works math problems but refuses to have his work discussed or examined, is NOT a sincere student. Jesus freely debated and discussed his doctrine in public, as did his Apostles. There was a time when Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and others would submit their doctrine to public debate “for the truth’s sake.” Now they generally refuse to debate such things as sprinkling for baptism, the purpose of Bible baptism, their creeds, instrumental music in worship, human organizations, etc.

(4) The sacramental system encourages hypocrisy. Some men teach that God “infuses grace into the soul” of one who partakes of the “sacraments” (certain religious acts). Unwittingly, this encourages people to think they can sin to their heart’s desire and then “make it all right” by use of the “sacrament.” Human sacraments are worthless to begin with, and only obedience “from the heart” to God’s Word cleanses from sin (Rom. 6). (5) Modernism IS hypocrisy personified. Modernists claim to honor Christ while saying he was “wrong” on certain things, and to honor the Bible as God’s Word while saying it contains contradictions and falsehoods (cf Heb. 4:15; 2 Tim. 2:16f). This is bald-faced religious hypocrisy, as practiced by Judas when he gave Christ the kiss, of death. Let us examine ourselves, that faith may work by love (Gal. 5:6).

Truth Magazine XXI: 21, pp. 332-333
May 26, 1977

By Roland Worth, Jr.

American religion plays great lip service to the Bible. It is on every pulpit; in most churches there is at least some type of reading from it every Sunday; the creed books declare it to be their standard. It is the world’s best seller every year.

Yet do people really accept the Bible? Do they accept what it teaches?

Thanks to public opinion poll data we can answer this question with more than just speculation based on personal experience. At least two major polls of religious belief have been taken in recent years:

In 1965, the Catholic Digest sponsored a nationwide survey of opinion (both inside their church and outside it) as to what Americans believe on a wide variety of subjects connected with religion. The findings of this survey were reported in What Do We Believe? The Stance of Religion in America (Merid ith Press, New York: 1968), with an analysis by Martin E. Marty, Stuart E. Rosenberg, and Andrew M. Greeley.

In 1963, another major survey was undertaken, in this case by the University of California at Berkley and concerned religious opinions in four northern California counties. The findings are reported in Rodney Stark and Charles Y. Glock’s volume on American Piety: The Nature of Religious Commitment (University of California Press, Berkeley, California: 1968).

From these two sources we can gain a reasonably accurate understanding of what the typical American religionist believes. We could present a lengthy refutation of the popular misconceptions that these studies revealed. Since most of my readers are already Christians and know the truth on these matters, I will refrain from doing this. I will let the figures speak for themselves, without comment.

(The charts and figures that follow, though they are based on those found in the above two volumes, are seldom a verbatim reproduction; in other words, the format has normally been at least slightly changed in order to emphasize the points we are trying to make.)

What Was Jesus?

The Catholic Digest survey (pages 224-225). The “supernatural” column below lumps together those who believe that Jesus is “God” and those who label Him “Son of God.” The “Human” column is for those who simply considered Him as “another leader.”

DENOMINATION	SUPERNATURAL		HUMAN
	1952	1965	1952	1965
Roman Catholic	92%	89%	6 %	51%
Protestant	83%	76%	10%	13%
Baptist	91%	85%	6 %	9 %
Methodist	83%	73%	9 %	14%
Lutheran	79%	73%	12%	17%
Presbyterian	82%	71%	12%	15%
Episcopal	76%	64%	17%	25%
Congregational	64%	53%	24%	29%

The California survey (page 32). This survey reveals that the shift away from belief in a supernatural Jesus may grow in the future due to the large number who have “doubts” on the subject.

The “Human” column below lumps together the two categories “Jesus was only a man though an extraordinary one” and “Jesus was a great man and very holy, but I don’t feel Him to be the Son of God any more than all of us are children of God.”

DENOMINATION	“DIVINE SON OF GOD”	“SOME DOUBTS”	HUMAN
Roman Catholic	86%	8 %	4 %
Protestant	69%	17%	11%
Congregational	40%	28%	28%
Methodist	54%	22%	20%
Episcopal	59%	25%	13%
American Lutheran	74%	18%	8 %
Disciples of Christ	74%	14%	8 %
Presbyterian	72%	19%	7 %
American Baptist	76%	16%	6 %
Missouri Lutheran	93%	5 %	1 %
Southern Baptist	99%	0 %	1 %

Virgin Birth of Christ

The California survey (page 34) found that the following percentages of church members that would accept as “completely true” the Biblical teaching that Jesus was born of a virgin.

DENOMINATION	PERCENT
Roman Catholic	81%
Protestant	57%
Congregational	21%
Methodist	34%
Episcopal	39%
Disciples	62%
American Lutheran	66%
American Baptist	69%
Missouri Lutheran	92%
Southern Baptist	99%

Return of Christ

There were the following answers to the question: “Do You Believe Jesus will actually return to the earth some day?” (California survey, page 34).

DENOMINATION	DEFINITELY OR PROBABLY	POSSIBLY	PROBABLY NOT OR DEFINITELY NOT
Roman Catholic	57%	16%	23%
Protestant	54%	20%	23%
Congregational	21%	28%	48%
Methodist	33%	25%	39%
Episcopal	37%	29%	28%
Presbyterian	54%	23%	20%
Disciples	46%	26%	18%
American Lutheran	66%	18%	13%
American Baptist	68%	17%	11%
Missouri Lutheran	83%	6 %	5 %
Southern Baptist	98%	0 %	2 %

Miracles of Christ

The California survey (page 36) provided three categories of answers to the questions of whether there were miracles : (1) “Miracles actually happened just as the Bible says they did,” in other words, a full acceptance of what the Bible teaches on the subject; (2) “Miracles happened but can be explained by natural causes;” (3) doubted or denied miracles.

DENOMINATION	DOUBTED OR DENIED	NATURAL EXPLANATIONS	FULL ACCEPTANCE
Roman Catholic	9 %	9 %	74%
Protestants	17%	19%	57%
Congregational	32%	32%	28%
Episcopalian	27%	22%	41%
Methodist	24%	31%	37%
Disciples	14%	16%	62%
Presbyterian	14%	20%	58%
American Lutheran	13%	14%	69%
American Baptist	9 %	16%	62%
Missouri Lutheran	5 %	4 %	89%
Southern Baptist	3 %	0 %	92%

Life Beyond Death?

The Catholic national survey produced these figures in answer to the question, “Do you think your soul will live on after death?” (Page 246).

DENOMINATION	NO	YES	UNCERTAIN
Roman Catholic	3 %	83%	14%
Protestant	7 %	78%	15%
Episcopal	15%	68%	17%
Presbyterian	11%	70%	19%
Congregational	11%	65%	24%
Methodist	7 %	75%	18%
Lutheran	7 %	78%	15%
Baptist	5 %	81%	14%

The California study resulted in these figures (page 37),

DENOMINATION	PROBABLY OR DEFINITELY NOT	PROBABLY TRUE	COMPLETELY TRUE
Roman Catholic	5 %	16%	75%
Protestant	9 %	24%	65%
Congregational	21%	40%	36%
Methodist	13%	35%	49%
Episcopalian	13%	31%	53%
Presbyterian	7 %	21%	69%
American Baptist	7 %	19%	72%
American Lutheran	5 %	23%	70%
Missouri Lutheran	4 %	10%	84%
Southern Baptist	0 %	3 %	97%

Does the Devil Exist?

The California study found that religionists gave the following replies (page 37),

DENOMINATION	PROBABLY NOT OR DEFINITELY NOT TRUE	PROBABLY TRUE	COMPLETELY TRUE
Roman Catholic	14%	14%	66%
Protestants	43%	15%	38%
Congregational	78%	13%	6 %
Methodist	66%	15%	13%
Episcopalian	60%	16%	17%
Presbyterian	48%	17%	31%
Disciples	38%	34%	18%
American Baptist	29%	17%	49%
American Lutheran	26%	20%	49%
Missouri Lutheran	10%	9 %	77%
Southern Baptist	1 %	5 %	92%

Original Sin?

The belief in “original sin” is widely spread throughout American religions in spite of the fact that the Bible does not teach it. The California poll asked “A child is born into the world already guilty of sin?” The answers were (page 40),

DENOMINATION	COMPLETELY TRUE	PROBABLY TRUE	PROBABLY OR DEFINITELY NOT TRUE
Roman Catholic	68%	10%	19%
Protestants	26%	6 %	65%
Missouri Lutheran	86%	4 %	9 %
American Lutheran	49%	12%	37%
Southern Baptist	43%	3 %	55%
American Baptist	23%	9 %	65%
Presbyterian	21%	7 %	68%
Episcopalian	18%	7 %	71%
Methodist	7 %	4 %	87%
Disciples	6 %	2 %	90%
Congregational	2 %	2 %	94%

Heaven and Hell?

The Catholic survey enquired whether people believed in the existence of a Heaven and Hell after death (pages 248-251).

DENOMINATION	NO AFTER LIFE OR NOT SURE	YES HEAVEN	YES HELL	NO HEAVEN	NO HELL	NOT SURE HEAVEN	NOT SURE HELL
Roman Catholic	17%	80%	70%	1 %	7 %	2 %	6 %
Protestant	22%	71%	54%	3 %	15%	4 %	9 %
Episcopal	32%	54%	17%	10%	38%	4 %	13%
Congregational	35%	58%	25%	4 %	37%	3 %	3 %
Lutheran	22%	66%	49%	3 %	22%	9 %	7 %
Presbyterian	29%	61%	39%	3 %	22%	7 %	10%
Methodist	25%	66%	44%	3 %	17%	6 %	14%
Baptist	19%	78%	68%	1 %	7 %	2 %	6%

Nature of the Bible

The Catholic survey asked, “Do you believe the Bible is really the revealed word of God; or do you think it is only a great piece of literature?” (page 228).*

DENOMINATION	GREAT LITERATURE	WORD OF GOD	OTHER OR DON’T KNOW
Roman Catholic	9 %	82%	9 %
Protestant	10%	85%	7 %
Episcopal	25%	71%	12%
Congregational	19%	70%	11%
Presbyterian	16%	78%	7 %
Methodist	13%	81%	10%
Lutheran	13%	79%	8 %
Baptist	5 %	91%	4 %

*Figures sometimes “add to more than 100 per cent since some people gave more than one response.”

Conclusion

What such figures as these indicate is that, regardless of claims, many denominationalists are in dissent from clear Biblical teachings. Regrettably, what Stark and Glock say of the Episcopalian Church has application to other groups as well,

“During. . . attempts to try him for heresy, Episcopalian Bishop James A. Pike defended himself as having merely told the laity what the clergy have taken for granted for years. Bishop Pike charged that modernized interpretations of doctrine which are commonplace in theological journals have been kept secret from ordinary church members in the interest of harmony. While it seems quite true that the new theology has rarely been preached from the pulpit in Episcopalian churches, which supports Bishop Pike’s Contentions, nevertheless the average Episcopalian has adopted these modernized views. Indeed, the majority of Episcopalian church members in our sample hold theological views quite similar to Bishop Pike’s. This presents the ironic picture of Sunday services where both pastor and laymen reject or at least doubt the theological assumptions of the creeds they recite and the rituals in which they participate, but never acknowledge this fact” (page 209).

Truth Magazine XXI: 21, pp. 330-332
May 26, 1977