Truth Magazine

By Bob Dodson

Introduction: Every Christian should recognize the “undeniable truth” that he or she can commit spiritual suicide even after being “born again of water and of the Spirit” (John 3:3-7). In 2 Pet. 2:1-3 Jesus declared that (v.l) “many Christians would deny the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” And through their false teaching and damnable heresies they would lead many down their own pernicious pathway. The Truth would be blasphemed because of their despicable conduct. But Jesus declared also in (v.3) that “their damnation slumbereth not.” Below are listed from God’s word many ways by which Christians can bring damnation upon themselves!

Self-Willed

This is the seed from which all apostasy blossoms and has its beginning. According to 2 Pet. 2:10-13 the Christian who is “his own ruler” is utterly going to perish in his own corruption (v.12). And he will receive the “wages of unrighteousness” (v.13). In 1 John 3:8 inspiration says that “Christ was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil”! Jesus knew that in order to accomplish this great feat he could not be self-willed! But Jesus himself said in John 6:38, “I am come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who hath sent me”! And in Matt. 26:39-42 when his death on the cross was imminent, he prayed “not my will, but thine be done.” If Jesus had been “self-willed” not only would he have perished in his own corruption, but the hope of all man-kind would have been annihilated. But Jesus knew that “he should always be about his Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). In like manner of Christ (Phil. 2:5) every Christian should decide that he is going to have a “one track mind” (Phil. 3:13-16). “Let us press on toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”! The Christian who does not do this is pushing the self-destruct button of his own soul.

Self-Defiled

In 2 Cor. 7:1 Christ admonishes every Christian to “perfect holiness in the fear of God”! By doing so he will be cleansing himself from all defilement of the “flesh and spirit”. Every Christian should realize that the very deeds and actions of his life is determined by the mental nourishment of his mind (Matt. 15:17-19)! The Christian can have the ability to “quench all of the fiery darts of the Evil one” only if he is “strong in the Lord and in the power of his might” (Eph. 6:10-16). The way to cease “defilement of the flesh” is to prevent “defilement of the mind”! To this intent by inspiration the apostle Paul stated (Phil. 4:8), “Whatsoever is honest, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” The Christian who refrains from doing this is “sealing his own doom”! Again Christ exhorts every Christian to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). In order that a Christian not “defile himself” Jesus has given us many passages which warn us of specific sins which will defile us (Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Rom. 1:28-32, Col. 3:510; 2 Tim. 3:1-4). We do not have to “guess or wonder” whether it is all right with God to do these things! But the beauty of Jesus the “master of psychology” is that he hath given us many “spiritual right things to do” in the absence of the sin he hath stated to abstain from (1 Thess. 5:22; Eph. 5:6-8). Some of these things are found in passages such as 2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 10:25; Matt. 6:6, 2 Tim. 2:2; Jas. 1:27; 1 Pet. 4:9; Rom. 12:9-10! If every Christian will “busy himself” in the work of God doing these things he will present the Devil an awful hard target to hit with his temptations. But the idle Christian “buries himself” under the will of the Devil by his lack of interest and work for Christ! Every child of God should study God’s word so that he is able to determine and discern between good and evil (Heb. 5:12-14), so that he will not “defile himself”!

Self-Deceived

Untold numbers of Christians are deceiving themselves into believing that “they are going to heaven” when in reality they are “living in malice and envy”! Some Christians literally are hateful unto others who in the past have done them some injustice. In Tit. 3:3-5 Jesus declared that the one who through malice and envy is living his life being hateful toward his fellow man is “foolish, disobedient, and deceived”. The Christian who just cannot “forgive or forget” the shabby way some one treated him, is committing spiritual “harakiri” with his soul being the victim of the crash. He is adding his own name to the “Devil’s fatality list”. Notice these heart-pricking words of Jesus in (Eph. 4:31-32)! If, by carrying this grudge and chip on his shoulder he allows it to “defile the temple of God” (1 Cor. 3:16-18) he can rest assured that God will destroy him (v.17)! How many Christians are squeezing the “life” out of their own soul through this kind of self-deception? Rather than continuing being our own spiritual assassin, let us recall the words of our Lord and repent and put away all malice and “deceit” (Matt. 6:14-15).

Self-Exalted

In Matt. 23:12 Jesus warns against this deadly sin. His message was directed toward to the scribes and Pharisees who barked orders and yelled corrections, but would not lift their finger to “work themselves” for the glory of God (Matt. 23:4). Many Christians have decided that they were too good to be a “common laborer” in the vineyard of the Lord! They have self-exalted their status from a “humble working servant” (Matt. 21:28-30) to sitting in the “chief’s seat” (Matt. 23:5-6)! Jesus himself declares in (1 Cor. 3:9) that “every member of God’s family is expected to work” and there are no “chiefs” in the Kingdom of God but Jesus Christ (Col. 1:18)! All Christians are “created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath ordained before the foundations of the world that we should walk in them.” God only exalts “workers not shirkers!

Self-Justified

A Christian who attempts to “justify his actions of laziness, or indifference” and is not honest enough to “own up to his errors” is surely “killing his own soul” (1 John 1:7-9). The lawyer in Luke 10:29, being guilty of neglecting compassion to his fellow men, was “willing to justify himself”. He knew what the term “neighbor” meant but he was not willing to love his neighbor as himself (Luke 10:25-27)! No man is able to boast of his accomplishments in the service of God, neither can any Christian rightfully justify not serving God with a fervent spirit (Luke 17:10)! In Luke 14:18-21 Jesus manifests the anger which God has for the many excuses which men give him trying to justify their lack of love towards God and his great cause. Jesus did not “buy them on this occasion” and the judgment day holds the same verdict. Man may be able to “justify himself before men” (Luke 16:15) and men may buy the alibi of a Christian who misses the assembly of fellowChristians, but God does not! And every word that Christians utter in this life to “justify themselves” they shall eat to their own self-dissatisfaction throughout all eternity. The only way to destroy this “spiritual cancer” from devouring your soul, is to be “obedient unto every good work” (Tit. 1:15-16; Gal. 5:6) because you love God. Remember neither your “business associations, your family ties, your community relations or your pasttime recreations” deserve God’s rightful place in “your life” (Matt. 6:33; 10:37). These make poor-justifiers and you rob God of his deserved glory. The self-justifier becomes his own “kamikaze” pilot!!!

Self-Pierced

In 1 Tim. 6:9-10 Jesus informs Christians that they should be cautious regarding their earthly treasures! He said that many Christians would “pierce themselves through with many sorrows” as they erred from the faith through coveteousness. The Christian who “consumes his worldly goods upon himself and his family” (Jas. 4:13) and selfishly ignores “giving unto God” as God hath prospered him (1 Cor. 16:1-2) is guilty of self-condemnation religion!

Self-Blessed

In Luke 12:16-21 Jesus describes this spiritual malady. This man gave “himself” credit for the things which he had done for “himself”. He gave no thought to the truth! God had sent rain to water his crops and God had given the seed he planted in his field the ability to grow and reproduce his harvest abundantly (Is. 55:10). He patted himself on the back “egotistically” blessing himself for his hard work and his great achievements. He pronounced a blessing of rest and refreshment upon himself also. Many Christians are like this man. By failing daily to do “everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” Phil. 4:6 express unto God their appreciation for which they have, they imply they have “given it unto themselves”. This heinous crime of “unthankfulness” is kindred to being “unholy” (2 Tim. 3:2). Many Christians “brag constantly of their deeds” and many give themselves the “day off” from doing the chores of God. They falsely allow their minds to feel secure, while depending upon themselves to save themselves, without any “blessings from God needed” (Rev. 3:17). These Christians were able to provide for themselves without God’s help . . . so they thought! Constant gratitude should swell in the heart of every Christian for God’s blessings and constant care (1 Pet. 5:7; Phil. 4:19). The apostle Paul said “by the grace of God, I am what I am” (1 Tim. 1:11-17).

Self-Judged

Just as many of the Jews in (Acts 13:46) “judged themselves unworthy of eternal life” so also do many Christians. Some reach the point of discouragement and despair that they convince themselves that God would not have me back. I have gone t”too far” this time and my sins are “too numerous and ugly”! This propaganda is of the Devil, and the Christian who falls into this trap is demolishing his “eternal hope” of heaven which is just what the Devil delights in. If your life as a Christian fits the description of 2 Pet. 2:20-22, rest assured that “if you will repent and ask God to forgive you” (Acts 8:22), he will do so. The “blood of Christ” is God’s eternal testimony that you are worth saving!

Self-Indulgence

Many Christians have not learned that they should “buffet their bodies daily” bringing them under subjection to God’s will (1 Cor. 9:27)! They live like the “Nicolaitans” (Rev. 2:6) believing that the “more they induldge the lusts of their own flesh” the closer they come unto salvation. But Jesus points to the “spiritual consequences” of this ungodly life in Col. 2:18-23: In 1 Pet. 2:11 God commands all Christians to “abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul”! In spite of these very plain warnings and admonitions some Christians “invite their own soul into hell” by allowing the flesh to triumph over their spirit (Rev. 3:20-21)! But 1 Cor. 6:9-11 is “proof positive” that every child of God can break the bonds of “self-indulgence” if he wants to. Not alone of course but with the help of God he can resist the Devil (Jas. 4:6-10). The sinful-pleasures of selfindulgence (Heb. 11:24-26) are only for a fleeting moment but afterwards the horrible realities of an eternity in hell shock our imaginations (Mark 9:43-48)! Give up the “lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life”! These things are not of the Father but of the world (1 John 2:15-17), and God hath said that the world in “condemned” (1 Cor. 11:32)! Do not indulge yourself all the way to your own eternal death and receive the wages of sin (Rom. 6:23)! “Be not deceived”! “Neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor any unclean person who is an idolater, shall have any part (inheritance) in the Kingdom of God and Christ our Lord” (Eph. 5:5). This kind of self-damnation is widespread but curable by God.

Self-Sufficient

All Christians must realize, as did Paul in 2 Cor. 3:5, that they are not able to guide themselves without God’s word! The results of trying to do so are disastrous to man’s soul (Rom. 10:1-3) Self-righteousness results when we attempt to serve God without “God’s authority” in all matters! No man is able to deliver himself from temptation (1 Cor. 10:13)! No Christian is good enough to “be the judge of others” (Matt. 7:1-2; Jas. 4:12). Jesus told his disciples in John 15:5 that “without him” They were nothing. This is true of us all!

Self-Loved

Jesus places this person in the company of blasphemers in 2 Tim. 3:2! This person loves himself “more” than he loves God! He will go out of his way, to “show love to himself”, while ridiculing God! On the Lord’s Day he will manifest “love for himself” by sleeping in instead of communing with his Lord. He will be “affectionate unto himself” by going fishing because he loves to do that, while. “fishing for men” (Matt. 3:19) holds little lustre to his.mind. He “loves to take himself to the lake on week-ends” so he forgets that “God will be in the assembly of his saints” (Matt. 18:20). He “dearly loves” to work in his own yard and around the house, but labor in the vineyard of Christ is “below his dignity” (1 Thess. 1:3)! He will buy “himself” everything his little heart desires (Eccl. 2:10) but sacrifice to help the Lord in his work, is beyond reason (2 Cor. 8:1-5). How many Christians would risk “thousands of doll4rs” of maybe even borrowed money to go into a risky business venture? Do you know of any Christians who would even consider borrowing to assist the work of 4he Lord as individual Christians? Far too many of us shay be ensnared in the “trap of Satan” and too blind to admit that we “love ourselves more than we love God”. Lord God open our eyes (Eph. 1:18)! Loving self ‘too much is courting death in a Devil’s hell of fire (Matt. 25:41).

Self-Measured

In 2 Cor. 10:12 the Christian who measures himself by the world around him is sadly but certainly headed for destruction. The Christian who goes out to the beach and lays there in nudity or reasonable facsimile is measuring himself by worldly standards of ungodly men. For he would say “I have as much on as everybody else here”! God has given all mankind the “perfect standard of Christ” (Eph. 4:13) by which to measure their lives by! God intends for us to try to grow up into his Son in every way and in all things (Eph. 4:15). The Christian who justifies smoking by saying “I’m not doing anything worse than those around me” has chosen the poorest standard by which to order his life. The Christian must come out from among the world (2 Cor. 6:17-18) and dare to be different before God.

Self-Trusted

Jesus refers to some who “trusted in themselves” (Luke 18:9) but not in a complimentary manner! The worse counsel and advice that man can rely upon is “his own understanding” (Prov. 3:5)! God discusses the folly of any man confidently following his own counsel in (Jer. 10:23). “There is a way which seemeth right unto meth, but the ends thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:16). Christians who do not take advantage of the Throne of mercy daily and ask God to forgive them of every sin and cleanse their hearts of all unrighteousness” are “trusting self” and in grave danger of losing their soul forever (Heb. 4:16,1 John 1:8-9). Christians who fill their minds with carnal knowledge (Rom. 8:5-7) instead of “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68) are relying upon human intellect and power to deliver them in the day of judgment. Man is no match for God (Amos 4:1013);; Any time you “know to do good, and do it not” (Jas. 4:17) you are trusting in yourself to deliver you from God’s wrath and indignation (Rom. 2:8-9). “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus” but how sour to our own souls will be our lot for believing in ourselves and shun Jesus (John 12:48-49).

Conclusion

Let every Christian realize that in order to follow Jesus, he must “deny himself” daily! Let us never murmur or complain while sacrificing unto God or let “self” obstruct our way to heaven (Phil. 2:12-13). Let “self” be comforted only as I like “beloved Epaphroditus” regard not my life as anything but an instrument by which I glorify God and influence others to also (Phil. 2:25-30)! And I said unto “myself” as I wrote this, “Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself” (Rom 2:21)! May “self take note” and sacrifice self for the “self.”

Truth Magazine XXI: 5, pp. 74-77
February 3, 1977

By Jimmy Tuten, Jr.

Controversy over whether or not it is scriptural to make provision for the Lord’s Supper to be served at the Sunday evening assembly, hence in more than one assembly, continues to plague some churches. I know of at least one church in Missouri that split over the issue and other congregations who are troubled over the matter.

Those who object to Sunday night communion do so for various reasons. These can be broken down into three catagories: (1) The “Time Argument”, with its subdivisions of “Sundown-to-Sundown Day Theory” and “The Daylight Theory”; (2) The “One Assembly” argument; and (3) The “Stumbling Block” argument. An explanation of each of these theories will be given as we study each objection in this article and the ones to follow.

With deep concern for the unity of the church, the reader is asked to study carefully the material which is presented. In these writings the writer is defending the right of the church to offer the Lord’s Supper in more than one assembly on the Lord’s Day. I do this because I believe it is the authorized thing to do. I offer no defence for any abuse of the Lord’s Supper. I am defending the right of the church to make provision so that it will be possible for the individual Christian to do exactly what he is commanded to do: “but let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup” (1 Cor. 11:28). It is my conviction that this provision can be made at both assemblies on the Lord’s Day, so that those who cannot attend the morning assembly will have the opportunity to commune with their Lord. It is not my position to enquire into reasons as to why people do not attend Sunday morning, nor to question their motives. If a person is deliberately forsaking the assembly Sunday morning, knowing he can commune Sunday night, he should be dealt with as any disorderly person is dealt with. Just because one may abuse the second assembly communion does not mean it is wrong to serve communion at night.

The Time Argument

First, let us deal with the “Sundown to Sundown” theory. According to this position, Sunday evening communion is unscriptural because it is observed after sundown and hence is not on the first day of the week. The basic assumption is that the Divine manner of reckoning the beginning and the end of a day is from sundown to sundown. It is argued that this was the only way of reckoning days in the Bible. It is further asserted that Pope Gregory changed the counting of the day

from sundown-to-sundown to our present method of counting time.

In answer to the theory it, should be observed that Pope Gregory is not responible for our midnight-tornidnight count of time. He did make a calendar reform in 1580 to correct certain errors in the calendar then in use which dated back to Caesar in 46 B. C. Please observe that calendar reforms involved changes in the order of months and their length, not changes in the reckoning of the start and the end of a day. Our calendar required an adjustment of one day every 3,330 years! A check with Encyclopedias will reveal that the manner of reckoning the day has varied from nation to nation as far back as history records.

Now it is a fact that most of the Bible employs the sundown method of counting a day. But this is not the only method employed in the Bible. The New Testament also uses Roman time. The issue is this: is the sundown-to-sundown method of counting time on Christians today? There are three possibilities: (1) It is a part of a universal law of God, applying to all people throughout all time. For this to be true two things must be proven: First, the existence of such a universal law running throughout all dispensations; secondly, the fact that the sundown theory is a part of that law. This writer denies that there is such a law and waits for proof of its existence. It will do no good to appeal to Genesis 1:5,8, because the error lies in the fact that these passages are not a statement of a law, but a fact. The word “day” means a 24 hour period and Moses is simply telling us of the first, second, third, etc. 24 hour periods in the earth’s history. Proof that this is not a universal law is seen in the impossibility of its being observed universally. For example, at Tromso, Norway, a city of about 10,000 inhabitants, located 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, there are three months of the year when the sun never sets and three months when it never rises. How could the sundown theory apply there? According to this theory a church could observe the Lord’s Supper but one time in the three month day (no more than one assembly where the Lord’s Supper is served, remember) and that provided the day began on the first day of the week. There would be a three month’s period when they could not observe it at all since it is perpetually night. It is by no means clear that in Genesis 1:5,8, the “evening and morning” means from “sundown to sundown”.

(2) The sundown-to-sundown day might be a part of the law of Moses. This of course is correct. Throughout the Old Testament the Jews were instructed to begin the new day at sundown. This was as much a part of the Mosaic law as the Sabbath. An attempt, however, to bind the sundown method of reckoning the day on Christians is just as scriptural as attempting to bind the Sabbath upon them.

(3) It could be a part of the law of Christ, and hence a part of the New Testament. If this is true, there would be instructions regarding it recorded therein. Where is the record in the New Testament? Let us have proof or else those who bind the sundown theory are making a law where God has made no law!

The sundown-to-sundown count of the day is not the only count used in the Bible. The midnight-to-midnight Roman count has the approval of the Holy Spirit. The Roman count is used in the Gospel of John. This is seen in the comparison of his account of the trial crucifixion of Jesus with Mark’s account. Mark 15:25 says that Jesus was crucified the 3rd hour of the day, Jewish count. This corresponds to 9 o’clock our time. In Mark 15:33 we learn that Jesus hung on the cross as darkness covered the earth from the 6th hour until 9th hour. This is from noon to 3 p.m. our time. Since the trial preceeded the crucifiction, the trial must have taken place before the 3rd hour (Jewish time) since that was the hour when he was crucified. In John 19:14 we learn that the trial before Pilate was in progress at the 6th hour. Is this according to Jewish count? If so, John and Mark contradict each other. The true explanation is that John was using Roman time, according to which the day began at midnight. Thus, the 6th hour would 6 a.m. This fits perfectly with Mark, for as seen, the crucifixion took place at the 3rd hour, Jewish time, 9 a.m. Since infidels have used these passages as evidence of supposed contraditions in the Bible, those who would bind the Jewish count of time must either agree with the infidels that this is an error, or give up their theory as to the necessity of following Jewish time. John uses Roman time and thereby places the approval of the Holy Spirit upon it.

Friend, the New Testament Law of Christ does bind upon people any certain language, calendar, reckoning of days, names of days and such like. Rather, it encourages Christians to be conformed to the laws and customs wherever they may live. One should study carefully 1 Corinthians 9:20-22; 1 Peter 2:1 and Romans 13, in this connection. Changes in the laws governing the count of time may come about through God’s direction as described by Daniel: “Blessed be name of God forever and ever: for wisdom and might are His: and He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings and setteth up kings…” (2:20-21). Thus, God, acting through kings has changed and does change “the times and seasons.” I observe the midnight to midnight count of time because it is the law of the land in which I live. God teaches me to observe such laws. I therefore resist the teaching which would bind the Jewish count of time on us today. (More to follow).

Truth Magazine XXI: 5, pp. 73-74
February 3, 1977

(Author’s Note: A number of years ago notes taken from Earle West’s sermons on the subject. 7 articles draw heavily upon these notes).

By Cecil Willis

This week we are focusing our attention to more of the miracles of Jesus. We want to consider especially those listed by John in his Gospel. The Gospel of John has been called the “Gospel of Belief”, for John seeks to call to mind, through the Holy Spirit, the signs that Jesus did, and to record them so as to produce faith in the minds of those who read his account of the life of Christ. In stating the purpose for his Gospel account, John says, “Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; that believing ye may life in his name” (Jn. 20:30, 31). These miracles are proofs of Christ’s deity, according to John.

The word “sign” is the word used by John when referring to a miracle. “While the use of this term as applied to a miracle is not confined to John, it is the only word used for miracle in that Gospel. John, then, presented the miracles not merely as supernatural deeds nor as manifestations of supernatural power, nor even as exceptions to the usual current of events, but definitely as material witnesses to underlying spiritual truth” (Tenney, John: The Gospel of Belief, p. 29).

Notice also that John says “Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book,” which declares that John does not intend to record every miracle that Jesus performed, but to select certain ones. John’s Gospel is, therefore, a selective Gospel. In all, there are about nine outstanding miracles recorded in the book of John. We are going to study but seven of them, omitting Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, and the drought of fishes recorded in chapter 21. Each miracle that Jesus performed indicated His divine power over a certain sphere.

Power Over Quality

The first miracle performed by Jesus is recorded in John 2:1-11. Jesus and his disciples were invited to a wedding feast. During the feast the wine failed, or the supply gave away. So Jesus commanded that six stone waterpots be filled with water. Then He commanded them to dip from the waterpots and take it to the ruler of the feast. The servants complied and took the water now-turned-to-wine to the ruler. He declared that the wine which the bridegroom had reserved to the end of the feast was even better than that which had been served in the beginning of the supper. The servants knew that Jesus had turned the water into wine by divine power. The fact that Jesus could instantly bring about the wine which took a vine months to produce was indication of His supernatural power. It showed that Jesus had power over quality. The significance of this miracle is seen in verse 11: “This beginning of his signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” This was the intended result of John’s recording of this miracle in his Gospel account. It showed Jesus’ power over quality.

Power Over Distance

In John 4:46-54, we find a record of Jesus’ healing the nobleman’s son. Jesus had just visited Samaria and returned to Cana of Galilee. “And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him, that he would come down, and heal his son; for he was at the point of death” (v. 46,47). The original language implies that the nobleman’s son had a lingering illness, and was so weakened that he was now at the point of death. The father, hearing of Jesus, came to Cana, in order that he might get Jesus to go to his house to heal his son. Upon hearing the man’s request, Jesus said, “Go thy way; thy son Iiveth.” This was a real test for the nobleman’s faith. Was he to leave Jesus whom he believed to be capable of healing his son? Should he go back home believing his son already healed? His faith won the contest, and he went home. His servants met him and told him that his son liveth. Upon inquiring about when the change came over his son, they told him, yesterday at the seventh hour. He then remembered that this was when Jesus had told him that his son liveth. In this instance Jesus healed a boy who was about twenty miles away from Him. Jesus was in Cana, and the boy in Capernaum. So Jesus showed Himself to be the master of distance by this miracle.

Power Over Disease and Time

In John 5:1-9, Jesus healed a man lame for thirty-eight years. In Jerusalem there was a pool that the lame thought could heal them it they were put in the water at the time the waters were troubled. When Jesus asked this lame man if he wished to be made whole, he told Him that he had no one to put him in the water when it was troubled. Jesus told him to take up his bed and walk. “And straightway the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked” (v.9). It is common knowledge that the longer one is afflicted by any disease, the more difficult it is to cure. This man had been in his infirmity, the Bible says, for thirty-eight years. But Jesus instantly healed him of his disease demonstrating His power over both disease and time.

Power Over Quantity

In John 6:1-4, we have the account of Jesus’ feeding the five thousand men, besides women and children, with the five loaves and two small fish. Jesus had been teaching the multitude, and when mealtime came, there was nothing for them to eat. One of His disciples suggested that two hundred shillings worth of bread would not be sufficient to feed such a vast multitude.

But Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, fed the multitude as much as they would eat, and yet there were twelve baskets of broken pieces left over. This shows Jesus’ power over quantity. He took this small amount of food and miraculously multiplied it so as to feed the vast multitude.

Power Over Nature

John teals of another miracle performed by Christ. In 6:16-21, we have the account of Jesus’ walking on water. After Jesus had fed the multitude, the disciples entered into a boat, and rowed a considerable distance form the shore. Jesus was not in the boat with them, and as the wind as rising, they beheld Jesus, coming unto them upon the water, and were afraid. Jesus consoled them by saying, “It is I; be not afraid.” Matthew and Mark tell us that Jesus came to them in the fourth watch of the night, and John adds that they had not gone but thirty furlongs, or 3 3/4 miles. So it had taken them nine hours to go this short distance. It must have been a very startling occasion for them to look up and see Jesus walking to them upon the rough sea. This miracle indicated Jesus’ power over nature, as do the instances in the other Gospels, when by a word by Him, the sea is calmed.

Power Over Misfortune

In John 9:1-9, we have the account of Jesus’ healing a man, blind from his mother’s womb. The disciples asked what this man had done to cause his blindness. They also asked, what did his parents do to cause him to be born blind? But Jesus answered, “Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” But seeing the plight of the man, Jesus spit upon the ground, mixed some clay with the spittle, rubbed the mixture on his eyes, and told the man to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man complied with Jesus’ command, and came forth seeing. This miracle indicated Jesus’ power over misfortune.

Power Over Death

The final miracle mentioned by John, besides the resurrection of Christ and the drought of fishes, is the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead. This miracle is recorded in John 11:1-46. Remember that Lazarus was a very close personal friend of Jesus. The message came to Jesus that Lazarus, whom He loved, was sick. Before Jesus came to the place where Lazarus was, Lazarus died. In fact, the account says that Lazarus had been dead for four days. But Jesus went to the cave where Lazarus was buried, and commanded that the stone be removed. Then Jesus prayed to God the Father, and after He prayed, He shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” and Lazarus came forth, bound hand and foot in the grave clothes. By raising this man from the dead, Jesus showed His power over death.

Concluding Remarks

This concludes a brief survey of the miracles that Jesus performed as mentioned by the apostle John. We have purposely made our remarks concerning these miracles brief, as we want to compare these miracles that Jesus performed with those who claim to have the power to work miracles today.

Within the next few articles, God permitting, we shall study the Duration of Miracles, seeing that they were for a temporary purpose; they served their purpose, and were done away. But notice the variety of miracles that Jesus performed. He changed water into wine, healed a nobleman’s son who was more than twenty miles away from Him at the time, healed a man of a disease which he had for thirty-eight years, fed five thousand men, plus the women and children, with five loaves and two fish, walked on water, healed a man born totally blind, and -raised Lazarus from the dead. And John says that Jesus did many other signs. But compare the different kinds of miracles that Jesus did with the acts of men today who claim they are working miracles. They only pretend to do one or two kinds of miracles. They try to heal and they claim to speak in tongues. In the Bible we read that speaking in tongues was to speak languages which they had never learned-not just a conglomeration of unitelligible jabber. So, really miracleworking today resolves itself to healing. Later we will study miraculous divine healing. But did you ever see one of these fellows who claim to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that he can work miracles attempt to feed five thousand with five small loaves and two small fish? You certainly did not, nor will you find anyone trying it. They would be certain to meet failure, and it would be apparent. Did you ever see one of these men who claim to work miracles walk on water? Jesus could. Jesus stopped the storm simply by commanding the winds to be still. Did you ever see, or hear tell of one of these socalled inspired men who could calm a hurricane or a tornado with the command of his voice? No sir, nor will you see one of them trying. Have you seen any of them raise a man from the dead, or have you seen anyone whom they have raised from the dead? Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. He had been in a tomb for four days, and his body was already decaying. Let me see one of these men who can work “miracles” go out and raise one from the dead that has been in the tomb for four days. Neither can they make a blind man to see. They do not even attempt to work a miracle on a totally blind man. They might take a man who cannot see very well, and work on him so that he thinks he will be able to see better than before, or at least he sees better than before, but they do not take a totally blind man, and make his eyes as new.

Friend, the point I want to make is that these modern-day miracle-workers do not do the same kind of things that Jesus did, for they cannot. We will study this point more completely later. (Material on Miracles in John is found in substance in Merrill Tenny’s John: The Gosepl of Belief.)

Truth Magazine XXI: 5, pp. 71-72
February 3, 1977

By L. A. Stauffer

One of the foundation stones in the Garrett-Ketcherside theory of fellowship can accurately be called “agnosticism.” The word is from the Greek language and basically means “unknowing,” “unknown” or “not to know.” The classical use of the word describes folks who avow that one cannot know whether God exists. Believers say “God exists” and atheists say “God does not exist.” Agnostics occupy a middle ground and argue-we cannot know.

This spirit is prominent now among many modern-day “restorationists”(?) who in effect say we cannot know the truth. It is the attitude that where we have division, one must conclude that God has not been specifically clear on the subject. Should we, for example, use mechanical instruments of music in worship? Should we have an extra-congregational apparatus through which churches can cooperatively work? Should churches build kitchens, gymnasiums, etc. as facilities available for the sponsoring of social and recreational activities? Division has existed over all these matters, therefore the Bible is not clear and “we cannot know.” So say the agnostics.

What is apparent by now is that agnostics are always on the run. They can never have any convictions. They cannot settle down and take a stand. For a while these “restorationists” were settled on baptism as immersion. The indications at this time are that some among them are loosening the stakes, preparing to move their tent over into the broad circle of “faith is the important thing.” But, “faith in what?” is the next question. Jesus as God’s Son who was raised bodily from the tomb? Can one be sure of that? “Hmm,” they must say, scratching their heads. “That does pose a problem.”

After all, many “Disciples of Christ,” who are included in the Garrett-Ketcherside fellowship, do not accept the bodily resurrection of Jesus. What the agnostics must logically do is keep running. If one cannot be sure of the resurrection, then accept faith merely in Jesus’ person-his love and goodness. But can one be certain about his love and goo . . . , etc. ad nauseam.

“Christian agnostics,” we have found, are difficult people to answer. At first it seems rather simple to point out to them that Paul said when we read what inspired men wrote we can understand the revelation of Christ (Ephesians 3: 15). The agnostics, however, reply: “How do you know that is what Paul meant? Are you sure?” “Read it!” we would say, probably getting a little huffy by this time. “Whereby,” Paul said, “when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ.” “That is what is says all right,” the agnostics would likely admit. “But everyone may not agree on what Paul meant. We just cannot be sure.” So goes the agnostic spirit. On and on they run, finding no resting place. After all, according they stop running and stand for something, become a sect with a creed.

It is really pathetic, brethren.

Truth Magazine XXI: 5, pp. 70-71
February 3, 1977