Truth Magazine

By Cecil Willis

The nature of this lesson shall to be to study the different kinds of miracles that were done in New Testament times. There are those today who would have us believe that the exact kinds of miracles that were very definitely done then, are yet being done by men claiming supernatural power. But I think that by a careful observation of the wide variety of miracles done in New Testament times, we can see that even the most ostentatious of modern sensationalists dare not even try to imitate but a few of them. In fact, even those that advertise themselves most, and have the greatest following, and persuade so many dare not try some of the miracles that were done in Biblical times. They will try some two or three kinds of miracles but the majority of the kinds done in the New Testament era, they know even the gullible would not believe, so they somehow forget that these also were done in Bible times. To one with supernatural power, one miracle is no more difficult than another. Let us now notice the different kinds of miracles wrought by the Lord. Of course we will not be able to notice every miracle the Lord performed. In fact they could not all be written in the Bible, according to John: “Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book” (Jn. 20:30). Later the same writer said, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if the should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the book that would be written” (Jn. 21:25). So we will not even be able to take a passing glance at all of the mighty works which He did.

Jesus’ Many Powers

1. His power over nature. “Water glorified its Lord by blushing itself into wine” when Jesus turned the water into wine (Jn. 2:1-11). “Water acknowledge its Master and bore him upon its boson” when the Lord walked upon the sea (Matt. 14:25). “At his command a raging tempest was transformed fear-soothing zephyr” when Jesus spoke to the storm and said “Peace, be still” (Mk. 4:39). “Food in submission to his will multiplied itself sufficiently to feed multitudes. ” On one occasion five thousand men ate of the multiplied loaves and fishes and the left-overs were twelve basketfuls (Mk. 6:38-44). At another time Jesus took seven loaves and a few fishes and fed four thousand men besides women and children and there were seven baskets of broken pieces left (Matt. 15:32-39). “A fish as obedient as the great fish of Jonah provided a tribute coin for its Lord” (Matt. 17:27). “In obedience to his desire over crowding fish entered into the captivity of discouraged fishermen” when they complied with Jesus’ command to cast the net on the right side of the boat (Jn. 21:6). “A fruitless fig tree’s bare boughs gave evidence of his withering curse. Behold the Master of Nature!” (Matt. 21:19).

2. His power over the human body. “The snow of leprosy melts into flesh like that of a little child” when He heals the lepers (Matt. 8:3). “The unbound tongue of the dumb became garrulous in his praise” when its captive chain was broken by Christ’s infinite power (Matt. 12:22). “The inactive paralytic felt his body energized anew” (Matt. 11:5). “Unseeing eyes beheld the beauties of the handiwork of God” when Jesus removed their thick covers (Matt. 15:30, 31). “His ministry to the ills of humankind was an invigorating elixir of life.”

3. His power over demons. “Frequent passages in the gospel give evidence of the power of Jesus over demons of every kind” (Matt. 8:29). “The supremacy of power or force alone would not have proven the complete superiority of Jesus over the demons. He possessed authority over them and all demons contacted acknowledged his Lordship and in terror submitted to his commands. Power shows mastery while authority shows lordship. Demons of every order knowing the spirit world acknowledge and proclaimed his divinity and submitted to his will.”

4. His power over death and hades. “His power and authority over unclean spirits and various demons would not have proven a complete mastery had he not demonstrated like authority and power over death. Go to the home of Jairus where the spirit of his little girl had hardly entered into hades when Jesus took the lifeless hand and by a single command the spirit reentered the body to restore life (Lk. 8:41-46). The heart of Jesus was touched with compassion when he was a weeping widow following the bier of her son. Soon the bosom of earth would receive his mortality but the procession was halted and mourning was turned into joy (Lk. 7:11-15). Who has not admired the tears of Jesus as they found kinship with those of Martha and Mary? Who has not uttered the praise and admiration for him who could command and earth would release its embrace and the grave surrender its captive (Jn. 11:146 )?

“A greater challenge to his power and authority came when death was administered to his own body. This was the supreme test. When death makes marble the flesh of the Son of man will he be able to give humanity an ever abiding assurance that death cannot conquer life? The power of the demon world expended its force but the head of the seed of Eden’s serpent was crushed. Jesus the Christ now holds the keys of death and the unseen world for he is alive forevermore. Rejoice, ye sons of Adam! Jesus has revealed that death may subdue life for a time but never can conquer life. Though we die, we shall life again.

“Without the resurrection of Jesus, Gethsemane would have heard only the piteous wail of a soul in despair and Calvary’s cross would have been but a death stake for a martyr of a lost cause and would not have been retained in the memories of men. He conquered death when administered to his own body” (NOTE: The above sentences in quotation marks are taken from Ben F. Taylor, “Miracles” in Truth in Love, July, 1955).

So one can see the wide variety of miracles that Jesus performed. Not just a few kinds , but many kinds. Men professing to be miracle-workers today will not even attempt to manifest their claimed supernatural power in the many different ways as did Jesus. Did you ever see one of them attempt to walk on water? Did you ever see one of them speak to a raging storm and immediately all was still? Did you ever see one of them take one to lunch and feed five thousand people all they wanted? Did you ever see one totally blind immediately healed? Did you ever see them go to a grave in a cemetery where one had been dead four days, as was Lazarus, his body already decaying, and raise the dead? I am sure that each reader will have to answer these questions as do I: NO! They do not attempt these sort of things.

In Mark 16:17,18, Jesus said, “And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Actually, Jesus was not speaking of all believers in this passage, but to the apostles. And every denominationalist who professes to be able to perform miracles knows this, because no denominational body claims that every person in it can work miracles. But Jesus said that “these signs” shall follow them that believe. If He refers to all believers, then everyone who cannot perform all five kinds of these miracles is an unbeliever. I want to notice that none of the men who claim this passage as their proof will undertake to do all that it says. It says: (1) they shall cast out demons; (2) they shall speak with new tongues; (3) they shall take up serpents; (4) deadly poison shall not hurt them; (5) they shall heal the sick. There. is not a preacher in any town who will try to perform all of these things. They will undertake to cast out demons, they will profess to speak with tongues, and they claim to heal the sick. But if they actually did all that they try and profess to do, please remember that this is not all that Jesus said the believers would be able to do. He said that they shall take up serpents, and’shall drink deadly things without hurt. There is no Bible principle which says that three of these signs shall follow modern-day believers, and the other two shall not. If these five signs are for this time, then all five of them shall follow. If they are not, then none of them is being done. Now why will a preacher claim to cast out demons, speak in tongues and heal the sick, but will not even undertake to take up serpents, and drink deadly things? As soon as one questions one of them on this point, they reply that it would be to tempt God to try these last two things. But did those men in New Testament times-whom these signs did follow-tempt God? If not, and if these signs are still to be done today, neither will one tempt God if he does them. It would only be to do what God said would be done.

Quite often we read of one of these preachers claiming to be unable to heal a certain one becau lacked faith. However, we should remember that raised a dead man from the grave. I wonder how faith a dead man has. But if faith is that upon which successful performance of a miracle hinges, as som us, then these preachers certainly should be ab handle serpents and drink deadly things. If anyone has faith enough for a miracle to be done on him, it certainly ought to be one of these miracle-working preachers. I think I can tell why these men do undertake to handle serpents and why they will attempt to drink deadly things without hurt. These things will get a preacher killed! And they know it! But Jesus said these signs shall follow them that believe, and then He listed five kind of miracles. If these signs are to be yet done today, then all five kinds of signs must be done. If just three of them are to continue, the Bible should tell us somewhere about when the other two were done away. The truth of God’s word was confirmed by the signs which followed and so signs are no longer done.

Compare the nature of Jesus’ miracles with the n of the so-called miracles of today. A while ago television program, I saw a man profess to have healed one of heart trouble. Was there any proof given that the man had heart trouble to begin with? Or, that he no longer had it? Not a bit. A woman was “healed of indigestion on the same program. Common baking soda may have done as well! And quite often today we hear of the same people being healed again and again of the same disease. I saw a newspaper clipping of a woman’s being “healed” of cancer. However, within the same year, the same newspaper report states that she died of cancer the same week the healing miracle was telecast. The woman’s physician at Pasadena Tumor Institute listed the cause of her death as cancer. Obviously, her miracle-healing did not last long.

I wish that these men really had the power they profess. I would like to see the suffering of humanity alleviated as much as any other fellow. If these men really had the power they claim, they would be healing many more than the five or six each week that will gain for them a little publicity. The apostle John exhorts us “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 Jn. 4:1). Our only purpose is that God’s truth be declared as it should be, and the truth concerning false teachers clearly be made known.

Truth Magazine XXI: 4, pp. 51-53
January 27, 1977

By Luther Blackmon

Etymologically the word “hypocrite” means an actor; one who pretends to be something which he is not. Hypocrites come in varied forms; their hypocrisy finds expression in different ways, but basically they are all the same under the skin: dishonest and unreliable.

Not the least among the hypocrites is the fellow that is all sweetness and generosity when he is out with the “gang”; he has the longest arm in the crowd when it comes time to reach for the beer check; he is the regular fellow. But he squeals like a pig stuck in a gate when his spouse asks for an extra dollar above the dole he gives her to buy the groceries, and wants to know how she manages to get rid of so much money. The female counterpart of this nice fellow is the little lady who calls her husband all sorts of endearing names in company, and gives the impression that life with him is a preview of paradise, but who makes Socrates’ wife Zanthippe look like Whistler’s mother with her haggling and nagging when there is nobody home but the family.

Then there is the hypocrite who is not a member of the church because there are hypocrites in the church. It does not take a close observer to see that his excuse is as phony as a four-dollar bill. He goes to the football game where there are gamblers, whoremongers, liars, murderers, and reprobates a plenty. He will stand in line and be shoved, insulted, and slobbered on by drunks, and smile it all off as a part of the game. But if someone who goes to church has failed to pay a debt somewhere that he knows about, his sensitive soul is so shocked by such an atrocity that he simply cannot bring himself to worship God in the company of such persons. We have no disposition to defend those who refuse to honor their obligation, but we also know that you cannot prevent some counterfeits from getting into the church. They are found in every strata of society. And when we go to worship we should go for the purpose of worshiping God, not to analyze the lives and judge the hearts- of the worshipers. A person who lets a hypocrite keep him out of the church stands to spend eternity with that hypocrite. Because salvation is in Christ, and to be in Christ is to be in the church, if the hypocrite does not change, we will spend eternity in torment. The one who lets the hypocrite keep him from obeying the gospel will be there with him (2 Thess. 1:7-9).

Another one whose name belongs in this list of notables is the preacher who denounces dancing, petting, divorce and remarriage, while carrying on a clandestine affair with the wife of another man. This one belongs in the hypocrites hall of fame. Along side of him ought to hang the portrait of the preacher who declares his soundness to the remotest bounds, and loves the truth above all other considerations, who in debate seeks always for truth and never for personal victory, who would have his tongue cleave to the roof of his mouth rather than have it said that he had ever failed to stand for the truth on any matter affecting the kingdom of God; but who when issues arise and lines are drawn which leave him on the side with those “everywhere spoken against,” he changes his course completely or maintains a sphinx-like silence until he is forced to speak, and then evades and double-talks like a politician making a speech on integration.

And last but not least, we would mention the one who comes to worship only now and then when he (or she) has a pang of conscience about letting the children grow up without the influence of Christianity in their lives. But, who, if encouraged to come more often, will give out a line of excuses that ought to get him elected president of the Ananias club, but which excuses never keep him from the little league games and other activities. I am still looking for that fellow who will just walk up to the lick-log and say, “I don’t attend worship because I have no interest m spiritual things. The church means nothing to me. If there was ever a flame of love for the Lord and His church in my heart, it has gone out, or remains only a dying ember.” If one could ever bring himself to face this fact, he could begin to be faithful. Nobody wants to go to Hell.

Truth Magazine XXI: 3, pp. 45-46
January 20, 1977

By Robert H. West

The religious system popularly known as “Mormonism” looks to Joseph Smith, Jr., as it founder. Smith, born in Vermont in 1805, claimed to have received visitations from the Father and the Son, and the angel Moroni in 1820 and 1823, respectively. The first alleged appearance was for the purpose of warning young Smith not to join any of the religious groups in his area. During the second visit he was supposed to have been advised that God had selected him for a divine purpose. He was further advised, we are told, of an ancient book written on golden plates which was hidden in a hill near Palmyra, New York. He was allowed to visit this location once each year until September, 1827, when the plates, according to his claims, were delivered to him.

In April, 1829, assisted by a local school teacher, Oliver Cowdery, Smith began to translate the peculiar characters on the golden plates into English. This, it is claimed, was accomplished by “the gift and power of God.”

The result of these supposed labors was published in 1830 under the title, The Book of Mormon. This highly ungrammatical and tedious work claimed to be an account of the ancient inhabitants of the American continent-their origin, religion, and wars. But far more than just a historical work, it claimed to be the word of God-the “fulness of the everlasting gospel.”

The same year this book was published, Joseph Smith, claiming to be a divinely appointed prophet, organized a church which, in 1834, was officially called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From that time until now, this group claims to be the “one true church,” divinely restored to the earth.

In the ensuing years before the violent murder of Smith in 1844, he produced two other books, Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price. Both of these works, like The Book of Mormon, purported to be the word of God.

After the death of Joseph Smith, his followers were divided into warring camps. The largest of these, under the brilliant leadership of Brigham Young, made the famous exodus to the Salt Lake Valley, from which headquarters Young’s successors still govern the people we know as the Mormons.

Although there have been some ninety Book of Mormon-believing groups formed since 1830, the one centered in Salt Lake City is by far the largest. It is to its tenets that we shall be primarily addressing our remarks. However, much of the material will also have application to the other “Mormon” groups.

Why Examine The Claims Of Mormonism?

The answer to the above question can be best seen in the words of Orson Pratt, one of the original “apostles” of the Latter-day Saint Church. Speaking of the Book of Mormon, he wrote:

“If after a rigid examination, it be found an imposition, it should be extensively published to the world as such; the evidences and arguments upon which the Imposture was detected should be clearly and logically stated, that those who have been sincerely yet unfortunately deceived, may perceive the mature of the deception, and be reclaimed, and that those who continue to publish the delusion, may be exposed and silenced, not by physical force, neither by persecutions, bare assertions, nor ridicule, but by strong and powerful arguments-by evidences adduced from scripture and reason” (Orson Pratt’s Works, 1899 Edition, p. 69).

Pratt further wrote:

“This book must be either true or false. If true, it is one of the most important messages ever sent from God to man, affecting both the temporal and eternal Interests of every people under heaven …. If false, it is one of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions who will sincerely receive it as the word of God. . .” (Ibid., p. 63).

We agree emphatically with both of these statements which clearly present justification-more than that, a challenge, to examine and, if possible, prove whether the claims of Mormonism are from God or men.

We enter this examination not only with the approbation of a Mormon spokesman, but by the eminently higher authority of the Bible. On its pages we are told to “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11) and “Beloved, believe not every spirit; but try the spirits, whether they be of God, for many false prophets axe gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

Having established both Mormon and Biblical authority to pursue this study, we direct your attention to the consideration of the principal question-IS MORMONISM FROM GOD OR MAN?

It Is From Man If The Bible Is Complete

The doctrine of continuous revelation is the basic premise from which the entire system of Mormonism is derived. This doctrine asserts that revelation was not completed with the New Testament, but, rather, other revelations from God (such as the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price ) have been and will continue to be made known to man through the years. But, if it can be established that revelation was completed in the First Century-that the Bible contains all of the truth-the entire structure of Mormonism is proved to be man-made and, therefore, false.

Orson Pratt understood this point and stated the proposition as follows:

“If it could be proven from scripture that God had revealed all that He ever intended to reveal, then a professed revelation would not require investigation; for It would be known at once, that every thing of the kind was an imposition. It would be folly in the extreme to Inquire whether a professed new revelation were true or false; for if God had declared In His word that no more was to be given, all writings or books purporting to be a new revelation could not be otherwise than false” (Ibid., p. 70).

We see from these statements that all of Mormonism hinges upon whether or not the Bible is a sufficient guide in religion. This, Mormonism emphatically denies. Not only do they tell us that not all the truth was revealed in the Bible, but they also say that what was revealed has been corrupted and much of it lost. Listen to these words from the Book of Mormon:

“And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the foundation of a great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the lamb, many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away …. Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which Is the book of the Lamb of God. . .” (1 Nephl 13:26-28).

Having the Mormon position clearly in mind, let us examine the Bible itself. What are its claims concerning completeness? Has it been corrupted as the Book of Mormon claims?

In John 16:13 our Savior was speaking to His apostles when He said, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.”

The precise nature of the truth into which the apostles were to be guided by the Spirit is limited and defined by the following scripture: “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Pet. 1:3).

By letting the Bible define its own terms, we see that the apostles were guided into all truth “pertaining to life and godliness.”

Notice carefully, please, that all truth containing “All things which pertain to life and godliness,” was revealed to the apostles. The inclusion of the word “ALL” in these passages proves beyond doubt the fullness of revelation in the First Century!

We might pause here to observe that since all truth was revealed in the First Century, and Mormonism was not revealed in the First Century, therefore, Mormonism must not be any part of the truth!

But continuing our search of the scriptures, we read: “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us . . . And these things write we unto you. . .” (1 John 1:3-4).

So we see that what the apostles received (all truth), they declared to mankind in writing, which writings were to be viewed as the “commandments of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37).

These and many other passages conclusively establish the fullness of revelation in the First Century and show that such revelation was also delivered to mankind.

But, remember, the Mormon position is that the gospel was indeed delivered in the First Century and again delivered in 1830. The inspired writer in Jude 3 conclusively settles the matter when he states: “. . . earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

That “the faith” is the truth revealed to the apostles and prophets is seen from Gal. 3.23. But notice that this faith was “once” delivered. This word is translated from the original Greek work hapax which means:

“Used of what is so done as to be of perpetual validity and never never need repitition, once for all” (Joseph H. Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 54).

You see then that “the faith” which was the “all truth” into which the apostles and prophets were guides, was “so delivered as to be of perpetual validity and never need repetition!” The entire Mormon system falls under the rebuke of this passage.

But not only was the faith “once for all” delivered in the First Century, it was also given the divine promise of indestructibility, whereby its continued existence would be assured: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever … the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (I Pet. 1:23-25). To contend, as do the Mormons, that much of the word was lost and corrupted, is to deny this plain passage.

The apostles and prophets of the New Testament clearly understood that their teaching would comprise the complete and final body of truth for mankind. We know this because they frequently warned against preaching anything other than their teachings. Notice: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:8).

The gospel of Mormonism is not the same as that of the New Testament. It cannot contain more truth than the First Century Gospel, because the first Gospel contains “all truth.” Since the Mormon gospel is not the same and cannot contain more truth than the Gospel of the First Century, it must be another gospel, and, therefore, is expressly condemned!

Mormonism is of man, not God, because the Bible is both complete and uncorrupted – a sufficient religious guide for mankind.

Truth Magazine XXI, 3: pp. 42-44
January 20, 1977

By Frank Drover

This may appear a simple question, but attempts to answer it has been the occasion of much disagreement and misunderstanding. The general view toward any religious group is denominational. Any way the word “denomination” is used, is as a part of the whole, and that is precisely what a denomination is-one among many, all together forming the whole. Thus, we would have the “Church of Christ” made up of many churches, many faiths, no two alike, all divided. Is this the Church of Christ? Can this be the meaning of the Apostle Paul when he said, “There is one body,” Ephesians 4:4?

The Bible never reveals the church in this light. It is always one, singular. Jesus built it (Matthew 16:18). He alone is its head (Ephesians 1:22, 23, Colossians 1:18). It is entered by baptism (1 Corinthians 12:13). It is composed by its members (Acts 2:47), each sustaining his own spiritual relationship to God.

The Church of Christ is not the name even of the church we read of in the Bible. It simply designates the church that belongs to Christ. In most cases in the Bible it is simply referred to as the church.

Twenty miles south of Fort Collins is a children’s home with a big sign in front, “Supported by Church of Christ and friends.” First, what is the Church of Christ as c here? If it had been Methodist church, Mormon church, Catholic church, etc. I would have known, but what is Church of Christ? We have long been taught that church of Christ is not a denomination, but few know why. We still speak of it as one.

Back to our illustration above. The children’s home supported by “Church of Christ.” I ask again, what is in the New Testament church is not a denomination, ho this possible? Designations of religious orders gene refer to the whole in the singular, because it is understand to have a central governing administration for collection of all local churches, and all this makes up church” of that particular order. This makes it a denomination. But the New Testament church, the Body of Christ, is not a denomination, and consequently is of this arrangement, and therefore cannot scripturally be identified in this way. Yet it is so spoken of, especially in connection with the act of combining local churches for common function, and with united support and maintenance of “our institutions. This is one of the many dangers of institutionalism. Besides being unscriptural itself, it is necessary to create a denominational concept of the church to maintain it. There is no way to create organization unauthorized of God, without corrupting perverting the organization God has authorized, in order to support and maintain it. Thus, one unscriptural prat leads to another.

The New Testament church that saves, and perfects in his relationship with the Lord, is a spiritual relation not a visible and active function to carry out the purposes of God. It was God’s will for local communities of people (local churches) to perform this latter work. Each of these is to function by itself, independently, as not the others existed. They are not considered collective making up the whole church. This is getting back to the denominational idea again. Some brethren have never been able to learn this lesson. “Our” big internal radio program (Herald of Truth) thus presents itself, “The churches of Christ salute you.” I can well remember in the early years of this program, they claimed about 12% of the churches were supporting their work. Very recent statements from themselves claim about the same percentage even today, yet they present themselves to the world, “The churches of Christ Salute You!” Another danger of these combines and institutions is misrepresentation that results from misleading statements and expressions of support, endorsement, and identity with the church, or rather churches, which they do not have. The wisdom of God in this design and arrangement is sufficient. If we would only be content to strengthen the resources of the local churches God has given us, large or small, to function after the divine order, more and more could be accomplished to the spiritual good of the world and the glory of God, than through our present machinations of our own human wisdom. I hope to write soon on the potential of growth and fruitful service in the independent function of local churches.

Truth Magazine XXI, 3, pp. 41-42
January 20, 1977