Truth Magazine

By Paul K. Williams

The repulsive disease of leprosy has a strange fascination. God’s law for Israel described its symptoms in detail and gave minute instructions to the priest for its diagnosis. This law also said, “As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover his mustache and cry `Unclean! Unclean!’ ” (Lev. 13:45).

So it was with interest that I listened to two members of a Leprosy Mission interviewed on Radio South Africa (Mar. 2, 1976). This ancient disease is still a terrible scourge, especially in the poorest countries. The good news is the sulfa drugs can now cure it, so that it is not the sentence of a slow death it was in Bible times.

But what caught my ear was said at the end of the program. The interviewer asked, “How is leprosy spread?” The experts replied, “It used to be thought that it was spread only by prolonged skin-to-skin contact. But now we think it is spread by coughing and sneezing.”

So it has taken medical science 3,500 years to discover that God’s way of preventing leprosy is medically correct. His law said, “he shall cover his mustache.” The leper was to wear a cloth, what we would call a face-mask, which would hang down from his upper lip. The spread of the disease was thus prevented because the sneeze or cough was covered. God’s people were in this way protected from the spread of the terrible disease by the law of a loving God.

Nothing about leprosy would lead a person to guess it could be spread by droplets in the breath of a sufferer, for leprosy is a skin disease. Certainly Moses, the lawgiver, had no human way of discovering that the disease could thus be spread. But God knew, and He gave the law that protected His people. He gave a law which only now is appreciated for its wisdom. He gave a law which, in its nature, shows that it came from God, not man, for it contained this, and other, provisions which show a knowledge which science did not attain until thousands of years later. Praise be to our wonderful God!

Truth Magazine, XX:25, p. 13
June 17, 1976

By Connie W. Adams

(Editorial Note: This article appeared in Searching the Scriptures (April, 1976), a magazine edited by Brother Connie Adams. We feel that the article would be of interest to a much larger audience than those who receive his magazine, so we reproduce it here for your edification.)

No subject is more sensitive with both preachers and congregations than that which heads this article. Some resent any teaching on the subject. Preachers have often been accused of preaching “for the money.” Fearing that this sentiment prevails, not enough preachers have been willing to address themselves to the problem. Generally, the situation is improved over former days. Yet, in many instances, justice does not prevail. What might have been adequate, or even generous, support five years ago is not enough in these inflationary times.

This is one of the major contributing factors to some men leaving “full time preaching” to support their families at a secular job while preaching only on Sundays, if at all. Honest men want to pay their debts and see the needs of their families met. We have heard brethren criticize preachers for accumulating debts when in reality they might have been forced to it for lack of adequate support. Certainly, gospel preachers ought to pay their debts and try to live within their means.

Any man who is preaching for the money would do the cause of Christ a favor by quitting. Besides, he is not too bright if he has high expectations along that line. All of us should be willing to preach to the limit of our opportunity and ability WHETHER OR NOT THE CHURCH SUPPORTS US. With Paul, we should be able to say “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you” (2 Cor. 12:15). It is honorable to “make tents,” as Paul did on occasion, in order to build up the work in some needy field. We doubt that it is honorable to “make tents” to keep from fully preaching the gospel simply because one is unwilling to “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3). It is no worse to preach for money than it is NOT to preach for money. Both are wrong.

Authority For Supporting Preachers

In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul defended his right to financial support on the following grounds: (1) his right to “eat and drink” (verse 4); (2) his right to have and support a family (verse 5); (3) his right to “forbear working” (verse 6); (4) the right of a soldier to be paid for his services (verse 7); (5) the right of an husbandman to eat of the fruit of his own labor (verse 7); (6) the right of a shepherd to drink milk from the flock (verse 7); (7) the right of the ox not to be muzzled while he treads out the corn (verses 8-11); (8) the principle of sowing spiritual things while being supplied physical things (verse 11); (9) comparison with the Old Testament practice regarding the sustenance of those who attended to temple service (verse 13). In verse 14 Paul reached his conclusion that “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”

Paul accepted “wages” from other churches to furnish “service” in Corinth (2 Cor. 11:8). “Wages” does not mean benevolence. We hear brethren saying “We give the preacher so much.” No, brethren, that is not how it is. You don’t GIVE him anything. Faithful men of God earn every dime they are paid, and some dimes they are not paid. It is not charity, but a wage in exchange for a life devoted fully to kingdom service.

The church at Philippi was concerned for Paul’s support as he preached. They had “fellowship in the gospel” with him (Phil. 1:3-5). Their “care” of him flourished (4:10) and “even in Thessalonica” they “sent once and again” to his “necessity” (Phil. 4:15-16). This is the proper basis of support. Arbitrary standards have often been set in this matter. A man ought to be paid what he needs to do the work he is sent forth to do. If the “average wage” of the “average member” is enough to do that work, then let him be paid that amount. If that is not enough to do the work, then let them provide whatever is needed. It is a shame and disgrace for brethren to have to haggle over finances.

“He Makes More Than I Do”

Often, when brethren are “negotiating” with a preacher to move and work with them, or when the question of raising his pay arises, someone is bound to say “Well, I don’t make that kind of money. He makes more than I do.” It is high time for people ransomed with the blood of Christ to give up lying! Let’s take a look at wages in this country. I have before me now the December, 1975 SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS, Vol. 55 /12 issued by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis. This report gives the latest figures anyone has available to him as to wage averages in this country as of the end of 1975. It gives a break-down of the various industries in terms of average hourly wages, with 25% fringe benefits added on to make up the gross annual income in these categories. All figures are based on a 40-hour work week and do not account for overtime pay. In averages, some make less while others earn more. Here are a few samples:

Private Small Business (non-agriculture) earns an average of $12,168 a year. That includes 25% fringe benefits which are tax free. In Contract Construction the national average is $19,604 annually inclusive of fringe benefits. Ordinance Manufacturing earns $14,066 a year. Stone, Clay and Glass workers earn an average of $13,378 annually. Primary Metals earns $16,718. NonElectrical Machinery earns $14,378. Transportation earns $16,250 while Food Products earns $12,194. Chemicals earn $14,482 and Petroleum averages $17,264. In the printing industry the fringe benefits are figured at 27% with income based on a 35-hour week.

I called the personnel offices at both General Electric and Ford here in Louisville and was given a break-down on hourly wages from the lowest paid man to the highest and a list of fringe benefits, which in both industries amount to 25% of the worker’s gross pay. When brethren say “he makes more than I do” they are usually comparing their take-home pay with the preacher’s gross income. That is not a fair comparison. By the way, do you suppose all members are basing their giving each week on their gross income, or on take-home pay? In both industries cited 1/2 of Social Security is paid for the worker, there is complete hospitalization for the worker and his family, retirement and pension plan and an annual graduated cost-of-living increase. A worker with one year of service at General Electric gets one week paid vacation graduating to four weeks after 15 years and five weeks after 30 years. We know a number of gospel preachers who have served longer than 30 years who would never even expect to receive such consideration. The hourly worker receives five paid sick or personal days and is paid for ten annual holidays which he does not work. If he does work on these days, he is paid extra. Arrangements are made for time off with pay for family deaths and jury duty. The personnel office at Ford called me back with national averages for Ford-Philco operations throughout the nation. I was told that these figures were a year old and the rate is higher now. The national hourly average for their employees is $6.61. With fringe benefits added the gross hourly. wage is $9.40. Vacation time ranges from one week after a year of service to a maximum of six weeks. Anyone who wants to argue with these figures should not write to me. Contact the Department of Commerce, and locally the personnel offices at Ford and General Electric. These are THEIR figures, not mine.

I have known preachers who worked five years or more with congregations in industrial areas without receiving one pay increase. Plant workers received annual raises and every time they did the price of nearly everything went up. With his income remaining the same, he really took a cut in pay in terms of what his income would buy. A special hardship has been worked on men in foreign fields where the rate of inflation is much worse than in this country. “Well, the preacher gets his house supplied and his utilities paid.” If so, then that about balances out with the 25% fringe benefits which the rest of you don’t have to declare as taxable income. Besides, usually when a house is provided as a part of his wage, the preacher’s pay is reduced by the amount of the payment. If he lives and preaches 40 years under. such an arrangement, he will have enabled the brethren to purchase and pay for two houses and he will not even have a rent receipt to show. This preacher has had it both ways and much prefers to be paid an adequate amount to live where he chooses, though we are not unappreciative of the other consideration. None of this takes into account the increasingly popular practice of working wives which adds to the family’s annual gross income-a practice which is frowned upon by some for the preacher’s wife.

Another area which has not kept pace with the economy is compensation for gospel meetings. A faithful servant of God will go anywhere he is invited for meetings, in keeping with the amount of time he can devote to such work, whether the church inviting him is small or large and able to pay him well or not at all. Personally, we have always booked meetings on a first come-first-served basis and know of other preachers who do the same. Sometimes it has been necessary to get a salary advance at home, or borrow money to make a long trip, but go we did. However, there are churches which are abundantly able to support their own work which are paying for gospel meetings what they did twenty years ago. A small country congregation paid me more for the first gospel meeting I ever held (1950) than some large congregations provide now. A meeting involves extra work for a man and travel expenses are costly. You can’t buy gasoline anymore for 30″ a gallon. Food and lodging costs in transit are getting higher and we have not been able to locate any airline which will give away tickets. Some brethren will ask you if you are getting paid at home when it is none of their business and when you are there to work with them that week. Some will say “We want to cover your expenses. How much did you spend for gas and oil?” That does not even start to cover all the travel expenses, not even for the car. The government figures it costs 15 cents a mile to cover car expense and that does not include food and lodging while traveling. Sometimes brethren look at the gross figure they pay a man for a meeting, do a little quick multiplying in their heads, and decide the fellow is getting rich. Well, this writer has done his share of meeting work and has come out on the short end more often than on the long end of it when everything was taken into account. By the way, what would be wrong with a man earning a little extra sometimes. Meetings involve extra work.

Lest any of our readers decide that this article was inspired by malice or a desire to grind a personal axe, be assured that we have very few complaints as to how we have fared through the years. Brethren have usually been good to us. The Lord has richly blessed us and stood by us through good years and lean ones. If I had to start my life over, I would not even consider doing anything else with my life than preaching the gospel of the Son of God. But there is a problem in this relationship between preachers and congregations. We must admit that there is a problem before we can solve it. Then we must apply a scriptural remedy. Those on both sides of this relationship ought to practice the Golden Rule. The laborer is worthy of his hire. Let him,’ therefore, give good measure in his service, heaped up and running over. “The harvest is plenteous but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send laborers into his vineyard.”

Truth Magazine, XX:25, p. 9-11
June 17, 1976

By Roy E. Cogdill

“Unity” primarily concerns the relationship of the members of a local church one with another. Unity on any other level or upon any other basis without this is unimportant and does not conform to heaven’s will.

Unity in the congregational relationship is an individual obligation and grows out of the very nature of God’s plan for fellowship among Christians in the church as a body. In New Testament scriptures this local relationship is emphasized in many passages and all of them point up the requirement of that attitude toward one another that brings about and preserves unity.

In Eph. 4:15-16 Paul calls this to our attention in these words, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; From who the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

In Eph. 2:19-20 we have this statement, “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

Col. 3:12-15 calls attention to the attitude so essential to the unity of any local church, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forebearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any roan have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”

Still another such statement setting forth the disposition of Christians toward one another in the congregational relationship is that found in Phil. 2:1-4, “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Read again such passages as 1 Cor. 12:25-26, and Romans 12:3-10, as well as many other passages and your mind will be impressed with the necessity of humility, lowliness of mind, not thinking more highly of ourselves than we should think, kindly affection toward one another, and having the same care one for another as the body of Christ and members in particular.

Fellow members of the body of Christ are said to be “builded together,” “knitted together in love,” “members one of another” and all of these expressions emphasize the relationship that Christians must maintain in the fellowship of the local church. When any member takes such an attitude toward himself and his fellow members that creates “schism ‘in the body” and disturbs its harmony and peace, he has committed a crime against God and the temple of God and against his brethren.

In Eph. 4:1-3, Paul emphasizes unity as an individual obligation, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forebearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” When an individual member of the body of Christ is not characterized by humility and meekness, there is pretty good reason to expect that he is not making the contribution to the peace of the church in that locality that he is obligated to make.

Our liberal-minded brethren tell us that their brotherhood federations such as Herald of Truth, their human benevolent societies (so-called Orphan Homes and Old Folk’s Homes), and their human societies for edification such as Pepperdine College are merely “methods,” matters of human judgment, and that they belong in the realm of expedience. But if these brethren are right in claiming that they are matters of expedience, what right do they have to think so highly of their “judgment” that they thrust them into the local church and demand that those who believe they are violations of the Faith of the Gospel, and whose consciences will not allow them to participate in such acquiesce in supporting them or be castigated, exorcised, and mistreated in every conceivable sort of way.

They promote their humanly devised “idols” from the pulpit and through their bulletins and other mediums but deny the voice of opposition the right to any expression in either. Sometimes we witness incidents of such extreme treatment against the best of former friends, the closest of fleshly relationships, and those formerly most beloved of their brethren. This is even sometimes the case when the actual support of such human arrangements has not been begun by ‘the congregation but where there is only a difference in attitude and conviction concerning them.

Such incidents, and there are many of them, evidence a lack of such attitudes as are set forth in the passages cited herein above, viz., “lowliness of mind,” “meekness,” “longsuffering,” and “forebearing one another in love.” It appears that if such “methods” and “expediencies” are not essential and are properly regarded as human expediencies and if those who judge them to be permissible have any regard for the “Unity of the Spirit” or recognize any obligation to “Keep the bond of peace” in the local church or have any love and regard for brethren and interest in their souls, they would not assume the attitude of “Lords.” not even if they are elders, by demanding that in order to have peace in the church everyone must bow down to their “idols,” for this is what they become when they take such an attitude toward them.

Truth Magazine, XX:25, p. 6
June 17, 1976

By Cecil Willis

We have been studying the nature of the Godhead. That is, does the Godhead consist of one person, Jesus, or is it comprised of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Already we have studied a good number of Scriptures on the subject. And were it not for the interest there seems to be on the subject, both from those in the church of the Lord, and from those in denominational organizations, we might have pursued the subject no farther. But as we have promised to further investigate the subject, we want to continue to study the Scriptures on this point this week.

It is sometimes stated that Rev. 1:8 proves there is but one person in the Godhead. The passage reads, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Remember that the apostle John writes this statement by divine inspiration. One cannot read the first seven verses of this chapter and get any inkling that there is but one person in the Godhead. John did not contradict himself. Notice “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw” (Rev. 1:1,2). Where did Jesus get his message? This passage says God gave it to him. This message was signified to his servant John the apostle, by his angel. The word “angel” in the original language simply means messenger. We find in John 14, and also chapter 16 that the Holy Spirit would bring to the apostle’s remembrance all Jesus had spoken and would guide them into all truth. So in these first two verses of Rev. 1 we have God mentioned, Jesus mentioned, and the Holy Spirit inferred. Now John would not, in the next five verses, after having mentioned these three, have asserted that they were nonentities. He did not contradict himself. The eternal nature of God is asserted in this passage, He was, is, and is to come. And I know but few people that would question the eternal nature of God.

In Matt. 1:23 when Jesus was called, “Immanuel” (God with us), the statement means that Deity had been clothed upon with human flesh. This passage does not assert that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one person. These people who labor to prove the proposition that there is one person in the Godhead, read a passage, then forget what the passage says, and merely assert their doctrine. When someone suggests that you read a certain passage to find that God and Jesus are one person, do not be afraid to look it up. Read it. If it says they are one person, send me a card telling me where it is found. I would like to read it too. Until someone does this, I will continue to teach that it is not to be found in God’s word.

In Eph. 4:1-6 we find seven things listed by Paul of which, he says there can be but one. These passages not only declare that there can be but one of each of these, but that there must be at least one, but no more. We shall cite only verses 3 through 6: “giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” And then Paul set form a platform for Christian unity. He says, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling: one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.” There is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. These are the direct words of Paul spoken by divine guidance. We occasionally hear people laud themselves with the fact that they preach the “one Lord, one faith, and one baptism” as though this were all this passage declared. One is not preaching the whole of the gospel if he is not preaching all this passage teaches.

Paul specifically says there is one God, one Lord, one Spirit. Our denominational friends want to tell us that Paul really misunderstood the divine teaching, and that there was not one God, one Lord and one Spirit, but that Jesus was all three. He is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. “It Paul here distinguished the one body, one hope, the one faith, and the one baptism, of necessity he must distinguish between the one Spirit, the one Lord, and the one God. To say that the Spirit, the Lord and the one God are all one and the same person is as ridiculous as to say that the one hope, the one faith. and the one baptism are all the same act. If to hope, to believe and to be baptized are different acts, then the Spirit, the Lord and the one God are different persons. It is foolish to amalgamate the three persons in the Godhead, and at the same time, in the very same verse, uphold the distinction of the four unities mentioned” (Clevenger, Debate Notes). If one preaches the one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, he ought also to preach the one Lord, one God, and one Spirit, and quit trying to make them all one person.

In Acts 7 we read a powerful sermon. It was so cutting it cost the preacher his life. Not only was this sermon powerful and cutting to those Jews to whom it was addressed, but it equally as powerful and destructive of the doctrine we have just been studying. Stephen was the preacher. He had accused the Jews of being “stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears.” Of course the Jews deeply resented this rabid accusation. Luke’s account in the book of Acts reads, “Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the -right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:54-56). The Scripture says that Stephen saw God, and Jesus standing or. the right hand of God. The theory we are discussing says this could not be so. Stephen must have seen an hallucination. He surely must have only thought he saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Now the theory that there is but one person in the Godhead is not plausible unless it can be explained how a person can sit on the right hand of himself. If Jesus is God, and Jesus is Jesus, then when Jesus sat on the right hand of God, He was sitting on the right hand of Himself. If there is just one person in heaven, then Stephen must have only seen Jesus sitting on His own right hand, and thought he saw Jesus sitting on the right hand o# God. Frankly, men would do well to alter their theories to conform with the Scripture, rather than perverting the Scripture to fit their theories. Most of us have seen a good many things in life, but I will venture a guess that none of you have even seen a person sitting on his own right hand. This passage teaches the same truth that so many others we have already cited to you in this series of studies declare. God and Jesus are not one person.

It seems almost futile, and purposeless to go on reciting Scripture after Scripture that plainly teach that Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God are different beings. But if one is not gained by unegivocal statements of Scripture thus far studied, perhaps the weight of many bearing upon his mind will overpower his preconceived notions.

Hence another Scripture. Jno. 14:16,17, and Jno. 16:7,8 declare the same promise of Jesus. The first passage says, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth.” The second, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I go, I will send him unto you. And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” “Jesus here promises the disciples that He would pray the Father to send the Spirit after his departure. If the Father is the Spirit and the Spirit the Father, and Jesus is the Father and the Father is Jesus, and if Jesus is the Spirit and the Spirit is Jesus, if all are one person, we have quite a predicament. Really the passage is saying: I am going to leave the earth and go to heaven where the Father and the Spirit are: I am going to pray to the Father that he will send the Holy Spirit to you disciples here on earth. Now if there is just one person in the Godhead, here is the way the passage would read. If every time the word Father, Son or Holy Spirit is used, we may substitute the word Jesus, the passage would read something like this: “And I will pray to myself, and I myself shall give you myself, that I myself may abide with you forever. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, I will not come unto you, but if I depart I will send myself unto you, and when I come, I will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (Taken in substance from Clevenger’s Debate Notes). Any doctrine that makes such sheer nonsense of the Holy Word of God must be rejected by thinking people. The Bible says what it means and means what it says.

Again we might think of the approximately fifteen times the Bible says that Jesus prayed to the Father. Was He merely praying to Himself, and in so doing, giving the impression to those about Him that there was someone up in heaven who would hear and answer the prayer? Certainly not. He was praying to the Father.

In closing this lesson, we would like to cite just one more passage that not only teaches there is more than one in the Godhead but expresses our desire for each and every person who may read this article. Jesus told His disciples to “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:19,20). Jesus desired that each person become a follower of Him submitting to baptism for the remission of sins. Won’t you become baptized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit?

Truth Magazine, XX:25, p. 3-5
June 17, 1976