Truth Magazine

By Keith Ward

I moved to Gibson City in July. Since several statements were outdated and I had made further study, I revised “Sarah Called Him Lord” (November 20, 1975). Unfortunately, the unrevised manuscript was published before I posted the revision. Here are some of the major ideas I added. I am sorry that many of the minor modifications cannot be included–they added much to the impact of “Sarah Called Him Lord.” The effectiveness of the women’s class continues in Gibson City and participation is greater with 15 ladies attending Monday night classes out of a congregation with a Sunday attendance of 55.

Eph. 5:28-29 teaches husbands should love their wives as their own flesh. Often we fail to consider the implications of this ideal. The following is only one example. Man provides the physical needs as his responsibility to the family. Woman cares for the home (Note: home, not house). If you are sick, you stay home from work. If your illness excuses you from the responsibilities God laid upon you, then why, oh double minded man, do you insist your sick wife continue hers? She must still get the children to school, fix your meals, and listen to you gripe if the house is not in order. Hypocrite! If you were as sick you would lie around and groan all day. To be right before God you must either go to work even though you are sick, or excuse her from her duties when she is sick. Fix your own meals and hers, do the dishes and care for the children. God teaches this when He commands, “Love each one his own wife even as himself.” Which command may we ignore with impunity? Be baptized or love your wife as yourself? Tend the flock which is among you? Or, nourish and cherish your wife? Many Christian men sin and will go to hell for their abuse of subjection.

Subjection does not mean a woman is inferior-no more than Christ became inferior when He subjected himself to God (1 Cor. 11:3). We must consider our complementing roles as husband and wife and strive to meet God’s high standard. Failure to do so is no less sin than instrumental music or the Herald of Truth.

Truth Magazine, XX:13, p. 2
March 25, 1976

 

By Ron Halbrook

Many years after “all truth” or “the faith” had been revealed, the pure stream of New Testament Christianity was corrupted by Greek philosophy (Jn. 16:13; Jude 3; 2 Tim. 4:1). Philosophers taught that the body or flesh itself was inherently evil. As this poison was mixed with Bible truth, the theory was presented that after Adam’s sin all flesh inherited sin. This became the doctrine of hereditary depravity—-little babies were said to be born in sin, children of the devil!

As men drifted away from “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints,” they devised human theories about baptism. Men began to teach that in some mysterious way the grace of God was “infused” into the soul o# man by the “sacrament” of baptism. This almost magical concept of water baptism can be seen in the idea of “holy water.” Men also put their own reason in. place of divine revelation in order to teach God will accept sprinkling in place of true baptism.

Thus, a combination of human philosophy and manmade doctrine created the tradition of sprinkling little babies to save them from sin. In the last 100 years, religious modernism and liberalism has tried to cast doubt on everything older than the morning’s newspaper. Thus both divine revelation and later human traditions have been called in question. Liberal denominationalism calls Adam’s sin a “fable,” excuses all human guilt as “societies’ fault,” tries to build a “great society” instead of saving souls from sin, and therefore rejects the doctrine of inherited depravity. The liberals who retain infant sprinkling, practice it only as a “dedication service,” not to deliver the baby from sin.

For the truth’s sake which is in Christ, we must reject liberalism and human doctrine and philosophical theories! The Bible teaches that Adam and Eve, at an age when they could understand God’s will, chose to sin; they were held responsible, counted guilty, and driven from God’s presence (Gen.. 2-3). But the Bible also speaks of children’s being at an age when they have no knowledge between good and evil”—-“before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good” (Deut. 1:39; Isa. 7:16). Jesus did not regard “little children” as children o# the devil, but pointed to their purity in the character of humility (Matt. 18:3-4). If the flesh inherits sin, a baby is guilty of “evil” from the moment of conception. But, Paul, guided by God’s Spirit, said, “The children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil . . .” (Rom. 9:11).

Sin is not something inherited, but something practiced: “the transgression of the law” (1 Jn. 3:4). When practiced, sin separates “between you and your God,” but it cannot be inherited (Isa. 59:2; Ezek. 18). Not by magic in, water, but by obedient faith, sinners must come to Christ’s blood for cleansing. “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins . : .” (Acts 2:38).

Truth Magazine, XX:13, p. 2
March 25, 1976

By Van A. Reaves

From time to time every congregation of the Lord’s church will need to hire a gospel preacher. Yet many congregations do not know exactly what to look for. Most, if not all, of the ones I have been familiar with place the burden of their expectations on experience. The Bible on the other hand places emphasis elsewhere.

I cannot find a single instance of a man or woman being great because of their experience, but rather because of their faith in God. Let us look at a few examples. One great deed was the destruction of Jericho (Josh. 6). Joshua did not depend on his own combat strategy, but rather on God. While David was too young to fight in the armies of Israel he slew Goliath, the gigantic champion of the Philistines (1 Sam. 17) because he had faith in God.

Many, many more are mentioned in Heb. 11. Some young, some old, some knew wealth, some poverty, some experienced, and some with no experience at all. But each and everyone of them had the essential element; faith.

We have already shown many men who had faith, but little or no experience. So now visualize a man (you may know one) with a great deal of experience but little or no faith. Brethren, we have placed emphasis in the wrong place. Faith must be our prime concern. Experience is indeed an important thing. It is not the purpose of this article to deny that fact. It is simply to emphasize the importance of the essential attribute; faith.

In the future when we are looking for a preacher, let us remember these scriptures:

“. . . this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).

“. . . with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27).

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13).

The Bible gives many examples of men who were great, but I cannot name a single one who was great because of his experience. The thing that a preacher needs most is faith. We cannot please God, no matter how experienced, nor can we do His work to His satisfaction without total dependence in Him.

Youth nor age makes or breaks a preacher. Experience nor lack of experience makes or breaks a preacher. But if a man depends on God’s help he can overcome any problem that might arise.

Truth Magazine, XX:12, p. 13
March 18, 1976

By Larry Ray Hafley

The doctrine of Universalism was once actively and aggressively advanced by those who claimed to believe the Bible. Their belief is that God will save all men regardless of their character and life. One of the Scriptures they use as a proof text is Matthew 5:44, 45, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

Universalism Argument

God urges us to love, bless, do good, and pray for the wicked. Will God turn and hate, curse, do evil, and damn those we must receive? Observe that, despite their wickedness, God does good to them in this life. Are we to understand that God will suddenly do evil to them in the end? If so, this is hypocrisy. God will eternally love them that hate Him; He will everlastingly bless them that curse Him.

Argument Answered

God’s blessings in this text are temporal, not eternal. All spiritual blessings are in Christ (Eph. 1:3). God sends the sun and rain, temporal blessings, to the just and the unjust. To whom? To the “just” and the “unjust.” This shows there are two classes of men, which the universalist will freely grant. Morally speaking, they are considered as the “just” and “unjust.” But why so classify men and actions if there is no moral or spiritual accountability?

Even these earthly blessings are conditionally appropriated. One must act, or he will not be blessed by the sunshine and rain. “The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing” (Prov. 13:4). “And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God” (Eccl. 3:13). What man does to reap the benefits of God’s gracious gifts in nature does not mean man has earned his food and drink. “It is the gift of God.” It is the same in the moral realm. God loves, blesses, and makes provision for the salvation of the unjust. However, he must respond to the overtures of Divine grace and mercy. If he does not do so, he will spiritually starve just as he will physically famish if he does not act when the sunshine and rain are provided.

God’s pure grace is matched by His pure righteousness and justice. Sin demands retribution. Righteousness demands reward. All men sin (Rom. 3:23). Through the blood of the cross, God forgives those who believe in Jesus. One must accept God’s free gift by faith, by obeying the truth (1 Pet. 1:22). When one does so, he becomes a servant of righteousness, free from sin (Rom. 6:17, 18, 23). Those who neglect or ignore the blessings contained in sunshine and rain will starve-“if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). Likewise, those who refuse the generous gift of God in Christ will perish. It is not hypocrisy. Neither is it hypocrisy when God gives the sun and the rain but man refuses to sow, plow and reap. It is love unbounded which goes unaccepted. God’s eventual cursing and condemnation of the unjust is not arbitrary and capricious. He will not suddenly turn and damn certain ones any more than he will suddenly turn and starve those who will not work. Their end is the just reward of their deeds. God is not hypocritical in his nature, purposes, or actions. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). God is not willing that any should starve, but one must work, reap and eat. God’s goodness provides sunshine and rain, but man must act or die. God’s grace gives Christ and the gospel, but man must obey or perish (Matt. 7:21; Heb. 5:8, 9; 2 Thess. 1:7-9).

Proverbs 1:24-33

“Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”

Truth Magazine, XX:12, p. 12-13
March 18, 1976