Truth Magazine

By Donald Willis

‘The written word is one of the powerful means of reaching those who are lost. Most churches have prominently displayed “track racks” and encourage members to use these aids in reaching the lost; and encourage visitors to take these for further study.

Normally, a tract is an outstanding gospel sermon preached by a sound man on a special subject. Churches would not invite a “liberal” preacher to conduct a gospel meeting; therefore, why would they fill the Track Rack with. “liberal tracts,”

“You are our epistle, known and read of all men” (2 Cor. 3:2). And, the track rack publishes that the church endorses these materials. One would not say these materials could not be used . . . but most of these materials could be purchased from preachers who are sound on the organization and work of the church. The church would not be leaving the impression that it approves the destructive conclusions that some of the men have accepted.

Another danger is seen in the use of liberal class literature which has already spawned an apostasy, Faithful brethren have some good series of literature and churches should avail themselves of it’s use.

Contact Truth Magazine Bookstore (Box 403, Marion, Indiana 46952) and secure a list of the tracts published by our faithful brethren. Use the tracts in. reaching the lost! Then, when Brother _______ comes to town, he will be known as faithful, and saints will welcome the opportunity to hear him.

Truth Magazine XX: 27, p. 418
July 8, 1976

By Larry Ray Hafley

(1) Remember when Zebedee’s wife brought her two sons, James and John, and requested of the Lord, “Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom” (Matt. 20:20, 21)? The Lord’s opening remark–does it appear impertinent at first glance? Said He, “Ye know not what ye ask.” However in view of the true nature of His kingdom, the statement is a simple and succinct fact.

The practical lady desired a place of prestige, prominence, and preeminence for her sons. She envisioned a kingdom of political power. She bad no doubt that Jesus with His miracle might could establish a kingdom. She wanted her offspring to have “a piece of the action.” Jesus’ response was to the point, “Ye know not what ye ask.” We usually seize upon Jesus’ words in Matthew 20:25-28, “he that will be great among you, let him be your minister,” and use these to show the character of the coming kingdom. It is right to do so, but have you ever pondered the phrase, “Ye know not what ye ask?” “The mother of Zebedee’s children” did know what she asked, if the kingdom was “of this world.” She did not know what she asked since the kingdom was a spiritual one. And that is what the Lord’s initial sentence focused upon. Had you ever thought about that aspect of the words, “Ye know not what ye ask?”

(2) In Matthew 16:13-18, the Lord blessed Simon for his confession of Him, saying, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Indeed, “flesh and blood,” men, had not revealed it unto the apostle, “Flesh and blood” said Jesus was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other Old ‘Testament prophets. “Flesh and blood” is a reference to the first question Jesus posed, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” Though their estimation and evaluation of Jesus was high, it was too low. “Flesh and blood” says “men.” “My Father which is in heaven” says “the Son of God.”

(3) “I cannot abide to hear myself praised, for 1 am a. sworn enemy of all adulation” (Cervantes’ Don Quixote). Most of us- can “abide” to hear ourselves praised. In fact, we tend to tolerate more than we deserve. One should not unduly love “the praise of men,” but there is a place for praise. The Bible so teaches (Prov. 27:2; 1 Cor. 12:26). In moderation, honor should be accepted humbly and graciously. But with praise, as with gifts, we ought to remember that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Back to our introductory quote. Let us engage reverse gear and pull parallel. Does my spirit say, “I cannot abide to hear myself criticized, for I am a sworn enemy of all reproof?” Generally, one who revels in adulation and admiration will scorn any degree of condemnation. “Lord, is it I?”

Truth Magazine XX: 27, p. 418
July 8, 1976

By Cecil Willis

Today is January 1, 1976, the day many people make to themselves and others New Year’s Day resolutions and altruistic promises. In this brief article, instead of looking forward, we want to take a backward look. It is as important to consider how we have done as to romise ourselves how we are going to do.

Firstly, let me state that this completes five Volumes of Truth Magazine as a weekly. Allen Sommer, when he wrote the last article that closed the American Christian Review observed, “tempus sure do fugit,” a slight modification of the Latin for “time flies.” But it really does fly by quickly. A lot of hard work has gone into these five years of weekly issues.

Secondly, we want to thank Brother Jeffery Kingry for doing both the author and topical index that comprise this issue. Jeff had the misfortune of losing the indexes before he could mail them to us, and had to redo them completely. Consider what a task that was! To some of you, an Index issue is worthless. But to several hundred of you who keep your papers for future reference and study purposes, these index issues are the most important ones of all.

Thirdly, we might remind you that next year the paper will be printed on glossy pages again. This is possible because Economy Printing Concern of Berne, Indiana has spent many thousands of dollars purchasing and installing an oven which will dry the ink fast enough that we can use a glossy page. This should improve the appearance of the paper considerably.

Fourthly, we apologize for the lateness of this issue, but that has been occasioned by Brother Kingry’s losing the completed index. We have already turned in to the printer three of the January issues, but he is awaiting shipment of the paper upon which to run Truth Magazine. We can tell you that we are resolved to get published on schedule, and ask your pardon for the lateness of delivery. “Uncle Sam” deserves the lion’s share of the credit (?) for the lateness of delivery.

Fifthly, we think we have achieved a well-balanced paper this year. There are seven extra issues in this volume. We included these seven extra issues in Volume Nineteen in order to begin our volumes on a calendar basis. In Volume Nineteen there are more than 400 articles, written by 125 different men. Incidentally, if you think the paper should be improved, we invite you to submit your improved articles. We only can publish the articles that are sent to us. Sixty percent of the articles are written by men on our staff.

To give you some idea of the variety in this volume, we call attention to the following subjects and number of articles on that subject. There are 14 articles on Authority, 21 on Baptism, 8 on Baptist Doctrine, 30 Book Reviews, 4 on Calvinism, 39 on Christian Living, 46 on the Church, 38 reports from churches, 22 on Denominationalism, 5 on Discipline, 31 on Evangelism, 8 on Evidences, 15 on Faith, 7 on the Family, 12 on Fellowship, 8 on Grace, 6 on Heaven, 12 on Restoration History, 15 on the Holy Spirit, 24 on Christ, 8 on Jehovah’s Witnesses, 5 on Modesty, 11 on Obedience, 13 on Personal Work, 20 on Preachers and Preaching, 29 answering Bible questions, 15 on Salvation, 31 dealing expositorily with various passages, 16 on Teaching, and 17 on Bible Word Studies. If a paper can have wider diversification in one year, I hardly see how such would be possible.

We hope you will stay with us through Volume Twenty and thereafter, so long as the Lord shall tarry His return, and give us strength and the means to continue to publish Truth Magazine.

Truth Magazine XIX: 57, p. 898
December 18, 1975

By George Welsh Tyler

Of the approximately 175 Scriptural titles applied to Christ, “Counselor” is one that stands out. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” What a remarkable setting for this term “Counselor!” How much easier it is for men and even nations to accept Him as Savior and Redeemer than it is to accept and listen to Him as Counselor! It is that phase of Christ’s manifold character that we wish to present at this time.

Studying the teachings of Christ we find they are packed with counsel for the saved and the unsaved, for young and old, for the rich and the poor, for the learned and the unlearned. I think it would be very interesting to tabulate the total recorded teachings of Christ to find out just how great a proportion is wise, kindly counsel. “Enter ye in at the straight gate.” “Be not wise in your own conceits.” “Be not anxious about the morrow,” “Work while it is day.” “Watch.” “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” “No man can serve two masters.” “Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” “Judge not that ye be not judged.” “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” We have given a few examples to those who are out of the fold and to those who are within the fold. We might group Christ’s words as follows: (1) statements of facts, such as, “No one cometh unto the Father but by me;” (2) commands, such as, “Go ye into all the world,” etc.; (3) counsel, such as cited above; (4) promises, such as, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;” (5) warnings, such as, “Beware of false prophets.”

We must bear in mind that neither God nor Christ will ever force any man to obey even a positive command, much less follow counsel. Both are given, however, as I understand it, as guideposts, pointing the only way to safety and salvation! As the Son of the living God, Christ’s counsel cannot and dare not be ignored or overlooked. He stated the truth that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no one could come to God but by Him. This being true, His counsel cannot be ignored and must be followed by all men who would be saved, because it is the divine and authoritative pointing out of the Way, the Truth and the Life. To a lot of people it seems somewhat easier to recognize the necessity of obeying a positive command than for hearing arid heeding Christ’s counsel, yet both are given for exactly the same purpose; that is, as guides to the way, and only that way alone can lead to forgiveness, eternal life and heaven.

The Christian has two duties relative to the counsel of Christ. One is to lay this counsel before every possible misguided wanderer who is not in Christ. The other duty is to remember that Christ is not only Redeemer, but Counselor for every day and every relation in life. When Christians make use of the Christ as Counselor not only in moral decisions, but in business, in the home, in success and defeat, in marriage and in contemplated marriage, in pleasures and sorrows and even in their efforts to serve in Christian work, the sad errors which have pursued Christian lives and afflicted the church will mostly have been done away. Christ as Counselor in the home means the end of most heartbreaks and wrecks. Christ as Counselor, if permitted, would solve all church problems without heat, enmity and disruption.

We close with a word that needs to be strongly emphasized thousands of times in sermons and editorials. Oh, how the nations need Christ as Counselor when men shall sit down to determine their future and their multiplied millions of inhabitants! How can those who hold the lives of all the living and unborn generations in their hands be prevailed upon to seek the tender but sure-guiding hand of Christ, the Son of the living God? Christians, one and all, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, can pray earnestly every day that the chosen representatives of the nations shall choose to be willing and actually will seek the counsel and guidance of Him whose name is “Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Truth Magazine XIX: 56, p. 893
December 11, 1975