Truth Magazine

By George Welsh Tyler

Along the Nile River the civilization of the Pharaohs flourished many centuries. It was the very heart and center of a remarkably great prosperity. The great historian, Herodotus, described it in these words: “Egypt is the Nile.” The Nile’s course sweeps four thousand miles down to the Mediterranean Sea its floods carrying rich alluvial deposits into the lower valley and the delta. It was into this delta that Jacob and his sons went and that his people remained there four hundred years because food and grain were there.

The Nile floods twice each year. In ancient times it was the custom to sow seed by casting it from boats into the overflowing waters, or in the marshy ground, so that when the flood waters receded, the grain would be planted in the flood deposits of the valley. Isaiah evidently refers to this in Isa. 32:20 when he wrote: “Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters.” And the message from Ecclesiastes pertaining to the grain being cast upon the waters brings to our minds several items with reference to the sowing of seed, and the gaining of the harvest.

The Seed Is the Word

The mission of the church is to cast the seed; or the gospel, into the human currents of the world. The divine promise of spiritual returns is not at all empty, but real. In 1 Pet. 1:23 “Having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the Word of God, which liveth and abideth.” Here, the Word of God is described as the seed to’ be sown-the seed capable of producing abiding results.

Returning to the figure suggested in Ecclesiastes relative to the casting of the grain upon the waters, let us turn our attention to the eternal values which accrue in sowing the seed which brings forth Christian men and women.

There seems to be two phases to this venture that are worthy of consideration at this time. The first has to do with the seed, the Word of God, which is to be sown broadcast to the whole world. Matthew and Mark both give us versions of the Great Commission given by Christ to His apostles and Luke tells us where and when they were to start. Acts 7:1,4 tell us how the church of the first century put the Savior’s command into practice. This seed is described by the writer of Hebrews as “the word of righteousness” (Heb. 5:13); It is called “seed” (1 Pet. 5:13); “Oracles of God” (Rom. 3:2). It is also described by a number of other different terms.

From Heb. 5:13 and other like-passages of scripture we are impressed with the fact the seed is the Word of God and not something developed by man. It is not something that may seem to be right in human eyes, but, rather, that which God has ordained for us to speak to dying men as the message of salvation. We find a statement back in the Old Testament: “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 17:6) and Judg. 21:25 reads the same way. Too often that same attitude prevails today concerning the Word which is preached to men under the title of the gospel. The seed of righteousness can be only God’s Word.

The Word of God is also described as the “word of reconciliation.” In 2 Cor. 5:19 we read: “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.” This sentence might be better understood if punctuated as follows: “God was, in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.” It was through Christ that God created the world; it was through Him that God was reconciling the world unto Himself. Paul was the ambassador of Christ working together with God. This in no way contradicts the plain teaching of the Scripture as to the deity of Jesus. His mission was to reveal the Father and save the lost. Paul wrote: “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily” (Col. 2:9). See also Phil. 2:5-11. The Gospel of John was written to show how Christ revealed the Father. John 1:18 “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (Jn. 1:18). At the height of his ministry, Philip said to Jesus, “Show us the Father, and it will suffice us.” Jesus said: “Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the father in me; or else believe me for my very works sake” (John 14:10 to 12). Paul wrote: “And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, yet hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight” (Col. 1:21,22).

Again, the seed, or Word is known as the “word of life.” Speaking of the “word of life,” Paul said, “Holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labored in vain” (Phil. 2:16). Just as physical seed is sown in order to gain the harvest of daily bread, so must also the seed of eternal life be sown abroad so that the divine bread of life may be had by all men.

After the seed has been planted, we shall expect the harvest. Not only is it promised to be a good harvest (in case of the Word of God), the gospel seed, like any other seed, will produce only after its kind. The Gospel only, makes Christians Only. The pure and unadulterated Gospel has never been known to produce a denominational church. Too, the Word of righteousness produces a character of righteousness in those who obey it.

Sowing the Seed

The second phase – the planting of the Word of God – is the actual proclaiming of the gospel, and supporting those who preach it. Paul wrote, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things” (Rom. 10:14,15). A preacher is a Christian who knows something about God’s Word and is able to tell it to others. In order that his efforts may be effective he must “practice what he preaches.” One does not have to be a full-time preacher to do evangelistic work. The Christians of the first century gave us the example. “They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).

The preacher has no “divine call” above any other Christians. He has no special code of morals to live by above that of other Christians. If he has talent for speaking and teaching, the church may ask him to devote all his time to the work. He will work under the elders, and the church will meet his living expenses because “The laborer is worthy of his hire” (Luke 10:7). A church in California, with which both this writer and editor of Truth Magazine are both well acquainted, is doing this kind of work and has already sent one young man out into the field and is training another who is now preaching for a small church a few miles away and continuing his training. We pray that more of our churches will follow this example.

We hear much these days about what sort of a world we should have today had the gospel been more completely broadcast to the world two or three hundred years ago. Well, this may be an interesting subject for research, but the thing that ought to concern us right now is the next century or two. What are we doing right now to guarantee the gospel a chance to change the nature of the world’s course or that of our own nation in the next century? Because of the nature of things, we must plan today for the next century. It is high time just now to cast the gospel seed upon the waters so that the tomorrows will be far better than the todays!

Finally, outside, of the need already mentioned, is there any other reason for casting our bread upon the waters? In answer, let us remember that sowing of the seed is a divine command. That ought to be reason enough for any sane man to obey. God not only gave us the command to sow the seed of the kingdom but also gave us His reasons. In His Word we are informed that the gospel is given to build men up. Acts. 20:32 reads: “And now, brethren I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified.”

Not only does the Word of God build men up, it sanctifies them as well. John 17:17 reads: “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth.” The term “sanctify” means “to set apart for a holy use.” Thus one man with the gospel may sow the seed that will be instrumental in setting apart a whole nation for God’s holy purpose! This is the secret of the amazing program of investment to be realized in the proclamation of the gospel. In no other enterprise in the entire world are the potential rewards so great. Paul could not see how effective his preaching would be in the long years to come. His word yet echoes around the globe. He took the gospel from Asia to Europe and from there it reached to America. We are confident that Paul is still reaping the joys of his gospel sowing, even as every real Christian living here now or in the next world is made happy in the knowledge that his influence through the gospel never ceases!

Truth Magazine XIX: 49, pp. 778-779
October 23, 1975

By Roland Worth, Jr.

Even though people will not always practice what they know to be right, most people are intelligent enough to realize that they are doing wrong.

The adulterer may justify his sin by appealing to the “Playboy Philosophy.” The war criminal may claim that he was just “obeying orders.” The assassin may bemoan the evils of society. In spite of such rationalizations, most people, in the depths of their heart, know that such acts are corrupt and evil. However the reason such rationalizations are made is quite simple: In order to soothe their conscience they must find an excuse to engage in these things.

One of the more popular rationalizations (and it is just that-a rationalization rather than a justification) is that, “I’m just as good as other people” or, if they are especially upset, “I’m just as good as you. “

C. S. Lewis wisely points out in an essay of his that such a person is admitting far more about himself than he may ever realize. Lewis has the fictional devil, Screwtape, lecturing the new devils in tactics to use in subverting mankind. Screwtape strongly urges them to cultivate in their potential victims the very attitude that we have just mentioned:

“The first and most obvious advantage is that you thus induce him to enthrone at the centre of his life a good, solid resounding lie. I don’t mean merely that his statement is false in fact, that he is no more equal to everyone he meets in kindness, honesty, and good sense than in height or waist-measurement. I mean that he does not believe it himself. No man who says `I’m as good as you’ believes it. He would not say It if he did. The St. Bernard never says it to the toy dog, nor the scholar to the dunce, nor the employable to the bum, nor the pretty woman to the plain. The claim to equality, outside the strictly political field, is made by those who feel themselves to be in some way inferior. What it expresses is precisely the itching, smarting writhing awareness of an inferiority which the patient refuses to accept” (C. S. Lewis, “Screwtape Proposes A Toast,” in The World’s Last Night and Other Essays, Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York: 1960, pages 60-61).

Sometimes people say far more than they realize. Especially when they are trying to find excuses for their sin.

Truth Magazine XIX: 49, p. 777
October 23, 1975

By Roy E. Cogdill

The church of the New Testament is undenominational for the reason that it has no denominational or human creed, and no denominational or human organization. When the church anywhere departs from this New Testament pattern either by changing its name, creed (belief and teaching) or organization, it becomes a denomination. Such a departure can characterize either just one congregation or a whole group of churches under the same leadership and influence. Perhaps the reason God in His infinite wisdom gave the church no other organization than the local body or congregation and authorizes no sort of federation of these local churches of Christ was in order to prevent wholesale apostasy. When churches are federated, either in work or organization or by the pooling of their resources in some intercongregational project, it always means wholesale apostasy when a departure is made.

Organization of the Church

The simple pattern of New Testament church organization had as its salient features: (1) Christ as its only authority-“the head over all things to the church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22-23); (2) Elders over every local church of Christ (Acts 14:23);(3) Deacons as special servants (Phil. 1:1). In the New Testament scriptures, no man can find anything smaller, larger, or other than this simple organization. In any community, saved people were added “together” to work together in Christian fellowship in accomplishing the mission God gave His church on this earth to perform. All that was accomplished in the New Testament day was done by Christians through and in this divine arrangement, unless it was purely individual action. When any other organization is formed, the church apostatizes and becomes a denominational or sectarian organization.

The church can be as truly apostate when it departs from the divine pattern of organization as when it corrupts the worship with human innovations, or its teaching and faith with the doctrines and commandments of men. In fact, Satan has always started the people of God on the road to apostasy by corrupting their government. It was true when Israel wanted a “king” that they might be like the nations around them. It was true when the churches of the New Testament yielded to the spirit of iniquity already at work in Paul’s day and departed from the principles of autonomy, independence, and equality of local churches of Christ. Out of this departure grew the “man of sin, the son of perdition,” the Roman Catholic Church. The same thing was true when in the latter part of the Nineteenth Century, churches of Christ on this continent began to form themselves into “co-operatives,” later to merge these into the American Christian Missionary Society and finally to develop the Christian Church denomination.

God’s plan is elders, bishops, or pastors in every church. This means, as we have already pointed out, that each local church has its own elders or bishops to super-intend and direct its work and that no eldership has the oversight of more than one local church either in its worship, work, resources, discipline or membership. The extending of the authority of elders is one sure way to corrupt the government of the church and lead the church into apostasy.

Elders

It takes two things to make an elder in the church of the Lord. One is for a man to qualify or meet the divine standard required of elders and laid down by divine authority. These qualifications are found in 1 Timothy 3, and in Titus 1. No man perfectly possesses all of these qualifications, of course, but he must have all of them in a reasonable degree and there are none of them that can be cancelled out by the authority of anyone. The second thing required is appointment. The record says, “And when they had ordained them elders in every church” (Acts 14:23). Other translations read “appointed.” The apostle Paul and those accompanying him acted “for” the church in this appointing. It is implied that the church had some voice or right which was thus respected in this matter. It would be difficult for a man to act as an elder when the church did not approve or regard him as fit and qualified.

The New Testament nowhere indicates that men just grew into and assumed this work of being an elder in the Lord’s church. This would leave the church at the mercy of a man who considered himself qualified when the church did not so consider. On the other hand the church might consider a man as an elder, thinking that he had sufficiently grown or matured into such, when he did not so consider himself, and would therefore be unwilling to serve. “Appointment” is therefore a part of the divine plan. Not the arbitrary appointment of one man’s judgment but one approved by the church over which he is to be a bishop or overseer. This appointment which is a part of the divine plan for the governing of the Lord’s church cannot be dispensed with by the authority of man any more than the qualifications set forth by the Lord.

When a church tries to operate without elders to oversee its work, it is disorganized, haphazard in its work and is like any other organization without anyone with fixed responsibility in which the business and responsibility of everyone belongs to no one. Only in their immaturity, and until they developed qualified men, did churches of the New Testament period carry on their work under such a handicap. How does a church operate without elders? God nowhere tells us. If he had, we would have an option or choice to carry on the work of the church either with or without elders. But God’s plan calls for elders in “every church” and this expression is as definite and mandatory as it can be made. Compare kata mian sabbaton, kata polin, and kata ecclesian. The first expression is found in the Greek New Testament in 1 Cor. 16:1. The second expression is found in Acts 14:23. The first means “every first day of the week.” The second means “every city” and the third means “every church.” Those preachers who try by every kind of sophistry and conniving that can be devised to get rid of the scriptural organization of “elders in every church” had just well get rid of the idea of contribution “every first day” for one goes as easily and rightly as the other.

It is as scriptural for one eldership to be over many churches as it is for a church :to set aside New Testament teaching and operate permanently without an eldership. Both represent a departure from the government ordained by the Lord for His church. In a district court trial, in a law suit concerning the elders and the preacher of a local church of Christ a number of years ago, when the preacher on the stand was questioned by the district judge and denied that the church either had any elders or needed any and was directly asked “who is in authority or has charge of the work of this organization?”, the preacher replied “No one.” Upon being given this answer the judge remarked, “This is the first thing that claims to be an organic body that I have ever heard of without any organization of without either head or tail to its organization.” Unscrupulous men of ambition are left free to promote and direct the affairs of the Lord’s church to their own satisfaction when there are no elders. Often-far too often-these unscrupulous men are preachers who simply do not want the restrictions of working under an eldership. Such men are anarchists and spiritual bolsheviks at heart no matter how sound they may be otherwise.

Truth Magazine XIX: 49, pp. 776-777
October 23, 1975

By E. E. McCool, Jr.

I remember years ago, on the day I caught my son smoking, I shook with rage, but tried to explain to him that I knew teenagers thought it was smart to smoke, but actually that they are poisoning their bodies. “There’s a warning on the cigarette package and on all the ads that smoking is dangerous to your health. It weakens the body and can lead to cancer-not in all cases, but in enough that any smoker is taking a risk. And, doing anything to harm the body is wrong (1 Cor. 6:19-20).” 1 showed him the preacher’s articles in the church bulletin, etc.

Sunday came, and as we walked into the building, there stood one of the elders with one of the Bible School teachers and the song leader-all three were smoking. After church, my son asked me if I thought it was still wrong to smoke. I replied that I did. My son looked at me and said, “Dad, those men are the leaders of the church here. They lead the worship! You can hardly lead a prayer, and you propose to know more about what’s right or wrong than they?” I told him that they smoked from habit. They wanted to stop, but didn’t have the strength. “Ask any one of them, and they will all say they wish they could stop. Ask them how much money they waste on cigarettes. Ask them if they think it is healthy.” I realized it was useless-I had lost my son.

I felt ashamed of myself and sorry for those men at church. They didn’t realize the impact that their smoking had on our youth (Matt. 18:7). If the preacher stands up and says smoking is wrong, and proves it by the Bible, government documents and doctors’ reports; and then church leaders and the influential men decide to disregard this message-then why can’t our young people disregard the same message, or the message about dancing, petting, drinking, lying, stealing, drugs-or any other message they desire?

But, I guess it really doesn’t matter anymore. As I walked into the church building this Monday afternoon, I walked past the elder, Bible School teacher and song leader as they took one last puff. After I was seated, they came and took their seats with the other pall bearers. It looked like we had all come to bury our mistakes. I’ll face my God and have to account for my failure. How many will they have to account for? You see, today we buried my son-he died of lung cancer!

(Editorial Note: Though fictional, the above article by a young man just out of college, is worth reading through again. He hits the point on the head hard. Pause and ponder on your influence.)

Truth Magazine XIX: 49, p. 775
October 23, 1975