Truth Magazine

By O. C. Birdwell

“The New Testament is the constitution and bylaws for the church today, and anything that is not provided for in the New Testament is unconstitutional.”

“Most of the split-offs that have occurred in the Restoration Movement have come because elements in the movement could not countenance progress.”

Would one ever guess that the above two statements were made by the same man? Yes, they were. But not only were they made by the same man, they were made in the same article! The man was Reuel Lemmons as he wrote in an article called “The Goal of Restoration,” printed in the February, 1975 issue of Action.

It would be interesting to have Brother Lemmons list the items of progress provided for in the New Testament that have caused the split-offs that he talks about and then tell us just who the split-offs were. Would he call the 1849 Missionary Society progress and those who opposed it “split-offs?” How about the adding of the instrument? Was that progress that- was again opposed by the “split-offs?” The advocates of the Missionary Society and instrumental music called their additions progress and used almost identical terminology as does Brother Lemmons to castigate and call “split-offs” those who opposed. With whom would Brother Lemmons have stood in the Missionary Society and instrumental music battle? The “progressives” or the “non-progressives?” Or would he have stood with both, and at the same time against both?

Again, we would like to have Brother Lemmons tell us about a number of other things. What about benevolent societies that are built and maintained by churches; church sponsored and supported secular business and recreational activities; and sponsoring churches? How about church donations to colleges and other like private business enterprises? Is all of this progress that Brother Lemmons is accusing some of opposing and by such opposition becoming “split- offs?” If so, he must feel that such is provided for in the New Testament. Because according to his own statement, if it is not so provided for it is unconstitutional. If he believes this is provided for in the New Testament, will he please give us the command, example, or necessary inference where it is so provided? If missionary and benevolent societies, instrumental music, sponsoring churches, church support of colleges, etc., do not make up the “progress” Brother Lemmons is talking about, will he be so kind as to tell us what it is about which he speaks that people have opposed and become “split-offs?” If this is the “progress” about which he speaks, may it be herewith stated without any equivocating, that such innovations are not authorized by the New Testament and those who instigate and perpetuate them are the true “split offs” from the religion of Jesus Christ?

Such teaching as this done by Brother Lemmons is becoming quite prevalent among many who claim to be gospel preachers. It is sickening to the point of nausea to those who truly believe that anything that is not provided for in the New Testament is unconstitutional.

Truth Magazine XIX: 43, p. 674
September 11, 1974

By John McCort

When Thomas Campbell penned the words, “We shall speak where the Bible speaks, we shall be silent where the Bible is silent,” little did he realize the far-reaching impact it would have on the religious world. From the embryo of this famous phrase was conceived the Restoration Movement. This movement grew beyond Campbell’s wildest dreams. The whole thrust of the movement was to restore the New Testament church to it’s original simplicity. The principle behind the Restoration Movement is a valid principle.

While I agree with the underlying principle of the Restoration Movement, I fear that Thomas and Alexander Campbell have become sacred cows. The Campbells did a great service to millions of people by turning their attention back to the Scriptures and to the New Testament church. Yet the lives, belies, and teachings of Thomas and Alexander Campbell were many times completely inconsistent with the restoration principle they were teaching. For a long time after the famous “Declaration And Address” had been written, (which set forth the principles of the Restoration Movement), Thomas and Alexander Campbell both practiced infant baptism. While preaching simple, undenominational Christianity they joined themselves to a denominational organization called the Redstone Baptist Association. While preaching the restoration of the New Testament church, Alexander Campbell, for a period of time, believed he was still in fellowship with “Christians” in all denominations, even the Catholics. After Alexander Campbell finally rejected all denominational organizations, he turned around and formed the American Christian Missionary Society, which was no different in principle from the denominational machinery he had just left. The point being made is that the lives and teachings of the Campbell’s were often contradictory with the original principles of restoration they were pleading for.

Many preachers are self-styled experts on the Restoration Movement. Some have devoted huge amounts of time to studying the lives and teachings of the restoration leaders. Many preachers can quote profusely from these leaders. I fear that some have enshrined the Campbell’s to a point that what they have said becomes equal authority with the Scriptures. The fallacy of quoting the restoration leaders is that they can be quoted on both sides of nearly any issue. Quoting the restoration leaders, to prove a point is about like the Catholics establishing doctrines on the basis of the “unanimous consent of the church fathers.” There never was any “unanimous consent” among the early “church fathers.” Neither is there much unanimity among the restoration leaders. Alexander Campbell, for example, can be correctly quoted on both sides of the pious unimmersed question. The restoration leaders can be quoted on both sides of the sponsoring church question or the instrumental music question. It is very dangerous to start quoting the restoration leaders on much of anything because invariably somebody else can quote an equally eminent restorationist on the other side of the question. It can be quite devastating to a young preacher who has heard the Campbell’s revered and quoted all of his life to discover suddenly that the Campbell’s believed and taught false doctrine. This disillusionment can destroy a young preacher’s confidence in the restoration principle as a valid principle.

It seems strange to me that the original plea for religious unity made by the Campbell’s is being used today as a tool to divide brethren. In the name of religious unity, wicked men are dividing brethren over the subject of unity and fellowship. These self-styled restorationists, though, have left the only basis for unity: the doctrine of Christ. Even though the Campbell’s were inconsistent with their own teaching, the principle of religious unity based on the Bible is a valid principle. In our preaching we need to make sure that we are converting people to Christ through His word; not to a warmed-over, sectarian form of Campbellism.

Truth Magazine XIX: 42, pp. 670-671
September 4, 1975

By Edgar C. Walker

Can a child of God so sin as to be lost eternally? This simple question has been asked on many occasions. Many answers are given to this simple question that are not in harmony with the will of God. There are some who say one cannot be lost after he has obeyed the laws of their denomination. There are others who say that one can. Too often these teachings come from the teachings of man and not from the word of God. We should realize that the soul of man is at stake and that the answer must be in harmony with the word of God. We are to be judged by God’s word (Jn. 12:48). Let us note the following passages:

John 15:1-7. Our Lord pointed out clearly that one can so sin as to be lost, after he has become a child of God. Christ said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” One only gets into him through obedience. He also said, “now ye are clean,” meaning one has been cleansed. He shows that we must abide in him or be cast forth. Note verses 5-6. If we abide in him, he abides in us. If we abide not in him, we will be cast forth as a branch and wither and then be cast into the fire and be burned.

Matt. 13:41-42. “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Now let us note for a moment; since the church and the kingdom are one and the same, one must be in the church before he can be gathered out. It is impossible for one to be gathered out of something he has not been in. If he is in the church or kingdom, it was the Lord that added him (Acts 2:47) since the Lord adds to the church daily such as should be saved. Thus he can be “such as should be saved,” and then become such as will be lost eternally.

Heb. 10:38-39. “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Our Lord has pleasure only in those who are his. To draw back unto perdition is to be lost. The word “perdition,” according to Webster, has this meaning: “entire loss, ruin; utter loss of one’s soul, or of final happiness in the future state.”

Jude 5. “1 will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.” Can anyone think of any earthly reason that this would be brought to our attention if it had no meaning? God promised them a land flowing with milk and honey but it was on the condition that they would abide in his will. We are promised a home with him when this life is over, only if we are faithful unto death (Rev. 2:10).

Rev. 3:5. “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Now let us notice the blotting of one’s name out of the book of life. We find in studying the Bible that one is added to the book of life when he obeys the Gospel. This, then also teaches one can be lost after becoming a child of God. Paul speaks, in Phil. 4:3, about his fellow workers having their names written in the book of life. Also in Rev. 13:8, we learn that those who did not have their names written in the book of life will worship Satan. Rev. 21:27 shows one must have his name in the Lamb’s book of life. Rev. 20:12 shows what will happen at the judgment if one’s name is not found in the book of life.

Matthew 25:1-13. The parable of the ten virgins shows the end of those that are unprepared at the coming of the Lord. Note verse 13. If there were no danger of being lost, why should we be warned to be prepared at all times? We are going to be judged on the basis of our own lives and not be able to borrow from our fellow Christians. What each of us do with our own lives will determine where we spend eternity.

Heb. 3. We note in this chapter, in the beginning that it speaks of Moses being faithful. Then in verse 6, “But Christ as a Son over his own house; whose house are we, If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” If we do not hold fast, then what? Also verse 12 plainly says that one can depart from God. By reading the whole chapter it would be impossible for one not to see that he can fall.

Heb. 4:1-11. Verse one says, “Let us fear.” Verse 11 says, “Let us labor lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” No greater warning could one have.

Heb. 6:4-6. We are told here that those who have fallen away, have put Christ to an open shame. They have crucified him afresh.

1 Cor. 9:27. “But I keep my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself might be a castaway.” Paul shows a possibility of his being lost. It is then necessary that we keep our bodies in subjection. That we be careful with our lives each day test we be lost in the end. If there was a possibility of the Apostle Paul falling, each of us needs to walk with care lest we fall. I do not believe that any of our lives will compare with that lived by the Apostle Paul.

2 Pet. 1:1-11. Peter speaks of those who have obtained like precious faith, that is, to those who are children of God. He speaks of seven graces which one should add to his life as a child of God. He says, “if these things be in you and abound, you shall never fall,” signifying that one can fall if these things do not abound in his life. We have already noticed in John 15:2 what will happen to the one that is unfruitful; he will be burned as a branch cast forth.

2 Pet. 2:20-22. Here he speaks of those who have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of Christ. If they should again be entangled, the latter end would be worse than the beginning. They would have been better had they never known, than to have known, to have turned back to the world again.

James 5:19-20. If one does err from the truth and one convert him. He has saved a soul from death and hidden a multitude of sins. We know that James is not speaking of physical death since we are told that all must die (Heb. 9:27). All must die and face the judgment.- Death is an appointment we must all make. James is speaking of a soul being separated from God.

Rev. 2:1-3:22. John is writing, to the seven churches in Asia showing that five of them are in a lost condition unless they repent. Each of these five must repent or else the Lord will come quickly and remove their candlestick. Unless they repent, they will be lost.

Heb. 12:15-17. “Looking diligently lest any man should fail of the grace of God.” Then it goes on to use the example of Esau who found no place of repentance. Those who fail to repent will also lose their inheritance.

Acts 8:13-24. Simon heard the preaching of Philip, believed, and was baptized. Then he saw the miracles being performed and wanted to buy that power. In verse 20, Peter told him, his money would perish with him. Then in verse 22, he was told to pray that the thought of his heart might be forgiven him. Why? Lest he perish with his money.

Gal. 5:4. “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Yes, my friend, you can fall from grace.

1 Cor. 10:12. “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

These are just some of the many places in the Bible that teach that one can fall from grace. The Bible does not teach that you cannot fall. This is a false doctrine taught only by man. We are warned many times throughout the Bible to beware of false teachers. Because of lack of space I did not copy all the passages mentioned here but I beg you to turn to them that you might read them yourselves and come to a knowledge of the truth: We are going to stand in judgment some day to give account of the deeds we have done, whether they have been good or evil (2 Cor. 5:10). Christ will render to every man according to his deeds (Rom. 2:6). Are you ready to stand in judgment?

Truth Magazine XIX: 42, pp. 669-670
September 4, 1975

By William C. Sexton

James wrote, “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish” (James 3:14-15). Envy is defined as . . . the feeling of displeasure produced by witnessing or hearing of the advantage or prosperity of others; . . .” (Vine, Vol. II, p. 37). It appears to me that I detect a bit of envy in some “conservative” brethren. It seems to come through loud and clear at times, when efforts to reach the lost are made and slurs are directed, no support comes, and counter acts are made.

If there is envy in my heart, then I need to know from whence it comes. It is not of God, and it does not advance the cause of Christ, nor does it strengthen the “Christian” who is holding it in his heart! As Christians, beloved, we need to rejoice when the gospel is preached and souls are saved. And we need to do all we can to advance the cause of Christ and not “our cause.” There is such a great need all over the United States today, including the state of Kansas, to present the gospel of Christ in its purity and simplicity, let us therefore lay aside the “weight” that slows us down and dissipates our energy. Likewise, let us lay aside the “sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, . . .” (Cf. Heb. 12:2-3).

The success of other Christians ought to cause us to rejoice and not provoke a sense of displeasure; it ought to provoke us to a greater effort and not cause us to launch a counter move. Standing on the promises requires us to be alert and moving forward; setting on the promises and finding fault is the easier course but it is the destructive one. Let us examine our hearts to see if we be in the “faith” (2 Cor. 13:5). If we feel a sense of displeasure as others make progress in the way of the Lord, then we can be sure that we are “out” of the faith and not “in” it.

Truth Magazine XIX: 42, p. 668
September 4, 1975