Truth Magazine

By Ronny Milliner

A number of passages in the New Testament picture the Christian as an athlete. Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 9:24-27 that we are running a race for an incorruptible crown and in so doing we must keep our bodies in subjection. He spoke concerning the end of his life as finishing the course (2 Tim. 4:7). The Hebrew writer (10:32) instructed the early Christians, “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight (Greek-athlesin, comparable to our English word, “athletics”) of afflictions.” Then in 12:1 he said, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”

On nearly every team, there are usually two or three players that are referred to as “bench-warmers.” These players usually offer very little in the way of participation in the game being played. We also have these type of players on the “church team.” Many of the members of the church sit and watch while a few are engaged in the heat of the game. There are many ways this fact could be illustrated. Usually just a few engage in personal evangelism (2 Tim. 2:2). Not very many are teachers as they should be (Heb. 5:11-6:3). Few participate in making efforts to restore the erring brother (Gal. 6:1). Other points could be given but the major point I would like to discuss in this article is the Christian’s duty to be “set for the defense of the gospel” (Phil. 1:17).

Paul taught us, in Phil. 1:27, that we are to be “with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” He instructed Timothy to “war a good warfare” (1 Tim. 1:18), to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12), and to “hold fast the form of sound words” (2 Tim. 1:13). We are to “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Pet. 3:15). Also, Jude instructs us to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). Other passages could be cited in teaching this point, but these should be sufficient.

But even after reading the teaching of the host of these passages, we find some sitting on the bench. While a few brethren engage in defending the truth against heretics, many sit idly by. I have heard some say, “We don’t have that problem here, why should we have any instruction on it.” “To be forewarned is to by forearmed.”

Yet another bad characteristic of some of these “bench-warmers” is that of being “side-line coaches.” If they do not care for the way certain players are participating in the game, even though it be according to the rules, they begin to cry aloud concerning foul play. The Christian’s struggle is a “fight” (2 Tim. 4:7). Paul wanted brethren to pray for him that he might have boldness in the fight (Eph. 6:18-20). Reproving and rebuking is not a pleasant task, but it must be done.

Let each of us realize that not lust a few preachers, elders, or Christians are to “fight the good right,” but all saints are to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered” (Jude 3). U.S. Steel has an advertisement stating, “We’re involved.” As an athlete striving for the incorruptible crown are you “involved.” or are you a Christian bench-warmer?

Truth Magazine XIX: 41, pp. 651-652
August 28, 1975

By Irvin Himmel

It is an indisputable fact that an alarming number of marriages are failing. Every divorce is a testimony to lack of success. Many marriages fail that remain legally intact. Separations may occur because of disagreements even when there is no divorce. The fact that a husband and wife continue living under the same roof is no proof of real togetherness. A couple may remain in the same house only to fight, quarrel, and make life miserable far themselves and others around them.

Some marital problems would puzzle one with the greatest of wisdom, but the major causes of failures are not so complex.

1. A marriage may fail because it is viewed as a purely human arrangement. We must remember that it was God who ordained the husband-wife relationship and gave laws to regulate it. Matrimony originated in the divine decree of Gen. 1:27, 28: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it . . .” Read also Gen. 2:18-24. It is God who joins partners in marriage (Matt. 19:3-6). Gospel preachers stress these facts in marriage ceremonies.

If we may judge their convictions by their attitudes and actions, many people must feel that God has no control or voice in marriage. Some men and women mate without marriage, living much like animals. They are led by physical drives, switching partners at will, having no higher purpose than gratifying carnal passions. Others are careful to comply with the laws of the state, but they recognize no higher laws. All who leave God out of the picture by ignoring His laws for marriage could not be expected to attain real success in that relationship. To view the husband-wife connection as purely human in every sense is to act as if marriage is only a human arrangement, therefore to conclude that we may do whatever we please and it is not any of God’s business!

2. A marriage may fail because it is not considered as a lifetime contract. Naturally, people who leave God out would be expected to regard marriage lightly. But some who claim to believe the Bible do not take marriage seriously. No doubt ignorance plays a role in this. Jesus said, “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?” Many have not read. They claim to believe the Bible but are unfamiliar with what it teaches about the permanence of marriage.

People must be taught that God does not approve everything that the state approves. God designed marriage as a lifetime agreement. To overcome the looseness of attitude that manifests itself strong teaching is needed on such passages as Rom. 7:1-3 and Matt. 19:9.

3. Some marriages fail because the partners have no common spiritual bond. Marriages with the heathen were highly detrimental to the Israelites long ago. When Ezra learned of such marriages among the Jews, he plucked off the hair of his head and his beard, and sat down in utter astonishment. Ezra entreated the people to put away their “strange wives” and “such as are born of them.” The birth of children by heathen women did not make the marriages any less abominable (Ezra 9; 10). In Nehemiah’s time the same situation prevailed. The Jews had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. The children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod. It was a terrible evil. Nehemiah reasoned, “Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? . . . even him did outlandish women cause to sin” (Neh. 13:23-27).

Today, the laws that governed ancient Israel are not in force, but serious problems can arise when one partner is trying to be loyal to Christ and the other is not. It is difficult enough to overcome obstacles when both husband and wife are endeavoring to follow the Scriptures; a Christian who marries out of the faith creates a built in potential for failure.

4. A marriage may fail because true love is lacking. If a couple genuinely and deeply love each other, problems can be solved, mistakes will be forgiven freely, and selfishness will be put aside. The husband who sincerely loves his wife will be tender and kind. He will love her as his own body, or as he loves himself, “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church” (Eph. 5:28, 29). The wife who loves her husband will submit to him and reverence him (Eph. 5:22, 33).

All marriages are not based on love. Some are based on the desire for financial security, or maybe a longing for social prestige. Some couples marry merely because of physical attraction. And sometimes people marry out of spite, but in the end they spite themselves!

5. Many marriages fail due to lack of preparation. In relatively few things do any of us succeed without adequate preparation. The following are some .areas in which preparation is needed for marriage: (1) physical-the body should be kept strong and healthy; (2) emotional-one may be physically mature but too emotionally immature for marriage; (3) moral-“keep thyself pure” (1 Tim. 5:22) is good advice for anyone at any point in life, especially for one who expects to enter marriage; (4) intellectual-one should know his or her responsibilities and how to fulfill them; (5) financial-do not expect to begin with a dream house fully furnished, but realize that there must be some means of a livelihood; (6) spiritual-this is the most important area of preparation for disciples of Christ who contemplate marriage.

A lot of couples, particularly younger ones, jump into marriage with little or no preparation. To make a marriage succeed, planning and determination toward that end are necessary from the beginning.

To realize before wedlock why many marriages fail should help to avoid pitfalls. I urge teenagers to study this article carefully. All who plan to marry should ask themselves what kind of a marriage they really want. If one desires a messed-up affair, that can be arranged with ease. If he wants a happy, meaningful, and glorious marriage, it will take the right attitude, sincere and continued effort, respect for God’s laws, and deep love with understanding.

Truth Magazine XIX: 41, pp. 650-651
August 28, 1975

By  Mike T. Rogacs

“Love is the anticipation of pleasure.” This statement was made by an obscure self-proclaimed leader of the now dated “free-love movement” which this author happened to hear in a speech. Thankfully, there are signs that the concept of “free-love,” once so popular to talk about and to practice, is being abandoned by many who once expounded its supposed virtues. Not deceiving ourselves, we realize that many misguided individuals still press for this misnomer of freedom of the mind and bodily desires .(which is in reality not a freedom but a bondage of sin and empty vanity of gratification). But we seem to be witnessing a decline of the philosophy.

But the definition of “love” which was presented is an offspring of that movement and is a definition which far too many have accepted in one form or another. I almost cringe at the worldliness and ignorance which is represented by the statement in question. Having taken two sociology classes in college under a most liberal instructor, the statement “love is the anticipation of pleasure” smacks of modern sociological concepts. The concepts to which I was exposed, I thankfully was able to discern what in fact they were: empty and vain babblings, which in the realm of religion would quickly be labeled false doctrine. Throughout these lectures I was aware of the harm being done to other minds younger than mine. The sociological concepts of which we speak are ungodly and pitiful attempts (in the sense of how ridiculous the logic was expressed) to explain the nature of man and his actions, without any consideration being given to Biblical concepts about man. In fact, belief in God is treated as one stage of man’s development, a stage which should be changed or left behind as he develops further. Under the philosophy of sociology, there is nothing called sin and righteousness. Unusual conduct (or sin) is just deviant behavior, and normalcy (either righteousness or at least the current status quo) was itself deviant behavior at one time; but society learned to accept past deviant behavior as the present normalcy. In this “science” of thought, man is reduced to a higher evolved-animal whose behavior patterns have more impact on his mind than what similar behavior would have on lower forms of life. Therefore, the sociologist attempts to “improve” society by seeking to understand the deviate individuals and then adjust to them. Such a philosophy denies the existence of one unchangeable standard of morality and a supernatural author of the same.

We have gotten away from the definition of love twice stated before. But we have found it necessary to have the reader understand a little about the basis of the terminology. The Lord would call this background an example of “philosophy of vain deceit” and “science falsely so called” (Col. 2:8; 1 Tim. 6:20). It is a classic attempt to deny God in the face of abundant evidence to the contrary (Rom. 1:18-22). When one reads the verses we have cited in Romans chapter one, he will see the somber connection to this subject when it is understood that the instructor of my classes in sociology used to be a Congregationalist preacher. The Bible speaks of those who deny God in the face of abundant evidence. Indeed! Here is a man who was a preacher in a religion which. at least feigns a belief in the scriptures, who now teaches this brand of sociology.

Bear in mind the sociologically inspired definition of love with which we started while we in turn notice a few definitions of Biblical terms:

1. Above all remember that “sin is the transgression of law” (1 John 3:4), transgression of God’s law, that is. We will see the connection with this topic in a little bit.

2. “Love.” There are two Greek words for this English word as used in the Scriptures: a) agapato-that which “seeks the welfare of all” (W. E. Vine) or the indication is “active good will.” b) phileo-“represents tender affection”, i.e. “the love of the Father for the Son” (W. E. Vine).

From these two usages of the word “love,” we can see that .the word was not intended to convey an “anticipation of pleasure.” To be more exact, the woman who used the alien definition was referring to an anticipation of sexual pleasure. That is, to “love” someone is to anticipate the sexual pleasure you hope to achieve in the relationship. Indeed, there is no room for this interpretation of the concept of love as the word was first used by our Lord!

Notice two further Biblical definitions:

3. “Pleasure”-from the Greek hedone. “The gratification of the natural desires or sinful desires” (W. E. Vine). Note again: pleasure is a fulfilling of the desires of sin (transgressions of law) and the natural desires of the flesh.

4. “lust”-from the Greek orexis. “A reaching or stretching after, a general term for every kind of desire . . . .

We wonder if the reader can see our point coming? From all that is Biblical, it cannot be said that love is something as lowly as the seeking after of the fleshly desires of man. Love is of a higher estate. It is a. tender affection between two individuals akin to the divine union between Christ and the Father, or it can be a feeling of active good will toward others.

Then what is a word for “anticipation of sexual pleasure”? Notice again definitions number three and four. Anticipation of pleasure is simply lust, To put it as Webster might have and the way our young “free-love” advocate should have: “Lust is the anticipation of pleasure.”

What we really have is a modern day demonstration of the age-old attempt at making that which is sinful appear to others to be a form of righteousness. To a “”free lover,” immoral sexual practices have become the center of his existence and he cannot bring himself to live with labels which brand him for what he is. So he calls his practice “love” hoping that in giving his sin a respectable name he can deceive others into believing that sin is not sin.

Yet the truth still remains in force: that sin is the transgression of law. God has given men and women a lawful way to fulfill the natural desires of the flesh, and this is in the union of marriage (Gen. 2:24; 1 Cor. 7:6-9). This is God’s law on the matter. Any other form of gratification of natural desires is a transgression of law-it is sin. Sexual activity is the result of lust, but God, who has promised a way to escape all temptation unto sin (1 Cor. 10:13), has granted unto us the way of marriage. But this God has not labeled the lawful or unlawful methods of fulfilling the natural desires “love.” Lust is lust. We are to choose between a lawful or an unlawful way to gratify such lust. But we are not free to make any transgression appear to be better than what it is by changing the labels!

It is no wonder then that the same people who have changed the word “lust” to “love” have also called for the overthrow of the institution of marriage. It is a natural impulse for the ungodly to try to destroy all that is good and right as they themselves go down in sin. An attempt must be made to justify their sinful actions to themselves-to someone-and opposition to godliness becomes the twisted solution.

Let us learn what we can from this and similar lessons. If what we learn is a motivation to gird up our loins and prepare to battle those who oppose our Lord in this matter, then so be it. The kingdom will be better for it. But let us learn also that there is yet a better form of pleasure we as God’s people can enjoy. In the Greek, the word for this pleasure is eudokia: “good pleasure; implies a gracious purpose, a good object being in view” (W. E. Vine). Let us learn to recognize sinful and righteous pleasures in this life and to seek. and do that which is pleasing to God. Our lives on this earth can only be more fulfilling, and we will find that we will gain our eternal home with the Father from this wisdom. In fact, as we examine the above definition of eudokia, is not the good pleasures that achieve gracious purposes the beginning of active good will toward others? We close by concluding that “Love is . . . active good will.”

Truth Magazine XIX: 41, pp. 647-648
August 28, 1975

By Earl E. Robertson

Ricky McPherson

Ricky Terrell McPherson, the oldest son of Randall and Beatrice McPherson, died in a three-vehicle accident some five miles east of Glasgow, Kentucky, Friday night July 18th. Ricky was born April 3, 1957. His father has been preaching the gospel for nearly a quarter of a century, laboring in areas that most of us believe to be difficult. Ricky heard the truth all of his life and witnessed it as practiced in his home. Through such influence, he, early in life, obeyed the gospel of Christ. Through the intervening years he was faithful to Christ and assisted his father in many ways as he did the work of the Lord.

Ricky loved people and the people loved him!! He was among the top athletes in all southern Kentucky. Though he was to have been a Senior in High School this Fall, many Universities had already contacted him about entering their schools and playing basketball. The love and esteem others had for this young man was seen in the hundreds and hundreds of people who came from near and far upon his death. It was perhaps the largest funeral ever conducted in Burkesville, Kentucky. His funeral services were conducted by this writer on Monday morning at ten o’clock from the Norris-Funeral Chapel and his body was interred in the Christian Chapel Cemetery near the McPherson home.

We sorrow with the McPherson family in their loss of one of the finest young men we have ever known. May the God of all comfort bless and sustain them now as He has so cared for all of us through life.

Truth Magazine XIX: 41, p. 646
August 28, 1975