Truth Magazine

By Larry Ray Hafley

Question:

From Illinois: “Rom. 11:13-Would you please explain why Paul says, ‘I magnify mine office?’ “

Reply:

The passage and context itself explains why Paul says, “I magnify mine office.” “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them” (Rom. 11:13, 14).

In the context of Romans 11, Paul has been discussing in lengthy detail the position of the Jews before God in view of their rejection of the gospel. But lest the Gentile believers think he was ignoring them, he reminds them that he was “the apostle of the Gentiles.” In point of fact, the Lord said Paul was his “chosen vessel . . . to bear my name before the Gentiles” (Acts 9:15; cf. 26:17; 2 Tim. 1:11). Far from forgetting the Gentiles, Paul says, “I magnify mine office.”

But Why?

But why, Paul, magnify your office? For two reasons, answers Paul in effect. First, I want to provoke or move my Jewish kinsmen in the flesh unto jealousy. Then, I trust their investigation and consideration of Christ after being provoked by my ministry will lead them to faith in Christ, that is, that I might “save some of them.”

The gospel system of justification by faith that Paul preached and the prophets promised was largely accepted by the Gentiles but rejected by the Jews as the book of Acts abundantly demonstrates (Acts 13:26, 4447; 18:4-6; 28:22-28). Paul’s “heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel (was) that they might be saved” (Rom. 10:1-3).. But how could this be accomplished seeing they rejected the gospel and would not hear the word of God that produces faith? They would not tolerate the teaching which said Jesus was “delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). How, then, could they be saved? Well, in this condition they could not be. They could not be saved unless they could be led to hear, for “faith cometh by hearing” the word of God. But they had closed their eyes and ears and hardened their hearts to the truth (Matt. 13:15; Jn. 12:37, 38).

So, How?

So, how can they be moved to hear Paul? In this way, answers Paul, I will magnify my office or ministry to the Gentiles that I may move my Jewish brethren to jealousy and ultimately to salvation. Paul’s function or office had the stamp and seal of approval from the Holy Spirit-from the writings of the Old Testament prophets unto the miracles which were worked through him, the evidence was seen. Might not the Jews be moved to look into this accreditation of the Gentiles and see the truth, too? That was Paul’s fond hope and fervent prayer.

Conclusion

That same gospel remains today as “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16). Have you “obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine” and thereby been “made free from sin” (Rom. 6:17, 18)? Have you been “baptized into Jesus Christ,” “baptized into his death” (Rom. 6:3)? Have you been “buried with him by baptism into death” and raised to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4)? If not, “why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).

Truth Magazine XIX: 42, p. 658
September 4, 1975

By Jeffery Kingry

Where is heaven? What is it like? How big is it? It would be difficult to answer these questions to the satisfaction of all. Heaven is where God is (Jn. 12:26). It is at least a “hundred times” greater than this world (Matt. 19:29). It will be as “big” as the reality of God in eternity, certainly as “big” as this universe (1 Cor. 15:40-50). The answer to this last question is almost impossible to put into human terms for heaven will be a reality not bound by the parameters of space (2 Chron. 2:6; Eph. 1:23), time (2 Pet. 3:8; Rev. 10:6), or matter (2 Pet. 3:10-13; 1 Cor. 15:50).

God is the master teacher; He takes us from where we are to the unknown. Jesus used what was tangible to people to teach concepts they would not understand otherwise. Jesus challenged Nicodemus to use his senses to compare the material, the obvious, in making a spiritual application. When Nicodemus insisted in “playing dumb,” Jesus responded by saying, “Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily I say unto thee, we speak what we do know, and testify what we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things” (Jn. 3:10-12)?

How can we perceive heavenly things? The Lord said we can look at the earthly and see a pale shadow of the “real” world to come. “For those things of God which the eye is unable to see ever since the world was created are to be seen clearly and studied by the eye of reason in His works, even His everlasting power and divinity” (Rom. 1:20. The New Testament From 26 Translations).

Heaven is a reality that can be seen and appreciated in our experience in this world. The glory of God and the glory of the place that he has prepared for his bride is vaster by far than this universe, more diverse in its beauty, more intense in its color and purity than any glory this world contains. We know it will be a quality of life as different from the one we enjoy now as the flower is from the seed it came from (1 Cor. 15:35-38; 42-44). A life without pain, sorrow, corruption, death, or sin to dilute it.

Going Home

Abraham and his wife left Ur-they left Haran-they died after a long life of wandering, never putting down roots. They “died in faith never having received what was promised, but they glimpsed the fulfillment in the distance; they hailed it in delight. They freely admitted that they lived on this earth as strangers who had no permanent home upon the soil. For they that say such things declare plainly that they are looking forward to their real home in heaven” (Heb. 11:13, 14).

Several years ago we left Colorado. Our house perched upon a mountainside like a tree house among the firs. A singing river filled with trout rushed by our front door. The majestic mountains stood at attention in their splendor just for our view. Colorado was the smell of burning wood in the fireplace, and the pungency of the mossy earth after a rain. It was the first rays of sunlight through the window in the Spring, the delight of emerald and ruby hummingbirds hanging in the air timidly asking for a sip from our dinner glasses as we sat on the porch at dinner. It was a “special place” that the tourists did not know about. As in the arms of a strong father, one could sit on the sun warmed rock and see for fifty miles. The undulating green quilt of the valleys lay below as a child sleeping beneath a blanket. The proud peaks of the Rockies in their cold mantle of ice dominated the horizon. At dusk the sky would fade from blue into subtle shades of scarlet and bronze, finally bursting into a kaleidoscope of color rejoicing in the glory and beauty of the Creator.

The day we left our valley for Illinois in a U-Haul truck I recall glancing in the rear-view mirror for a last look with tears and a prayer, “Lord, ‘Heavenly Jerusalem’ doesn’t mean much to me. All I ask is a heavenly Colorado please.”

It may be a Florida everglade, an Arizona desert, a Colonial garden in New England, the freshly turned earth of Illinois or Indiana, the endless stretches of sea from a California shore, or the grandeur of some far away exotic country-but heaven will have it for you only a hundred fold better. “And everyone that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my names sake, shall receive an hundredfold and shall inherit eternal life.”

God knows how to give good gifts. He gave us this world to love to point us to the world to come. No man can take the glory to come from us. None can pollute it or spoil it. And greatest of all, we will be able to share it with those we love more than life itself.

“And indeed, if in their hearts they were homesick for that land from which they had gone out they would have found an opportunity to return to it. But the truth is that they were yearning for and eager for a better, a heavenly, land! And so God is not ashamed to be called their God, indeed he has prepared a city to receive them” (Heb. 11:15, 16. Ibid).

Brethren, Heaven is worth working for, sacrificing for, yes, even dying for. “Thanks be to God! .Who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:57, 58).

Truth Magazine XIX: 41, p. 653
August 28, 1975

By Claude Worley

Perhaps the big failure of those throughout past history who professed to serve God was found to be in their lack of convictions. So time and time and time again the Israelites lapsed into idolatry. This same problem confronts those professing to follow Christ today. The lack of convictions foster covetousness, and covetousness is idolatry.

There are several facets that might be considered in this weakness, but the ones we are now taking into account have to do with those, primarily, who preach and claim to be great defenders of the faith, and the elders who have the oversight of the congregation. These too often fail to understand their obligation through ignorance of the Bible or cowardly shrink from their duty when a problem becomes serious and a defense is needed. Just let the situation affect their family, their close friends, or their pocketbook, or things they covet, and they shrink back, forget about the cause of Christ, and rise to champion their own cause. Unlike Paul’s admonition in 2 Tim. 4:7, they would rather switch than put up a fight for God’s word, This is one of the big reasons so many have gone liberal, and are in apostasy. Time and time again one will find preachers, elders, and even members of the church that will recommend some preacher for a work, when they know that he is not worthy of recommendation or even fit to preach. Preaching the word of God is a sacred trust. Too often the one being considered for the new position will -pull a “snow job” on his friends and get letters to prove his worthiness and good standing. These are often accepted without further investigation by the church seeking the preacher. Thus the work much of the time is laid “wide open” to false teaching and brain-washing techniques. Then after a few months the church is confronted with problems and, perhaps, a split that is never healed. With heartaches and confusion that confronts the members, the big question they ask is, “Where did we go wrong?”

The big “cliches” used as excuses to justify their actions in recommending a preacher are, that he is a “nice guy,” or a “good fellow,” or that he is misunderstood and will not preach his “pet hobby” from the pulpit, or that they wanted to help him out. Sometimes it is that one church wants to get rid of him, so they push him off on someone else, and sponsor him to ruin some other congregation with his idiosyncrasies, apostate ideas, or sinful living. They never stop to think about what they are doing to others that might be led to stumble, or that Christ wants his church kept pure and without blemish, or that the church is a divine institution.

Is the statement that Paul made in Phil. 1:16, where he said, “I am set for the defense of the gospel,” a phrase to be ignored? Or is the command to “put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil,” found in Eph. 6:11, to be taken lightly? The New Testament gives many statements urging the Christians to contend for the faith, or to “fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on life eternal,” as in 1 Tim. 6:12. Are such statements as these to be passed over and pushed aside as not really obligatory or of any consequence? Are so many blinded and cannot understand what it means to “fight for the faith?” We are commanded to “seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). So, if God is not first in our consideration and defense, we are not fit to be considered soldiers, and not fit to be citizens of the kingdom of God. Do we have courage only for the defense of fleshly reasonings and selfish aims? It is sickening to see how many, supposedly followers of Christ and defenders of the faith, play “dead,” and show that they do not have any more intestinal fortitude to defend the faith than a proverbial “chicken,” when the time comes to be counted. This is one of the big facto`s that is causing so much weakness, controversy, and unfaithfulness in the church today and is leading to liberalism and apostasy.

So our attitude toward the word of God will determine how we will fare when we face the judgment. Will the Lord say to you or to .me, “ye workers of iniquity, depart from me I never knew you?” Being defenders of the faith is not a cowardly, part-time, halfhearted, lackadaisical, careless, hypocritical attitude toward God and his word, but a complete dedication to Christ and his cause.

Truth Magazine XIX: 41, p. 652
August 28, 1975

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