Truth Magazine

In speaking to other people about our faith, all of us stumble at differ- ent times. It is difficult to do it well, but all of us can do it. All it takes is a small amount of effort and a little conscious effort at trying to do it right. Brother Otis Gatewood published his book You Can Do Personal Work in 1945. In his book, he wrote a chapter called, “What We Should Not Do.” He introduced the chapter with this important thought: “If we can learn what not to do and say, half of our battle is won. The idea that the truth offends most people is not true. Our unwise statements and unbearable attitudes offend far more than truth. Most people want the truth and will welcome it if it is presented correctly” (45).

Of course, brother Gatewood wrote in a very different time than our own, but what he says is still mostly correct. No one wants to be wrong. None of our friends or neighbors wants to be lost. Not a single one of them desires to stand before the Judge of all the earth and be told, “Depart from me . . .” (Matt. 7:23). They want to go to heaven. Many of them want to please God and someday be with the Savior. So, why cannot we say the necessary things to help them along their way to that goal?

Sometimes, as brother Gatewood says, our own foolish words and un- healthy attitudes get in the way. We can do better. Let me summarize a few of the points which are made so forcefully in this chapter of Gatewood’s little handbook on soul-saving and personal work:

1. Don’t begin with criticism. If we are not careful, we will become so accustomed to “skinning the sects” that we think the first task in teaching others is in showing our prospect where his religion is all wrong. Christ taught positively at first, then moved on to offer his criticisms at a later time (see Luke 4:21; Matt. 23:1ff). In both of Paul’s most critical letters to churches, Romans and 1 Corinthians, the apostle began with commendation, then worked his way toward condemnation: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers   . . .” (Rom. 1:8-9); “I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus; that in everything ye were enriched in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:4-7). The Lord and his apostles seemed always to be able to find some commendable thing to say about people before they began to expose their faults or answer their objections. We ought to do likewise.

2. Don’t act superior. On this point I shall quote brother Gatewood, “I don’t know a more egotistical group of people in all the earth than some of us members of the church of Christ. We think we know more than other people, and anybody who is not a member of the church of Christ is just plain dumb, ignorant, or dishonest. We think we are right and everybody else wrong. Now this may be true, but we do not have to be so haughty and boastful about it” (49). The Bible says that the Christian ought to “esteem others better than himself” (Phil. 2:3); and, “For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith” (Rom. 12:3). We must be humble in our approach!

3. Don’t be dogmatic. If I am right about a thing, yet act so dogmatic and radical about it, I will kill the effectiveness of what I say. If I have come to be considered a person who is dogmatic about everything, who goes to extremes on most every subject, then most every statement I make will be taken with a grain of salt. Scripture says the Christian should be seen in precisely the opposite way: “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one” (Col. 4:6). People should hear our words as generally pleasant, and only on those matters which are critical to the cause of Christ ought we to “lay it on the line” and “take no prison- ers.” Then, folks will be ready to respect this side of our character as evidence of conviction and profound faith, rather than more of the same dogmatism and radicalism.

4. Don’t be ashamed to admit you do not know the answer. Whether about the Bible or religion in general, there are many things which are surrounded by mystery. So, do not make the mistake of giving people the impression that you are a “know-it-all.” No one likes such a person. And, this will take the pressure off you, as well. You should not be afraid to say, “I don’t know the answer to that question. But I am sure that if I spend a little time studying, that the Bible will provide the answer. Let’s talk about that next time.”

5. Don’t always try to answer everything the other person says. It is not compromising to admit that the other fellow is right when he happens to be correct about something. When someone says something that is true, commend him for it, and if possible, offer the scriptural justification for his point. It shows that you are trying to be objective and honest, and willing to admit it when he is right. Concentrate on just a few important things, not every point which the other person brings up. Many matters are not worth arguing about; some, on the other hand, are basic and fundamental to an understanding of many other things. Learn to draw a distinction between the things that matter and the things that do not. Talk about the important ones, and put off the insignificant ones till another time. If you never get around to them, what have you missed?

6. Don’t do all the talking. The Bible warns against this human trait: “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath . . .” (Jas. 1:19). Those who monopolize a conversation lose their audience! Don’t be a “motor-mouth”!

7. Don’t use too many passages of Scripture. It is much better to talk about a few Scriptures than a long list. Why? Because the mind can only retain a few things at once. If you only teach one passage, and get the message of that one across, you may prove very successful indeed. Philip concentrated on just two verses of Isaiah’s prophecy about the Messiah in his conversion of the Ethiopian treasurer (Acts 8:32-35; Isa. 53:7-8). Yet, he led him to the Lord and baptized him that same day!

8. Don’t get angry. Anger is the surest confession of defeat for a personal worker. Always remain under control, calm and considerate of others. It is a sure sign of Christian character. Brother Gatewood pointed out: “I have always found that kindness carries as much weight in the heated discussion as logical arguments” (57). The Bible says that “love suffereth long and is kind” (1 Cor. 13:4). Don’t get mad!

Don’t go out and do any of these things. But do go out and try to speak to someone about the Lord.

 

An article in the April 20, 1998 issue of one of America’s most popular newspapers, the USA Today, charted the change in Americans’ belief be- tween 1976 and 1998 about the following items:

Things Be- lieved	1976	1998
Spiritualism	12%	52%
Faith healing	10%	45%
Astrology	17%	37%
UFOs	24%	30%
Reincarnation	9%	25%
Fortune Telling	4%	14%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though these figures mildly surprised me, I began to think of several news accounts that confirmed these findings. Nancy Reagan consulted her astrologist on a regular basis. Hillary Clinton had seances with Eleanor Roosevelt. Psychics advertise on TV with costly phone numbers. Astrology charts are sold at many grocery check-out counters. Some police departments occasionally turn to psychics to help solve crime.

These figures show a rise in pagan beliefs in our society as do the changes in moral standards accepted in such areas as the following: abortion, euthanasia, divorce and remarriage, homosexuality, and gambling. The sociologists tell us that we live in a post-Christian America and these trends confirm their assessments.

The rise in superstition is directly tied to the rejection of the revealed faith. Paul wrote,

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things (Rom. 1:21-23).

As Americans become so impressed with their own wisdom and learning, too sophisticated to believe in an Almighty, Eternal God who sacrificed his Son on the cross of Calvary for the remission of man’s sins, and who revealed his perfect will to mankind through the Holy Spirit in an inspired Bible, they become more gullible to such things as extra sensory perception, seances, astrologists, spiritists, yoga, etc. Christians may wonder what the Bible says about such phenomena.

The Teachings of the Bible About Spiritualism

Divination and magic are attempts to contact supernatural powers to determine answers to questions hidden to humans and usually involving the future. Karen Joines explained,

The ancient Babylonians and Assyrians employed several methods. The Babylonians commonly used hepatoscopy, divination by the liver. The liver of a sacrificial animal by virtue of being considered the seat of life could be observed carefully by specially trained priests to deter- mine the future activities of the gods. For this purpose the priests underwent ceremonial cleansings in preparing to interpret the livers which had carefully been divided into zones, each containing its own secrets. This was done before action was taken on any matter of real gravity. Clay models of animal livers apparently used as instructional tools in teaching the science of hepatoscopy appear in archaeological sites in Babylonia and in Palestine (Karen Joines, Holman Dictionary of the Bible).

Resorting to these pagan means of learning the future was condemned in Scripture. Consider the following texts:

1. Leviticus 20:27. “A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.” The things condemned in this text are:

a. One that hath a familiar spirit (NIV or NRSV: me- dium). The word  bw) means “a spirit of divination, or necromancy. . . a necromancer, one who calls up spirits to learn of them the future” (Davidson, Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon 50-51). In Brown, Driver, and Briggs’ A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (hereafter BDB) the word is defined as “necromancer.” The English word “necromancer” is derived from necros, the Greek word for “dead” and manteia, the Greek word for “divination.” The word means “one who claims to foretell the future through alleged communication with the dead.”

b. Wizard (NIV or NRSV: spiritist). The word yn(dy is from the root of the verb that means “to know” and is defined as “wizard, soothsayer, . . . spirit of divination” (298). BDB defines the term as “prop. either as knowing, wise [acquainted with secrets of unseen world]” (396).

2. Leviticus 20:6. “And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.”  One who turns aside to these is guilty of spiritual adultery. He has gone “a whoring”   (from hnz, “to commit fornication”) after other gods.

3. Leviticus 19:31. “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them:

I am the Lord your God.” One who turns aside to these things “defiles” himself.

4. Exodus 22:18. “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” The one who is a “witch” (a female sorcerer) was to be punished with death. The word P#k means “to practice magic, use witchcraft” (Davidson 396; BDB 506).

5. Deuteronomy 18:10-12. “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.” This passage forbids the following practices:

a. Using divination. The verb Msq means “to divine, spoken esp. of false prophets” (Davidson 663); “practice divination” (BDB 890). The cognate noun means “divination.” The word “divination” means “the act or practice of trying to foretell future events or the unknown by occult means” (Webster).

b. An observer of times (NIV: sorcery; NRSV: is a sooth- sayer). The verb Nn( means “to cloud, bring a cloud . . . Poel. . . to divine, by the clouds or perh. the sky generally” (Davidson 607). BDB suggest several possible etymologies, but defines the word as “practice soothsaying” (778). A “soothsayer” is “one who predicts or pretends to foretell the future” (Webster).

c. Enchanter (NIV: interprets omens; NRSV: augur). The root meaning of #xn is “serpent.” The word evolved in meaning to mean “divination by serpents. . . to use enchantment, divination; . . . to perceive, observe” (Davidson 545). BDB define the word to mean “practice divination, divine, observe signs” (639).

d. Witch (NIV: engages in witchcraft; NRSV: sorcerer). For definition see “no. 4” above.

e. Charmer (NIV and NRSV: casts spells). The verb rbx means “to be bound, joined together, to consociate; to charm, bind with a spell” (Davidson 246). BDB defines the word to mean “unite, be joined, tie a magic knot or spell, charm” (287). The noun is used in this context for “incantation” or “spell.” When a witch joins together something such as sticking a pin in a doll to creating pain in someone, he is doing the thing here described. Some charms used are magic charms sewn as wristbands (Ezek. 13:18 NIV) to ward off evil spirits and diseases (cf. Isa. 3:20) or other items designed to protect a person from some supposed evil (cf. the modern use of crosses, good luck charms [rabbit’s foot, horseshoe, etc.]). Snake charmers exercised power in the community because they knew “magic words” or “magic acts” to prevent poisonous snakes from harming people. The psalmist compared the wicked to deaf snakes who were immune to such charmers (Ps. 58:4-5). The “enchanters” (NASB, NIV, NRSV) are listed among com- munity leaders the prophet condemned (Isa. 3:3).

f. Consulter with familiar spirits (NIV: a medium; NRSV: consults ghosts). See on “1.a.” above.

g. Wizard (NIV: spiritist; NRSV: one who consults spirits). See “1.b.” above.

h. Necromancer (NIV: one who consults with the dead; NRSV: who seeks oracles from the dead). The words in He- brew are Mytmh-l) #rd. The verb #rd is used in this context to mean “to ask, inquire, especially to inquire of or consult an oracle” (154). The most familiar example of a necromancer is the “witch of Endor (see 1 Sam. 28:7-9). The “witch of Endor” was one who called up the dead (see “1.a.” above) to learn the future.

Wicked kings not only tolerated these practices but also consulted such mediums (2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chron. 33:6). Righteous kings expelled those practicing these things from the land. Saul initially destroyed such people and eventually went to the witch of Endor (1 Sam. 28:3, 8-19). Josiah destroyed them as a part of his reforms (2 Kings 23:24). Isaiah showed that one departed from God to the degree that he sought those practicing these arts (Isa. 8:19). He directed men to the law and testimonies rather than for the living to seek direction from those who are dead!

Why Men Resort To These Practices

Men who believe God’s revelation will listen to these divine warnings to stay away from these practices of the occult. Men turn to these things when they have (a) Lost confidence in divine revelation (otherwise they would be- lieve what it says about the impotency of such things) and (b) Rejected divine revelation (cf. why Saul turned aside to the witch of En-dor. Saul had rejected God’s revelation to walk in his own ways. When he sought divine help, God did not answer, so in his desperation, he turned aside to the witch of Endor [1 Sam. 28:3-6]).

The Scriptures describe how those who profess to be wise become “fools” as they follow their own reasoning (Rom. 1:21-23). The more human wisdom men profess to have as shown by their rejecting the revealed word, the more foolish they become in following such things as ESP, parapsychology, UFOs, the psychic network, spiritists, and astrologists. There is a direct correlation between infidelity and superstition.

The growing phenomena of Americans turning to seances, spiritists, astrologists, psychics, those claiming to have ESP, and such like things is an indication of the rejection of the biblical message. These phenomena are condemned by God as false religion used by the Devil to deceive the hearts of men.

By Randy Blackaby 

The ancient prophet Isaiah, speaking of the evils of his day, described our own when he wrote, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isa. 5:20).

What better words to describe the “pro-choice” advocates of today, who avoid admitting the evil of their bloody practices by cloaking the issue in terms of freedom, choice and the “good” to be gained by parents who don’t want the responsibility of a child to raise?

The cutting, chopping, dissection and sucking to death of tiny lives is not described for the evil that it is — murder — but in terms that generate feelings of good.

Sadly, a huge number of Americans have succumbed to this reverse logic and have become virtually blinded to reality — a reality that sees millions of infants slaughtered each year.

But those who defend such practices under the “pro-choice” banner are selective in their use of this logic.

If moral issues such as murder and sexual practice are wholly matters of individual choice, why do we hire police to protect us? If a man wants to kill us, why not be consistently pro-choice and allow him to do what he deems best for him?

If there are no righteous standards for sexuality, why do we condemn incestuous fathers and pedophiles and rapists?

This dilemma has not escaped those who would excuse the murder of infants. So, they have redefined life and tried to legally establish that a person isn’t a person until near birth. If a doctor aborts the fetus it isn’t a person, but if an angry husband punches his wife and kills the fetus, he’s guilty of murder. Pro-choice logic is nothing if not inconsistent.

Abortionists also have argued that as long as the baby is in the womb it is a part of the mother and thus within her prerogative to amputate, disembowel, or excise. The fetus is treated like a fingernail that is clipped and discarded.

But all this must be done by ignoring the fact that the baby in the womb is genetically and, in many ways, metabolically distinct from the mother. For instance, how can a male child with a different blood type being pumped by a different heart under the direction of a different brain be called a part of a woman’s body?

Also ignored in the pro-choice rhetoric is the factual difference between ability to make a choice and the right to make a choice. God has given us all the ability to make wrong choices, but the guidance to make right ones. I have the ability to choose to pick up a gun and shoot you, but I don’t have the legal or moral right.

Joshua, the successor to Moses as leader of ancient Israel, put the choice issue before his people thousands of years ago. He said, “Choose you this day whom you will serve . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15). The choice issue is no different today.

Moses had set a similar choice before his people, as recorded in Deuteronomy 30:19. Moses wasn’t talking about abortion, but the words are hauntingly meaningful in the abortion debate. He said, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before your life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”

Don’t be fooled by perverted terminology. Those who favor “abortion rights” need to be more concerned about choosing right than their right to choose.

A few months ago, a decision was handed down in a famous court case in Texas. This case involved the so- called “vampire” killer who murdered several people in very brutal way. The jury found him guilty of murder in the first degree and the judge sentenced him to die for his heinous crimes.

While listening to the national news, I heard a curious statement reported of what the judge in the case had to say to this corrupt young man during sentencing. The judge reportedly said this to this killer, “Your parents failed you, society has failed you!”

This is not the first time I have heard such “foolishness” come from the lips of judges in America. Someone, some- where, in some way has failed you. We live in a society that has accepted the liberal pap of someone else is to blame for your actions. Our country was founded on the truth of individual responsibility and accountability, but today the montra of our nation is, “find someone else to blame.”

From the dawn of time, man has attempted to justify unlawful actions on the backs of other people. In the garden, God told man in Genesis 2:17-18, “Of every tree of the gar- den you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” We know the story! Satan tempted Eve and she ate, then she gave it to her husband and he ate. When God confronted them with their sin, they looked for someone else to blame: Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent, and the serpent must have laughed. God’s way is personal responsibility. God punished the serpent for his sin, Eve for her sin, and Adam for his sin.

This is and always has been the Bible way. Ezekiel told Israel to straighten up and quit blaming their fathers for the consequences of sin they were now reaping. Ezekiel 18:20 states, “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of their father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” Only upon ourselves, guilt and punishment will come for our own wickedness. Although others may influence us to sin, God will demand payment from our hands. It is our fault regardless of the environment in which we live! Yes, maybe our parents didn’t train us correctly. Maybe society deems our promiscuous behavior acceptable. Possibly all of our peers are doing it! Yet God will punish you for your sin and God will punish me for my sin! You have failed yourself!

Brothers and sisters, we need to place this truth deep into our hearts and the hearts of our families. God expects us individually to serve him and obey the gospel. He has given every able-bodied Christian the duty of “assembling with the saints” (Heb. 10:25) on a consistent basis. God admonishes each of us to bear his own load (Gal. 6:5). God encourages us to work in his vineyard as he has given us a variety of talents to utilize and bear spiritual fruits for the glory of God. Are you bearing your own load? One of the songs we sing exhorts us by saying, “There is much to do, there’s work on every hand.” Don’t attempt to put your load of spiritual service on another brother or sister. Don’t leave it for the preacher, the Bible class teacher, or the “faithful few.” When you drift from God, don’t blame the church for its lack of teaching or concern. If you are overcome in sin, don’t gnash out against your family or friends as though they are responsible for your wickedness. On the day of judgment, all people will stand before Jesus and you’ll never hear from him, “Your parents failed you, society has failed you!”