Truth Magazine

By Irvin Himmel

In the New Testament every person converted to Christ learned that he was wrong and made a change. Many persons heard the gospel but refused to change from unbelief to faith, from disobedience to submission, from sin to righteousness.

Pentecost

On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) the hearers of the gospel were religious people. These devout Jews had come to Jerusalem from every nation under heaven for one of the annual feasts of the Mosaic system. Included in the number were ”proselytes-Gentiles who had submitted to circumcision and had accepted the law of Moses. Having deep religious attachments, many in this great Jewish multitude had clamored for the death of Jesus a few weeks earlier. Peter reminded them that they had “crucified and slain” the same Jesus whom God raised from the dead. He offered proof that Jesus is “both Lord and Christ.”

A large number in Peter’s audience saw how utterly wrong they were. Pricked in their heart by the truth presented, they said to Peter and the other apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” They were ready for a change. Peter explained what they needed to do to be made righteous by God’s grace. He said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” As the process of change was explained, he admonished, “Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” Verse 41 sums up the outcome: “Then they that gladly, received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”

Here is a case in which about three thousand persons learned that they were wrong, saw the need for a change, and proved themselves courageous by making the needed change.

The Eunuch

In Acts 8, we read of a man who had come hundreds of miles from Ethiopia to Jerusalem “to worship.” He obviously was either a Jew or a proselyte to Judaism. Like the people who heard the gospel on Pentecost, he was deeply religious. Riding toward home in his chariot, the man of Ethiopia was reading the scriptures. With his attention centered on a passage in the book of Isaiah and puzzled over whether the prophet was speaking of himself or someone else, the Ethiopian was approached by a stranger. That stranger was a gospel preacher named Philip. After being invited to “come tip and sit with him,” Philip preached to the Ethiopian. Beginning at the same passage, he preached unto him Jesus.

Despite the Ethiopian’s being a sincere, devout, scripturereading man, he needed to change. Philip made it possible for him to be enlightened rather than uninformed, and to be a baptized believer rather than an ignorant worshipper. After hearing about Jesus, the Ethiopian asked, “Here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” The chariot was stopped, both Philip and the Ethiopian went down into the water, and he baptized him. Coming up out of the water a changed man spiritually, the Ethiopian “went on his way rejoicing.”

Saul of Tarsus

Saul of Tarsus presents another case history. Saul emerged as the ringleader of opposition to the church after the death of Stephen. The Bible says, “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison” (Acts 8:4). Later we find him armed with letters of authorization from the high priest, and “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9), he journeyed toward Damascus to seek out followers of Christ and bring them bound to Jerusalem. That journey was halted suddenly by a miraculous appearance that Jesus made to Saul in a heavenly vision. Jesus called out to the persistent persecutor, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Not knowing the identity of the speaker, Saul asked, “Who art thou, Lord?” After Jesus had identified himself, Saul knew how completely wrong the whole thrust of his action had been up to this point. For the first time, Saul knew he was a rank sinner, a defiant disbeliever, a daring foe of the Son of God. Saul saw how sinful his ambitions had been, how wasted his energies, how useless his course. It was time for a change.

Do not forget that Saul was a conscientious, dedicated, zealous religionist. His opposition to the church reflected his ignorance that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ. Saul had supposed that Jesus was an impostor. He thought the disciples of Jesus were Jewish renegades. He was attempting honestly to prove himself a loyal son of Abraham by opposing with all his might what he thought was a heresy.

Realizing that he needed to change, Saul asked Jesus, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” He was told to go into Damascus, “and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Later, a disciple named Ananias was sent to Saul in the city to tell him to be baptized. Saul obeyed Jesus.

Conclusion

Anytime that we learn that we are wrong is the time for a change. God’s word does not change; the Bible teaches the same truth now that it did when first penned by inspiration. Our wills must be changed to conform to the divine will. Whenever we learn that we are in error, or if we are failing to obey what the Lord teaches on a given point, it is time for a change. Reader, is it time for a change in your life?

Truth Magazine, XVIII:41, p. 2
August 22, 1974

By Ken Osborne

Up to this time I have let older, wiser, more experienced preachers of the Gospel fill the pages of this paper, and others like it, because I felt they could and would do a far better job than 1. However, there has now appeared a problem which I think needs to be written about by a younger person for the most good to be accomplished. This problem is the younger generation’s acceptance of advice.

Refusing to accept advice is certainly not a problem confined to the young of this generation; rather it is one we can see exemplified throughout the ages. Rehoboam refused to listen to older, wiser men and turned instead to those of his own generation for advice. The consequence of his action is seen in the split of the Jewish Kingdom. Throughout the ages the young have been convinced that they had the answers only to find out, with the”passing of time, that the “old man” knew what he was talking about.

The danger involved in this problem is not, however, slackened simply because the young have always suffered from it. Some have . gone through this period of time relatively unscathed, emerging to find out, as did Samuel Clemens, how much the “old man” had learned over a period of a few years. Others, however, have plunged themselves into grave situations while blinded by the “know it all” syndrome, By not listening to advice given them by older men many have wound up in prisons, in regrettable marriages, and even in cemeteries. Still worse than these, however, are those who have put themselves in spiritual danger by rejecting the counsel of older, wiser men in regards to spiritual matters and plunged bare-handed into the forest in search of truth in total disregard of paths blazed years ago. Some by so doing have convinced themselves that there is no God because of their “superior” knowledge. Some with whom I am acquainted and with whom I spent several years at Florida College, setting out blindly on a quest of their own with total disregard for any advice given them by older preachers, have departed from the truth in nearly every conceivable direction. Some have gone almost to the point of accepting predestination, some have gone into the camps of the institutional brethren, and still others have been led away by the teachings of Carl Ketcherside.

A large percentage of these, I feel, had determined to search out truth for themselves with total disregard for the advice of others; this is the end of their road. It is the end which Solomon foretold time and time again in the book of Proverbs. Indeed, one of the main purposes in writing The Proverbs was to give advice to the young (1:4). Time and time again Solomon instructs the young to -listen to the words of the older. I am not saying that young preachers and -young people in general should not study the Bible on their own, for this is the only way true knowledge and understanding may come. What I am saying is that when in their studies they come up with ideas contrary to those they ,have been taught, that they should talk to older preachers and teachers and see if they can answer the questions raised. I, myself, have found this approach to be invaluable in my studies. Usually these older men have been down the same road you are on and can point out your errors, if indeed they are errors. Many however, turn to those their own age and suffer the consequences of Rehoboam.

In seeking advice it should go without saying that you should seek one who can give it, for as the Bible says, “If the blind lead the blind, then both shall fall into the ditch.” In seeking advice, seek greater wisdom than your own, by seeking the counsel of those older than yourself. It is not a disgrace to ask for advice; it is using common sense. It could very well be a matter of spiritual life or death – yours.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:40, p. 13-14
August 15, 1974

By William V. Beasley

In his book, Church Manual Designed For The Use Of Baptist Churches, J. M. Pendleton presents a beautiful, scriptural argument which, when consistently applied shows that mechanical instruments of music in worship to God is wrong. In writing of the truth that baptism is for penitent believers only Mr. Pendleton says, “It may be laid down as a principle of common sense, which commends itself to every candid mind, that a commission to do a thing authorizes only the doing of the thing specified (all emphasis his). The doing of all other things is virtually forbidden. There is maxim of law, that the expression of one thing is the exclusion of another. It must necessarily be so; for otherwise there could be no definiteness in contracts, and no precision in legislative enactments or judicial decrees” (p. 81). He then illustrates this truth with the command to Noah to build the ark of gopher-wood-“The command, however, is positive, and it forbids the use of every other kind of wood” (Ibid, p. 81). He continues with illustrations of Abraham offering Isaac, the Passover, etc.

Mr. Pendleton’s arguments are valid (scriptural) concerning the proper subjects of baptism and just as valid in regard to the kind of music pleasing to God. The “expression of one thing (singing, Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; etc.) is the exclusion of another (mechanical instruments of music).”

In an article similar to this, although shorter, in the local newspaper we concluded with: “Would any of the Baptist preachers in Oak Ridge like to tackle this?” None did.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:40, p. 11
August 15, 1974

By Bruce Edwards, Jr.

When the apostle Paul arrived in Athens and beheld the city “full of idols,@ the record says that “his spirit was provoked within him.” The import of this statement is that when the apostle witnessed the outrageous and sinful presence of idolatry in the city, he could not sit idly by and allow sin and iniquity remain unchallenged. It was incredible to Paul that men could worship in such appalling ignorance, bereft of the knowledge of the true God. If Paul were to be true to Christ and to himself, he simply had to say something.

Our reaction should be the same as that of the apostle when we observe the presence of blatant sinfulness. Our “spirits should be provoked within us” when we encounter satanic influence round about us. It has been said that all that is needed for evil to triumph is for “good men” to remain silent. This is surely true of the Lord’s people. Our society countenances sin in every possible mode; crime, immorality, disrespect for civil authority, and corruption in government run rampant across the land. The Christian cannot afford to sit with smug piety “detached” from the evil of society. The Christian must take his stand with the prophets of old-assailing every form of evil, every affront to the Divine sovereignty of the Lord. This is no call to turn the church into a social reform society; instead it is a call for an individual mandate, standing for the inerrant and infallible standard of God.

A personal example may illustrate the point. A certain supermarket in our area readily displays and sells pornographic books and magazines. At the check-out counter we asked the clerk just why the store sold such trash. The answer was an incredible example of just how deep-seated our society’s immorality is. She replied, “We simply make it available for those who wish to buy it.” What feeble reasoning for one trying to justify sin! According to this logic, public demand determines right or wrong.Presumably the store would also offer narcotics, prostitution, and murder contracts, providing there were a public demand for such!

It is time for the righteous of God to stand up for the absolute authority of Him who made us, When our communities are replete with any kind of sin, we who claim to belong to Christ must speak out and voice complaints against its presence. It was apparent that the store clerk had never experienced a complaint about such trash before my brief repartee. Perhaps if more of us would speak out, the influence of Satan would not be quite as strong. It is apparent that our government’s policy for eradicating such sinful activity is to redefine it and legalize it! Hence, gambling is appropriated by the state in the form of “lotteries”; homosexuality becomes “an alternative life-style”; alcoholism is only a “disease”; and prostitution becomes a ” respectable manner of wage-earning.” It is inconceivable that the Christian could or should allow such redefinition and legalization “go by the board” without raising a voice in protest.

Remaining silent, refusing to identify sin as sin. is impossible for the true follower of Christ. Paul could not but speak when he witnessed iniquity; we also must speak for Christ every time the opportunity presents itself. To do less is to become a partaker in those sins.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:40, p. 13
August 15, 1975