Truth Magazine

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

By Fred C. Melton

The millennial spirit is quite a real problem in England today. Apart from our own brethren, I do believe that every other single group in this country embraces the millennial theory in one or more of its varied forms.

Every time a promising contact is made and points of agreement are gradually expanded-lo and behold-they begin energetically to affirm the second coming of Christ for the purpose of establishing His kingdom on earth. It has been my sad and unfortunate experience to find that one who has been indoctrinated in this false theory is not easily dissuaded from those beliefs.

No Millennium

A close study of Revelation 20 reveals that there is, in fact, no millennium at all. The millennial theory is simply a materialistic manifestation of spiritual truths. Blackstone, a pre-millennialist leader of a generation ago, rightly observed that “pre-millennial Christians hold much in common with the Jews.” That is, they both expect the Messiah to set up a physical kingdom on earth and reject the Lord’s own teachings concerning the spiritual nature of His kingdom.

Post Millennialism

The pre-millennialist expects the kingdom to be set up after Christ’s return to Jerusalem, while a varied form of the theory (called post-millennialism by Blackstone) correctly suggests that the church is the kingdom but misrepresents it as a civil kingdom intended to embrace the entire world. The common bond between these two theories is materialism. It is but a short span from one to the other and they are often confused in the mind of the millennialist.

The Catholic church has through the years been the principal advocate of the so-called “post-millennial” theory. For example, when Augustine met and “converted” Ethelbert, the Saxon king of Kent in 597 A.D., all the King’s subjects followed his example and became “Christians.” Kent (England) was then called a “Christian” nation. Again, a nation of people would be conquered by the sword and forced to become “Christians.” This is what the Catholic church has in mind when it talks about the conversion of the world to the kingdom of Christ.

The views of the reformers were little improved for they consistently sought to establish religio-civil states such as Calvin’s Geneva, Zwingle in Zurich, Knox in Scotland and Cromwell and the Puritans in England. Thus, the foundations of millennialism have been well-formed in England for many centuries.

Modern Speculation

Building, as it were, upon the doctrinal foundations of their fathers, modern millennialists in Britain have centered their speculations upon the European Common Market alliance as being a prophetic “sign of the times” “heralding the coming of Christ. The Common Market is a mutual trading federation of nine European countries governed by specific laws first formulated by the “treaty of Rome” in 1957. According to the millennials, the Common Market is made up of the same countries that constituted the old Roman Empire. In actual fact, the market nowhere near occupies the same territory nor the same government structure as did ancient Rome, but this does not dampen the spirits of the speculators. Of course, the presence of the state of Israel in Palestine has for many years been the keynote of their endless propaganda campaign throughout the English religious community. Modern millennialists are forever busy sowing their doctrine of the material reign of Christ into well prepared ground and are able to popularize their doctrines by making application of every current political development from the Six Day War to Northern Ireland. No one seems to notice that such “signs of the times” have not revealed Christ’s imminent return for over 2,000 years now.

British Israelism

British Israelism or the idea that Britain is God’s modern Israel is practically a dead force in England today. This school of thought found its greatest expression during the Victorian era while the Empire was in full swing. Since the decline of the Empire, the British people in general have assumed an open-minded, almost repentant attitude by accepting the world community concept that all men may believe what they want to and still remain God’s children.,

The churches of Christ, therefore, remain the only voice in Britain today calling for a complete return to New Testament Christianity urging men everywhere to obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and be added to His spiritual kingdom, the church, then be received into eternal heavenly habitations when Jesus returns to receive His own.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:40, p. 12
August 15, 1974