Truth Magazine

By Roy E. Stephens

That all things came into existence by chance, is the doctrine. basically, of evolution. How the twisted intelligence of modern man can accept the doctrine is beyond belief. The electric light hanging from the ceiling was made by some ~intelligent being, but the evolutionist says the greatest light of all, the sun, came into existence by chance. The wax flower decorating the desk was made. but the evolutionist says the flower of the field came into being by chance. The brass instrument of the band was made, but the human voice, the greatest instrument of all, was an accident! The figurehead on the ship was made by some being with a mind, but the designer of the ship was an accident, without design and without law! We cannot accept such absurdities. Believers of the Bible cling to the testimony of Jesus, who was in the beginning with God Who said, “He which made (created) them at the beginning, made them male and female” (Matt. 19:4). Rev. 10:5-6 speaks of Him who “created the heaven and the earth and the things that there in are.

Go into museums over the country and see the evolutionist’s Story Of Life demonstrated in replicas, from the earliest forms of life (according to him) to his imagined later life forms demonstrated as the life forms changed from one form to another, through lizard, bird, animal and man. That his work is nothing but a hoax of anthropology and an adroit use, of plaster of Paris, is well known to all informed people. How tragic that the one million people who pass through the museum of Natural History in New York each year do not know of the evolutionist’s deceit.

Outstanding among the links which the evolutionist says tie man to the lower animals, through a process of mutation, are the Nebraska Man, the Neanderthal Man, and, at one time, the Piltdown Man. The untaught are led to believe that actual skeletal remains of these life forms were found, and placed in the museum. Not so! The case of the Piltdown Man, for, example, has been proven to be a hoax from beginning to end. For more than 40 years Piltdown Man was a member in more or less good standing with the society of “earliest humans,” rubbing mandibles with such distinguished, though lowbrow, company as Neanderthal Man, and others. The discovery that he was a humbug out and out, terminated his membership in December, 1953. Here is the story: Charles Dawson, of Piltdown Sussex, England, in 1912 brought a piece of a jaw bone and two molar teeth to an anthropologist with the observation, “it isn’t an animal, because its molars are flattened like human teeth.” So, Piltdown mail was constructed. Did Dawson find skeletal remains of a man? No. He found a piece of a jaw bone and two teeth!

The whole deceitful scheme was exposed in 1953. In 1956 Oxford University press published the Piltdown Forgery, pointing out that the jawbone found was that of an ape that had died 50 years before, and that Dawson had filed the two teeth down to disguise their original design and shape; both teeth and bone had ‘been artificially colored with bichromate of potash, to attain the appearance of antiquity. Readers Digest has reprinted the Piltdown Hoax and the writer has obtained copies of it. Here is the plainest of evidence that the evolutionist depends upon lies, misrepresentations, and deceit to sustain his theory. If the Piltdown Man is a hoax, how does anyone know that the other “links” in the chain of evolution are authentic? High school teachers need to know these facts. Elders and Bible teachers should acquaint members of the church with them. Readers Digest covered the entire forgery in their reprint. If you would like a free copy of the reprint, write me. Send 254 just to cover cost of mailing.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:34, p. 11
June 27, 1974

By Billy W Moore

Some time ago I noticed an ad in Reader’s Digest entitled, “A Message For Daddies,” so naturally I read it. It was by the American Cancer Society and had some good advice:

“Get yourself a good, thorough examination once a year. Once a year, let your doctor really look you over. It’ll take a little time, and a little patience. And maybe he’ll poke around a little more than you’d really like. And so he should.

“The whole idea is to keep you healthy. If nothing’s wrong (and more than likely there isn’t), hooray! Come back next year. But if anything’s suspicious, then you’ve gained the most important thing of all: time.

“We can save 1 out of 2 persons when cancer is caught in time, caught early. That’s a good thing to know. All Daddies should know how to take care of themselves so that they can have the fun of taking care of their kids. Don’t be afraid. It’s what you don’t know that can hurt you.”

Yes, I think that’s good advice. In more recent years I have begun having regular physical examinations. (I saw my Mother suffer and die with cancer.) If I have cancer I want to learn about it in time to be one of those “1 out of 2 persons” who can be saved from it. I want the fun of raising my kids and my grandchildren.

When I read that article I thought how gospel preachers have a message for daddies and our message may be far more important than that of the American Cancer Society. Our message has to do with saving your soul. There are several similarities between our message for daddies and that of the American Cancer Society. It is personal. Indeed, each must examine himself whether he be in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5). Each one must look into his own heart to determine whether he has obeyed the gospel of Christ, to see if he is saved. A friend may encourage you to take an honest look at yourself, but only you can do it. It will take a little time. It is true, a good thorough self-examination will take a little time. You will have to read what the Lord teaches one must do to be saved from sin and determine whether you have obeyed Him (Matt. 7:21-23), This will require a little patience. You will have to compare what you have believed and done in religion with what the Bible teaches you to do. This will not be easy, and will demand that you be patient in your searching and be honest with yourself. (Read-Acts 17:11). It may require more poking around in your conscience than you like, but it will be for your own good. The whole idea is to keep you healthy spiritually. Some are “weak and sickly” spiritually (I Cor. 11:30), while others are asleep or dead (Eph. 2:1). So, examine yourself by the teaching of the Lord; if nothing is wrong – hooray! But if you learn that you are lost then you have gained the most important thing of all: time. Time to do something about it before it destroys you for all eternity.

Modem medical science enables doctors to save “1 out of 2 persons” when cancer is caught in time. The Lord is able to save every person who learns of his sin and comes to God by Him (Heb. 7:25). The sad fact is that not even “1 out of 2 persons” who learns of his sinful and lost condition will even come to Christ that he may be saved. We believe that all daddies should know what to do to be saved. Jesus said, “Preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). We further believe that all Daddies should have the pleasure of teaching their kids and grandchildren how to be saved and obtain the hope of eternal life.

Do not be afraid to take the examination. If you are “in the faith” (saved), You will be happy to know it. An examination of your relationship with God will only strengthen you. However, if when you examine yourself you learn that you are lost, you will be glad that you discovered it while there is time to do something about it; many do not make this discovery in time. They go through life thinking they are alright, but in the end learn that they are lost. (Read Matt. 7:21-23.) Do not be in that number!

The Lord’s message for daddies is: “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 3:7, 8). “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). We could talk about many other messages for Daddies such as, “ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4), but that would be another lesson. Many Daddies seem to think that being a Christian is just for the wife and kids. They need to get the message that salvation is for all! Daddies need it as much as anyone else.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:34, p. 10
June 27, 1974

By Ken Weliever

As the peerless apostle Paul pled his cause before Herod Agrippa II in Acts 26, he took advantage of the occasion to preach Christ unto the ones at that gathering. Festus doggedly dodged the emphasis of Paul’s sermon by accusing him of insanity. The immoral Bernice complacently and indifferently sat through the tiring speech. Agrippa, however, seemed to be of a different disposition; he was gracious and courteous to this man of God and listened with interest to his lesson. Yet, at the conclusion of the sermon he could only muster these words: “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” To that Paul retorted: “I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.”

Modern Applications

Many are like Festus in trying to discredit either the gospel or the man who preaches it. Such a rationalization, of course, does not change the Truth. To shout such prejudicial statements as-“You’re narrow-minded” or “You need to have more love” or “That’s just what your little group teaches” does not alter what God has said about any matter. Folks in the religious world need to realize that when God has spoken, it does little good to discredit the messenger of His Word, for It shall abide forever.

Others imitate the unconcern of Bernice. This attitude is a foolish one in view of eternity and the judgment to come. “It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment.” This writer has actually heard people say, “I don’t need all that religious stuff.” How pathetic it is to realize that many will be lost because they have failed to manifest a concern for things of a spiritual nature.

But today many are still trying to soothe their conscience by almost being Christians. Untold thousands are lost because they keep waiting and being almost persuaded. This devilish deception is not uncommon in our day and time. How many hundreds or thousands have heard the Gospel preached with a realization of their needs, but have not obeyed? How many “Agrippa’s” do we have who are almost persuaded? Friend, do not let the angel of death arrive and find you almost a Christian. Be a child of God today!

Truth Magazine, XVIII:34, p. 9
June 27, 1974

By Mike Willis

The American concept of the church is largely a product of what is seen to be practiced by those who call themselves a church. Americans should draw their concept of the church from the New Testament rather than from their experiential contacts with denominations. However, since the normal method of coming to an understanding regarding the church is what it is, Americans equate the church with a building, a socio-recreational group, and an agency which accomplishes anything labeled as a good work. To anyone familiar with the New Testament concept of the church, the American, twentieth-century concept of the church is only a badly mutilated imitation of the New Testament church. Perhaps this article will clarify some mistaken concepts about the church.

What Is The Church?

The church is the people of God. They are the ones who have hearkened to God’s call to come out of darkness and into the light. These are those who have believed the good news that God has provided salvation for sinful man through Jesus Christ. Their faith is one which has taken God at His Word, expressing itself in obedience to His divine commands to “repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38). Therefore, these are the ones who. are recipients of Christ’s blessings; they have’ received “remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Since they have believed and been baptized, they are the saved (Mk. 16:16). The church, then, is the body of believers-all of the saved persons in the world.

Some will immediately conclude that the church is a mystical body which has no visible organization. Indeed, this is the usual concept maintained by Americans about the church. Yet, in New Testament times, the church was not something, which was undefinable, ambiguous, or vague because, although the church was the body of all the saved of the world, it also had local manifestations. Every local group composed of those who had responded in submission to. Jesus worshiped regularly in the respective towns and was known as the church (cf. 1 Cor. 1:2; Acts 14:23). Keep in mind that these local groups were all alike in doctrine, worship, organization, and work; any local congregation which deviated from the apostles’ doctrine was quickly the recipient of apostolic rebuke (cf., for example, Rev. 2:1415,20-21). There is no evidence which indicates that the different congregations could, under divine approval, teach conflicting doctrines. There did not exist a thirty-second cousin to twentieth-century denominationalism in New Testament times.

To only those who were in the blood bought church (Acts 20:28) did Jesus promise to be the Savior (Eph. 5:23). The New Testament doctrine revealed that the only way to God the Father was through Christ Jesus (Jn. 14:6); His way involved the church. I say this because not a few believe that one can be saved without worshiping and working with the church. God did not plan from all eternity a church which was unimportant or non-essential; it has a purpose in the scheme of God. Realizing this, let us notice so m!e of the distinguishing marks of the Lord’s church.

Distinguishing Marks of the Church

Our list of distinguishing marks is designed as only an introductory lesson about the New Testament church and makes no pretentions to be exhaustive. However, no church can be scripturally called the Lord’s church without these distinctive marks. The plight of each of us should make the remainder of the lesson relevant and important. We must be a part of the people of God to be saved; the church is the people of God. Thus, you need to know how to find God’s people.

We can begin by saying that no group can properly be called the Lord’s church which teaches a different plan of salvation than Jesus taught. Surely this is self-evident. The church is the saved; A group which does not properly tell people what to do to be saved is not the saved! Here is what Jesus revealed to be necessary for salvation: (1) Belief in Jesus Christ (Mk. 16:16; Jn. 8:24), (2) Repentance of one’s sins (2 Pet. 3:9; Acts 17:30; Lk. 24:47), (3) Baptism (an immersion in water) for the remission of one’s past sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21; Mk. 16:15-16), and (4) A life of faithful service (Rev. 2: 10; 1 Jn. 5:18; 3:9). If you will simply contrast this with what you hear the different groups teaching about salvation, you can quickly perceive which group is the Lord’s church. Notice that you can not read the following popular methods of salvation in the Bible: (1) “Just accept Jesus as your personal Savior.” (2) “He that believeth and is saved should be baptized” (contrast with Mk. 16:16). (3) “A man can be saved the moment he believes.” (4) “Just get on your knees and pray to God and you will be saved.”

Perhaps we could list other contemporary schemes of redemption devised by man but just remember that Jesus revealed the only way, which says: “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned” (Mk. 16:16). No group which teaches otherwise is the Lord’s church! Secondly, we should notice that the Lord’s church will wear a Bible name. Either God will allow a congregation to wear any name or there are some revealed appellatives chosen by God for it to wear. If God allows a congregation to wear just any name, it could scripturally be called “The Devil’s Domain,” “Mike’s Mumblers” or “The Lutheran Church.” However, if God has designated several names, anyone of which is approved by God for the church to wear, the New Testament church must wear them only. Here is a partial list of scriptural names:

Church of God (I Cor. 1:2)

House of God (I Tim.3:15)

Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23)

Church of the Living God (I Tim. 3:15)

Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 16:19).

Church of Christ (Rom. 16:16)

No group which wears any name other than one of the approved Bible names is the church of the Lord. Let me emphasize that if you cannot find the name of the church with which you worship in the New Testament, you can rest assured that it is not the Lord’s church. Let me insert a word of caution: a group can wear a Bible name without being the Lord’s church. To illustrate this suppose that I was looking for James Smith in Indianapolis. The 1974 phone book contains two columns of men bearing this name and another column bearing the name J. Smith. Knowing the name of the individual is insufficient information to locate the individual. Likewise, knowing the scriptural names of the church is insufficient information to locate the Lord’s church. One group, for instance, known as the Church of God, wears a scriptural name but teaches a false plan of salvation.

A third mark which distinguishes the New Testament church is its program of work. The New Testament church had a limited field of endeavor; it taught the gospel to the lost, assisted the needy among the saints, and edified the saints (Eph. 4:11-12). The primary work of the church, as you can easily perceive, was spiritual; the benevolence practiced by the church was secondary to the preaching of the gospel (no attempt was made at universal benevolence as was made at universal preaching). Any church which is involved in activities other than these cannot be called the Lord’s church. One reads nothing of church-sponsored recreation, a church entering business ventures, a church supporting secular educational institutions or having its own kindergarten or grade school, or church hospitals. Despite this fact, American churches engage in business ventures (usually tax-free) ranging from the Christian Brothers distillery operated by the Catholic Church to Burlington Mills operated by the Baptists. Churches are supporting hospitals, schools, old folks homes, the NAACP, and practically any other work which someone of some influence has labeled as “good.” If the church you attend is engaged in these extra-biblical activities, it is not the Lord’s church. Are you in the Lord’s church or a humanly devised and governed institution?

Truth Magazine, XVIII:34, p. 8-9
June 27, 1974