Truth Magazine

By Ron Halbrook

The first time we ever went to see the campus of Abilene Christian College was in the Summer of 1972. Somewhere between Baytown and Abilene, Texas, we passed a building with a sign that gave us a real laugh. The best we remember, there were actually two instances of this ridiculousness. One sign announced something like this, “Congregation of the Church of God.” And the other, like unto it, said, “Church of God Church.” No disrespect was or is intended by our laugh-it is simply the genuine, spontaneous response to a glaring incongruity. Doubtless the people who erected these signs did so in ignorance. It would be a privilege to open the Bible with them and study how the Bible uses the word “church.”

Greek lexicons tell us “church” means a group or assembly called out for a particular purpose. This might apply to any group, not just a religious called-out-group. For instance, the “assembly” which gathered in confusion at Ephesus to cry out in behalf of Diana was a “church’-not because of their religious interest, but because they were called together or “grouped” for a common purpose. See Acts 19:32. Stephen referred to Moses leading the people who were called-out unto God for His possession and who were led out of Egypt for His purpose. This was “the church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38). God’s people under the New Covenant are called out from the world unto Himself; they are assembled, grouped, gathered from all other people unto Him. Christ spoke of all the saved when he said, “I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18). As the gospel went into all the world, more and more people were added to this number who are washed in the blood of the Lamb through obedience to Christ (cf. Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38-47). One might speak of the church in a certain region or geographical area, or more specifically in one locality~meaning the saved only in the particular place spoken of. The saved who meet together at one place to fulfill the joint responsibilities (public worship, contribution, evangelism) which God’s people have are often spoken of as the church in that place. We read of “the church which was at Jerusalem,” “the church that was at Antioch,” “the church of God which is at Corinth … .. the church of the Thessalonians” (Acts 8:1; 13:1; 1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1).

The signs above mentioned do not use the word “church” in the senses found in the Bible. That is because they designate something not found in the Bible. The signs mean “A Local Church which is part of a denominational circle of local churches, Which Denomination Is Only One of Many Denominations Which Taken Together Are All the Saved.” The Church of God is the name adopted for that denominational circle. Since no such denominational circle is found in the Bible, the word “church” or phrase “church of God” is never used in the Bible of such a circle. The ignorance in this matter is no laughing matter, but to read the signs with Biblical definitions in mind is nothing but funny! A “church of God church” is a blatant redundance. If it’s a local church, then it’s a local church and it makes no sense at all to repeat the word church. That’s like saying, “Look at my car car.” If it’s a car, it’s a car. The only way one could speak Biblically of a church church is by stuttering like the country music star Mel Tillis! But then, the Bible does not stutter.

And, we had thought a Bible people speaking a Bible language could not “stutter” since the Bible does not. Now Abilene Christian College is not the church, but it does claim to be run by individual Christians and to teach the Bible. If the college, its publications, and its representatives are going to speak the language of Ashdod-or stutter after the fashion of those ignorant of Bible teaching-then it has no distinctive reason to exist. Well, here is why the last laugh’s on me. The March-April issue of A.C.C. Today, “published bi-monthly by Abilene Christian College’ ” just came in the mail. Page 10 reports an “alumni Citation Award” was given to Glenn Paden, Jr., who has distinguished himself for several things (Bible salesmanship, real estate executive, college degrees). Not the least of his accomplishments is this one: “Following his graduate work in 1959, he helped start a Church of Christ congregation in Suffolk County, New York” (emph. added).

Oh well, many of us have thought for some time these brethren have been leaving the Bible for denominational concepts. Denominational thinking naturally leads to denominational speech. But really it is not so funny to see such language used by those who have no excuse for it at all-it is just plain sickening.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:32, p. 12-13
June 13, 1974

By George T. Eldridge

The sixties and seventies shocked America as she learned who used, for example, narcotics, barbiturates, amphetamines, psychedelic drugs, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or LSD. The use of those drugs is still being discussed in our legislative halls, newspapers, magazines, radio programs, television programs, books, and pulpits. All of those afore named drugs and others peculiar to the present generation have never been our nation’s number 1 drug problem!! That statement is a heavy blow in the opinions of too many people, but truth is truth. The previously named are not as damaging to an individual and society as the sin engaged in by Noah (Gen. 10:20-24). Our nation’s number I drug is as old as ‘ Noah and is sold in supermarkets, drug stores, and convenience stores.

“The nation’s no. 1 >drug problem,’ the Department of Health, Education and Welfare asserted last week, continues to be alcohol” (“The No. 1 Drug Problem,” Newsweek, February 28, 1972, page 54).

Alcohol is Valuable

Alcohol has great usages. It performs service as an industrial solvent, chemical intermediate, and is regarded as one of the most important accessory chemicals. The medicine and the pharmaceutical industry make wide use of ethyl alcohol as a chemical intermediate, therapeutic agent, and general solvent. Alcohol’s solvent power is particularly useful for the extraction of medicinals from plant and animal tissues and, for example, compounding tonics, elixirs, cough syrups, tinctures, liniments, antiseptics, or medicinal soaps. With those uses, alcohol is not branded as “the nation’s No. I drug problem.” Alcohol is the No. 1 drug problem when used as a beverage or used in beverages!

Alcohol Is a Drug

“Taken internally, alcohol acts as a narcotic and is the principal active ‘ ingredient present in all spirituous liquors~’ (“Alcohol,” Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 1, Chicago, 1952, p. 540). The word “spirits” is most frequently used as a designation for alcoholic beverages, more particularly of the ardent type which owe their strength to distillation. The ardent type is strong alcoholic liquor, such as whiskey or gin. Spiritous liquors are usually classified as (1) distilled, including whiskey, gin, and brandy, (2) malt, including beer and ale, (3) vinous, or wines. All of them contain ethyl alcohol, which is habit-forming, a narcotic drug, poison, and harmful to every form of life. Distilled beverages are usually 45% to 50% alcohol. Malt beverages are of lower alcohol content: beer usually 4% to 6% and ale about 10%. Wine is usually from 10% to 14% alcohol, but fortified wine may run 20% or more by reason of the addition of more alcohol.

Defenders of Alcoholic Beverages

The spokesmen for spirituous liquors are naturally the manufacturers, sellers, and drinkers. A few churches or church-owned societies are even among the manufacturers, too. Isn’t that a shame? Churches are supposedly trying to influence people to go to Heaven, yet they will produce Hell-sending and society-damaging booze. They aid the drinkers on their road to the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:15). The Roman Catholic Church is the best known church which makes liquor. One example is the Christian Brothers, a teaching order of the Roman Catholic Church. This order is located in Napa, California (P.O. Box 420). The Christian Brothers began their wine making operations in 1879, and they are now one of the largest wine producers in the United States. Profits from this operation help to carry on the order’s expanding educational work and to support 13 institutions of learning in California and Oregon. Also, the Christian Brothers are the largest manufacturers of commercial brandy in America. Because of a House Subcommittee on Internal Revenue Taxation meeting held in 1956, and the decision handed down by Federal Judge Sherrill Halbert in Sacramento in July, 1961, the Christian Brothers Winery meets all state and federal tax commitments like any other business. Another example of the Roman Catholic Church being in the alcohol business is the Novitiate of Los Gatos of Ukiah, California (Route 1, Box 572).

The common idea held by a number of people today is to place religion with any product or action. This will then make everything acceptable to God and, especially, to society. That is one factor as to why Christian Brothers Liquor is on the market. It is disgusting and sickening to see religion tied to any product as harmful as alcoholic beverages. God does not sanction spirituous liquors today nor did Jesus in His day. God’s Son and our Savior never used any semblance to current alcoholic beverages. Any individual appealing to the Bible as his basis of approval for his “social drinking” proclaims to everyone his total lack of knowledge concerning the Word of God. Such a person will be “destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).

Everyone knows drinkers of spirits are found in churches. It is revolting to find a few in Churches of Christ. Why are some drinkers accepted in Churches of Christ and even permitted to participate in services? Please consider these six reasons:

1. The drinker has fair speech, a pious appearance, or financial wealth.

2. The brethren do not know that our brother or sister drinks.

3. The brethren do not believe drinking is sinful.

 4. A few men and women are cowards and traitors to the cause of Christ when the time arrives to call the drinker to repentance.

 5. The good people in the church cannot combat the strong influence the drinker has in the church.

6. A significant portion of the baptized believers will not believe that person is a drinker.

Most defenders of drinking will not be fair and honorable toward those who differ with them. In fact, they will not defend their belief publically. When “social drinkers” are men of influence in the church, the preacher might be fired for opposing this sin and asking brethren “Who is on the Lord’s side?” Defenders of alcoholic beverages are not speaking as the oracles of God and are blind leaders (I Peter 4:11; Matt. 15:14).

Conclusion

“Abhor that which is evil” (Rom. 12:9). Alcoholic beverages are evil; therefore, you must “dislike, have a horror of” our nation’s number I drug problem, which is alcohol.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:32, p. 11-12
June 13, 1974

By Larry Ray Hafley

Fleshly Israel longed and looked for a. glorious, exalted earthly King and civil Kingdom (Lk. 24:21; in. 6:15; Acts 1:6). They read the grand, -prophetic. utterances which foretold of the Mighty Messiah who would be involved in a universal labor of liberation and domination, so they “inquired and searched diligently” for a royal, regal Ruler who would banish the Babylon of their day and in the generalship of David restore the splendor of the kingship of Solomon. A casual, unstudied reading of the Scriptures of the prophets might render such a conclusion possible, but the life of the Nazarene was a living identification and interpretation of the essence and substance of the King and His Kingdom.

When the expectant Jews saw a humble teacher rather than a triumphant conqueror, they were disappointed, disillusioned and incensed with frustration. The very features and facets of the Lord7s demeanor that should have and in truth did stamp Him as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy caused them to cull and condemn Jesus as an unfit stone. The truth personified before them was a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence.

Reading alone such passages as Psa. 2-6-9, one can conceive a government of God for men on earth. But Psalm 2, is not the only statement of the matter. Beside every segment of Scripture telling of might and majesty, one can lay those revealing weakness and humility. That is not to say that the Kingdom is only to be viewed as weak and humble, far from it, but collectively compiled and considered, the prophets assert the Messiah’s majesty while dispelling and defeating a carnal conception with a meek and lowly servant. Matthew cites and quotes Isaiah and Zechariah to this effect (Mt. 12:17-21; 21:4, 5).

Instead of presenting an armed warrior, Isaiah spoke of a retiring character and Christ. “He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.” He is not going to rally men with the ostentatious display of a summoning soldier, still, he shall “send forth victory.” That passage contradicts and corrects carnal notions. In similar and familiar language, Isaiah said, “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is ,despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not” (Isa. 53:2, 3).

Zechariah’s prophecy was also one the Lord interpreted in act and in fact before the people (Mt. 21:2-11). It achieved in its fulfillment at least three purposes. (1) It publicly proclaimed Jesus as the King of Old Testament prophecies. (2) It revealed that His Kingship was not temporal in that he did not seek opportunity to use the peoples’ popular favor to seize the government. (3) It gave the people an avenue of expression through which could flow their conviction that He was the Christ, the Son of David. (In seeing Him as King but not as a civil office seeker, they should have perceived the true nature of the Kingdom.) That we are not forcing a subdued, subservient view of the prophets’ King and Kingdom and thereby dulling their resplendence can be seen in the results of New Testament teaching.

The apostles’ doctrine pronounced repentance and remission of sins in the name of Christ with an “ascended” and “exalted” “Prince of life” who hath been made “Lord and Christ” on the throne of David (Acts,2 & 3). Many thousands then saw the true import of the prophets and felt the full impact of the gospel and by the implanted word were sanctified and justified in Him, who was now glorified (Acts 2:36-41; 3:26; 4:4). If the submissive servant and the suffering Savior were contrary to the word picture of the prophets, why did Peter and the rest of the apostles use them? How could they have been successful? The truth, therefore, is as we have set it forth. Thus, when the scales of prejudice fell from their eyes and the veil over their hearts was lifted, they bowed in faith, repentance and baptism.

Paul preached a suffering Savior, a dying Deliverer, and a resurrected Redeemer as the Son of God (I Cor. 2:2). As minds were then opened, he testified “that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ” (Acts 17:2, 3; 18:4, 5). What was the result of reasoning out of the Old Covenant Scriptures? Did the people with one accord reject the spiritual King and Kingdom? Hardly! After an open study of the prophets, “many of them believed” (Acts 17:11, 12).

Paul was charged with wresting, perversion and blasphemy because he preached through Christ the forgiveness of sins. He was accused of not believing the law and the prophets because of his “heresy” that Jesus was somehow the King of the Old Testament prophecies. However, he could answer with complete confidence in the prophets and Moses: “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets” (Acts 24:14). “Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:22, 23). That serves as the Spirit’s exclamation point as to the true nature of the King and His Kingdom.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:32, p. 10-11
June 13, 1974

By Harry E. Ozment

Definition

It is true that certain physical blessings of the grace of God are given to the believer and unbeliever alike. Jesus said, “For he maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.” (Matt. 5:45) Paul explained in I Tim. 4: 10 that God “is the Savior of all men,” i.e., God sustains all life upon this earth through the bestowal of certain physical blessings (e.g., sunshine, rain, air, etc.). No one denies this. Notice, however, what Paul next says, “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those who believe. ” Paul, in the last clause of v. 10, is speaking of the spiritual blessings of God which contribute to the eternal salvation of manthis grace is given to believers.

Calvinism denies that any “speciar, grace is shown to believers as opposed to unbelievers. The doctrine of “irresistible grace” is a branch off the vine of “predestination.” God’s grace to salvation, according to Calvinism, is given only to the elect-whether the elect desire it or not. The Presbyterian Confession of Faith states: “This effectual call is of God’s free and speciat’grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the .Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.” (Chapter 10) This doctrine, as you can see, provides for a direct and mysterious indwelling of the Spirit. This doctrine, together with its foundation doctrine (predestination), teaches that an “elected” person is saved at the very beginning in the mind of God, and he is saved “in fact” when God arbitrarily sends His Spirit into the heart of that individual.

Errors of the Doctrine

Because the existence of this doctrine depends to a great extent on the existence of “predestination,” errors of the two doctrines could be interchanged. However, as we specifically consider the Calvinistic concept of “irresistible grace,” many errors are glaringly evident, for this doctrine:

(1) Negates the importance of man’s obedience. This doctrine would have people believe that the grace of God to salvation is given to the obedient and disobedient alikeprovided they have been elected. According to Calvinism, God, in His own time, arbitrarily sends the Spirit upon whomsoever He will, while totally disregarding (a) the kind of lives these people live, and (b) the desire (or lack of it) that these people have for His grace. Such a doctrine can only do one thing: consign obedience to the realm of the “non-essential.” And when Calvinism does this, it is in complete contradition. with the Bible. The Bible teaches that man’s obedience is essential to his salvation. Jesus stated: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21)

When the Bible teaches the essentiality of obedience, it does not imply that man’s obedience earns salvation. On the contrary, our active obedience to God’s will indicates that we cannot save ourselves, and thus makes us openly admit that we must submit to Him to be saved. Of course, this would not be the case if we were to try to be saved by obeying our will. We read in Acts 10:34-35: “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” Paul states the case well by contrasting the works of God with the works of man in Eph. 2:8-10 (notice the intensive words emphasis mine, HEO): “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Neither does the Bible imply that man’s obedience displaces God’s grace. The Bible teaches that God’s grace, coupled with man’s obedience, produces the promised blessing. This Bible principle is illustrated several times in Heb. 11: “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet (grace), moved with fear, prepared an ark (obedience) to the saving of his house (promised blessing)” (v. 7); “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place (grace), which he should after receive for an inheritance (promised blessing), obeyed (obedience)” (v. 8); “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed (grace), and was delivered of a child when she was past age (promised blessing), because she judged him faithful who had promised (obedience).” (v. 11) This same principle is true today, as is shown by the statement found in Heb. 5:9: “He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” “Eternal salvation” is the promised blessing. Through the grace of God, Jesus shed his blood (“became the author”), which purchased the church and put into effect God’s will. Man’s obedience, though, must be coupled to God’s grace, as is shown in the last clause: “unto all them that obey him.” Hence, if obedience is essential to salvation, “irresistible grace” cannot be possible.

(2) Denies the true nature of grace. Paul explains the nature of grace in Eph. 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of’ God.” Grace is a gift. A gift necessarily involves two ideas: (a) the will of the giver to give; and (b) the consent of the receiver to receive. If either of these conditions is missing, the item given is not a gift. The word “irresistible” means “impossible to successfully resist” (Webster). Therefore, to state that God’s grace is “irresistible” is to say that the “consent of the receiver” is not necessarily involved in the giving of grace. Hence, this would deny that the grace of God is a gift. Such is the sad consequence of believing Calvinistic theory!

(3) Destroys the free agency of man. One of the great truths of the Bible is that man is a free moral agent. He has enough intelligence to determine his course of action. God said in Deut. 30:15-18: “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; in ..that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish.” This was true of Adam and Eve in the very beginning. They were given intelligent minds which were capable of making decisions. Two ways were set before them-the way of right and the way of wrong. God coaxed them to go the way of right and warned them against g . oing the way of wrong-but the final decision was made by Adam and Eve. Therefore, when man decided to go the way of wrong, he was held accountable for it. The same is true today. Jesus said, “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, he shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you.” (Jn. 15:6-7) The vine is provided by the grace of God. But we, as branches, exercise free determination in choosing whether to abide in this vine’. Calvinism denies this. This theory would have us to believe that the elect must receive the grace of God-they have no choice about the matter. God’s grace is irresistible! God certainly could not hold unsaved individuals accountable if their condition was in no way due to their own free choice. Such a theory!-it denies the most, evident truths of the Bible!

It is sad but true that the grace of God can be resisted -many millions resist His grace every day. God’s power to save our souls is His word (Rom. 1: 16; Jas. 1:21). When men spurn this word for their divisive human creeds, they are most surely resisting the grace of the Almighty!

Truth Magazine, XVIII:32, p. 9-10
June 13, 1974