Truth Magazine

By Luther Blackmon

I listened the other night to the president’s “State of the Union Message.” As a citizen I am understandably concerned about the state of the Union. But I am more concerned about the state of the church. Earthly governments come and go. No matter how. long it may stand, this .nation of ours must finally yield to the inexorable demands of time and human imperfections. During World War II, I heard a British sailor say, when asked for his opinion on the outcome of the war, “there will always be an England.” But he was mistaken. The great empire on which “the sun never sets,” along with the United States, the richest and most powerful single nation on earth, must finally share the destiny of such nations as ancient Egypt, Babylon, Assyria and Rome. They will pass into oblivion and become nothing more than names in history. But the church is here to stay.

A Kingdom Which Cannot Be Moved

From such passages as 1 Cor. 15:52 and 1 Thess. 4:15 we know that there will be Christians living on the earth when the Lord comes. The writer of the Hebrew letter says we have received a kingdom “which can not be moved” (Heb. 12:28). Whatever benefits earthly governments maybe able to bestow, whether lucrative positions or pauper’s pensions, they are necessarily temporal and confined to this world. My mother was receiving an old age assistance check each month when it became my sad duty to inform the proper authorities that she had passed from this life. No more checks came. She had passed beyond the reach of any earthly government to either help or harm. But the “kingdom which cannot be moved” knows no such boundary as death. “Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” (Rom. 14:8)

In view of these well known facts, it would seem that members of the church would be more interested in prayer than in politics; more concerned about truth than taxes. But such is not always the case. A sizeable crowd of church members I have known are more concerned about liberalism in the government than they are about liberalism in the church. They will fight about their politics, but they couldn’t care less about the error and apostasy that threatens the church. They can get as mean as an acre of snakes with a fellow who disagrees with their political philosophy, but with teachers of error in the Lord’s church, they are as gentle as an Autumn breeze.

We need to be concerned about the church in every place, from the largest churches in the largest cities to the tiny struggling group in the far7flung reaches of civilization. Our first consideration should be, of course, to the congregation of. which we are a part. And this concern should be positive as well as negative. We don’t build and strengthen churches by merely fighting error. Truth has a positive side. You don’t grow a garden by merely keeping down the weeds. The seed must be planted and the growth cultivated. The Word of God is the seed of the kingdom. Let us see that it is planted and nurtured, and God will’ give the harvest.

(Feb. 7, 1965)

Truth Magazine, XVIII:32, p. 2
June 13, 1974

By Larry Ray Hafley

In The World Evangelist, December, 1973, William Goodpasture wrote an article entitled, “Benevolence-A Modern Day Stepchild.” In this treatise Brother Goodpasture sought to show (1) that “benevolence is one of the neglected areas” and (2) that “until we can restore a proper benevolent attitude we cannot be truly the New Testament church.” In the course of his remarks, Goodpasture told of the establishing of “institutional homes,” and then he said, “A few brethren raised up and preached with great vigor that they had found fault in the method of financing such institutions.”

It would be hard to find a statement that reveals less understanding of the issues involved in the “institutional homes” controversy. Brother Goodpasture’s utterance is a typical one. It well illustrates the ignorance that permeates many regarding the “institutional homes” contention. But let us see what the issue was, is, and always will be in this particular matter.

The Issue

“This discussion does not concern means and methods or `how’ the work is to be done. The real issue concerns organizations. Which organization, the church or a human society, is to provide and oversee the care of the needy?” (Simpson-Britnell Debate, p. 79). “The question is, Brother Woods, do these verses authorize you or me or the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ to set up human organizations through which it is to be done? Do the churches have a right to build and maintain human organizations through which this work is to be done, through which this obligation is to be met? It is not whether there is an obligation, Brother Woods. That is not it. Do churches have a right to build and maintain human organizations through which to meet those obligations? That is the issue, Brother Woods. You knew that, didn’t you? Now, that is the issue; and so we are going to hold you to the issue.” (Woods-Porter Debate, p. 21). “The third statement in our proposition is, `. . . to build and maintain . . . .’ We mean by this, of course, to organize, establish, bring into existence and perpetuate, sustain their order and activity. This would include financing but would not be limited to that. Supplying the means of its existence is only a part of building and maintaining a thing.

“The fourth statement of our proposition is >benevolent organizations for the care of the needy.’ It becomes obvious from this wording of our proposition that there is involved in this discussion benevolent organizations other than, separate and apart from, the churches of Christ, but built by them for the work of caring for the needy.

“We are not discussing the matter of churches of Christ caring, for the needy, but their right to build other benevolent organizations to care for the needy. It is also obvious that we are not primarily discussing to what extent churches of Christ might use existing agencies aside form these benevolent organizations involved, or whether or not they can; but do churches of Christ have the scriptural right to build organizations through which to do their work of benevolence@ (Cogdill-Woods Debate, 16).

Just Suppose

Just suppose I were to write and refer to the building of the Missionary Society. Then, suppose I spoke of opposition to it in this way: AA fwe brethren raised up and preached with great vigor that they had found fault in the method of financing such institutions.@ What if I were to characterize David Lipscomb=s fight against the Missionary Society as finding fault in the method of financing? What a pitiable, if not inexcusable, ignorance it would manifest. Yet, that is exactly and precisely what Brother Goodpasture has done in the realm of benevolence.

Truth cannot be promulgated nor reiterated too often. Brother Goodpasture=s remark is proof of that. So, the need is every urgent and constant to preach the word in season and out of season with all longsuffering and teaching. Do not forget that fact the next time you are tempted to repeat some seemingly simple principle of divine truth. If truth is not repeated, error will be.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:31, p. 13-14
June 6, 1974

By Joe Neil Clayton

All of the amazing experiences of the children of Israel in the wilderness were crowned by the fantastic conquest of Jericho. Joshua went through all the preliminary motions of normal military procedure by sending in the spies, but God intended to overthrow Jericho by extra-military means.

We are told that “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down” (Heb. 11:30). We are not to presume that every soul of the Israelites had perfect faith in the method God had chosen. He said to march around the city once each day for six days, and seven times on the seventh day. No spear or stone was to be thrown, no arrow launched, no voice raised. What possible good could such foot-weary activity accomplish? Yet, God speaks of “things that are not, as though they were,” and he said, “I have given into thy hand Jericho.” (Joshua 6:2).

When all of the instructions of God had been followed, the walls of Jericho “fell down flat.” The great ring of Israelites ascended into the city, and finished the business with sword and fire. The faith of the congregation is credited for the victory.. So, collective faith is a force to be reckoned with. Even though, we emphasize that it is likely that all did not have faith, yet, the contagion of the faithful was sufficient for God to work his miracle.

The apostle Paul saw benefits in collective faith for churches. He thought that as the faith of the Corinthian church grew, he could be magnified to further “abundance, so as to preach the gospel even unto the parts beyond” them (1 Cor. 10:15-16). He saw that the collective faith of the church of the Thessalonians was such as to cause them to spread the gospel, “not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place…” (1 Thess. 1:8). It would be impossible to believe every soul in these churches had an ideal measure of faith, if we take human nature to be the same then as it is now! Yet, these examples demonstrate what collective faith can do.

At the same time, the sins of a few can have a powerful effect upon the force of the collective. The Israelites, flushed with the victory over Jericho, were soundly defeated before the lesser city of Ai. The reason? Israel had committed a trespass. No, not every one in Israel, but only one man. Achan kept for himself some of the booty captured in Jericho, all of which was to be “devoted” to God. God was implored by Joshua, and the collective guilt was revealed by Him (Joshua 7:10-12).

Why should the sin of one man cause the downfall of a whole nation? We might easily conclude from this that guilt can be transferred from one individual to another, but this idea would violate many other Bible passages. It is just as easy, however, to see that God used this method to magnify the influence of sin in the collective. It was wrong for them to tolerate sin in their midst. They must rid their number of its influence before their conquests could succeed.

Paul spoke of this problem to the Galatians. He said, “. . . who hindered you that you should not obey the truth? . . . a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump . . . he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment” (Gal. 5:7-10). He warned the Corinthians of the same fault. The “one” who had his father’s wife must be delivered unto Satan. “Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump” (1 Cor. 5:1-7). So, the toleration of sinful individuals can rob the collective, the church, of its full force. It can be defeated.

Perhaps the churches of today are not gaining conquests for the very reason that Joshua’s army was defeated, and because of the lack of collective faith. Should not this example remind us of our duty to make these corrections? Yea, verily!

Truth Magazine, XVIII:31, p. 12-13
June 6, 1974

By Al Diestelkamp

Christians throughout the ages have moved about from place to place for one reason or another. This is good, because it enables the gospel to be spread to places where it would otherwise not go, and increase in areas where workers are few and far between. Early Christians, faced with severe persecution, after being instructed for a time by the apostles, were “scattered abroad.” Then we learn that “they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:1, 4). Persecution has not in our era caused brethren to move, but large corporations move thousands of families each year from one end of the country to the other. Some of the transferred employees are Christians, who suddenly find themselves in strange surroundings in their efforts to serve the Lord.

It is surprising, the number of Christians who will accept transfers to other parts of the country, go there and buy a house, move in, and then begin to look for a faithful congregation with which to work and worship. This might be an acceptable approach if you are being transferred to some area where the Lord’s church is strong, but if the move is to one of the large metropolitan areas in the north, it can be very discouraging unless you delight in driving great distances. This is not meant to discourage brethren from accepting transfers to the north (quite the contrary-I wish more would), but to suggest that more effort be put into investigating the whereabouts of faithful brethren before you “leap.” Especially is this important if your transfer is to one of the five massive metropolitan areas located in the northeastern seaboard region of our nation. If you choose a suburban home near New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Boston or Baltimore, you may find it rather inconvenient to attend the one or two congregations in each of these areas.

When contemplating a move, let me suggest that you let your fingers do the walking-no, not through the Yellow Pages, but through the ads in the gospel papers published by faithful brethren. Contact (before you choose a residence) brethren in that area and get their help in locating a truly sound congregation.

I am convinced that at least one faithful congregation in each metropolitan area would do well to advertise in one, or all of the gospel papers that carry such ads. The insinuation by some that this is a “back-door” means of supporting publishing ventures is false and misleading. It is no more that than placing an ad in the Yellow Pages is a “back-door” attempt to support that publication. They are both valuable means of advertisement that usually prove to be worth every penny spent. In our own case in the Philadelphia area, Christians come from all over that great area (including Camden, N.J. and Wilmington, Del.) to the only congregation which is actively opposing present liberal trends. Several of these Christians have expressed the fact that they would not have known of the existence of the Avondale church, except for such an ad.

In addition to the obvious benefit to the congregation here; the ads have served many vacationing brethren who were willing to go out of their way to be able to worship with like-minded brethren. This in itself would be incentive enough to continue such ads, but even this small service reaps plentiful blessings in the form of encouragement we receive from these good brethren.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:31, p. 12
June 6, 1974