Truth Magazine

By Bill Reeves

The Preterist-View of prophecy denies that there will be a future, bodily resurrection of the dead from the graves! King, therefore, runs right into the face of such passages as Jn. 5:28, 29 and 1 Cor. 15, but he has the special “tools” of an A. D. 70 Advocate to “explain away” the obvious import of these and other related passages.

The context of 1 Cor. 15:12-58 has to do with the literal dead being raised, if Christ was literally raised from the literal dead (and even King admits that Christ was!) But the Preterist-View doctrine makes the discussion of our resurrection one from a figurative death (the dead and decayed “body” of Judaism). But, on the other hand, King (wanting to have his cake and eat it, too) invents his “secondary application” when he is in a tight and needs some Scripture to refer to what happens to us when we die. He then uses some verses from 1 Cor. 15 in his “secondary application.” If we could convince ourselves that God has favored King with such liberty with the Scriptures, we could more easily be taken in by his fanciful doctrine!

To Christ, as Savior and Mediator, all authority in heaven and on earth was given (Matt. 28:18). As such Christ is now reigning and will, Paul says, “till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be abolished is death.” This “death” is just as literal as “dead” in v. 20. At such time, Paul says, Christ “will deliver up the kingdom to God.” His mediatorial reign shall have ended. Of course, the reign of Christ and God in our hearts will never end, if we are faithful unto death, and are saved unto that heavenly kingdom, and have entrance into that eternal kingdom (1 Tim. 4:18; 2 Pet. 1: 11). That will be when He comes the “second time,” not as Mediator and Savior, but as Judge (Heb. 9: 28; Acts 17:31).

But King must deny that at some date future from now Christ will deliver up the kingdom to God. He had to “deliver it up” back in A. D. 70! So, he must deny the obvious meaning of “deliver up,” and give it a forced interpretation. Listen to him: On the word “till” he says: it means “when he really begins to reign in power; not a cessation of activity but a gathering up to a state of absolute power and perfection.” “The word till does not denote cessation of reign, but rather points to a time and an event that will be the zenith of his reign.” A-144 He does not tell us where he gets this “zenith” business! He issues the following challenge: “I challenge anyone to show that Christ is going to give up (his chosen phrase BHR) the kingdom! Hell have it for ever and for ever and for ever!” Well, Brother King, we will be glad to accommodate you, by using a version you yourself turn to when the wording in the KJV does not suit your play-on-words: Berrys Interlinear. It reads, “When he shall have given up the kingdom.” (P. 465). Of course Christ shall reign forever, and has an everlasting kingdom, but He will not reign forever as Mediator, with all authority given to Him. King, do you believe that time will continue forever -time as we know it? All authority was given to Christ for His mediatorial reign, and when that phase of His reigning is terminated, that authority shall be returned, and that is what the apostle Paul is saying in I Cor. 15. That people, saved and mediated by Christ, will be saved forever, and in that sense the kingdom is spoken of as eternal. That phase of the kingdom is yet ahead.

Let us look at Thayers definition of the Greek word translated “deliver up: ” “to give over into (ones) power, or use” (P. 481). The same Greek word (paradidomi) is found in John 19:30. and is translated in the KJV (of all places! ), “give up.” So, to “deliver up” is the very same idea as “give up,” and King is challenging for anyone to show the very thing that the apostle Paul declares! We simply turn over to Paul this play-on-word-artist.

Now, since he likes challenges so well, we issue him one: Show us a version or Greek authority that translates paradidomi (deliver up) as “raise up or restore to rightful place.” A-144 What a definition! And King has the audacity to issue challenges on definitions after such a wild one as that! He must think mighty highly of himself to expect people to accept his verbal inventions on no higher authority than his “ipse dixit.”

King conveniently divides 1 Cor. 15 into sections. See pages 199-201. He says that vv. 1-20 is “given to the bodily resurrection of Christ himself.” Note the phrase, “bodily resurrection.” He uses this in reference to Christs resurrection, but will not use it in reference to anyone eises. Elsewhere he refers to the “traditional resurrection doctrine” A-211 as advocating a fleshly resurrection A-217 in distinction to his “spiritual resurrection.” “The resurrection is spiritual and not fleshly.” A-222 Repeatedly he contrasts “the fleshly view” A-225 with the “spiritual view.” A-197 He speaks of the “literal body view” A-192 as opposed to the “spiritual body view.” A-195 This special phraseology is used for effect! If one takes anything literal, he is fleshly, according to King! We believe in a bodily resurrection, but King insists on representing us as believing in a fleshly one. He believes in the bodily resurrection of Christ, but will not represent us as believing in a bodily resurrection of the dead, sometime future from now. According to King, ours is a fleshly view, a literal view, the traditional view!

Then, doing a switch on us, he gets off of the bodily resurrection and from v. 21 to v. 58 he gets on his so-called “spiritual resurrection,” while the apostle Paul stays on the same subject, vv. 12-58, and that is, the physical, bodily resurrection of the dead! On Kings sections from v. 2 1 to v. 58, he uses his own invention of “Primary resurrection” and “secondary resurrection.” applying these sections primarily to “the rise of the Christian system itself” out of Judaism, once Jerusalem was destroyed, and secondarily to what happens to a man at death. … His natural body that was sown (verse 44) answers to the fleshly or carnal system of Judaism … from which came the spiritual body … Judaism answers to the field or the world in which the good seed was sown (Matt. 13:37, 38). This natural body, receiving its death blow at the cross and beginning then to wax old and decay (Heb. 8: 13), became a nursery or seed body for the germination, growth, and development of the spiritual body by means of the, gospel. Thus, out of the decay of Judaism arose the spiritual body of Christianity that became fully developed or resurrected by the end-time. Hence, this is the primary meaning of Pauls statement, It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. – A-200 so, thats how King manhandles 1 Cor. 15:21-58, while Paul sticks with his subject of a bodily resurrection, just like Christs!

King denies that the “graves” of Jn. 5:28,29 are literal. A-219 He makes this passage deal “with spiritual, no physical death.” A-219 “. . .the end of Judaism . . . is the resurrection of John 5:28,29.” A-220 Before the Preachers Meeting he said, “Yes, I believe Jesus arose physically from the dead,” but of us he says, “personally, I dont hold to the view that there is a physical resurrection.” “A physical resurrection, however, is denied.” A-204.

Well, after all of Kings misrepresentation of our position, and all of his play-on-words, Jesus still is on record as saying, “. . . all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth,” and Paul, also, saying, “It is sown … it is raised.” That which will be raised a spiritual body is the same as that which was sown. Of course we do not believe that a fleshly body will come from the grave, but that a spiritual body will, and will be the resurrection of that very body which was buried. 1 Cor. 15 describes the body in the grave as that which was “first,” natural… terrestrial, corruptible, “weak,” “earthly,” “flesh and blood,” and mortal,” and declares that it will be resurrected a spiritual body. This is what King denies that the passage teaches. No wonder King does not believe in a bodily resurrection and will not properly represent us as so believing. He hopes by tying “fleshly” onto us we will be “scared” into his Preterist-View heresy!

He denies that Phil. 3: 21 is yet to be fulfilled. According to him it does not refer to the physical body at all! “Why did he use the plural,our and the singular body, if he were talking about a general resurrection of individual dead bodies?” A-194 “The redemption of our body (not bodies) in Rom. 8:23 is equated with our vile body (not bodies) in Phil. 3:21, and corresponds to the redemption of the purchased possession or church in Eph. 1: 14.” A- 194

King, by his forced interpretation of Rom. 8:23 and Phil. 3:21, gets himself into many difficulties. If the singular word “body” refers to the church, as a spiritual body, then he has the church “vile,” and has Paul referring to “our” church! But Paul in Rom. 8:18-25 contrasts the sufferings in the physical body with the glory of the physical body once it is redeemed. In saying “our body,” he uses the part of speech which we call a “synecdoche,” wherein the part is put for the whole (as fifty sails, for fifty ships). King wants to play on the fact that the word “body” is singular. Let him try his little play on 4:23, “your spirit” (did all the Philippians have but one spirit?); on 1 Thess. 5:23, “your spirit and soul and body” (did they have but one of each? or, if the “body” is the church, what is the “spirit” and the “soul?”); on Heb. 10:22, “our hearts” (plural), but “our body washed with pure water” (is the church baptized, King, or are individual bodies baptized? The Greek text says “body,” not “bodies;” therefore, “body” as in the ASV and NASV).

In Phil. 3:21 the Greek text says, as the ASV renders it, “the body of our humiliation,” or as the NASV, “the body of our humble state,” and not “our vile body.” Paul is contrasting v. 20 with v. 21. Whereas the enemies of the cross had only earthly citizenship, a glory pertaining to appetites of the belly, and an end characterized by perdition, Christians have a heavenly citizenship, a promise some day of the glorified body like Christs for the physical body which in this life is subjected to humiliation, and an end characterized by salvation. Paul uses the singular, “body,” just as he uses the singular, “spirit,” in 4:23, etc. The one body is characteristic of each, individual one, and therefore the one is put for the many. This is common in the Scriptures. Note I Jn. 3:19-21, “our heart.” But King knew this when he perverted Rom. 8: 23 and Phil. 3: 2 1. He has a theory to defend!  Route 3

 

TRUTH MAGAZINE XVII: 14, pp. 9-11
February 8, 1973

By Larry Ray Hafley

The title of our essay from the pen of the peerless apostle Paul is especially pertinent to any consideration of Matthew 15:1-20.

Matthew 15:1-20

In this text, Jesus calls the tradition of the Jews “your tradition” and the “commandments of men.” These traditions were sacred, hallowed rites that claimed Divine authorship and had been for ages and generations most minutely and meticulously observed. Jesus, the Truth, goes to the core of these religious rituals. He shows that the traditions of the fathers had their origin or source in men, their result in making worship vain and the word void, and their end in condemnation. “Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up.”

The Lord was approached and reproached for the behavior of his disciples. “Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.” Jesus fully dealt with this charge. First, he charges their tradition with transgression. Secondly, he says it is “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”

“It Is A Gift”

“For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” Two things inhere here. ( 1) God requires honor, blessing, or care of children for their parents. This is positive duty. (2) God specifies a condemnation of those who fail to perform their responsibility to their parents, and should one even curse father or mother, “let him die the death.” However, the Jewish tradition said that if one consecrated his savings to the temple or to some other service of God, he was released from the responsibility of succoring or honoring his parents. “It was further ruled that if a son, from any motive whatever pronounced any aid to his parents to be corban (that is to say, a gift -Mk. 7:11), he was thenceforward precluded from affording them help” (Pulpit Commentary). So, their tradition offset or made void the word of God.

All traditions of men have this same fatal flaw. It matters not how highly a practice is venerated or how piously it has been perpetuated, if it is not in the revealed word of the Lord it makes worship vain and the word void. “Infant baptism” is an example. It appears to be an innocent tradition. What harm can there be, though it be not taught in the Scripture, of sprinkling an infant? Volumes have been written on this theme, but briefly, this “innocent” tradition contradicts the nature of the New Covenant. The New Testament includes those who know the Lord, who have the Lords laws in their hearts. It encompasses those who will not have to be taught to “Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest” (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-11). Baby baptism excludes and precludes other scriptural acts which are to precede immersion; namely, faith, repentance, and confession (Mk. 10: 16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:9, 10). This is a second serious indictment and conviction. So. infant sprinkling is not innocent, but guilty. It is not harmless, but deadly (Matt. 15:8. 9, 1:3).

Mechanical instruments and other corruptions of the worship of the church after the New Testament order are other items that stand accused and accursed as human traditions that should be steadfastly exposed and opposed.

Perversions of the work and organization of local churches are likewise the result of human appendages being fused and joined to the New Testament structure. Charging the church with works not assigned to it are traditions of men. Supplying the church with additional activity naturally forges the necessity for supplementing it with further organizational arrangements, all of which are devised, designed and delivered by men.

But a tradition of men, whether it comes from within or without the faith, is a pollution of the Divine order. The Divine arrangement is perfect and any change is essentially a change for the worse. A human alteration is a Divine abomination.

The lesson of Matthew 15 and of all Scripture is that traditions of men render it impossible for one to please God. A tradition of men nullifies the word of God. Further, every tradition of God must be diligently observed and preserved. It remains for all who love the Lord and who want to go to heaven to reject the traditions of their fathers and to return to the traditions of the Father as revealed in the word of God.

TRUTH MAGAZINE XVII: 14, pp. 7-8
February 8, 1973

By Rolland W. Fritz

God is the source of all truth (Isaiah 46:9-10; John 17:17). Gods authority In the New Testament dispensation, and therefore in the time in which we are living, is revealed and exercised through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1: 1-2; Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1: 17-23; Matthew 17:5; John 12:48). We find this authority plainly set forth by the disciples who spoke and wrote the Bible under the influence of the Holy Spirit (John 16: 13; 14:20: 2 Timothy 3: 16-17).Therefore, the ones who are following the only safe course in religion today are the ones following the Bible. The others are following courses of men, which will lead to destruction and damnation (Matthew 15: 7-14).

TRUTH MAGAZINE XVII: 14, pp.5-6
February 8, 1973

By Ferrell Jenkins

For over four years the Cogdill Foundation has been engaged in a project to produce and publish a totally new series of Bible class literature for use by churches of Christ. This work has come out of the almost universally recognized need for new and improved material. The project has been far more demanding than any of us ever imagined it would be. We are now to the point that we believe it is safe to announce a date for the publication of the material. The realization of this goal is based on the Lords continued help.

Preparation of the Curriculum

About six months were spent in working out the curriculum for the new series of literature. This involved a careful study of what should be included in a Scriptural, well-balanced, educationally sound curriculum. It involved a close examination of other literature series published by our brethren. Also some literature produced by denominational publishers was studied for ideas pertaining to education levels and format. The advice of experienced people was sought at every step.

Our curriculum was planned to take the student through the Bible each three years. The only exception to this is in the Senior High level where more time is spent in New Testament studies. More emphasis is placed on the Old Testament in the earlier grades. For example, in the Primary level we have eight quarters of Old Testament study and four quarters of New Testament study. In the junior level we have seven quarters of Old Testament study and five quarters of New Testament study. In junior High the pupil will study the Old Testament for five quarters, but the New Testament will be studied for seven quarters.

Series Title is

TRUTH IN LIFE

It was only after months of work that the title for this series of literature was decided upon. We intended to prepare such a series of material as to cause the truth (Gods Word, the gospel) to be reproduced in the life of the student. The presentation of facts is necessary, but we are seeking to instill the Truth into & heart of the student in such a way as to cause him to apply and reproduce it in his life.

The new Truth in Life series is so arranged that it can be used with Walking With God, which is also published by the Cogdill Foundation. If churches will begin with Truth in Life on Sunday morning and Walking With God on Wednesday night and continue with the outlined curriculum, there will be no duplication of lessons.

 

The Editors and Writers

Roy E. Cogdill has served as the Editor in Chief for the new series. He has been assisted by Ferrell Jenkins and Cecil Willis as Associate Editors. Jenkins has been charged primarily with editing and illustrating; Willis has worked largely in production. More than 30 writers have been engaged in the production of this new material. Those chosen as writers combined the qualities of fidelity to the Word of God in teaching and life, practical experience, and lesson writing ability. In some cases we have assigned the same book to as many as five different writers before getting it completed. All of the writers were competent but they just did not get the job done. Due to the fact that some of the material is still being written we will not list here all of the writers.

TRUTH IN LIFE is Group-Graded

The new Truth in Life literature is group graded. This means that all students within a group will use the same material. The groups are Pre-School; Primary (Grades 1-3); Junior (grades 4-6); Junior High (Grades 7-9); Senior High (Grades 10-12). This arrangement makes the material suitable for both small and large congregations. Teachers manuals are available for each book in the Pre-School through Junior High levels.

Guidelines For The Series

Before any writers were chosen some guidelines were set down to govern the production of the material. It was our intention to produce a series of literature that is: (1) True to the Bible. The Bible is viewed as a special Divine revelation of the mind of God and verbally inspired. Prophecy and miracles are seen as demonstrations of Divine power. Jesus is presented as the only begotten Son of God. (2) Well-balanced. A proper balance of Bible material, including both Old and New Testaments, and all Bible doctrines, make up the curriculum. The series is also well rounded in its presentation of Bible facts and the application to the students lives. (3) Educationally Sound. Each lesson takes into account the proven laws of teaching and learning. Only those aids and methods which will best help the teacher to present the lesson in order that the student may best learn will be suggested.

Every lesson was to be prepared with the realization of the three aspects of effective learning: cognitive, affective and motoric. These principles of learning may be stated more simply in the form of questions: What do I want the pupil to know (the facts of the lesson)?, What do I want him to feel (the attitudes) ?, and What do I want him to do (the actions in life)?

Questions Answered

When will the TRUTH IN LIFE literature go on sale? The Lord willing, this material will go on sale September 1, 197 3. This means that the churches can use it when they make 1heir promotions and begin the fall quarter on October 7, 1973. We plan to have all books for the first year printed and in the warehouse by that time. This will assure churches that we can supply their needs for the year. A small church will use the first book in each group or department. Larger churches may be using the same book in two or three classes. For example, if a church has a separate class for grades 4. 5, kind 6 they will use the same book in each class. In October of 1974 ail of the grade four students will be promoted to grade five. Grade four, which will be made up entirely of new students, will use the same books again. Grades five and six will use the second year of material, which will be in print by that time. We intend to prepare a booklet showing how churches of varying sizes may use the new literature.

What will be the cost of the new literature? At this writing we have not determined the cost of either the student books or the teachers manuals. The price will be announced well in advance of the sale date. We are attempting to keep the cost low, but the size and quality of the booklets may call for a price slightly higher than the Walking With God series.

What about examination copies? Shortly, we hope to have some examination packets of the first quarters material available for distribution. Watch the magazine for an announcement.

Who will sell the TRUTH IN LIFE series? The material may be purchased through the Truth Magazine Bookstore or through the dealer from which you presently buy your Bible class supplies.

Have you prepared any adult material Some work has been done on college age and adult level books, but the main thrust has been given to the pre-school through high school levels. Since no adults previously have used this material we are suggesting that adults classes use the Senior High material for the first year. After one year it may prove impractical for adult classes to continue this practice because of the promotion of high school classes into the higher levels. It is conceivable that in some circumstances adult classes could use ail three years of the high school material. The Cogdill Foundation publishes a number of study booklets suitable for adult classes.

Will you keep brethren informed of the progress on the series? By all means, Watch Truth Magazine for all-important announcements; concerning the new literature.

TRUTH MAGAZINE XVII: 14, pp.5-6
February 8, 1973