Truth Magazine

By Cecil Willis

Larry Ray Haffley

Some of our brethren are bard to convince. There are some who still think that none of the colleges is openly seeking congregational financial donations. David Lipscomb College started its preparation for brotherhood acceptance of its solicitation of congregational funds several years ago. Herald of Truth speaker, Batsell Barrett Baxter, wrote a booklet and circulated some 50,000 copies of it in which he stated that congregational support of institutional orphan homes and colleges stand or fall together.

The Lipscomb Review (Winter Quarter 19 7 2) just came to my desk a few days ago. In this bulletin, Lipscomb College states, “You can encourage congregations to include financial support for Lipscombs program of daily Bible instruction in the budget each year.” Many of our liberal brethren (like Reuel Lemmons and Clifton Inman, editors of the Firm Foundation and Bible Herald respectively) affect to be strongly opposed to church support of colleges. Now lets see how much they have to say about Lipscombs latest effort to thrust its fingers into the budgets of churches.

Since Lemmons, Inman, and the Lipscomb gang are so united in opposing “Anti-ism,” my guess is that Lemmons and Inman and their kind will judiciously keep quiet while Lipscomb works its ploy.

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 50, p. 2a
October 26, 1972

By Larry Ray Haffley

(The following words were spoken by J. W. McGarvey to J.P. Sewell in 1902. We hope that these sad words will be of sobering benefit to all our readers. They are recorded in Biographical Sketches of Restoration Preachers, from a lecture by Sewell.)

“You are on the right road, and whatever you do dont let anybody persuade you that you can successfully combat error by fellowshipping it and going along with it. I have tried. I believed at the start that was the only way to do it. Ive never held membership in a congregation that uses instrumental music. I have, however, accepted invitations to preach without distinctions between churches that used it and churches that didnt. Ive gone along with their papers and magazines and things of that sort. During all these years I have taught the truth as the New Testament teaches it, to every young preacher who has passed through the College of the Bible. Yet, I do not know of more than six of those men who are preaching the truth today. It wont work.”

A brief comment on these words is in order. Brother McGarveys advice is something that is particularly pertinent at the moment. There are efforts being made in several quarters to attempt something in the way of greater association among those who are known as the Lords people only. It is a movement in which I have personally participated, and without regret. However, real candor demands that I note little over which to be encouraged that such efforts will be fruitful. It will be a pleasure for me to have opportunity to preach among brethren who have alienated themselves from us over mechanical instruments in worship, or institutions through which some churches are working, or centralized sponsorship by a church; I will be glad to speak to denominational churches – any! However, after such an opportunity it would not likely be thought, either by them or me, that I was making no distinctions between churches, going along with them, or fellowshipping their error! This is the crucial point we must never fail to grasp. We need not – yea, we dare not become isolationists in our practices or our attitudes. But, we dare not and cannot encourage them, or anyone, in error. The words of 2 John 9-11 are fittingly appropriate now. “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” Enough said.

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 50, p. 2
October 26, 1972

Ray Ferris

 

By Donald P. Ames

Larry Ray Haffley

Many times objections are raised to the fact Christ said, “The way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.” (Matt. 7:13). These claim that such an attitude toward our fellow-man and the Bible is “narrow-minded,” and that actually all sincere people will be going to heaven. In spite of the statement of Christ in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes unto the Father but through me,” we are repeatedly told that there are many ways and it does not matter which we select-they are all going to the same place.

Still, the Bible does affirm that there is but “one faith” (Eph. 4: 6). Even the N.T. disciples were branded because of their conviction in the singular nature of the way of salvation. Note the following passages taken from the book of Acts: Paul went to Damascus to arrest and brings to trial all he found belonging to “the Way” (9:2). “The Way” was evil spoken, of by the multitude (19:9) and a disturbance was caused over “the Way” at Ephesus (19:23). Paul acknowledged he served God according to “THE Way” (24:14) and even Felix had knowledge of “the Way” (24:22).

Such a study hardly implies the Bible teaches many ways to salvation. Christ said, “The way is narrow that leads to life and few are those who find it” (Matt. 7:14). Would you rather trust the teaching of men in something as important as the salvation of your soul?

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 49, p. 13
October 19, 1972

By Mike Willis

Paul in Corinth

Larry Ray Haffley

When Paul arrived in Corinth, he had reached “the most advantageously located city in Greece” for his purpose of spreading the gospel throughout the world. Commerce drew men from all over the world, as also did the famous isthmian games.1 Archaeology has found several things in this city relative to the New Testament.

Luke said that Paul reasoned with the Jews in the synagogue for a while. That Jewish people were in large enough number to have a synagogue is amazing in so distant a place from Palestine. In excavations in 1898, a stone was uncovered which bore seven letters which, when restored, said “Synagogue of the Hebrews.” “The stone once formed the lintel of a door and bore an inscription in Greek letters . . . Other discoveries in the neighborhood indicate that this was a residence quarter of the city, and we learn from Acts 18:7 that the house of Titus Justus where apparently Paul organized the first church in Corinth, joined hard to the synagogue.” 2

Paul stayed in Corinth over a year. When Gallio became proconsul of Achaia, the Jews unsuccessfully tried to prosecute Paul before the judgment seat of this ruler. An inscription found at Delphi spoke of Gallio as proconsul of Achaia. 3 The inscription is dated 51-52 A.D., coinciding with Pauls period in Corinth. Even “his Judgment seat has been identified in the ruins of the ancient city…” 4

While at Corinth on his third journey, Paul wrote the letter to the church at Rome in which he said, “Erastus, the city-treasurer greets you.” 5 Earlier mention of a man named Erastus occurred in Acts 19:22 when Paul sent hi and Timothy ahead of him into Macedonia. Another reference to him in 2 Tim. 4:20 said, “Erastus remained in Corinth. . . .” “In the course of excavations at Corinth in 1929 Professor T. L. Shear found a pavement bearing the inscription . . . which in translation reads, Erastus, procurator and aedile, laid this pavement at his own expense. An article was later written in the Journal of Hellenic Studies by A. W. Woodward, who remarked, The evidence indicated that this pavement existed in the first century A.D. and it is most probable that the donor is identical with Erastus the friend of Paul who is mentioned in the Epistle to the Romans. . . . Most scholars today are agreed that there is no good reason why the man who prepared the pavement inscription should not be the same as Erastus the chamberlain.” 6

In the first letter which Paul sent back to the church at Corinth, he instructed them concerning their course of action in eating meats. He said, “Eat anything that is sold in the meat market, without asking questions for conscience sake.” 7 The meat market in Corinth has also been located. Cadbury says, “Almost the only Latin word used by Paul in his Greek letters is the macellum, or meat market at Corinth. This word also is now found in some Latin inscriptions dug up there. The excavators have uncovered now the Roman market itself.” 8

In the same epistle written back to the church at Corinth, Paul must certainly have had in mind the Isthmian games when he compared the fight of faith” to their athletic competition. Here is that passage:

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we are imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.” 9

It takes just a slight stretch of ones imagination to conjecture that perhaps the young preacher Timothy might have been so impressed by the sight of these games that lie might have become interested in competing at some future date to such an extent that lie became so overly involved in his exercise program that Paul had to write:

“On the other hand discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily exercise is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” 10 Whatever the situation, it makes a good theory!

Footnotes

I . Oscar Broneer, “The Apostle Paul and the Isthmian Games,” The Biblical Archaeologist, Reader 2, ed. David Noel Freedman and Edward F. Campbell, Jr. (Garden City: Anchor Books, 1964), p. 395.

2. George A. Barton, Archaeology and the Bible (Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1946), p. 264.

3. R. K. Harrison, Archaeology of the New Testament (New York: Association Press, 1964), p. 43.

4. Henry J. Cadbury, The Book of Acts in History (New York: Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1955), p. 44.

5. Rom. 16:23.

6. James A. Thompson, The Bible and Archaeology (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968), pp. 397-398.

7. 1 Cor. 10:25.

8. Op. Cit., Cadbury, p. 44.

9. 1 Cor. 9:24-27.

10. 1 Tim. 4:7.8.

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 49, pp. 8-9
October 19, 1972