Truth Magazine

By James Sanders

The voice of God what can be said of it? Multitudes have heard the Word of the Lord but few have heard His voice.

God prepared Moses to receive the Law by the voice of a trumpet which grew louder and louder with each note (Ex. 19:19). Every wandering thought was brought home; attention was fixed and the occasion solemnized. And then the Lord spoke in a peal of thunder. Such is the voice of God.

The Apostle John was likewise prepared to hear the Lord. There was the call of a great voice as of a trumpet (Rev. 1:10). John identified Him whom He heard as the Son of man. His voice was as the sound of many or rushing waters (verse 15). This is the description of the voice of God in Ezekiel 43: 2: “his voice was like a noise of many waters.” Daniel likened the voice of God to the voice of a multitude (Dan. 10:6).

When the Lord speaks He can and will make Himself heard to those who are afar off as well as to those who are near.

But the voice of God is not confined to one note. It may be like the terrifying surge of waters or the crash of thunder. But that same voice of God can be like a still small voice. Elijah so heard Him (I Kgs 19:12). The voice of God can thunder in terrifying and majestic rebuke; and the voice of God can soothe with the comfort of a mother over her hurt child.

Application

Let the servants of the Lord take note. Those who speak as the oracles of God must rebuke and reprove in thunderous tones but let them also exhort with all longsuffering (2 Tim 4:2).

The Lord of hosts would have His spokesmen to cry a loud; spare not and lift up their voice like a trumpet (Isa. 58: 1). And the Lord of hosts would also have His spokesmen to comfort ye, comfort ye my people (Isa. 40: 1). Let the servants of the Lord be as their Master.

“Jack Christians”

It is possible that you may never have heard the expression titling this article. The other day while reading an article on the Mormon Church, mention was made of “Jack Mormons.” After reading the definition of a “Jack Mormon”, I decided that we had quite a few “Jack Christians” in the church. What is a Jack Mormon? The Mormons define him as cne who brays like an ass, but pulls no weight in the traces.

It seems to me that the church is filled with people who do a lot of braying, but little work Every Lords Day, at least one-half of the Christians in the world do not attend Bible Study. The work of each congregation has to be done by one-fourth of its members. Three fourths of the money contributed to support the Work is given by this same one-fourth of the members. So approximately three-fourths of the members say “Lord, Lord,” but do not Hi will. They sing “Oh, How I Love Jesus” and “I Love Thy Kingdom Lord,” but never put their shoulder to the wheel, or pull any weight in the traces. Their only “work” consists of their braying about bow much they love the Lord and His church!

Real Christians must work out their own salvation (Phil. 2:12), abound “in the work of the Lord” (I Cor. 15:58), “work the works of Him that hath sent me while it is day” (Jno. 9:4). I ask you dear brother or sister, are you doing these things? Are you busy with the Lords work? Is your braying equaled by your work? Or, are you one of the “Jack Christians with which the Lords Church is unfortunately so thickly populated?

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 32, p. 2M
June 15, 1972

By J. T. Smith

The above headline, taken from The Graphic, the official newspaper of Pepperdine College in Los Angeles, California, introduces another step toward complete digression and apostasy by those who are in charge of that school. The article says, “A Jesus Music Festival Pepperdines first — will be presented free of charge at 7:30 Friday night in the University auditorium.” “The festival will feature a variety of contemporary music, ranging from hard rock (in the Chicago style) to folk tunes. Three groups — the Philharmonic, the Dennis Ryder trio, and the Hallelujah singers from Calvary Chapel — will perform.” “Ted Switzer, former public relations head for the Beverly Hillbillies and other Film way productions, will be master of ceremonies.” “Personal testimonies will be given by Tom Harris and Bill Lawerence. Harris was co-producer of The Cross and the Switchblade, the film story of David Wilkersons evangelism among New York street gangs. Lawerence is a deacon at the Vermont Avenue church of Christ and a speech therapist at North High School in Torrance… Festival worker Tom Barber expects the concert to explode the campus wide-open, spiritually. We expect people to get a new and different outlook on Jesus as a person. We want to present His life as real and vital to our lives in the Twentieth Century.”

Just one week later, February 17, 1972, The Graphic ran another article entitled “Jesus Music Festival Here Attracts 700 for Worship.” The article starts out, “I worshipped show business for a long time-now I worship Jesus.” “The statement was made by Fed Switzer in his opening remarks as emcee for the Jesus Music Festival in the auditorium Friday night.” “Switzer, who has worked as public relations director for The Beverly Hillbillies and has been involved with show business since 1948 stressed that theres a real difference between knowing the Son of God and knowing that Hes the Lord of your life.” “Testimony such as Switzers was a major I part of the festival.” “Several types of music were presented during the evening.” In addition to telling the names of those who performed, this article adds that Dennis Ryder and Steve Snell, folk-country singers, accompanied themselves on piano and guitar. The Philharmonic group, composed of 12 members, featuring drums, electric guitars, and a strong brass section, “shared some of their experiences in changing from a professional group to one that performs for the Lord.”

Also, in another article in the February 10 issue of The Graphic, entitled “Revolution Through Education, “they told of a Catholic folk mass, folkloric dancers, and rock groups on campus.” And this is supposed to be “worship”?

What Constitutes Worship?

For a number of years the denominational world has argued that “worship” consists of “testimonies,” “playing on instruments of music,” etc. Now, those who were once counted as “faithful brethren in the Lord” are allowing such to be termed “worship.” Jesus said, you will recall, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Both of these things are necessary. It is not enough to have the enthusiasm, doing what you do with all your might. Saying Hes Lord in your life is one thing. Worship must also be according to truth. Paul expressed the same thought in different words. He said, “My hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal for God but not according to knowledge. For they going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:3). No doubt, those who put on the “Festival” have a “zeal for God.” The problem is – it is “not according to knowledge.” The question that comes to my mind is why are those brethren (1) who are in charge of the school allowing such foolishness to be presented under the guise of “worship?” And besides that, A Catholic Folk-Mass???

What About Those Who Sanction or Endorse Pepperdine??

Many have known for a number of years that brethren were drifting away from truth, and closer to digression and complete apostasy. Many brethren have counted those of us who have cried out against the first steps (taking such positions as “there is no New Testament Pattern in Benevolence” etc.) as being radicals, hobbyists, and antis. What are they going to say now that these “first steps” have taken brethren into such digression as this? Also, what about those who get so upset when you point out the steps away from the truth that men like Ira North and others have taken in all of the institutionalism, begging money for colleges, social affairs and many other un-scriptural things they have engaged in; now that they are encouraging, with full-page ads in religious publications, our young people to go to Pepperdine College to receive their education at the feet of men like Frank Pack, William Banowsky, President of Pepperdine, and others who allow such “goings on” as the above mentioned things, to be “fed” to our young people under the guise of “worship”? If these are the kind of things that are being taught and practiced by brethren, and they are, we are not just about to have digression among some who were once counted as “faithful”, they are already there.

The words that the Lord had John to write to Christians in the church at Sardis would seem very appropriate to me, as we attempt to exhort these brethren to come back to the truth. “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” “He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Rev. 3:1, 3, 5, 6). May God help us all to study His Word and abide by its teachings while we have life upon this earth.

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 31, pp. 11-13
June 8, 1972

By Colly Caldwell

The book of First Corinthians is the most comprehensive single study of the local church in all the New Testament. Perhaps the central characteristic of a local congregation is best described in Paid’s admonition: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be. no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (I Cor. I: 10).

With that verse in mind, a local church may be defined as a group of Christians meeting in one place who have love for and fellowship with one another and who have agreed to speak and do together those things which God has given them to speak and do collectively.

The term “church” is a collective noun and therefore one Christian is not “the church” (universal) or “a church” (local) … (cf. I Cor. 12:12-14, 18-20). Each Christian is, however, a member of the body Q Cor. 12:15-17), and important to it as a working part (I Cor. 12: 2 1 27). Each Christian is given personal responsibilities to be done individually, and he is given collective responsibilities to be done together with other Christians. One may not isolate himself from other Christians in his general locale without avoiding many extremely important responsibilities given to him by God. The idea that I may be a Christian and not a member of a local congregation, if one exists near me, is false to the core. If faithful brethren are joined in the Lord’s work in the area where I live, I must fulfill my collective responsibilities.

If one does not exist near me, I must attempt to teach men the Gospel and thereby bring one about.

Not every responsibility of the Christian is in the realm of collective action; thus, one cannot say that every action of the Christian is the church at work … or at play … or in sin … or doing good. It is true, that my personal responsibilities sometimes affect the collectivity either for good or bad, but that does not imply that the church has done what I have done. Our brethren who have supported human institutions to do the church’s work on the ground that when the individual Christian acts the church is necessarily also acting must see this truth. I may murder a man and my family suffer tremendously, but the facts that I am a member of the family and that the family has been affected by my action do not legally incriminate the family unit.

Now, understanding that as a member of a body acting together, I must function with the others, and understanding that acting personally as a Christian my works may affect the church, I feel a grave responsibility to the local church of which I am a member. The book of First Corinthians will serve as a guide in viewing that responsibility.

1. My responsibility to the local church of which I am a member is to be free from divisiveness (I Cor. 1). Churches need so badly to be united within themselves upon the word of God. The church at Corinth was literally torn apart by the attitudes of the member parts. They wished to be divided. Theirs was not a question of doctrinal belief. They simply would not get along (I Cor. 1:10-16; 11: 17-21; 4:67; 6:1-7). Some are so self-willed that they will divide the body of the Lord over trivial, meaningless questions or over matters which are purely determined by judgment or expediency. The attitude of many is: “I will have my own way or I will tear up the church!” The words of Paul. . . Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil. 2:3), are so very timely for churches today.

2. My responsibility to the local church of which I am a member is to stand upon the revealed word of God (I Cor. 2). In matters which involve human preferences within the realm of lawful selection, the Christian must bend his desire many times to accommodate others; but in matters involving revealed Truth there can be no bending. Paul addressed the Corinthians with the proposition that faith is directed by the revelation of the mind of God and that the words of man’s wisdom can only destroy.

Many churches could have been saved from digression in the past twenty-five years if Christians had only been strong enough to stand upon the truths of the New Testament. I owe that to my brethren with whom I worship. They may not always appreciate it, but it will be to their good. I cannot be compromising in dealing with God’s revealed word. I may cause my brethren to be lost.

3. My responsibility to the local church of which I am a member is to labor for the building up of the body (I Cor. 3-4). Paul uses first his own example, how that he diligently worked to build at Corinth (I Cor. 3: 1-10). He then turns to the responsibility of each man and woman there to build upon the foundation which is Christ. Their work should be an abiding one (I Cor. 3:11-15). And then in chapter four, he discusses further his stewardship and its place in their growth.

Saving souls by leading them to the Savior is the primary work of the church. We have been saved and we must help others to be saved. If any local congregation is to grow, each member must put himself to the task of talking to others about the Lord and teaching the Truth to all that we can. This takes persistent effort. It takes getting folks out to the worship services. It has often been suggested that every Christian try to convert one soul to Christ each year. This is not an unreasonable request. If we were all as interested in souls and giving our best to the task of converting them, we would be doing more than that. And if we did, the church would double in size each year.

4. My responsibility to the local church of which I am a member is to lead a righteously moral life (I Cor. 5-7). At Corinth there was fornication (chapter 5), public defrauding of one another (6:1-14), more immorality (6:1520), and uncertainties about the proper marital and home-life requirements of God (chapter 7). Now how could the Corinthian church grow with the world seeing all that? If the church of which I am a member is to be what it ought to be, each member must be a Christian in every sense of that word. We want the congregation to radiate a wholesome influence in the community. We must show the light of Christ in our lives. None of us is so insignificant that our example cannot hurt. What we do reflects upon the other brethren either for good or bad. When the world sees our evil, they associate it with the church. When the other brethren see it, they are discouraged and some may even imitate us. Paul said that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump and therefore must be purged out before its effect may be felt. On the other hand, the influence of a godly life will do as much, for the well-being of the local church as any other single. — To be continued

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 31, p. 9-10
June 8, 1972

By Irven Lee

It is sad but true that the church is divided from coast to coast, and even in continents beyond, over church support of entertainment, and over central agencies through which the churches are encouraged to do their work. The division is already here, and it will evidently be permanent. There are two groups. The two groups will get further and further apart since the break down in the respect for the silence of the scriptures opens a flood gap for many innovations. Exactly the same principles were involved when the instrument and societies were added in the last half of the last century. These first innovations were only keys to open the flood gap, so that now the Disciples of Christ, so called, can work with Methodist preachers much more intimately than they can work with gospel preachers. The “far out” groups among us today just started a little earlier or traveled a little faster. Sister churches are going in the same direction if they have added some doctrines and practices beyond the authority of Christ.

There tends to be a high sound-proofed wall between the two groups. Neither hears the sermons preached in the others buildings. Even private discussions tend to become an exchange of insults. There are some exceptions to this closed door attitude. Some among the digressive churches seem to be getting awake to danger and apostasy. Let us all be thankful and hopeful when we see courtesy and respect shown over or around the iron curtain of former prejudice. Would it not be good for us to get together and hear each other more? Misunderstanding is involved. There are those who have been told and have believed that those opposed to doing benevolent and evangelistic work through boards or national elderships do not believe in preaching the gospel or in helping the needy. Control of temper, patience in teaching, humility, and all other good traits are needed.

Each group accuses the other of causing division. The Lord calls the game and keeps the score. There is no doubt that He will mark each error of doctrine or attitude against either team. When there is a break in fellowship, there are usually some things objectionable on both sides before things settle into permanent and hopeless division. Let each examine himself and walk circumspectly. Surely the serious and divisive influence will be charged against the group that brings in the unscriptural or unauthorized doctrines and practices.

If digression gains momentum with time, and certainly it does, efforts should be put forth in earnest to reclaim as many individuals as possible. A few whole congregations have turned around and come back. This is a rare thing, but many individuals who were at first deceived may be restored. Work hard because souls are involved. Even children of the restored will have a better chance to find the narrow way that leadeth unto life. Some who say that the church should not support institutions and entertainment continue to give financial and moral support to the churches that support both. They know that none would be allowed to warn of the digression in those pulpits. They should come out and stand.

It is not necessary to wait twenty or thirty years after digression has taken over the churches in an area before it is proper to start over on the rock of truth. Start while there are still those who can recognize the ring of a gospel sermon. Start while there is at least a remaining remnant for the nucleus of the true church. Be patient when the lies and persecution set in, and work heartily as unto the Lord.

There is that third group which has set up camp in the comfortable wooded area on the hill above the battle between truth and error. They are like the monkeys on the paper weight. They see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. They cannot keep from knowing that thousands of congregations have been divided but they see no reason to warn any one of danger. They may be more inclined to warn against concern, study, and conviction, rather than against addition to the scriptures. Preachers of this “see no evil” group can preach for the liberals in one place and then preach for the conservatives in another. They are a bit like the geography teacher in the old days who could teach the shape of the earth to be round or flat, according to the request of the board.

This third group should be ashamed to claim ignorance and uncertainty as to where the truth lies. There have been twenty-five years for a study period after the contest was thrust upon us. All should search the scriptures to see. Do members of the churches of Christ not know that it is a sin to go beyond the teachings of Christ? (2 John 9-11; 1 Peter 4:11; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1: 3; 2 Cor. 5:7.) Is it all that hard to see that there is no denominational machinery authorized in the Bible? Nothing larger than the local church is mentioned in the good Book. Where does it authorize church support of central agencies or entertainment?

These things are authorized or they are not. They are right or they are wrong. We should warn and rebuke when error blows by to destroy. (2 Tim. 4:1-5; Titus 1:13; 2:15; Acts 20:29-31.)

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 31, p. 8-9
June 8, 1972