Truth Magazine

By Larry Ray Hafley

“Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction played a part in the crimes committed by 80 per-cent of the 1.7 million men and women now behind bars in the United States, a major national study concluded”(Houston Chronicle, January 10, 1998, 9A).

Can you imagine the furor that would have been created if “a major national study” had decided that cigarette smoking “played a part in the crimes committed by 80 percent of” our present inmate population? What if it were known that better than 50 percent of all automobile fatalities, rapes, and suicides involved the use of tobacco? What kind of protest would be waged against the tobacco industry if such facts were shown?

Further, what if it could be proven that economic loss to the country (caused by illness, injuries, health care, lost work time, destruction of property, etc.) was far greater than taxes paid on tobacco products and their producers?  Can anyone doubt that cries of outrage would be expressed?

However, since these facts are only true of drug and alcohol abuse, everyone can relax and drink up ( just don’t light up!).  This Bud’s for you!

It is amazing the publicity presently being given to psychics in our society. One commercial asks, “Have you called those other psychic lines only to be left with an empty feeling? Well, you deserve better. Call the ‘Psychic Readers Network’ and speak to a psychic who really cares.” Another one asks, “Why are so many people calling Walter Mercado’s psychic hotline?” Then, after some testimonials from people who say they have financially profited from the insights offered by the advertized psychic, it says, “Need help making money? Join the ‘circle of vision’ by dialing the number on your screen.”

What then is a psychic, and what kind of activity do they engage in?

Webster defines the word psychic: “1. A person who is supposedly sensitive to forces beyond the physical world.

2. A spiritual medium” (New Uni- versal Unabridged Dictionary 1954). Concerning the works they claim to perform, the above cited commercials made claims that their psychics could foretell the future and interpret dreams. Another asserted ability of psychics is seen in the recent news stories about the first lady’s alleged contact with Eleanor Roosevelt. In downplaying the incident, a White House staffer said, “To describe it as a consultation with psychics is to try to put it in the wrong frame” (Stars and Stripes, June 24, 1996). Hence, we see that our society views contacting the dead as a work of a psychic.

The question that concerns God’s people is, “What does the Bible say about consulting psychics?” Let us now turn our attention to it.

The Old Testament: Deuteronomy 18:10-11

In the above text God’s Old Testament people are warned about various secret arts and practices. Please note the meaning of each word from this text below:

A. Divination:  Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB, hereafter) simply has “divination” (890); Webster defines the word: “the act of divining; the act or practice of trying to foretell future events or the unknown by means of the occult” (Ibid., 538)

B. Observer of times:  “practice soothsaying . . . but original meaning dubious” (BDB, 778); possibly “reading and interpretation of cloud patterns” (Theological Word- book of the Old Testament [T.W.O.T.] II:685). The meaning of this word is uncertain.

C. Enchanter: “practice divination, divine, observe signs” (BDB, 638).

D. Witch: “practice sorcery” (BDB, 506); “practice magic” (Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament VII:361).

E. Charmer: “v. tie magic knots, charm. . . . n. spell” (BDB 287-288).

F. Consulter with familiar spirits: “consult” is used of inquiring of the Lord (1 Sam. 23:2; 30:8); BDB defines it, “necromancer” (15).

G. Wizard: from “know;” “is also used of one’s relation to the divine, whether acquaintance with other gods . . . or with Jehovah. . . . ‘to  know’ . . . is esoteric knowledge not available to the ordinary person.” (Hebrew word for ‘wizard,’ sw] always occurs parallel to [witch]. It may be a description of a [witch] or it may be the masculine counterpart,” T.W.O.T. I:366-367).

H. Necromancer, two words: “to seek, consult, inquire of” (BDB, 205); E.g., “enquire of God” (1 Sam. 9:9; 1 Kgs. 22:8); “to die” (BDB, 559). Hence, “consult the dead.”

As one can see, these words are very similar in meaning and we should expect the works of those involved in the practice such things to be similar. That this is so can be seen from 1 Samuel 28:6-11 where Saul consulted the witch at Endor: The woman is said to have a “familiar spirit” (v. 7); Saul asks her to “divine” for him (v. 8), and “bring up Samuel” (v. 8) (necromancy); the woman speaks of herself in connection with “wizards” (v. 9). When we compare the above definitions with the claimed activities of psychics we can see that their work would have caused them to be condemned under the Old Testament.

The New Testament

1. People involved in “psychic-like” activities.

a. The wise men (Matt. 2:1-2). The word magus rendered “wise men” is defined, “a wise man and priest, who was expert in astrology, interpretation of dreams and various other secret arts” (Arndt and Gingrich 484).

b. Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:9-11).  The meaning of sorcery is, “magic, magic arts” (Ibid., 484).

c. Those who used “magical arts” (Acts 19:13-20).

Defined as “of things belonging to magic” (Ibid., 646).

All these people confessed the superiority of Christ.

2. Warnings.

a. Gal. 5:19-21, “sorcery.” This word is from the Greek word pharmakeia. It is defined, “sorcery, magic, magic arts” (Ibid.,   854). William Barclay says that the word took on “the meaning of sorcery and witchcraft. It is, for instance, repeatedly used of the Egyptian sorcerers and charmers who competed with Moses when Pharaoh would not let Israel go (Exod. 7.11, 8.18; Wisd. 7.12; 18.13)” (Flesh and Spirit 36).

b. Rev. 21:8, “sorcerer.” This word means “mixer of poisons, magician.” (Arndt and Gingrich  854).

c. 2 John 9. One who looks to a psychic for information is sinning because they are looking to a source other than God for guidance. In the Old Testament, God said his people were to “hearken” to him and not to the sources listed under our first point (Deut. 18:14-15).

The warnings in these verses should cause everyone to see the sinfulness of psychics and their work.

Conclusion

Deuteronomy 18 shows that such activities as psychics are involved in are the works of godless people (vv. 9, 12, 14). This is a comment on psychics and those in our society today who consult them. They are godless and their works are the works of darkness. Let us all join in pointing people to the Bible as the only source of information on spiritual things. 

Some years have now passed since I obtained a copy of the article written by brother Ed Harrell titled, “The Emergence of the Church of Christ Denomination.” I was deeply moved by what I was reading, and when I came to the end of his study and the conclusion he reached, I was astounded.

I had for years sought a solution to stop the steady movement among brethren that was leading us farther and farther away from the simplicity that is in Jesus Christ. I began to preach the gospel in the midst of the Great Depression, about 1930. I had just graduated from college with a major in Latin. In 1934, I married Pauline Ross, my wife of 64 years, and a year later we moved to Marietta, Oklahoma where I began to be supported by the small congregation there.

As brother C.R. Nichol told me, I was green. But he said, “Stay green, because green things grow.” I have never forgotten his timely counsel and at 85 still recognize that it is true. I sat at his feet and listened to his great wisdom. Throughout my years as a full-time preacher at various congregations, he was the visiting preacher for at least one meeting.

I could spend a lot of time remembering, but one thing sticks in my heart. We traveled by train whenever possible in those years. I always took him to the depot, and he never told me goodbye without crying. I puzzled over that for many years. Why would he cry? Finally, I reached the age he was when we worked together, and I knew. He did not know that he would ever see me again on this Earth. “The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.”

But I tell you this for just one reason. C.R. Nichol, R.L. Whiteside, Joe Blue, J.D. Tant, and many others were in that time bringing their work to an end here upon the Earth. They, like Paul, had fought the good fight. I was just learning, and to me it was a gift far greater than I then knew. Let me tell you about it.

In those days, there was not a meeting house of the brethren in every town. Even in the larger population centers, there was likely to be only one or two meeting houses. Many of them knew nothing of a local preacher. And, if a preacher lived there, he did not do all the preaching he did in the congregation there. They supported him but did not require his constant presence. He was truly an evangelist.

In those days, we had what were called preachers’ meetings. One congregation invited the preachers in the area to spend a good part of a week as their guests and study with them. Planned subjects were discussed by those present. They ate together and slept in the homes of brethren who lived there. Much good was accomplished in the matter of learning more about the truth. And there was much time for visiting and relating to each other their preaching experiences.

These meetings I loved, when I could sit and listen to these old soldiers of the cross tell of their sometimes thrilling experiences. One thing always stood out, to which all agreed: They never left home without money enough to buy a ticket home. But they went in spite of that fact.

I am sure they had read and absorbed the experiences of the great Apostle to the Gentiles. In this manner, one person, even one family, could become the means for the beginning of a strong and faithful church. Many never saw a gospel preacher, except perhaps once a year at meeting time.

Many of us who were younger sought to follow their example. If preachers of today wish to know why they have it so good, I would direct them to this bit of history. Brother R. Brannan of Marietta, Oklahoma was kind enough to pay my expenses to Freed-Hardeman College for a two-week study period. We were all young and with little experience. I’ll not forget his opening remarks to us.

He said, “Boys, when you go out to look for a place to work, don’t look for a place where you can sit down in a tub of butter. Look for an opportunity to save souls.” I went home with that ringing in my ears. As a result, I spent my last years as a minister preaching the gospel mostly to brethren, and at home with a strong congregation.

Others may not feel that way, but I had a different upbringing. I wanted to be an evangelist in the true sense, taking the gospel to the lost. So, the last years of my active work were spent as an elder of a small congregation, trying to ground them in the faith once delivered to the saints.

Now I am saying to you, “I remember.” After open heart surgery and a stroke that has left me mostly a cripple, I await my Lord’s will.

I have told you my own story, not because it is anything remarkable. I am sure there are many who have and are now doing a great deal more. But, as some would express it, “I wanted you to know where I come from.”

All this prepares me for commenting on brother Ed’s wise words that the only remedy is just to start over with a “thus saith the Lord” for everything. I have spent much time study- ing the history of the periods we call the reformation and the restoration, the latter of which took place here in America, and the other in Europe and the British Isles.

I think it is clear that: (1) Reformation never gets us back to the original position. It may improve, but it never gets us where we must be; (2) Restoration is the only way we can return to true position  — book, chapter, and verse.

This takes us just where we want to be. What has the Lord said about our faith and practice? Having learned this, let us be content.

I feel sure this is what was intended in the article. But how to accomplish this is the task before us.

Are we, having learned this, willing to undertake it? Wisdom that is from above, with Paul’s instruction to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 16:13), is our answer: “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

But, you are ready to ask, “Is it possible in our time to do what they did in the days of David Lipscomb and of C.R. Nichol?”

All this takes a great deal of commitment, courage and above all, trust in the Lord. And, brother preacher, I am not suggesting that you do it. I am just saying this: “It can be done in our time.”

We are now faced with a world filled with every kind of evil man can devise. Riches and pleasure seem to be the only goals of life. The home, the basis of all stable society, is virtually destroyed. Paul’s description of what existed in the world in his day is being repeated in ours. And, to complicate it beyond measure, we are faced with those in the church who have joined the cavalcade.

How much difference do you see in the daily lifestyle of some in the church and those in the world? The marriage commitment is despised, and all that it represents is disregarded. Reform the church. You try it.

But I have said enough. However, I can still remember.

“The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make His face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace.” This I earnestly pray.