Truth Magazine

By Larry Ray Hafley 

My wife was shocked to find the following statement in a book written by a woman who is a member of the church — “Never in the entire Bible did any prophet, nor Jesus, nor the Apostle Paul present a five-step formula for giving the heart over to God.” 

In the 19th century, gospel preachers often taught the gospel plan of salvation to children and to unlearned and illiterate men and women. One convenient way to ground disciples in the truth was to hold up their hand and, grasp ing each finger one at a time, say, “Hear, Believe, Repent, Confess, and be Baptized.” Sectarians began to ridicule it as the “five finger creed of the church of Christ,” the “five finger formula of the Campbellites,” and “five steps of the water gospel.” Christians were mocked and called “five steppers.”

Because truth was taught so simply with the “five finger exercise,” enemies of the cross made fun of the process. It was easier to do that than to show how it contradicted the word of God; so, they railed and reviled.

Omit Which Step?

If the Lord and the apostles never presented “a five-step formula,” which ones did they omit? Which should we leave out? Should we:

1. Omit Hearing? Since “faith cometh by hearing” the word of God, how can we leave it out (Rom. 10:17)? Je- sus said one must “hear (his) voice,” his word, in order to have spiritual life (John 5:25; 6:63, 68). One cannot trust in Christ until he hears “the word of truth” (Eph. 1:13). If a person never “hears” the gospel, he can never believe; therefore, we cannot omit hearing. 
2.  Omit Belief? Since “without faith it is impossible to please” God, how can we fail to include faith (Heb. 11:6)? Jesus said, “if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24). The Lord said, “He that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16; John 3:18). Obviously, we must not omit faith as one of the “steps” one must take in order to be saved (Eph. 2:8, 9). 
3.  Omit Repentance? Since God “commandeth all men every where to repent,” how can we remove repentance (Acts 17:30)? Jesus said, “repent, or perish,” turn or burn (Luke 13:3). Christ connected repentance with the forgive- ness of sins (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38). Thus, we may not omit repentance as a “step” for the sinner to obey (2 Pet. 3:9). 
4.  Omit Confession? Since only those who confess that Jesus is Lord can be saved, how can we eliminate confession (Rom. 10:9, 10)? Jesus said, “Whosoever . . . shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father” (Matt. 10:32, 33). “If we deny him, he will also deny us” (2 Tim. 2:12). Hence, we cannot omit confession of Christ as a “step” “unto salvation.” 
5. Omit Baptism? Since baptism is “for the remission of sins,” how can we possibly ignore it (Acts 2:38; 22:16)? Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Baptism is one of the conditions with which one must comply in order to be saved in Christ (John 3:3-5; Rom. 6:3, 4; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pet. 3:21). So, we dare not omit baptism. 

Jesus and the apostles did indeed present the “five-steps” which some say were “never” given. Again, which “steps” shall we take away from God’s book (Rev. 22:18, 19)? In the conversion accounts in the book of Acts, which ones were omitted? Did the Ethiopian eunuch fail to repent? Did the Philippian jailer not confess with his mouth that Jesus is Lord? Was anyone ever converted who did not first hear the gospel? Which of the “five-steps” were omitted? Which ones may we exclude and still be saved? Those who ridicule the “five-step formula” need to tell us!

By Chris Nicholson 

“Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? So Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother. And he answered and said to Him, Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth. Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, one thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me. But he was sad at this word, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:17-22, NKJV; cf. Matt. 19:16- 22; Luke 18:18-23).

The Ruler’s Desire

How profitable is it to ask at the feet of Jesus what we must do in order to inherit eternal life! This is what the young ruler desired to know. Mark pictures the scene. The young man was eager — expressed by his running; he was not afraid of the opinion of others, he made a public appeal to Christ; his respect for Christ is shown by his kneeling. There was no playing with words here; “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Christ alone is capable of showing us the way to heaven, since he is the way; he alone is incapable of deceiving us, since he is the Truth.

As seems to be the custom, one can search out for his own teacher. A person of great wealth can normally find the most popular teacher to give the desired answers. For this young man of wealth to bow before Jesus indicated tremendous respect. This ruler sought reassurance, some way of knowing for sure that he had eternal life. He wanted Jesus to measure and grade his qualifications, or give him some task he could do to assure his own immortality. The man did not understand that salvation is not earned. He did not understand what is impossible for man to obtain, can and will be given as a gift from God (Eph. 2:10). The man needed to understand that what he needed was not just to keep another commandment, but to submit humbly to the leadership of God. No doubt this young man sincerely desired eternal life. Who, with a understanding of the judgment to come, would not want it. But as we will soon see by his sad departure, he had no idea what would be required to do in obtaining it. We must ask ourselves if we truly want to know how to please God. Do we desire to be known by God or by men. Have we come to grasp the understanding of the royal law according to the Scriptures, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Jas. 2:8). We all need to ponder the words of Matthew 16:26, “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world and looses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Do we think ourselves beyond the possibility of falling from the grace of God because of our material possessions?

The Startling Reply

It is remarkable how Jesus dealt with the man. Christ meets him on his own ground. Stating the commandments which regulate man’s conduct toward his fellow man. “All these I have observed” testifies to a great moral ignorance on the part of the young man. Can you imagine standing face to face with Jesus and stating that you have kept all of the commandments listed? If only God is good, the man will later have to admit he has broken some of the commands. Jesus felt love for the man, and said, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mark 10:21). Jesus’ statement exposed the man’s weakness. In reality, his wealth was his god, his idol, and he would not give it up. He violated the first and greatest commandment (Exod. 20:3; Matt. 22:36-

40). This challenge exposed the barrier that could keep this young man out of the kingdom; his love for money. Money was more important to the young man than God. He would not turn his entire life over to God. What barriers are keeping you from turning your entire life over to God? 

The Young Man’s Disappointing Refusal

But he was sad at this word, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions (Mark 10:22). Did the man ever give his life entirely over to God? We do not know. We know that he went away feeling sorrow, not anger toward Jesus. The piercing words of Christ were felt in the soul of the man. This man’s wealth made his life comfortable and gave him power and prestige. Jesus was touching the basis of his security when he told him to sell all that he owned. He did not understand that he would be far more secure following Jesus than with his wealth. Have we come to that understanding yet? I mean really put this knowledge into practice? We must get rid of everything that has or may become more important than God. If your foundation for security has shifted from God to what you own, you must get rid of this weight. In Hebrews 12:1 we read, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sins which so easily ensnare us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Have you looked inward, with a sin- cere evaluation, and found the things that are weighing you down in your race for heaven? We all have our weights, and weaknesses toward certain sins. Christ loved us enough to die for us, and he also loves us enough to talk straight to us. If you are comfortable by the fact that Christ did not tell all his followers to sell all their possessions, then you may be too attached to what you have. In Jeremiah 9:2-24 we read, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising loving kindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord.”

The story of the young ruler should be linked with the previous incident of the blessing of the children. In Mark 10:15 we read, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” This ruler could not enter the kingdom be- cause he would not receive it as a little child. His spirit was far removed from that of an obedient, trusting child. Jesus lead him through a test to realize that he hardly knew what keeping the commandments meant. In Matthew 22:37-40 we read, “Jesus said to him; You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as your- self. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Are you prepared to give all for the cause of the kingdom?

By Bruce J.  Dehut 

One of the saddest proclamations noted in the New Testament is that of King Agrippa in Acts 26:28. Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

The biblical record gives no statement beyond this, of Agrippa’s inclination towards Christianity. As far as we know, the king passed from this life failing to commit himself to the saving power of Jesus Christ. But this fail- ure was not due to a lack of knowledge or opportunity on Agrippa’s part.

An Expert in Jewish Protocol 

Agrippa II was the great grandson of Herod the Great. The Herodian house descended from Esau and were of Edomite stock. The land in which they dwelled was con quered and added to the Jewish state about 130 B.C., and they submitted to the rite of circumcision and embraced Jewish religion. Most of the Herods were educated in Rome and were considered ceremonial, half Jews at best (Unger’s Bible Dictionary). The apostle Paul was well aware of this fact, and counted himself fortunate to finally give an account of the charges against him to Agrippa, “especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews” (Acts 26:3). Paul had spent over two years in confinement, pleading his case before Felix, who had a “more accurate knowledge of the Way” (Acts 24:22) and Festus, who couldn’t even put into words the charges against Paul (Acts 25:26-27), because the accusations were based upon what Festus called, the Jews superstition and the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 25:19). Paul knew that not only was Agrippa an authority in Jewish customs, but he most assuredly was aware of the commotion caused by Jesus of Nazareth and his followers (Acts 26:26-27).

He Heard the Gospel Preached

Paul declared to Agrippa that he himself was a devout Jew, looking anxiously for the fulfilment of promises made to the fathers (Acts 26:6-7). He goes on to say that he was a militant Pharisee, persecuting Christians even to foreign cities (Acts 26:11). But he relates to Agrippa his encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus. How, by the grace of God, he became a minister and witness to both the Jews and the Gentiles concerning the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 26:16-18). Paul left no doubt that his mission included instructing people to “repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance” (Acts 26:19). Paul nailed Agrippa right between the eyes when he asked the question he already had the answer for: “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe” (Acts 26:27) 

An Ego Problem

Maybe one of the reasons that king Agrippa wavered was due to his lack of acceptance by the people. Josephus mentions that Agrippa’s father, Herod the king, was “keenly fond of popularity and possessed much personal magne- tism.” His status among the Jews was definitely heightened when he harassed the church and murdered James (Acts

12:1-3). However, his son Agrippa II was never popular with his subjects and might have lost even more esteem in the eyes of the Jews if he had converted to Christianity. History tells us that eventually he joined forces with the Romans to abuse the Jews and destroy Jerusalem in A.D. 70. So either way, he came out on the bottom of the popularity poll among the Jews.

Fear of Losing Power 

King Agrippa could have been hesitant because the Romans were the ones that had carried out the crucifixion of Jesus. Why would they hesitate to remove Agrippa from his throne, strip him of his riches and possibly execute him? But Jesus assures us that nothing is worth holding onto if it costs us our souls (Mark 8:36). God orchestrates the rise and fall of kingdoms (Rom. 13:1), Agrippa’s would be no different. 

Without Excuse

We could speculate all our lives about why Agrippa chose not to become a Christian that day. But just like the Gentiles that Paul addressed in his letter to the Romans, king Agrippa was without excuse. Romans 1:20: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

Lesson To Be Learned

God has an answer for all our procrastinations:

• We all have heard (Col. 1:23).
• We are to put aside our egos (Luke 9:23).
• Hold nothing of this world dearer than our souls (Mark 8:36).
• We are all without excuse, all have sinned (1 John 1:10).
• Why Wait (Acts 22:16).

King Agrippa’s words were obviously the inspiration to Phillip P. Bass’ hymn “Almost Persuaded.” How true the words ring in the latter portion of the last verse:

“Almost” cannot avail;

 “Almost” is but to fail;

“Sad, sad, that bitter wail

“Almost – but lost!”

If you are vacillating about becoming a Christian, don’t!

By Marcus Vondracek

In 2 Timothy 3:1-4, Paul writes, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” If we were to take the first and last items listed, we would have “lovers of themselves rather than lovers of God.” What a fitting description of the world we live in today. There are multitudes of people who do not care about the God of heaven, who loved them enough to send his only Son to die for their sins. Instead, there are individuals who are only concerned with themselves and how they can enrich themselves with the pleasures of this world.

Paul further states in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, hav- ing itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” We see around us, even in the religious community, the precise thing of which Paul wrote. Many are no longer concerned with the teachings of the gospel, let alone, obeying these teachings. We now have preachers and teachers doing exactly what Paul said they would — telling the unwilling hearers only what they want and desire to hear.

The account of the conversion of the Ephesians in Acts 19 is a breath of fresh air when we look at the condition of those in the world around us. These men had a characteristic that is worthy of notice. They were willing!

Willing Hearts

The Ephesian men had willing hearts. These men, like all men created by God, had free will to make their own choices. The first description presented to us is that they were disciples. They had made the choice to follow the teachings of John the Baptist, which included the kingdom of heaven, baptism of repentance, and belief in the Son of God (Matt. 3:1-3; Acts 19:4). They were men who were searching out the truth. The Scriptures give us plenty of examples of those who had willing hearts. When Moses was gathering the materials to build the tabernacle, he was instructed by God to take from the people who were of a willing heart and a willing spirit (Exod. 35:5, 21-22, 29). King David, when teaching his son Solomon how to serve God, said, “Serve him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind” (1 Chron. 28:9). King David and the people rejoiced greatly “because they offered willingly to the Lord” when they gathered materials to build the temple (1 Chron. 29:9). Amasiah “willingly offered himself to the Lord” when King Jehoshaphat numbered the mighty men of valor (2 Chron. 17:16).

Paul stressed the character of willingness in his letter to the Corinthians when discussing the subject of giving to the Lord. “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not” (2 Cor. 8:12). Our willingness and purpose are far more important to God than the amount. The Macedonian brethren “first gave themselves to the Lord” (2 Cor. 8:5). A willing heart is needed if one is to serve God. This is demonstrated by the Ephesian disciples, something not seen among many today.

Willing to Listen

The Ephesian disciples were willing to listen. The religious world today is in such confusion and chaos. Everyone states that he is right and that his church will get the sinner to heaven. This confusion has turned many an ear from listening to the good news of Jesus. Jesus told the unbelieving Jews, “Why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to my speech” (John 8:43). People are confused, frustrated, stubborn, and do not understand the word of God. Why? Because they are unwilling to listen! The Ephesian disciples were truly willing to listen. Paul came to them preaching about things of which they had no knowledge, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit” (Acts 19:2), yet they were willing to listen.

Willing to Accept the Gospel

The Ephesian disciples were willing to accept the gospel. In the parable of the sower, Jesus taught that the good ground or the good hearts of men would, after hearing the word, accept it (Mark 4:20). Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, thanked God “because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God” (1 Thess. 2:13). The Ephesian disciples had been baptized into John’s baptism, thus Paul “explained the way of God more accurately,” teaching them that they needed to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. They were willing to accept this teaching of Paul, even though it was foreign and new to them. Sad to say, too many people today are more like the Jewish disciples, who were not willing to accept the teachings of Jesus and “went back and walked with him no more” (John 6:66).

Willing to Obey

The Ephesian disciples demonstrated their willingness to accept Paul’s teachings in the fact that they were will- ing to obey. Jesus further stated that the good heart that accepted the word would “bear fruit” and be active in the work of the Lord (Mark 4:20). Paul went on to say that the word of God was “effectively working” in the lives of the Thessalonian brethren (1 Thess. 2:13). What do we see in our Ephesian disciples? “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5). They did not complain, gripe, fuss, get mad, laugh, or reject. They simply did what they realized they needed to do, and they obeyed.

What a refreshing and encouraging example that we can read of in God’s word — the willing Ephesians of Acts 19.