Truth Magazine

By Olen Holderby 

If I was the devil, I would consider myself basically to have two problems: (1) How I could keep control of people in general, and (2) How I might ensnare the Christian.

1. If I was the devil, the very first thing I would do would be to discredit the inspiration, perfection, and authority of the Scriptures. I would do my best to find an argument that would keep people out in the world from accepting these as attributes of the Scriptures. Perhaps I could do so through your schooling, your friends, the music to which you lis- ten, or through the published materials which you read. However, I would not dare to show you 2 Timothy 3:16, James 1:25, or 1 Corinthians 4:6, and 2 John 9. For should you read these you could believe that all Scripture came by inspiration of God, that it is a perfect law, and that you were to be limited in teaching and practice by those Scriptures. Thus, I might fail here, but I would not give up.

Next, if I was the devil I would try to persuade you that you had plenty of time to obey the gospel, that you had some things that you could and should enjoy before you settle down to become a Christian. Of course, if you managed to read 2 Corinthians 6:2 or Hebrews 3:15, you could see things a little different. Then, should you happen to read the examples of conversion in Acts of Apostles you would immediately see the urgency in obeying the gospel. So, again I might fail, but I would not quit.

Should you really believe the Scriptures and knew that you should obey in haste, I would point out how difficult it would be for you to live the life of a Christian. You just couldn’t do it, I would point out. Look at all those who are trying and how far short they fall; you would not wish to be a hypocrite in such an effort. If some truly concerned Christian should have you read Galatians 6:2, you would know that you would have the help of others of God’s people. And, to make matters worse for me, that same Christian might have you read 1 Corinthians 10:13. I could see failure of my efforts here, because you would realize that you had the assistance of the Almighty.

Has the Devil Been Talking to You?

2. If I was the devil, I would wish to ensnare the weak Christian and destroy the influence of the church. I would advertize my products as belonging in the home, I would point to all the celebrities using them, and how that in moderation they were harmless. And, I would point to the popularity of those who use my products. For the places which I wished you to go, I would make such as clean and attractive to the eye as possible. For the young, I would have a “chaperon” for all these places and activities. Yes, sir, if I was the devil that is exactly what I would do. Live it up, when in Rome do as the Romans do, I would say. But, I would be very careful that you did not read 1 Thessalo- nians 5:22 or Romans 12:2, especially if you were really honest. For, then, you would see something wrong with my reasoning. Then, if you should read Ephesians 5:6 and you really wanted to reach heaven, you would want no part of my advice. This is all true because, you see, my success depends greatly upon your cooperating with me. Alas, I might fail in this if you did not wish to walk with me.

Has the devil been talking to you? 

By Philip W. Martin 

The conversion of the Apostle Paul is one of the most striking accounts in the book of Acts. The details of the account are not given in one place, so to fully understand it we must consider all of them (Acts 9:1-18; 22:1-16; 26; 1 Tim 1:12-17). To begin to understand the conversion of Saul, we must first examine what we know of his life prior to our knowledge of him. Paul (Saul) was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:26), a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), a student of Gamaliel, a Jew (Acts 22:3), someone who had attained a certain amount of respect in the Jewish community of that time. 

When Stephan was martyred, he was there to hold the cloaks of those involved for he was in agreement with what they were doing (Acts 7:58-8:1). He persecuted the church with zeal unmatched in the New Testament (Acts 8:3). So much so that he went to other cities to stop what he saw as the destruction of the nation of Israel by what he saw as heretics.

It is on this trip that we begin to see the conversion of Saul. “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:3-4). One of the first things that I notice when I look at this moment when the gospel was being introduced to Saul is who the speaker was; it was our Lord and Savior, the very one Saul was persecuting. Who else could have had such a chance? Anyone else who would have tried to talk to him surely would have been put to death and imprisoned. He had persecuted others many times before.

So Saul was lead by the hand to Damascus so that he might hear what he must do. For three days he neither ate nor drank and it would be safe to say that he had plenty of time to consider what past sins he had committed. While there, Ananias was sent to him and he was told what he should do: “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Is there any doubt as to what Saul should do so that he might be saved? So simple is the command and great the reward. Saul displays the nature of faith plainly; God said it and he believed it. Right away Saul begins to preach and teach about the Christ, that Jesus was indeed the Messiah saying, “He is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20). After growing in strength and confounding the Jews in Damascus for some time, they were seeking to kill him so he left for Jerusalem where he joined himself to the disciples there.

Saul’s life gives us a unique opportunity to look at a Christian and his behavior in close detail both before and after his conversion. Saul epitomizes the nature of true repentance. After he heard the words that would help lead him to salvation and obeyed those words, he from that point forward becomes one of the staunchest defenders of the faith. At the close of his days he had the moral fortitude to say, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). Earlier it was said, “Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem” (Acts 9:13). Saul completely turns his actions around and protects this cause he once hunted.

In an old hymn we hear the words sung from time to time, “Did you repent, fully repent of your past sins, friend?” Of this Paul could have answered with a resounding yes!

We can look at Paul’s life and his work to see how he used this new found salvation. He goes from a time of being the persecutor to a life of persecution. In the book of 2 Corinthians he gives a small listing of some of the things he had endured: “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep, in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false bretren, in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness” (2 Cor. 11:24-27).

This messenger of God inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit even received abuse by his fellow Christians (2 Cor. 10:10). All the while he learned to be content in whatever situation he was in (Phil. 4:11).

We can learn many important things from the life and conversion of Paul. He was one who understood and lived the simple life of a Christian in a tough and trying time, obeying the simple commands given unto him and placing his ultimate trust in God. He was open and forthright with his faith never shirking or hiding from it. Paul would rather have let his own freedoms be curtailed than to even risk offending his brother in Christ. But he was not one to hide from controversy or let sin and worldly ways invade the church. We would do well to reconsider our own ideas and actions and see if we truly are the example Paul wanted Timothy to be. “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim 4:12). Possibly one day we too can have the faith to say, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). 

By Jesse Flowers 

When one comes to the eighth chapter of the Book of Acts, one comes to a very crucial time in the spread of the gospel in the first century. In the opening verses we read of a great persecution arising against the church immediately following the stoning of Stephen. A young, not yet converted Paul, goes about harassing and tormenting those belonging to the Way. Something which would normally be viewed as negative, turns into something quite positive: “Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).

In the following verse we are introduced to a Christian and gospel preacher by the name of Philip. Of course, we are first introduced to him back in Acts 6, Philip being among the seven chosen to serve in a special capacity in administering to the Hellenistic widows that were being neglected in the daily distribution. He was chosen on ac- count of his good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit, and wisdom (Acts 6:3). In Acts 8:5, we read of Philip going down to the city of Samaria in order to preach Christ to them. Preceding Jesus’ ascension he told the apostles that they would be witnesses to him in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). The gospel of Christ had been proclaimed in Jerusalem and Judea, now the “good news” was brought to Samaria.

Philip is the man who makes his way to this despised area of Palestine, and there he begins to preach and teach. We find that the multitudes heeded the things spoken by Philip concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, and both men and women were baptized. What a successful and encouraging beginning for this evangelist. As a result of his work, lives were being changed, souls were being saved, and thus a church is started in the city of Samaria. It is after this grand event that we come to the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. The writer Luke pens these words in Acts 8:26: “Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a deserted place . . .”

For a moment, put yourself in Philip’s shoes (sandals). Here you are in Samaria preaching and large numbers of people are coming to Christ as a result of your efforts. Then in the midst of all that success, God instructs you to go to an area where, as far as you know, there isn’t anyone around! The Samaritans are hearing and obeying and now you’re being told to move on — do you ignore or do you listen? Well, Luke tells us in five words Philip’s response to the instruction he received from the angel of the Lord, “also he arose and went”. He goes from a well-populated city to an unpopulated desert. Most likely a strange request to the ears of Philip, but no questions were asked or hesitations made, for the instruction was a divine one. Behind him the good news was being preached, miracles were being performed, and people were being converted, but at God’s instruction he headed to Gaza. What an amazing attitude Philip possessed! Philip realized that this wasn’t his work he was leaving behind, it was God’s. God said, “Go,” and Philip, a man whose heart was sensitive to the word of God, went!

It is interesting to note that Gaza as a destination was really insignificant for Philip will never make it to the actual city. At this point, neither Philip or the eunuch is even aware that the other exists. Yet out in a deserted place, the road going down from Jerusalem to Gaza, God will bring the paths of this sincere seeker and this sensitive teacher together. It is on this road that we find a political leader riding in his chariot, reading the word of God and receptive to its truths. We learn that this man was employed in the service of Candace, who is described as being the queen of the Ethiopians. This eunuch was placed under tremendous responsibility for he had charge of all her treasury. He had travelled at least 800 miles in coming from Ethiopia to Jerusalem, and he had made that trip in order to worship! As the eunuch traveled back home he read aloud from the prophet Isaiah. 

It is at this point that God will bring these two individuals together. “Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and overtake this chariot” (Acts 8:29). Philip, following the Spirit’s direction, engaged the eunuch in conversation. Philip did not wait for the man to lean out of his chariot to ask him for help. Rather, Philip took the initiative to ask him simply, “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip’s tactfulness paid off. For he asked a question that opened the door for the message of the gospel to be taught. I believe it is interesting to note that Philip doesn’t shoot into some sermon, but first listens to what the Ethiopian eunuch is curious about. For part of the eunuch’s curiosity was not what was written, but to whom the passage applied. First Philip initiated the conversation, next he listened, and then he began to teach. In fact, beginning at this wonderful passage in Isaiah 53, Philip proceeds to preach Jesus to him.

Philip recognized that for a man lost in sin, Jesus is the only issue that really matters! There is a multitude of subjects that can be discussed at a later time, but Jesus isn’t one of them.

One cannot help but to wonder what kind of things Philip spoke of when he preached to the eunuch about Jesus. Once again, God’s word does not always satisfy all of our curiosities. One subject we know without a doubt that Philip spoke to the eunuch about was the subject of baptism. It only makes sense that when one preaches Jesus, one preaches about baptism. As Philip spoke to this truth seeker about the identity of the One mentioned in Isaiah 53, the preacher must have spoken of God’s eternal plan in redeeming man from his sins. And that God’s only begotten Son, came to this earth and gave his life on the cross for the world, in order that all might have the opportunity to inherit eternal life. Naturally, Philip explained to this sinner that in order to come into contact with that precious blood that was shed for him there was a need to be baptized into Christ. It then makes perfect sense when the reader comes to verse 36, and sees the response of the eunuch. 

“Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” How wonderful those words must have been to the ears of Philip! Both go down into the water, Philip baptizes the eunuch, and then when they came up out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away. Philip’s part in bringing this Ethiopian eunuch to Christ was through, and the Lord wasted no time to send him where he was needed next. Some of the sweetest words in all of this text is found in verse 39, when it simply states that the eunuch went on his way rejoicing! Because of God’s love, mercy, and grace for one soul he made it possible for this eunuch to hear the “good news” of salvation. After learning about his loving Savior and after receiving the forgiveness of sins, how could he do anything but go on his way rejoicing?! Before meeting Philip he was without Christ, but after hearing Philip tell him about Jesus, he found Christ. And didn’t each of us go on our way rejoicing when we came to Christ?!

In the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, we find a willing teacher + a sincere seeker + the providence of God = the saving of a soul. Philip started with the road the eunuch was on and from there led him to the cross. Earlier in Acts we have seen 3000 and 5000 souls saved, and it is easy to be impressed with such figures. Yet we must never forget that those big numbers represent individuals, single solitary souls. Philip was in Samaria where he was experiencing a tremendous amount of responses. God took this preacher and sent him to a desolate place and brought him across the path of a man who was searching. Sent him to a city that to our knowledge he never reached (Gaza), but in the process of his going, he was able to reach one man for Jesus. One is never a waste of time, one is never too much trouble, one is never insignificant. May God always help us to see the value of only one soul, and may that realization produce a zeal within us to bring as many souls as possible to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

“Much the greater part of Acts may be resolved into a detailed history of cases of conversion, and of unsuccessful attempts at the conversion of sinners. If we extract from it all cases of this kind, with the facts and incidents preparatory to each and immediately consequent upon it, we will have exhausted almost the entire contents of the narrative. All other matters are merely incidental The events of the first chapter were designed to prepare the apostles for the work of converting men; the gift of the Holy Spirit to them and to others was to qualify them for it; the admission of the Gentiles was an incident connected with the conversion of Cornelius, and others after him; the conference, in the fifteenth chapter, grew out of these conversions; and the long account of Paul’s imprisonment in Jerusalem, Cesarea, and Rome, with sea-voyage and shipwreck, constitute but the connected history of his preaching to the mob in Jerusalem, to the Sanhedrin, to Felix to Festus, to Agrippa, and to the Jews and Gentiles in Rome. The episode in the twelfth chapter, concerning the persecutions by Herod, and his death, is designed to show that, even under such circumstances, the word of God ‘grew and multiplied.’ All the remainder of the history consists, unmistakably, in detailed accounts of conversions.

“Such being the work performed by the author, we may readily determine his design by inquiring, Why should any cases of conversion be put upon record? Evidently, it was that men might know how conversions were effected, and in what they consisted. The cases which are recorded represent all the different grades of human society; all the different degrees of intellectual and religious culture; all the common occupations in life, and all the different countries and languages of the then known world. The design of this variety is to show the adaptation of the one gospel scheme to the conversion of all classes of men.

“The history of a case of conversion necessarily embraces two distinct classes of facts: First, the agencies and instrumentalities effecting it; second, the changes effected in the individual who is the subject of it. In the pursuit of his main design, therefore, the author was led to designate specifically all these agencies, instrumentalities, and changes. He does so in order that the readers may know what agents are employed, and how they work; what instrumentalities must be used, and how they are applied; and what changes must take place, in order to the scriptural conversion of a sinner.”