Truth Magazine

By Elam B. Kuykendall (1908-1993)

One of the greatest of the exceeding great and precious promises that God has given us is this: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13). If we really want an escape from sin, we can find it. Many Christians either have not learned this or they do not want to find the way of escape.

Many do not look for a way of escape soon enough. They want to engage in all kinds of worldly practices, get all the thrills and worldly pleasures, and then when they begin to reap of their own sowing they want an escape. We must remember, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). If you want to be free from sin do not wait until you are almost engulfed in some great scandal to start searching for the way of escape.

Sins that Lead to Other Sins

One of the great differences in Christ’s law and the Law of Moses is that Christ forbids those things that lead up to the overt acts of sin. “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matt. 5:21, 22, 27, 28).

Often people do not look for a way of escape until they are almost ready to commit the overt act. They do not realize that they have already been sinning in doing those things that lead up to the overt act of sin.

The Principle Applied

The principle stated above can be applied to any sin. To illustrate the application let us consider the sin of adultery. Certainly Christians want to escape this sin. God is so good to his children that he provides a way of escape even after they have failed or refused to seek the way of escape early in the chain of events leading toward the act itself. But is he pleased with his children when they continue to disregard the opportunities of escape he offers?

Some of those things leading toward the act of adultery and fornication are: vulgar talk, seeing immodest pictures (either on the screen or off), immodest dressing (either when swimming, at athletic events or anywhere else), dancing, and petting. But these not only incite lust and lead toward fornication; they are sinful in themselves. The very fact that they incite lust makes them lascivious. (See Dictionary.) Of those who are guilty of lasciviousness God says, “They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).

The place God wants the sin of adultery or fornication stopped is to stop those things leading toward it. Do not let Satan blind your eyes by his oft repeated question, “Where is the harm in that?” The “god of this world” will blind your eyes if you will but let him (2 Cor. 4:4).

Immodest Apparel

“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety” (1 Tim. 2:9). To dress immodestly would be to violate this scripture. Since “sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4), immodest dressing is in itself sin, not merely a step toward sin. Since God did not say, “Adorn yourselves in modest apparel except when in swimming or on the athletic field,” we must conclude that he wants us to dress modestly everywhere. A Christian must refuse to participate in that which requires immodest dressing.

But here again many Christians try to escape only the act itself rather than those things that lead up to the sin. God says, “Train up a child in the way in which he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6). By what stretch of imagination can a parent feel that he is training up a child to dress modestly when he allows that child to go almost entirely naked? (Incidentally this applies to boys as well as to girls.)

If we would all look more for God’s first way of escape from sin instead of ignoring it and many others, waiting for the very last escape just before a terrible scandal, there would be many more true followers of Christ in the world, “Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet. 1:4) (Gospel Digest, Aug. 1953, pp. 1-3).

Guardian of Truth XL: 8 p. 23
April 18, 1996

 

‘Tis sweet to grow old in the fear of the Lord,

When we cease our tasks one by one;

When His strong right hand helps us stand,

Till the last day’s labor is done.

‘Tis sweet to grow old in the fear of the Lord;

To live ‘neath His loving restraints;

‘Tis sweet to grow old in the fear of the Lord;

As life’s shadows longer creep;

Till our steps grow slow, and our sun swings low,

He gives beloved sleep!

(Faith in the Future, copied from The Vegas Dive Messenger, January 7, 1966.)

Old Age is a privilege.

You cannot buy it.

You cannot sell it.

You cannot earn it.

You cannot inherit it.

You cannot merit it.

So if you are fortunate enough to have it, for heaven’s sake enjoy it: and don’t complain about it. Remember, if you were not old – you would be dead!

(Edna Long. The Visitor, copied from The Vegas Drive Messenger, January 7, 1966.)

Guardian of Truth XL: 9 p. 4
May 2, 1996

By Jeff DeVaney

It seems that, as time passes, people are becoming lazy. Most tend to seek the easy way out in the things they do. This is due perhaps to the technological advances that we have around us today. Most of the things we have are in-tended to make life easier. There is nothing wrong with having the modern conveniences of life. But often these cause us to become lazy in our effort. No longer do we have to put forth hard, diligent labor; we become idle and slothful. Of course, some become more lazy than others.

Those who work in factories often see this very thing. It seems that some who are employed tend to take the easy way out and allow others to do the work for them. They have the idea that they will do the least that they can to get by. This is something that most of us learn at an early age. As children we usually did just enough to make mom happy so that we could go out and play. When we were in school, we did only what we had to do to receive the grade we wanted. We learned to do the least that we could and get by.

Sadly, this mind set is making its way into the church. There are many Christians who want to serve Jesus but at the same time, they only want to do the least that they can. We have so many conveniences in our everyday lives that we want the easy way out in serving Christ. We desire salvation, but we do not want to put forth any diligent effort to receive it. In Matthew 19:16-22, we can read about one who had this idea. The rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked what commandments he needed to keep. Notice what he was doing. The ruler wanted to know what was the least that he could do and have eternal life. We commend the young man for his desire to receive eternal life, but he leaves the impression that he wanted the easy way out. This man went away in sorrow because Jesus told him to do more than he wanted. This man wanted to do the least that he could and please God. Since this tends to be the mind set of a majority of Christians, I believe that we need to understand what is the least that we can do and please him.

So what is the least that we can do? Jesus tells us in Luke 17:7-10: “And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, `Come at once and sit down to eat’? But will he not rather say to him, `Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, `We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.- Jesus shows us that the least that we can do is “. . . all those things which we are commanded!” He says that the least we can do is the most we can do! Read that again. The least that we can do is the most that we can do! God requires us to do all that he has commanded to the best of our abilities.

God is not pleased when we give him our least. He expects more from us than that! Consider the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13. We can see that five virgins did as much as they could do to be ready for the marriage; while the other five did what we could classify as their least. We know that the five who entered the marriage were those who made adequate preparations. Those who did the most that they could! Jesus tells us to do more than our least in Matthew 5:38-42. He says, “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” Jesus expects us to go that second mile in our efforts. He demands that we put forth our best effort! Jesus blessed the poor widow in Mark 12:41-44, not because of the amount she put into the treasury, but because she did the most that she could! This is what God desires and demands of us!

When we think of the least that we can do in serving God, it’s simple. We need to do all that God has given us to do. This is exactly what God expects of us. God has given us commands to follow and he is pleased only when we obey those commands. John wrote in 1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” There is nothing hard or difficult about obeying God and keeping His will. His commands are not a burden for us to bear. Now, there will at times, be commands that seem difficult, but we can keep them because God does not require us to do that which we cannot do. God bases our accountability to him, in part, to our ability! As Jesus taught, we are to do all that he commands, because we are able!

Too many Christians desire the easy way out. They want to allow others to do the work while they do as little as possible. Often this causes them to become lukewarm. And we remember the Lord’s warning to those who were lukewarm in Revelation 3:14-22. Often, we teach that God does not accept half-hearted service. God wants us to put forth our best effort in all that we do. Paul stated, “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have” (2 Cor. 8:12).

We would all do well to remember Paul’s admonition in 2 Corinthians 9:6. “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” We must be sowing bountifully and doing all that we can to the best of our ability! This is how we please God and become accepted by him. The least that we can do for God is the most we can do! So, let us deter-mine to all that we can; it is, after all, our duty!

Guardian of Truth XL: 8 p. 12-13
April 18, 1996

By James W. Adams

We would not bring you back again to us,

Brave Soldiers of Redemption’s bloody Cross,

But wish for yesterday, we often do

As we remember you and mourn our loss.

Churches which you served yet love, work, and live.

You would be proud of them if you were here.

The truth which you preached so powerfully,

To them, has been the answer to all fear.

We remember yet the lessons which you taught,

And how they filled our hearts with Heaven’s light.

We remember how they moved us to obey,

Firmly, to take our stand for truth and right.

Today, we reap rich fruit from seed you sowed:

True products of your brave and noble fight.

We remember the sacrifices which you made

That we might darkness flee and walk in light.

And so, by reason of your “work of faith,”

The “love” that made “your labor” true,

The “patient hope” that made you persevere.

We praise our Lord! as we remember you.

[Written in memory of the many great preachers of the “Ancient Gospel” whom I have known, heard, and loved. Based on Paul’s statements: “We give thanks to God al-ways for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God our Father” (1 Thess. 1:2, 3).]

Guardian of Truth XL: 8 p. 11
April 18, 1996