Truth Magazine

By Dick Blackford

There are a number of people who are as fearful of the Bible as Little Red Riding Hood should have been of the Big Bad Wolf. Who are these people and what are they afraid of?

The Supreme Court

They recently ruled against a teen-age girl who had an assignment to write a report on a historical character. She wrote hers on Jesus. The teacher gave her an “F” because of her controversial choice. It happened in the heart of the “Bible belt” near Nashville, Tennessee. There is an abundance of evidence that Jesus was a historical character  much more than for Socrates, Plato, Homer, Herodotus, Thucydides, Tacitus, and others. Never mind that our coins and calendars are dated from his birth. To exclude historical information because it corresponds with the Bible is censor-ship of the worst kind. To do so is neither American, civil, nor liberty. With such logic our children should not be exposed to the Mayflower Compact, Patrick Henry’s famous speech, the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, the Pledge of Allegiance and other similar documents because they extol another controversial character  God.

Would the student have been given an “F” if she had chosen to write on Martin Luther King, Jr. or Charles Darwin? Certainly not. But there is an obvious bias against the central figure of the Bible. The teacher, the school board who backed her, and the Supreme Court all deserve an “F” for fearful. It took less courage to make the decision they made (Matt.10:32).

Hollywood

They have yet to make a movie that is true to the Bible. It is as if they are compelled to misrepresent it in some way. Lately, movies like The Last Temptation are actually vicious attacks on the word of God as they slander Jesus and make scoffing sacrilege. Others also pervert family values taught in the Bible. But most sitcoms totally omit religion as part of people’s lives, unless to make light of it. So the Bible is either perverted and ridiculed or omitted. It is rarely depicted in a favorable light as a positive solution for the abundant problems of our day.

The White House

I know the president often laces his campaign speeches with Bible quotes in trying to cover all the political bases. But they are limited to a few select verses that are often taken out of context (and in some cases actually misquoted) to support what he is trying to say. However, he never quotes verses on morality, such as Romans 1:26, 27, which condemns homosexuality. (While governor of Arkansas he tried to strike down the laws against homosexuality and bestiality.) He seems bent on making this an accepted way of life. Nor does he quote Scripture on respect for life. His pro-choice view is pro-abortion. It says, “I want you to have the right to murder your preborn child.” Such Scriptures would conflict with that view. Claiming to be personally opposed to abortion does not free him from the moral dilemma. Pontius Pilate was personally opposed to the crucifixion of Jesus, but he took a pro-choice position when he said “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ?” (Matt.27:17). The very man who was supposed to uphold justice, perverted it. And “its deja vu all over again.”

Perhaps we, as Christians, are not praying enough for our leaders (1 Tim. 2:2).

The Media

A large percentage of articles that deal with Christianity are negative toward the Bible. A case in point is two recent issues of Time Magazine. The first (December 4, 1995) extolled evolution and the “big bang” on its cover and in its content. The second (December 18, 1995) raised the question on the cover “Is the Bible Fact Or Fiction?” The article tells us that “tales from the Bible are in doubt”  that scholars doubt the existence of Abraham and the patriarchs, Moses, the Exodus, and Joshua’s conquest of Jericho because of no archeological evidence. They fall into the same blunder as skeptics who were their forerunners who denied the existence of the Hittites for the same reason. The skeptics were later proven wrong. The mind set of skeptics is to assume the Bible is wrong till proven right. It is a shame they don’t approach evolution with the same mind set (“big bang,” animal origins, etc.) Except they see, they will not believe  unless it supports evolution.

Why?

Why are these afraid of the big black book? Why do they feel compelled to slander and misrepresent the Bible? We never see them approach other historical documents with such disdain. Their treatment of the Bible is reminiscent of Jehoiakim who took his penknife and cut up the Scriptures of Jeremiah and burned them in the fire (Jer. 36). The reason Jehoiakim so reacted is because the Scriptures said some things he didn’t want to hear. It is no different now. The Bible calls us to a high standard of morality, which is not popular today. In a time when a lust for self-indulgence permeates the air men develop a disdain toward one who called us to live a life of self-denial (Matt.16:24). The truth is, the powers that be in Washing-ton and Hollywood cannot deal with Jesus and his superior system of ethics and justice.

When giving the Bible a fair hearing one has to be overwhelmed with the concept that its author had the total welfare of his readers in mind. But when one looks at those who are afraid of the big black book, it isn’t difficult to see their ulterior motives in ruling against, attacking and slandering the word of God. If the Bible is right, all will be called to account for our behavior on the day of judgment (2 Cor.5:10). Men (and women) will have to answer for their lying, stealing, homosexuality, adultery, hypocrisy, covetousness, irreverence, etc. Many of these are common in the upper (?) echelons of society.

There is no reason to be afraid of the Bible. It is our best friend. The attitude of those who are afraid of it is a far cry from the Christian who can say “0 how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).

Guardian of Truth XL: 6 p. 1
March 21, 1996

By Steve Willis

Blue Moon

“Scientists got a surprise when they compared a new ultra-violet image of the Moon with the one taken in visible light: the lunar surface looks pretty much the same in both images. Compared to visible images, lunar UV images are more sensitive to rock freshness and should highlight the regions that were resurfaced by impacts during the last 1 to 2 billion years.

“Based on lab tests of Apollo samples, the scientists expected the UV image to be essentially a negative of the visible one. `That the Moon does not appear reversed in the UV is quite a mystery,’ says Randy Gladstone, head of the team that made the study. `We have our work cut out to explain it.’ Gladstone is at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas; the UV images were taken by Endeavour’s Astro-2 payload in March 1995.”

Comment

It seems to me they expected to see most of the Moon’s surface to be one color where it was old, and that it should have appeared the opposite where it was new. By “old” they would have meant 4-4.5 billion years, and by “new” or resurfaced, they would have said less than 2 billion years. In fact, if the UV theory is right, what is old looks new and what is new looks old. These type of mysteries have been in abundance of late.

Now under “The Quasar Epoch” these quotes, not in their entirety:

“A new quasar survey has found that these distant cosmic powerhouses did not flicker on randomly. Instead, almost all quasars appear to have lit up at roughly the same time, which may tell astronomers when the first galaxies started to form.”

Again don’t think scientists are agreeing to a young-universe as many creation researchers maintain. They say this about the quasar epoch: “The quasar epoch must have lasted from red shift 2.7 to 1.7, which corresponds roughly to 2 to 3 billion years after the Big Bang” (both reports on page 30). The question would be “Why did they all turn on all at once?”

But it gives one another thing to think about when he reads Genesis 1:3, “`Let there be light,’ and there was light.”

If you’ve been following some of the Age-of-the-Universe reports based on the recent Hubble telescope finds, you’ve seen that there is a crisis going on. Researchers are finding the universe to be younger than some of the stars in it. This fits neither the Bible view, nor the Big Bang cosmologies. While thinking they see stars that they would measure as 15-20 billion years old, earlier in 1995, the universe was only dating from 8-11 billion years old. Figuring something was wrong, they, turned the Hubble telescope to another part of the universe to try to measure an expansion rate that they would use to figure the age of the universe. Here are their findings:

“Plugging their values into the Einstein-de Sitter model of the universe, associates get an age of 9.5 billion years since the Big Bang. Because stellar astronomers claim to have measured stars as old as 15 billion years, this paradox between extragalactic and galactic methods of fixing the universe’s age still stands (from Astronomy, January, 1996)”

All I’m trying to relate with this information is that creationists aren’t the only ones grappling with the “facts”so are other scientists. The creationist has the advantage of believing God’s word that says GOD created the heavens and the earth, and when He did so it was mature and probably mature looking.

Guardian of Truth XL: 5 p. 23
March 7, 1996

By Lewis Willis

One of the first lessons we learn from the Scriptures about the people of God is that they are to be different from the people who are in the world. The evidence is abundant that this is true. This distinctiveness is the demonstration that a change has been wrought in a person’s life.

 The Bible teaches us that one who is a Christian enjoys “newness of life.” When a person is raised from baptism, note what Paul said: “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). Paul also wrote: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; be-hold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). Then, he said that from among the Jews and Gentiles, Christ made “one new man” (Eph. 2:15). Something about the life of a Christian is described by the Holy Spirit as “new.” It is that “newness” that makes the Christian different from those who are still in and of the world about us. Thus, it is imperative that Christians understand just what this difference is all about.

Peter taught, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy” (1 Pet. 2:9-10). Should we not reasonably expect that “the people of God” would be different from the “people of the Devil”? Paul said that Christians should “be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life” (Phil. 2:15-16). And, in that respect, we are taught a “new” conduct and relation to evil: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:17-18). Learning this lesson is the most difficult thing for new and old Christians.

We should be especially distinctive in our moral con-duct. Note the following Scriptures, and their emphasis on how we approach life and the evil things of the world. I shall list these passages without comment, for in reality, no comment is needed for those who desire to please God who saved us from the sins of the world.

“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); “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure” (1 Tim. 5:22); “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17); “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, accept-able unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2); “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John. 15:19); “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John. 3:13).

Obviously, there are numerous passages which teach this truth, so let us continue to note them: “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19); “Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you” (1 Pet. 4:4); “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (Jas. 1:27); “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Tit. 2:11-12); and, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John. 2:15-17).

Now, I may be badly mistaken, but I believe that any and every child of God can understand these verses. We can easily see that a certain conduct is expected of us. We surely know that we are not at liberty to act the way we acted before we became Christians. It was that former way of life that brought us under the condemnation of God, and it was from that life that we sought deliverance when we obeyed the gospel. It is totally inappropriate that we should look back to that way of life, and engage ourselves in it again. If we do, we will surely bring ourselves again under condemnation. Peter taught that Christians have “escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet. 1:4), but he also said some will fall back into that way of life: “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the be-ginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Pet. 2:20-22). Jesus said that those who will not maintain their distinctiveness “are not fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk. 9:62).

Thus, the message for us is the same as it was for Timothy, “that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). We must “put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col. 3:10). Christ is the pattern  the image  which Christians try to duplicate in their lives (1 Pet. 2:21). He was certainly different than those of the world of his day. In like manner, so must we be different in our day. May God help us to be what we ought to be.

Guardian of Truth XL: 6 p. 6-7
March 21, 1996

By Andy Alexander

On Monday, November 6th, Marc Nations, Kenneth Steele, Jonathan Nations, Brad Soto, Byron Smith and myself traveled to Jamaica to preach the gospel. We landed in Montego Bay and traveled south across the island to the city of Savanna-La-Mar. Brother Errol Lawson met us at the airport and arranged for transportation. Brother Errol and his father J.S. Lawson work with the church in the Savanna-La-Mar area.

Brother J.S. Lawson owns and operates a small electrical business in Savanna-La-Mar. The church in Savanna-La-Mar meets in a small building behind the workshop of brother Lawson. Errol Lawson is working with a group in the Waterwheel area which is about ten miles East of Savanna-La-Mar and they are in the process of constructing a small meeting house. Several brethren were being transported from the Waterwheel vicinity to Savanna-La-Mar for each service. A congregation in that area will greatly help these brethren because of the transportation problem.

Several days prior to our arrival, Keith Burnett of Russellville, Kentucky and Clinton Douglas of South Bend, Indiana had already begun a two week meeting at the new location in Waterwheel. Services were held each evening in a temporary structure with open sides and a canvas top. The services lasted about two hours every night and many people from the area attended. Due to the method of trans-porting people to and from services, some of the members had about four hours a night invested in the meeting. The brethren did not seem to view this as any great hardship.

Transportation is one of the problems in Jamaica. The Lawsons are the only members of the church in the Savanna area that have automobiles. J.S. has a 1967 Chevy pickup and Errol drives a 1973 Ford Capri that is on its third motor. They also have a Mitsubishi pickup that was in the repair shop for our entire stay. The brethren come from several miles around the city and the Lawsons arrange for their travel each service.

The church now meeting in Savanna-La-Mar has about thirty to forty in attendance and the group meeting in Waterwheel has approximately twenty to twenty-five. Both churches are at peace and seem to be faithful in holding forth the gospel in their area. The Lawsons are a very stable family with an excellent reputation in and around the city. This has helped the Lord’s cause in that area and made our work among them much easier.

The people of Jamaica are very open to Bible study. Each day we paired up and went door to door inviting people to the gospel meeting that was in progress at the new location in Waterwheel. We told them something about the church and asked if they would be interested in a personal Bible study. Quite a few accepted the Jamaica Report invitation to study. During the two weeks we had approximately thirty-six studies.

Brother Burnett and brother Douglas also had a number of studies that are not included in those listed above. They concentrated their efforts in Savanna-La-Mar during the day, as they stayed with the Lawsons, and the six of us who came later concentrated our work in the Waterwheel region. There were four baptized into Christ during the two weeks and several were very close to obeying the gospel. The brethren will follow up on those and hopefully they, too, will be added to the Lord.

Most of the Jamaicans that we studied with had Bibles, knew how to read, and were interested in doing right. Possibly this attitude comes from the fact that the Bible is used as a textbook in the public school system. Most of our studies began on a front porch with one or two people but ended with several more listening in. Frequently young children would run get their Bibles and follow along in the studies. Perhaps one reason for the interest shown in Bible study was that televisions, radios, and video games were almost non-existent.

Our private studies lasted about sixty to ninety minutes and consisted of a lesson that began with the subject of sin  what sin is and who is guilty of sin. Then, we discussed the penalty of sin and the torments of hell. Also, brought into the lesson was the fact that many religious people will be lost (Matt. 7:21-23). Following this, we studied vain worship, the danger of perverting the gospel, and scriptural names for God’s people, individually and collectively (Mark 7:7; Gal. 1:6-9; Acts 11:26; Rom. 16:16). The organization, work, and worship of the church of Christ, and the gospel plan of salvation were the concluding topics of our studies. Error was contrasted at every point and the lessons were well received because the people saw and heard every point read from God’s word.

Brother Marc Nations developed this particular format and while there are other methods of conveying these same thoughts, these were particularly effective. At each study, one would conduct the study and the other would write down the Scriptures that were used with a few notes. These notes were left behind for the people to look over and study. On several occasions as we walked up and down the roads past houses we had visited, we noticed some reading and going over the handwritten sheet that was left behind. It seemed such an oddity for those of us there the first time that so many people were interested in spiritual matters.

Lessons

There are several lessons that were reinforced during our two week visit, as well as memories and experiences that will go with us for a lifetime. Some of the lessons that were impressed upon our minds are listed below.

 The gospel mightily defeats every false doctrine (2 Cor. 10:3-6). Repeatedly, we met people who had embraced various forms of false teaching and the gospel answered every single one. Adventists, Baptists, Methodists, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, members of the Salvation Army, and others were met and all their questions were answered with Scripture and the false doctrine involved was exposed. It is easy to argue with the thoughts, ideas, and opinions of man, but when people see that the doctrine they have embraced is opposed by God, they usually change their attitude. Many would have to think about what they had learned, some said they were wrong and would have to think about their next step, and some obeyed the gospel. Only in a few cases did some seem to totally close their eyes to what was presented from God’s word.

 The Salvation Army is a false denomination. This was something that was known but further impressed upon our minds. The Salvation Army has established churches in Jamaica and propagates its false doctrine of salvation by faith only just like any other religious body. One may as well drop thirty cents in the collection plate of the Baptist Church as to drop it in the bell ringer’s red bucket at the store front.

 Christians in America are too busy. Most of us think we are too busy to squeeze a two week meeting with two hour services into our schedules. We have deceived ourselves into thinking that we have so many important things to do that attending such a meeting would be out of the question. Our television habit, hobbies, recreation, and diligent search for the dollar have most of us just too busy to do the Lord’s work. Jamaicans have far less of this world’s goods than we do, but they are going to carry the same thing out of this life that we do  nothing. All that will matter in the end is what have we done to prepare our souls for the Judgment (Matt. 16:26).

 There are still people who will respond to the gospel invitation. In the United States it almost seems impossible to have any success knocking on doors. Bible studies seem to be few and far between, but in Jamaica and other places around the world, more people are hungering and thirsting for the gospel. That is a refreshing feeling. I would encourage any gospel preacher or other interested Christian to travel to Jamaica and work with brethren in that area. They will be encouraged and you will be strengthened in innumerable ways.

 Repentance is needed all over the world. The message of God’s prophets of old was repentance (Isa. 55:6-7). The message of John the Baptist and Jesus was, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). Our time is no different and the same message of repentance is still needed. Jamaica is no different from any place in the world. Sin is prevalent and the need to repent is urgent. Alcohol, drugs, and fornication are some of the sins that must be dealt with when the subject of repentance is brought up in the plan of salvation. It does no good to baptize someone who does not intend to give up the sin they are engaged in.

Some brethren have the mistaken idea that we should teach repentance but not go into detail about known specific sins in the lives of the people we teach. The idea is that these people can learn about their specific sins little by little and hopefully repent when they learn they have been continuing in their sins. This only complicates matters and makes for problems in the local church later when these sins come to light. People need to know what repentance is and what it means in their life before they can properly obey the command to repent. This is obvious from such passages as Acts 2 where the Apostles directly addressed prominent sins of which the people in the audience were guilty. Brethren approaching the people in Jamaica will readily recognize several sins that are very open and prominent such as fornication, drinking, and smoking marijuana. No extra insight is needed to know that these sins are being committed. Avoiding teaching on these particular sins can lead people to the false conclusion that baptism saves without turning from sins. As we discussed the plan of salvation in each Bible study, we made sure that they were aware of what repentance was and what it meant in their life. This was usually the point where they needed time to think. Obeying the Lord cost something and they could see that cost in their lives. We tried to emphasize with Scripture that heaven is well worth the earthly cost.

 A more zealous spirit to spread the gospel is needed at home. We arrived home after our two week trip with a more determined spirit to spread the gospel. It is encouraging to work two weeks with those of like precious faith in an area where the people desire to hear the gospel. It gave us some good experience in sharing the gospel on a daily basis both in personal teaching situations and meeting many people in such a short time from different religious backgrounds. The experience will never be forgotten and hopefully future trips can be planned and executed.

 The cost of the entire trip was surprisingly low. For two weeks stay in a local hotel, airfare, and food less than six hundred dollars was needed. All foreign trips can-not be done for this low amount, but travel to Jamaica and several other Caribbean islands is unusually inexpensive. Americans are generally well-accepted in Jamaica. No real problems were encountered. The water on the island is chlorinated and safe to drink. The hotels in the rural areas are adequate and food can be found that is not much different from what we eat in this country.

The trip was successful from a human point of view. God knows the spiritual success that has and will come from such a trip. I personally benefited and the others who traveled along for the first time seemed to be of the same mind. Marc has traveled to Jamaica on a number of different trips and was a great help to the rest of us who were there for the first time. He knows the country and the people of Jamaica and is well aware of the spiritual needs on the island. There were no gifts of any kind offered other than the gospel of Christ. Denominations and some members of the church make the mistake of giving material things away. As long as the free goods are flowing, people are interested, but when the gifts cease, the people lose interest. We offered the gospel of Jesus Christ, the free gift of God, to a lost and dying world and quite a few were interested and did study the Bible. Let us all continue to study and teach others the soul-saving gospel of Christ.

Guardian of Truth XL: 6 p. 4-6
March 21, 1996