Truth Magazine

By John C. Robertson

Magnets have always fascinated me. As a child, I would try to force two magnets to come together at the same poles, but it never worked. However, when I placed the north pole of one magnet together with the south pole of another magnet, they came together quickly. God’s word is somewhat like two magnets joined at opposite poles. Positive commands are joined with negative commands to produce reconciliation. If one dwells only on the positive, he will not have a “coming together” with God. Likewise, one dwelling only on the negative aspects of God’s word, will never “come together” with God. When Jesus sent the seventy out to preach, he implied both the power of magnetism and polarization of God’s word. “He that hears you hears me; and he that rejects you rejects me; and he that rejects me rejects him that sent me” (Luke 10:16).

While in the plains of Moab, Moses commanded the people saying, if your mother, son, daughter, or even wife attempts to draw your heart away from God, do not listen to them. “Neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: but thou shalt surely kill him; thy hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people . . .” This is a very negative situation. However, the positive side of the equation is that the heart has escaped from being drawn away from God (Deut. 13:6-11).

Due to the Corinthians not mourning over the fornicator among them the apostle Paul said, “In the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh” (1 Cor. 5:4-5). This is a very negative statement, yet there is a positive that connects the two. The second clause of verse 5 reveals the positive, “That the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” 

Paul told the Roman brethren to “mark them that are causing divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them” (Rom. 16:17). Thayer defines the word “mark” as “to fix one’s eyes upon, direct one’s attention to.” To turn away from a brother or sister in Christ is a negative action; however, there is a positive side. “For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent” (Rom. 16:18). The positive side to this command is that we keep ourselves from being influenced by such a one.

To face a brother who is in error is a very negative task (Matt. 18:15-17; Jas. 5:19-20). Yet consider the positive side. Jesus said, “If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother” (Matt. 18:15). James said, “He who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins” (Jas. 5:20).

The words of our Lord are never offensive to the ears of his true saints. David said, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: Therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and light unto my path” (Ps. 119:103-105). The magnetism of God’s word is truly captivating and irresistible to the eye of the one who loves him.  A mind that takes the negatives with the positives is one that accepts that God has our well being in mind. Let us not be polarized by God’s word but “perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10).

jcrobertson1@juno.com

By James P. Needham

In Philippians 4:5, Paul said, “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:1-3).

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another (Rom. 12:10).

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient (2 Tim. 2:24).

To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men (Tit. 3:2).

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy (Jas. 3:17).   

We live in an angry society, the age of rage. Patience is almost non-existent. Everybody is on edge, and demands instant gratification. Airports are crowded. Traffic is bumper to bumper. All this pressure and tension leads to all kinds of rage: air rage, road rage, domestic rage, child murderers, parent murderers, and abortion by the millions. 

It is a fact of history that the church is influenced by its environment. We can find in the church parallel conditions and situations that we observe in its environment. Corinth tolerated fornication; it was the way of life in the city.  

We can see in the church today the intemperance and rage that we observe in our society. The best illustration of that is to be found on the Internet and the printed  pages of the journals among us. Preachers seem to be the worst offenders. So many seem to be unable to discuss differences without reflecting upon motives and personality traits, which have nothing to do with the  issues discussed. Language becomes acrimonious, harsh, and unkind. Egos get in the way of honest consideration of the divine word. It is almost as though being a Christian is an automatic adversarial relationship with fellow Christians.

This has caused many to turn away and not consider the issues involved. It is difficult for some people to ignore the intemperance and focus on the core issue. They are sensitive to the lack of brotherly love and kindly consideration. Such poor behavior blinds them to what needs to be studied.  I do not mean to excuse this, but to state a fact. Important issues are not considered because brethren perceive of them as paper fights, just competition between periodicals, or preacher fusses brought on by egocentric individuals who want to be somebody in the kingdom. Sometimes this may be a fair evaluation, but not often.  

Some brethren would do us a favor by turning off their word processors, do a little introspection and undergo an attitude adjustment before they turn them back on. If we are studying issues, why don’t we do just that, carefully consider each point of view until we have settled the matter in our own minds. Sometimes when brethren approach me with a disagreement, their very method of approach is obnoxious!

It’s seldom if ever proper to impugn the motives of the persons with whom we disagree. Such is almost always just and assumption. Motives sometimes are obvious, but not usually. A brother said to me recently that my disagreements with a brother were more personal than doctrinal. Now, how could he know that? It absolutely is not true. I refuse to discuss the matter further with him because my motives and integrity are not a matter of debate so far as I am concerned. Paul said (1 Cor. 4:5): “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” I understand this to be a condemnation of judging motives, things we cannot know. Paul said, No man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him (1 Cor. 2:11). We may suspect that a brother has bad motives, but unless we know for sure it is best not to approach it. 

Today there are several issues that trouble the church: The nature of Jesus controversy, marriage, the divorce and remarriage question, the unity-in-diversity issue, etc. Rather than deal forthrightly with the issues involved, we have seen efforts to intimidate by questioning motives, trashing  the opposition, attempts to minimize the seriousness of these issues, or sweep them under the rug in a unity-in- diversity scenario.

Good brethren who have been known for their intelligence, soundness and good work are sometimes caught up in these unbrotherly tactics. It is a shame to see great mental energy wasted on side issues and personal insinuations that cannot be proven. Men of good will and great intelligence should not be swayed by worldly pressure or brotherhood politics to violate the principles we know they have embraced all their preaching lives.

The church today is burdened down with problems. The solution is not losing our patience and composure and venting our spleens at each other, but rather settling down and in a cool and collected manner study the issues in the light of God’s word. If we don’t get down to this task, we are about to undergo another split. If a split has to be, then let it be over error, not over personality conflicts that come about by intemperate outbursts, religious rage and poor attitudes unrelated to the core issues that divide us. 

When brethren cast aspersions on each other and assume bad motives, these actions can accumulate to the point that we can’t stand each other’s company; so we divide not over issues, but because of personal bitterness. It is sad to see brethren unwilling to sit down and discuss scriptural issues because of personal dislike and intemperate language used in the fray.

This is no defense of softness or compromise, but a plea for us all to be civil in our discussions. It is proper and right to press one’s point with vigor, but remember, it is lightning that kills, not thunder. 

1600 Oneco Ave., Winter Park, Florida 32789

By Larry Ray Hafley

The snippet below was sent in by Bill Reeves, a brother beloved in the Lord. 

According to a televised CBS news report, Aug. 30, 1999, a privately owned Lutheran High School in Michigan demonstrated how it deals with teen violence: a strict dress code! Girls wear modest dresses; boys wear shirts and trousers — no jeans for either sex! One day out of the month both can wear jeans. The principal reported that it is on that day (Jean’s Day) that he sees more students in his office needing disciplinary action or lecturing. “You act according to your dress.” Additional restrictions presented in the dress code were these: no pierced ears on the boys, no bright nail polish on the girls, no shorts on either sex.
    
Of course, I am not proposing that ladies wear jeans one Sunday a month, or that we measure the brightness of nail polish. Otherwise (at the risk of being charged with being the “clothes police”), perhaps brethren need to adapt the Lutheran School’s dress code. Yes, I know that the poor are not to be judged or shunned because of shabby clothing (Jas. 2:1-5). However, poverty is one thing. Slovenly, sloppy, indecent attire is quite another (Gen. 41:14; Prov. 7:10; 1 Tim. 2:9). 

Is the scriptural appeal for “modest apparel” without meaning? Does it elude all judgment and discretion? Is it impossible to define and apply (cf. Phil. 1:9-11; Col. 1:9, 10; Heb. 5:14b)? Evidently, though some brethren think so, a certain Lutheran High School does not so believe. Sad it is when children of the world act and dress with more wisdom than the children of light.   

By Bobby Graham

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven (Matt. 18:10).

Many of us have seen the bumper sticker that says, “Abortion stops a beating heart.” Is it not tragic that our national morals have declined to such a low point that abortion has become a means of ending unwanted pregnancies? In many, many cases it is the result of fornication and the associated desire to live as one pleases without the unwanted consequences. Selfishness is the cause of the problem, and the so-called remedy of terminating the life of another in abortion is the ultimate expression of selfishness. One life is stamped out for the sheer physical pleasure and enjoyment of another.

I recently read the account of a doctor’s delivery of a “breech baby.” In one case out of ten this kind dies during delivery. This doctor, who normally would not have ever thought of aborting a life did give it some thought in this one instance.  Once the birth had begun, he was able to see that one thigh of the baby was missing completely, so that the little foot, attached at the hip, would never have reached past the knee on the other leg. Upon seeing this defect, the doctor actually thought about sparing the parents the pain they would surely experience later. However, he just could not bring himself to commit the act. Under the circumstances death would have been somewhat expected, but he expected much more of himself. He delivered that baby, pitiful leg and all. There was one heart unstopped by the tragic act of abortion.

Some twenty years later the same doctor was present at a ceremony honoring some nurses. There a number of musicians entertained. There he saw her again — the one he chose not to abort. The harpist on the occasion was that very young woman. What talent she displayed as she beautifully performed for the people assembled! There was one harpist  who would have never played if abortionists had had their way. There was one heart that abortion did not stop.

We are reaping the harvest of bitter fruit resulting from the sowing of the wrong kind of seed — humanism, evolution, atheism, and moral relativism. When people believe human beings are merely elevated animals, they soon begin to act like animals. Only a firm faith in God that treats human beings as the special creatures of God that they are will solve this worldwide problem.

24978 Bubba Trail, Athens, Alabama 35613