Truth Magazine

By Dennis C. Abernathy

The acute need in the world today is respect for the Bible as the Word of God. The ignorance of the Bible is both alarming and appalling. The ignorance of the Bible is seen in the spread of Oriental religions. All kinds of pseudoprophets are on the rise. But God has spoken unto us by his son, Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1-3), and is not speaking by some guru or self-appointed latter-day “Messiah.”

The ignorance of the Bible is seen in all of the conflicting doctrines that are propagated in the name of the Lord and are believed by a gullible people who should be examining what they hear in light of Bible teaching (Acts 17:11).

Ignorance of the Bible is also seen today in the prevalence of sin. Adultery, homosexuality, drunkenness are rampant. What a disgrace, shame, and tragedy! Evidently people think they can live such lives with impunity, but not so (Gal. 6:7; Rom. 6:23).

I believe far too many people have the idea that they can do with the Bible what they please. It is really the Roman Catholic concept that the Bible is authoritative only because the church declares it to be so. In other words, the Bible is infallible only because the “infallible” Roman Catholic church claims that it is infallible. The claim is that the apostolic writings do not “assert their own inspiration” and were not inpired until the church declared them so in the fourth century A.D. Read the following from a Knights of Columbus ad back in 1955: “Yes, the Bible is truly a Catholic Book. They were members of the Catholic church who, under God’s inspiration, wrote the New Testament in it entirety. It is the Catholic church which treasured it and gave it to the world in its original and unaltered form. It is the infallible authority of the Catholic Church that always has been the only sure guarantee of its inspiration.” Again, hear John A. O’Brien, former President of Notre Dame Univerity: “If she (Catholic Church – DCA) had not declared the books composing the New Testament to be the inspired Word of God, we would not know it. The only authority which non-Catholics have for the inspiration of the Scriptures is the authority of the Catholic church. The church is not the child of the Bible, but its mother.”

Evidently this erroneous teaching (or better put, heresy) has been embraced by many non-Catholics as well. I’m sure you read a few years back about the National Council of Churches new translation (?) that attempts to eliminate what they call “male bias” in Scripture. This was produced by an eleven-member committee appointed by the NCC’s Division of Education and Ministry.

Much of the controversy revolves around such references to God as “Father (and Mother)”; the substitution of “Sovereign One” for “Lord”; and “the Human One” for “the Son of Man.” The committee members at the governing board meeting defended their translation as a document in which “the whole congregation is being addressed in its Scripture.”

But, back to our point. Committee member, Burton Throckmorton, Jr., professor of the New Testament at the Bangor (Maine) Theological Seminary, and a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), expressed the following concerning his understanding of the writtern Word of God. “The Scripture is the church’s book. It was written by the church (and) for the church.” He further said: “There’s no reason . . . that I can see why the church can’t add to its scripture — delete from its scripture. I think the church can do with its scripture what is wants to (do) with its scripture.”

There you have it my friend. The Bible is really not inspired at all! It simply says what the church wants it to say. Actually, according to this pernicious teaching, the church is far more important than is the Word of God.

But may I ask: “How do you prove the infallibility of the Roman Catholic Church?” Would one use such Scriptures as Matthew 16:18,19 or John 20:23? You could not use the Scriptures because they are not infallible unless the church says they are. So hence, you could not prove an infallible church by using an “uninfallible” Scripture!

But really what Catholicism does is claim and declare the church to be more important than the Word of God. This is why you find so many practices in Catholicism which are not found in the Bible. For example, where is Bible authority for a “vicar of Christ on earth”? Where is Bible authority for “praying to Mary and/or saints”? Where is Bible authority for “the mass,” “the rosary,” a “special priesthood,” “celibacy”? All of these practices must of necessity come from the “living voice of the living church,” because they definitely do not come from the Bible! When people will accept religious practices unauthorized by the Bible, they obviously respect whatever sanctions these practices more than they respect the Bible.

In the days of the Judges “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25). What is the difference in those people then and the Catholics and Burton Throckmorton, Jr. and a host of others now? They all simply do what they want to with God’s Word.

As long as men of this caliber fill the pulpits of churches, what more can be expected than a gross ignorance of the Bible? It is a clear case of the “blind leading the blind,” with the destiny of both being the “ditch.”

May we ever respect the Bible as God’s all-sufficient and final revelation to man (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 3; Gal. 1:6-9; 1 Pet. 4:11).

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 14, p. 430
July 21, 1988

By Harry R. Osborne

J.M. Gillpatrick was born on August 23, 1914, and passed from this life on February 17, 1988. The auditorium of the Central congregation in Pampa, Texas was filled two days later for the funeral services conducted by R.J. Stevens and Bob Price. It brought back many memories for me since my earliest recollections are of brother Gillpatrick preaching the gospel in that very auditorium. Of all the debts I owe to older preachers who have taught me the truth, none is as great as the debt I owe to J.M.

Brother Gillpatrick began his life of service to our Lord at the age of twelve when he was baptized into Christ in his home town of Tipton, Oklahoma, by A. Hugh Clark. J.M. did some preaching while growing up in Tipton and while attending Abilene Christian College, but began to devote full-time to preaching in 1937. For the next fifty years, he worked with congregations in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas.

His book, Outline of Bible History, has been used in many churches across this country to aid in the study of the Old Testament since its publication in 1964. The companion volume on the New Testament was published in 1987 and is also an excellent overview study guide. J.M. was a diligent student of the text and both volumes are evidence of that close attention to its rightful dividing (2 Tim. 2:15).

Brother Gillpatrick’s influence on my life began even before I was born. He was preaching in Pampa, Texas when my parents moved there in 1952. Mom and Dad had never heard of “the issues” at that time. A few weeks after their arrival, J.M. preached a lesson on the orphan home question. He plainly declared the fact that no authority existed for the support of orphan homes and other human institutions from the treasury of the church. My dad, certain that he could straighten this poor preacher out, invited J.M. over for a study the next day. Dad quickly found out that he did not have any Scripture upon which to base his stand, but J.M. did. He worked with my parents for several years and helped them greatly in a fuller understanding of God’s Word.

As a child, I was always close to J.M. He was the picture of what a preacher should be to me then, and he still is. I spent a great deal of time at the Gillpatrick’s house and loved every minute of it. Katherine, his faithful and devoted wife, treated me like one of the family and fed me the best pies I have ever tasted. Their son Cary was my idol. And when I went to the living room, there was J.M. with a Bible in his hand. I remember so many times when he reached down and picked me up to sit in his chair as he read the Bible to me. Those were special times and treasured memories.

The Gillpatrick’s moved away in 1964 and we left Tampa in 1965. Our families kept in touch until 1974 when J.M. and Katherine moved to Corpus Christi, Texas where I was in high school. False teaching on marriage, divorce and remarriage had just been done by the preceding preacher and the work was hard. J.M. brought the needed stability with his keeping of the instruction by Paul: “and the Lord’s servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth, and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will” (2 Tim. 2:24-26).

It was during this time that I made up my mind to begin preaching the gospel. He helped me get started preaching and provided good counsel for the years that have followed. I found J.M.’s teaching and advice to be some of the most valuable I received from that time until he passed away. Brother Gillpatrick had a training class for several of us and offered to help me with a more intensive weekly Bible study. The first time I came to his office for the study, I expressed my desire to study the Psalms because I was unfamiliar with most of them. J.M. launched right into the study with an overview of the different types of psalms, referring to a specific example of each type. As he referred to one, I would turn to it as he read aloud. About halfway through, I looked up to see that his Bible was not even open to the Psalms. He was quoting every passage from memory.

There was nothing showy about J.M.’s memory of the Scripture. It was a natural flow from his lips of that which abided in his heart – richly (Col. 3:16). Our family has commented many times that if every Bible in the world was destroyed, brother Gillpatrick could reproduce it from memory. That attention to the Word came through in his preaching. When people heard J.M. Gillpatrick preach, they went away with a full bucket of Scripture to reflect upon and impressed with the power and clarity of God’s Word.

I have never known a man that more closely paralleled the pattern of a gospel preacher laid down by the inspired writers (2 Tim. 4:2-5). J.M. Gillpatrick truly preached the word. His preaching did not change with the whims of the people. He endured many hardships because of his stand for the truth and refusal to compromise, but you could hear no complaining from him about it. The diet he fed in his preaching was balanced with reproof, rebuke and exhortation. All was done with longsuffering and teaching. If ever an evangelist fulfilled his ministry, brother Gillpatrick did! Those of us who preach the gospel would do well to mark him as an example that we might so walk (Phil. 3:17).

All of us who knew J.M. are comforted by the words of Revelation, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them” (Rev. 14:13). By the fruits shown in his life, we have confidence in the eternal destiny of brother Gillpatrick. As we look at the effect of his teaching on so many of us, we see that his works do follow him here as well as into eternity. We will, miss his wisdom, knowledge and help, but we hope to be reunited in a place with no death and no farewells before the throne of God.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 14, p. 440
July 21, 1988

By Roger Sbouse

The final article in this series of “Christianity in the 80’s” deals with a situation that happens all too frequently today. This is a general lack of communication. This can be seen in many different settings.

(1) Between Christians and God. A lack of communication here can be the difference from being a strong, vital saint that is refreshing to the world and a backward saint that doesn’t know which end is up. We must remember that we have been told to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). There is never a time, nor a situation in which prayer does not fit.

(2) Between the Church and the Eldership. The elders are to lead (Heb. 13:17) and the flock is to follow. This necessitates good communication between the two for a proper working relationship. Far too many brethren take off without telling the overseers where they are going and when they are to be back. If you haven’t noticed, it is kind of hard to oversee somebody if you don’t know where he is. Each member owes this to the spiritual leaders. Members need to let the elders know if they are having difficulty grasping the Bible class material or if they are struggling with temptation or if the preacher is over their heads. Only in knowing these things can the eldership make adjustments to help them spiritually. Elders have also been guilty of poor communication with the flock. Members go to the elders with suggestions or complaints and are told that the elders will look into the matter. But nothing is ever said again. This drives members batty. Common decency demands that they at least respond “Yes” or “No.” A period of unresponded ideas will turn members’ creativity off. It will make them say, “Why even bother, they won’t do anything.” Such stirs the fires of insurrection among the flock. And this need not be if folks would only talk with one another as they ought to.

(3) Between the Preacher and the Congregation. Paul told Timothy to be “instant in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2). Timothy was to deal with subjects that were pertinent and relevant to the situation there. Far too many preachers talk about items that have little or no bearing upon the folks in that locale. We need lessons that can build up our lives and help us get to heaven. The church can help by suggesting ideas or letting the preacher know of areas that they especially would like some help in.

(4) Between Member and Member. Often one hears sorrowful tunes such as, “I didn’t know that he was in the hospital.” Or, “I didn’t know about that class.” Either folks are not communicating very well or people are not listening or a little of both is going on. Announcements and bulletin boards are things that should draw your attention each week. Get to know one another outside the building by calling each other or visiting one another. This way you will know each other and can better be on top of things. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another” works best in each other’s homes. To do this you have to know one another. You have to let others know you and you do this by communicating with one another.

The 1980’s is a picture of folks living beside one another but not knowing a thing about their neighbors. It is people working along side of others for years but are unable to communicate beyond the common pleasantries. And in the church folks who plan on staying together through all eternity exhibit the same coldness. This should not be. Try to make a difference by communicating. You’ll be so glad you did and so will we!

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 14, pp. 426-427
July 21, 1988