Truth Magazine

By Dennis Tucker

On November 19th, the American Cancer society had its Great American Smoke Out. Smokers were encouraged to give up their tobacco for at least one day. They hoped that at least a small minority of those who participate permanently will give up the habit. I don’t remember when this event became an annual occurrence, but it is estimated that 5 million fewer smokers participated this year than did last year. Just the fact that we are talking in the millions shows how many people are affected.

In this article, I want to examine the smoking issue from a little different view than is usually taken. First of all, I was raised in a major tobacco state (Kentucky). On a recent news program, it was said that in 1976 over one-half of the adult population in Louisville smoked. In Kentucky, tobacco is big business. Near Bowling Green, Kentucky, there used to be a billboard that read: “80,000 jobs are created by the Tobacco Industry in Kentucky.” Of those 80,000 many are farmers who would not be able to survive without this valuable cash crop. Brown & Williamson, Philip Morris, and American Tobacco are companies that have, or still employ, a large number of people in the Louisville area. In the early 1970s, one out of three cigarettes made were made in Louisville. The state of Kentucky receives both taxes from the crop itself and from the sale of the cigarettes. All of this is to illustrate just how vital the tobacco industry is to the economy in my home state. I have heard all of the arguments which either allow or condemn tobacco. Speaking against tobacco in Kentucky is about like preaching against mixed swimming in Florida. Hard working and honest Christians would be hurt if people gave up either smoking or swimming in those states. It is my hope that by looking at the effects of tobacco, it will be easier for Christians who smoke to quit.

First, smoking deteriorates your lifestyle. If you smoke one pack of cigarettes a day (many smoke up to 3 packs), you are spending about $30 a month, or $365 a year, on a product that you burn in your mouth. Not only does it take money that you could use for something you need, but it also destroys clothing, causes carpet burns, and stinks up the room. Smokers develop the “Smokers Cough”: the first two things that a smoker must do in the morning is start coughing and then light up a cigarette. It is my understanding that when a smoker sleeps, the nicotine settles in his lungs and must be stirred up; after going 8 hours without a cigarette, he then craves more nicotine. Smokers hurt the lifestyle of the people around them. While writing this portion of this article, I was in an airport that was filled with cigarette smoke. I had to eventually move to a different terminal because it was making me ill. Smokers need to realize that just because they want to fill their lungs doesn’t mean others want tot do the same. Smoke which fills a room is worse than the smoke that a smoker puts in his lungs. This “secondary smoke” does more harm and is more sickening than the smoke that is directly inhaled. Parents who smoke in the car are doing an injustice to their children.

Second, smoking is a bad habit. Everybody has some habits. Usually when you mention to a smoker the idea of it being a habit, they will compare this to drinking coffee or chewing gum. We need to realize that not all habits are bad. Just because you do something habitually (chewing gum) does not automatically place you with the smoker. But let’s say for the sake of argument that chewing gum is a bad habit. You chew gum (which is bad) so I will smoke (which is just as bad). This is the same argument that is used with sin (you committed a sin so I can sin). Or, at least my habit is not as bad as drinking. I used to bite my fingernails, and people (especially my mom) used to get on my case. My response was that everybody has a bad habit, and at least mine wasn’t really hurting anybody. Even while I made that argument I realized that I was justifying doing less than my best, and doing my best is required of every Christian. So I quit. Smokers need to replace that bad habit with a good habit.

Third, smoking causes health problems. Smokers will eventually develop emphysema; all smokers do. This means that they will have trouble breathing, and walking or singing will cause them to be out of breath. It is sad to hear a person, who once could sing, have to rush through a song because of his bad lungs or to hear a once beautiful voice now sound raspy. Even more alarming is the connection between smoking and cancer. Each year in Kentucky 2,600 people will die of cancer. If you smoke, your chances of dying of cancer are 20 times greater than the non-smoker.

Consider the actual agony of cancer. While in Florida, I spent considerable time with people who had cancer. There are some things that stand out about the illnesses: (1) It is very painful. It will rob you of your energy and any joy you have. Cancer victims die a slow death. In fact, each day they feel worse than the day before. Eventually, any little task (walking or sitting) is impossible, and the person actually prays for his own death. (2) Cancer has time on its side. Usually when we get sick, our bodies use time to heal or rid itself of the problem. Cancer uses time to wear the victim down. It will give you today or tomorrow, but eventually it will win. (3) There is the mental agony that it could have been avoided. Most people would never shoot their own foot or chop off a hand, yet they choose to increase their chances of getting cancer by smoking.

“Why should I quit?” This is a common question. I can not actually say that smoking is a sin (although I feel that it would be for me), but I can point out this fact: smoking is selfish. If God allows you the right to commit slow suicide with a cigarette, he does not allow you to purposely hurt others. Think of your children. The mental pain and agony of watching a loved one die of cancer is great. They will see you die a little each day and have their lives turned up side down. Your grandchildren will grow up either remembering your death or without any memory of grandmother or grandfather. It is the responsibility of parents to love and teach their children. This is impossible if you are dead. I have a father who smokes, and I hope that he will quit. I hate the idea of losing him to cancer. I also feel a little hurt because he loves that cigarette enough to risk having to leave his children and grandchildren.

Smoking is selfish because it also robs the church of your abilities. People who once could lead singing or give sermons are no longer able to do so. You have to be able to breathe to sing, and you must be alive to teach.

It is my sincere hope that Christians who smoke will see not only the effect that smoking has on themselves but also the effect it has on the church and their families. Surely anybody who loves their God, their brethren, and their family will chose what is best for them.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 5, pp. 148-149
March 3, 1988

By David A. Beck

Ellen G. White

Another self-proclaimed latter-day prophet was Ellen G. White, the founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She claimed that all she said came from God. “I am just as dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord in relating or writing a vision, as in having the vision. It is impossible for me to call up things which have been shown me unless the Lord brings them before me in the time that he is pleased to have me relate or write them.”(1)

Maurice Barnett quotes the Adventist Review, “We believe that Ellen White was inspired by the Holy Spirit and that her writings, the product of inspiration, are particularly applicable and authoritative to Seventh-day Adventists. . . We do not believe that the quality or degree of inspiration in the writings of Ellen White is different from that of Scripture.”(2)

Mrs. White was greatly influenced by William Miller, a prophet of the “Second Adventism” movement. He and his followers believed in six distinguishing doctrines: (1) No hell, or punishment for the wicked. (2) No conscious existence after death. (3) The destiny of man is everlasting life on earth. (4) The end of the world is nearly here. (5) After Jesus came, he would judge the world, resurrect those in the grave, and renovate the earth to sinless perfection. (6) His second coming would be sometime between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844.(3)

When their expectations failed to materialize, they set a second date of October 22, 1844. According to Mrs. White, when these prophecies failed, she received in a vision a message from God. Thus began her “ministry.”(4)

Mrs. White made health reform rules a matter of faith. Adventists, for the most part, are vegetarians. Barnett quotes from Counsels on Diet and Food (p. 380), “Again and again, I have been shown that God is trying to lead us back, step by step, to His original design – that man should subsist upon the natural products of the earth. . . Vegetables, fruits, and grains should compose our diet. Not an ounce of flesh-foods should enter our stomachs. The eating of flesh is unnatural.”(5) Mrs. White further claimed, “We are composed of what we eat, and eating much flesh will diminish the intellectual activity. . . A religious life can be more successfully gained and maintained if meat is discarded, for this diet stimulates into intense activities lustful propensities, and enfeebles the moral ind spiritual nature. ‘The flesh warreth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh’ . . . . From the light God has given me, the prevalence of cancers and tumors is largely due to gross living on dead flesh . . . cancers, tumors, scrofula, tuberculosis, and numbers of other like affections.”(6)

Mrs. White originally forbade the use of butter, eggs, milk, and cheese, but she later changed her teaching.(7)

Obviously, not only are Mrs. White’s “inspired” dietary demands unsound both medically and scientifically, but they are specifically warned against in the word of God. In 1 Timothy 4:1-5, God specifically mentions false prophets who will, “command to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”

Ellen G. White, in 1849, said, “If any among us are (sic) sick, let us not dishonor God by applying to earthly physicians, but apply to the God of Israel. If we follow His divine directions (James 5:14-15) the sick will be healed. God’s promise cannot fail.” However, in 1864, in volume 2 of Spiritual Gifts, she denied that earlier statement, and claimed to have “always held” the position that consulting an earthly physician could “sometimes . . . be very necessary.”” Her writings are full of such obvious contradictions.

Mrs. White taught that acquired conditions or characteristics could be passed on to one’s children in some way. In Health Reformer (Vol. 6, No. 5, 1871, p. 157), she states, “‘But my waist is naturally slender,’ says one woman. She means that she has inherited small lungs. Her ancestors more or less of them, compressed their lungs in the same way that we do [tight laced corsets (DAB)], and it has become in her case a congenital deformity. This leads us to one of the worst aspects of the whole matter the transmitted results of indulgence in their deadly vice.”(8) Genetic science absolutely refutes such claims.

Note, also, her teaching on the use of wet-nurses for one’s babies: “A stranger performs the duties of the mother and gives from her breast the food to sustain life. Nor is this all. She also imparts her temper and her temperament to the nursing child. The child’s life is linked to hers. If the hireling is a course (sic) type of woman, passionate and unreasonable; if she is not careful in her morals, the nursling will be, in all probability, of the same or similar type. The same course (sic) quality of blood, coursing in the veins of the hireling nurse is in that of the child” (Health Reformer, Vol. 6, Number 3, 1871, p. 45).(9) Barnett asks, will a baby fed on cow’s milk have a tendency to eat grass and run in the fields? There is no basis in medical science for such nonsensical teaching.

Another of Ellen G. White’s “inspired” teachings concerned the wearing of wigs. “The artificial hair and pads covering the base of the brain, heat and excite the spinal nerves centering in the brain. The head should ever be kept cool. The heat caused by these artificials induces the blood to the brain. The action of the blood on the lower, or animal organs of the brain, causes unnatural activity, tends to recklessness in morals, and the mind and heart are in danger of being corrupted. As the animal organs are excited and strengthened, the moral are enfeebled. The moral and intellectual powers of the mind become servants to the animal. Such lose their power to discern sacred things.” She further claimed that the wearing of wigs produced congestion and baldness.(10)

It is obvious that Mrs. White’s “prophecies” concerning science and health contained major flaws, yet she is considered an inspired prophet; her word is equal in quality to Scripture, according to Adventists.

According to Mrs. White, William Miller in 1840 predicted that the second coming of Christ would occur in 1843. When this event failed to happen, she and other “faithful” disciples of Miller began to search for answers.(11)

Soon, Mrs. White was speaking on behalf of the Seventh-day Adventists, a group which “discovered” that Christ had not returned yet because the church, through the influence of Roman Catholicism, had discarded observance of the Sabbath.(12) Mrs. White, in November, 1848, claimed the “Time of Trouble,” just prior to the second advent “had begun.”(13) On January 5, 1849, she said the “Time of Trouble” had not begun yet, but was “nearly finished.”(14) Present Adventists still believe the second coming of Christ is “at hand.”(15) Like the Mormons, Adventists try to “explain away” these failures, but if a prophet is truly inspired, his prophecies will be true.

Charles T. Russell

Charles T. Russell, the founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization, became interested in a splinter group of Adventists, who believed the second advent would take place in 1874. He became associated with them in 1868. By 1877, he had published a book claiming that Christ’s second advent had begun invisibly in the fall of 1874.(16)

On July 1, 1879, Russell printed the first edition of Zions Watch Tower. He had severed all connections with the Adventists.(17)

It was claimed by Rutherford, of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Organization, that in 1881 Russell became a spokesman for God. This claim was later refuted in 1954.(18)

Russell claimed, in 1889, in the coming 26 years all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved.(19)

The Jehovah’s Witnesses have set date after date for the second coming and establishment of the kingdom. On July 15, 1894, Russell predicted the end of the “time of trouble” to occur in 1914.(20) In 1914, he said Armageddon “may begin next spring.”(21) In 1920 J. F. Rutherford predicted the resurrection of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, “and other faithful ones of old,” fully restored to perfect humanity. This was to take place in 1925.(22) In 1929, Beth Sarim, a “mansion for the worthies of old” was built.(23)

In 1941, Armageddon was predicted as “soon.”(24) In 1942, a date of 1972 was set for Armageddon.(25) And on February 10, 1975, F. W. Franz predicted Armageddon to begin at Sundown, September 5, 1975.(26)

As we see these prophecies fail, one by one, we have to ask, “Why do these prophetic speculators still have followers?” I believe that the answer is clearly portrayed in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked One be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Endnotes

1. Ellen G. White and Inspiration, Copyright 1983, Maurice Barnett, Gospel Anchor Pub. Co., Louisville, Ky., p. 6.

2. Ibid.

3. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Maurice Barnett Printing Service, Cullman, Alabama, p. 1.

4. The Story of Redemption, Copyright 1947, Ellen G. White Publications, Review and Herald Publishing Assoc., Washington, D.C., p. 379.

5. Ellen G. White, p. 22.

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid., p. 34.

8. Ibid., p. 35.

9. Ibid., pp. 35-36.

10. Ibid., p. 36.

11. Story of Redemption, pp. 356-357.

12. Ibid., pp. 378-379.

13. Ellen G. White, p. 49.

14. Ibid.

15. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Barnett, p. 1.

16. Ibid.

17. Ibid., p. 15.

18. Ibid.

19. The Jehovah’s Witnesses and Prophetic Speculation, Copyright 1972, Edmond C. Gruss, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, pp. 83-84.

20. Ibid., p. 84.

21. Millions Now Living Will Never Die, Copyright 1920, J. F. Rutherford, International Bible Students Assoc., Brooklyn, N.Y., pp. 88-90.

22. Gruss, p. 88.

23. Ibid., p. 91.

24. Ibid.

25. Ibid.

26. Ibid., p. appendix ii.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 6, pp. 166-167
March 17, 1988

By Mike Willis

(Editor’s Note: The following article is an edited version of a reply to Leslie Diestelkamp which appeared in the October-December 1987 issues of Think. I have tried to remove most of the personal references in order to have a positive statement as much as possible, though some personal references could not be revised without significantly changing the content of the article. Perhaps this concise statement regarding the continuous cleansing discussion will be profitable to some of our readers.)

Several have asked questions or made comments regarding the continual cleansing discussion which has appeared at various times in this journal. Perhaps this statement of my understanding of these biblical truths might be helpful to others.

1. I am a sinner in need of the grace of God for salvation (Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:8-9). Anyone who represents Mike Willis as teaching salvation by perfect obedience either does not understand “salvation by perfect obedience,” what I believe, or willfully misrepresents me.

2. I believe a Christian can have an assurance of salvation (2 Tim. 4:6-8; 1 Jn. 5:13). My assurance of salvation is based on the forgiveness granted to me by the blood of Christ and rests on the promises of God. My assurance of salvation as an alien sinner came upon my obedience to the gospel in baptism (Mk. 16:15-16) and my assurance of forgiveness as an erring child of God comes upon meeting the conditions of repentance and confession of my sins (Acts 8:22-24). I find no assurance of salvation available to me or any other man based on perfect works (Rom. 3:23). I find no assurance of salvation to be found in the nature of the sins committed or the attitude of the sinner. I know of no passage which promises assurance to anyone who continues to practice his sin. That is the issue!

3. I do not believe that one must specify his every sin in order to be forgiven. The prodigal son made a general confession which God accepted (Lk. 15:18; cf. 18:13). The son could not be forgiven, however, until he quit his sinning.

4. I do not believe that sincerity substitutes for obedience. We have been told that sins of weakness, ignorance, and inadvertence do not separate a person from God. This stands opposed to these Scriptures: Rom. 10: 1-3; Acts 17:30; 1 Sam. 15:22; Prov. 14:12. The fact that a man is good, honest and sincere does not forgive him while he continues to practice his sins anymore than the fact that an alien sinner is good, honest and sincere saves him before and without him obeying the gospel (Mk. 16:15-16).

5. I have no divine authority to promise a man forgiveness so long as he continues in the practice of his sin. Good, honest and sincere Apollos (Acts 18:24-26) had to be taught the way of God more perfectly and change his practice to be acceptable before God. Some have written considerably regarding God’s mercy to one sinning in ignorance. I would like to see the passage which promises forgiveness to the man sinning in ignorance who has not quit the practice of his sin. Do Christian Church people stand justified, while continuing to worship with instrumental music, simply because they pray, “I have sinned”? I do not believe they do. They must quit practicing their sin in order to stand forgiven. Brother Marshall Patton was right when he assessed the continual cleansing doctrine in his debate with brother Diestelkamp: “The consequences of his position demand acceptance and fellowship with every sincere brother in error, including premillennialists, those of the Christian Church, our liberal brethren, et al. These pray the same prayer and just as often that brother Diestelkamp prays with respect to unknown sins” (GOT, 29:13, p. 17).

Grace-unity apostates have found comfort from brother Diestelkamp’s writings and have cited his articles and used his name in defence of their positions (Mark Nitz, Edward Fudge, Arnold Hardin, Bruce Edwards and others). They drew the same conclusion from brother Diestelkamp’s material as brother Patton and I have drawn. Surely brother Diestelkamp will not lightly dismiss the impression so many on both sides of the grace-unity issue have drawn from his writings. Brethren Nitz, Fudge, Hardin, and Edwards have simply applied to the institutional, sponsoring church, instrumental music, and church sponsored recreation controversies the conclusion taught by brother Diestelkamp namely, that a Christian’s continuous sins of ignorance, inadvertence, and weakness do not separate him from God. We do not believe he intends to encourage these apostates in their error and we plead with him to abandon the arguments which have given them so much comfort.

6. I teach salvation by the grace of God. The grace of God is extended to alien sinners on the conditions of faith, repentance, confession and baptism (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; etc.). The grace of God is extended to erring Christians on the conditions of repentance and confession (Acts 8:22; 1 Jn. 1:9). Those who teach that an alien sinner is justified by “faith only” say that I am denying the grace of God when I preach the Bible conditions of salvation for the alien sinner; continual cleansing advocates say that I am denying the grace of God when I preach the divine conditions for salvation for the erring Christian. In both cases they are wrong. I am preaching the grace of God when I preach the conditions for salvation!

7. I do not believe that one becomes an “apostate” (the man of Heb. 6.4-6) upon the commission of one sin. Upon the commission of a sin, a man becomes guilty before God (Gal. 2:11-14; Acts 8:22-24). Unless he repents of this sin, he will be eternally lost. I do not specify what kind of confession he must make – detailed or general. However, he is not the man of Hebrews 6:4-6 who has rebelliously defied God.

8. I do not believe there are any venial sins. By “venial” sins, I refer to sins which one can commit without coming into condemnation. If there are categories of sin – one -category which brings one into damnation and another which does not – continual cleansing advocates should be so kind as to list which sins bring which results. I believe all sin damns (Gal. 5:19-21), unless forgiven by the blood of Christ. Any sin which does not damn is not under discussion in 1 John 1:6-2:2.

The teaching of continual cleansing advocates has come under question because they have taught that some sins do not bring one into condemnation. For example, brother Diestelkamp cited the Bible case of Abraham’s lying as an example of a sin which was committed without separating one from God (GOT, 29:12, p. 17). In a personal letter he cited an example of a man involved in gambling for many months as one not separated from God by his sin. We ask what was the essential difference in their sins which did not damn and Peter’s sin (Gal. 2:11-14) and Ananias’ sin (Acts 5:1-11) which did damn? My good brother has overstepped the bounds of revelation when he promises men forgiveness before and without the cessation of the practice of the sin.

In conclusion, I want to re-emphasize that nothing that I have written in this article or in the past should be so interpreted as to mean that I believe that a man must specify every sin he has ever committed in order to stand justified before God. The key to this discussion is: no passage promises forgiveness for sins which a person habitually and continuously practices before and without ceasing the practice of the sin.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 6, pp. 162, 182-183
March 17, 1988

By Tom M. Roberts

Introduction: The Sadducees plot to present Jesus with “the unanswerable question.” He uses this as an occasion to show that God is, indeed, the God of the living. This provides great comfort to Christians and great incentive to those who are not Christians to obey the gospel. Not only is our God alive; we have eternal life in Christ. (Note: Text promotes understanding that the Bible teaches by Divine implication or, as some state it, necessary inference.)

I. God is the God of the living, as evidenced by Creation.

A. Physical life stems from God.

B. Evolution is wrong on the origin of life.

C. Even the universe is personified – Ps. 19:1; 148:1ff.

D. Life reflects a living God, not inorganic matter.

E. Life sprang into existence “in the beginning” (Gen. 1:1), not after eons of non-life, through inorganic chemistry.

II. God is the God of the living, as evidenced by spiritual life.

A. There is more to man than physical life (Gen. 2:7).

B. The “whole of man” is connected to his relation ship to God (Eccl. 12:13).

C. Man is a spiritual being in a physical body. The body may decay but that which is the “persona” of man continues.

D. The eternity of man’s existence is an awesome reality.

1. Death is not a cessation of existence.

2. Death is a separation of the body and spirit (Jas. 2:26). Note: It is the body that dies, not the spirit.

E. “You” will exist eternally, either in heaven or hell.

F. Sin and death, though constant in our history, is not the purpose of our existence. God created man to live. Sin and death are aberrant behavior, a defiling of our likeness to God.

III. God is the God of the living, as evidenced by eternal life.

A. Jesus came to restore that which we lost through sin: life (John 10:10). Note: usual error on this passage.

B. This life is reflective of his being (John 1:4).

C. This life is conditional, based upon faith (John 3:36, 3:16).

D. This life speaks of both quality and eternity (1 Jn. 5:10-13).

E. It is life snatched from death: a rebirth (Jn. 3:1ff).

1 . The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6.23, 3:23).

2. Death requires blood for atonement (Lev. 17.10-11).

3. God provided the sacrifice (Gen. 22:9-14; Rom. 3.21-26).

4. Life is in Christ (John 20:30,31).

Conclusion: The wonderful continuity of faith: we serve the same God as did Abraham. We have the same life. We will live in the same city (Heb. 11:13-16). Are you living in Christ (Heb. 10:31)?

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 5, p. 146
March 3, 1988