Truth Magazine

By Bobby Witherington

More Than Just A Historical Being

The fact that a man called “Jesus of Nazareth” actually lived upon this earth and died upon a cross is a matter of historical record. If we can believe that such men as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or Julius Caesar lived on this earth and interacted with fellow human beings, then we must surely acknowledge that Jesus Christ once dwelt among men on planet earth. Various reputable, contemporary historians were unanimous in their affirmations concerning the actual existence of Jesus, as well as the fact of his death on the cross. Notwithstanding their erroneous conclusions concerning the nature of Jesus, most informed atheists and infidels agree that a person known as Jesus of Nazareth lived at the time and place ascribed to him in the Scriptures. In fact, our calendar is dated from the time of Jesus’ birth. Hence, notwithstanding the inward agony it must give them, infidels cannot even write a check without providing mute testimony that Jesus lived!

But Jesus was not just a man. He claimed equality with God the Father (John 5:17, 18). He referred to himself as “the Son of God” (John 9:35-37). On another occasion, referring to God, Jesus said, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). That Jesus regarded himself as more than man is evidenced by the facts that he accepted the worship of men (Matt. 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25, etc.), claimed to “have come down from heaven” (John 6:38), as well as having the power to give “life” (John 5:21), and even said the “Father . . . has committed all judgment to the Son” (John 6:22). In fact, Jesus made claims which no mere sane mortal could ever make. He said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48), “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), “I am the door” (John 10:9), “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11), “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), “I am the true vine” (John 15:1), etc. Jesus went so far as to say “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” and then said, “. . . no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Jesus also said that “Moses . . . wrote about Me” (John 5:46), and he even claimed the “power . . . to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10). Moreover, he even said that “all authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth” (Matt. 28:18).

Surely, in view of the affirmations made by Jesus regarding himself, we must agree that no person ever made greater claims for himself  than did Jesus of Nazareth. And we must all agree that his claims were either true or false. If they were true, then he was nothing less than “Immanuel,” meaning “God with us” (Matt. 1:23), or “God . . . manifested in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16). On the other hand, if his claims were false, then he was either the world’s biggest liar, or the world’s most self-deceived lunatic! We admit that some people brazenly charge Jesus with being either a liar or a lunatic. However, in so doing they obligate themselves to explain how a liar could deliver the greatest moral code which ever existed, or how a lunatic could devise the most workable system ever revealed for enabling human beings to clean up their own lives and to live peacefully, successfully, and happily with others!

Proof That Jesus Is the Son of God

In a sense, there are many “witnesses” who affirmed the Deity and Divinity of Jesus Christ. On two separate occasions (at his baptism and his transfiguration) our heavenly Father said concerning Jesus, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17; 17:5). At Jesus’ death, after witnessing the amazing chain of events which then occurred in such close proximity, “the centurion and those with him . . . feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly this was the Son of God’” (Matt. 27:54)! On a prior occasion, Peter, who had witnessed so many of his miracles, said to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). After seeing the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and remaining upon Jesus at the time of his baptism, John the Baptist “testified that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34). Yes, there are so many credible witnesses who affirmed the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ, all of whom deserve to be heard. However, for the sake of space we must reserve our further comment to three reliable and irrefutable “witnesses.”

1. Prophecy and fulfillment. That Jesus would be the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Judah, born of a virgin, born in Bethlehem, begotten of the Holy Spirit, introduced by a harbinger, rejected by the Jews, betrayed by a friend, become a sin offering, be buried in the grave of the rich, and ascend on high had been foretold centuries in advance (Gen. 12:3; 49:10; Isa. 7:14; Mic. 5:2; Ps. 2:7; Isa. 40:3; 53:3; Ps. 41:9; Isa. 53:4, 5; 53:9; Ps. 68:18). Amazingly, each of these prophecies was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, burial, and ascension of Jesus (Gal. 3:16; Heb. 7:14; Matt. 2:1; Luke 1:35; Matt. 3:1-3; John 1:11; 13:18-30; Matt. 20:28; 27:57-60; Acts 1:9). In fact, in the birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus some 300 Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled. The mathematical improbabilities of all of these prophecies being “fulfilled” simply through a string of unplanned coincidences are simply too great for an honest, intelligent person to reach any other conclusion than this: prophetic fulfillment proves that Jesus is the Son of God!
2. The Miracles Jesus worked. Jesus healed the sick (Matt. 4:23, 24), fed the multitudes (John 6:1-10), walked on water (Matt. 14:26), calmed the wind and the sea (Matt. 8:26), gave sight to the blind (John 9:6-9), cast out demons (Matt. 8:28-32), raised the dead (John 11:43, 44), etc. His miracles were not faked; they were genuine! Even his enemies acknowledged that “this Man works many signs” (John 11:47; Acts 2:22). In fact, Jesus performed many more miracles than are recorded, but the ones that were recorded were “written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God . . .” (John 20:30, 31).
3. His resurrection. Jesus repeatedly foretold the facts pertaining to his death, the location of his death, the persons involved, and his resurrection some three days later (John 2:19; Matt. 16:21; 17:9; 20:18,19). Even his enemies were aware of his pronouncements concerning his resurrection, so they requested Pilate to place soldiers at the tomb to prevent his disciples from coming by night and removing his body (Matt. 27:62-66). However, notwithstanding the fact that Roman guards were placed at the tomb to make sure that Jesus’ body could not be removed, some three days later on the first day of the week visitors to the tomb discovered that it was empty (Matt. 28:1-6; Luke 24:1-7). Moreover, the resurrected Jesus remained on the earth for another 40 days, presenting himself “alive . . . by many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3), was seen by Peter, then “by the twelve,” by over 500 “brethren at once,” by James, and last of all by Paul (1 Cor. 15:4-8). In view of the fact that all the remaining apostles, save John, reportedly died a martyr’s death for their declarations concerning the resurrected Jesus, then you can be sure that all the ones closest to Jesus knew that he is the Son of God! They never wavered in their testimony as to the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Jesus Christ is the Son of God! But, with reference to our salvation, he is more than that! He is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). He is our Teacher and has all power to instruct us in the moral and spiritual realms (Matt. 7:28, 29). He is our Redeemer, who shed his blood for our salvation (Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19). He is our King (1 Tim. 6:14, 15), and has “all authority” (Matt. 28:18) to reign in our hearts and lives (Eph. 1:20-23). Having conquered death himself (John 10:18), he has power to raise us from the dead (John 5:28, 29), and to judge us by his word (John 12:48). He is our “High Priest” (Heb. 3:1), and upon the merits of his own shed blood he has the authority to forgive our sins against God (Luke 24:46, 47).

Yes, what a wonderful Savior is Jesus our Lord! However, he does not save man apart from man’s ready, obedient response to his revealed will. Jesus is the “author of eternal salvation to all who obey him” (Heb. 5:9). In New Testament days, he saved those believers (John 8:24) who repented of their sins (Acts 17:30), who confessed their faith in him as the Son of God (Acts 8:37), and who were baptized “into” him “for the remission of sins” (Gal. 3:27; Acts 2:38). Upon so doing, such people constituted the “saved” whom God “added” to his church (Acts 2:47), and who then had the obligation to be “faithful unto death” (Rev. 2:20). Dear reader, do you have a deep and an abiding faith in Jesus as the Son of God, and have you exerted your faith in scriptural obedience to his saving gospel? Consider ye well!

2807 Malone Dr., Panama City, Florida 32504-3820

By Larry Ray Hafley

Many have come, the article said, to “pay respects to the relics of St. Therese,” a Roman Catholic nun, whose bones are being carried around the world in a cathedral-shaped box (Houston Chronicle,  December 7, 1999, A1). They also came to ask the dead “for their intercession to God on our behalf.” Such relics as dead men’s bones are “a very simple path to God.” 

Neither the dead nor their bones can do anything for us, “for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest” (Eccl. 9:10). The spirits of the dead cannot assist us in any way (Luke 16:26-31). 

When Stephen and James died martyr’s deaths, the apostles and brethren did not appeal to them for help when they fell into difficulty (Acts 7:58-60; 12:1, 2; 2 Cor. 1:8-11; 7:5; Phil. 4:13). David’s bones were in his tomb, which was known to the apostles, yet none of them appealed to David for his intercession unto God (Acts 2:29). Since they did not do so, why should we?   

There is one God and one mediator, one intercessor between God and man, Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5). “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). We must “come boldly to the throne of grace” when we need help and not to the relics of the dead. At that throne of grace we will find abundant “grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14). “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). 

How profoundly sad it is to see otherwise intelligent people falling down before dead men’s bones and begging blessings. Such superstition is a veil over their hearts, blinding them to the light of Christ. It also serves as a barrier to unbelievers who are repulsed by such spiritual ignorance and superstitious mythology. They identify such foolishness as being representative of “Christianity.” Thus, the key of knowledge is taken away and multitudes are left to grope blindly down the broad way which leadeth 4626 Osage, Baytown, Texas 77521 LarryHafley@compuserve.com

By Wayne S. Walker

Two previous articles have discussed the theory that the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are really part of the Old Testament and that all the teachings of Jesus contained in them are merely explanations of the Old Testament law given to call the Jews back to God. This theory thus concludes that what Jesus said during his earthly ministry is not applicable to anyone under the New Testament. Who were the men who wrote these books, and what positions did they hold? When did they write and to whom were they writing? And what was their purpose — was it to write Old Testament Scripture or to write New Testament Scripture?

We know that Jesus chose certain men identified as apostles and prophets to reveal his New Testament will for mankind, including his instructions for the church. We read in Jude 17, “But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This, and several other passages which we shall be noticing in this article, make it plain that anything written by an apostle of Jesus Christ or someone with apostolic authority, such as a prophet, deserves our most serious attention. Hence, the subject for this article is the gospels and Scripture.

To begin, the apostles were promised guidance in remembering and testifying to what Jesus had said and done. The Holy Spirit was to bring to their remembrance what Christ had said. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you” (John 14:26). However, why would he need to do this if everything that Jesus said during his personal ministry was only explaining the Old Testament law and not applicable to the church?

The Holy Spirit was also to enable them to testify of Christ concerning things which pertained to the fact that they had been with him from the beginning. “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning” (John 15:26-27). Again, why would the apostles need to bear witness of such things if those things that Jesus had said and done during his earthly ministry applied only to the Jews under the Old Testament? These are questions that deserve to be answered.

Next, there can be no doubt that, using this guidance, Matthew and John wrote their accounts of Jesus’ life. Of course, Matthew and John were apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 6:13-16). It is generally thought that Matthew wrote sometime before A.D. 70, perhaps in the mid to late 60s, and that John wrote his gospel very late in the first century, most likely in the early to mid 90s. The point is that both Matthew and John were written well after the events which they record — at least after the day of Pentecost when they received the promised Spirit to guide them. According to John 21:20-25, enough time had elapsed for brethren to have circulated a rumor by the time the book was written. If the teachings in these books pertained only to the Jews under the Old Testament and not to the church, why did Matthew and John write them after the establishment of the church? This is another question that needs to be answered.

Then, we must understand that Mark and Luke both were helpers of the apostles, and thus they were prophets of Christ. Mark was a companion of Peter (Acts 12:12; 1 Pet. 5:3). He was also a helper to Paul (Acts 12:25; 2 Tim. 4:11). Luke was a companion of Paul who was not only a physician but also a fellow-worker with Paul in the gospel (Col. 4:14; Phile. 24). As men who wrote at least three books inspired books in the Bible, also after the cross, Mark and Luke would have to be regarded as prophets. Yet, were they prophets of the Old Testament law or prophets of the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ? The answer is obvious. They were New Testament prophets of Christ.

Now, we must emphasize that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were all written after Jesus had died on the cross and the events of Acts 2 had taken place. We find in Mark 16:19-20 that the preaching of the gospel had already begun when Mark wrote his book, and the same thing must be true of Matthew, Luke, and John. Also, according to Luke 1:1-4, the book of Luke, and we would presume Matthew, Mark, and John as well, were not written to people under Moses’ law but to believers to help explain the gospel of Christ.

Hence, we need to determine exactly what the function of apostles and prophets was. What was revealed to the apostles and prophets? Paul says in Ephesians 3:3-5 that it was the mystery of Christ, not that which was made known in previous ages. Does Paul say that God revealed to the apostles and prophets of Christ things which pertained to the Old Testament law or to the gospel of Jesus Christ? To ask that question is to answer it. The work of both the apostles and prophets forms the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:19-20). So, what the apostles and prophets of Christ, including Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, wrote had nothing to do with the Old Testament law, but was for the purpose of laying the foundation for the New Testament church and the gospel of Christ.

Finally, therefore, we conclude that when we read from the apostles and prophets of the Lord, we must be reading New Testament Scripture. When Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, he said that reading Moses is equated with reading the Old Testament. We know that the apostles and prophets were part of God’s plan for the church (Eph. 4:11-12). Hence, reading the apostles and prophets of Christ must be equal to reading the New Testament. When we read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we are reading New Testament Scripture!

If Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are to be considered as part of the Old Testament, it is odd that they were written by the apostles and prophets of our Lord Jesus Christ to Christians after the Old Testament had already been nailed to the cross. The truth is that the authorship of these four books demands that they contain New Testament teaching, precisely because they were written by apostles and prophets of Christ and addressed to Christians after the Old Testament had been done away. Sometimes denominational folks reject any teaching that they cannot find in “red letters” in the Bible. 

It is interesting that we now have some brethren who are rejecting any teaching if it is found in “red letters” in the Bible! The fact is that we need to accept all the Bible as God’s word. No, we are not under the Old Testament law today, and we know that Jesus lived and died while the Old Testament law was still in effect. But we also need to remember that God speaks to us by his Son. Therefore, the books that contain a record of his life and teachings were written for us that we might learn those principles enunciated by Jesus during his personal ministry which would govern the kingdom that he promised to establish. 

310 Haynes St., Dayton, Ohio 45410

By Robert Harkrider

The vast difference between conviction and convenience has rapidly become a misunderstood subject. The search for convenience has perhaps led more Christians to bow their knees to Baal than any other disease. Conviction is lacking, and sin, camouflaged by popularity, continues to take its toll in the church. A sharp contrast exists between the two attitudes. While conviction will prompt the Christian to stand under every test, the desire for convenience leads to compromise, and thereby spiritual death is the result.

Much preaching needs to be done on the meaning of conviction and its characteristics. An elegant picture of true conviction is found in a quotation from an article by J.W. Evans while he was living in Orlando, Florida. The article was about a sermon he had preached at the Par Avenue church. The title, “Have Convictions — Will Stand” may remind us of one of the popular TV programs; but its content is far removed from TV westerns. After expressing his appreciation for the good reception given to the lesson by the members at Par Avenue, brother Evans adds the following words which are to the point and worthy of serious consideration.

Again I say that I thank God for members of Par Avenue who are able to make proper discernment on weakness and strength, quantity and quality; who refuse to be swayed from Bible convictions by discouragements that weed out the weaklings. These know the why of “a falling away” (1 Cor. 11:9). They know that part of our warfare must be fought with “spiritual wickedness in high places”; that sin and error crouch in camouflaged corners of even the kingdom of God. But it only takes a Gideon’s army with broken pitchers of light to flush them from their dark hidings. This army has heard the short, sharp blast of the bugle call — “Stand, Therefore Stand” And “Stand” — we are entrenched behind the impregnable citadel of Bible convictions. Too soberly convicted to be flushed out by the tear-gas bombs of sentimentalism; too confident by the majority-that-God-makes to be routed by the bombardment of “multitudes on the other side;” too near the “Captain of our salvation” to be intimidated by the screaming mischief-missiles of innuendoes, slander, and prejudicial epithets. Yes, we Have Convictions — Will Stand.

Morsels like these, after being masticated and digested, should nourish the strong to more strength and provide the weak with the courage to be loyal to truth under every temptation. Christians are being tried and tested for their love of truth. Many are courageously standing for that which they know to be right, while others, not studying the Bible for themselves, are swept away by the pleasant and fair speeches of teachers and preachers who seek only to scratch itching ears with “great swelling words, showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage” (Jude 16).

Convenient Preaching

Myriads of Christians are confusing the difference between convictions and conveniences. They conveniently stand for doctrine which is most popular, receiving the “praise of men,” rather than standing for doctrine of Christ by conviction, being rewarded with the “praise of God” (John 12:43). Such an attitude is manifested by the failure to teach against worldliness, looseness and laxity in moral living, and by putting emphasis on number and size rather than spiritual stature. Many seem afraid to condemn anything, but stand ready to praise everything. We have watered down our convictions, sweetened our dispositions, and become so sophisticated with worldly wisdom and intoxicated with our “place under the sun” of prominence in the religious world that we stand powerless in the face of error and evil.

It is no uncommon thing to hear brethren plead with preachers to preach the truth in love. Though we would be first to grant that this spirit is necessary in teaching the gospel, their concept of such is simply to preach the truth in a fashion that will offend no one. They have their eyes set on earthly friendships and large memberships, and they wish to displease nobody.

Even though truth must be sacrificed to compromise with error, some would declare, “It is better to have peace and love rather than strife and division.” The Bible plainly teaches the sin of strife and division, yet never has the Lord condemned division caused by teaching truth. But brethren have tried using the words “peace” and “love” as handles to introduce any error they should want to practice.

God recognized this type of attitude among his people, the Israelites. In Ezekiel 33:31, the prophet spoke, “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.” Notice particularly that these came as ones belonging to God, and love flowed from their mouths. But it was not the kind of love God desired, for their “heart goeth after their covetousness.”

Love Demonstrated

We need only to examine the courageous stand of some of the great servants of God to understand the type of peace and love our Lord desires.

Joseph had courage to guard against evil by fleeing from Potiphar’s wife (Gen. 39:13). It would have been convenient to have succumbed to her enticements, but not so with this man of God. Even though cast into prison, be knew that compromising with sin would bring a greater condemnation at the hands of a just God.

Stephen spoke to the Jews of the conviction of their patriarchs. The love they demonstrated certainly did not please the people. “Which of your prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One” (Acts 7:52). And Stephen, upon preaching this unpopular sermon that offended the Sanhedrin Council and other Jews, was cast out of the city and stoned (Acts 7:51-60).

Peter and John manifested the true spirit of love of God when, after being warned not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus, replied, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye: for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard” (Acts 4:18-30). 

Proper Love

Example after example could be given of love demonstrated, but enough has been shown for us to know that true peace and love come by simple, unquestionable, courageous obedience to God’s holy will. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). The wrath of God is the only thing that can come about when we follow popular and convenient courses unauthorized by the New Testament.

We should learn the kind of peace and love God wants and then never stray from it. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:3). To say nothing against error and thereby compromise with evil is far worse in God’s eyes than to displease men by preaching his Word. Jesus taught that silence in the face of error was a denial of him, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth” (Matt. 12:30).

So then, may we all: “be entrenched behind the impregnable citadel of Bible Convictions. Too soberly convicted to be flushed out by the tear-gas bombs of sentimentalism; too confident by the majority-that-God-makes to be routed by the bombardment of ‘multitudes on the other side’; too near the ‘Captain of our salvation’ to be intimidated by the screaming mischief-missiles of innuendoes, slander, and prejudicial epithets.”

Yes, may we “Have Convictions — Will Stand!”

Gospel Guardian, Vol. 12, No. 44, March 16, 1961.