Truth Magazine

By Dick Blackford

(Names and places have been changed to protect the family. This is the last letter.)

Dear Joe,

I talked with Jeanette recently and she told me where things presently stand regarding your problems. Of course, I was disappointed. I haven’t given up on you yet and I wanted to make another effort to change the course on which you are headed. Again, it is my decision to write. Jeanette did not ask me to.

It has been over 7 months since I wrote the first time. You will remember that I closed the letter by reminding you that sin is like quicksand; it always drags the sinner deeper. Sure enough, that is what it is doing to you, for you are now contemplating divorce. The wise man describes the man who falls into an adulterous situation. “With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; till a dart strike through his liver, as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life” (Prov. 7:21-23).

After giving exhortation on fidelity in marriage, he said: “And wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction,- and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray” (Prov. 5:20-23).

I know the kind of teaching you received from your parents. Look at what sin is doing to you. You are trampling under foot everything you know to be right. “My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother. bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck . . . to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart, neither let her take thee with her eyelids” (Prov. 6:20-25).

Joe, Jeanette has some good books which I recommended, particularly the book Men in Mid-Life Crises, by Dr. Jim Conway. But you refuse to read it. Why, Joe? What are you afraid of? “Show thyself a man!” instead of being wrapped up in your own ego and using your neighbor’s wife to feed it. Even if you marry her, she will still be your neighbor’s wife. God won’t recognize it.

You have gotten so involved that an attachment has developed and you are getting too weak to say “No” and mean it. How many times have you threatened to break off the relationship and then didn’t stick with it? Remember, all of those youthful feelings that she seems to be reviving are artificial. They’re not real. You are not recapturing your youth.

I realize I have dealt strongly in this letter and it may affect our friendship. I thought long and hard before saying some of these things but I then decided it was needed. I am willing to risk the friendship. What do I have to lose if you get a divorce and marry another man’s wife? You have become like a man running headlong over a cliff who ignores all of the caution signs and the warnings of friends and loved ones. When Paul wrote the Corinthians, he asked, “What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?” (1 Cor. 4:21) I have tried to reach you through the spirit of gentleness. It may appear that now I have used a rod in this attempt to “snatch you out of the fire.”

Staying with Jeanette “for the sake of the kids” while continuing your adultery won’t get it. For one thing, it is hypocrisy. For another, Jeanette won’t put up with it and I don’t blame her. She shouldn’t. She deserves better. Anyone who becomes that wrapped up in his own selfish pursuits and has such little regard for others does not deserve the kindness you have been shown. The audacity and the gall to even suggest such a thing is beyond imagination!

Joe, “not divorcing” is not God’s goal. Just to have the same residence is not what he wants. If you no longer love Jeanette, you can learn to. Love can be learned. In many Oriental countries the parents choose the mates for their children. They learn to love, and divorce is minimal. God commands a husband to love his wife (Eph. 5:22-32). He never commands the impossible, therefore love can be learned. We learned to love our children after they were born. But marriage is neutral. It can neither succeed nor fail. It is as the persons who make it up. Great persons make great marriages. Bad persons make bad marriages. Marriage cannot be better than the people in it. A marriage must be maintained – daily!

Part of the joy of growing old is thinking about fond memories of years gone by. If you marry another man’s wife, what fond memories will you be able to share about the past 25 years of your life? A mate whom you betrayed? Loving children who begged you not to do it? Grandchildren who will never know the joy of going home to Grandma and Grandpa? It will never be the same again.

Your friend and brother,

Dick

P.S. I have been teaching a men’s class on the role of husbands and fathers. I am including two of the lessons. I challenge you to read them. Call me if you need me for anything. I’ll come.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 3, p. 74
February 4, 1988

By Don Willis

The Montgomery County, Texas local newspapers revealed in early November that over 500 acres of land in the western section of this county and Grimes County had been purchased and would be set aside for a Nudist Colony. This shame goes against the conviction of all God-fearing people. Lack of morality is a curse to any generation.

Adam and Eve were the world’s first nudists. The Garden of Eden was a wonderful surrounding of all things moral and upright . . . until sin entered the world. Through temptation, the devil encouraged Eve to sin. Adam participated, and God was displeased. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Gen. 3:21).

With the rise of idolatry, sin began to remove the clothing of women. Idol temples were served with a priestess of fornication. During the Roman era, public baths were used, and sin became rampart. This contributed to the fall of the Roman empire. In parts of the world even today, public toilets are bisexual. This does not conform to our morals, and we detest such.

Yes, we are shocked to see a public nudist colony so near to our homes. France may have its nudist beaches, and even some nudism might be found by the uncivilized in America; but not near my home!

However, I challenge any of you to go near the public beaches in America today or even to the local swimming pool in your neighborhood. You see, slowly our children have been accepting nudism, and many parents said nothing about it.

A little history: My father’s philosophy toward swimming was that his children ought not to get into the water until they learned how to swim. Occasionally, we boys would slip off to the creek, and swim in our cut-off overalls. The public swimming pool was beginning to become popular then, and one-piece swimming suits were the fashion. Then some brave soul cut the middle out, and along came two-piece swim suits. The brazen would begin to roll down the top of their swim suit, and bingo: the bikini. I recall the shorts and halter craze. Some females would roll their shorts up (after they left home). But the accepted swimming attire, and even the public attire of many, is quite bizarre in contrast to that of a few years ago.

The bikini is accepted by the public as normal attire in public. Even today, the string has been accepted. Just a few years ago, the G-strap (or string) was worn at the burlesque or brothel, but everyone knew this belonged to the immoral individual. Now, some public areas boast of their topless entertainments. Now, are we still shocked?

The apostle Paul commanded, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety” (1 Tim. 2:9). Women are to wear modest clothing. This is clothing that indicates the relation of the heart. Clothing should manifest that one is a child of God. Shamefacedness was once defined to me as the “ability to blush.” “In like manner also” connects with verse 8 where Paul told men to “pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” Morality is enforced upon all of God’s people, men or women. There is no God-approved double standard Parents: Our children may not know any better, but we do. Parents have the charge to bring those children up in the chastening and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Women, reach over and feel to determine that the man has warm skin and feel to see if there is a pulse. If any sign of life appears, beach apparel will affect them in an ungodly sort of way . . . and you know that. Parents desire that their children be accepted and therefore lose that godly reason that will limit improper activity.

I am responsible for the instruction of my children, and for their outward activity while they live at my house, and receive my support. Stand up for that which is right, and cannot be wrong.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 3, pp. 65, 87
February 4, 1988

By Wayne S. Walker

A few years ago there was a newspaper article in which several leading scientists were asked to discuss whether the forbidden fruit of Genesis chapters two and three was really an apple or not, since apples do not generally grow in the part of the middle east where it is believed the Garden of Eden was located. A couple of these so-called experts even said that we would probably have to check the Hebrew and Greek translations of the Bible to see exactly what was meant by the word “apple” to be absolutely sure. (For those who wish to check the accuracy of this, the story is found on page 3 of the July 7, 1974, Sunday edition of the Chicago Tribune. The author was Derrick Blakely and his title was, “Apricots in Eden? Experts Take a Bite.”)

However, all of this discussion was a manifestation of ignorance because the Bible does not even claim that Adam and Eve ate an apple. It just calls it a fruit. “Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die (Gen. 2:15-17, NKJV). Our purpose in this article is not to determine the kind of fruit that God forbade Adam and Eve to eat, but to look at this text and see what lessons can be learned from it.

I. God gave man a job to do. Adam was put into the Garden of Eden and told “to tend and keep it.” God despises idleness. Of the slothful man he said, “So your poverty will come like a prowler, And your want like an armed man” (Prov. 24:34). One of our own proverbs is that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop and idle hands are the devil’s tools. God has always required man to work in the physical realm. “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need” (Eph. 4:28). God has given his people a spiritual work to keep them busy. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). When you sing the grand old gospel song, “I Want to Be a Worker for the Lord,” do you really mean it?

II. God gave man provisions to live. God said to Adam, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat.” God also provides for us. He is the source of every good and perfect gift. It is him who “gives to all life, breath, and all things,” and it is in him that “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:25-28). God provides for all our physical needs. While preaching in Lystra, Paul said of God, “Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). May we ever be thankful for these wonderful material blessings. But God has also provided for all our spiritual needs in Christ. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!

III. God gave man a commandment to keep. His specific words to Adam were, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat.” In every age, God has revealed his commandments to mankind. The Psalmist wrote, “You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me” (Psa. 119:98). One of the purposes of these commandment is to try or test man’s faith whether he would obey or not. Moses told the Israelites, “And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not” (Deut. 8:2). It is by keeping his commandments that we show our love for God. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 Jn. 5:3). To say that we “love God” and then refuse or fail to obey his commandments is to lie.

IV. God gave man a threat of punishment to motivate him. Adam heard God say, “For in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Law without punishment is, in fact, no law. “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecc. 8:11). One of the major problems with the laws of our nation is that punishment is not sure and swift. This has resulted in the skyrocketing of our crime rate. Most people recognize the need for occasional punishment in the home. “He who spares the rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly” (Prov. 13:24). In order for children to learn the difference between right and wrong, wrong behavior must be punished. In the spiritual realm, the reward of heaven would mean relatively little without the contrasting punishment of hell. Only when the wicked go away into everlasting punishment and the righteous into eternal life will justice finally be perfected (see Matt. 25:3141).

Conclusion

Adam and Eve had enough to do in the garden that they really did not have time to stand idly around thinking about the forbidden fruit. They had plenty of other fruit to eat so that they did not even need it. Furthermore, God commanded them not to eat of it and promised punishment if they did. However, in spite of all this, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. And God did punish them. God has given us everything we need to get from earth to heaven. “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Pet. 1:3). But if we do not do his work and keep his commandments, we shall also be punished – eternally. Yet, because Jesus died for us, we can escape the punishment of our sins and receive God’s eternal reward by giving our lives to him in obedience to his will. If you are not a Christian, or are unfaithful, will you not consider your spiritual condition and come to Christ for his blessings?

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 2, pp. 44-45
January 21, 1988

By Frank Walton

The spiritually-charged David was optimistic and enthused in his living relationship with the living God. “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because you defend them. . . . For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You surround him as with a shield” (Psa. 5:11-12, NKJV). He wasn’t psyched up with super self-confidence, but he could “strengthen himself in the Lord” (1 Sam. 30:6) because he had great God-confidence. “The Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me” (Psa. 3:5b-6). He could count on his God to help in time of need. “Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” (Psa. 16:8b). Instead of faith in faith, he had faith in Jehovah, who is the source of all power. “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I trust; my shield and . . . my stronghold” (Psa. 18:2). He didn’t need a humanly devised PMA pep talk, for his positive faith exuded active trust in doing great things by his God. “For by You I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. It is God who arms me with strength. . . He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. . . . Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great” (Psa. 18:29, 32a, 33, 35b). His God was able! He had never sponsored a losing cause. We can have this joyous exuberance and optimistic faith in serving God. Our efforts can count for something worthwhile.

“And I searched for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no ,one” (Ezek. 22:30, NASB). One of the leaders during Ezekiel’s day could have made a difference in Judah. God needed someone to rise to the occasion and help stem the tide of moral decay. If I were alive back then, would I have stood in the gap? Would you?

Sound Familiar?

Have you ever been discouraged because you thought your efforts didn’t make Much difference in the overall scheme of things. When we think we’re spinning our wheels, with little to show for our work, we think, “Why bother? What good does it do to try?” Some of you have tried once or twice to lead singing or prayer, to give an invitation, teach class or talk to a lost person and seemingly made a mess of it. Embarrassed, you might resign yourself to failure. “I can’t” slams the door on trying to learn to do better and go on in making a difference in the Lord’s work. If at first you don’t succeed, you’re about average, so try, try again! Look at Jesus’ first sermon in the synagogue and how they ran him away (Lk. 4:28-30). Instead of saying, “I can’t,” say instead, “Up until now, I haven’t been able to do this, but I am willing to learn.” Sometimes temporary failures teaches us the things we need to know to make progress.

Others might be discouraged, swamped in a sea of apathy, worldliness, contention or pessimism among members of the church. You might think, “Why go on? What difference will it make?” Or you might have visited several unfaithful brethren who showed no interest in the Lord and were quite hostile because you cared enough to visit. You probably feel just like the brother who had a seemingly good prospect suddenly lose interest in studying the Bible. As our heart sinks, we wonder, “How could they care so little for their soul? Isn’t anyone interested in the gospel?” There’s an unbelieving spouse who makes life for the believer so miserable that they’re tempted to cry out, “I can’t go on!” A preacher spends hours in visiting, preparing lessons, teaching and preaching, but is frustrated by a lack of visible results from preaching his heart out. Sitting at home alone late Sunday night, he wonders, “Is something wrong with me? It all seems to make so little difference, no matter how hard I try.” We all have pondered upon our purpose, if we really made a difference.

A “Faith Lift”

“Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other” (Isa. 45:22). Our mighty, awesome God is able to make a difference between defeat and victory. “Yours, 0 Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, 0 Lord and You are exalted as head over all. . . . And you reign over all. In your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all” (1 Chron. 29:11-12). Our God has the power if we have the faith, for we cannot out-believe the great I AM. Our faith increases as we increase the focus on the object of our faith. Such is the beginning point of all spiritual achievement (Heb. 11:6). Wonder of wonders, he is on our side (Heb. 13:6). With him there are no insignificant lives, no little people. He specializes in the people-changing business. “For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones'” (Isa. 57:15). He has not left us to struggle alone. “‘Am I a God who is near,’ declares the Lord, ‘and not a God far off?'” (Jer. 23:23, NASB)

God made us for himself and his glory (Isa. 43:7), so that we might come to serve and know him and then enjoy him forever. He makes no mistakes, nor did he put us here to fail or wallow in self-pity. He took the dust of the ground, made Adam, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. This living being was a man, the height of God’s creation. “What is man that You are mindful of him?” (Psa. 8:4) On a sermon tape, I heard Paul Earnhart observe how we excuse some mess we’ve made by saying, “Oh, I’m only human.” But as David beholds the wonders of creation, he marvels at man as the zenith of creation. Made in God’s spiritual likeness, to be human is to be truly remarkable. The Son of God shows us the way of obedience, to become a new and better person day by day, “raised to walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). We have vast potential, with the God-given power to think, to choose, to act and become all God designed us to be (Eph. 2:10). We’re not shoddy material. We sin and fall short of his glory when our faith fails (Lk. 22:32). But by nourishing our faith, we don’t have to be the way we are, but can be a changed and better person, enabled by great faith in God to do great things for Him. “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20). Do we believe this? Within the will of God, what earthshattering things would we attempt for him if we really believed he would not fail us? “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31) Who dares to fight against us if God is fighting for us? Christians are never losers, but we are the super conquerors in life and eternity, led in triumph as we follow Jesus (Rom. 8:37; 2 Cor. 2:14).

How You Can Start Making A Difference

Read in the Bible about the daring lives of those who did not trust in themselves to do tremendous things, but had trusting faith in God to do his will through them. Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Amos, Daniel, Esther, Jeremiah, Nehemiah and the apostles are part of the roll call of glory. They were people like us, with problems and fears to face. But by faith, each one made a difference in his generation, amid a faithless world. They encourage us to carry on. “God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us” (Heb. 11:40).

Their mission is not complete. We stand at a unique time on the stage of human history with a once in a lifetime opportunity to act in the drama of human redemption and destiny. There are more people alive today than have ever existed in all of history. Each one will spend eternity somewhere. We can make a difference in the lives of the people around us. God is calling all Christians for an all-out attempt to work in the urgent harvest of souls (Matt. 9:37-38). Can the Lord count on you to develop yourself into a soul-winner? No greater issue faces us today. The eternal destiny of billions is at stake. Only you can develop and use your ability; that’s an awesome responsibility! Jesus talked to thousands of people to get to those who were willing to respond. So must we be going out to seek and save the lost (Lk. 19:10). If we don’t, who will?

For us to make a difference, we need to learn to tap the power of prayer, crying out, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Lk. 11:1). By ourselves, our puny efforts and plans will accomplish little. But on our knees, our prayers can enlist the greater power of Providence. Little faith produces little praying. Prayer makes a difference, as it brings down blessings, wisdom and opens the door for the word (Mk. 11:22-24; Jn. 14:13-14; Jas. 1:5; 2 Cor. 1:11; Col. 4:3). Since prayer moves the hand that moves the world, a righteous person can cause a commotion when he knocks on heaven’s gate (Jas. 5:16). Be righteous and pray, for it gets God’s undivided attention (I Pet. 3:12)! Nothing is outside prayer’s reach, if it’s first within God’s will.

To build yourself up in the holy faith, commit yourself to regular, systematic Bible study. It’s food for the soul, like a spiritual vitamin. Who would go several days without eating? But how much more important that you feed your soul, which needs to be nourished for eternity? “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jer. 15:16). Knowledge breeds confident faith (Rom. 10:17). Dig into the riches of God’s word and it will make a difference in your life. Soon, you’ll be able to make a difference in the Lord’s service. For a clear, readable and overall accurate translation, I recommend either the New American Standard or the New King James Version.

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal. 6:9). We need not be bogged down in excuses or defeated by circumstances. Today is as bright as the promises of God (2 Cor. 1:20). We are his co-laborers, so we need to build an optimistic, constructive attitude that we can make a difference. God sees and knows the struggles we face. But he is on our side and he is greater than any challenge we face. Keep your eye on the Lord, and by faith we can make a difference.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 2, pp. 52-53
January 21, 1988