Truth Magazine

By Charles F. Davis

“Now the spirit speaketh expressly that in that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Tim. 4:1,2, KJV). From the aforementioned passage of Scripture, it is obvious that Timothy, the young evangelist for Jesus Christ, was fully cognizant of the gravity of this malignant growth called apostasy. The great apostle Paul, who was Timothy’s father in the gospel, penned the above exhortation to the young evangelist to alert him of this impending danger which would soon confront the children of God. These perilous times, which the elect, according to the foreknowledge of God, were about to undergo, were similar to the days when physical Israel was plagued by false prophets. “But there were false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Pet. 2:1, KJV).

My beloved brethren, apostasy is not a foregone conclusion, neither is it lying dormant; but rather it is a deadly process which is ever evolving from generation to generation. As a gospel preacher, I am appalled at the nonchalant attitude possessed by saints of God concerning this vital subject. Brethren, we have lost our conviction for the truth (John 8:31, 32) and we have lost our sensitivity for the New Testament pattern of worship. We are no longer speaking where the Bible speaks and being silent where it silent (Col. 3:17; 1 Pet. 4:12). We have become silent where the Bible speaks for fear of reprisal of man and have become outspoken where God has been silent (Rom. 10:1-3).

What is the cause of this spiritual blight which has permeated itself throughout the body of Christ? I believe part of the answer to the question lies in the definition of the word itself. Webster’s 7th Collegiate Dictionary (p. 42) defines apostasy as “renunciation of a religious belief; to defect from a faith.” This is exactly what the apostle Paul had in mind when he actually described the proponents of apostasy in Acts 20:29, 30; “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock. Also of yourselves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them.” This is the same cause the prophet Isaiah gave for apostasy when he said, “for the leaders of this people cause them to err and they that are led of them are destroyed” (Isa. 9:16). When religious leaders, elders, deacons, ministers defect from the faith and become heretical in their teaching, inevitably apostasy will follow.

It is an inherent impossibility to accurately measure the catastrophic effect apostasy will have on the body of Christ in the future because it is an ever evolving process. However, I will say this, if our future is anything like our past, we are in for the battle of our lives or should I say souls! Allow me to illustrate.

Thirty years ago the following practices were considered unauthorized by members of the Church of Christ, but are now considered to be an abnormality when churches do not have or do not practice such:

Fellowship halls

Kitchen facilities

Group singers

Collections being taken up on any day of the week

Church sponsored playgrounds, gyms and grocery stores

Church support of “Christian Colleges” such as Southwestern Christian College in Texas.

Brethren, these innovations are called the social gospel and they are a form of apostasy because they are not a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I shall use a syllogism to illustrate a major premise: Every practice the church engages in without authority is apostasy. The minor premise: The social gospel is unauthorized by the New Testament Scriptures. Conclusion: The social gospel is a form of apostasy. Therefore, I plead with every member of the body of Christ to examine yourselves to see whether you be in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5).

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 22, p. 676
November 19, 1987

By Hoyt H. Houchen

Question: If God sends rain on the just and the unjust (Matt. 5.43), why does he not send rain to Ethiopia or other drought-stricken areas to alleviate suffering? For what reason or purpose does an all-good all-powerful, loving God allow evil and suffering in this world?

Reply: For centuries man has struggled with the problem of human suffering. When he has tried to solve the problem purely from a philosophical approach, he has come to accept the existence of it solely as a matter of fact. He resolves to live by the old Epicurian philosophy, “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die” (which is termed by its modern counterpart Hedonism), which makes pleasure the chief aim or goal in life.

False conclusions are reached because they are based upon false assumptions. For example, some attempt to explain the problem with one assertion, and that is that people always get what they deserve. But this is not always true. Both the righteous and the wicked suffer and both are often blessed. Innocent children sometimes suffer, not because of any fault of their own, but due to sins committed by others. The little boys in Florida who are afflicted with Aids is an example. Job was not made to suffer because of any sin that he committed, although he was accused of sin by his three friends. God blesses all with physical blessings, the righteous and the unrighteous. “He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). As both the good and the evil are blessed, so both also suffer disaster; but it is not true that God causes all human suffering. He allows it, but he is not always responsible for it. When men take it upon themselves to blame God for all the suffering in the world, they presume to question his morality, goodness and righteousness.

Why do innocent people suffer? Directly or indirectly, sin is the cause of all human suffering. Children often suffer as the result of someone else’s mistake. For instance, a drunken driver hits a child and kills him. God did not cause the child to die. He was victimized by a drunken driver. While it is true that God has the power to prevent such tragedies from taking place, it is not for us to question God’s operations. God answered Job out of the whirlwind, “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2) Or, we can well ask, “For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor?” (Rom. 11:34)

The age old question has been asked repeatedly, why does God allow pain, sickness, suffering and death in the world? Remember that, at the beginning of man’s existence, there were none of these tragedies. Man inhabited the beautiful bowers of Eden where there was no sickness, pain, suffering or death. But man sinned, thus sin entered the world and as a result these things exist. Death came as the result of “sin (Rom. 5:12). Succeeding generations suffer the consequences of sin (the transgression of God’s law) that was committed in the garden of Eden.

While misfortune in life often seems unfair, we must not direct the blame to God. As to the drought-stricken people in Ethiopia and other places, God, who is omnipotent, can intervene and prevent such conditions from occurring; or, he may step in and correct the condition by sending rain, but sometimes choosing not to do so. He may allow human suffering, but the blame for it must not be placed at his feet. No more should he be blamed with such weather catastrophes than he should with the tragedy of a child with Aids (due to no sin of his) or the child who is injured critically or who dies as a result of a drunken driver. God is not the cause of such disaster, but he is able to comfort and make pain more bearable. Paul, who suffered affliction, mental anxiety, persecution and disaster was well qualified to write to the brethren at Corinth: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Cor. 1:3,4).

May we never falsely accuse God of being cruel or unjust, but we may look to him for consolation and hope in a world where there is suffering, pain and death. Let us trust him, respect his word, obey it and live by it so that we can live eternally with him in heaven where there will be no suffering, sorrow, pain and death. In that better place there will be none of these things. This should encourage us to strive for that wonderful home of the soul which God has prepared for the faithful.

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 22, p. 677
November 19, 1987

By Mike Willis

The book of Psalms exhorts saints to praise the Lord, giving many reasons for offering praise to God. Perhaps one reason some do not attend worship services as frequently as they should is because they do not consider why men should worship God. Consider these reasons for offering praise to God:

1. His attributes. “The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Psa. 145:8,9). Were God not compassionate, gracious, merciful, and slow to anger, each of us would have been instantly destroyed because of his sin. However, because the Lord is gracious, he has extended his unmerited favor to forgive us. Because he is slow to anger, he gives us time to repent. Because of the nature of the God whom I serve, I have the hope of salvation. I should bow before God in thanksgiving, praising his name, because of his attributes.

2. His work in creation. I should also praise God for his work in creation. The Lord “laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coverest it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. . . . He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field. . . . He watered the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth. . . .O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches” (Psa. 104).

3. His Work in Sustaining Creation. “Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry” (Psa. 147:7-9). The psalmist looked beyond the secondary causes of nature to the God who sustains this world. He recognized that God “upholds all things by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3), that “by him all things consist” (Col. 1:17). Surely we can join the twenty-four elders in praising God saying, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:11).

4. His Work in Redemption. The angels around the throne of God sang this chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing” (Rev. 5:12). When we consider the work of the Lord in human redemption, we should be motivated to praise him. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). His love for mankind caused him to sacrifice his only begotten Son in order that we might be redeemed from sin. “Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! For our sins He suffered, and bled, and died; He our rock, our hope of eternal salvation; Hail Him! Hail Him. Jesus, the Crucified!”

5. His Concern For Me. The psalmist found another reason to praise God in his watching over him. “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul” (Psa. 138:3). The 107th Psalm lists several occasions when men “cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distress” (v. 6). Then he exhorted, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men” (v. 8). “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. . . ” (Psa. 107:1-2). The Lord’s awareness of me and my needs is emphasized in the statement that the very hairs of my head are numbered (Lk. 12:7). If God watches over the sparrows “and not one of them is forgotten before God,” he surely watches over me because I am “of more value than many sparrows” (Lk. 12:6,7). I thank God that he is aware of my needs; he hears me when I call.

“Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me” (Psa. 56:8,9). “1 am weary with my groanings; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies. Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping” (Psa. 6:6-8).

Indeed, I lift my voice in praise to God because he cares, enough for me to hear my prayers and to answer them. My God is a God who hears my prayers (Psa. 65:2).

The Sin of Ingratitude

One of the characteristics of a godless world is that men become “unthankful” (2 Tim. 3:2). An unthankful man is one who consumes that which another provides without pausing to say, “Thank you.” A few times I have been the victim of another’s unthankfulness. I remember taking a couple to a fine restaurant and buying them dinner. They never said “thank you” or even acknowledged that they enjoyed the meal or the evening together. Even though I did not take them to lunch with the purpose of having them in my debt, I was touched by their ingratitude to the extent that I have no desire to take them out again. This is ingratitude.

The ingratitude which seems shocking in human relationships is typical of many toward God. We consume all of his blessings without pausing to acknowledge the Giver of all our gifts. Some even resent the hour(s) of worship as impositions on their time.

Because of God’s many gifts toward mankind, all men should assemble to offer homage to his name. We should lift our voices in praise to our wonderful God. Will you join me in worshiping him?

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him all creatures here below;

Praise Him above ye heav’nly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

– Thom. Ken

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 22, pp. 674, 694
November 19, 1987

By Wayne Greeson

In Luke 14, Christ was invited to a feast held in the home of a well-to-do ruler of the Pharisees. While the real purpose of this invitation was for the Pharisees to watch Jesus in hope of finding something against him, Jesus used the occasion to teach those present.

One of the guests seated at the table heard Jesus’ remarks and declared, “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God” (Lk. 14:15). The Jews eagerly anticipated God would deliver them from Roman subjugation by the establishment of an earthly kingdom. The Jews believed that their nation would be elevated above all nations and only the Jews would belong to and enjoy the blessings of God’s promised kingdom.

Jesus corrected this misconception with the parable of the Great Supper. The parable teaches that the Jews would reject God’s invitation to the kingdom and then God would invite all men. The Jews who rejected God’s invitation would find themselves outside the kingdom and God’s blessings. While the main point of the parable is to teach that the kingdom was open to all, the excuses of those invited also hold fascinating and valuable lessons.

A Great Supper Prepared

“Then said (Jesus) unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, ‘Come; for all things are now ready'” (Lk. 14:16-17).

Great suppers or feasts were common in the Middle East. The host would go to great lengths and expense to prepare an elaborate meal and celebration. The host would alert all his relatives and friends of his intentions to prepare a feast. Planning and preparations would take weeks for the great occasion. The master would direct the household. There was food to select and purchase. The servants would be busy fixing up the home and the table. The preparation of the food would take days. The table would be set and loaded, ready for the guests to arrive.

Although the intended guests had been previously invited, it was customary for a servant to be sent out right at the time the feast was prepared to give a final invitation. Jesus indicates this final invitation in his parable. “Come; for all things are now ready,” the servant was instructed to tell the guests.

A traveler in the Middle East several years ago observed that this custom was still practiced. “If a Sheikh, beg, or emeer invites, he always sends a servant to call you at the proper time. This servant often repeats the very formula mentioned in Lu. xiv. 17. . . – Come, for the supper is ready. The fact that this custom is mainly confined to the wealthy and to the nobility is in strict agreement with the parable, where the certain man who made the great supper and bade many is supposed to be of this class” (Thompson, The Land and the Book, Vol. 1, p. 178).

The Spiritual Supper

The purpose of Jesus’ parable was to teach spiritual truths. Jesus was not referring to a literal supper, but helping us understand God’s spiritual feast. “[A] certain man . . . represents God. “[M]ade a great supper and bade many” represents God’s plan for the redemption of man from sin, salvation through Jesus Christ. Isaiah foretold of this spiritual feast, “And in this mountain shall the lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. . . And it shall be said in that day, Lot this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isa. 25:6,9).

God has prepared a lavish spiritual feast of salvation. The table is set with the “bread of life”; “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. . . . This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die” (Jn. 6:35,50). The beverage is the “water of life”; “Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (Jn. 4:13-14).

“And sent his servant. . . . ” The sent servant is no less than the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Jesus declared his role as a messenger from the Father, “For I have not spoke of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak” (Jn. 12:49-50).

“‘Come, for all things are now ready.”‘ This invitation represents the gospel invitation. Jesus invited all men, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mt. 11:28-30). “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17).

All things are now ready! God’s great spiritual feast of salvation took planning and centuries of preparation. He prepared the supper at great expense – the sacrifice of his own dear Son. Christ was sent to invite all men including you!

But Sorry Excuses Given

“And they all with one consent began to make excuse . . ” (Lk. 14:18a). An “excuse” is a “pretense, pretext, beg-off, cowardly expression of preference”; “to give one reason to cover for the real reason or motive.” A coward’s way of hiding behind a lie. The skin of a reason packed with lies. A statement given to cover up, for a duty not well done, or not done at all.

When I was younger, my mother assigned me and my sisters each certain jobs to be done around the house. Somehow, I got the jobs of taking out the garbage and vacuuming the carpets. Sometimes, my mother would call me to the kitchen where she would be standing in front of the garbage pail, pointing and asking, “Why didn’t you take out the garbage last night?” If you want to hear 101 excuses, just ask a 15 or 16 year old, “Why didn’t you take out the garbage?” The point is, there were no reason for me not to perform my job or duty, only poor flimsy excuses.

When one makes an excuse toward God, it is a weak and cowardly attempt to justify non-involvement in his service. Excuses try to avert attention from those things which are important to those things which are not so important.

The Excuse of Property

“The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused” (Lk. 14:18b). “I must needs go”? Many excuses are made from something “I must do.” Why did this first guest claim necessity of being excused? He claimed to have bought a piece of real estate that he had not seen. How likely is it that anyone buys a piece of ground sight unseen? Even if he had really bought ground without seeing it, why was it necessary for him to go see it now? If he had already bought it, there was no need to inspect it at the time of the feast. After all, the ground was not going anywhere!

Excuses to God of so-called “necessity” are not really any necessity at all. “Excuse me from becoming a Christian, I have a lot of other things I must needs go and do.” Excuse me from attending services tonight because I must needs watch the Super Bowl game,” “Excuse me from teaching the gospel, I must needs to and weed my front lawn. ” “Please excuse me from going to visit the sick, I must needs go. . . ” somewhere else. What is amazing is how many things “need” to be done when it comes time for the Lord’s work to be done. Excuses fool no one, but the person who makes them. Instead of saying “I must” or “I need to,” what one is really saying is “I want to”.

“Go and see.” Today the island of Manhattan, in New York, is one of the most valuable areas of real estate in the world. Property in Manhattan is rented and sold for thousands of dollars per square foot. Yet years ago, the island was purchased from the Indians for worthless trinkets amounting to about $20. There are people today who laugh at the Indians’ failure to understand what was valuable, then they turn around and sell their soul for a worthless excuse.

How quickly and easily the baubles and trinkets of the world become excuses standing between us and God. Will a new house or a new car keep you from eternal life? For a few dollars more will you lose your soul? P.T. Barnum is said to have approached a young woman and propositioned her. She huffily replied, “No.” Barnum then asked, “Would you sleep with me for a million dollars?” and the woman said, “Yes, for a million dollars.” “How about a dollar?” Barnum asked. “What kind of woman do you think I am? ” the woman replied angrily. To which Barnum responded, “Madam, we have already determined what kind of a woman you are, now we are just haggling over the price.” This is the same position Satan has so many.

One Consent.

If you had to give up all that you own and could keep one thing, what would it be? Your car, your house, a book, an heirloom? Could this one thing become an excuse that bars you from heaven?

“Please excuse me.” Those who make excuses are usually so polite. Somehow, they feel God will accept their excuse as long as it is given so delicately. Whether one is rude and insulting or polite, the rejection of the gospel invitation is still a slap in the face of God. God calls this “politeness” “lip service.” “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men” (Isa. 29:13).

The Excuse of Business

“And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused” (Lk. 14:19). “Bought five yoke of oxen.” How many excuse themselves from the Lord’s invitation, the Lord’s assembly or the Lord’s work because they have a business to run or a job that conflicts. These same people would never think of allowing money or property come between them and their service to God, and then excuse themselves to go buy and sell or work a job. Jesus warned, “Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed” (Jn. 6:27).

“I go to prove them.” Consider how unlikely it is that anyone would buy oxen without proving them and how unnecessary it would be to prove the oxen during the feast. It is just as unlikely anyone would get into a business or obtain a job without first proving the time and cost. Nor is it necessary to prove your oxen on the Lord’s time. Yet time after time people use their business or job as an excuse! When the Lord’s invitation is given, “Excuse me please, I have a business that keeps me too busy.” When Wednesday night Bible study comes around, “Excuse me, I have a job that requires me to work then.”

Isn’t it strange that an excuse always finds time to do now, to replace what God wants done now? “. . . [B]ehold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). Time wasted thinking up an excuse would be better spent avoiding the need for them. The person who really wants to do something finds a way, the other finds an excuse.

“I pray have me excused..” Certainly this excuse is polite, but there is no pretense of a necessity or compulsion. This excuse maker is just lax or careless. There is indifference to the host, his invitation and his great feast. How long can we be lax and careless with the Lord’s invitation?

The Excuse of Family

“And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come” (Lk. 14:20). “1 have married a wife.” How easily does one’s family become his or her excuse. “I would obey God but my (wife), (husband), (family), (friends). . . ” “I would attend more services but my. . . ” Your family or friends are not a hinderance in serving God, but for many they certainly become a convenient excuse. How sad it is to use someone you love and care for as an excuse not to properly serve God. Do you really love your family and friends? Then stop using them as an excuse and start trying to convert them. There are always excuses available, if you are weak enough to use them. There really are not enough crutches in the world for all the lame excuses, and using one’s own family as an excuse is the lamest excuse of all.

“I cannot come.” This third man did not suggest a necessity to be excused, nor was he polite in is excuse. He did not even ask to be excused. He flatly refused the invitation. This man could have accepted the invitation and brought his wife and both of them could have enjoyed the feast. Jesus warned, “He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Mt. 10:37).

A Sad Conclusion For Excuse Makers

“For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper” (Lk. 14:24). Dr. Thompson in speaking of the invitation to a feast of a Middle Eastern host said, “It is true now, as then, that to refuse is a high insult to the maker of the feast, nor would such excuses as those in the parable be more acceptable to a Druse emeer than they were to the lord of this ‘great supper'” (Thompson, Ibid.). God’s great feast of salvation will not go to waste. But those who make excuses shall not have any part of it.

What Is Your Excuse?

Too many exhibit a great talent . . . for making excuses. For every temptation, God provides a way of escape while Satan provides an excuse. What is your excuse? If you need one, just ask any preacher; they hear all the excuses, over and over again. “We missed services last week because company came.” “I would teach people the Gospel, if I knew more.” “I would visit the sick, if I had more time.” “Something always happens that makes us late for services.” “We do not attend Bible study because we cannot get anything out of it.” “I do not come to Wednesday night Bible study because you cannot prove it is necessary.” “I would give more, but I have too many bills.” “I attend more services, but my work is so hard.”

The next time you start to make an excuse, stop, get down on your knees and tell God your excuse. Then remember the words of Jesus, “[N]one of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper” (Lk. 14:24).

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 22, pp. 678, 680
November 19, 1987