Truth Magazine

By Luther W. Martin

Some two thousand years before Christ, the cities of the plain, including Zoar, Zeboiim, Adamah, Sodom and Gomorrah, were well populated and the land about them was fertile and productive. The Book of Genesis relates that these cities were “joined together in the vale (valley) of Siddim, which is the salt sea” (Gen. 14:3).

Due to the extreme immorality of the inhabitants of Sodom, God caused the city to be destroyed. This is recorded in the 19th chapter of Genesis. This region was at the southern end of the Dead Sea, which over the centuries has expanded and engulfed the remains of these cities. After heaven’s destruction of these towns, they were uninhabited, and even in New Testament times, were yet visible. Tacitus makes reference to them in his History, and Josephus also makes mention of them in his Wars.

Our Savior made reference to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Matthew 10:15. The evil, the depravity and the wickedness of Sodom became a “by-word” from ancient times to the present. The city of Sodom lent its name to the sin and depravity of homosexuals down to the present. Homosexuality is condemned in the New Testament, in the following passages: Romans 1:24-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 2 Peter 2:10 and Jude 7-8.

Sodomy In The U.S. and The World

San Francisco seems to have the dubious reputation of favoring homosexuals through the passage of “gay rights” legislation. Since that time, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, a noted and respected medical publication:

“Infectious hepatitus – A, increased 100 percent, Infectious hepatitus – B, increased 300 percent; Amoebic colon infection, increased, 2,500 percent; 70-80 percent of the 75,000 patients seen each year in V.D. clinics were homosexual males; and 20 percent of homosexual males carried rectal gonorrhea.”

Auto Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

In the continent of Africa, many natives engaged in a religious, pagan ritual, wherein they inter-mingled the blood of a species of green monkey, with their own blood. This introduced what is termed a “retro-virus’ into the human bloodstream, which in turn, rendered the auto-immune system of the human useless. These individuals no longer possessed the ability to resist infection and disease in their bodies. It is now estimated that probably above 30 percent of sexually active Africans have the AIDS virus.

The African natives ultimately, many of them, migrated to the Island of Haiti, and this location became a veritable ‘Mecca’ for homosexuals from the Eastern Seaboard. These men brought the AIDS plague back to New York and Miami, primarily, but also to other East Coast cities. In turn, those men who were ‘bi-sexual’ contracted the virus from other males, and then passed it on to the females with whom they co-habited.

Today, it is estimated that there are 35,000 U.S. citizens who have contracted AIDS; at least fifty percent of these will be dead within two years. In addition, the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, now estimates that some one million and a half Americans are now carriers of the AIDS virus. They may not have developed the disease themselves, as yet, but they are carriers of the virus.

Enter The Drug Culture

It is further estimated that of the bisexuals and the homosexuals, some seventy percent are carriers of the AIDS virus; but also, 60 percent of the drug users also carry the virus. From Manhattan Island, New York, one in every fifty persons joining the military is reported to have AIDS. The national average is now one in six hundred and fifty, enlistee..

Sin Lies At The Door

The African Pagan ritual that started all this, was a sin! The practices of homosexuals are sinful! Promiscuity is a sin! Even the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Koop, has announced that an effort must be made among the citizenry, to educate the public concerning sexual standards. Dr. Koop urged that everyone limit himself to only one sexual partner! The Bible has been teaching that same truth for centuries! But our society has become too sophisticated to pay attention to God’s Word!

Isn’t it a shame that the educators of our children continue to oppose teaching the Bible’s moral standards to America’s children?

In the Middle Ages, the black plague decimated the continent of Europe; cholera, typhoid, smallpox, T.B., and other epidemics ravaged the lands. Now, in this modem and enlightened 20th century, human-kind itself, has brought this plague upon itself. Our society is paying an extremely !1igh price for flouting or ignoring Bible teaching concerning immorality. One religious publication has asked: “Is AIDS God’s active judgment on brazen homosexuality? Or is the AIDS epidemic simply a natural event that has occurred because of sin already in the world? Or both?” (The Lutheran Witness, April, 1986)

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 17, p. 534
September 3, 1987

By Ron Halbrook

The gospel of Christ conquers sin in two important ways, First, through the precious blood of Christ our past sins are forgiven by God when we accept the gospel. We accept it by believing in Christ, repenting of our sins, confessing Jesus as God’s Son with the mouth, and being immersed in water (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:10). Second, the love of Christ constrains us to resist temptation, to fight sin in all forms, and to conquer it in our daily lives. “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:17). The gospel of God’s love is more powerful in changing lives for good in time and eternity than civil laws, prisons, secular education, social reforms, or human philosophies could ever be (Rom. 1: 16; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).

War Against Drugs

Our society is engaged in a war against “hard” drugs, but Time Magazine’s special reports on “America’s Crusade” points out a larger problem: “Coke and heroin cause much less overall harm, in statistical terms, than alcohol or tobacco” (15 Sept. 1986, pp. 60-73). When cocaine-related deaths tripled between 1981 and 1985, 563 died in 1985. But in 1980, there were 98,000 deaths related to alcohol and 300,000 from tobacco use. The demand for all kinds of drugs is created by the emptiness of materialism, the pressure of peer groups, and the lies of liberalism. The article concludes that the demand can be broken only if people can learn three vital lessons. After noting each one in italics, we want to observe how the gospel of Christ meets these needs and conquers sin.

1. How to Develop a Proper Sense of Self-Esteem. In other words, who am I? Material things, our friends, and evolutionary theories cannot supply the needed answer. Only the gospel can. We are made in God’s image, separated from him by our sins, and desperately needing fellowship with him through Jesus Christ.

2. How to Deal With the Strains, Pressures and Tensions of Life. In other words, who will help me in life? Ultimately, our help must come from God. We are utterly alone and hopeless without His strength, love, wisdom, and fellowship. God gives us all those spiritual blessings in Christ -through the word of truth of the gospel.

3. How to Resist Peer Pressure. In other words, who is my example, my guide, my God? Can “the group” determine our ultimate standards, daily conduct, and final destiny? Which “group” do I follow – social, business, family, neighbors, political, educational, recreational, etc.? In the final analysis, no person or group of people can take the place of the true and living God! He sent his divine Son to be my perfect example and sent his Spirit to reveal a perfect revelation of truth.

Will you accept and obey the gospel of Christ so that sin can be conquered in your life?

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 17, p. 521
September 3, 1987

By Harold Fite

In the Houston Chronicle, Saturday, May 23, 1997, under the heading, “Roman Catholics Reassess Biblical Portrayal of Christ,” Julia Duin wrote of the efforts of the Roman Catholic Church to absolve the Jews of responsibility in the death of Christ.

To believe that the Jews crucified Christ is to be accused by them of anti-Semitism. The Catholics are feeling the pressure, and for the past several years have been withdrawing statements from Catholic textbooks that could be construed as anti-Semitic.

Judith Muffs, associate director for interfaith affairs of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith in New York, said, “The major problem is when the biblical text says ‘the Jews,’ here’s one Jew writing about two or three Jews, yet the text says ‘the Jews.’ Almost the whole cast of characters (in the New Testament) were Jews.”

Dr. Elias Mallon, a Catholic scholar from New York said, “The early Christians altered the Gospels to fit in with the political situation of the times.” Also, “the Gospel writers,” he said, “were presenting theology, not chronology.” He amplifies this by saying, “when you talk about the truth of Jesus, you’re not talking about a historical truth, you’re talking about a theological truth. ” He continued by saying, “The words more reflect the situation of where the church lived rather than what actually happened. ” He was quick to add, however, that “It’s not like (the Gospels) are false or an absolute lit, but people weren’t concerned with historical accuracy until the Enlightenment (an 18th century philosophical movement based on rationalism) . . . people back there didn’t write history like we do in the 20th century. They treated details differently than we do.”

It is the opinion of Dr. Mallon that “John was affected by early Christians who were having problems with the Roman authorities and were more inclined to use the Jews as a scapegoat rather than the Romans.”

Let it be understood that I do not believe the modern day Jew can be blamed for what his forefathers did, anymore than I could be charged with the abuse of the American Indian, or be guilty of practicing slavery, even though I have lived in the south all of my life where slavery was practiced. “The son does not bear the iniquity of the father.” Nor do I mean to imply that every single Jew who lived in the time of Christ bore a responsibility for the murder of Jesus (not the apostles, the man born blind – John 9:38, etc.), but the death of Christ certainly involved more than “two or three.” The Jewish nation as a whole rejected Christ and consented to his death.

This doesn’t mean that the Jews administered the death penalty. They didn’t have this authority under Roman rule (John 18:31). But they desired his death, and pressured the Roman authorities to kill him.

Note the attitude of the Jews toward Jesus which finally culminated in his death: they accused him of being seditious, a blasphemer, wine-bibber, gluttonous, of violating the sabbath, and other false charges. They were always trying to catch something out of his mouth that they could use against him. Judas received thirty pieces of silver from them to deliver him into their hands. When Pilate said to them, “take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law,” their intent is clearly seen when they responded, “it is not lawful for us to put any man to death.” They wanted Jesus dead!

They pressured Pilate to enact the death penalty (read John 18, 19). From hearts of hatred they shouted, “Crucify him, crucify him! Away with him, away with him, crucify himl” And they told Pilate, “If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar’s friend.” They even allowed a murderer to be freed in order to crucify the Christ. The Jews got their way. Jesus was crucified.

Now who killed Jesus? When Peter spoke in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), he addressed his audience as “ye men of Judea, and all that dwell in Jerusalem” (v. 14). He later referred to those assembled as “Israel,” and charged them with crucifying and slaying Christ by the hand of lawless men (vv. 23, 24). He called upon them to repent of this terrible sin (v. 38), and about three thousand did (v. 41).

Later, Peter and John stood in the porch that was called Solomon’s and directed their words to “men of Israel” and charged them with having “killed the P~ince of Life; whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are all witnesses” (Acts 3:13-15). Peter said you killed him. We are witnesses.

Stephen charged the Jews with betraying and murdering the Christ, and also killing those who spoke of his coming (Acts 7:43-51). What was the reaction of the Jews to these charges? They killed Stephen!

The Word of God leaves no question as to who crucified the Christ. The Scriptures are replete with this cowardly deed. For one to reject this fact of history, he would have to reject God’s word as being a fabrication. This is exactly what Mr. Mallon has done that he might curry favor with the Jews. He accuses the Gospel writers as being less than honest in their writings, “having altered the Gospels to fit in with the political situation of the time . . . reflecting the situation of where the church lived rather than what actually happened.”

I must remind Mr. Mallon that “no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:20, 21).

Paul said he and the apostles didn’t speak “in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual words” (1 Cor. 2:13).

The Gospel writers did not speak of things which originated in their own minds, but that which was given them through the Spirit. They were inspired men and they faithfully discharged their duties as ambassadors of Christ. They spoke the truth!

I have a few relatives who have conducted themselves in such a way as to have brought shame on the family name. The conduct of some Americans have been an embarrassment to the nation, but I can’t say these things never happened.

The Jews killed Christ. It is a fact of history. There were witnesses; God said it. I believe it.

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 17, pp. 522-523
September 3, 1987

By Larry Ray Hafley

That there is a great and grave need for soundness in doctrine, cannot be confuted. False teachers and false doctrines have to be met (2 Pet. 2: 1; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Tit. 1:9-13; 2:15). However, disciples of Christ must maintain personal as well as doctrinal purity. Consider the book of James. One may use James 2:14-26 to show that salvation is “not by faith only,” but unless he is also steadfast, patient (1:10; 5:10), prayerful (1:5; 7:13), penitent (5:16), swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath (1:19), obedient (1:22-25; 2:10,11), impartial in love (2:1-9), pure in speech and life (3:1-18; 4:4,8; 1:26), humble (4:6, 10), and kind to others (1:27; 5:6), his arguments are sounding brass, tinkling cymbals and vain jangling. “These ought ye to have done, and not leave the other undone.”

If the watching world does not see our good works, they will not, despite our unanswerable arguments, glorify God (Matt. 5:16). As one can win a battle and lose the war, so he can win an argument and lose a soul. We see Stephen as a great debater (Acts 6:10). We exult in his withering speech against the Jews (Acts 7). That is fine, but do we see him as a humble, faithful helper of indigent, neglected widows? We see the fearless, peerless Paul in numerous debates in Athens, Corinth, Damascus, Jerusalem, Thessalonica and Rome. That is great, but do we also see him sweating as he makes tents, laboring night and day? We hear his ringing, stinging words of sharp reproof and rebuke, but do we also hear his sweet and gentle words of love and thanks for Epaphroditus and Onesiphorus (Phil. 2:25-30; 2 Tim. 1:16-18)? We recall Paul’s labors for Christ in meeting false teachers, and well we should, but do we also see him picking up sticks for a fire on a damp, cold day (Acts 28:2,3)? He was the hero of the hour and could have sat back, perhaps, and enjoyed his acclaim, but he was not too good to gather fire wood as others had.

There is truth in the old adage, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Though the statement, “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth” (1 Cor. 8:1), has been misused by false teachers as a cover for their doctrines while they exude a mushy, shallow, sensual “love,” it is still a truth – see the context. Let all saints be wary of a cold, pompous, arrogant attitude -speak the truth in love; “in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves” (2 Tim. 2:25).

The truth of the Spirit cannot avail where the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance) has not prevailed.

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 17, p. 519
September 3, 1987