Truth Magazine

By Don Willis

Christ challenged the world. Never had there been one likened unto Him, and never will there be another like Him! His influence is upon every continent and is manifested in literature, architecture, music, art, and culture. Still, some have not dealt with the genuine issue of a personal commitment of their own life to the Lord Jesus Christ. They ask, “Why should I be a Christian?” To this question, we suggest three replies.

One’s Past

“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).

Modern psychology attempts to deal with the inner emotional stress in mankind due to their former lives. They cannot get to the real root of the problem, for psychology cannot offer one complete escape from the convicted conscience.

Neither paganism nor Judiasm could find the remedy for sin. Their animal and human sacrifices were futile. Centuries were spent in vain attempts to find solutions to this problem. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4-5). Now, there is a way out of sin!

The affirmation of the efficacy of the blood of Christ is revealed. When one understands the “shadow” sacrifices of the law bringing ceremonial cleansing, “. . . how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14)

This is what I need; therefore, it is a reason for me to be a Christian!

One’s Present

Life is short. Inspiration compares life to a vapor that appears for a while, then vanishes away (Jas. 4:13ff). Job said that man would fly away as a dream, and shall not be found (20:8).

Life is for living, enjoying, expecting! A.P. Gouthey said, “The most glorious thing in life is to be a Christian. The most exalted privilege in life is to have intimate daily, hourly fellowship with God.”

Christianity is a new way of life, a transformed being living a God-accepted lifestyle. It is a life more than just a religion!

Alexis Carrel said, “Only religion proposes a complete solution to the human problem. Christianity, above all has given a clear-cut answer to the demands of the human soul.

For centuries it has calmed the restless curiosity which men have always felt concerning their destiny. Religious inspiration, divine revelation and faith brought certainty and peace to our forefathers.”

The Apostle Paul, by inspiration, assures us, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6). Joy comes to one when he becomes a Christian (Acts 8:39; 16:34), and will abide with one as he walks the God-accepted course of life.

One’s Future

Someone has said, “I do not know what the future will hold, but I do know who holds the future.” That is very reassuring to the Christian. That confidence has permitted Christians to be faithful even unto death, because they had the promises of God.

David said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me” (Psa. 23:4).

Jesus said, “I go and prepare a place for you” (Jn. 14:1ff). Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people, God’s people. That is why I need Christianity.

Jesus is the Great Physician. Jesus is the remedy for sin. As with disease, many die who are not adequately treated. Without Jesus, one must face eternity with his own sin. But, Jesus died for me. His blood will completely wash away my sin (Acts 22:16). He is the propitiation for sin (1 Jn. 2:2). Not everyone will be saved, that is the reason I need Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Without Him, I am doomed!

Patrick Henry, nearing the end of his physical life, said, “I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian religion. If they had that, and I had not given them one shilling, they would have been rich, and if they had not that, and I had given them all the world, they would be poor.”

S.T. Coleridge also responded, “I have known what the enjoyments and advantages of this life are, and what are the more refined pleasures which learning and intellectual power can bestow; and with all the experience that more than threescore years can give, I now, on the eve of my departure, declare to you, that health is a great blessing; competence, obtained by honorable industry is a great blessing; and a great blessing it is, to have kind, faithful and loving friends and relatives; but that the greatest of all blessings, as it is the most enabling of all privileges, is to be indeed a Christian.”

Isn’t it time for us to give more serious consideration to this great question? Make a proper commitment to the Lord! Submit ourselves to Him! He is the potter, we are the clay!

Guardian of Truth XXX: 14, p. 431
July 17, 1986

By Terry Partain

There is a familiar ring to the Protestant approach to James 2:21 in the “faith-works” controversy. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” The well informed Protestant has learned to say, “Abraham was justified by works but only before men; not before God.” His basis for this approach is Romans 4:2, “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.” Aside from the mutilation of both contexts, the truly distressing thing about this approach is its similarity to the thinking of the New Testament Pharisee.

The single greatest fault of the Pharisee was his faith in the “circumcision principle” to satisfy the demands of God even while he angered God by neglect of the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy and faith (Matt. 23:23). To the Pharisee, works were done to be seen of men (Matt. 23:5). John the Baptist shook the wilderness rafters with his demands that they repent of their unfaithful faith. “We are Abraham’s seed, ” they said. Said John, “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (Matt. 3:7-10). Work or else be cast into the fire. Their legal standing did not exempt them from obedience to God.

The single greatest fault of the Protestant is his faith in the “faith principle” to satisfy the legal, requirements of justification before God even while he angers God by neglecting the weightier matters of ” the faith” such as obeying the Lord in the worship and work of the church. Ask a Protestant even about moral matters such as dancing, drinking, and divorce and you will hear: “Your sins might take away ‘your witness’ but your eternal destiny is still secure.” That my friend has the fragrance of Phariseeism.

Context of James 2

Let’s return to the context of James 2:21. Before whom did Abraham offer Isaac his son upon the altar? There was not a single human witness. Only God saw the work and justified him by it; that is, because of it. That work made his faith perfect (complete). That work fulfilled the Scripture “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God.” The works of James 2 were works of mercy. Are these the works that God will be indifferent about? Look at Matthew 23:23 again.

Context Of Romans 4:2

What about Romans 4:2? The works at issue in this context are the works that substitute for obedience: specifically here circumcision. Abraham was uncircumcised in Genesis 15:6 when he was given the promise. He became the father of all men who walk in the steps of that faith which he had while still uncircumcised Romans 4:10-13. The Judaizers that Paul here exposes were like the Pharisees in that they put their trust in certain portions of the Law of Moses and refused to be faithful like Abraham to the whole counsel of God. Consequently they excluded the Gentiles contrary to the Law and rejected God’s grace offered in Jesus in defiance of the Prophets (Acts 15:10-18).

Brethren, let’s not be baited into taking the old Protestant line that our security does not depend on our “works.” The history of Israelite unbelief is deeply rooted in the same notion. You can call it “salvation by faith” or you can call it “salvation of Abrahamic birth” or like those of Jeremiah’s day you can just stand there and cry “the temple, the temple. . . ” (Jer. 7:4) but it really is disobedience to the will of God.

Guardian of Truth XXX; 14, p. 436
July 17, 1986

By Frank Jamerson

The following clipping was copied from the local newspaper of December 3, 1985. It is a summary of an article in the December 9, 1985 issue of U.S. News and World Report.

One in four Americans cheats on his tax returns, but most say it’s wrong to cheat on a husband or wife, a new poll indicates.

Marriage vows apparently make all the difference, since a clear majority says there’s nothing morally wrong with premarital sex.

The poll, conducted by the Roper Organization for this week’s issue of U.S. News & World Report, suggests laxness on some moral or ethical matters but also shows that Americans continue to hold clear views on other issues.

For those who see moral failings in the younger generation, the poll does show young people as more likely than their elders to tell lies or steal.

The survey said that twenty-four percent admitted to cheating on income tax returns, but seventy-two percent said that it is always wrong to cheat on your wife, or husband. The same report said that sixty-one percent believes that premarital s” is not wrong. In the younger ages (18-29), seventy-eight percent said that premarital sex is not wrong. On truthfulness, the report said that twenty-two percent admit to lying often or once in a while to family members; the same percentage as believed that under certain circumstances it is all right to steal from your employer. Thirty-three percent admitted to calling in sick when they were not.

Considering the propaganda that has been drilled into our heads through public education, TV and radio, and the words of songs, I suppose we should not be surprised at these statistics. For years our young people have been taught that we are just dignified apes and that the situation determines right or wrong.

Humanism has become the philosophy of the leaders in education. This system of religion denies the existence of God and an absolute standard of right and wrong. Each person is a “law unto himself,” and no one has the right to “moralize.”

Is this an excuse for Christians to cheat, lie, commit fornication, steal, etc.? Certainly not! But the sad fact is that too many church members would fit into these statistics. There is a lack of faith in God and His standard of right and wrong.

One who truly believes that God is all-knowing and everywhere present is not going to lie to his fellow man. Who would be willing to spend eternity in hell for telling a lie to make himself look better before men? Who is going to “save a few dollars” on income taxes if he really believes that stealing will cause him to lose his soul? The article in U.S. News & World Report said that one of the problems is that we “are less influenced today by authority figures. More and more, people seek guidance from one another.” Polster George Gallup, Jr., said, “Church attendance makes little difference in people’s ethical views and behavior with respect to lying, cheating, pilferage and not reporting theft.” I wonder how much difference “church attendance” makes among us!

When men turn from God’s standard and become “a law unto themselves” there is no real standard of right and wrong. When church members ignore God’s law, and feel somehow that their situation justifies disobedience to that law, they cannot be salt and light unto the world.

Brethren, there is a standard of right and wrong, and we should love God too much to wilfully disobey His word. And, if our love is not that strong, there needs to be a wholesome dread of eternal torment that would cause us to turn from evil.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 14, p. 435
July 17, 1986

By Tom Roberts

Introduction: What is the proper response of a disciple to the Lord? God’s grace is a fact; faith is the proper response (Eph. 2:8,9). But faith cannot be dead, barren and silent; such is the faith of demons (Jas. 2:19). The faith that accepts and depends on God responds with living works. We call this “faithfulness.” Define: “to be trusted; reliable.”

I. God is faithful: 1 Cor. 10: 13; 2 Cor. 1: 18; 2 Tim. 2:13; Heb. 10:23; Heb. 11:11 (Sarah’s response); 1 Pet. 4:19; 1 Jn. 1:9.

II. Christ Is faithful: 2 Thess. 3:3; Heb. 2:17; 3:2; Rev. 1:5; 3:14; 19:11.

III. The Word Is faithful: I Tim. 1:15; 3:1; 4:9,10; 2 Tim. 2:11; Tit. 1:9; 3:8; Rev. 22:6.

IV. These facts call for a proper response from me: faithfulness.

A. Texts.

1. Mt. 24:45-51 – faithful servant.

2. Mt. 25:21,23 – basis of judgment.

3. Acts 16:15 – response of a new convert.

4. Rev. 2:10 – continues “unto death.”

B. Application:

1. New converts.

a. Don’t be satisfied as a “babe in Christ.”

b. 1 Pet. 2:2.

c. Study, attend, grow, serve Christ and others.

2. Bible class teachers.

a. Live a life consistent with teaching.

b. Be on time and ready for students; lessons prepared.

c. When absent, see that substitute is available.

d. Remember: “reliable, trustworthy” both in Scriptures and life.

3. Song leaders.

a. Adequate preparation; equal to task and responsibility.

b. Give thought to work before hour of worship.

c. Help others to grow and develop.

4. Elders.

a. A life-long use of talents, “watching on behalf of souls.”

b. Work under the “Chief Shepherd.”

c. “Reliable, trustworthy” to members and to Christ.

d. Be a servant and not a “lord over” God’s heritage.

5. Preachers.

a. No greater obligation than that to Christ to “preach the word.”

b. Keep priorities straight in life.

c. Do nothing by partiality.

d. Keep life in keeping with doctrine.

6. Disciples.

a. Make own application as to husbands, wives, children.

b. Eccl. 9:10; 1 Cor. 15:58; Col. 3:23.

Conclusion: In all walks of life, let us attempt to be as faithful as God, Christ, the Word. Be faithful if all others are faithless.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 15, p. 454
August 7, 1986