Truth Magazine

By Morris Hafley

We have left the holidays behind us, the days of “Season’s Greetings,” and we now come to the days we could call “Season’s Meetings.” It is the time when you hear Christians say, “You could attend a meeting somewhere every night for weeks.” This is especially true for those who live near or in a large city. However, most Christians are satisfied to attend their meeting and never encourage themselves or others by taking advantage of the opportunity to worship with sister congregations.

While living in Indianapolis and attending meetings held there, we knew who we would see from other churches – always the same faces. These brethren worked six days a week, had children that “had school tomorrow” and somehow still managed to survive. Some of these brethren did not get home in time to eat supper with their families. They ate when they got home at ten o’clock. Can you imagine someone loving the Lord so much that they would miss a meal to hear His word (Mt. 5:6)?

If you don’t know where the building is located, a simple phone call will take care of that excuse.

Your children will survive if they miss an hour or two of sleep, believe me. Let one of the “precious memories” of their childhood be the many times that Mom and Dad took them to meetings. The blessings you will reap from attending these meetings will continue to come. You will gain knowledge from listening to men who are not preaching a diluted doctrine but the pure will of God. You will see men and women baptized into Christ. You “make friends of God’s children.” Your children will see other children their age being faithful to God, which will encourage them.

When the statement is made that “we just don’t have meetings like we used to” reflection is sometimes cast on the preaching in that preachers just don’t preach like they used to. Could the problem also be that we just don’t attend them like we used to? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to worship God with standing room only crowds? Of course it would but that will take the effort of all. Please don’t say, “They didn’t attend our meeting so we aren’t going to theirs. ” That is like the boy who said, “I’ll show that old teacher. I just won’t study for his test.”

Brethren, may we begin to see how blessed we are. Those of you who attend meetings can take someone with you who doesn’t usually go. Let them see what they are missing. Those of you who don’t go, start. Let us have meetings like we “used to.”

Guardian of Truth XXX: 8, p. 235
April 17, 1986

By Tom Roberts

Introduction: A common object is often taken as “commonplace” while it actually has tremendous importance in life. Such an object is salt. As a preservative, its use from ancient to modern times is constant. Jesus used its importance to illustrate a spiritual principle about righteousness (Mt. 5:13; Mk. 9:50; Lk. 14:34).

A. We are the salt of the earth (Mt. 5).

B. We are to have salt in us – Mk. 9 (equate with righteousness).

C. If not, worthless; be cast out (Lk. 14).

D. Point of lesson: Christians must have a vital use in society beyond raising moral standards. That which “preserves” us (righteousness) also serves to preserve a nation (Prov. 14:34).

E. God decides when a nation rises or falls (Acts 17:26; Obadiah).

I. Examples.

A. Gen. 6:5-8 – Flood.

1. Noah – an heir of righteousness by faith (Heb. 11:7).

2. Not enough righteous people to save world.

B. Gen. 15:16 – Amorites.

1. God promised Canaan to Abram.

2. Delayed giving it to him for 400 years.

3. “Iniquity of Amorites not yet full.”

C. Gen. 18:23-33 – Sodom and Gomorrah.

1. Note v. 25: “God of all the earth” – not a tribal deity.

2. Ten righteous people would have changed that nation’s history.

3. The power of a righteous life is obvious when viewed from God’s perspective.

D. Israel.

1. Amos 7:7-17; 8:1-7.

2. A plumb line of righteousness will be the standard as with Israel.

3. They were not fit to remain in the land.

E. Judah – 135 years later.

1. Jer. 1:9-10, 13-19.

2. The Holy City was destitute of righteous people even as “worship” continued.

F. Jerusalem – 70 A.D.

1. Mt. 23:29-36.

2. Mt. 24:15-28.

II. Application.

A. We can not know with surety where God will draw the line.

1. Eight not enough in Noah’s day; 10 would have been enough for Sodom.

2. What is the bottom line for a nation like America?

3. What about the church? When will God remove a candlestick (Rev. 2:5)?

B. God still respects the righteous man (Jas. 5:16).

C. What is your influence in the home? church? nation?

Guardian of Truth XXX: 8, pp. 10-11
April 17, 1986

By S. Leonard Tyler

Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:19, in contrast to being drunken with wine, “But be filled with the Spirit,” and in Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” which means when combined: Allow the teaching of the Spirit to fill you heart, guide your thinking, control your speech, direct your actions and fill your life with faith, love, confidence, assurance, happiness, peace and everlasting hope to the overflowing of joyfully singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to teach one another and praise Almighty God.

Singing is very vital to one’s spiritual life. In fact, it should be a heartwarming influence in the assembled church for worship. It demonstrates not only the true spirit of the assembly but also yields a mighty influence upon the minds of those assembled to open their hearts to the truth, wisdom, and admonition offered in this joyful manner. Such an attitude is very advantageous to the acceptance of all spiritual blessings, even truth itself with genuine love. Singing praise with grace in the heart unto the Lord is a most expressive and demonstrative way in which any group can make known truth, wisdom, and the purity of their own faith in an appreciative, joyful manner. it is a wonderful way to express convictions.

We are to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, making melody unto the Lord. Some have made a big thing of the different types of songs to be sung. But it is rather difficult to determine the terms used sufficiently to definitely distinguish between them. It is accepted that each term originally denoted a distinct kind or type of song, but within one song two or three types are often involved or combined. Psalms are devoted as praise to ‘God such as David’s Psalms, but hymns are also deeply emotional and devoted to God. Spiritual songs, perhaps, are more exuberant, moving in spirit but may be highly devoted to God in praise and admiration. It is the combination of all the deep feelings and loving emotions one has for God and his great desire to make known to others what being a Christian means to him, as well as transmitting the wonderful message to others for their salvation.

We recognize that many religious leaders in a desperate effort to find scriptural authority or justification of their mechanical instruments in worship call attention to the fact that in the Old Testament originally “sacrifice” implied animal offerings. But we inquire, does that authorize or justify animal sacrifices in acceptable worship under the New Covenant (Rom. 12:1)? The response is definitely negative, “No.” Then would psalms being sung with musical accompaniments under the Old Economy justify the use of mechanical instruments of music in worship under the New Covenant? The answer is definitely negative, “No.” We are living under the New Testament today and not the Old. The instrument upon which we are to make melody is the heart (Eph. 5:19).

Psallo means a plucking, twitching, to pull and let go again, or the vibration of a string, per usual in the Old Testament usage, mechanical instrument. However, in the New Testament we are told very plainly what the instrument is upon which we are to make melody; it says, “singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.” It is “speaking to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” or “teaching and admonishing one another.” This can not be done with a mechanical instrument to play the melody. The Lord did not practice or teach any such thing; neither did His apostles. In fact, no instrumental mechanical music was ever a part of the New Testament church’s worship. Historically, this statement stands. We mean with the approval of the doctrine of Christ. If it is, please give chapter and verse for it. “But it does not say not to have it,” some respond. No, neither does it say, “not to have ham and coffee on the Lord’s table.” Does that justify ham on the Lord’s table? Remember our faith stands in what the New Testament says, not in what it does not say. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with grace in your heart to the Lord is one great and effective way to demonstrate the fulness of spirit and richness of truth which fills the heart with the deepest feelings of love and purity of life. It is demonstrative of praise and thanksgiving to almighty God with emotions seasoned with truth.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 7, p. 212
April 3, 1986

By W. Frank Walton

The phone rings late at night. We tense up, fearing bad news: “Oh no, what’s happened?” News reports bombard us with depressing regularity of this world’s harsh realities and tragic problems. Is “no news good news”?

There is eternal good news that needs to be shouted from the housetops. The gospel means “good news”! “Good” means it’s beneficial, profitable, giving true happiness; “news” means it’s significant, timely. The gospel centers upon Jesus as the Savior of the world, in His life, person, work and teaching (Mk. 1:1). His advent upon the stage of human history was heralded as something wonderful. “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2: 10-11, NASB). His mission was to proclaim the kingdom’s good news (Mk. 1:14). His commission is, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mk. 16:15). This must be critical, earthshaking news!

But people often think Jesus’ coming was bad news, spoiling man’s “fun.” We sometimes give the impression Mark 16:15 means, “Go spread the bad news. You’ll be embarrassed by this ‘gospel’ because it’ll ruin your life and those you teach. He who joins our gloomy group will be miserable here and might avoid hell hereafter. But he who’s unconverted will be envied because of his enjoyment of worldly pleasure.” Does the gospel really mean “good news” to us?

The good news in the first century startled the world by its radical, life-changing power when planted in human hearts. It gave great joy to those who obeyed it (Acts 2:42; 8:8,39; 16:34). It sparked riots and relentless persecution. Its ringing declaration was demanding, decisive, and exclusive in its dynamic content. The gospel’s powerful message made people either glad, sad or mad, but never bored and indifferent. Why?

1. The Gospel of Truth and Salvation. The good news of Jesus is “the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation” (Eph. 1:13). The gospel alone reveals absolute, infallible and unchanging truth to a changing world. God cannot lie; Scripture cannot be broken. The gospel isn’t a religious myth fabricated by deluded men. Its historical reality has been reliably confirmed (1 Cor. 15:1-8).

It’s a fact that man is lost, separated by sin from God. In rebellion to God’s sovereignty, we’ve “missed the mark” of His design for our potential. The just sentence of hell’s reality is part of “the glad tidings” (Lk. 3:18, ASV). God isn’t bluffing. We must know our true condition before we see the urgent need of the “joyful tidings.” His abiding truth is the only authoritative standard, not the volatile opinions and unreliable feelings of fallible men. All competing ideas and sophisticated philosophies contradicting the gospel are false. The gospel truth is the only reliable source of man’s purpose, meaning and blessing. It shows the futility of sin.

Only the gospel is “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16). Education, money, social prestige and military might are impotent in saving man in his greatest need. Salvation is deliverance from a real, life-threatening danger. Today, we say a relief pitcher has many “saves”; an accountant “saves” us money on taxes. But think of waking up in the middle of the night. Your lungs are filled with smoke. You cough violently. You feel intense heat. Your house is on fire! You panic, realizing you and your family are about to be burned alive! But at that moment of awesome terror, firemen suddenly break through the billowing smoke, grabbing you and your family, and carrying you all through the inferno to safety. You have been saved!

Think how much greater is the gospel, which tells of Jesus (“Jehovah is salvation”), “for it is he who will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Jesus saved us from the fires of eternal torment in hell, since we were under the curse of sin and the judicial wrath of God. Only Jesus could have died at the right time, home our punishment on the cross, and saved us from eternal ruin. If obeying the gospel doesn’t get us excited about being saved, let’s check our pulse to see if we’re alive!

2. The Gospel of Peace and Promise. The “gospel of peace” (Eph. 6:15) offers everyone the peace of a right relationship with the Creator. You are just as important to God as anyone else. By obeying the gospel, anyone can be adopted into the family of God and become heir to the abundant spiritual blessings in Christ. This is “the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph. 3:6).

Biblically, peace is more than just the absence of conflict. It’s the full restoration of a right, living relationship. The breach has been healed in complete reconciliation. The priceless blood of Jesus paid the infinite debt of sin to satisfy the justice of God (Eph. 2:1317). His mediation enables us to fully know our Father, which makes for life’s highest good. We have peace within ourselves as we meet the gracious conditions of pardon. We have the promise of a loving Father’s constant concern and care. This gives us tranquility even in turmoil. Because the gospel of peace and promise has totally changed our lives for the better, we act as peacemakers in gladly sharing the gospel.

3. The Gospel of Life. Immortality and Hope. “Our Savior Christ Jesus . . . abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10). The good news answers two profound questions of time and eternity: (1) “How should we then live?” (Ezek. 33: 10) and (2) “If a man dies, will he live again?” (Job 14:14)

Everyone must decide how to live. Jesus came to give a truly abundant life (Jn. 10:10). This is the unceasing supply of the greatest quality of life ever known. “For of His fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace” (Jn. 1:16). In Him, wave after wave of refreshing grace for living is supplied by truly knowing Him (1 Jn. 5:20). He didn’t just tell us about life, He is the Life (Jn. 14:6). He is the living model of successful spiritual living and human potential. He enlightens us to discern the important from the trivial. He shows us how to overcome temptation, meet and deal with others, always please the Father and draw near in communion. Abiding in Jesus gives the spiritual life to bear much fruit (Jn. 15:8) of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23). The gospel transforms us to be life’s real winners (Rom. 8:37).

We have this bold confidence because Jesus arose from the grave, assuring us of immortality. “Because I live, you shall live also” (Jn. 14:19). This hope of heaven in the gospel (Col. 1:5) is priceless beyond anything this vain world can give. The philosopher Jean Paul Sarte viewed life thusly: “Everything is born without reason, prolongs itself out of weakness and dies by chance. . . . I choked with rage at this gross absurd being.” The “brilliant” atheist Ingersoll said, “Every cradle asks us, ‘Whence?’ and every coffin, ‘Whither?’. . . Death is a narrow vale between the cold and barren peaks of two eternities. We cry aloud and the only answer is the wailing echo of our cry.” Thank God for the hope of heaven!

Death is a doorway leading some to the presence of the Lord, world without end. The gospel light enables us to see beyond today to the day of eternity. Let’s appreciate and be motivated by the irreplaceable gospel, which “has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1:3-5).

Guardian of Truth XXX: 8, pp. 227-228
April 17, 1986