Truth Magazine

By W. Frank Walton

Suppose you wanted to bake some biscuits, but you didn’t know how. Don’t worry, the South Carolina chef is in!

Recipe for Biscuits

1. Do not use these ingredients: oatmeal, cake mix, grits, chili powder, jalapeno peppers, mashed potatoes or any house construction materials.

2. Do not drop the dough on the floor.

3. Do not knead the dough for eight hours.

4. Do not heat the oven to 700 degrees F.

5. Do not leave town or forget the biscuits are in the oven.

It might sound silly, but all the above instructions are vitally important that they not be done to have edible biscuits. But all you know is what not to do. This cook failed to tell you what to do with practical, step-by-step instructions.

Biblical Balance

This “flaky” parable does have a practical application. The same principle applies to following God’s “recipe” of godly living. “Let him who means to love life and see good days . . . turn away from evil and do good” (1 Pet. 3: 10, 11, NASB). Faithful disciples follow the divine, balanced life of not sinning while being very busy doing good (Rom. 12:9). It is a flawed recipe of righteousness to busy ourselves just knowing what not to do. Christians are God’s transformed agents of positive change in an evil world as the salt of the earth and the light of the world. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

Sometimes it’s easy for us to be satisfied with a surrogate standard of soundness to “punch our ticket” to heaven. A church is often called “sound” merely by what it opposes, not in what it actively does. It’s a temptation for us to sit back, rehash the things we’re not supposed to do and point out what’s wrong with everyone else. Yes, we must never neglect hating and opposing sin, false doctrine and worldliness (2 Cor. 7:1; Jude 23; Eph. 5:11; 1 Jn. 4:1). But this alone is not the sum and substance of Christianity. Are we so completely disgusted with sinners and false religions that we’re not moved by Christ-like compassion to save the lost? Do we delight in reciting a the arguments showing why they’re all going to burn in hell? Do we rationalize our laziness and lack of faith in the gospel’s power by saying, “Oh, they’re lost and they know it. Why bother?” What are we really trying to accomplish as Christians?

David Lipscomb, who was no soft compromiser, wrote “The Practice of Truth” in the Gospel Advocate, November 28, 1907:

There is great danger that we let opposition to the sects and to error usurp the place of fidelity to God and the practice of truth. It is easier to fight error than it is to practice truth. It is more in harmony with our fleshly nature to fight error and errorists than to subdue the flesh and obey God. So we often substitute that for this. Much of our zeal is for party dogmas rather than for practice of the truth . . . . This party zeal becomes a substitute for love of truth and the practice of godliness. Many preachers seem to think that the way to convert the world is to expose religious error. Hence the preaching to the world is chiefly opposition to the sects. If all the sects were destroyed, it might be easier to convert the world, but the work of converting the world would still. have to be done.

Truth Unbalanced Is Error

Jesus teaches us a valuable lesson in Matthew 12:43-45 When evil is cast out, good must fill man’s heart and ac: tions, or evil will again overtake him. “An idle mind is the Devil’s workshop.” We cannot be holy just by sterilizing ourselves from evil and doing nothing to avoid contamiination. We have confused a spiritual separation with a physical separation from the world. We are to be in the world, but not of the world. It’s difficult to motivate saints to fruitful living by the reverse of an idea. “What must I do to be sav; ed?” becomes “What must I not do to avoid being lost?’

This is basically “thou shalt not” religion. Seed is wasted if stored in the barn (Jn. 12:24). Salt is worthless remaining in the salt shaker, and a covered light is no light at all. We have a heavenly mandate to go into all the world and turn it upside down for Jesus Christ!

The scribes and Pharisees were meticulously religious. But Jesus condemns them as “blind guides,” “fools,” “hypocrites,” and “serpents” because of their practical failures, inconsistencies, and blindness to the truth of God and their true spiritual condition. “. . . Do not do according to their deeds to be noticed by men. . . . Even so you too outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matt. 23:3, 5, 28). It is incredible that a church could be “sound” mainly if it theoretically opposes instrumental music, institutionalism, Calvinism, denominationalism and church sponsored recreation; yet, this “sound” church can constantly fuss and fight, the eldership shows little leadership, personal evangelism is rare, hospitality and brotherly love are almost extinct, gossiping and cliques abound, worship is spiritless, and tens of thousands of dollars of Jesus’ money is hoarded in the bank in case of a recession. This hypothetical church is “so sound in the truth that it’s sound asleep.” Some of these symptoms infect too many churches. We can nod our heads in agreement to the truth in the sermon, but forget to walk in the truth when we leave. We don’t believe we’re saved by “faith only”; we just act like it sometimes.

Follow the Lord Fully

Let’s be honest with ourselves to follow God’s recipe of spiritual success as a total way of life (2 Pet. 1:3). It is good to specifically identify what we should not do. But let’s also be more specific in eagerly finding ways to obey. We often generalize obedience by just repeating, “Obey God; live right; keep the commands.” These are true but too vague by themselves without a practical plan to implement them.

God’s inspired instructions strike a beautiful balance in such practical passages as Matthew 5-7; Romans 12:1-21; 13:714; Galatians 5:13-6:10; Ephesians 4-6; Colossians 3-4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5; the book of James, etc. Let’s study and visualize the vast applications of these challenging passages. Also, meditation upon the life of Christ isn’t just the milk of the Word; it’s the meat too! He lived the greatest life ever known. He set the awe-inspiring example of what we can become. It is a life-long pursuit to have “the mind of Christ” in every daily situation, so we must continually behold His glory in the Gospels to have His life reproduced in ours. This will help us think holy thoughts and develop godly, actionoriented attitudes. Honestly evaluating our progress is also essential.

Let’s learn how to set helpful spiritual goals (1 Cor. 9:24-27). For example, we could set daffy goals of systematic Bible study; fervent, believing prayer, meditation upon heaven and Jesus’ fife, and developing right attitudes while eliminating sin from our lives. We could set weekly goals of attending all the worship services, visiting or calling the sick or spiritually weak, and reading a gospel paper or bulletin. We could set monthly goals of talking to someone about Christ, setting up a Bible study, inviting someone to services, and practicing hospitality. We can set annual goals of trying to convert one person to Christ, having a singing for saints in the home or writing a letter to the editor of a newspaper protesting the evils of pornography or abortion. These are some suggestions.

Let us bear fruit by looking for opportunities to express our faith and love by serving God and others. We all can do something. Let it be said of us, “They have followed the Lord fully” (Num. 32:12).

Guardian of Truth XXX: 6, pp. 163-164
March 20, 1986

By Training Our Children (3)

We have written of the pathetic influence of alcohol and other drugs; covetousness which expresses itself in robbery, shoplifting, embezzlement, and house breaking; evolution, sexual immorality, and atheism as taught in universities and high school. It is no marvel that men of faith are concerned for their children.

Are parents concerned enough to effectively teach against these evil forces? There is no way under the sun to deep these influences away from the children. They cannot grow up in a bubble isolated from every person and everything. The ungodliness about us is no secret from our children. The music of today and other offerings of television are as vulgar and as dangerous as anything that can be taught in the schools. Some parents provide a television, set for their son’s room and allow him to watch whatever he chooses without supervision. Then they may send him to a private school for better training in a better environment. They should not be surprised later to find that he is very familiar with the most deadly influences of evil. The environment in the home may have been in conflict with the environment in the school. Sometimes the environment in the home is better than it is in the public or even private school. That is not always the case. The parents should teach their sons and daughters how to discern between good and evil and to choose the good while rejecting the evil (1 Pet. 3:8-16; Heb. 5:12-14; Isa. 1:16-19). Parents are the ones who have the authority in the home, and they should make the decisions for the children until the children are old enough and mature enough to make them for themselves. The home environment is the one that will have the greatest influence on the child, and parents should not forget that fact.

Timothy grew up at Lystra where there were worshipers of idols who set out to worship Paul and Barnabas after a miracle was performed to confirm the gospel message. Lystra was also the place were Jewish bitterness led a mob to stone Paul until they thought he was dead. (See Acts 14.) This ancient Roman world also had unbelievers (humanists, if you please) who had the immoral attitudes and practices as described in the first chapter of Romans. How could Timothy grow up to be one of the most devout disciples of Christ (Phil. 2:19-23)? He must have been taught to abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good (Rom. 12:9).

I suppose that Timothy’s father, who was a Greek, may not have been the great teacher the child Timothy needed (Acts 16:1). His mother “believed, but his father was a Greek.” How could this believing mother give the world a strong and faithful gospel preacher in spite of the fact that she likely had no help from her husband? She and her child were surrounded by idolaters, atheists, and Jews who rejected Christ. What hope could she have? How could she give him the proper training? I do not know all about how she did it, but she did train him in the way he should go. She may have cried many times as she considered the difficulty of the task. She was evidently determined to succeed.

Timothy was blessed by his grandmother Lois as well as by his mother Eunice (2 Tim. 1,5; 3:14,15). Who else encouraged this young man in his early life we do not know. If it was possible for these women to succeed it is possible in this decade, but it is not easy. It was not easy then, and it is not easy now, but it can be done. The two special things they gave Timothy are faith and knowledge. (See references above.) With these two precious things well in place, Timothy could go out into a pagan world in face to face encounters with opponents of Christ. He could stand against the fiery darts of the wick ed one (Eph. 6:10-20).

How many parents are there that work very hard to instill faith that can withstand the attacks of the humanists? How many actually teach the word with skill? These are the basic things that lead to spiritual strength. Without these the children will certainly be lost, but with faith and knowledge they can stand. There is need for training in other fields also. Children must be taught skills that will help them to provide for themselves and their families in a physical way. They live in a real world, and they will face real problems of many kinds, physically, morally, and spiritually.

Maybe we can find a place where grammar, math, and physics can be taught if parents demand that the teachers teach these useful subjects rather than situation ethics, sex education, and atheism. In many areas, there are enough parents with respect for righteousness to push the humanists back if they would keep in touch and use their influence. Parents can certainly teach so as to build faith and knowledge, and they can demand that the schools do not destroy their work.

After Paul had visited Lystra, there were other Christians in the city besides Timothy’s family. Let us hope that there were worthy associates for Timothy as he grew into manhood. It would have been the responsibility of Eunice and Lois to see that he knew the best. It would not have been their task to see that he was the most popular in the big crowd. They would have gone out for quality of friends instead of quantity.(1 Cor. 15:33). Timothy did not grow up in a bubble in an intensive car unit at the hospital, but he did have intensive care. He knew how to keep his faith and morals while in touch with people. His training enabled him to be a soldier of the cross in a wicked world. This is the very best training which can be given only by truly dedicated teachers to willing pupils.

The Greek and Roman world was without hope and without God, but there were plenty of games for fun and exercise. Athletics was given a place of special importance.

We can be sure that athletics was not so important to Timothy that Eunice’s spare time from necessary work was taken in getting him to the games. “Bodily exercise proriteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Tim. 4:8). Yes, exercise has its place, but it is not first place. It is not to wholly consume the time that parents should have with their children. The games are not so important that children cannot attend gospel meetings or do other worthwhile things. They may, in our day as well as in the Roman Empire, easily become the tail that wags the dog.

Timothy did not have the need for physics and math that many Americans have, but Americans today have the same need for faith in and knowledge of the sacred writings that he had. Young people then were in a wicked and unbelieving world just as children of our day are facing sin and unbelief. Faith and Bible knowledge then came by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17). They come the same way today. What we really need now is a great increase in the number of people who are determined that their children will have unfeigned faith and useful knowledge of the will of God.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 5, pp. 142-143
March 6, 1986

By Fred A. Shewmaker

Some are asking, “How can there be a law of silence of the Scriptures, where the Scriptures are silent?” This may not be the exact words you would use to phrase the question. Please remember that it is not always possible to word something precisely as others would phrase it. Probably not all who are asking this question choose the exact words when asking it. As the question is asked here, it appears to me, to be a fair representation of what is being asked. At any rate, because this or a similar question is being asked, this article will be an examination of “the law of the silence of the Scriptures.” loosed in heaven.”

In Matthew 16:19 Jesus told Peter, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (KJV). We are interested in the binding and loosing. It is certain that this part of the verse applies to all the apostles because in Matthew 18:18 Jesus repeated this to them (“the disciples” – Matt. 18:1 – to whom Jesus was speaking were His apostles; compare Mk. 9:33-37).

Many English translations fail to make clear whether the binding and loosening take place first on earth and then in heaven or first in heaven and then on earth. This is true with regard to both Matthew 16:19 and 18:18. There are many people also who today do not readily understand the terms “bound” and “loosed.” In this examination of the law of the silence of the Scriptures efforts will be made to: clarify the order of the binding and loosing, find the meanings of “bound” and “loosed” and to show that this is a statement of “the law of the silence of the Scriptures.” These efforts will be made by noticing how the statement is rendered in several translations.

Young’s Literal Translation of the Bible (Robert Young, 1898) renders it: “And whatever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever thou mayest loose upon the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens.” Although Young did not place a comma between “be” and “having, it should be easy for a reader to see that this shows already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permitted either to bind or loose a thing without that thing “having been bound (or loosed) in the heavens.”

This also may be seen in The New Testament Revised and Translated (A.S. Worrell, 1904): “And whatsoever you shall bind on the earth shall have been bound in Heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on the earth shall have been loosed in Heaven.”

The Amplified New Testament (The Lockman Foundation, 1958) has: “And whatever you bind – that is, declare to be improper and unlawful – on earth must be already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth – declare lawful – must be what is already loosed in heaven.”

The New American Standard New Testament (The Lockman Foundation, 1960) reads: “And whatever you shall bind on earth shall been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

The two translations that will now be cited are not as clear regarding the order of binding of loosing. Still, they are worth noticing because they help us with understanding the meanings of “bound” and “loosed.”

The New English New Testament (1961) translates the statement: “What you forbid on earth shall be forbidden in heaven, and what you allow on earth shall be allowed in heaven.”

The New Testament in Modern English (J.B. Phillips, 1962) renders it: “Whatever you forbid on earth will be what is forbidden in Heaven and whatever you permit on earth will be what is permitted in Heaven!”

The translation that will now be cited combines both a clarification of the order of binding and loosing with the use of terms which help us with understanding the meanings of “bound” and “loosed.”

The New Testament in the Language of the People (Charles B. Williams, 1955) renders the statement: “And whatever you forbid on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.”

The renditions of this statement by Jesus which have been cited show that the order of binding and loosing is: first in heaven before on earth. They also show that “bind” and “loose” mean: Bind – “declare to be improper and unlawful” or “forbid.” Loose – “declare lawful,” “allow” or “permit.”

Jesus was not merely talking about His apostles revealing God’s law, He also was stating God’s law regarding anything not referred to in the word of God – “the law of the silence of the Scriptures.” Is a thing allowed, if it is not even referred to in the word of God? Many today are answering, “Yes, it is allowed.” However, the law of the silence of the Scriptures, as Jesus stated it is: “Whatever you permit on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.” It is totally, completely, absolutely and altogether certain that a thing not even referred to in the word of God is a thing for which we do not have heaven’s permission. To do such a thing is a violation of “the law of the silence of the Scriptures.” This shows there can be a law of the silence of the Scriptures, where the Scriptures are silent. Not even the apostles, who were guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth (Jn. 16:13) which is the word of God (Jn. 17:17), were allowed to permit a thing about which God is silent. That makes it certain that no man today has a right to permit any thing about which God is silent.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 5, pp. 146-147
March 6, 1986

By Robert F. Turner

Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo and renowned theologian, was also the father of a concept of grace that laid the background for many false doctrines of our day. If you are studying “free will,” “depravity,” “miraculous conversion,” “faith only,” “enabling power within the saint,” or “impossibility of apostasy,” you should do your home work on this man’s teaching and influence upon the “Christian” world. I recommend History of the Christian Church, by Philip Schaff (Vol. 3, Eerdmans), but I warn you Schaff is a Reformed scholar, deeply steeped in Calvinism and the Historic concept of “church.” If time and inclination permit, tackle Basic Writings of Saint Augustine, edited by W.J. Oates (Baker Book House, reprinted 1980).

According to Augustine, Adam in Eden possessed freedom of will, to do good; reason, to know God; and the grace of God. By “grace” he meant an “enabling power” without which Adam could not persevere in good. Augustine said the consequences of Adam’s sin were: (1) Loss of the freedom of choice; (2) Obstruction of knowledge (right understanding); (3) Loss of the grace of God, meaning loss of the power which enabled man to perform the good he willed: (4) Loss of paradise; (5) Concupiscence (the predominance of flesh over spirit); (6) Physical death; and (7) so-called “original sin” or the hereditary guilt which passed to his posterity. With Augustine, this is the “native bent of the soul towards evil;” so says Schaff.

This concept, while not entirely originating with Augustine, was given prominence by his great influence on theology. His controversy with the British monk, Pelagius, became the “issue” of that day and for generations to come. A preponderance of earlier church writers had argued “free will” on the part of man — had in fact charged that denial of free will was a mark of heretics. But now total depravity, necessity for miraculous “grace” (i.e., power), etc., became orthodox teaching. Any who questioned this was branded “Anti” — excuse me, I meant “Pelagian.” (Name-calling is an ancient substitute for reasoning.) At a much later date the Roman Catholic church developed their doctrine of “works of supererogation;” and Reformers reverted to Augustinian theology, reemphasizing a miraculous operation of the Holy Spirit in conversion. John Calvin’s Christian Institutes (first published 1536) systematized the Augustinian concept, deeply affected about eighty percent of the “Protestant” churches, and produced the “evangelical” type of “conversion” common today.

A careful look at current articles on salvation and perseverance reveals traces of Augustine’s erroneous definition of grace as an “enabling power.” God did, as an expression of His grace, give a measure of the Spirit necessary for the working of miracles (Rom. 12:6; Eph. 4:7). By extension or metaphor the gift itself, or various blessings of God, may be called “grace” (1 Cor. 15:10; Acts 6:8). But this is a far cry from saying “grace” is an “enabling power,” or assuming that salvation by grace necessitates some direct or immediate operation of divine power on the subject.

“Grace” is a benevolent attitude or disposition; good will, and favorable intentions (cf. Lexicons; and Moulton & Milligan). The Greek, charis is not always clearly differentiated in meaning from chara (joy), and has a tangent meaning,”thanks, gratitude.” Evangelicals abuse the word when they refer to their “experience of grace” — as a “better felt than told” power by which they are miraculously regenerated. And “our” brethren misuse the term by applying it as an “enabling power” by which Christians persevere.

Paul wrote of God “who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal. . .” (2 Tim. 1:9, emph. mine). Grace is an attribute of God, like love, mercy, truth, and justice. The “glory” of God is His essence, so that a manifestation of His characteristics “glorifies” God. Now read carefully, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14). The supreme manifestation of deity (Jesus Christ) is the supreme manifestation of “grace and truth.” From God’s eternal nature came the love and mercy that offers salvation to all mankind, “according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph. 3:11).

“God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. . .” We should do more than counter “faith only” advocates when we read that verse. We should recognize the eternal grace of God which gave the world a Savior (1 Tim. 4: 10). Salvation is the “gift of God” (Eph. 2:8): not a “Watkin’s liniment” reserved for special cases, apply when needed; but Christ on the cross, the means of redemption for all mankind. Check the following emphasis against the context of Romans 3. “All have sinned . . . being justified . . . by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ . . . a propitiation . . . for the believer.” We receive God’s grace by coming to Christ and abiding in Him. The “enabling power” is in the good news (gospel) of Christ (Rom. 1: 16), whom the world is invited to receive (Mk. 16:15-16).

God’s grace benefits the alien sinner when he ceases to be an alien – when he comes to Christ. Christ’s blood (sacrifice) paid the penalty of sin, so that God can be just, even as He declares one free of guilt (Rom. 3:26). By the same principle, having come to Christ, man continues to be benefitted by God’s grace – to the extent he is faithful to Christ. That is the essential meaning of the much controverted passage in 1 John 1:5, and controversy would cease if we would interpret details in the light of fundamental truth; rather than alter the basic principle to fit our concept of some detail.

To sum up: salvation is from God, the gift of God, proceeding from His very essence or eternal nature. The means by which God chooses to give that salvation is Jesus Christ: God gives of Himself, expressing grace toward man. The operation (or the “way” God chooses to do it; again, the fruit of divine characteristics of justice and mercy) is forgiveness, through blood. He paid the price of our sins “once for all” (Heb. 10:10-f). The condition upon which individuals participate in or become benefactors of this salvation, is faith, and of course this is obedient faith (Rom. 16:26; Heb. 5:9). We must give up “self” and trusting in self, and put our trust in Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:24). Man is free to accept or reject God’s grace, but must give account in final judgment for this momentous decision.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 6, pp. 167, 183
March 20, 1986