Truth Magazine

By Ron Halbrook

We are reprinting an excellent article entitled “The Third Epistle of Paul to Timothy” by Steve Gibson (1001 E. Adams Blvd., Bartlesville, OK 74003). In the mid-1970s Steve came out of institutionalism but eventually fell back into it. I have loved him much, and love him still. He is a young man with much ability. While at Freed-Hardeman College he decided that our opposition to institutionalism was based on the premise that each practice must be authorized by specific example. I thought he was better taught than that, but have been unable to dissuade him from such claims and his present stance.

Steve is identified with the moderate liberals who are uncomfortable with many things being done and said in the mainstream movement. On 4 November 1984 he spoke on a lectureship in Muskogee, OK on the subject “Anti-ism Is a Tragic Misunderstanding of the New Testament Pattern.” Many of his brethren in the mainstream movement would call Steve’s “Third Epistle” legalism, reactionism, fundamentalism, and . . . yes. . . ANTI-ISM. ” They would turn him over to the one-cup, no-class, no-woman-teacher, no-Bible-college, no-located-preacher, no-literature, no-tuning-fork, and no-meeting house folks who suffer from “A Tragic Misunderstanding of the New Testament Pattern.”

I sincerely commend Steve’s article and commend him for having the courage to write it. The article implies that the Bible is a final and perfect pattern, and that everything not positively authorized by command, example, or implication is sinful. The more he focuses on that principle, the more he will realize that “The Fourth Epistle of Paul to Timothy” is the only authority for church sponsored social meals. the sponsoring church concept with its brotherhood- wide eldership, and donations from the church treasury to orphanages, colleges, and other human institutions. When the archaeologists find this “Fourth Epistle,” be assured we will not insist that authority be given by example only.

The Third Epistle Of Paul To Timothy Steve Gibson

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to Timothy, Associate Youth Minister of the church in Ephesus.

I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went to the Macedonian workshop, that thou mightest share thy dynamic motivational personality with the keen teens. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, candle-light devos be held for all cell groups. Meditate upon new schemes to keep them stirred up and on fire, give thyself wholly to them lest the aged men and women teach them to be sober-minded.

But watch out for them in all things. Do the work of a recreation director, plan a social calendar, entertain at hootenanies, chauffeur to amusement parks, referee ball games, make full proof of thy ministry. For bodily exercise produceth firm believers. These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the field house of God, which is the gymnasium of the church, the backboard and track of progress.

Let no man despise thy youth rallies: but be thou an example of the latest fad, in hugs, in applause, in altar calls, in neo-charismatic spirituality, in cliches. Do thy diligence to schedule Hymeneus and Philetus for next year.

Study to show thyself an intellectual. But progress beyond the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing the rigid traditionalists from whom thou hast learned them. Let the elders that rule be told they have no authority, especially over you.

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, preach self-image psychology: relate, placate, and motivate with all values clarification and counseling. Use vague speech, that cannot be pinned down, that he that is of the contrary part may took foolish, having no charges that you cannot later deny. These things suggest and resent as all personal opinion so that anyone who disagrees may be ignored.

Hold back the faithful word, which you were taught, that you may be able by new doctrines both to find and fill felt needs. For there are many dynamic speakers and misunderstood thinkers, specially they of the circumcision, whose mouths must be given a wider hearing. A man that is a heretic to older brethren, after the first and second brother hood backlash, take a caravan of children a hundred miles to hear. Lay hands suddenly on anyone who seems visibly successful: keep thyself popular.

O Timothy, keep that which unknowing parents have committed to thy trust, avoiding doctrinal issues and oppositions o f knuckleheads, so-called. (Copied from The Edifier, 16 May 1985, p. 3, published by Church of Christ, 312 Pearl Street, Denton, Texas 76201.)

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 23, p. 710
December 5, 1985

By  Bill Hall

True greatness results from a blend of admirable traits. This truth is stated well by Dr. Andrew Thomson, as quoted in Pulpit Commentary: “There are persons to be met with in social life who, while possessing the more solid qualities of moral excellence, are singularly deficient in the more graceful. They have honesty, but they have no sensibility; they have truth, but they are strangely wanting in tenderness. They are distinguished by ‘whatsoever things are just and pure,’ but not by those things which are ‘lovely and of good report.’ You have the marble column, but you have not the polish or the delicate tracery on its surface; you have the rugged oak, but you miss the jasmine or the honeysuckle creeping gracefully around it from its roots. . . The strong and the amiable may meet and harmonize in the same character. Indeed, they do always meet in the highest forms of moral greatness” (Vol. 4, p. 38).

We see this beautiful blend of traits so clearly in the apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians. We see the strong and uncompromising character of Paul as he warns, “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision” (Phil. 3:2); or as he admonishes, “I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord” (Phil. 4:2); or as he writes, “Do all things’without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke. . .” (Phil. 2:14, 15); or as he confidently states, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13).

We see beautiful tenderness and graciousness, on the other hand, in his words, “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown” (Phil. 4:1); and in the words, “Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all” (Phil. 2:17). We see throughout the book an apostle who is warm, loving, caring, concerned. He is grateful for the abundant gift sent by the Philippians and for the recovery of Epaphroditus who had become ill in his mission to deliver their gift. He is joyful in spite of his circumstances and wants the Philippians to rejoice with him in the Lord. What a beautiful blend of the strong and the amiable! What greatness!

Rarely does this blend come naturally. Usually one has a penchant towards either the strong or the amiable, and the other quality must then be acquired. We cannot offer proof, but we suspect that Paul was by nature strong and uncompromising, and that just as he “learned” contentment (Phil. 4:11), so his amiable and gracious qualities were learned, developed through the years, and strengthened through his suffering, his sacrifice for others, his fatherly nurturing of younger men, his sharing so much with so many, his aging and approaching termination of life. It is to be said to Paul’s credit that with his growing amiability, he never lost his staunchness for truth, but became “the admirable blend.”

Some would refer to such a developing blend as softness, but in reality it is a mark of true greatness. Lord, help us to find that proper blend of strength and graciousness, of solidity and tenderness, that we might be like the apostle Paul, but, of greater significance, that we might be like Jesus.

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 23, p. 717
December 5, 1985

By James Bond

The June edition of Contending For The Faith, edited by brother Ira Y. Rice, Jr., discussed the unity meeting conducted in Joplin, Missouri in 1984. 1 am not a regular reader of this magazine edited by brother Rice, and know little about his convictions in regard to these unity meetings. A concerned brother asked me to read this edition. After reading this magazine I was startled at the fact that these two parties were on the bank of becoming one body. I had not been keeping current on the changes the liberal brethren have made, and was amazed at the great distance they have traveled in the last half century. My first response was, “No way can these two groups unite, because of their differences.” But after taking pencil and paper, and enumerating some of the things that the liberal churches of Christ have in common with the Christian Church, regrettably I found very, very few differences. Briefly, I call attention to practices both parties have in common.

(1) Both have the same attitude toward the Scriptures in that they act upon the silence of God’s word. Anything not expressly forbidden is permissible. Christian church preachers defend instrumental music with the “God did not say not to” argument. Liberal brethren use the same argument to defend their unscriptural practices.

(2) Both believe and teach that there is no set pattern in the Scriptures in regard to worship, work, cooperation and fellowship. Both parties believe it’s a matter of judgment.

(3) Both implement the work God enjoined upon the church through human institutions.

(4) Both activate the church universal through a sponsoring church arrangement.

(5) Both engage the church in the following unscriptural works: entertainment, recreation, business, politics, etc.

(6) Both have money raising gimmicks apart from the first day of the week contribution.

(7) Both take up collections on days other than the first day of the week.

(8) Both have special “singers,” apart from the congregation, who sing while the church listens.

(9) Both have youth ministers, directors, youth rallies, etc.

(10) Both have special services on Christmas, Good Friday, etc.

(11) Both have fellowship halls (kitchen).

(12) Both have the attitude of tolerance toward erroneous practices.

(13) Both fellowship denominations on a limited basis.

(14) Both have a better attitude toward denominations than they do toward conservative churches of Christ.

(15) Both are apostate churches in that they have abandoned the faith once revealed unto the saints (Jude 3).

(16) Both believe that instrumental music in worship is simply a matter of judgment.

What Doctrinal Difference Are There To Hinder Them From Uniting?

None. It was said in the magazine that no doctrinal issue was discussed. The truth is “there is none to discuss.” The liberal preachers said on page 10 of the magazine that the instrument was no problem to them, and if this be true there is nothing to keep them apart.

The Warning Of Jesus, Apostles And Sound Men Of Our Era Went Unheeded

Indeed it’s sad to see the condition that exists in liberal churches but these brethren closed their eyes, ears and hearts to the word of God, the only thing that would keep them in the strait and narrow way. The warning of Jesus went unheeded. “Take heed and beware of the leaven of Pharisees and of the Sadducees” (Matt. 16:6). Paul warned, “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” (1 Cor. 5:6) Some older preachers that now lament the condition that they are now in were the ones who advocated the “no pattern doctrine” in order to get the colleges, orphan homes and Herald of Truth in the budget of the church. Now they are harvesting the fruits from that digressive seed they planted many years ago. The Bible said, “You will reap what you sow” (Gal. 6:7). 1 can recall sitting at the feet of C.D. Plum, Roy Cogdill, Cecil Willis, Connie Adams, and a host of other sound men who warned them where the road they were !raveling would lead, but the warning went unheeded. Christians must be watchful in all things (1 Cor. 16:13).

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 23, p. 715
December 5, 1985

By Lewis Willis

For the first time in many, many years, researchers are reporting a decline in the number of divorces in this country. Through the 1960s and 1970s, the number of divorces being granted shocked the consciences of those who are spiritually-minded. A professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins University, Andrew Scherlin, said, “The climbing divorce rate had to stop somewhere or we’d find ourselves with 110 percent of all married couples getting divorced.”

This information was reported by the New York Times and printed in the Akron Beacon Journal (1/14/85). In 1981, the number of divorces reached a record high when “53 of every 1,000 people, or 5.3 percent, received divorces.” It is commonly said that there are about 215 million people in this country. If so, in 1981 almost 11.4 million of those people were divorced. The figure is shocking.

However, the last three years there has been a decline in the number of divorces to 49 out of every 1,000 people being divorced, or 4.9 percent. This means that 10.5 million people were divorced by the end of 1984. That’s a lot of people! However, there was a decline. Researchers are at a loss to explain this decline but they believe it is legitimate because it has sustained itself for three consecutive years. Some are even of the opinion that the institution of marriage might yet survive! Perhaps some people are beginning to think for themselves a little bit. We’ve heard so much about personal freedoms in recent years that many people became confused. Some people apparently have been turned off by such movements as the “gay rights” movement and the “women’s liberation” movement. We in the Lord’s church have tried to continually preach against the sin of divorce and remarriage as it is so commonly practiced in our society. I was just thinkin, do you suppose the message is beginning to have an effect? Let me share with you the following article from The Light (Vol. 16, No. 1, January 1985) entitled, “I Am A Tired Woman.”

I Am A Tired Woman

. . . tired of being told that I am not happy, and that any illusions I might have to the contrary are indicative of a low mentality or at best a lack of originality or imaginative thinking.

. . . tired of being told by unmarried females that being a wife and mother is not rewarding.

. . . weary of those married females who, having made shambles of their own marriage, tell us that the institution of marriage won’t work, who having found themselves unequal to the task of finding happiness in marriage, intimate that we are less than adequate if we do not seek fulfillment outside of marriage.

. . . tired up to here with those who choose to ignore the basic and most apparent differences between men and women and their capabilities, thereby proving once more the truth of the old adage that “there is no one so blind as he who does not wish to see. “

. . . and full of pity for those who complain of being the playthings of men while they strut around in broad daylight in such a sad state of undress that they leave no doubt whatever as to what they consider their primary function in this life.

. . . tired of watching those who have never learned the art and grace of being a woman, yet seek to undermine everything that is feminine, trying to make men and women into carbon copies of each other, not for the betterment of mankind, but for the sole purpose of satisfying their own selfish desires.

. . . fed up with those who are so interested in their own so-called “rights” that they actually want to pass a bill making it illegal to treat us like women, stomping thus on the rights of those of us who have found fulfillment in being a woman, who know how to make not only ourselves happy, but also our husbands, our children, and those around us – who know what it really means to be a woman and to be treated like a woman.

. . . yes, but I am a woman. And I like it that way!

Author Unknown

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 23, p. 718
December 5, 1985