Truth Magazine

By Dusty Owens

The Scriptures have much to say about my relationship with an erring brother, what my responsibilities are toward him, and what my attitude and disposition must be at all times. My brother may be wrong morally or doctrinally, but no matter, I have been given a definite way of dealing with him, prescribed by God in His word.

Too many times problems occur between brethren because an extreme or radical position is taken. One extreme is to ignore all error in hopes that the problem will go away. Perhaps this was the thinking of the Corinthian brethren in I Corinthians 5. Tolerating persistent and flagrant sinning among God’s people is against the will of God. “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out the old lump, even as ye are unleavened” (vv. 6-7).

The opposite extreme, and one that I judge to be radical, is to consider everyone in error, morally or doctrinally, that does not believe exactly as I do on all issues. Certainly, I have a responsibility before God to study intently all Scriptures that deal with every major issue before us, and to reach some kind of conclusion if I can. But, it just may well be that over some highly controversial issue that brethren have argued over for decades (or centuries), I am still undecided. I should not be stampeded, threatened or cajoled into “lining up” with one faction or another. I should not be deemed 44suspect,” or “unsound” because I am studying conscientiously. Also, I should be able to ask questions of those I consider more experienced and wiser without setting off a ripple of gossip and slander as to my “soundness” or faithfulness to the Lord. If I expect brethren to treat me with love and compassion, even in controversy, then should I not be willing to treat my brethren the same way?

A Man Overtaken In Trespass

We all “sin and fall short of the glory of God,” but occasionally, a brother will be overtaken by a specific sin for which he has a weakness. He does not intend to do wrong, but it happens. Furthermore, he continues to attend services, as he should! Too many times, as brethren find out about the sin of the weak brother, there is discussion in whispered hushes about him, instead of a sincere effort on the part of a spiritual brother to go to him in a spirit of gentleness that he might be helped and restored back to the faith. There seems to be far too much apathy and disinterest on our part. Is this a sign that there is no “spiritual one” among us (Gal. 6:1-3)?

We should be impressed with the kind of attitude or disposition of heart expected of us by God in our dealings with those we are trying to help. When we go to another who needs our teaching and exhorting, it must not be with a spirit of arrogance and superiority, a holier-than-thou display. If we are truly “spiritual,” we will go to another in love, peace, kindness, longsuffering, goodness, meekness, self-control and gentleness (Gal. 5:22-23).

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 13, p. 396
July 4, 1985

By Don R. Hastings

My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons

Don’t Try To Be A Follower Of Christ And Show Partiality And Favoritism

You cannot be a true disciple of Christ and be a respecter of persons because Christ dealt with all people fairly and without partiality (Mt. 22:16; Lk. 20:21). Jesus taught Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews (Jn. 3:1). Jesus, also, taught a Samaritan woman (Jn. 4:7-26). Jesus ate with publicans and sinners (Mt. 9:10-13).

The heavenly Father “is no respecter of persons” (Rom. 2:11). It took a vision and the Holy Spirit sending Peter to the household of Cornelius before he realized “that God is no respecter of persons” and neither should he be (Acts 10:34,35). How can we claim to be faithful children of God and yet show a respect of persons?

We should not refuse friendship with a good person because: his skin color is different; he doesn’t live in a nice house; he doesn’t wear the latest fashions; he is poorly educated; he is not popular with the “in crowd”; etc. We should refuse close friendship with those who are trying to get us to do sinful things (Prov. 22:24; 1 Cor. 15:33)!

An Example Of How To Be Guilty Of Showing Partiality

Christians can show partiality in the worship assembly. The Greek word which is translated “synagogue” could also, be translated “assembly” (see footnote in ASV in Jas. 2). “Vile clothing” refers to clothing worn by “a beggar” (Mt. 19:21), one dependent on the charity of others for his very livelihood. . .” (New Testament Commentaries James, by AGuy N. Woods, p. 108). The rich man is given a place of honor. The poor man is told to stand, which was an extreme discourtesy, or told contemptuously, “sit under my footstool.” They had become judges with evil thoughts because their partiality was motivated by selfishness (Jude 16). Being a friend of the rich meant gaining prestige, and he might share with you some riches, but what could the poor man do for you? Moses told the judges of Israel not to “respect persons in judgment” (Deut. 1:16,17; 16:19; 10:17,18).

Do We Show Favoritism?

Preachers can show partiality by not preaching boldly on a particular sin because it would offend a prominent brother or sister. Elders can show favoritism by bringing disciplinary action on some sinful Christians, but not other sinful Christians. Brethren can form cliques so that they fail to speak to others. Do we show favoritism at home, work, school, etc.?

James points out that these Christians were dishonoring those who honored God and honoring those who dishonored themselves and God. The poor are more likely to become Christians because they don’t have riches to put their trust in (Mk. 10:23-35). It is far more important to be “rich in faith” and poor in material goods than be rich in material goods and poor in faith! The poor, who are “rich in faith,” have the promise of inheriting the kingdom in heaven-a far greater inheritance than the children of the rich (2 Pet. 1:10, 11). The rich speak against the holy name, “Christian” (Acts 11:26).

How To Keep From Being Guilty Of The Sin Of Respect Of Persons

“Fulfill the royal law . . . thou shalt love. . . “(Jas. 2). We are not to pick just certain neighbors to love and “look, down our noses” at all the rest. Jesus taught that everyone is our neighbor, whom we should love (Lk. 10:25-37). If we love our neighbor, we will not hurt him by discriminating against him. We know how it feels for others to be shown favoritism over us, and we must not make someone else feel that same pain (Mt. 7:12).

If a person violates any of God’s laws, he is a sinner and stands condemned unless he obtains forgiveness. The law is like one big piece of glass-break one piece and you have broken the whole thing. A person who would violate one law of God would violate another law if that law displeased him. A person is a criminal if he only breaks one law. I like the way Guy N. Woods put it, “God’s will must be obeyed, not because it commends itself to our sense of what is right and proper, but because it is God’s will!”

We shall all be judged, impartially, by a “law of liberty, ” which sets us free from the bondage of sin (1 Pet. 1:17; Jas. 1:25). None will escape judgment. All will be judged fairly with no respect of persons.

Which one of these two men described in our text would Since we will all need greatly the mercy of God in the you want to sit by you? Would you feel uneasy sitting by judgment, let us show mercy to others now (Mt. 5:7; black Christians? A congregation where I preached had 25:34-35). Mercy is compassionate treatment to those in at one time barred the door of the building so blacks could distress-whether friend or foe, rich or poor, black or not enter. Would you teach the Bible to black people? Do white or red, etc. If we show compassion for all men, we you invite all races to come and worship with you? will not be a respecter of persons.

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 13, p. 395
July 4, 1985

By Daniel H. King

I read recently in the newspaper about a 61 year old man fighting in the courts to keep a 1,000 pound pig in his back yard. This gentleman had bought the pig for his grandchildren when the animal was 8 weeks old and raised it on vegetables, leftovers, day-old bread and doughnuts. Undoubtedly everyone in the neighborhood thought the porker was “cute” until it grew up. Then it became such a “big pig”! The owner was recently notified that he would have to get rid of the creature, since it was a violation of the city ordinance banning livestock within the city limits. Neighbors had started to complain about the animal and this spurred the city officials to action.

When I read this little story of the “big pig,” it reminded me of the nature and character of human transgression. You see, that is exactly the way that sin is. It starts out small and innocent-looking. We think it is cute. But then it grows up. And when it does, it gets bigger than we ever thought it would! No longer is it “cute”; now it is just big and ugly and even scary to look at.

1. Sowing Wild Oats. Many young people today think there is nothing wrong with spending their youth in pursuit of sin. They think that someday they will settle down to home and family life, and when they do, all will be well. But the scars and blemishes left upon their reputation — and more important than even this-their character, will not soon go away. If they are not careful, they will someday awake to the hideousness of what they have created in their own lives. They will look in the mirror and faintly see what others have been seeing all along. And the Frankenstein-monster of their own creating will not soon go away, either. It may take many years to live down the sin of one night!

2. Habits. Everyone has habits. Some are good and some are bad. For example, it is good to habitually brush your teeth and do many other things as a matter of custom which are beneficial to physical soundness and good health. But some of us also do things which destroy either our good health or our good reputation or both. These things start out small and harmless looking, but if left unchecked they will grow into ugly habits. They can be so destructive as even to kill us. Smoking is a case in point. The smoker starts out small, with just one cigarette. Gradually he or she becomes more enslaved to the little things until they are necessary all the time. At the last the habit steals away the breath and chokes out the life. The habitual breathing in of the deadly smoke has been a form of suicide, slow but sure. It did not appear at first to be so bad, till it grew up. By then it was so big in our lives that we could not give it up. Sin enslaves like that (see Jn. 8:32-36). It gradually grows into such a monster that we can’t handle it any more like we could while it was small.

3. Apathy and Indifference. “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” wrote the author of Hebrews (2:3). Some folks are not contemptuous of the church, or Christ, or the gospel. They do not make rabid attacks upon the Bible or insult Christianity. They wouldn’t think of it. But what they do is just as bad. They neglect them to death. They put them out of their minds and out of their lives. They don’t think about them and they don’t do anything about them. Thus, when they are approached with the gospel they find that they have become utterly insensitive to its appeal. The monster of apathy has grown to such gargantuan proportions that it has stopped their ears and closed their eyes. It has become bigger and stronger than they are. They no longer control it. It controls them.

Don’t let sin get the best of you. Root it out while it is small and manageable. Better still, don’t let it into your life in the first place!

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 13, p. 403
July 4, 1985

By Don Willis

It has been said, “A little knowledge is dangerous.” Mankind is a finite being; i.e., he is limited in all attributes. Therefore, we have but limited knowledge. The twentieth century man has more available information that he might be more knowledgeable.

When one feels that he knows it all, he becomes dangerous. The Bible is God’s complete, all wise counsel. The Bible affirms, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Modem science is ready and anxious to discredit what the Bible says. God asked Job:

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare if thou hast understanding (38:2-4).

Later God asked Job, “Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place?” Man cannot control time, space, etc. But all is at the command of the Almighty God!

The scientist is foolish who discredits what God has said. To prove God wrong, one would have to know everything . . . because if there was one thing that man did not kril6w, it just nuight be that God is, and that His power is all that it is said to be.

Faith, how simple it is! How consoling to the inner man to acknowledge God and submit in trusting confidence to His supreme being.

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? . . . I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded (Isa. 45:9,12).

“Nay but, 0 man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?” (Rom. 9:20).

Modern man is quick to argue against the mighty revelation of God to His people. The Jew will argue with the manifestation of Jesus as the Messiah. His Deity is proven by prophecy, miracle, teaching, and the ultimate, by the resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4). Yet, many continue to argue with God about this.

The Calvinists continue to argue with God. They teach that “faith only saves.” The Bible teaches that faith saves, but it is the obedient faith. Demons believe . . . but they are lost! Will one continue to argue with God?

Baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:28; 22:16; Mk. 16:16). Still popular religious institutions repudiate the plain teaching of the Bible. They simply do not have adequate faith to accept what the Lord commands. They will attempt to argue with God and the Bible. One favorite expression is: “I know the Bible teaches that, but I don’t believe it is necessary.” If one knows the Bible teaches it, then saving faith requires that it be accepted! Why argue with God? Why keep the soul in jeopardy? Saving faith says, “Speak Lord, thy servant hearest.” The servant asked Naaman, “If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he said to thee, Wash, and be clean?” (2 Kings 5:13).

Quit arguing with God, and move to obey Him!

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 13, p. 407
July 4, 1985