Truth Magazine

(Editor’s Note: Brother Hafley submitted the following letter and reply for publication regarding criticisms of his exchange with brother Stanley Paher. Inasmuch as the criticisms expressed by this good sister are shared by many of our brethren, we thought the material deserved publication and reply. Upon receiving the letter and the reply, I contacted the sister who wrote it for permission to print her letter anonymously with brother Hafley’s reply. She graciously granted us permission to quote it without her name being attached to it. I hope our readers will profit from this exchange.)

Mr. Larry Ray Hafley
P.O. Box 1197
Pekin, Illinois 61554

Dear Sir:

I hope you will consider my letter worth reading and considering. I have just read your articles in response to Stanley Paher as well as his articles in the January 3rd issue of Guardian of Truth magazine.

It seems to me that your rehashing of and using sarcastic referrals to you “and others of your ilk” (includes me) are below the standards of Christian rebuttal. It also seems to me that by using, the Bible, teaching and using all the Bible has to say, should be enough to convince men of error and, to bring them to Bible practices. If this is not so, please inform me. When such tones are used how can one refer to another man as brother? I cannot tell if Mr. Paher is a Christian brother or a Baptist from either his or your articles. Our words condemn us when they ridicule because we lose so many souls. When one does not heed God’s word, there is nothing else another can do. I know that we are to mark erroneous and false concepts and teachers. Those of honest hearts who desire to please God will understand good clear rebuttal and will admire those who ignore derogatory and debasing remarks. “Let thy speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Col. 4:6).

The reason I write this is because so many seem to delight — as, it comes across in printed form to me — in using personal tones and terms that are not godly in rebuttal or in articles that are supposed to be used in convincing men and women of the truth.

I would ask you and others to use Bible facts and God’s authority and God’s love of souls for teaching and preaching God’s Word. Mr. Paher may be a “liberal brother,” and, I find it hard to abide loose thinking and acting on God’s Word, but we are not going to convince him with other than God’s Word, if his heart truly seeks God and not his or any man’s thinking. I say these things because there are people I would love to send this paper to but cannot because they would not understand and would “hear” the personal exchanges rather than the teaching qualities of such an exchange.

I am a woman and do not presume to teach you how to teach. I don’t know how else to express my concerns, except to be direct. You don’t need me to tell you that you are a capable and able man with the love for God and the truth. But I hope that you will consider these thoughts. Let Mr. Paher be the ill-used of God’s Word if he desires. Use your rebuttals to teach, even if you have to repeat the same verses time and again as well as pointing out necessary inferences. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10: 17). Perhaps if one hears the same words often enough, he will come to believe what it says and not what he wants to hear.

Perhaps you can talk with or correspond with others who write for Guardian of Truth and discuss the merits of less personal remarks. This publication has such powerful and sound teaching using God’s Word, the majority of the time. I would like to recommend it to others, but because they are young in the faith and the tone of the replies such as appeared in the 3 January 1985 issue on pp. 6,7, and 19, I cannot. Yours is not the only article I’ve seen like this. It just happened that someone remarked to me in a disgusted voice regarding the way some arguments are made in this publication. (This person is a very strong and well-indoctrinated in the Bible.) I decided to write to someone about this problem. Perhaps I should be writing to editor Mike Willis about this. But since it is your article that I happened to read, I write to you in hopes that something could be done, to be less personal, not only with your replies, but with other writers also.

Your sister in Christ

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 4, p. 114
February 21, 1985

By Don Willis

Jesus told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God… Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:3,5). Most religious institutions teach some form of being born again. It is often discussed, but seldom realized.

Being created in the image of God, mankind is commanded to be holy (1 Pet. 1:15f). Living in the flesh, we commit sin. Sin is so unlike the perfect holiness of God; therefore, we spoil the perfect nature. All sin and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Who needs to be born again?

The morally good man must be born again. Nicodemus was a very good man, yet Jesus told him he must be born again. Often, morally good people pride themselves in being so much better than the average person, that they fail to obey the commands of God.

The religiously sincere person must be born again. Cornelius was a “. . .devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:2). Cornelius was told, “And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter . . . he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do” (10:5-6). In chapter 11:14, Cornelius was told that Peter would “…tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.” He yet needed to be born again.

The zealously mistaken need to be born again. Saul said, “I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day” (Acts 23: 1). But, Saul was guilty of murdering Christians. When Saul was convinced that Jesus was -the Christ, Saul asked, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:6). Later Paul reminisced about this wonderful happening within his life, and he recalls the preacher, Ananias, coming to him, saying, “Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).

The sinfully rebellious must be born again. The unbelieving Jews, the ones guilty of taking the innocent Jesus and crucifying Him, heard the very first gospel sermon. They were convinced by powerful preaching that Jesus is Christ. They asked, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (2:38).

One is born again when. the Wood of Jesus Christ cleanses him from his sin. He then becomes a servant of righteousness. Paul observes, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:26-27). Do you desire to be in Christ and in the Kingdom of God? Then in faith, repent of sins, and be baptized into Jesus Christ. That is the process called the new birth!

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 5, p. 129
March 7, 1985

By Bill Cavender

“He that believeth on the Son hath etern I al fife; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him” (Jn. 3:36, ASV).

The saved believer of the Scriptures is the obedient believer, one whose “faith worketh by love” and who keeps the commandments of God (Gal. 5:6; 1 Cor. 7:19). Our Lord taught us that “if ye love me, keep my commandments . . . he that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me . . . if a man love me, he will keep my words . . . he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings . . . if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love . . . ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (Jn. 14:15,21,23-24; 15:10,14). Thus the Holy Spirit could tell us, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered, and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb. 5:8-9).

Those who become God’s children through faith are those who obey the will of God revealed through Jesus and the inspired apostles. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk. 16:16). The believer in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, of the gospel, who is baptized is saved; the unbeliever continues in his guilt of sins and is damned. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:26-27). “Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with a his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized” (Acts. 18:8). All who were saved from their past sins, who became God’s children by faith, did so when their faith led them to be baptized for the remission of sins.

After baptism, for the remainder of our lives, we are to continue keeping the commandments of Jesus, continuing to obey Him from our hearts (Rom. 6:3-7, 16-18). When we do His commandments from a heart of faith and love, we, too, shall be justified by works and our faith will be made perfect (Jas. 2.45-26). It is in this manner that we are truly saved by God’s grace through our obedient faith in Him, in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the revelation of truth, the gospel, revealed by the Holy Spirit of God (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 2:8-13; 15:1-4; Jas. 1:18,21).

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 4, p. 111
February 21, 1985

By 

Thank you for your kind remarks. Be assured that I shall prayerfully consider your admonition and criticism. I need conscientious godly reproof. Your letter helps me to reflect and causes me to pray for wisdom and judgment in “handling aright the word of truth.” Truly, “a soft answer turneth away wrath” (Prov. 15:1), “and the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle to all men” (2 Tim. 2:24).

What follows below is not an attempt to justify myself or to “prove” that your letter is off target. Rather, I believe you have raised some issues that need to be addressed. Numerous sound, sober, solid citizens in the kingdom feel as you do. Therefore, I urge you to hear me patiently and thoughtfully that we may be of the same mind and may “with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 15:16).

First, you underestimate yourself. You state that as “a woman” you “do not presume to teach (me) how to teach.” Your attitude is admirable, and I appreciate the “meek and quiet spirit” which prompted your words, but do not hesitate to instruct me or anyone else. Aquila and Priscilla took mighty, eloquent Apollos and “expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly” (Acts 16:24-26). Many good and wise men have been led to ruin because they did not have (or else did not heed) the sweet counsel of a godly friend. “The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning” (Prov. 16:21). “Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness” (Psa. 141:5). “He that hateth reproof is brutish” (Prov. 12:1). “He that hateth reproof shall die” (Prov. 15:10). “He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul” (Prov. 15:32).

Second, my “tongue in cheek” sarcasm in the Paher exchange was an attempt, in part, to humorously defuse his stinging words. Brother Paher made, as a review of his letters will show clearly, many fairly uncomplimentary remarks. Rather than respond in the same manner, I chose (whether wisely or not) to show that fellows who go around preaching “peace and love” and condemning “bullyism” are not immune to using harsh, censorious cutting language. Did you also write to brother Paher and object to his “derogatory and debasing remarks”? Did you reprimand him for his “ridicule” and “personal remarks”? Was that person who is “very strong and well indoctrinated in the Bible” also “disgusted” with brother Paher’s insults and charges? I am not asking for an answer, but some of us who have to endure the taunts and accusations of others are a little weary of being criticized for our efforts while “derogatory and debasing remarks” against us are either excused, ignored or both.

Third, if you cannot recommend GOT because of its “personal exchanges,” how do you handle the biting satire and scathing sarcasm of the Bible itself? “Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost” (Acts 7:51). “Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel” (Man. 23:24). “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers” (Man 23:33). Are “very strong” brethren “disgusted” with Paul’s “personal remarks” against Elymas, “O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness” (Acts 13:10)? Demas, Diotrephes, Hymanaeus, PhIletus and Alexander are all cited and indicted for their evil deeds and doctrines in stem, strong terms (1 Tim. 1:19, 20; 2 Tim. 2:16-18; 4:10,16; 3 Jn. 9,10). Paul referred to some men as mutilators and “dogs” (Phil. 3:2). He wished they were “cut off” and used a play on words regarding the cutting of circumcision (Gal. 5:12). Surely, one who is well indoctrinated In the Bible will recognize these blunt, personal references. Will he be “disgusted” with them? No, of course not; so why should he be offended by similar situations today?

In 1 Kings 18:27, Elijah sarcastically chided and “mocked” the prophets of Baal. Are heathens and idolaters today to be spared thee derisive remarks? Hear and feel the lash of Paul’s words in Titus 1:10-13. “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and decolvers, specially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for fifthy lucre’s sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.” This magazine has never featured stronger words than those. Further, Paul said, “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee” (Tit. 2:15).

Any rascal could use the above passages to justify his malicious meanness. The Lord will judge, but Jesus Himself used words that offended, shamed and filled His enemies with “madness” (Lk. 6:11, 11:45, 13:17). What do those “young in the faith” think of Jesus when they we such reactions to the Lord?

Fourth, and finally, I received three long distance phone calls from Texas, Kentucky and Ohio and six letters from Texas, Kentucky Wisconsin and Arizona commending the material in the Paher review. Counting noses does not approve me, but brethren who are as equally concerned for truth and righteousness as you are deemed the efforts profitable and helpful.

Obviously, you agree with what I and others teach, but you disagree with the way we do it. Here is part of the solution. You and others who feel as you do should submit articles which deal with these and other sensitive and controversial subjects. Since what we say needs to be said, why not deal with these vital matters the way they need to be dealt with? The pages of GOT are open to all who can find a better way to speak the truth. If we say the right things in the wrong way, then you and others should say the same things in the right way. We do not insist that our way is the only way. We only insist that what we say must be said; therefore, you say it in a way that will not be offensive or disgusting or harmful to those young in the faith, and we will print it. But say it! If we are not saying it right, then you say it right! If you can reprove and rebuke sharply without causing disgust, perhaps we can learn to emulate and imitate your manners. Let me, though, issue two words of caution: (1) Do not become more mannerly than the Lord and the apostles, and (2) remember the sage advice of the late and lamented Luther Blackmon, “There are a lot of ways to skin a cat, but no matter how you do it, the old cat ain’t gonna like it.”

Again, thanks for writing. I shall treasure your words in my heart and seek to be a better Christian because of them. I trust that you, too, will weigh what I have said on the scales of God’s word. May the Lord bless you in every pure endeavor for truth.

Larry Ray Hafley

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 4, pp. 115-116
February 21, 1985