Truth Magazine

By Quentin McCay

God’s gracious plan for the redemption of sinful man includes a common precious faith, provisions for life and godliness, exceeding great and precious promises, partaking of the divine nature, escape from the corruption that is in the world through lust, conditions upon which all may build their hope of immortality, blessings to all who give diligence to make their calling and election sure, and the importance of keeping these things always in remembrance. All of this is revealed to us by the inspired apostle Peter in 2 Peter 1:1-15.

Having escaped the “corruption that is in the world through lust,” one must add, or supply, those divine principles that create in the individual the divine nature.

It is not the purpose of this article to dwell on the meanings of these beautiful expressions which describe the fruitful life of the Christian (2 Pet. 1:4-7). It is enough to say that one must “give diligence” to add “these things” to one’s faith. To faith must be added virtue, or manliness and courage to do right in the midst of assaults of the tempter. To virtue must be added knowledge of that which is right, which directs the courage into proper channels. To knowledge must be added temperance, or self-control, which enables one to govern appetites. To temperance must be added patience, or endurance. One who controls his appetites will learn to patiently bear hardships. To patience must be added godliness or reverence, holy fear and respect for God. The thought of God controls the Christian’s whole being. Brotherly kindness must be added to godliness. From godliness flows love for God’s people. Peter says to godliness add brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness add love. Love is the adhesive that binds all of these beautiful traits of the Christian together into one fruitful being. These supplied to the faith of the Christian create in a person the divine nature and fit him for heaven. The Christian becomes more and more like Christ as he grows in these virtues. As the servant of Christ drinks more and more from the fountain of truth, he becomes more and more in the likeness of the Savior of men and is prepared for the eternal home.

Followers of Christ are urged to give “a diligence” to add “these things” to their faith (vv. 5, 10). The apostle promises four advantages that will attend those who diligently labor to possess these great truths and to abound in them. There is promised a fruitful life, eyes which will see the glories of God, guard against failing from God’s grace and that abundant entrance into God’s eternal kingdom. These are the blessings of diligence.

Not Barren But Fruitful

“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 8). God demands a fruitful life (Jn. 15:1-8; Rom. 7:4; Phil. 1:11; Jas. 3:17). Have you ever wondered why your life is never able to touch another life for good? Do you ask, “Why can’t I be fruitful in leading people to Christ and encouraging them to live godly?” The answer to these questions is that virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love are not abounding in your life. Unless “these things” are made a part of one’s life, something is lacking, and life will be barren. The life that begins in faith and abounds in these characteristics will shine more and more unto the perfect day. If one wants life to be worthy, helpful, beneficial and fruitful, one must give all diligence, and to faith in God supply these components of the divine nature. This fruitful life is a blessing that attends diligence.

Not Blind But Seeing

“But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Pet. 1:9). The converse of this is that if one abounds in “these things,” he is not blind and can see afar off. He sees not only what is near. His vision grows wider and farther. He has insight into the glories of the celestial, which captivates the vision of the inward man. He sees the unseen (2 Cor. 4:18). He is mindful of his salvation from sin and the divine provisions for his redemption. He has a vision of his duty while here in the flesh, and his eyes being enlightened know, “what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18). But he that lacketh these things sees only what is near and has taken no heed to foster the light of the glorious gospel, within which kindles faith. Such a person sees only that which is near, and his eyes are blinded to heaven and its blessings. His awareness of present duties to God is blurred. Being able to see the unseen is a blessing obtained by those who “give all diligence to make their calling and election sure.”

Shall Never Fall

“If ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (2 Pet. 1:10). The warnings of God found on every page of the Bible, the examples of those who have fallen from God’s grace and the law of pardon provided for those who fall teach us clearly the possibility of stumbling, failing and falling so as to be lost eternally (1 Cor. 9:24-10:12; Gal. 5:1-5; Heb. 12:14-16). Constant diligence must be given to adding “these things” to faith and making them a part of life and living. Giving diligence to abound in them strengthens one against temptations and makes his calling and election sure. Such is a guard against apostasy. “Ye shall never fall” is God’s promise and is a great blessing. It gives hope to those who make their calling sure by being diligent in adding “these things” to faith.

“For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:11). The word “so” is an adverb of manner. In this manner, or by giving all diligence to add these traits to faith, one is prepared for heaven and will have richly supplied the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of God. The apostle exhorts believers to supply these virtues and promises that an entrance “shall be ministered” abundantly into the eternal kingdom. This will be richly supplied. What man bestows shall be returned to him manifold. In that eternal home, the faithful will gather to reap the rewards and share in the delights of immortality. In heaven the true believers will meet their God face to face, and with loved ones and friends live forever together. This is the ultimate blessing of giving all diligence in making our calling and election sure.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 22, pp. 686-687
November 15, 1984

By Donald Townsley

It is a well-known fact that a generation of people often inherit the good deeds and mistakes of a previous generation. This being true, each generation needs to be keenly aware of its responsibility. This is also true in the church. What the church tomorrow will be and accomplish depends, to a great degree, upon what we do and teach in this generation. Brethren, we all need to realize that just because we are sound in the faith is no guarantee that our children will be! If we fail to teach properly in our generation, our children may forsake the Lord!

My generation in the church inherited all the failures to properly teach concerning the mission of the church and the church working through human organizations. As a result of this failure to teach, a great percentage of the church has gone into digression. For over twenty-five years now, many of us have fought the tide of digression on the one hand, and on the other hand we have had to work hard to convert people to Christ that the church might continue to grow and reach the world with the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord has been with us and our number has increased. For the last ten years, however, materialism, division, worldliness, the false doctrine of Calvinism, ignorance and indifference has brought us to zero-growth in many places.

What does the future hold for churches of Christ that are striving to preach the gospel without addition or subtraction -churches that are striving to follow the New Testament pattern in all things? That future depends upon the kind of teaching we are now giving our children. If we take too much for granted and fail to teach and warn, the churches we have worked so hard to build may be lost to digression in the next generation! We must solve our problems and reverse the trends that we have allowed to come in our ranks in many places if we are to leave sound, growing congregations for the next generation.

Israel, in the days of Joshua, is a good example of this kind of failure. Judges 2:10 says, “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. ” After Joshua died and those who outlived him died (Judg. 2:7), “There arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.” We wonder how this could be The answer is that the succeeding generation had failed to teach. The next question on our minds is, “Who was responsible for teaching them?” The Bible reveals that the priests bore part of the responsibility. They were to read the law to the people every seven years (Deut. 31:9-13). This would mean that a boy of seven would hear the law again at 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, etc. It is hard to conceive of these people being ignorant of God’s law if this had been done. The elders of the people should have demanded that the law be read and observed as God commanded (Num. 11:16-17). The parents were to teach their children at home (Deut. 4:9,10; 6:7-12). A failure on the part of parents would produce ignorance. The people themselves should have desired that the Law of God be read. All these had failed in their responsibilities. As a result, Israel was ignorant of God’s ways (Judg. 2:10). They copied the gods of those round about them (Judg. 2:16-17), and did that which was right in their own eyes (Judg. 17:6; 21:25). They forsook the God who had saved them (Judg. 2:13), being unappreciative of His mercy. They did that which was evil in God’s sight and caused His wrath to be upon them (Judg. 2:11,14).

Who has the responsibility, under the authority of Christ, to teach in our generation? Preachers and teachers of the Word have responsibility. They are to be loyal to God and are not to be men-pleasers (Acts 20.26-27; Gal. 1:10). They have a responsibility to warn about departures from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1-6). They are to preach the word “in season ” and “out of season ” (2 Tim. 4:2). Elders of the church are watchmen – they are to teach and to warn (Acts 20:28-31). Woe to the shepherds in Israel who fail in their duty to teach and to warn! Parents must teach their children the word of God and warn them about departures from the faith (Eph. 6:14). Christians as a whole should demand that the truth be taught. They should shun evil and all that might bring apostasy.

Brethren, if we fail to properly teach and warn, the next generation will have to drink from the same bitter cup of sorrow that we have had to drink from in our generation! My hope and prayer is that the little boys and girls who are all around me when the saints assemble to worship will never have to know the sorrow and see the bitterness I have seen and known in Israel in my generation! I have seen churches divide, families divide, friendships broken, and sinners confused because of an untaught generation!

What’ll the church be in the next generation? Much of what it will be is in our hands today! If preachers, teachers, elders, and parents will fulfill their responsibility today, the church will be sound tomorrow!

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 22, p. 681
November 15, 1984

By Larry Ray Hafley

The religious world thrives and derives its life from diversity-the plurality of creeds, doctrines, ceremonies and organizations is the blood that sanctifies the soul of denominationalism. It is presumed and assumed that all of the various varieties of church polity and policy are approved of God. Thus, spiritual governments and institutions continue to “abound yet more and more.” But are these innumerable ecclesiastical structures pleasing to God?

Jesus spoke of “the kingdom of heaven” and of “my church” (Matt. 4:17; 16:18). He mentioned “the gospel,” “the word of the kingdom.” He said, “I am the true vine.” “I am the door of the sheep.” “I am the good shepherd.” “There shall be one fold and one shepherd. ” “I am the way, the truth, and the life. ” And who can ever forget the singular emphasis of Matthew 7:13,14, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it”? The Lord earnestly and ardently condemned human doctrines and “the commandments of men,” and said, “Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up” (Matt. 15:8,9,13). Does this imply that all the assorted plants in the garden of denominationalism are of God?

The New Testament speaks of “the faith,” “the way of truth,” “the gospel,” “the doctrine of the Lord.” It says Christ is the head of the church, “which is his body,” and there is “but one body” (1 Cor. 12:20; Eph. 1:22,23; 4:4). There are no references to separate and distinct religious organizations, except to reprove and rebuke them (1 Cor. 1:10-16; 3 Jn. 9; Acts 20:28-32; 2 Pet. 2:1,2). The emphasis of the Bible is oneness (Eph. 4:4-6). The singular thrust of scores of Scriptures refutes the plurality of modern day denominationalism.

But Consider The Reverse

Just suppose that the New Testament spoke of different gospels, doctrines, churches, ways of truth, and faiths of Christ. Imagine a passage which says,

“There are many bodies and many Spirits, even as ye are called in many hopes of your callings; many Lords, many faiths, many baptisms, many Gods and Fathers of us all who are above all and through all and in you all” (cf. Eph. 4:4-6).

If such a passage were in the Bible, what would you say if someone said, “I know it says that, but I believe we are limited to one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father” (Eph. 4:4-6)? Obviously, if the word of God directly specified a plurality of acceptable doctrines and churches, we could not contend for a single one alone. But the Bible does not so state! It says, “One.” Therefore, . . . well, you see the point, do you not?

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 22, p. 687
November 15, 1984

By Don R Hastings

The word “self-control” is translated from a Greek word which literally means, “one who holds himself in.” It is a better rendering than “temperance,” since today the word “temperance” is usually limited in the meaning to one form of self-control, i.e., abstaining from alcohol. Self-control is the bringing of all our appetites, desires and passions into harmony with the will of God. It is self-restraint, self-discipline. The ability to restrain ourself. What if the diabetic did not control his appetite for sweets, or if the person with high blood pressure did not control his intake of salt, or if the person who needs to study for a test let his mind wander off, etc.? We all know there are consequences to be suffered when we do not maintain self-control. Self-control is mastering the whole person. This may be the hardest task each of us has (Matt. 16:24).

There is a great need for self-control since the powers bestowed upon man by God are capable of abuse and are often abused (2 Tim. 3:1-4; Acts 24:25). The philosophy of “doing your own thing” is opposed to the exercising of self-control. Let us notice some areas in which self-control is especially needed and some of the sins often committed when we fail to exercise self control. We all fail, at times, to exercise self-control. Divine requirements of self control are:

Control Of The Body (1 Cor. 9:24-27)

God intended our bodies to be our servants, not our masters; hence, we must control our bodies with all of their appetites if we are to grow to spiritual maturity (Rom. 6:12,13; 8:13; Col. 3:5; Gal. 5:24). We are to glorify God in our bodies (1 Cor. 6:20).

Hunger is a very strong desire of man but, if not properly controlled, man may become a glutton. We can become compulsive eaters (Prov. 25:16). We can become lazy and sleep too much. Of course, a certain amount of sleep is necessary for a healthy body, but we are talking of the person who falls into a lazy way of life and sleeps most of his life away (Pro. 26:14,15; 6:9-11).

God has given us certain sexual desires, which are just as pure as the desire for food when properly controlled (Heb. 13:4; Gen. 39:9). A failure to exercise self-control here often results in the sins of adultery, fornication, and lasciviousness (1 Cor. 6:9,10). Lasciviousness is “absence of restraint, indecency, wantonness … the prominent idea is shameless conduct.” (Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words, W.E. Vine). Lasciviousness is defined by Webster as, “tending to excite lustful desires.” Lasciviousness is the opposite of self-control and is a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:19).

Control of Temper, Mind And Thoughts (Prov. 16:32; Eph. 4:32,32; Jas. 1:19,20; Mt. 12:34,35;

Mk. 7:21-23; 2 Cor. 10:5)

When you lose your temper with others, you have lost self-control at the moment. We are, also, to be in control of our mind and thoughts. We are taught to think of things divine (Phil 4:8; Col. 3:2). Proverbs 23:7 shows why right thinking is so important, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he . . .”

Control Of Our Desire For Money (1 Tim. 6:9,10; Heb. 13:5; 2 Tim. 3:2)

The word of God does not condemn man for having a desire for money if it is regulated by another desire – the good he can do with his wealth (1 Tim. 5:8; Eph. 4:28). The reason it is so difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven is that he puts his trust in the uncertainty of riches rather than in the living God (1 Tim. 6:17). The control we are to have of ourselves includes the control of covetousness, which is idolatry (Eph. 5:3-5). Covetousness is the love of money out of control. Jesus admonishes us to take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth (Lk. 12:15).

Control Of Our Tongue (Jas. 1:26; Psa. 39:1; Jas. 3:2,8)

We should not swear or speak words of contempt (Jas. 3:9, 10; Mt. 5:22). We should not listen to or tell filthy jokes (Eph. 4:29; 5:4). We should not gossip (1 Thess. 4:11,12; 1 Pet. 4:15). We must not lie (Rev. 21:8; Prov. 6:16-19). We must not teach false doctrine (Jas. 3:1). When our emotions begin to build, we should realize that we are in grave danger of losing our self-control!

How Can The Christian Exercise Self-Control?

(1) Abstaining From Every Form Of Evil (1 Thess. 5.12). Some think that if you sin in moderation it is okay (for example, a little drinking, a little shoplifting, a little lie, a little swearing, etc.).Such thinking is wrong!

(2) Abstaining From That Which Is Lawful If It Causes Others to Stumble. (1 Cor. 10:23, 24, 31, 32; 8:13).

(3) Being Moderate In Those Things That Are Lawful. Fishing, boating, camping, ball games, Atari, etc., are not wrong unless we are spending so much time pursuing these pleasures that our duties to God and family are neglected (2 Tim. 3:4). Proverbs 25:16 shows the importance of not overindulging in things allowable, “Hast thou found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.” Honey is a good thing, but we can have too much of a good thing.

We do not possess self-control when we are bound by a habit (1 Cor. 6:12). Do not be one who must have that first cup of coffee in the morning before you can talk to anyone decently. We could cite many habits people form, but the point is not to lose the ability to control any situation.

Self-Control Is A Personal Responsibility

We may teach others the necessity of practicing self-control and show the advantages of so doing, but the practice must be left to the individual. God furnishes the means and the incentives, but the fight is with the individual. Self-control is necessary in the development of the Christian to manhood and womanhood, to maturity. The lack of self-control is the primary reason many a promising Christian never amounts to much!

We cannot practice pure religion without self-control (Jas. 1:27). The most expensive and most luxurious automobile would be worthless without a means of controlling it. A ship would be useless without a means of controlling it. How awful the tragedy when a ship, out of control, hit the Skyway Bridge in Florida and vehicles on the bridge became as toys dropping into the water. Many people plunged to their deaths. Such may illustrate, to some extent, how men and women who do not use the power of self-control, soon prove themselves unfit for places of usefulness and honor in the church.

Self-control is something you can do. God does not require the impossible. Knowledge, which is not accompanied by self-control, is worthless. We may know that something is wrong, and may wish not to do it, but do it anyway. This proves that we have failed to possess the “fruit” of self-control (Gal. 5:23).

We need to discipline ourselves to the point that we do that which we know is right in the sight of God. Too many worry about what people think instead of what God thinks! Self-control is essential to our salvation. We should remember always that we are going to give an account for the deeds we have done (2 Cor. 5: 10). Those of us who belong to Christ “have crucified the flesh with the passions and lusts thereof” (Gal. 5:24). You can possess the self-control that will make you fit, useful, and a great asset to the Lord’s church.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 22, pp. 684-685
November 15, 1984