Truth Magazine

By Dick Blackford

As if we needed another controversy, we seem to have found one over whether our preaching should be positive or negative. Some would “accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative,” while others would “accentuate the negative and eliminate the positive.” We seem to be creatures of extremes. Before one hastily decides to “line up” on one side or the other, perhaps a closer look at the situation would be helpful.

The Negative

There is no question that there are numerous negative statements in the Bible. The ones usually cited are: Jeremiah 1: 10; 2 Timothy 4:2; Matthew 6 and 23. If this was all the Bible said on the subject, brethren would be right to accentuate the negative over the positive. It is true that one must clear ground before he can lay a foundation. But what of the builder who does nothing but clear ground and never gets around to building? The ability to manufacture controversies and then feel that our forte deserves issue status, and to keep internal strife going on in the brotherhood, should not necessarily be equated with soundness or with evangelism. As with Nehemiah, there is a time to rise up and build! There is a difference in having a “mind to work” and “a mind to fight” (2 Tim. 2:14). He was willing to fight if necessary, but did not put fighting ahead of working (4:17,18,6).

Jesus’ most successful work was with the common people (Mk. 12:37). Regarding His encounters with the religious leaders, Jesus said, “Let them alone. They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Mt. 15:14). He could have spent His full time attacking these leaders, but He did not. There may be a lesson here for us. The only known religious leader who became a follower was Nicodemus, and he remained a secret disciple until after Christ’s death. Far better results came by befriending a common person and telling him the good news. It is often that way today.

There is no question that Jesus knew the hearts of the scribes and Pharisees and met them with harsh denunciations (Mt. 6:23). But this was not the “rule” in His dealings with people, in general (Jn. 4; Mk. 17:21, etc.). Accentuating only the negative statements presents a distorted view of the gospel. I fear that the term “anti’ has become more than a label some have fixed upon us. When “anti” becomes a disposition or characteristic, then we are out of balance.

In spite of some preachers out of the past who would tell an audience that “anybody who can see through a ladder can see through that,” and “if you can’t understand that you can get in at the fool’s gate,” these kinds of remarks are not what made them great. And they don’t make one great today. We should be thankful when anyone comes to hear the gospel, instead of deliberately insulting them and then accusing them of having a bad attitude. We should be trying to attract rather than repel people to the gospel. And when brethren cannot conduct an orderly, brotherly discussion of a question without first dipping their pens in the well of insulting sarcasm and treating every man as though he were a Pharisee, then something is wrong. It is time to clean up our act.

It Makes A Difference How You Say It!

Some have actually said it makes no difference how you say it, as long as you get the job done. I have heard brethren say that you have to make people angry before you can convert them, as though the Bible taught that somewhere. God forbid! “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how to answer every man” (Col. 4:6). It must make a difference. We are to “walk in wisdom toward them that are without” (Col. 4:15), instead of needlessly increasing their prejudices against the gospel. In so doing, we are opposing ourselves. Peter said we should “be ready always to give an answer … with meekness and fear,” not with arrogance and insults (1 Pet. 3:15). Notice the word always in both of these Scriptures. That sounds like it is to be the rule, while the harsh denunciations are the exception. Even the reproving and rebuking are to be done with longsuffering, not with venom (2 Tim. 4:2). The few specific cases of dissension among the apostles are lacking in the attitude of “biting and devouring one another” (Gal. 5:15, e.g., Gal. 2:11-14). Jesus taught the disciples to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Mt. 10:16). We often get that backwards. Paul “became all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (1 Cor. 9:19-23). Yet Paul was no hypocrite. (There does seem to be a difference in the treatment of the religious leaders and treatment of the brethren, members of the same family.)

If one gets mad at our sincere efforts to teach, it should be in spite of the rule (Col. 4:6, 1 Pet. 3:15), not because we have established a rule that you have to make people mad. These passages and others (1 Cor. 13) teach tact and courtesy. How many of us have used the illustration of the man who got mad at the preacher who preached a scorching sermon and told him he was “going straight to hell” (do not pass “Go,” do not collect $200, etc.), but did not get mad at another preacher who also informed him of his eternal destiny? “The difference,” said the man, “is that although the second preacher told me I was going to hell, he didn’t delight in it!” (What I have said about negative preaching should not be interpreted as eliminating “plainness of speech” or “speaking with all boldness.” I am discussing the matter of balance and attitude.)

The Positive

The Bible is basically a positive book. Giving is a positive act, and the Bible is a book on giving. It is difficult to find more positive acts than God’s creation, the gift of His Son, the resurrection of Christ, and the promise of His return. “Gospel” means good news. Remember? Probably nobody knows for sure how many positive and negative statements are in the New Testament. I suspect it is tilted toward the positive. Norman Vincent Peale has pointed out many of those statements, but the Scriptures do not fit the Peale or Pollyanna mold because they also contain many negative statements. Brethren who would eliminate the negative and forbid a forthright approach have an imbalance as do those who seek the opposite extreme. In the past, such offers as “we practice an open pulpit and are willing to hear both sides,” “truth has nothing to fear when given an equal balance,” or “we will grant equal space to those who disagree,” were familiar, encouraging signs and causes of admiration. They had a unique sound which distinguished us from the denominations.

A few years ago I wrote a rebuttal to an article in the bulletin of a conservative church. Among the reasons for refusing to print it were: it was too negative and too direct. Other brethren received similar treatment. Examples like these and brotherhood papers which print only solicited material and limit reader feedback to “150 words or less,” are trends toward eliminating the negative and amount to “quarantine by degrees.” Any emphasis on the positive that removes the militancy of the gospel is not scriptural. Christianity is an aggressive, militant religion (2 Cor. 10:4-6; Eph. 6:10-17).

Conclusion

We need balance in our message as well in our methods. Stressing issues, minus biblical attitudes (lowliness, forbearance, tenderheartedness, etc., Col. 2:12,13) makes for a “Christianity” of academics, minus the spirit and heart-an imbalanced Christian. Even if one “knows all mysteries and knowledge . . . and has not love, ” he is nothing (1 Cor. 13:2). Christianity is more than doing. It is also being. Let’s restore both. A respected commentator once said, “Grubbing up false doctrines and unscriptural practices is as essential as grubbing up noxious growths in the field, but a farmer can impoverish himself by putting in all his time grubbing. And the man who puts all his time in opposing false doctrine will impoverish his character. . . The gentler graces must be built around the framework, or the person will be harsh and unattractive” (R.L. Whiteside).

If the fact that most of our writing (probably 90%) is designed to reach a few thousand members while the rest (10%) is designed to reach over 4Y2 billion people in the world, is not a valid concern, then what would be? What’s wrong with that concern? This is the greatest imbalance of all. There is nothing wrong with being “weary of controversy” if one has this sordid situation in mind.

If we are going to eliminate anything, let us eliminate these two extremes which seek to eliminate each other. Let us have balance in our preaching.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 21, pp. 655, 661
November 1, 1984

By Robert Wayne LaCoste

Prejudice is tragic! It is one of the most dangerous and insidious states of mind among men today. It is a sin against the God of Heaven, a destroyer of its victims and a hindrance to the cause of truth, wherever it is found. Every person has some prejudice to some extent, regarding some things. He may have a preference for some items such as food, clothing, colors, books, etc. These prejudices may not endanger his soul eternally speaking or hurt his influence with others, but it could deprive him of something he might otherwise enjoy in this life.

Prejudice does not always mean that an individual is wrong in his views, but it always does mean that he does not hold the views out of conviction from real evidence, otherwise it would not be prejudice.

It is perhaps good at this time to inquire just what prejudice means. Our English word is from two Latin terms: prae meaning before, and judicium meaning judgment. Webster accordingly defines it as “prejudgment, an opinion of mind without due examination.” So we can see that prejudice is a conclusion before and without examination of the real facts!

The attitude and action of the scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees and elders among the Jews toward Jesus is a perfect example of prejudice and its consequences. How they could witness His miracles and not believe in Him is amazing indeed! The apostle Peter said on Pentecost, “Jesus approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know” (Acts 2:22). But these Jews were not convinced at the time Jesus was here of these truths. His perfect life did not prove anything to them. Why? In fact Jesus asked the Jews, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” (Jn. 8:46). The fact that they could not find anything wrong with Jesus did not erase their prejudice and the hardness of their hearts!

His teaching was far superior to any other teacher they had ever heard, “For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matt. 7:29). Yet His superior ability to teach proved nothing to them either.

The Scriptures which they claimed to revere and esteem told of Christ. “Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are that which testify of me” (Jn. 5:39). They were not convinced from their own law and that was a revelation from God! Why? Simple, they were prejudiced!

People in this present generation have seared their consciences, hardened their hearts, and turned away with many a deaf ear. Their attitude is like one expressed and heard many times, “Don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up.” This is exactly the position of the prejudiced person. Such an attitude can only lead to eternal separation from God (2 Thess. 1:7-9)!

It is just as wrong for me to be prejudiced toward you, as it is for you to be prejudiced toward me. Many in the Lord’s church are certainly prejudiced about many things. Prejudiced about denominations; prejudiced about names, practices, etc. The love of Christ cannot abide where and when a heart is governed by prejudice. Let each of us search our hearts and make sure we have the facts and all the facts before we draw any conclusions and make any decisions! Most of all, let’s make sure our decisions are governed by Divine Writ, not by human, uninspired dogma and tradition. The former, not the latter, will “judge us in the last day” (Jn. 12:48; 2 Cor. 5:10).

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 21, p. 654
November 1, 1984

By Hoyt H. Houchen

Question: Blessings and cursings are mentioned in Deuteronomy 11:16-18. Can Christians live under a curse to the extent that they do not prosper materially, that is, they become failures? If so, how do they come under this curse, and how do they get out from under it?

Reply: “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if ye shall hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah your God, which I command you this day; and the curse, if ye shall not hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known” (Deut. 11:26-28).

Later, when Israel had entered Canaan, blessings were to be uttered from Mount Gerizim and the curse from Mount Ebal (v. 29). These two mountains are opposite each other, and interestingly, Mount Ebal is barren and Mount Gerizim is fertile. Each is about 2500 feet in elevation. They are in the center of the land from west to east and from north to south. Shechem (modern Nabulus) is nestled between these two mountains, Ebal on the north side and Gerizim on the south. Israel was to be subject to either blessings or cursings, blessings if she would obey God’s commandments and cursings if she disobeyed them.

Israel was a free agent; she was given a choice. Jehovah said: “Behold, I set before you this day. . .” (v. 26). It was up to Israel. She could choose to obey or disobey. “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil” (Deut. 30:15). Joshua later placed a choice before Israel (Josh. 24:15). Whether we are blessed or condemned by God today depends upon the choice that we make.

To correctly answer the inquiry, we must determine the nature of the blessings and the curse. The blessings may include physical blessings at times. Israel was blessed in the land that she had conquered, living on it and prospering from it. The continued occupancy of the land was conditional. She would be so prospered if she remained faithful to Jehovah; but if she disobeyed Him, she would be destroyed from the land (see Josh. 23:15,16). A man receives God’s blessings when he is approved of God, and when he thereby prospers, he prospers spiritually.

Physical prosperity does not always come to the man whom God has blessed. He will not necessarily become materially rich or successful (although principles practiced by a Christian may in some instances contribute to some degree of even material success). But he does prosper spiritually. We must remember that even the wicked prosper materially, and this has always been a concern of the righteous. The psalmist David admonished: “Rest in Jehovah and wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass” (Psa. 37:7). We are reminded also that Job was a righteous man, but was divested of his worldly goods, lost all of his children and was afflicted with “sore boils from the sole of his foot to his crown” (Job 2:7). Job was a righteous man, and though he lost materially and suffered pain, he nevertheless prospered spiritually. This is true prosperity. The Christian experiences tragedies in life, but prospers spiritually and will receive his reward in that everlasting heavenly home. Paul suffered, enumerating those things which befell him (2 Cor. 11:23-28), but he was assured of his eternal reward (2 Tim. 4:6-8).

As to the curse, this does not mean that the man who is cursed because he disobeys God is necessarily jinxed in all of his physical undertakings. We have already seen that the wicked may prosper. The curse means that he is cursed by God; that he, is in a state of condemnation. Conversely, the one who is pleasing to God is not comdemned. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1, KJV).

Our conclusion is that both the righteous and the wicked may prosper materially. “For he maketh his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). Both the righteous and the wicked also suffer physically and endure mental anguish. But the righteous is blessed because he has God’s approval. He prospers spiritually as he endeavors to reach heaven. The unrighteous is cursed in that he is condemned. His soul is lost if he does not repent. We should all endeavor to please God that we may be blessed and not be cursed.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 22, p. 676
November 15, 1984

By Carl McMurray

It seems that there are always destined to be among us certain practices and “issues” which refuse to be completely conquered. Perhaps it’s because of a continued inflow of converts needing to be taught. Perhaps it’s because we must continue to live in a world dominated by darkness. More sobering, however, is the thought that these things continue to stand as stumbling blocks because those responsible for teaching people how to be lights in the world are not giving out a clear sound. One of the practices we have in mind is “drinking” (Not necessarily drunkenness mind you, but what used to be referred to as “social drinking”). When the strongest teaching that a gospel preacher does on the matter is to explain, “I’d never drink, but I don’t see that the Bible condemns it,” then we need to be doing more studying and less listening to the lovers of the world around us.

There are at least two main areas in which the Bible condemns this practice. First, there are what I refer to as the moral arguments based upon the application of valid Bible principles. Then, there are the plain scriptural arguments that address drinking directly.

Moral Arguments

Notice Paul’s admonition in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 to “abstain from all appearance of evil.” The legalists among us generally will not accept any warning unless it is absolutely nailed into the context of a specific sin. Here, however, is a direct command to “abstain,” yet the object is a general idea. Not only specific sin is to be avoided, but even the appearance of such. If this does not apply with regard to the practice of drinking, then it does not apply anywhere, because everything associated with drinking is evil. This can be shown by the following.

It Is A Drug

It makes little sense to recoil with horror from the idea of using “just a little” grass, coke, or dust, while we sit in a Bible class and calmly give our assent to “just a cold one on a hot day.” A $2 million tax-funded study during the Johnson administration identified alcohol as the most dangerous drug in the country.(1) Alcohol addicts outnumber drug addicts 10 to 1, and alcohol deaths outnumber drug related deaths 33 to 1.(2) Consider also, that doctors report 1 out of every 3 people are put together in such a way as to make them potential alcoholics.(3) One cannot know until he begins to drink whether he will be drawn into alcoholism. In 1975 (10 years ago, no less!) the number of those addicted to alcohol was estimated at 8 million(4) while those who were working with alcoholics thought the figure was closer to 15-20 million.(5) Like the reckless teen-age driver who is sentenced to spend time in a hospital emergency room so that he might see the end results of his “fun,” perhaps it would do our Pepsi drinking brethren who see nothing wrong with social drinking good to spend time with a few members of Alcoholics Anonymous so they could actually see the burns from the fire they play with. This drug has a proven detrimental effect on one’s brain, lungs, heart, liver, pancreas, small intestine, endocrine glands, sex glands, blood, and bone tissue, as well as lowering one’s resistence to infection.(6) Nothing wrong with “just a little” you say? Then you surely won’t mind if your child pops “just a few pills,” or smokes marijuana “just a little?” It reminds me of those inconsistent brethren who argue that there is no proof that smoking is harmful (as if this was the only problem), thus no reason to abstain from doing it on the porch at the church building. But they won’t let their children smoke! To play with that which has enslaved so many and has the power to master us is to ignore every warning from God on the deceitfulness of sin and the power of Satan.

It Weakens Inhibitions

Like most harmful drugs, alcohol causes one to lose his ability to reason and think clearly, though the one drinking is usually the last one to know. It is not a stimulant as so many believe, but instead simply takes away inhibitions, removes the brakes so to speak. Thus, when one would normally resist or avoid certain temptations, he instead weakens his conscience, if not silencing it altogether. This is accomplished because that portion of our brain, the frontal lobe, which controls our inhibitions is quickly affected by alcohol.(7) And we might point out that this happens long before state laws would ever recognize one as being intoxicated. The degree of reasoning power that is lost may be much or little, but it is lost nonetheless. Should a Christian sacrifice any of his ability to think clearly and deal with every situation as “wise men”? This would hardly agree with Timothy’s directions to discipline himself (1 Tim. 4:7), or with the Spirit’s admonition to be “alert and sober” as “sons of light” (1 Thess. 5:5-6). It is wrong, brethren.

The World Sees What We Deny

Alcohol has been the direct and indirect cause of the destruction of uncountable numbers of innocent lives. Every dollar gained by the government is lost multiplied times over by being poured out in policing drunks, higher insurance fees, destruction of property, rehabilitation, drying out programs, medical care, lost time from work, and the kindred costs of other crimes committed while “under the influence.” Over fifty per cent of all traffic fatalities and seventy-five per cent of single vehicle fatalities are directly related to alcohol. Keep in mind that not all of these are even classified as “drunk.” They’re just “comfortable.” Seventy percent of all divorce cases result at least partially from alcohol.(8) Twenty percent of alcoholic mothers give birth to children with serious birth defects.(9) Up to 75% of all crimes are committed by persons under the influence of this drug.(10) There is no way to put a dollar value on the immorality committed while “on” this drug, nor of the tragic results of such activity in broken homes, abused children, and birth defects caused by unthinking parents who were pumping alcohol through their veins during conception and/or pregnancy. And most of us would prefer not to consider the long range cost of scarred and broken lives (of the innocent as well as the guilty). But just a little is ok, right? Wrong! Nothing with this type of track record ought to have any place among those committed to putting “His righteousness” first (Matt. 6:33). This practice in any degree can be nothing but harmful to our influence and example as salt and lights in the world. There is some salt in serious danger of losing its flavor because of its great desire to be like the world. The foolishness of trying to justify the practice is seen in the picture of one asking another to come over and spend the evening in Bible study. The gracious host, desiring to make his visitor comfortable so that one might truly see his soul’s need in the study, meets him at the door with, “This Bud’s for you!” Is this truly the “Miller time” we hear so much about? It is wrong, brethren.

Even If You Can Control It

Because of the first reason we listed, there is a very real danger of leading others to commit outright sin in becoming an alcoholic (drunkard, Bible). Now, to some who care nothing for others, this means little, but for a Christian to engage in that which may destroy another’s life, let alone his soul, is unthinkable (1 Cor. 8:12-13).

If there were no other reasons, these would be enough. Drinking alcoholic beverages in any quantity in our society and circumstances today is sinful. But these are not the only reasons. We will look at some Scriptures plainly condemning such action next time.

Endnotes

1. Article from Detroit Free Press, via Richard DeHaan, Bible Truth.

2. Ibid

3. Beverage Alcohol Destroys , p.3, Delton Hann Tract Co.

4. A Jigger Of Murder, Journal of Insurance, Sept./Oct. 1975, Frank G. Harrington.

5. Enlist In The War Against Alcohol, p.5, 1974, Southern Pub. Co.

6. Ibid, p. 9.

7. Drunkenness, T. Mark Lloyd Sr., M.D., Searching the Scriptures, Aug. 1977.

8. Enlist In The War Against Alcohol, p. 17, 1974, Southern Pub. Co.

9. Ibid.

10. Ibid., p. 18; also Alcohol’s Contribution To Mankind, William Sexton.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 21, pp. 658-659
November 1, 1984