Truth Magazine

By Irven Lee

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:66-69). The Christ had proven to honest hearts that He was of God by the miracles which He did (John 3:2). Peter and others could say, “We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ.” In John 6, He made some claims and statements that would separate those with honest hearts from those with closed eyes and stopped ears. Many turned back and followed Him no more. Our Lord was looking for quality rather than quantity. He was looking for worthy followers rather than nominal followers.

On other occasions He spoke only in parables. By explaining these later to those who wanted the truth, these parables became very useful ways of teaching the “mysteries of the kingdom” (Matt. 13; Mk. 4; Lk. 8). This method of teaching kept the message from those who would not learn.

“Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear” (Matt. 13:9-16).

It took much time and much teaching for the apostles to understand the nature of the kingdom (Matt. 16:21-23; 18:1-4; 20:20-28). Our Lord taught them diligently and did not disown them, because they listened without offense. They had ears and would listen. When they went out to bind upon earth the things that are bound in heaven, they were guided by the Holy Spirit. They spake as the Spirit gave them utterance (Lk. 23:49; Acts 1:6-8; 2:1-12; Gal. 1:11, 12; 2 Pet. 1:22).

People who loved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness were not forced to accept the word. They could believe a lie if they preferred (2 Thess. 2:8-12). The god of this world blinds the minds of some, but he would flee if people would resist him (2 Cor. 4:3,4; 1 Pet. 5:6-9). The task of the church is not to try to please these who are ever learning and yet never come to a knowledge of the truth. These people are lovers of their own selves and of pleasures more than lovers of God (2 Tim. 3:1-13). If we please such people by our preaching, we are not servants of God (Gal. 1:10). We should preach the whole counsel of God and let those who will accept it (Acts 20:20,26,27). It is truth and only the truth that can make men free (John 8:30-32).

Usually the undesirable chaff is blown away by the preaching of sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:1-5). For that reason, there should be able preaching and effective reproof before the whole lump is leavened with the leaven of malice and wickedness (1 Cor. 5:1-13). If bold preaching does not bring about the correction of error, there should be firm action by the church (1 Cor. 5; Rom 16:17,18; 2 Thess 3:615; Tit. 3: 10,11). The church should not allow the name of the Lord to be blasphemed because of the misconduct of unholy brethren (Rom. 2:24).

Indifference, worldliness, errors in doctrine, and bitterness are tools which the devil uses to defeat the good work the church is intended to accomplish. It is always a sad time for the church when a dominant element within the church is so conscious of numbers that it would have the church tolerate sin and compromise with error. In the long run, the church becomes much stronger when there is proper effort made to please God rather than the special effort to please men.

The church suffered very much from persecution in the days of the apostles. Such persecution would evidently do much to purge it of hypocrites. Some were led to say that the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the kingdom. The church grew rapidly in the period of much suffering. In the parable of the sower, Christ mentioned the word as being the seed of the kingdom (Lk. 8:11). In the explanation of the parable of the tares, He said the “good seed are the children of the kingdom” (Matt. 13:38). With these statements in mind, and with the understanding of what is meant, we might be able to go along with those who have said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the kingdom. The beauty of holiness is wonderful to behold when the church is like a city set on a hill.

A denominational church that is bold in its stand for high morals may become the largest group in its area. The social gospel groups with modernistic preachers have won the disgust of the young and of the very world they have sought to please. Some years ago before the digressive spirit hit the church, it was a fast growing group over the land. It is a foolish thing for brethren to copy decadent Protestantism which is killing Itself in its own liberalism. The Captain of our salvation would have His soldiers put on the whole armor and fight a good fight. The gospel does not become more powerful when it is watered down by human wisdom. Every Christian needs the whole armor to withstand the wicked on in our vulgar and corrupt world.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 18, pp. 556, 568
September 20, 1984

By Carol R. Lumpkin

Before leaving this earth to return to heaven, Jesus informed His disciples that the Holy Spirit would be sent to guide them in all truth. “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come (Jn. 16:13). What was contained in God’s marching order to the apostles, as well as to us today, has been fully, entirely, and completely revealed (Jude 3; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3).

Jesus said to His apostles, “All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:18-20). Jesus said, “Go and teach all nations.” What was to be taught is not stated in these verses.

Mark records this same commission the following way: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk. 16:15-16). Mark informs us that the “gospel” is that which is to be taught. Luke records, “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Lk. 24:47).

When we add up what these three inspired writers said about “God’s marching order,” we have the following: (1) go, (2) teach, (3) all nations, (4) the gospel, (5) he that believeth, and (6) repents of sins and (7) is baptized, (8) is forgiven of sins.

Paul helps us with a better understanding of this, when he wrote: “Moreoever, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Paul lists the facts of the gospel to be the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Christ. These facts must be believed before the alien sinner can obey the commands of the gospel. From Acts 18:8 we learn that the “Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.”

Paul adds additional light, when he wrote: “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:17-18). When one obeys that form of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, he is made free from his past sins and becomes a servant of righteousness. Paul explains this “form of doctrine” earlier in this same chapter. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:3-4).

Christ died for our sins (Rom. 5:8). The alien sinner dies to sin when he stops his sinning, which occurs at the point of repentance (Lk. 24:47). Christ was buried in a newly made tomb (Matt. 27:58-60). The alien sinner is buried in water for the remission of sins (Lk. 24:47; Acts 2: 38; Rom 6:4). Christ was raised up from the grave by the glory of the Father (Rom. 6:4; Acts 2:24). The alien sinner is raised from a burial in water as a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 6:5-6; Rom. 6:5-6, 18).

“God’s marching order” charged the apostles with the preaching of the gospel, God’s power to save (Rom. 1:16), to every nation. This was done beginning in Jerusalem (Acts 1:8; Acts 2), and was thereafter preached to every cr6ature (Col. 1:23).

When the same gospel of Christ is taught, believed and obeyed, we may rest assured that it will save today as it did then. “God’s marching order” remains unchanged and must be preached without alteration in any way (Gal. 1:6-9; 2 Jn. 9).

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 18, p. 555
September 20, 1984

By Don Martin

The word “convict” or “conviction” as found in some translations of the New Testament is usually translated from two different words in the original. The original has the meaning of convicting in the sense of confuting or refuting something or someone for the purpose of putting it or them to shame (cf. Jn. 8:46, “convicteth,” ASV). This is one of the primary meanings of our English word “conviction.” Example: John Doe was convicted of a felony–he was refuted for the purpose of causing shame.

We (English) use the word “conviction” in another way: to be fully and firmly convinced or persuaded and, therefore steadfast in one’s stand. “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly,” Peter commands, “that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). “Know assuredly” conveys the action of “conviction.” Currently, many in the world and some in the church view Christianity as a convictionless system. Such language as, “it does not matter what you believe,” “we should not speak of right and wrong,” “preacher, don’t preach on that – some don’t like it,” “we don’t believe in arguing religion,” and “just preach the man, not the plan” are all indicative of the absence of true conviction. However, the Scriptures abundantly and irrefutably advance the thought of conviction (Acts 2:42, 1 Cor. 15:58; 16:13; Eph. 5:10, 11; 6:14; Phil. 1:17; Col. 2:6; 1 Thess. 4:3; Jude 3; 2 Jn. 9-11). Let us now briefly examine some areas in which we urgently need conviction:

Holiness Of Life

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved,” Paul writes to the Corinthians, “let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). We desperately need to be fully persuaded and take a consequent stand in the matter of modest apparel (1 Tim. 2:9); speech (Eph. 5:4; 4:29), and places we go for “recreation.” We need to shun “dancing” and social drinking (Gal. 5:19-21; Prov. 23:31, 32). We need more conviction in the kind of movies we see in theaters and on television, what we read, and the kind of “music” to which we listen!

Regarding The Faith

More and more, the philosophy of compromise which is in the world and denominationalism is being found among the people of God regarding strictness of doctrine (cf. Jude 3; Phil 1:17; Gal. 1:6-10; 2 Jn. 9-11). We need members who insist on truth being taught and followed. Members who will uphold the hands of faithful gospel preachers as they unashamedly declare the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). The “smooth-it-over” and “tone-it-down” demands are 6ecoring too common in too many “churches of Christ.” Brethren, such movements as “unity-in-diversity– are gaining more popularity than some realize basically because of the lack of needed conviction to decidedly stand for truth!

Conviction Concerning Marriage

Christians need conviction in the choosing of a proper mate to help them be faithful to God and to properly assist in the rearing of their children (cf. 1 Pet. 3:7). Parents need conviction in the matter of the disciplining of their children (Eph. 6:4). Wives ought to, out of conviction, stand opposed to the ungodly teachings of various women’s groups which would seek to pervert God’s teaching relative to the husband/wife relationship (Eph. 5:22-33). Moreover, we need more conviction regarding divorce and remarriage. Jesus taught that the only acceptable cause for one to divorce one’s mate and remarry another is adultery on the part of the put away mate (Matt. 5:32, 19:9). Increasingly, however, we are being inundated with false doctrines concerning divorce and remarriage which, I am persuaded, are being promulgated because of a lack of conviction on the errorist’s part to firmly stand for what the New Testament teaches.

In conclusion, compromise in doctrinal and moral matters is sinful and displeasing to the God whom we serve. Religious compromise and concession only result in more compromise. Hence, Paul emphatically wrote regarding false teachers: “To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Gal. 2:5). Brethren, we need more conviction! (Thanks be unto God for the convicted Christians and preachers we do have.)

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 18, p. 557
September 20, 1984

By Luther Bolenbarker

How would you finish this sentence? Before reading further, please complete the sentence. “To forgive is _______.”

Some of the well-known psychologists (people who make a study of people) suggest that about 90% of the people say, “To forgive is to forget.” Now if 90% of the people say this, then it must be true, Right? Not necessarily so! But is their answer really an accurate statement? It certainly should be.

When there has been a great hurt, such as a husband or wife forsaking one another for someone else, or perhaps we were fired unjustly from our job, or one whom we love deeply says or does something which cuts and wounds our feelings, can we say, “I’ll forgive and forget”? This is a very unrealistic concept of the human mind, but a necessary concept for the Christian mind (Luke 17:3,4).

“To forgive is not in my vocabulary” is the answer some would give. Their slogan is, “I don’t forget; I get even.” Thank goodness this attitude is not to be found in the Christian’s life (Rom. 12:17).

“To forgive is divine” another would respond. It should be and must be in the life of a Christian, but sometimes it is just a cliche and may be a way to avoid the issue.

“Offences will come,” said Jesus in Luke 17:1. So this tells me that none of us are beyond the possibility of making mistakes as we live as mortal men in a sinful world. Sometimes offences may not be sinful, just hurtful. In either case, there must be a willingness to forgive, and the other half of forgiveness must of necessity also include forgetting.

Not to forget is to hold a grudge which will lead to our seeking revenge. Sometimes this revenge is direct (openly confront, maybe even coming to blows) or indirect (ignore the offendee or sow discord among the brethren).

Forgiveness must not include tucking things away in a neat little package until something triggers them (don’t like their looks, clothes, they overlooked me, they didn’t speak to me, or whatever), then pulling out all our hostility, piece by piece. To “forgive” is that quality of life which ways, “That’s all right, it is as though it never happened, I forgive you.”

Let us close our study with Matthew 6:14,15 where Jesus told His disciples, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

“Forgiveness” is absolutely necessary if we want to go to heaven when we die!

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 18, p. 561
September 20, 1984