Truth Magazine

By William C. Sexton

No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me (John 6:44-45).

At times learning is not perceived properly. As the passages show, it is essential that one hears the word of God in order to be drawn to Jesus by the Father; when one really hears and learns, he comes to Christ.

Learning is often perceived as just hearing or taking in some information. However, a meaningful definition of learning in learning theory is a change in behavior. If there is not some change in behavior, then, in reality, there has been no real learning. The following definition seems good:

Learning is the process by which an activity originates or is changed through reacting to an encountered situation, provided that the characteristics of the change in activity cannot be explained on the basis of native response tendencies, maturation, or temporary states of the organism (e.g., fatigue, drugs, etc.) (Theories of Learning, Ernest R. Hilgard and Gordon H. Bower, p. 2).

With that definition in mind, let us see how much learning takes place in us and as a result of our teaching activity. I recall that back in Kansas City some years ago, as we were having some discussion on training efforts, we concluded and emphasized that “teaching is more than telling.” I truly believe that such is the case. However, telling is perhaps about all that takes place in some of our “teaching efforts and situations.” This short article is designed to challenge us to consider what is essential if learning is really to occur!

1. Listening is something that only I can do. You can’t do it for me nor can I do it for you. Listening is an active participation, however; it is not a passive presence when something is being said.

However, . . the mere presence of a message receiver does not guarantee that communication will take place – the listener must be “tuned in” to the speaker before communication can be successful (Listening Behavior, by Larry L. Barker, p. 2).

Preachers and Bible teachers should have this in mind as they try to communicate effectively the word of God. We, as disciples (learners and followers), must ever keep this in mind, if we are to avail ourselves of the riches before us -in taking in and assimilating the “power of God.” Let us see the model, the process, and the factors which can either interfere or enhance reception of the message.

Communicator — (* *) — Message — (* *) — Receiver

Speaker Listener

As I grow older, I’m becoming more and more aware of the fact that there is a lot more talking than communicating; a lot more is said than received, as will as that much which is received was not sent – it was picked up along the way.

2. Understanding is the aim or end of the message sender’s effort. Yet, often the attempt to communicate is a failure, for various reasons. The sender can be careless, ignorant of the process, or use poor judgment in choosing precise terms to convey the message. Look at the explanation of Jesus, “When one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which receiveth seed by the way side” (Matt. 13:19).

How many times have we been as the “wayside” receiver in regard to a particular message? As I look back, I see many things which I did not receive at the time they were sent to me by a communicator; often I feel that I have received the message fully, only to find out later than I have not! Have you ever had the experience? Can you not remember times when you indicated that you have heard, understood, and would carry out the direction, only to find out later that you had missed an important part of the message or perhaps “thought” that one thing was meant, when something different was. meant! I have and I suspect you have too.

3. Movement or change in one’s behavior or conduct results when real learning takes place. When one hears the message that Jesus is the Christ, that he is lost in sin and the consequences of that sin is eternal ruin, and that all who will come to God by Jesus will be saved, if one really learns that message, he will run to Jesus!

Many things interfere with the reception of that message, however, both externally and internally (Acts 13:8; 28:2627). Things which interfere may be people, concepts, and circumstances. False concepts, having been accepted, close the door to true ideas which go contrary to basic parts of the held concept. People holding wrong ideas can and often will seek to influence us so as to pay inadequate attention to truth, “new ideas,” etc. (“That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them,” Mk. 4:12).

What made such possible? “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” (Matt. 13:14-15).

The people’s preconditioning had rendered them capable of mis-treating the message from heaven which was designed to save them. Is that same process operative today? Surely such is the cause for many being unreceptive to the salvation message today. Are you allowing such to close the door to heaven for you? Please don’t. Christians, how about you? Hear Paul’s recorded words: “But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4:20-24).

As children, people who have learned and been taught by Jesus, we see how inappropriate it is to claim the relationship with Him and at the same time be living under the domination of the “old man.”

So, if we have really learned the lesson, it manifests itself in our behavior. Our conduct reflects the extent and source of our learning. Using that as an indicator, what have we really learned and from whom?

Also, brethren, what are we really teaching?

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 17, pp. 530-531
September 6, 1984

By Dennis D. Tucker

By now everyone has heard of Vanessa Williams. For a number of days she was the source of national news and controversy. Her name has been on the front page of numerous newspapers and magazines. In fact, it was a magazine and some photographs that started the whole uproar. It appears that Miss Williams posed nude in some very lewd pictures for a certain photographer a few years back. She was paid to pose nude, and she willingly accepted the money after she had done so.

Eventually the pictures wound up in the August issue of Penthouse magazine, a so-called adult magazine, meaning that it shows pictures of individuals in sexual positions and acting out sexual encounters. It is worth noting that several magazines turned down the rights to the pictures of Miss Williams, realizing that such publicity would harm her career and harm the Miss America Pageant. Those magazines turned down a good sized profit; Penthouse has to be pleased with their August sales.

Once the pictures of the naked Miss Williams hit the newsstands, everybody reacted with horror. Miss Williams was stunned that the photographer would have the gall to sell those pictures and that any magazine would print them. Organizers of the Miss America Pageant were shocked and angered by the photographs. They stated that the contestants of the pageant. sign a contract with a morality clause. This clause allows the organizers to relieve the winner of her duties if she acts in any immoral way or brings reproach upon the pageant. They stressed that this was the first time that they had to actually use this clause and wanted to stress the cleanliness and decency of the Miss America pageant.

Publishers of Penthouse responded by calling the organizers of the Miss America Pageant a bunch of hypocrites. Penthouse did not claim that the pictures were wholesome or innocent; they recognized the pictures for what they were, photographs designed to stimulate a sexual response. They challenged the pageant to be honest with itself and admit that they have the same goal, that is to show off flesh.

The whole pageant. is designed to show off bodies of some pretty young girls. No matter how hard pageant officials try to present a wholesome pageant, they fail. If the pageant’s very purpose is wrong, if its goals are wrong, its results will be wrong. Young ladies are shown wearing bikinis, one piece bathing suits, and evening gowns. These articles of clothing are designed to show off the bodies of these women. Pageant officials have tried to keep a certain level of respectability; however, it is impossible to have a wholesome event if its purpose is not wholesome. Talent and ability play very little part in selecting the winner. There is a question for the five finalists to answer, but the nature of this question does not require a great deal of knowledge. For the most part, the winner is chosen on the criterion of looks.

Many of the sponsors of the pageant use the young ladies to model their fashions and makeup. They will use these ladies and other models in their advertisements. Such advertisements are often aimed at stimulating sexual response or at showing other women how to be provocative. They will do this by showing women posing skimpily dressed, wearing their product or with their product, so as to catch the eyes of men. The same thing happens during the pageant; women are skimpily dressed, and people watch to drool over these young ladies.

Penthouse made a good point; their pictures of Miss Williams are the natural conclusion. People who are immodest enough to stand in front of a national audience barely dressed will have little trouble appearing naked in front of a photographer. Miss Williams should not have been shocked; after all, she posed for the pictures. The photographer was in the business of selling pictures. The fact that he would eventually sell her pictures is the natural conclusion. Organizers of the pageant should not have been shocked. If somebody is immodest enough to try to show off her body, it will not matter how under-dressed she is. People with immodest attitudes will do immodest things. Persons with modest attitudes will dress and act modestly (1 Tim. 2:9).

It would shock most individuals to sometimes see the natural conclusion of their attitudes. Those individuals who could see nothing wrong with “church supported orphan homes” or “church supported colleges” twenty years ago, should not be shocked by the church businesses we have today. It is the natural conclusion. People who start missing worship services and eventually fall away should not be shocked. It is the natural conclusion. Individuals who advocate social drinking or immodest dress have no right to be shocked by alcoholism or adultery. It is the natural conclusion. Penthouse was honest enough to see and admit the natural conclusion. How about you?

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 18, p. 550
September 20, 1984

By Hoyt H. Houchen

Question: Why was Jesus born of a virgin?

Reply: Skepticism and denial of the virgin birth of Jesus not only exist among the non-religious, but they also prevail within the religious circle. Modernism and infidelity have both infiltrated the pulpits of some religious bodies. Many people believe that Jesus was the greatest man who ever lived, even the greatest moralist and teacher, but they deny that He was born of a virgin, thus rejecting His deity.

According to the natural laws of procreation, conception occurs when the sperm of a man unites with the egg of a woman. This, however, was not the case with Jesus. He was born of a virgin. It was prophesied that He would be (Isa. 7:14), and the narratives of Matthew and Luke assert it (Matt. 1:18-23; Lk. 1:26-35). The virgin birth of Jesus was a supernatural event, a miracle, which those of us who believe that the Bible is the word of God accept by faith.

Why was Jesus born of a virgin? The pre-existence of our Lord necessitated a miraculous conception. The preexistence of Jesus is affirmed in John 1:1,2: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. ” The “Word” here is Logos (Gr.) and refers to Christ who is the Logos. This term (Logos) which applies only to Christ in this passage, also appears in 1 John 1:1 and in Revelation 19:13. Although logos may at times refer to speech (utterance of words), or to the divine mind of God (see Heb. 4:12), its use in the above passage applies to the person of Christ. In John 1:1,2, the word is used with reference to Christ in connection with His pre-existence with His Father. Other New Testament passages testify to the pre-existence of our Lord (2 Cor. 8:9; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15, 16; Eph. 1:4,10). While Jesus lived on earth, He affirmed that He was before Abraham (Jn. 8:58). He had lived eternally in union with His Father before His birth upon this earth.

When we entered this world by the natural laws of procreation, we became persons; we were newly created. But Jesus was already a person before His birth. This was true only of Jesus, but not true of us. The natural union of a man and woman cannot bring into the world a person who has existed before (even though some believe and teach the doctrine of reincarnation–rebirth in new bodies). Joseph and Mary could not bring the pre-existent Son of God into the world. His entering into the world had to be by divine intervention. The miraculous conception and virgin birth of Jesus was exactly how it was done. He became man to reveal Himself to man. Men could see God the Father in Him. In His discourse to the Jews, Jesus said, “If God were your father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me” (Jn. 8:42). John declared of Him he came forth from God, and goeth to God” (Jn. 13:3).

The virgin birth of Jesus was unique. There was never anything like it before, nor has it been since. It explains how Jesus came to earth from God. The subsequent life, teaching and miracles of Jesus all attest to the fact that indeed He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was born of a virgin.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 18, p. 549
September 20, 1984

By Tom Roberts

We live in a time when modern technology has provided us with the ability to do things quickly. We hear of instant coffee, tea, TV dinners, microwave ovens that cook in seconds, radios and televisions that turn on “instantly,” without waiting for the unit to warm up, computers that rapidly supply answers to difficult questions and many more such like. Consequently, Americans have become used to the concept that almost anything can be done quickly and effortlessly. Miracle drugs provide instant cures to many diseases and pills (white, red, blue, yellow or speckled) are available to relieve tension, slow down or speed up our lives. All of this reminds one of the postcard which contained the prayer, “0 Lord, please give me patience. And do it now.”

We need to be reminded that not everything can be accomplished in an instant. There are some things that require attention, other things that need to be savored and yet others that demand time and patience to accomplish a worthwhile goal. If we expect everything to be over and done in a “twinkling of an eye,” we will miss many a good thing while not really giving other things the attention they deserve.

Knowledge of the Bible is not an instant accomplishment. Have you seen a copy of the popular painting which shows an old, white-haired man sitting with his lamp and an open Bible? For that man, time stopped and he was completely absorbed in reading his Bible. Not many of us do that any more. While the apostles, through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, had instant knowledge (miraculous) of God’s will, none of us have that gift today. There is no substitute for reading the Scriptures, for taking a passage apart word by word, phrase by phrase, until we absorb the meaning that God gave it. How sad it is to teach a class of young people only to see them unable to read, with most of them skipping over words that are unfamiliar to them. When is the last time you took the time to look up a word when its meaning was unknown to you?

Robert Turner relates that a woman rushed up to him once and said, “I would give anything to have your knowledge of the Bible.” While I don’t remember his reply verbatim, he indicated that he simply did not believe the woman. Why? Because knowledge of the Bible is available to all Oust as it was to him) for the taking. Too many people are just not willing to take the time and effort to dig for the knowledge. If that woman (or anyone else) was really interested in learning, they can learn. Paul said, “Whereby, when ye read, ye- can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3:4). Not only can you know as much Bible as any living preacher today, you can know as much about it as Paul! But not instantly; not without study.

There are some things in life that must be savored to be appreciated. A good meal should not be gulped. Instead of nourishment and enjoyment, it will give you indigestion. So it is with many spiritual things. Our worship should not be pushed and shoved into a time frame that permits no deviation. So many miss visiting with the saints after worship because they must be first in line at the cafeteria. A sermon must not be too long (if one can determine just exactly how long one must be), a prayer should be short, the songs must not take up too much time, etc. We have become so clock-conscious that worship must be constricted and put into a corset of time lest it foul up our Sunday afternoon football (with instant replay). Consider instead, how uplifting it would be if our worship was set free from rigid adherence to the clock. (I realize that we must be practical in these matters or chaos would result.) Might we not just relax and sing one more song for the joy of the Lord’s Day? Might we not appreciate the Lord’s supper a little better? Is it possible the sermon might be understood a little clearer? Some things are worth extra effort or time.

Converting the lost requires a great deal. And many people are just not willing to make the sacrifice. To reach out to those that need the gospel means that we must turn off the TV, leave our family and spend time studying with those who do not know what we know. At times the ignorance of those outside of Christ is appalling; they don’t know the books of the Bible, the plan of salvation or how to worship God. In fact, the things they do know are often wrong. There is not a man or woman living that can spend five minutes with such people and impart to them what they need to know. The tragic thing about the situation is that most Christians are not any more willing to take the time to teach than the sinner is to take the time to learn. Stalemate.

Folks, let us not be guilty of putting the Lord on a stop watch. If we are truly to “put the kingdom of God first” (Mt. 6:33), other things will have to be farther down the list. If you can appreciate the differences between homemade yeast rolls (which have to be kneaded, allowed to rise, kneaded again, etc.) and pop-open rolls from the refrigerator case, you can understand what this lesson is all about. Some things are not better because they are quicker. Probably some people have not read this far in this article because they were too busy. If you did, you can understand the principle and be blessed by it.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 18, pp. 545, 569
September 20, 1984