Truth Magazine

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

By Jimmy Tuten

Recently a hurt and bewildered individual who is a Christian expressed the feeling of being rejected and avoided while attending church. This person had good reason to believe that she was being snubbed. But often when such matters are brought to the attention of fellow-Christians, the immediate response is “ridiculous,” or “she’s just a church baby.” But is “snubbing” really ridiculous? Can a Christian have the spirit of Christ while at the same time possessing neglect for the one who feels snubbed? I know that we are not immune to personality clashes, and some of us have to restrain our friendship under certain conditions. There are times when it might be expedient to withhold some expression of friendship as in the case of one who refuses to “bear his own burden” (Gal. 6:5) or if he “would not work” (2 Thess. 3:7-10). Even in the name of Christ one cannot encourage “church begging” or refusal to accept personal responsibility. But do we have to refuse to give off a lubricating warmth in violation of such commands as “let love be without dissimulation” (Rom. 12:9)? Under no condition is a chilly gaze of hostility justifiable conduct for a person who claims to be guided by the Lord’s golden rule (Matt. 22:39). When one withholds the common courtesy of friendly warmth, the end result is a snub! Check your dictionary, for it defines the word “snub” as to “behave coldly toward; slight or ignore.”

On the other hand, those who hang back and refuse to be part of the inner circle because they fear rejection must shoulder their part of the blame. Many times the very person who speaks of rebuff is the very one who comes into worship just as the services begin and leaves immediately afterward. Fear then becomes the basis of seclusion, not necessarily the lack of friendliness. One cannot be friendly with another when the recognition that friendship is a two-way street does not exist. Where one is not friendly, any indication (intended or otherwise) of coolness will be interpreted as rejection. Such is not necessarily an expression of a deliberate snub.

In this the Bible has a lesson for all of us. The faithful cannot ignore the weak conscience of a fellow-Christian (1 Thess. 5:14). The act of snubbing is a stumbling block (Matt. 18:6). Instead of casting stumbling blocks in the paths of others, we should “support the weak, be patient toward all men” (1 Thess. 5:14). “Let us not therefore judge one another anymore: but judge this matter, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way” (Rom. 14:13). The one who feels snubbed may indeed be in the wrong, but we who profess to be strong should bear them up.

On the other hand, what is the reaction of one who is snubbed? Hurt, anger, or revenge? Do you run off looking for a “friendly church”? No doubt there is often a basis for feeling snubbed. But should one try to get even? The New Testament says: “avenge not ourselves. . . I will repay saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:9). Look at our Lord: He was snubbed by the most influential of His day, and yet He had compassion for them (Matt. 23:37). Let us have this mind in us (Phil. 2). Do not seek revenge, but rather let the Lord deliver you from your enemies (if you have any, Psa. 18:47). To reward “snubbing” with understanding is a practical way to live out New Testament Christianity in the Christian life.

A Hindu woman was once converted to Christianity and suffered a great deal at the hands of her husband who was not a Christian. Someone asked her, “When your husband is angry and persecutes you, what do you do?” She replied, “Well, sir, I just cook his food a little better. When he complains, I sweep the floor cleaner. When he speaks harshly, I answer him mildly. I try to show in every way possible that when I became a Christian, I became a better wife and mother.” Who would deny that this woman’s husband was not touched by her practical teaching?

Let me make a practical suggestion. When someone snubs you next time, ask yourself if you are snubbing that person. Do not wait for people to talk to you. Go talk to them! Most people are responsive and eager to carry on a conversation. They will thus include you in their circle of friendship, Most people would not think of giving you the slightest hint of a snub, for most of the followers of Christ are unexpectedly interested in you. But you will have to be a friend to have friends. This realization should make those who appear cold and indifferent accessible to you. The next time you are snubbed, try loving the one who snubs you a little more and let the Lord avenge the wrong. There is only one reason why your enemy cannot become your friend–you!

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 18, p. 551
September 20, 1984

By Lewis Willis

My, that sounds like it would make a good title for a country music song! Or maybe a Chamber of Commerce tourism promotion. Sorry, neither of the above. It is, instead, the latest Oral Roberts fund raising campaign. This fella has more ideas about how to make money than the U.S. Congress!

About a year and a half ago (January 1983), I wrote an article about Roberts’ City of Faith Medical Center out in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has built a 60-story diagnostic clinic, a 30-story hospital, and a 20-story research center–a total of I 10 stories of medical facilities. Some of you will recall that he raised millions for this project by telling the public he had seen a vision of a 900-foot tall Jesus standing over his City of Faith Medical Center. Supposedly, that was in 1981. He started feeling pressed for funds again in 1983, so he told everyone he had a 7-hour talk with Jesus, and the Lord assured Oral he was going to find the cure for cancer, and so the people sent in more millions. Apparently he has raised enough money to complete his hospital. So, we come now to the next phrase in his “Make Oral Rich” campaign. I had suggested in that previous article that he was going to figure some way to use that hospital so that more revenue could come in to him. Little did I know how he was going to approach it!

In a program telecast on May 27, 1984, he flashed on the screen a telephone number–it wasn’t even toll free–and he asked everyone to call that number and make a reservation to come to Tulsa for a check-up! If you build 110 floors of hospital, you need patients more than you need anything else. Now we know how he plans to get them. He plans to get all of his disciples to come out there and pay for a physical examination. I suppose it is to discover medically whether or not Oral actually healed all of his followers as he has claimed through the years. Looks to me like that would be a lack of faith on the part of the whole bunch. He goes out here preaching to people to “claim your miracle,” and then he asks them to come to Tulsa and let him diagnostically confirm that it occurred. What is wrong with the faith of Roberts and his people? They accuse me of blasphemy when I challenge them on these subjects. But if it will make the pocket jingle, they’ll do anything under the sun.

On that same program (as a matter of fact, it was the announcement immediately following the request for people to make reservations for a check-up), Oral announced that he and Richard were going to Baltimore for a healing crusade. He can heal them in Baltimore, but they have to enter the hospital in Tulsa! Anyone who can’t see through that kind of junk has closed his eyes (Matt. 13:15). People who can’t see through this scam shouldn’t be issued a driver’s license. They might end up hurting themselves.

It looks to me like Oral ought to at least be as good to his contributors as Jim Bakker is. Bakker is building a “world-class” hotel on his property down in North Carolina. It is going to be a monstrous thing. He will have 11 acres under roof–a multi-story facility–in his new hotel. For the small contribution of $1,000 you could get a lifetime membership entitling you to 4 days and 3 nights of free lodging per year. It’ll probably be available only in the middle of January! Oral could have at least offered a free yearly check-up at his hospital for a few hundred thousand dollars each. A lot of sick folks would probably have taken him up on that. But these fellas seem to have problems with anything that is said to be “free.”

The concept of such things is, if you need a doctor, why not have a Christian doctor? Why not be taken care of by Christian nurses? I guess that’s a pretty good concept. It you’re going to be in a Christian hospital to be treated by Christian doctors, you need a car that was Christian-built, powered by Christian-made gasoline, and repaired by Christian mechanics. Of course, driving to the Christian hospital, you’re going to have to eat, so you want to go to a Christian grocery store where Christian-grown food is sold. Or you might stop to eat at a Christian-operated restaurant. I hesitate to mention such things for one of these fellows might decide to try building such. If you have to travel a long way, you need, of course, to stay in a Christian motel chain. With this concept, a guy could start his own country! Do you suppose that’s what Oral and Jim have in mind?

After I had completed writing this article, but before I got it into the mail, I read in the Akron Beacon-Journal (6/l/84) why Oral needs all of those people to come to Tulsa for a check-up. Oral is having to cut back on his expenses because they are exceeding his income. It has been necessary for him to lay off 330 workers because he can’t afford to pay them. One fourth of the staff of his City of Faith Hospital has been laid off. He has had to eliminate 90 positions in his Evangelistic Association, and he’s had to cut the work week to 32 hours for employees at his college. Obviously, he’s suffering through some hard times. However, if people will stop thinking and just do whatever he says, he’ll get that problem straightened out. If he can import a few thousand people and have them pay for a medical checkup, Blue Cross and the other carriers will bail him out! These boys don’t miss a trick, do they? He might get a bit of a surprise on this latest fund raiser since insurance companies are trying to cut back on their costs. Most of them do not pay for a check-up just because somebody decides he wants one. I somehow doubt that the fellows operating these insurance companies are as gullible a the people who foot the bill for these spectacular ideas Oral and his buddies come up with. I was just thinkin’, Oral might end up in his own hospital for treatment of a ulcer that develops from this mess he has made out there. But he’ll be in good hands-that’s what he’s telling his followers.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 18, pp. 553, 568
September 20, 1984

By Dennis H. Wilson

The following article was at first a sermon, written as a result of the author’s strong feeling that generally the subject of repentance had been neglected. The author realizes the need for sermons on the nature and necessity of immersion, and faith verses “faith only,” etc. However, at the same time he realizes the need to frequently get back to the real “first principles,” i.e., a need to establish sin and man’s need to turn back to God (repentance).

The purpose of this paper shall be to answer the following questions: (1) Where did sin come from and what does man need to do? (2) What does repentance involve, and when did it become a part of God’s plan? (3) Where does it come in God’s plan?

Before we address the above questions, a couple of definitions are in order:

1. Sin: “To miss the mark, to transgress God’s will.”

2. Repent: “To turn from sin and dedicate oneself to correcting one’s life” (Webster).

From the information the author found on the original language, repentance involves a change of mind (primarily intellectual or academic), and a change of soul or heart (attitude). (See Acts 2:38; Rom. 2:4; Matt. 27:3; 2 Cor. 7: 9,10.)

Where did sin come from and what does man need to do? When we examine the Scriptures on the matter, we can see that the first sin was committed by individual choice. In Genesis 3 we find that Eve chose to transgress God’s law. Then Adam likewise chose to sin and the result was separation from God. Ezekiel 20:15,16 shows us that Israel as a nation chose to turn away from God, and again the result was separation from God. We can also learn from Ezekiel (20:27) when man chooses to sin, he has committed blasphemy against God. We commit sin today by not following God’s “new law.” James shows us that, contrary to the popular belief “the devil made me do it,” we today choose to sin by giving in to our own evil desires (James 1:13). The consequence again is separation from God; therefore, we need to repent or turn back (Lk. 15:7; 2 Pet. 3:4-9).

What does repentance involve? We might think of a man walking through life toward self-centered goals or walking through life in Satan’s service. (After all, if we are not serving God, we are serving Satan.) In order to serve God, he must turn around and start walking in the direction of God and serve Him. We must crucify the “old man” (Rom. 6:614). We must strive to walk in the light. This is at least in intent and purpose (Rom. 7:18-25).

When did repentance become a part of God’s plan? God has required repentance from the time sin first entered the world and still requires it. There are at least one-hundred eight references to repentance in the Bible which are fairly evenly distributed between the testaments. A few of which are Joel 2:12-14; Jonah 3:8; 1 King 8:46-50; Ezekiel 14:6, 18:13; Matt. 3:2, 11:20; Mk. 1:15, 6:12; Acts 2:38, 17:30. This makes it clear that it was a requisite under the Old Covenant and still is under the law.

Where does repentance come in God’s plan? It must, by its nature, necessarily come after faith, and we will show, by Scripture, that it must come before baptism. To do this let us examine Romans 6:1-7. After having opened your Bible and read the passage, it should be clear that Christ is the example we must follow. Let us look at the following chart:

Christ died . . . . was buried . . . . then arose

We are to “die” and be buried then to be resurrected

We must be raised to walk as a new creature, born again, walk in newness of life, etc. If one does not die before his burial, he is buried alive. Therefore, he cannot be raised as a new creature! If one dies but is never buried, how can he be resurrected as was Christ? It seems self-evident that neither repentance without baptism nor baptism without true repentance is acceptable to God, and is not He the one we should strive to please?

There are three essential elements involved in repentance. The first is a genuine sorrow toward God on account of sin (2 Cor. 7:9, 10). The second, an inward repugnance to sin followed by the action of forsaking it (Matt. 3:8; Acts 26:20). Third, humble self-surrender to the will and service of God, as in the conversion of Saul (Acts 9). It clearly involves more than just thinking or saying, “I need to get my act together! “

In Romans 3:9,23, we find “all are under sin,” and “all have sinned.” There is not a single person reading this article that is without sin and has no need for God. The result of sin is separation from God (Rom. 6:23). Have you ever “died”? Were you “buried”? Now that you know where repentance and baptism fall in God’s plan, we ask, “Where are you in God’s plan?”

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 18, p. 552
September 20, 1984