Truth Magazine

By Titus Edwards

Why Young People Need To Obey The Gospel

Youth is the time to obey the gospel. Let me suggest why young people need to obey the gospel of Christ in their youth.

(1) Because The Lord Commands It! “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth . . . ” (Eccl. 12: 1). The Lord has always demanded that people obey him. We should never take for granted any of God’s commands! Just as Jesus was about His Father’s business during His youth (Lk. 2:41-52), so should young people be doing the Lord’s bidding.

(2) To Receive Salvation! Salvation comes the same way to all – through obedience to the gospel .(Matt. 7:21; Heb. 5:9). Young people need to realize that as they reach an understanding of right and wrong, they are responsible for their sins in God’s sight. Those sins will damn their souls in hell, if not repented of and- forgiven. Such can only be received through Jesus Christ. He has provided salvation if we will but listen to Him, believe on Him, repent of those sins, publicly express our faith and be baptized. Yes, even young people sin and are responsible for it (Job. 20:11; Psa. 25:7; 2 Tim. 2:22). You did not inherit your sins from your parents, but committed them yourselves, and you can only be forgiven by your own obedient faith, not by the faith of your parents! If you want to go to heaven, you must obey the gospel, young people!

(3) Because Obedience Will Get Harder! Delaying allows more fear to build up – more excuses to be thought up. 78016 of conversions occur between the ages of 12 and 16. 19 out of 20 become Christians before they reach age 25. Sin gets a firmer grip on us the longer we commit such and repentance becomes harder. “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Eccl. 12:1).

(4) Christ Could Return And Find You Unprepared For The Judgment! Do you know when Christ will return? None do (Mt. 24:42). We need always to be ready for His coming (2 Cor. 5: 10). If you have not obeyed the gospel, then you are not ready!

(5) Because Christianity Is The Secret To True Happiness! Living it up in sin is not all that it appears! You may think if you could do whatever you wish you would be truly happy. No so! True joy comes by living as God would have us live! “Blessed are they that do his commandments . . .” (Rev. 22:14). Christ gives us our direction, meaning to our lives, a purpose for being here. The world and sin cannot teach us what life is all about.

(6) Because You Will Have More Time To Serve God! Those who obey in their youth have more background and time to progress to greater heights spiritually. Those who do wait till later in life to obey always regret wasting those early, precious years, when they could have used their strength and energy for Jesus.

(7) To Be The Proper Example To Others! You can never influence others to do right unless you yourself have obeyed the gospel. Young people need to be concerned about their influence and be a proper example in all areas (1 Tim. 4:12; Prov. 20:11).

(8) Because Death Is Near To A It Of Us! You may feel like you are young and your life is in front of you, but don’t fool yourself into thinking you will live forever. Death is not limited to old people. David said that there is but a step between him and death (1 Sam. 20:3). Life is brief, fleeting, and we could lose it any minute (Jas. 4:14; Psa. 39:4). Young people do die in automobile crashes, accidents, and by diseases! What a sad day it will be in judgment for those young people who knew the truth, but delayed to obey, and death took them prematurely away from every last opportunity to obey the gospel on earth!

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 16, p. 486
August 16, 1984

By David McClister

When one believes the gospel, repents of his past sins, confesses his belief in Christ, and is baptized in water for the remission of his sins, he is then placed into a relationship which the apostle Paul refers to as “in Christ” (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27f). It is in Christ, and only in Christ, that man has numerous spiritual blessings available to him, one of which is the forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:3,7). Outside of Christ there can be no salvation (2 Tim. 2:10).

Yet the baptized believer is also placed into another relationship, viz. in God’s grace. Although God’s grace is available to all men (Tit. 2:11), its benefits in the spiritual realm are reserved only for those who are His children. One of the benefits of God’s grace enjoyed by the Christian is the plan, often referred to as the second law of pardon, whereby, if obeyed, the Christian can be cleansed of any sins he may have committed since his baptism. That plan requires that the erring Christian realize his sin (1 Jn. 1:6,8, 10; cf. Gal. 6:7f), repent of it (Acts 8:22), confess it to God (1 Jn. 1:9), and ask for His forgiveness (Acts 8:22). Also involved in God’s grace is the giving of time and opportunity for the erring Christian to obey that plan of pardon.

The apostle John speaks of yet another relationship: “in the light.” John speaks of walking in the light, meaning a walk (life) of obedience to the will of God. He says in 1 John 1:7, “but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light . . .” The “he” refers to God in v. 5, where John had stated “that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” It is my understanding of this verse that a walk in the light is obedience to the will of God. If one sins he is out of the light, for walking in the light involves walking as God is in the light, and there is no sin with God. Hence, there is no sin in the light. A sin, whether it be a willful sin or a sin of ignorance or weakness, results in our being out of the light.

But just because a Christian is out of the light does not mean that all hope is lost. We may leave the light and still be in God’s grace. The parable of the Prodigal Son illustrates this fact (Lk. 15). The son left his father’s house and in so doing left that close relationship with his father. Yet all the while his father was willing to receive him back and was anticipating the day when he would return. So it is with the Christian. A child of God may sin and thus leave that close relationship with God which is called “in the light,” but being out of the light does not mean that we have lost all favor with God.

Now how long one may stay out of the light and yet remain in grace is not revealed in the Bible. That is up to God to decide. We do know, however, if one persists long enough in sin that it will result in his being out of grace. Paul told the Galatians, “. . . ye have fallen from grace” (5:4). Also, Hebrews 10:26 says, “If we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins,” which I believe is referring to the fact that one may persist in sin to the point where he is no longer an object of the grace of God. It is also apparent that sooner or later one will become aware of his sin and realize his need to repent of it and confess it. If he persists willfully in such disobedience he will, when God so decides, fall from grace. The Jews of Jesus’ day are a good example here (cf. Matt. 22:1-8).

The reason I make the distinction between being in the light and in grace is because it seems that some brethren have confused the two ideas. Some would have us believe that when one is out of the light he is also out of grace. I do not believe that such is the case. The Christian does not lose all hope of salvation when he sins. There is hope left in the realm of God’s grace in that God, by His grace, has provided a plan whereby the erring Christian can be restored to a right relationship with God, and it is our experience that God graciously allows sufficient time and opportunity for such Christians to obey and be restored.

The following chart explains much of what I am trying to say. As a Christian “walks” in life, as he obeys God’s word he is walking in the light. If he sins he is no longer in the light, yet he still remains in God’s grace. If he will take advantage of the opportunities and the plan for restoration that has been provided by God’s grace, he can be restored to that relationship called “in the light.’ If, however, he persists in his sin, he will eventually, but when only God knows and determines, fall from God’s grace. Yet note that he will never get out of Christ (the New Testament does not tell that one can get out of Christ. The New Testament does, however, speak of apostate Christians [e.g. 1 Tim. 4:1]. These are those who are Christians, yet have fallen out of the light and from grace).

Are an erring Christian’s sins automatically forgiven as long as he remains in grace? We must always remember that “in the light” is where God wants us to be (1 Jn. 2: 1), not outside of it. The Bible teaches that we must confess our sins (1 Jn. 1:9) and repent of them (Acts 8:22) and ask God for forgiveness. When one is aware of his sin, he must confess and repent of that sin itself (or as some have said, specifically). Yet some may ask, what about sins of ignorance or sins of weakness? In the case of ignorant sins, which may also include a sin of weakness, one obviously cannot repent of them nor confess them. I believe that every Christian can and must confess to God that there may be sins he has committed of which he is yet unaware, and he may ask God for the forgiveness of these sins thus expressing what others have called a penitent attitude. What else can he do?

Of course, every Christian is to continually grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18). The Christian should mature to the point that sin is a rare occurrence in his life. There is no safety in ignorance.

If some should press, asking, “What if one dies having committed a sin of ignorance of which he never became aware?” I will answer: God will decide his lot, and He has not revealed the “rules” by which that decision will be made.(1) Since man is not judge, God has not revealed to man the laws of judgment in such cases. The same holds true for the one who died knowing his sin and never repented of it, yet who otherwise lived in the light (i.e., he was about to repent when he died).

Certainly these few lines are not the final word on the controversy among us. These thoughts are offered in an attempt to show the difference between the obedient Christian and the erring Christian, and to show the difference between the erring Christian and the apostate Christians. I do believe that the Christian has security in Christ, and that security is in the form of God’s grace which has provided a plan for a continued right relationship with God. it is up to the Christian to avail himself of this expression of grace and obey the plan for pardon should he sin. Hypothetical situations which extend outside of the scope of God’s revealed word will be judged by God. I will not venture to say that God’s grace will automatically forgive a sin of ignorance or a sin of weakness, much less a wilful sin. Yes we have security in Christ, but we must also realize the danger of every sin.

Endnote

1. Perhaps a word of clarification is in order here. I refer here to the faithful Christian who strives with all of his might to know what is required of him and to obey God and who is striving to walk in the light to the very best of his ability, yet who dies ignorant of some sin in his life. This decision is God’s to make, and I do not know the “rules” by which he will make it.

I certainly do not mean to include those who are engaging in unscriptural and sinful practices, embracing and defending them. I cannot agree with the grace-unity advocates who fellowship errors such as the use of the mechanical instrument in worship, the sponsoring church arrangement, or other such practices as are current among liberal churches of Christ, on the basis of the sincerity or ignorance of those who practice them.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 15, pp. 466-467
August 2, 1984

By Hoyt Houchen

Question: Please explain Romans 8.16, the witness of the spirits. What is our spirit (human spirit)?

Reply: Paul wrote, “The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God (Rom. 8:16).

In the previous verses (vv. 14,15), Paul has discussed sonship. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (v. 14). The Holy Spirit teaches us how to live, and does so through the medium of the word of God. He leads children of God through the power of the gospel. So, by divine revelation, we are taught how to live before God. The same Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) teaches men and women to become children of God, thus leading them to the truth. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1: 16), but the Spirit leads through the gospel. Then in the next verse we are told, “For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (v. 15). Having stated that the Spirit of God leads us, this done through divine revelation, Paul then refers to the spirit which we receive; that it is the spirit of adoption (or sonship) and that it is not the spirit of bondage unto fear. The Jews who had lived under the old law lived mainly by fear. Before Paul’s readers were converted they had been moved by fear. This is not true of the Christian. Children of God have a different kind of spirit. This being the case, we are led to the conclusion that the spirit received by the child of God pertains to an attitude rather than intelligence. Instead of a spirit of fear, children of God possess a spirit of sonship, a recognition of and a trust and reverence for the Heavenly Father (see Matt. 7:11).

Our spirit (v. 16), in view of the sonship that Paul has just discussed, is a disposition or attitude. We are children who serve God in the spirit of love and obedience to His will. The Holy Spirit testifies as to how we are to live as children of God, and by following His instructions in the Scriptures, we serve God in the spirit of love and obedience. These are the witnesses of the spirits – the Holy Spirit and our spirit. God has given to us the spirit of children; so we serve as such, and not as slaves. This meaning conforms to the context of the passage; therefore, we believe it to be the plausible explanation.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 16, p. 485
August 16, 1984

By Mike Willis

During the week of 27 June, the Guardian of Truth Bookstore was moved from Fairmount, Indiana to Bowling Green, Kentucky. Brother O.C. Birdwell had moved to Bowling Green on I June and I had moved on 20 June. Between June 128, fifteen, twenty-two foot Ryder truck loads were moved to Bowling Green in order to move the Birdwells, Willis’, and the Guardian of Truth Bookstore into our new homes.

The new manager of the Bookstore is O.C. Birdwell, faithful gospel preacher for many years and member of the Board of the Guardian of Truth Foundation for many years. He agreed to operate the Bookstore with the assistance of his son Alan, his wife Frances, and his daughter Lisa. My former secretary, sister Dorothy Kalt, also is working in the bookstore. We feel that this staff will provide you excellent service and that you will be pleased with our new facilities located at 420 Old Morgantown Road in Bowling Green.

The change of managers of our bookstore should not pass without an expression of gratitude to brother and sister Whitehead who have managed the bookstore since 1971. I want to pay tribute to this fine, Christian family whom so many of you know through telephone conversation with our bookstore.

Managers During A Period of Rapid Growth

When Robert and Marilyn Whitehead began operating Truth Magazine Bookstore, they moved it from Orlando, Florida into their garage outside of Marion, Indiana. The business for a month, compared to now, was small. They provided excellent service to our customers and the business continued to grow.

During these years, Cecil Willis and Roy Cogdill lead the merger of the Gospel Guardian Foundation and Truth Magazine to form the Cogdill Foundation. The old Journeys Through the Bible literature series was purchased and renamed Walking With God. In the meantime, arrangements were made to write and publish the new literature series Truth In Life. These years for the foundation involved heavy indebtedness with little collateral to secure the loans. On more than one occasion, brother and sister Whitehead, sometimes alone and sometimes in cooperation with others, signed their names to loans at the bank to guarantee that the Foundation would repay the note.

The work of operating a bookstore grew. What was once a small business began to become a larger business. Sister Whitehead’s mother, sister Hazel Maley, was hired at wages too low to even mention to help in the bookstore. From time to time, part time help was necessary to operate the business. By and large, however, the Whiteheads operated the bookstore by working long hours – many beyond the usual eight-hour work day. They lived with the bookstore, thinking of what would help our business rather than what was best for them.

Cooperative and Dedicated

There were times during the operation of the Guardian of Truth Bookstore that brother Whitehead disagreed with Board decisions. Whether one agreed with his judgment or not, every Board member would have to admit that they thought brother Whitehead was acting on the basis of what he thought was best for the Foundation and not what was best for the Whiteheads. I remember board meetings in which decisions went against brother Whitehead’s judgment. On the way to the board meeting, he would say, “This will never work; we cannot allow this decision to be made.” After the decision was made, brother Whitehead would return saying, “If we all work at it, maybe this will work.”

Brother Whitehead operated his end of the Foundation on a shoestring. He never spent extravagantly. He never had adequate facilities or sufficient help to operate a business the size of our operation. Yet, he never complained of his heavy burden.

Christian People

I have had the privilege of working more closely with the Whiteheads than many of you. I want to mention their conscientiousness as Christians. I know of the work which they have done with prisoners; of the books which they have given to those in need; of the help which they have been to those who are less fortunate than themselves.

I have discussed church problems with them. I have known of situations which they confronted in which they bit their lips for months before finding it absolutely necessary to discuss the matter with elders. In times such as these, they were not wishy-washy members who had no backbone; instead, their position was known and they could be counted on when the battle raged.

Brother Norman Midgette worked with the Marion, Indiana churches and wit the Whiteheads for about fifteen years. His words of appreciation for them speak highly of the kind of people they are. He wrote to me saying.

Myrna (brother Midgette’s wife) and I have been close friends with Bob and Marilyn for the fifteen years we have been in Indiana. We have had no friends who have stood by us continually through the good times and the bad more faithfully than they . . .

When we first moved to Indiana their generous hospitality opened their doors to our family more than once . . . . In the church at South Marion and later at Woodland Hills, Bob’s voice was listened to and res ed for its soundness and common sense . . . . Their respect resilience to bounce back after deep disappointment and heartache is another asset to their character. I believe the times of emotional pain and mental suffering they have endured has helped them understand more than most the human problems individuals and families can face. These problems have made them better able to sympathize with others and show the compassion needed to help others through difficult times . . . I am glad to know them and have them as friends . . . . Thank you for the opportunity to give these two deserving people a few roses while they live.

Appreciated And Loved

Our board members wrote letters of appreciation to the Whiteheads. Here it what some wrote:

“There is no doubt in my mind but that the Foundation would have faltered, and might have failed had it not been for your efforts to keep it afloat. You have spent many long hours in operating the business to bring in the income to what we have been able to do in printing material and keeping the magazine circulated . . . . We not only regard you as dedicated, hard-working people, but outstanding Christians, whom we count it a privilege to know and call friends. We treasure your interest and support . . . ” – O.C. and Frances Birdwell.

“Above and beyond all the good things you all have done through the years to make the store grow and serve the customers throughout the land, I more deeply cherish the friendship and brotherhood we have had and continue to enjoy . . . .” – Earl E. Robertson

“Your contribution to the foundation is without question the greatest of all that has been made. Others have made great contributions but your devoted work has been so great and for such a long period of time. Your work, in fact, made all of the other good possible . . . .” – James D. Yates

“Next, let me thank you for the warm relationship we have shared in the work of the Guardian of Truth Foundation. I long ago recognized that you put in long hours and many many sacrifices to improve the bookstore business. Bob, your suggestions and advice in Board meetings have often been helpful to me and to the Board as a whole. Marilyn, you have been not only Bob’s companion in the affairs of your home but also his right arm in the work of the bookstore …. Bob and Marilyn, the two of you have made a fine team and have established a wonderful record. If I could boil it all down to one expression, I would say, ‘Thank you for setting an example in life of serving others!. . . – Ron Halbrook

For over a decade and one-half you labored hard long hours, not watching the clock for quitting time, nor even the calendar for a long vacation with pay etc. and being human, like the rest of us, suffered the frustration of your personal lives; the disappointments; the lack of good facilities to do your work in and with for the greater part of all those years . . . .” – Theron N. Bohannan

Brother and sister Birdwell have a pair of big shoes to fill. I am confident that they can do a good job in their work with the Foundation. However, to the Whiteheads, I want to say publicly how much I love and appreciate them for their work’s sake. They are truly deserving of our honor.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 16, pp. 482-483, 505
August 16, 1984