Truth Magazine

By Bob Baston

The need for encouragement is not foreign to anyone. Sometimes though, that encouragement comes in very different ways. Having available to me several tapes of congregational singing has been a blessing. They are not for entertainment, but for edification. Sitting and listening to the singing at the recent Florida College Lectures on tape brings back the good feeling I had as we joined in singing praises to God. Truly it was an edifying experience! The beauty and value of words used to praise our God (some taken from the text of God’s will), can serve as many purposes as mentioned in passages such as Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3.

The Christian who looks upon the singing of praises to God in the local church as a chore is missing the true value of these praises. I certainly recommend that he or she attend such a singing as previously mentioned (with the largest crowd exceeding 1,500) and partake in singing as I believe God intended it to be. Yet, I have personally felt the same edifying experience when meeting with but twenty of my brethren. If purpose, intent, and effort are right before God, numbers will matter very little.

Choose Your Songs Wisely

Careful consideration of the songs chosen and the words involved is a must for any son g leader as he prepares the group of songs to be used in any particular worship service. One of my most embarrassing moments came during a Sunday morning worship when I stood to lead the invitation song and realized my mistake as I approached the chorus of the song. The words “are you coming to Jesus tonight?” stuck out like a sore thumb. Some would think that this is a very minor infraction, after all we were trying to encourage the lost to heed the Gospel call. But even this seemingly innocuous mistake could have distracted someone from the purpose of the song.

Worship In Song

Songs such as “Our God, He Is Alive,” “Higher Ground,” and “When All of God’s Singers Get Home” suggest the praises of God to be sung forever in Heaven. How can one sing “What A Song of Delight” and either refuse to raise his voice in unison with other Christians or not enjoy singing? When we raise our voices in spiritual song with other brethren, regardless of lack of musical ability, God is pleased. Christ said that I must “worship God in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). This is the condition for all worship to be acceptable.

Praise, Teach and Admonish

Paul writes to the brethren at Colosse to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16). The unmistakeable riches of this truth are found in the closeness one has with God. Being a gospel preacher brings me into contact with the problems of my brethren which are brought about by sin. Without exception, the answer lies in the person forsaking the word of God. In considering my own problems in remaining faithful in the twenty (20) years since obeying the gospel, I know this is true. The need to know God’s word is still fundamental to the foundation of faithfulness (2 Tim. 2:15; 2 Pet. 1: 3). Paul also tells me that not only do we praise God, we teach and admonish one another. Can we sing “You Never Mentioned Him To Me” without remorse in our hearts due to lost occasions to teach God’s word? “How Are You Using God’s Golden Moments”? Many of our brethren must shudder when the song leader calls out number 93, “A Soul Winner For Jesus.” We sing:

“A soul winner for Jesus, A soul winner for Jesus,

O let me be each day; A soul winner for Jesus,

A soul winner for Jesus, He’s done so much for me.”

Brethren, let us sing the praises to God out of conviction and love, and to the best of our abilities. But let us also purpose in our hearts to understand what we sing and live out these encouragements and admonitions.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 12, pp. 369-370
June 21, 1984

By Daniel H. King

One of the first things the new alien-resident of Florida is forced to accommodate himself to is the hot weather. There are some early moments in one’s sojourn here when he feels as if it is so oppressive as to be unbearable. Really it isn’t, but it feels that way.

What helps him to endure this unpleasantness is the realization that refreshment and relief are available and that the unpleasantness is but for a moment. It is temporary. A good shower will wash the sweat away. A big icy glass of water will quench the thirst. A few moments beneath a gargantuan oak or inside an air-conditioned dwelling will shortly render the heat a forgotten threat. Scripture promises that in the Heavenly City “they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them or any heat” (Rev. 7:16). The land of the Bible was a place much like Florida!

But think with me for a moment about a place (if we may refer to it as a “place”) where the heat is so intense as to compare not to any atmospheric temperature, but to a lake of burning fire: “This is the second death, even the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:14).

Next, imagine that human beings will have their ultimate destiny in such a situation. Think of men and women enduring such intensity of heat: “And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15); “there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth”(Matt. 8:12).

Imagine this place also as being a place of incomparable darkness, unfathomable and oppressive. No glint of light can penetrate its gloom: “and cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 25:30).

If this were not incomprehensible enough, venture also to imagine that this condition of human souls, once begun, will never cease: “and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev. 20:10); “and these shall go away into eternal punishment” (Matt. 25:46). Its fire does not consume in a moment, as does the fire of earth. This infernal blaze is different in more ways than one. Men endure this ordeal in a state of full consciousness: “And the rich man also died, and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame” (Luke 16:22-24).

If you have been able to imagine the above then you have captured in your mind’s eye what hell is like. It is awful, is it not? Perhaps too awful for some people to believe. But think again. Consider that the punishment must fit the crime. The crime is rebellion against the goodness and mercy of God, against His love and longsuffering, against the tender sacrifice of His beloved Son on Calvary, against the salvation He died to purchase. And consider also that men who end up in that place have chosen to be there. Oh, they have not literally bought a ticket to that destination. But they have ignored the stern warnings of God’s word. They have placed no trust in His promises. They have made no plans or preparations to go anywhere else. They belong there. It is their place. They chose to be there.

As God’s faithful children let us put men on alert to the awful end of those who deny or ignore our Lord. There may be some connection between hell and hot weather in the vocabulary of cursing, but nothing in this world can really compare with this terrible spiritual reality: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31).

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 12, p. 359
June 21, 1984

By Robert Wayne LaCoste

Ever heard of the “bad blood” theory? It goes something like this: “If and when there is a seemingly consistent negative behavior in an individual, this is due to a great extent on the biological and genetic background of that person.” Stated bluntly, this theory believes and advocates that evil in a person’s life can be blamed in part to the evil in their parents’ lives that undoubtedly too was “inherited.” In short, good or bad traits are hereditary and not the flaw, per se, of that individual.

This “theory” like many others that men believe and propagate has no biblical basis whatsoever. God’s word does not teach that the evil one commits is the result of “bad genes or blood” or because of other biological factors. Evil is thought and done by people because it is learned and taught to people. The same can be said of good. Righteousness is not inherited. It too is taught and learned. John wrote, “He that doeth righteousness is righteous . . . ” (1 Jn. 3:7). The doing of a thing is the direct result of the learning of that thing. I think most people understand that, as it relates to good. Even those who believe in the back “woodsie” theory that evil is inherited understand full well the import of “bringing up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). If we can see and perceive how good must be taught so it may be learned and practiced, then why can’t we also see that in order for evil to be done, it too must be taught and. learned?

Shades Of Calvinism

John Calvin, the early reformer, believed that men are born “depraved.” That is, men are born in a corrupted and evil condition. Furthermore, Calvin spread this doctrine with the idea that this was so from the very beginning, that men were created good, but then sinned. Because their off-spring then were sinners, it would take God’s Spirit to change such a pitiful state. The idea of “bad blood” is much like Calvin’s suggestion. Calvin insisted that this depravity was “passed on” from generation to generation and that all men were sinful, frail creatures because their parents and all men before them were. The Catholic doctrine of “original sin” is based on this concept. Since Adam and Eve sinned, all men are now destined to “inherit” that sin and begin life in a sinful state.

All of this human wisdom dear reader is just that human thinking. We cannot blame our parents, their parents, or the first man or woman for that matter, for our sin. Our sin is so called that, because it is that – our’s. We can scream loud and long that “the devil made me do it” or I’m just from “bad makings” but in neither instance will we have a leg to stand on. God has written, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him” (Ezek. 18:20).

Those who subscribe to the idea of “bad blood,” that evil is inherited, rather than learned, have believed Calvinism. And Calvinism is no more the truth today, than when John Calvin first uttered its false notions.

Ahaz, Hezekiah and Mannasseh

Once upon a time, there were three men who reigned and ruled over Judah. These three men were related to each other. As a matter of fact, they were direct descendants, one of the other. Ahaz (2 Kings 16:1-2) was an evil king. He was an idolater and a murderer (2 Chron. 28:3). This man even offered up children as human sacrifices. Not a very nice fellow was he? And who was his son? His son was a man called Hezekiah. Of this man, we read nothing but good. He destroyed the idols of his father, restored the Levitical priesthood to its rightful place of service and brought the people back to the law of God. So good a king was he, the Holy Spirit was compelled to write that he was the greatest king Judah ever had (2 Kings 18:5).

But who was Hezekiah’s son? His son, Manasseh (2 Kings 21) “reared up altars for Baal . . . and worshiped the stars” (2 Kings 21:1-3). Mannasseh also was a shedder of “innocent blood” (v. 16) and he brought the people down with him.

What will the advocates of “evil is inherited” do with this examination of these three men? Perhaps they will say that Hezekiah was good in spite of his father’s “bad genes.” Will they also go out on a limb and say Manasseh got the “bad genes” which caused his bad behavior, from his grandfather, rather than getting the “good genes” from Hezekiah, his father’? The facts are clear and cannot be denied. Hezekiah was righteous because, “He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did” (2 Kings 18:3). These other two men did evil because they were influenced to do so and then chose to do so!

The old expressions, “a stream cannot rise higher than its source,” or “you cannot make a silk purse out of a cow’s ear” are derived from these ideas of human “reasoning.” While genes and other biological factors are responsible for how we look and perhaps even how we feel from a health consideration; God’s word is plain they have nothing to do with whether we commit evil or do good. We are what we are and do what we do, because it is our decision to be that way or do that certain thing. Each can be happy or sad, good or bad, saved or lost, upon their own volition. When we stand before God, we will be judged by what we were by our own making and doing (2 Cor. 5:10) in this life. Where we spend eternity will depend upon how we reacted to Divine directives. If one is lost eternally, he or she will be able to blame only themselves.

Therefore, “choose you this day whom ye shall serve . . . ” (Josh. 24:15).

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 12, p. 363
June 21, 1984

By Steve Bobbitt

Ira North. is dead. And the accolades have poured in. Brother North was the long-time preacher for the church at Madison, Tennessee, near Nashville, often touted as the largest church of Christ in the world. During his 30 years there, the membership grew from 400 to more than 5,000.

This critical note of his passing is not intended to judge him unfairly. Rather I wish to evaluate his significance to the churches. It is safe to say that many of our churches will never be the same because of his influence.

Brother North excelled in turning churches aside toward the social gospel. That simply means that he embraced the philosophy that a church has a social duty as great as, if not greater than, its spiritual responsibility.

North came to Madison in 1952. Prior to that time, few churches of Christ had social programs on their congregation agenda. Most churches devoted their efforts and funds to supporting preaching brethren out in the field and to training their own members to grow spiritually. Some city churches were quite large, but the general attitude prevailed among brethren that a larger number of small churches was better than a smaller number of large churches.

In the aftermath of the war, new winds began to blow among the churches. In the zeal to take the gospel to foreign countries, a few large churches put themselves forward to organize and oversee great teams of smaller churches. These multi-church teams were overseen by a “sponsoring church.” This church would be responsible for selection and maintenance of the preachers in various countries. The smaller churches would provide the funds.

At the same time, influential preachers began to advocate vast relief programs for survivors in the war-striken countries. The idea was that great brotherhood-wide benevolent programs would win the favor and gain the ear of the people. Thus benevolence would prepare the people for evangelism.

And it worked. Glowing reports came back about incredible interest and amazing results due to these great giveaways. The same approach began to be used at home. Churches which had once relied only on the gospel to attract members began to initiate all sorts of social programs designed to win the favor and gain the car of their neighbors. And it worked. Small churches became large; large churches became huge.

The results were too good to be true. The brethren found that the old-style preaching was not acceptable to the new. style members. Sermons on the identity of the Lord’s church and the authority of the Scriptures began to disappear. Debates came to be viewed as an embarrassment. Influential churches and popular preachers were busy forging a new image for the churches of Christ.

The April, 1977 issue of Nashville! magazine featured North on the cover identified as “Nashville’s Most Powerful Preacher.” But the article demonstrated that Brother North’s power lay not in preaching, but in promoting the various social programs. A few of them were mentioned: a church-operated summer camp, Meals on Wheels, Saturday Samaritans, furniture warehouse, and sewing and clothing rooms. North was quoted: “Beautiful, mysterious, wonderful and glorious things happen to the church of Christ in our day and age that gets involved up to its neck in a great program for the poor, the lowly and the downtrodden . . . It seems the more we give ourselves and our money and our hearts to help the poor, the lowly, the homeless, the retarded and those in need, the more the good Lord blesses us with new people, new resources, new financial strength and a depth of love for our Lord and for our fellow man.”

Just as Ira North came to typify the new-style preacher among the churches so Madison came to typify the new-style church. In 1968 Norman Vincent Peale’s magazine Guideposts gave its annual Church Award to Madison, citing the church’s childcare programs and hat-making classes.

In the July 22, 1975 Nashville Banner columnist Teddy Bart wrote, “Let’s open the churches. Let’s use them. Not to preach and berate those unfortunate victims of modern society like drug users and alcoholics, but to kindly and compassionately help them. In a non-proselyting manner the churches could do what the Great Society tried to do and couldn’t . . . Under the direction of Dr. Ira North, the Madison Church of Christ has been a remarkable effective social action institution for years. Hot meals for the shut-ins, help for the aged, day-care for children of working mothers are but some of the services this church has provided. We need more full-time churches like that.”

A church which envisions its mission in terms of social programs cannot long maintain doctrinal identity. Compromises are inevitable. In 1971 Brother North was a featured speaker at the North American Christian Convention of the independent Christian Churches. He spoke on the Madison story, giving their secrets to denominationals. [I wonder why Ira Rice did not write North up the way he has pursued Chuck Lucas, Lynn Anderson and others.] In 1978 he was co-chairman of a committee organized to create an inter-faith memorial in Nashville. Brother North later resigned, but the spirit of compromise was manifest.

The life of this brother helps explain why the churches of Christ are divided today. Brethren may talk of the specific issues of church-supported childcare institutions, sponsoring churches and the like, but the basic reason that the churches are divided is that some accepted the image made popular by Ira North while others did not. I mark his passing with sadness.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 12, p. 360
June 21, 1984