Truth Magazine

By Dick Blackford

The Judgment

“There’s a great day coming … when the saints and the sinners shall be parted right and left . . . . ” The most deadly serious ” and solemn thought that a man can contemplate is that of the final day when this earthly sojourn is over and he must give account to the Great Judge of the universe for the things he did or did not do in this life (2 Cor. 5:10; Mt. 25). We must not speculate on this subject for the fun of it, for the sake of academic or mental exercise, or for the sake of winning an argument. None of those reasons are serious enough. We are talking about the most crucial moment that a man will ever face.

Will There Be Mercy?

“There’s a bright day coming … but its brightness shall only come to them that love the Lord. . . ” Over and over we are told that love and obedience go together (Jn.14:15,21; 15:14; 1 Jn.5:3; 2 Jn. 6; etc.). As others have done, I too have voiced the sentiment that I expect to need God’s mercy on the day of judgment. Most of us find it easier to refrain from sins of commission (overt forbidden acts) than to avoid sins of omission leaving undone things we should do, taking advantage of all opportunities). All of Christ’s judgment parables were in condemnation for sins of omission, not commission.

That Jehovah is a God of mercy no Bible student will deny (Ps. 136; Eph. 2:4). However, some have taught that there will be no mercy on judgment day for we are living in the time of God’s mercy right now. It is true that God is merciful to us daily, sending sunshine, rain, and a host of other blessings on the just and unjust (Mt. 5:45). But it is not true that there will be no mercy at the judgment. “For judgment is without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment”(Jas. 2:13). The judgment scene of Matthew 25 hinged on whether the person had been merciful in life. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt. 5:7). The kind of mercy we extend in life is not one of doctrinal mercy (I am not being merciful to a man when I tell him he can be saved by faith only or can continue to live in adultery). Rather, it has to do with the kindness I show to him as a person. Jesus, James, and Paul gave examples of what they meant (feeding the hungry, hospitality to strangers, not being a respecter of persons regarding the poor, etc., see Mt. 18:21-35; 25:31-46; Jas. 2:1-13; 2 Tim. 1:16-18). These things distinguish whether we are practicing genuine Christianity or whether our religion is an academic pursuit. However, watering down the gospel to make it more palatable is not an act of mercy.

God’s Mercy And Man’s Sins

Let me hasten to say that if the Lord decides to extend mercy to the unbaptized or the person guilty of one sin of ignorance, that will be fine with me. I won’t complain or argue; I will rejoice. But in the meantime, what must I teach on those subjects?

Whenever God wants us to make an exception to any of His requirements, He has told us what the exception is. For example, we are to obey the laws of the civil government (Rom. 13:11; 1 Pet. 2:13-15). However, He has given us an exception. When there is a conflict between the laws of men and the law of God then “we must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Another example: God’s law from the beginning is that marriage is for life (Rom. 7:1-3). But Jesus gave an exception (fornication) whereby one may put away his mate (Mt. 19:9).

Does the Bible give any exceptions to baptism for accountable people? Does it teach that God’s mercy will cover sins of ignorance or unconfessed sins? No, and we have no right to teach otherwise though we might long for God’s pardon on our loved ones who fall into these categories. We must not put a premium on ignorance (Acts 17:30). To teach that God will overlook ignorance encourages ignorance and nullifies all exhortations to study, learn, and grow. Exceptions have a tendency to become the rule – with a little help from their friends. Sprinkling was introduced as “baptism” when it was thought that a man was too sick to be immersed. It eventually became the rule for many mainline denominations. Divorce has almost become the rule of the day. If God intends for His mercy to cover any degree of ignorance, it was in His wisdom not to tell us ahead of time, lest we conclude that “ignorance is bliss” or “what you don’t know won’t hurt you.”

On the other hand, while God has told us some of the conditions of mercy (Mt. 18:21-35; 25:31f; Jas. 2:13), he has not told us exactly how it will be applied. No man on earth knows how it will be applied or at exactly what point He will place limitations. This is a secret area over which Christians should not speculate (Duet. 29:29). “How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor? (Rom. 11:33,34).

Leave Judgment To God

“There’s a sad day coming … when the sinner shall hear his doom ‘Depart, I know ye not’. . . . ” God hasn’t asked us to determine the judgment beforehand. Our primary mission is to teach the message. If there are exceptions, teach them. If there are none, omit them. Doing otherwise can cause eternal consequences for the very ones for which we desire salvation. Likewise, let us not hem God into a corner with no room to change His mind. He is a just God. His judgments will be tempered with whatever mercy He thinks we deserve. Only He can determine that. Let us make haste and be busy teaching the gospel. This is urgent, for we each have only a limited amount of time.

Are you ready for that day to come?

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 8, pp. 227-228
April 19, 1984

By Lewis Willis

I do not mean to imply that there is some kind of Indian uprising or anything of that nature at all. Such would be serious. But that to which I refer has all the markings of being tragic! This modern day crisis is of such magnitude that meetings are being held with leadership to defuse the problem before it explodes. If the concerned organization only had an army as it has had in the past, troops could be dispatched and the dissidents could be captured and punished so harshly as to discourage any such actions in the future. Such cannot be done, so from the hallowed halls of headquarters can come only appeals and warnings.

The “nation” experiencing this Western problem is the nation called Roman Catholicism. The President and his advisors see a mushrooming problem developing in the Western end of the empire called “American Catholicism.” Steps are now being taken to put down the insurrection before it gets out of hands.

A New York 77mes article, appearing in the Akron Beacon Journal (10/31/83) outlines the Pope’s concerns. Democracy is giving him trouble. “John Paul, like some Popes before him, has worried about the impact of a democratic society on a church that claims hierarchical authority.” The attitudes of American Catholics “have become the testing ground for a struggle by the Pope to keep the country’s 50 million lay persons firmly in the fold.” The fear is that a failure to do so will cause the operation of the boys out West to “attain even more of a character of its own, becoming semi-autonomous.” The situation has revealed “heightened strain between the Vatican and a vigorous American Catholicism that has shown growing signs of dissent.” Catholicism, from past experiences, knows that authority challenged, results – is strained relations, and strained relations are one step away from open division.

The nature of this growing cloud of unrest is disagreement – disagreement regarding the teachings of the church. The edicts of the commander-in-chief coming from the Vatican Pentagon regarding moral issues from birth control to ordaining women to the priesthood, are largely rejected by the surrogates who are supposed to be enforcing the infallible edicts of the Czar. It appears that 50 million people who are accustomed to the privileges of democracy are finding it difficult to accept the “demands for conformity” that the self-proclaimed dictator seeks to impose upon them. The representatives (bishops) of the masses are being brought before the boss to be reminded of “how the cookie crumbles” and “how the ball bounces” within the framework of this religio-political organization called Catholicism.

To solve the problem, the king is calling the slaves in and lecturing them on the requirements of their servitude. The American Catholic church “must proclaim more effectively” the boss’ teachings on this subject. They must submit themselves to the Pope and act to bring the American church into submission so that it becomes a “model of fidelity to authority” as exercised by the man in charge. There seems to be a basic lack of trust about the loyalties of those who lead the masses, so the Vatican has announced its plans to get to the source of the insurrection being taught. “American seminaries and religious orders” will “be examined to determine their soundness.” American Catholics regard this “as corrective and possibly punitive.” They seem to realize that they are about to be kicked out of the empire unless they line up, and they don’t like it a bit. They apparently remember that they helped elect this modern-day Diotrephes (3 Jn. 9) to his seat of power.

They live in a climate where those elected are theoretically answerable to the electors. Unlike those of past ages who have blindly submitted to his arrogance, the 1983 Catholic model is asking, “Just who does John Paul II think he is?” Those who are familiar with the Scriptures have recognized for centuries that he was the “man of sin . . ., the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:34). Those who so regard him, only feel sympathy for those whose heads are being pounded and whose necks are on the chopping block. I was just thinkin’, his continued arrogance might yet offer hope that this human, unscriptural, ungodly dynasty will collapse.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 8, p. 233
April 19, 1984

By Irven Lee

Toward the end of our Lord’s time in the flesh He told of “a man who was traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey” (Matt. 25:14,15). You know the rest of the story. “After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them” (v. 19).

The distribution was according to the ability of each. The responsibility was according to this same ability. The one who was given the five talents was able to take proper care of the larger sum and was expected to earn more for his master. The money he used to invest belonged to his Lord and not to himself. His special ability was by the grace of God. He had nothing of which he could boast. “For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Cor. 4:7) “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:19,20). These facts are enough to cause us all to think soberly, and those with the five talents should do some very good thinking. There will be a day of judgment.

It may be embarrassing at times to be the one of very limited ability, but there are certain safeguards and compensations that come with this limitation. That which keeps us humble is good for us. “The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility” (Prov. 15:33). “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better is it to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud” (Prov. 16:18,19). A very great amount of good that is done in this world is done by the less able who have the humility that comes before honor. Neither the Lord nor His saints give high rating to those who have a serious measure of “the pride of life” (vainglory) (1 John 2:16).

The man with the wonderful intellect and a powerful body may be a bit like the miser. The miser may sit and count his money. The man who could be the five talent man may enjoy the thoughts of his greatness. He may constantly hurt those he scorns because of their lesser strength and lower intelligence quotient. He will not help those who think he is a bully or an egotist. Did you ever hear a man confess being an egotist? The strong men who would take time to lend a hand to the cripple is truly strong. The intellectual man who can patiently aid the retarded is the wise man. He who would scorn either is sick.

Count your blessings and give thanks, and do not forget to pray that you not under estimate your responsibility. This unbelieving and confused world is in great need of five talent men with their feet on the ground and who have tender hearts. Great men appreciate goodness. A good elder is a lover of good men or of good things (Tit. 1:8). Such men know how to look up to others (Phil. 2: 1 -11). The man who can only look down on others is to be pitied. He needs help.

The Christ was in the beginning with God. He had more insight than Einstein and more physical strength than Samson, but He lived as the meek and lowly Nazarene. He took a special interest in the poor and outcasts. He demonstrated His power over nature that He might demonstrate His divinity to strengthen their faith, but not for boasting or to embarrass the humble. He spoke the language of the common people. The lamb is used to identify His nature even though He is now the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5). Our Savior taught humility by precept and by example. He appreciated the open hearts of the lowly more by far than He did the scholarship and pride of the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 13:15,16).

None is condemned for lack of ability even in the matter of giving (Mark 12:41-44; 2 Cor. 8:12). The emphasis in the Scriptures is upon such fruits as “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22). Those who are to be on the right hand of the great Shepherd are those who do the Father’s will (Matt. 4:21; 25:31-46).

So much of the world’s work is done by the average men. The giants box, play ball, lift weights, and reach the end of life at a younger age than the average men who do the world’s work. It is wonderful to see the strong and intelligent demonstrate that they are truly five talent men by earning five more talents. They will hear the Master say: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Matt. 25:21). Let those with special ability learn to realize their responsibility and let them walk humbly with their God.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 8, p. 229
April 19, 1984

By Raymond E. Harris

It seems mankind’s, God-given power of logic and reason have often been misused. The misuse of God’s goodness has always led to mischief and misery. The misuse of the wonderful gift of speech is manifest in lying, cursing and gossip. The misuse of sex is manifest in fornication, adultery and incest. The misuse of logic and reason is self-deception, disobedience and sin.

In 1 Kings 12, we have a classic example of Israel reasoning themselves into disobedience. Jeroboam appeared on the political scene as a moderate and compassionate leader who cared more for the people than did Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. Hence, ten of the twelve tribes chose to follow Jeroboam.

He immediately realized he could never hold his new followers if they continued to return to Jerusalem to worship. Therefore, he who appeared to be a good and compassionate leader, turned into a terrible deceiver of the people. He convinced them that the journey back to Jerusalem was much too far and inconvenient. So, he set up places for them to worship at Bethel in the South and at Dan in the North. He built altars, appointed an unlawful priesthood and invented special feast days. The Bible says all this Jeroboam “devised of his own heart.”

It is sad but true that we see the same kinds of self-deception all around us today. Self-righteous man has never been satisfied to worship God according to His divine directives. Cain, the Israelites, and modern man have all stumbled over God’s worship commandments. Hence, today we see the masses engaged in countless religious practices which are unauthorized by God. Using so-called “holy” water, incense burning, sprinkling, counting beads, quarterly communion and salvation by faith only, are but a few of the pseudo-religious acts and doctrines men have deceived themselves into accepting.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 7, p. 212
April 5, 1984