Truth Magazine

By Ramon A. Madrigal

While the theme of the Bible focuses on the redemption of man from the curse of sin, part of that grand story deals with the actions, demands, character, and manner of life which God expects from men and women. This latter -discipline of study is known as “Biblical Ethics.” While the philosophical terminology is somewhat abstract, there are certain universal characteristics of the morality prescribed in the Old and New Testament Scriptures. Let us notice these important attributes of Biblical Ethics.

Biblical Ethics Are Personal

The Bible conceives of virtue and duty as precisely what God tells man to do. “Be holy because 1, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev. 19:2). Faith and loyalty is expressed in obedience to God’s explicit commands. The supreme good is to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7). Such is the “whole” of man (Eccl. 12:13).

Yet while Divinity places certain demands on humanity, each individual has a choice; every man enjoys free will. People are at liberty to obey God and equally free to disobey Him. While Joshua challenges the Hebrews to “choose ye this day whom ye will serve . . . ” (Jos. 24:15), Jesus invites all the weary and heavy laden to receive the rest which only He can provide. In each Testament the specifics of morality are addressed to the individual. Jesus also warns us that “. . . no man (individual person) goes to the Father, but by me!” (Jn. 14:6). Yes, God does indeed command all men everywhere to repent and turn to Him.

Biblical Ethics Are External

In contrast with the humanistic and worldly ethic of “autonomy” (self-rule: everybody does his/her own thing), the morality of the Bible is decidedly theistic, that is, God-given and God-oriented. Jeremiah observed long ago that “the way of man (i.e. “ethics,” RAM) is not in himself, it is not in man that walks to direct his steps” (10:23). Thus the moral code prescribed in the Bible comes from some source outside of man, not from his own imaginations. Biblical Ethics are, in this sense, external and objective. As Proverbs 3:5-7 assesses it:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes,

fear the Lord and shun evil

Modern, secular man allows the utility or convenience of the situation to determine his ethic of behavior. After all, if there is no God and man is, in fact, the “measure of all things” – why not eat, drink, and be merry? Today’s godless generation sings, “We’ve got tonight, Who needs tomorrow?” in an effort to justify fornication and riotous living. A Hollywood “angel” reveals the “art of being a woman is knowing when not to be too much of a lady”; while a familiar fashion designer displays how it is “good to have a body to fall back on” when your mind fails you. Yes, this is reminiscent of that “ancient” time in Israel when “every man did that which-is right in his own eyes’ (Judg. 21:25). He who would follow Christ, however, must walk a straight and narrow path.

Biblical Ethics Are Internal

In every generation there have been those religionists who suppose that the mere appearances of piety is sufficient, that the ritualistic acts of worship are adequate in themselves. However, a critical reading of the Bible reveals something else altogether. Isaiah condemns Israel for offering “vain oblations” to the Lord (1: 13) while Jeremiah denounces Judah for her blind trust in the temple (7:4) and her empty sacrifices (see 7:21-26). The God of the Bible is interested in obedience, not sacrifice per se. The Old Testament prophets repeatedly lament the fact that Israel tried to substitute outward acts of piety for the necessary inward motives of love and reverence toward God (see also Amos 4:4-5, Hosea 6:6, Micah 6:6-8). The wise Solomon also noticed that “the sacrifice of the wicked is detestable; how much more when brought with evil intent?” (Prov. 21:27).

Jesus found the highly religious Pharisees guilty of hypocrisy and vain worship (Matt. 15: 1 -11). The ethic of Christ is climaxed in His “Sermon on the Mount” (Matt. 5-7), where He focuses on the intentions, attitudes, and motives of the heart as being more important than the outward actions which result from such thoughts. Not only is murder wrong, but the angry emotion is equally condemning. Not only is it wrong to commit adultery, but the lustful intentions of the heart are just as evil. I believe it would be beneficial to make some applications in the area of worship and devotion to God:

Does it really do us any good to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs when our thoughts focus on carnal and worldly things? Are we truly longing for the spiritual milk of the Word when we daydream, clip nails, or even apply make-up during the sermon? Can we honestly “amen” a prayer that, for some thought or another, we haven’t heard? Are we genuinely discerning the Lord’s body while we contemplate the action of the Super Bowl or the cuisine of Sunday Dinner? Do we give cheerfully or grudgingly? The morality of the Bible centers on the heart. Holiness must be internal before the externals of religion become meaningful. Brother, is thy heart right with God?

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 6, p. 166
March 15, 1984

By Larry Ray Hafley

The veneration and exaltation of the Bible, that blessed old Book, is admirable and commendable if it be accompanied by understanding and application. But multitudes are deluded by a reverence that is nothing but superstitious sentimentalism. Souls in sectarian societies consider themselves members of the body of Christ because their “Pastor” is a “Bible toting, Bible quoting fundamentalist.” The Bible is “interpreted strictly and literally” as their 9donly rule of faith and practice,” so they think not to examine themselves whether they be in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5).

A similar form of authority has been espoused by Christians. Since we “speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent,” we need not question our practices. After all, the preacher is allied and identified with “our Christian Colleges, I I and the elders endorse and encourage all that we do, so what fear have we? Oh, of course, we raise an eyebrow at some things that seem out of harmony with the past, but the young people are interested, so it must be right – we are just not used to it. The sole, whole authority for minds that are thus steeped in church traditionalism is the fact that “we have always been a Bible-based people. ” That being true, as it is assumed to be, then we are justified.

This is the way human traditions and unscriptural deeds and doctrines are brought forth, and they, when they are finished, bring forth a denomination. But the denomination does not seek to return and restore itself, for its members say, “We were born and raised on the Bible, in the Restoration movement, and in the true church, so we must be right,” and on and on it flows from generation to generation, from denomination to denomination.

There is a present perilous development of just such a philosophy and its result, a denomination. It is occurring almost imperceptibly, especially to those ensnared therein. The departures are slight and gradual; at least, that is how they begin. Major errors are rebuffed at first because they just do not “ring true,” but they are not repelled and expelled by the question, “Where is the authority – book, chapter, and verse, please?” When that approach to error and innovation is not used, the encroachment eventually will find its way into the body, and the opposers will adopt it with hesitancy in the beginning but will embrace it with fervor in the end. (This witness is true. Certain who see themselves uncovered by the above words will shudder and close their eyes at their nakedness before the truth. But, alas, they will maintain their present course. They have gone too far for too long. They have seared their hearts and sealed their fate, and their reaction is living testimony to the truthfulness of what we have written.)

The Jews preached Moses as the law and the prophets were “read in the synagogue every sabbath day” (Lk. 4:16; Acts 13:14,15; 15:21). But hearing, they heard not,. and seeing, they saw not, for they rejected Him who was the sum and substance of an they read and heard. Both in and out of the church, it is likewise true today. The Bible is read and preached every Lord’s day, but error remains in the churches of men and departures reign in some churches of Christ. It is an anguishing sight that wrings the spirit of its tears, but it must be fought and stopped. It may not be stopped, but it shall be fought (Titus 1:10-13; 1 Tim. 6:12; Jude 3). The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. It is yet alive and powerful (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12). We are yet alive and, with it, powerful. Our aim and object is to reclaim and redeem some who have been discussed and described. Our love for them and the truth of God, and our hatred of every false way, will not permit us to leave them alone. We know who they are. They know who they are. God knows who they are.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 6, p. 161
March 15, 1984

By Lewis Willis

I want to call to the attention of the reader that there is an International Organization for Ladies. Every lady should be a member of it. However, I feel I should give credit to whom it is due and explain how I happen to have some of the information in this article. Brother Eugene Britnell did some research on the policy and goals of the National Organization for Women. He exposed some of these goals and I reprint them below. Brother Billy James (Granada, Miss.) used them in an article that I read in the bulletin of the Florence, Alabama church. As you can tell, I did not get this straight from the horse’s mouth. (All emphasis in the ten points that follow is mine. L.W.) The goals of NOW are:

1. To ratify the ERA (pp. 1,12,13).

2. To require employers to grant “parent leave” to both parents; not just maternity leave (p. 3).

3. To eliminate women’s exemption from the military draft (pp. 18,19).

4. To legalize homosexuality, to promote sexual revolution; to make abortions and contraceptives available on demand with no restrictions (pp. 20,21).

5. To establish free child care centers, government controlled for all children (pg. 14,15). (isn’t this what Hitler did and the Communists are advocating? E.B.).

6. To eliminate tax-exempt status of churches; to force churches to place women in places of leadership; and to “restate theological concepts” for women’s roles (pp. 17, 18).

7. To remove all “sexism” from textbooks – anything which shows “stereotyped” roles of men and women (pp. 9,10).

8. A guaranteed annual income for everybody (pp. 5).

9. To require parents to share equally in family support (pp. 16).

10. To work through the FCC to deny licenses to broadcasters who do not air feminist views (p. 8).

So, there you have a statement of purposes for NOW. The women (where I was raised such gals were not called “ladies”) who champion the cause of NOW became infuriated several months ago when the states failed to ratify their number one project, the Equal Rights Amendment. They became more infuriated when the current House of Representatives failed to adopt the ERA. They hit the newspapers, radio, and television with their venomous assaults upon every representative who voted against their issue. They vowed, in most unlady-like ways, to banish all of their enemies from Washington. These activists were so hot with rage that they could have cooked one of their TV dinners with the breath of their mouths.

Last week NOW endorsed Walter Mondale as their presidential candidate. Of all possible candidates, he is the one they feel who best represents their position and they plan to work enthusiastically for his election. I don’t want this to be a political statement, but Mondale is the same fella who spoke at a “Gay-Rights” political fund raiser in New York (9/29/82) praising the audience for a great turnout and expressing his delight in being there. He seems to be gathering around him a wonderful group for his presidential push. He has the homosexual community and the women of NOW. I doubt he needs anyone else to help him.

The ladies I know don’t seem to care much for NOW. If you feel NOW does not represent the interest off ladies, may I suggest to you that there is an International Organization for Ladies. This IOL is an old organization. It is variously identified in the writings of antiquity. It is frequently referred to in the New Testament. The IOL is the COG (Church Of God, 1 Cor. 1:2). Every lady should be in the IOL. In fact, there is room enough in this IOL for the women of NOW if they could ever figure out how to act like ladies. Such a change and commitment to God will not grant them much media attention, but they will receive the loving attention and forgiveness from God if they will associate themselves with His church.

I wasjust thinkin’- I wonder what the condition of the church of God would be if the ladies in it worked as diligently as the women of the world are working for NOW? I don’t know what kind of progress the church would make, but it would be an interesting sight to observe. But not being a lady, there is nothing I can do to campaign for the movement. Having voiced my views on NOW and IOL, this is LBW` signing off . . .

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 5, p. 146
March 1, 1984

By Russell Dunaway

The Establishment Of The Church

One of the things setting the Bible apart from all other books ever written are the prophecies contained in the Old Testament Scriptures. Nothing like Old Testament prophecy can be found in any other book ever written. Prophecy sets the Bible in a class of its own. In this article, we are going to begin to study the prophecy of Isaiah 2:1-5, and seek to understand the meaning and fulfillment of that prophecy. Thus, in the very beginning, it is important that we establish a few principles concerning prophecy and the interpretation of prophecy.

All to often men think of prophecy as being the mere predicting of future events. Such is not the case with the prophecies of the Old Testament. Prophecy of the Old Testament is more than a mere predicting of future events. A weatherman predicts what the weather will be in the future. His predictions are based on knowledge of certain facts that he has of the things that affect the weather. He knows the location of the high and low pressure centers. He knows the location of the cold and warm fronts. He knows the direction and the velocity of the wind. He knows the temperature and barometric pressure. It is with a knowledge of these facts that the weatherman is able to make somewhat accurate weather forecasts, or predictions of what tomorrow’s weather will be.

The Old Testament prophets had no knowledge concerning the things which they prophesied. There were no world conditions on which they could base their prophecies. There was nothing on this earth that could move the prophets to say what they said. Peter wrote, “. . . knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (2 Pet. 1:20,21). Prophecy did not come by the wisdom of man. It was not the product of any man’s own private interpretation of world trends and events of the time. Prophecy came by the will of God.

Peter, speaking of the salvation which was in the Church, wrote,

Of which salvation the prophets inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven . . . (1 Pet. 1:10-12).

The inspired prophets desired to know and to understand the meaning of the things they prophesied. All that was revealed unto them concerning these things was that it was not for themselves that they prophesied, but for those who should hear the Gospel of Christ as it was revealed by the Holy Ghost. The prophets did not understand what was prophesied. They did not understand that it was not for themselves until God revealed it unto them that they prophesied for those who should hear the gospel. Old Testament prophecy was given for the benefit of you and me, for the benefit of those who should hear the gospel of Christ.

With this in mind, we now point your attention to the facts revealed in the New Testament as we endeavor to understand the interpretation and fulfillment of Isaiah 2:1-5.

Isaiah said, “It shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains . . . ” To understand when this prophecy was fulfilled, it is essential that we determine when “the last days” began.

Every student of the Bible is aware of the fact that the history of God’s dealings with man can be divided into three ages. The first of these three ages is known as the “Patriarchal Age” and began with the creation of man. This was an age of family religion. The term “patriarchal” comes from Latin and means “father government.” The “Patriarchal Age” began with creation and lasted until God led Israel out of Egypt and gave His law to Moses on Mt. Sinai.

When God gave His law to Moses, the second age, known as the “Mosaic Age,” began. This was an age of national religion. The law was for the Jews, and the Jews only. The “Mosaic Age” lasted until the death of Christ on Calvary.

When Jesus came, He said to His disciples, “All things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning me …. Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day” (Lk. 24:44-47). When Jesus was crucified, He fulfilled all that was written in the law, the prophets, and the psalms concerning Himself, and took the law out of the way by nailing it to His cross (Col. 2:14). This marked the beginning of the third age, the “Gospel Age.”

In Acts 2, Luke tells us that “when the day of Pentecost was fully come, the apostles were gathered in Jerusalem with one accord.” Fifty-three days after Christ’s death, the disciples were in Jerusalem as Christ had commanded them (Luke 24:47-49), and God poured out His Spirit upon them (Acts 2:14). The apostles began to speak as the Spirit of God gave them utterance, and the Jews which had gathered at Jerusalem to observe the Pentecost feast were unable to understand what was happening. They began to reason among themselves, and some mocked the apostles, saying, “These men are drunk on new wine.” Peter answered this false charge as He began the first Gospel sermon to ever be preached. Peter said, “These men are not drunk on new wine as ye suppose, for it is but the third hour of the day.” The first Gospel sermon began at 9:00 on Sunday morning. If these men are not drunk, Peter, then what is the explanation of what is happening? Peter said, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” What had Joel said? “It shall come to pass in the last days. . . . ” Joel gave a prophecy that was to be fulfilled “in the last days. ” Isaiah said that the Lord’s house was to be established “in the last days. ” Peter said, “This is that. ” The day of Pentecost marked the beginning of “the last days.”

Peter proceeded to proclaim the gospel of Christ, and for the first time, “repentance and remission of sins” in the name of Christ was preached (Acts 2:37,38). Luke said, “They that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). Again, Luke said, “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). For the very first time, the Church was spoken of as being in existence.

Isaiah had prophesied over 700 years before that the church would be established “in the last days.” John the Baptist came preparing the way for Christ and said, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The church had not yet been established. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It had not yet been established. But in Acts 2, Luke said that the church was in existence, and that the Lord was adding unto it daily. Thus, we have a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. The “last days” were come, the church was established.

Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 5, pp. 141-142
March 1, 1984