Truth Magazine

By William C. Sexton

Most people who know anything about the New Testament have heard of the “Sermon on the Mount.” Such description is give to that portion of Jesus’ teaching which is found in the fifth through the seventh chapters of Matthew.- Fewer people, no doubt, have heard of the sermon in the plain. Such description is given to that portion of Jesus’ teachings as recorded by Luke (6:17-49). 1 would like to make a few observations relative to this sermon.

As the teachings in this portion of Scripture are so much like those in Matthew’s account, yet not exactly identical, some significant implications can be drawn from such. Perhaps a pondering of such for awhile will result in a better appreciation for God’s word as well as for others in our time, re-evaluating our mission.

Observations

1. The truth that Jesus delivered to mankind was not just spoken to one group of people, at one time, and then left to be recorded. Rather, what He spoke on the mountain, he spoke in the plain, too. Much like a political figure, as he travels from community to community delivering the same message, so did Jesus with the Message from heaven! Observation. Preachers and teachers of God’s word, today, often present the same message to different audiences, at different times and places! As one has well said, “If a sermon is worth presenting once, it’s worth presenting a second time.”

2. The truth that Jesus presented was not verbatim repeats. The principles of truth were stated in different ways and adapted to different audiences, either extending or shortening the statements, promises, conditions, etc., at times, as evidenced by Luke.

Examples of variation: (1) “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3); “Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God” (Lk. 6:20). (2) “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4); “Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh” (Lk. 6:21).

Observation: At times it is appropriate for a preacher or teacher of God’s word to give an expanded or shortened lesson, setting forth basic truth; at times it is more appropriate to speak, using the third person, indirectly rather than second person, directly and personally!

3. Every aspect of the truth cannot be fully presented and expanded upon every time one has an audience, an opportunity to speak, as evidenced by Jesus and recognized by intelligent person. Yet, the basic kernel of eternal truth cannot be altered for any person or group of persons any time or any where!

Observation: At times people view such behavior in preaching and teachings in the wrong light, I believe. Some presenters feel that they must keep an audience beyond “reasonable time” to fully explain every aspect of truth relative to the subject. Listeners, at times, argue that unless you make their point that you have not “presented the truth.” Contrariwise, however, we as presenters may very well leave off “some hard facts of life” so as to leave a “better” impression with the audiences – to their injury as well as ours. Let us beware!

Some Specifies

1. Blind Leading is sure to end in destruction for both the leader and the led, (Lk. 6:39). It should be obvious that the untaught can’t adequately point to the way of which he is ignorant, yet the practice is common, I’m afraid! Often people who know little Bible and have little respect for details of its contents are the most bold to proclaim a message as from God!

Question: Are we possibly being lead by a “blind” teacher? Are we possibly giving directions which did not come from God? In short, are we being “blind” leaders in some areas?

2. Relationship of disciples to Master. Are we trying to be different or something other than the Master, Jesus Christ would have us be? Jesus said, “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect (has been fully trained NASB) shall be as his master” (6:40). (a) We cannot expect better treatment than Jesus and His apostles. Often we shall be misunderstood and opposed unrighteously. (b) We must not think we are above Him, in being able to set aside principles and doctrines which He proclaimed, practiced and upheld.

3. Criticism must “first” involve a critical analysis of one’s own life, making adequate effort to bring his life into conformity with the will of God before one has the right to correct another. “And why beholdeth thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” (Lk. 6:41, see verse 42 to complete the instructions).

Wrong conclusions may be drawn here: (1) One does not have to be “perfect” before he can help another; (2) Neither does one have to “know everything” to assist another. One does have to make an honest effort to correct what is wrong in his life, however, before he can effectively teach another. Are we putting “first things first?”

4. One is known by “his ownfruit. ” A good tree or man brings forth good fruit; the evil tree and man brings forth “corrupt” fruit. Truly, all make mistakes, fail at times, and disappoint others, yet ultimately the “good” person manifests the same by character, behavior, or conduct! Let us be convinced of this relative to others and ourselves, too.

5. Calling Jesus “lord,” while failing to be governed by His word, is of no avail. “and why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Lk. 6:46) Is Jesus really our Lord – ruling over us through His teachings recorded in the New Testament Scriptures?

Conclusion

We need to be familiar with all of God’s word, and recognize its many-sided principles. Every Word and aspect has a purpose, I’m convinced (Prov. 30:5-6; Matt. 4:4). Such is powerful and beneficial, if we’ll believe it (I Thess. 2:13). Let us become familiar with all the books, chapters, verses, and words of the New Testament. Ponder them -that is give them long, serious thought! We’ll be amazed at times as we reflect as to the light such will shed on the situation in which we find ourselves!

What are some of the valuable principles set forth by Jesus in the sermon in the plain? Think!!

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 16, pp. 492-493
August 18, 1983

By Jimmy Tuten

Very often we hear brethren saying, “No matter how hard I study the Bible, I cannot remember what I have learned. Though I try, I cannot grasp the Bible so as to be able to tell it to others.” This feeling of desperation in studying the one Book we need to know the most about is experienced by many in the church of the Lord. The sad part of this is that often a person does not know how to rectify the matter of inadequate Bible Study methods. So they settle for mediocrity.

What are your feelings about your study methods? Do you have to force yourself to study the Bible? Does your mind wander when you do study simply because the material is not exciting enough for you? Have you tried to get into Bible study but have been unable to follow through with your schedule? You can and must increase your understanding of the Bible. Growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ is absolutely essential for the child of God (2 Pet. 3:18). We are commanded to study (2 Tim. 2:15). We are told to increase in the knowledge of God (Col. 1: 10). This is all brought about by a desire to learn, coupled with sincere efforts to increase one’s proficiency in study habits. A proper application of the mind to the subject at hand so as to get a clear comprehension of it means more in the long run than hours spent in improper study methods. One’s power to comprehend lesson material is not a matter of mere chance. It is the result of concentration and perseverance. All of us need to give more attention to our methods of study if we want to increase our knowledge.

Don’t misunderstand me. Bible study can be interesting and exciting. It can be the best part of any day of your life. But it is going to take effort and planning. There are certain basic rules and factors that one must follow and know. The knowledge of these will help make your study of the Bible a scintillating, profitable adventure as well as an interesting quest for knowledge. Bible study can be fun! It can be enjoyable.

Unused Minds

The first thing one needs to understand is the danger of an unused mind. If the mind is not exercised regarding things that are spiritual, if it is not stirred up concerning things that pertain to the soul, it becomes stagnate. It even becomes warped and out of balance as pertains to knowledge of Bible principles. I once lived in a well built house in an excellent neighborhood that had one major problem. Two or three of the doors would not close because they were warped. In an effort to correct the matter I conferred with a carpenter. He said, “Doors that are not used and left open all the time will warp. Those doors have not been closed through the years and they have warped through disuse.” So it is with the mind: if it is not used so as to appreciate the thrills and the joys of Bible study it becomes spiritually handicapped. A closed mind never allows new understanding or thought to enter so as to illuminate and enliven what is already there. By the same token a mind that is left opened at both ends warps too. Some are so open-minded that facts go right through without leaving the slightest residuum of knowledge. We need to remind ourselves that true wisdom consists in maintaining balance. We need to have a mind that closes on certain thoughts and holds them there. At the same time open minds are essential to Bible study (Acts 17:11; 1 Thess. 5:2).

My dear friend and fellow-preacher, Bill Atkins of Mobile is a commercial fisherman. This expert on Bay of Mobile fishing has taught me many things, one of which is this: more fish go through the net than those that get caught. You have to trap more fish than you expect to catch, and the number that go through the net is greater by far than the number that are entrapped. It is quite a sight to see 1600 feet of net in the water quaking and quivering with several hundred pounds of fish. But it is disconcerting to a novice to see fish squeeze themselves through that same net to freedom. Bill’s nets never catch fish as long as they are piled up in the boat. So it is with the mind of man. At the very best the mind forgets more than it takes in and must be used to absorb anything. A man must study and put something into the mind, otherwise the mind would be a blank. Meditation and study is essential to the art of remembering what is learned.

How To Begin

Bible study builds upon four basic steps: observation, interpretation, application and correlation. In overlooking these factors much of our study is sporadic. Finding ourselves stimulated by a sermon or a Bible class, we jump at a study that had no workable plan, regular time or place for study. At best our endeavor is short-lived. When we add to this our inability to meditate because of distractions, the problem is compounded. We live in a day of instant coffee, rapid transportation, TV dinners and microwave ovens, all of which bombard us with instant this and instant that so that we want everything now! We have been programmed by our culture to expect results immediately. In the process we have forgotten how to meditate. Bible study cannot be obtained that way. We must motivate ourselves to study systematically and consistently.

Bible study is both a sense of duty and a gracious privilege. If one enters into a study of the Bible because he feels that he has to, he can’t expect to learn much. On the other hand if the study is viewed strictly as a privilege it will tend to be flippant. Instead of racing to get through a certain number of chapters or verses a day, we need to develop the art of reading slowly and thoughtfully. We have allowed denominationalism, secularism and other destructive matters to enter into our lives simply because we won’t take time to read and think. Much of what ails us is due to the fact that men will not “sit quietly in a room.”

What makes the Word of God a living force is what we as individuals do with it. “The Bible is a letter God has sent to us” (Matthew Henry). Our personal use of it, therefore, is like the opening and reading of that letter. And it must be coupled with determination to do what He says do.

Set Definite Goals

“Where there is no vision the people perish” (cf. Guardian of Truth, Vol. 25, p. 729). It is hard to get excited about a trip if there is no destination in mind. Bible study is no different. You need definite purposes and objectives to stir up your interest if you expect to get somewhere. “I’ve got to get in thirty minutes of Bible study every day, come what may,” or “I’m going to read the Bible through once a year,” ate such empty, common goals. They do little to motivate or spark your desire. You may accomplish the particular objective and possibly even gain some measure of self-discipline, but seldom any more.

This writer likes to get up for study each day while frost hangs heavy in the air. I’m fresher and the mind is clearer. Whatever is the best time for you to study, set it aside and stick to it. Don’t wait until Saturday night to prepare for Sunday morning. Do not wait till 5 p.m. Wednesday afternoon to do your studies for Wednesday night class. Forethought will make you better prepared, better organized and fill you with better concentration. So organize yourself. Plan ahead and do not let anything interfere. A well-planned, designated schedule will prepare you to handle those intrusions that you cannot control, and those pressures that keep you awake at night when you ought to be resting. Failure at this point results in a loss of interest in increasing Bible knowledge. Goals need to be challenging and satisfying, and they should stimulate personal growth. So, make them practical. This writer suggests the following:

(1) Organize your goals and objectives into related subjects and set up priorities, placing the most important subjects first. Do not study the Bible at random.

(2) Organize your time by setting aside a specific period every day to allow yourself the opportunity to accomplish the goals you have established. You will need to be flexible so that you can adjust yourself if you find yourself pinched for time. Do not just skip it.

(3) Take notes on whatever study material you are going over, remembering that what is not soon written down will be quickly forgotten. Whether you are using the helps in the back of the Bible, giving attention to outlined notes, studying commentaries, or simply reading religious periodicals, your notes should be kept up to date. You may want to keep a card rile and file your materials by subjects for quick and easy reference. But remember, the mechanics of note taking is of little value if one does not give concentrated reflective thought to your topic. To increase your grasp and memory of the Bible, to add meaning and life to your Bible Study, you are going to have to recognize the importance of meditation.

I have never forgotten a line from Rudyard Kipling’s The Just-So Stories that goes like this: “I keep six honest men (they taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.” Instead of rushing through a study take the time to learn the following from your material: The nature (what), the purpose (why), the time (when), the means (how), the place (where) and the people involved (who). What we do with Bible study is the difference in whether or not it is a living force in our lives. Your attitude toward the study of the Bible must be self-corrective.

Resource Tools

Besides two or three good Bible translations one will need other resource tools. Get a good Bible concordance, good Bible dictionaries, a good Bible atlas, good Bible commentaries and good sermon outline books. Do not overlook special studies that are on tapes. Get good tapes, listen to them (even in your auto while traveling) and exchange them with others. Tapes of special subjects are like good books, they last and last! The study of the Bible is much, much more than another academic pursuit; it is a vital part of our daily lives.

Conclusion

Paul told Timothy to “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Why study the Bible? Because “the holy scriptures . . . are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:15-17).

The Bible provides the foundation for understanding all knowledge. It gives the keys to solving all problems. Everything essential to our well-being is in the Bible: knowledge of creation, the purpose of human life, God’s spiritual laws, and it is these basics that engender a right understanding of the past, the present and the future. They serve as the foundation for all other branches of knowledge.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 16, pp. 490-492
August 18, 1983

By Ron Halbrook

Christ’s basic law on marriage is just not that hard to understand! We realize some difficult questions arise regarding complicated circumstances into which men get themselves; even here, a safe course can always be found. “The practice of divorce was an ancient and traditional custom, which Moses limited by insisting on a definite motive, and on a regular bill of divorce” (John Peter Lange, Matthew [Philip Schaff, trans. and ed.], p. 115). In contrast to the “writing of divorcement” allowed by God through Moses, Jesus said, “But I say unto you . . . … God’s law under Moses required death for adultery, but allowed a man to give his wife “a writing of divorcement” if she was guilty of some other shameful or offensive thing. Christ revoked the latter permission, made marriage a lifetime bond, and allowed divorce only on grounds of sexual immorality (Matt. 5:31-32; 19:3-9; Mk. 10:11; Lk. 16:18).

Men seem obsessed with finding loopholes in the marriage law given by Christ. The theories are as numerous as the flies on a watermelon rind at a roadside park on a hot, August day. On the other hand, a few brethren have overreacted in their effort to counter the theories which broaden Christ’s law. They want His law to be even stricter. In view of all this ferment, we ask, “What shall we do with Christ’s law on marriage?”

Shall we bend it to modern times? “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men?” Paul said he was “a bond-servant of Christ” and therefore he did not preach a message which was “according to man. I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:9-12). He warned the Romans against being “conformed to this world” or “age.” Instead of trying to change the will of Christ, they were to be “transformed” or changed by it (Rom. 12:1-2).

Tighten it or loosen it? Jesus defined the extent of His authority when He said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matt. 28:18). He also explained that He would exercise His authority from the Father’s right hand through the Apostles, when He said, “Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been loosed in heaven” (Matt. 18:18; NASB). Men have tried to loosen the requirements of Christ (I Jn. 2:4; Rom. 6: 1) and to tighten those requirements (1 Tim. 4:3). Either way, men break out of and proceed outside the boundary of Christ’s law – they “have not God” (2 Jn. 9).

Alfred Plummer in his commentary on Matthew tries to make the law of Christ tighter than it is by eliminating the part of his law dealing with divorce and remarriage. He understands what Matthew reported Christ as teaching, but he tries to erase it! Speaking of Matthew 5:32, he says, “According to this passage, Christ said. . . . nothing short of adultery justified divorce, but adultery did justify it. It is very improbable that Christ did teach this. If we want His true teaching we must go to Mark and Luke. . . .” He says someone added the words “except for fornication” in Matthew 19, and that “saving for the cause of fornication” in Matthew 5 was not “part of the original Sermon” (pp. 81-82, 259-260). In other words, he just subtracts the part that does not fit according to his own thinking.

Allow elders or preachers to set it aside? Some who are in adulterous unions or wish to enter such sinful relationships seem to think that if they can just find a preacher or elder to approve, all will be well! So they go from preacher to preacher and elder to elder until… sure enough, they find one who says, “Yes, I think in your case, it will be all right.” Sometimes Such parties lie to a preacher in order to get him to “say a ceremony,” apparently thinking if they fool the preacher they have fooled God. They seem to think it works like this: What man hath joined together, God must recognize. The truth is that when they are bound to an original mate by God’s law, no man on earth can unjoin them and rejoin them to new mates. The law of God stands no matter how many “magic formulas” some ungodly preacher mutters in a ceremony. “Fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:3).

Allow it to drive people away? Yes, if God’s law on marriage “runs people off,” then so be it – we cannot change God’s law! ‘ In Luke 16:1-18, Jesus uses His law on marriage as an example of something the Pharisees would not be willing to obey. This law would be a barrier to them entering “the kingdom of God.” But Christ did not change His law “to attract them” or “to keep them, and then maybe we can help them later.” The same message that converted 3,000 in Acts 2 turned men into raging murderers in Acts 7. If men do not want God’s word, God will deal with them, but He will not change His word to suit them.

Change it. to suit “needs” of family or friends? The changes some seek in the strictness of Christ’s law just “happen to fit” the “needs” of someone in their family, a friend ‘ or themselves! No matter how much we claim to love our family and friends, we cannot change God’s law for them. Their true need is to submit to Christ’s teaching, no matter what the cost; true love will do all in its power to get them to submit to Christ (1 Jn. 5:1-3). If Christ’s law offends them, we must remember Christ told us to expect this in many cases: “I came not to send peace, but a sword. . . . And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household” (Matt. 10:34ff).

Study it! The man of God delights “in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Ps. 1), The noble Bereans “searched the scriptures daily,” and Paul told the young preacher Timothy, “Meditate upon these things. . . . Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine” (Acts 17:11; 1 Tim. 4:15-16). A little meditation reveals that any position which denies the application of Christ’s law on marriage to aliens is a position based on a dangerous fallacy. The false premise is that those outside the Lord’s kingdom are not held accountable for breaking the law of Christ. But that is the only law God has put into effect today. If the unconverted are not held responsible or guilty for breaking it, then they are as perfectly innocent as new-born babes. If the unconverted are “sinners,” then they have transgressed “the law” – the law of Christ, the only divine law in effect during the Gospel Age (1 Jn. 3:4; Gal. 6:2).

A little meditation reveals that those people who claim there is no scriptural basis for divorce and remarriage base their argument on a false premise. They claim Christ allowed divorce and remarriage in His recorded statements, but that in so doing He was only explaining the law of Moses. Such a claim overlooks the preparatory work of Christ in laying down principles in preparation for His kingdom. Also, those who make the argument need to study Moses’ law. That law required death for the adulteress, not “a writing of divorcement” with guarantee of the right of remarriage! God’s law under Moses allowed divorce for several reasons other than adultery; in contrast, the law of Christ allows divorce and remarriage only on the grounds of adultery or sexual immorality.

Obey it! No matter what the cost, we must submit to the law of Christ. “He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matt. 10:39). We shall all be “judged by the law of liberty” – the law of King Christ. We must look “into the perfect law of liberty,” continue “therein,” and “fulfill the royal law” in order to please Christ (Jas. 1:25; 2:8f). A man who keeps “the whole law” except for his continuing in an adulterous relationship, “is guilty of all” (Jas. 2:10-11).

Teach it! Christ wants His word carried to “all nations” and to “every creature” (Matt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15). But before men can be converted, they must realize they are sinners – violators of the divine law of Christ (Jn. 16:8; Rom. 3:23). Many have violated Christ’s law on marriage; only when they realize they are guilty of this and other sins, will they come for cleansing in the blood. Christ’s law must constantly be taught to Christians “to stir you up by putting you in remembrance” (2 Pet. 1:13; 3:1-2). As one young lady, a Christian with serious marriage problems, recently said, “I was baptized when about 13; why were brethren not teaching more on these things then during my formative years?” All of us need reminding in a time when more husbands and wives in the church are violating the marital bond to seek the pleasures of sin for a season.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 16, pp. 489-490
August 18, 1983

By Lewis Willis

Jesus taught the Jewish ruler Nicodemus “except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:3). As a result of this teaching, there can be no doubt about the necessity of a new birth if a man has any desire to go to Heaven. The apostle Peter expanded upon this teaching, affirming, “being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). From this, we discover that the birth envisioned is a spiritual birth. Nicodemas, at first, could not understand “born again” because he was thinking of a physical birth. He knew such to be impossible. But not so, spiritually speaking.

The new birth is the process by which we pass from spiritual death to spiritual life. The apostle Paul declares that Christ has “quickened” or made alive those who were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2: 1). As a consequence of the new birth those who were dead in sin (thus, separated from God) are now said to be “dead to sin” (Rom. 6:2). Being, then, dead to sin, such do not live any longer therein. The life they live is declared to be new. The watery burial of baptism is the transition point. Hear the apostle Paul: “Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). The new life does not begin until the new birth has occurred – that is only reasonable. Thus, Paul calls this born again individual a 6 4 new creature” (2 Cor. 5:17). This new creature is blessed with the opportunity of entering that wonderful realm, as the poet said, “of beginning again.” He is a Christian, a child of God, a citizen in the kingdom of Heaven and a member of the body of Christ. Such should be the pursuit of every responsible individual.

Simple enough, right? Wrong! Maybe it is a throwback to the Jimmy Carter days when everyone was talking about the “born again Christian,” as though there were some other kind of Christian. Or, perhaps some folks have just discovered the Bible teaching about the new birth and are trying to implement it. Whatever, the “boat of truth” has already sailed and they are still on the dock, or, they fell off of the gangplank.

To illustrate this fact, The Akron Beacon Journal (1/10/83) printed the following short article: “The Episcopal Church in Los Angeles is tackling religious competition head-on. In a television advertisement geared to Southern California Christians of all persuasions, the welcome mat could hardly be more expansive: ‘The Episcopal Church welcomes you – regardless of race, creed, color or the number of times you have been born.’

“Inspiration was hardly divine; the words were created by a group of Episcopalians at St. Luke’s Church in Minneapolis.”

Several things occurred to me when I read this article. The TV ads are said to be geared to “Christians of all persuasions.” This, of course, refers to the so-called Baptist Christians, Methodist Christians, Catholic Christians, etc. I wonder if they would welcome Jewish Christians, Hindu Christians or Atheist Christians? This Baskin-Robbins, 31-flavors of Christians is a concept that is foreign to the teaching of the Word of God and is as phony as a three dollar bill. As for me, I’ll just remain a plain ole vanilla, New Testament-type Christian.

Adventurism in advertising might sell products, but it obviously does great injury to the teaching of the Scriptures. The words for the ad are said to have been “created” by a group of Episcopalians. I would be willing to testify to the truthfulness of this declaration. I assure you, neither the words nor the idea came from the New Testament.

But the part that really gets me is the welcome regardless “of the number of times you have been born.” How many times can a person be born into the family of God? Obviously the same number of times you can be born into your father’s physical family. I would like to think that the words were selected by the St. Luke’s Church pre-school class. However, they probably came from the long-studied theology of her preachers. I was just thinkin’ – to say you are welcome no matter how many times you have been born is about as logical as saying you are welcome no matter how.many heads you’ve got. But let us be careful in making such suggestions, they may show up in a church. TV ad campaign.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 16, p. 488
August 18, 1983