Truth Magazine

By William C. Sexton

Problems of priority seem to plague most of us. We fail to do “first” things first; consequently, we fail to achieve what would be otherwise reached. For example, if we are to reap a harvest, seed must be planted at planting time; the person who fails to plant seed will fail to reap.

The Bible points to some things that must be done “first,” if desirable achievements are to be realized. We shall call our attention to some of the “first’s” of the Scriptures:

l. Knowing the Origin of the Scriptures is essential to a proper understanding and appreciation of them (2 Pet. 1:20-21). Peter said, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scriptures is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old times by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

Without this “first” acknowledgment relative to the source from which the writings called “scripture” came, one is not equipped to pay careful enough attention to what is said. I see many reading the Bible who have not achieved this “first”; consequently, they have not learned the fundamental lessons needed. We challenge each reader to ponder the affirmation of the Scriptures in regard to their origin. Either accept it, or suspend your faith in it till you can; but when you can and do, then your study and response to its teaching will result.

2.Seeking God and His Kingdom ‘:first,” above everything else, is essential to achieving salvation and serving to one’s full potential (Mt. 6:33ff). We have trouble doing this, do we not? Yet, several times the point is made that this type of activity is what brings God’s blessings (cf. Heb. 11:6).

There seems to be, in our time in particular, a cynical response to this type of affirmation. Some will openly chide those who claim that such priority is to be given to religious participation, as though it were an ideal but unrealistic and unachievable goal. Consequently, it appears that, to many religious professing people, zeal is something to praise but never possess or exhibit in one’s religious life. Beloved, such an attitude and response is destructive to the professor of religious belief; also, such is influential in a lasting negative way to the observer of religious practices. So, we challenge you to think of the danger of manifesting this type of feeling toward religion. The religion of Christ is -not some idealistic, impractical set of suggestions; the religion of the Son of God is demanding (cf. Lk. 14:25ff) and rewarding: it is a way of life, asking no more than one can give, but calling for all of you and. me!

3. Cleansing of the inside is essential to the acceptable character in the Lord’s sight (Mt. 23:26). Jesus came to seek the lost (Lk. 19:10) so they could have their sins washed away by His blood (Heb. 9:22; 10:1-14). Only that type of cleansing is real, lasting, and beneficial to the person stained by sins (1 Pet. 1:18-21). However, to reach the cleansing power, one must be touched in the depth of his being, be pricked in his/her heart (Acts 2:37; Mt. 5:3, 4, 6) feel the poverty mourn, and hunger and thirst for righteousness.

That person must have his/her intellect enlightened of the true character of God to see that He can not tolerate sin; in Him there is no darkness (1 Jn. 1:5). The emotions, also, must be quickened to desire and long for right! He must turn away from sin, die to it (Rom. 6:lff). The will must be activated, so as to allow God’s rule to govern in his behavior (cf. Mt. 21:28-29; 2 Pet. 3:9-10). Obedience will be an indication of one’s heart-rendering commitment (Rom. 6:17-18; Pet. 1:22-23). Expressing that trust and completing that transitional move is achieved in confessing (Rom. 10:9-10) and being baptized “into Christ”(Gal. 3:26-27; Rom. 6:3-4). Coming forth as a “new” creature (2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 2:12; 3:1-10) is manifested by the behavior and felt in the mind and heart by the truly converted, translated person (Col. 1:12-13).

The person who has gone through the “form,” but denies the power thereof in his conduct is to be recognized for his true unregenerated state (2 Tim. 3:1-5). Beloved, there are many who claim to be saved who have not performed the acts required by God; but, likewise, many who have observed the “form” deny the power of God’s word tb change their conduct and character.

4. Knowing that “scoffers” are to route is a “first” for Christians to be successful in fighting the fight of faith (2 Pet. 3:3ff). Peter said that we need to recognize “first” that such would come and to be aware of their willing “ignorance” of certain facts in the history of mankind.

There are, evidently, many who find it out of harmony with their concept to suspect certain “false teachers,” who would come acting so humanistically and knowledgably. Various efforts to deceive are used by anti-divine messengers. If we do not take into account the various efforts to divert attention and deceive the hearts of people relative to the fundamental truths, then we will be swept off our feet and conditioned for an eternity of destruction (Rev. 20:10 – remember that the key words are “false” and “deceived”).

5. Commitment of the “first” order is essential if one is to be a real disciple of the Lord (Lk. 14:25ff). One must leave everything to a secondary priority position if he is to “come” to the Lord and be His disciple. He cannot “love” the parents, family members, marriage partner, ‘nor even one’s own life more than he loves Christ (see Mt. 10:37-39). To this necessity, many fail to commit themselves. They ignore the need, rightness, and essentiality of such.

Beloved, if one is not willing to commit self to the Lord “first,” then he has a priority problem of the first magnitude, it will drown one in the sea of instability; there will never be the clear-cut confidence of what “ought” to be done, because the decisive facture will be missing. God deserves to be “first” (Mt. 22:37). Have we responded or have we been lured by the prospect of achievement but been unwilling to take the final step of commitment?

None of us can be boastful because we have done this, but it is necessary that each of us assess our condition in light of the divine standard given for that purpose. If we have not really committed our lives to Him, then let us recognize it. Then we need to ask if we really do want to commit ourselves to Him to do His service. Otherwise, we will go through life deceived, be disappointed at the judgment, and suffer the fires of hell eternally.

Beloved the Lord calls fur us to come. We can see the need to come. The question, then, is that of priority; ha\e we really placed “first” things first?

Truth Magazine XXIV: 18, pp. 299-300
May 1, 1980

By Dennis C. Abernathy

I, for one, believe with all my heart that we are to “preach the cross,” that we are to “preach Christ and him crucified.” There is good reason for that belief. Read, if you will, 1 Corinthians 1:23; 15:1-4; 2:2; 1:17-18; Gal. 6:14. But, my friend, we must remember what is involved in “preaching the cross.” We might say that it is the foundation facts of the gospel of Christ, but it is not all of the gospel. The gospel reveals the cross and the crucified one to us and sheds illuminating light upon that event and makes it meaningful to us.

Some say, “Just preach the cross, and not baptism all of the time.” “If you will just preach the cross, people will understand the rest and be led to obey it.” “We need to just preach the cross and not argue so much about baptism, etc.” Someone else says, “We need to preach the cross and not jump right to the conditions of salvation.”

Now I realize that good is intended by such remarks and in a sense these things are true, if properly understood, if one does not go to the extreme with it, and if one does not just teach the death of Christ and ignore the conditions of salvation. When I talk about preaching the cross, I am talking about preaching the facts of that event and making the application of such to one’s life. It is rather naive to think you can preach the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and not preach baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the church. Will people automatically understand they are to be baptized for the remission of their sins if we do not teach it to them? Do not be deceived! Most accept the facts of the cross, but when it comes to the application of the facts (Christ’s blood appropriated through baptism) the battle is on. Read Acts 2. The cross was preached – but so was baptism. Read Acts 8 (the account of the Ethiopian man). Jesus was preached – but so was baptism. To the Corinthians, Paul preached “Christ and him crucified,” but he also taught baptism, (Acts 18:8).

I do not know how to preach Christ, the cross, and the blood of Christ, without preaching baptism, obedience, etc. They go hand in hand. Let us never under-emphasize the cross, but let us never be afraid to preach baptism for the remission of sins. We will be in good company, for the Lord and His apostles did just that (Mk. 16:16; Rom. 6:1-4; 1 Pet. 3:20-21).

Truth Magazine XXIV: 18, p. 298
May 1, 1980

By Earl Robertson

The word of God authorizes music as worship to God; however, we hasten to say that music is vocal – singing (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19). The Bible is silent concerning instrumental music in worship to God in the church today. Whether churches use mechanical instruments in worship or not is not a matter of opinion or indifference, but a matter of scripturalness or unscripturalness. The use of it is either right or wrong. Every conceivable means for justifying its use in worship has been written. Some of these efforts are subtle and deceiving while some are bold and stupid. One wrote, “It is a difference of opinion as to the means necessary to obey the precept to sing” (Memoirs of Isaac Errett, Vol. 2, p. 39). Preaching that it is a matter of “opinion” then, “no man has a right to make it, on either side, a test of fellowship, or an occasion of stumbling.” This allows churches to ignore and disobey the word of God. Or, can man act when God has not spoken?

Evidently, some effort was made early in the 19th century to introduce instrumental music into the worship, though it was the middle of the century before such became a practice. John Rogers of Carlisle, Kentucky, wrote Alexander Campbell on June 9, 181 concerning the issue, saying, “O, say! has the object of this warfare, for more than a quarter of a century, been to introduce instrumental music into our meeting-houses . . .” (Millennia/ Harbinger, 1851, p. 468). Aylette Raines of Millersburg, Kentucky said on April 27, 1851: “Brother S(aunders) wishes to introduce the melodeon into the church” (The Disciples in Kentucky, By A.W. Fortune, p. 373). Raines opposed it and it was not introduced. However, Dr. L.L. Pinkerton of Midway, Kentucky did introduce it into the worship in the Midway church in 1849. The attitude of those who introduced it into the churches toward the authority of the scriptures and its use in the worship occasioned much sorrow and division within the churches. The loose attitude toward the word of God is what caused this apostasy. One departure from the word of the Lord leads only to another! Brethren seemingly cannot learn this lesson. We learned recently the Belmont church of Christ in Nashville, Tennessee has introduced instrumental music into its worship. That church has eleven elders and eight of them voted the instrument in. But, one only has to check the past actions of that church to see why her elders acted as they did. The pattern they followed in evangelistic efforts, being the pooling of congregational monies of many churches, a practice unknown on the pages of the New Testament, is exactly what leads to this departure in worship. The liberals have laughed at our opposition to their departures from the word of God in evangelism and benevolence, while not seeing that their attitude toward the scriptures in these things would also, ultimately, lead to the use of the organ in worship – apostasy in worship.

Truth Magazine XXIV: 18, p. 298
May 1, 1980

By Eugene Crawley

In Acts chapter 1, where we read of the ascension of Jesus, a number of things are quite interesting and of importance. While the apostles were standing listening to Jesus, unexpectedly to them, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. As they continued to look steadfastly toward heaven, two men in white apparel stood by them, and said to them, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

We are assured, not only in this statement, but in others as well, that Jesus will return. The point I would like for us to notice here is this, “Why stand ye gazing?” It is not difficult to understand that they were surprised, perhaps shocked, by this event, that they felt their loss and were amazed. Likely we would have reacted in the same fashion. Yet, it was not for their good, nor was it God’s will, that they continue gazing. Not many days before this Jesus had given them the Great Commission in which He commanded them to preach the gospel to every creature under heaven (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15, 16; Luke 24:46-47). This they could not do as long as they stood gazing up into heaven. Jesus intended that they be active, that they work, that they do what He had commanded them.

From this, we should be able to learn a few lessons. Along with being assured of Jesus’ second coming, we should be as impressed with the importance placed upon faithfulness by this very question. Too many are satisfied and seemingly content to stand, or sit, idly by and be unconcerned about the importance of working in the Master’s kingdom. Jesus had both taught them to work and had set an example of such for them. Remember when He said, “I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work” (John 9:4)? These are “gazing,” as it were, and are failing to work the works commanded by the Lord. If this is true with any, he needs to realize the need for active service. He needs to be impressed with such passages as Romans 13:11, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” This should teach us, among other things, that we should stop “gazing.”

Those who “gaze” are simply “spectators,” and there is no place for such in the kingdom of God. Each must be a participant, in work and worship which the Lord has commanded. If more would realize this, there would be more working, and less need to keep reminding and admonishing some to continue steadfastly in service to God; they would be helping do so.

Why do some “gaze” and remain inactive in t1p work of the Lord? Is it because they are afraid they will make a mistake? Maybe so, but who has not who has made any attempts at service? Is it because they are lazy? Perhaps so! Or, maybe it is because they think there is nothing for them to do; that others are doing everything. Hardly so, because there is work for us all to do. It may not be of such nature as will be noticed and applauded by men, but what of that? Are we not to work when our work is un-noticed and unpraised? Certainly so, so let us all resolve to do more! If we will, souls will be saved, the Lord’s work will prosper, God will be glorified, and the world will be a better place in which to live. And who would not want that?

Truth Magazine XXIV: 18, p. 296
May 1, 1980