Truth Magazine

By S. Leonard Tyler

Did you know, when you drop a dime, quarter, or whatever in t..e Salvation Army’s “little red-pot” on the street that you are contributing to a religious denomination? Well, you are! It is a church just as much as the Methodist, Baptist, Mormon, or any other. The Merit Students Encyclopedia (Vol. 16, 317), states it thusly:

The Salvation Army, an international Protestant religious and charitable movement, organized and operated on a semi-military pattern. It is primarily evangelical in nature but also has a vast program of social services. The Salvation Army’s activities include preaching Christianity in sixty-nine countries throughout the world. Worship services have no set form, but singing and brass bands are utilized and have become commonly associated with the movement. Each corps hold weekly religious meetings for adults and young people, and a program of Christian education is provided for all age groups.

To impress the religious nature of The Salvation Army, we quote from the Oxford Dictionary of The Christian Church, Edited by F.L. Cross (p. 1210). It reads:

The religious teaching of the Salvation Army is largely in harmony with traditional evangelical belief, but rejects all Sacraments and stresses especially the moral side of Christianity. It enjoins complete self-denial on all its followers. The technique of producing conversions is aggressive and emotional and makes extensive use of public testimony and penance; its realistic methods of presenting religion to the peoples in which open-air meetings with brass bands and banners play an important part, differ greatly from those of other Christian bodies.

Her principle doctrine is “faith only” and “direct operation of the Holy Spirit upon the human heart in salvation.” However, people in general do not think of the Salvation Army as a religious denominational church. But it is from start to finish.

The Salvation Army is not just a social benevolent organization as the Red Cross. It is a religion and church in the fullest denominational sense. In fact, it is listed as being one of the fastest growing denominations in the world. Do you want to aid her religious growth and help her convert people to her denominational, erroneous and false doctrine and church? If you aid her in her work, you help her convert innocent people and build a stronger Army.

I am not opposed to the good work that is done. But when any group of people presumptuously, in disrespect to Christ’s teaching, bind themselves together and form a church in name, doctrine, faith, worship, organization, and work, one must cry out against it. God warned Moses a long time ago in plain and strong terms regarding any prophet speaking or doing any thing presumptuously., Listen to it:

But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously . . . the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandments, that soul shall utterly be, cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him (Num. 15:30-32; see also Num. 17:12; 18:20).

No wonder David prayed,

Keep back also thy servant from presumptuous sins . . . Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer (Ps. 19:13-14).

Today we must hear and follow Christ’s Word to be His (2 John 9; Matt. 7:21, 24-29).

The reason is simple and yet profound, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). And, “Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up” (Matt. 15:13; see also verses 3-9).

We must not allow some good work to blind us nor to nullify the teaching of our Lord. Just because some group calling themselves a church does temporal good in helping needy people certainly does not commend them to God as being right scripturally and spiritually. God does not accept humanitarian service as spiritual salvation. We must never forget that the very purpose of Christ’s coming to earth and dying was to save the soul of man. The gospel is given for the same reason, to reveal Jesus and His way of salvation.

The gospel of Christ is given that man might be saved (John 20:30-31; James 1:21-25), just as Jesus came into the world to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Therefore, whatever state Paul found himself in while serving the Lord, he learned to be content (Phil. 4:11), and we should do the same (Heb. 13:5). It is not the material things that equates salvation, but faith which by love follows God’s directions (Gal. 5:6). “Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the’ fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22). Obedience is a manifestation of faith and love (Rom. 6:16-18).

It seems we are becoming so materially minded and subjectively related that we are unable to accept the reality of the soul of man. In this case, the soul is at stake and the teaching of Jesus regarding man’s salvation. If the false doctrine preached by the Salvation Army will effect salvation, we need not worry about the truth of any doctrine any more. But in reality that is all that counts for life eternal – Jesus and His teaching.

Community Chest Support of Salvation Army

The Community Chest should be non-religious, not religiously related. But it has become associated with and connected to churches by contributing to various programs of their benevolent work. “This ought not so to be.” But we wonder why The Salvation Army shares in the Community Chest, and is allowed to set up her booths on our streets to solicit funds for benevolent purposes? Other churches do benevolent work; why not grant them the same privilege? If it is right for one church (Salvation Army), is it not right for the other? If not, why not?

The response, “They care for our stragglers and benevolent cases.” Since when does the city government depend upon a church to do her work? The city has benevolent obligations and should expedite them and involve no church.

Some may ask, “Are you in favor of allowing all churches to set up booths on every street corner and `beg’ money?” My answer is a firm, “No.” No church, in my judgment, should establish their own teaching and program of work, join them inseparably together, then case the whole thing upon the public for support. It is my strong conviction that each church should handle her own affairs, plan her own work and depend upon her own members to support it.

Another thing. If any church solicits through the mail, radio, on the streets, or appeals to the public for support, she should be lawfully obligated to give an accounting to the public for the disposition of every dime collected.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 40, pp. 651-652
October 11, 1979

By Greg Litmer

One of the acts of worship that we are commanded to perform is partaking of the Lord’s Supper. The words of Jesus, “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me,” and, “This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:24, 25) emphasize the importance of this supper. Acts 20:7 instructs us as to how often and on what day of the week we are to partake. This action constitutes part of the doctrine of Jesus Christ (2 John 9).

Since this is such an important function of our lifes as Christians it is important that we perform it properly and leave no room for misunderstanding on the part of unbelievers. Many times in our worship services we have people attending who are not members of the Body of Christ. It is so very important that these people not be given the wrong impression by our actions and words concerning the Lord’s Supper.

The area I would like to give closest attention to is that of giving our thanks for the bread and fruit of the vine. Often the prayer is worded in this manner, “Father, we thank you for this bread; which is to us, by faith, the broken body of our Lord and Saviour Jesus.” Those of us who are Christians understand what that prayer means. To those who are not Christians, I am afraid that that is a simple statement of the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation. The Catholics believe that the bread actually becomes the body of Jesus, by faith. The same is true of the fruit of the vine. They believe that it actually becomes the blood of Jesus. If we say, “Father, thank you for this fruit of the vine: which is to us, by faith, the blood of Jesus,” we are merely stating the Catholic position. As a former Catholic who was for a time an uninformed visitor to the services of the Lord’s church, I can say that this is the impression that is given by those statements.

To set forth the Catholic position, 1 would like to quote from the Modern Catechism (page 146). This book was printed in 1964 and bears the Imprimatur of Albert Cardinal Meyer, who was the Archbishop of Chicago. In answer to the question, “What food do we eat in Holy Communion?” the book says, “We eat the bread of life, Christ himself. At the Last Supper Jesus took bread and wine, blessed them, and gave them to his apostles. `This is my body,’ he said. `This is the chalice of my blood.’ Then he directed his apostles to observe this sacred ceremony in memory of him. When the priest repeats this ceremony today, bread and wine give way to the body and blood of the Lord. This change takes place at the consecration of the Mass.” All of this is truly a matter of faith.

The Bible does not teach this doctrine of transubstantiation and we should be careful not to imply that it does. The words of Jesus in Matt. 26:26-29, Mark 14: 22-25, Luke 22:19-20, and 1 Cor. 11:24-25 clearly show that the bread and fruit of the vine are remembrances of our crucified Savior, representative of His body and blood. The very fact that Jesus Himself was standing there saying those words shows that the bread and the fruit of the vine were not actually His body and blood. This was figurative language.

Another example of this type of language occurs in John 10:7-9. There we read, “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” Jesus was not an actual, physical door here anymore than the bread and fruit of the vine were His actual, physical body and blood. The Bible simply does not teach that they are His actual body and blood by faith or by anything else.

Let us take care, therefore, to always be clear in our prayers concerning the Lord’s Supper. Our visitors need to know what the Bible says as we go about fulfilling one of the commands of Jesus.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 40, p. 650
October 11, 1979

By Don Hastings

Joseph did not submerge himself in pity. He did not become discouraged. If we had been in Joseph’s place, we might have said, “I have tried to serve the Lord faithfully and look where it has gotten me – a slave in prison. I am through living for the Lord and now I’m going to live only for myself.” Thankfully, Joseph did not reason that way.

Joseph was a slave in prison one day and a governor over the mighty kingdom of Egypt the next day. However, the swift and great transition of positions did not change his attitude toward the Lord. How I wish that all of God’s children would maintain a strong, active faith in God, whether they are suffering through adversity or enjoying success! It is easy to understand why “Jehovah was with Joseph.”

The Lord was with Joseph when he was reunited with his father, brothers and sisters. Jacob sent 10 of his sons to Egypt to buy grain for “the famine was over all the face of the earth” (Gen. 41:54-42:5). “And Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him” and thus fulfilled the childhood dreams of Joseph (Gen. 42:6; 37:5-11). Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him (Gen. 42:7, 8). He called them “spies” and, to prove that they were not spies, he said they must bring unto him their youngest brother (Gen. 42:8-20). His brothers believed they were being punished because of the way they had mistreated him (Gen. 42:21). Joseph wept when he learned how Reuben had defended him (Gen. 42:22-24). He bound Simeon, gave them grain, and secretly put their money in their sacks.

Jacob refused to let Benjamin go to Egypt for he said, “My son shall not go down with you” (Gen. 42:38). Finally, Jacob was persuaded to let Benjamin go when Judah said that he would be responsible for his brother’s safety (Gen. 43:1-15). In Egypt, Joseph prepared a feast at his house and invited his brothers to attend (Gen. 43:16-28). At the feast, Joseph was overcome with joy because Benjamin was there and he left their presence that he might weep secretly (Gen. 43:29-31). So typical of human nature even today Joseph, washed his face so that others might not detect he had been crying, and went back with the others after getting a grip on himself.

Joseph tested his brothers love for Benjamin by making it appear that Benjamin had stolen his silver cup (Gen. 44:1-13). Judah made a beautiful, passionate plea on Benjamin’s behalf (Gen. 44:14-34). Joseph was so touched by Judah’s unselfish request that he could not withhold his identity any longer (Gen. 45:1-15).

Like Jesus, Joseph was often moved with compassion (Gen. 45:14, 15; 46:29). He did not permit the hardships he had suffered to harden his heart. Is your heart hard and insensitive or is it warm and tender (1 Pet. 3:8; Rom. 12:15)? Only those with a compassionate heart will help their fellowman (Luke 10:33; Matt. 14:14). Pharoah told Joseph to invite all his family to live in Egypt. They came to Egypt and lived in Goshen (Gen. 45:16-50:26).

Joseph fully forgave his brothers. They were afraid that after Jacob’s death, Joseph would treat them cruelly because of the evil which they had done unto him (Gen. 50:15-17). We can read of Joseph’s kind reply to their request that he forgive them in Genesis 50:17-21. Do we completely forgive those who sin against us and ask our forgiveness or do we continue to hold a little resentment in our heart against them (Matt. 6:14, 15; Eph. 4:32)?

Joseph died when 110 years old. (Gen. 50:26) He made the children of Israel promise that they would carry his bones back to Canaan when they left Egypt (Gen. 50:24, 25; Heb. 11:22). This promise was kept (Ex. 13:19; Josh. 24:32).

The Lord was with Joseph guiding him through all his life. It is easy to see God’s providence at work in the life of Joseph. Providence is “the care exercised by the Supreme Being over the universe . . . . The exercise of foresight and care for the future . . .” (Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary, Vol. 11). “Divine providence has come to refer to that foresight and forethought, preservation, care and government of God which enable Him to bring about a desired end “(Florida College Lectures, 1975, “Prayer and Providence,” Homer Hailey, p. 53)

About 200 years before the birth of Joseph, God had told Abraham that his seed would “. . . be sojourners in a land . . .” (Gen. 15:12-14). It was through Joseph that God made provision for His people to go and dwell in Egypt in fulfillment of this prophecy to Abraham (Gen. 45:5-8; 50:19, 20).

It was not just coincidence that the Ishmaelites just happened to be passing by and headed toward Egypt when Joseph was in the pit and that Judah just happened to think of selling him. It was not just by luck that Joseph had interpreted the butler’s dream so that the butler could call Pharoah’s attention to Joseph when Pharoah had dreams, etc.

God is working in your life to make you into the type of person He wants you to be, but you must yield yourself to Him so “His pow’r can make you what you ought to be. . .” (Romans 6:12, 13). Not long ago in a bulletin, under some short sentence sermons I read something similar to this, “If you aren’t happy with the way I am, be patient 6od’s not through with me yet.”

God wants you to become one of His children and be faithful and useful to Him like His servant Joseph. What person would not want to possess the leadership qualities Joseph possessed? Or to have the same confidence Joseph did without becoming over-confident as Joseph controlled that, too? Like Joseph, we should not be afraid to assume responsibility and fulfill it admirably. To be faithful and useful to God, we must mold these characteristics into our lives. Will you let God work with you and through you to accomplish His holy Will?

Truth Magazine XXIII: 40, pp. 648-649
October 11, 1979

By Earl E. Robertson

It is quite obvious that .some do not believe what the New Testament says about this matter. The difficulty arises over the work of the individual and the work of the church. Some allege that the church is at work when one Christian is doing his own daily work; at the same time, some think the individual is at work when the local church is engaged in some activity. Often the mistake is made in failing to recognize that two or more Christians may concurrently work some spiritual service without their action being that of the church. Just because a certain duty is imposed upon all children of God (see 1 Tim. 5:8, 16 as an example), one should not conclude that such is church action. The very opposite in this example is true.

Though the church of the Lord is composed of people blood washed people – it is not made up of just one. Paul wrote, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12). Again, he wrote, “For the body is not one member, but many” (1 Cor. 12:14). The local church has its work to perform, which work is done in its aggregate capacity; however, the diligent Christian knows all his responsibilities are not discharged in that capacity alone. There are some things peculiar to the church -a collective body – which are not duties of individual Christians. The Lord’s supper is in the church ( 1 Cor. 11:20; Lk. 22:18). Elders are peculiar to the local church (Acts 14:23; 1 Pet. 5:2). The Lord’s supper and elders are recognized by the Scriptures in no place but in the church. Now individual Christians, banded together in forming a local church, eat the Lord’s supper together and they all submit to the elders who have the oversight.

Paul wrote, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” “If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed” (1 Tim. 5:8, 16). Here inspiration says any believer (Christian) who might have a widow in need must relieve that widow and not the church. That is what the Bible says! Man says, “Anything that is commanded of me as my duty as a Christian is also commanded of my fellow Christian; and therefore, commanded of the church.” Further we are told, “To say that individual Christians are obligated to do certain things that Christians as a collective body cannot do is a misunderstanding of the nature of the church.” Well, Paul misunderstood the nature of the church! Who can believe it? Paul said if believers should have widows let them relieve the widows, and “let not the church be charged. “This is a specific case where “individual Christians are obligated to do certain things that Christians as a collective body cannot do.” Whom will you believe: (1) the human voice, or (2) the divine voice?

Truth Magazine XXIII: 40, p. 648
October 11, 1979