Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

One of the doctrines taught by denominationalists for years is this: “It makes no difference what you believe, just so long as you are sincere.” Or, again, “Let us not argue about religious matters, for it makes no difference anyway because each is entitled to his own belief.” In early restoration writings, gospel preachers answered this false doctrine frequently. It is surprising to me to see it resurface among brethren in this decade. Yet, it has done just that.

In the recent exchange between Billy Williams and Weldon Warnock which was carried in Truth Magazine, Billy Williams made the following rather significant statement:

To answer his questions: If one deliberately and wilfully disobeys God’s law or does presumptuous sin (presuming to change or act in defiance of God’s laws), he is surely condemned as long as he continues in that sin (Num. 15:22-30; Heb. 10:26ff). But if he, in ignorance, transgresses God’s law while earnestly desiring to serve Him faithfully, I do not find any passage that allows the to condemn him. He is not more a sinner than I am . . . .

Some have turned the Lord’s church into a business or social club to satisfy their own lusts; some seek to be entertained by their instruments of music and know nothing of worshiping God in song; others dethrone the Christ and say He died because He failed. These all stand self-condemned! But there are faithful brethren who honestly believe they can use institutions in the church, worship with instruments, or that Christ will return and reign over an earthly kingdom. Are they condemned because they do not understand these things as I do? I do not presume to do so judge them (“Answer to Warnock (2),” Truth Magazine, Vol. XXIII, No. 19, p. 6).

Brother Williams has in essence taught exactly what the denominationalists have been teaching for years, namely, that it makes no difference what you believe or practice so long as you are honest and sincere. This is the doctrine which I want us to consider in this article today.

Will It Work In Any Other Field Of Study?

I have always thought it strange that principles which are so obviously false with reference -to every other realm are somehow thought to have validity when we turn to religion. Does any scientist think that it matters not what two elements a person mixes and in what proportions he mixes them, just so long as he is honest and sincere he will come up with the exact chemical that he desires? Of course not! Do our astronauts think that it makes no difference what direction their rockets are fired that they will end up where they want them to go, just because the men are honest and sincere? Of course not! We recognize that honesty and sincerity are no guarantees of success in these areas. The pages of history could literally be filled with the names of men who were honest and sincere but mistaken. Many of them lost their lives tragically because they were wrong, although both honest and sincere.

Despite the fact that all will admit that honesty and sincerity are not adequate replacements for the truth in secular matters, some still cling to and teach the idea that it matters not what the truth may be in religion so long as one is honest and sincere. What saith the Scriptures?

Plain Statements In Scripture Reveal That This Is Wrong

There are a number of plain statements in God’s divine revelation which show beyond a shadow of reasonable doubt that those who are honestly in error in religion are not thereby saved. Rather, there is an objective standard of truth revealed in God’s word which men are responsible for knowing and obeying. Honest and sincere sin is still sin – sin which will damn a soul in hell. That this is true, please examine the following passages of Scripture:

1. Lev. 5:17. “And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.” The Mosaical law declared that sins committed in ignorance separated a man from God and would cause him to lose his soul.

2. Ezek. 3:17-21. In this significant passage, the Lord appointed Ezekiel to be a watchman to Israel. His obligation was to warn Israel of the sins she was guilty of committing. Jehovah said, “When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” Notice that the wicked man would die in his iniquity; ignorance did not excuse him. The twentieth verse of the same chapter applies the same principle to the righteous man who departs from his righteousness to the commission of wickedness as it applies to the one who had never been righteous.

3. Matt. 7:21-23. This familiar passage relates that calling on the name of the Lord while doing works of iniquity does not result in salvation, but damnation. There is no indication in these verses that those guilty of these sins were guilty of presumptuous and defiantly rebellious conduct; rather, these men were calling Jesus “Lord,” prophesying in His name, casting out devils in His name, and doing many wonderful works in His name. Yet, because they were guilty of sin, they lost their souls. Apparently these men were not saved just because they were honest and sincere.

4. Acts 17:29-30. Paul told the Athenians that God does not wink at ignorance but commands all men everywhere to repent. These very religious people in Athens who were ignorantly worshiping God were found to be in sin and in need of salvation. Ignorance was inexcusable even when proceeding from an honest and sincere heart.

5. Matt. 15:13-14. Jesus is recorded to have said, “Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” Both the blind leader and the blind follower will be destroyed. Honesty and sincerity would not save a person in these circumstances.

All of these passages reveal that honesty and sincerity are no guarantee of salvation. Rather, the Lord expects obedience. This leads us to the following divine truth: when God gives a man a revelation, that man is responsible for learning and obeying, that revelation. In connection with this, consider 2 chess. 2:10-12. Paul wrote of the coming of the Wicked One

. . . whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Arid for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Notice that this passage plainly stated that those who believe a lie shall be damned! I do not know how the Lord could have stated the matter more plainly. These people (a) ceased to have the love of the truth, (b) received a strong delusion, (c) believed a lie, (d) had pleasure in unrighteousness, and (e) eventually will perish or be damned.

Learning From Divine Examples

Even as we can learn the truth of God through express revelation, we can also learn God’s divine will through the inspired examples recorded in the Bible. The following examples of conduct recorded in the Bible demonstrate that God will condemn those who, despite their honesty and sincerity, disobey the Lord. Consider them with me:

(1) The young prophet (1 Kgs. 13). After Jeroboam had led the rebellion against Rehoboam which resulted in the establishment of the kingdom of Israel and left only the tribes of Benjamin and Judah loyal to the Davidic dynasty he established an apostate system of worship in Bethel and Dan. He removed the worship from Jerusalem which was God’s holy hill, appointed priests from men of every tribe, erected images contrary to the Ten Commandments, and established unauthorized holy days. Because of these apostasies, God sent an unnamed young prophet to prophesy against this apostate worship. When He sent him, He instructed him, “Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.” The young prophet went to Bethel and spoke the message of the Lord. Then, he began his return journey to Jerusalem. An old prophet residing in Bethel heard of what had happened and quickly saddled his ass in order to catch up with the young prophet and talk with him. When he caught up with him, he invited the young prophet to eat with him. The young prophet related how God had forbidden him to eat in that place: Nevertheless, the older prophet related, “I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spoke unto me by the word of the Lord saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.” Then, the historian adds, “But he lied unto him. ” The young prophet believed the lie and went home with the older prophet for dinner. While there, the word of the Lord did actually come on the older prophet; the older prophet spoke God’s condemnation for the younger prophet’s disobedience of God’s commandments, despite the fact that the disobedience was done in ignorance from an honest and sincere heart. Consequently, on his journey home, the young prophet was slain by a lion because he had disobeyed the Lord. This young man’s death is proof that an honest and sincere heart is not accepted by God in the place of obedience.

2. Saul of Tarsus. Who among us is not familiar with the conversion and life of Saul of Tarsus? Though Paul was guilty of blasphemy, and was an injurious and violent man (1 Tim. 1:13) during the time that he was persecuting Christians, he did it ignorantly in unbelief. Yet, during that time, he was considered the very chiefest of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). Despite the fact that he testified to have sincerity of his conscience (Acts 23:1; 24:16), Paul recognized that he would have gone to hell had he died in the condition of believing a lie.

We could add to these examples many other occasions when men believed a lie and disobeyed God, such as the belief of the Israelites under Joshua of the Gibeonites’ lie (Josh. 9:1-27) and the Jewish disbelief in the Christ (Rom. 10:1-3; 11:20). Despite the fact that these persons were honest and sincere, they were believing what was false, obeying what was false, and damned to suffer the consequences of their error.

Conclusion

Men and brethren, let no one deceive you! The doctrine that one can be saved while practicing sin so long as he has a good, honest, sincere heart is one of the biggest lies that the Devil ever invented. There be some who clothe themselves as ministers of light who go about this land circulating that lie. Do not believe it and preach it! You will delude others and cause both of you to be damned thereby. Rather, “Buy the truth and sell it not” (Prov. 23:23). Realize that the truth and it alone can make you free from sin (John 8:32). A lie, though sincerely believed, can never do for a man what the truth can!

Truth Magazine XXIII: 37, pp. 595-597
September 20, 1979

By Earl E. Robertson

In 1869, twenty years after the founding of the American Christian Missionary Society, Isaac Errett editor of the Christian Standard of Cincinnati wrote a report of the Society’s meeting which had to do with church cooperation. He wrote of some remarks a Dr. Richardson made in the meeting, saying, “His remarks on that sort of church independency which leads a dozen or two to assemble and style themselves `the church of Christ,’ and, while doing nothing beyond self-edification, glory in the thought that they are `the pillar and support of the truth,’ were exceedingly pointed and forcible. `What truth do they support?’ he asked. The world does not even know of their existence, and they live and die without one earnest forthputting of missionary enterprise to make the world better. He thus laid the basis of a strong appeal for co-operation” (Memoirs of Isaac Errett, Vol. 2, p. 44, Lamar).

May 18, 1946, Guy N. Woods said, “Now, get it, ladies and gentlemen: There never was a church on earth that could carry out this commission unaided. There is in the commission absolute authority for church cooperation. By cooperation, I mean the pooling of resources . . . . There never was a New Testament church on earth that had sufficient means by which to carry out this commission unaided” (Cooperation in the Field of Benevolence and Evangelism, pp. 10, 11).

These two men have said essentially the same thing. The Missionary Society did not become the utopia in converting the world as dreamed by men like Errett. In fact they have realized and acknowledged its failure in their “missionary enterprises.” Their efforts to pool the monies of all the churches into the treasury of the society to convert the world has not only proven a failure, but they split churches everywhere too. Churches do cooperate in evangelism as each congregation acts independently (organically of all others) in carrying out the great commission. The same commission is given to each congregation – take the gospel to every creature (Mark 16). Though the efforts of some may be meager in means they are nonetheless carrying out the commission given by Christ, Woods and Errett to the contrary, notwithstanding. Do these men not know that when the commission was given it was given to just a few men – the apostles. The people taught and baptized were to teach exactly what they had been taught. They have not done the wonders imagined in covering the earth with their human schemes.

Errett’s stated objection to “church independency” for world evangelism was a bold effort to get all these “independent churches” to pool their financial resources into one pot – the Missionary Society. At that time there were approximately sixteen thousand congregations. The efforts of others of Errett’s persuasion resulted in about fifteen thousand of these churches getting on the band wagon and riding into total apostasy. Yet, all this was the real thing the Lord wanted, aid’ through Fsuch “co-operation” they would soon convert every creature! Check the intervening years for their work and see if they did for the Lord all the things promised. The truth of the matter is by October 1968 there were only some six thousand congregations still identified with that movement they lost nine thousand congregations in one century! Furthermore, those remaining six thousand through a period of ten years of intensive effort which was climaxed in a dancing festive .in Kansas City, Missouri, transform themselves from a “loosely allied’ Federation of Churches into a representatively organized denomination.”

Man’s way did not work in the “pooling of resources” from 1869 to 1968. It was not scriptural then and it is not now scriptural for one church or a society of men to receive the financial resources of all the churches to do the work of evangelism – a work each congregation equally sustains to the great commission given by the Lord (Mark 16; Matt. 28), though Woods says the commission itself is “absolute authority” for churches to so pool their resources. It seems strange to allege the commission is “absolute authority” for a sponsoring church but deny the missionary society the same authority. No congregation has scriptural authority to assume an evangelistic work which it financially can not do, and then beg other churches all over the world to furnish it the necessary funds to accomplish this work. Jesus and His apostles never taught such and no church in the New Testament ever did such, so on what basis do churches today try it?

If one church can do nothing in carrying out the commission and there is “absolute authority” for the “pooling of resources” in it, then we would conclude the “pooling of resources” is a must to carrying out the commission. Woods’ statement argues this conclusion. Are the liberal churches now willing to surrender their power to this extend? I think many of them are conditioned with looseness to accept it.

We are glad to tell you though it really isn’t true.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 37, p. 594
September 20, 1979

By Bette Wolfgang

In a society which defines a “worthy woman” as one who succeeds in the business world or in intellectual circles, there has lived a woman perfectly depicting the Biblical description of a worthy woman. In fact, she is one of many thousands of unheralded Christian women who have gone quietly about their lives as Christians without expecting special recognition. But this one may serve as an example and an encouragement to many Christian women.

Martha Jane Walls Orgain was born on December 1, 1928, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Lonnie Allen and Anna Clara Hipp Walls. When the railroad transferred the father to Dickson, Tennessee, the family moved to the small town 40 miles west of Nashville. With the teaching and guidance of her Christian parents, Martha Jane was baptized at an early age. At 17, shortly after her graduation from Dickson High School, she married Donald Harrison Orgain on May 13, 1946. As a result of her influence and teaching, he was converted to Christ.

As a new wife, Martha Jane worked outside the home, but as the family expanded with the births of a daughter, Annette, and a son, Pat, she quit her job to devote her full attention to her family.

Always active in the Lord’s work, she not only taught her children to love the Lord, but she also taught in the Bible class program in the church and was partially responsible for the conversion of her sister-in-law, Peggy Orgain, and many others. In the case of a death in the church, she was always first to arrive with food and comfort for the bereaved family. She went quietly about visiting and helping the sick and the elderly.

When her children reached adulthood, she continued her help and support. When her daughter gave birth to twins, Martha Jane stretched forth her helping hands to make the difference between a difficult situation and a joyful one. She also worked again on a part-time basis, but continued helping with her seven grandchildren when she was needed, always maintaining that delicate balance of loving supportiveness without meddling interference.

Donald Orgain is postmaster in Dickson, and when he mentioned that Monday was his hardest day, Martha Jane cheerfully made it a point always to be home with a hot meal waiting for him at lunchtime. He, on the other hand, wanted her to have whatever she wanted, and made the enviable statement any wife would love to hear from her husband that “when the Lord made Martha Jane, the mold was broken.”

In 1969, Martha Jane Orgain was diagnosed as having lymphosarcoma, or cancer of the lymph glands. After having a tumor removed from her abdomen and two other operations, she underwent chemotherapy. Even though the treatments made her very sick, she never complained or even mentioned the nausea and vomiting.

She called together the members of her family and calmly stated that they would live each day to the fullest and not discuss her condition. Apparently, they were very successful in carrying out her wishes since a happier, closer family could not be found. They reserved Sundays for worshiping the Lord and for being together. They were always close, but in a joyful attitude and not because of the sorrow that they knew would probably come.

And it did come, swiftly and decisively. After a seven year remission, Martha Jane became ill on Thursday, April 5, 1979, with what seemed to be a stomach virus. The next day, she was rushed to a Nashville hospital and placed in intensive care. She died on Monday, April 9.

Though many things may be said of this Christian woman, the wise man of Proverbs 31 has already stated it best thousands of years before this particular worthy woman lived:

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life:

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

She is like the merchant ships; she bringeth food from afar.

She riseth up while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household and a portion to her maidens.

She considereth a field and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

Strength andhonor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also and he praiselh her.

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellent them all.

Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

In this time of “liberation” for women, Martha Jane Orgain was a superlative example of liberation. She was totally liberated in Christ. She found joy and happiness in His service and in her family. She would have laughed at the idea that she was oppressed or suppressed in her chosen role. In fact, she laughed often, and her heart was at peace.

She is very much missed by her family and by the church at Oak Avenue in Dickson. But even through her death, she is teaching us to live as the Lord has said each day at a time, for Him. And she is, even now, an encouragement and an example of the hope we have in Christ Jesus.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 36, pp. 586-587
September 13, 1979

By S. Leonard Tyler

This is a searching but fair and vitally important question. The answer is basic and, to me, essential to any who believes in the all-sufficiency of the Divine Volume, the Bible. Can one be sure, positive, when he is a Christian, a member of the church of Christ? Can he proclaim with confidence this message to others for their salvation? Can a Christian tell when one is turning back into the world or wallowing in the mire? If one starts turning toward denominationalism, can that be recognized? If these questions have a positive answer, truth makes a distinction and we must recognize it. If, on the other hand, the response is negative, truth makes no difference, and we had just as well forget the whole matter – because no one can be positive what is right. If the word of God is not clearly understandable, man is left without clear knowledge and convictions.

These terse questions demand a positive response if one is to find revealed in the Bible an indispensable, vital faith and life in Christ.

Is the Bible the inerrant word of God, complete, absolute, understandable, and the unique standard by which man is to be reconciled to God in Christ, directed and saved eternally? Is the Bible reliable, worthy of trust and confidence? Is it understandable, especially the New Testament, so one can be uniquely, intelligently, and Scripturally identified with its teaching? Can one say like Paul, “I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded (convinced, NASB) that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day”? (2 Tim. 1:12).

To respond positively does not necessarily identify one with the Pharisaic, “braggadocios,” self-justifying attitude. It does imply, however, that he possesses a genuine, active, and confident faith in the word of God as trustworthy, authoritative, positive, and understandable. It is saying, “Speak, Lord, I will believe, Command, I will obey. Promise, I will trust.” Then, we must search the Scriptures to learn what the Lord says, commands, and promises, and accept His will by faith with complete confidence.

Attitudes Toward The Bible

There are many views regarding the Inspiration of the Bible. We notice two very briefly. (1) The Bible is Inspired in Thought or Principle. God miraculously and directly revealed His will to certain chosen men but left them to express the message in their own words without Divine assistance. This leaves too much to human judgment or wisdom. Subjectivism and relativism have a great and lasting influence upon the minds of those adhering to such a loose concept of inspiration. Skepticism which opens the door to denominationalism is also very common to such a view. But these delight in the “non-essentials” and the “non-essentials with liberty” rule their religion. Notwithstanding all the warnings contained in the Bible (Matt. 15:9; 2 Cor. 10:5-6, 12-18; 2 Thess. 2; 1 Tim. 4:1, 15; Heb. 2:1-2; 2 Tim. 4:1-5; Acts 20:28-32), these continue to allow the doctrines and commandments of men to predominate in their lives (Isa. 8:20; Jer. 10:23; Prov. 14:12).

(2) The Second View is Plenary Verbal Inspiration. God miraculously and directly revealed His will to certain chosen men and miraculously and directly superintended their choice of words. Thus, they could speak and write verbally and inerrantly exactly what God wanted them to, exactly as He wanted it said or written, giving man an understandable and infallible guide. This is the claim the Bible makes for itself (Acts 2:1-5; 1 Cor. 2:12-13; 1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 2:7, 11, 17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17), and I most sincerely believe it will stand against every evil wind that blows.

Is It Understandable?

Many accept the verbal inspiration of the Bible but are skeptical about understanding the Bible itself. So, to them, one can not be positive enough to say, “This is it.” If the teaching of the Bible is unattainable to man, he is left without positive directions or law. This brings to my mind, an old but true Latin expression, “Ubi jus incertum, ibi jus nullum” – where the law is uncertain, there is no law. Here the religious wonderers gather, separate, reform, tolerate, and split again. And here the word of God is thrown to the four winds of the earth. Emotionalism, confusions, divisions and every philosophy and doctrine imaginable to man finds tolerance. The sociological changes sway minds, evolutionary theories are planted, and spiritualism goes wild in this incomprehensible Bible whirlpool. Surely, God would not give man such a Book as that! God has not authored mass confusion and wild contradiction in religion (1 Cor. 14:33). Our concern is not, “Can one person judge another?” We are deeply concerned with, “Can we understand the Bible?”

The Bible is filled with propositional truth. A proposition is “An expression in language, symbols, or signs of anything which is capable of being believed, doubted or denied: a verbal expression which is either true or false” (Webster’s New International Dictionary, Unabridged). Scripture is to be accepted or rejected upon the credibility of its understandable truths.

The Bible claims positive, yea, even Divine truths. David declared, “For ever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in Heaven” (Psa. 119:89). Jesus said, “My words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). Peter states, “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Pet. 1:23; NASB).

God’s truth stands regardless of one’s attitude toward it. It is absolute truth. God can declare the end of a thing at the beginning (Isa. 46:10). If a person contends that Bible knowledge is unattainable, or impractical, he cannot claim a firm guide into God’s provision for salvation. To whom shall he go?

God spoke plainly to Moses when Israel was preparing to possess the land of Canaan (Deut. 30:11-30). Moses called the children of Israel together and reminded them of God’s goodness, love, and care for their forefathers and His gracious provision for them. He, then, read the Law: (1) He read so all could hear and understand it. (2) They could know their God and His way. (3) This was in order that they might do all the words of the law (4) Thus, Israel could share in all the blessings of their God. (5) And, then they could teach God’s law to their children with the same provisions, conditions, and blessings. Some one observed: “This law was plain enough to be understood; practical enough to be obeyed; and divine enough to be essential. ” This, I believe, is applicable to all of God’s will to man for salvation. The gospel is God’s power unto salvation to every one who believes (Rom. 1:16) but “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Further, Paul told Timothy, “These things I write unto you . . . that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God” (1 Tim. 3:14-15). It certainly seems from these expressions that God intended for man to understand His written word. Why else would He have written it?

The Bible is what God teaches – no more and no less neither can any man add to it nor take from it (Gal. 1:6-9; 1 Pet. 4:11; 2 Pet. 1:3; Titus 2:7-8, 10). Too many times however, what is called “interpretation” is nothing more than what man thinks, feels, or assumes and has no place in the Divine Volume. If the Bible does not teach it, it is no part of God’s word -regardless of what or how anyone thinks or feels about it. Bro. M.C. Kurfees makes the following observation:

It follows that the Divine Creed can never be an unnecessary inference or merely what man thinks. This, according to the etymology of the term, would make it merely man’s opinion. How can we tell, in a given case, whether a thing is what God says or merely what man thinks? Here again, if we have no infallible rule for our guidance, we are in hopeless confusion . . . the science of hermeneutics is a false science unless it seeks, by its principles, laws and rules, to ascertain, and is willing to be satisfied with, what an author says, and this fact especially applies in the case of religion where the search is for what God says. In fact, when we have learned by absolutely correct translation from one language to another, exactly what God says, we have reached the limit of legitimate interpretation and are justified in saying that we have found what God means by finding what God says. He who repudiates this position has only the alternative of committing himself to the lax and latitudinarian position of guessing at what God means beyond what he says . . . (Abilene Christian College Bible Lecture 1920-1921, page 17).

Paul wrote the Ephesians to assure them of a definite and positive standard by which to be governed and sustained in Eph. 4:10-16. He assured them that miraculously inspired teachers would continue until the complete, perfect will of Christ was revealed and confirmed.

When that time arrived, God’s people would have a full knowledge of Christ communicated, God’s complete will made known. By that will Christians both were and are to be firmly sustained and directed in true fellowship, grace, faith, hope, service and all spiritual relationships in Christ with God, the Holy Spirit and all the saints for salvation (1 Cor. 1:9; Titus 2:11-12; 1 John 1:3-7; 1 Pet. 1:3-9). The same apostle told the Corinthians that “when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (1 Cor. 13:10). James shows that the “perfect law of liberty” is come (James 1:25; 2:12).

The Bible is the positive, unalterable standard by which man is to be drawn to Christ, directed, and sustained. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). So Paul told Timothy to charge certain men “that they teach no other doctrine” (1 Tim. 1:3). Peter said, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11). Thus Paul warned the Ephesians about the “cunning craftiness” and deceptive doctrines and pleaded with them not to be “tossed to and fro” by such false teachers and doctrines. Then Paul added, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things which is the head, even Christ.” He wrote the Colossians to be “grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel” (Col. 1:23). In Jude 3, the instruction is to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” This is God’s will for all men today. May God help us to study, believe, obey and teach it with full assurance that what God has promised He is able to fulfill.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 36, pp. 584-586
September 13, 1979