Truth Magazine

By Darrell L. Hauber

I have recently heard a discussion which was directed towards authority for collecting money into a congregation’s treasury at any time other than the first day of the week. This discussion was between a faithful gospel preacher and the elders of a congregation which had just publicized a Friday night collection of money to help defray expenses at a workshop which they sponsored (The Bulletin, Hillcrest Church of Christ, Anderson, Indiana, 10-29-78). The gospel preacher arranged the meeting with them to ask the scriptural authority for a collection of money into the church treasury as they had just done. The authority they gave for this was Gal. 6:10.

This verse when kept in context plainly teaches individuals that they are obligated at every opportunity to do good to all men, especially Christians. However for many years this verse has been used by some to justify congregational benevolence to all people. When the verse is used like this it is wrested and applied to a congregation when Paul intended individual application.

As the argument was made for congregational giving based upon this scripture, I wondered if the ones who first misused this passage for congregational benevolence would appreciate the new authority now gleaned from its now expanded usage. Beyond the false teaching of general congregational benevolence we now have men using this to teach general any-day-of-the-week congregational giving. This seems to be a real to life example of the warning in 2 Pet. 3:15-18 where Peter says the wresting of scripture will destroy the wrestler.

There has been many things already destroyed by our brethren as they have perverted the word of God. Many have destroyed the unique spiritual identity of the Lord’s Church using Acts 2 and other passages to justify congregationally sponsored social activities. Some have cast aside the pattern for church sponsored work in establishing their missionary organizations with complete disregard of the example of the apostle Paul’s receiving wages from churches (Phil. 4:15). It appears the destruction of the church’s identity in another area is being threatened as it has been in the past. Who would have thought that any congregation would ever start collecting money on Friday?

When men depart from speaking as the oracles of God and ministering according to God’s ability (1 Pet. 4:11) unity among God’s people is prevented and/or destroyed. This is just what happened in Corinth as recorded in 1 Cor. 1:10. This unity was so dear to Christ that he prayed to God about it in John 17. This unity was so important that Christ gave gifts unto men to produce it (Eph. 4). This unity has been and is being destroyed by wresting the scriptures such as we have seen in the above discussion. It appears that the possibility of unity among all who claim to be a part of the Lord’s Church will be even more remote than it has been in the past.

It certainly makes us sad to see such destruction because men have distorted and are distorting scriptures to justify their own desires. Not a single thing that has been added by the wresting of scripture is needed to furnish the church or the Christian to do God’s will. All has been provided in the inspired scriptures. Therefore, we would that all would cease such activities and once again rightly divide the word of God. The results we see from perverting the sciptures are by no means predictable so let us who wish to treat the word of God as He intended be careful to never handle the word carelessly. We must be careful to neither willingly or ignorantly wrest the scriptures. As has been demonstrated before us a little wresting will not stop until the wrestler and many other important things such as unity and the identity of the church have been also cast aside. How small a misuse of scripture can grow into a large crop of error as we reap the crop according to our sowing (Gal. 6:7).

Truth Magazine XXIII: 35, p. 570
September 6, 1979

By Irvin Himmel

To the Galatians, Paul wrote, “For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith” (Gal. 5:5). The main thought in that sentence furnishes the title of this article.

1. We wait by faith when the gospel is preached. After the farmer or gardener sows the seed, he cultivates, waters, and cares for the plant, patiently waiting for the harvest. He has faith that the seed will germinate, the soil will be productive, and the sunshine will cause growth according to God’s natural laws.

In like manner, we do not expect immediate results each time the seed of the kingdom is sown. We show our faith in God’s word, in the divine laws for the growth of the kingdom, and in the promises of God by cultivating and watering, and by patiently waiting for the increase.

2. We wait by faith for the coming of the Lord. Jesus has promised that He will come again (John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11). No one knows of that day or that hour (Matt. 24:36). We do know that “unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Heb. 9:28). Our citizenship is in–heaven, “from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). “Look for” in this passage is the same as “wait” in Gal. 5:5. It conveys the thought of eager expectation as well as patient readiness.

3. We wait by faith for eternal life. We who are Christians live “in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” (Tit. 1:2). That which is the grand object of our hope is unseen, for “hope that is seen is not hope . . . But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Rom. 8:24, 25). This is what Paul is referring to in Gal. 5:5. We, through the Spirit’s revelation by means of the word of God, wait for the hope of righteousness. The Spirit reveals that righteousness or justification is through Jesus Christ, not the works of the law of Moses. Eternal life is the hope offered to all who attain to the righteousness that comes through the exercise of faith in Jesus Christ. We wait (rather than grow discouraged or turn back) for the hope of righteousness by faith.

The life of the Christian is one of the earnest expectation and diligent service in patient waiting; it is a life of fidelity to Christ.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 35, p. 569
September 6, 1979

By Johnie Edwards

There was a time when there were no denominations, Catholic or Protestant. In the days of the apostles men were just Christians. “. . . And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 1 Y:26). Gospel preachers persuaded them to just be a “Christian” (Acts 26:28). Peter said, “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Pet. 4:16).

(1) The Lord’s church is not a denomination. Jesus said, “I will build my church . . .” (Matt. 16:18). The church revealed in the Bible is the Lord’s church, purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28). What is it about the Bible church that is denominational?

(2) Find the answer. To what denomination did Paul, James and John belong? Take your Bible and search to see if you can determine to what denomination, if any, that these men belonged. If you find, and I believe that you will, that they belonged to no denomination, but that they were members of the Lord’s church – would you be content to just be a Christian and a member of the same body? Would you?

(3) Suppose. Just suppose we could put a person in a room by himself. This person knows nothing about any religious teaching. We give him a Bible. He has never seen a Bible or heard a thing about it. We arrange his stay so that he has no contact with any person. He reads and understands the Bible (Eph. 3:4); comes out and obeys it. He is baptized as the Bible teaches, (Mk. 16:16). Question. What church would he say he is a member of? What is he religiously? To what denomination does he belong?

Truth Magazine XXIII: 35, p. 569
September 6, 1979

By Tom Roberts

Scenario 1: A noted preacher steps into the pulpit. His presence has been advertised far and near and an appreciative audience has gathered to hear this man proclaim a message. He is advanced in years, has spent many years in preaching and, when he speaks, people listen. He has been called an orator, lecturer, author, world traveler, gospel preacher, etc. Many in the audience, in anticipation of a “meaty” message, have brought a tape-recorder to preserve his words for the future.

Imagine the consternation of those who are gathered when this mighty man speaks his first words and they are, “Put up your tape recorders. I will not have any of my sermons recorded any more. If you had had as much trouble with tape recorders as I have, you wouldn’t like them either.” Or words to that effect.

Scenario 2: A group of preachers has gathered to study a subject that has been disturbing the peace and harmony of the Lord’s people for some time. Much study and preparation have gone into each presentation and, with honesty and sincerity, brethren have gathered to listen to what the other fellow has to say and to present his own view of the truth. When one of the preachers gets up to “speak his piece,” his first words are: “Turn off the tape recorders. I refuse to speak if any tape recorders are in use.”

Scenario 3: A group of members from a local church has been invited for a private Bible study in the home of one of the members. A preacher from another area has been invited by one of them to study a disturbing problem with this group and the members are anxious because this subject has divided other churches. The preacher who is to lead the study has been known to have had similar studies in other churches where division has occurred following such studies. So in order to accurately record what is being taught, plans are made to tape the study. The visiting preacher gets the attention of the group and announces: “Turn off the tape recorders. We are just here for a private study and we don’t want our `off-the-cuff remarks’ taken out of context. We will not allow tape recorders and if anyone insists, we will just dismiss the study.”

Each of the “scenarios” really happened! These are not fictional ideas and the participants are not actors. In each of the cases (and they could be multiplied), actual men made these demands of those present and all the tape recorders had to be turned off before events proceeded any farther. Scenario 1 refers to Foy E. Wallace, Jr., at Denton, Texas. Scenario 2 refers to Arnold Hardin here at West Side’s building during a study of grace and related matters. Scenario 3 has been duplicated around the country by many preachers who have been advocating the “New Unity Movement” and has happened right in our own area. It’s not at all unusual these days.

Why is it that certain people avoid those dreaded tape recorders like the plague? Because they accurately, exactly and precisely record every word that is spoken!

Foy E. Wallace has had to eat his words against institutionalism because of reprinted articles and tape-recorded sermons. Arnold Hardin and others have had their error exposed because of the accuracy of tapes. It is all there in the little strip of plastic – every syllable, every tone, every emphasis, every scripture and every phrase, with every argument intact.

Of course, the objection raised by those who fear the tape recorder is that someone will take a passage out of context; that someone will misrepresent a position that the speaker advocates. Friends, if I planned to study with someone who might take something out of context or misrepresent me, I would insist on taping the entire proceeding! Then, if someone accused me of saying or teaching something that I did not say or teach, all I would have to do is reproduce the exact text. This would expose the accuser and settle the matter at once.

The truth of the matter is that brethren are going around the country preaching unsettling doctrine. They are teaching error and want to cover as much territory as possible without having to give account for their words where they cannot be misrepresented. It is extremely easy for one to speak where no tape recorders are present, and then, when faced with one’s error, simply say, “Oh, but you misunderstood me.” Or, “That isn’t what I said.” And who can prove otherwise, since we have no method of proof other than faulty memory? If I wanted to depart from the truth, I would not allow tape recorders either! If I wanted to insert myself slyly into a group of people and teach them differently than they have been taught in the past, I would not speak in front of a tape recorder! In the words of Bruce Edwards and Edward Fudge (A Journey Toward Jesus), new ideas must be carefully presented. When Bruce Edwards asked, “How do you make your points such that no one causes a stir – begins a controversy – over your teaching?”, brother Fudge replied, among other points, ” . . . (3) as you have opportunity where the person seems receptive and open . . .” “When you deal with a passage or topic, therefore which touches on the things you feel the brethren need to learn, work it in or bring it out, without making a big to-do over it, simply sowing seed for perceptive minds to think about at their own speed . . . why upset them unnecessarily by rushing things” (pp. 44. 46).

A lot more could be said about teaching methods but space won’t permit. Suffice it to say that a preacher who refuses to be taped automatically arouses my suspicion. After all, a preacher should preach so as to be understood. He should welcome any method which encourages that. His message should be laced with scriptures and his points clear and in harmony with truth. If we disagree, let us step up to the issue and clarify our points of disagreement so that we may approach them with Bible in hand and learn the truth. After all, God has His own “tape recorder” and we will meet our own words at the Judgment where we shall give an account for every word. Charge “misrepresentation” against the brethren if you will, but you won’t charge God with it. Choose your words carefully, brother, because God won’t turn His recorder off!

Truth Magazine XXIII: 35, pp. 568-569
September 6, 1979