Truth Magazine

By Jeffery Kingry

1 have been a science-fiction freak since 1 checked out my first novel from the library in 1953. Like everything else, there is good and bad SciFi. 1 try not to let the arrogant and godless humanism, or the laughable evolutionary suppositions spoil the story line. But, one of the advantages of fiction (whether it be fantasy or SciFi) is that it stimulates the imagination to visualize things that the senses have never felt. This is not a bad thing for a Christian. There is a great deal about what is recorded in the Bible that becomes most meaningful when given some mental flesh from an active imagery.

But, as a Christian 1 know that the truth is much more fantastic than anything man’s fancy can describe. The abiding theme repeated over and over in much SciFi is “Is there life beyond the earth’s bounds?” God’s revelation says “Yes!” There is the angelic host, a vast, innumerable body of created beings, who dwell in the heavens. An ancient race, as old as man, they have visited the earth regularly from the heavens for millenniums. They are a superior race to man, as man was created below them in God’s plan. Without sex, each individual is ancient in age as each was created in the beginning and still lives. They have the capability to take upon themselves human form, and have appeared to mortals as mere men on some occasions. Like man, they possess free-will, and in their spiritual and natural form are accompanied in their appearance upon earth with blinding and glorious heavenly light. Whether they dwell beyond the second heaven, or in a parallel spiritual universe to our own is problematical and not revealed. But they certainly do not dwell on earth.

Of course, they are not some form of evolved, superior intelligence so often described in SciFi, that come from other planets. They are much more special and unique than that, for they are the messengers and servants of the Lord of the Universe, and dwell in His presence. The modern man, secure and snug in his well-defined and “natural explanation” style universe will some day be shocked from his smug complacency by the Lord and His fiery, shining servants. Modern man seems to have lost his fear and awe of God. This scientific and highly technological world we live in has conquered space, distance, knowledge, and mind – or so they believe. Man is mocked in his wisdom by God. His highest attainments pale in the face of God and His hosts.

Close Encounters

Recently I went to see a movie called, “Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.” The movie dealt with the first technological contact “of the third king” with beings from another planet. As a piece of fiction, it was very well done.

The story line, for this article is immaterial, but something happened at the end of the movie which was very illustrative. The world’s scientists have gathered at a specially prepared landing strip and outdoor laboratory beside an enormous basalt mountain in Wyoming. In the dead of night, the UFO’s come streaming across the sky in absolute silence and hover in formation just yards before the whirring cameras, rolling tape recorders, and humming computers. The scientists stare, impressed and excited, but still calm, assured, and confident. Contact is made, and the UFO’s speed away. Silence falls, tension builds, and then bigger, more complex UFO’s come pulsing in to hover close overhead the community of professional skeptics. This time the scientists fall back, somewhat frightened by the closeness of the UFO’s neon glaring craft. All their equipment begins to fly about in the magnetic fiefs of the UFO’s. Finally, even these UFO’s, impressive though they are, streak off into the night clouds. The men cheer, impressed with the technological abilities and power of these intelligent beings. Again, silence finally falls over the crowd as they look up into the heavens.

Then, suddenly, yet slowly, like an enormous sea-beast rising from murky water, one single UFO, bigger than the entire mountain it lay behind begins to rise with glowing light from behind the mountain, to glide noiselessly over the men and touch down one small point amongst them. The photography and special effects were excellent. The UFO resembled a fairy-tale city of towering spires and minarets, clusters and globes, shining with millions of lights like some kind of bizarre Christmas tree. The glow and intensity of the light made the men squint and don sunglasses to view its glare. Its size dwarfed the mountain, and its complexity and beauty boggled the mind. This huge mountain of light then settled down like a leaf wafted on the wind and rested effortlessly and silently before and above the awed men.

The scientists gaped, their eyes widened, some fell to their knees, while others cried, or ran hiding their face. In the theater the awe of the moment was felt, even though all realized it was but a movie. At that moment it came to me, “If you think this is something, wait till you see the real thing!”

The response of the men on the screen to the glory of a space ship as big as a mountain, and bright as a klieg light was typical. Their accomplishments and ability became somewhat puny in comparison. They were outclassed, outgunned, and over their head. They felt awe and fear. but, this was make-believe. It was conceived and produced by the mind of man. The mind came from God. Man’s glory does not compare with the glory of God.

I thought, as I sat watching these awe-struck men kneeling before the bright lights of a UFO from another planet of the words of David, “Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honor and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain . . . who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: who maketh his angels’ spirits; his ministers a flaming fire” (Psa. 104). It was interesting that the approach of the UFO’s in the clouds was a special effect lifted from the movie The Ten Commandments.

God Is Light And In Him Is No Darkness

I have, like many I feel sure, grown accustomed to our God. Close to Him in prayer, His grandeur is subdued in the words “My Father . . . .” Even the sun, moon, and stars can be taken for granted in their majestic orbits. But, there have been certain moments in man’s history when the glory of God shone through from the eternal heavens, and shone upon men’s faces with an unearthly light. The vision of God’s presence upon His throne has brought strong men like the prophet Isaiah quaking to hide his face in the dirt. He cried out when seeing the shining presence of the King of kings “Woe is me! I am undone! I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: For mine eyes have seen the King!”

Elijah was taken into the presence of God by a chariot of blazing fire, that left the earth in a whirlwind. Elisha never forgot the glory of that moment, and the experience so marked him that “when the sons of the prophets saw him they said The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha, and they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him” (2 Kings 2:11, 15). An invisible army of these same bright and shining chariots, which blazed like fire, filled the mountains about Jerusalem, protecting it from the Syrians (2 Kings 6:13-17).

Paul was blinded by the glory of the “great light” which shone forth from heaven when Jesus of Nazareth confronted him on his way to Damascus (Acts 9). The man, trembling and astonished, fell to the earth in awe and fear.

John, in the final revelation, was taken by angels in the spirit into the very presence of God (Rev. 1:1, 10). He saw the Lord, as Daniel had seen him centuries before, “Whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; His throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as a burning fire” (Dan. 7:9). The Lord’s feet shone with a metallic brilliance, like a piece of finely polished brass. They glowed in the heavenly light, with the orange-red light of metal in a furnace (Rev. 1:15). Around his waist his garment was drawn with a cord of gold. His voice called out to John and fell upon his ears with all the power and strength of crashing surf in a storm, a mighty waterfall, or a raging river. He glowed with a white purity of light no man could replicate in physical cloth (Mk. 9:2, 3). As men without exception had done before him, John fell to his face like a man dead, and trembled with fear.

Man’s best efforts to awe another can but elicit the “ahh’s” of wide-eyed people in movie theaters. The reality of God’s glory, and what it portends for us is at once awe-filled, fearsome, exciting, and humbling. A fairy city of light? It is but a mere product of man’s ingenuity, shone upon a screen.

But, in every man’s life, there will come a day when each will stand before the Ancient of Days, the Lord of Lords, the Lord of Glory, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, the Alpha and Omega, Creator of the Universe, Designer and Maker of man and angel, the Omnipotent, Omniscient, Eternal God, and answer. “Every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess, every one of us shall give an account of himself before God.” In that presence, we like all others will fall and say, “O woe is me! I am undone!” Our imaginations are stunted and dull, and seldom stimulated to such glory.

Tonight, look at the stars, contemplate the heavens, and imagine your Lord coming with His universe full of angels, converging upon the earth in their flaming brilliance out of every corner of the heavens to take you home. The sky will ignite in the fervent heat and light, as we are changed instantly, in the twinkling of an eye into an, equally glorious body of light, and rise to the heavens to meet Him in the air. Our new heavens and earth will center in a city of light greater than this earth, without physical bounds. The structure of it will be with precious stone, metal, and wood. An existence with no sorrow, pain, or loss. It will be a place where Christian and O.T. men of faith alike will look into the face of deity. It may not be a city – or gold or precious material – or light as we know it – but it will be real. It will be as different as the flower is from the seed. It will be as glorious as the sun above the earth, and the stars in the sky. But, it will be real, and it will happen in your life.

Meditate upon the glory of God and His promises for you. Cold shivers run down the spine, and tears to the eye. It brings the Christian back to this world with excitement and sobriety as he begins to see the world in its true perspective: “I write to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and savior . . . the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men . . . . The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with a fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness . . . . Wherefore beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless, and account that the longsuffering of our Lord is for our salvation” (2 Pet. 3).

We all need a bit of awe and excitement. Meditating upon God and His judgment will bring each Christian closer to the richness of life promised in Him.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 32, pp. 518-520
August 16, 1979

By Wallace H. Little

On the theory: “When your enemy writes a book, buy it; he’ll tell you what he intends to do to you.” I subscribe to a number of publications from our liberal brethren. Among them is Mission. I have every issue from its beginning and carefully have read it to keep abreast of the latest “developments” among the brethren it represents. It provides a steady diet of apostasy in one form or another with a little “middle-of-the-road” writing to keep some from being completely turned off with it otherwise. Incidentally, it does not want articles that differ sharply from its philosophy. I have had articles turned down on this basis, the editor writing me that my material would not suit the needs and desires of its audience. Well la-de-dah! I never expected it would. But in view of its policy of printing virtually anything any liberal writes, I did hope I might be given equal opportunity. Alas, the FCC is more fair than are our brethren.

Reflecting the desires of its editor, board, contributors and, in general, subscribers, this magazine has advocated some “interesting” things. These include but are not limited to acceptance of homosexuals (without repentance), women preachers, evolution, fellowship with the denominations and even an ordination board which would determine who would (and obviously, also, who would not) be permitted to preach in churches of Christ. Beneath all this, there seems to be an intent of establishing a functioning unit of the church universal. Not being privy to the minds of those running that magazine, I can only surmise their ultimate desire. But from what has been published in it and what it has advocated and supported, it is my conclusion the thrust of those running it and writing for it to forge a loose (perhaps later, a structured) brotherhood of congregations to function collectively. This is to enclose all the editor, board and contributors believe can be persuaded to support the things they want. They are moving carefully so as not to run off too many who still claim to believe in the restrictiveness of God’s Word and the exclusiveness of His church.

I wish this were not so, but it is. We can weep over our lost brethren, and pray for them, but neither will change their minds or bring them back. As Ed Harrell said of the apostasy in the last century, slightly modified to fit today’s circumstances: “these are seeking a different Christianity than the one we know from the New Testament.” They have become a law unto themselves. See Judges 17:6 and 21:25. It was a disaster then. It will be no better now.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 32, p. 517
August 16, 1979

By Mike Willis

The problem of sin will always remain with us so long as we are abiding in the flesh. None of us will reach a state of perfection; we can never live absolutely without and above sin. John stated, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us . . . . If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 Jn. 1:8, 10).

In our systems of thought, each of us must come to grips with this problem of sin. I think that it might be useful to our study to analyze some of the methods which people have used in dealing with the problem of daily sins. Perhaps this will help us to deal with the problem among ourselves. Certainly it is true that some erring brethren are appealing to the problem of sin in every Christian’s day-today life to justify fellowshipping those who have departed from the faith with reference to using mechanical instruments of music, church support of human institutions, and church sponsored recreation, among other things. These brethren argue that because we are not perfect, we should not expect our brethren to be perfect. Therefore, since we have sins and maintain fellowship with God, we should be willing to admit the same with these brethren.

Obvious from this argument is the problem of dealing with day-to-day sin in formulating some system of thought relevant to the subject of fellowship. Hence, I will mention the alternatives for dealing with day-to-day sin so far as I am aware of them and let us see their respective weak and strong points.

The Calvinists’ Method of Handling Daily Sin

One method of handling day-to-day sins known to be preached among denominationalists is that of the Calvinist.- The Calvinist believes in the perseverance of the saints (once saved, always saved). Hence, he does not believe that the sins which an individual commits on a day-to-day basis in any way separate that man from God. Rather, he believes that because a man is one of God’s elect, he can never fall from grace. Here is how the Philadelphia Confession of Faith (1742), one of the most popular confessions adopted by Baptists, expressed this belief:

XVII. OF THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS – I. Those whom God hash accepted in the Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith of his elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance (whence he still begets and nourisheth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the spirits to immortality), and, though many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon, notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of the light and love of God may, for a time, be clouded and obscured from them, yet it is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraven upon his hands, and their names having been written in the book of Life from all eternity.

2. This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God, and Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with him, the oath of God, the abiding of his Spirit, and seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.

The theological justification for believing that God will save the believer in spite of his sins is the doctrine of the imputation of the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ to the believer’s account. Here is how Calvinists express this relationship:

I reply that `accepting grace,’ as they call it, is nothing else than his free goodness, with which the Father embraces us in Christ when he clothes us with the innocence of Christ and accepts it as ours that by the benefit of it he may hold us as holy, pure, and innocent. For Christ’s righteousness, which as it alone is perfect alone can bear the sight of God, must appear in court on our behalf, and stand surety in judgement. Furnished with this righteousness, we obtain continual forgiveness of sins in faith. Covered with this purity, the sordidness and uncleanness of our imperfection are not ascribed to us but are hidden as if buried that they may not come into God’s judgment, until the hour arrives when, the old man slain and clearly destroyed in us, the divine goodness will receive us into blessed peace with the new Adam (John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book III, Chapter XIV, No. 12).

Notice that Calvin argues just exactly as I stated. He stated that the imputation of the perfect obedience of Christ was the reason why saints do not fall from grace. As a matter of fact, his statement resembles that which some of my brethren are writing today. Let us consider other statements from the Institutes.

Therefore, we explain justification simply as the acceptance with which God receives us into his favor as righteous men. And we say that it consists in the remission of sins and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness (Book III, Chapter XI, No. 2).

. . . It is quite clear that Paul means exactly the same thing in another statement, which he had put a little before: `As we were made sinners by one man’s disobedience, so we have been justified by one man obedience’ (Rom. 5:19p.). To declare that by him alone we are accounted righteous, what else is this but to lodge our righteousness in Christ’s obedience, because the obedience of Christ is reckoned to us as if it were our own? (Book III, Chapter XI, No. 23).

Imputed Righteousness. For Christ took upon himself and bore the sins of the world, and satisfied divine justice. Therefore, solely on account of Christ’s sufferings and resurrection God is propitious with respect to our sins and does not impute them to us, but imputes Christ’s righteousness to us as our own (II Cor. 5:19ff; Rom. 4:25), so that now we are not only cleansed and purged from sins or are holy, but also, granted the righteousness of Christ, and so absolved from sin, death and condemnation, are at last righteous and heirs of eternal life. Properly speaking, therefore, God alone justifies, and justifies only on account of Christ, not imputing sins to us but imputing his righteousness to us (5.108).

1. Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justified: not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteousness; not for any things wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness, but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves: it is the gift of God (6.060).

This, my brethren, is one method which has been used to deal with the problem of one’s sins which he commits day by day. Let us consider its relative advantages and disadvantages:

1. Advantages: It gives a man a sense of security. I say this with some reservation; in order to be one of the persons who persevere unto the end, whose sins are automatically covered by the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ. a person must be one of God’s elect. No one can state assuredly that he is one of God’s elect individuals. Hence, an assurance would be present, provided that one were guaranteed that he was one of God’s elect.

Indeed, the whole system of Calvinism is designed for making man in no way involved in his own salvation; they make salvation totally the work of God. Hence, the elect are in no way responsible for meeting any conditions in order to be or stay saved.

2. Disadvantages: (a) Sin is overlooked by God. This whole concept of God’s attitude toward sin is devastating to a proper doctrine of God; it destroys His holiness. It affirms that God has absolutely willed to save certain individuals without having regard to righteousness and obedience. Hence, God loves such men far more than righteousness because He will save them while they are yet refusing to obey Him. Arminius recognized this weakness in Calvinism; he wrote as follows:

The great influence and potency which this consideration possesses in subverting the foundation of religion, may be appropriately described by the following simile: Suppose a son to say, “My father is such a great lover of righteousness and equity, that, notwithstanding I am his beloved son, he would disinherit me if I were found disobedient to him. Obedience, therefore, is a duty which I must sedulously cultivate, and which is highly incumbent upon me, if I wish to be his heir.” Suppose another son to say: “My father’s love for me is so great, that he is absolutely resolved to make me his heir. There is, therefore, no necessity for my earnestly striving to yield him obedience; for; according to his unchangeable will, t shall become his heir. Nay, he will be an irresistible force draw me to obey him, rather than no; suffer me to be made his heir (James Nichols and W.R. Bagnatl, The Writings of James Arminius, Volume One, p. 233).

Hence, this system is weak because it makes God guilty of overlooking sin in His saints which is contrary to His holiness.

To illustrate the extent to which this doctrine goes in overlooking sin, as the legitimate conclusion of the premises of Calvinism, consider this statement by Sam Morris:

We take the position that a Christian’s sins do not damn his soul. The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul . . .

. . . All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services he may attend, all the sermons he may practice, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; and all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger (Rev. Sam Morris, “Do A Christian’s Sins Damn His Soul?”).

This position of unconditional forgiveness, if it were true, would indeed grant a man a certain amount of assurance of salvation which is not available to a person who believes what I believe. However, it taints the fountainhead of all religious dogma – the idea that God is holy.

(b) Destroys a need for repentance. The second disadvantage of this system of handling one’s day-to-day sins is that it destroys any basis for admonishing a brother to repent. When I approach a man who is involved in sin, I admonish him to repent lest he perish in eternal Hell for his wickedness. The man who accepts Calvinism is not able to do so; he cannot explain to the erring child of God that his sins will damn his soul because, according to him, they will not.

(c) It is contrary to everything the Bible teaches regarding conditional salvation. God’s grace in the Bible, is extended to man conditionally. The alien sinner and the child of God receive the benefits of God’s grace upon their obedience to the commandments of God. However, in the system known as Calvinism, this is not so. The man is saved unconditionally. This is contrary to hundreds of Scriptures in the Bible.

Summary

I am saddened by the news that several brethren among us have decided to accept the Calvinist doctrine of the imputation of the perfect obedience of Christ to the believer’s account as a means of dealing with the day-to-day sins which we commit. Their doctrine will logically lead them to the Calvinistic doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” None of my brethren are willing to state that categorically. However, they are willing to state that a child of God who, in a moment of weakness, becomes involved in adultery and dies in the act of committing adultery could still go to heaven. There is not a hair’s breath between the Calvinistic doctrine and the perseverance of the saints and what is expressed by these brethren.

Yet, one must admit that this is one of the theological methods which men have used to deal with the problem of day-to-day sin. I personally reject it anal call it damnable heresy, although some among us state chat it is the very essence of Christianity. (Continued next week).

Truth Magazine XXIII: 32, pp. 515-517
August 16, 1979

By Johnie Edwards

The Two Sticks Argument

One of the Mormon films teach that the book of Ezekiel prophesied of the book of Mormon. A careful reading of Ezekiel 37:16-24 will show that Ezekiel had no such thing in mind.

(1) The Mormons say that the stick of Judah in Ezekiel refers to the Bible and the stick of Ephraim refers to the Book of Mormon. Neither application is correct.

(2) The Mormons have at least three books, The Book of Mormons, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. They say all three of these are from God. It looks like Ezekiel would have mentioned four sticks instead of two had he had Mormonism in mind.

(3) A background study of Ezekiel 37 will shed some light on the subject. When God led the twelve tribes out of Egypt into Canaan, He made them one nation. Israel became dissatisfied with God’s way of ruling the land by Judges and desired a king to be like the nations about them. God gave them a king in the person of Saul. Saul disobeyed God and was rejected from being king. After Saul came David and then Solomon. Because of the sins of Solomon, God decided to remove the people from Him, yet not all, for the sake of David. Therefore, when his son Rehoboam came to the throne, the people rebelled, all except Benjamin and Judah. These that continued allegiance to Rehoboam were called after “Judah” and the remaining tribes who turned to Jeroboam were called “Ephraim” (Isa. 7:8-9; 9:8-9; Hos. 4:16-17; 5:3; 9:3).

Ezekiel is not referring to two books, but rather, two nations of people as he explains in the context. He said one stick was for Judah and one was for Joseph. He then said, “And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand” (Ezek. 37:17). He tells us that they would become one nation again. “And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all” (Ezek. 37:22).

(4) There is no command in Ezekial to write a book. It is assumed that the word stick as used in this passage means book. In fact, book or books is not even mentioned in this passage. The word stick is from the Hebrew word `ets’ and means, “wood, especially of a wooden post, stake, gibbett.” This Hebrew word is used. many .times in –the :Scriptures. It is translated a number of times “tree” and several ..times “wood” – but is , never translated book! .For the life of me, I cannot understand how the Mormons get the writing of a book out of this passage. There is no command to write a book or even a volume of words. He was to write on one stick for Judah and on the other for Joseph. Thus, the joining of the two sticks, signified that Judah and Ephraim,, in returning from captivity, would not be two nations, but should become one again. This is exactly what Ezekiel said.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 32, p. 514
August 16, 1979