Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

The greatest invitation ever extended to man was not extended by a civil government ruler, benefactor of mankind, movie star, or rich man. It was extended by a poor, wandering preacher named Jesus of Nazareth. His invitation touches our hearts, draws us to Him, and offers us eternal salvation. Here is His blessed invitation: “Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30). Join with me in examining this invitation more closely.

It Invites Us To Jesus

The first thing that I notice about this invitation is that it invites men to Jesus. Seven times in three short verses, Jesus used the personal pronouns I-my-me) to invite men to come to Him. And why not? He is the Savior of the world (Jn. 4:42); He is the only way to the Father in heaven On. 14:6); He alone can save’ men from their sins (Matt. 1:21). His entire mission in life was to seek and to save that which is lost (Lk. 19:10). Hence, above all others, men need to come to Jesus!

The nature of Jesus is such that men are naturally drawn to Him. Many men who want to impose a yoke on their fellow man are arrogant, overbearing and harsh. Not so with Jesus. He is meek and lowly in heart. He is the one who “when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9:36). “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory” (Matt. 12:20). Who can read of Jesus’ life on this earth without saying to himself, “I surely would have liked to have known Jesus.”

We are drawn to His personality like a moth to a flame. Jesus said, “And 1, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (Jn. 12:32). He was lifted up and His love for man still draws men to Him. The love of Christ still constrains us (2 Cor: 5:14). Hence, it is only natural that in the great invitation Jesus invites all men to come to Him. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; He is the bright morning star; He is the Alpha and the Omega; He is the Word of God incarnate; He is the great Physician. And, He invites men to come to Him.

Who Is To Come?

The call of the gospel is, of course, universal. “And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17). God’s grace through Jesus Christ has appeared to all men (Tit. 2:11); God wishes that no one perish (2 Pet. 3:9). Hence, whosoever wishes to come to the Christ may come. Yet, not all men will wish to come to Christ.

Let us consider the context of this invitation to notice who will be attracted to Jesus. In 11:20-24, Jesus upbraided Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for their unbelief. He said that if Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom had witnessed the miracles which these cities witnessed they would have repented and not have been destroyed by the judgment of God. These cities had the opportunity to come to Christ but refused to do so. At this point, Jesus said,

I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him (11:25-27).

In this statement, Jesus emphasized that not all men would want to come to Him. The wise and prudent of this world would have little or no use for Jesus. The “babes,” the heavy laden, and those who labor would be the ones who would be attracted to the Lord. The wise consider the gospel foolishness (1 Cor. 1:21-29).

The wise of this world saw the same signs as the believers in Jesus. When they saw them, they plotted His death (Matt. 12:14); they charged that He was performing miracles by the power which He obtained by being in collusion with the devil (Matt. 12:24). The gospel is of such a nature that a man must empty himself of all of his own self-esteem and wisdom in order to accept the gracious offer of salvation through Christ. The gospel will never appeal to the rich, wise, and the some-whats of this world because they have too much pride in their own wisdom to come meekly before Jesus for salvation.

The men who respond to Christ’s invitation are those who labor and are heavy laden. “Those who labor” does not refer to men who earn their living through working; rather, it refers to those who are laboring for salvation. The Jews of Jesus’ day were laboring to be saved through obedience to the law of Moses. Theirs was a hopeless case; one disobedience made them guilty before the law as a transgressor (Gal. 3:10; Jas. 2:10-11). Like David, they cried, “For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me” (Psa. 38:4). This was a yoke which no one could bear (Acts 15:10). The “heavy laden” were those men who had been made to bear all of the human traditions imposed on them by the Jews. “For they bind heavy burden and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders” (Matt. 23:4). The more conscientious a man was and the more he tried to do what was right for salvation, the more requirements were placed upon him. Soon, the poor man became heavy laden by all of the rituals imposed on him by Phariseeism. That coupled with his actual guilt which came because of his transgressions of the law, left the poor man frustrated and hopeless.

What a relief it was for such people to find Jesus. Jesus preached His gospel to the poor (Matt. 11:5) and downtrodden of this world (Matt. 12:20). The heavy laden and those who labor found hope in Jesus Christ. These were the ones particularly invited to come to Jesus.

What Shall They Receive?

What did Jesus promise to these people? if the message of Jesus is to be interpreted by modern man’s concept of Jesus, we would reach the conclusion that Jesus promised them social changes. For many, the message of Jesus is church sponsored recreation, orphan homes, homes for the aged, hospitals and schools. Yet Jesus did not promise these kinds of blessings to His audience! To others the message of Jesus is to be applied by “preachers” leading racial riots and other riots to clean up ghettos. Yet, Jesus did not so interpret His ministry. Others think that the message of Jesus is best applied when it is twisting the arm of Washington, D.C. Again, Jesus did not become involved in the clashes of politics.

The message of Jesus, His good news, was “rest.” Yet, even this was not rest from physical labor; it was “rest unto your souls.” The gospel brings rest to the man laboring to find salvation; it brings rest to the man who is heavy laden with the guilt of his own sins. The rest it brings is a rest unto the soul! To such a man, the gospel announces that Jesus has died on the cross to bear the punishment for our sins. By His stripes, we are healed. It announces that we can be saved by grace through His precious blood! It offers “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:4). It holds out a crown of life for all those who love His appearing (2 Tim. 4:6-8). This is the rest which the invitation of Jesus offers to give to mankind.

How Do We Receive This Rest?

Obviously, these blessings are given conditionally. Although salvation comes by the grace of God, it is given only to those who “come unto Me.” There is something expected of men in order for him to receive the blessings of Jesus Christ. In order to come to Christ, we must learn of Him. We must take His yoke upon us and learn of Him. No one can come to Christ except through the process of learning of Him (Jn. 6:44-45). As men are taught the saving gospel of Jesus Christ, they must believe it, repent of their sins, and be buried with Christ in baptism (cf. Acts 2:21, 36, 38). This is the manner in which men may come to Jesus.

Yet, men must bear the yoke of Jesus Christ. When we think of a yoke, we think of something that weighs heavily upon us. Jesus yoke, however, is altogether different from any other yoke known to men. Whereas other yokes weigh us down, the yoke of Christ gives us rest (Matt. 11:28-30). It alone lifts off of man the guilt of his sins, reconciles him to God, and gives to him the peace which passeth all understanding. Yet, this yoke also brings tribulations and persecutions-things concerning which we must count the cost (Matt. 9:18-22). Yet, even these things to the disciple of Christ are not galling and opprobrious. 1 am reminded that the apostles went away rejoicing after they had been beaten by the Jewish leaders, counting it a blessing to be considered worthy to suffer for Christ (Acts 5:41). You can understand, therefore, why John wrote, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 Jn. 5:2-3).

Though we must come to Christ, learn of Christ, and bear His yoke in order to receive “rest unto your souls,” these conditions are not a galling yoke to be borne. Rather this is an easy yoke and a light burden (Matt. 11:30).

Conclusion

Are you loaded down with the burden of sin in your life? Has guilt become unbearable? Do you have trouble sleeping at night because you think about the sins which you have committed. If so, listen to Jesus’ invitation to you: “Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. “

Are you a sinful man wanting to do better? Have you tried to quit sinning and reverted to your wicked ways time after time? Are you ready to give up and just accept the dominion of sin over your life? You cannot overcome Satan by yourself. Listen to Jesus’ invitation to you: “Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Are you thinking that life is not worth living? Are you torn by the loss of a loved one through death or divorce? Is your life worthless in your own eyes? Do you wish that you had never been born? Are you contemplating ending it all through suicide? If so, listen to the invitation of Jesus Christ which is extended to you: “Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:2830). Will you turn to Christ and find rest unto your soul?

Truth Magazine XXII: 48, pp. 771-773
December 7, 1978

By Frank Driver

David, the new king of Israel, had gathered thirty thousand chosen men to bring up the ark of the covenant, where God dwelt, to the new political and spiritual center of Israel, Jerusalem. The sacredness of the ark and the solemnity of the occasion justified the large number and the ceremony described in the record. But though zealous and pious, David did wrong by transporting the ark on a new cart rather than on the shoulders of the priests as God required. As one sin usually leads to another, this resulted in Uzzah’s conscientious and reasonable effort to “steady” the ark as it was carried. But he, too, violated the word of God (Num. 4:15-20) and was slain of God. Here was a “good work” performed in good faith, yet in violation of God’s word, which was punishable by death.

David reasoned that if God is so exacting in the conduct of His work, “how shall the ark come?” (2 Sam 6:9). He was afraid to move the ark further, left it three months in the house of a righteous man, and finally brought it to Jerusalem. Like many today, David thought if he could not do the work of God as it seemed best to him, it could not be done effectively at all. Those who are disposed to serve God in the ways of human wisdom, identify opposition to their violations of God’s word with “doing nothing.” With David they cry, “How shall we do the work?” But David learned that the ark indeed did reach its destination in God’s divinely appointed way.

There is a difference between that which God requires and what men are often inclined to do. If David had been careful to regard the ordinance of God in his movements, he would not have fallen victim to his own wisdom and pride, Uzzah would not have died, and the ark would have reached its destination much earlier.

Yes, there is a difference. Contrary to human wisdom, it does matter whether we sprinkle or immerse for baptism, whether we make music to God by singing only or by playing an instrument also. It makes a difference whether we serve God through the local church or though a conference, synod, or other organization of churches, or organization independent of the church. It is the difference between doing what God said and going beyond what He said (2 John 9, 10).

Truth Magazine XXII: 47, p. 763
November 30, 1978

By Jimmy Tuten, Jr.

“Sanctification” in its noun form comes from the Greek word hagiasmos. The lexicons tell us that it has two aspects, basically: (a) Separation to God, 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Thess. 2:13, through His Son Jesus, Col. 1:13; 1 Cor. 1:2, (b) The course of life befitting those so separated, 1 Thess. 4:3-4, 7. It can be demonstrated that sanctification is through the blood of Christ, resulting from obedience to the Gospel where one reaches the blood in baptism for the remission of sins and is to be maintained throughout the Christian’s life. In spite of what Church of God debaters have contended, sanctification does not demand sinless perfection. There was a time when denominations were the only outlets for error on sanctification. How we have our own brethren to contend with and I strongly feel that these are influenced by Calvinism perhaps beyond their own realization.

I have been following Arnold Hardin’s writings in The Persuader for some time. I have been tempted for some time to reply to some of his erroneous teachings and now I find myself yielding to that temptation. “Free Thinker” or not, his false conclusions regarding “sanctification” needs exposing.

In this writing, I am referring to the July 23, 1978 issue of The Persuader. In this issue brother Hardin tries to do for “justification” and “sanctification” what he and others have done with “gospel” and “doctrine.” He says, “One of, if not the greatest failure among us, has been a clear distinction made between justification and sanctification. This is clearly the reason that so many cannot understand the difference between gospel and doctrinal instructions. The difference between the latter is exactly the difference between the former.” He bases this on the belief that “God gives justification immediately (Emphasis mine, jt), but he gives sanctification by another method” (Emphasis mine, jt. Here Arnold quotes R. C. Bell, Studies In Romans). The error associated with the “gospel-doctrine” heresy has been exposed many times and does not need attention here. However, since brother Hardin has come up with something new (at least to this writer) in trying to parallel justification and sanctification with gospel and doctrine, I feel obligated to reply. Following the reasoning of others whom he freely quotes, brother Hardin says that “justification” is a divine work for us, pertaining to becoming a Christian (this is the claim for the “gospel”) and that “sanctification” is a divine work in us, pertaining to living the Christian life (the claim for “doctrine”). The conclusion is that “justification” makes Christians and “sanctification” makes saints saintly. “Justification” is said to be perfect passive righteousness because it is Christ’s righteousness and “sanctification” is imperfect active righteousness for it is the work of sinful man. He endorses Luther’s conclusion: “The former righteousness is by faith alone; the latter righteousness is by good works engendered by faith. The former is justification; the latter is sanctification.”

If I am misunderstanding what Brother Arnold is saying then I hope he will correct me. If what he has said means anything at all, it says that “justification” and “sanctification” are arbitrarily separated and that they occur at different times in a person’s life. I do not disagree with all that brother Arnold says about these two words, but I do deny that one is justified by faith only and then, at a later date, sanctified by good works engendered by that faith. How in the world can one be justified and then later as a sinful man, sanctified? Mind you, I am not saying that a sanctified man is perfect. What I want to show is that the Scriptures teach that when one is justified at the same time he is sanctified! Both words refer to the redemption of the human race in Christ as they comply with the will of Christ.

When Is One Sanctified?

To answer this question without getting into a detailed discussion, observe that “justification” means the act of pronouncing righteous or an acquittal affected in the death of Christ. While more could be said regarding justification, I do not believe brother Hardin will disagree with this conclusion, unless he wishes to take on Vine and Thayer. On sanctification, brother Hardin needs to do some backing up. His “free thinking” is getting him into trouble. “Sanctification” is also in Christ (1 Cor. 1:2). It involves a separation from evil things and ways to which their sole title is the death of Christ (Vine, Eph. 5:25-27; Col. 1:21-23). Both justification and sanctification are affected in the death of Christ, and both are made possible by the grace of God. It is the will of God that we be sanctified (1 Thess. 4:3-4). For this reason He called us by the gospel (1 Thess. 4:7; 2 Thess. 2:14). Response to this call (said to be a “heavenly calling” in Scripture) involves obedient faith, resulting in justification and sanctification at the same time. Remember, “but of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). The Corinthians were saints (sanctified in Christ, 1 Cor. 1:2), sanctified to God who chooses us (2 Thess. 2:13). The believer is baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3-4) and by this act becomes a child of God (Gal. 3:2627). They are accounted righteous because their sins are forgiven, hence justified (Rom. 4:3-8). If they are righteous they are at the same time sanctified. See it illustrated in 1 Corinthians 6: “and such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (v. 11). The washing, the sanctification and the justification occur when the believer is baptized! At that time he is acquitted and sanctified.

Conclusion

The Bible does not teach that one is justified by faith only at one point in time and then sanctified at another point by works. Brother Hardin, are you in. league with the Church of God? They take the position that the number converted is one group, the number sanctified is another and those baptized in the Holy Ghost a third group. They make a clear distinction between a converted man and a sanctified man. A man is sanctified when he is converted, and converted when he is justified.

Again, how can brother Hardin argue that the perfect, sinless righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer so that sins of ignorance and weakness are overlooked, without seeing that this demands the impossibility of apostasy on the part of the baptized believer. Will not brother Hardin have to agree that the sanctified do not sin, as the church of God contends? This appears to be a foregone conclusion of his position. But then he meets himself in contradiction when he writes on sanctification. He can not have his cake and eat it too.

Truth Magazine XXII: 47, pp. 759-760
November 30, 1978

By William Y. Beasley

People today like people of the first century are interested in knowing that they have or do not have eternal life. John wrote that people might know: “These things have 1 written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13). To know, from a diligent study of 1 John and from an honest appraisal of one’s life, that one has eternal life is a great joy and comfort. To know, from a study of 1 John, that one does not have eternal life should be a great motivation for good.

Love Not The World (1 John 2:12-17)

Just as 1 John 5:13 tells why John wrote the entire epistle, this tells why he wrote to three groups within the church. All three groups are included in the expression “Little children” (Greek, teknon-“term of affection by a teacher to his disciples”-W. E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. I, p. 187) of verse 12. This is not the same term used for “little children” in the next verse. Forgiveness is “for his name’s sake” (2:12); we are forgiven because of, by reason of the name of Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38; 4:12). To the Fathers, John says the same thing twice with the exception of “I wrote” (2:13) verses “I have written” (2:14). Knowing God is all important (John 17:3). The Fathers had known God for a long time-the “little children” (2:14) knew God at the present time. John wrote to the young men because: (1) they were “strong” (2:14)-the strong also need encouragement lest they become weak, discouraged, lest they decide that they have enough strength to do without God; (2) “the word of God abideth in you” (2:14)-this was the source of their strength (Col. 3:16; Heb. 4:2; Jas. 1:21-22) and (3) “ye have overcome the evil one” (2:13, 14)-our adversary, the Devil, can be overcome (Jas. 4:7-8).

The message to all of John’s “little children” was that they “love not the world” (2:15). It is interesting to note that “John uses . . . the love that indicates direction of the will and intelligent, purposeful choice, and not (the love) which is used to denote natural, friendly affection” (R. C. H. Lenski, Interpretation of Peter, John, Jude, p. 423). John is not speaking of love for the physical world (God’s creation), but of the love of wickedness, evil that is in the world. If one decides (by thought or action) to love the world, “the love of the Father is not in hire” (2:15). God still loves us (John 3:16), but His love is not returned. All sin is of the world and is the result of one or more of “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life” (2:16). An exercise in futility is to try to come up with an exception. Christ was tempted in these exact three areas (Matt. 4:1-11). The important thing is not the world, the pleasures of the world, but the doing of the will of God. One will pass away (2 Pet. 3:10-12) but the other shall abide (1 Thess. 4:17).

Concerning Anti-Christ (1 John 2:18-23)

John warns his “little children” that this is the “last hour” (2:18), i.e., the last dispensation or mercy God would vouchsafe to the world. In John 4:21-23, we find another such use of the word “hour.” Anti-Christ is an apostate (2:19) who denies by word or action that Jesus is the Christ (2:22): Many in the church are not truly converted. Troubles have a cleansing influence (separate wheat from chaff). This is not teaching that doctrine of the Devil, “Once saved, always saved” (see Acts 1:25; Gal. 5:4), which originated in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3:4). Weever stand in need of reminders, encouragement lest we deny the Son, which is to deny the Father (2:22-23).

Abide In Him (1 John 2:24-28)

Six times in these verses, we find the word “abide.” If we abide in the word and the word abides in us, we will also “abide in the Son, and in the Father” (2:24; see also Col. 1:27; 2 Cor. 5:17). With death as the constant enemy of mankind, think of the beauty of the promise of “eternal life” (2:25) if we abide in Him. The abiding ones have boldness before God (2:28) while the non-abiding will “be ashamed” (2:28). Notice that “doeth righteousness” is equal to being “begotten of him” (2:29). This, too, carries the idea of abiding-it is not speaking of a person who does one act of righteousness or even acts of righteousness, but of the one who abides therein (see Psa. 119:172).

Conclusion

The epistle of 1 John was written “that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Do you know? Where is your affection (love) in the world or in Him? Do you know the Father? Have you overcome the Evil One? Does the word abide in you? Are you abiding in the Father and Son?

Truth Magazine XXII: 47, pp. 760-761
November 30, 1978