Truth Magazine

By Earl Robertson

The Holy Spirit moved Paul to write, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Eph. 4:4-6). There have always been enemies of these statements denying them to be true, and we today have the same class. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, saying, “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God . . .and one Lord Jesus Christ. . .” (1 Cor. 8:5, 6). Some accept the Bible doctrine of “one God,” but deny the same Bible that says “one body.” And the perplexing aspect of it all is they think they believe the Bible-the word of God!

Why is it so difficult for supposed Bible believers to accept the word of God which says “there is one body”? Is it not because of the fact that the Bible says the “one body” is “the church” (Eph. 1:22, 23)? People seemingly cannot accept the truth of God which- declares there is one church. They somehow think churches are like hats; just select the one you like and that will be best for you! Friends, if man had left things as God created them, there would not have been differing churches (denominations) to choose. The Lord built only one, and He called it “mine” (Matt. 16:18). Denominationalism denies the unity of the followers of Christ, though Jesus prayed for unity (John 17). Denominationalism is no part of the church established by Christ; it is to a large degree a conglomeration of the various dissidents to the authority of Jesus. Human churches rest upon human authority; hence, their very existence depends upon a rejection of what the Lord says. When one does what the Bible says, the Lord “adds” that one to the Lord’s church (.Acts 2:47). Everyone whom the Lord adds to His church have obeyed Him. The Lord never adds to two churches, but only to one. This makes for unity-the unity Jesus prayed for; the creeds of men make for human churches (denominationalism), and this is the opposite of what the Bible says! The Bible says, “There is one body. . .”

With utmost sincerity we beg you to give up whatever prejudice you might have that prevents you from fully accepting the Bible doctrine which says, “There is one body.” Life in rejection to eternal truth is really no life at all. Give up denominationalism and obey Christ today; He will then add you to His church!

Truth Magazine XXII: 26, p. 429
June 29, 1978

By Don Martin

Many who profess to be Christians seem to strive for what they believe to be the minimum service to God. They endeavor to have just enough (what is enough?) knowledge, teaching of others, love, etc., to get by. This attitude, however, is not taught or sanctioned in the New Testament. Instead, the New Testament stresses and enjoins the maximum (doing our sincere best). As Christians, we are to be spiritually ambitious.

A word which beautifully suggests spiritual ambition is the word “abound.” W. E. Vine defines the word rendered “abound” (perisseuo) as follows: “To exist in abundance” (An Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words, pages 17,18). Joseph Thayer wrote thus regarding perisseuo, “to be in affluence …. to be pre-eminent . . . to overflow,” (Thayer’s Lexicon, page 505). The word perisseuo is used about 39 times in the New Testament and 15 times out of the 39 it is rendered “abound.”

Abound In Faith

“Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith . . . ,” Paul wrote to the Corinthians (all emphasis throughout mine, DM). Hence, the Christians at Corinth were to abound in faith. Moreover, the scriptures are replete with teaching concerning our striving to possess this measure of faith. The besetting sin of Israel was the sin of unbelief-absence of trust and confidence in God as their provider and protector (Heb. 3:12-19). In other words, they failed to abound in faith. We must endeavor to possess faith which exists in abundance, the kind of faith which is pre-eminent and overflowing (cf. Acts 27:25).

Abound In Hope

Paul wrote, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 15:13). Our hope consists of our belief in and longing for that which we have not seen, heaven (Rom. 8:24,25; 2 Cor. 4:18-5:9). This hope is the “one hope of our calling” (Eph. 4:4). Hope, in serving as an anchor, stabilizes and keeps our soul (Heb. 6:19). Beloved, notice what Paul is teaching: not only are we to possess hope regarding heaven and the world to come, but we are to abound in this hope. Hope is to be overflowing!

Love

The scriptures also teach that we should not be satisfied with what we consider enough love to get by; but that we are to abound in love: “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment” (Phil. 1:9). Thus, we must constantly seek to develop and multiply our love for God and others (Matt. 22:37,39; 1 Thess. 3:12). As a result of cultivating our love, it can and will exist pre-eminently. By thus abounding in love, love will be the control and motivation of our lives (1 Cor. 13:1-7; Gal. 5:6).

In Teaching

Again, “Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance . . .” (2 Cor. 8:7). I think it is obvious that the “utterance” of this passage has reference to, or at least involves, teaching. Abounding in teaching is consistent with “holding forth the word of life” and “earnestly contending for the faith” (Phil. 2:16; Jude 3). Overflowing in teaching reminds one of the language of Jeremiah: “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, but His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay (stop) (Jer. 20:9).

In Knowledge

The scriptures teach that we are to “add” knowledge, “increase” in knowledge, and “grow” in knowledge (2 Pet. 1:6; Col. 1:10; 2 Pet. 3:18). The word of God also emphasizes knowledge by showing the consequences of the absence of knowledge. Without knowledge we are blind and cannot see afar off (2 Pet. 1:5,10,11), unable to walk pleasingly to God (Col. 1:9,10), and unable to approve the things which are excellent (Phil. 1:9,10).

To accent not only the imperativeness of possessing knowledge but also of having it to a large measure Paul wrote, “Therefore, as ye abound in everything; in faith; and utterance, and KNOWLEDGE . . .” (2 Cor. 8:7). Hence, we are to strive to possess knowledge to the degree of it being in abundance and overflowing.

Virtuous Manner of Life

“Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus,” Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more” (1 Thess. 4:1). The Laodiceans had become satisfied with their spiritual progress and development (Rev. 3:16,17). Alas, many today are “neither cold nor hot” (Rev. 3:15). If we are not careful we will cease to increase in holiness and sanctification of life (1 Thess. 4:4-7). Paul stated that not only are we to abound in a walk that is pleasing to God but we are to “abound more and more.”

Conclusion

In addition to abounding in faith, hope, love, teaching, knowledge, and a virtuous manner of life, we also are to abound in giving (2 Cor. 8:7) and in diligence. Christian, are you striving for the maximum-are you abounding? “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).

Truth Magazine XXII: 26, pp. 428-429
June 29, 1978

By Bruce James

The New Testament teaches that the Christian is a pilgrim on his way to glory. He is seeking a better country, a heavenly one. But without any direction, the Christian knows not how to go. But God speaks through His Son in this age leading in the way that leads to life. To say that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life is the most comprehensive of all claims (John 14:6).

1. Jesus said: “I am the Way.” Hundreds of years before this the Psalmist said: “Teach me thy way, O Lord” (Ps. 27:11; 86:11). Moses told the Israelites that they must not turn to the right or the left, but must walk in the way God had commanded them (Deut. 31:29). Isaiah heard God say: “This is the way, walk in it” (Isa. 30:21). This was the promise of a way of holiness in which nothing unclean could exist, and which was so clear that not even a fool could miss it (Isa. 35:8). Disciples of Christ, Christians, as a whole were first referred as “The Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9). And the letter to the Hebrews speaks of the new and living way which Jesus opened for us to the presence of the Father (Heb. 10:19). But Jesus’ claim goes beyond any of these thoughts. Notice that Jesus did not say, “I show you the way” or “I open for you the way.” He said, “I am the way.” If someone approaches us and asks us how to get to a certain place we can tell him with specific instructions as to how to get there, or we can give him a map, or we can do the best thing by going with him to be sure he reaches his destination. In the same way, Jesus did not only show us the way, or tell us the way only but also went with us. No man can fail to find the Way as long as he is following Jesus.

2. Jesus said, “I am the Truth.” Jesus is most certainly reliable and genuine, but the truth is not simply something which is intellectual or something to be known, it is also moral, something which is also to be done. John said, “He who does what is true comes to the light” (Jn. 3:21). “If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth” (1 Jn. 1:6). We can see how much greater this truth is than intellectual truth. This truth enables man to live the good life. In fact, truth and goodness are one. To say that Jesus is the truth is to say that He is the perfect pattern of life as it should be lived.

3. Jesus said, “I am the Life.” This can be taken at least two ways. It can refer to physical life since John said of Jesus: “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (Jn. 1:3, 4). The Word, Jesus, the pre-existent Christ brought life into the world. But even more it refers to eternal life. Jesus is the creator of life, and Jesus is the re-creator of life. He brought life in the beginning and He came to make life new. When Jesus offers eternal life it is evident that it means more than life which exists forever. For it to be a mere extension of life would be more a curse than anything else. Both quality and length enter into it. The life that Jesus brings to men is the life of God-living a life of godliness now (quality) and then being thus rewarded by being allowed to enter the gates of heaven forever (length). Remember Jesus’ words: “No one comes to the Father but by me.” Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Truth Magazine XXII: 26, pp. 427-428
June 29, 1978

By Stephen P. Willis

The prophet Hosea bore a message against Israel, the northern portion of the Jewish state. They had fallen in to the sin of idolatry, which led them not only to forget their God, but also their fellow man. God based their troubles on a lack of knowledge.

God said that they had stopped giving heed to Him (v. 10), and because of that, “the people without understanding are ruined” (v. 14). I think that it is summarized well in verse six: “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.”

“Listen to the word of the Lord, 0 sons of Israel, For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land” (Hos. 4:1).

This message is further taught in the summary sentence of the book of Proverbs: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction” (1:7). That one must seek after the knowledge of God is evident by what the one who is blessed by the Lord does: “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in his law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:2).

Most of us do not seek the knowledge of God as we should. Paul prayed that the Colossians might gain knowledge for the results that would come of it. These results are based on the fact that one has knowledge:

(1) The Christian will walk worthy before the Lord; (2) He will please the Lord in all respects; (3) He will bear fruit in every good work; (4) He will increase in knowledge (it takes knowledge to grow in knowledge); (5) The Christian will be strengthened in power; (6) He will give thanks to the Father (cf. Col. 1:9-12). Look over that list again and see how important knowledge is to the Christian.

As a “holy priesthood” (1 Pet. 1:5, 9), we should fulfill our ministry as Levi did: “For the lips of the priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts” (Mal. 2:7). It is no wonder that Paul called the church the pillar and support of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). It is also no wonder that Timothy was told to “Be diligent (or, Study, KJV) . . . .” In so doing he could “present himself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

A lack of knowledge caused the ruin of Israel. It will cause our ruin also. Do you study on a regular basis? Does your reading include the Bible and material that will prompt thinking on biblical themes? Are you prepared for your Bible classes? (Would you want your teacher to be as prepared as you?) Parents: do you train your children so that their habits include Bible study? Children: do you encourage your parents to train you to study? Do you make the most of your time (Eph. 5:16) so that “your progress may be evident to all” (cf. 1 Tim. 4:15)?

Some like to drink from the fountain of knowledge;

Others only gargle.

Do you gargle?

Truth Magazine XXII: 26, p. 427
June 29, 1978