Truth Magazine

By Peter McPherson

Know Your Bible

Brother Gene Tope (whom I have never met but have heard a lot about and corresponded with once) has written a correspondence course. This course is published by the Cogdill Foundation (they did not ask me to write this article) and can be ordered by writing to Box 403, Marion, Indiana 46952. These lessons can be an invaluable aid in sowing the seed of the kingdom, in helping people to learn of the Way and in getting them to become disciples of the Lord. I am personally thankful to Brother Tope for his efforts made public and to the Cogdill Foundation for printing these great six lesson course.

The lessons in this course are: (1) Understanding The Bible, (2) Sin And The Blood Of Christ, (3) What Must I Do To Be Saved?, (4) Denominationalism, (5) The New Testament Church, and (6) Baptism. The lessons are simple, sound and scriptural. They are attractive, clear and brief. What better way could there be of teaching people in mass than by intensive efforts along the line of a mail Bible Course? I have been using Bible courses to teach people in the areas where I have been located over the years and will continue to do so. And though I have used other correspondence courses I have found that the Know Your Bible lessons are as good as any and better than-many. They are reasonably priced at about 75″ a set. They need to be used and used widely. There is no need for you to go to the work to make up your “own” Bible correspondence course when such a fine set is available. What few things you would change in Brother Tope’s course are very minor. The work and cost involved would not be worth it. Again I say, let us make use of this fine Bible Course.

Bible Course Suggestions

Order a set of 100 of these Bible lessons (order 150 of No. 1’s as you always use more No. 1 lessons than the others). Post a display of the Bible lessons on the church bulletin board. Give every family in the local church a complete set to look over and to keep for themselves so that they can see how good they actually are. This way no one is in the dark as to the material being used and, besides that, this should encourage the members to enroll someone on the lessons, perhaps a relative, even a son or a daughter, a father or a mother (at least it is a wonderful wish and a few will fulfill your dreams).

Offer your Bible Course free to all who would like to learn more of God’s word. Run a 4 inch by 4 inch ad in the local newspaper and/ or place a small ad in the personal section. Do not give the church address or even mention the church of Christ (will someone jump me on this?). Most people look upon the church of Christ as simply another denomination and, therefore, they would not take the lessons if they knew that they are connected with “that church”! By not giving them this pre-mature information you will be able to get some, in time (patience good friend and tact old buddy), to know about the true church.

Some More Advice

Some areas are more receptive to one form of teaching than others. Some areas have more outlets for this kind of teaching. Let me tell you what has been working well for us here in Lethbridge, Alberta the past couple of months. Undoubtedly the following has helped in our success: We have been making up little pouches from poster-board (cut a piece 7 inches by 5 inches and fold up the bottom 1 inch and staple). Into these little pouches we have been placing about ten 3 1/4″ x 5 1/4″ “no postage necessary” business reply cards (get a number from the Post Office and use a box number or a non-church address). On the one side of this card have the address printed where you want the cards sent. On the other side something like the following

Know Your Bible Program

A Special FREE home Bible Study Course is now being organized. This Course is:

Completely Undenominational

Absolutely free of charge

Conducted entirely by mail

Based directly on the Bible

Contains 6 lesson booklets which you keep

To enroll, simply print your name and address on this card and mail as you would any postcard. Your first lesson will be mailed to you immediately.

Name…………..

Address …………………..

Why Not Do It Now Before You Forget?

Here at Lethbridge we have been tacking up these cardholders containing the above cards all over town: on the bulletin boards in the cities, in laundromats, in the university (which has some 10 bulletin boards), in the community college (which has a dozen bulletin boards) and in other public places where there are bulletin boards. Then we have just sat back and waited! In less than two months we have had over 50 cards returned. And already some have finished their lessons and we have started having home Bible studies with them. We are confident that others will be developed. We keep complete records on each student. This is important.

After the student has completed all six lessons that person should be called on immediately. At the first contact, be friendly, congratulate the person for completing the lessons, introduce yourself as the one grading, or overseeing the Bible lessons, talk about things concerning their family, work, weather, etc. Finally, after you have made friends, suggest that you would like to come into his or her home and continue in Bible study. I have found that the Jule Miller Bible Film Strips make a good next step in teaching most families. Usually people are favorable to this approach. You might play it by ear as to whether or not you invite them “to church” just yet.

Keep At It

Any program must be worked at and kept up. The bulletin boards should be visited at least once every two weeks. (Most bulletin boards are for public usage and unless they are marked for some specific thing just go ahead and use them.) Do not offer any gimmicks, rewards or prizes for completing the lessons. This way you will get mostly sincere and genuine Bible students. This helps to weed out the “loaves and fishes” seekers. Preachers, grade the lessons yourself of” get a knowledgeable Christian to help you. Talk up the Bible Course to the members regularly. Get them to work for you. Be enthused about it and others will get the idea. Expect,.some results. Be positive and optimistic. It is a super way to teach people but we will have to sell ourselves on the idea and push it at the members for it to work profitably. Do not become discouraged. Understand that quite likely only about 10 percent or less will complete the lessons. And, of course, less than that will obey the gospel. This is just the way it is. But you are trying. You are sowing. God cannot expect more of us than this for it is He that “giveth the increase” (1 Cor. 3:6; Mt. 13:8). Make It Easy and Encouraging

Pay all postage for the Bible Course enrollees. Use a stamped and self-addressed return envelope for their finished lesson. Write their name on each lesson sent as they sometimes forget to do this. Give them a grade on each lesson with an added “Perfect,” “great,” or “Very Good” and then sign by using your initials. This is only polite, gives it a personal touch applies tact and help in the long run. Answer each question kindly and try to defer them for later (especially if the other lessons will cover that point).

A Scriptural Plan

What could be more scriptural than the Bible Correspondence Course program? Whenever it is said in the scriptures that the people came back to hear the word of God or whenever people were asked a question, there is a type of Bible correspondence course being employed (well, use your imagination just a little!). Anyway “teach” is generic and any arrangement used by individuals and churches that does not violate any scriptural principle is scriptural. Use the Know Your Bible Correspondence Course. Be Sowers; Get Learners; Make Disciples. Enroll Them in a Bible course!

Truth Magazine XXII: 24, pp. 390-391
June 15, 1978

By 

Earl RobertsonTompkinsville, KentuckyThe creeds of men allege that a sinner is unable to believe the message preached by the apostles because he is dead in sin and that, therefore, God gives faith to the sinner. Faith is not a gift; faith is the confidence one has in God because of what God has said to him through His word. All who do not believe shall be damned says Jesus (Mk. 16:15, 16). If faith is a gift of God, all who do not have it may rightly hold the Maker responsible for their condition! Who can believe it? “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). One’s trust in God comes after hearing (Eph. 1:13). Paul asks, “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?” (Rom. 10:14b).

Faith alone is of no value to anyone. Salvation is not offered by faith only and never has been. Many declare that the doctrine of justification by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort, but it is a lie. The creeds teach it, but the Bible says the very opposite! The Bible says, “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). That verse cannot be explained away; it will always say not by faith only.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. The Bible says, “He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). God must always be sought after the due order (1 Chron. 15:13). His will must guide the actions of man. Acting contrary to the explicitly revealed will of God is not faith, but unbelief. Moses understood what God wanted at the waters of Meribah (Ex. 20:8), but his faith was not implicit. God said unto him, “Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them” (Ex. 20:12). God said “speak” to the rock, but Moses “struck” it with his rod. Moses did not do what God told him; God said his actions amounted to unbelief.

This well illustrates our point: God has spoken to man, and unless man accepts unreservedly the word of God it is unbelief. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mk. 16:15, 16). Some say they believe but refuse to be baptized-they not only disbelieve, ut are disobedient also.

Truth Magazine XXII: 24, p. 389
June 15, 1978

By Mike Willis

Several years ago, I wrote an article on “Fellowship and First Corinthians” (Truth Magazine, Vol. XIX, No. 14, p. 8) in which I presented the teaching of that book pertaining to the subject of fellowship. I thought that the material was relevant to the discussion of the issues of the day. As somewhat of a sequel to that article so far as style is concerned, I would like to consider the teaching of the book of Galatians as to the subject of fellowship. I have sought to use the material in this book in such a manner as to relate it to our problems today.

The churches of Galatia were troubled by men who were coming among them disturbing them. The peace and harmony which normally characterized the local church were broken by these brethren. Consequently, Paul had to write instructions explaining how these false men needed to be handled in order that whole churches would not be led away from the teachings of Christ.

The Nature of the Apostasy

In order to understand the subject of fellowship in Galatians and to relate it to modern problems, we need first to know what the apostasy in the churches of Galatia was like. The book speaks of those who were minded to revert to the Law of Moses as a means of justification. However, there was not a total break with Christianity; instead, they wanted to keep the best of both systems. The Judaizers did riot deny the virgin birth, the atoning death of Jesus Christ, His burial, His resurrection, His ascension, His present position as Lord of lords and King of kings, or baptism. By present day definitions among the “grace-fellowship” brethren, they believed the “gospel.” Rather, the Judaizers tried to compel their Gentile brethren to be circumcised, observe the Jewish holy days, and otherwise to keep the law. Their apostasy pertained to “doctrine.”

One of their reasons for wanting to bind these Mosaical laws upon their Gentile brethren was to avoid persecution. The Jews were persecuting their brethren who became Christians because they abandoned observance of the Mosaical law. Paul wrote, “But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also” (4:29). Later, he asked, “But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished” (5:11). As he concluded his letter he stated the motive of the Judaizers; he said, “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply that they may boast in your flesh” (6:12). By persuading the Gentiles to be circumcised, the Judaizers could avoid persecution from their Jewish brethren; they could brag about how many Gentiles they had proselyted.

The book of Galatians shows that the two systems of salvation through observance of the Mosaical law and the obedience of faith to the Law of Christ are incompatible. One cannot mix the two. The man who tries to go back to the Mosaical law to receive circumcision falls from grace, severs his relationship with Christ, and is a debtor to observe the entire law of Moses (5:1-4).

From these comments, we see that the apostasy that was going on in Galatia was from within the church. By today’s terminology among the “grace-fellowship” brethren, it was a “doctrinal” apostasy. With this in mind, it is interesting to notice some of the passages which speak about fellowship found in the little book to the Galatians. How did Paul treat the subject of fellowship with those who reverted to the law of Moses? Did he say, “We may as well expect everyone to like the same kinds of food as to expect everyone to agree on doctrinal matters in the church”? Did he believe in a unity-in-diversity of the sort which is advocated by Carl Ketherside and Leroy Garrett with reference to this “doctrinal” matter? Let us consider several of the important passages in this book with this in mind.

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.

Gal. 1:6-9

1. The apostasy led by the Judaizers perverted the gospel of Christ. Notice the several things which Paul said of the Judaizers. They were following a different gospel; they distorted the gospel of Christ; the gospel which they preached was not really a gospel at all; the gospel which they preached was contrary to that which the apostles preached to them. Hence, this doctrinal error destroyed the very heart of the saving gospel, although it neither denied any of the seven facts or denied the one act (baptism) which,, brought men into fellowship with God’s Son.

2. The doctrinal apostasy damned one’s soul. The man who preached this doctrine was accursed. Brethren, I have read several different descriptions of what awaits the saints in heaven, but this is not one of them. The men involved in this doctrinal apostasy were destined to hell! They were not pleasing to God and, therefore, stood condemned before Him. We shall see later in this article that not only were the ones who taught this heresy condemned but also they who followed it.

3. The Judaizers were disturbing the churches. They went everywhere to teach their apostasy of binding the law of Moses upon Gentile Christians. Everywhere they went, churches were disturbed. Even as the church in Antioch was disturbed by these brethren, so were the churches in Galatia.

Gal. 2:1-10: Paul’s Trip To Jerusalem

Space will not permit me to reproduce this long passage, but open your biblical text to that place and notice the points which we observe from it. Paul went to Jerusalem as a result of a direct revelation from God (2:2). While there, certain Jewish brethren attempted to compel Titus who accompanied him to be circumcised. Paul described these brethren as “false brethren” (2:4). To these brethren, Paul refused to yield by way of subjection for even such a short period of time as one hour (2:5).

(In light of the fact that Paul circumcised Timothy to avert Jewish prejudice (Acts 16:3), his refusal to cir-cumcise Titus becomes even more significant. The former was done because Timothy was a Jew who would be working among Jews; the latter was not done because such would have been tantamount to accepting the Judaizer’s legislation that Gentiles had to be circumcised in order to be saved. Inasmuch as this would have been to compromise the gospel, to bind where God had loosed, Paul refused to allow Titus to be circumcised.)

Consequently, Paul presented the gospel which he preached to “those who were of reputation” in private. When they saw that he was preaching the revelation of God through Jesus Christ, they gave to Paul and Barnabas “the right hand of fellowship” (2:9). This right hand of fellowship would not have been extended to the Judaizers nor would it have been extended to Paul and Barnabas had they been preaching a gospel contrary to the revelation of Jesus Christ. Hence, the apostles and elders in Jerusalem somehow concluded that they must have doctrinal agreement before the right hand of fellowship could be extended to these men.

Those who preach “unity-in-diversity” would have extended the right hand of fellowship to the Judaizers as well. They would have told us that it would be ridiculous to expect all brethren to understand this matter alike. Not so, the first century apostles! They believed that all brethren had to accept and believe the same thing about this. They did not write about poor, ignorant brethren with imbecility of intellect who could not understand these matters.

Truth Magazine XXII: 24, pp. 387-388
June 15, 1978

By Jimmy Tuten, Jr.

Evolutionists argue that since there are similarities between the ape and man, man either descended from the ape, or from a common parent. Hence, resemblance between animals and man, and between animals and plants, form the basis for argumentation in favor of the theory . of evolution. In my presence recently, one argued that since man and the ape have a spinal column, they must have come from a common ancestor! Such an absurdity hardly needs refutation, but since there are those who believe that similarities of certain features of man and the ape show identity, a few comments would be in order along this line.

No one denies that there are similarities between man and the ape! They have much in common. After all, God did form both in the same environment. In that God said of these creatures, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind,” it is obvious that the ape came from the earth. “Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground” (Gen. 1:24; 2:7). The fact that man is a separate creation, separating him from the animal creation, does not deprive him of his animal characteristics. They have many likenesses and similarities because both are of the animal kingdom, and both are of the earth! The difference between man and the ape lies in the fact that man alone is a special creation, endowed with peculiar privileges, which in this respect separates him from animals. Instead of showing identity, similarities manifest a creative plan.

Ignore Differences

While there are indeed certain characteristics that are similar, there are major differences between the ape and man. These tend to show that they are not a common parentage. Since my friend used the spinal column in his effort to uphold evolution, let us make this observation: the ape walks with a stooping posture, while man walks in an up-right position. The ape depends upon very powerful neck muscles to carry his head in a horizontal position. Man has no such muscles in the back of his neck. To walk up-rightly, the ape is under great strain for the spinal column is not designed to carry the head in this position. Since man’s spinal column is designed to support the head, he is able to walk about with ease. The up-right position is natural with man, but such posture is unnatural with the ape (Christianity And False Evolution, by A.S. Zerbe; p. 82). There is, therefore a radical difference in the structure of the backbone of the man and that of the ape. In man, the spinal column fits into an opening in a centrally located spot in the back of the head. This balances the head on the vertebral column (Modern Science And Christian Faith, p. 175). Such conditions do not exist in the bone structure of the ape. In addition to this, it has been stated that there are over “150 major differences between the body of an ape and body of a man” (Witnesses Against Evolution, p: 17). The distinguished evolutionist, Huxley, said “every bone of a gorilla bears marks by which it might be distinguished from the corresponding bone of a man . . . no intermediate link bridges the gap” (Zerbe, op. cit.). There are similarities, but the differences are so great and marked that the chasm thus far has not been bridged.

Absurdity of the Position

If similarities between man and the ape show that at one time they ultimately were the same, then with little effort one could show the similarities between the common rat, the elephant and the horse. Were these ultimately the same? Absurd! Just because one has thick lips and curly hair, does that make him an African? If I had a Roman nose, would that make me a Roman?

“It has beets proven that of the milk of animals, human milk more nearly resembles ass’ milk. `Here the resemblance is marked not only by quantitative analysis, but by the fact that human milk, like ass’ milk, leaves no residue of nuclein or paranuclein on digestion and the casein of both produces an alkaline reaction.’ If one were inclined to treat so serious a matter ironically he could say that man is more nearly an ass than an ape” (Zerbe op. cit., underscore mine, jt). I think enough has been said along this line.

Conclusion

In order to live upon the earth, man naturally resembles the animal in that he must eat, breathe, etc. It is no great surprise to see therefore, common traits between man and animals. There is some connection, but this in no way supports the probability that one is a descendant of the other. A careful study of the facts points out that evolution has not a chance. It is still an unproven hypothesis!

Truth Magazine XXII: 24, p. 386
June 15, 1978