Truth Magazine

By Lewis Willis

The apostle Peter wrote, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet. 1:4). This is a profound statement and one which we need, indeed must, understand if we are to rise to the heights of achievement which God intended for His people. Herein we discuss the meaning of Peter’s statement, from which we propose to make several specific applications. We will discover one of the keys, if not the key, to success as Christians. This constitutes the foundation upon which we build in the area commonly known as “Practical Christianity.” With the proper understanding, and through the exercise of diligence, we will launch ourselves toward the excellence which should characterize us as the Redeemed.

Peter affirms that God has given unto us promises that are “exceeding great and precious,” that we, having escaped the worldly corruptions, might partake of the divine nature. These promises are precious because of what they mean to the soul of man. They are great because they grant unto us forgiveness, peace and the hope of eternal life. They are ours if we succeed in escaping the ravages of that corruption working in the world through the agency of our own lust. To facilitate in the accomplishment of this goal and to lay hold on the promises, we need only to partake of the divine nature. I intend no over-simplification; we are dealing with the sum of our commitment to the Lord. The fulfillment of that covenant is the arduous task of every Christian. It touches his life in the intricate area of what he thinks, says and does during each fleeting moment of the day. If, then, we come to partake of the divine nature, we will live in harmony with God’s purpose in and for us. Otherwise, we are doomed to disappointment and failure.

A Cherished Privilege

Specifically, partakers of the divine nature are those who share or participate in the holy character of God. These demonstrate in their lives the attributes of one possessing the nature of Deity. This is the role and intent of Christians. An appreciation of this objective might seem to the unenlightened and worldly as mere fanaticism. However, neither does the world acknowledge simple faith. Thus, the Christian cherishes the opportunity to share in the nature of his God. The pursuit of that nature prompts a change in his life. This is not merely a sentimental, mystical or transcendental change. It is an actual, discernible and progressive change through which God, as its author, is glorified. It is such as to enable the discerning Christian, through self-examination, to identify its presence.

Being Like God

This seems so lofty a state as to be beyond our reach. It seems so great, in fact, that we cannot lift up our hearts to conceive it. Yet, we have the assurance of the apostles and the experience of myriad saints who have proven in their lives, the reality of this gift or state. Ours is to believe the testimony, trust in Him who bids us, and actuate efforts toward attainment of that high and holy calling.

Do not mistake what I am saying. We do not partake in the natural attributes of Deity, such as omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience. These are incommunicable; it is in the very nature of the case impossible. There must be forever an essential difference between a created and an uncreated being. And, this distinction shall prevail, even in eternity, for the uncreated shall be forever worshiped by the created (Rev. 4:10). What, then, is the divine nature in which we share? We partake in the moral attributes of Deity, i.e., we share in the same views, feelings, purposes, thoughts and principles of action as God. Facets of that divine moral nature are grace, love, forgiveness, etc.

Men have a passion for the natural attributes of Deity (which cannot be had), while being manifestly indifferent toward the moral excellence of God (which can be attained). Man only, of all the dwellers on the earth, is capable of rising to such excellence. All other orders of creatures are incapable of this transformation. Man can understand, admire and aspire to them. He can resolve and endeavor to participate in and acquire them.

However, it is not to be supposed that by merely aspiring to share the moral nature of God, that it will be possessed. One might aspire to fly, but the aspiration alone will not enable him to raise himself into the air and remain as though he had wings. The aspiration to be morally as God is noble, but it must express itself in a transformed life to become a reality. Practically, this means that we must live in grace, love, forgiveness, holiness, justice, etc. Then, and only then, can we confidently affirm that we are partakers of the divine nature.

Divine Nature: Grace

The changed life, which is Christianity, promotes a brilliance in character that is, as I said, discernible in the elect. Their conduct is consistent with the principles of conduct inherent in God. Such is clearly evident when considering the attribute of grace. The Greek word translated grace is charis and it appears in the New Testament 128 times. The common usage depicts an action or an attitude of God. Thayer, in defining charis, says it is used “pre-eminently of that kindness by which God bestows favors even upon the ill-deserving, and grants to sinners the pardon of their offenses, and bids them accept of eternal salvation through Christ” (Lexicon, p. 666). Thus, the commonly cited definition, that grace is “unmerited favor,” is a correct one.

Usually, when we refer to grace, we assign the exercise of it to the Lord. Most frequently, this is the biblical use of the term. We are told that the grace of God hath appeared to all men (Tit. 2:11). The Lord is referred to as the God of grace (1 Pet. 5:10). We are saved by His grace (Eph. 2:5,8), justified freely by His grace (Rom. 3:24), and called according to His grace (2 Tim. 1:9). His grace was bestowed on apostolic churches (2 Cor. 8:1). And, God gives grace to the humble (Jas. 4:6). Grace, therefore, is unquestionably one of the expressions of divine nature. The God of all glory is a fountain from whence flows a never-ending stream of unearned favor in which humanity continues to bathe itself. To give primacy to Jehovah in the exercise of grace is both fitting and proper. However, is Deity the only realm in which grace manifests itself? Is this aspect of the divine nature restricted only to the Lord? The answer is a resounding “No.”

Christians are commanded to exercise grace after the similitude of God. Peter wrote, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 3:18). What is meant when we are told to grow in grace? Are we to build a storehouse and fill it with God’s favor? When we sin, He metes out grace to us. But, Paul asks, “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” (Rom. 6:1). He says, “God forbid.” Under no circumstance are we to sin in order that we can continue the acquisition of God’s grace. Peter is instructing us to grow in the ability to dispense grace in the same way that God grants the same unto man. In this, it can be said that we are partakers of, or sharers in, the divine nature. It is worthy of note that we, in discussion of 2 Pet. 3:18, have made a strong and valid point regarding growth in knowledge. However, we seldom say anything about growth in grace. It is not my intention to diminish from the importance of acquiring knowledge. To the contrary, I would stress the essentiality of such. It is my intention to stress the significance of growing in grace.

Basically, Peter enjoins upon us the practice of showing grace, favor or kindness, even to those whom we consider to be undeserving of such. Growth in grace requires an ever-increasing capacity to act like God acts. This is most difficult for we are disposed to mete out retribution to one another. Suppose, for instance, that someone assigns an impure motive to some deed we have done. Our disposition is likely to be one of leaping upon him in such a fashion as to “set him straight about that!” We are hardly inclined to show favor in a way that would exemplify the divine nature within us. Or, suppose someone leaps upon us and gives a good tongue-lashing. The human response is to lash back! Telling him off would bring some momentary satisfaction. But, partakers of the divine nature speak with grace (Col. 4:6), regardless of the fact that such a response is undeserved. Or, suppose he harms us in something he does. We want to rise up and fight back. Such is not God’s purpose for us. He wants us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us (Matt. 7:21). How difficult such is! But, such is the expression of grace.

Hence, the divine nature is one which is full of grace. That grace is the basis of the hope we have in Christ. The author and source of that nature requires that we be like Him. This necessitates the enormous task of controlling the normal human impulses of the moment, so that we might climb to the higher plane where He resides. May God help us in the exercise of grace. “Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1). In an article to follow, I shall be looking at two additional attributes of the divine nature in which Christians share.

Truth Magazine XXI: 34, pp. 540-541
September 1, 1977

By Frank Driver

(Please study carefully, 2 Kings 16:1-16, before reading this article.)

The disposition of men to fashion their religion after their own wisdom and that of other men is not new. Deep in the centuries of the past, we find in God’s people what we see many of our brethren doing today. The creations of the “nations about us” are often more attractive and appealing than those of the wisdom of God. The lingering impulse to be like the world and its course of religion is ever with us.

But this course of imitating false religion was preceded by Ahaz’ reliance on the Assyrian king, rather than on God, for deliverance from Syria. It worked-so he “took the silver and gold in the Lord’s house and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria” (2 Kings 16:8). Ahaz not only called on a heathen king rather than the Lord, but took that which was the Lord’s to give to the king! When those kind of overtures are made toward the world and its religious forms, it is only a matter of time until we imitate its ways and wisdom.

Ahaz saw an altar in the heathen land of Damascus that he liked. He was so impressed that he wanted one like it for his land and his people. So he ordered the priest Urijah to build it for him. The priest complied. The people of God must have fallen to a very low spiritual state when even their king and priest both corrupt their service to God by the elements of heathen worship.

Division in Israel, sad as it was, was not the most tragic episode of their history, nor were the ensuing alternating periods of war and peace between Israel and Judah; it was the growing attachment of both, respectively, to heathen nations with comparable respect and honor as to each other. Even now, brethren will often maintain closer ties with false teachers than with each other. They have more respect for the methods and ways of false movements, than for that which they can devise together in harmony with divine wisdom for the furtherance of the cause of Christ.

Denominationalism and the church are so diverse that we cannot borrow their methods without also borrowing their type of thinking that is rooted in error. Sure, we have buildings to meet in as they do and Bible classes for different levels of learning and local preachers, but it is something else to imitate their use of buildings to entertain and feed in classes and to make “pastors” of preachers. It would be ridiculous to claim an act or idea is wrong just because “the denominations do it,” but nevertheless, the fact that they do it may be good reason for us to exercise caution. Much of what they have that looks so good to us, as it did to King Ahaz, grows out of unscriptural thinking and a violation of scriptural principles. It seems to me that proper respect and reverence for the wisdom of God, combined with a little imagination and creativeness in application, could provide us with all we need to conduct the Lord’s work in His divinely appointed way.

Truth Magazine XXI: 34, pp. 539-540
September 1, 1977

By Jeffery Kingry

Like most problems facing the Christian, racial prejudice and discrimination is an old one, and will hardly be resolved in the world as long as there are evil men. But the involvement of the Christian in the problem of race relations is not optional. The Christian’s primary responsibility is to love God and his neighbor (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39; Jas. 2:8). We cannot neglect or overlook our relationships to man because of “respect of persons.”

The issue of race relations in the U.S.A. rises primarily from the patterns of racial discrimination which the dominant Caucasian majority has imposed on various minority groups. At almost every point in our history minority groups of one type or another have felt the weight of discrimination: Jews, American Indians, Orientals, European immigrants, Puerto Ricans, etc. have all suffered from the descendants of earlier immigrant groups.

The scope of this article is too small to include all instances of racial, ethnic, economic, religious, or social discrimination. Presently the issue of race relations centers around the relationships of Negroes and Caucasians because the Negroes are a much larger group than other minorities. Also because they begin their life in this world as slaves for the whites. The discrimination of Jim Crow laws made it impossibly difficult to improve their lot following emancipation, and because their color made it impossible to blend into society as other immigrant groups have made the problem of black-white relationships very severe.

Because the white race has been dominant and has kept Negroes first enslaved and then segregated, the problem of race relations rests upon whites in a way that it does not rest upon Negroes.

Race in the Church

Whatever society or individuals do, we as Christians need to face the issue of race relations as it is in the church. Whatever rhetoric or printed arguments are put forth, until a black man is welcome in our assemblies as a brother and human of equal privileges and responsibility then we have a very definite problem before the Lord.

God makes no distinctions between men socially, economically, racially, or nationally. “There is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: But Christ is all and in all” (Col. 3:11). When men are united in Christ the categories the world uses to divide men become secondary. But, to some brethren, and brethren of some influence, one can accept a man as human and in need of salvation, but still count him as common, or of less worth and value as a breed of man. Yater Tant in an article supportive of a series of articles on racial problems in America wrote, “(The negro) simply can not compete with the whites. It is cruel and vicious to try and make him do so” (Tant, Gospel Guardian, Vol. 23, p.8). Bryan Vinson stated it this way, “With Campbell and Lincoln I believe in the relative superiority and inferiority, respectively, of the white and black races . . . the amalgamation, blending and miscegenation of the two will mark the utter ruin of this nation. It will be an irretrievable ruin, with moral, economic, social, intellectual, and yes, national and international consequences ensuing in wholly irrepairable harm” (Vinson, Gospel Guardian, Vol. 23, p. 19, 20). His arguments are identical to their white supremacy ideology “Why have I written as I have done? Primarily, in response to a provocation wrought by the charge that I am a White Supremist. This is one thing with which I have been charged, to which I plead guilty” (Vinson, Ibid). One of the natural fruits of making a man common, or less than ourselves, is the contempt it raises in our hearts towards them. Racial persecution begins when we reduce human beings of dignity and worth to “Chinks,” “Nigras,” “Smokes,” “Slants,” or whatever other term we can reduce their humanity to.

Incidentally, Brother Vinson denies the term “prejudiced” by declaring, “This belief is not the product of prejudice, but one created and sustained by the evidence existing competent to support such a conclusion” (Vinson, Ibid.) I doubt that Vinson came tohis conclusions as a result of evidence. He, like most extremists, already held the black in contempt as his “genetic and social inferiors” and now seeks each documentation as he can find to support his previously held bigotry.

The Royal Law

“If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scriptures, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, and are convicted of the law as transgressors” (Jas. 2:9,10). When the world sees that men who formerly were not “social equals” and would not share the same hearth are now, since the coming of Christ into their hearts, ready to dwell in unity with them, the world is able to see the Gospel in action. We cannot esteem one as an equal of ourself if we hold his race in contempt. “Respect of persons” means just that. God has not placed any racial qualification upon his “royal law” so we may not either.

Paul expressed this truth by saying that Christians form a body, “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Rom. 12:5). If all God’s children form one body, the body of Christ (Eph. 5:23), then we cannot say that we can live in self-enforced segregation from other Christians.

Our churches, however, have not always been faithfull to these truths of the New Testament in their practice. Though we have been commanded, “Be not conformed to this world” (Rom. 12:2) we have allowed our practice to be influenced more by the patterns of this world than by the truth of the Gospel. I know personally of churches that appointed deacons for the specific duty of standing at the entrance of the church to welcome negroes who might come to worship and direct them to the “Black church” downtown. Furthermore this practice of discrimination by active and passive means has been instrumental in supporting discrimination in the society about us. In many places we have become inverse “lights of the world.” We have sunk into the gloom and darkness of the night and shed darkness abroad into the hearts of men so that they should be blinded to the truth of the gospel.

Christians are to be conformed to a higher standard which Christ has given. “Love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (Jno. 13:34,35). If men see in our practice the expression of love no one can question, then (it is only then) they will know that we are disciples of the Son of God. How despised the Lord and his people are today though-because of what the world sees in our treatment of our brethren (2 Pet. 2:1,2).

The Issue in Life

Outside of our assemblies, however, Christians still confront the issue of race relations. Socially, Jews would have nothing to do with Gentiles (an “inferior” race). Jews were taught from childhood that Gentiles were inferior and common, and to be avoided socially at all costs. Woe unto the Jew who ate or (God forbid) married one. By divine revelation Peter was told, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” (Acts 10:15). What was the Holy Spirit’s application? Spiritually, to be sure, it meant that Peter was not to withold the gospel and his fellowship by discrimination. But it was also a part of the divine record and the death knell to racial apartheid. “You know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation, but Gad hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean” (Acts 10:28). The Jewish objection was social. “Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised and didst eat with them” (Acts 11:3).

Our society has many ways of treating men as common. The simple matter of refusing to use a title of simple respect, Mister, Missus, or Miss when addressing Negroes is one way. Use of the diminutive titles like “Boy,” “Kid,” “Mammy,” “Hey, you” all are passive methods of making people common. We have forgotten Peter’s lesson, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34) — and have assumed that Negroes could not deserve that much respect.

Another manifestation of this attitude has been a reluctance or refusal to eat with Negroes. This was a manifestation of Peter’s attitude, as well. Paul, who allowed no compromise on such an essential part of the Gospel reported, “But when Peter came to Antioch I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he ate with Gentiles, but when they came he drew back and separated himself fearing the circumcision party” (Gal. 2:11, 12, RSV).

Eating together is an expression of human sharing and equality. A refusal to eat with another person is a way of calling him common and denying his worth as a man of “one blood” made in God’s image. The Lord did not consider it a matter of custom, or tradition, or personal preference which Peter had the moral right to decide as he pleased. His actions were a denial of “the truth of the Gospel” (Gal. 2:14, RSV).

That any Christian should consider others inferior and refuse social intercourse with them is especially strange in view of the fact that Christ, despite his dignity and status, did not — refuse to eat with even the lowliest of sinners (Mk. 2:16). If He was willing to eat with sinners like us, how could we imagine ourselves too good to eat with any man?

False Issues

Brother Vinson, as representative of those of his view, replied to Brother Leslie Diestelkamp’s efforts to overcome his fatal error by writing, “My whole article was designed to disassociate the race question and its problems from the sphere of religion for I regard every effort to sustain the present course of history by an appeal to (the Bible) to be a prostitution of the word of God. It is rather strange to me that a movement born of a foreign political influences, aided and abetted by an intelligensia of atheistic leanings, should be in correspondence with the word of ‘God! Too, if racial integration be contended for on the supposed equality of the races and the scriptures teach the latter, then why doesn’t Brother Diestelkamp and others like minded do something about de facto segregation in the North? It seems those of that section think that integration is imperatively right for the South, but not so for them” (Vinson, ibid., p.156).

This central issue of the dignity and worth of every person before God should not be obscured by debates on side issues. We cannot become sidetracked by mutual denunciations of the North and the South. It has become evident that racial inequality is a problem for the whole nation.

Nor can we allow debates over the way various groups are dealing with civil rights issues take our attention away from this central concern. Whatever our opinions of black power or civil rights groups, legislation or its politics, states rights, bussing, etc. Christians must still refrain from calling any man common. Every individual, young or old, in good health or bad, black or white, rich or poor, educated or illiterate must be treated as a person worth more than all this world contains.

Nor should the central issue be obscured by speaking of property rights. The defenders of slavery tried to evade the moral issue of making slaves of their brothers by speaking of the slave owner’s property rights. The rights of the slaves as human beings was of less importance than the slaveowners’ property rights. At the present time many defenders of racial segregation have tried to evade the moral issue by talking about property rights. The purpose of property rights is to safeguard the dignity and freedom of man, not to deny them. What Jesus said of the Sabbath (Mk. 2:27) could be applied to property: Property is made for man and not man for property.

What Does Love Require

The ultimate issue in race relations is, how shall we express the love Christ has given to us and commanded us to give to others? Love requires more than tolerance. To be sure, tolerance is better than intolerance, but it is not sufficient. It would be a step forward if we would tolerate negroes in our assemblies, in our homes, as our neighbors, and associates. But we might go this far and still not fulfill God’s requirements of love.

Love requires more than obedience to law. Respect of the law is required of Christians except when such law conflicts with God’s will, but love requires more. Laws have been passed which prohibit racial discrimination in schools, public accommodations, jobs, restaurants, law enforcement, etc. Christians can contribute to solving the problem by obeying the law. But, love is more than obedience to law.

Love is more than paternalism. There is a tradition among saints to do things for negroes in the manner of someone superior helping someone inferior, in the manner of a father helping and assuming authority over a child, rather than as a neighbor or as a brother. Paternalism is doing things for another in such a way that he is kept dependent rather than encouraged to be independent. Brethren have boasted of their efforts for “black churches” as a demonstration of the high moral plane of their discrimination. They give the “nigra” their bacon drippings, and their used clothing, help whitewash their shanty church buildings, and preach a lesson once in awhile for “the blacks.” Then they can declare with pride, “You can’t say I don’t love my black brethren! See how much I have done for them? Just because the Lord told me to love them, doesn’t mean I have to live with them or marry them!” Some brethren are totally oblivious to the deepness of the prejudice they hold in their heart. I heard a good hearted brother announce once, “We sure do appreciate you black brethren coming to our singing. Nobody can sing as good as your people do.” Paternalism overlooks the quality of godly love (Jno. 13:14,15; Phil. 2:3) God requires of us. Paternalism is better than cruelty and indifference, but it is not enough.

Love requires more than willingness for things to change sometime in the indefinite future. To say “later” if it is said sincerely, it is better than “never.” But it is not enough. People who say “later” usually mean that they are willing for change to take place, but after they are dead. The time never seems ripe for facing up to painful decisions. The more serious matter is that when We are saying “later”, we are often presuming that we have the perogative of deciding when other people can get their full rights as human beings. Whites do not have the privilege of deciding when they think negroes are ready enough or mature enough to enjoy the same rights and responsibilities they enjoy themselves. We do not have “later.” We only have now.

Love will mean a positive effort to establish better relationships with those negroes we come into contact with. Love means we will make an effort to overcome the bad effects of many generations of handicaps and injustice which the negroes have suffered at the hands of White Supremists. Love will mean a willingness to forgive offences which may have been committed against us by members of other races. We must remember that this is one of the obligations laid upon all who seek God’s mercy (Matt. 6:12).

We will express our love, not because some human legislature has decreed it, not because of the decision of some human court, not just because negroes are demanding better treatment, nor because it is now a socially acceptable thing, but because the “love of Christ constrains us” (2 Cor. 5:14).

Truth Magazine XXI: 34, pp. 536-539
September 1, 1977

By Irvin Himmel

Men of strength and power are discussed in the Scriptures. Some men are mighty in that which is good; others are mighty in working for Satan. Some men are physically powerful; others possess inward might. Let us study some of these mighty men.

Mighty in Wickedness

It is stated in Gen. 6:4 that “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” Some Bible scholars think the “giants” in this passage were men of violence — robbers, bandits, attackers, tyrants, or lawless persons who plundered the weak. When the sons of God (descendants of Seth, righteous men) married the daughters of men (possibly descendants of Cain, wicked women), the offspring became mighty men, that is, men of notoriety. These heroes of antiquity achieved their renown through iniquity. The next verse says, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Men became so mighty in wickedness that God sent the flood to destroy them from off the earth.

In Isaiah’s time there were men who were mighty in the use of strong drink. “Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink” (Isa. 5:22). What irony! There are men today who are mighty in drinking of liquor! And some of these are able men-able to mix the drinks to make them even more intoxicating! The only might such characters possess runs in the direction of evil.

Mighty in Physical Strength and Valor

An angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, saying, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor” (Judg. 6:12). One of the reasons God chose Gideon to be a leader in Israel is that he was brave and courageous. A servant of King Saul reported that young David, a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, was “a mighty valiant man, and a man of war” (1 Sam. 16:18). And it is said of Naaman, the Syrian captain, that he was “a mighty man in valor” (2 Kgs. 5:1).

One could be physically strong but cowardly, or one could have a brave heart in spite of physical weakness. The mighty men of war in Old Testament days were strong in body and in courage.

Mighty in Wealth and Influence

The Bible describes Boaz as “a mighty man of wealth” (Ruth 2:1). He had other qualities that were outstanding. The only power that some men have is in material prosperity and the influence that accompanies wealth. It is the strength of their riches and their monetary influence that prompts people who walk after the flesh to honor them as “mighty.” Paul said, “not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (1 Cor. 1:26). The gospel has never had much appeal to the high and mighty. How many millionaires, kings, governors, presidents, generals, and others of high rank according to the world’s standard have truly accepted the call of the gospel? Not many! The very demands of the gospel appear foolish to men who glory in the power of wealth and the prestige of high office.

Stephen paid tribute to Moses when he said, “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds” (Acts 7:22). Although he was not eloquent, Moses’ words were powerful because he spoke as God directed. His deeds were mighty because he showed “wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years” (Acts 7:36).

It is said of Jesus of Nazareth that He was a prophet “mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” (Lk. 24:19). He spoke as one having authority, and not as the scribes (Matt. 7:29). Some officers who were sent to arrest Him returned without Him, exclaiming, “Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46). His works displayed “the mighty power of God” (Lk. 9:43).

Mighty in Conviction and Faith

Christians with strong faith are taught to bear the infirmities of the weak. Paul wrote, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Rom. 15:1). True spiritual might .will never be ours unless we realize our human weaknesses and frailties. “Therefore,” said Paul, “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor. 12:10).

Mighty in the Scriptures

The Bible reports that Apollos, an eloquent Jew from Alexandria, was “mighty in the scriptures” (Acts 18:24). To be mighty in the Scriptures one must be acquainted with the Scriptures, and this requires much study and meditation. One must know how to “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15), or how to correctly use the Scriptures. Furthermore, to be mighty in the Scriptures one must believe the Scriptures and make a sincere effort to practice God’s word. Today, there are very few people, even among preachers, who are mighty in the Scriptures. There is an urgent need for more men who are able and strong in understanding and expounding the Scriptures.

May God help us to be mighty in the things that are good and worthwhile. The Lord wants more mighty men in the great work of the kingdom.

Truth Magazine XXI: 34, pp. 535-536
September 1, 1977