Truth Magazine

By Morris W. R. Bailey

In a previous article under the above heading, it was pointed out that a proper handling and correct division of the word of truth requires that we recognize the distinction that the Bible makes between what God spoke of old time through the prophets to the fathers, and what he has spoken unto us today through His Son Jesus Christ. This is especially true when dealing with the commands of God. With that in mind we now propose to point out that the commands of the Bible, in respect of their applicability, fall into two classes, namely,

Limited vs. Universal

By limited commands we mean such as were addressed to, as in some instances, just one man, or, as in other instances, to just one nation. By universal commands, we mean such as were addressed to all men.

As an example of a command that was limited in its application, let us notice Genesis 6:14. There God is recorded as saying, “Make an ark of gopher wood.” There is no question that God was speaking on this occasion. Not only did he give the command to build an ark, but there were specific instructions given as to its size and design, and even the kind of wood that was to be used.

Let us suppose that tomorrow someone finds me cutting and hewing timbers. They ask me what I am doing, and I tell them that I am building an ark. When asked why I am building an ark, I refer them to the command in Gen. 6:14. Is not that plain enough? God has given a command to build an ark.

Now, of course, any discerning student of the Bible would be able to tell me that the command to build the ark was given to but one man. It was given only to Noah and was never intended to be of universal application. True, it was God who spoke, but it was one of those revelations made to the fathers. It was not spoken to you nor me.

We can take, as another example, God’s command recorded in Genesis 22:2, “Take now thy son . . . and offer him for a burnt offering.” So I prepare to offer my son as a burnt offering. Did not God command it? Someone points out to me, and rightly so, that this command was not given to me, nor to anyone else but Abraham. It was a special command given to prove his faith. And what a fine demonstration of faith it was! It was a faith that obeyed God without asking questions or raising objections.

It is thus obvious from the foregoing that there were some commands of the Bible which were of a decidedly limited application in that they were addressed to but one man.

To A Nation

Let us now view another command, or should I say a group of commands. And here we are dealing with a misconception that prevails throughout the greater part of the religious world. I refer to the idea held by so many that we are under the Ten Commandments today. This is true, not only of Seventh Day Adventists, but, to a greater or lesser extent with every denomination.

It thus comes as a surprise to many, and even as an occasion of alarm to some when I point out that I do not pretend to keep the Ten Commandments. Why? Because they were not addressed to me. They were addressed only to the children of Israel who had been in bondage in Egypt. This is obvious from a careful reading of a number of passages of scripture.

The nineteenth chapter of Exodus and the first verse says, “In the third month after the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.” Thus the events recorded here have to do with the children of Israel. The remainder of the chapter tells how that God came down upon Mount Sinai and spoke to Israel. This brings us to chapter twenty and verses one and two where we read, “And God spake all these words, saying, I am Jehovah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” This was followed by the giving of the Ten Commandments, thus showing that they were addressed to Israel.

That the Ten Commandments were addressed only to Israel is clearly taught in other passages of scripture. Let us go to the fifth chapter of Deuteronomy. Verse one says, “And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them an(‘ observe to do them.” In verses two and three he tolc them that, “Jehovah our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Jehovah made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us alive here this day.” This takes care of the contention of Seventh Day Adventists that the Ten Commandments existed even before man was created.

In verse four Moses reminded them how that “Jehovah spake with you face to face in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, saying, I am Jehovah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” He then proceeded to repeat the Ten Commandments given at mount Sinai.

So the Ten Commandments were given at Mount Horeb. They were addressed to Israel. That they were given to none but Israel is evident from the words of Moses in Deut. 4:8: “And what great nation is there that path statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?” If the Ten Commandments had been given to all men, then other nations would have had statutes and ordinances as righteous as those given to Israel.

The New Covenants Universal

In contrast to the limited applicability of the old covenant, the new covenant is universal in its scope. When God spoke through Christ it was for all men. The three versions of the great commission stress the universality of the gospel message. Matthew records Jesus as saying, “Go . . . make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19). Mark’s version says, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:16). Luke records Jesus as saying, “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations” (Luke 24:47).

The commands of the gospel are of universal obligation. All men are required to believe in Christ as the Son of God. Jesus said, “Except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24). All men are required to repent. In his speech before the philosophers of Athens, Paul said, “The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent” (Acts 17:30). All men are required to be baptized. Jesus said, “Except one be born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The commission that required the apostles to make disciples of all the nations also commanded, “baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). The command to baptize is thus as universal as the command to make disciples.

Among the closing words of the New Testament are these, “Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17). The provisions of the gospel are thus broad enough in their application to include “whosoever will” accept the gracious offer of life. They are limited only by man’s unwillingness to accept what is offered. To the Jews of his day, Jesus said, on one occasion, “Y e will not come unto me that ye may have life” (John 5:40). He did not say that they could not come, but that they would not come. It was their own stubborn will that stood between them and eternal life that Jesus offered them.

Truth Magazine XXI: 34, pp. 534-535
September 1, 1977

By Ron Halbrook

For The Truth’s Sake, the clergy-laity system should be abolished among all people claiming to be Christians. In Matt. 23:5-12, Christ forbad the spirit that leads to such distinctions, and forbade the use of titles, peculiar dress, and honors which attend such distinctions. “To be seen of men,” the so-called clergy wear special “garments,” seek “the chief seats,” and expect “greetings” which honor their titles of distinction. Christ said, “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven” (Matt. 23:8-9).

“All Ye Are Brethren,” Christ said! The people of God share an equality of spiritual standing before God, like children in a family. Once we obey the gospel of Christ by faith, we are all children in one family with one Father without titles, honors, and positions of elevation. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one an Christ Jesus . . . and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:26-29).

“One is your Master, even Christ.” We have no glory of elevation because the Holy Spirit said through Paul, “Christ is all” (Col. 3:11). God intended for Christ “that in all things he might have the preeminence” (1:18). All glory, honor, praise, reverence, and adoration belongs to Deity, and none to man in the presence of Almighty God! God made Christ our “wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Cor. 1:30-31).

The elevation of the so-called clergy with their titles of honor is a rebellion against the authority of Christ. He does not authorize such elevations but positively forbids them. We should not be ashamed to withhold religious titles of honor and reverence from men, but should be ashamed and afraid before God to give such titles to men. We are to “serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:2829), but are not to speak awe and reverence toward men. Current religious titles include Pope, Patriarch, President, Bishop, Archbishop, Cardinal, Reverend, Right Reverend, Very Reverend, Doctor, Reverend Doctor, Most Worshipful, Worshipful Master (Masonic), Holy, Most Holy, Very Holy, ad infinitum ad nauseam. Even though Christ specifically forbade honoring men with the religious title “Father,” that very title is prominently used in Roman Catholicism.

Forsaking all titles of religious elevation, let us be not Catholics, Protestants, or Jews, but Christians only (Acts 11:26).

Truth Magazine XXI: 34, p. 533
September 1, 1977

By Mike Willis

A few months ago, the wire services reported a horrible case of child abuse from the state of Tennessee. The report told how a step-father had mistreated a child so badly that the child died. The child had done something to offend the step-father so he began making the child walk without stopping for something over a solid day. When the child requested water to drink, the step-father drank water in front of the four or five-year old child and then offered the child tabasco sauce to drink. The punishment continued until the child collapsed and died.

My personal reaction to reading this story was that the father should be punished in a similar fashion. That is, the courts of this land should sentence the father to death by walking him to death, offering him tabasco sauce to quench his thirst even as he had done to his step-child. Perhaps some will think that this is revenge. Since I was not offended and have no reason to seek retaliation, I had rather call it righteous indignation. But, whatever we chose to call it, certainly the case before us reminds us of our parental responsibility as commanded in the Bible. Paul said, “And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Again, he wrote, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children, that they may not lose heart” (Col. 3:21).

The Lord has given parents the responsibility to discipline their children; indeed, children are under the control of the parents. Yet, God has placed a load of responsibility upon the shoulders of those of us who are parents to be sure that we raise our children as they need to be raised. Sometimes, parents abuse their children just as children sometimes abuse their parents. Let us consider some of the ways which parents can be guilty of provoking their children to wrath.

Things Which Provoke Children

1. Cruel and harsh punishment. When a child is beaten to a pulp, when broken bones are the result of a “spanking,” when bruises appear all over the child’s body, etc. the child is being abused. In cases such as was reported from Tennessee, the child would have grown up hating her step-father even if she had lived. Her hate would. have been justified because the father had provoked his child to wrath. Certainly, this must be put at the top of the list of things which provoke children to wrath.

2. Unjust punishment. Sometimes children are punished when they do not deserve to be spanked or to have privileges taken from them. Sometimes the parent comes home from a bad day at work totally frustrated. To vent his anger, the parent will spank his children for things for which they would not be punished on any other day of the week. The child can detect this; he knows that he was punished unjustly and will grow up hating the parent who habitually acts this way. Parents should not punish their children because they (the parents) do not feel good; that is not the purpose of punishment.

3. Inconsistent punishment. Sometimes one wonders how children learn anything. Parents will frequently let Johnny get away with something nine times and then punish him for doing the same thing on the tenth time. How is the child to know whether or not he can do that thing? He is frustrated and all that he has learned from the punishment is to see what mood “the old man” is in before doing it again!

Mothers are guilty of the same thing. They will say to their children, “If you do that again, I am going to give you a spanking.” The child does it again and nothing happens. The child learns that mother really does not mean what she says. Then, about the time he has learned that he can do a certain thing without getting a spanking, mother spanks him. He is confused and justly so. His mother has been inconsistent in disciplining the child. One time Brother Franklin Puckett was visiting in my home when my daughter was about 1 1/2 to 2 years old. I told her to do something and promised her a whipping if she did not do it. She did not do it and I did not spank her. After I had made some remark about my daughter’s disobedience, Brother Puckett (thank the Lord!) straightened me out. He told me that I needed to say what I meant and then to enforce my word. I have not grown to the point that I am the perfect father, but that lesson surely did help me.

4. Showing partiality. The story of Jacob and Esau shows the sorry results which occur in a family when one or both parents show partiality to their children. Surely, the child who witnesses his parent being partial to his brother or sister is provoked to anger by it. When he sees his brother or sister getting away with doing the very same thing he got a whipping for doing just a few minutes before, he is provoked to anger by it.

Sometimes partiality is shown in the comparisons we make of children. The report cards of children are frequently compared even though the children might not be equally talented. This is not fair to the children and they will grow up resenting it. I have already learned that children do not come into the world with the same abilities. Some are mechanically oriented while others are book-oriented from the start. To compare these children in one area without taking into consideration the unique interests and abilities of the given child is unfair to the children. The following poem emphasizes that every child is different and should be accepted as he or she is. We must be careful in comparing children not to provoke them to wrath thereby.

I have a little sister,

That’s not at all like me.

She can write a lovely poem,

But I can climb a tree.

My brother too is special

With freckles on his nose.

When I crash his knee, he dances,

He’s the one that knows.

He made you something special,

You’re the only one of your kind.

God gave you a body

And a bright, healthy mind.

He had a special purpose

That He wanted you to find,

So he made you something special,

You’re the only one of your kind.

(Transcribed from a record by the Bill Gaither Trio.)

5. Neglect. One of the things which provokes my child more than anything is just plain old neglect; it is something which I am continually forced to fight in order that I not be guilty of abusing my precious children. When I have not been at home enough or have not taken any time to sit and talk with my daughter, she begins to act badly. Frequently, the problem lies in me instead of in her.

We preachers are a funny brood. We will rant and rave in the pulpit about how awful some fathers are because they become so wrapped up in their work at the office that they neglect their children during the most precious years of their lives. We sermonize for long periods of time about how awful these parents are. Then, we will read the biography of a preacher who was gone for weeks at a time in meetings, leaving his wife to raise, educate and even bury their children; then, we put the book down and tell the world of the devotion to God which the preacher had. Why is the preacher not just as guilty of neglecting his family as the business man is? Frankly, I can see no difference in the two. So long as my family needs me at home, I will not be running all over the country neglecting them and provoking my children to wrath!

Conclusion

Christians have an awesome responsibility in the rearing of their children. Although children are free moral beings the same as the rest of us are and, therefore, have the ability to chose right or wrong after they have grown up, the things which we do as parents have a lasting effect upon how our children turn out. May each of us have the objectivity to look at ourselves as we rear our children in order that not one of them can point the finger of accusation at us and righteously accuse us of acting in such a way as to provoke them to wrath. May God be with us in the rearing of our children.

Truth Magazine XXI: 34, pp. 531-532
September 1, 1977

By Luther Blackmon

The Lord knew that a positive stand for the truth would cause division. He said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-inlaw against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me.” Jesus did not mean that He takes delight in causing strife. But He demands unqualified obedience to what He said, and that kind of obedience will divide families. We have seen it happen many times. It will also divide churches when there are those in the churches who put the truth ahead of everything else, and some others, including the elders, who are determined that the church shall engage in practices for which they can give not scriptural authority. In such cases brethren who respect the truth will separate themselves. When they do they will be maligned, ridiculed, and ostracized. Every effort will be made to break down their resistance and bring them back. This is just a part of the price you pay for being loyal to the truth above everything else. Paul said, “. . . all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). I surely do not envy these fainthearted brethren who are more afraid of brotherhood sentiment than they are the wrath of God.

Truth Magazine XXI: 34, p. 530
September 1, 1977