Truth Magazine

By Donald P Ames

One cannot turn through the pages of the New Testament without being impressed with the nature of the miracles performed by Jesus while here on this earth. In contrast to those performed by so-called “faith healers” of today, they did not fail “for one’s lack of faith” and were able to stand the test of investigation. They did not have to be drug out until the person eventually was “healed,” but were instantaneous in their very nature. They did not deal with those things no one could see, but were obvious to all who saw what had happened. (See also 1 Cor. 13:8-10).

In fact, these miracles were so overwhelming that they readily bore evidence to the Jews of the power of God. When Nicodemus came to Jesus, he said, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him” (John 3:2). In John 9, as the blind man disputed with the Pharisees, he said, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes…. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that any one opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing” (Jn. 9:30-33). The Pharisees themselves were forced to admit He was performing many signs (John 11:47-“miraculous acts”-Vine), and the people asked, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” (Jn. 9:16-here implying they did not believe such a man could be a sinner, but had to be from God). The disciples were constantly amazed as they saw the power of Christ manifested in the miracles He was performing.

But the sad fact remains that not all of the Jews believed. Did they deny that a miracle had been performed? Did they deny that someone had actually been healed? No! Just the opposite is true: they denied that such a miracle had taken place by the power of God, and instead attributed it to the power of the Devil (Matt. 12:24). They accused Him of being a false teacher and a sinner (John 9:16), but still asked how the miracle had actually been performed (Jn. 9:26). They could not deny that such had actually taken place (Jn. 11:47-48, Acts 4:16), or they most gladly would have produced that evidence to refute and expose Christ.

But let us note here another feature about these miracles that were being performed by Christ. That is, that by doing these things, He was also making some rather bold claims, namely, that He was the Son of God. In fact, Jesus repeatedly turned to His miracles as direct evidence of this fact. In Matt. 11:4-6, He sends answer by John’s disciples that the miracles He did were all the testimony He needed to demonstrate He was the Christ. In John 10:37-38, He appeals to the miracles as clear evidence that will stand-even if they reject His spoken word. In John 10:25, He calls on them as clear evidence God was with Him. In John 15:24. He not only notes that the miracles He performed were of such a nature no man could reproduce them, but goes so far as to claim that because of them, those who rejected them would be lost in sin. Indeed these were some rather bold claims to be made as a result of what He was doing.

Many today are willing to come along and admit Christ was a great man, who did some great teaching, but like the Jews, they refrain from admitting He was the Christ. They claim the miracles were mere figments of the disciples’ imaginations. However, the disciples not only recorded them during the life-time of those who were eye-witnesses of them (and could thus have easily refuted them), but called upon them as testimony of the deity of Christ (Acts 2:22), and through the power of the Holy Spirit demonstrated what they preached was the truth (Acts 4:16; Mark 16:17-20; Heb. 2:1-4). That which was revealed is too well established for modern day deniers to dismiss that easily.

And what is the consequence of all this? What do these miracles tell us regarding the claims of Christ? Either He was what He claimed to be, or God bore witness through His miracles to what was a boldfaced lie! Since we know God does not lie (Titus 1:2), and would not substantiate a lie with such miracles which were appealed to as proof Jesus was the son of God (if the claim was false, God himself would have turned against him in refutation of that which was claimed. Acts 12:23), then we are indeed forced to accept the conclusion presented by Nicodemus, “We know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2). And since He claimed, and confirmed, to be the Son of God, why will we not heed that which He has set forth (Luke 6:46)?

Truth Magazine, XVIII:2, p. 10
November 8, 1973

By Larry R. DeVore

The word “Hypocrisy” is from the Greek word “Hupokrisis” meaning literally, “To answer- play-acting, hence, pretence.” (Vine, page 241).

Quite often when visiting an unfaithful member of the church, his or her favorite excuse is “There are too many hypocrites in the church.” And I suppose they are right. For even one true hypocrite in the church would be one too many. But I believe there are a whole lot more hypocrites in man-made churches, and in the world in general; and brother, there will be a whole lot of them in hell, and I do not want to go there to be with them.

But it seems to me, in about every case where this excuse is brought up, the one using it as an excuse for unfaithfulness has never gone to any of these “hypocrites” in the church to try to get them to do right. This is “Phariseeism” of the worst sort, as Jesus said “they say and do not.” So it is with unfaithful members. They will accuse others of being hypocrites, but they will do absolutely nothing to talk to them and teach them to do right. This they do not want to do, because if others did right, then their excuse would be gone! This makes such unfaithful members the biggest hypocrites of all. Paul said, “Let love be without dissimulation.” (Rom. 12:9) Dissimulation is another word for hypocrisy. The unfaithful member does not really love his brethren or else he would urge them to do better and repent. He is the biggest hypocrite of all, and he will end up in hell with that hypocrite in the church he refused to have anything to do with in this life. What a waste and useless tragedy. Think, Brethren, Think!

Truth Magazine, XVIII:2, p. 9
November 8, 1973

By Larry Ray Hafley

The Baptist World, a Landmark Missionary Baptist publication, has a monthly feature entitled, “What Baptists Believe.” In the December, 1971, issue, baptism is discussed under the subheading, “What Is Scriptural Baptism?” The article states that “Four Things Are Essential for Scriptural Baptism.” We reviewed the first of the four essentials in a previous article and will review the third one in this study. We shall not note point number two which correctly represents baptism as immersion.

Essential Number Three

“3. The third essential is there must be a proper reason for being baptized. The purpose of being baptized is not in order to be saved. It is because one is saved.

“One is baptized to identify himself with the children of God. As a serviceman wears a uniform to identify him as a part of a particular branch of service, so the child of God identifies himself by baptism. A serviceman may not be in uniform but still be in the service, though not identified. A child of God may be one of God’s children without baptism, but he isn’t identified as a Christian. When a child of God is baptized-buried in water and raised again-he declares to the world that his faith is in Christ who was buried and rose again. ‘Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection’ (Rom. 6:3-5). When one is baptized, he makes a likeness or demonstration of Christ’s burial and resurrection known. He declares that his own spiritual nature is dead to sin and raised to walk in the newness of life. Peter, in Acts 2:38 told the people to repent (repentance is unto life, see Acts 11:18) and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for (because of) the remission of sins.’ People shout for joy and weep for sorrow. They go to prison for crimes and receives wages for work, that is, because of.

“Jesus baptized to make Himself known to Israel as the Son of God (John 1:31). We, also, are identified in baptism as the sons of God. We are baptized for the same reason Jesus was.”

Reply:

(1) If the purpose of baptism is not in order to be saved, as Baptist doctrine says, in what way could Peter have said, “baptism doth also now save us” (1 Pet. 3:21)? Note that no Scripture is cited to prove that one is baptized because one is saved. A Baptist assertion is not sufficient. Where does the Bible say so?

(2) The illustration about the serviceman and his uniform does not fit (no pun intended) Baptist doctrine. Landmark Missionary Baptists teach that the outer man is a child of the Devil. Only the spirit, the inner man, say they, is born of God. Thus, they have baptism putting the uniform on the outer man who is not even in the service, not a child of God. That leaves their inner man without any clothes; he has no uniform because their doctrine puts the uniform on the civilian. The statement, therefore, that “one is baptized to identify himself with the children of God” is a license for misrepresentation. Since the outer man, the body, is a child of the Devil, to dress him in a uniform to identify him with the children of God is to put a wolf in sheep’s clothing. That is the consequence of Baptist doctrine.

The service must be represented by Christ. How is one inducted into Christ? We are “baptized into Christ” (Gal. 3:27). One cannot be in the service until he is “baptized into Jesus Christ” (Rom. 6:3).

Romans 6:3-5 is an unfortunate passage for Baptists to quote. Baptist doctrine says we are in Christ and walk in newness of life before baptism. But Romans 6 shows that we are “baptized into Jesus Christ,” and that we arise from the burial by baptism “to walk in newness of life.”

(3) In Acts 2:38, we are told that “for” means “because of.” The difficulty concerning repentance in Acts 2:38 also being “because of the remission of sins” seems to have been anticipated, so the author cites Acts 11:18 where repentance is said to be unto or in order to life. But one step in quicksand is only worsened by another. It is the same here. The word “unto” in Acts 11:18 is the same Greek word as “for” in Acts 2:38. He helps himself worse! If “for” shows baptism comes after the remission of sins, then “unto,” the very same word, shows that repentance comes after we have eternal life.

Both repentance and baptism are “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). “Because of” will not do as a definition of “for.” It makes repentance “because of” just as surely as it makes baptism “because of.” This will not suit Baptist doctrine. The truth is that both repentance and baptism are for, in order to, the remission of sins.

Acts 2:38 and Mt. 26:28 have the identical expression in the English and Greek languages, “for the remission of sins.” Would Baptists say that Christ shed His blood “because of” the remission of sins? No, they would not. They admit that the phrase means “in order to” or as Thayer’s Lexicon says, “in order to obtain” the remission of sins as used in Mt. 26:28. The same phrase means the same thing in Acts 2:38.

(4) The sentence, “People shout for joy” and the others all correctly show “for” with its meaning of because of. But the Greek language has numerous prepositions to express differences in meaning; whereas, English has one which expresses different meanings. The Greek word “for” that would be used in the illustrative sentences would be “dia” and not “eis,” the preposition used in Acts 2:38; 11:18; Mt. 26:28. People “go to prison for crimes,” because of crimes. But they also go for (in order to) punishment. “For” in the English is used to mean both because of and in order to, but in the Greek it would be, Ago to prison for (dia – because of) crimes, and Ago to prison for (eis – in order to) punishment. And it is the word Aeis@ that is found in Acts 2:38, no Adia.@

(5) Jesus= Sonship and baptism and our sonship and baptism are parallel by Baptist doctrine, not by the Bible. The statement, AWe are baptized for the same reason Jesus was@ is unfounded, unproven and unscriptural. The parallel lacks a passage to substantiate it. Christ was baptized Ato fulfil all righteousness@ (Matt. 3:15). Penitent believers are baptized Afor the remission of sins@ (Acts 2:38, that is, to be saved (Mark 16:16, 1 Pet. 3:21).

Truth Magazine, XVIII:2, p. 7-8
November 8, 1973

By Jimmy Tuten, Jr.

“My brethren, be not many masters; knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation” (Jas. 3:1). The lexicons tell us that the word (didaskalos) translated “master” should have been translated “teachers.” It is rendered “teachers” in the American Standard Version. The obvious meaning therefore is that Jewish Christians were attempting to teach what they did not clearly comprehend. Wise teachers were needed, not foolish ones (Jas. 3:13). God did not intend that we all be teachers. This is illustrated in the exercising of spiritual gifts at Corinth (1 Cor. 12:28-31). Teachers have always occupied an honourable position among Christians (Acts 13:1). Teachers are necessary. However, incompetent and unworthy teachers do much harm.1

Can one possibly give attention to James 3:1 without seeing the need of personal consideration of oneself as a teacher? Like all teachers, each teaches a little by what they say; but they teach more by what they do. The Bible class teacher teaches more by what they are. Deeds are most important. A fountain cannot rise higher than its source. Even so the teacher’s instruction cannot be better than the teacher himself. Teacher, consider thyself. Too many are like those described by Hambone, the comic strip character: “most folks doan git nowhar because dey doan start nowhar in de fust place.” Don’t let this be descriptive of you. Unless we start somewhere, we are not going to get anywhere. The teacher must be seriously concerned with himself: what he is, where he is going, his conduct, his attitude, and the need for improvement. Until these and other matters relating to teaching are clear, there will be no effective teaching.

Consider Your Goal

There is an interesting passage in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alice meets a cat and asks, “would you tell me, please, which way I ought to walk from here?” To this the cat replied, “that depends a good deal on where you want to get to!” And so it is with Bible school teaching. Unless we are teaching with a definite goal, we are not likely to get anywhere.2 The goal of the Bible teacher is threefold:

(1) To seek out and find the truth on whatever subject demands his attention. The word of the Lord is truth and men can only be sanctified with it (Jno. 17:17). Only by obeying truth can souls be purified (1 Pet. 1:22). One should not wrest the Scriptures (2 Pet. 3:16), nor corrupt its contents (2 Cor. 2:17). Personal opinion should never be bound upon students. “If one advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of depraved mind . . .” (I Tim. 6:3-5, Nash).

(2) To fill ones personal spiritual needs. “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding” (Prov. 23:23), is a fitting admonition for Bible class teachers. In this respect one should consider very carefully Romans 2:21, “thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?” The teacher should not only know what he must teach, but be ready to apply it to himself as well. Those who thoroughly know their subject matter and have personally drunk from the well of knowledge will be fired with enthusiasm. These are they who will unconsciously inspire students with his own interest. “This earnest feeling of truths clearly conceived is the secret of the enthusiasm so much admired and praised in teacher and preacher. Common truths become transformed for such a teacher. History becomes a living panorama; geography swells out into great continental stretches of peopled nations; astronomy becomes the march of worlds and world-systems. How can the teacher’s manner fail to be earnest and inspiring when his subject-matter is so rich in radiant reality?” 3

(3) Aim to supply the spiritual needs to others. Those who have learned well and know thoroughly have paid the price of mental toil and effort so needed in teaching. But then comes the problem of communicating to the pupil that information. This cannot be done by merely assigning tasks and driving pupils to accomplish those tasks. Most often this develops in the mind of the pupil an attitude of dislike for what they have tried to learn. You cannot pass knowledge from one mind to another like some material substance. Ideas can only be communicated. Bible teachers must induce students to think. This requires study and effort on the part of the teacher. We cannot supply spiritual needs to others without it. This brings us to the next point.

Consider Your Preparation

“Study to show thyself approved unto God.” This should be of special interest to those who are children of God and are seeking to teach others. This involves more than mere reading over the lesson Saturday night, or filling in the blanks of a workbook. A teacher will need some special study because in order to be qualified, he must know and understand all ramifications of information pertaining to the lesson to be taught. The teacher is a salesman for Christ and must know his product well. Then, and only then, can he develop confidence in himself and his lesson. Study is the basis for making the teacher proud of his position.

There is absolutely no substitute for a knowledge of that which one would teach. The teacher should be a constant student of the Bible, seeking to deepen his understanding of the book which contains all the principles and ideals one needs to teach. With every preparation the teacher makes, there will be growth toward becoming a better teacher. Generally and simply stated, preparation should include the following:

(1) General preparation-This should include all the academic and professional training that can be secured by the teacher. Make this as complete as study and experience can make it. This should include the following: (a) A study of the Master Teacher. Study the instances in the New Testament where Jesus taught. Identify the different methods He used and try to employ them in your own teaching. Jesus is the model teacher; our model. He knew and used the best methods. By following His examples we will be stimulated to grow. (b) Attend teacher training classes-If the teacher really wants to improve himself he will avail himself of every opportunity to share his thinking with others. Special classes for training teachers, whether at home or elsewhere, will be used to stimulate greater effort. Any qualified person can teach these and there is no reason why they should not be conducted. They are especially helpful for teachers of young children because the class will help them to come into contact with adult minds. This will require extra time of course. They are conducted at times other than the regular classes. Special training classes require special effort, but they pay big dividends to the teacher who wants to improve. (c) Make use of the church library-Every church should have a library for the use of its members in general and for teachers in particular. The library should not only contain good books dealing with the Bible, commentaries, lexicons, etc., it should contain some works that would help the teacher understand methods of teaching at various levels. A must for any library is enough reference works to help the teacher prepare for any lesson he may have to teach. (d) Each teacher should evaluate himself-This calls for a critical analysis of each lesson taught. Also a willingness to critically analyze one’s own procedures. These efforts will go a long way in helping to bring about rapid improvement. Ask yourself such questions as: “did I have my objectives in mind when I taught?,” “were the activities during the class related to my goals for the class?,” and “what evidence do I have that my pupils learned something worth while?” Always look for ways to improve your approach and methods of teaching.

(2) Specific preparation-The following have been suggested as guidelines for specific preparation for each lesson: First, study and plan your study as a whole. Second, make a general observation and study of your class. Learn something about the students themselves, their needs, their abilities and interest. Thirdly, select material and methods of study which are adaptable to both the student and the lesson. Fourth, make special preparation for each lesson, remembering that you will be teaching things that will be remembered throughout eternity. Take plenty of time and think through each part of the lesson, making sure that you understand it yourself. With the use of commentaries, dictionaries, and source books read as widely as possible on the lesson material. Consult others for their help regarding specific problems. Fifth, make this preparation well in advance of your class. Do not wait until the last minute. Arrive early at the classroom and make last minute preparations. Always open your class with a prayer.

(To Be Continued)

1. A.T. Robertson, Word Studies of the New Testament (Nashville: 1933), Vol. 6, p. 39.

2. Ray Rozell, Talks on Sunday School Teaching (Grand Rapids: 1956), p. 51.

3. John Gregory, The Seven Laws of Teaching (Grand Rapids: 195), p. 17, 18.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:2, p. 5-6
November 8, 1973