“Speak Unto Us Smooth Things”

By Johnie Edwards

Many today are crying for the same kind of things that Israel of old asked for when it was said of the Lord’s people, “Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits” (Isa. 30:10). Who would have ever thought that God’s own chosen people would have had such an attitude as this toward God and his word? In essence they were saying don’t tell us the truth, we don’t want to hear it. Things haven’t changed much, have they? What was the problem then and what is the problem today?

They Were Rebellious

Isaiah called them a rebellious people. “That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord” (Isa. 30:9). The Lord referred to them as “rebellious children” (Isa. 30:1). Stephen was stoned when he referred to the children of these people in these words: “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you” (Acts 7:51). When folks want to rebel against the Lord’s will, they will demand smooth things to be taught! We are seeing that being done today among a lot of brethren.

Did Not Take Counsel Of God

In commenting on his people, God said, “. . . that take counsel, but not of me” (Isa. 30:1). Hosea declared that Israel failed to consult God on spiritual matters. “My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them . . .” (Hos. 4:12). Instead of asking God, these people asked a piece of wood, their stocks and staffs! Can you imagine God’s people talking to a stick instead of God? Perhaps their stocks declared smooth things to them!

They Rejected Knowledge

Those who demanded smooth things also rejected God’s knowledge. Hosea penned, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of God, I will also forget thy children” (Hos. 4:6). These people simply did not want to hear what God had to say. They were like those Paul mentioned, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Rom. 1:28). Those today who desire to hear smooth things do not want to hear the whole counsel of God preached! And this is sad.

They Set Up Kings, But Not By God

At one time God’s form of government for his people was that of judges. The Lord’s people grew tired of judges and cried, “Give us a king to judge us . . .” (1 Sam. 8:6). They no longer wanted to hear what God had to say. Their desire was to hear smooth things. So, they said, “. . . now make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Sam. 8:5). They were saying, we want to be like those around us and we want to hear what they are hearing. Sound familiar? A lot of churches of Christ are crying the same cry, “we want to be like those around us.” So, speak unto us smooth things. Give us human organizations to do the work that the local church needs to be doing in evangelism, edification and benevolence. We do not want to hear sermons on the “organization and work of the New Testament church,” is the cry of many in churches of Christ. We are told these are sermons of the ’50s and we are living in the ’90s!” Brethren, this just means that we need to get back to basics and get to preaching on such things as the work and organization of the church.

Turn Aside Out Of The Path

Israel of old said, “Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us” (Isa. 30:11). These people were so set on hearing smooth things that they wanted nothing to do with God.

I weep with God’s weeping prophet Jeremiah as he faced the same attitude in his day. “Thus said the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein” (Jer. 6:16). Many today do not want to hear sermons on the “straight and narrow way” (Matt. 7:13-14), but sermons on smooth things — things that make them leave feeling good and comfort- able with a feeling that all things are well, when they may not be! I am not opposed to preaching sermons that cause people to leave feeling good about themselves when they have been obedient to God’s will. But, when people who are living in sin, leave feeling good about themselves, it is past time to examine our preaching.

They Despised God’s Word

God’s people did not respect God’s word. In fact. they despised his word. “Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon . . . (Isa. 30:12). Their failure to listen to God’s word brought destruction upon them (Isa. 30:13-14). When people despise what God has to say, they will demand smooth things be taught. After Paul had instructed the young gospel preacher, Timothy, to “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2), he then said, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2 Tim. 4:3). What these folks were really saying was: “. . . speak unto us smooth things” (Isa. 30:10).

Today

Today, some brethren only want to hear “positive- preaching.” I am not opposed to preaching positive sermons. In fact, I do a lot of that. While at the same time, there needs to be some, “reproving, and rebuking” (2 Tim. 4:2), there must be some “shalt nots” as well with some “shalls.” By the preaching of some today in churches of Christ, you would think that all the false teachers have quit preaching false doctrines and everybody is preaching the truth. We hear such statements, “my righteousness is not based upon my personal righteousness but upon God’s grace” and, “I urge you to get hold of Chuck Swindoll’s book, Grace Awakening.” If you want to hear some smooth things, read Swindoll’s book. When we are told that our main focus ought to be on positive, grace-filled things with much love, joy, and excitement as it was in the New Testament, it is time to get back to some basic preaching which includes having, “no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11).

Speaking Smooth Things About . . . Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage

By Donnie V. Rader

This special issue gives evidence that there is a trend towards softening the gospel message. As society and the religious world move in a more liberal direction, we too are affected. In that effort to be more tolerant, some have made the gospel message more palatable by “smoothing it out” in various ways.

What the Bible says about marriage, divorce and remarriage has not been exempt from this approach. A softened or smoother version of what the Lord taught on this subject would obviously be more acceptable to the masses. This is not to say that those who teach some of the ideas discussed below have that as their motive.

What Does The Word Say?

1. The text. Jesus said, “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matt. 19:9). Though other passages address the subject, this one well summarizes what the Bible teaches on divorce and remarriage.

2. What does the text say about divorce? When Jesus was asked whether a man could divorce his wife for any reason (Matt. 19:3), he answered no. Though he didn’t give a “yes” or “no” reply, the reasons he cited point to that conclusion (vv. 4-6). The only reason for divorce given by the Lord is “fornication” (v. 9; cf. Matt. 5:32). Divorce for any other cause is without biblical authority.

3. What does the text say about remarriage? Jesus said that the man who puts away his wife (for a cause other than fornication) and marries another commits adultery. In that same text Jesus said that a man who puts away his wife (for fornication) and marries another does not commit adultery. In the second clause of our text, Jesus said that the one who is put away commits adultery when he remarries.

4. What does that demand? If we teach what Jesus taught in Matthew 19:9, our message will not always be “smooth” to the ears of our listeners. Those who divorce for causes other than fornication will be pricked by what Jesus said. Those who remarry contrary to what Jesus authorized will be disturbed. Those living in adultery must cease their sin of adultery (separate from an unlawful mate) to conform to what Jesus said (cf. Mark 6:17-18). That would be anything but easy (cf. Ezra 10:9-10, 44). The Lord’s message is not a soft and smooth gospel.

How Are Men Speaking Smooth Things About Divorce And Remarriage?

1. Not teaching on divorce and remarriage at all. Those who just avoid the subject, whether it be because they think it to be too controversial or because they are afraid of the consequences, have softened the gospel message by leaving that part out. Some men, because their position differs from many in the congregation, will agree not to teach on divorce and remarriage. While they may not be teaching error, they are not teaching the truth. The whole counsel is not being preached (Acts 20:27). At least part of the word is not being preached (2 Tim. 4:1-2). Those who sit at the feet of such men may never hear the truth about divorce and remarriage.

2. Encouraging divorce for any cause. The permanence of marriage that the Bible teaches is not popular. When some brother encourages divorce (teaches that it is scriptural) for causes other than fornication (as long as one does not remarry), he makes the message more acceptable to those who do not respect the fact that marriage is for life. That is a smoother message for the couple that fuss and fight all the time and want out of their marriage. God’s law does not authorize it.

3. Teaching that the guilty party can remarry. The Lord’s instructions (Matt. 19:9) allow one to put his mate away for fornication and remarry. Some brethren teach that the one who has been put away for fornication (“guilty party”) can also scripturally remarry. That is a smooth message to the ears for the guilty party, because Jesus never authorized it. In fact, Jesus said, “and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matt. 19:9b).

4. Allowing some put away people to remarry. Some argue that the one who has been put away (for a cause other than fornication) can remarry if the former mate remarries first. Others argue that if one is put away by a mate who has committed fornication, he can remarry. Neither of these is authorized by the Lord. In contrast, Jesus said, “and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matt. 19:9b; 5:32b; Luke 16:18).

5. Telling the alien sinner he is not amenable to the law of Christ. Even though the gospel (the law of Christ) is for all nations (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15) and Jesus applied his teaching to “whosoever” (Matt. 19:9), we are told by some brethren that Christ’s law on marriage only applies to Christians who are married. Thus, non-Christians are neither governed nor judged by what Jesus taught. If one divorces (for whatever cause) and remarries he can continue with the mate he has when he obeys the gospel. He becomes amenable to the law of Christ when he is a Christian. That is a far more convenient message than what the Lord presented in Matthew 19:9.

6. Redefining adultery. When men are allowed to redefine adultery to mean “covenant breaking” (the unscriptural divorce and remarriage) and not the unlawful sexual activity with the second mate, the message of Christ is so much smoother to the ears of those in second or third marriages. That means that if they repent of breaking the covenant with their first mates and determine not to do it again, they can stay together. No lexicon or passage justifies this arbitrary definition of adultery (cf. the use of the term in Matt. 5:28; John 8:4).

7. Speaking of the ambiguity of Matthew 19:9. Some have spoken of the ambiguity of Matthew 19:9. I under- stand their point to be that they are unsure if this text is even authorizing remarriage when divorce is for the cause of fornication. They are quick to suggest that their point is even more “conservative” than what I and others teach on Matthew 19:9. However, my concern about such discussion is that if we convince our hearers that there is ambiguity with Matthew 19:9, they may conclude that we cannot be certain that one who puts away his mate (for some cause other than fornication) and remarries commits adultery. Since we can’t be certain what Jesus was really saying, we would need to tolerate a diversity of doctrines on divorce and remarriage. Let us be content with what Jesus taught.

Let us preach it as it is revealed.

Speaking Smooth Things

By Johnie Edwards

We are warned by apostolic teaching that there will be those, “. . . that serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Rom. 16:18).

The trend today, among a lot of brethren, is to preach and teach in such a way as not to make one feel uncomfortable in the pew and that everybody should be able to leave the assembly only feeling good about themselves!

It is not uncommon to find, in some churches of Christ, the same attitude that prevailed in the thoughts of Israel of old: “Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits” (Isa. 30:10).

We hear such things as, “Just preach Jesus and forget about the church”; “we must minister to the whole man; our main focus ought to be grace-righteous and not our own works-righteousness”; “if thou marry, thou hast not sinned” (unqualified); and other such statements.

It is time we get back to, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2).

It is to this end that this Special Issue is dedicated. We pray that you will take your Bible, read and study, and if these things be so, get busy obeying and teaching them.

I want to thank all of the writers of these good articles for taking the time to write that all of us might be aware of the “smooth things” which are being taught today!

Quips & Quotes

Notable Quotes

“Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: Nothing is more destined to create deep-seated anxieties in people than the false assumption that life should be free from anxieties.”

“David J. Wolpe: An old saying has it that there are three things we should not discuss in polite company: sex, politics and religion. We don’t follow this advice when it comes to sex and politics. Sexuality, especially in the context of relationships, is an everyday topic of conversation. Office and national politics are discussed constantly. The third theme alone is missing.

“Next time you’re at a party, try sidling up to someone, drink in hand, and ask, ‘So what do you think about God, anyway?’ You will quickly find yourself alone. Everyone has his or her own ideas about God, we are told. But that is equally true of sex and politics. The truth seems to be that most of us have lost the knack for talking about the deepest issues of life. This lack impoverishes our conversation and, ultimately, our lives as well” (Reader’s Digest [November 1994], 212).

Study Says Faith-healing Caused Untimely Deaths “Chicago — Parents who refuse to seek medical care for their sick children because of religious reasons are essentially dooming the youngsters to untimely deaths, suggests a new study by members of an advocacy group.

“Researchers found that the majority of such children who died could have survived if they had received conventional treatment.

“The report in the April issue of the journal Pediatrics is designed as ammunition for lawmakers opposed to efforts by religious groups to exempt parents who practice faith- healing from laws against homicide and child neglect.

“‘A lot of people believe that this is a freedom of religion issue, but it’s not,’ said Dr. Seth M. Asser of the department of pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego. ‘You can’t be allowed to abuse your children based on your reli- gious beliefs’” (The Indianapolis Star [April 7, 1998], A7).

Jury: Abortion Foes Guilty of Conspiracy

“A jury in Chicago put anti-abortion groups in the same category as mobsters Monday, ruling they violated federal racketeering laws by conspiring to close abortion clinics through violence nationwide.

“The ruling, which critics say could endanger free speech, may cost the movement millions of dollars. “. . . . The lawsuit, filed by the National Organization for Women, was the first nationwide class action suit to use the Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Law, of RICO, against the anti-abortion movement.

“That law, passed in 1970, has been used primarily as a weapon against organized crime. But jurors in this case found that anti-abortion activists Joseph Scheidler, Timothy Murphy and Andrew Scholberg engaged in 21 acts of extortion, including threats of physical violence, to shut down clinics.

“They ruled that Operation Rescue and the Pro-Life Action League played a role.

“The defendants were ordered to pay $85,962 in dam- ages, which will be tripled under RICO. It will go to clinics in Milwaukee and Wilmington, Del., to cover the costs of increased security after they became targets of violence.

“‘They want to bankrupt us,’ said Scheidler, head of the Pro-Life Action League.

“Critics warned that the verdict could affect other groups like environmentalists, labor unions and civil rights activists.

“‘The decision in this case effectively equates freedom of speech with racketeering,’ said Cardinal Francis George of the Chicago Archdiocese. Defense lawyers said the verdict will be appealed” (Carrie Hedges, USA Today [April 21, 1998], 1A).

Rate of Teen-age Births Declines 6th Year in Row “Washington — The percentage of teen-agers having babies declined for the sixth year in a row, falling in every state and the District of Columbia, and among every major racial and ethnic group for the first time, the federal government reported Thursday.

“Although nearly a half-million American teen-agers still give birth every year, the overall rate has fallen 12 percent since 1991. The birth rate for black teen-agers is down 21 percent since the beginning of the decade to the lowest level ever reported.

“The rate for Hispanics, the nation’s fastest-growing minor- ity group, remains the highest, but the new statistics show it falling for the first time, by 4.8 percent from 1995 to 1996” (The Indianapolis Star [May 1, 1998], A16).