Truth Magazine

By Joe R. Price

The Bible is not the product of man, but of God. Skeptics have ridiculed it, modernists have assailed it, the worldly-minded have reviled it, and false teachers have twisted it. Still, it stands as the Book of Books, God’s library of truth and refuge of hope for a lost world. “Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord —Your salvation according to Your word” (Ps. 119:41). The Bible lights our way of escape from the darkness of sin and death (Ps. 119:105). God in his mercy has revealed his mind and will to mankind. We hold forth the Bible as the only source of communication from God to man.

The Bible Is Revelation From God

A revelation uncovers or unveils something. In our study, that which has been revealed is the mind of God. Without divine revelation man would be left to wonder, guess, and speculate about God’s will. One person’s conclusions would be as good as another, and every conclusion would be unreliable. But, God has not left man to grope in uncertainty and doubt. God wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:3-4). He has made known his mind through the procedure we call revelation. “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God expect the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God” (1 Cor. 2:10-12). Simply put, divine revelation is how God communicated his mind to his prophets, who then taught it to others (Eph. 3:3-5). The Bible is the revelation of God’s dealings with man and of God’s precepts for man. Both the Old and New Testaments have been revealed by God. While God used various ways and means to reveal himself during Old Testament times, he has now spoken to us in his Son Jesus (who is “The Word,” Heb. 1:1-2; John 1:1-3, 14-17). The gospel which the apostles of Jesus Christ preached was made known to them by revelation, not by human genius, cunning or craft (Gal. 1:11-12; 2 Pet. 1:16).

The Bible Is Inspired By God

The process by which God’s revelation was reliably communicated is called inspiration. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Holy Scriptures have been “God-breathed” (vv. 15, 16). Commenting on the meaning of the Greek word theopneustos (translated “inspiration of God”), B.B. Warfield said it “has, however, nothing to say of inspiring or of inspiration: it speaks only of a ‘spiring’ or ‘spiration.’ What it says of Scripture is, not that it is ‘breathed into by God’ or is the product of the Divine “inbreathing” into its human authors, but that it is breathed out by God, ‘God-breathed,’ the product of the creative breath of God.” (I.S.B.E., III:1474). He defined inspiration as the “supernatural influence exerted on the sacred writers by the Spirit of God, by virtue of which their writings are given Divine trustworthiness” (Ibid., 1473). Inspiration, then, is the miraculous means by which God has accurately published his word to the world.

The Bible Is Verbally Inspired

Many believe Bible inspiration amounts to God giving artistic latitude to the writers of the Bible — allowing them free rein to express in their own words the ideas God gave them. However, the Bible teaching on inspiration is very different. The Bible boldly declares that God gave men the very words he wanted them to write. This is called plenary inspiration (full, complete, extending to every part).

1. The Old Testament contains the statement “thus saith the Lord” or its equivalent over 2,000 times. The very words of the Old Testament are attributed to God! One who believes the Bible accepts its verbal inspiration.

2. Men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit: “. . . knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:20-21). Neither prophecy nor its fulfillment was produced by human wisdom, power or manipulation. The prophets of God spoke the word of God as the Spirit of God gave them utterance. 

3. God put His words into the mouths of His prophets. “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him” (Deut. 18:18). While this prophecy was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the principle of verbal inspiration it established is seen in the Old Testament prophets (Acts 3:22). David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, said “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue” (2 Sam. 23:2). God put his words in the mouth of Jeremiah (Jer.

1:9). Zechariah observed the process of revelation used by God when he wrote, “Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets” (Zech. 7:12). God sent his words to Israel by His Spirit through the prophets.

4. Verbal inspiration is declared by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:13. “These things (God’s revelation to the apostles by the Holy Spirit — vv. 10-12, jrp) we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” The Holy Spirit guided the apostles of Christ into all truth by giving them the very words they were to use when preaching it (cf. John 16:13-15). The Spirit “moved” or drove these holy men of God to speak (and write) the very words of God (2 Pet. 1:21).

5. What was first spoken by God’s prophets was then written down for the perpetual use of man. Inspired words which were put into written form (Scripture) were regarded with equal force as when God’s prophet spoke them. Whether God’s word has been conveyed in oral or written form, the message is the same and its authority equally binding (cf. 1 Cor. 14:37; 2 Thess. 2:15). The written word of God, just like the oral word of God, is verbally inspired.

To illustrate how inspired Scripture was produced, let us turn our attention to Jeremiah. God put his words into Jeremiah’s mouth and he spoke all that God commanded him (Jer. 1:9, 17). The words Jeremiah spoke were the words of God (cf. Jer. 2:1-2). Not only did God put his words into Jeremiah’s mouth, he later commanded Jeremiah to write those words in a book (Jer. 36:1-2). Jeremiah’s scribe, Baruch, wrote all the words of the Lord which Jeremiah spoke to him (36:4, 17-18). A roll of a book was produced from which “the words of the Lord” were read (36:8). The “words of Jeremiah” (36:10) were regarded as equivalent with the “words of the Lord” (36:11). The Scripture which was produced, the book of Jeremiah, originated with God and its transmission was by the power of God. The inspired word of God was first spoken by Jeremiah and then put into written form (Jer. 36:17-18). Both were verbally inspired.

Conclusion

The Bible has come to us by a process of revelation and inspiration (cf. Luke 24:44-45; Acts 8:28; 1 Tim. 5:18; 2

Pet. 3:16). The word of God has been revealed to men by the power of the Holy Spirit. These men first spoke God’s word and then put it into written form for all the world to read, learn, believe, and obey (Rom. 1:5, 16-17; 16:24-25; Eph. 3:3-5; 2 Tim. 2:15).When God’s word was written it was to be circulated from place to place (1 Thess. 5:27; Col. 4:16). God’s word is living, active and incorruptible (Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:22-25). It will accomplish God’s will in men’s lives (Isa. 55:10-11). God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. His truth is still available today. We call it, “The Bible.”

By Jim McDonald

“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: and Jesus also was bidden, and his disciples, to the marriage”( John 2:1f). Inasmuch as God himself saw the need that man has for a mate and filled that need with the creation of Eve, it was altogether fitting that Jesus should attend such a ceremony. We have both attended and performed wedding ceremonies here in the States and have witnessed a great number of Philippine weddings. The first Filipino wedding I saw was in Ilocos Norte. A couple had been living together for several years; they had conceived and borne several children, but they had never been married legally. They came in contact with the gospel. Brethren knew of their marital status and would not baptize them until first they legalized their union. So, surrounded by well-wishers, future brethren, and their children, they were joined together as husband and wife and then carried to the south China Sea and were baptized. I often am asked about the faithfulness of the many who are baptized there. I cannot attest of all, but this couple has remained faithful during the past four and one-half years since their wedding day. A year or so ago there was a “mass wedding” at the same place. Five couples (I think) living in the same condition, legalized their union before brethren would immerse them. I suspect that not all brethren in the Philippines have that sort of conviction these Ilocos brethren have, but they ought to.

Planning for weddings may bring problems for both families of the engaged couple. This is true not only here in the States but there in the Islands as well. Some problems have a common denominator: finances. Wherever there is a wedding someone has to “foot the bill.” Here in the States it is normally the parents of the bride who bear the cost of such, but in the Philippines, it is the parents of the groom.

Superstitions abound about weddings, here and there. Recently a brother wrote to tell of a problem he had. His daughter planned a September wedding this year. Later his son determined he would also marry this year. So what is

the problem with that? Only that the future daughter-in- law’s parents are Catholic and they believe the prevalent superstition that if a brother and sister both marry within the same year, something bad will happen to one or the other of their families. The problem was solved when an “authority on the superstition” said that if the brother and sister should marry in the same ceremony, there would be no problem. A hurried September wedding was planned for the son and his fiancee.

Do we smile at such? It isn’t only in the Philippines that superstitions exist about marriages. When I was about to perform my first wedding ceremony (45 years ago), we were arranging a place for where the wedding party would stand since it was to be a “home wedding.”  The bride’s mother was horrified at our selection because it meant that the wooden slats in the floor ran “the wrong way.” According to the superstition, if the couple should stand on different slats so that “cracks” were between them, they would have friction all their married life. To insure harmony and peace, they must both stand on the same slat! We changed the position for the wedding party. Today the couple is still together. He is an elder in the Lord’s church and they have fine grown children, all Christians. One could never find a more loving, happy couple, but I don’t think standing on the same slat in the floor had anything to do with that!

At one time every married couple here in the States had a couple of witnesses of their wedding who also signed their licenses. In the Philippines all attending the ceremony are invited to sign the licenses as witnesses. Philippine tradition is that the first witnesses are designated as “compadres” or “kumpadres” which means “co-parents.” The bridal couple views them with great respect and regards them as a part of their family. In the eventuality of discord between the couple, it is the duty of the compadres to help them mend their ways.

On our last trip to the Philippines, brother Marrs and I arrived at the place we were scheduled to speak and found a wedding in progress. At such social occasions as wed- dings (and funerals) brethren use these as opportunities to preach the word, and so we did! Both brother Marrs and I preached that day to a house full of both brethren and guests; and sitting in front of the whole audience for the whole preaching service was the newly wed bride and groom, still dressed in all their wedding finery! Addenda: Eight (I think) souls responded to the invitation and were baptized into Christ.

Support Needed

The following letter came from Virgil B. Villanueva, Eastside church of Christ, 9802 Lambayang, Sultan Kudarat, Republic of the Philippines upon his having heard of the death of Cecil Willis.

“The news about Cecil’s death is very much shocking. Truly we have lost a valiant and fearless soldier of the cross. To the Filipino brethren, we have lost a real friend and brother with big, big heart. Oh his love and deep concern for the Philippine work is far beyond measure; he always stood ready to give a helping hand many times going out of himself, stretching out his head to find a way how he could extend help. My family and I are one among those numerous brethren who were benefited by such a generosity of a brother who looked not only for his own but that of others also (Phil. 2:4; 1 Cor. 10:24, 33). He will be long remembered among us, though dead he will continue to speak. The many congregations that were started, church buildings that were erected, will stand high and tall to remind us of Cecil. He is there waving his hands to every preacher who goes out to preach.

“Brother Jim, I now surely lost Cecil’s support. The last letter I got from him was dated May 3, with the enclosed support for that month. To date, I have not yet received any word from his son-in-law about his death. Wally Little wrote me about it. . . . if you know of any church or individual who is interested in having a part in sharing financially in the most noble work the world ever had of reaching and saving the lost for Christ please, endorse me for support. I’ve lost $100 a month, supposed to be $50 starting this month as per the last letter of Cecil to me.”

Brother Vilanueva had been supported by Cecil’s generosity and love for many years. Virgil has had his own share of woes. His son was mortally wounded and efforts to save his life brought great and burdensome bills to Virgil. Several helped Virgil to bear this burden, including, I believe, Cecil. Cecil cannot continue his monthly support of this one whom he felt worthy. Is there some brother or church that will pick up what Cecil can no longer do that the work Virgil is doing might go on in the civil strife-torn region in which he lives?

By Steve Willis

This is from a review of a review of their new publication: The Mystery of Salvation. The book has not been available to the reviewers at the time of writing, but this is based on interviews and reports from England:

“On the 11th day of January, Anno Domini MCMX- CVI, the Doctrine Commission of the Church of England published a 220-page report, The Mystery of Salvation. There the theologians of the ‘middle way’ declare there is indeed a Hell. But it’s not a place of suffering, physical or otherwise. It is ‘total non-being.’

“‘Total non-being,’ marvels a skeptical [sic] Peter Kreeft, a philosopher at Boston College and author of A Handbook on Christian Apologetics. ‘Hell exists, but if you’re there, you don’t. They endorse the existence of what isn’t, the being of non-being. How very inclusive.

“Two weeks after its publication, The Mystery of Salvation is still non-existent at the Anglican Church of Canada’s headquarters in Toronto. But according to media reports from London, the document treats the bare-bones existence of hell as a logical necessity. ‘No one can be compulsorily installed in heaven,’ it is quoted as saying. ‘The possibility remains for each human being of a final rejection of God’” (Alberta Report, “Hell hath no fury — at all” [Jan 29, 1996], 32).

Some of this doctrine seems similar to the Jehovah’s Witness teaching on hell, and not a lot different than that presented by Edward Fudge in his book The Fire that Consumes. Fudge is mentioned and answered in a book, Repent or Perish (With a Special Reference to the Conservative Attack on Hell) by John H Gerstner. (Note: Gerstner to holds the Calvinist doctrine that children are born in guilt and in sin and he denies baptismal regeneration.)

By Daniel H. King Sr.

Those of us who are a little bit clumsy will understand perfectly why it is that we have stumbled or fallen. Some- one else always causes it. They leave things lying about in all the wrong places! Living-room tables are the most notious culprits. Whoever first thought of them was probably a mean and hateful person. I seem to trip over them most often when I am not wearing shoes. Thus, I not only trip and fall, but am left with a bruised and wounded foot for several days. I also have a terrible problem with door- ways. Most door openings are built for people with slender shoulders. Those of us who are wider of girth, especially if we are also clumsy, can have an awful time with them. As I write this article, I have a big bruise and a very sore shoulder because I caught the edge of the doorjamb going from one room to another in my home. The world is filled with occasions of stumbling to those of us who are awkward or (more politely) “ungraceful.”

 

Under the law one can be sued in court and found li- able for damages for leaving an obstacle that others could stumble over on his property. This is one of the reasons that we have homeowners insurance, i.e., to protect against such lawsuits, and to pay the liability if we are deemed responsible.

We must also be aware that we are responsible for the obstacles we may place in the path of others spiritually. Jesus taught that we may be held accountable for the impediments which we, knowingly or unknowingly, put before others: “Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh!” (Matt. 18:7). As the Lord spoke of children, he addressed the issue of spiritual culpability with these words: “And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me: But whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea” (Matt. 18:5-6).

Each of us needs to be apprised of several important truths which are vividly brought out in these important texts:

1. The World Is Filled With Occasions of Stumbling. A person who is clumsy does not have to look very far to find something to stumble over. Neither does a child who is learning to walk. He will even trip over the carpet itself out in the middle of an otherwise empty floor space. More than once, though, I have seen an older brother or sister topple the little one who is getting all of the parent’s attention. Usually, attention is only one of the things they received from the incident, and not of the kind they counted on!

“Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come.” “It is a minefield out there!” the Lord says. None of us who have tried for several years to live the life of a Christian would ever tell a new convert anything different from this. An immature Christian must be aware that occasions of stumbling come in many forms: false doctrines, loose morals, older Christians who are weak or indifferent, pressure from people of the world to conform to their lifestyles and attitudes, etc. If we are aware that the world is like this, then we may prepare more fully, and keep our eyes open for those occasions.

2. The World Is Cursed For Such Occasions of Stumbling. “Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling!” and, “But whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea.” The world in general, most of it certainly, is headed down the road that leads to perdition (Matt. 7:13-14). The question for the Christian is whether we want to go down that road. If we do, then we know it will take us to the same place that it is taking the rest of the world. The road from Nashville to Memphis winds up in Memphis. It’s that simple. There are no exceptions. Each of us has others who are depending upon us for help and support, spiritually speaking. If we fail to provide the wholesome spiritual advice, the love and encouragement — and most important of all — the illustration of what a Christian ought to be and do, then we will have become an “occasion of stumbling” which will provide them with just the excuse they may be looking for to quit trying.

3. Occasions of Stumbling Are A Necessary Part of the Human Dilemma and the Divine Plan. “It must needs be that the occasions come. . .” said the Savior. They have been around since Eve handed the forbidden fruit to her husband, he tried it also, and they both fell into sin. They will be here so long as the world stands. Such tests fulfill an important part in God’s strategy for his world, since they prove the mettle of a man, whether he will stand up under trial: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love him” (Jas. 1:12).

4. Woe To The Man Through Whom Occasions of Stumbling Come. Even though they are an essential part of the world as it is presently constructed, and it suits the plan of God for there to be obstacles to righteousness and faithfulness, nevertheless the person who acts as an occasion of stumbling to others is not therefore free of responsibility or guilt for what he has done. “Woe to the man. . .” said Jesus. The portrait which the Lord paints in the mind’s eye is not a pretty one: “It is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea” (v. 6). It would be a ghastly and macabre thing to be thrown into the depths with a heavy weight tied to the neck! The Lord said “it would be better. . .” (NIV) than being a stumbling-block to others! Let us be ever mindful of our example before others. Let us never provide an “occasion of stumbling” which may lead to another’s fall from grace and loss of heaven, for in the process we may well lose out on heaven ourselves.