Truth Magazine

By Lewis Willis

No doctrine of the Bible is more ignored or misun- derstood than God’s law of pardon. Too many people are totally indifferent to the subject — they could care less. To those who are concerned, the truth must be known. That is the mission of this article.

What Does Pardon Mean?

The word translated “pardon” is from a Hebrew word, selichah, which means “a passing over, forgiveness” (Young’s 730). Job asked, “And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity?” (Job

7:21). His inquiry was to God. Why? Because it is God who does the pardoning: “. . . but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, . . .” (Neh. 9:17). Also, Micah wrote: “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy” (Mic. 7:18). The good news is that God is willing to pardon; that there is a law of pardon. When the Hebrew writer spoke of the new covenant God would make with man, one of its greatest effects would be, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb. 8:12; 10:17).

Pardon From What?

What do we need God to pardon? Job said we need pardon from transgression or iniquity. “Iniquity” is from a Greek word, anomia, which means lawlessness, wicked- ness, or unrighteousness (Vine 260). In a word, iniquity is “sin.” Isaiah said, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isa. 59:2). Consider these verses also: “Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

. .” (Ps. 6:8); “. . .destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity” (Prov. 21:15); “Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds!” (Mic. 2:1).

Who Needs Pardon? 

Obviously, all need pardon who are guilty of iniquity or sin. What this says is that we all need pardon, because we all have sinned. Paul wrote that, “. . . we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

. . . As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

. . . They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one . . . For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:9, 10, 12, 23). There is not, therefore, an accountable adult who does not need pardon. The question today is the same as it has always been: What must I do to be saved?

Who Has God Authorized To Answer?

I know that men are ready to give their answers about the requirements for salvation. However, would we not be wise, since God is the one who pardons, to inquire of him who he has authorized to answer? After promising to build his church, Jesus gave binding and loosing authority to the apostles (Matt. 16:18-19; 18:18). Just before Jesus went away, he told them: “Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained” (John 20:23). The Apostle Paul affirmed that God made them ambassadors (official representatives) to announce his terms of pardon: “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:18-20).

What Did God Authorize Them To Say?

He told them to go teach, or preach the gospel to all nations. Those who believed were to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47). Men today do not seem to understand or respect this, but that is exactly what these passages authorized them to say.

What Did They Answer?

On the Day of Pentecost, in the city of Jerusalem, when the gospel was first preached by the apostles, thousands of Jews finally believed in Jesus. They were cut to their hearts with the knowledge that they had murdered the Son of God and they asked the apostles, “What shall we do?” They needed pardon and the apostles were the ones appointed by God to tell them how to receive it. When Peter answered the question, he told them what God had authorized them to say. He said, “. . . Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). These people heard the gospel, believed it, repented of their sins, and were baptized. They met all of God’s requirements for pardon. One has to wonder how modern preachers can tell people to do something different than the apostles required. Does modern man know better? Were the apostles wrong? Did God change his mind?

Have You Complied With God’s Law Of Pardon?

Remember now: All of us have sinned; God is willing to pardon; he told the apostles to tell us what to do to be pardoned; they told us to hear the gospel, to believe, to re- pent and to be baptized for the remission of our sins. Have you done what God requires you to do for the forgiveness of your sins? If not, do so today! We are ready to assist you in your obedience.

By Larry Ray Hafley 

My wife was shocked to find the following statement in a book written by a woman who is a member of the church — “Never in the entire Bible did any prophet, nor Jesus, nor the Apostle Paul present a five-step formula for giving the heart over to God.” 

In the 19th century, gospel preachers often taught the gospel plan of salvation to children and to unlearned and illiterate men and women. One convenient way to ground disciples in the truth was to hold up their hand and, grasp ing each finger one at a time, say, “Hear, Believe, Repent, Confess, and be Baptized.” Sectarians began to ridicule it as the “five finger creed of the church of Christ,” the “five finger formula of the Campbellites,” and “five steps of the water gospel.” Christians were mocked and called “five steppers.”

Because truth was taught so simply with the “five finger exercise,” enemies of the cross made fun of the process. It was easier to do that than to show how it contradicted the word of God; so, they railed and reviled.

Omit Which Step?

If the Lord and the apostles never presented “a five-step formula,” which ones did they omit? Which should we leave out? Should we:

1. Omit Hearing? Since “faith cometh by hearing” the word of God, how can we leave it out (Rom. 10:17)? Je- sus said one must “hear (his) voice,” his word, in order to have spiritual life (John 5:25; 6:63, 68). One cannot trust in Christ until he hears “the word of truth” (Eph. 1:13). If a person never “hears” the gospel, he can never believe; therefore, we cannot omit hearing. 
2.  Omit Belief? Since “without faith it is impossible to please” God, how can we fail to include faith (Heb. 11:6)? Jesus said, “if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24). The Lord said, “He that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16; John 3:18). Obviously, we must not omit faith as one of the “steps” one must take in order to be saved (Eph. 2:8, 9). 
3.  Omit Repentance? Since God “commandeth all men every where to repent,” how can we remove repentance (Acts 17:30)? Jesus said, “repent, or perish,” turn or burn (Luke 13:3). Christ connected repentance with the forgive- ness of sins (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38). Thus, we may not omit repentance as a “step” for the sinner to obey (2 Pet. 3:9). 
4.  Omit Confession? Since only those who confess that Jesus is Lord can be saved, how can we eliminate confession (Rom. 10:9, 10)? Jesus said, “Whosoever . . . shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father” (Matt. 10:32, 33). “If we deny him, he will also deny us” (2 Tim. 2:12). Hence, we cannot omit confession of Christ as a “step” “unto salvation.” 
5. Omit Baptism? Since baptism is “for the remission of sins,” how can we possibly ignore it (Acts 2:38; 22:16)? Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Baptism is one of the conditions with which one must comply in order to be saved in Christ (John 3:3-5; Rom. 6:3, 4; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pet. 3:21). So, we dare not omit baptism. 

Jesus and the apostles did indeed present the “five-steps” which some say were “never” given. Again, which “steps” shall we take away from God’s book (Rev. 22:18, 19)? In the conversion accounts in the book of Acts, which ones were omitted? Did the Ethiopian eunuch fail to repent? Did the Philippian jailer not confess with his mouth that Jesus is Lord? Was anyone ever converted who did not first hear the gospel? Which of the “five-steps” were omitted? Which ones may we exclude and still be saved? Those who ridicule the “five-step formula” need to tell us!

By Chris Nicholson 

“Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? So Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother. And he answered and said to Him, Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth. Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, one thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me. But he was sad at this word, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:17-22, NKJV; cf. Matt. 19:16- 22; Luke 18:18-23).

The Ruler’s Desire

How profitable is it to ask at the feet of Jesus what we must do in order to inherit eternal life! This is what the young ruler desired to know. Mark pictures the scene. The young man was eager — expressed by his running; he was not afraid of the opinion of others, he made a public appeal to Christ; his respect for Christ is shown by his kneeling. There was no playing with words here; “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Christ alone is capable of showing us the way to heaven, since he is the way; he alone is incapable of deceiving us, since he is the Truth.

As seems to be the custom, one can search out for his own teacher. A person of great wealth can normally find the most popular teacher to give the desired answers. For this young man of wealth to bow before Jesus indicated tremendous respect. This ruler sought reassurance, some way of knowing for sure that he had eternal life. He wanted Jesus to measure and grade his qualifications, or give him some task he could do to assure his own immortality. The man did not understand that salvation is not earned. He did not understand what is impossible for man to obtain, can and will be given as a gift from God (Eph. 2:10). The man needed to understand that what he needed was not just to keep another commandment, but to submit humbly to the leadership of God. No doubt this young man sincerely desired eternal life. Who, with a understanding of the judgment to come, would not want it. But as we will soon see by his sad departure, he had no idea what would be required to do in obtaining it. We must ask ourselves if we truly want to know how to please God. Do we desire to be known by God or by men. Have we come to grasp the understanding of the royal law according to the Scriptures, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Jas. 2:8). We all need to ponder the words of Matthew 16:26, “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world and looses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Do we think ourselves beyond the possibility of falling from the grace of God because of our material possessions?

The Startling Reply

It is remarkable how Jesus dealt with the man. Christ meets him on his own ground. Stating the commandments which regulate man’s conduct toward his fellow man. “All these I have observed” testifies to a great moral ignorance on the part of the young man. Can you imagine standing face to face with Jesus and stating that you have kept all of the commandments listed? If only God is good, the man will later have to admit he has broken some of the commands. Jesus felt love for the man, and said, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mark 10:21). Jesus’ statement exposed the man’s weakness. In reality, his wealth was his god, his idol, and he would not give it up. He violated the first and greatest commandment (Exod. 20:3; Matt. 22:36-

40). This challenge exposed the barrier that could keep this young man out of the kingdom; his love for money. Money was more important to the young man than God. He would not turn his entire life over to God. What barriers are keeping you from turning your entire life over to God? 

The Young Man’s Disappointing Refusal

But he was sad at this word, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions (Mark 10:22). Did the man ever give his life entirely over to God? We do not know. We know that he went away feeling sorrow, not anger toward Jesus. The piercing words of Christ were felt in the soul of the man. This man’s wealth made his life comfortable and gave him power and prestige. Jesus was touching the basis of his security when he told him to sell all that he owned. He did not understand that he would be far more secure following Jesus than with his wealth. Have we come to that understanding yet? I mean really put this knowledge into practice? We must get rid of everything that has or may become more important than God. If your foundation for security has shifted from God to what you own, you must get rid of this weight. In Hebrews 12:1 we read, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sins which so easily ensnare us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Have you looked inward, with a sin- cere evaluation, and found the things that are weighing you down in your race for heaven? We all have our weights, and weaknesses toward certain sins. Christ loved us enough to die for us, and he also loves us enough to talk straight to us. If you are comfortable by the fact that Christ did not tell all his followers to sell all their possessions, then you may be too attached to what you have. In Jeremiah 9:2-24 we read, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising loving kindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord.”

The story of the young ruler should be linked with the previous incident of the blessing of the children. In Mark 10:15 we read, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” This ruler could not enter the kingdom be- cause he would not receive it as a little child. His spirit was far removed from that of an obedient, trusting child. Jesus lead him through a test to realize that he hardly knew what keeping the commandments meant. In Matthew 22:37-40 we read, “Jesus said to him; You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as your- self. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Are you prepared to give all for the cause of the kingdom?

By Bruce J.  Dehut 

One of the saddest proclamations noted in the New Testament is that of King Agrippa in Acts 26:28. Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

The biblical record gives no statement beyond this, of Agrippa’s inclination towards Christianity. As far as we know, the king passed from this life failing to commit himself to the saving power of Jesus Christ. But this fail- ure was not due to a lack of knowledge or opportunity on Agrippa’s part.

An Expert in Jewish Protocol 

Agrippa II was the great grandson of Herod the Great. The Herodian house descended from Esau and were of Edomite stock. The land in which they dwelled was con quered and added to the Jewish state about 130 B.C., and they submitted to the rite of circumcision and embraced Jewish religion. Most of the Herods were educated in Rome and were considered ceremonial, half Jews at best (Unger’s Bible Dictionary). The apostle Paul was well aware of this fact, and counted himself fortunate to finally give an account of the charges against him to Agrippa, “especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews” (Acts 26:3). Paul had spent over two years in confinement, pleading his case before Felix, who had a “more accurate knowledge of the Way” (Acts 24:22) and Festus, who couldn’t even put into words the charges against Paul (Acts 25:26-27), because the accusations were based upon what Festus called, the Jews superstition and the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 25:19). Paul knew that not only was Agrippa an authority in Jewish customs, but he most assuredly was aware of the commotion caused by Jesus of Nazareth and his followers (Acts 26:26-27).

He Heard the Gospel Preached

Paul declared to Agrippa that he himself was a devout Jew, looking anxiously for the fulfilment of promises made to the fathers (Acts 26:6-7). He goes on to say that he was a militant Pharisee, persecuting Christians even to foreign cities (Acts 26:11). But he relates to Agrippa his encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus. How, by the grace of God, he became a minister and witness to both the Jews and the Gentiles concerning the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 26:16-18). Paul left no doubt that his mission included instructing people to “repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance” (Acts 26:19). Paul nailed Agrippa right between the eyes when he asked the question he already had the answer for: “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe” (Acts 26:27) 

An Ego Problem

Maybe one of the reasons that king Agrippa wavered was due to his lack of acceptance by the people. Josephus mentions that Agrippa’s father, Herod the king, was “keenly fond of popularity and possessed much personal magne- tism.” His status among the Jews was definitely heightened when he harassed the church and murdered James (Acts

12:1-3). However, his son Agrippa II was never popular with his subjects and might have lost even more esteem in the eyes of the Jews if he had converted to Christianity. History tells us that eventually he joined forces with the Romans to abuse the Jews and destroy Jerusalem in A.D. 70. So either way, he came out on the bottom of the popularity poll among the Jews.

Fear of Losing Power 

King Agrippa could have been hesitant because the Romans were the ones that had carried out the crucifixion of Jesus. Why would they hesitate to remove Agrippa from his throne, strip him of his riches and possibly execute him? But Jesus assures us that nothing is worth holding onto if it costs us our souls (Mark 8:36). God orchestrates the rise and fall of kingdoms (Rom. 13:1), Agrippa’s would be no different. 

Without Excuse

We could speculate all our lives about why Agrippa chose not to become a Christian that day. But just like the Gentiles that Paul addressed in his letter to the Romans, king Agrippa was without excuse. Romans 1:20: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

Lesson To Be Learned

God has an answer for all our procrastinations:

• We all have heard (Col. 1:23).
• We are to put aside our egos (Luke 9:23).
• Hold nothing of this world dearer than our souls (Mark 8:36).
• We are all without excuse, all have sinned (1 John 1:10).
• Why Wait (Acts 22:16).

King Agrippa’s words were obviously the inspiration to Phillip P. Bass’ hymn “Almost Persuaded.” How true the words ring in the latter portion of the last verse:

“Almost” cannot avail;

 “Almost” is but to fail;

“Sad, sad, that bitter wail

“Almost – but lost!”

If you are vacillating about becoming a Christian, don’t!