Truth Magazine

By Dan King

He had forsaken the blood of Jesus that had cleansed him of his sins, and had returned to wallow in the mire of the world … He had forsaken the promise and prospect of heaven itself!

Life takes a great many sad turns. There are certainly some very disheartening moments that come our way. No doubt one of the saddest is when we lose a friend, with little hope of ever regaining him. This is the situation when Paul mentions in his second epistle to Timothy (4:10), “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.”

Demas was not just a good friend, he was before a faithful Christian brother and an associate in the minis-try of the gospel. He is mentioned elsewhere in Scripture as among those who traveled with Paul in his missionary journeying (Phile. 24; Col. 4:14). No doubt these men had worked closely together, had prayed together, laughed together, and wept together. Now Demas was gone. He had abandoned Paul and left him to his work alone. No doubt the Apostle felt a deep sense of emptiness when he left, the same feeling we all have when we are abandoned by someone about whom we care deeply. Too, he surely felt the inner craving to see him again  the identical yearning that we experience in the absence of friends of years gone by.

Unfortunately, Paul could not run after him. I believe he would have if it had been possible. But Demas had not merely left. He had “forsaken” Paul. And he had, in the course of doing so, not only forsaken Paul, but the Lord also. He had forsaken the church, which needed so desperately then, as it does now, able workers to share their talents in seeking the lost and encouraging the redeemed. He had forsaken the fellowship of saintly men and women. He had forsaken worship activities: his voice was not heard in the songs and hymns of praise, nor was his heart joined in the prayers of the people of God. He had forsaken the blood of Jesus that had cleansed him of his sins, and had returned to wallow in the mire of the world (2 Pet. 2:22). He had forsaken the promise and prospect of heaven itself! (I wonder now, looking back from his present perspective in eternity, if he thinks his grand transaction such a bargain as he did then?)

The Bible also defines the terms of his abandonment of the cause of Christ in the same verse: “having loved this present world. ” My curiosity is whetted at why this godly man chose to forsake Christ for “this present world.” Was he sick and tired of the persecutions leveled against the church and himself as one of its advocates? Undoubtedly he was, but did this cause him to leave? Was he fed up with the hardships of the work of preaching the Word? Was he tired of doing without; and had he made up his mind that he was going to get some of the material possessions that others had, and up till now he had done without? Could it have been the persistently low wages? Was he sick of the double standard that many brethren have for preachers? Was he tired of living in a “glass house” with everyone’s eyes on him? Was he fed up with the criticisms and petty “nitpicking” directed at him and his family by fellow Christians? Was it a woman? Had he met a girl who was for him “forbidden fruit” (the wife of another, or someone divorced with-out proper cause, etc.)?

It is interesting that Scripture does not give us the details or satisfy our curiosity on this matter. We are left wondering. But we would not be surprised to hear it was any of these things or even a combination of them. We have seen it played out so often under different circumstances and with different people as the main characters. Don’t permit yourself to be a Demas. The Lord’s people need you and will miss you if you go.

Guardian of Truth XLI: 3 p. 6
February 6, 1997

By Donnie V. Rader

A clear and simple understanding of what the Bible says on divorce and remarriage is greatly needed. We are seeing more and more divorces. It is not an uncommon thing for there to be divorces in the family and in the church. We have people wanting to be baptized or place membership who are divorced and remarried. Some questions have to be answered. Is their marriage scriptural? If not, must they separate or can they continue in that relationship? Thus, we need to know what the text says.

Divorce and remarriage is a simple subject that has been made complex. What the Bible says on this subject is just as simple as what it says on baptism. Matthew 19:9 is just as clear and simple as Mark 16:16. Yet, both subjects become complex because of the human emotion and situations that cry out for a favorable answer from the word. In-depth studies on both subjects have become necessary when men pervert the simple text.

In this study we want to focus on Matthew 19:9. It is the first verse that comes to mind when we think about divorce and remarriage. This verse bears the burden of the study. John Murray said that Matthew 19:9 is “the most pivotal passage in the New Testament on divorce.” Martin Luther said, “Matthew 19:9 is a blunt, clear, plain text.”

Matthew 19:9 says:

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 cloth commit adultery.

What The Text Says

About Divorce

A. Other texts on divorce state the blanket rule: divorce for any cause is wrong. God has always hated divorce (Mal. 2:16). When Jesus was asked, “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” (Matt. 19:3), he responded by giving four reasons why the answer is no. (1) God made one man for one woman (v. 5), (2) A man is to cleave to his wife (v. 5), (3) The man and his wife are one flesh (v. 5), (4) God has joined them together (v. 6).

When answering a question sent by the Corinthians Paul stated that those who are married must continue in their marriage. Four times he affirms that they are not to divorce (1 Cor. 7:10-13). The parallel texts to Matthew 19:9 do not give an exception to the rule (Mark 10:11-12; Lukel6:18).

B. Only two texts mention an exception to the blanket rule. Those pas-sages are Matthew 5:32 (“saving for the cause of fornication”) and Matthew19:9 (“except it be for fornication”). The exception is when the divorce is for fornication.

C. Conclusion: there is one, and only one, scriptural cause for divorce  fornication. It is the only one authorized. This is true whether the person intends to remarry or not. Now, that’s simple! Anybody can see that.

What The Text Says

About Remarriage

A. Jesus makes a distinction in one who puts away and one who is put away. Some today tell us that it really doesn’t make any difference. The only difference that I know it makes is that Jesus made a difference. Look at the text: “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry an-other, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”

Notice that Jesus makes a distinction between the one who puts away and the one who is put away. Now, that’s simple!

B. There are two parts to Matthew 19:9. Part A discusses the one who puts away. Part B discusses the one who is put away.

I learn two things from part A of our text. (1) One who puts away his mate (for a cause other than fornication) commits adultery when he remarries. (2) One who puts away his mate (for fornication) does not commit adultery when he remarries. Part B tells us that when the one who is put away remarries he commits adultery. There is no exception phrase found in part B of our text. It doesn’t fit there either textually or grammatically. Thus, this includes the one put away for fornication as well as the one put away for a cause other than fornication.

C. Conclusion: The only one who has a right to remarry is the one who puts away his mate for fornication. To know whether a particular person in a divorce has a right to remarry, simply find where he fits in the text. If the person in question put away his mate, he fits part A of the text. Now did he put her away for fornication? If so, he has a right to remarry. If not, he does not have that right. If that person is the one who was put away by his mate, he fits part B of the text. He does not have a right to remarry. Now, that’s simple.

The Order of the Text

There is an order that is implied in Matthew 19:9. The text says that a man may put away his wife for fornication and marry another. If he puts her away for fornication that tells us that the fornication must precede the divorce. Thus, the order is: (1) Fornication, (2) Divorce and (3) Re-marriage. It is not (1) Divorce for any cause, (2) Mate commits adultery, and then (3) Remarriage is justified.

The order of Matthew 19:9 is just as important as the order of Mark 16:16. (1) Believe, (2) Baptized and (3) Saved. It is not, (1) Believe, (2) Saved, and (3) Baptized. We cannot reverse God’s order.

Now, that’s simple!

We Must Have Bible Authority

A.We must abide within the authority of the Bible. We must do all things in the name of (by the authority of) Jesus Christ (Col. 3:17). To go beyond the doctrine of Christ means that we are out of fellowship with God (2 John. 9). The principle of Bible authority applies to the issue of divorce and remarriage just like it does to the work and worship of the church. If we affirm that someone has a right to re-many we must have Bible authority for what we say (1 Pet. 4:11).

B. Respecting Bible authority means that we respect the silence of the Scriptures. The silence of God is not permission to act. Rather the silence of God is prohibitive. Since our Lord was from a tribe of which Moses spake nothing concerning being a priest on earth, Jesus was not permitted to be a priest on earth (Heb. 7:14).

To illustrate, God was silent about instrumental music. That silence does not give us permission to have it, but his silence would prohibit it. God was silent about using grape jelly on the Lord’s table. Does that give us per-mission to use it?

Let us not be found seeking justification for some remarriage on the basis of the silence of the Scriptures. Now folks, that’s simple.

Guardian of Truth XLI: 3 p. 10-11
February 6, 1997

By Steve Wallace

The effort which began in the Spring of this year (1996) has continued through to this present time with various men coming to carry on the work of teaching the gospel in this city. This writer was there from 22 October until 11 November. Tom Bunting, who came with his wife, Shirley, preceded me in the work there, while Doug Hill and Josh Gurtler, who both came in late summer, were my co-workers. Doug returned to the U.S. on 15 November. Josh plans to stay until 23 December. Bill Bynum is presently there for three weeks working with Josh.

Street Work

As is our custom, we continued our practice of setting up a table full of literature in the Lithuanian language on the main pedestrian street in Kaunas, Laisves Aleja. We were blessed with good weather generally and interest at the table was good. There were a number of discussions with people from varying religious or non-religious backgrounds. With Tom and Shirley in Kaunas, Doug and Josh took the opportunity to work the streets in Vilnius for a few weeks. The reaction there was extremely good with people swarming the table. Both men were excited about the number of people who took literature.

Lectures

The attendance at the Sunday lectures grew to a high of about fourteen with six to seven of these being non-Christians. In Kaunas we advertised the subjects, time, and place of the lectures in the city paper and handed out invitations to people who passed by the table in both cities. The lectures in Vilnius had a high of 23 people in attendance. It is encouraging to report that Kestutis Subacus, a native Lithuanian, preached many of the lectures himself. In Kaunas we made overhead charts of our lessons for the lectures which were also copied and handed out to all who came.

Studies

In the past, most of the conversions have come from people coming to the lectures and we have had a difficult time getting private studies with people. This changed radically in both places with studies resulting from both the street work and the lectures. In my time working in Lithuania this was the busiest in terms of private studies. There were two baptized in Vilnius and we have hopes that others with whom we are presently studying will follow. If my count is correct, we have baptized eleven so far this year. While three did not stick, the others have shown very encouraging signs of growth.

The Churches in Kaunas and Vilnius

As is always the case, all the workers involved in the work in these two cities have also worked with the churches in each place. We are continually encouraged by the growth we see in our brethren there. In order to further this we have started setting up Bible studies with individuals or groups of individuals within the church in Kaunas. We have already seen good come from this.

Other Work

In my last report I mentioned a number of books/booklets that we have been working on. At this point Denominationalism and The Church by Larry Ray Hafley and The New Testament Church by Roy Cogdill are almost ready to go to print. Long hours have been spent proof reading Glossalalia, by Jimmy Jividen, with more work yet to be done on it. I drove in with my car loaded down (it bottomed out numerous times) with 386 and 286 computers which were donated by various brethren. These computers have now been set up to work with Lithuanian characters and have been assigned to various translators, both Christians and non-Christians. This will make our job of getting things into final print form much easier.

Can You Come to Lithuania in 1997?

Beginning in January 1997, a further effort to spread the gospel is being planned for Kaunas and, perhaps, other parts of Lithuania. It is planned to continue the whole year. Tracts and lecture halls are available. A number of churches in the U.S. and Germany have shown themselves willing to sup-port these efforts. Workers are needed. Can you come for a few weeks? Everyone who has worked in Kaunas believes in the need for further work to be done there and has found the work something they were able to do. We are seeing the fruits of labors in the number of converts and growth in brethren there. Please contact me for further information about working there.

Guardian of Truth XLI: 3 p. 12-13
February 6, 1997

By Norman Midgette

No, we are not talking about the National Organization of Women, but about 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2. Paul wrote, “And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain (for he saith, At an acceptable time I harkened unto thee, and in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation)… “

This quote is from Isaiah 49:8 and the context shows this to be the message. A time, acceptable to God, would come when the Gentiles would be brought into the fold and there would be, “. . . salvation unto the end of the earth” (Isa. 49:6). At that acceptable time and day of salvation God promised to do five things. That time, Paul says, is now. So what are these five promises of God in Isaiah 49?

God would give help to his people (49:8). And do we need it! There is not a thing we can do about our guilt and sin but live with them unless God will help us. That is what he promises here and now. If we are in Christ, we have this help.

God will preserve his people (49:8). No one will be able to snatch us out of his hand if we want to stay there (John 10:28). Security is so important to peace of mind and contentment. We need it and with God we have it.

God will feed us and remove our hunger and thirst (49:9, 10). We are filled when we have Christ for he is the fulness of God and we are complete in him (Col. 2:8-10). According to verse 12, we enter Christ by baptism.

God will lead us and guide us (49:10, 11). Sounds like the good shepherd to me. Psalm 23 comes to mind and the little wayward lamb in the arms of the Savior paints a graphic picture (Matt. 18.12). The Bible contains it all (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Pet.1:3; Jude 3). God promises to lead us and show us the way and has done that through the Bible.

Finally he will comfort and have compassion on us (49:13). After a hard day, the comfort of home and family is so important and helpful. After a hard life battling evil and sin, the rest and comfort of a home and family in heaven will be wonderful (Heb. 4:1-11). But, that comfort and compassion begins now. That is what God is saying in 2 Corinthians 6:2. Now is the day of salvation when this can begin for you.

But, you know what the problem is? People want to wait. They want a better day or time. They think up every excuse under the sun to keep from coming to God, now. Why? Just give credit where credit is due: it is the Devil.

God says now is the day, now is the time, now is the moment. Seize it! Make it your time. If you have been saying, “later,” stop it! Repent and be baptized for the re-mission of your sins today (Acts 2:38). There was a time when you could not. What a privilege to live at a time now when you can.

Guardian of Truth XLI: 2 p. 15
January 16, 1997