Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

The second half of the book of Revelation opens with a scene in which a woman gives birth to a child, obviously the Lord Jesus. A great red dragon, identified as “that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan” (Rev. 12:9), tried to destroy the child. When he failed to destroy the child, he turned his attention to destroy the woman and her children. Her seed is identified as those “which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 12:17)  the church. This chapter reveals that the Devil is constantly trying to destroy the church.

Early Assaults Against the Church

The book of Acts records a number of early attacks against the church.

1. Jewish leaders tried to destroy the church by physical force. The apostles were beaten and told not to preach in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18). Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:54-8:1). This was the beginning of a strong effort to destroy the church by persecution under the leadership of Saul of Tarsus. The movement was so strong that many Christians were forced to leave Jerusalem, but Saul pursued them all the way to Damascus (Acts 8:1-4; 9:1-9). Not many years later, the Jews were able to persuade Herod Agrippa Ito put James to death and imprison Peter (Acts 12:1-2). The Devil was obviously trying to destroy the church.

2. Judaizing doctrine was also employed to attack the church. If the Judaizers’ doctrine had been successful, Christianity would never have become a world religion that reached out to the Gentiles; it would have been considered another Jewish sect and perished like the sects of the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, Essenes, and Ebionites. The specific doctrine of the Judaizing teachers was that Gentiles had to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved (see Acts 15). To stop this false doctrine, Paul wrote Romans, Galatians, Philippians, and Hebrews (if he is the author of that book). The Devil used the Judaistic heresy to destroy the church.

3. Gnostic heresy soon followed on the heels of the Judaizers. The Gnostic heresy took a number of different forms, but one particular form was the Docetic heresy that believed that the flesh is inherently evil. Therefore, the Gnostics concluded that the divine spirit could not unite with sinful flesh. They taught that the divine spirit entered Christ at his baptism and departed from him prior to his death. The books of 1-3 John were written to answer this heresy. John said,

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are see of (Sod: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world (1 John 4:1-3).

This test question was used to determine whether a person was a disciple of Christ or a heretic. In addition to 1-3 John, Colossians was also written to address incipient gnostic errors.

4. Local church problems were also used by the Devil to destroy the Lord’s church. The Devil got his foot in the door at Corinth and tried to demolish that church. The church faced these internal problems: carnal attitudes (1 Cor. 1-4) and social class divisions (1 Cor. 11:18); rivalry in the use of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12-14); worldliness, in the form of sexual immorality and brethren taking one another to court (1 Con. 5-6); divorce and remarriage (1 Cor. 7); brethren who tried to bind human judgments (1 Cor. 8-10); false doctrines relative to the resurrection (1 Cor. 8-10). In addition, the Judaizers from with-out entered the church, bringing their false doctrines (2 Cor. 10:12). These were some of the tools that the Devil used to destroy the church in Corinth.

The Work of the Gospel Preacher

The work of the gospel preacher also reminds us that the Devil is ever working to destroy the Lord’s church. When Paul instructed Timothy and Titus in carrying on the work of gospel preaching, he said,

As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do (1 Tim. 1:3-4).

Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 1:13).

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 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. 4:1-3).

These words remind us that the truth of the gospel must be preached because the Devil is ever threatening to destroy the church by doctrinal apostasy. Paul exhorted Timothy to fight the good fight of faith by preaching the unsullied gospel.

The Devil Is Still on the Attack

This issue of the Guardian of Truth calls our attention to some of the Devil’s more recent assaults against the church. Soon after the church was restored on this continent, the Devil launched his attacks against her. He used the church support of the missionary society, mechanical instruments of music in worship, premillennialism, one-cup and no Bible classes positions, church support of orphan homes and colleges, the sponsoring church, and the social gospel (fellowship halls, summer camps, medical missions, recreation, etc.) to attack the church and lead it into apostasy.

In addition to these doctrinal issues, the Devil has assaulted the church with worldliness, apathy, bickering and fussing, and other such things to divert it from its God-given mission and to destroy its internal peace. No one can deny that the Devil is alive and well. He is still working to destroy the Lord’s church.

Conclusion

We need to remember that the Devil will never cease his assault and attacks against the church. When they come, the Lord’s people have one of two choices: (a) They can fly the white flag of surrender and there will be no conflicts, issues to be fought, or confrontations between brethren; (b) They can rise up against the Devil’s attack, wielding the sword of the Spirit to fend off his devilish assault. In this case, brethren will be fighting against brethren, conflicts and confrontations will occur, because this is the nature warfare, whether it be spiritual or carnal. In the one case, the church will surrender to Satan and his assaults against the church will be successful. In the other case, God-fearing brethren will withstand the Devil, despite the unpleasant nature of the conflicts. Our choice is simple: Do we fly the white flag of surrender in the hope of escaping unpleasant conflicts or do we withstand the Devil, in spite of the unpleasant nature of the conflicts.

Brethren, there always will be conflicts so long as there is a Devil who is trying to destroy the church. The exact nature of his next assault is not known, but knowing the Devil, one knows that there will be future assaults. For that reason, there will always be a need for open and direct confrontation of the false doctrines preached by the devil’s ministers (2 Cor. 11:13-15). Forums such as Guardian of Truth have served a good purpose in providing a venue in which the false doctrines of the Devil can be exposed and refuted. Sometimes brethren become weary of conflicts and imagine a world in which there is no controversy. The Bible reveals that such a world will not be found until the saints enter glory. So long as there is a Devil there will be controversy, conflicts, false doctrines, and false men. The people of God should accept the fact that there always will be controversy and accept their responsibility of studying the issues that come before us, always resolving to take their stand with the truth!

Guardian of Truth XLI: 1 p. 2
January 2, 1997

By Cecil Willis

Truth Magazine was born in October 1956. Hence it now is forty years old. It merged with the influential Gospel Guardian in 1981 to become Guardian of Truth. Truth Magazine was founded by Bryan Vinson, Jr., Leslie Diestelkamp, Gordon Pennock, Ray Ferris, and Foy Vinson primarily to serve the needs of the Mid-Western states, but more specifically to meet some challenges in the greater Chicago area. My first article appeared in Volume 2 (September 1958). Afterward I edited the paper for fifteen years, 1962-1977.

My first feeble efforts to preach occurred in April 1948. As a boy preacher, I was encouraged and nurtured primarily by William Thompson, Luther Blackmon, Roy Cogdill, Oscar Smith, Sr., and Cled E. Wallace. Some mighty conflicts then had been raging for several decades, and it is the purpose of this article to relate some of the things transpiring when Truth Magazine was born.

Modernism

Blatant modernism, radiating from the University of Chicago, was rampant in the Chicago area when Truth Magazine was conceived. When I use the term “modernism,” I am not speaking of the liberalism characteristic of our pro-institutional brethren. Rather I speak of the kind of modernism sometimes referred to as “classical modernism.” I refer to the kind of modernism that attacks the in-errancy of the Bible and that disparages the person and work of Jesus Christ. Some younger folks today may not even be aware of the initial stages of this controversy over modernism. This invasion of modernism was of such consequence that within a few months more a dozen gospel preachers in the Chicago area defected and left the church completely.

James Arthur Warren was among the leaders of this group of modernistic preachers (Roy Key was another) who denied the verbal inspiration of Scripture and challenged the virgin birth of Christ. The attack on verbal inspiration paraded under the guise of anti-legalism. Warren stated: “The legalist regards the New Testament as a book containing a certain number (of necessity a large number) of direct commands, binding examples, etc., all of which are equally important and obedience to which is necessary for salvation” (The Heresy of Legalism 2). This early modernism sounds nearly identical to what is called by contemporary modernists “The New Hermeneutic.”

Brother Warren went on to say that a verbally inspired Book would be “a literary monster which dictates even to God what he must do.” Warren also denied the essentiality of baptism and partaking of the Lord’s supper. In speaking of the effects of this modernism, Leslie Diestelkamp wrote: “Modernism has taken the `backbone’ out of our religion. . . . Sweet, soothing messages, pro-found, pious speeches and philosophical sermonettes are too common today. Too many supposed gospel sermons would fit in any denominational pulpit” (Truth Magazine, Nov. 1956, p. 10). Wonder what Diestelkamp would think of the pablum being spooned out today?

Diestelkamp further affirmed: “Simple gospel obedience never did make one a member of a denomination, nor did submission to the creeds of men ever make one a child of God. Shame and reproach are brought to the cause of Christ when gospel preachers contend that the church of which they are members is a denomination among the denominations.” Some of our sociology majors need to listen to brother Diestelkamp. It reminds one of Image magazine’s recent entire issue being devoted to the need for churches of Christ to reapproach denominationalism.

Premillennialism

From about 1915-1945 perhaps the major issue confronting churches of Christ was premillennialism. Premillennialism affirmed that after the second coming of Christ, and before the final judgment, there would be a reign of Christ on earth for an age of 1,000 years. R.H. Boll, a one-time front page editor of the Gospel Advocate, was the popularizer of this doctrine among churches of Christ.

In the Fall of 1953 I moved to Indianapolis to work with the Irvington church. Premillennialists at that time claimed to represent about 400 congregations. They asserted that about thirty churches in the greater Louisville area were of the premillennial persuasion. Southern Indiana had many congregations that had been influenced by Boll, Stanford Chambers, E.L. Jorgenson, or Don Carlos Janes. Their strength was primarily in the states of Kentucky and Louisiana. They then published at least two journals, and operated a Bible College at Winchester, Kentucky.

It is not amiss to state that in the 1930s and 1940s the fight against premillennialism was on the front burner. Foy E. Wallace, Jr., Roy E. Cogdill, Cled E. Wallace, C.R. Nichol, R.L. Whiteside and others preached on premillennialism in nearly every gospel meeting. The great 1945 Houston meeting in the spacious Music Hall was devoted nearly entirely to premillennialism. These sermons by Foy E. Wallace, Jr. were later published in book form, God’s Prophetic Word, and this book is still the best source on the subject. My grandmother told me about attending each service in that Houston meeting. Wallace preached at least an hour and a half every service, and one night preached two hours and forty-five minutes. The auditorium seated 2500-3000, and was filled by the end of the week.

Today there is not much left of the premillennial movement among the churches of Christ. Today they number just 76 congregations, with 46 of these in Kentucky, and about twenty in Louisiana. Their total membership is some-where around 10,000-12,000. These brethren found that they had so much in common with denominationalism, nearly all of whom are millennialists, that many of them have entered the great ecumenical movement of denominationalism. They preach very little gospel now.

Truth Magazine also was founded to contribute to the fight against premillennialism, as many early articles clearly stated. Gordon Pennock wrote several articles on the subject, including some on the Throne of David. Leslie Diestelkamp wrote on “Premillennialism and Fellowship” (February, 1957, p. 14). In this article he stated:

1. I cannot fellowship those who insist that I must believe premillennial theories. . . . 2. I cannot fellow-ship those who teach that Christ will reign, after his second coming over the earth for 1,000 years. . . . 3. I cannot fellowship those who deny that the church is in-deed the kingdom prophesied in Daniel 2:44. . . . 4. I cannot fellowship those who teach that Jesus failed to accomplish what he came to do.

Institutionalism

Perhaps the most immediate reason for the founding of Truth Magazine was to provide a forum to give the sponsoring church type of cooperation and church contributions to human institutions a thorough discussion. Isn’t it strange that this was also the primary reason for the founding of the Gospel Advocate in 1855?

Beginning about 1938 a major push was made to put the Bible colleges in the church budgets. Well-known preacher, G. C. Brewer, said at the 1938 Abilene Christian College Lectureship that the church that did not have ACC in its budget just had the wrong preacher. This set off a heated and prolonged paper debate. N.B. Hardeman, President of Freed-Hardeman College at Henderson, Tennessee, jumped into the college-in-the-budget fray in 1947 when he alleged that church supported orphan homes and church supported colleges stood or fell together. The same arguments that defended one would justify the other, he asserted. One of my first memories as a high school boy who was trying to fill weekly preaching appointments was the conflict caused by ACC’s effort to raise $3,000,000, with an appeal for congregations to send them their fifth Sunday contributions.

When Truth Magazine was founded, these were some of the issues before the minds of the brethren. In the second issue of Truth Magazine, Founding Editor Bryan Vinson, Jr. spoke of the intention for the paper. “We need a paper allowing both sides of every issue to be heard. BUT only heard in the spirit of brotherly love  free from all bitterness.” He said these issues would be discussed in the proper manner, or they would not be discussed at all. He specifically named premillennialism, modernism, and immorality. But institutionalism also was discussed from the very beginning of Truth Magazine. This journal has stoodfor truth, and against error of all kinds for forty years. Her objectives have not changed. The front lines of battle change from time to time, but it is still truth and error in conflict; Christ and Satan locked in battle. And the battle must rage on so long as Satan stays in business. Remember, a sword (Eph. 6:17) is not a weapon of spiritual pacificism; it is a weapon of war. Use it!

Guardian of Truth XLI: 1 p. 1
January 2, 1997

By Kevin Campbell

A good book for young and old preachers alike is T.W. Brents’ The Gospel Plan of Salvation, published in 1874. The book is a very basic, simple, and yet comprehensive look at man’s response to the gospel of Christ. Brents ex-plains the purpose of the book in the first paragraph by asking: “Are you `aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world?’ If so, we propose to assist you in arriving at a knowledge of your duty, in order that you may become citizens of God’s government on the earth-children of God’s family-members of Christ’s body, the Church  that you may escape the punishment of the damned, and secure for yourselves the favor of God and the bliss of heaven” (p. 7). Although some among our own brethren have been critical of Brents’ book in the past for not discussing in detail the place of the cross in the “Gospel Plan of Salvation,” it must be pointed out that such knowledge is granted and understood in the book. Brents very clearly points out right away that the purpose of the book is to discuss man’s response to the cross and not the place of the cross. Overall, he does a fine job of presenting what the Bible reveals as man’s response to God’s provision of grace.

Chapters and Contents

The following is a list of chapter headings for the book: Predestination; Election and Reprobation; Calvinistic Proofs Examined; The Foreknowledge of God; Hereditary Depravity; The Establishment of the Church; The Identity of the Church; The New Birth; Faith; Repentance; The Confession; Baptism, What Is It?; Who Should Be Baptized; The Design of Baptism; The Holy Spirit. Brents begins by asking whether there is anything that man can do to be saved and then proceeds to answer the question by refuting the popular doctrines of Calvin and then revealing the truth of the matter from the Scriptures.

Space will prohibit a review of each chapter, but a re-view of some of the highlights is in order. First of all, the chapter on Predestination is good in that the author refutes the mistaken notion that God has “unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass.” Through numerous appeals to Scripture, he shows that what happens in man’s history is often determined by the circumstances surrounding man’s acceptance or rejection of God’s revealed will. The following chapters on Election and Reprobation and Calvinistic Proofs Examined also reveal the weaknesses of John Calvin’s system of thought. Brents shows that election has always been conditional, even in situations not related to personal salvation. He then does a good job of showing that the “proof texts” often used by Calvin’s students do not mean what they say they mean. There are a few weak spots, including his discussion of The Foreknowledge of God, but overall these chapters pro-vide good basic material for study.

There are two chapters devoted to the establishment and identity of the Church, with both of these subjects being related to the overall theme of Calvinism. Brents shows how the church was established on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 and exposes the concept of the church as a denomination with many “branches.” A definition of the New Birth then follows with a study of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3. A good amount of space is devoted to under-standing what is meant by the phrase “born of water and of the Spirit,” which he defines as “immersed in and born of water, according to the teaching of the Spirit” (p. 163).

Next, the author studies the topic of faith, defining it and examining the passages that some quote in support of the notion that God infuses faith into the hearts of men as a gift. Rather, the author shows that faith is that which comes about as the result of hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17). He points out three things that must come in order: (1) Fact, (2) Testimony, and (3) Faith (p. 168). This part of the book is very good and is sorely needed today. There seems to be less emphasis being placed upon the historical nature and character of faith with greater weight being placed upon the subjective feelings that some attempt to pass off as faith. These problems existed in Brents’ day and continue unto the present hour. He follows this chapter with one on Repentance (which includes a discussion of the order of faith and repentance) and another on the Confession, both of which are well done.

The next three chapters are devoted to the subject of baptism; its mode, subject and purpose. Quite an extensive treatment is given to the basic definition of the word baptize with both religious as well as secular authors being quoted. He also examines some of the more common arguments made in defense of sprinkling and pouring. The chapter on the proper subject or person for baptism is also good. Brents examines the attempt to connect infant baptism with Infant Church Membership and circumcision. Through the Scriptures, he establishes that faith was al-ways a prerequisite to baptism, which would thus exclude infants from being considered for the practice and he concludes the chapter with a historical examination of the practice of infant baptism (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 8:36-37). The chapter on the design or purpose of baptism is a favorite of mine since it was a great help in preparation for several debates. He examines the passages that clearly establish the necessity of baptism for salvation (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21) and also spends time dealing with some of the objections that are often offered (requires a “third party,” the thief on the cross, etc.). He concludes the discussion with an examination of the nature of saving faith and the question of works being involved in salvation (James 2:14-26).

The final chapter deals with the work and operation of the Holy Spirit. Time is devoted to the erroneous notion that Holy Spirit baptism still occurs today and he shows how this concept is necessitated by the doctrine of Total Depravity. The case of Cornelius, the question of differing measures of the Holy Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit are also discussed. Brents points out that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands (Acts 8:17-18). One point of disagreement is noted here in that he does contend for a non-miraculous but literal and personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Christian although he does sound a strong warning against depending upon “feelings” for salvation.

Recommended Reading

“The Gospel Plan of Salvation” should be in any preacher’s library, especially those who are “younger preachers.” In some circumstances, it appears that too many of today’s preachers are depending upon the works of Swindoll, Wiersbe, Lucado and others instead of basic, sound and fundamental works such as “The Gospel Plan of Salvation.” The result is preaching that is weak and ineffectual in meeting the true spiritual needs of the congregation. Let us never grow tired and ashamed of the gospel of Christ and those of previous generations who have stood strong and fast for the truth of the gospel (Rom. 1:16; 2 Tim. 1:8).

Remember that God’s word is timeless and eternal (1 Pet. 1:23-25). When the truth is preached boldly and plainly, it will not return void regardless of the age. Let us never grow tired of preaching the simple, basic truths of New Testament Christianity. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 23, p. 23-24
December 5, 1996

By Chris Reeves

Hermeneutics, D.R. Dungan, $11.50 hardback, $9.50 paper.

Solomon tells us that there are many books written by men, but the “words of the wise” are the important words that provide guidance for all mankind.’ The “words of the wise” are God’s words contained in the inspired Scriptures, the Bible. There is no substitute for the book of books, the Bible. This special issue of Guardian of Truth reviews some good books for young preachers to have in their library. But keep in mind that no book, no matter how good, can take the place of the Bible.

The book reviewed and recommended in this article is Hermeneutics: A Textbook, by D.R. Dungan.’ David Roberts Dungan was born in Noble County, Indiana, May 15, 1837.3 He was baptized into Christ on March 31, 1858 and preached his first sermon one year later. He preached regularly thereafter throughout Nebraska and Iowa, teaching school during the week to support him-self. He was politically active in these two states, he found time to debate the cause of Christ with various denominations, and he was also well published with a number of tracts and books. A biographical sketch of Dungan writ-ten in 1884 said: “He does solid work only. His style is plain, scriptural and argumentative. His manner is that of a teacher, rather than what is known as a pulpit orator.” It is no wonder that Dungan would go on to write on the subject of Bible interpretation in 1888. His work was used as a textbook at Drake University, where he taught in the Bible Department 0 Hermeneutics: A Textbook, is certainly a good book for a young preacher to have in his library because it teaches him how to develop good Bible study habits.

God’s workman must know how to use his main tool, the Bible. Paul thought it necessary to remind the young preacher Timothy about the value of sound Bible study and interpretation.’ In a similar way, Dungan’s Hermeneutics, written many years ago, but still useful today, reminds the young preacher of the value of sound Bible study and interpretation. Hermeneutics simply means “the science of interpretation.” God’s word must be inter-preted,’ and sound principles of interpretation must be used by each Bible student in order to avoid twisting the Scriptures to his own destruction.’ In an age where a person can get many things quickly, conveniently and without any work, the young preacher needs to be reminded that good Bible study and interpretation cannot be gotten at the “drive through” or “quick stop.” Good Bible study habits and sound Bible interpretation are built on long hours of hard work.

Young preachers need to be reminded of the value of sound Bible interpretation. Dungan introduces his book with a discussion of the meaning of hermeneutics, and the possibility of each Bible student rightly understanding and interpreting God’s word (Chapter 1). The Bible is inspired  God breathed  but our interpretation of it is not, so we need to be very careful in our Bible study. Faulty interpretation can cause many problems, three of which are: religious division, supposed contradictions, and a lack of hope. The Bible is not at fault. Man’s interpretation of the Bible is to blame for the present religious division among denominations (and the Lord’s body), the supposed contradictions offered by skeptics, and the doubt and uncertainty in people who don’t know whether or not they are saved, or what to do to be saved. Proper Bible study, understanding, interpretation and teaching will remove these problems. A young preacher must take heed to his study so as not to cause one of these problems.

Young preachers need to be rereminded of the value of a proper attitude toward Bible study. Dungan begins his work on hermeneutics with a helpful reminder about attitudes which either help or hinder proper Bible interpretation (Chapters 2 and 3). A young, inexperienced preacher may forget a good attitude, or bring a bad attitude into his Bible study. Even Jesus spoke of our attitude toward Bible study.’ Attitudes actually help our Bible interpretation. Common sense, faith in the divinely inspired word, mental industry, a desire to know, understand and practice the truth, and, spiritual purity all help toward proper Bible interpretation.9 In addition, a good Bible translation, a good knowledge of Bible backgrounds,10 and prayer to God for wisdom” are also helpful. On the other hand, there are bad attitudes which hinder a correct interpretation. A desire to please the world, a clergy-only Bible, proof texting, mysticism, mere curiosity, reading without intending to understand and obey, personal gain or prejudice, self-exaltation, and, at-tempting to harmonize science with the Bible are attitudes that hinder interpretation. A young preacher may sit down with careless and indifferent thoughts toward his Bible lesson. This is wrong. He may also be tempted to look for some quick fix solution or short cut to Bible study. There is none.

Young preachers need to be reminded of the value of using a correct Bible study method. Dungan moves from a discussion of attitudes to one of methods (Chapter 4). A Bible study method12 is fundamental. All of God’s word is laid down in an orderly arrangement, so the study of it must also be done with some kind of order. Dungan provides a helpful discussion of wrong methods,13 and then a true, Bible-based method.14 Some preachers have no method of study at all, others use improper methods. “What Bible study method will I use?” should be one the first questions each young preacher asks when he sits down to his study.

Young preachers need to be reminded of the value of rightly dividing the word of God. Dungan moves forward to the subject of God’s many covenants and the need for discriminating between them (Chapter 5). Dungan begins Chapter 5 this way: “No one can understand his duty with-out knowing to what law he is amenable.” God has made many covenants, to many people, over many years.16 Some are similar, others very different. There is a great need to-day for people to be taught what their duties are before God, and a great challenge faces the young preacher to rightly divide the word of God so as not to misapply some text in the 66 books of the Bible.

Young preachers need to be reminded of the value of studying the background of each Bible text. Dungan lists some very important background questions that each Bible student should ask before he begins his study (Chapter 6). These questions have sometimes been called “the five w’s and h.”16 Who was the writer, and to whom was it written? Who are spoken of in the book? What kind of writing is it? When was it written? Why was it written? Where was it written? The young preacher must not be too anxious to jump into a passage and offer his interpretation without first answering these preliminary background questions so necessary for a proper interpretation of the passage.

Young preachers need to be reminded of the value of rules used to interpret the words and sentences of Scripture. Dungan outlines the basic rules for interpreting words and sentences (Chapter 7). The Bible has 66 books. These books are made up of “chapters,” and the “chapters” contain paragraphs, which in turn have sentences full of words. If a young preacher is to understand an entire book, he is eventually going to have to tackle the job of understandingeach word in the book. There are several rules to keep in mind. Let me list four important ones:

Recognize the main purpose(s) of the author,” observe the context,’s let the Bible harmonize with itself, and let the Bible define its own words when possible. A young preacher must learn early on that there is no short cut to good Bible study. Word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, chapter by chapter, book by book, he must make his way slowly through the Bible mining the scriptures for God’s eternal truths. The young preacher’s understanding and teaching of each Bible book is only as strong as his interpretation of each word in the book.

Young preachers need to be reminded of the value of recognizing the different types of Bible language. Dungan devotes the last half of his work to a study of the various types of language used in the Bible, and the many rules for interpreting them (Chapters 8 through 11). Dungan includes the following types of Bible language in his study: figurative, figures of speech,19 figures of thought,20 and prophecy. It becomes very clear after studying the many rules that the Bible student cannot simply say, “It means what it says, and says what it means.” We cannot interpret passages the same way in all places of the Bible. The Bible is not literal all the time, neither is it figurative all the time. A young preacher must not only learn to “speak where the Bible speaks,” but he must also learn to “speak like the Bible speaks.”

Hermeneutics: A Textbook, by D.R. Dungan certainly does not cover all areas of Bible interpretation. There are other good books on Bible interpretation that should be consulted. But Dungan’s work is a good place to start. You may want to locate other older books on hermeneutics by brethren.21 One older work that is recommended was writ-ten near the turn of the century: Principles of Interpretation, by Clinton Lockhart.22 Lockhart takes a similar, conservative approach to Bible interpretation and covers the same type of material. Both works by Dungan and Lockhart are still in print. Pick them up for your library, but don’t just let them collect dust on the shelf. Learn them. Apply them. The young preacher, and all of us, should strive to be “a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth” (2 Tim.2: 15).

Endnotes

‘1Eccl. 12:11-12.

2 D.R. Dungan, Hermeneutics: A Textbook, Reprint (Delight, AR: Gospel Light Publishing Co., n.d.).

3J.H. Painter, ed., The Iowa Pulpit of the Church of Christ, Its Aim and Work (St. Louis, MO: John Bums Publishing Co., 1884). A special thanks to Curtis Pope at Florida College for locating this information and sending it to the author.4 Barry Jones, “Hermeneutics” in Rightly Dividing the Word, Vold (Pensacola, FL: Firm Foundation Publishing House, 1990).

5 1 Tim. 4:13-16; 2 Tim. 1:13; 2:15; and 3:14-17.

6 Seven Greek words, three verbs and four nouns, are used in the NT and translated “interpretation.” For example, the word “interpreted” (ASV) or “expounded” (KJV) in Lk.24:27, is translated from the Greek verb hermenuo from which we get the word “hermeneutics.” The particular Greek form used in Lk. 24:27 means “to interpret fully, to explain.” For more in-formation on hermeneutics as it is used in the Bible, and how some today in the Lord’s church want to change it into a “new hermeneutic,” see the work by Chris Reeves entitled Out With the Old and In With the New, Revised (Temple Terrace, FL: Florida College Bookstore, 1993).

7 2 Pet. 3:16.

8 Mark 4:22 and Luke 8: 18. Both “what you hear” and “how you hear” are important.

9 Mark 12:37; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Acts 17:11; Eph. 3:3-4; and 2 Thess.2:11-12.

10 Bible languages, history, lands, peoples, customs, etc. “

11 Jas. 1:5.

12 Dungan uses “method” in the sense of “orderly arrangement, procedure or process.”

13 According to Dungan, the following Bible study methods have these problems: mystical, allegorical, spiritual, hierarchical, rationalistic, apologetic, dogmatic and literal.

14 Dungan suggests that the best method of Bible study is the inductive approach; i.e., gather all the facts before drawing a conclusion or forming an interpretation.

15 God made covenants with Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Israel and Christ.

16 Who, what, when, why, where, and how.

17 The purpose(s) of the author can be found by answering the background questions in Chapter 6 of Dungan’s work.

18 There is an immediate and remote context for each Bible passage.

19 Dungan covers the following figures of speech: parable, fable, simile, similitude, metaphor, allegory, metonymy (cause, effect, the subject, the adjunct), synecdoche, proverb, irony, sarcasm, hyperbole, apostrophe, personification, interrogation, prolepsis and parallelism (synonymous, antithetic and synthetic).

20 Dungan covers the following figures of thought: antithesis, symbols (miraculous, material and visual) and typology (persons, things, institutions, offices, conduct, events and places).

21You may be able to find the following works on hermeneutics as reprints or photocopies: Alexander Campbell, The Christian System, Reprint (Nashville, TN: Gospel Advocate, 1956); I.B. Grubbs, Biblical Hermeneutics (Lexington, KY: unpublished class notes, n.d.); Carroll Kendrick, Rules of Bible Study, Reprint (Kansas City, MO: The Old Paths Books Club, 1946); J.S. Lamar, The Organon of Scripture (Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott and Co., 1859); J.W. McGarvey, Sacred Didactics (Murfreesboro, TN: Dehoff Publications, 1954); and Robert Milligan, Reason and Revelation.

22 Clinton Lockhart, Principles of Interpretation, 2nd ed. (Delight, AR: Gospel Light Publishing Co., 1915).

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 23, p. 20-22
December 5, 1996