Truth Magazine

By Norman Midgette

“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools . . .” (Rom.1:22). It may not be the cool thing today to call someone a fool, but if God calls one a fool he is a fool. Fool, in this verse, is a translation of moraino, and you can probably tell what English word comes from that.

Three groups of people are called fools by God in Romans 1. They all became that way when they “refused to have God in their knowledge” (1:28). People who do this do not glorify God, or give him credit or thanks for anything (1:21). In the process of replacing God with their wisdom, “they exchange the truth of God for a lie” (1:25) and “hinder the truth” in every conceivable way through their unrighteousness (1:18). If God was to write a description of the Secular Humanist, as he exists in our day, he could not do a better job than he did 2000 years ago when he revealed Romans 1.

The Idolater/Humanist

The first group of fools is those who worship and serve the creature, rather than the Creator (1:25). Paul wrote, “they changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man …” (1:23). The god of the humanist is man. The gods of ancient idolaters were the images of birds and four-footed beasts, creeping things and some-times a man-like creature. The secular idolaters of today sweep away the stone images and enthrone themselves with their wisdom as the only god there is. They have a controlling grip on the world of education, entertainment, science, and many liberal and secular oriented religions and churches. Evolution is their sugar stick and social revisionism is their aim. Guard yourselves and your children against these fools. They parade in a veneer of wisdom and authority while their life’s work is a crumbling structure of unfounded theories and unprovable assumptions and as empty of truth as the rotting wooden statues of the ancient gods. Let ring in your ears this truth concerning the modern and ancient idolaters, “God gave them up” (1:24). See that you avoid their pride and arrogance also.

The Homosexual

The second group identified as fools by God is the morally reprehensible male and female homosexual. They gave themselves up to “vile passions” or “passions of dishonor” and according to 1:26, 27 they had control of and wilfully directed their life in that path. It is a hollow and baseless claim to try to justify this conduct with, “This is just the way I was born.” God says, “their women changed the natural use unto that which is against nature” (1:26). If you have no control over it you are not responsible for changing it. They had control and chose to change their role which was their’s by the design of their creation.

If one is called a fool by God because of his immoral homosexual conduct, what would one be who tries to justify that conduct as accept able and just an alternate normal lifestyle? Such thinking now permeates our society and our schools. Will your child be told by some teacher this year or next that a homosexual lifestyle is acceptable? Already the media defends it; the theater, television, and stage plays portray it as good and strongly ridicule any criticism of it. Such immorality of fools is self destructive in many ways but greater destruction will be inflicted by God. Look at the conclusion of verse 27. “And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error that was due.” God says they are fools and he “gave them up” (1:26). Be careful you do not fall victim to this conduct of thinking.

The Reprobate Mind

These are the fools whose general lifestyle is consistent with refusing “to have God in their knowledge” (1:28). When you look at the catalogue of activities engaged in by these people you have a clear picture of reprobate minds and of many in our generation. Isaiah warned, “Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight!” (Isa. 5:20, 21). Just as a field, left on its own, becomes filled with weeds so does the mind of one who accepts no direction from God. Justice flounders, morality vanishes, righteousness is mocked and integrity and truthfulness become a bur-den. The criminal becomes the victim and the victim is forgotten. The covenant of marriage becomes a target for puns and frivolity, and the practice of children disobeying and trashing their parents becomes the plot of prime time sit-coms on television. In the reprobate mind the right of abortion on demand becomes law and a public prayer in our schools becomes criminal.

Here is more of the conduct of the fool with the repro-bate mind who refuses to have God in his knowledge. He is “. . . filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, with-out natural affection, unmerciful” (Rom. 1:29-31). Many in high and low places consider much of this conduct acceptable. Surely this is no surprise, because when God is erased from the picture who is left to set the standards of morality in society? The answer is, man, of course, and he is going to figure out as many ways as possible to give approval to what he wants to do. Those who are so foolish as to become entangled in this web of secular thinking should remember, “God gave them up.” One with a repro-bate mind is the enemy of God, then and now.

To escape this depraved lifestyle God gives his twofold plan for you in Romans 1:16, 17. The gospel must be believed and obeyed to save you from your past sins (1:16; 2 Thess. 1:7, 8). Then accept this gospel as the standard of righteousness for the rest of your life (1:17; Phil. 1:27).

Before you are two paths: the path of the fool and the path of the gospel. Only you can choose which you will take.

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 16, p. 3-4
August 15, 1996

By Gary D. Perry

It was a hot day in South Vietnam in the summer of 1968. I was a young infantry soldier who had been there for three weeks and was beginning only my second day in combat. It was early in the morning when we broke camp. My squad was the last to leave as we walked single file through the jungle. I was the last man until a more “experienced” young soldier came to me and said, “You haven’t been here long enough to bring up the rear, go ahead and move up the line.” So I yielded my position to him and moved until I was three men from the rear. A few minutes later, as we proceeded down a hillside, gunshots rang out. We all took cover and began returning fire. But it was too late the sniper was gone, he had accomplished his purpose. He had killed the last man in the squad.

At the time I was a scared 20-year-old with a whole year of war ahead of me. I found it hard to believe that this young man, who didn’t even know me, took my position and died in my place. As the year went by I had many other close calls and considered myself lucky to get home alive in July of 1969. Over the years I have tried not to think too much about the Vietnam War, but I thought I would al-ways remember the young man who died in my place. But now almost 30 years later I am ashamed to admit that I have for- of God, who died not only for me gotten his name.

There is another man, the Son of God, who died not only for me but for each one of us. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but There is another man, the Son to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us …” (1 Thess. 5:9-10). We par-take of the Lord’s supper upon the first day of each week so we won’t forget him. As Jesus said, “this do in remembrance of me.” Even so there are many who do forget Jesus and what he did for them. Even when Jesus was here on earth some of his followers chose to forget him, “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68).

Likewise there are many to-day who were Christians, who have heard the words of eternal life and have gone back into the world. They have fallen away, they have forgotten Christ and what he did for them, ” . . . they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Heb. 6:6). Let us never forget “our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us,” “the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 15, p. 6
August 1, 1996

By Steve Wallace

In April of this year, Jay Horsley, along with his wife, Becky, and infant son, James, returned to the U.S. after living and working in Lithuania for more than two and a half years. Through his efforts and those of many others, there are now churches in two cities in that country and a single Christian in a third city, plus countless thousands have heard the gospel of our Lord. Much additional work has been accomplished in the areas of translating material into the Russian and Lithuanian languages, as well as in securing printers, interpreters, and other services necessary to the work there.

Our labors there have brought us into contact with many people who once seemed very distant, not only geographically, but culturally as well. We have met several young men who fought for the old Soviet Union in the war in Afghanistan. One sister was born in a place east of Siberia, her parents having been some of the many who were exiled from their own country by Stalin. Another brother used to work in a Gulag. Such people are living legacies to the Soviet period. Let us all thank God that we at last are able to teach the word of God in Lithuania and other countries formerly under the domination of the USSR!

We know what has happened in such countries with regards to the Lord’s work up to this point. We deal here with matters which ought to cause us all to think seriously about what will happen in the future. Two questions, asked by brethren there during the time of brother Horsley’s departure, should provide sufficient food for thought.

What Is Going to Happen Now?

Since the time people were first converted in Lithuania, all those who have worked there have tried not only to spread the gospel but to establish the converts. However, at this point there simply are not enough workers for the work that needs to be done. One cannot but fear for the spiritual well-being of our brethren there like Paul did for the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 3:1-2). There has already been at least one case in Eastern Europe where a whole church of about ten souls apostatized into denominationalism during such a time. The pull of the lusts of this world and false religion are as real today as they were in the first century (1 Pet. 2:11; Gal. 1:6-7). Further, one cannot help but fear for the future political well-being of this country.

Perhaps some of you have heard in the news that the Russian duma has called for a restoration of the borders of the Soviet Union. This might not have touched the average American but such is not the case in Lithuania. If the Russian duma vote became reality they would be within the borders of a new Russia. Further, I have before me an article from the May 9, 1996 Stars and Stripes with the headline, “Zhirinovsky vows to annex Baltics.” With such fearful possibilities looming in the future those who can act must act. Which brings us to the next question.

Who Is Going to Come?

While one might sense my sympathies in writing the above heading, it was brethren in Lithuania who asked this question. There is a very real desire on their part that the work of teaching them the gospel and evangelizing their country continue. This is also the desire of everyone who has worked in that country. (There have been over twenty such men up to this point.) The proposition of fulfilling this need is not very imposing from a logistical standpoint.

The changes that have come to Lithuania have brought many of the goods and groceries of western society to market there. One of the brethren in Vilnius has a flat which he is keeping open so that one moving there to work will have a place to live. As mentioned above, most logistical necessities for doing the work are already secured. Further, since this writer lives in Germany he can also lend a hand in helping someone get settled into the work there.

Sound men with desire to reach the lost and further establish young Christians are needed who will answer the above question. Everything is ready and the fields are white to the harvest. (Five have been baptized in Kaunas in the Spring 1996 effort there.) Can you come?

Conclusion

We know not when the Lord will come nor what the future holds. We know we have a message that lost men need to be told. An effectual door for work is open and sound men must go through. Search your heart, reflect on your talents; might one of those men be you?

 

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 15, p. 10
August 1, 1996

By Larry Ray Hafley

Richard Vara, “Houston Chronicle Religion Writer,” wrote a column which detailed the Southern Baptist Convention’s vote “to oppose the legalization of homosexual marriages” (Houston Chronicle, June 14, 1996, 10A). It was a fair and balanced article. However, the headline above the article gave me the chills. It read, “Southern Baptists’ spite aimed at gay marriages.” Think about that headline. What does it say?

Note the possessive case  “South-ern Baptists.” Next, define the word, “spite.” Webster says that spite is “ill will with a wish to annoy, anger, or defeat: petty malice.” Webster gives “malignity, spleen, grudge, (and) malevolence” as synonyms of “spite.” Surely, Southern Baptists wish to “defeat” “the legalization of homosexual marriages.” However, for the paper to say that their efforts are characterized by “ill will” and “petty malice” is unfair, prejudicial, and a violation of journalistic ethics. In effect, the headline says, “Southern Baptists’ ill will, malignity, and malevolence (hatred) aimed at gay marriages.”

I do not know if Mr. Vara is responsible for the headline or not. Someone is. That someone needs to be called into account.

“So, what is the big deal?” you ask. What if the Southern Baptists had voted to oppose pedophiles (those who have sex with children)? Would the headline have said, “Southern Baptists’ ill will, hatred, spite aimed at pedophiles”? If the Southern Baptists had voted to oppose middle eastern terrorists blowing up airplanes, would the headline have said, “Southern Baptists’ ill will, hatred, spite aimed at middle eastern terrorists”? If the Southern Baptists had voted to oppose heroine addicts and their exchange of needles which is a leading cause of the AIDS virus, would the headline have said, “Southern Baptists’ ill will, hatred, spite aimed at heroine addicts?” If the Southern Baptists had voted to oppose houses of prostitution within day-care centers, would the headline have said, “Southern Baptists’ ill will, hatred, spite aimed at day care centers”? Probably!

The majority of the press, the media, favors homosexuality. According to the media, those who oppose immoral behavior are bigots. Those who condemn homosexual behavior are “filled with hatred.” This point is proven and illustrated by the headline cited above. It is typical of the media to represent the morality of the Bible as being an “intolerant,” “hateful,” and “extremist” view that denies one his basic civil and social rights. Again, the headline demonstrates and punctuates this fact. To uphold the purity and virtue of godliness and holiness makes one a social outcast in the eyes of political liberals.

What the newspapers and others have not considered is the fact that some day someone will come after them, too. One day, a free press willbe seen as a thing of “spite” and disdain. The present philosophical and moral stance of the media guarantees the demise of freedom, liberty, and justice.

When and where men are not expected to govern their lusts and live morally pure, first the homes, then the neighborhoods, then the communities, then society, and finally the nation breaks down. Before licentiousness, masquerading as “openness” and “freedom of choice,” is complete, be-fore it has run its ruinous course, the media itself will lose its safeguards, its protections of law. Where there are no moral responsibilities, there will not long be any moral rights.

The press, which is now casting snide aspersions against those who contend for moral principles, will one day see its freedom stripped by the same forces it now endorses. The lawless and disobedient who do not respect God’s laws will not sustain the rights of the press once they obtain their way.

Ironically, newspapers then will “pray” for moral principles of justice to be shown to them in their fight to maintain their independence. However, the spirit that will disdain and destroy them is the one they now support in their fight against goodness. Truly, “righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 15, p. 7
August 1, 1996