Truth Magazine

By H. Osby Weaver

The Bible has many passages that condemn the sin of lasciviousness. It is mentioned as an evil to which men surrender who are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of ignorance and a hardened heart. They are pictured as being past feeling and having given themselves up to this sin, they work all uncleanness (Eph. 4:18, 19). This is certainly an ugly picture of a depraved class of people. Any evil, so degenerating to one’s character, surely ought to be diligently avoided.

Bible writers further tell us that the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were turned into ashes be-cause ten righteous souls could not be found within their limits, were leading lascivious lives (2 Pet. 2:7). In Galatians 5:19-21, we find a number of sins cataloged as the “works of the flesh,” among which is the sin of lasciviousness. Then we are further told that “they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” One does not have to be guilty of all the sins mentioned in these verses in order to lose his inheritance, but just persist in any one of them.

Lasciviousness is a sin that can be committed by a child of God as well as by the hardened sinner. The apostle Paul addressed himself to those among them who had “sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.” Those who walk in lascivious ways are said to “think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you” (1 Pet. 4:3, 4). Those of good moral character need not be surprised when the opposite kind make fun of, ridicule, and characterize them as “strait-laced, holier-than-thou, etc.” They cannot under-stand the Christian’s conduct and wonder what he gets out of life. Let them have their “kicks” and if they continue in it, one day their laughter and ridicule will be turned into “weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matt. 13:42, 43).

To many, lasciviousness is just a big word that is hard to say and still harder to spell. When asked its meaning, one replied, “I didn’t know that there was such a word.” What is lasciviousness? The word is translated from the Greek aselgeia which Thayer, the noted Greek lexicographer, says is “wanton (acts or) manners, as filthy words, indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females.” Webster defines it as “wanton; lewd; lustful. Tending to produce voluptuous or lewd emotions.” Winston Dictionary defines lasciviousness as “tending to excite lewd or wanton thoughts or emotions, as objects or pictures.”

The sin of lasciviousness can be committed in thought, word, and deed. Anything that is thought, spoken, or done that produces, or tends to produce lewd thoughts, lustful emotions, or wanton ideas is lasciviousness. It can be produced by objects, pictures, or persons. It can be induced in one person by another. When such is done, the one guilty of producing sinful lust bears responsiblity with the one in whom the sin is incited.

At this point, we usually call attention to the indecent dress of the women as that which produces lasciviousness. And so it does, but this sin is not confined to the women. Men can be as guilty in these matters as the women. Men ought to be as careful in their dress as the women should be, and equally as careful of the way they talk and act. If one causes another to have an impure, unholy thought by the way that he is dressed, by the way that he talks or acts, he is guilty of lasciviousness. Not only has his conduct been improper, but he has led another to sin. Jesus said, “It is impossible but that offences will come; but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones” (Luke 17:1-2).

The sin of lasciviousness is the sin that is involved in dancing, mixed swimming, wearing shorts, telling suggestive jokes, speech that has a “double meaning,” and the list goes on. It is no wonder that they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 15, p. 8
August 1, 1996

By Donald P. Ames

Frequently we approach a passage and see but one good lesson in it. 1 Kings 13 is often thusly used. But I’m convinced there are other lessons therein we also need to consider  all related to the horribleness of sin.

The Man Of God

The most popular character in this passage is a prophet whom we don’t even know. He is unnamed, but not unknown. God sent him to prophesy against the northern kingdom of Israel for their apostasy, and he set out from Judah to Bethel to fulfill God’s mission. God was indeed with him, and instructed him to cry out that the very altar upon which they offered their sacrifices to idols would be the place of sacrifice for the bodies of the pagan priests themselves. As proof of such, the altar was to be split in two  and was  as a sign from God. Jeroboam did not like the message, and ordered the prophet to be seized; but God withered up his hand so he was unable to move it. After entreating the man of God, the king’s hand was re-stored again. He sought to reward the prophet, and invited him home to a feast; but the prophet told Jeroboam God had ordered him to neither eat nor drink in the country and that he was also to return by a different route than he had come, and thus he departed  faithful to his instructions from God.

I’m sure an invitation by the king himself would have been a tempting offer, and one would be forced to weigh it very carefully before refusing, lest the king become even more upset. But this man of God was interested in pleasing someone even greater than King Jeroboam! He had courage and dedication, and for such is to be commended. He had faithfully completed his task of prophesying, and for that was also to be commended. It could have cost him his life, being imprisoned, or some other tragedy; but he had successfully resisted the temptation to worry about such, and had faithfully sought to do his duty. His message was plain, forceful, and unmistakable. Truly he had accomplished a great feat!

But, we must also remember the devil is not one to give up easily. Even though the man of God had met this big temptation to yield, resisted, and was now on his way home exactly as God had prescribed, Satan had a matter he also wanted to settle  he wanted to destroy this man of God who had so devastated his foothold! And he was not going to give up that easily! And with a great victory behind him, the man of God was on his way home “free.” That is when the other prophet got involved and invited him back to eat. He even lied (13:18), and said God said it was OK.

How many times do we meet the big temptations, only to get tripped up on the little ones later? The man of God for-got to ask God, and feeling he had done all God wanted (and perhaps even that this was God’s reward), returned to eat  and perished before he returned home for his disobedience. It did not matter that he had faithfully done all God said up to that point. It did not matter that the prophet had lied, and he apparently sincerely believed he was OK to return. It did not matter that he had acted in ignorance be-cause he had forgotten to ask God first (cf. Acts 3:17, 17:30-31). He perished because he had not remained faithful to the end!

He had not asked God about a change in plans previously made known (even though God had placed a warning there. If this prophet was speaking for God, why had God not used him instead to cry out against Israel?). He failed to be “faithful unto death” (Rev. 2:10).

Never underestimate the devil! He does not give up easily, and when we think we have done something great for God, he is still trying to throw a monkey wrench in the works. He knows the past will not save a man if he stumbles on down the road (Ezek. 18:24). And we cannot “balance the record” when such happens, nor point back to the great things we have done. We cannot argue, “God, I didn’t know;” for his word has clearly informed us of his will. And though we may take off and hope we can escape the consequences of our actions, “be not deceived, God is not mocked” (Gal. 6:7). This great man of God goes down nameless, but not forgotten. Let us truly learn his lesson today, lest we too come to the same sad end.

 

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 15, p. 5
August 1, 1996

By Jim McDonald

I met him in the International Airport in Cebu City. He was an inspector who checked our luggage to make certain we were not carrying bombs, lethal weapons, or drugs. His name was Reynaito Dasaran. Reynaito’s curiosity had been aroused when on an earlier flight Ken Marrs and I had traveled through that same terminal obviously in the company of a couple of Filipinos. He questioned one of our companions named Cipriano Carpentero about who we were. Cipriano preached the gospel to him. Later, when we were returning back to the States and traveled through the terminal again, Reynaito was on duty and inspected our luggage. He recognized us and questioned me about “The Faith.” He asked for a Bible in his tongue and tracts. I had neither, but I took his name and promised to send a Bible to him. When I returned to the States his name was sent to a preacher in Cebu City with enough money to buy a Bible. I had no tracts to send him. I await a reply from the preacher there as to the results of his “follow up.”

There is power in God’s word. The gospel “is the power of God unto salvation unto everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” “The word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword,” “the word effectually worketh in them that believe” (Rom. 1:16; Heb. 4:12; 1 Thess. 2:13). The Scriptures are filled with instances which show the mighty power of God’s word. It may work slowly as leaven. The disciples were warned to beware of the “leaven of the Pharisees” (Matt. 16:6-12). They came to understand that Jesus was warning them of the doctrine of the Pharisees. There are latent forces both good or evil that words may have over hearers. There can also be immediate effects of the word viz. the people on Pentecost (Acts 2:6).

Power in words is not confined solely to God’s word. Both men and movements have been formed in the crucible of words. Joshua’s stirring words to Israel: “Choose ye this day whom ye will serve but as far as me and my house, we will serve the Lord” was not only a declaration of Joshua’s intentions but a call to commitment to the nation he had led (Josh. 24:15). Surely the determined spirit of the Hebrews facing the fiery furnace moved others to the same resolve of faith. “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliverus from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thy hand, 0 king. But if not, be it known unto thee, 0 king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Dan. 3:17-18). The rallying cry of Texans at the crucial San Jaciento battleground, “Remember the Alamo, remember the Alamo” hardened their resolve in the battle to conquer Santa Anna and his Mexican army, making Texas an independent nation in 1836.

You can help spread the word in the Philippines. One of the many effective ways of spreading the news there is through tracts written and translated into their own tongues. Tracts have ever proven to be useful instruments in spreading the word and it is certainly true in the Philippines. I had no tracts to give Reynaito (although I had a few printed in Cebuano, the dialect he spoke), and if I had the end of his story might not be uncertain. Tracts can be expensive and there are few which exist in the dialects of the Philippine people.

Because of these two reasons I have begun writing “first principle” tracts to distribute to the people there. Five different tracts have already been written and another two or three are in the planning stage. Of the five tracts already written, three are being translated into three major dialects: Ilacano, Cebuano, and Tagalog. Five different Filipino brethren are the translators. These brethren are Rolando Azurin (Vigan, Ilocos Sur) and Edgar Uggadan (Tuguegarao, Cagayan) who are preparing or have prepared Ilacano versions. Rick Darasin (Angeles City) and Cipriano Carpentero (Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao) are translators of the Cebuano version and Lordy Salunga of Angles City translates the tracts into Tagalog.

The purpose behind this “project” is to provide “first principle” tracts as inexpensively as possible. By setting these up on a computer, then reproducing them on a copier and assembling them; readable, if not professional, tracts are reproduced at a fraction of what it would otherwise cost. Depending upon the size of the tract of course, it costs from five to eight cents a copy to print and mail the tract to the Philippines.

I have master copies of six of the tracts already avail-able with instructions to send along with them. They are so designed that if a copier has a collator, one major step in assembling the tract can be eliminated. But, even without a collator, if enough willing hands are available, the tract can still be easily prepared. With the tract (or tracts) I can send not only the copy of instructions but names of brethren in centrally located regions who will share the tracts with others. And, of course, I will also supply an English copy of the tract so that brethren can first read to see what it is they are sending a translation of to folks across the sea.

A congregation (or a group of interested brethren) could pace what and how many tracts they wished to prepare and send. Once the tract is in the hands of brethren there, it will be passed out for brethren are crying for tracts from all parts of the islands.

The tracts will help brethren there and also has benefit for brethren here. It provides a way for many brethren to be actively involved in sending the word to places they cannot go themselves, giving them a sense of being personally involved in sharing God’s word. If you think you would like to help in such a work as this, write me and I will send a packet of tracts to you with instructions on how to prepare, assemble and mail them, as well as including names of brethren there to whom they might be sent. Then, you’re on your own, but will be personally involved in helping to provide tracts for brethren to use in a nation which has proven for many years to be one of the “open doors” of this century.

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 15, p. 12
August 1, 1996

By Norman Midgette

A member of another church told me the other day, “We have no program of work at our church and we get practically nothing done.” On the surface this may sound like a deplorable situation but it may be just another way for a member to feel justified in personal inactivity. What would you be doing if the church where you go had a program of work?

Our failures today are not caused by churches without programs but by individual Christians without plans. The church where you go may not have an organized program of personal work, but do you know someone lost you might teach? There is no need for you to wait for someone in the church to tell you to go, Christ has already done that (Matt. 28:18-20; 2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Thess. 1:6-10). If the church never had a personal work program and each Christian obeyed these verses, the church would grow in leaps and bounds.

“Our church has no classes for new Christians,” you might say. So what! Ever think of talking with a new Christian after services and arrange a time for him to visit you or you him. Untold encouragement could be given in such a visit. A program arranged by the church for such admonition and teaching would be good but individual responsibility is not diminished by a collective program set in motion by the leaders of the church. To the Thessalonians Paul wrote,”… for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth” (2 Thess. 1:3). In Paul’s first letter to them he said, “Where-fore, exhort one another, and build each other up, even as also ye do” (5:11). If the church never arranged a special program for this work, but each Christian today followed these examples, what edifying would be done!

Some churches have so many programs for so many things that they have all but programmed themselves to death. Others have no organized programs of work at all. But just remember, God does not judge programs and churches in the day of judgement, he only judges individuals (Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:13). If you know of someone in the hospital needing a visit, go see them. If you know an alien sinner needing to be talked to, go talk to him. If you know a weak Christian needing a word of encouragement or a needy Christian needing some help, do what you can and spread the word about the need. Read your Bible regularly whether the church where you go has an organized Bible reading schedule or not. After all, the blood of Christ was not shed to save a program but to save a person, you (Heb. 9:14).

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 15, p. 13
August 1, 1996