Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift (Matt. 5:23-24).

I wish that I could live above sin. If I never sinned, I would not have to be concerned about making things right with those against whom I have sinned. Because I am a sinner and hurt others by my sin, these words from the Sermon on the Mount are extremely relevant.

Seeking God’s Forgiveness Is Not Enough

Sometimes men act as if they think that forgiveness is only vertical  between oneself and God alone. That this is not so can be shown, not only from the text cited above, but also by practical illustration.

Suppose that I were to leave the parking lot this morning, totally consumed with our worship. In my preoccupation with other things, I back my 1987 Bonneville into the door of your new car. Immediately I stop and pray, “Lord forgive me of my carelessness and negligence. Please bless Sam financially so that he can afford to have his car fixed.” Have I taken care of my offence? Of course, not.

Sin is not limited to one’s relationship with God. It also affects those against whom one sins.

What Am I To Do?

This text lists the requirements. There are four steps to take:

1. Stop. When one recalls that he has sinned against his brother, he needs to make it right. It should not be put off, even for worship. Every-thing needs to stop until the offence against the brother is corrected. Continuing to offer one’s worship to God does not bring reconciliation with the offended brother.

We see just how important proper brotherly relationships are to God. He will not accept the worship of a man who sins against his brother but does not correct it. We might tend to minimize our offences, forget them, and go on, but God calls men to account.

2. Go. The one who has sinned against his brother needs to go to his what the Lord commanded. Rather, a person is raising him-self up when he obeys the Lord. When one’s foolish pride keeps him from making things right with his brother, it is keeping him out of heaven.

3. Be reconciled. The word “reconcile” comes from the diallasso that means “to change; to change the mind of any one, to reconcile.” The person is trying to change the enmity that the brother feels against him because of his offence. For reconciliation to occur, a person must: (a) Ac-knowledge that the conduct which he is confessing is wrong, inappropriate behavior; (b) Acknowledge that he was guilty of that inappropriate behavior. Without both of these occurring, reconciliation cannot occur.

A person may avoid correcting his behavior by failure to acknowledge one or the other. For example, a drinker may say, “I know that drinking is wrong” but deny that he is guilty. Or he may say, “Yes, I drink” but deny that drinking is wrong. Neither corrects the offence. A person must do both: acknowledge that the conduct is sinful and admit that he committed it.

The TV character Fonzie had trouble saying, “I was wrwrr- wro wrong!” Sometimes Christians are like that. Even when their sins are exposed for everyone to see, they lack the humility to say, “I have sinned.” “I was wrong.”

4. Return. Having made things right with one’s brother, the person can now offer acceptable worship to God. He now returns to worship with God.

What If He Does Not Forgive Me?

The obligations of forgiveness are not always easy to bear. The innocent party has to bear the pain of forgiveness. He has to suffer the offence without retaliation. Just as the innocent God bore the cost of man’s forgiveness, so also the innocent bears the weight of forgiveness in our relationships with one another. He has the strength of character to say, “I have no desire to retaliate. I want our relationship with one another to be right so much that I am willing to forgive you.”

Conclusion

As you assemble for worship, ask yourself, “Is there anyone with whom I need to speak before continuing with my worship?”

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 20, p. 2
October 17, 1996

By Connie W Adams

We are being told by men of considerable knowledge and influence that the text of Matthew 19:9 is too ambiguous for any of us to be dogmatic about it. Others have reminded us that men of scholarship have taken at least five different positions on the passage. What that is sup-posed to prove escapes me. Men reputed as scholars have taken different views on baptism, music in worship, the nature, work and organization of the church, and a host of other things.

Scholars have been known to grind personal axes. Commentators have been known to do a pretty good job with many passages only to lose their objectivity when some passage militates against one of their theological sacred cows. Then watch out!

The church at Corinth was instructed to “deliver unto Satan” the fornicator in its midst. “Put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (1 Cor. 5:1-13). Before they could do that they had to be able to deter-mine what a fornicator actually is. In verse one Paul said this man “had his father’s wife.” He had a woman he had no right to have. That made him a fornicator. Paul knew what to do about it and taught them the same thing. We do not know if the woman’s husband was churlish or genteel. Was he much older than she and not able to gratify her sexual appetites? Had she and her husband’s son established a “meaningful relationship”? Could they both repent of the sin, then have the woman get a divorce so they could marry and live happily ever after while the brother then enjoyed the fellowship of the church at Corinth? Have I missed something here? Was the matter ambiguous to Paul? When he got through writing them what is found in chapter 5, was it ambiguous to them? The evidence from the second letter is that they clearly understood what he wrote and attended to the matter so completely that Paul then wrote them urging them to accept his repentance.

The family is generally considered the foundation of all orderly society. It was designed by God for the blessedness of mankind. Upon the basis of stable, godly families the fate of nations hangs, to say nothing of the welfare of the church. The general rule is that if a woman marries another man while her husband lives, she “shall be called an adulteress” but if he is dead she “shall not be called an adulteress” even though “married to another man” (Rom. 7:1-4). I believe I understand that. Do you?

Now, 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 that is put away doth commit adultery.” Now whence come the ambiguity? Well, maybe it is the word “whosoever” for surely that does not include an alien sinner. “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17). Does that include the alien? Well, yes, but you see … Yes, I see all right. Someone has an axe to grind on Matthew 19:9 but not on Revevelation 22:17.

“Shall put away his wife.” Is that the cause of the uncertainty?

“Except it be for fornication.” Here is the exception to the general rule stated in Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18 and Romans 7:1-4. Jesus said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John. 3:3). If that “except” is ambiguous then none of us can be assured of entering the kingdom.

“And shall marry another.” Is that the area of ambiguity? Here is a man who puts away his wife and marries another. Do you get that? I think I do.

“Committeth adultery.” If I did not know better I would surely think the Lord was telling us that a man who puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery! “Except it (the putting away) be for fornication.”

“Whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.” Any man who puts away his wife (except for fornication) and marries another commits adultery and whoever marries one who is put away commits adultery.

Pray tell, where is the ambiguity? You know it sounds just like the Lord said, “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.” Now, brethren, you just can’t make Romans 14 elastic enough to justify either the one who puts away his wife (except for fornication) or the one who marries the one who is put away.

Since the Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, then whose fault is it if something as serious as adultery and the stability of the marriage union is in doubt because of ambiguity? If one or ten thousand scholars take other views than what the Holy Spirit guided Matthew to write, then we would do well to ignore them and stick with what the text says.

Too ambiguous for any of us to be dogmatic! What next?

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 20, p. 3-4
October 17, 1996

By Robert F. Turner

In my boyhood days my hometown in Kentucky was a trade center. Each Saturday and on county court Mondays farmers brought their produce to town for sale. They used the opportunity to trade pocket knives, hound dogs, two-dollar pistols, and hard liquor.

Most farmers were proud of their products. They guaranteed fresh eggs, and if you wanted a watermelon you could “plug it” before you paid for it. That sweet red sliver from deep inside the melon was your earnest of good things to come.

Even today a reputable dealer stands behind his merchandise. He is happy to have you investigate his wares, for he believes in them. What would you think of a store that refused to allow its weights and measures to be checked against the standards? Who is angered by your desire to “plug” his product? Hmmmmm!!

But you and I know churches that are angered if their practice is questioned in the light of God’s word, the admitted standard in religion. Is a preacher or elder to be trusted who by sheer weight of position or popular approval states his case then denies all appeals for proof fromthe Scriptures? And what of those who refuse to read or study any other view?

We hold that truth is verified by an appeal to the standard of truth. My conceptions of the church, its organization, and work will shine more brightly when investigated in the light of God’s word  if my conclusions are right. If I am wrong, yet truly desirous of serving God, the uncovering of my error is my gain  something devoutly desired.

A proper attitude (humility) welcomes investigation and correction. But the arrogant, puffed with “party” pride, and those uncertain and fearful of their position cannot afford to have their doctrines “plugged.” Plunge the sword of the Spirit into this melon, and its source of human tradition or social gospel is revealed. “Come Let Us Reason Together” is an empty slogan for decoration of bulletins, etc., but not for use. They are few who welcome the cry: “Sure, you can plug it!” (Reprint from Robert E Turner, Stuff About Things, p. 75, by permission)

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 20, p. 4
October 17, 1996

By Richie Thetford

I believe that all of us have asked at one time or an-other “what is love?” After all the definitions, stories, and other sources are used to tell what love is, it can be summed up as “a strong attachment or an affection for someone or something.” Let’s take a moment to consider and think about love.

God Shows Us Love

Our heavenly Father showed us the greatest example of love when he sent his only Son to this earth. John writes: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Jesus walked among men while teaching what one must do to be saved (Mark 16:15-16). He then took all the sins of man to the cross with him where he suffered and died and arose again so that we might have forgiveness of sin. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). God certainly showed us what love is, in that out of a strong affection for man, he sent his Son to save man.

The Love We Show

There are many individuals around us that show their affection to Jesus by the way they live. But often times we are too busy to notice the love exemplified by those individuals even though they are in our “own backyard.” We have not stopped to “smell the roses” as we travel down life’s highway. Look around, what do we see? Do we notice those in our congregation that are letting their light shine for Christ as evidenced by their love? If so, based on their strong affection to serve him, in what ways do we see Jesus living in them? There certainly is love out there among us, we just have to look for it. One of our sisters in Christ, Ellen Kyle, stopped long enough to see what love is as she penned this beautiful poem.

My Own Back Yard

I was sitting and wondering what is love,

The kind described by God above,

How will I know it, how will I see,

God please show this love to me.

I was wondering, hoping for an answer to my prayer,

Then suddenly I understood, it was everywhere.

I saw it in a couple who had a loved one slip away,

And came to worship that very same day.

I saw it in a woman struggling with ill health,

And never once showed she felt sorry for herself.

I saw it in a couple so elderly and frail,

Who always are so friendly and attend without fail.

I saw it in a man who gives his time to teach,

Because the lost he loves and wants so much to reach.

I saw it in a preacher who’s not afraid to cry,

And say how much he loves us and for heaven we must try.

I saw it in his wife, who tries God’s ways to live,

I saw her daily walk and that she has so much to give.

I saw it in a woman that who through unfailing love,

Has done so very much to help me know God above.

I saw it in the families who teach their children right,

And have not given up the struggle no matter how hard the fight.

I saw it in the teens who gave in to their peers,

And came and repented, their eyes filled with tears.

I saw it in the ones who always come alone,

When their spouses chose to just stay home.

I saw it in friends that have done so much for me,

They are always there to encourage and to uplift me.

Lord help me to remember when my search for love seems hard,

I only need to look in my own backyard.

Ellen Kyle

When we are doing our part for Jesus Christ then our light (love) will shine brightly. Jesus said: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt 5:16). It is through our love that we encourage and uplift one an-other. In this troubled world, we often only need to turn and look in our own backyard for an example of the affection that others are showing toward Christ, realizing that God gave them the greatest gift of all, and as a result, they are showing their love in return. Let us always strive to “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Heb.10:24).

Guardian of Truth XL: No. 20, p. 5
October 17, 1996