Truth Magazine

By Tom M. Roberts

Preface

Many Christians know the ache of David’s heart when he wept for his rebellious son, saying: “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son!” (2 Sam. 18:33). David went aside by himself and wept bitter tears.

Many Christians know the bitterness of such tears — the helplessness that David must have felt — the burden of regret and sorrow. One of the most terrible feelings known to Christians is that which is felt when a beloved son or daughter turns their back on Christ and becomes unfaithful. There are no words adequate to describe the broken hearts.

This series of “letters” will describe some of the feelings that parents have when children reject God. No one family is described; rather a composite family drawn from many experiences is projected. It is hoped that parents will use these articles to open the door of young people’s hearts to the tender love of Christ and remind them of their parents’ love. They are also an appeal to our young people who have forgotten the most important lesson they will ever learn, “Love God and keep his commandments.”

We urge you to use these letters to reach out to your wayward children as gentle reminders that the only true happiness is found in service to God. It is our prayer that even one might be restored as was the prodigal son in Luke 15: “This my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”

The First Letter 
Unto Us a Child Is Born

My dear child,
I don’t know if you will ever see this or read it, but there is such a burden on my heart that I must attempt to put it into words.

Some time has passed since you have worshiped faithfully and you no longer seem to care about God and his will. The Lord’s church does not seem to be important to you, and with the passing months your interest in spiritual matters seems to grow ever more cold. As we think on these things, your mother and I are filled with a sense of sorrow that is more than we can express. You are the most precious thing in this life to us and we know we are losing you to Satan. Will you take the time to read this letter that is written with a love that forces us to speak, even when hope is weak?

How can we tell you how we felt when you were born? It seems ridiculous now to think of you as ever being so tiny and helpless when you have grown so tall and are making your own way in the world as an adult. Yet, there you were, just born and we held you with such love and tenderness, for you seemed so fragile. At that time we could never imagine the years would pass so quickly. All those old folks’ stories about time going so fast are really true. It seems like yesterday to us that you were sent to us from heaven.

There was such a mixture of emotions when we first saw you! You were a person, yet an extension of ourselves. We were awed when we realized that you were sent into our keeping from God to shape and mold and we had such good intentions. Believe me, you were really loved and tenderly cared for. We wanted to be such good parents!

Somewhere between that blessed event and today some terrible mistakes were made. I suppose there is enough guilt to pass around to everyone: ourselves, you, society, the schools, the church. But I can only speak for myself when I say that I feel a terrible burden of failure when I see you turn your back on God. I am responsible for what I did!

And for what I failed to do? Does it help at all to say that everything I did had good intentions behind it? All along the way I assumed that you would know this and overlook my mistakes because I loved you and wanted you to be the very best that you could be. Most important of all, I assumed that you would want to be a Christian. And this is our biggest failure of all.

I remember teaching you to sing “Jesus Loves Me” at home. You really enjoyed singing when you were young. You toddled off to Bible classes and brought us the work sheets when you learned to print “Jesus loves me” by yourself. Do you remember any of this? What are your earliest recollections of life? We tried so hard to plant a love of God along with visits to the zoo and playing in the water and working in the yard. Do you remember your first prayers at the dinner table? Do you remember playing with the children of other Christians and the enjoyable visits we had with our good friends in the church? These were good times and we truly were happy as we watched you grow. These memories seem so bittersweet now that things have changed so much. It is true that we cannot go back to these times, but just the memory of them means so much to us. I wish I could know how much of these things you remember. I wish I could know if such memories mean the same to you or if you have shelved them away somewhere.

Since I cannot say all that I want to say now, I will write you again. As I close this letter, I want to ask a favor of you. Will you search your memory to see how much God was a part of your early life? Wasn’t he more than just “going to church,” or “getting your Bible study lesson”? Didn’t you truly love God when you were young? We thought you did and we were so proud of you. In those years you were all that we hoped you would be. We thanked God for you and for the pleasure you brought to us. It is our prayer that you may recall those early memories of the love you had for God and think about it until you hear again from,

Your Loving Dad

Second Letter 
Our Child Is Reborn

My dear child,
Memories and emotions are such powerful forces. When I wrote to you the last time, I mentioned a part of my memories of your childhood. I don’t know how that affected you, but it had a tremendous effect on me. Just speaking of these things intensifies my desire to see you restored to the fellowship of God. You were so happy then and I wish for you this same happiness once more.

Indulge me just a little more and see if you can remember when you were baptized. Since religion is no more an important part of your life, I am interested if you recall the sincerity with which you expressed a desire to me to obey your Lord by being baptized. I remember talking with you since you were a little young, I thought. You reminded me that people were taught to be baptized when they knew they were sinners and that you knew you had done things that were wrong and believed that you were lost. You said that you wanted to go to heaven when you died and knew baptism to be right. Your mother and I realized that this had to be your decision and were proud of you. We have the date marked down somewhere. It is printed indelibly in our minds. But can you remember your feelings then? Surely you must have loved God and had faith in him at that moment in your life. You were not pressured into being baptized; it had never been a matter of force. You came seeking to do God’s will and seemed to do it gladly. I am wondering what importance you put on this event now. It was a great event for us then, and it remains so to this day. For us, it meant that you were a part of the kingdom of Christ, a member of his church. Your sins were washed away and as much as anything, it seemed that you were taking the initiative in living right. No one pushed you into baptism; it was something you wanted to do. Do you have any regrets about it now? If you had it to do over again, would you be so eager to be right with God?

Can you imagine how your mother and I felt when you served us the Lord’s supper the first time as you “waited on the table”? You seemed so small up in front of the congregation with the grown men and you were nervous. You were afraid you would drop the plates, remember? But I knew you could do it and you did. You were dressed so neatly in your suit and were so sincere in doing everything right that I wanted to burst with happiness. Even as a young teenager, you were everything that we wanted you to be. Sure, we had discipline problems with you . . . you were a boy, weren’t you? We had some disappointments along the way, but the total of your life was good and decent and right. We never missed worship services. We never missed gospel meetings. You even led singing in some of the training classes and in the assembly a number of times. You led prayers and led the prayer at the table at home. Did we ever tell you how proud we were? Maybe this was the beginning of some major mistakes. We assumed you knew how we felt and how proud we were. If we failed in this, please accept our apology. We just knew that you understood how we felt. But maybe we took this too much for granted.

I feel also that I was too busy with work during this time and didn’t spend enough time with you in everyday things. We were together in the evenings and on weekends as we worshiped together, but maybe I should have gone fishing with you more or showed you how to use tools . . . just anything to keep a close relationship. Because it was somewhere along these early teenage years that you must have begun to develop an interest outside the home and church that has made such a change in your values. I have spent many hours looking back, trying to analyze just where I could have used more wisdom, could have spent more time with you. It bothered me when you began to have  friends outside the church more and more, but I thought this would be a passing thing. You had always done what was right before and I believed you would keep on doing what was right. But, if I can put my finger on a period in your life when you began to change, it is right here. Your interest turned away form home and the church as you began to make friends in the world.

When I write to you again, I would like to talk to you about the beginning of troubles at home with you. I do not bring these up to stir old animosities but to analyze, to search, to seek for answers. I still see in you the possibility of right living. I still hope for you a heavenly home. So please bear with me as I speak of things that are painful to both of us. Sometimes a bitter dose of medicine can bring about a wonderful healing. If opening my heart to you, however painful it may be, can help bring you closer to God, it is well worth it.

May God grant you life and health both here and hereafter.

Lovingly,
Dad

Third Letter 

Our Child Is Dead

As I closed my last letter to you, I mentioned that we would discuss some things that were painful to us. I speak especially of myself. Writing to you like this does open some memories that were better buried. Up until now I have mentioned the pride that I felt in you, the joy you brought your mother and me and the anticipation that you would continue to do the same as you grew older. I don’t know how you feel about some of the things I will mention but as I put them into words, I wonder at how life changed for us.

As you know, my father is not a Christian. As far back as I can know, none of my people on my father’s side were Christians. So when I learned the truth and determined to live right, I hoped to establish a new order of things from myself into the future with this family. Being right with God is so good! It explains so many things in this world and lifts our eyes to life everlasting. It is such a joy to be a Christian that it destroys me to know you don’t have this conviction. If I fail to pass along this faith in Christ to you and to your sons and daughters after you, I will have failed miserably in the most important thing in this life Can you imagine the intensity of this feeling in me? Can you realize how it saddens me to see you unconcerned about eternal life? Do you understand how much I feel a failure if you do not see the beauty of Christ and his truth?

When I first learned that you drank beer, I cried. Oh, you denied it but we both knew you were lying. You had been slipping around for some time and smoking. And you had friends that you would not bring home with you. I’m sure that it was because you knew they would not fit into your lifestyle and would be uncomfortable. Remember the discussions we had about how late you could stay out at night? Even now I cringe when I think of the bitter words that have been exchanged between us. I felt that you had rebelled against our values and you felt that we were being too strict. We still stand somewhere at odds on this issue.

I find a great deal of resentment in me against modern music and the role it has played in alienating the youth in this country from good morals. I feel that this one thing, immoral and rebellion-instilling music, became the encouragement you needed to overcome the values you were taught as a child. In the lyrics of the music, as well as the all-pervading beat of the unrestricted license it preaches, you found an ally that did not restrict, did not hold back. In fact, it actually encouraged you to “do your own thing,” to “let yourself go.”

It was during this time that you almost did not finish school and did so only because we forced you to go. It was during this time that I became aware of the fact that you expressed resentment against “going to church.” It was during this time that I became aware of the fact that you resented me and any restrictions placed on your actions: what you did, where you went, and who you were with. Long hair became a symbol of your frustration and identified you with the crowd. Drugs became a constant fear to parents around the country. I don’t know to this day how much they figured in your alienation from us and I don’t care to know. That all of this formed a pattern of rejection of God is evident. Of course, some children went too far and were killed. Some ruined their minds. We are thankful that such was never true with you. But these things, all added together, created a life-style so different from that in which you were raised that it still makes me dizzy to think about it. How could such have happened? What could I have done differently to help you avoid being caught in this ungodly environment? How much of it do you see in its true light even now?

The Bible teaches that there is a way that is right and cannot be wrong. This way is the way of truth and holiness. Look around you at the marriages that are ruined by divorce, lives that are destroyed by alcohol and drugs, hopes that are destroyed by sin, and souls that are turned away from God. Is this the way you have been taught? Is this the way you have been brought up? Isn’t there a better life than that which you see about you in the world and among the friends you have chosen?

You have told us that people in the church have insulted you and that some of them are hypocrites and that some of them are a little abnormal about the world we live in. I won’t argue that point. I have known some of this in my life too. I have been insulted, have known hypocrites, and have seen some abnormal people — even a little weird, maybe. But I find these at the supermarket (and I have been insulted there), and I find these everywhere I shop. But I have also learned that there are good people in the church. Honest, God-fearing, loving, hard-working people who love one another unselfishly. I know a bunch of Christians who make mistakes. I am one of them. But look at the alternative. What if everyone drank, smoked pot, had no morals, and did only what brought them physical pleasure? What kind of world would this be?

I’ve been true to my word. I’ve talked of things that are painful. But in doing so, I wanted to try to picture two lifestyles. Both of them are filled with error. The difference between the man in the world and the man in the church is that we who are trying to be Christians are trying to learn from our mistakes, to get forgiveness for them, and to do better in the future. One lifestyle has pleasure in this world as its only goal. The lifestyle of the Christian has heaven as its goal. This is not to say that Christians have no pleasure here, but that our pleasure brings no regrets and no hang-overs.

One final word before closing this letter. No hypocrite in the church is going to keep me away from Jesus. After all, he wasn’t a hypocrite and he is the one I serve. And the one I hope you will start to serve again.

With all my love,
Dad

By Brian V. Sullivan

Each field of endeavor has its own demands and challenges. Those of us who have engaged in “foreign” evangelism know the impact of culture, custom, and current political rule on the people we are trying to reach with the gospel. It is imperative that we remember our role in any field is to instill the principles of Christ and sow the seed (the word of God), clearly and plainly, so that it will bring forth fruit to the glory of God. Our role in foreign evangelism is not to make the people of another nation conform to the status quo of home, or to impose our idealistic, societal values upon them. In fact, most people in other nations would resent the fact that we might try to “Americanize” them, or “Canadianize” them. Faithful servants of God should seek only to get them to conform to the teaching of Christ as found in the word of God.

Canada is a difficult but not an impossible field for the gospel. Those who labor in this field know that one of the first essentials is patience, and those who support the workers in this field must also have a measure of patience in expectations. Works in this part of Canada are making advances but in many cases it is slow. A lot of the effort in Canada involves “unteaching” people (taking away the false ideas of denominationalism) in order to discover a suitable foundation upon which to establish truth. Catholicism continues to be the dominant religion, but most towns and cities have a variety of religious pursuits within them including Protestant, Pentecostal, Reformed, and Evangelical groups, along with a host of the more widely known cults. Multi-culturalism has brought with it a proliferation of Eastern religions including Hindu, Islam, and Buddhism. Humanism has permeated many minds and in turn it has created a “no God except self” concept that finds little time for absolute truth (through the teaching of the Bible). 

A goodly portion of the population claims some religious affiliation but may not actively pursue it on a week to week basis. Throughout the years, the truth has made advances in Ontario, but aging, death, and moves to other locations have impacted our numbers. The challenges are many, but the gospel is still the power of God unto salvation, Christ is still the needed Savior of all mankind, and souls are still being reached through the ongoing efforts of the faithful in this part of the world. 

Through correspondence with the brethren in various works in Ontario, we were able to determine that a variety of efforts are being put forth to reach and influence their communities. Here are some of the methods being utilized: (1) personal contact and invitation (family, friends, neighbors); (2) newspaper articles; (3) correspondence course ads and studies; (4) follow-up on visitors; (5) computer web sites; (6) computer e-mail distribution; (7) teaching bulletins by mail and e-mail; (8) door-to-door work; (9) fall fairs or exhibitions for distribution of tracts and correspondence courses; (10) mail drop distribution of information; (11) special meetings; (12) sign boards; (13) home studies; (14) taped sermon and Bible class message distribution; (15) debates; (16) mailing of tracts or leaflets; (17) announcing special sermon topics; (18) holding Bible studies at Senior citizen homes or institutions; to name a few. The general consensus is that personal contact is still the most effective method of evangelizing. It reminds us as well that our words and deeds must be harmonious. Christ must be seen in us (Gal. 2:20), for others to ask the reason for the hope within us. 

The Lord’s Work In Ontario Canada

When we were approached about writing this article, we immediately determined to contact those laboring in the field and to solicit some responses from them on their own work and activity. Almost everyone contacted responded, and if we were to record everything they wrote, we would need a whole issue devoted to the cause of Christ in Ontario alone. Out of that material, this writer has picked several statements from each that would give an idea of what is happening in that respective work. We have arranged the churches alphabetically. We will identify the town, followed by the average attendance on Sunday a.m. (indicated in numerals and brackets), identification of the preacher or workers there, and then a few statements regarding the work in each place. 

Bancroft: (20 members, many teens; located in Northeastern Ontario) — Larry W. Fuller (Canadian married to a Canadian) works in secular work, yet regularly preaches and teaches). “Although we don’t enjoy the blessing of a full time evangelist, growth has been consistent with about eleven (11) members added in the past three years.” 

The church here has helped encourage and develop several preachers over the years including: Chuck Bartlett, William Stewart, Larry Fuller. Several members who lived in Whitney and were part of the Bancroft church, are now involved in the new work there (see details under Whitney).
 
Garden City (45) (St. Catharines area, closest to Niagara Falls) — Roy Diestelkamp (American married to a Canadian). “Our number is made up of men, women, and children, from one to eighty-nine years of age. Nine men are active in our worship and work.” 

Glencoe (12) (South-western Ontario area) — Neal Bahro from Jordan, James Sullivan from Smithville: Canadians, single, both working in secular work and preaching on weekends here. “The church here has provided a situation where many young men have gained their first preaching experience over the years. It continues at the present to encourage younger men in their development by providing opportunity for preaching and teaching.” 

Hamilton (25) (Niagara Area) — Steve Rudd (Canadian married to a Canadian). “This church was started from scratch by Steve and Loreen Rudd and three others who came from Alberta. For the first two years, we met in our dining room. Then we put an addition on our house and met in the walk-out basement that sat thirty-five. After eight years, we rented a building on a main street. It has served us well for the last two years. It has been a tough slow work, but the people we do have are strong, committed, and participate in the summer evangelistic fairs.”
 
Jordan (85)(Niagara Area) — Joshua Reaves (American soon to marry a Canadian). The church here has remained dedicated to truth through the years. Several other churches in Ontario exist today as a result of the groundwork laid by the brethren from here or by peaceful swells who went out from Jordan (viz. Wellandport, Garden City in St. Catharines).

Many long-time members are now limited due to health or age, but the work continues onward. Younger ones are arising to take on more of the responsibility. Several men from here are fully capable of doing appointment preaching or teaching, and do it where and when needed. This church has supported Jack Maddocks so that he could take part in teaching efforts in India the past two years, as well as making efforts to reach others at home.
 
Kingston (4) (Limestone Church of Christ) (Eastern Ontario) — William Stewart (Canadian married to a Canadian). “Limestone is entering its second year of meeting and working together in the city of Kingston. We have had a number of contacts in the past year, some who have meet with us for short periods of time, and one who was baptized. Unfortunately, she shortly thereafter left the faith. We look forward to good things as the Lord blesses our labors in this corner of His vineyard.”

London (23) (South-western Ontario) — Brian V. Sullivan (Canadian married to a Canadian). “We are just now starting to make inroads into the community. Three precious souls have recently been added here by baptism, and another one by moving. The work is continuing to take on a university city appearance with several different countries represented in our number (Canada, Philippines, Bermuda, Barbados, Romania). We are averaging three visitors at each Sunday service, and two or three at each Tuesday study. Our men are taking a greater part in the services now.”
    
Peterborough (12) (Eastern Ontario) — Peter R. McPherson (Canadian married to a Canadian). “Work began about seven years ago when my daughter and husband moved here. This is the only church of Christ (of any kind) in the city. Our attendance over the years has ranged from a high of around 25 to what it is now. We have had a few move-ins and some to move away. We have restored three to the faith who lived in this city and have baptized eight. At the present we are meeting in the heart of the city at the Rubidge Retirement Residence. We have had our ups and our downs, but we must be optimistic for the future of the church here. Though we are presently small, it is a fairly strong nucleus and we continue to look and pray for new growth. Behind every face we meet, we see a soul for whom Jesus died.”

Smithville (30) (Niagara Region) — Chris Nicholson (Canadian married to American). “My wife and I have been with the congregation for eleven months. Since that time we have seen two additions by moving (traveling to worship with us), one by baptism. Two other visitors have expressed their desire to worship with us on a regular basis (one has previously been baptized and the other has agreed to further study).Besides these mentioned, a couple of those who attend on a regular basis have not yet obeyed the gospel, and our prayer is that they will soon decide to put on Christ in baptism.”  
South River (40) — James D. Nicholson (Canadian married to a Canadian). “This work began on April 1,  1979 by the grace of God, supporting twenty-five Sundridge members with their children. Several of this number were South River residents and they welcomed a new work in their community. The work has cycled through seasons of growth, maturity, slow down and recovery like all other churches. Several gospel preachers have been developed over these years, and one new work was spawned from this congregation. There is limited opportunity for work in this area, and young people are being drawn away to distant cities for further education and employment. Consequently, we lose a large percentage of our young people, but they remain faithful and become strong leaders in other congregations. There have been at least eighty baptisms resulting from the start of this work at South River.”

Timmins (30, over half are young people) (Northern Ontario) — Local men preach and teach. “In the last couple of years the men, who are doing the preaching, focused much of the efforts on worshiping God in spirit and truth. As a result the congregation has become more confident and joyful for their faith and have also come to realize that each one can make a difference in sharing their faith. For the past few months now we have been focusing our teaching on reaching out to save the lost. We’re all excited to see what this will bring us.”

Wellandport (56) (Niagara Region) — Michael Stephens (American married to a Canadian). “The church at Wellandport has a good mix from young families to elderly couples, all eager to serve the Lord. Over the last few years we have seen a gradual growth in our number. This year we have had three baptisms and are working on a few more. The best tool we have for evangelism has been active members. The last twelve baptisms we have had have been friends, family, and next door neighbors of our brethren.”

West Toronto (38) — Chuck Bartlett, Canadian married to an American; David Dann, American married to a Canadian. “The church began almost two and one-half years ago and continues to grow. Our joy is the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) effort, with close to forty people still actively working on Home Bible study courses offered at our booth this year.”

Whitney (12 plus) — Larry W. Fuller (see personal details under Bancroft information above). “The Whitney congregation, is a relatively new work that began about two years ago. At the time we had a summer project, where we rented a town hall on Sunday afternoons, invited people, did a Bible study on Mark (16 weeks), and concluded with a short sermon. At the end of the summer, we were rewarded with a new sister in Christ, and have grown since then to a new local church with twelve members now. God has given substantial increase this summer with four baptisms. We are excited about the unity and desire evident in all the members, and as an evangelist it is my intention to teach these members to become strong spiritually, zealous and capable of teaching.”
 
The cause of Christ is alive and well among these churches in Ontario. Several other Canadian preachers are doing effective works in the United States and we rejoice in their further development and the work they are doing there. Some from Ontario have been involved in special teaching efforts in China, India, and Romania in the last five years. May we encourage each of those who is helping support those laboring in this field to continue to uphold their hands, and like the farmer that James spoke of, patiently wait for the early and latter rains. The seed is being sown, but only the Lord can provide the increase. We rejoice in his blessings of this past year and each one is looking onward and upward as he grants us a new year in which to serve him. 

Box 430, Fonthill, Ontario, Canada bvsprchr@computan.on.ca

By Larry Ray Hafley

Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura are two of the most widely known conservative talk show hosts in the country. They have millions of admirers. William Bennett, Robert Bork, Chuck Colson, and other well known political figures are famous for their religious and moral conservatism. Many religious leaders across the country, such as Donald Wildmon, advocate moral and spiritual values. With much of what these folks say, I am in agreement, for I believe they often express the truth on social and moral issues of our day. 

However, let me sound a note of caution. They are not our standard, our guide, our models of truth and righteousness. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps. 119:105). While we may obtain some good from the insights and comments of men, let us remember that our Savior is our perfect and complete example. We are to walk as he walked and to talk as he talked (1 Pet. 2:21, 22; 1 John 2:6). 

Dr. Laura is a Jew. William Bennett is a Catholic. Chuck Colson is a Billy Graham styled Baptist. Whose law do we follow? “There is one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy,” the Lord Jesus Christ (Jas. 4:12). We are not under intellectual bondage to any human philosopher or moral advocate except him — “Him only shalt thou serve”! “Take heed,” therefore, “lest there be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. . . . Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom” (Col. 2:8; 3:16). 

If Christians would be as passionate about the revolutionary revelation of the Redeemer as they are about the programs and pronouncements of men, perhaps they could again turn the world upside down (Acts 8:4; 17:6).     

By Steven F. Deaton

Fox News Channel’s Bill O’Reilly styles himself as an independent in political matters, which means he is supposed to look at issues in an objective manner. In truth, independents, like “moderates” or those who take a “neutral” stand, often contradict themselves from one issue to another. 

Mr. O’Reilly has written a book which shares the same title as his nightly news analysis program, The O’Reilly Factor. In it he espouses his view on a variety of subjects, from “the class factor” to “the gratitude factor.” Often, we agree with his opinions on and criticisms of people, policies, politics, and politicians. However, there are two chapters in which we disagree with him nearly from start to finish, “the religion factor” and “the sex factor.”

“The Religion Factor”

In chapter fourteen, “The Religion Factor,” Mr. O’Reilly writes, “And the fundamentalists really hate it when I say something like this: The most important thing I can say about religion is that it’s a good thing for all of us to have. It doesn’t matter what you believe — as long as you believe in something” (163, emphasis in original). Really? You would think that as a Catholic, Mr. O’Reilly would take a different stand than this. “The truth factor,” the Bible, says that it does matter what one believes. A young prophet in 1 Kings 13 believed something, a lie, and paid for it with his life. Saul believed he was doing God’s will when he spared king Agag and the best of the flock, but he was told his rebellion was as “witchcraft” and his stubbornness was like “idolatry” (1 Sam. 15). Saul was removed from being king because of his belief in something. Jesus said that there will be those on the day of judgment who believe they have done good according to his will, only to find out their belief in something was an erroneous and soul damning belief (Matt. 7:21-23). These men were not idolaters, infidels, or immoral, either. They believed in something, but not the right thing. Too, Cornelius was “devout . . . feared God with all his household . . . gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:1-2). Yet, Cornelius needed to hear words from Peter that would save him and his household (Acts 11:13-14). Did Cornelius believe in something? Then why did he need to be saved? Because he did not believe in the right thing!

On page 165 of The O’Reilly Factor, we find the following:

My guest, a Baptist pastor, insisted that Jews were bound for Hell if they didn’t swing on over to the Baptist side. (Catholics were not in such good shape, either.) I pointed out to him that I didn’t think Jesus had this attitude when he engaged with all kinds of people back there in Galilee.

This, along with other statements, shows how terribly ignorant O’Reilly is when it comes to Bible matters. Beyond question “the truth factor” reveals that Jesus condemned the Jews more than any other group, and their religious leaders most of all. He did not condemn them for not being Baptist, though, for no such thing existed in his time and is wholly without Bible authority. Rather, Jesus condemned the unbelieving Jews. He said, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). Through the apostle who recorded that last quote, Jesus said, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22). We also learn from John that “all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone” (Rev. 21:8). Indeed, Jesus did insist that all unbelieving Jews are “bound for Hell” who do not swing over to his side.

Mr. O’Reilly also writes,

So I do not believe in an angry God who will punish human beings for having different spiritual beliefs from my fundamentalists Christian pen pals. Yes, I believe very strongly that evil will be punished. But God isn’t keeping a list and checking it twice. If you try to be kind, responsible, and honest, good things will likely happen to you — both on this earth and in the hereafter, whatever it is (166).
True, God will not punish people for having different views from the “fundamentalists Christian pen pals,” but he will certainly punish those who have different views from him. In fact, Jesus will come “in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:8-9). This includes most “fundamentalists.”

“God isn’t keeping a list and checking it twice”? “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books . . . And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:12-15). “And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life” (Phil. 4:3). “The truth factor” reveals a list is being kept!

“The Sex Factor”

Now let’s turn our attention to the third chapter of his book, “The Sex Factor.” O’Reilly makes some obviously true statements, a few which some Christians are unwilling to admit. For instance, “Situation comedies, police dramas, daytime soaps, tabloid-TV ‘news,’ interview programs — they’re loaded with sexual content, from flesh shots to smirking suggestions” (32). He goes on to write:

What is the hit comedy Friends but a show about sex? The six attractive young leads are either having sex or talking about it whenever you happen to surf in . . . Sex is what they do. . . .

But the constant sex of TV and movies doesn’t get me all worked up about declining values and ready to mount a moral high horse. As advertisers know, they are giving us what we want.

True, true. Yet, there are a number of Christians who see nothing wrong with TV and movies filled with sexual content. They watch it. They let their children watch it. Then when “little Susie” gets pregnant, they wonder, “What went wrong?”

Even in the face of his observations about the condition of our society, O’Reilly sees nothing wrong with it. He writes, “There’s nothing wrong with men lusting all the time for beautiful women, as long as we are housebroken. Constant desire keeps men mentally occupied and out of trouble. We must have our sexual fantasies, ladies” (30). Jesus said, “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:28). Lust leads to more lust, sin, not less. “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13). “But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness” (2 Tim. 2:16). David’s lust for Bathsheba lead to adultery, lies, and murder (2 Sam. 11). Instead of insisting upon having his “fantasies,” David later said, “Have mercy upon me, O God . . . For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me” (Ps. 51:1-3).

On page 34, O’Reilly writes:

On the other hand, religious fanatics who demonize gays and other alternative groups aren’t covering themselves with glory, either. Yes, I know about the references to homosexuality as “an abomination” in Leviticus, but I also know what the Old Testament says about slavery. As long as a sexual issue is not intruding on your freedom or endangering your kids, leave it to God to sort it out. The Deity is a lot smarter than we are. That’s also in the Bible.

Yes, God is smarter than us, that is why he revealed his will to us. His wisdom is greater (cf. 1 Cor. 1:25). In his wisdom he said that neither “homosexuals, nor sodomites . . . will inherit the kingdom of God” — translation, they will go to Hell (1 Cor. 6:9-10). In man’s claim to be wise, he approves of homosexual and lesbian “lifestyles,” but in this God declares him to be a fool (Rom. 1:22, 24-27).

“The Drugs and Alcohol Factor”

When addressing drugs, O’Reilly calls for punishment and treatment of drug addicts in “The Drug and Alcohol Factor” chapter. But, when discussing sex, he says, “I’m not calling for abstinence here. That would be intrusive and ridiculous” (27). What is ridiculous is his call for abstinence from drugs (which is evidently not intrusive), but not from something equally as dangerous and life-damaging as pre-marital or extra-marital sex — “the truth factor” condemns both (Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 7:1-2; Matt. 19:9). This is what we meant by “independents” contradicting themselves from issue to issue. Different standards are applied to issues that are essentially the same.

Conclusion

Finally, we must recognize that popular men, such as Bill O’Reilly (with the number one cable news analysis program and a New York Times best seller) are not the standard of truth, even though they say many good things. “The truth factor” is in the Bible, and the Bible alone. It is the infallible Word of God by which men are saved and will be judged (Rom. 1:16; John 12:48). Therefore, let us live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God!

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