Truth Magazine

By Greg Litmer

On Tuesday night, Halloween, I saw something that I can’t get out of my mind. I guess you could say that I saw something that really is “haunting” me. A group of youngsters came to our door to “trick or treat” and included in their number was a young girl who looked to be about 13 or 14 years of age. She was dressed up in a costume, painted on freckles all over her face, giggling and laughing with what appeared to be her sisters, a big bag of candy in her hands, and she was pregnant. The pregnancy was not part of her costume  all too tragically, it was real.

What do you say about some-thing like that? Young enough to be “trick or treating,” old enough to be pregnant?

We all know “how” something like this happens, but what about the “why”? That little baby is the result of sin. Hebrews 13:4 clearly states, “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 7: 2, “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” That child on my porch was not married, that was apparent.

Who’s to blame here? The girl’s mother was standing out on the side-walk while her children went from house to house. Does the blame reside on the parents’ shoulders? Paul told us in Ephesians 6:4, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and ad-monition of the Lord.” Did they do their job in this case? I am not the judge and I don’t know. I must confess, I have real difficulty with that girl being out there “trick or treating” as if nothing was wrong. “Trick of treating” is some-thing for children to engage in and like it or not, that young girl has left her childhood behind.

Is society to blame? That young girl is bombarded continually by sexual messages. The songs that she listens to (country or rock), the television shows, movies, magazines, even commercials, all use sex to sell. It is as Paul wrote in Romans 1:32, “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” If she attends public school she is being taught to be tolerant of just about every sinful, perverse lifestyle that can be dreamed up by people. So many of her peers are pregnant that high schools now offer daycare centers for the students.

Pregnancy out of wedlock use to be something to be ashamed of, now we bend over backwards to make those who put themselves in that position feel as if they have done nothing wrong. Help them, yes, but don’t make them think that they haven’t done anything wrong!

Is the girl to blame? Of course she is! I realize that the sex drive is a difficult thing to harness once it is allowed to get out of control, but I also realize that responsibility to control oneself resides with each of us. Ezekiel wrote, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” She was old enough to get pregnant, she is old enough to know right from wrong.

Unless there is a general return to the standard of God’s Word, a standard that used to characterize this country’s morals, there will just be more pregnant “trick or treaters” in the future. Society is to blame to a certain extent. The ridiculous doctrine of humanism that now characterizes the curriculum of the schools is a classic example of “changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man.” What we are seeing now in America is the same thing Paul wrote of in Romans 1:28, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient….”

My heart goes out to the girl. I look at her and see the young girls of our congregation. I look at her and see my daughter. We have got to teach them right from wrong! They may ultimately make the choice to commit this sin anyhow, but I pray to God that they won’t.

My heart goes out to that baby. It’s tough enough in this world, without being forced to enter it on public assistance and to face a life of poverty. In truth, my heart just breaks.

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: No. 23, p. 1
December 7, 1995

By Jim McDonald

There are some areas in the Philippines in which a large concentration of congregations already exists. These congregations have no P.O. Box or street address with a neat little building and nicely painted sign giving times of worship, and the name of the preacher with telephone numbers to call for further information. Their building (if they have one at all) will likely be a “nipa hut,” perhaps a “shed” (large corner posts and an iron roof) or in a rarer instance, a crude, hollow block building. Still such are just as much Christ’s congregations as are their American counterparts with all our finery and “trappings.”

Central and northern Luzon have several such areas. There are pockets of congregations in varying numbers and sizes to be found in Manila, Angeles City, Baguio City, Laoag City and Tuguegarao. The llocos region (north-west Luzon: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur), the Cagayhan valley region and the Isabela province are blessed with many groups and disciples. In Mindanao there are also several areas with large concentration of churches.

On the other hand, there are some areas in which there is a dearth of churches. We traveled from Cagayan de Oro City to Iligan City (Northern Mindanao), a distance of 65 kilometers and passed through ten municipalities without a single congregation. To be registered as a municipality an area must have at least 50,000 population, thus the region through which we passed had a minimum of 500,000 folk untouched by the gospel. We traveled in southern Luzon from Manila to Matnog by bus to catch a ferry to Samar, a trip of 18-20 hours. We found very few congregations yet this is a vast area with some very large cities. As we ferried from South Luzon to northern Samar (a voyage of 3-4 hours) we passed several “islets” which no doubt are thickly populated but on which there were no congregations, at least to the knowledge of our Filipino companions. Such areas are “virgin fields.” We landed at Allen in northern Samar, an-other region almost totally devoid of disciples for only one congregation is known in this whole region, a small congregation at Tinabacan. Some months ago Ben Cruz, veteran preacher from Manila came in contact with a Seventh Day Adventist preacher from this place and in the process of time both preacher and almost the whole congregation were converted to Christ. Obviously, in a just a few months, their knowledge of the gospel is stilt very elementary.

Having learned of this work and manifesting to Ben an interest in seeing it first hand, he, four other Filipino brethren (Fred and Romeo Aguelto, Rey Tacbad and Cecilio Galusmo), and I made a tedious journey to Tinabacan. I preached here one night and baptized three or four by lantern light. Then we doubled back to Palanit, a sea-coast village on the west side of the island. There was no congregation in Palanit, either although we found 3 or 4 disciples, converts from Ben’s efforts at Tinabacan.

Patanit is the hometown of Cecilio, a young Samarian of about 30 years of age. We met Cecilio in February 1993 on our first trip to the Philippines. Cecilio left Samar when he graduated from high school and came to Manila to attend college. There he met and married the young woman who is his wife and who also is a Christian. Through her influence (along with the help of others) Cecilio obeyed the gospel. Although Cecilio is college trained he could find no way to support himself other than by peddle-cycle; he was a sort of “taxi driver” save that in this instance his “taxi” was a bicycle with a side car added to convey passengers. Such is hard, physical labor producing a bare minimum in pesos but from this meager income Cecilio’s family lives. He had preached in several Manila congregations and had come in contact with a group of deaf Christians who had received a correspondence course sent out by institutional brethren called the “World Bible.” They identified themselves as the “World Bible Church.” Cecilio “instructed them in the way of the Lord more perfectly” supplying teaching that brought them to fuller knowledge of truth. In the fall or early winter of 1994 the Southside church in Mt. Pleasant, Texas began having fellowship with Cecilio, allowing him to give up his “pedo-cycle” job to give full time to preaching.

We preached one night in the street of Patanit. About 40 adults gathered together to hear us patiently, then to ask questions of our Filipino brethren about “our beliefs.” They were especially surprised (and impressed) to see in our company one of their own who had been a devout Catholic when he left their midst some years before. None was baptized that night but subsequent trips that Cecilio has made there has produced several baptisms. Denominations are just be-ginning to be introduced into the region; we saw a group of Seventh Day Adventists, but no others. Still, the people will listen and obey if they are given exposure to the Word.

Cecilio is willing and desirous to return home with the gospel to his people. He has support, although he needs more and such an one as Cecilio is needed in this island. He is young, and while has some growing in knowledge to do, he is energetic and, so far as I can ascertain, well grounded in the faith. Funds have been provided for him to buy a lot to build a dual purpose nipa hut on: a house for him to house his family and a place which will also serve as a place for brethren to worship in. Funds for this latter are still needed and $600 – $700 will take care of this need. Cecilio also needs transportation. A good second-hand motorcycle can be bought for $1,500. To move about as he will need to move about, he needs his own transportation. And, to aid the work in the entire region, he needs funds to air a radio program, about $100 a month.

I have seen the patience of the people of this area to listen. I have witnessed their interest and perception in the questions they asked. That many souls can be taught and saved in not only this village but in the many other villages of this northern part of Samar I have no doubt  but they cannot believe if they do not hear. In Samar the “fields are white unto harvest, but the laborers are few. Pray ye the Lord of harvest to send forth reapers into his vineyard.”

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: No. 23, p. 6-7
December 7, 1995

By Kenneth D. Sils

Long ago, a man named Nicodemus came by night to our Savior, Jesus Christ, expressing his belief that Jesus was a great teacher. He based this conviction on all the supernatural signs he had witnessed, saying, “No one can do these signs unless God is with him.” At the beginning of John’s gospel account, John said that Jesus, not only has God’s presence with him, but that he, in fact, is God. The purpose for John’s writing was to prove to the world that Jesus is the Word, the glorious Savior of men, who is full of grace and truth. He took on flesh for the express purpose of redeeming us from sin. As a result of his death, burial, and resurrection, man can once again enjoy a holy relationship with God by being a part of the church he was building (Matt. 16:18). In the first century, Christians were not seen as “strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”

One of the most interesting statements one can find in the Bible is the response Jesus gave to Nicodemus that evening. In John 3:3, he said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God!” Jesus wasn’t mincing words with this teacher of the law. When Nicodemus failed to understand this statement, Jesus became more specific about this “rebirth” in verse 5 saying, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” To enter into God’s kingdom, one must be “born of water and the spirit.” To be among the members of God’s house, one must be “born again.” To walk the golden street which leads to the throne of God, one must be “reborn.” Jesus requires a spiritual birth from all people.

Amidst all the modern religious confusion surrounding the topic of salvation, one may be prompted to ask, “Just how does one enter the church of Christ?” For one to enter the kingdom of God, the body of Christ or the church of Christ, man has no choice but to accept the provisions sup-plied by the New Testament. James tells us to “receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (Jas. 1:21). Peter reminded first century Christians, “since you have purified your soul in obeying the truth .. .having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Pet. 1:22-23). God’s word explicitly tells us what we must to do to be saved and how one enters the church of Christ. He did not leave it to the modern TV evangelists or denominational rules and by-laws of men.

Jesus pleaded with the all people in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Every person can come to Jesus and be a part of his church if he is willing to obey the truth through the Spirit of God. One cannot be spiritually “reborn” with-out submissively obeying Jesus, the head of the church. Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:23, “Christ is the head of the church; and he is the Savior of the body.” Friend, only one religious body, the body of Christ, will enjoy salvation from sin, death and eternal fire. Since this is the case, we must take every precaution to insure that we have done exactly what God requires in order to gain entrance into his church, his body, or his kingdom.

God has given us straight forward commands and examples in the New Testament demonstrating how people entered his church. Consider the example of Philip and the Samaritans in Acts 8:12, “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.” These people believed in the things that Philip preached, prompting them to be baptized. This should not be a surprise if one will remember what Jesus told his apostles in Mark 16:15-16, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

Those who believe that Jesus is the Christ and act upon his command in the New Testament to be baptized will be saved. Those who did such in Jerusalem were added to his church. Peter convicted the Jews of sin by telling them that “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). When they asked Peter what to do, he replied in verse 38 saying, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” The text tells us that these obedient people were “added to their number.” The word “added” here means to “join to, to gather to any company.” They became numbered with the apostles. As a result, they were on the side of Christ, in his body, the church. Acts 2:47 tells us that those who were being saved were “added to the church.” How were these people entering the church of Christ? The same way the Jews did in verse 41 by being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, being cleansed through his blood.

God has chosen a very simple vehicle for man to gain entrance into his church. That vehicle is baptism. The apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” Baptism is the only action which places us in the one body, the church of Christ. The same author tells us in Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church.” Man has not been granted liberty to pick and choose his own plans of salvation, nor can he choose just any vehicle for entering Christ’s church. The New Testament never asked someone to pray Jesus into their hearts through some “sinner’s prayer,” nor was any-one ever voted into the church of Christ. The Holy Spirit clearly tells us baptism puts us into the body, the church of our Lord.

At the beginning of this article, I mentioned that Jesus said, “Unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” This spiritual birth is directly connected with baptism. Paul reminded the Roman’s of their conversion in Romans 6:3-7 saying,

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin, for he who has died has been freed from sin.

Baptism into the death of Jesus is the only way we can contact Jesus’ life-saving blood, thereby killing the sin on our soul. When one is raised from the waters of baptism, one rises to a newness of life, one is reborn, one is added to the church, one is saved by the blood of Jesus ready to begin life as a Christian. Oh, the matchless grace of Jesus!

Have you complied with the Holy Spirit by being baptized into the one body, the church of Christ? In him, all spiritual blessings flow. In him is redemption and the forgiveness of sins. In him, man is alive again to God and has a bright hope of heaven after this life is over. Before Jesus died on the cross, he told his chosen few in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Me.” It is his way or no way, friend. Don’t place your trust in the feelings and testimonies of modern man, place your trust in the truth of Jesus in the New Testament. Feelings come a dime a dozen, but the truth stands alone as a diamond in the rough.

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: No. 22, p. 22-23
November 16, 1995

By Randy Blackaby

Jason, a 14-year-old, is summoned to the principal’s office at school. His teacher has reported that he used abusive, foul language to another student. Before the principal can even inquire of Jason about the circumstances, the youngster blurts out, “It ain’t my fault!”

“What do you mean it wasn’t your fault?” the principal asks quizzically.

“Well Johnny called me a name first,” Jason declares with full assurance of personal exoneration.

The principal then begins to tell Jason that he is account-able for his own behavior, regardless of what others do, but he notices that the lecture isn’t being absorbed. Jason is sure he didn’t do anything wrong.

This scenario is repeated in a thousand ways every day in schools, ball parks, and homes across our country.

But the sadder fact is that these youngsters learned these situational ethics from people old enough to know better. They hear this logic from parents, teachers, coaches, and friends all the time.

Few people seem willing to accept responsibility for their actions, especially their mistakes. It is always the fault of someone else, or a whole group of someone elses (society) or the combined tribulations of life (environment).

Two brothers in California murder their parents. When caught and tried, their defense is fundamentally that their parents caused them to commit murder. One trial ends in a hung jury, with half the jurors accepting that logic.

Thousands and thousands of marriages fall apart because spouses excuse their own unloving behavior on the basis of evils done or said to them. The “tit for tat” game continues to escalate until the marriage is destroyed.

Imagine the changes that could come if folks could simply say, “I was wrong. I’m sorry.” How much different the world would be if more people were committed to practicing unilateral righteousness.

Great men and women are able to admit their mistakes. Many years ago there was a king who saw another man’s wife bathing outdoors, lusted after her and ultimately committed adultery with her. To cover up his deed, when she became pregnant, he had her husband killed.

A friend came to him and confronted him with his terrible behavior. The king could have silenced his friend by killing him or denying responsibility. But he didn’t. He said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” That king’s name was David (2 Samuel 11-12). He is described in Scripture as “a man after God’s own heart.”

Contrast David’s decision to admit his errors, accept forgiveness, and try to live better with the denial mentality that permeates contemporary thinking.

Much of this denial philosophy has emanated from mod-ern psychology. Until very recently, most psychological counseling was pointed at relieving people of “guilt.” This relief, however, was not achieved by accepting guiltiness and repenting. It was sought by denying responsibility or shifting accountability.

It is almost comical the number of personal problems that have been blamed on “mother” and negative “environments.”

In fact, this problem has gotten so bad that learning and education are today impaired. Children can’t even be told they have the wrong answer or made a mistake playing base-ball. We have to worry about their “self-image.”

When little Johnny can’t read or write, when he can’t hit or catch a baseball, when he can’t get along with anyone, or hold a job or keep his marriage together  it certainly must be someone else’s fault.

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: No. 22, p. 6
November 16, 1995