Truth Magazine

By Mike Rogacs

A recent article of mine, “Painful Observations,” appeared in the January 5, 1995 issue of this magazine. The results of that article have overwhelmed me. I wish to share some of my thoughts concerning those results.

Firstly, I wish to thank brother Willis for his agreement to print the article. The observations are blunt and painful and potentially controversial. I respect him for his work with GOT and thank him for his help in getting my thoughts aired.

What has overwhelmed me are the many letters, phone calls and comments of brethren both locally and elsewhere. In almost every letter there were comments of encouragement for me and/or thankfulness that I returned to faithfulness. Above everything else, these comments moved me deeply.

But that is not the point of this second article.

Briefly, I remind the reader that in “Painful Observations” I referred to the very obvious decline of growth in the Lord’s church and other unhealthy changes that have come to pass in the past quarter century. I attributed much of this to laziness, bickering among brethren, declining spirituality and other factors which make it look like the church is bent upon self-destruction. The result has been a hindrance to the main mission of the Lord’s people, teaching and saving souls, and also a decline in the vitality of the church itself.

In the letters and comments that resulted, a few brethren agreed with some of the observations, but the majority strongly or totally agreed.

The brethren who only partially agreed were preachers. All others (which included a few preachers, too) totally agreed. The preachers seemed bent upon justifying, or explaining why, these weaknesses and problems exist. It was suggested that I was too hard on my brethren. In one letter, a brother wrote that if some are leaving the church perhaps we should, indeed, reexamine our methods and motives. He went on to add, “But there have always been people leaving the church in disgust.” Well, of course! It is never right for brethren to “quit” or leave our Lord. But my point was that many people are leaving in disgust because of the bickering (locally and nationally), complacency, lack of zeal, the poor attempts at preaching to the lost and the lack of attacking the enemies of our Lord outside of the church.

Another preacher indicated that in a certain part of the country, congregations were shrinking because jobs were being lost and brethren were moving away. I remember brethren used to say that churches were not growing because the economy was too good! Actually, this observation only proves my observations. We are not teaching the gospel to the lost around us. If some brethren leave to go elsewhere (as they did in the book of Acts), all the better, if we were doing our work. The gospel would be spread elsewhere. And if brethren must move away, we would still be converting and growing, if we were doing our work. Instead, we seem to hope the saved will move to our towns to help our congregations grow.

Let me be blunt. We have become a church full of people who have made excuse making an art. We have become a church that has too many members who find it easier to fight among ourselves than to fight the enemy outside the church. It has become easier to preach to the “already saved” than to reach out effectively to the unsaved.

In contrast, read now some of the comments from the majority of letters. One sister, who said that in the seven years that she has read the Guardian of Truth she had not felt compelled to respond to any other article, wrote the following: “The spirituality (or lack thereof) of the church today frightens me. If you’re an alarmist, then an alarmist is what we need. May God send us more.”

This next respondent wrote a quick note on a post card and said, “I’m also distressed to learn of the all-to-frequent bickering and sniping by brethren instead of fighting the enemy.”

Another brother wrote, “I too am saddened by the flow some of the brethren are moving into. I believe your painful observations are well founded. Sadly, brethren in the U.S.A. have become at ease.”

Another brother, who said that he read the article three times, wrote, “I see the same things down here” in his part of the country. Among many other comments he added, “the problem is us, not the Lord or his word. We need to get up and get to work.”

And another: “Your observations were painful to you, me, and I have an idea to many others, too. Painful because they are true.”

There were many more such comments.

I have written these two articles out of the desire to motivate us all to reevaluate the condition of the church as it is today. There must be changes. I stand by every statement of my painful observations. And let it be clearly understood: I am not saying that we should compromise the truth. Those who really know me will confirm this. We must always teach against error among brethren. But I strongly believe that we have gotten lost in that effort. We must remember that, for the most part, the enemy is outside and not within. Too many of us are caught up in acting like “defenders of the faith” and seem to forget that we are to be “proclaimers of the faith.” The lost go untaught and unsaved, many of our brothers and sisters are discouraged, and the kingdom of our Lord is suffering and shrinking.

Let’s stop excuse making. Let’s figure out how to most effectively, and scripturally, reach the lost and let’s do it. The enemies of God who call themselves believers and have never known the truth are stealing away those who might believe if they were taught. Let’s fight those enemies of the truth. Can we do it or will we be doomed to continue the status quo?

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: 9 p. 7
May 4, 1995

By Johnny Stringer

Review

We have shown that the Bible sets forth the general principle that women are to teach the word of God. We pointed out, however, that there are two passages which place a restriction on the woman’s teaching. According to 1 Timothy 2:9-10, the woman is to maintain her place of subjection to men. She may not teach in any circumstance in which she would be out of subjection to men. Having discussed that passage, we will now give consideration to the other passage emphasizing this restriction: 1 Corinthians 14:34-35.

1 Corinthians 14:34-35

Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

1. Context. In the letter of 1 Corinthians Paul dealt with problems that plagued the church in Corinth. In chapter 14 he addressed himself to the conduct of the Corinthians in their assemblies. His remarks indicate that their activities were not always edifying but were characterized by disorderliness and confusion. According to our text, women were contributing to the problem by the manner in which they spoke.

2. A Shame to Speak. Paul forbids women to speak because it is a shame for women to speak in the church. Yet, this same Paul commanded all Christians — including women  to sing (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16); and singing is a form of speaking. It is clear, therefore, that not all speaking is shameful. If it were, it would be a shame for women to sing. Paul was obviously discussing a certain kind of speaking when he said that it was a shame for women to speak, and singing is not included in the kind of speaking that is shameful.

This is a simple verse, making it quite clear what kind of speaking is forbidden. After saying that it is not permitted for women to speak, Paul adds, “but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.” Thus, speaking is contrasted against being under obedience. Obviously, therefore, the kind of speaking to which Paul refers is speaking which would cause the woman not to be under obedience (subjection). This is the reason singing does not fall within the realm of the speaking that is forbidden; scriptural singing does not cause the woman to be out of obedience. One would not contrast the woman’s participation in congregational singing against being under obedience. For her to lead the singing, however, would violate that principle and therefore would be included in the kind of speaking that is shameful.

It is a shame for the woman to speak in any way that would cause her not to be in subjection. Hence, she may not preach to an assembly that includes men, for the one preaching is in control of the study; he is not in subjection.

3. Asking Questions. Because it is a shame for women to speak so as to be out of obedience, Paul said that if the women had a question, they should ask their husbands at home. Depending on the situation and the attitude and manner of the one asking the question, a question may violate the principle of being in subjection. Questions may be asked in an insolent manner or in a way that is disruptive.

We do not know the exact situation at Corinth. We do know that in dealing with problems found in the assemblies at Corinth, Paul was discussing the matter of speaking so as to be out of subjection. Therefore, women must have been asking questions in a way that violated the principle of subjection.

Additionally, we can conclude that Paul was directing his remarks to a certain group of women who were causing the problem, for the command to ask their husbands at home could not be obeyed by all women. This command could be obeyed only by women (1) who had husbands and (2) whose husbands had access to truth they did not have. Inasmuch as Paul had just spoken to prophets, then said “Let your women …,” some have surmised that the reference is to the wives of the prophets. This may be so. It is difficult to imagine who else it could have been. One thing is certain: The command to ask their husbands at home is not applicable to women today. Women today do not have to ask their husbands at home; they have Bibles just as their husbands do. Husbands do not have any access to truth that their wives do not have.

Do not misunderstand. The command to maintain their subjection is applicable to all women. Paul taught that it is a shame for women to speak in the assemblies so as to be out of obedience. Certain women in Corinth perhaps the wives of the prophets  were violating that principle by the manner in which they were asking questions, and Paul told them to ask their husbands at home rather than to disrupt the assembly with their questions. Paul addressed a certain group of women because they were violating the principle of subjection, but the principle of subjection is binding on all women.

We do not know the specific details of the problem at Corinth. One possibility is that as prophets were revealing divine truths to the assembly, their wives were interrupting them with questions. Such would surely be out of place and disruptive. Whether or not that was the problem, the women were in some way asking questions in a manner inconsistent with their place of subjection.

Some use this passage as a basis for prohibiting a woman from asking a question in a Bible class today. This is a misuse of the apostle’s words. What is insubordinate in one situation may not be insubordinate in another situation. The fact that it was out of order to ask a question in the kind of assembly Paul was discussing in 1 Corinthians 14 does not mean it is out of subjection to ask a question in today’s Bible classes.

In the assembly described in our text, inspired men were revealing divine truth as the Spirit guided them. Today’s Bible class is a different kind of gathering. A group of people have gathered to study the Bible and to help one another in reaching an understanding. In that situation, it is not insubordinate for a woman to humbly ask a question or submit an idea for the class’s consideration. Yet, a woman in a Bible class can get out of line in the manner in which she asks questions or expresses her ideas. If she asks questions or speaks in an insolent manner, or speaks to the extent of dominating, she violates the principle of being under obedience. She must manifest a meek and quiet spirit.

Conclusion

The woman is to teach the word of God. The only restriction in her teaching is that she must not violate the principle of being in subjection to men. She may teach in any circumstance or capacity that is consistent with that restriction. She may teach classes consisting of women or children, for in such classes she is not in authority over men.

The woman may even teach men so long as she remains in subjection. In congregational singing, for example, she is involved in teaching others in the congregation, including the men (Col. 3:16). Priscilla helped teach Apollos (Acts 18:26). If a woman and her husband are discussing a passage at the dinner table, and the woman brings up a scriptural point that has never occurred to the husband, she has taught her husband; but she was not out of subjection when she did so. In a Bible class that is taught by a man, a woman may quietly and meekly make a point that enlightens some men who are present, but she has not dominated the class or taken control of it. If a woman thinks a man is in error on some point, she may discuss the matter with him without being in a position of authority over him.

Whereas God has placed only one restriction on the general principle that the woman is to teach, some brethren have added another restriction. They say that while she may teach her children at home, she may not teach in the church building or in a class arranged by the church. This restriction is not found in the Bible. In fulfilling its mission of teaching the truth, the church may utilize anyone who is scripturally qualified to teach; and faithful, knowledgeable women are scripturally qualified to teach classes of women and children.

Sisters in the Lord, learn God’s word, live God’s word, and teach God’s word. God has not gagged you; rather, he has given you the responsibility to teach. He has simply placed one restriction on you. Do not fret because of the restriction; it is unlikely you will ever do all the teaching you could do in accordance with that restriction.

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: 9 p. 8-9
May 4, 1995

By Bob Pulliam

In the Quran and Hadith we find the sacred writings of Islam. The Quran is the highest, and Hadith is second only to the Quran (obviously leaving the Bible far behind). And it is these writings that prove to be the weakest link in Islam’s claims of divine origin. If the Quran is from a divine source, we can expect it to be free from the errors seen in the works of men. Lofty claims are made regarding these to vindicate the religion of Allah. But alas, to claim success and prove such are two very different matters.

When the Bible is put to the test, it passes with flying colors (when examined objectively). One of the greatest tributes to the Bible is the amount of time spent by humanistic critics attacking it. They consume very little time attacking the Quran, Hadith, Book of Mormon, Watchtower publications, Christian Science writings, etc. The power of “Bible followers” is not the only reason for this. The critic attacks that which he sees as threateningly believable. It can truly be said that the truth of the Bible scares critics to their typewriters.

The Muslim will acknowledge the Bible to be an inspired writing. Truly, a good bit of the Bible is in the Quran. But which is to be accepted above the other? Many never think about it, but the Bible is actually supposed to be the basis for believing the Quran. After all, how do Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus become known as historical characters to be accepted and believed? The Bible is the source for such faith. Since the Bible is a basis for believing the Quran; the Bible should be preferred and accepted above the Quran. The Quran itself calls upon the reader to inquire of the “people of the Book” (Bible), to determine whether its contents are accurate (e.g. Sura 10:90-96, for “the Book” see Sura 5:70). Let’s examine the Quran and see how it compares with the Bible.

Conflicts with the Bible

The Bible clearly tells us that God took six days for creating the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:3.; Exod. 20:11). Such is confirmed by Jesus in Luke 13:14 when he pointed out that there were six days to work (leaving one for the Sabbath); and we clearly acknowledge such by the number of days in the week on our calendars. The Quran tells us that the world was created in eight days (Sura 41:9- 12). Now you can believe Moses, Jesus, and the calendar; or you can believe the Quran.

The Bible tells us that Noah and his three sons were saved in the ark; and that it came to rest on Mt. Ararat. The Quran tells us that one of Noah’s sons was lost in the flood (taking refuge in a mountain), and that the ark came to rest on EI-Judi (Sura 11:32 – 48).

The Quran conflicts with the Bible on several points concerning Abraham. The Bible cites Abraham’s father as Terah, but the Quran names Azar. The Bible tells us that Abraham settled in Canaan (Hebron), whereas the Quran would have us believe that he traveled as far as Mecca, over 700 miles southeast of Hebron! The Quran has Abraham sacrificing Ishmael rather than Isaac (which makes no sense inasmuch as Ishmael was the son of the handmaid). Muhammad only recalls the existence of two sons, whereas the Bible clearly tells us that Abraham had a grand total of eight sons. Several other discrepancies exist, but these suffice to show the Quran’s blatant inaccuracy regarding one of the best known figures of the Bible.

Nimrod is said to have thrown Abraham into a fire (Sura 21:680. Abraham was not yet born when Nimrod walked the earth (Gen. 5 & 11). Muhammad had the common seventh century Arabian trouble of keeping people in chronological order, and separated by the proper restraints of time (and the fire here is probably from Daniel 3:19-30, which occurred over fifteen hundred years after Abraham). Along this line, the Quran commonly has people, who lived thousands of years apart, interacting as if they lived together. A divinely inspired work should not be this difficult to swallow.

Names are commonly incorrect in the Quran. John the baptist is called Yahya. Saul is called Talut, and Goliath is called Jalut. The best reason given would seem to be the memory of the one writing the Quran: Muhammad. He obviously had many stories and legends mixed together in his mind. He could not read, so even if he had the reference material, he could not research such matters. Many Jewish and gnostic legends had reached Arabia by the time of Muhammad. It is interesting to note that some of Muhammad’s misconceptions can be traced to these extra-biblical sources, and help us to understand why the Quran contains some of its errors.

Three Truly Great Errors

There are three errors that should especially be pointed out to the Muslim. The first concerns Moses, Haman and the tower of Babel. Did Haman live in Egypt building the tower of Babel for Pharaoh? This is what the Quran would have us believe (Sura 27:4ff; 28:38; 29:39; 40:23-37). Actually Haman served King Ahasuerus in Persia (Esther 3); and the tower of Babel was two thousand years earlier in Babylon (Gen. 11).

A Mistake In Bible and Secular History

The second error is the use of the term Samaritan in Sura 20:87 & 95. This reference says that the golden calf was built at the suggestion of a Samaritan. This would have been hard to accomplish, since the Samaritans did not exist until after the captivity had commenced, hundreds of years after the incident of the golden calf. At the time the calf was constructed, the Israelites had not even possessed the land out of which they would be taken captive! (Exod. 32)

The third error has Alexander the Great living to a ripe old age (Sura 18:89-98). Secular history is very clear and trustworthy on the youthful demise of Alexander (see Encyclopedia Britannica 15:479 . . . see also The Concise Dictionary of Islam 229).

An Argument that Backfires

The Quran condemns Christians and Jews alike as not being of God (Sura 30:30 – 32 and 42:130. On what basis? Because they were divided from each other, and could not agree. Since they were “at war” with one another, neither could be of God.

Consider for a moment the number of sects into which Islam has been divided. I do not have a total count, but here are a few who have graced the pages of history:

Sects of Islam

Abadites

Mutazilites

Jabbarya

Sufis

Najiyah

Shiites

(which gave rise to Nusayris, Yezidis and Druses)

Sunnites

Isma’ilis

(which gave rise to Nizaris and Musta’lis)

Black Muslim

(which are not in any way accepted by Arab Muslims)

The pot loves to call the kettle “black,” and here is an excellent case. The truth is, mankind will never unite under truth, or any other banner, because mankind has other selfish interests at heart.

The Wives of Muhammad

The Quran allows a man to have no more than four wives. Yet it is very clear that Muhammad had 22 wives. This would clearly make Muhammad a sinner. But not just any sinner. He was “a spokesman” for Allah while he was practicing his sin! Some would deny that Muhammad ever sinned, but the Quran clearly indicates such. Muhammad was told to repent of his sin in Sura 40:55. Sura 48:lf speaks of Muhammad’s sins, past and future!

It is not necessary that a prophet never have sinned. But that a prophet would receive divine messages for others while he himself is involved in open, reprehensible sin is absurd.

A Terrible Confession

Also considered inspired is the Hadith. The Hadith gives much information about the Quran. It tells us that the Quran was written on odds and ends of materials (Vol. 6, # 509), and gathered into book form by Caliph Uthman (all after Muhammad died). When Uthman had completed his version, he destroyed all of the Qurans (he could find and possess) that were in conflict with his version (Vol. 6, #510). One historian writes of Uthman, “His major achievement was the commissioning of a group of experts to collect all the known copies and variants of the Quran and establish a standard text …” (Frederick M. Denny, Islam, 33).

Think of the field-day the Bible critic would have if the Bible said such about itself! Religious scholars have spent hundreds of years comparing the thousands of ancient manuscripts of the Bible. There has been no need of paper shredders, or incinerators, for conflicting versions.

Conclusion

Very serious problems in the Quran must be reconciled before one could even begin to believe it possible that divine revelation had produced such a work. I do not find it incredible that so many millions of people believe and follow the sacred writings of Islam. If I did, I would have to find it incredible that so many people profess a belief in the Bible; but clearly violate its pure, concise pattern.

Islam is not difficult to “see-through,” and it is possible to convert a Muslim. To do so, we must arm ourselves as we do against other systems of error with which we are more familiar: Learn their weaknesses, and be relentless with the truth.

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: 9 p. 10-11
May 4, 1995

By John Isaac Edwards

Our nation is at war! It is called the drug and alcohol war. The problem of drugs and alcohol is real! A few years ago we heard of such problems only rarely, and then they were confined to large metropolitan areas. But now it has reached even our small rural communities, and a bright young high school or junior high school student may be as involved in the problem as the long-haired drifter.

I have chosen to reject drugs and alcohol! But, let me begin by saying that I do not reject all drug and alcohol use. So that you will understand exactly what I do and do not reject, let us begin with a definition of terms.

Alcohol  “the byproduct of yeast fermentation of fruits or grains; the active ingredient in beer, wine, and liquor; the most widely abused depressant drug” (A Healthier You 246).

Drugs  By drugs I mean illicit drugs or legal drugs used improperly. I do not reject all drug use! I do not oppose the proper use of drugs prescribed by a competent and qualified physician to correct an imbalance of a person’s body chemistry which affects his or her health, or to give protection against disease, tensions, fatigue, or pain. However, I do reject drug abuse, which would be defined as the use of drugs (legal or illegal) for non-medical reasons in an attempt to influence the mind and body, alter the emotions, change the senses, or to escape from reality.

Reject  “to refuse to accept; to cast or set aside” (The New Webster’s Dictionary). In Hebrews 12:1, the Hebrew writer said, “… let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” I have chosen to “lay aside” drugs and alcohol.

I is understood.

Why  “for what reason, cause, or purpose” (The New Webster’s Dictionary). This word suggests that there are some reasons why I reject drugs and alcohol.

I reject drugs and alcohol, and you should too, because:

They Harm The Body And Mind

The Scriptures teach that the child of God must properly honor and use his body. As Paul wrote letters to various people, he many times stressed the importance of properly honoring and using the physical body. The apostle Paul taught the Corinthians, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:19-20). In writing to the young man Timothy, Paul exhorted him saying, . . . keep thyself pure” (1 Tim. 5:22). It is recorded in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reason-able service.” God has given us our bodies only temporarily. Let us glorify God by keeping them pure from the contamination of drugs and alcohol!

Not only is it essential that we properly use our bodies, but we must also take care of our minds. The mind, the Bible heart, is important because it is that which the Lord looks upon (1 Sam. 16:7). The wise man, Solomon, said, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he . . .” (Prov. 23:7). Paul urged the Philippian Christians to possess the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5). How can one possess the mind of Christ when he is under the influence of drugs and alcohol? He cannot! Paul revealed, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7). In writing to the young man Titus, Paul spoke of some whose “mind and conscience is defiled” (Tit. 1:15). In Philippians 4:8 there is a list of several things we need to think on. How have you been using your mind?

When drugs and alcohol are abused  intentionally used for non-medical purposes  they harm the body and mind! “Using any street drug in any amount abuses your nervous system by forcing it either to do something which is not normal for it to do or to not do something which is a normal function. Alcohol starves the brain by blocking the use of glucose. Barbiturates block the message trans-missions in the brain, causing depression. Hallucinogens stimulate uncontrolled brain impulses. Narcotics block receptors for transmitters in nerves and thus effectively shut down impulses. Research shows that those who are concerned about their well-being are least likely to harm their bodies and minds by using drugs” (A Healthier You 207).

Insurance companies recognize that drug and alcohol abuse has a harmful effect on the body and mind. Many insurance companies offer discounts on insurance premiums to non-smokers and non-drinkers. Evidently they see some merit in rejecting drugs and alcohol.

The Bible speaks of the harm that drugs and alcohol inflict to the body and mind. Notice the following description of a drinker of alcoholic beverages:

Who bath woe? Who bath sorrow? Who bath contentions? Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long .at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter per-verse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again (Prov. 23:29-35).

You cannot read the above description from Proverbs 23:29-35 without recognizing the harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs upon the body and mind. Whenever an individual is under the influence of drugs and alcohol he loses control of his body and mind. The Psalmist penned, “They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end” (Psa. 107:27). The Bible teaches the importance of temperance, or self-control. If we are going to receive the incorruptible crown at the end of life’s race, we must be “temperate in all things” (1 Cor. 9:25). Temperance, in this verse, means to exercise self-control. May we all be able to say, as Paul said, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Cor. 9:27). How can a person who i s under the influence of drugs and alcohol exercise self-control? He cannot! God revealed through his prophet Isaiah, “But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment” (Isa. 28:7). Drugs and alcohol cause one to wander “out of the way,” “err in vision,” and “stumble in judgment.” Thus, I reject drugs and alcohol!

They Inflict Harm To Others

The abuse of drugs and alcohol affects the health of the user and may cause behavior that threatens the safety of others. Some will argue, “It is my body and I will do with my body what I please.” Have you stopped to consider the harm that drugs and alcohol bring to the innocent victim? What about the family who is hit head-on in an automobile accident by a drunken driver, killing the parents and leaving behind the young children? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some-body in the United States dies every 27 minutes in an automobile accident which is caused by speeding, running red lights, unsafe passing, or other reckless driving of thinking drivers. What about the individual who is murdered by a drug addict who has built up such a tolerance to a specific drug that he has to commit crime and violence to pay for his habit? Dear reader, we need to be concerned about others! Paul said, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Phil. 2:4). Jesus laid down a golden rule when he said, “There-fore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matt. 7:12).

They Bring Premature Death

The toll of substance abuse can be measured in lives. “Each year, there are more deaths and disabilities from substance abuse than from any other preventable cause. Of the 2 million U.S. deaths each year, 1 in 4 is attributable to alcohol, illicit drug or tobacco use: More than 400,000 people die due to tobacco; 100,000 people die as a result of alcohol; illicit drug abuse and related AIDS deaths account for at least 19,000 deaths” (Substance Abuse Report, Oct., 1993). The same report goes on to say, “A person dying from alcohol-related causes loses, on aver-age, 26 years off the normal life span; drug-related causes, over 37 years; and smoking related causes, about 20 years.” I would like to call to your attention the story of a young man named Sean Marsee.

The Sean Marsee Story

Sean Marsee, a high school senior, had won twenty-eight medals for his athletic feats. Because he wanted to remain healthy and fit, he avoided cigarettes; however, as an alternative, he began dipping snuff, which he saw professional baseball players using with no obvious ill effects. Others involved in sports with Sean also used snuff. Eventually Sean was using three fourths of a can of snuff every day. He did not realize the harm he was doing to his body until an ugly red spot appeared on his tongue. The doctor was concerned and took a biopsy, removing a small amount of tissue which was immediately tested for abnormal cells. The sore was cancerous.

After removing part of Sean’s tongue, the doctor discovered that the cancer had spread to his neck. Another operation had to be performed, this time leaving an ugly scar from Sean’s ear to his breastbone. Radiation treatments followed, but they did not halt the cancer. Part of Sean’s jawbone then had to be removed. By this time his face was so disfigured that a friend who came to visit him fainted.

Less than a year after Sean discovered the red spot in his mouth, he was dead. Sean lost his ability to speak, but he wrote two messages before he died. One of these was a warning to young people not to dip snuff.

“One American dies every 1’hminutes from the effects of tobacco” (A Healthier You 186). I fail to see the difference between suicide and drug and alcohol abuse! Drug and alcohol abuse is slow suicide!

The Bible teaches the brevity of life. James compared life to “a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (Jas. 4:14). Job said, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not” (Job 14:1-2). The Psalmist expressed the brevity of life in these words: “For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are three-score years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Psa. 90:9-10). “So teach us to number our days” (Psa. 90:12). Life at its longest is brief! Why would you want to shorten your life by drugs and alcohol? I do not, and so I reject them!

They Were Never Used

by the Lord

Many of the decisions that I make are made on the basis of whether or not the Lord would do it if he was here. Can you see Jesus walking among people of the earth with tobacco couched in his lip or a cigarette hanging from his mouth? Can you see Jesus smoking “pot” or snorting crack and cocaine? Can you see Jesus building up such a tolerance to a specific drug that he commits crime and violence to continue the sinful habit? If your answer to these questions is no, then what gives you the right to engage in such activity? The Christian is to be like Christ. Jesus himself said, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15). The apostle Peter recorded, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Pet. 2:21). Friend, Jesus has given us an example to follow, let’s follow it!

They Are Illegal

According to the definition before, we are discussing illegal drugs and legal drugs used improperly or illegally. Arrests for drug violations are increasing, and the number of drug offenders in federal prisons grew from 5,000 in 1980 to 30,000 in 1991 and in state prisons from 17,500 in 1979 to 150,000 in 1991. The Bible teaches that we are bound by the laws of God and the ordinances of man. Paul instructed the Romans, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation” (Rom. 13:1-2). The Holy Spirit directed Peter to say, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king” (1 Pet. 2:13-17). It is the will of God that individuals submit to the “powers that be” by rejecting illegal drugs and alcohol.

They Are Surrounded

By Evil

The abuse of drugs and alcohol is surrounded by evil, crime, immorality, and degradation. Illicit drugs and alcohol are partners in crime: One half to two-thirds of homicides and serious assaults involve alcohol. About half of men arrested for homicide and assault test positive for illicit drugs. The need for larger and larger doses of a drug often provokes drug abusers to commit crimes in order to purchase more drugs. Evidently there was a problem with this in the days of Joel the prophet. God said, “And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink” (Joel 3:3). We are taught to discern between good and evil (Heb. 5:13-14; Isa. 5:20; 7:15; Amos 5:14). Paul admonished the Thessalonians to “abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22). If you want to “see good days,” “eschew evil, and do good” (1 Pet. 3:11). “Beloved follow not that which is evil, but that which is good” (3 John 11).

They Destroy One’s Influence For Good

As a young man, I have been taught to show myself “a pattern of good works” (Tit. 2:6-7) and to be an example of the believers (1 Tim. 4:12). As Jesus proclaimed the sermon on the mount he spoke of the Christian’s influence, when he said, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candles tick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:13-16). Philippians 2:15 says, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” How can I show myself a pattern of good works, be an example of the believers, and let my light shine before men while I am piping drugs and alcohol into my body? I cannot! Thus, I reject drugs and alcohol!

They Are Not the Answer to

Happiness and Fulfillment

As a “big-time” athlete, Darrell Porter, a star of the Cardinal baseball team, could afford to buy cocaine. He spent thousands of dollars for the pleasure and excitement this drug seemed to offer. When telling his story, he stressed that “drugs are a lie and a cheat, because they tell you there is a quick, chemical shortcut to happiness and fulfillment. It just isn’t true. I tried them, and I know.”

Drugs and alcohol are not the answer to happiness and fulfillment. The Lord Jesus Christ is the secret to true happiness! The peace that keeps our hearts and minds and joy that is found in the Lord are available to all. Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus … I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:4-7, 13).

They Are Addicting

Drugs and alcohol are addicting! The regular use of drugs causes psychological dependence or addiction. The body of the user who is addicted to a drug (physically dependent on the drug) can no longer function properly without the drug. If a drug causing physical dependence is suddenly withdrawn, the body goes through a painful and sometimes deadly withdrawal sickness which may last for a few hours or for many days.

I would like for you to read a letter written to Ann Landers. This letter was first published in 1976 in response to a letter from a mother whose 17-year-old daughter was hooked on cigarettes.

Letter To Ann Landers

This letter reflects my own feelings about cigarettes after 24 years of smoking. I’m ashamed to admit I’m still at it. I doubt that this letter will have the slightest impact on the heavily addicted. For me, all the words in the world will not take the place of that first cigarette in the morning. I’d rather address myself to your readers who are 17, as I once was, with a set of healthy lungs, white teeth, clean blood coursing through my veins  and in my pocket my first package of cigarettes.

How was Ito know that 24 years later I’d be so hooked that any thought of quitting would be out of the question? How could I know, at 17, that I’d be waking up each morning with a mouth that tastes like the bottom of a bird cage? How could I know my teeth would be stained and my chest would feel as if it were filled with cement? All I knew was that smoking was the cool thing to do. It made me feel grown up.

Although I’ve never seen my lungs, I know how they must look. My uncle, who is a surgeon, once showed me some before and after pictures. “Sit in on an autopsy one of these days,” he said. “You’ll see that the nonsmoker’s lungs are a bright pink. When I open up the chest cavity of a smoker, the entire respiratory system is nearly black, depending on how long he has smoked.”

Still I continue the filthy habit, going half crazy on mornings when I’m out of cigarettes. I go digging through ashtrays and wastebaskets for a butt to satisfy my craving. I pace the floor like a hungry lion, waiting for the store to open. Then I hurry, unshaven, and hand over another 55 cents for a package of suicide. (That was the price in 1976. Now a package of suicide is more like $.95).

With that first puff I realize nothing about it tastes good. Those ads are a lot of baloney. But the people that sell cigarettes don’t care about you. You’re hooked and they love it. Their sexy adds tell you to “C’mon.” But don’t be fooled, Seventeen, it’s not a bandwagon you’ll be hopping on. It’s a hearse.

If I could write cigarette ads, I’d show pictures of myself, coughing my head off, gargling away a rotten taste that keeps returning, spending money I can’t afford. Stupid me, sucking on a little white pacifier.

Then I’d show you pictures of the clothes I’ve burned, and the people I’ve offended with my breath, my smoke, my ashes, my matches and my butts.

This is me, Seventeen, a rasping, spitting, foggy-brained addict who has let the habit consume me. I’m a “can’t quitter” who creates his own air pollution, who prefers carbon monoxide to oxygen, whose sinuses are constantly draining. Me, with the yellow fingers and the foul breath, smoking more and enjoying it less  telling you that I wish to God someone had wised me up when I was 17.

As Paul addressed the Corinthians, he said, “… I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor. 6:12). Instead of addicting ourselves to drugs and alcohol, we need to be “addicted to the ministry” (1 Cor. 16:15).

They Keep One From Being Sober Minded

We are exhorted to be sober minded. Paul said, “let us watch and be sober” (1 Thess. 5:6). He also said, “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8). The apostle Peter taught about girding up the loins of your mind, saying, “be sober” (1 Pet. 1:13). The word “sober” or “sober-minded” means that quality to be calm, even tempered, cautious, circumspect, and wise in the full use of the mind and body under all circumstances to the point that good sense is shown in all judgment, reason, and understanding. The abuse of thugs and alcohol keep one from being sober minded! Young women and aged women, as well as, aged men and young men are to be sober-minded (Tit. 2:2-6). You cannot abuse drugs or be under the influence of alcohol and be 100% sober! Paul said, “we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Tit. 2:12).

They Keep One From Going to Heaven

Finally, I reject drugs and alcohol because I want to go to Heaven. As John the revelator spoke of Heaven, he said, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. 21:27). The apostle Paul taught that some will not go to Heaven (Gal. 5:19-21). The word that is translated in your Bible “witchcraft” in Galatians 5:20 (KJV) is from the Greek word pharmakeia meaning, “drugging, or the abuse of drugs.” Hence, those who are guilty of drug abuse “shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Further, Paul teaches that those who are guilty of drunkenness “shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

The LSD user sometimes experiences a good trip, where he sees beautiful sights and hears wonderful sounds; however, without warning, the trip can change to a bad trip, exchanging the pleasant feeling for a terrifying experience of fear and anxiety. Do you think an LSD trip is worth the risk you take and the damage it can cause? There is a better way to see beautiful sights and hear wonderful sounds! There are good sounds that come from hearing the Word of God. The Bible tells us, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Paul speaks of being caught up into the third heaven where he heard things too wonderful to speak about

(2 Cor. 12:4). There is glory ahead of the Christian when he will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. There is no possibility of that trip being a bad one.

Why don’t you purpose in your heart to refuse to defile yourself with drugs and alcohol that you may be able to go to Heaven?

Conclusion

The “Drug Addict’s Twenty-third Psalm” was discovered in Reidsville, North Dakota, in a closed car alongside a dead heroin addict. The addict, only 23-years-old, had committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide from her car. The “Drug Addict’s Twenty-third Psalm” says,

King heroin is my shepherd; I shall always want. He maketh me to lie down in the gutters:

He leadeth me beside the troubled waters.

He destroyeth my soul:

He leadeth me in the paths of wickedness.

Yea, I shall walk through the valley of poverty I will fear no evil:

For thou, Heroin, art with me;

Thy needle and thy capsule they comfort me.

Thou strippest the table of groceries in the presence of my family:

Thou robbest my head of reason;

My cup of sorrow runneth over.

Surely heroin addiction shall stalk me all the days of my life:

And I will dwell in the house of the damned forever.

Also found in the car with the dead woman was this written message, “Jail didn’t cure me. Nor did hospitalization help me for long. The doctor told my family it would have been better, and indeed kinder, if the person who got me hooked on dope had taken a gun and blown my brains out. And I wish to God he had. My God, how I wish it!”

Won’t you join with me in rejecting drugs and alcohol and join with me in choosing to follow and serve the Lord, where you can find true peace and happiness?

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: 9 p. 17-21
May 4, 1995