Truth Magazine

By William C. Sexton

My Friday morning paper (September 3, 1993), the Metropolitan section of The Kansas City Star, had some-thing that shocked me, reflecting the extent to which our society has decended into the valley of confusion and degradation. The headline read: “Jury says teen deserves three life terms for rape.”

How Ridiculous!

First, what nonsense it is to sentence any person to more than a “life” sentence! No one has more than one life to do any thing! Yet, evidently the reason for this nonsensical action and report is that people with one life sentence, according to our non-judicial system today, can get out of prison very soon. So the ridiculous terms.

Secondly, even more foolishness is evidenced by the following statement by the person’s attorney: “If the judge stands by the recommendation, (rapist’s name ) won’t be eligible for parole until he’s 31 years old.” Now, what in the world have we come to, when three life sentences plus 30 years means that a person can be paroled in 15 years!

How Hurtful!

No wonder it’s unsafe to walk the streets, or even be in your home with the doors barred. Many of the people who are supposed to be responsible for the safety and well being of the citizens surely must have gone crazy! Let’s send them home and hire a new crew, please! However, we, the citizens, can’t be considered blameless when we have allowed such to become “common” practice. Shame on us all.

Let us be aware of the purpose of the law, as designed by God:

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, and avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’s sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing (Rom. 13:1-6).

Just the night before I watched a CBS report, showing a man who had been sentenced in 1978 to die, and all these 15 years, a group of people lawyers, men and women had been successful in using all the technicalities of the law to keep that execution from being carried out. They are still working. How much of the taxpayers’ money do you think these lawyers have collected for their years’ effort to obstruct “justice” from being done?

Is There a Solution?

Yes, there is, all spelled out in God’s book. How many are interested? How many are willing to study and apply it? Are we convinced that God’s law is fair, equitable and designed for the good of all people?

The way we view that revelation and apply it in our lives and work toward getting it implemented  tells the story! Beloved, let us work toward climbing out of this dark slimy pit of confusion and destruction. Where do we start? We have the key!

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 10, p. 5
May 19, 1994

By Andy Alexander

“Spend with sense” is the advice given by Hoosier Lottery officials as the Powerball jackpot reaches an estimated 70 million dollars. These officials are afraid that innocent people will be hurt by uncontrolled spending for Powerball tickets. Innocent people include wives and children of gamblers who suffer because the weekly pay-check is spent for a chance to strike it rich at the state’s lottery window. There are many who play the lottery even though they do not have enough money to provide their families with the necessities of life; so the warning is sent out to those who play to “spend with sense,” while at the same time enticing ads are aired which promote the lottery as the place to hit it big and solve all of your money problems.

The commercials that appear on television in Kentucky that encourage its citizens to gamble imply that everyone is a winner. People are pictured buying lottery tickets and just having a good time while the winning number is announced. Those who do not win the jackpot do still win, because the state is enriched with the rest of the money the losers lost, and the state will certainly use that money to benefit its citizens.

It ironic that a state would spend money to promote gambling, and then spend additional money encouraging people to be careful how much they spend. The state of Indiana is spending $25,000 in an advertising campaign to encourage spending with sense, while spending much more than that showing all the benefits of playing the lottery and picturing everyone as the winner. If everyone is a winner, then the more everyone spends, the more everyone wins. However, the truth is, everyone is a loser.

Gambling produces nothing. There are no products or services rendered that benefit mankind. The only products of gambling are abused wives and children, debts incurred that cannot be repaid, theft and crimes of various sorts, and honest, hard working citizens that must foot the bill for the losses.

Gambling violates several principles in God’s word and violation of God’s word always brings heartaches. God has ordained that man should work in order to provide the necessities of life (Gen. 3:19; Eph. 4:28; 2 Thess. 3:10-11). The gambler wants to hit it big, quit his job, and sit back and take it easy. This individual appears to be a distant relative of the rich man in Luke 12:16-21 who had a bountiful crop and he told his soul, “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry” (Lk. 12:19). This parable was told immediately after the warning to “beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Lk. 12:15).

Covetousness is one of the driving forces behind gambling and those who harbor it in their hearts have no “inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Eph. 5:5).

Paul instructs Timothy concerning the danger of riches and of the desire to have riches. “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:9-10). A quick look into the life of those who gamble will prove the truth of this passage.

The degree to which one participates does not change the fact that sin is involved. Bingos and raffles for charity, just a few lottery tickets, just one dollar in a football pool at work, or a two dollar bet at the track all violate the word of God. Christians must “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11). We must also abide by the golden rule which says, “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).

Let us be separate from those of the world and “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 10, p. 11
May 19, 1994

By Keith Greer

Whenever a congregation is blessed by having some young people obey the gospel, questions come up. While we rejoice at the decision of young men and women to turn to the Lord, some voice a concern by asking the question: “What is the age of accountability?”

Some desire to know at what age “must” one obey the gospel? These questions have been raised by brethren over the years, and varied answers have been given. The only way to come to an acceptable conclusion is to examine what the scriptures teach.

Many are of the belief that the “magic age” for one’s obedience is “twelve.” Luke 2:40-47, is the place they use for their answer. Jesus, at the age of twelve, sat in the temple among the doctors, both learning and answering their questions. Many who use this passage tell us Jesus was at the “age of accountability” when he began going to the temple. Therefore, one must be at “least” twelve before he can be baptized into Christ.

But are these conclusions correctly applying these pas-sages? If there has not been any specific age given by God, then the age of Jesus when he was in the temple is irrelevant. How do you know this was the child’s first time in the temple? Can you determine such by the text? If this was the age, Jesus sinned since he was not baptized for some eighteen years later by John! For others to “set” a particular age, is to do so without divine authority. God has not given us a particular “age” that men must abide by. If one waits until fourteen, has he sinned? What about if one comes to him at eleven? Is his obedience invalid?

When Jesus sent the apostles out into the world, he commanded them to “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:15,16). In Acts 8:36,37, the eunuch asked Philip, “. . . see here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believeth with all thine heart, thou mayest.” In either of these passages, is the age of the believer an issue? If the apostles and early teachers made no issue, why should we!

A person who is desiring to be baptized must have the capacity to be able to believe, and to understand what they are being baptized for. This is why infant baptism is not in accordance with God’s divine will. How can infants believe? How can they understand what baptism is? “And they shall all be taught of God ” (John 6:45). Look at all the conversions in the book of Acts. What took place before baptism? In every account teaching! Why? Faith has to be in something! It is in God’s word!

In Acts 2:38, the Jews were told, “. . . repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” A person must have the capacity to repent and have sins to repent of. Therefore, we have another reason why infants do not need to be baptized. What sin do they need to repent of? In 2 Corinthians 7:9, 10, we are taught that we must have “godly sorrow” towards repentance. A person must be able to be truly sorry to God because he has sinned against him, to understand what sin has done to his soul, and the need to have it cleansed from sin. One who cannot repent, cannot be baptized!

When Philip told the eunuch that he could be baptized if he believed, the eunuch answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37). Also, in Romans 10:9,10, we read that confession with the mouth is made towards salvation. In order to become obedient to the gospel, one must be able to confess Christ and to under-stand what the confession means. It is an awesome step to take. One has now committed his life to God.

Like the conversions that we read about in the book of Acts, those who obeyed the gospel of Christ were willing to be immersed in water (Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:27). One must understand what baptism does and why it must be accomplished. Does one understand that by rendering obedience to the gospel, the Lord adds him to the church (Acts 2:47)? Does he understand that this is where he comes in contact with the blood of Christ (Col. 2:12,13)? Does he under-stand his responsibility after baptism to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4; 2 Cor. 5:17)?

Responsibility

When is a person ready to accept responsibility? At what age does this occur? There is no fixed or set time that can possibly fit everybody. All people are different, all from different backgrounds, and they will reach the decision to obey God at different times. Some reach it much sooner than others. So, how can we tell if they are ready?

We must remember that becoming a child of God is a personal decision. Obedience to the plan of God must be done by the individual. If a person will humbly submit himself to God’s word and obey the gospel, then he is ready!

While it might be necessary in some cases to question the young person as to why he is desiring to be baptized, very often his background will give you a hint as to whether or not he has sufficient knowledge and is ready to obey the gospel. Personally speaking, I may ask: “What is baptism for?” “Why do you feel you need to be baptized?” “What takes away the sin?” “Are you willing to commit your life to the Lord?”

We need to remember Felix in Acts 24:25, when he said, “Go thy way for this time; when I have a more convenient season, I will call for thee.” Sometimes we discourage the zeal and yearning one may have to obey the gospel, and then that zeal is never manifested again. One by being told he is “too young” may go in another direction in his life. Sadly, I have known this to happen on two occasions! We never want to tell a person “not to obey God,” especially when he has a desire to do so!

Remember, that Timothy was taught as a child by his mother and grandmother (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15). He knew about God and his duty to God from a very early age. Many of our children are brought up with the knowledge of God and his word from the pre-school years and up. I believe they learn more than we give them credit for! If a parent brings up his child in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord,” this child hopefully has greater knowledge than one who does not have this benefit. But parents, please do not rush your children into being baptized. Let them hear the gospel, believe the gospel, repent of their sins, confess faith in Christ, and then be baptized for the remission of sins. Only by doing so in this manner and for these reasons, will they be true children of God.

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine ” (Rom. 6:17). When they have done that, they have met the Lord’s requirements for salvation, whatever age they might be. “Can any forbid water, that these should not be baptized?” (Acts 10:47) My friends, if God would not, can we? G

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 10, p. 14-15
May 19, 1994

By Wilson Adams

It has never been tougher in our country’s history to raise a family than it is today. Whereas the biggest worry facing Ward and June Cleaver was the influence and pranks of Eddie Haskell, today’s parents have much more to be concerned about.

The world around us has become a moral minefield, a battleground over values. When condoms are distributed in high school clinics, popular songs celebrate the killing of policemen and 270,000 guns go to school every day, it’s obvious that someone’s values are prevailing.

If you are a parent in the 90’s you are in for the fight of your life! Our children have become the biggest market (and target!) in the world. Everyone from MTV to corporate giants seek to sell our kids their products, and in the process they sell something else: their values. Those values are often at conflict with what they learn at home.

The first and most important teachers a child will ever have are his parents. The Bible declares plainly: Education begins at home! (Deut. 6; Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:4) The home is the classroom where our children must learn the central truths which will carry them through life. Parents cannot delegate that responsibility to anyone else.

Giving Gifts to Our Children

In Matthew 7:11 Jesus speaks of parents who give gifts to their children. And we do. After a week-long trip this Dad can barely get his suitcase in the door before little hands (and even teenage hands!) want to examine the contents of his luggage. (They’re certainly not looking for dirty socks!) What about the gifts we give… Will they last? Will they be remembered? Our youngsters need more than toys and trains, baseball gloves and baby dolls. These have their place but they are not the best gifts. The best gifts can’t be bought at TOYS ‘R US or placed in a box and wrapped with a bow. However, they are the gifts that will outlast all others. In fact, they are the best gifts of all.

Here then is my list of ten gifts I want to leave with my children. Ten things I want them to know.. .

1. They are a special creation of God. Everything I hope to teach as a parent rests upon this basic truth: God is! God created the world! And God loves them! Our children need to know that everything God created (including them!) is special (Psa. 139:14). Undoubtedly they will suffer through defeats and disappointments. They will encounter others who will doubt them as well as experience self-doubt. However, the one thing that will get them through every-thing is a knowledge that God loves them. It is a fundamental truth I must communicate.

2. Important things can’t be bought. Materialism and commercialism are everywhere and kids are easily influenced (parents, too!). Where are we in our world when kids kill kids for a pair of Reeboks or parents substitute cash and cars for the time and love their children need? It’s all so wrong. Every time I see the bumper sticker that proclaims “He Who Dies With the Most Toys Wins!” I want to yell: “Win what? What do you win?” Job 1:21 is the answer to such incredible stupidity.

Our inner cities bear living testimony that many children are desperately poor. However, just as desperate are the children who end up poor because they have been taught that money is the key to happiness. It isn’t.

I want to leave my children the gift of generosity and the joy of sharing. This past holiday season we adopted a needy family in the city of Baltimore. We all went through our things and selected items to give. It was the one of the highlights of our year. Jesus said, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.” I want my children to learn that firsthand.

3. They are loved unconditionally. The great tragedy of our day is that so many children feel (and are!) unloved. Every morning another headline tells the sad story of abused, abandoned and neglected kids. It’s a tragedy if one child doesn’t have someone to make them feel valuable. Today there are thousands.

We show our children we love them in many ways but the simplest way is to tell them. And they need to hear it again and again. They need to know they are loved if they come home with A’s or D’s, if they hit a home run to win the game or strike out to lose it. Children thrive on simple expressions of love. It’s a gift they will always cherish and never forget.

4. Choices have consequences. Young people hear a lot about choices but seldom about consequences. Modern education has gone to great lengths to help them think about choices rather than helping them make the right ones! Thus, it is imperative that I do my job as a parent and teach them the truth: Choices do have consequences.

5. There is right and wrong. Society’s moral relativism states: “Do whatever you want, whenever you want and don’t condemn anyone else for doing the same.” (And we wonder why our country is full of crime and corruption  ?) There are absolute rights and wrongs. Our kids may not hear it in the classroom but they must hear it at home. As parents we have the responsibility of guiding them through the maze of society with the clear rules of living found in the Word of God. Thomas Jefferson once advised his nephew, “Never suppose that in any situation that it is best for you to do a dishonorable thing, however slightly so it may appear to you.” That’s the kind of advice that our kids need to hear early and often.

6. Courage is a must. Peer pressure is an awesome force. Our kids get countless messages telling them what to wear, what to listen to and where to go. Some are innocent. Some are deadly.

Our children must be taught courage to stand apart from the crowd. “But everybody’s doing it . . .” must be met with “We are not everybody’s parents, we are yours. And you are not everybody’s child  you are ours.” We must communicate the need for them to stand tall and firm and, yes, sometimes alone. (A word to the weary: pick your battles! A wise parent will discern the difference between what is right and wrong and what is a matter of taste and opinion. Not everything is worth fighting over).

7. Human life is sacred. Judy Squier was born without any legs. However, working longer and harder than “normal” people she has succeeded in life. Recently she stood before members of the U.S. Senate and shocked the “pro-choice” senators when she told them that if they had their way she and other “deformed” children would have never been born. Judy Squier may not have any legs but she makes up for it in heart, soul and spunk.

My children need to know about the Judy Squiers in this world. They need to know that the measure of a man or woman is not found in the shape and form of their body but in their mind and soul. They need to know that every person is special in the eyes of God. (Isn’t that what Jesus tried to tell us when he touched the leper, showed mercy to the adulterous woman, went home with Zaccheus, and promised paradise to the crook on the cross? I believe so.)

8. Hard work has value. “If anyone will not work, neither let him eat.” Our country was founded on the principle that anyone can go as far as his dreams and hard work will take him. I still believe that. Sadly, our children often receive a different message from lazy adults.

The value of hard work, diligent effort, excellence and responsibility are principles that find their basis in Scripture. God honors hard working people. It’s a truth that must be passed along.

9. Prejudice is wrong. When the Los Angeles riots occurred in the spring of ’92, one of the brightest candles of courage shown in the example of a black man named Gregory Williams who rushed to the aid of white trucker Reginald Denny. When asked why he would risk his own life, he replied, “If I don’t help this man, when and if the mob comes for me, there’ll be nobody to help me.”

When our children see headlines of death and destruction, it’s important that they also hear stories like these. They need to know that there are a lot of Gregory Williamses. They need to know that it’s not color but character that counts. They need to know that God hates prejudice. (By-the-way, when was the last time you heard a sermon on the sin of racial prejudice?)

10. God comes first. “The conclusion when all has been heard is: fear God and keep his commandments.” That is rock solid advice that can never be improved upon.

Being a parent is the toughest assignment there is. It takes wisdom, courage, faith, determination, a sense of humor, and every ounce of energy you have (and then some!). But it’s worth it. God grant unto every tired parent reading these words an extra measure of wisdom as we seek to give the gifts that will last a lifetime.

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 10, p. 12-13
May 19, 1994