Truth Magazine

By Ron Halbrook

When God ordained the home, he ordained the husband and wife relationship, and the authority of parents over children. This arrangement is based on the true meaning of love and is designed by God to bless the husband, the wife, and child, and all humanity.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:1-4).

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged (Col. 3:18-21).

Parents need to hold fast in asserting the authority God has given them for the good of the child.

God did not ordain children to rule the household nor command parents to obey their children. Children do not have the “right” to defy their parents, nor do parents have the right to ignore it when they do. Asserting parental authority does not require abuse but does require appropriate discipline. Liberal-minded psychologists are wrong and the Bible is right:

He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (Prov. 13:24).

Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying (Prov. 19:18).

Foolishness is bound in the heart of child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him (Prov. 22:15).

Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die (Prov. 23:13).

The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame (Prov. 29:15).

Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul (Prov. 29:17).

When children disobey and defy their parents, parents need to hold fast by teaching their children that suchconduct has very unpleasant consequences.

When parents fail to exercise the proper leadership over their children, they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. By giving in to a child’s stubborn demands, a parent curses both himself and his child. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Eccl. 8:11). Each time the child gets his way in defiance of parental authority, he will encroach more and more upon that authority.

The child who is allowed to pursue such a course eventually becomes a curse not only to himself and his parents but also to everyone around him. The church suffers from the example of young people who rebel against both God and man. Society at large suffers from the effects of such conduct. A young person who persists in this path will ultimately destroy himself. “The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it” (Prov. 30:17).

Parents who hold fast in exercising their God given authority are a blessing to the home, the church, and the nation. Deep in their souls, young people yearn for the leadership which only their parents can give. Proper leadership is shown by having Bible reading and prayer in the home, and by being faithful participants in the work and worship of the local church. Leadership is shown by parents making themselves available to their children, spending time with them, and being interested in their children’s activities. Parents show leadership by insisting that their children prepare their lessons not only for school but also for Bible classes. Parents can show leadership by opening their homes to their children and their children’s friends for social and recreational activities of the right kind.

Parents need to hold fast in exerting the power of leadership with reference to moral standards and decisions in the home. Parents need to say “no” to hard drugs, alcohol, fornication, abortion, pornography, profanity, temper tantrums, gambling (including the lottery and raffle tickets), immodest dress, dancing (including the prom!), and all forms of disrespectful language and con-duct. Say “no” and mean it! Say “no” and back it up with consequences! Parents and not children should decide on appropriate TV programs, yes, even if the child has a TV in his own room. The parent and not the child should have the final say on what kind of music is listened to. Parents and not children should have the final say on standards of modest dress, and nothing should be allowed above the knees when standing or sitting. Parents and not young people should set the curfew for nighttime activities.

Where possible and appropriate we should be flexible in matters of judgment, but the parent and not the child is to have the final say. We should discuss and explain our standards and decisions when possible, but train our children to respect us even when they do not fully under-stand all the whys and wherefores of our decisions. We should be patient, but also firm. We may certainly yield to our children’s preferences in certain matters, and even change our minds on such matters, but there can be no negotiations where principles of right and wrong are involved.

Asserting this kind of leadership and authority is easier said than done, but it must be done no matter how hard it gets. Someone named Patsy Lovell told about a conflictwith her daughter over whether she would be allowed to buy a miniskirt. Her daughter insisted on having one but the mother said “no.” The daughter protested several times and in several ways, but Mrs. Lovell held fast and said “no.” Later the daughter apologized and said, “I was scared that you were going to let we win!” Reading this article is a reminder that young people need and want loving leader-ship (Patsy G. Lovell, “Hold Fast,” Focus on the Family, Oct. 1993, p.14).

When I taught high school, I required a certain class to bring parental permission slips for a field trip. One young man who had a gruff, macho, independent air said that there was no need for him to get one. “My parents don’t care where I go, when I leave, or when I get back,” he said with a sad look. That was twenty years ago but I have never forgotten it. In spite of his independent air, he was crying out for loving leadership.

Parents, let us hold fast to God and to the role he has given us as parents! If we are lost from God, we can come to him through Christ by faith, repentance, and baptism (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38). If we have done that and fallen away, we can return by repentance and prayer (Acts 8:22). If we will hold fast to God, he will hold fast to us, and he will help us to.

HOLD FAST

Patsy G. Lovell

When our second daughter, Kathleen, was 13, she was as lively as any young teenager could be. One night, she excitedly asked permission to buy a leather miniskirt, one like all the other girls in her class were wearing.

As she described the benefits, I could tell she was expecting a negative response. Nonetheless, she acted surprised when I said no.

Kathleen then launched into great detail about how she would he the only one in the class without a leather miniskirt. I reminded her that my answer was no and explained my reasons.

“Well, I think you’re wrong!” she retorted.

“Wrong or right, I’ve made the decision. The answer is no.”

Kathleen stomped off, but quickly turned on her heels. “I just want to explain why this is so important to me.”

I nodded.

“If I don’t have this miniskirt, I’ll be left out, and all my friends won’t like me.”

“The answer is no, I quietly repeated.

She puffed up like a balloon and played her final card. “I thought you loved me,” she wailed.

“I do. But the answer is still no.”

With that, she “whumped” a noise made only by an angry junior high kid trying to get her way. She ran upstairs and slammed her bedroom door.

Even though I had won the battle, I felt I was losing the war. I went to the living room and sat down. My husband was working late; I was the only parent “on duty.” Then one of those unexplainable things happened: An inner voice said to me,

Hold fast!

It dawned on me that Kathleen and I were not locked in a battle over a miniskirt but rather a battle of wills. A mother versus her 13-year-old daughter. Hold fast meant I needed to prevail even though I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking or my stomach from churning.

The whumping noise from Kathleen’s bedroom started once more, and sure enough, she appeared on the stairwell. This time, she was breathing fire.

“I thought you taught us that we have rights!” she screamed. “You do have rights. The answer is still no.

She wound up again, but I cut her off. “Kathleen, I have made my decision. I will not change my mind, and if you say anotherword about this, you will be severely punished. Now go to bed!”

She still had a few words left, but she held them in check. She loped off to bed, still seething.

I sat on the couch, shaking and upset. None of the children had ever pushed me so far. I leafed through a book, too wound up to go to bed. Just when I thought our skirmishes were over, the sound of whumping came again. Kathleen came down the stairs.

“Well,” she announced, “I’m just going to tell you one more time ‘

I met her at the bottom step, planted my hands on my hips and looked her in the eyes. “Do not answer,” I said. “Do not say yes or no. Do not say anything. Do not say ‘Yes, ma’am’ or ‘No, ma’am.’ Turn around and go to bed. And do not make a single sound!”

She slowly turned and trudged upstairs without a word. I dropped onto the couch, thoroughly exhausted.

For several minutes I stared into space and wondered what my blood pressure count was. Then I heard her door open. Kathleen, her nose and eyes red from crying, walked down the stairs in pajamas. Curlers were in her hair. She held out her hands to me.

“Oh, Mom, I’m sorry.

We hugged as she said through her tears, “I was so scared!” “Scared of what?”

“I was scared that you were going to let me win!” she sniffed.

You were scared that I was going to let you win? I was perplexed for a moment. Then I realized that my daughter had wanted me to win!

I had held fast, and she was convinced I had done what a mother needed to do. Her simple words gave me the reassurance I needed.

Children love their parents, but they cannot handle being equal with them. Deep down, they do not see themselves as grown up. In fact, they will if they can get away with it, bring a parent down to their level, so that all the family seems like a group of kids.

Deep down, teens know they need guidance and leadership. Parents, it’s up to us to give it to them.

Remember: Hold fast!

(Patsy Lovell is a middle school teacher in Hazel Green, Ala; reprint from Focus on the Family, October 1993, p.14; Focus On the Family is a non-profit organization at P.O. Box 35500, Colorado Spring, CO 80935-3550; headed by Dr. James C. Dobson, a Presbyterian and a psychologist.)

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 6, p. 19-21
March 17, 1994

By Dan King

The book of Revelation heralds the ruthless persecution of the church of Christ at the hands of imperial Rome. If written about 95-6 AD, as is usually (and, I believe, correctly) surmised, it falls in the second period of intense Roman suppression of the Christians, and thus in the reign of the cruel Domitian. Many Christians lost their lives at the hands of this vicious tyrant, but the Revelation impresses us with the notion that dying is not the worst thing that can happen to us:

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them (Rev. 14:13).

Like so many other areas of life, even death takes on a different aspect, when viewed from the Christian perspective:

1. Blessed are the dead. This is not a statement which may be viewed as universally true. All the dead are not blessed. Neither is death a blessing to all. In fact, if we know anything at all of what the Scriptures teach, in general, about the death of the wicked, it is that their death seals an eternal doom, from which there is no release: “And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment” (Heb. 9:27); “… the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments … ” (Lk. 16:22-23); “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake offire and brimstone, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. . . And death and Hades were cast into the lake offire. This is the second death, even the lake offire. And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:10, 14-15). On the other hand, the Bible loudly declares how precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints (Ps. 116:15). Some of the dead are blessed!

2. Who die in the Lord. The voice from heaven qualifies the proposition under scrutiny here with the certification that those who die “in the Lord” are the dead who are blessed. The New Testament provides to the sons of men a hope which transcends even death itself. Think of how exceedingly precious this promise is: every thing which one enjoys in this world is transient, the experience of its pleasure, as well as the thing itself. Take for example some article of clothing. It isworn and enjoyed for a time, then worn out and discarded. A tasty dish of food may be succulent for the moment, but eaten and shortly forgotten. Yet here is something which is enjoyed now, but only most fully realized and known, after we have departed this earthly sphere. This is the promise of God. And it is extended only to those who are “in the Lord” at the time of their departure! As Paul elsewhere said: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Surely there can be no misunderstanding this passage! It grants no promise of hope to those outside of Christ, nor does it hold out any glimmer of a guarantee to those who may have forsaken their first love (Rev. 2:4). All spiritual blessings are in Christ, says the apostle, but surely there is no greater blessing than the promise of life eternal to those who die faithful “in the Lord.”

3. Yea, saith the Spirit. On this important subject of life beyond death we are not left with the speculations or opinions of mere men to guide us. Rather, upon this matter God has spoken. This safely removes it from the arena of human logic or reasoning. Upon every subject God has not revealed information, there are some secret things (Deut. 29:29). In other areas God has spoken “expressly,” that is, rhetos, “in specific terms” (1 Tim. 4:1). This is one of those things about which God has seen fit to provide plenty of information: “But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep…” (1 Thess. 4:13).

4. That they may rest from their labors. In the previous verse John had spoken of the labor of the people of God: “Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith ofJesus” (Rev. 14:12). The passage presents the notion that God’s people ought to be busy about keeping the commandments of God and “the faith of Jesus.” The faith of Jesus is not just something we merely believe, but something we believe, and therefore, keep and do. This explains why there is something to “rest from” at the end of our course. Will we have anything to “rest from” at the end of our earthly pilgrimage? If we are busy working out our salvation in fear and trembling, then assuredly we shall: “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12, 13).

5. And their works do follow them. What follows us to the grave and beyond is not what we have, not what we have accumulated in life, but who and what we are and what we have done. To the selfish rich man in torment, spoken of by Jesus in Luke 16, Abraham said, “Son remember that thou in thy lifetime . . .” (v. 25). And, when the final day comes, and we all appear before the judgment seat of God, it is the works (deeds) of our lives which will follow us to the throneroom of the Almighty, and help to determine the destiny of our souls throughout the endless ages of Eternity: “For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10); and, again: “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is” (Rev. 22:12).

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 6, p. 22
March 17, 1994

By Peter McPherson

The 30th anniversary of the death of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy was remembered this past November, 1993. To those of us living in 1963 the untimely death of this impressive, energetic, intelligent and youthful man was a hurtful blow. The newscasters’ voices quivered in announcing it, the nation wept and people around the world mourned at this man’s death by the bullet of an assassin.

Re-living the emotions of that time recently via TV programming and newspaper articles made my mind turn to another untimely death, that of my oldest brother “Mac” (Ellsworth Burnice McPherson). August 28, 1993 marked the 20th anniversary of his departure at the early age of 53 (I now realize, for he was two years younger than I am now, the “baby” of a family of 11). His story, if you please, deserves telling.

As all of us who were of age can remember exactly where we were and what we were doing whenever the announcement of Kennedy’s death came, so I remember vividly the same at the news of the sudden death of Mac. That very day we had arrived in the city of Akron, Ohio to begin preaching with the Brown Street Church of Christ. It was late in the afternoon on a very hot day. Our family of five was preparing to bunk down for the night on the carpets (since our furniture had not yet arrived) when the phone rang at the “preacher’s house.” I answered it and Mac’s oldest daughter Marilyn said, “Why did you have to move today . . . my Dad died.” As such had been an awful blow to her, Mac’s wife, the rest of his immediate family, and others, so it was to me and my family. We were stunned. Then my oldest daughter Sherry and I returned to Canada for the funeral. Mac had been suffering from chest pains for a few years and was taking heart medication but no one knew that his leaving would be so imminent. Mac and his wife, Jean, had purchased a restaurant establishment in the city of Port Colborne (he also worked in auto sales in the city). Experiencing rather severe chest pains, he was taken to the city hospital and died almost immediately upon arrival. He had suffered a massive heart attack. As quick as that he was gone. We were not there to hold his hand, to show him our love. We sorrowed.

Mac was in his early forties when he began to think seriously about the state of his own soul and the need for salvation. His total conversion began with an emotional “faith only” doctrine “experience,” then into numerous and sometimes charged studies with an elder in the Lord’s church at Jordan, named Art Corbett (now recently gone to his reward and who had been converted by the late Roy Cogdill many years before). During a period of months over which Mac was learning on the one hand, and “kick(ing) against the pricks” (Acts 9:5) on the other hand, he was led to the repudiation of error, to the repentance of his sins, to the confession of his faith in Christ and to total immersion inwater for the remission of sins. It had been a period over which he agonized deeply and that caused him to wrestle spiritually and mentally night and day. But the clear passages on water baptism and the purpose of immersion (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Mk. 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:20-21, etc.,) as well as the exposure of denominational errors, finally persuaded him to “gladly receive the word” and be “baptized” (Ats 2:41).

Mac served in World War II with HMCS. He was on the landing barges which unloaded troops on D-Day, but rarely talked about it. While in the navy he learned diesel mechanics and after the war he worked for a few years at such trades. Then he bought a farm at Lowbanks with Veteran’s aid and over his lifetime he would be owner and part owner in different feed mill operations. He joined the Oddfellows Lodge and would become Head Master of a local Chapter. Mac became interested in local politics and was elected as Reeve of the Township, serving for 4 or 5 terms. His respect and success as a politician, farmer, and business man led to his being nominated for Warden of the County . . . the very same year as his obedience to the Lord and the acceptance of his gospel. As a brother in the flesh, not yet a Christian, I was invited along with many others to the Warden’s dinner. Mac had been a man of the world and I know how much courage it took for him to stand in front of that large audience and say, “Tonight, this is the greatest honour given to me outside of my conversion to Christ.” I am sure that many wondered what had happened to Mac. Many would learn.

Mac quickly learned the New Testament Scriptures and could quote freely passages on the plan of salvation. He immediately went to work on others, especially his own family, his parents and his ten brothers and sisters. How he, with the truth of the gospel, tore our family apart (even as such often does, see Matt.10:34ff)! Another brother and his wife, as well as our parents, were of the Billy Graham “faith only” persuasion and they not only objected very strongly and turned a deaf ear but, through it all, caused some of our other brothers and sisters to turn on him (and later on me and others) as a disturber . . . one that taught “water salvation,” etc. But through it all, truth was victorious.

Mac taught his wife, a daughter and her husband, Marilyn and Peter Minor who today worship with the Jordan church. He turned to his sister Peggy and her husband, Harry Cosby, and converted them (Peggy passed away 4 years ago on the exact same date of Mac’s death and Harry is still a member at Jordan) and then persuaded a brother, Ray, and his wife. He urged his daughter and son-in-law, Peter and Marilyn, to try to convert his youngest brother, Peter and his wife, Judy, which they did. Besides this Mac reached a dying man, Mr. Miller, and saw him baptized into Christ. He was helpful in the conversion of Glen Nichols, taking him fishing so he would be a “captive audience.” Mac did some gospel preaching and after a sermon he preached at Glencoe a lady desired baptism (we carried hot water all afternoon from a house across the road to the meeting house’s broken baptistry!). And there has been that ripple effect on others . . . children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, etc. Rob and Sharon Caldwell who worship with the Wellandport church were obedient as a result of a contact with a nephew of Mac’s. Plus, the number of souls who have been baptized through my ministry of the past 27 years and from my son, Tim’s ministry over the past 5 years. Besides those who have been baptized from those we have baptized, an illustration of which would be that of Fred Brethour, now himself very prematurely deceased, who was converted by my teaching and then later himself went out preaching and converted some at Bracebridge, Ont. Then there is the more recent conversion of my youngest daughter’s husband, Shawn Parks as a result of Dawn’s interest and example. And on it goes. Thanks Mac! For your courage and example. For your study and trials. For your “love for the truth” that caused you untold emotional stress and difficulties. You paved the way and made it much easier for us. As usual, you were the leader.

The Wellandport Church and Mac

It was largely because of Mac and his interest in one area of his former influence that the elders of the church at Jordan and their zealous preacher, Norman Midgette, made plans to start a new church at Wellandport. Mac thought that surely some of his old buddies from the Lodge would attend that first gospel meeting (held right in the Lodge Hall) but not a one of them showed up. Because he obeyed the gospel, I eventually was obedient (as briefly told above) and though someone else might have went, I was sent to Bancroft to work with numerous contacts that had been made by the church at Jordan and their preacher at that time, Norman Midgette. A church was planted there in 1966 and continues to this day. Now I have started a church in the city of Peterborough (Pop. 68,000) as of November, 1992 (with the help of others and the Lord, of course). We have had both restorations and baptisms, and a small but dedicated and growing church exists where there had been none.

Learning the Truth on the “Issues”

Mac became intensely interested in the Lord’s church, its work and organization, etc., and studied “the issues” that were disturbing the Lord’s church everywhere. He sub-scribed to the Gospel Guardian and to the Truth Magazine and profited greatly from the writings of sound men. When the Inman-Willis debate on institutionalism took place in Parkersburg, W.Va., he, with some others, drove there to “hear both sides.” For him it was clear who had the truth and he wanted to stand with nothing but the truth. (Remember, this man had left his mother, father, and much family for the gospel’s sake and would from henceforth let nothing sway him that was not the plainly revealed gospel truth.) Mac would have loved to become a full-time evangelist himself, but circumstances would not have it. How very happy he was to see his youngest brother become a gospel preacher.

Mac loved to hear the pure gospel preached by sound men of ability and he had little regard for the soft-soap peddlers of the word. He enjoyed reading my articles in a weekly paper, especially whenever I would hit hard on denominational error or got a response from someone who had been “cut to the heart.” Mac was very straightforward. Moreover, though he had not been a child of God for many years, he took courage in the word of God and would confront anyone, even denominational preachers and erring preaching brethren. I well remember the night that he, after hearing that a Nazarene preacher would be at our home that night, dropped every-thing and immediately drove “furiously” some 20 miles to be at our home to confront him. The preacher could not with-stand Mac’s ability and passages on the need for baptism in the plan of salvation. He left shaking and embarrassed. Later that very night Judy and I were baptized into Christ.

Mac’s love for the truth cost him dearly. He had been a Past Master in the Oddfellows Lodge and a member of that institution for years. When he became a Christian he gave all that up immediately and severed lifetime associations. Mac had been a regular man of the world but he left that lifestyle for the Lord and the family of God. Mac had enjoyed the political life and the associates that go with it, but he severely dampered that. Mac so loved his parents and he cared for his brothers and sisters in the flesh but that would change somewhat as they shut him off from any meaningful spiritual discussions. Still, he would have the family in for a get together from time to time at his restaurant.

Mac had his imperfections. He seemed to have lost some of his zeal and enthusiasm. Perhaps this was due to the rather great success of his earlier efforts in the gospel and now the reality of less and much slower results. His health had been failing for years … much more than many of us realized and he still had the work and stress of his restaurant and obligations. But Mac had also become more gentle and communitive. A closer relationship developed with a son than they had not had before. He also had time for the small things like feeding the backyard squirrels from his hand, and for special attention to his youngest, a ten-year-old daughter, Cindy.

“My Brother, Mac,” . . . quite a fellow, eh? He has gone on and his final reward will be up to the Lord. Some of those converted over the years have fallen away but only eternity will reveal just how many made it to heaven and how many had an opportunity to be there because of him. How he desired for his family and others to be Christians and Christians only . . . to be saved from sin and its consequences … to live a righteous life and to have a living hope of heaven based upon God’s eternal word and his promises.

However great Kennedy was … and of course he was in his own rights, my brother Mac, according to God’s way of looking at things, accomplished so much more “through Christ” to God’s own “glory and honour.” As I left from viewing his body the day of the funeral, I instinctively whispered to him in my usual farewell manner, “Well, I’ll see ya Mac.” We certainly hope so.

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 6, p. 16-17
March 17, 1994

By Steven Wallace

Many people are enamored with positive speech and preaching that is only positive. Because of the nature of the latter, it offends almost no one. In fact, most people enjoy it. Positive preaching’s general acceptability can be seen in that one could take many positive sermons and preach them with little or no alteration at different denominations. In fact, it is my conviction that positive speech blurs the differences that exist between people with different beliefs and those in different religions. As our title states, it is the language of ecumenism.

Some Consequences in the Churchof “Emphasizing the Positive”

What will happen if churches of Christ use “the language of ecumenism”? We offer the following suggestions:

1. Error will not be rebuked (2 Tim. 2:24-26; 4:1-4). If we concentrate only on the “positive aspects” of erring brethren, we will not rebuke their error as the Bible teaches.

What Is Ecumenism?

Ecumenism is defined as “the principles or practice of promoting cooperation or better understanding among differing religions” (Webster). An example of ecumenism is a base chapel. Baptists, Christian Scientists, Methodists, Catholics, Mormons and other denominations often “cooperate” (above definition) in common efforts in base chapels and work as a team. This is ecumenism.

2. Our sole standard of conduct will cease to be the New Testament (Heb. 4:1-6; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). If we tailor our teaching to accommodate erring brethren, what we teach and practice will be influenced by men rather than by the Bible alone. The pleas to go back to the Bible and “speak as the oracles of God” will thus be compromised (1 Pet. 4:11).

3. Unworthy examples will be commended (Gal. 2:11-14; 2 Jn. 9-11). If we, through our “positive approach,” fellowship those whom we should with-stand, we will be upholding them (cf. 1 Cor. 5; 2 Thess. 3:6; Rev. 2:14-16).

The Language Of Ecumenism

How do people who accept ecumenism justify trying to get those of other religions to unite with them in working towards a common goal? They have often argued for such cooperation by emphasizing the “things that we agree on” and ignored real differences that exist. Though Baptists believe in baptism by immersion and Catholics say that sprinkling is baptism, they can cooperate by emphasizing their “common ground.” In spite of the fact that the various religions of our world are divided by their very names and practices, they can work together if they minimize such differences and maximize points of agreement. This shows us that positive speech is the oil for ecumenical machinery. If, by contrast, such religions discussed the things about which they disagreed they would be “talking negative.”

4. An environment will be created wherein it is impossible to discuss religious differences (Acts 1 5:1 ff,17:11-12). In order for conversion from sin to righteousness to take place one must of necessity learn of his error and repent of it (Acts 8:18-22; Jas. 5:19-20). Negative teaching is needed to convict one of his sins.

5. The door will be opened to further compromise (Gal. 5:9; 2 Tim. 3:13). Who can predict the further errors that brethren might embrace through the “positive approach”? After all, ecumenism is the way to “cooperation . . . among differing religious faiths” (Webster).

Some New Testament Christians have been known to use the “positive speech approach” to unite with other baptized believers in spite of such differences as the use of instrumental music in worship, unauthorized use of church funds, modernism, errors on divorce and remarriage, etc. Such unity in diversity is aided by brethren who “keep things positive” and stress “the things that we agree on.”

Conclusion

The kind of positive speech we have described herein will bring about unity-in-diversity similar to that found in the modern ecumenical movements in the denominational world. The “keep it positive approach” leads away from unity in the Truth and towards unity with error. This is the essence of ecumenism.

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 6, p. 18
March 17, 1994