Truth Magazine

By Dan Madrigal

Recently, pro basketball star Michael Jordan’s father James was murdered by two young men. Needless to say this event became the impetus for much talk and analysis about a great many things. I want to take the opportunity to do the same, but also to make some biblical observations as well.

The Rise of Violence

Many people have grown concerned about the rise of violence in our society and rightfully so. No one with his eyes open could deny that we live in a time where becoming a victim is a very high possibility no matter where you live. Mr. Jordan was murdered while resting in his car on a rural North Carolina road. I don’t know what it’s like generally speaking in rural North Carolina, but I do know what it is like in Chicago having worked with an inner-city Chicago church for the past four years. I know that there is no way in this world that I would pull my car over and park it to rest on any Chicago street. I don’t even like stopping at some street corners for the red light because of what could happen. Yet, I would probably be comfortable doing so in rural North Carolina. At least I would have been a few weeks ago. Murder, car-jacking, and general all around mayhem is par for the course these days. You probably already know what the lead stories were on this evening’s local news. You got it, murder. If you think car-jacking is bad consider that the twelve-year-old son of one of our members was approached at gun point the other day by another boy, who demanded that he give up his bike.

We know that it is no surprise to us that more crime exists in this country now than at any other time. It is probably no secret as to the root causes. The philosophy that we must use non aggressive methods to deter aggressors has become the practice of choice by many sectors of our society. For example, during the recent basketball championship games in Chicago, Chicago Police Superintendent Matt Rodriguez went on television in public service announcements pleading with the fine citizens of Chicago not to do bad things when the Bulls win the final game. Rather, he should have demanded peaceful celebrations and strongly warned that offenders would be prosecuted swiftly and decisively. Then he should back it up with swift and decisive prosecution. The problem is that even the Superintendent of Police is constrained by legal technicalities that handicap the police.

Consider that God said, “For, the lips of a ruler are to speak the Word of God; and his mouth should not betray justice” (Prov. 16:10). Judges are rulers who are to “detest wrongdoing,” for government is “strengthened through righteousness” (Prov. 16:12-15). “When a ruler, executes judgment, he scatters away all evil” (Prov. 20:8). In the New Testament we are told that “governors … are sent . . . to punish those who do wrong” (1 Pet. 2;14). And rulers do not bear the sword in vain (Rom. 13:1-4). That is if they use it at all.

The Sanctity of Life

There no doubt will be countless people asking the age old question of “why?” Why did this have to happen to Michael Jordan’s father. I have had to do so too. I also wonder if these two young men who snuffed out Mr. Jordan’s life would have actually done so had they known who he was. I have to believe that these young men were probably Michael Jordan fans. They probably have Michael Jordan paraphernalia, or at least Chicago Bulls souvenirs in their homes. Yet, when they were able to detach and disengage themselves from the person that they were killing, it made it easier to carry out their evil deed. It seems that we are increasingly attempting to put a price tag on life. If the person is popular, rich and attractive it is a worse crime than if the person was obscure and unattractive.

The act of random murder, as it contributes to the rise of violence is in itself symptomatic of something very wrong in our society. When we do not punish by death those who snuff out another’s life, as a society we are sending the signal that human life is no more valuable than a loaf of bread. When we as a society begin to marginalize the value of human life, it sends the signal that some human life is more important than other human life. Which is exactly what has occurred with abortion, and now euthanasia ala Dr. Death, Jack Kevorkian. The arguments used for abortion often take on monetary terms. It costs less to abort than to support another person on the public dole. At this rate, we may well improve our economic mess by euthanizing the children that are on public assistance. The devaluing of human life is at the center of the storm of violence and until we as a society repent and turn back to the Bible as the basis by which we view life, things will not improve much. Job stated it well while praising God, “Have you not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and have fenced me with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and favor, and your visitation has preserved my spirit” (Job 10:10-12).

Parental Influence

Perhaps the most talked about aspect of Mr. Jordan’s death was his life; particularly as he influenced his son Michael. There was immediate commentary by most people in the media about how influential he was in shaping and molding his famous son. The Chicago Sun Times reported how Mr. Jordan years ago built a half basketball court and later a whole court to provide a place for his son and other neighborhood boys to play where he could “keep an eye on him.” What I believe is significant about this is that you just can’t argue with what works. I wonder how careful the parents of Mr. Jordan’s killers were in watching them? I believe that it is safe to say that they didn’t give the same care and attention to their sons as Mr. Jordan did to his. Can we not agree that this is one of the major causes of rising crime. Parents are just not engaged with what their children are doing, and are ignorant of what influences are at work in their children’s lives.

Many social engineers have for years ridiculed parents who are too much of an influence on their own children. They say that children should be reared with as little parental manipulation as possible. According to the “Educators” children need to become autonomous. You see, according to the “experts” too much parental “control” can stifle psychological growth. Parents who strongly influence their children are labeled as misfits. They call this “indoctrination.” One of Donahue’s shows last fall at-tempted to do just that. He had several families on, all from deeply religious and traditional backgrounds. One family was orthodox Jew, another Mormon, and still another “Fundamentalist Christian.” Of course he also had avail-able his expert who normally deprograms cult members. During one of the exchanges Donahue’s expert asked the Fundamentalist’s son to name him one area in which he was different than his dad. This exchange was preceded by footage of the father preaching, and then the son preaching on a street corner. The intent was obviously to suggest that something was “dysfunctional” in this family if the son was just like his father. Yet, the comparisons between Michael Jordan and his father waxed eloquent. Recently, the cable channel VH 1 has been urging its young viewers to “Don’t Be Like Your Parents.”

Brethren, we can be doing everything that is within our power to bring our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We can be striving to heed Leslie Diestelkamp’s warning to “Be careful, you’re bending that twig.” We can be striving to mold our children into responsible, God fearing people, but there are other forces working in the opposite direction. Do not fail to consider your children’s classroom either. Nevertheless, we must be true to God in our responsibilities as parents. We must be vigilant in this responsibility, even if it means being viewed as radical. We must take the reigns of influence away from the humanist and social engineers and educators of our children and become godly parents.

My children may never grow up to be superstars. They may never succeed at obtaining great wealth and popularity either. I only pray that my children will grow up to be super in the eyes of God. I pray that they know God and that God knows them. I pray that they are rich toward God and lay up treasures in heaven. And if this is what becomes of my influence over the heritage that God has blessed me with, then praise be unto God and not unto men.

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 5, p. 1
March 3, 1994

By Johnie Edwards

A question that comes up from time to time, is whether it is scriptural for one to partake of the Lord’s supper on Sunday evening or for a church to make provision for such serving.

1. Time of day, not a factor. To say that a Christian cannot take of the Lord’s supper at the evening service is to bind the time of day in which the supper must be observed. I no where read in the New Law where the Lord bound the hour of the day. I do read where he bound the day. “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to bread, Paul preached unto them ” (Acts 20:7).

2. Second supper. Some call the evening communion a “second supper.” For a person to partake of the communion at the evening service, who was unable to attend the morning service, he is not partaking of a “second supper.” It is a first supper to him!

3. Obeying the Lord. If a person partakes of the Lord’s supper on Sunday morning or Sunday evening, he is still just doing what the Lord said do, eating the Lord’s supper. If not, why not? (Acts 20:7).

4. Tarry one for another. Those who come early are to wait for the others to get there. Some in Corinth were eating before the Lord’s supper was being served and also making a feast out of it. 1 Corinthians 11:33 has no bearing on the evening service. If so, we could not partake in the morning, but must wait until the evening folks were present!

5. Some abuse the communion. No doubt, some do, but this has no bearing on the right of a church to provide or a Christian partaking of the Lord’s supper at an evening service. If I am commanded to eat the Lord’s supper no church has the right to deny me the right.

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 4, p. 11
February 17, 1994

By Dick Blackford

Several years ago, Foy E. Wallace, Jr. wrote an article by this title in which he pointed out that it was not undignified or discourteous to call names. After all, Christ and the apostles called names of those with whom they disagreed and yet the Bible remained a dignified book. He concluded, his article by saying, “When a paper develops better manners than the New Testament and a preacher becomes more dignified than the apostles, neither is worth anything to the defense of the truth.”

Sometimes preachers and papers are criticized for being too negative. We grant that such is possible and perhaps many of us have done that. But how does one make a positive response to statements toward which he holds a negative position? Where is the philosophy of “always take the positive approach” advocated in the Bible? Paul told Timothy to “reprove, rebuke, and exhort” (2 Tim. 4:2). That is two-thirds negative. Neither Jesus nor Paul felt that it was wrong to take a negative approach when they sustained a negative relationship to an idea or practice. Nor did they think it was wrong to make a direct response to that with which they disagreed. There was no “beating around the bush” (Matt. 15:1-20; 1 Cor. 11:17-34; Gal. 2:11-14). Since then, many great men have signed to take the negative regarding a particular proposition because they believed the affirmative to be in error.

We used to hear brethren say, “We practice an open pulpit. If you disagree with what we teach and practice, we invite you to come and point out wherein we err.” Similar offers were made regarding the pages of bulletins and papers. The Holy Spirit endorsed this open policy by recording both sides of an issue and by recording direct negative responses  by those who were right and by those who were wrong.

When we maintain that no direct response is to be permitted to anything we say and that only the positive approach will be allowed, we are trying to have better manners than the New Testament and are occupying a non-biblical policy. It is a dangerous trend when we seek to squelch open and direct discussion.

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 4, p. 4
February 17, 1994

By Mike Willis

I enjoy sports. I played high school football and ran track. I use to root for the University of Texas when they had a football team and have dreaded Thanksgiving Day for several years because I know that the Texas Aggies are going to defeat them. My passion for football has been satisfied only by the success of the Dallas Cowboys. After moving to Indiana, I learned that there was another sport being played outside of Texas called basketball. After a few years, I learned to root for the Indiana Hoosiers, despite the antics of their coach Bobby Knight. Earlier this year, I really enjoyed their victory over the University of Kentucky much to the chagrin of our associate editor. I have written this to assure you that I enjoy sports.

But, America has become obsessed with sports  from pee wee leagues to professional competition. Recently, there have been several incidents reported on the sports page that have become the focus of state and/or national news. I think some of them deserve comment.

The Tonya Harding Story

A few weeks ago, a thug attacked Nancy Kerrigan, one of the United States’ best figure skaters, just as she finished practicing for the U.S. Nationals competition for a spot on the Olympic team. The man used a club to hit Kerrigan on the knee. She was unable to compete the next day.

As the story unfolded, the media were stunned by the knowledge that the motive for the attack was to cripple Kerrigan so that she could not compete against Tonya Harding. Harding’s body guard Shawn Eckardt, hit man Shane Minoaka, and getaway car driver Derrick Smith are negotiating plea bargains. Tonya’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly has also been implicated and all involved are questioning whether or not Tonya was involved in the plot. To say the least, she surrounded herself with some unsavory characters.

What a change has occurred in sports. When we played football, we were taught to abide by the rules of the game and to play to win as hard as we could, but to accept defeat honorably. Far from molding character, some competition destroys character, as is evident in the Tonya Harding incident. The win-at-all-costs philosophy, the willingness to do anything honorable or dishonorable to gain an advantage over an opponent, has become an accepted part of sports.

In another time, coaches generally conducted themselves in such a way as to be a worthy example for young men to follow. Now coaches are sometimes the problem. Winning becomes so important that NCAA rules are violated to “buy” the best amateur athlete. The spirit of win at all costs has infected all levels of athletics, from professional levels to pee wee baseball. Organized sports is some-times more interested in winning than in being a wholesome, enjoyable activity that children do together.

The assault on Nancy Kerrigan and these rule violations remind us that big money is involved in sports. Where this kind of money is present the temptations that go with it abound and not even Olympic athletes are immune to temptation. The Tonya Harding story is a story about greed. It reminds us that what Paul wrote to Timothy is true: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced them-selves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10).

Confessions of Sin

Another story that attracted attention in Indiana was an incident in a basketball game that the Indiana Hoosiers played. Coach Bobby Knight’s son Pat plays for the Hoosiers. In a recent game, he made a bad pass, the ball was intercepted, and the other team scored a basket. Bobby Knight called time out and proceeded to verbally assault his son for his errant pass. When his son sat down on the bench, Knight continued his harangue and proceeded to kick his son (some say a chair).

The president of Indiana University suspended Knight for one game and a statement of apology appeared in the Indianapolis Star. I am writing from memory, but Knight’s statement went something like this: “I am sorry if I have offended any true Indiana fans.” That reminds me of some of the confessions I have heard about at church services. There is nothing in the confession that says, “I was wrong for what I did.” Rather, the confession is “I am sorry if I have offended anyone.” Such a “confession” acknowledges no wrong committed and manifests no intention to change one’s conduct. It is more a confession that the other person over-reacted to something than an admission of wrong.

The Lord revealed that sin is properly corrected by repentance, confession and prayer. He said, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). Again, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Such a confession, acknowledges that the conduct is sinful, confesses his participation in it, and calls upon God to forgive the sin. Too many confessions are more like those of Bobby Knight than like the Lord commanded.

A couple of days ago, Georgetown University’s coach, James Thompson, was ejected from a game. I do not know what he did. The next day the paper recorded Thompson to have said, “I was wrong. The referees did the right thing in throwing me out.” I appreciated his acknowledgement of wrong committed. I don’t know much about Georgetown’s coach, but the way he handled this incident commended him to me.

Obsessed with Sports

I remember reading a synopsis of the five reasons for the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon in which he listed the Romans’ obsession with sports at the coliseum as a cause of the fall of the empire. I did not understand how or why that could contribute to the fall of a nation until I have witnessed it in our own age. The obsession with sports is one thing that is rooting out spirituality. We don’t have time for God because of basketball practice, the bowling league, one’s favorite team is playing on ESPN, or going to a professional game. And sports preempts every other event. When a conflict between worship services and sports occurs (whether practice or the game), sports usually comes out on top.

A few days ago there was a great basketball game between Purdue University and Indiana University. Both teams were ranked in the top ten and it was a very good game, even though Purdue won. The game was played at Lafayette, Indiana and the house was packed, although the temperature outside was -270 with a wind chill factor of -500. The next evening was worship and temperatures were approximately the same and a light snow was falling. We cancelled services. I did not disagree with the decision to cancel worship services, but doesn’t it say something about our society’s emphasis on sports that the game would be played before a packed house and the next night worship services were cancelled? Anybody who went to the ballgame was a true “fan,” but anyone who went to worship in weather like that is a religious fanatic or nut!

America needs to become balanced in its attitude toward sports. Paul wrote, “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Tim. 4:8). We enjoy watching sports, but let us remember how little sports really matter and concentrate on godliness.

Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 5, p. 2
March 3, 1994