Truth Magazine

By Andy Alexander

Most people engage in some type of travel during their sojourn in this life. It might just be a visit out of town for the weekend with friends or a business trip or an extended vacation in other parts of the country. Whatever type of trip it may be, most people will make some preparation before leaving home.

An avid quail hunter will take care to see that his guns are cleaned and ready for use. He will pack food for his dogs and make sure that they are ready for the hunt. He will allow plenty of time to reach the hunting lease. In fact, he will spend a great deal of time in preparation for a seemingly short period away from home.

Some travelers may not take a great amount of time preparing. They have the attitude that if something is forgotten, it can be obtained later, during the trip. They may not be too enthused about the idea of traveling or it may be that they have not traveled very much and are ignorant about some of the things needed for a trip away from home. Whatever the reason, they are just not pre-pared.

Those reading this likely know where this is leading. We are all going to take a trip some day. We are not sure of the day, but we are sure of the trip. That trip, of course, is the journey beyond this life  the journey to eternity.

The time for preparation is now (2 Cor. 6:2). There are some like the avid quail hunter. They are preparing in this life to make the journey beyond. Others apparently think that if there is an afterlife, they will have the opportunity to purchase what is needed while they are on their way. They will be looking for the corner market that sells righteous lives. Quickly, they will learn that no such store is available.

God has provided us with ample information about our journey to eternity. He has told us how long we will be gone: for eternity (Matt. 25:46). He has revealed to us what we should wear: white robes (Rev. 6:11; 7:9-14). These white robes indicate a righteous life; a life made righteous by being washed in the blood of the Lamb. This clothing is available to all and the price for this clothing has been paid.

The Bible presents two classes of people: the saved and the lost. We could just as well call these the prepared and the unprepared. Each of us chooses one of these two categories to be in. If we were to ask the general population which class they were a part of, the overwhelming response would be the saved class. However, if we were to talk those who claim to be saved, “How do you know you are saved?”; the answer would likely vary with the majority using some kind of subjective reasoning. Their reasons may sound something life this, “I feel it in my heart,” “I just know it,” or “Look at all the good I’ve done,” or they may point to the absence of evil in their life. Few, if any, will pick up a Bible and show with book, chapter and verse the reasons they believe they are saved.

This type of subjective reasoning illustrates how ill-prepared most people are for taking their journey to eternity. This is the most important trip they will ever embark upon and they will not have spent as much time preparing for it as they would if they were going across town.

The true child of God walks by faith (2 Cor. 5:7). Our knowledge is objective, not subjective. Our faith in God and the hereafter is based upon the revealed will of God (Rom. 10:17). The word of God is given so that we can have a real hope and also that we may know that we have eternal life (Heb. 6:19; 1 Jn. 5:13).

We know that we will journey beyond this life (Eccl. 12:7; Heb. 9:27). The time we live in this realm is uncertain (Jas. 4:13-14). We may delay departure through healthy living and exercise, but we are going to travel to eternity: Preparation for this journey is optional. The parable of the ten virgins teaches that we have a choice to make (Matt. 25:1-13). We can make the prudent choice and be ready or we can choose foolishly and be unprepared, but in either case the choice is ours.

Most of us will prepare for a relatively short journey in this life. It would be wise if we would spend this life preparing for the next. The principles in the previous paragraph are reasons why we should not delay our getting ready. Added to those reasons are the people we influence who need to see our good example and hear the same message of preparedness from us.

Yes, there are just two classes of people on this earth: the ready and the not ready, or the saved and the lost. Which class are you in? And, cay you prove it by the written word of God

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 15, p. 13-14
August 5, 1993

By Brooks Cochran

Brethren, my heart’s desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge (Rom. 10:12).

Paul, in the verses above, gives his own personal commentary on the attitude of his own people toward Christ and the gospel. He desires Israel’s salvation; but realizes that in their current condition such is impossible. In verse 2 there are two words that I would like to consider and note some relationships that exist between them. The words are “zeal” and “knowledge.”

By “zeal” we mean “to be fervent, ardent”; and by “knowledge,” “to make a thing a subject of observation; hence, to arrive at knowledge of; to attain to a knowledge of” (Analytical Greek Lexicon 181, 155). Zeal for God and a knowledge of him and his will are required of all who wish to be saved (cf. Rev. 3:19; 2 Pet. 1:5; Eph. 5:17).

1. One can have zeal without knowledge. At one time Paul was in this condition. He had a “zeal” for God; i.e. “persecuting the church” (Phil. 3:6; cf. Acts 22:3,4). But he was lacking in “knowledge” regarding Jesus as the Christ of Old Testament prophecy and what he must do to get right with God (Acts 22:7-8,10,12-16).

Many religious people today fall into this category. They manifest much zeal for the false religious systems of which they are a part. Many, no doubt, are very sincere in their belief. But they lack a proper knowledge of God’s word. Sadly, those that remain in this state will be lost (Matt. 15:14).

2. One can have knowledge without zeal. This describes many in the church. They have heard and received God’s word; but like the church at Sardis they “are dead” (Rev. 3:1-3). They do very little work in the local church. To question their faithfulness is an insult and they quickly let the preacher and/or elders know their displeasure. As long as their names are in the directory they are content; and pity the preacher who accidentally misspells or omits their name from the roll! Yet, these individuals are only deceiving themselves. They are in a sinful state and as such will be lost (Jas. 4:17; Rev. 3:16-17).

3. One can have zeal and knowledge. This is the ideal state or condition God expects of his own. These individuals can be depended upon to do whatever work needs to be done. They are busy teaching Bible classes; inviting their lost family and friends to the services; assisting in any work program of the congregation of which they are a part; i.e., they are busy laying up “treasurers in heaven” (Matt. 6:20). By remaining in this state one can look forward to the crown of life which the Lord will give at the last day (2 Tim. 2:4-6; Rev. 2:10).

Which of the above states describes your spiritual condition? If you have zeal without knowledge or have sufficient knowledge but are just lazy (lack zeal), do you intend to make the necessary changes? If not, you will be lost!

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 15, p. 4
August 5, 1993

By Clinton D. Hamilton

Sometimes a question is asked that involves more than the language of the text about which it is raised. Such is the nature of the question which is being answered in this column. It of necessity also involves the larger context and a generalization that the apostle makes and from which he develops an argument. One must be careful to follow carefully what the writer has in mind and how he arrives at the conclusion which he considers to be decisive.

Question: Regarding Romans 7:2. Can it be clearly shown that the “bond” here described is a dual bond to law and to husband, or is the law merely the instrument binding the wife to the husband?

Response: Paul says the law is binding on one so long as he lives. This generalization was one that he knew his readers would accept. He knew this because they were not “ignorant” (not knowing). He states, “I speak to mean who know the law” (Rom. 7:1). Then Paul proceeds to illustrate the truth of the generalization from an example with which they were well aware. A woman who has a husband is bound by the law to the husband while he lives but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband (Rom. 7:2). However, while the husband lives and she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress. On the other hand, if the husband should die and she is joined to another man, she is no adulteress (Rom. 7:2-3). The language of these verses is most emphatically clear and the readers would not have any problem understanding it. Nor would they have a problem in accepting it as stating what is true and uncontroverted.

It should be noted that the woman is discharged from the law of the husband when he dies (Rom. 7:2). That law no longer has any dominion over her. In this case, she is free to be joined to another man and in this instance would be no adulteress. On the other hand, the dominion of the law of the husband is binding on her while he lives.

In chapter six, Paul had made a statement which he did not develop or argue as to why it was true. Note the language: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). However, in chapter seven he argues why they are not under the dominion of sin but under grace. He stated the generalization which we previously examined and the example of a woman’s being married which was an incontrovertible one. Having done this, the apostle demonstrates how the generalization has an application to their not being under the law of Moses but are now under grace.

“Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ: that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit unto God” (Rom. 7:4). They died to the law by the body of Christ. Consequently being released from the law of Moses, they were free to obey Christ who has been raised from the dead. How were they freed from the law of Moses? They died to it by the crucified body of Christ. According to the generalization expressed in verse one, law has no dominion over one after he dies. Having died with Christ, they are free from the law of Moses. This point in verse four can be easily overlooked unless one pays very close attention to the precise language: “Ye were made dead to the law through the body of Christ. “They are dead: therefore, the law of Moses no longer has dominion over them. Grace now has dominion over them.

When they lived according to the flesh under the law, it had dominion over them. Now that they are dead to the law, it has no dominion over them. In the illustration of the woman in a marriage, she was free from the law of the husband when he died. The surviving spouse was not bound in this illustration. But in the application of the generalization that one is bound by law so long time as he lives, Paul says the woman is not bound to the law of her husband after his death. In the application of the generalization to the Romans’ case, they are not under the law of Moses because they are dead to it through the crucified body of Christ. This shift in the applications is important to note.

From the preceding comments and Paul’s argument, one should not conclude that the law of Moses survived their death. The Scriptures are too clear on this for anyone to come to this conclusion. Make no mistake, the law of Moses was abolished on the cross (Col. 2:14). It, as the middle wall of partition separating Jew and Gentile, was broken down. Christ having abolished it (Eph. 2:14-15). In abolishing the first covenant, Christ took it away that a second one might be established (Heb. 10:9). On this basis also, it is no longer binding. What we need to do in Romans 7 is to follow carefully the argument and not twist it to say what it does not.

We need to look further at Romans 7 as the apostle develops a vital point. When they were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were exposed or revealed by the law wrought in their members to bring forth unto death (Rom. 7:5). Now, however, being discharged from the law, having died to that wherein they were held, they serve in newness of the spirit and not in oldness of the letter (Rom. 7:6). But from this one must not conclude that the law is sin (Rom. 7:7). God forbid such a thought. One can know sin by what the law said. Apart from the law, sin is dead (Rom. 7:8).

Specifically, the querist is interested in whether the bond in Romans 7:2 is a dual oneto law and to husband. The response must be in the negative because verse two says that if the husband dies, the wife is discharged from the law of the husband. The bond is to the husband, his law. He does not have here under consideration specifically the law of Moses but the relation of the husband and wife to one another while both live and in the event the husband dies. In the latter case, the woman is discharged from the law of her husband, and she is under no bond to him.

The querist further asks, “is the law merely the instrument binding the wife to the husband?” The joining of the husband and the wife is that by which the wife comes under the dominion of the law of the husband. In Paul’s argument, he does not consider the law as the instrument of binding. Rather the relation is that which established the law of the husband over the wife.

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 15, p. 5-6
August 5, 1993

By Mike Willis

In the last two issues of this paper, I have been reviewing the concept that Jesus did not have inherent power to work miracles. In the first two articles, I examined the passages sometimes cited to prove that Jesus did not have inherent power to show that, rather than affirming that Jesus did not have inherent power to work miracles, they show the oneness of the Godhead. In this last article of this series, I want to examine one miracle which shows that Jesus had omnipotence, omniscience, and holiness while he was on earth. All three of these can be seen from one of his many miracles  the miraculous draught of fish when Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John to be his disciples. Here is the text:

And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, 0 Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him (Lk. 5:1-11).

The miracle occurred while Jesus was preaching beside the Sea of Galilee. The crowd was so great that he needed a pulpit. Jesus requested that Peter allow him to use his boat as a pulpit. Peter quickly agreed to Jesus’ request since this was not his first acquaintance with Jesus (he was one of those introduced to Jesus by John the Baptist [Jn. 1:40-41], and Jesus had previously healed Peter’s mother-in-law [Lk. 4:38-39]).

Jesus’ Omniscience

After completing his preaching, Jesus instructed Peter to move his boat into the deep water and cast down his nets. There were two things uncommon about Jesus’ instructions: (a) The usual time for fishing was night (note the four had worked all night, 5:5) and (b) it was the wrong place (usually the nets would have been cast into shallow water). What did the son of the carpenter from Galilee know about fishing? Nevertheless, Peter responded, “Master… at thy word I will let down the net” (5:5).

How did Jesus know where were the fish in the Sea of Galilee? His way of knowing where were the fish in the Sea of Galilee was not natural, i.e. that he was a superior fisherman. He knew where they were because he was the omniscient God! On another occasion he knew exactly where a fish would be that contained a coin in its mouth and instructed Peter to catch that fish and pay their taxes with the coin (Matt. 17:27). He knew where individuals would be and what they would be doing at this or that particular moment in time (Mk. 14:13; Jn. 1:48-49). He knew the thoughts and hearts of men (Lk. 5:22; In. 2:25). Peter truly was correct when he said about Jesus, ‘Lord, thou knowest all things” (Jn. 21:17). Indeed, Jesus retained his omniscience while he was on earth.

Jesus’ Omnipotence

Not only was Jesus omniscient, he was also omnipotent. This is displayed in this miracle by his directing the fish into the net of Peter. He who created the fish of the sea directed them into the nets of Peter. He who had the power to calm the winds and waves, turn five loaves and two fish into enough food to feed a multitude, and walk on water, also manifested his omnipotent power by controlling the fish in the Sea of Galilee on this occasion.

Jesus’ Holiness

When Peter saw the miracle which Jesus performed, he reacted as men generally act in the presence of God. He said, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man” (Lk. 5:8). Peter is not said to have been more sinful than any of the other apostles. Instead, he recognized that he was in the presence of God. He reacted to being in the presence of God the same as did Isaiah when he was given the vision of the throne of God. Isaiah said, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isa. 6:5). He reacted like Manoah (Judg. 13:20) and John (Rev. 1:17). Man generally thought that he could not see the face of God and live (Exod. 33:20 and cross references). Not only did Peter recognize the holiness of Christ while on earth, so also did the demons. They referred to him as the “Holy One” (Mk. 1:24; Lk. 4:34; remember that “the Holy One of Israel” was a favorite expression of Isaiah to refer to God).

Nevertheless, some are saying that Jesus laid aside his holiness when he became a man. What proof could one give to show that Jesus laid aside his holiness? The only way that I can think of to show that Jesus laid aside his holiness when he became a man would be to cite an example of sin in his life. This would certainly prove that he was not holy. Will those who deny that Jesus retained his holiness while on earth join the enemies of Christ in citing examples of his “sin”? Of course not! This brethren respect the word of God too much to affirm that there was ever sin in Jesus’ life. In the absence of sin, which all admit never occurred, then Jesus was always holy! He never gave up his absolute holiness!

Conclusion

This simple record of the miraculous draught of fish, a miracle with which we have been familiar since childhood, is enough to show that Jesus retained his omniscience, omnipotence, and holiness while on earth.

We may not understand how Jesus could be truly God and truly man while on earth, even as we cannot under-stand how any miracle is performed, but we can believe and teach what the Bible says. Let us emphasize those passages which show the unity of the Godhead and let us emphasize those passages which affirm that Jesus retained his divine attributes while on earth. May God bless our study of the nature of the incarnate God, Jesus Christ.

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 15, p. 2
August 5, 1993