Truth Magazine

(June 10, 1908-April 3, 1993)

A memorial service for Elam B. Kuykendall was con-ducted April 6, 1993 in Athens, Alabama. Hiram Hutto, Sam Binkley, and Lynn Headrick participated in the service, with talks by brother Kuykendall’s two sons, Kenneth and Wayne.

Elam B. Kuykendall is widely known as a gospel preacher and owner of Kuykendall’s Press. For over fifty years he has preached in several states and for a large number of churches in North Alabama. He taught at Peabody, Lipscomb and Florida College; Dasher Bible School and Athens Bible School.

Brother Kuykendall edited Gospel Digest and for many years, The Graphic Evangelist. In addition to his preaching, he spent his life publishing tracts, class material, and teaching industrial arts and printing. He will be missed in all of these areas. He had a deep and abiding faith in God and respect for the authority of the Scriptures. Based on the articles he wrote and what he printed from others, no one ever needed to wonder just where he stood on most any Bible subject. Many, including this writer, called him friend and faithful brother.

We extend our sympathy to his children, Kenneth, Wayne and Frances Owen in their loss. Frances continues to operate Kuykendall’s Press in the printing of the Kuykendall-Conchin workbooks, tracts, and other religious material.  Submitted by O.C. Birdwell, Jr.

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 11, p. 11
June 3, 1993

By David Nelson

If a public storm warning were issued right this very second, how would the general public react? If the public knew a killer storm such as a hurricane or a tornado would hit their area within a matter of hours, what would these people do? If massive destruction of property and great loss of life were guaranteed by this storm’s arrival, do you think most people would likely sit by and ignore the warning being given?

I think it’s a safe assumption to say almost everyone who found themselves in such a position would be likely to seek shelter before the storm arrived. It is the nature of man, his survival instinct, that drives him to seek shelter from a storm. A case in point would be hurricane Andrew. In August of 1992, when Andrew slammed across southern Florida and on into Louisiana, the massive destruction left in its wake would make it the most costly hurricane in history. Over one hundred thousand people would find themselves homeless and jobless and the monetary total of the damage would exceed twenty-two billion dollars.

Yet in spite of this destruction, the loss in human life was very small, and the word “warning” explains why. The public had warning of Andrew’s coming. Weather bulletins were issued days in advance and eventually came as often as every thirty minutes. Through the bulletins, the public could see for itself the severe danger posed by Andrew. Thanks to these warning bulletins, most of the people were able to seek refuge and safety, which I feel is the main reason so few lost their lives in Andrew’s fury.

A man’s survival instinct will make him seek refuge in a storm. This is man’s nature. Unfortunately, it is also the nature of man to question any warning of something he can’t visualize or actually see. In the case of Andrew, we could see the threat. Images on radar screens and pictures taken from satellites in space painted a picture that was too real to be denied. We didn’t question the danger, because our information, our “warning” said that the danger was real. With this kind of proof, people acted accordingly.

Yet even now, as I write, there is a storm coming. There is a storm coming and a storm warning has been ringing out for close to two thousand years, while the majority of society acts as if they could not care less. In 2 Peter 3:10, the apostles Peter wrote:

The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

This will be a storm unlike anything ever witnessed by man. There will be no advance warning other than the warning we already have. The news media will not issue thirty-minute bulletins, nor will it report in the aftermath of the storm’s passage. There is going to be nothing left to report, nor a news media left to report it.

Even so, very few people are prepared for the storm that we are warned of in the word of God. Very few are actively seeking shelter. The attitude most people seem to have about refuge is to stick their head in the sand like an ostrich. It’s like people are saying, “If I ignore it, maybe it will go away.”

Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

This is where most of society has a problem. They have a faith of sorts, but theirs is a faith that requires proof before they can believe. They require something tangible, something physical before their hardened hearts will open and respond.

Society has become much like one of our Lord’s own disciples. Look at the apostle Thomas: Here was a man chosen by Christ to be one of the twelve. Here was man who sat at our Lord’s feet, broke bread with him, was taught by him. Yet when he was told of our Lord’s resurrection, what did Thomas do? Was he overcome with joy? Did he leap about praising God? No, Thomas responded with:

Unless I see his hands the print of nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put by hand into his side, I will not believe! On. 20:25, emphasis mine  DN)

Take a look at the Pharisees and Sadducees in the time of our Lord. In Matthew 12:38 and Matthew- 16:4, they came demanding a sign. A condition of their belief or faith required a sign. When Christ gave them no new sign, they refused to accept him. Like our storm warning in 2 Peter, was not the coming of our Lord foretold in the Scriptures? Did not Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others speak plainly of the Christ, his works and miracles? Did not the nation of Israel know of this and what to look for? Still, when the signs pointing to Christ were fulfilled, how did the rulers of the Jews react? They demanded a new sign! They wanted proof! Their faith was conditional! How much like the Pharisees and Sadducees have the people of this age become? The written word of God is not acceptable; they need pro-of, a sign. Faith and obedience have become arbitrary.

The apostle Paul warned, `For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables” (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

Peter also warned, “That scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lust and saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Pet. 3:3-4).

People today have become a society of scoffers; a people who are unstable in belief who have itching ears and unwillingness to believe in the unseen. They seek salvation without obedience and their itching ears listen to fables. They have turned from the truth and been pulled so far from it, that they no longer desire it.

Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull, their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them (Isa. 6:9-10; Matt. 13:14-15).

The judgment day of our Lord brings a storm of everlasting destruction. The word of God gives a warning. The word of God is our only key to open a door into refuge, a safe haven from that which is to come.

If anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects me, and does not receive my words, has that which judges him  the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day On. 12:47-48).

A storm is still coming; a warning still rings. Let each of us take heed that we do as the Lord wills, and not as men will do.

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 11, p. 22-23
June 3, 1993

By Donald Townsley

Job said in the long ago: “For this (adultery  dt) is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges” (Job 31: 11). Adultery is no less an “heinous crime” today than it was in the days of Job. The word “adultery” describes the action of “one who has unlawful intercourse with the spouse of another” (W.F. Vine). A “crime” is defined as “a transgression against the public right; serious offense against the law.” Adultery is a crime because it is an offense against God and man. We are told that 83 percent of men and 55 percent of women in this country are guilty of this sin at some time in their married lives. It is my purpose in this article to show how sinful and destructive adultery is that it might be prevented.

Adultery Is Unfaithfulness

In marriage the husband and wife have vowed to be true and faithful to one another: they have entered into a covenant with each other. The prophet Malachi said to the unfaithful husbands in Israel: “Yet is she thy companion, the wife of thy covenant” (Mal. 2:14). A covenant “signifies a mutual understanding between two or more, each binding himself to fulfill obligations” (Vine). The parties in a covenant obligate themselves to carry out their respective duties and commitments. Some of the mutual duties of the covenant of marriage are:

(1) Companionship (Gen. 2:18; Mal. 2:14); (2) the duty of marriage  sexual cohabitation (Exod. 21:10; 1 Cor. 7:2-5); (3) to love each other (Eph. 5:25; Tit. 2:4); (4) to jealously guard the purity of one another (Eph. 5:26-27; Tit. 2:4-5; (5) a division of labor (Tit. 2:4-5; 1 Tim. 5:8); and (6) to seek to understand each other (I Pet. 3:7).

God has witnessed this covenant (Mal. 2:14): He has joined them together in “one flesh” (Matt. 19:5-8), and has bound them for life (Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:39). When either party to this covenant commits adultery he/she breaks a most solemn promise to their companion and to God. They cruelly violate this most tender relationship. This unfaithfulness destroys love and trust: without fidelity love and trust cannot exist. This unfaithfulness is sin against God (Gen. 39:9), and is the only grounds God has given for divorce (Matt. 19:9).

Adultery Is Cruel

To be cruel is to cause pain and grief for another. Can you think of any greater cruelty in this life than to know that your bosom companion has violated your marriage bed (Heb. 13:4)? The writer of Proverbs said that this sin would produce jealousy and anger in the heart of the offended: “For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts” (Prov. 6:34-35). This sin cruelly destroys hopes and dreams and brings great suffering to little children. It is in-deed a cruel sin!

Adultery Brings Self-Reproach

The man who seduces his neighbor’s wife is not innocent: “So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent” (Prov. 6:29). First he must seduce her (taking advantage of her own weakness to satisfy his lustful desire), and in doing this he causes her to sin and robs her of her virtue (Prov. 12:4). There is nothing innocent about what this man has done! He has committed an “heinous crime,” one against God and man! He is not innocent in his own conscience. After David had sinned with Bathsheba he said, “My sin is ever before me” (Psa. 51:3). One who commits adultery cannot get the sin off his mind! Friend, if you think you can commit adultery without destroying all that is good in your life, then you just don’t understand this sin!

Adultery Corrupts The Character

The word “character” is defined as “moral vigor, firmness and self-discipline.” Adultery completely destroys the moral qualities of an individual. Let us look at how the Bible describes an adulterous person:

(1) They will flatter and lie (Prov. 7;15, 21; 2:16); (2) are loud and stubborn (Prov. 7:11); (3) will wait at his neighbor’s door for opportunity to take advantage of his wife (Job 31:9); and (4) will wait until twilight so that he won’t be recognized (Job 24:15; Prov. 7:6-7).

The writer of Proverbs said, “Yea, many strong men have been slain by her” (Prov. 7:26). Friend, be not deceived by this heinous sin! It will destroy your moral vigor and self-discipline.

Adultery Brings Shame To One’s Life

Adultery stains one’s character: “A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away” (Prov. 6:33). A man or woman gives their honor in adultery: “Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel” (Prov. 5:9). In committing adultery one brings shame to his family, to his friends and to the church.

The Sin of Adultery Brings Impoverishment

“For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life” (Prov. 6:26); `But he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance” (Prov. 29:3); “For it (adultery  dt) is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase” (Job 31:12); “Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labors be in the house of a stranger” (Prov. 5:10).

By committing adultery men lose their families, their wealth, their jobs and their good names. Many men and women in this world today are without anything because of adultery! The saddest thing is the spiritual impoverishment it will bring: “He that doeth it destroyeth his own soul” (Prov. 6:32). God is the avenger of this sin (1 Thess. 4:6).

The Bliss of Lawful and Honorable Love

Why will men resort to shameful lust when they can be blessed with lawful and honorable love? The writer of Pro-verbs describes lawful and honorable love with all of its pleasures in Proverbs 5:15-19. In verse 15 the wife is compared to a “cistern” and a “well” from which a man drinks. This means that a man is to satisfy his desires with his lawful wife. He is to be fascinated and charmed by her (read Song of Solomon 7). She is to be to him “as the loving hind and a pleasant roe” (Prov. 5:19  attractive animals). Her love is to be satisfying and ravishing (intoxicating and enrapturing). The husband is to be so much in love with his wife that he will always find complete sexual thrill and satisfaction with her love, and if this be the case he will never “embrace the bosom of a stranger” (Prov. 5:20). My brethren, let us “flee fornication” (1 Cor. 6:18).

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 11, p. 12-13
June 3, 1993

By Bobby Holmes

I’m sure this title sounds strange to some but, please hear me out. I sometimes exhort those in the assemblies, “Don’t stop listening until I have stopped preaching.” In this case I would exhort, “Please don’t stop reading until I have stopped writing.”

I truly believe there is a difference between “Bible baptism” and “Bible baptism for the remission of sins.” If not, the Mormons, some Baptists, some of the “holiness,” some in the Christian Church, etc., are Christians by virtue of being baptized ‘for the remission of sins.” I don’t believe that for a moment!

So that you will know that this is not something from my imagination, the president of Magnolia Bible College, Cecil Mays (Mississippi) stated in his paper Preacher Talk (December 1992, p. 2) the following:

“Over the forty years I have been preaching, I have moved from ‘liberal’ to ‘conservative’ on the rebaptism issue, without changing anything 1 believe or practice. I have always believed that some in some denominations, on the basis of their own Bible study, were baptized like the Bible teaches. I have studied with Methodists who were immersed for the remission of sins, and with Baptists who understood when they were baptized that baptism was essential to salvation. I urged them to leave sectarianism and repent of unscriptural practices, but I did not believe they needed to be immersed again. This made me ?there,’ in some people’s eyes. I still believe one must understand that baptism precedes salvation in order to be scripturally baptized. That puts me on the ‘conservative’ side of the rebaptism issue as currently discussed. . . .

From Gobel Music’s book “Behold the Pattern,” he quotes from material by Rubel Shelly on pages 273-274.

“Somehow those of us who make the plea for people to be Christians only have let that plea come out to the world something after this fashion: ‘Come over to us, and be Christians only because after all we are the only Christians.’ That is arrogant, that is wrong, that is self-righteous, that is sectarian . . . heal the breaches that we have created within our own fellowship. . . . Surely there are individuals in practically all the denominations known today who’ve learned of Jesus, looked to him in sincere faith, turned away from their conscious rebellion against his will and embraced him as Savior through immersion in his name. And their unfortunate entanglement in some denominational error or some other in no way alters the fact that they are Christians. .

They’re God’s children. This is not something new that is ‘cropping up.

Carl Ketcherside and Leroy Garrett taught the same thing when I was a young preacher and I’m sure it existed long before that but, one thing I know. It does not go back to “Pentecost of Acts 2” or any other place in Scripture.

Some have “jumped the track” on this subject when they affirm that as long as one is baptized for the remission of sins that makes him a Christian. Not only must one be baptized for the remission of sins but, there are some things he must realize when this is done. He must realize that he is becoming a member of the Lord’s one kingdom or church. Not only must he be taught the necessity of baptism but, “some things concerning the Lord’s kingdom.” Peter did this very thing as is recorded in Acts 2:29-36. There is no mistake about this! Bible baptism includes teaching about baptism and also things “concerning the kingdom of God” (that’s the one church). Please note carefully the following: “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them” (Acts 8:5, KJV). Note. He preached Christ to them. What all did that include? Verse 12 tells us: “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women” (Acts 8:12, KJV).

There you have it. To preach Christ one must include “the things concerning the kingdom of Christ and the name (authority) of Jesus Christ.” When he “preached Jesus” to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:35) he preached about baptism (Acts 8:36). To preach “Jesus” or “Christ unto them” is to preach what one must do to be saved and some “things concerning the kingdom and the name (authority) of Jesus Christ.” Those things concerning the kingdom must of necessity include teaching about the church which is the one relationship that man has with God.

There are those who would have us believe that a Baptist preacher would be preaching the gospel if he preached baptism “for the remission of sins.” I deny that! There is much more to gospel preaching than preaching baptism `for the remission of sins.” No denominational preacher can be a gospel preacher. If he were a gospel preacher he wouldn’t be in denominationalism for the Bible condemns such.

We must recognize that a problem exists today that did not confront these first century preachers of the gospel. To-day, there are a number of churches that preach baptism `for the remission of sins.” Some Baptists, some “Holiness” groups, the Mormons, the First Christian Church and many more I am sure. Some of these may even believe there is only one church and may even go so far as to condemn religious division and “call people back to the one church” but, one thing I’ll guarantee you. They teach that the one true church is the church of which they are members and that’s a Devil’s lie!

True, there is only one church and that is the church you can read about in the Bible that honors his name, is organized according to his dictates, works and worships according to the pattern he has given. No church but the church of Christ can truthfully make that claim. Those who are baptized “for the remission of sins” in the denominations believe and accept the fact that they are becoming members of that denomination. This old trash about them only needing to repent of having been in “religious error” or “doctrinal error” is truly “hogwash.” Brethren, that old dog just won’t hunt!

Some must think there is something magical about the term “for the remission of sins” that necessarily makes one a Christian. I have used the following illustration for many years on this subject. I believe it to be to the point on the subject. Suppose the “Rotary Club” of your city had the following qualifications for membership to their club. (1) Faith in Jesus Christ as God’s Son. (2) Willingness to correct any errors in your life. (3) Must have been a citizen of the local city for at least one year. (4) No criminal record. (5) Must be baptized for the remission of sins. Now if these conditions are complied with, would it make the person a member of that Rotary club or would it make him a Christian? I believe all would agree (maybe I should say most all) that it would simply make one a member of that Club. In the same manner, when people are baptized believing they are becoming members of a religious body unknown by God, they do not become Christians by virtue of the fact that their baptism was “for the remission of sins.” Brethren, though it be a chided term by some it is still true. You can’t be taught wrong and baptized right! Some argue that if one “really believes he is baptized “for the remission of sins” even though it was in a denominational church he should be accepted into fellowship after repenting of error.” Have we forgotten the following: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12, KJ V ).

Another argument that is made is this: “Those who are baptized by apostate groups such as those who teach premillennialism, those use instrumental music in worship, those who have gone into liberalism, etc., are not required to be baptized again but, must only repent on error.” The thing missed in this is that these people are part of the one body of Christ though they have become apostate. (Separation will take place in Judgment [Matt. 13:36-43].) These others (denominations) were never part of the body of Christ, the one church. They are not in the kingdom. Never have been  never will be  until they renounce self and bow to the Lordship of Jesus our Savior in deep faith, re-pent of their sins, confess Jesus as Lord and master and are baptized into the one relationship with deity. “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19, ASV). When I became a Christian I gave up denominationalism. Again let me say, you can’t be taught wrong and baptized right!

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 11, p. 10-11
June 3, 1993