Truth Magazine

By John Shadowens

On Thursday evening December 17, 1992, an interview was conducted on Prime Time Live with the Doctor Billy Graham. I have always admired this man for his ability to keep his audience’s attention. He is a powerful speaker with a great amount of influence. It was stated that he had preached to the largest audience on record at one time. I have marveled many times at the size of the audience, filling football stadiums upwards of 80,000. Isn’t this amazing? This man has rubbed elbows with several Presidents of the United States, praying with them, and probably advising them on certain things. Look at the influence that Dr. Graham has had on untold numbers of people.

Mr. Graham stated in the interview that he has felt like a failure in his ministry and his preaching. While I can appreciate his humility, I have to say unequivocally, that Mr. Graham is a false teacher. What is a false teacher? A false teacher is one who teaches something that is not true, whether deliberately or not. There are those today who say that a man is not a false teacher, if he doesn’t know he is teaching things not true. I disagree with this definition. Anyone can be a false teacher if he is teaching things untrue, especially when it comes to the word of God.

Mr. Graham stated that he only wanted to please one, that being Jesus Christ. Granted, he has preached Christ for a number of years; however, he has not declared the en-tire counsel of God. He has always stopped short of God’s plan of salvation. He has preached a faith only doctrine for years. I wonder if he had preached the entire counsel of God

“If we really want to

please God, we must keep his commandments.

The whole counsel of God must be declared.

Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ did not

keep back anything that was profitable to

them.”

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 9, p. 13
May6,1993

By J. Wiley Adams

.

 . I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33). “. and this the victory that overcometh the world,, even our faith” (1 Jn. 5:4).

Numerous were the times during the earthly ministry of Jesus when he called attention to outstanding faith in the lives of specific individuals. It is also true that he focused on cases of little faith, even among his closest disciples.

How important is Faith? We cannot please God without it (Heb. 11:6). It is predicated upon the word of God (Rom. 10:17). The just shall “walk by faith” (2 Cor. 5:7). This is to say that in order to please God we must trust him and do his will. This is faith in action. This is Bible faith.

Although Christians know all of this, still we are plagued in Christ’s church in that we are lacking in proper faith. We either have a lack of faith, our faith is small, or our faith is weak. Why is this so? It may be that the flesh is weak while the spirit is willing. It may be that we do not under-stand what it means to really turn ourselves over to God and truly trust him. It may be we allow fears and anxieties to over-rule the scene. It may mean that we need to study more in the Scriptures. Perhaps it means that we have not exercised our faith. It could mean any or all of this. Just what is our own problem on this score?

Why are ye fearful? Jesus asked his disciples this question on one occasion and then accused them of having “little faith” (Matt. 8:26). The word “fearful” as it is used at this place means “cowardly” or “timid.” It is not so much that we often tremble, as did they, but what we let fear and trembling do to us. It is what we do in spite of the fear that makes the difference.

Jesus, in anticipation of his impending suffering on the cross, was in agony of spirit and sweated profusely as he thought about it. However, he resigned himself to what must be and prayed more fervently (Lk. 22:4). In spite of his sorrow, his heaviness of spirit, his agony of soul, Jesus over-came. He left it in the hands of the Father. “Thy will be done,” he said.

We need to let our faith be stronger than our fears. Jesus did that. Surely, this should serve as an example to us. It demonstrates the power of faith. Preachers and elders and all of us are sometimes faced with weighty matters, decisions, and problems. The making of these decisions and the solving of these problems in favor of God’s truth could bring down the wrath of evil men upon us. It could arouse op-position from false brethren. The very thought of it all might make us quake all over, that is, if we just dwell on it and brood. We might need, as Jesus, to pray all night. The more intense the agony, the more intense and fervent the prayers must be. As Jesus emerged from the garden, his all night prayer vigil had calmed his spirit. Christ had put it into the hands of the Father. Now he was ready for whatever would happen.

Likewise, as we agonize with fears, anxieties, problems, nameless dreads, persecuting powers (both in and out of the church), sorrow, sickness, and many other matters that trouble us, we need to pray the more fervently and that very often. We, too, can emerge from our prayer closet with a calm spirit, resigned to whatever is to take place, fortified with that inner strength which can only come from really trusting in God and turning our problems over to him. Jesus did this. It sustained our Savior during one of the most trying moments of history.

Dear brother or sister in Christ, it will sustain you, too!

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 9, p. 20
May 6, 1993

By Larry Ray Hafley

Men are often confused and confounded by statements in Scripture which ascribe works to the Holy Spirit and the devil. Observe the following examples: But Peter said unto Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3)?

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lose In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ . . . should shine unto them (2 Cor. 4:3,4).

Wherefore we would have come unto you .. . but Satan hindered us (1 Thess_ 2:18).

How did Satan fill Ananias’ heart? How did the devil blind the minds of unbelievers? How did Satan restrain Paul from visiting the Thessalonians? Was it by some miraculous process? Does the devil super-impose his will and force defenseless pawns, who are unable to resist, to act and achieve his ends? “Yes,” say some Calvinists and Pentecostals, “that is exactly what happens.”

If that be true, if the devil does such work without a man’s participation or consent, how can man be held accountable before God? Man is responsible and chargeable for “the things done in his body” (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 2:6). Where, though, is the justice of God, if he condemns a man for doing that which he was forced to do by the devil?

What, then, is the solution? That the devil does the work is beyond dispute. He did fill Ananias’ heart; he did hinder Paul; he does blind the minds of them that believe not.

First, in the case of Ananias, Acts 5:4 says, “Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?” So, the devil filled his heart, and he conceived the lie in his own heart. Both are true. The devil uses a “snare” to entrap his prey (2 Tim. 2:26). He employs “devices” and “deceit” to snag his victims (2 Cor. 2:11; Eph. 6:11). Corruption is in the world “through lust” (2 Pet. 1:4). The lust of the flesh and the eyes and the pride of life are the avenues of enticement (1 Jn. 2:15-17). Through these, sin is conceived (Jas. 1:13-15). Indeed, the devil filled Ananias’ heart, but he did so by means of lust; he did not do so without Ananias’ cooperation and consent.

Second, Satan blinds the minds of them that believe not. About that fact, there can be no doubt. But their blindness is also said to be self-inflicted. (1) “But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction” (Jer. 17:23). (2) “They have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words” (Jer. 19:15). (3) “But they refused to hear and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets” (Zech. 7:11,12). (4) “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Matt. 13:15; cf. Acts 28:23-28).

Look at the texts. Who “made their neck stiff”? Who “hardened their necks, that they might not hear”? Who “stopped their ears, that they should not hear”? Who “closed” their eyes, “lest . . . they should see”? Who did it  the devil, or themselves? They did! Is there, then, a contradiction? In one passage, it says the devil did it. In another, it says they did it themselves. Because they gave themselves over “unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Eph. 4:17-19), the devil used their lusts to blind their hearts. Using their own will, and their hearts’ desire for covetous practices, the devil blinds the minds of them that believe not (2 Pet. 2:14). “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins” (Prov. 5:22).

When the gospel is preached, “then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved” (Lk. 8:11,12). Just how does the devil do this? Does he do it independently of the hearer? Do the unbelievers remain in unbelief through no fault of their own? No, through temptation, through succumbing to the “cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in,” the word is choked, stifled (Mk. 4:15-19).

Third, by what means did Satan hinder Paul from coming to the Thessalonians? He did it by using evil men. “But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people” (Acts 17:13). The devil uses “certain lewd fellows of the baser sort” to hinder the work of the godly (Acts 17:5). The devil is said to “cast some of you into prison” (Rev. 2:10). How does he do that? See Acts 16:19-24. The devil acts through human agents.

How the Spirit Strengthens the Inner Man

Paul prayed for the Ephesians that God “would grant you . . . to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (Eph. 3:16). Does the Holy Spirit strengthen the inner man? Certainly, he does! But how does he do it? If he does it without our involvement or participation, whose fault is it that some are strengthened while others are not? It would be the Spirit’s fault, if man has no part in the strengthening process. Hence, if your inner man is built up, but mine is not, then, the Spirit is a respecter of persons. Since that cannot be true (Acts 10:34; Rom. 10:12), it follows that man must have a part in the Spirit’s strengthening of the inner man.

Remember, that it is Paul who is writing to the Ephesians in the text cited. To those same Ephesians, the same author said, “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). How does the Spirit build up, or strengthen, the inner man? He does it by the word of God. Accordingly, when Paul encouraged the Ephesians not to be foolish, unlearned, ignorant, but, rather, to understand “what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17), he told them to “read,” to study, that they might know and understand the will of God (Eph. 3:4). If they were to be strengthened in understanding apart from their own effort, why did Paul tell them to read and understand? Why did he not tell them, “Now, do not worry. If you are foolish and do not under-stand the will of God, just wait; the Spirit will soon strengthen your inner man without your having to do anything at all”?

After one has been born again “with the word of truth” (Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23), what is he to do that he might grow? Should he sit passively and await the Spirit’s mystical, mysterious infusion of strength? Should he? Now, there is no question as to whether or not the Spirit will strengthen the inner man. He will, indeed. How, though? Does he do it without the effort of the one who has been born again? Peter answers, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (I Pet. 2:2). The Spirit strengthens and builds up the inner man by his agency, the word of God.

One obeys the command to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18) when he allows “the word of Christ” to dwell in himself richly in all wisdom (Col. 3:16). One walks “in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16) when he walks in harmony with the truth, when he is obedient to the word of God (Psa. 26:3; 3 Jn. 4). God does strengthen his children; his Spirit does build up the saints, but he does not do so apart from their desire, study and meditation in the word of God (Psa. 119:99).

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 9, p. 18-19
May 6, 1993

By Andy Alexander

Recently, a doctor was murdered in cold blood on his way into the abortion clinic where he worked. Those who are in the militant anti-abortion movement may see this as justified considering the number of babies this doctor had murdered, but the man who killed this doctor is wrong and two wrongs only multiply the problem, not correct it. This man is now a murderer and in the same condition as the doctor whom he murdered.

All true Christians are and should be alarmed at the number of innocent children killed every day by the surgical procedure known as abortion. The present rate is 4,383 per day, seven days a week, 365 days a year for a total of 1,600,000 per year. This action is whole-heartedly supported by our government. Our president and vice-president sup-port a woman’s right to choose. The term “right to choose” is political double-talk for abortion. The Surgeon General that has been appointed is pro-abortion. The newly appointed Attorney General is for abortion and has stated that she will do all she can to see that women have free access to abortion clinics (“Reno Pledges .. ,” The Tennessean, Nashville, TN, March 13, 1993, p. 9-A). Our president now has the opportunity to appoint someone to the Supreme Court, and he has stated that the man or woman he nominates will be pro-abortion.

There have been many actions taken by this administration that will lead the way for more abortions. (1) Lifting the gag rule on federally funded clinics to allow abortion counseling, (2) lifting the ban on fetal tissue research, (3) allowing abortions at military hospitals, (4) funding for overseas population programs, and (5) pledging to review the ban on the abortion pill RU-486 are several such actions recently taken (“Clinton Lifts Abortion Curbs. ” The Tennessean, Nashville, TN, January 23, 1993, p. 1-A). Not only these, but the Surgeon General supports a policy that will guarantee more unwanted pregnancies in the future. She supports teaching sex education from kindergarten up. The rise in sex education classes in the past has only resulted in a rise in unwanted pregnancies. There is no reason to think that new programs taught at earlier ages will be any better. They will likely result in more pre-teen children getting pregnant and then making the trip to the local abortion clinic to have their babies severed from their wombs. This abortion holocaust is indeed a dark blot on our nation.

What does this mean for Christians? Do we rebel against our government? Do we cease paying taxes in protest? No, in both instances! We continue to live as quietly and peaceably in this world as possible (Rom. 12:18). We abide by the laws of the land and pay our just taxes (Rom. 13:1-7). We pray for our rulers as they are mere men and need our prayers (1 Tim. 2:1-2). As Christians, we know that “righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” so we continue to live righteously amidst sin and teach others to follow our example as we follow Christ (Prov. 14:34; 1 Cor. 11:1).

The man who murdered the abortion doctor is wrong. The action may have been spurred on by the thought that he was rescuing innocent children from the slaughter, but still, it was wrong.

In the first century many Christians were persecuted and killed just for the “crime” of being a Christian. God’s order for their day was the same that it is for our day. They were not commanded to kill those who executed Christians or plot against the government in any way. As we have seen in the previous paragraph, change was to be brought about by living the same type of life that our Saviour lived and behaving toward those who revile us in the same way as he. “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (I Pet. 2:23).

Atrocities involving children happen every day. Some are beaten, cursed, burned, slapped around, and/or sexually abused. Others suffer from neglect by seemingly good parents. Some come into this world with illnesses like AIDS or drug addiction caused by the sins of one or both of their parents. Most children are not taught God’s will as they grow. Are these militant anti-abortionists as concerned about these children as they are about those who are aborted? If they could do something to eliminate some of these abuses, there would probably be fewer abortions in the future. Sadly, they will not likely do the right thing when it comes to ending these abuses or abortion.

Why will they not do the right thing? Because, they have rejected God in so many other parts of their lives. A few illustrations should help to prove this point. For example, they do not believe what God says about social drinking or drunkenness, and their children pick up on this and carry it one step further to other mind-altering drugs (1 Pet. 4:3).

They do not believe what God says about lasciviousness and reveling (Gal. 5:19-21). They send their children to the beach, pool, or grocery store in scanty attire. They allow them to watch filth produced by the entertainment industry. They encourage, by allowing to attend if nothing else, their children to dance in school and attend the prom. Then, when Junior gets some teenage girl pregnant or Sis comes home and announces that she is with child, they are astounded and cannot understand how this could happen.

These are people who rejected God years ago. They would not submit to his plan of salvation (Matt. 7:21). They would not follow his truth in worship (Jn. 4:24). They do not restrict themselves to the pattern he has revealed for the work of the church. Seeing they have rejected his will in these areas, it’s no wonder they do not restrict themselves to God’s law on morality. These sins seemed so small years ago, but they simply paved the way for larger departures in the future; which is where we are now.

These apparently small departures led the way for them to reject God’s will in other parts of their lives as well. These departures have brought our nation to the place where homosexuality is accepted or at least tolerated, abortion is winked at, drunkenness is considered an illness with no cure, pure filth is called art, and women are running rough-shod over men. Let us not leave out of this list the filthy language that spews forth from the mouth of both men and women and the practice or acceptance of divorce among most of society.

That is why these people cannot fix the problems. They do not recognize God as supreme in every part of their life. They will not get to the root of the problem and that is where it must be fixed.

Someone might ask, “What about the economy? Let’s focus on that for now and worry about the moral health of our country later.” We need to get our priorities straight first. If we are able to get our nation on the right moral ground, the economy would likely take care of itself. Study the rise and fall of nations in the Old Testament; especially notice the morality of the nations that fell. Morally strong countries were not destroyed.

Others may say, “You can’t legislate morality.” Laws,

“Brethren, we must use every
opportunity we have to teach the gospel. Hand out tracts,
bulletins, or Bible correspondence courses. Invite friends,
neighbors, co-workers and acquaintances for a Bible study in
their home or yours. Let these people know that you are a
Christian and that you are interested
in their soul.”

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 9, p. 16-17
May 6, 1993