Truth Magazine

By Frank Himmel

Are you headed for heaven? In November, 1990, the Gallup organization surveyed Americans’ thoughts on heaven and hell. The results were published in the March 25, 1991 issue of U.S. News & World Report. Seventy-eight per-cent of those responding believe there is a heaven. When asked if they thought they had an “excellent or good chance of going there,” guess how many said yes? That’s right, seventy-eight percent. In other words, just about everyone who believes there is a heaven thinks he is going there. (In contrast, sixty percent of those surveyed said they believed in hell, but only four percent thought they were going there.) Will the majority be saved? What does the Bible say?

Few Will Be Saved

If the majority go to heaven it will be a stark reversal of conditions on earth. Here God’s people are always a decided minority. In fact, the only time since Eden when they have constituted the majority was immediately after the flood. The righteous are so few that they are often called a “remnant,” a small part, a trace. God had only a remnant in Old Testament times. “In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s choice of grace” (Rom. 11:5).

The Savior himself often indicated that few will be saved. In the well-known parable of the sower (Lk. 8:4-15), Jesus likened hearers of the gospel to different kinds of soil. Only one, the good soil, brought forth fruit to maturity. While the story is not intended to establish ratios, it is interesting to note that there are three times as many unacceptable hearts as acceptable ones. The parable of the wedding feast (Matt. 22:1-14) also argues against the notion that most will be saved. Many in that story turned down the summons to the feast. Others tried to attend while ignoring the terms of the invitation. Jesus concluded, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

“And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. And someone said to Him, `Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?’ And He said to them, `Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able”‘ (Lk. 13:22-24). Perhaps that declaration of doom “rang a bell” with Jesus’ disciples. He had sounded the same theme earlier in the Sermon on the Mount. “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it” (Matt. 7:13,14).

Why Few Will Be Saved

God wants all men to be saved. Christ died for all. The gospel invitation is open to all. Nevertheless, these passages affirm that only few will be saved. Jesus’ roads and gates illustration helps us understand why. The routes to heaven and hell are as different as a mountain trail through backwoods West Virginia and an interstate highway through Kansas.

First, consider the wide road. Hills, rivers, rocks, and trees can confine the width of a road. They constitute restrictions. The wide road to hell knows no such limits. It is an unrestricted way. There is room on it for every opinion and practice. Folks going that way can believe whatever they like and live however they please. It is also an undisciplined way. Driving on narrow mountain roads tenses us up. We sit up. Both hands grip the wheel. We watch carefully, knowing there is little room for error. Mistakes could be tragic. The highway to hell is not like that. It is more reminiscent of an eight-lane turnpike. You turn on the cruise control, lean back, and steer with one finger. Alertness and self-discipline are not required in the wide way. You may do what you will.

No wonder that Jesus described this as the popular way. It is the easy way, full of travelers just following the crowd. There is little concern among them whether God approves this or that. Sadly, it is also the destructive way. William Barclay calls it a thoughtless way since those on it have not thought through their course. What benefit is there in taking the easy route if it goes the wrong direction? Perhaps we could call it the short-sighted way.

Now compare that to the heavenly highway. It is a narrow, restricted way. Truth restricts it. Truth by nature is always narrower than error. For example, there is only one right answer to the math problem 2 + 2 = but an infinite number of wrong answers. Similarly there are many ways to displease God, but only one way to please Him. There are many errors one might believe, but only one body of truth. It is the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3), God’s word (Jn. 17:17). Realizing this, those walking the narrow way must be vigilant. Every New Testament book warns Christians against being caught up in error and thus turning aside from the way.

The broad way requires no investigation, no search. To travel it you can literally do nothing. The narrow way is not like that. It must be sought. Though it is never very far away (Acts 17:27), Jesus said, “Few are those who find it.” Why so few?

To begin with, some are not looking for it. They really do not care. Others are looking, but in the wrong place. The directions to heaven are not on human road maps. Nevertheless, people seek answers in philosophy, psychology, and science.

They look for guidance in them-selves, the majority, society, their preacher — everywhere but the Bible. That is as futile as trying to discover the way from Boston to Chicago using a Florida map.

Some are not looking for the heavenly highway because they falsely assume they are already on it. Who has not made this mistake on a trip? You are cruising down the highway, making good time, feeling great, only to discover later that all the while you have been going the wrong way. That may well describe one’s spiritual condition. He is sincere. He feels good about his direction. He is going as hard as he can. He thinks heaven is just around the corner. Yet he is completely off track. Sincerity and zeal are commendable, but on the wrong road they will no more get us to heaven than they will to an earthly destination.

How can we prevent this common pitfall? Constantly check the signs and mileage markers. God’s Bible map is full of indicators marking the way. He describes individually and collectively what those on the right road are thinking, saying, and doing. If his description does not match my life, I must change directions. (Note: Just asking other people for directions will not do. In the verses that follow Jesus warns us of those who pretend to know the way but in fact will lead us astray. We must consult the map.)

Finally, there are those who find the narrow way but refuse to walk in it. They consider its constraints too limiting, its requirements too exacting.

What Few Will Be Saved

Based on merit no one would be saved. All make false steps from time to time (Rom. 3:23). However, God has graciously offered us salvation as a gift. To whom is salvation given? Not to everyone: we have learned that only few are saved. Not to everyone who is religious: we have learned that it is possible to be religious but walking a route that is not God’s way. Not even to everyone who professes Christ. A few verses after the roads illustration Jesus said, “Not every one who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Who are the saved? Both Peter and Paul quoted Joel who wrote, “Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Rom. 10:13). “Calling on the Lord” is certainly more than crying out, “Lord, Lord.” It is not inviting Jesus into your heart, accepting him as your personal Savior, making a decision for Jesus, or praying the sinner’s prayer. No one in the New Testament was ever told to do such things. Peter explained that it is acknowledging Jesus’ lordship by repenting of sins and being baptized in his name for forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:36-38). Ananias said the same thing (Acts 22:16). It is doing the will of the Father (Matt. 7:21).

Thus added to Christ, we are reconciled to God through Jesus’ blood, and will be presented before him “holy and blameless and beyond reproach — if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and stead-fast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel” (Col. 1:19-23). Are you on the right track?

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 3, p. 14
February 4, 1993

By Jim Deason

David said it this way, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (Psa. 127:1). Jesus said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up” (Matt. 15:13). Either way the meaning is the same — if it doesn’t begin with the Lord it begins in the wrong place.

The religious systems of men with their attendant doctrines have one critical flaw: they didn’t originate from within the mind of God. The authority for their existence came from some other source than Scripture. This being so, their message is corrupt, their mission is vain and their destiny is destruction. For ourselves, we must avoid their influence at all costs. For others, we must devote our lives to the work of rescuing them.

Jesus’ statement in Matthew 15:13 was made in a context where men had elevated human tradition into the position of divine law. The noxious plant of human doctrine had been placed by human hands into the fertile soil of human hearts and, as a result, a religious system was born. Not from God did the seeds of Phariseeism spring but from the determined will of men bound to make burdensome the simple way of righteousness by exalting themselves and their petty interpretations over others while unwilling to live by their own code. Jesus despised this process and reserved his sternest rebukes for the hypocritical Pharisees (Matt. 23).

At the very root of the Pharisees’ traditions, and the Pharisaic system itself, lay hearts unwilling to yield to God’s simple plan. These were hearts determined to make their own rules; rules which to them were in addition to, in the place of, and more attractive than the statutes of God. This was the seed from which the plant of Phariseeism grew. This was the plant which God the Son promised would be rooted up.

Likewise, this dissatisfaction with God’s way is the seed from which all modern day denominationalism has grown. From Catholicism in the sixth century through the Protestant Reformation to the present, the plants of denominationalism with their corresponding and often contradictory dogmas have flourished. The division represented by these denominational systems is deplorable (Jn. 17:20,21; 1 Cor. 1:10). They serve only to confuse honest hearts and to prejudice otherwise sincere seekers against the truth. These noxious plants shall indeed be rooted up.

To be sure, most all denominations teach some truth. There are, without doubt, moral people and good neighbors within all of these systems. But while they may claim the name of Christ they are unknown to him (Matt. 7:21-23) and their worship is worthless (Matt. 15:9). They are known as Christians to the rest of the world but not to Christ. To be a Christian is to belong to Christ and to submit in all things to his head-ship. Denominationalism and its members fail on both counts.

This makes the appeal of first century Christianity unique and powerful. You don’t have to belong to a denominational system. You can lay all doctrines and practices of men aside and follow the simple, pure New Testament pattern. To do so will make you a Christian, a follower of Christ, and nothing more. Your allegiance will not be to a man-made system governed by man-made rules, but to Jesus Christ and the New Testament as your guide for daily living. You will enjoy a relationship with others who have the sameallegiance as do you in a local congregation (Phil. 1:1). With them you will be able to work and worship as God has given direction. Any question about practice and procedure can be settled by an appeal, not to a denominational council or creed book, but to the New Testament (2 Tim. 3:16,17). There is no invitation more inviting, no plan more powerful, than that contained in the word of God (Matt. 11:28-30; Rom. 1:16).

Every plant which God did not plant, whose roots are not found running deep into the Book, will be destroyed. This means that every denominational system and every denominational doctrine, having had their beginning in the will of man, will be uprooted. They will not stand in the judgment day (Jn. 12:48).

I can’t conscientiously close this article without making another observation. Even among the Lord’s people problems arise from time to time over man-made dogmas. Today ominous clouds loom on the horizon that threaten the peace and unity of the people of God. Issues concerning divorce are a constant menace. I am appalled at what I hear some teaching regarding the nature of Jesus and his divinity which threaten the very foundation of all that we have believed and held dear. Strange things are being said about fellowship which is strained. The list is endless but the answer is not. To some it may sound trite but we must get back to a “thus saith the Lord.” We must get back to basic preaching!

Let all who read these words remember that every man-made doctrine or system will be uprooted. Even those concocted by brethren. We are not immune to the influence of denominationalism among us. Of this we must be aware and fore-warned.

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 3, p. 18
February 4, 1993

By Darrel Haub

The following quote was furnished to me by a member here at Pekin. It was observed in the New York cottage at the Tamassee Daughters of the American Revolution School, Tamassee, South Carolina. “It’s not enough to teach our girls to say “No! We must also teach our boys not to ask.” As I think of this quote, I am made to face the fact that we have more often taught on women’s dress and responsibility in this area than we have on the men’s. Perhaps this article will help overcome in some measure that deficiency.

The Bible helps us see how men need to learn not to ask women for sexual favors to feed our lust. Just look at the matter of the adultery between David and Bathsheba. This is recorded for us in 2 Samuel 11:1-5. This whole matter began as David observed Bathsheba bathing. He did not have to look upon her with lust in his heart. He had wives and concubines, but he allowed lust for her to cause him to send for her and commit adultery with her. She became pregnant from this encounter and then David was led to try to cover his sin by further sins, even to premeditated murder. The son born to this affair died, and David’s family was never the same again. It was filled with deceit and similar things throughout his life. How the story could have been different had David just looked away without calling Bathsheba to this house!

David apparently failed to teach his sons about the danger of allowing lust to grow in their hearts because we read of a similar thing in his son Amnon. Read 2 Samuel 13:1-39. Amnon lusts for his half-sister Tamar and arranges a plot that leads to the rape of Tamar. Following that event Amnon is eventually killed by Tamar’s full brother Absalom. This results in Absalom’s exile from Israel for a while. Just think of all this family disturbance and turmoil because Amnon allowed his lust for Tamar to go unchecked. Do you think that the pleasure of his sin satisfied him? Do you think it was worth the pain it caused for himself and others?

After teaching our boys about these real-life situations and showing them the consequences that befell those who allowed their lusts to lead them to this kind of sin, let us teach them what Jesus said. He said, “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:28). We must teach our boys to control their lusts. Paul told Timothy, “Flee youthful lusts” (2 Tim. 2:22). The first step in flight from fornication might well be just to look away. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 God has promised that we will not be tempted beyond our ability to resist, but will provide a way of escape. Seek that escape from this sin.

We need to teach our boys that this sin will condemn us before God. Hebrews 13:4 teaches, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled, but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Some young people seem to think that their God-given desires are normal and that they ought to be fulfilled.

However, we can never allow our-selves to be deceived into thinking that this justifies fulfillment of those desires in unlawful ways. God will judge fornication in all cases. If a person cannot control his desires, Paul says, “but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion”(1 Cor. 7:9 NKJV). The only way to avoid sin in sexual matters is to be married or deny yourself. Let us teach our boys these simple choices.

In the reading of 2 Peter 1:5-11 we see that the virtue of self-control must be added to the Christian’s character if he is to be saved. Are we teaching our boys to learn self-control. It seems to me that in too many cases we excuse our boys’ lusts as something that just can’t be helped or controlled. We say, “Boys will be boys.” Boys may be boys, but boys can be taught to control themselves. As a matter of fact they must learn this to be saved. We are remiss as parents and older Christians if we do not teach them.

Let us teach our boys respect for God, girls and themselves in this matter of fornication.

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 4, p. 5
February 18, 1993

By Herschel E. Patton

Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: He that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son (2 Jn. 9).

The principle of “going onward” is not evil in and of itself. In fact, it is often used in a good and commendable way. The Macedonians were commended for going onward, or “beyond their power” in giving (2 Cor. 8:3). Christians are urged to “go on unto perfection” (Heb. 6:1). We often sing, “Onward Christian soldiers! Marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.”

The principle of this phrase may be either good or bad, depending upon what the going onward is to or from. In the text for this study (2 Jn. 9-11), the going onward is further explained as “abiding not in the teaching (doctrine) of Christ.” The teaching of Christ constitutes an enclosure, something fenced — hedged in, a pattern, beyond which one must not go. The text says of the doctrine of Christ to the preacher what God said to the sea, “Hitherto shall thou come, but no further” (Job 38:11). Going onward from the teaching of Christ, instead of “abiding in,” results in a forfeiture of one’s relationship with God — “hath not God.”

Some, even brethren, have sought to soften the prohibition of this passage by limiting the warning to the teaching of those “antichrists” who deny “that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” In this passage, the Gnostics of that day (who taught that the body is unholy, as is all matter; so divinity [Christ] could not inhabit the flesh) are given as an example of “going onward.” All other cases of going beyond the teaching of Christ in any way would be within the limits of the principle of “going onward.”

Our text is not the only warning in Scripture of “going onward.” We are told to mark “them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them” (Rom. 16:17), and to withdraw from all who walk not after the traditions received from the apostles (2 Thess. 3:6,14). Paul said to Timothy, “Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:13). Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to teach certain men not to teach a different doctrine, nor to give heed to fables (1 Tim. 1:3-4). The Galatians were told that if man or angel preached anything different from what Paul had preached, “he shall be anathema” (Gal. 1:8-9). John, the writer of Revelation, said, “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book” (Rev. 22:18-19).

The teaching (doctrine) of Christ, as delivered by him and the inspired apostles (Jn. 16:13) is truth. Anything more or different from that which is divinely revealed is no part of truth. Those who would go onward from this, mock the wisdom of God and exalt the wisdom of men (1 Cor. 2:1-5).

Some who go onward seek to justify their action on the basis of not going very far — not like the “far out” ones. The evil warned against in this text is not determined by the distance or size of the “going onward” (an inch or mile), but by the attitude that leaves God’s revealed wisdom for man’s wisdom. The guilt is there when one decides to go onward, and does. The distance one goes may result in greater sorrow, havoc, and shame, but you are here seeing the actions of one who “hath not God.” The guilt and separation takes place when one first goes onward instead of abiding in the doctrine of Christ.

Apostasy

Going onward instead of abiding in the teaching of Christ; exchanging divine wisdom for human wisdom, truth for error, has been the cause of every apostasy that has occurred in the history of the church. Truth did not abide with the first churches very long. Soon, there grew up a feeling that human wisdom would serve the Cause better in organization than the simple order in New Testament churches — each church independent, with elders, deacons, and saints, subject to the head, Christ and his word.

Building on human wisdom, one elder in a congregation became “chief” over others, then an organization of the chief elder (bishop) from all the churches in a district, state, country was formed . . . until Catholicism, with its Pope, came to exist. All this, because brethren did not abide in the doctrine of Christ, but went “onward.”

After hundreds of years, Protestant denominationalism appeared, mostly through the protests of men against the corruptions and errors of Catholicism, and the pressing of various philosophies of men. None of these exists because of what Scripture says, but because of human philosophy and efforts.

During the 18th century the restoration movement (a plea to return to the New Testament order of things, and Bible authority) became very popular and successful. New Testament churches came to exist all across the land, as Bible authority for everything believed and practiced was preached, along with Bible warnings about “going onward.”

This success was soon followed by apostasy. This time it was a “going onward” in the introduction of missionary societies for evangelism, and instruments of music in worship.

The New Testament clearly reveals how churches did evangelistic work. Each church sent and supported preachers; sometimes more than one church sent to the same preacher. The missionary society was a separate organization from a local church, acting through a board of representatives from many churches, proposing to do evangelism for the churches. This was a “going onward.”

The New Testament repeatedly calls upon saints to “sing,” and gives examples of their “singing.” There is no command, inference, or example of saints using mechanical instruments in their praise unto God. To do so in going on-ward; beyond the teaching of Christ.

Still, another apostasy occurred within the last half century, involving institutionalism, sponsoring churches and the social gospel. These, as every apostasy, past, present or future, arise from “going onward and abiding not in the doctrine of Christ.”

Institutionalism, like the missionary society in evangelism, involves another organization for doing the work of churches in caring and edification (orphan/old folks home and colleges). The doctrine of Christ reveals local churches engaged in the work of evangelism, relieving the needy, and edifying, but nothing about churches planning, building, and managing institutions (organizations) for doing these things. All such organizations are outside the teaching of Christ (truth) and reflect a “going onward.”

The sponsoring church involves one church (group of elders) planning and carrying on a program or project, beyond the ability of that congregation, by soliciting money from many churches. Thus, the elders of one church oversee and direct the funds and work of many churches. There are cases where the sponsoring church elders, when their project has established other churches in a state or country, oversee a number of local churches — even holding the deed to their property. Of course, no such action can be found in the New Testament, even if you name it “cooperation.” Such exists because of a “going onward.”

The same thing is true of the social gospel: churches con-ducting businesses, providing recreation, entertainment, social functions, even building and equipping places for these activities. Such was never a function of New Testament churches, therefore, they are going onward.

Attempts at Justification

The history of apostasy is this: once the line is crossed, rapid progress is made in embracing other unscriptural things. At first, brethren with some consciousness of the need for scriptural authority, yet desire to do something unscriptural, will seek some Scripture that they think will justify the thing. They find dining and recreational facilities in the Bible word “fellowship” or “good works” passages. Trying to prove an unscriptural thing scriptural requires twisting and perverting Scripture. Serious study, debate, testing, and examination will expose all perversions and bring to light truth.

Brethren who “go onward” have been rebuffed and proven impotent in their efforts to prove their actions scriptural. Now, they have “A New Hermeneutic,” saying there is now set pattern or confines to the doctrine of Christ. They say you don’t need scriptural authority for all that you believe and practice, as long as it is good and not strictly forbidden.

The claim that 2 John 9-10 only refers to the teaching about Christ (“had not come in the flesh”) and not to the whole of his teaching, is an effort to destroy the idea that the doctrine of Christ is an enclosure, beyond which we must not go.

Others dismiss the importance of having scriptural authority by flippantly saying, “We do many things without Bible authority (church buildings, water fountains, rest rooms, baptistry, etc.”). This is a false statement. We do have Bible authority for these. Another article in this series will deal with general and specific authority — aids and expedients, so I will not deal with this matter here. Anyone offering such justification errs because of ignorance in this area.

There is no Scripture to justify “going onward and abiding not in the doctrine of Christ,” and no amount of human reasoning can remove the curse for so doing. “They have not God!

Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 3, p. 22
February 4, 1993