Truth Magazine

By Edward O. Bragwell, Sr.

In the current furor over “gay rights,” there seems to be a concerted effort to brand anyone opposed to homosexual behavior as bigots still living in the Dark Ages. We are constantly bombarded with calls to wipe out bigotry and to be more tolerant of people different from us, regardless of the source or nature of that difference.

It is becoming ever more politically expedient to cater to the “gay rights” cause. Our new president-elect promises swift action to overturn the ban on homosexuals in the military. This will force all military personnel to consider all the gays to be just one of the guys. To do otherwise will be to condone bigotry.

Efforts are also underway to ban discrimination against homosexuals in housing, jobs, and other areas. The goal is to force the American public to grant to “gays” all the rights and protection that are rightfully granted to racial and ethnic minorities. The propaganda mills and the liberal news media are working overtime to depict the opposition to this movement as bigotry. Our educational system, in many in-stances, is conditioning our children to accept anyone regardless of his “race, color, or “sexual preference.”‘

Religious groups are being pressured to get in step with modern society by accepting “gays,” not only as members, but into their leadership. Any group who makes any kind of gesture in that direction is generally, and often generously, praised by the news media for being enlightened and progressive. Such efforts are considered as just another step away from the bigotry of the past.

All of this has caused me to ask, sometimes out loud, “Does the Bible condone bigotry? Were some of those we read about in the Bible bigots? Is God a bigot?” The answer is “yes” — if opposition to “gays” and their perverse lifestyle makes one a bigot.

God destroyed Sodom, a city with the dubious distinction of having a sin named for it. The nature of her prevailing sin is learned from reading Genesis 19. On the eve of her destruction, two angels in the form of men were guests in the home of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. That night, the Bible says, “The men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, `Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally”‘ (vv. 4-5). To protect his guests, Lot offered the men what he considered a lesser evil — his two virgin daughters. This did not appease this “gay” mob. In verse 9, they just told Lot to “stand back!” and accused him of keeping on acting as a judge (v. 9). I guess they thought he was some kind of bigot. But God made good his threat to destroy the city. It went up in smoke. Was God a bigot?

In giving the law of Moses, God included a ban on homosexual conduct. He said, “If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them” (Lev. 20:13). Was God a bigot in commanding such? Was Moses a bigot for passing it on to Israel?

Paul wrote, “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. . . . Who, knowing the righteous judgments of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (Rom. 1:26,27,32).

Again he wrote, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9).

Was Paul a bigot? Paul said, “These things we (Paul and other inspired men — eob) also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches” (1 Cor. 2:12,13). He also said that the things that he wrote were the commandments of the Lord (1 Cor. 14:37).

Are the biblical writers, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to be charged with bigotry? Certainly not! Neither should anyone who follows their teaching on the moral issue of homosexuality.

Does God love the “gay” person? Of course, He does. He also loves the drunkard, the thief, the murderer and the heterosexual fornicator. Jesus died for them and all other sinners. If they will meet the Lord’s conditions of salvation they can be washed from their sins in the blood of Christ. When they do this, their guilt is removed. They are no longer unrighteous, but made righteous by the mercy of God. They are washed, sanctified and justified “in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11). One of the conditions for all of this is repentance. God does not accept them “just as they are” without any change of heart and behavior. Until people turn from their ungodly conduct, they have no right to expect the same “rights” as those who do not practice such sins against God and society.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 1, p. 13
January 7, 1993

By Randy Cavender

Jesus said in Luke 13:3,5, “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Repentance is demanded of those who would come to God. According to the Lord, if one is not willing to repent, he will be lost. I am afraid that many overlook this command that Christ has given. Some do not know what it means, and it is rarely demanded of sinners anymore. Thus, what is repentance? It is important? Should it be demanded of those who are in sin?

Let us begin with defining repentance. Repentance is “to have another mind” (Young’s Analytical Concordance); “to change one’s mind, used esp. of those who, conscious of their sins and with manifest tokens of sorrow, are intent on obtaining God’s pardon, to change one’s mind for the better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins” (Thayer). Thus, when one repents he has changed his mind from serving sin, to serving God. This repentance is produced by godly sorrow (2 Cor. 7:8-10). As one changes his mind this leads to a changed life in which he serves God (Lk. 3:8; Matt. 21:28-30). Let us accept what the New Testament teaches us concerning repentance and apply it to our lives.

Is repentance important? You be the judge! Jesus said, “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” When preaching to the Athenians, Paul taught that God, “now commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). In Peter’s second epistle he reminded his readers that God, “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). The inescapable conclusion is this: if one does not repent, he cannot be saved. This is exactly what the New Testament writers were conveying to our minds. To deny the importance of repentance is foolish indeed. We should just accept the fact that God expects his people to follow all of his commandments.

Should repentance be demanded of sinners? Most assuredly, yes! Jesus, in giving the Great Commission, told the apostles that they were to preach the gospel to every creature (Mk. 16:15). In Luke’s account of the Commission, Jesus said, “and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Lk. 24:47). In keeping with the will of God we must preach to sinners that they must repent. In keeping with this command of the Son of God the apostle Peter said, “Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 2:38; 3:19). It is increasingly evident that we have not taught people that they must repent of their sins in that they are “baptized” and still remain in their sins. Paul dealt with this problem by asking, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Rom. 6:1-2) When people truly repent they change their minds concerning sin and then, as a result, they practice righteousness.

Kind friend, Jesus said, “unless you repent you shall all likewise perish.” The choice is yours, you can repent or perish. Have you repented of your sins?

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 1, p. 19
January 7, 1993

By Herschel E. Patton

The Bible is a book of books (66) by forty different writers who lived in different periods of history, dealing with one general theme. It is uniquely harmonious. It has continually been a “best seller.” The Bible is the most printed book in various languages; it is circulated throughout the world.

Bible teaching has played an important role in the shaping of lives and nations. It is admittedly the most influential book ever printed. It is also the most attacked and ridiculed book of all time.

Today, atheism, better known as the religion of secular humanism, with its denial of deity, creation, the miraculous, a divine moral standard, and man possessing a never dying soul (spirit), has successfully destroyed the faith of thousands. This organized, godless religion has through its organization and legal arm — the ACLU — infiltrated the school system with its doctrine that there is no authority higher than the individual — not god, the Bible, parents or anything else (see Values Clarification school document). This teaching, with the help of the ACLU and U.S. Supreme Court, has banished prayers, any Bible quotations, and mention of God from our schools.

Your response to Bible teaching will depend on whether the Bible is the inspired Word of God, divinely revealed to man, or simply the product of human philosophy. If human, there is no reason for anyone accepting it as a standard.

Is It Inspired?

Inspiration has to do with the divine guidance of the revelator, a human agent. God inspired chosen ones to reveal, through the Holy Spirit, his will without error, and gave them power to miraculously confirm their message. This claim is made in the Scriptures (see 2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Cor. 2:9-13).

Revelation involves an unveiling — making known — God’s will through human agency. God revealed his will in various ways — directly, angels, dreams, visions, trance (Heb. 1:1). Revelation involved human agency and language, by an inspired person. We believe the Bible to be the inspired revelation of God’s will, though many do not believe this, and even deny it.

What Is the Evidence?

The Bible’s own claim of inspiration is rejected by unbelievers. There is, however, both internal and external evidence that is conclusive.

The fact that the Bible has continued despite the concerned, organized efforts to discredit and destroy it, while all other great literary works have perished or become unknown, strongly suggests that someone, with the power to make it so, purposed and said, “My word shall not pass away.” The writers of Scripture were men who did live and write of what they saw and heard from the original source, claimed to speak for God being guided by the Holy Spirit, and had the power to prove their message was from God by the miracles which they did.

The unity of the Bible has long been a marvel to serious students. It was written by some 40 writers over different periods of world history, dealing with one general theme (the redemption of fallen man by the grace of God through the promised Messiah), yet there is not a single contradiction or false statement in their combined writings. Of course, enemies of the Bible have pointed to many seeming contradictions and apparent errors, but careful examination has proved each assumption to be nothing more than just that.

Prophecy and its fulfillment ever stand as proof of inspiration and credibility. Prophecies concerning persons, places, and events hundreds of years in the future, even naming persons and places, were all fulfilled and confirmed by secular history. Not one failed or was proven to be inaccurate.

The Bible contains a lot of geography. Years ago J.W. McGarvey wrote in his book, Lands of the Bible (a study of the geographical precision of the Scriptures), “that unlike other comparable bodies of literature, the Bible is always unfailingly correct in its geographical and topographical in-formation.”

In our day, archaeologists have, in their digs at various places, uncovered numerous places (cities) and artifacts that confirm places and persons mentioned in the Bible but lost to secular history. In fact, nothing in this realm has been found that conflicts with the Bible. Every valuable find only confirms Scripture.

Has It Come Down to Us Accurately?

There are no original manuscripts, written by inspired writers; Only ancient copies made from the originals, and copies of these copies. The scribes were not inspired, so here is a place where human error could exist. A study of numerous copies, in comparison, reveals a startling accuracy of content, and evidences the great care and accuracy of the scribes.

Besides these ancient manuscripts, there have been numerous writers who quoted Scripture in their works (Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Barnabas, Irenaeus, and many others — 95-200 A.D.) and these quotes harmonize with the manuscripts from which they quoted. It has been said that if every Bible was destroyed, it could be accurately reproduced form the quotations found in numerous books.

What About Translations and Versions?

Ancient Scripture was written in Hebrew (O.T.) and Koine Greek (N.T.). Many hand-written copies of Scripture were made and circulated by scribes. Translations were made from these ancient manuscripts, which still exist.

The Septuagint Version (O.T.) existed in Jesus’ day. It was translated from Hebrew into Greek in 280 B.C.

The Syriac Version and old Latin Version (Latin Vulgate) existed until 350 A.D.

The printing press was invented by Gutenburg in 1450. Tyndale’s New Testament was published in 1525 A.D. Many others followed — the Geneva Bible in 1560; Douay Bible in 1609, and others.

In 1611 the King James Version was published. The king commissioned 48 scholars to make this version from available ancient manuscripts. Being translated by this many scholars, men who valued their scholarship, from those ancient manuscripts (copies of that which was written by inspired men), it was, and still is today, considered a credible account of what God revealed by inspired men.

The American Standard Version that came out in 1901 was made by 100 scholars, from existing ancient manuscripts, and has been called the most literal translation of what was originally written to ever be made.

There have, across the years, been revisions of these translations, due to the changing of the meaning of words over time, but no change was made in the message originally delivered.

Many versions have been published in more recent years, some by scholars, some by one man or by some religious body that had some special doctrine or theology to inject into the Bible, and some by a publishing company to make money — something that would sell. Some of these versions are little more than a commentary by man on the Scriptures and not a translation. All such “Bibles” should be rejected.

Those versions, produced by numerous scholars from the ancient manuscripts, with a desire or aim to pass on in our language, the message originally delivered are credible and reliable. Such a Bible is indeed the divinely revealed Word of God. Since it is the Word of God, you as an answerable person to God, have a responsibility to submit yourself to its teaching.

“How precious is the book divine, By inspiration given: Bright as a lamp its precepts shine To guide my soul to heav’n.” — (Song, L.O. Sanderson).

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 1, p. 16
January 7, 1993

By Lewis Willis

It was surprised to read in the current issue of The Christian Chronicle that the Herald of Truth radio and television program has just celebrated its 40th anniversary.

The first broadcast was over ABC radio on February 10, 1952. Two years later the first TV broadcast was aired. A letter recently arrived at the office doing the thing that this program does best  trying to raise money for another effort! This time, they are seeking to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for an April 24th broadcast on national Russian television when “the Russian people will be marking their first major Easter celebration” since the overthrow of Communism. I am almost afraid to even wonder what that program might say on “Easter.”

It occurs to me that most of you do not even know what Herald of Truth is. Let me explain. In 1952, the elders of the Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas established themselves as a “sponsoring church” and “sponsoring eldership” for the purpose of raising funds for churches across the nation with which they would present a national broadcast “for the Churches of Christ.” The reasoning was, that no single congregation could afford such an effort, so they would, under the supervision of the Highland elders, pool the resources of many congregations to get the job done. The Highland elders would eventually find themselves supervising the spending of funds from over 2,000 congregations across America. This enterprise was to become a part of the “centerpiece” that would produce a major division in Churches of Christ.

The division was not caused by the preaching of the gospel over radio or television, as some charged. It was caused by the violation of the Scriptures involved in the development of a “sponsoring church/eldership.” When the Lord established the church, each congregation was independent or autonomous, with each congregation answerable to Christ, its head (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18). Each congregation was under the oversight of its own elders. Note what the Scriptures say: “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed” (Acts 14:23); “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee” (Tit. 1:5). These passages obviously teach that each church is to have its own elders, overseers, who lead it in the accomplishment of the mission that God has assigned to it: to evangelize the world, meet its benevolent obligation and edify itself (Eph. 4:11-12).

Furthermore, other passages specifically limit the oversight of those elders to that congregation, and to it alone. Note: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28); “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind” (1 Pet. 5:2).

No man, or group of men, can change this fundamental organizational character of the Lord’s church. To do so is sin! It is just as wrong to change its organization, as it is to change its worship or the plan of salvation. The elders of the Highland church committed this sin and they are responsible for all of the damage that was done to the cause of Christ by the division they produced. Today, they boast of 40 years of work. More accurately, they should note that 40 years ago they divided the blood-bought body of our Lord. Instead of being an occasion of rejoicing, their 40th anniversary is an anniversary to shame and disgrace. Just remember one thing: we cannot sin in an effort to do good. This is what they did, and they were wrong in doing it. Unless we understand this truth, we are bound to repeat their sin in the future.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 1, p. 25
January 7, 1993