Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

This first issue of 1993 is also the first being mailed to the combined subscribers of Searching the Scriptures and Guardian of Truth. We welcome each new subscriber to our mailing list. A few words pertaining to Guardian of Truth may be in order.

Like Searching the Scriptures, Guardian of Truth is committed to teaching and defending the truth. Because we recognize our own fallibility, we provide those who disagree with us an opportunity to reply. This should not be interpreted to mean that we are irresponsibly going to publish every article we receive in disagreement with another article (for some are not worthy of publication), but we do open our doors to reasonable and responsible disagreement.

We have invited several of the regular contributors to Searching the Scriptures to be added as staff writers to Guardian of Truth. In addition to adding brother Connie W. Adams as associate editor, we have already received letters of acceptance from H.E. Phillips, Donnie Rader, J. Wiley Adams and Paul Casebolt to be added to our list of staff writers. We expect some others will soon follow. Too, we have encouraged other contributors to Searching the Scriptures also to send in articles regularly. Because of this, we think that Guardian of Truth will not appear so different from Searching the Scriptures to many of you.

Although many of our articles come from our staff, we by no means limit articles to our staff. We invite and encourage our readers to submit articles for publication.

We also have added the church ads from Searching the Scriptures to Guardian of Truth. To prevent taking too large a space in each issue for the church ads, the ads are being divided into two sections. Half of them will appear in the first issue of each month and half in the second issue. We think that this is equitable because of the in-creased circulation to which all ads will be exposed. This will allow more room for teaching and provide for a better balanced journal.

As a service to our readers, we continue to provide free space for churches in need of a preacher to advertise that need, preachers desiring to relocate to mention their intention, field reports from brethren around the country, notices of deaths of Christians, announcements of special series of lessons, and such like. Be sure to give us a minimum of 30 days to get these items in print. Most of the time we can accommodate brethren under these terms.

Guardian of Truth is just another way to serve the Lord. We entertain no egotistical and sinful ideas that we are controlling the brotherhood, creating a party, or otherwise dictating to the conscience of others what they must believe and practice. We make no apologies for teaching the truth and calling on brethren to align themselves with the truth. When we align ourselves with the truth, we necessarily will be standing together. When and where we are not standing for the truth, we pray that God-fearing brethren will stand against us and call upon us to repent. We promise to listen to what our brethren have to say in such circumstances and to search the Scriptures to see if the things taught are so.

We are available to serve. We invite our readers to use us in God’s service to the fullest extent possible.

It was often necessary to call on weekends or between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Moscow time. It is fairly easy to communicate through a fax machine. Faxed messages can be received at the central telegraph office in central Moscow. This can consume a good bit of time, but the telegraph office is near McDonalds so the trip is worth the time and effort.

Food is easy to find and fairly cheap for Americans, but not so for the average Russian. There are no American type grocery stores in Moscow. Food can be purchased from venders and at “markets” throughout the city. The variety is not as great as Americans are accustomed to, but it is food on which one can live. In the absence of large refrigerators and pantries, it is necessary to shop quite often. Some items such as bread are often purchased every day. There are “hard currency” stores throughout the city which supply a limited amount of American type food at American prices. (I was able to find Sugar Smacks at one!)

Life in Moscow moves at a slower pace than in the United States. It takes longer to do everything in Moscow than it does here. Patience is a necessary virtue. The people are not as time conscious as we are. No one is considered late unless he arrives for an appointment 15 minutes past the designated time. Life for Americans in Moscow is different, a little more difficult, but not oppressive.

The door for the gospel is open. The Russian people are genuinely interested in things spiritual in nature and eternal in consequence. But, how long will the door remain open? The Russian Orthodox Church is hard at work trying to establish itself as the official state religion. If this happens, religious persecution and intolerance may once again return to Russia. The political situation is volatile. Historically the Russian people have turned to strong individual leaders at times of crisis. If this happens the character of such a leader will determine the degree of religious freedom tolerated. The door is now open. We must take advantage of it while we can.

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

By Connie W. Adams

Conference of Charismatics Needed Interpreters

Tom Bunting of Bergen, Norway sent me the following item about the “Pentecostal’s 16th World Conference in Oslo, Norway.” There were over 5000 participants from 90 different countries. There were 11,000 present each evening in the 0510 Spekrum. But with these charismatics from the entire world, not one could speak in tongues! The speeches were all in either Norwegian or English. The problem of translating (interpreting) was solved through a small studio where the interpreters sat. They would translate the sermons into ten different languages and the people could tune in on radio sets at their seats.

What a wonderful opportunity that would have been for those, who claim that speaking in tongues is the usual sign for those baptized in the Spirit, to demonstrate their claim for all the world to see. I wonder where the translators sat on the day of Pentecost? What was that about “every man heard them speak in his own language”?

Don’t “Share” With Me

I understand that sometimes the idea of fellowship includes the notion of a joint sharing or participation. We have a common part because of our mutual relationship to the Lord. But I am weary of preachers who have made “sharing” a weak substitute for preaching. Just preach to me, O.K.? Just take a passage of Scripture, put it in context, and then come straight at me. Whether we “share” it or not will depend on whether or not I am willing to appropriate it to my life. Denominational preachers don’t have much confidence in the power of simply preaching the word. They think they have to sort of slip up on people, take the sting out of it and make it as painless as possible. “Share” sounds less threatening than “preach.” “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16).

Calling Evil Good

By a vote of four to three, the Kentucky Supreme Court overturned its sodomy law. As might be expected, an editorial in the October 1, 1992 Courier-Journal praised these four justices and called them “courageous.” The new ruling argues for the rights of an adult’s private conduct unless it is harmful to someone else. One dissenting judge, Justice Joseph E. Lambert, castigated his colleagues for disregarding “virtually all of recorded history, the teachings of the religions most influential on Western Civilization.” He further urged that if the morality of the majority plays no role in forming criminal law, “and the only standard is harm to another, all laws proscribing the possession and use of dangerous or narcotic drugs would fall.”

We are in trouble, folks. The action of these four justices was not courageous. It was a sop to a special interest group which has been making a lot of noise and which is determined not just to be tolerated in society but to flaunt their evil before the world and to force all the rest to regard it as an innocent, alternate life-style. Paul called it “vile affection,” said it was “against nature,” identified it with “lust,” called it “error,” said those guilty had a “reprobate mind” and then declared that such behavior was “not proper” (Rom. 1:26-28).

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isa. 5:20)!

Suggested Lectureship

My friend, Donnie V. Rader, said he was thinking of arranging a lecture program with Dorris Rader, Carroll Sutton, Shirley Mullins and Connie Adams with the theme “Just Between Us Girls.” Well, what are friends for?

I don’t know about the other three fellows, but I have had my share of jokes during meetings about “I didn’t know you had women preachers.” I have heard that joke at least 500 times already. When I urge brethren to use my picture in advertisements of meetings, it is not vanity (there is nothing about my picture to encourage vanity!), but self-defense against that joke. Why, one place did not want to put my name on a sign in front of the building about the meeting for fear of what some might think. Of course, there are other possibilities to that.

Behold I Thought

There are many humbling lessons in everyday life. Take for instance the last night of a meeting at Canal Winchester, Ohio. We were invited for dinner with a good family and a sister from Columbus was also invited. After I misjudged a turn and destroyed a good Michelin tire, the good brother of the house and I garnered my checkbook from my wife’s purse and headed off to buy a new tire. Upon our return, in a big hurry to catch up on dinner before time for services, I put the checkbook back in my wife’s purse. Well, I did. I know I did. Well, I thought I did. Next morning as we were packing to come home, Bobby could not find the check book. We unloaded her suitcase to make another search of that (it was on the bottom of everything else in the trunk and it was pouring down rain). No check book. There were two credit cards, an insurance card and a driver’s license, along with a check book — gone. We searched the house, drove back twelve miles to the meeting house and then to the house where we had dinner the night before — all to no avail. We called and cancelled the credit cards and notified the bank. It was a long, dreary ride in the rain with sparse conversation all the way to Louisville. Next day, we received a call from Columbus. The sister who had supper with us had discovered a strange check book in her purse and wondered how it got there. So did I since I know, well, I thought I knew where I had put it. Right check book — wrong purse. Now don’t tell me my frustration was not genuine. I was sincere. Surely such strong feelings of gloom could not be wrong. Like Naaman of old — “Behold I Thought!” I firmly believe that my feelings were as real as any of those who claim to have had some feeling to sweep over them and then interpreted that as an evidence of salvation.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 1, p. 3
January 7, 1993

By William C. Sexton

The 1992 election, in my judgment, was a referendum on three things which points up trouble for God’s people. Let me point to the evidence and see if you agree. If you do, then let us pray for wisdom to act courageously and prudently. If I am missing the mark, please help me to see the truth. What we saw just verifies what was already pretty evident for some time to the close observer.

1. Materialism.

What was the most talked about issue in the whole campaign: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, meaning money and more money, to buy more material things. One of the candidates reportedly had a sign on his desk which read, “It’s the Economy Stupid.” As you watched him, every question he was asked, he turned it right back to this idea — the economy was in the worst state in 50 years, so it was stated, although that was far from reality.

This was done because the candidate was smart, reading the people’s minds correctly. This was top priority on their mind. Although people have bigger houses, finer and more appliances than ever before, they were and are still ‘ dissatisfied — wanting more. This appeals to the greed in each of us, does it not? We want more luxurious auto-mobiles, VCRs, large TV’s, computers, etc. than ever before. All are afraid they are going to have to go back to the “old days” way of living. Such dominated their thinking. It worked and we are on our way to more spending and wallowing in luxury . . . for awhile (cf. Lk. 15:13f).

Did I have on some kind of blinders, colored glasses, being “too old fashioned” and biased by other factors? What do you think?

There is nothing wrong with being concerned with and wanting to have a “good job” and enjoy luxurious things in the home, etc. But when that is the dominant principle in our lives, then it is destructive! How do you view such?

2. Immorality.

When “family values” were raised in the campaign, “pro-choice” and freedom of choice “lifestyles” were always used to shout it down, and shame those who would raise the discussion regarding killing the unborn and sexuality as God would have it.

Human life was trivialized, minimized and belittled — by equating it with “personal freedom” of a man/woman to do what he wanted to do with his own body, overlooking and concealing the fact that a human life is being snatched out in abortion! People forget that much more than discriminating against people over “lifestyle” and “sexual preference” is involved in teaching that homosexuality is an accepted way of life, to be approved and even favored by citizens.

That idea has been successfully whitewashed, and look out for what will follow it down the pipeline of “social agenda.” Within a few days next year, the restrictions that have been placed on people and institutions to caution taking another life freely, will be wiped away with a stroke of the pen. When you settle in and feel comfortable with eliminating the “innocent unborn,” you have taken a big step toward eliminating any others who makes it inconvenient for one with power to eliminate (the old, cripple, etc.).

Likewise, homosexuality is elevated to an “alternate life style,” acceptable and respectable. Such will be taught in the public schools, and we will be shamed, when we raise the question of morality, as bigots, narrow-minded, biased people, a part of the “religious right,” to be pushed into the shame corner and gagged (cf. Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21).

3. Something for Nothing.

Gambling was approved in the state of Missouri, and the little town down the road on the river overwhelmingly approved riverboat gambling. Now they will get their city on the map. All the tourists are going to come spend money: Riverboat gambling is in! They are in a frenzy, really ex-cited about what this is going to do “for” their town. In-deed things will be different!

What is the idea behind gambling, but the desire to “get something for nothing”? Gambling produces nothing that is constructive, while it violates the Bible ways of getting money: (1) Working (Eph. 4:28); (2) Exchange (Matt. 16:26); (3) Charity (Lk. 10:25-35).

But our society is stacked with people who have the idea that they can get something free, “for nothing,” in various ways — the government can and will hand out money, for-getting that it takes the money from the people and keeps a large part of it and gives the rest back to those who have the most persuasive voice and best inside track.

Again, I ask: have I been disoriented? Have I seen things that are not really there? Am I overly disturbed — that a large part of the citizens of our nation, including many members of the body of Christ, would reflect such an attitude toward these matter?

I’m open for corrective information. I wish I could be convinced that such is only imaginary.

A Christian’s Attitude and Course of Action!

Of course, as a Christian, I’m not betting my future of happiness on such concepts, activities and values.

1. I can be and am optimistic — God is still in charge of the ship, and he’ll get us home safely, if we will stay aboard (Mk. 4:36-39; Heb. 13:5-6).

2. The Lord is my shepherd (Psa. 23:lf; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Pet. 5:4-9) so I’ll not want, if I listen to his direction and follow (Jn. 10:27-30).

3. I shall continue to speak as the oracles of God (1 Pet. 4:11), appealing to all to “come” to the Lord (Matt. 11:28-30; Rev. 22:17), and drink freely of the spiritual values.

4. I’ll appeal to all my brethren and fellow countrymen to wake up, see the roses and the thorns. Cultivate the roses and chop down the thorns in your path and garden.

I recommend that each of us go back and read the prophets — especially, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel and Daniel — and be convinced that things aren’t hopeless, for us individually as we may be inclined to think. However, let us see the need to depend on God, be saturated with his revelation and be fully convinced that he is real!

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

By H. E. Phillips

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds (Heb. 1:1,2).

Just as man must reveal his mind to all others before they can know it, so must God reveal his mind to man before he can know it. This is done by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:13).

All revelation comes from the mind of God. Jesus said, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak” (Jn. 12:48-50).

Those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God believe he is sitting at the right hand of God, and has supreme power and authority in heaven and in earth. While he was upon earth (under the Mosaic dispensation) he said that he did not speak of himself; but the Father gave to him what he should speak. He said he spoke only what the Father gave unto him (v. 50).

God the Father has exalted Jesus Christ at his own right hand and made him both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:33,36). He gave him all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). God speaks to us now only through or in his Son, Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1,2). Christ speaks to us through the apostles whom he had chosen for that work. Before he ascended into heaven, he told the apostles not to depart from Jerusalem, but to “wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me” (Acts 1:4). He said to them: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

God gave all authority to Christ when he ascended to his right hand in heaven. Christ speaks through the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:26; 16:13). After he had ascended into heaven, he gave commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen. Luke wrote two books of the New Testament: the gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. He addressed both to one named Theophilus. In both treatises he was under the power of the Holy Spirit who gave him the words that he wrote. The gospel concerned “all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up.” Acts begins, “after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen” (Acts 1:1,2). After Christ was taken up, he gave commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen.

I want you to notice that God “speaks” by or in his Son to this age. He used “words” when he spoke by his Son. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit gave the apostles “utterance” to make known the mind of God. Strong says of “utterance” — “. . .to enunciate plainly, i.e. declare: say, speak forth, utterance.” It is necessary to use words in giving utterance in any language. That is what Jesus means when he used the term “word” or “words” to specify his revelation of the Father. Word indicates an expression of some idea, thought, fact, command, promise, etc.

As Christ “speaks” with the authority given to him, he must also use words. He said, “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (Jn. 6:63). He said the words he spoke to the apostles while he was with them were not of himself, but of the Father (Jn. 14:10). Then he said: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (v. 15). Jesus teaches the relationship of his disciples to him in the parable of the vine and the branches (Jn. 15:1-6). Verse 7 says: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). Finally, he said those who reject him, and receive not his words, will be judged by his words in the last day (Jn. 12:48).

The word which the Father has spoken by his Son is revealed by the Holy Spirit to the apostles. Just before he ascended into heaven, Jesus said to them: “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until he be endued with power from on high” (Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:8). Jesus told his apostles that the Comforter, “which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (Jn. 14:26). He also told them that when the Spirit of truth came, “he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come” (Jn. 16:13). The Holy Spirit does not speak of himself: from his own mind; whatsoever he hears, that is what he speaks. Some-one speaks to him with the message to give to the apostles, just as Christ received his words from the Father.

In Acts 1:2 the inspired record tells that Christ, who has all authority, gives commandments unto the apostles “through the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:1-4 reveals that the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles on Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Christ gives the commands, the Holy Spirit reveals it by words in the mouths of the apostles. They spoke and wrote it (1 Cor. 2:13; Gal. 1:11,12; 1 Thess. 2:13; 1 Cor. 2:13; 14:37; Eph. 3:1-4; 2 Pet. 3:15, 16).

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 1, p. 6
January 7, 1993