Truth Magazine

By Randy Harshbarger

Uncle Sam points a finger and says: “I want you.” The Marines are looking for a “few good men.” The Lord is too. The Lord is looking for men and women of faith and righteousness who will stand in the gap, wield the sword of the Spirit effectively against Satan and sin, and contend for the purity and simplicity of the gospel. Consider the cry of David long ago, as he too asked for a few good men.

The twelfth Psalm, one of many by King David, pleads for a return to the Lord, as sin and rebellion were the order of the day. Much of what is spoken of in this chapter could very well fit today’s society. Indeed, the wickedness of our age should make every Christian cry out as David did, for a return to principles of godliness and decency. James 4:4 says: “Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.” Friendship with the world spells disaster for the child of God. Any courting of that which is against God will cause us to be lost.

David said, “Help Lord, for the godly man ceases to be” (v. 1). Yes, the number of godly men and women seems to be diminishing. Too many are running toward destruction in their mad pursuit of life (Matt. 7:13-14; Phil. 3:19). There is a great need for people who will love the Lord and his word and will dedicate themselves to living according to the oracles of truth and honor. The influences of the world are hardly subtle. Without shame, sin is flaunted on television, in the movies, and in advertizing (for almost every product). Christians are constantly bombarded with the message that says, “If you think it is right, then it is right.” Godly men and women must cry out as faithful watchmen (Ezek. 3 3: If). A constant diet of filth will adversely affect anyone who does not take steps to counterbalance such influences (1 Cor. 15:33).

David said concerning the children of men: “They speak falsehood everyone with his neighbor” (v. 2). There is no longer a premium on honesty. Too many people “speak falsehood.” Liars abound in the government, in business, and sometimes even among brethren. If that possibility does not exist, why did Paul warn against it (Eph. 4:25)? Falsehood and dishonesty will bring about the downfall of our nation (Prov. 14:34). Liars should fear the eternal torment awaiting them (Rev. 21:8). Psalm 12:6 says: “The words of the Lord are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.” Precious metals must be refined by fire to rid them of dross. The words of the Lord are always true and pure. “As for God, his way is blameless; The word of the Lord is tested; He is a shield to all who take refuge in him” (2 Sam. 22:31). There is no impurity in what the Lord says. In contrast, consider the filth of the world. Cursing and using God’s name in vain is simply a way of life for many. “Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Prov. 30:5). The speech of the Christian must edify rather than tear down (Eph. 5:4). We need to be careful what we say and how we say it. This is true in our dealings with people in the world and especially true with our families and brethren.

Psalm 12:8 says: “The wicked strut about on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men.” The wicked seem to delight in their debauchery. Jeremiah (6:15) lived in a world that had forgotten how to blush. Sin has become such a way of life that nothing is thought about it any more. This mind-set spills over in to the church. The Corinthians (Christians) were blase about the sin among them. Paul exhorted them to correct the matter and they eventually did. Refusing to do so weakened them spiritually. The same is true of us today. “Vileness might be exalted” by the world but it must never be condoned by God’s people. Clear teaching needs to be done that extols God’s will concerning the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:19-24). Application to things such as dancing, principles of modesty, and social drinking needs to be made. Let us cry out for truth and righteousness and be sure we live lives of conformity to God’s will rather than the world’s (Rom. 12:12).

Yes, the Lord wants men and women who will do his will. Let us purify ourselves by his word and remember that the Lord will preserve those who seek the way of truth.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 23, p. 709
December 3, 1992

By Ray F. Dively

Jesus said in Mark 16:15, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Today church members believe all they have to do is erect a building, keep it open three times a week and the people will come in. The purpose of the church is to save lost souls and edify the saints.

The real reasons we have not evangelized our neighborhoods or this world, are (1) we have never convinced ourselves that the world is lost without the gospel, and (2) we have never convinced ourselves that we are lost if we don’t take it to the world. “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every branch that beareth fruit he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit” (Jn. 15:2).

One may go to a foreign country and another may go to his neighbor, but everyone of us must go with the gospel if he would go to heaven. How wonderful it would be if every Christian would be not just a convert, but a converter.

Every Christian has the personal responsibility to preach the gospel to the extent of his own capacity and opportunity. That responsibility cannot be shifted to another.

The person who has never had the experience of being a part of bringing a soul to Christ has missed one of the most precious experiences of life. It is God’s word which does the converting but we must do our part by teaching. As I Corinthians 3:6 states, “I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.”

The world cannot be reached by the public assembly alone. A survey showed that 95 percent never win a soul to Christ. The best method of reaching lost souls is from house to house. The Scripture says, “and daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ” (Acts 5:42; 20:20).

The church members have not their talents, time, or opportunities to teach the lost. Each of us must reach the lost. Those of us who are not able to go with the gospel to other lands, must take the gospel to our communities.

The most effective way of making contacts is for the local church to make a door to door religious survey of its community. You will get the opportunity to teach some of these people.

There are many other ways of making contacts. Make the most of opportunities you have with the people you come into contact with each day, the people you work with and your neighbors. The greatest influence that you will have with these people is by living the Christian life. They are watching us.

Visit the sick in the hospitals, whether you know them or not. If someone mentions to you of a friend or relation in the hospital, take time to visit him. We are overlooking the hospitals as a source of making contacts.

Many Christians do not even mention Christ or his church to friends and relations. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom. 1:16). These people will not be reached if we will not do it.

One of the best ways given to us to do personal work is the visitors who attend our services. They had some interest or reason for attending the services. First, get the visitors to sign a visitor’s card and then follow up with a personal visit to their homes.

Every congregation should have a personal work program. There is nothing that will make us more consecrated and dedicated than working to win souls to Christ. Personal work is the heart of the church. Without it the church will not grow. Whenever a church has a personal work program, it grows in members and other phases of the Lord’s work increases.

After a person has been baptized, do not forget him. A large percent of our converts are lost after baptism because we fail to teach them further. Let us take time to visit and teach them the Scriptures.

Christians have the responsibility of teaching lost souls. Do you care enough to do personal work that some lost soul may be saved, also your own?

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 23, p. 717
December 3, 1992

By Dan King

In the prophet Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, he disclosed the plan of God for the setting up of a kingdom which was to be unlike all those that had gone before. Though Nebuchadnezzar was a great king (2:37) and his Babylonian empire a mighty military, political and economic force, yet it would eventually succumb to those internal and external forces which bring down all kingdoms as time passes by. History declares that it happened in the case of Sumer and Assyria before him, and to the Medes and Persians, the Greeks, and even the colossal Roman empire. Since time immemorial no nation has continued as a political entity for much beyond a few hundred years. Babylonia was no exception.

It is rather depressing to think, for I am a proud American, that my own marvelous nation cannot go on forever. But it is a fact, hard fact though it may be. That is the way of the world: nations rise and fall. None has proven immortal, all have perished and been buried with the dusts of time.

Yet Daniel declared that God had a plan for a permanent kingdom: “And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2:44). This one was to be different. In fact, later in the book Daniel suggested that this is one thing that is distinctive about what God is capable of doing, as opposed to man’s puny abilities: “. . . his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation ” (4:3). When Nebuchadnezzar later came to recognize this fundamental truth of the divine nature, he was restored to his former place as king of Babylon (4:34). Certainly the idea is repeated throughout the Bible (see: Psa. 145:13; Jer. 10:10; Ezek. 37:25; Mic. 4:7).

When we turn to the New Testament, we are confronted with the realization of the great passage in Daniel 7, which says of the Son of Man when he is brought before the Ancient of Days, that “there was given unto him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (vv. 13-14). The echo of this is heard in the angel’s announcement of the birth of Jesus: “He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Lk. 1:33).

As Jesus came preaching, he spoke frequently of the coming kingdom, using parables and plain language to describe its characteristics. The term “kingdom” was very often upon his lips, for it was at the center of his teaching of the people. In Matthew 16:18, 19 he plainly connected his kingdom with the church: “. . . upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Yet, the church was not to be as worldly kingdoms are organized or operated: “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight . . . but now is my kingdom not from hence” (Jn. 18:36).

None of those aspects of earthly kingdoms which make them eventually crumble into ruin is found in the kingdom which Christ came to build. He gave it no earthly head, but serves as its heavenly head (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1: 22-23); it had no worldly headquarters, but only heaven as its center of authority and power (Col. 2:9-10); it possessed no political, military, or economic ambitions, fielded no armies, held no land areas, and sought no ideological advantage. Its aims were all spiritual, and had the ultimate good of every soul as its ultimate end. This is the nature of the kingdom of Christ. It is the purpose of his church.

Truly such a kingdom has the capacity to stand for ever. It reaches out to the hearts of men and holds them with bands of love. It inspires loyalty, dedication and faithfulness in good men everywhere — and shall for all time. When its back was bent beneath the weight of Imperial persecution, God declared through John that it could not be broken; great voices in heaven declared that “the kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 11:15), and that Jesus was still “King of kings and Lord of lords” (19:16).

How do I stand in relation to this grand plan of the Almighty? No power can withstand it, and none can ever destroy it. For nearly two thousand years it has stood up to every tyrant and movement which calculated to do it harm. Still it stands, its numbers ever increasing, its influence never dying. Are you a part of this glorious kingdom? Please know, dear reader, that someday when all earth’s glories have faded and passed into oblivion, God’s majesty will not have dimmed nor his kingdom disappeared. As Martin Luther wrote in his famous hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God:

And tho’ this world with evil filled,

Should threaten to undo us;

We will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph through us.

Let goods and kindred go,

This mortal life also;

The body they may kill:

God’s truth abideth still,

His kingdom is forever.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 23, pp. 705, 727
December 3, 1992

By Bill H. Reeves

There are those decrying the use of the terms “liberal” and “conservative” (although we are using them within a given context), telling us that they themselves aren’t either, but only “Christians”! That sounds nice,” doesn’t it? They speak contemptuously of any who use these terms, and tell us that the use of such terms does not make for unity.

During the last century and at the turn of this century, the controversy over the introduction of the missionary society, and the use of instrumental music in the worship of the local church, produced the use of the terms “progressives” and “conservatives” (source: Stephen J. Corey, President of the United Christian Missionary Society, Religious Bodies, 1936, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, p. 541). (As a side-point, we might notice that the “liberals” of today, among our own brethren were the “conservatives” of yesterday!)

Well, “what saith the Scriptures?” (Rom. 4:3) The apostle Paul speaks of “false brethren” (Gal. 2:4) and “faithful brethren” (Col. 1:2). Will one of these modern compromisers step up and tell Paul that he is neither “false” nor “faithful,” only “Christian”?

Was Paul opposed to unity?

Where would these modern compromisers have stood in the battle against Judaism? Would they have been among the “false brethren” (Judaizers), or among the “faithful brethren”? Would they have opposed Judaism, as Paul did (Acts 15:1,2), or claimed to have been “Christians only,” seeking “unity”? Where would they have stood in the last century in the battle against institutionalism (missionary societies) and the introduction of instrumental music in the worship? Would they have been “progressives,” “conservatives,” or “Christians only”?

Where are they today? They are with the “false,” the “progressives,” the “liberals,” their protests to the contrary! The reason for this is simple: there are not three alternatives (liberal, conservative, Christian). There are only two: false brethren and faithful brethren. We are either “with” Christ and his doctrine (2 Jn. 9), or we are “against” him and it (Matt. 12:30). We are all Christians in these conflicts; we are all brethren. But some are “false” and some are “faithful.” Let us not be deceived by “smooth and fair speech,” which is sound without substance.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 23, p. 711
December 3, 1992