Truth Magazine

By Brooks Cochran

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:12,13).

The word temptation (peirasmos) “is used of (1) trials with a beneficial purpose and effect [cf. James 1:2; 1 Peter 1:6]; . . . (2) Of trial definitely designed to lead to wrong doing; . . . (3) Of ‘trying’ or challenging God, by men” (Vine, Expository Dictionary of N. T. Words, p. 622). The first definition has to do with trials which test and/or prove a person; i.e. how real, sincere, or true is his faith. The second deals with that which entices a person to do evil. In this sense, God does not tempt us (Jas. 1:13,14). It is with this meaning that we shall direct our thoughts.

1. Temptation is a universal experience. Adam was tempted in the garden of Eden and fell (Gen. 3). Christ was tempted in the wilderness and overcame (Matt. 4). Christ, because of his experience as a man, is able to help us as we meet with trials in life (Heb. 2:14-18; 4:14-16).

2. No one is secure from temptations. Paul, in the above text, warns not to be lead into a sense of false security. When we think or assume that we are secure, we are in danger. The presumptuous individual disarms himself and becomes an easy target for the “fiery darts of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16). The devil often strikes unexpectedly, often finding us unaware and unprepared (1 Pet. 5:8).

3. Temptations should not cause one to become discouraged. Again, in the above text, Paul states that God “is faithful” and will not allow us “to be tempted” beyond that which we are able to bear. He also will provide us with a way of escape. How often do we use the way provided by God?

4. Overcoming temptations requires effort. It may require resistance (Jas. 4:7,8); meditation, prayer, and watchfulness (Psa. 119:11; Matt. 26:4 1); or running away from the evil (1 Cor. 6:18; 10:14; 2 Tim. 2:22; Gen. 39:12).

In the temptations we face, there are two possibilities: (1) We yield and thus we sin (Jas. 1:14-15); (2) We resist and overcome Satan and the world (1 Jn. 5:4,5; 5:18-21). By doing the latter we gain strength and prepare ourselves for Satan’s next attack (cf. Lk. 4:13).

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 18, p. 557
September 17, 1992

By Larry Ray Halfey

Even though Ezekiel 33:12,13,18, says it is not true, Catholicism teaches that at death erring children of God go to Purgatory, but afterward they are admitted into heaven. But if the “righteous” who die in sin are purged and punished and then allowed into heaven, what about the “wicked” who slip up and actually do some good? Could we not say taht the wicked enter into a pre-heaven paradise because of the good they did? If the righteous are punished in Purgatory and then sent to heaven, why not reward the wicked for a little while for the few good deeds they did, and then send them on to Hell for the duration of their condemnation? If we may have one, why not the other?

1 John 2:1, 2, is a death blow to the Catholic Confession booth – “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous,” “We” included John, the apostle. Even those who sinned in John’s day were not pointed toward the apostles, nor to any other group of men. Our “advocate,” “the Apostle and High Priest of our profession (is) Christ Jesus” (Heb. 3:1). There are no Catholic toll booths on the highway to heaven.

To “see” or “enter the kingdom of God” is to be saved (Jn. 3:3,5). At least, the Lord and the apostles thought so. In Matthew 19:16, the rich, young ruler asked about “eternal life. ” Jesus told him how to “enter into life, ” and how to “have treasure in heaven.” When the rich man went away, Jesus discussed how difficult it was for a rich man who trusts in his riches to “enter into the kingdom. ” When the disciples heard it, they asked, “Who then can be saved?” To be saved, to enter into life, to have eternal life, to have treasure in heaven, is to be in the kingdom.

One error that blinds many to the truth is the concept that conditions equal merit. If a blessing has terms or conditions that must be obeyed, it is considered as being earned, deserved, merited. But conditions do not equal merit! Our “daily bread,” our food, “is the gift of God” (Eccl. 3:13; Matt. 6:11). Yet, there are conditions to be met before we receive it. Eating, drinking and enjoying the benefits of “labor” are called “the gift of God” (Eccl. 3:13; cf. 2 Thess. 3: 10).

Note another example of the point above. God gave Jericho to Israel, but there were conditions attached (Josh. 6:2-5; Heb. 11:30). Israel had to be obedient in order to be blessed (Deut. 28-32; cf. Matt. 7:21-28). God said, “I have given into thine hand Jericho,” yet “they took the city” (Josh. 6:2,20). After meeting the terms, the conditions necessary to secure it, the land was not earned. Conditions do not equal merit. Years later, God said:

We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favor unto them. . . . Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou has saved us from our enemies (Psa. 44:1-3,5-7).

Despite required acts of obedience, the blessings were not earned. So, too, of spiritual blessings. “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jon. 2:9); “It is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8,9; Rom. 6:23). Though one must believe, repent and be baptized in order to be saved (Heb. 11:6; Jn. 8:24; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38), these terms of pardon do not nullify grace. “Conditions equal merit” is a monstrous lie!

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 18, p. 553
September 17, 1992

By Harry R. Osborne

Jesus spoke in clear terms about the task of sowing the seed and its effect upon those with differing kinds of hearts. In the parable of the sower, He said this:

Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirty fold, some sixty, and some a hundred (Mk. 4:3-8).

After Jesus had spoken this parable to the disciples, they did not understand its intended meaning and application. Thus, Jesus gave the following explanation to them:

The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. And when they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirty fold, some sixty, and some a hundred (Mk. 4:1420).

The parable as given and explained by Jesus presents three ingredients in the process of teaching.

First, there is the seed which is the word of God. That word always has the power to save (Rom. 1:16). That power is undimmed by time or circumstances (1 Pet. 1:22-25). Hence, the seed of God’s word is a constant in this process – as constant as the God who gave it.

Second, there is the sower who is the teacher of God’s word. The sower has the responsibility to teach that truth to “every creature” just as Christ commanded in the first century (Mk. 16:15; 1 Pet. 3:15). The sower is not responsible for the reaction to the seed, but he is responsible to sow it (1 Cor. 3:5-9). Thus, the sower should also be a constant in this process. He is not to pick and choose beforehand who will or will not receive the word of God – he is simply to preach it to all within his reach.

Third, there is the hearer. The one variable in the process as Jesus designed it is the heart of the hearer. Obedience or disobedience will be chosen by the hearer based upon the preparation and suitability of the heart.

Regarding the Sower

No doubt, we mentally know these facts about the sower. The question is this, do we believe them to the point that we act in such a way that conforms to Christ’s design? Are we the kind of sowers we should be? Are we spreading the seed of God’s word as widely as we can or are we excusing ourselves from that obligation by deciding that various people will not obey the truth before we ever tell them about it? I must be the first to confess that I have done too much of the latter and not nearly enough of the former. The trip to Lithuania taught me some valuable lessons along that line.

My mind goes to a young man named Ardvetis who served as my interpreter during several studies. When I met Ardvetis, it was our first full day in Vilnius. He was in the English department of Vilnius State University where we had gone to locate interpreters. He was a rather unkempt looking fellow who came across as a rebel of sorts. He manifested an interest in working as an interpreter so we took down his name and phone number. We then asked him if he had read the Bible and whether he was interested in studying it. He shrugged his shoulders and replied that he had not read the Bible, nor was he much interested in it since he did not believe in God.

Within two weeks, I had used him in interpreting for me in several classes. After one of them, he told me he would like to ask me a few questions. It was cold and getting dark so I thought he would probably want to stay only a few minutes. By the time we finished, we had discussed the Bible for over two and a half hours and I had to leave so that I could catch a trolley bus home before they ceased running for the night. If we had eliminated him from hearing the truth by our first meeting, it would have been a tragic mistake. Ardvetis has since come to believe in the God of the Bible and my prayer is that he will one day obey the Gospel. We had many other similar cases.

Regarding the Soil

We are also well aware of the facts regarding the differing soils for the seed, the varying hearts of men. However, we sometimes fail to get the application of the principles. For instance, we sometimes think of ourselves as failures when the one we teach does not obey the truth. We have not failed when we teach the whole counsel of God and the hearer does not obey. The failure is the hearer’s who has not properly prepared his own heart. Sometimes we are tempted to assure the favorable response of the hearer by altering the message in a way which eliminates or minimizes the factors we perceive as “negative”‘ elements. In both cases, our problem stems from a failure to see that the response to the message is not our responsibility, but the hearer’s. We must simply preach the word in its fullness, thus meeting our obligation.

The various soils were there in Lithuania. Some would come by our table on the square and wave their hands in disgust when they saw that we were offering Bible literature. Some older Catholics would react with anger when they saw that we stood opposed to Roman Catholicism.

Others were ready to hear at first, but unwilling to obey in the end. One lady named Margreta was especially memorable. She saw the need to be baptized rather quickly, but delayed and then began to make excuses to avoid action. Ultimately, she decided that she really had been baptized when she was in the water every day preparing to deliver her oldest child in a water birth. (I had never heard that one before!)

Jonas was a young man who had a heart choked by the cares and pleasures of the world. He wanted to be baptized, but he could not bring himself to give up alcohol and stealing. The young lady I baptized, Jurgeta, turned out to be of the same heart though over different concerns. After her baptism, her family and her Catholic priest turned her against the truth and back to religious error.

But the parable of Jesus did not end with those who refused. There are always those with good and honest hearts who will hear and obey the gospel. It was a true joy that changes your life to see people hungering for the truth who have never heard it before. I am convinced that there are many in Lithuania who will let the word sink into their honest hearts and will obey if they are granted time. Leslie and I were watching the video tape made by Steve Wallace while in Vilnius and I told her the story of several who seem so deeply interested in God’s word.

You Cannot Improve upon the Seed

More than anything, it was clear that packaging the truth in less “offensive” and more “positive” terms did not help, but actually hurt! When we began teaching, we tried to lay a good foundation. We showed that the Bible was the sole authority to guide us in serving God. Very few had any problem with that, at least in principle.

Yet, when we started to apply that principle to show the error of the Catholic Church, the Pentecostals, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others, many of those in the various groups did not like it at first. However, the more plain and forceful we became in opposing error, the more we had people wanting to hear what we were saying. I am more convinced than ever that people will hear and heed the word of God if we will only have the courage to preach it clearly and fully, Attempts to take away the conflict between it and the religious error around us will mask the truth from honest hearts who are seeking it.

Some brethren today do not want denominational churches to be named from the pulpit and their error exposed. But people who are honestly seeking the truth in those denominations want to hear the differences between truth and error explained so that they may obey the truth. Failure to teach the whole counsel of God masks the very truth which is able to purify their souls (1 Pet.1:22). Let us through off the cloak of timidity which dulls the sword of the Spirit and boldly proclaim the saving truth of our glorious Savior!

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 18, pp. 550-551
September 17, 1992

By Robert Wayne La Coste

Those of us who have preached the precious gospel of Our Lord and Savior for any length of time have met many individuals we surely could have done without meeting. One of these is a “she elder.” So what is a “she elder”? Certainly the term, and/or office is not with scriptural foundation. That, we may first assert without hesitancy. What she is, is an individual that is:

Self-Appointed

The adjective “self” as used with the term appointed is surely the main problem. Certainly the Lord did not appoint her. She is a self-promoting and self-appointed individual.

In God’s qualifications for elders, we often think that at the top of the list of those qualifications, is the need for that one to “desire” the office (1 Tim. 3:1). Wrong. The first qualification is: If a man . . . . ” The second prerequisite is then desire. God has always had the man in the dominant role, both in the home and the church. No man made it that way. God made it that way. God has his place and role for women. That role does not include leading or making decisions in the local church! The virtuous woman who fears the Lord, respects this (Prov. 31:30). She knows that she becomes like a fish out of water when she tries to exist outside that sphere. Many a godly woman has won her husband and others to the way of truth, by respecting God’s arrangement. The apostle Peter wrote, “Likewise ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands . . . whose adorning let it not be outward . . . but let it be the hidden man of the heart … the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time, the holy women also who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection” (1 Pet. 3:1,3-5). The godly woman is under authority, she does not try to exercise any authority. This is also the main reason why women cannot be gospel preachers. Paul told Titus, “These things speak, and exhort and rebuke with all authority” (Tit. 3:6). How could a woman rebuke “with all authority” and at the same time “be in subjection to authority” (1 Tim. 2:12)? Any woman who does not respect God’s arrangement, brings to herself swift destruction spiritually. Worse however, many a marriage and indeed many a congregation of the Lord has suffered greatly due to the “self-appointed, she-elder.” Her motto is: “Rule or Ruin.” When she tries to rule, there is always ruin.

Usually An Elder’s Wife

In 25 years of full-time work with the Lord’s people, the Lord has been so gracious. Most all my brethren have been kind, loving and considerate, not only to me, but to the church in general. I have worked with some of the finest of God’s elders, both in local and meeting work. I respect God’s arrangement and plan for elders in the local church. All of this “hoop-la” from false teachers about “elders and their evils,” doesn’t change the Lord’s will. Charles Holt and others scream long and loud about abuses of elders, as though this would negate God’s commands concerning such. It is true, there have been some evil elders, just like there have been evil preachers. If abuse merits consideration of cancellation of the office, then we are compelled to ask, “What office is there that would exist?” Every office that man has ever been put in has been abused in some way. No, abuse is not the issue. When an elder abuses the office of an elder, you get rid of the man, not the office!

The “bad elder” like the “she-elder,” have been in my life at least, the exception and not the rule. I have met and had to contend with only two she elders. Fortunately they were many years apart! I have known many times over, so many more godly women who are elder’s wives. Behind every good and godly elder is a wife that helps him meet God’s qualifications (1 Tim. 3; Tit. 1). She is a wife that wants to serve, not be self serving. I wish I could print the names of those women whom I love so very much who are elder’s wives that know their place, know how important it is that they keep a “low profile” and know what can happen if and when they try to “rule” either at home or in the church. They are women who do themselves honor, because they honor God and their husband. Their husbands “praise her in the gates” (Prov. 31:31). But see? That’s the problem. The “she-elder” rules her husband at home, and they think they can get away with it when it comes to the church! Yes, I know what you are thinking: How did this man become an elder having such a wife in the first place? It happens, because evil is so good in disguising itself. The apostle Paul wrote often about the deceptiveness and subtlety of sin! (2 Cor. 11:1-3) This has always been the case. Mother Eve could tell us a lot about that. (Gen. 3:6) Being the kind of Jezebel the “she elder” often is, she cunningly devises ways to get her husband in the office, so she can either rule through him or find another way to rule. She manipulates, schemes and plans her approach, all under the mirage of doing good. It may take a while to find out who she is and what she’s up to, but it is even as Jesus taught concerning all: “By their fruits, ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:16).

Dead While She Liveth

Such a woman appears to becoming more prevalent in the church. One of the reasons has to be the pressure in our society for women to assert “their rights.” Some of these women are not married to elders. They are the young ambitious type that if their talents and resources were channeled in the God-appointed direction, they would be such an asset to both themselves and the body of Christ. However, when self gets in the way and the mentality exists to have “one’s rights” safeguarded and exercised, regardless, surely there is confusion and every evil work prevalent. Such women in our society and sometimes in the Lord’s church promise much, but can deliver nothing. At least nothing good. The reason is: “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage” (2 Pet. 2:19). Such women are the slaves of their own self-will and they seek to make others slaves of that same will. Such women, who are God’s daughters, are as Paul told Timothy, “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth” (1 Tim. 5:6). Her “pleasure” has become her desire to rule, be dominant, exercise her rights and control and manipulate people and circumstances.

Brethren, we are encouraged to watch out for the false teacher, the troublemaker and any and every “high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor.10:5). It is sad such things must be written, but worse yet that such people must exist among God’s people. When such people are evident, they must be marked and reproved if they will not repent (Rom. 16:17; Eph. 5:11). Israel of old had its Jezebel’s, the early church had its Sapphira’s and we too will have women who know not, neither care not about their proper place in the Lord’s kingdom. God give us more Phoebe’s, Tabitha’s and Lydia’s and may he deliver us from the self-appointed “she-elder.”

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 18, pp. 547-548
September 17, 1992