Truth Magazine

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

By Joe R. Price

Men and women are obsessed with appearance. There is nothing wrong with grooming and personal hygiene, and we are certainly not condemning due attention to these (cf. 1 Cor. 11:14). But it is undeniably true that many people are only concerned with their exterior beauty. They neglect the inner man. The commercials which bombard us on TV testify to the inordinate amount of attention given to the appearance of men and women. Everything from diet plans to beer drinking are supposed to enhance one’s looks (and outlook) on life. Truly, we live in a humanistic society!

God, our Creator and Sustainer (Acts 17:24-25), sees us in a very different way. When the prophet Samuel was directed to anoint a new king for Israel, he was sent to the house of Jesse. Upon seeing Jesse’s firstborn, Samuel was sure this was “Jehovah’s anointed” (1 Sam. 16:1-6). Eliab must have been a fine looking young man. Like their present king Saul, whose appearance was stately and handsome (1 Sam. 9:2), Eliab seemed to “fit the bill.” But God wanted Israel to learn a lesson which we must,also learn: “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). The fact that God knows men’s hearts led him to select David to be the next king of Israel (Acts 13:22).

Exercising the Heart

What does this have to do with you and me? Plenty. In the current atmosphere of our self-pleasing culture, the Christian must avoid thinking of himself, others and this life on merely a physical, external basis. Since God looks on our hearts, should we not be more concerned with our souls than our bodies? Of course we should! If we would give as much care to our hearts as we do our hair, teeth, makeup, physique, etc., I dare say that we would be much more like Christ (Gal. 2:20)! We prepare our bodies to make the best possible impression upon those who see us, but are we forgetting to prepare our hearts for the One who sees and knows our every thought (1 Kgs. 8:39; Psa. 139:1)? The world values the importance of enhancing the outer man, and we have already said there is nothing wrong with concern over physical appearance. But when the Christian becomes more interested in his body than in his soul, priorities have been misplaced. “And exercise thyself unto godliness: for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Tim. 4:7-8). Men may only look at your body, but God looks at your heart. Have you done any “heart exercises” lately?

The Inner Man

This matter of God looking on the heart also says something to anyone who thinks he is only made of flesh and bones. “This life is all there is” is the rallying cry of the hedonist. But to the reflective person it is apparent that man is more than merely flesh. We possess a reasoning capacity (intelligence) and a moral capacity (conscience). These defy a physical origin and explanation of man. The Bible teaches that God created man as a dual being, possessing both body and spirit (Gen. 2:7). There is that part of every one of us which is made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). It is the inner man, that part of man which God looks upon. Thusly made, we must “walk by faith, not by sight” as we seek a heavenly home for the inner man (2 Cor. 4:16-5:10).

Obedient Hearts

Like David, we must become people “after God’s own heart. ” Seeing this quality, God knew that David would “do all my will” (Acts 13:22). Obedience to the divine will is made possible only when our hearts are right with God. We must cultivate the type of heart which is honest, open, responsive, submissive and obedient to all of God’s commands. Does this mean that when men develop such a heart we will never sin? No, for David surely did and so do we (Psa. 51:1-4, 1 Jn. 1:7-10). That line of thinking misses the point. In truth, it is only the obedient heart which will care enough about God’s will to repent of sin and to become what God wants him to be! When we truly care about God’s will, we will learn it (through diligent study, 2 Tim. 2:15) so that we can obey it in our life (Lk. 8:15). Can it be said that we are people after God’s own heart?

Appearances Can Deceive

Finally, we should learn that since God does not judge on the basis of appearance, neither should we (Jn. 7:24). When something appears a certain way to us, we had better make sure of it through proper investigation, lest we misrepresent and do a great deal of damage. Since we cannot know men’s hearts unless they tell us (unlike God), we must be careful when drawing conclusions about situations and people. This is not to say that we cannot properly render necessary judgments, for we can (cf. Matt. 5:16-20; 7:15-20; Gal. 2:11-14; 1 Cor. 5:3-5). For instance, people often reveal their motives and objectives by their conduct. But always remember that Jesus said to ‘Judge righteous judgment. ” We must use the divine standard of revealed truth to guide our judgments. Never let mere appearances dictate decisions (cf. Matt. 6:1-8).

Remember to see things the way God sees them!

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 18, p. 549
September 17, 1992

By Mike Willis

The birth narrative of Jesus concisely tells the dramatic unfolding of the fulfillment of the Messianic promises. The events began to unfold in a perfectly natural way: a young man named Joseph fell in love with a young woman named Mary. Soon thereafter, the Lord intervened. The virgin Mary conceived a baby by the power of the Holy Spirit. Some months later when Joseph realized that Mary was expecting and knowing that the child was not his own, he decided to divorce her privately. An angel appeared to Joseph reassuring him that Mary had not been guilty of fornication and explaining to him that she was with child by the Holy Ghost. He then said,

Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us (Matt. 1:20-23).

The virgin birth of Jesus was a miracle through which God the Son became flesh. The Lord divinely revealed to Joseph the name of the child born to Mary. He shall be called Jesus.

A Common Name

The name Jesus was a common name in the first century. It was worn by Jesus Justus (Col. 4:11) and the father of Elymas the sorcerer (Acts 13:6) in the New Testament. Josephus mentions some twenty persons who bore this name and three of 70 translators of the Septuagint wore this name (TDNT III:285). To distinguish Jesus, the son of Mary, from the others, he frequently was called “Jesus of Nazareth. “

The name Jesus had a rich history. It is the Grecian form of the Hebrew name Joshua, the second great leader of Israel who led Israel into the promised land (see Acts 7:45 and Heb. 4:8 where Joshua is called “Jesus”). The name means “Jehovah is salvation.” Many a young Hebrew boy was given the name of Joshua in honor of the captain of Israel who won the battle of Jericho. How appropriate that the “captain of our salvation” (Heb. 2:10) should bear this name.

The name was also worn by another great leader of Israel – Jeshua, the high priest who assisted in the restoration of the children of Israel from Babylonian captivity (Ezra 3:2). He was one of several prominent leaders who restored the nation to its land, rebuilt the temple and the city of Jerusalem. How appropriate that our “high priest” should also wear this honorable name (Heb. 3:1).

The name Jesus was chosen for the child born to Mary by God himself (Matt. 1:21). It means “Jehovah is salvation” in a deeper sense for Jesus than with any other.

The Name Affirms the Humanity of Jesus

The Lord’s Christ bore the name of Jesus. This was the name given at birth. It therefore affirms the humanity of Lord’s messiah. Jesus was no mythological figure; he had real historical existence. His body was not a mere appearance, as the docetics might have affirmed; he had a real body.

Yet, the child which was born was in the most real sense Immanuel – “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). The virgin birth is the explanation of how deity became a man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a woman. The child who was born was the same person who “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn. 1:1). “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14). The incarnation was described by the Paul in these words:

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil. 2:5-8).

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich (2 Cor. 8:9).

We cannot completely understand how deity became flesh and certainly we cannot improve on the language of Scripture to describe it. This much is revealed: God the Son took upon himself the form of a man and lived among us. As a man he experienced the same temptations as we experience (Heb. 4:15). When we speak of Jesus, we are reminded that God became flesh.

The Name Jesus Means Savior

The name Jesus which means “Jehovah is salvation” certinly reaches its deepest level of meaning when we realize that Jehovah came to save his people from their sins. Jesus came on a mission when he came to this world; he came to “seek and save that which is lost” (Lk. 19:10).

From what did Jesus intend to save his people? His contemporaries thought that we would save his people from Roman domination by organizing an army to overthrow the government and establish a Jewish commonwealth. Some might mistakenly think that Jesus came to rid the world of poverty, racism, civil injustice, and such like things. Some might conclude he came to heal the sick of the world. Yet, none of these was Jesus’ mission.

He came to save men from their sins. His deliverance is four-fold: (a) He saves us from the guilt of sin by granting forgiveness; (b) He saves us from the power of sin by enabling us to break its enslaving yoke; (c) He saves us from the darkness of sin by bringing us into the light of revealed truth; (d) He saves us from the punishment of sin by granting us entrance into heaven.

He is adequate for the task he came to perform. Indeed, the writer of Hebrews said, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (7:25).

The New Testament also affirms that salvation from sin is available nowhere else. Peter said, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

The salvation is limited to “his people.” The Lord’s people are not limited to the physical descendants of Abraham. The Lord’s people are those who have obedient faith in Christ. These are the only people he has promised to save from their sins.

The Name of Jesus Is Above Every Name

Having accomplished his mission through his sacrificial death on Calvary, Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God. Paul wrote, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11). John saw the creatures of heaven “saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Rev. 5:12-13).

Indeed, the name of Jesus has been exalted and is worthy to be praised. He not only is the sovereign creator, he is the savior and judge of man. We should glorify his majestic name.

Conclusion

We pause to praise the Father who loved us enough to send his Son to die for our sins. We praise Jesus – the Lamb who was slain for the sins of the world. Is Jesus your Savior?

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 18, pp. 546, 566-567
September 17, 1992