Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

When a person mentions thirty pieces of silver, many immediately think of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, so familiar is his betrayal etched in our memories. The Bible recounts the weaknesses of character of various men, not merely to embarrass them, but to teach as lessons that we might not follow in their footsteps. We can learn from the weakness of King Saul which led to his disobedience when he thought that sacrifice was more important than obedience (1 Sam. 15) and from the rich young ruler who loved his money more than he loved Christ (Matt. 19:16-22). Similarly, we can learn from the apostasy of Judas – lessons which may help us not to stumble as he did.

The New Testament tells us that Judas betrayed Jesus by making a covenant with the Jews for thirty pieces of silver. His decision to go to the Jewish leaders follows hard upon the account of the woman anointing Jesus with very expensive, precious ointment in the house of Simon the leper in Bethany. Judas resented the “waste” and protested to Jesus that the precious ointment might have been sold and the money given to the poor. Judas was not concerned for the poor but “because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein” (Jn. 12:6).

Having gone to the Jews, Judas asked the chief priests, “What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?” They made an agreement for thirty pieces of silver, the sum legislated by the law of Moses as payment for a slave who had been gored by an ox (Exod. 21:32). The Amplified Bible in 1958 translated thirty pieces of silver as $21.62.

What Thirty Pieces of Silver Could Buy

There were some things that thirty pieces of silver could buy. The chief rulers found that thirty pieces of silver were sufficient money to buy the betrayal of Jesus into their hands. Thirty pieces of silver were not what Jesus was worth; rather they were what Judas was worth. Judas sold out his loyalty to his friend for a mere thirty pieces of silver. How many times do we find men willing to sell out their integrity for such a small sum of money. For less money than that some sell themselves to the Devil by shoplifting a small item at the mall, stealing a tool from work, or doing something else equally small. Such men value themselves at a very low price, although Jesus said a man’s soul is worth more than the whole world (Matt. 16:26).

Thirty pieces of silver were also sufficient to buy a field to bury strangers in. When Judas came to these same chief rulers on the morning after he betrayed Jesus, he threw the money at their feet and said, “I have betrayed innocent blood.” Then he went and hanged himself. The Jewish leaders could not put blood money in the Temple treasury so they used the money to buy a potter’s field in which to bury strangers. (Note the parallel between Jesus’ blood money buying a place to bury the body of strangers [Gentile sojourners] and his blood making atonement for the sins of Gentiles.)

What Thirty Pieces of Silver Could Not Buy

While thirty pieces of silver could buy these things, there were several things which thirty pieces of silver could not buy. Consider these:

1. Thirty pieces of silver could not redeem Christ from death. We do not know for sure what thoughts passed through Judas’ mind as he witnessed the chain of events which followed his betrayal of Jesus. One thing is for sure: he never intended for his betrayal to lead to Jesus’ death. When he saw the series of events which followed, he regretted what he had done and came back to the chief rulers of the Jews and said, “I have betrayed innocent blood.” Returning the thirty pieces of silver, however, was not enough to secure the release of Jesus and stop the ordeal of death which was in place.

Like Judas, many sinners give little thought to the consequences of their sins. They only look at sin’s pleasure and never stop to think about its consequences. If Magic Johnson had thought about his possibly contacting the HIV virus, how would he have changed his conduct? If fornicators thought about an unwanted pregnancy, disease, and getting caught, they would not commit fornication. If drinkers thought about the death they might cause by an automobile accident, their addiction to alcohol, drinking’s impact on their family, and such like things, they would never take the first drink. But thirty pieces of silver cannot undo the consequences of sin.

2. Thirty pieces of silver could not buy concern for Judas’ soul from the leaders of the Jews. When Judas returned with his money and said, “I have betrayed innocent blood,” the Jewish leaders said, “What is that to us? See thou to that” (Matt. 27:4). These Jewish leaders were leaders of religion – the high priest, chief priests, etc. They should have been concerned for the souls of those to whom they ministered, but they had no concern for Judas’ soul.

Judas learned that his accomplices in sin were willing to go much further then he was ready to go. His thirty pieces of silver were unable to stop them from going all the way. How many times does something very similar to this happen when men join hands with the wicked. When the scheme takes one deeper into sin than he is willing to go, he cannot stop them by his decision to bail out. When he decides to bail out, these same men who induced him to join them in their sin will care nothing for his soul, guilty conscience, or feelings of shame. They will say, “See thou to that.”

3. Thirty pieces of silver could not give Judas the pleasure he thought they would provide. I can picture Judas as he walked away from making an agreement with the chief rulers of the Jews. His pockets jingled with the sound of thirty pieces of silver! He must have thought about what thirty pieces of silver would buy. He may have had plans for how he was going to spend the money, thinking of the pleasure this would bring him.

But Judas found that blood money could not give him the happiness it promised. Whatever joy he thought this money would bring to him, he found that it could not give what it promised. Consequently, he thrust the money from himself (Matt. 27:5). How different thirty pieces of silver appeared to Judas before and after his sin.

Sin always promises more than it can deliver. It promises liberty but brings bondage (2 Pet. 2:19). It promises pleasure but brings pain. It promises satisfaction but creates want.

4. Thirty pieces of silver could not buy a clear conscience. When Judas threw the money at the feet of the chief priests and elders, he was trying to buy a clear conscience and peace of mind. He found that thirty pieces of silver could not give him peace. Only the gospel of peace could give one the peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7). Judas’ remorse led him to commit suicide. In his remorse, he hanged himself. No, thirty pieces of silver could not bring him peace of mind and a clear conscience.

Two men committed sin on the night of Jesus’ arrest. Judas betrayed Jesus and Peter denied him. One showed remorse and hung himself; the other repented of his sin, confessed his sin to God and was forgiven by the blood shed on the cross. He became the first preacher of the gospel, delivering the first gospel sermon on the day of Pentecost. Thirty pieces of silver could not obtain for Judas what Jesus’ forgiveness gave to Peter.

5. Thirty pieces of silver could not redeem Judas from hell. Returning the blood money could not save Judas’ soul. Jesus foretold his damnation saying, “The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born” (Matt. 26:24). Judas’ eternal state is perdition (Jn. 17:12). Thirty pieces of silver could not save his soul.

Conclusion

There are some things that thirty pieces of silver cannot buy. Neither could thirty thousand pieces of silver have bought what these thirty pieces of silver could not buy. May we learn the lessons from the sin of Judas that we not fall into similar condemnation. (Note: The idea for this lesson is not original with me, but I cannot remember the source from which it was taken.)

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 24, pp. 738, 752
December 19, 1991

By Bobby Holmes

Peter charged the people who consented to the crucifixion of Jesus with being party to “lawlessness.” “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands (by the hand of lawless men,” ASV) have crucified and slain ” (Acts 2:23). The apostle John describes people who commit sin as “lawless. ” “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law (and sin is lawlessness, ASV)- (1 Jn. 3:4). “Lawlessness” means “outside of, or without regard to, la w, ” thus, – “outlaws. ” This article is written to describe and identify “spiritual outlaws.”

In our society there are wanted posters in U.S. Post offices, and TV programs highlighting the “Most Wanted” on which their description is given along with details of their crime or crimes. With many of these there is a warning that they are dangerous people. These programs and posters are presented for the safety and welfare of the general public. All this is well and good for many of these outlaws have been found and captured as the result. However, I wish to discuss a far more dangerous “outlaw.” The spiritual outlaw! This person is far more dangerous because of the eternal harm that can be done by him. Let us examine some spiritual outlaws.

Faithful gospel preachers have preached for years of the danger of false teachers, those who teach things that are not taught in God’s book.

1. Those who teach that baptism is not essential to salvation when the Book of God teaches otherwise. At the point of baptism, one receives remission of sins (Acts 2:38), has his sins washed away (Acts 22:16), and is saved (1 Pet. 3:21).

2. Those who teach that one cannot fall away from the grace of God when the Book of God teaches otherwise. Judas by transgression (lawlessness) fell (Acts 1:25). (You can’t fall from something unless you are first in it!) Those who try to be justified by the Law of Moses are fallen from grace! (Gal. 5:4) There are many other “spiritual outlaws” who claim to teach God’s word and perhaps at a later time we will examine them in more detail. However – at this time I would remind you that the most careful warnings in the pages of divine inspiration are in regard to “spiritual outlaws” in the body of Christ such as Hymenaeus, Alexander (1 Tim. 1:19-20), and Philetus (2 Tim. 2:17-18), etc. These “spiritual outlaws” are not confined to the first century. They have continued through the centuries and are “alive and well” today in 1991. They are described in the book of Jude (16-18). “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, and their mouths speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.” Their shame and end are described in verses 10-13: “But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruits withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.”

Saints In Sturgis, Mississippi

You have read about the plight of the poor saints in Sturgis, Mississippi, how they were led to believe that they ought to allow themselves to be placed under the oversight of the elders of the Lee Blvd. church in nearby Starksville, Mississippi. This they allowed and were persuaded to send their weekly contributions to the Lee Blvd. church with the belief that the Lee Blvd. elders would care for their interests. You read about the saints in Sturgis learning the truth of God’s word regarding local church government and casting off the chains of another church’s control over them. You read where the Lee Blvd. elders turned control of Sturgis’ monies back to them but refused to give them the deed to their property, offering instead to sell the Strugis church their own property (Sturgis property) back to them for $35,000.00! When negotiations failed to bring about a settlement on the issue, the elders of the Lee Blvd. church (wishing to get rid of a “hot potato”) transferred the Sturgis property deed into the hands of a third church, Hwy. 82 church in Starkville. (This is all detailed in the July 18, 1991 issue of Guardian of Truth.) The Hwy. 82 church agreed to sell the property to the saints at Sturgis for $17,000.00 with a May 1, 1991 deadline. Brother Thomas Keenum, elder and attorney in Booneville, Mississippi sent a letter to Hwy. 82 asking for more time so that monies could be received from interested brethren. Monies began coming in at a slow but steady rate. At last report there was some $3,500.00 received. Then – without any warning, the saints in Sturgis were notified by the Hwy. 82 church that they had sold the property to a denomination for $19,000.00 and were instructed to vacate the building. I want to address two major issues at this point with Romans 12:10 in mind. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.”

1. The elders of the Lee Blvd. church “honored” the Sturgis saints’ requests for their monies they had held control over but refused to “honour ” their request for the deed to their property that they had help build with their own hands and paid for with their own Lord’s day contributions. Mr. Henry Thayer tells us in his Greek-English Lexicon that the word “honour” in Romans 12:10 means “. . . in deference, reverence.” While we do not find the word “deference” in the Scriptures we do find the definition in the English Dictionary. Webster’s New World (p. 370) defines the word as follows: (1) Yielding in opinion, judgment, wishes, etc.; (2) Courteous regard or respect. I submit to you that the elders of Lee Blvd. did not show honour to the saints of the Sturgis church but rather violated Romans 12:10 and many other passages. They acted without-law and thus became “spiritual outlaws”! They tried to circumvent their responsibility regarding “honour” by transferring the Sturgis deed to Hwy. 82 but God will reward them for their “pernicious ways” (2 Pet. 2:2). Their actions violated everything ethically, morally, and spiritually. These people call themselves leaders of God’s people and sing songs such as “My Jesus I Love Thee.” But Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15).

2. The Hwy. 82 church with it leaders are guilty of the same charges. They had a choice when the deed was transferred into their name. They knew the property was not theirs! They knew the saints in Strugis would suffer in the loss of their building. They could have simply transferred the deed to the rightful owners which was Sturgis. That’s what they could have done and should have done but they did not do what was right! They decided instead to join actions with the ungodly deeds of the Lee Blvd. elders and become 4 ‘spiritual outlaws” too – and they did! Judgment day is coming and every secret thing will be brought into account! “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil” (Eccl. 12:14). 2 Corinthians 5:10-11: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he that done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

I can but pray that these evil deeds will be repented of before that “great day” of our God. This is not an isolated incident. There have been many such cases like this before. I have material in my files of almost the same thing happening in other areas of the country when “liberal” people realize that they cannot get their way. These things are the end result when people cease to have respect for Bible authority. These people referred to in this article have long ago abandoned the word of God in regard to local church government, the work, and the worship of the church. It is no wonder then that they would have such little regard for the word of God when it comes to “honour.” Local churches across the country that have abandoned Bible authority concerning local church – government (elders over that local church only and not “overseeing” saints in another locality), the work that God has assigned that local church to do (instead of “hiring” a human institution to do its work for them such as church supported homes, etc.), and churches which add choruses and other forms of “entertainment” in “worship,” are as guilty of becoming “spiritual outlaws” as these are.

Those of you that are still attending such places of feigned worship had better open your eyes. You too are going to be held accountable if you remain in it for your are part of it as long as you lend your support by your presence and monies!

The Sturgis church is “cast down and trodden underfoot” but not defeated. They have decided to purchase a small plot of ground nearby and build a modest building to continue worshipping God in. This can and will be done with the monies that are donated by faithful and loving brethren. Brother Keenum continues to donate his services in caring for the legal needs of these things and as soon as enough funds are available land will be purchased and a call will go out to interested brethren to donate their time and talents in erecting a building. Some from Dallas Avenue have already voiced their willingness to go to Mississippi for two or three days of labor. It is believed that the building can be pretty well completed in that time frame if the foundation is laid first. Truth will prevail! If you too would be interested in this effort, watch for a notice later for the date. If you have not yet sent your contribution for this work, please, don’t delay. Send it now! If you have already sent and wish to help more, do so for it is the Lord’s work and you will be blessed. Let us pray for these precious saints and their needs.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 24, pp. 746-747
December 19, 1991

By Joe R. Price

According to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, not only has Shakespeare been given a chance to become a Mormon, but so have many of the world’s renown statesmen, religious dignitaries and just plain folk who never heard of Joseph Smith, Jr. and the Book of Mormon. That is because they have been baptized by proxy in one of the 44 LDS temples throughout the world. If the Mormon doctrine of baptism for the dead is true, literally millions of dead sinners can be saved if a Mormon will be baptized for them.

Mormons are very committed to temple work for the dead. Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the LDS church, warned that “Those Saints who neglect it in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation” (History of the Church, IV:426; cited in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith, p. 193; see Doctrine & Covenants 128:15,18). On another occasion he taught that “the greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead” (History of the Church, VI:313). This is why the LDS Church operates the largest genealogical library in the world. Mormons are expected to research their ancestry at least four generations back so the names of their ancestors can be submitted for temple work for the dead. Several thousand baptisms for the dead are performed daily in Mormon temple ceremonies.

But, not every dead person can have a proxy baptism performed for them. According to Mormonism, those who did not have an opportunity to hear the “fulness of the gospel” in this life will have the gospel preached to them in the next life. Vicarious baptism provides these unfortunate souls with an opportunity to accept salvation for themselves. (It’s hard to imagine that a sinner who is experiencing torment for his sins would reject such an astonishing offer [read Lk. 16:24-25]!) Too bad if you had an opportunity to hear Mormonism’s message in this life and rejected it. You already had your chance. I wonder, why does the Mormon Church send 25,000 missionaries into the world to give people an opportunity to reject the “fulness of the gospel” and be lost forever? By rejecting the opportunity given them, these sinners will never get to progress to the “celestial kingdom!” The LDS Church should abandon its missionary program so that no one on earth will have an opportunity to reject the “fulness of the gospel.” That way, every dead person will want to be saved after experiencing the punishment of sin for a while!

Mormonism attempts to base its practice of baptizing for the dead upon several Bible passages (Mal. 4:5-6; Heb. 11:39-40; 1 Pet. 3:18-20; 4:6). The most apparent of these is 1 Corinthians 15:29:

Else, what shall they do that are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?

However, Mormonism’s effort to find its practice in this passage fails. The word “for” is the Greek word huper, and can properly carry the meaning “on account of” (cf. Acts 15:26; Rom. 1:5). Some people were being baptized on account of the dead ones (plural, a class of people – see vv. 13,15-16,18-20). The apostle raises the question: Why should they let the dead ones influence them to be baptized “if the dead are not raised at all?”

Paul’s whole context of the resurrection of the dead in 1 Corinthians 15:12-34 supports the conclusion that verse 29 does not teach proxy baptism. In this context where Paul affirms that the dead will be raised, he makes a progressive argument in verses 29-34. “If the dead are not raised at all, then:

1. Why be baptized (v. 29)? It is pointless.

2. Why stand in jeopardy every hour (vv. 30-32)? It is mad.

3. What profit is there in a God-fearing lifestyle (v. 32)? It is useless.

However, do not be deceived by evil companions who, through a lack of knowledge, deny the resurrection (vv. 33-34). You see, there will be a resurrection from the dead! Therefore:

1. Being influenced by the dead ones to be baptized is not pointless (v. 29).

2. Jeopardizing one’s life for Christ is not in vain (v. 30-32).

3. There is profit in a God-fearing life (v. 32).

Other Problems With Mormonism’s Baptism for the Dead

1. It ignores the individual nature of responsibility before God. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die . . . The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him” (Ezek. 18:20).

Neither sin nor righteousness will be imputed from one person to another, including a family member. Nowhere in the Bible can you find a Christian’s obedience offered to a sinner to thereby save the sinner. It simply cannot and will not be done.

2. It ignores the fact that opportunity to obey God ends at death. “It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment” (Heb. 9:27). After death comes a judgment of how we lived in this life (2 Cor. 5:10), not a chance to obey the gospel in the spirit world. A “great gulf” is fixed separating the righteous and the wicked in the place of departed spirits, and it allows for no crossing over (Lk. 16:26). LDS baptism for the dead must wash away the “great gulf” before it can wash away any sins.

3. It adds another baptism to God’s divine plan. “There is . . . one baptism” (Eph. 4:4-5). The Great Commission baptism is for the living, it is personal and direct (on behalf of oneself), and it removes the participant’s sins (Mk. 16:15-16). LDS baptism for the dead is for dead people, it is substitutionary (on behalf of others), and it only gives one the choice of having his sins removed. One Mormon told me that these two baptisms are one and the same! Undoubtedly, one is biblical and the other is an addition of men. Care to guess which is which?

No, Shakespeare cannot become a Mormon. The LDS Church cannot save millions of souls who have already died by their practice of baptism for the dead. Christ is the only means of salvation, and his gospel must be preached to the living (Acts 4:12; Rom. 1:16). Use your opportunity in this life to be baptized and saved by Christ from your sins (2 Cor. 6:2; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-27)!

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 23, pp. 723-724
December 5, 1991

By William V. Beasley

Each of us ought to be troubled with lying. We should be troubled with the fact of it (all men do not “speak truth with his neighbor” – Eph. 4:25), the danger of falling into the practice of the devil (Jn. 8:44), and the eternal consequences of lying (“Without are . . . every one that loveth and maketh a life” – Rev. 22:15).

A member of the church was letting me know how little he thought of another preacher (from time to time I have wondered what he has said about me), when he said that the other preacher had admitted from the pulpit that he was “troubled with lying.” It became evident that he believed that the preacher in question had fought a losing battle against the sin of lying. I had met the other preacher, but really did not know him. I certainly did not have any reason to question his veracity.

A number of times since then (it was several years ago) I have thought about what my brother-preacher could have had in his mind when he purportedly said, “I am troubled with lying.” The first paragraph above shows that there could be more than one area of trouble with this problem. Because of his being a gospel preacher I am assuming that he was not an out-and-out habitual liar. I know that I am also “troubled with lying,” and I also know that I do not make a practice of lying. Now I do not believe that since a man preaches the gospel he is immune from the weaknesses of the flesh . . . even from the sin of lying. My wondering about my preacher-brother’s meaning is triggered by either a study of God’s word and/or my own thought processes.

More than once or twice it has, in a difficult situation, popped into my head, “I could say . . . ” (a lie), or “They would believe me if I said . . . ” (a lie). Happily I can say that the lies got no farther than the thinking stage. The thinking state is sufficient to let me know that, of a truth, “I am troubled with lying,” and unless I am most careful I could fall in this snare of the devil.

One of the reasons my thought processes trouble me is because of the teachings of God’s word: “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7, KJV), and “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matt. 12:23). I recognize, with a degree of fear and trembling, that I must “keep my heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). This, a recognition of the need to control/master one’s thinking, just may have been what my fellow gospel preacher had in mind when he said, “I am troubled with lying.”

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 23, p. 718
December 5, 1991