Truth Magazine

By John A. Smith

Pressure From Peers

Peer pressure and influence can be good! Jesus described his disciples as the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matt. 5:14-16). He told them to “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” We are to influence and affect the lives of others. Influencing and teaching are not just for older saints. There is something special about a young person who sets a godly example.

In 1 Timothy 4:13 Paul encourages all young people to be a good example. Each young person has the responsibility to set a godly example. One young lady refused to wear the silky, skimpy shorts given her by a coach. As a result of her protest, the school’s uniform was changed. Another young Christian befriended a lonely, confused classmate. As a result of the Christian’s influence, the other young man found answers for his life in Jesus Christ. Godly young people can encourage other young people as well as older saints.

We must take a balanced approach to our relationship with those of the world and recognize the danger that can be present. In 1 Corinthians 15:33 Paul bluntly and plainly tells us that “evil company corrupts good habits.” One of the reasons why evil companions often have a corrupting influence is seen in Deuteronomy 22:10. There the law prohibited the binding of a donkey and ox. Think about it for a minute – a big, strong, broad-shouldered ox and a diminutive donkey. That simply would not be fair or humane. The ox has an obvious advantage and superior influence over the actions of the donkey. The same is true among some people. If our worldly friends are stronger willed and more influential than we are, then we will be unequally yoked. I think you can see how such influence would corrupt good morals.

Often the pressure from others comes because of their own guilt. Peter speaks of those who will “think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you” (1 Pet. 4:3-4). This happens because those engaged in sin do not want their evil practices exposed by the righteous example of another (see Jn. 3:19-21). If they can corrupt the righteous then there is one less righteous light exposing their corruption. Thus their conscience is momentarily soothed.

The selection of peers is one of a young Christian’s most challenging and important decisions. Peers will either encourage and support spirituality or promote and encourage worldliness. Consider for a moment the example of Solomon. In I Kings 3:16-28, Solomon took time out of his busy schedule as king to hear the grievance of two prostitutes. Moved by compassion and concern for the life of an innocent baby, Solomon used his wisdom to secure the baby’s place with its true mother. However, in 1 Kings 11:7 we find Solomon building an altar for the abominable Molech. This disgusting idol had a furnace for a belly and accepted the sacrifice of live babies. What happened? What caused Solomon to change? 1 Kings 11: 1,4 tells us what happened. Solomon married many foreign wives and when he was old “his wives turned his heart after other gods.” Now, if a man with the wisdom of Solomon can have his heart turned from the Lord by the influence of peers, I certainly face the same danger. Choosing friends is one of life’s most important decisions.

We cannot avoid the influence of the world, but we can check its influence. I have often heard it put this way: We can’t keep birds from flying over head, but we can keep them from nesting in our hair! Or, if you lie down with the dogs don’t be surprised if you wake up with fleas!

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 12, p. 361
June 20, 1991

By LesterA. Doyle, Jr.

God’s Family

We come together this Lord’s day morning as God’s family, brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. When we believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and were baptized into him, we were born into his spiritual family. We entered into a new and never-ending life.

In Luke 8:19-21 Jesus said, “Then his mother and brothers came to him and could not approach him because of the crowd. And it was told him by some, who said, ‘Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.’ But he answered and said to them, ‘My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.'”

All this was made possible by the death of Christ on the cross. In his death he removed the barriers that separated us from God. In his resurrection, he opened the door to God’s eternal home.

We that have believed and obeyed come now as a family around his table, to remember and proclaim his death until he comes again.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 12, p. 360
June 20, 1991

By Dan Madrigal

It seems all too clear that the vast majority of our society has very little knowledge of what a meaningful life is. Living life meaningfully is one of the most important facets of living a successful life. Most people really want to be successful, and most people want meaning in their lives. The problem is that most of these same people haven’t found meaning in life and don’t know what true success is.

Jesus spoke about the abundant life in Matthew chapters 13 and 25. He essentially says the same thing in both of these passages, “and he shall have abundance. ” Contrary to popular use by some people, Jesus wasn’t necessarily promising an abundance of material riches. The abundance that he had reference to here refers to a life that is rich in meaning and satisfaction. The truly successful person will be the one who has lived life in a satisfying and meaningful way. Those who eventually commit suicide, in most cases, act out of despair. They don’t know who or what they are.

It is no wonder that people eventually despair of life in an age where every generation is being raised on the false theory that they are the product of evolution. Common sense, and an innate knowledge of God ultimately lead to an inner conflict of the soul, which leads to further unhappiness. Paul put it this way, “because that, knowing God, they glorified Him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened” (Rom. 1:21). Ultimately, knowing one’s purpose in life becomes central to happiness. This becomes very difficult when you give up God, and accept the false idea that you evolved from apes or slime. Pondering the meaning and purpose of life without consulting what God and his word say about the subject is dangerous and strikes at the center of man’s unhappiness and loneliness. Without a clear and definitive answer that gives “eternal” hope, most people will end up in despair. The result is psychological suicide. The unfortunate reality is that many people are more consistent and resort to physical suicide as well. This may partly explain why so many thrust themselves into a busy lifestyle. If our society is not busy with work, there are always many things to keep our minds busy. Is it no wonder that entertainers such as “movie stars” and “star” athletes are valued so highly and paid so lucratively? Entertainment, in this way, becomes a drug in which this society become innocuous to the pitiful and hopeless state it finds itself in. What a waste! Paul said it best, “Professing themselves to be wise they became fools” (Rom. 1:22).

Therefore, for a godless society, happiness is defined by how successful materially one is. The race for worldly success begins early in life, as children are guided into “the” career, and learn by the example of their parents or other adults. Today, little girls are made to believe that to be a complete person as an adult she will have to get into the fast track and enter a competitive career. Usually we hear people speak about the “unfulfilled” housewife in this connection. Yet, the real issue is not the housewife who is unfulfilled, but people in general who are unfulfilled. Increasingly, women are beginning to realize that although they are not housewives, but in their choice career, they are still “unfulfilled, ” and are thus returning to the home. It is not a problem exclusive to women, but to all people who don’t know who they are, where they came from, why they are here, and where they are going.

Those who have obeyed the gospel understand that living life meaningfully comes with seeking God. Unfortunately, far too many “Christians” fail to continue with the same single-minded approach to life. It is not uncommon to find Christians putting just as much emphasis on human worldly success in order to achieve some measure of satisfaction and meaning in life. This is truly sad, for Christians are the very ones who are to show the world how happy, content, and fulfilled we are. Sometimes people just simply forget who they are. Jesus said that the Christians are to be “fruit bearers.” Just as Jesus condemned the barren fig tree (Matt. 21:19), so he will condemn the Christian who fails to bear fruit. Actually, I personally believe that this parable provides us with a better understanding of what it means to truly and honestly be fulfilled individuals. If a fig tree had feelings, and could reason, consider how it would feel if it understood that its purpose was to bear figs, but for some reason it wasn’t. Can you imagine the utter dissatisfaction and helplessness it would create every time someone came along seeking sustenance from its branches?

It is therefore my contention that to live a satisfying and meaningful life we should be viewing ourselves as fruitbearers. There are so many people in this world seeking sustenance, and we have what they need. The gospel! Far too many of us are not letting ourselves bear fruit to the world. Consequently, many Christians are unhappy, and don’t feel the sense of meaning in their own lives that comes with accepting God. Far too often we urge brethren to do personal work because its needed, and because God expects it of us. Yet, I think it much more useful to emphasize the fact that “fruit bearing” is a necessity in order for the Christian to truly achieve a meaningful and purposeful life. The problem that has arisen in our culture is that the prescription the world relies on for satisfaction and contentment has been adopted by Christians. It is becoming the norm to find Christians pursuing their careers with just as much vigor as those in the world. There additionally seems to be just as much patronage to the arts (i.e., Hollywood, TV, etc.) by brethren as there is by heathen. This is not to suggest it to be wrong to pursue a career, or to go to a movie, but when there is emphasis upon these for the pursuit of happiness, in a primary way, rather than upon our God, that pursuit is lopsided. A manifestation of this fact is seen when Christian women take jobs not because the family needs a second income but to achieve some sort of meaning and purpose in life. This is also manifested in a similar way when a Christian retires from the labor force and has to return, not out of financial need, but out of boredom. Brethren, when will we realize that if we are a Christian we can’t be bored and there is always work to do and fruit to reap. Let meaning and purpose in your life come from where God intended it to come: from him. In the end, we will have found fulfillment and satisfaction in life, will never be bored or in despair, and will truly have an “abundant” life.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 12, pp. 353, 375
June 20, 1991

By Robert E. Waldron

When I preached the funeral for brother Lee’s mother, he emphasized to me again and again that he wanted me to thank the friends for coming. I know he would want me to do so now. Sister Lee, Sandra and 1, Judy and Wayne, and all of us who are his family in the flesh, want to say thank you for your kindness in being here.

In recent years I have told Daddy Lee that I have known him since he was a young man, because the first time I saw him, he was about 45. That is several years younger than I am now. During the past thirty years, he and his family, particularly my wife Sandra, have been by far the predominant influence in my life for good.

One of the points brother Lee told me he wanted me to make was that his work has been among the common people and, for the most part, among small churches. There is an additional point I want to make today, and that is that when one sets out in his life to accomplish something, he sometimes forgets what his priorities are, and he forgets what it was he set out to do in the first place. Brother Lee did not seek for fame and prominence; he sought to please God. Whatever fame and prominence he attained came solely through the pursuit of this goal. This is a marvelous lesson for us to keep in mind – all of us – but especially those who are preachers.

His books are among us, and the fruit of his work lives on. Various friends have told how Daddy Lee touched their lives, how he helped them. One of the things I told him in his last days was how comforting it is to know that our work goes on beyond the limits of our earthly life. This is a comforting thought, and it was comforting to him.

I think that the story of his life is an interesting story, and he told about his life in his books. I would strongly recommend that you read what he wrote, but now is not the time for us to narrate his life.

Instead, I want to make a few observations based on what I learned from Daddy Lee. He would not want me to preach on him, but he would like for me to emphasize the principles he followed in his life. It is surprising how little he taught me by word, but what I learned from his life is incalculable in value.

Daddy Lee was a preacher of the gospel; not only did he love preaching, he loved preachers of the gospel. More than anything else, he would applaud my efforts to say something to Christians in general, and to preachers in particular.

Character

Whatever a man may do in his life, whatever his occupation may be, his character is the spiritual clothing which he wears all the time. Irven Lee was the best man I have ever known. This is not to say there are no other men as good, but I did not have the pleasure of knowing them as I did brother Lee. His life was a life of service and dedication to God from his earliest youth.

Brother Lee was definitely not of this world. He walked with his feet on the earth and his heart in heaven (Col. 3:2; Heb. 11:10). We, his family, often wished we could have had a bigger share of him, but we all knew and appreciated his dedication to the cause of Christ. We knew that he loved his family and enjoyed very much the times we were together.

In talking about character, we need to say that Daddy Lee was an honorable man. He did not leave a trail of bad debts. There was never the slightest taint of the unsavory about his life. There was no scandal in his life, and he is living proof that preachers, elders, and saints do not have to have scandals in their lives. It has come to the point where we think it necessary, that we are not full-grown spiritually, until we have a scandal in our lives. I feel sorry for those who are caught in the traps, who stumble and fall, and have some horrible blight to come into their lives, to stain their reputations. But I am saying to you that one of the lessons I learned from brother Lee is that it is not necessary for such things to happen. He took thought for things honorable in the sight of men.

Though acquainted with sin, and he was acquainted with sin, Daddy Lee lived the principles he taught. Sin did not rule in his mortal body that he should obey the lusts thereof. Often we preachers make the mistake of getting out of balance. We enjoy the intellectual exercise of studying and preaching, the association with other preachers, the collecting of books and tapes, and the accumulation of knowledge. Many times in our quest for the goal of knowledge and scholarship, we forget the rock bottom essentials of righteousness, holiness, and godliness. In a day when, more and more, our society is tempted by the display of fleshly allurements, how important it is for all Christians to put on the whole armor of God.

The beatitudes were given to us by our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount. They were given as a description of the character of a child of God, and it is interesting to read these beatitudes and remember the godly whom we have known. “Blessed are the poor in spirit (the humble), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3-10).

Manner of Preaching

The second point I would like to mention is that Daddy Lee was an incomparable teacher of the Bible. The few times I sat in his Bible classes I was spellbound by two things: one was his complete mastery of every jot and tittle in the text, and the other was the utter simplicity with which he could present even the most difficult material.

He delighted in teaching and preaching the word. His lessons reflected profound understanding which enabled him to make the messages of God’s word simple. This is another lesson we who preach the word need to bear in mind: that it is possible to take the word and use it merely as a tool to display our intellectual prowess. Or we can make it our goal to take the profound message God has given and preach it so that all men may see what is the mystery which was hidden for generations but now has been revealed.

In addition, though Brother Lee was very reverent, and not a comedian, he sometimes injected a note of humor into his lesson which brought the house down. He never told a joke in the pulpit to be funny. His humor always was secondary to the lesson and served somehow to enhance the point.

The first story I ever heard about brother Lee was from Earl Kimbrough. It was the winter of 1960, and I was home for the Christmas holidays. I had gotten a little too involved with one of the young ladies at Florida College and, since I did not think I had a chance in the world with her, I was glad to have a break so that I could get over her. I got to talking to brother Kimbrough about her, and he told me this story about her father Irven Lee.

Daddy Lee was on the lecture series at Florida College. His assignment was a sensitive subject. At the time, weather permitting, lectures were held at the amphitheater on the banks of the Hillsborough River. Every speaker therefore spoke with the black, swirling waters of the river flowing behind him. Brother Lee said, as he began his lecture something to this effect, “I am happy to have the opportunity to speak to you today, and I would also like you to know that this is the largest baptistry I have every had behind me during a sermon.” This simple, gentle humor helped to dispel some of the tension which was so heavy in the audience.

Conviction

Closely related to brother Lee’s life and his teaching was his conviction, his profound commitment to truth. He did not know how to shirk a duty or to compromise the truth. I have heard him preach sermons that made me glance around to see if anyone were picking up stones. I never knew a man with more courage.

There were times when his convictions got him into trouble; there were times he had to pay a tremendous personal price. Nevertheless, he paid the price and kept his convictions – to the very end of his days. He bought the truth, whatever the cost, but he never sold it for any price.

Our age of relativism has affected us more than we care to admit. How easy it is to relax our convictions on worldliness, on divorce and remarriage, to ease our opposition to denominationalism and to false doctrine. It is more comfortable to take a broader view, one which is more acceptable to the masses. True preachers of the gospel can never do that. We must preach the word.

In taking our stand for truth, we can be Christians, we can be gentlemen, we can be kind. Brother Lee was as bold as a lion, yet he was meek and gentle. We do not have to be ugly to be right. Though conduct in this area should grow out of principles of Christian character, yet, as a practical matter, we should realize that we will get much further in reaching people if we seek to persuade and teach. Nevertheless, there comes a time to reprove and rebuke. When that time comes, our voices must not be silent.

I would like to close my lesson by telling you a story about a Bible character. Many times I have applied this story to the end of Daddy Lee’s life.

In 1 Samuel 12:1-5 the Bible says that Samuel came before the people and said, “I have done everything you asked for, and have given you a king. He now walks before you, and I am old and gray. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. Here I am. Before the Lord and before His anointed, witness against me. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whom have I taken a bribe? Tell it now, and I will repay it.”

The people answered, “You have not cheated anyone. You have oppressed no one. You have never taken a bribe.”

Samuel said, “The Lord is witness against you, as well as His anointed, that you have found nothing in my hand.”

The people cried, “He is witness.”

Then in 1 Samuel 25:1, the Bible tells us that Samuel died, and all Israel gathered together to lament him, and they buried his body at his house in Ramah.

What a record for a public figure to have! Let it be our goal to have such a record, when we reach the end of our way.

I want to append here the poem which my brother-in-law, Wayne Moore, read at brother Lee’s funeral. With some adaptations by Wayne, it reads:

Lord Jesus, Receive My Spirit

This is the aftermath of war

This is the end of the symphony, the final note, the second before the final applause.

This is the end of the journey, the sight of home.

This is the end of the storm, the sun piercing the clouds.

This is the Christian’s sigh of joy: “Lord Jesus.”

The Eternal Word, the Eternal Life, the Wonderful, the Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Lord our Righteousness.

“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

It’s over.

An angel sighs, a star wipes away a tear.

“Take me home!”

Yes, take him home.

Take this prince to his king, take this son to his father, take this pilgrim home.

Let him rest from his labors.

“Take me home! To be with you is much better.”

Come, ten thousand angels.

Come take this wounded soldier home.

Take him to the cradle of his father’s arms.

“Farewell, earth.”

Bless you, slave of God.

Go home.

Rest, sweet soldier.

The battle is over.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 12, pp. 358-360
June 20, 1991