Truth Magazine

By Jimmy Tuten

I. The danger of placing too high an estimate upon oneself:

A. Humility (vv. 3-5, think of self, but not too highly). We are to think soberly (Gr. sophronein, sanely, in one’s right mind. This cuts the very vitals of human weakness and pride. It prohibits anyone from forming and entertaining an estimate of self above that which is true.

1. Arrogance and pride are all characteristic of the worldly life, but to the Christian self is denied and crucified (Lk. 9:23; Gal. 2:20; 6:14; 2 Cor. 5:15). There is no room for self-elevation, pride, or arrogance . . . no room for thinking too highly of oneself.

2. Essential to a team player (so with members of Christ’s team, 1 Cor. 12).

3. Recognize who we are and what we are (1 Pet. 2:9, royal priesthood, etc.).

4. The reason for walking humbly:

a. What we are and have came from God (“dealt to every man the measure of faith”). This is a working faith that includes abilities (gifts) that God gives.

b. “Measure of faith.” Faith is put for religion, or Christianity, being the main thing in it (2 Cor. 5:7). Hence, confidence in God rather than self (Lk. 14:11). The well-being of the community of believers is dependent upon our understanding of the true estimate of self.

c. Special Note: Some think the “measure” is miraculous (cf. Lard) as expressing itself in the possession and exercise of spiritual gifts. Whiteside has the more correct view, i.e., faith is a measuring instrument, and through the enlightenment afforded by the faith one should be governed thereby in the estimate formed of one’s self (cf. Eph. 4:7,13; 2 Cor. 10:12-13).

(1) “Soberly,” Gr. phroneo, right mind, being sane, sensible estimate of self. This sensibleness is first vertical (in relation to God’s estimate), then horizontal (man to man, 2 Cor. 10: 12ff).

(2) Man must first see himself as nothing, the acceptance of which makes him something for God. Meekness is the first requirement for obedience to God (Matt. 5:3, i.e., seeing one’s true worth in relation to God).

d . It includes the faith, the drive, or confidence to use the gifts, be they natural or spiritual (Matt. 17:20; 1 Cor. 13:2, faith being a divine gift is something about which one man can boast). Let us appropriate God’s Word, believe what God says about us, admit what we really are and enter by faith into what we should be. Examples of thinking too highly: “I don’t miss a service” so I have the right to judge those who miss Sunday night.

e. Summary: Measure of faith is the God-given natural capacity to absorb the instruction in the Word, thus being able to try out in practice the ability we possess.

B. Usefulness (vv. 6-8). Cf. Jas. 1:17; 1 Cor. 4:7. Each has received from God a measure, but he has received it! We must use it!

I live for those who love me, for those who know me true,

For the heaven that smiles above me, and awaits my spirit too;

For the cause that lacks assistance, for the wrong that needs resistance,

For the future in the distance, and the good that I can do.

– George Banks

1. 2 Corinthians 6:1, workers together with God.

2. Christians must be workers (“dealt to every man”). We must be workers together with other Christians. We must work together with God.

3. Working is not enough; working together is not enough; working together with God is what God requires.

4. Many bind themselves to some man-made purpose or goal, but surprisingly enough, many work together quite well under it. But God does not accept it. The plan to work must be from God (2 Tim. 2:5; 1 Tim. 1:8).

5. If we are to be useful it must in accordance with God’s plan (Matt. 7:23; Psa. 127: 1; Matt. 15:13).

Which Are You?

Two brothers once lived down this way:

One was DO, the other was SAY.

If the streets were dirty, the taxes high,

Or the schools were crowded, SAY would cry,

“My, what a town.” But brother DO,

Would set to work and make things new.

And while DO worked, SAY would cry:

“He does it wrong. I know that I

Could do it right!” So all the day

Was heard the crank of brother SAY.

But this one fact was never hid;

SAY always talked; DO always did!

Conclusion:

1. Realization of our relationship in Christ will prove an effective preventive of pride, breeding the spirit of humility in the exercise of any and all responsibilities.

2. How badly the church needs this truth. Nothing would better harmonize her life and remove her petty bickerings, jealousies, and criticisms that so often arises in the ordinary course of her activities.

3. Let us have an attitude of readiness of whatever service the Lord may require of us. The act becomes the attitude, life-long and constant; always yielded, willing, waiting, to do his will.

4. As a man soweth, so shall he reap (Gal. 6:7, “the thorns that I have reaped are of the tree I planted. I should have known what fruit would spring from such a seed” – Lord Byron). Another has said:

“If I had thought – If I had dreamed the gallows was meant for me, I’d never have built it quite so high or half so sturdily.”

5. “Have this mind in you . . .” (Phil. 2:5-11).

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 10, pp. 309-310
May 16, 1991

By Bill Crews

Some churches have been in the news lately. These are those who take the position that to treat our physical illnesses by any other way than faith in God and prayer to God is wrong and sinful. They think it a sin, they think it an indication of a lack of faith in God, to consult a doctor and to take medication or to receive medical treatment. Their honesty or sincerity is not in question here, but their handling of the Scriptures is!

The New Testament does not teach that miracles of healing are available to all believers throughout time. Such miracle-working was of a temporal duration and designed to confirm the truth being taught and to produce faith in that truth. On the miracles of Christ and their purpose read John 2:11,23; 3:2; 5:36; 6:26-27; 10:24-25,37-38; 20:30-31; Acts 2:24. On the miracles of the twelve and others read Matthew 10:1,5-8; Luke 10:1,8-9; Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4; Acts 8:5-6,13; 9:33-35, 40-42; 13:11-12; 14:3; 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. The word of the Lord was revealed and confirmed; it does not need to be, and it will not be, revealed again or confirmed again.

If the purpose of miracles of healing was to alleviate the physical suffering of believers and was available to any believer who had sufficient faith, we would not read about such as the following: Paul had some kind of infirmity that caused him great suffering; three times he earnestly prayed that it might be removed, but it wasn’t! (2 Cor. 12:7-9) Epaphroditus came to Paul at Rome and became gravely ill, but Paul who had miraculously healed so many did not miraculously heal him (Phil. 2:25-30). And Paul who had miraculously healed so many left Trophimus at Miletus sick (2 Tim. 4:20).

Certainly we are taught to have faith in God, to trust in God, and to pray diligently. We are even to pray for those who are sick (1 Pet. 5:7; Phil. 4:6; 3 Jn. 2).

The New Testament does not teach that it is wrong to seek or receive medical attention. Healing herbs and medicines are a part of God’s creation – remedies that he made available to man. Medical practitioners are but drawing upon the knowledge and wisdom that God made available and but cooperating with and using the great laws of nature that God authored. God has given us bodies that have remarkable defenses against diseases and wonderful resources that attack diseases and work to heal injuries. He has provided a host of elements and procedures that can be discovered and properly used to prevent, alleviate or cure human suffering of all kinds. It is not a lack of faith or trust for man to utilize these. Consider the following:

1. No condemnation of medical remedies can be found in the Bible (this is not an endorsement of “quack” doctors or “quack” remedies; nobody is ready to defend any but ethical practioners and proven remedies).

2. If surgery on the human body is inherently wrong, why did God require circumcision of the male descendants of Abraham (Gen. 17), and why did he choose what we now know from a medical standpoint to be the best time (the 8th day)?

3. Many of the laws that God gave to the Israelite nation, besides being tests of their faith, have proven to be the wise thing to do for the protection of man’s physical health. Dr. R. V. Bingham authored the book, The Bible and the Body, in which he “enumerates six laws designed and instituted of God to insure Israel’s national health”: “Sanitation, preventing infection (Deut. 23:14); Sterilization, guarding against contagion (Lev. 11:32,39,40); Quarantine, isolating infectious disease (Num. 5:4; 31:22-23); Hygiene and Dietetics (Lev. 11; 19:7; Num. 11:19-20); Physical Culture; each Israelite, even the priest, worked his own lot (Deut. 16:16); Recuperation, the seventh day and the seventh month reserved for rest.”

4. The Bible mentions a number of plant products that were used by the people for medicinal reasons, and such use was not labelled sinful: aloe, anise, balm of Gilead, caperberry, cummin, figs, fitches, gall, mandrake, myrrh, ointment, olive oil, rue, saffron, and wine.

5. To alleviate his affliction with boils Job sat in ashes and scraped his boils with a potsherd (Job. 2:7-8).

6. Isaiah prescribed a cake of figs to be laid upon Hezekiah’s boil (2 Kgs. 20:7).

7. Physicians are referred to in such places as Job 13:4; 2 Chronicles 16:12; and Jeremiah 8:22. Employing the services of such physicians is not condemned. When Jeremiah wrote: “Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?” we can be sure that God was not drawing upon a figure that he regarded as sinful. It was not wrong to use balm. It was not wrong to employ the services of a physician.

8. If the use of medicine for the healing of the body was sinful, God would not use such a figure in a good sense as he does in Proverbs 17:22. “A cheerful heart is a good medicine. ” Compare also Ezekiel 47:12 and Revelation 22:2.

9. Jesus said, “They that are in health have no need of a physician; but they that are sick” (Lk. 5:31). Again, this was an illustration of a point (see v. 32), but Jesus would not use as an illustration of an important spiritual point a practice that was sinful.

10. Jesus taught a parable in which he depicted a man rendering medical aid to a victim of robbery (the “good Samaritan” poured oil and wine on the wounds of the injured man and bound up those wounds). He also said to the innkeeper, “Take care of him.” See Luke 10:29-37.

11. Paul commanded Timothy to resort to a medical remedy (to stop using water and to use a little wine) for his stomach’s sake and for his frequent infirmities (1 Tim. 5:23).

12. Paul refers to Luke as “the beloved physician,” (Col. 4:14) about 10 years after he is first referred to in the inspired record (Acts 16:10). It could not have been a sin for a man to work as a physician. Luke was a sometime companion of Paul and wrote two New Testament books, Luke and Acts.

To be sure, both medicines and physicians are limited in what they can accomplish (yet, it stands to reason that there are still many undiscovered remedies and many unknown procedures – the science of medicine is always in a state of growth and improvement), but it is not sinful for a Christian to either consult a physician or to take medication. Yes, he should pray unto God and trust in God. And no, he should not exalt men above God. (Reprinted form church bulletin).

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 11, pp. 321, 343-344
June 6, 1991

By Jim McDonald

The Broad Street church of Christ here in Mineola, Texas has just conducted a “Seminar” on “Managing Your Money.” Four more seminars are planned by the church for the rest of 1991: “Helping Our Parents as They Grow Older”; “Self-Esteem for Children and Parents”; “Drugs and Alcohol Abuse” and “Coping with Teens/Parenting Skills.”

The social gospel is a concept that emphasizes the “whole man” and caters to his “social needs.” Such is concerned with the “now world” and while denominations for nearly three-quarters of a century have occupied themselves with such; churches of Christ for years past regarded such to be wholly without the scope of the mission of the Lord’s church. Great changes have occurred in “brotherhood” thinking in the past three or four decades, however. An epidemic of the “social gospel fever” has a affected most congregations and brethren.

Perhaps we need to ask ourselves if Peter on Pentecost, or Paul in Antioch, Corinth or Ephesus would have conducted a two or three day seminar teaching folk in their day on subjects like: “Biblical Basics for Financial Management”; “Your Checkbook Speaks”; “How to Make a Million”; “I Owe, I Owe, So Off to Work I Go”; “Successful Financial Planning”; “Mom, Dad, the Kids and Their Money.” The only reference to Christ in the complete brochure appears in the term: “church of Christ.” Not one reference is made either to the gospel of Christ, his death, his resurrection, nor the salvation he offers to a troubled world. Nothing! And yet, money that was supposedly given to further the cause of Christ and the work of his blessed church will be spent for such seminars as these.

We grieve that men, who of all men ought to know better, have turned aside from emphasizing the gospel and are rushing headlong into the preaching and practicing of the social gospel. It pleases me not to publicly call attention to the apostasy that is present among us, but we want all to know that although simple Bible preaching and strict adherence to the work of Christ’s church is not popular with the world nor even with the bulk of our brethren, we neither endorse nor wish to be mistakenly identified with churches of Christ who have abandoned the plea, “let us speak where the Bible speaks, let us be silent where it is silent. Let us call Bible things by Bible names and let us do Bible things in Bible ways.” We are fully committed to the principle that we will speak as the oracles of God, persuaded that faithfulness to Christ allows us to pursue no other course.

It does not disturb me that we are in the minority. So were Noah, Abraham, Enoch, Daniel, the Hebrew children Gideon and the apostles. What matters is that we abide in the doctrine of Christ knowing that if we do that we can confidently say: “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 10, p. 303
May 16, 1991

By Bobby Holmes

Not long ago I was talking with one of the elders of the large, “liberal” church of Christ in the city of Duncanville, Texas where I live. I was inviting him to be in attendance at the “Dallas, Texas” meeting, in July of last year. (This was a meeting that was made up of several speakers from “both sides” of the “liberal” churches and the “conservative” churches and conducted July 12-14, 1990. This elder acknowledged that the church where he served did indeed have a gym and that they used it. In fact, he said, “We use it a lot. ” He went on to say that he could not understand why people referred to them as “liberals.” I believe that he was honest in his statement and thus the purpose of this article. I intend to try to set up some studies with him personally on the subject, but for now I would like to address the subject that the title of this article suggests.

According to Webster, the definition of “liberal” is as follows: 4. Not restricted to the literal meaning; not strict (i.e. a liberal interpretation of the Bible). 5. Tolerant of views differing from one’s own; broad-meaning; specify, not orthodox or conventional. 7. Favoring reform or progress, as in religion, education, etc. ” With these thoughts in mind, let us look into the word of God and notice some examples of some that were, indeed, liberal according to the true definition.

The first one we take note of is King Saul as recorded in 1 Samuel 15. God had directed him to “utterly destroy all that they have. . . ” including old and young of both animal and human alike (v. 3). It is obvious that Saul fell into the category of the definition of “liberal” when we look again at it as given by Webster. Saul did not restrict himself to “the literal meaning” of what God had said or restrict himself to “the literal meaning” of what God had said. He was “broad-minded” in his views concerning God’s directive. He stated in verse 13, “And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed (be) thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord. ” Saul did not feel compelled to do exactly as God had directed. After all, would not the animals he brought back be used as sacrifices unto God? (Read the entire account 1 Sam. 15:1-35.) Samuel’s bottom line reply to Saul is noted in verses 22-23. “And Samuelsaid, Hath the Lord (as great) delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey (is) better than sacrifice, (and) to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion (is as) the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness (is as) iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from (being) king.” It is clear to see that Saul had become “liberal” and the curse that came on him as the result of his actions.

The next one we note is the example of Nadab and Abilm, recorded in Leviticus 10:1-7. They had clear instructions concerning the source of the fire (Lev. 16:12). They became “liberal” in their thinking. They “reasoned” that as long as they got the job done, what difference did it make where they got the fire. They didn’t take the word of the Lord to be “literal” in its meaning. (Note again the full definition of “liberal” according to the dictionary and you will see that it fits them perfectly. There are many, many more we could give as examples, but space does not permit.)

Let us notice some avenues into “liberalism.”

A. A wrong attitude toward the Bible. Evidence of this is seen in the expression of some that say, “We don’t need Scripture for everything we do. ” However, if we really believe God’s word to be just that, God’s word, we will take heed to the things he tells us. “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, (do) all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col. 3:17). (Note also 1 Pet. 4:11; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Matt. 17:-15; 28:18; Lk. 6:46; Jn. 12:48). These Scriptures prove we must have a “thus saith the Lord” for everything we do in religion. To be otherwise, one becomes “liberal” in the real meaning of the word.

B. A wrong attitude toward the church. Many cry for the church to provide recreation for the youth (and older people too), but, the Lord’s church is not social in nature. Jesus did not die on the cruel cross of calvary so that people might be provided recreation and all manner of social activities, but that souls can be saved (1 Tim. 3:14-15). “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” Christians need to learn this valuable lesson. The church is to be the “pillar and ground of the truth.” That is spiritual in nature. If you are a member of a church that has within its budget, the funding of social activities out of the treasury, you need to ask the leaders of that church where is the Bible authority for it. I’ll state again what I have preached for some thirty-seven years now. With what one is converted, that is what he is converted to. If one is converted with the social gospel (fun, food, and frolic), then that is what he is converted to. Take that away and you lose him. On the other hand, if one is converted with the gospel, he is converted to the gospel and to the Lord and nothing will change that fact. People that are converted with a “soda pop and sandwich ” have to be kept with “candy bars and ice cream. ” (Read also Eph. 3:8-11,21.) The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a divine institution, purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and those who try to turn it into a social thing have a materialistic view of that which is spiritual and are “liberal.”

C. A wrong attitude toward worship. Some churches have “children’s church” in which they “practice” taking the Lord’s supper. This is supposed to have them educated so that when they become “Christians, ” they will “know how it is done.” Many times I hear of churches celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, etc. in their worship services. Where does this fit into God’s plan for spiritual things in worship? Some are bringing in their choirs that are simply forms of entertainment in song. Again I ask, where is the authority? These are but a few things that answer the question, “Liberal, What Does That Mean?” Let us take heed to 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove our own selves. . .

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 10, pp. 302-303
May 16, 1991