Truth Magazine

By Luther Bolenbarker

During the 200 plus years of our history, America has engaged in six wars (listed below) in which Americans have died at the hand of the enemy. In the table of war below, each cross (+) represents 25,000 Americans killed. These war casualties represents all the American combat-related deaths.

Revolutionary War (Freedom from England) +

Civil War (1860-1865) 498,332 +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++

World War I (1917-1865) 116,708 +++++

World War II (1941-1945) 407,316 +++++ +++++ +++++ +

Korean War (1951-1953) 54,246 ++

Vietnam War (1963-1972) 58,655 +++

These crosses all represent people who loved life and were looking forward to a future, but they all had it cut short by an enemy who threatened what they believed in: America, freedom to live, and the pursuit of happiness. Today we can be thankful and proud of these men and women who answered their call to duty, even above and beyond, they gave their all, so we could pursue the American dream of life, liberty, and happiness.

However, on January 22, 1973 our Supreme Court handed down a decision that radically altered America’s thinking on the question of life and its abortion. The Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolten decisions made abortion a “constitutional right.” Much like December 7, 194 1, it was a day that will live in infamy. In order to put this all in perspective with the other wars, look at the number of crosses that would be needed to represent these babies killed (yet they get no crosses since they are treated as trash, and thrown away like our unwanted garbage). Remember, each cross represents 25,000 babies.

War on the Unborn (Legal Abortions Performed in America since 1973): +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ +++++ (560 x 25,000 14, 00 000)

Now double the above number of crosses and they represent 28,000,000 babies who have been murdered legally (in man’s mind, not God’s). I am sadden to say that the crosses are being added at the rate of one every five days, or approximately 5,000 babies aborted daily.

In Luke 1:44, the yet to be born John was called by the Holy Spirit “the babe” (Greek brephos). In Luke 2:12, the Holy Spirit calls the “already born” Jesus, a “babe” (brephos). God uses the exact same word for the unborn and the born child.

Would someone tell me why it is not right to kill the brephos after it is born but that it is permissible to kill the brephos before its birth?

Brethren, many souls will be lost because of abortion: the officials who legalize it, the mother who obtains it, the father who allows it, the doctor who performs it, and the preacher who advocates it (Rom. 13:9; and 2 Jn. 9-11). Abortion is immoral; it is murder. Murder is forbidden from the first book of the Bible to the last (Gen. 9:6; Exod. 20:13; 1 Jn. 3:15; Rev. 21:18). We need to kill abortion and stop killing innocent babies!

A personal thought: I can’t imagine any God-fearing person being anything but “pro-life” on abortion and I wonder how much longer God will continue to “bless America”? Surely his longsuffering must be going short!

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 10, p. 297
May 16, 1991

By Theron E. Martin

This eulogy has been delayed for two years because of my grief. My good and faithful wife, Janie Fleniken Martin, passed from this earth on March 28, 1989. Only now can I attempt to praise her before God and men. She was an exceptional Christian and one without guile.

I first remember meeting Janie in high school in the year 1928. We had several classes together and she was a good student, loved by the teachers. We lived at that time in the same general area of Texarkana, Arkansas and I found myself following her home or in that direction, watching her golden hair bounce on her shoulders. I can see the same scene vividly today and in a short while I was carrying Janie’s books. I found her to be a quiet, reserved person and not at all flippant, as was the custom of so many teenage girls of that period. I found myself more and more attracted to her as time passed. We were serious with each other, but not too serious, and both of us continued association with other friends.

After graduating from high school in May 1929, we both became employed, she as a secretary at a local bank and 1 in the service of a railroad. We continued to see each other and after discussion with her on such subjects as family life ‘ children, head of the family and religion, I asked Janie to marry me. The year 1930 had arrived and Janie wished for more time to consider. She was a member of a large family, twelve of whom were still living, and all dedicated to the Baptist faith. They were a good moral family and served God as their conscience dictated. Janie and I had discussed this thoroughly and agreed that we would study the Scriptures together in order to determine how God wanted us to worship in accordance with the gospel of Christ. In July 1930 1 had the courage to ask Janie’s mother, with Janie’s permission, if she would permit our marriage in December 1930. Janie’s mother never answered my request, but arose from her seat and left our presence. My only conclusion was that she was saddened to lose her last child and that when Janie left, the house would be empty. Six daughters and four sons would have left the nest, plus one deceased. We went ahead with our plans, without objection from either of our families, even though we were very young (only nineteen). I had been in the Lord’s church for seven years and was strong in the faith.

Since we had planned our marriage for several months we went ahead with our plans. Janie was to be the homemaker and take care of children. I was to dedicate myself to my family and God and supply the family with their needs. It was a serious day for both of us when we were married by a gospel preacher on December 16, 1930. Jasper N. Reed performed the service at 6 p.m. in the home of Janie with only our immediate family present.

The months went by and I found the girl I had selected was kind, gentle and always spoke quietly. She had always honored her father and mother and had always loved her brothers and sisters. Hers was a good and happy family. Our love increased day by day and in the following years two sons were born to us, the first in October 1931 and the second in July 1936. My job with the railroad resulted in our moving to Marshall, Texas in 1932 and then to Big Spring, Texas in the year 1937. These were depression years and on several occasions we were without money, but being young and full of confidence, we did not worry. Janie did not worry as she knew that Christ taught that we were to give no thought of tomorrow as to what we would wear or what we would eat. She was a happy person and a good mother.

At a gospel meeting at the Lord’s church in Big Spring in March 1938, the visiting evangelist, Trine Starnes, baptized Janie into the church, the kingdom of Christ. It was a glorious day for us as we had pleasantly through the years discussed the mystery of salvation through the obedience to the will of Christ and his apostles. I asked Janie what was said that moved her to make the decision and she replied, “Your steadfastness and the preacher’s explanation of the Scripture 1 Peter 3:21.” This passage says,

The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As the years passed, Janie and I continued to grow in knowledge of the Scriptures. We lived in Big Spring eight years and our ministers during that time included Melvin J. Wise and Byron G. Fullerton. Janie was active in the ladies Bible class and took part in all vacation Bible schools. I worked seven days per week and long hours during World War II. Janie continued to be an excellent homemaker and kept close watch over our sons. The boys grew up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and never gave us any bother or apprehension. While there was considerable discipline, the quiet and authoritative voice of Janie, with her love, conquered all problems. While Janie was busy with the home she always had time to send me off to work each morning with a happy face and greeted me each evening with a fresh face, a clean dress and a warm embrace. It was always good to go home because it was a quiet place of rest and personal contact with the family.

We enjoyed working with the church in Commerce, Texas in the years 1945 through 1947. 1 served as deacon under the elders Tom Lafferty and Marvin Allbritton. Willis Jernigan Sr., was our minister. Janie worked in vacation Bible schools several years. Transferred by the railroad in December 1947 to the city of Tyler, Texas, we associated ourselves with the West Irwin Street church. Austin Seibert was minister. Roy Cogdill held meetings while we were there. It was during this time that problems developed in the various congregations (1950-1951). Our two boys were added to the church at Tyler, Texas.

Another transfer took place in July 1951 when I was offered a position in the General Office of the railroad. Janie cried during the night because we had been told the new job was in St. Louis. It had not been good changing the schools so often for our two boys; nevertheless the promotion was good for the family in some respects. We found at St Louis a good, conservative group which stood solid in the truth; it was the Spring and Blaine congregation with minister Truman T. Carney, We had seven years of good doctrinal teaching and preaching at this location under the oversight of elders Eugene Paxson and Eugene Sewell. This is where we adopted the young people of the congregation and had them in our home almost every Sunday night after the evening service. At one time we had a total of thirty-three for snacks, sodas and jovial games. Our boys were at home part of the time and enjoyed the company.

After seven years in St. Louis, the railroad consolidated some departments and moved us to Pine Bluff, Arkansas in July 1958. We worshipped for three years at the West Sixth congregation, with Leonard Tyler as the minister and with elders Jackson and Grace. While here we married off our two sons to girls that had been reared in the church. By example, we think we taught them how a family should exist in the eyes of the Lord. They did well, worked in the church wherever they lived, and gave us four grand-children who have all been baptized into Christ. Janie’s relation with her new daughters-in-law was perfect – a reciprocation of love and trust. She taught them in many respects their responsibility to the family and to their husbands (Eph. 5:33; 1 Pet. 3:6) She taught them to love their husbands (Tit. 2:4-5). She explained to them that their loyalty, time, affections and body belong to their husbands (1 Cor. 7:34). By example Janie taught the younger women that home responsibilities to their husband and children come first. She was a shining example in the preparing of good meals and keeping a clean house which was always a home.

Again the railroad made a consolidation, so Janie and I left Pine Bluff, Arkansas for Houston, Texas. There we found some old St. Louis friends worshipping with the Norhill congregation off North Main. We asked to have our names added to the list of those who worshipped at Norhill in a sound manner without interference from those that would dilute the worship of a true and living God. The treasury of the congregation would be used to preach the gospel and maintain the place of worship. We worked diligently with the minister Oscar Smith, Jr., and the elders Richey, Kelly, Painter, Green and Morris. We performed whatever task we were asked to perform for nineteen years, serving as deacon, working in vacation Bible school, teaching adult classes, leading the singing, calling on the sick and doing benevolent work for our members and widows, plus maintenance work on the plant.

During this time Janie was the perfect host to visiting preachers and elders. We had much fellowship at our house in Houston with fellow Christians. This period of time was July 1961 to July 1980.

After retiring from the railroad, Janie and I decided that we should move to a smaller town and make preparations for a quiet place in the country where we could enjoy each other and grow old gracefully. We moved to Mount Ida, Arkansas after building a small home on four acres. We were twenty-six miles west of Hot Springs. A short time after moving there we lost our preacher, A.T. Wright, in death. The church there was unable to go forward as it should have. Our health problems increased as we grew older. Since there was only one doctor and no hospital nearer than Hot Springs we decided to move to Pine Bluff, Arkansas where our youngest son lived.

We moved in December 1988. Janie’s health continued to decline. The doctors at Pine Bluff were unable to correct any of the health conditions and she died at home one evening in my arms. Her sudden death prevented her from speaking a last good-bye.

After a farewell service by brother Edgar Dye and brother Eddie Randolph at the church building, burial took place in Texarkana, Texas.

The wise man asked, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies?” (Prov. 31:10) Janie was that virtuous woman. I found her and God gave me a helpmeet far superior to me who served her family faithfully for 58 years, 3 months and 12 days. My life on earth was happy with Janie and is almost complete. When she and I meet beyond the river, we pray that he will say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servants.”

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 9, pp. 270-271
May 2, 1991

By Lewis Willis

I recently subscribed to a religious journal published by the Getwell Church of Christ in Memphis, Tennessee entitled The Spiritual Sword. The issue for January 1991 was a special having to do with the Role of Women in the Church. The editor, Alan E. Highers, set the stage for the special issue in an editorial he entitled “The Winds of Change.” In that article Highers identified the changes being made among those liberal churches that left us years ago. He opposes some of these changes as much as we would oppose them. However, he has apparently failed to learn that you cannot have a little liberalism in the church. Here are some of the things that are happening in liberal churches according to Highers.

The Bering Drive Church in Houston, Texas issues a “Report on Women’s Participation in Public Worship,” dated March 5, 1989. It said, “On July 31, 1988, the elders presented a statement to the Bering family concerning the use of spiritual gifts by both men and women, expressing our conviction that it is scriptural and appropriate for sisters as well as brothers to serve in Sunday morning worship roles of ushering, greeting visitors, receiving the offering, reading Scripture, leading prayers, leading singing, and serving communion.”

Highers also quoted from a January 1990 letter which the Cahaba Valley Church in Birmingham sent to their members. “We further assert that women in the Lord may minister not only to women but also to men, as God calls them, as long as they are submitting to God’s authority, the leaders of the church, and their commitments to their families.” They also announced that they were appointing deacons, both male and female, on Pentecost Sunday, 1990. By 1994 they said woman will also be “speaking to the assembly in sermon.”

Highers printed an exchange that occurred at the 1990 Preachers and Church Workers forum at Freed-Hardeman University. The exchange was the response to a question by Robert Randolph, preacher for the church at Brookline, Massachusetts, and Lynn Mitchell, an elder at Bering Drive in Houston. Here is the exchange:

Question: I would like to ask brother Randolph, can women serve as elders today? If not, why not? Our culture today would allow it even though the culture of the Bible in general might not permit it.

Randolph: I have no problem with women serving as elders today. . .

Mitchell: I wouldn’t take any exception to what brother Randolph said.

The Gospel Advocate, a well-known journal among the liberals, wrote in their March 1989 issue on this subject: “Some have assumed that as long as women do not act contrary to the specific command to ‘keep silence,’ they can assume a leadership role in the service, such as serving communion. . . Some are saying that serving communion is not a leadership role . . . in at least one instance, women are not content with serving communion but now also lead singing and prayer, make announcements, read the Scriptures, and even preach on occasion! . . . A recent decision in a second congregation affirms, ‘after much prayer and thought and discussion, the conclusion was reached that there was nothing in Scripture denying women the freedom to serve in the following capacities: ushering, serving communion, Scripture reading, song leading, leading prayer and making announcements.”‘

It is evident that our liberal brethren have a problem on their hands. They abandoned the authority of the Scripture many years ago, and they do not appreciate the liberties that some of their churches are now exercising. They demand the right to exercise their liberties without Scripture, but they do not want others to do the same if they go farther into denominationalism than they choose to go.

For a long time the denominational world has had women preachers and church leaders. Now we know that liberal churches of Christ have followed that same path. The evidence of history is that faithful churches will have difficulty with the same questions if we fail to teach the truth in a forthright way concerning these questions. This one is easy to deal with.

“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak,- but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church” (1 Cor. 14:34-35). It also should be noted that Paul is discussing conduct when “the whole church be come together into one place” (v. 23). Paul also said, “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (1 Tim. 2:11-12). As it regards women elders, we need to note simply that the Scriptures teach: “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife” (1 Tim. 3:1-2).

We must make a decision to live by the Scriptures. If we do so, we will know that God has limited a woman’s activity in the church and we must not go beyond what he has authorized. If we are going to abandon the Scriptures regarding some of these things, it really does not matter what we do after that. To go beyond the Scripture – any Scripture – means that we have abandoned God (2 Jn. 9). We will not take that first step away from God’s Word.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 9, pp. 264, 269
May 2, 1991

By Mike Willis

The unity of local churches must be preserved. One reputable preacher among our liberal brethren is reported to have said that very few churches exist 25 years without having at least one major conflict resulting in a division. Whether that is absolutely true or not, my limited experience confirms that it is near enough to be being true to be of concern to each of us.

The problem is not new; divisions also occurred in first century churches. Most of us are aware of the divisions in the church at Corinth; we may not be as aware of the threat of division in the church at Philippi. In the four short chapters of that book, Paul exhorted that the church preserve its unity in four different places (1:27; 2:2; 3:15; 4:2). The problem in Philippi, like that in most church divisions today, was not doctrinal. Division was threatened by brethren who were unspiritual, if not carnal. Such is more likely the case among us today. A study of these four Scriptures may help us ward off division in the local church.

Philippians 1:27

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

This passage exhorts Christians to stand fast in a common element (one spirit – not the Holy Spirit, but the human spirit) to maintain the unity of Christians. The oneness of the spirit is “the perfect accord of their minds in conviction, volition, and feeling” which “presents the appearance of one spirit which the various persons have in common” (H.A.W. Meyer 42). This spirit existed in the church at Jerusalem, for Luke records, “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul” (Acts 4:32). They “continued daily with one accord” (Acts 2:46). This bonding of brethren is necessary for the preservation of the unity of the local church.

Some churches lack oneness of spirit because they have strong-willed brethren pushing to get their own way. Where this occurs, there may exist three or four parties within the local church, each vying with the other for control of the church. (Do a word study of the works of the flesh, “strife, seditions, heresies,” in Galatians 5:20 to learn the progressive development of division in a local church.) The congregation may continue meeting together for a time, but there is no meshing of the gears together, no oneness of spirit; instead, there is strife, factions, and division.

Philippians 2:1

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, or one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

The motives for unity in the local church are our consolation in Christ, the comfort of our love one to another, our fellowship of the Spirit and our bowels (of compassion) and mercies toward one another. As we think of these precious blessings available to us in the local church, we should work to attain and maintain the unity of the local congregation. The psalmist described the blessedness of unity as follows:

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.

As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore (Psa. 133).

The blessedness of this unity should cause us to “give diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). Therefore, we should be likeminded, which is further defined as having the same love toward one another and being of one accord to each other. This is destroyed by strife and vainglory. Strife (from eritheian) means “a desire to put one’s self forward, a partisan and factious spirit which does not disdain low arts; partisanship, factiousness” (Thayer 249). The word was “used of those who electioneer for office, courting popular applause by trickey and low arts.”

Perhaps you have seen this spirit at work in the local church. A man who is bent on having his own way begins politicking among the brethren to line up a coterie of followers who might look toward him as their leader. When he has enough power to push his way over the objections of others, such a man will make his move to seize control of the church.

The word vainglory (from kenodoxian) means “glorying without reason, conceited, vain-glorious, eager for empty glory.” There is a spirit which sometimes manifests itself among brethren in which a man desires to exalt himself. He would rather be a big fish in a little pond than a little fish in a big pond. Arrogance and conceit destroy the unity of the local church. Where arrogant, conceited brethren are, the peace of the church is threatened. Sometimes vainglorious men seize control of the church and dominate it with their high-handed rule, lording it over the flock (1 Pet. 5:3). Humble men can take only so much of this kind of rule before they rise up in rebellion against the arrogant. The cause of such church troubles is not the humble men who rise in rebellion but the arrogant, conceited brethren who trample under foot the consciences, wishes and desires of others.

As a preventive to division caused by arrogant brethren, Paul instructed brethren to manifest “lowliness of mind” and to “esteem others better than themselves.” Where brethren imitate the humility of Jesus, the sacrificing of his best interests in order to secure the best interests of others, division will not occur (Phil. 2:4-5). The humble mind cannot co-exist with the selfishness which has its own bests interests foremost in its mind.

Every brother should “esteem other better than themselves.” Contrast this with that spirit of strife which is bent on having its own way at all costs. Every man should look out for what is best for others, rather than promoting his own selfish interests. Where this spirit of cooperation exists, unity and peace will prevail.

Philippians 3:16

Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Paul exhorts the Christians not to deviate from the revelation which they already have received, but to continue walking according to divine revelation. This might be illustrated as follows:

C

A ———————————————————B ——————————————————– D

E

The person who is walking the line from A to B should continue the line from B to D, not deviating to C or E. To do so would be to change one’s direction, to head in a different way.

We need to “mind the same thing.” So long as Christians resolve to abide in the doctrine of Christ, there will be unity. Those who depart from the doctrine of Christ trouble churches (Gal. 1:7) and cause division.

Philippians 4:2

I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

Paul referred to two sisters in the church at Philippi who were having conflict. He exhorted them to “be of the same mind” because their differences were troubling the church. Sometimes the unity of the local church is destroyed by women who have conflict one with another. Perhaps one did not invite the other to her Tupperware or Home Interiors party; maybe one gossipped about the other; perhaps one was caustic in her speech and hurt the other sister’s feelings. We will never know what the circumstance was which created the dissension. We only know that it was damaging the unity of a good church.

When two or more sisters “lock horns” in a local church, it still destroys and damages the unity of the local church. Sometimes the tension is noticed by all and transmitted to others (“if you are her friend, you are not my friend”). For the sake of the peace of the local church, let every brother and sister “be of the same mind in the Lord.”

Conclusion

The unity of the local church is precious. We must not allow carnal men to destroy local churches by their political self-assertion. God-fearing brethren, in a spirit of true humility, must stop the spread of strife and vainglory before it destroys the local church.

Let us resolve to grow spiritually. Let us be Christ-like. This is the best preventive to discord and division. Let us receive the rebuke of spiritual men, making correction wherein we are out of step with God’s word. Because of the consolation which we have in Christ, the comfort of love, the fellowship of the Spirit, and the bowels of compassion and mercies, let us have the same love one toward another, show true humility, and esteem others better than ourselves.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 8, pp. 258, 277
May 2, 1991