Truth Magazine

By Irvin Himmel

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed (Prov. 13:20).

Man is a social creature strongly influenced by the thinking, speech, and actions of other people. We have a measure of power over one another. No one can dispossess himself of this influence, but he can direct it.

The moral character of a person is shaped to a large extent by the company he keeps.

Two Classes of Companions

Basically, there are two classes in society – the wise and the foolish. The Bible contrasts these two distinct groups.

Jesus spoke of the wise builder versus the foolish builder (Matt. 7:24-27). The wise builder illustrates the individual who hears the sayings of Jesus and does them. The foolish builder reminds us of the one who hears but does not obey. To be wise is to heed the will of God revealed through his Son. Anyone who disregards the will of God is acting foolishly. Each one of us is building his house either on the rock or on the sand.

In another parable Jesus spoke of the wise virgins versus the foolish virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). All these virgins went forth to meet the bridegroom. The wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps, thus preparing adequately. The foolish took no oil to use in case that which was in their lamps was exhausted. Lack of preparation was their problem. To fully prepare for the Lord’s coming is to be wise. Failure to prepare adequately is folly.

Paul wrote of walking as wise versus walking as fools (Eph. 5:15). To be wise is to walk circumspectly, redeeming the time. Fools do not walk circumspectly. “Essentially, wisdom is a derivative of faith in God” (Willard H. Taylor).

Walking With the Wise

“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise.” It takes more than talking with wise men. It takes more than being casually acquainted with a few wise men. To imbibe the wisdom of the wise one must make them his close companions.

The wise project the fear of God in their lives. They make practical application of knowledge. They are skilled in the art of right living. They discriminate between good and evil. They keep the precepts of the Lord. The psalmist said, “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts” (Psa. 119:63).

To walk with the wise is to have habitual and close friendship with them. “The man who walks with wiser men than himself imbibes their thoughts, and those thoughts become part of himself. As the health of the body depends upon the kind of food which it assimilates and its power of assimilation, so the health of the mind depends upon the character of the thoughts which it receives and its power of making them its own” (W. Harris). Good habits and sound principles are learned by constant association with good and righteous people.

Companion of Fools

“A companion of fools shall be destroyed,” “will suffer harm” (NASB), “shall smart for it” (ASV), or “be misled” (NEB).

Keeping company with fools does not yield wisdom. A fool is morally undesirable, or spiritually detrimental, lacking both wisdom and discipline. He stubbornly refuses counsel. He is obstinate in the course which he follows.

Joash, king of Judah, did right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. Walking with this wise man helped to keep Joash on the right course. But when Jehoiada died, the king became a friend of the wicked princes of Judah, and that was his downfall. He ordered Jehoiada’s son killed, countenanced idolatry, and finally was slain by some of his servants (2 Chron. 24).

There is an old adage, “He who lies down with dogs shall rise up with fleas.” To become a companion of fools is to suffer the fate of fools.

Choosing of Associates

All contact with foolish people cannot be avoided. A child who is born to foolish parents cannot help being “a companion of fools” in early life. There may be many unavoidable circumstances in which we are placed in the company of fools. But we are free to choose our close friends. There is no valid reason for one’s choosing as his most intimate companions people who are fools.

Paul reminds us, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals'” (1 Cor. 15:33, NASB). He was referring to the Corinthian Christians keeping company with people who denied the resurrection. Wrong beliefs generate wrong attitudes and wrong actions.

If one has chosen the wrong kind of friends, he should break off that relationship and establish ties with people who love the Lord. Our selection of friends helps to make or break us spiritually.

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 6, p. 175
March 15, 1990

By Randy Cavender

Many times when one takes a test, questions are asked that require a true or false answer! I have entitled this article “True or False” because I would like for you to search the Scriptures and answer the questions that I ask. The subject is salvation. This topic needs to be studied because of all the disagreements which surround it. I have often said that you could listen to five different denominational preachers speak about salvation, and you would hear five different ways to be saved. Kind reader, there is only one way to be saved! God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33,40). He expects us all to obey the commands he has given, no more and no less! Therefore, please take your Bibles and read the evidence I present on salvation and decide if it is true or false!

First of all, let us notice the last words of Jesus while upon this earth! Beginning with Matthew’s account we read, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. ” Mark’s account is similar, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. ” Luke’s account is as follows, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things” (Matt. 28:1820; Mk. 16:15,16; Lk. 24:46-48). As we read these passages of Scripture, we must conclude that Jesus gave some conditions for salvation. We must also conclude that in order for one to receive the salvation of his soul, he must obey these commands! We must accept what the Lord has said on the matter, for the word of the Lord is truth (Jn. 17:17). Now let us look at some examples of the great commission at work! In Acts 2, the apostles, on the Day of Pentecost were preaching the word of the Lord to those Jews who had killed Christ! We read that the apostles told the people, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). Thus, the subject of salvation was being preached! As the writer focuses on the words of Peter, we see that the people were convicted of sin, and asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (v. 37) Peter told them plainly, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (v. 38). We read that about 3000 were baptized. May I ask, did the apostles speak the words of the Lord as he had instructed them? (Look at the Scriptures we have given.) Is it true that the people would receive the forgiveness (remission) of sins when they would obeyed? Is it true that the Lord added the saved to his church (v. 47)? Please be honest and answer these questions. Are these things true or are they false! If false, where am I mistaken?

Let us look at Acts 8! Philip, the evangelist, went down to Samaria to preach Christ (Acts 8:5). We see that Philip preached concerning the kingdom of God, and the people believed those things (v. 12). It is evident by the response that the people believed those things (v. 12). It is evident by the response that the people were told to “believe and be baptized. ” We come to this conclusion because the people did exactly that! Now if Philip had not told them, who did? And if he did, where did he get such a message? This was the teaching of Christ, for it was he who said, “He that believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk. 16:16). 1 know these people received salvation because they did exactly what the Lord tells us to do! Now why would anyone deny these plain passages of Scripture? May I ask you, is it true that the Samaritans obeyed the commandments of the Lord, the same commands he instructed his apostles to teach to the whole world? Is it true that these people had faith in what Philip preached concerning Christ, the Son of God, and this faith led them to obey? Again, if this is false, where am I mistaken?

We have yet another example of salvation in Acts 9. Saul of Tarsus was on the way to Damascus to persecute Christians. As he came near the city, Jesus appeared and spoke to him (vv. 4-9). There are some who will say that Saul was saved right there and then. But I deny it! Why? After asking, “What do you want me to do?” Jesus told him to “go into the city and you will be told what you must do” (v. 6). Thus, we must conclude that Saul was not a saved man when he left to go into the city. In fact, the preacher Ananias did not come to Saul for three days! We also see during those three days, Saul of Tarsus was praying, yet he still had not been told what to do (vv. 9,11). When Ananias entered the house where Saul was, he then told him to “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). The Bible says, “and he arose and was baptized” (Acts 9:18). Again, did Saul do what the Lord commanded? Is it true that if he had refused, he would not have been saved?

Kind reader, are the words of Jesus true or false? I happen to believe they are true! If you come to this conclusion, will you not obey the Lord’s commandments and be saved from your sins? Please think seriously about these matters!

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 6, p. 174
March 15, 1990

By Don R. Hastings

Jesus said, “Be not anxious for your life.” The New King James Version reads, “do not worry about your life.” This is a command that most of us have failed to keep. It is easy to say, “Don’t worry,” but it is very different to keep ourselves from worrying. We can learn from God’s word how to overcome anxiety of mind! What a great and wonderful accomplishment! Jesus would not command us to do something that we didn’t have the ability to do. It can be done. We must do it!

Anxiety is forbidden because it is evidence of a great lack of faith in the goodness and care of our heavenly Father. While we claim to believe that the word of God is truth, our minds being troubled with apprehension and anxiety proves that our faith is either very weak or dead (Heb. 11:6). How can we rely on the mercy of God in the hour of death if we are afraid to trust him in life?

Jesus is not forbidding our giving thought to obtaining the necessities of life. We must provide for our own (1 Tim. 5:8). We should give some thought and care to the physical body. Jesus is forbidding our being overly concerned, full of care, troubled and upset with dread, so that: we do not have peace of mind; we are not able to rest; all joy is taken out of this life; we are blinded to our blessings and, therefore, fail to give thanks for them; our spiritual life is choked out and we are made useless in the Lord’s service. “The worry which wears out the mind wears out the body along with it. Worry affects a man’s judgment, lessens his powers of decision, and renders him progressively incapable of dealing with life. Let a man give his best to every situation – he cannot give more – and let him leave the rest to God” (The Gospel of Matthew, William Barclay, Vol. 1, p. 263). We must have the proper view of life and that is being far more concerned about our spiritual life than our earthly life (Col. 3:14).

Jesus had just told his disciples not to lay up “treasures upon the earth” and not to let riches be their master (Matt. 6:1924). Some of you may be thinking, “I am not in bondage to riches. I possess very few material riches.” Jesus points out that we are a bond servant of riches if we are worried about possessing them. Our great concern to possess them makes us their servant. We are giving our time, energy and thought to obtaining them. Are riches your master?

In our text, Jesus gives us seven valid reasons which prove why we must not worry. We must not be anxious because:

I. God Has Given Us Our Lives and Our Bodies (Text; Acts 17:24; Gen. 2:7)

Jesus asked, “Is not the life more than the food, and the body more than the raiment?” The answer is, “Yes.” Jesus reasons from the greater to the lesser. Since God has given us our life and body, we can trust him to give us food which will sustain life and clothing to cover the body. Do you trust him for these things (Phil. 4:4-6)?

II. God’s Consideration of Inferior Creatures Assures Us of His Great Concern for Us (Text)

Birds are not worried about the future, but sing cheerfully. Elizabeth Cheyney penned this poem, “Overheard In An Orchard”:

Said the robin to the sparrow,

“I should really like to know

Why these anxious human beings

Rush about, and worry so?”

Said the sparrow to the robin,

“Friend, I think that it must be

They have no heavenly Father

Such as cares for you and me.”

The birds do not serve “mammon,” or riches. Since God doesn’t forget even the sparrows, but feeds them, surely we can count on him to give us our “daily bread” (Lk. 12:6,7). Brother A.W. Discus wrote these words, which he set to music, “Lord, I believe, yes, I believe, I cannot doubt or be deceived; The eye that sees each sparrow fall, His unseen hand is in it all.”

Jesus asked, “Are not ye of much more value than they?” The answer is, “Yes.” We are made in his image (Gen. 1:26,27). We are the recipients of his redeeming grace (Psa. 111:9). He sent his Son to die for us (Rom. 5:8-11).

III. Worrying Is Useless (V. 27 KJV and footnote in ASV)

Worrying about your height is vain; it won’t help you grow taller. It wouldn’t do any good to worry about it. I am 5’8″ and I have always been short. I tell people, “Dynamite comes in small packages.”

Some people worry themselves into a state of depression because they are not content with their appearance. It is senseless to be overly concerned about our physical appearance. It is senseless, for regardless of the attention, time, or money spent on our bodies, they will return to the dust of the ground (Gen. 3:19; 2 Cor. 4:16). It is the beauty of the heart that is important in the sight of God (1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Pet. 3:3,4). Jesus asked, “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” The answer, “No one.”

IV. The Father Beautifully Clothed The Flowers Which Live Only For A Moment (Text)

“To the Jew, he (Solomon) was the highest representative of earthly grandeur, yet he was surpassed by the common lily of the field” (The Fourfold Gospel, J.W. McGarvey, p. 258). Solomon was outdone by the lily.

The flowers are not servants of riches and yet they are beautifully clothed. “The glory and beauty of the flower is natural and hence is made directly by the hand of the Creator without the instrumentality of man, which shows the ability of God to accomplish the utmost in the field of adornment and clothing” (Bible Commentary, E.M. Zerr, Vol. 5, p. 23). Flowers and grasses were burned in ovens in Palestine. In many places, there is not much wood. Jesus gives the reason why we worry over material things – “O ye of little faith.”

V. Worry Is Something Which The Gentiles Do For They Do Not Know What God Is Like (Text)

How shameful it is for children of God to come down to the level of the heathen. Of what value is our religion if we are distressed, depressed, and weighted down from the cares of this world like the atheist? Don’t you believe that God cares for you? Then you must stop being overly anxious (Matt. 7:7-11; 1 Pet. 5:7; Psa. 46:1-3; 145:14-21; Rom. 8:28-32).

VI. There Is No Need To Worry Over Material Things For The Father Knows Our Needs

And Will Satisfy Them (Text; Matt. 6:8; Phil. 4:19; Psa. 37:25)

“Worry is essentially distrust of God. Such a distrust may be understandable in a heathen who believes in a jealous, capricious, unpredictable god; but it is beyond comprehension in one who has learned to call God by the name of Father. The Christian cannot worry because he believes in the love of God” (The Gospel of Matthew, William Barclay, Vol. 1, p. 261).

Instead of worrying over material riches, you should 64seek ye first the kingdom of God.” That which should come first in occupying our time, energy and thoughts should be: being a citizen in the Lord’s kingdom; being loyal to the king; and being righteous in his eyes.

Are you seeking “first his kingdom and his righteousness” when you: forsake worshiping him because you are gathering material goods or protecting those you have already obtained; are afraid to be honest because it might reduce your income; stay in a sinful relationship because you are afraid you won’t have food and raiment if you don’t; make yourself sick from stress over worldly matters; are angry and bitter over financial losses, etc.? Do you believe that “all these things shall be added unto you”? (Text)

VIII. It Is Foolish To Worry Over The Future When We Do Not Know What The Future May Bring Us And When Worrying About The Future Doesn’t Change It (Text)

Worrying about future events robs us of the strength we need for today’s problems. Mark Twain said, “I’ve had a lot of troubles in my life, most of which never happened” (Christianity, Vol. 3, No. 9, p. 30). My father, Olin Hastings, wrote in a sermon outline, “Worry does not empty tomorrow its trials, but empties today of its strangeth and comfort; does not enable us to escape future trouble, but makes us unfit to cope with it.” Learn to live one day at a time (Text; Matt. 6:12). Someone said, “Don’t cross your bridges until you get to them.” Whatever the future holds in store for us, God will still be in control and will give us sufficient grace to overcome all adversities of life at that time. Because of David’s great trust in God, he knew that “goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever” (Psa. 23:6, KJV). Do you have the faith of David?

Jesus has proven that worrying is needless, senseless, useless and faithless. Will you seek diligently to stop worrying over this life? You can find peace of mind and comfort of soul through faith in the promises of God (Isa. 26:3; 2 Pet. 3:9; Heb. 10:23). If we have wasted our time on earth, because we filled our hearts with anxiety, worry, fear, etc., the Lord will rebuke us in the judgment and send us away from him. You should be far more concerned over your spiritual well-being and the salvation of others! Don’t permit Satan to distort your proper sense of values! Become one of God’s children and know the peace of soul that comes from complete trust in him.

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 7, pp. 193, 213-214
April 5, 1990

By Mike Willis

The cycle of life continues endlessly; a new generation will always be moving on the scene which does not know the fundamentals of God’s word. God’s people constantly need to be teaching their children the first principles of the oracles of God. Asaph wrote in Psalm 78:

I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments (78:7).

The need to teach every generation the foundation principles of God’s revelation will never cease.

Emphasize the Basics

Without denying the need to move beyond the elementary principles of the oracles of God to feed on strong meat, I would like to remind us of our need to emphasize the basics. As a young preacher, I distinctly remember thinking, “Everyone has heard sermons on the church and baptism. I want to preach something different.” I was fortunate to have my brother Cecil to redirect my thinking by feeding me many good books which emphasized the fundamentals of the gospel. Until I began reading and preaching on these fundamentals, I did not realize how little I actually knew about the basics.

Another thing surprised me as I preached on these topics. I was surprised by how many Christians expressed to me their appreciation for these sermons. They were learning as I was learning. Many times someone said, “I never heard a sermon on that before.” I am confident that they had heard such lessons, but they did not register with them at the time. Too, there were young folks growing up in the church, visitors to the services, and new converts who needed to hear the basic fundamentals emphasized. We do the congregation a great disservice by not emphasizing the fundamentals of salvation and the church.

Drawing A Crowd

Gospel meetings can be effectively used to teach “what must I do to be saved?” and to emphasize the “New Testament church” in contrast to denominationalism. Unless our visitors recognize they cannot be saved in their denomination, they will never become concerned about their own salvation. Unfortunately, some are consciously steering clear of these messages in their gospel meetings.

In writing about evangelistic meetings, one said, “Subjects like, ‘If you died tonight, would you go to heaven?’ or ‘Bible answers for a hurting home’ are excellent because they deal with immediate human needs and show the Bible to be relevant in people’s lives. Subjects like ‘Why do you believe the doctrines you believe?’ are also excellent. The idea here is not to deal with any specific false doctrines but to show that false doctrine is prevalent and encourage them to examine their own beliefs. Denomination ‘bashing’ doesn’t go over well with first-time visitors and should be reserved for one-on-one Bible studies.”

I am not sure what this writer means by “denomination bashing” (bash: “to make ashamed”). None of us wants to belittle, ridicule, and mistreat any person – whether he is an erring brother or an alien sinner visiting for the first time. Furthermore, we should follow Jesus’ directive: “be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10:16), Having said these things, I must confess that these exhortations quoted above leave me with the distinct impression that sermons which contrast the Lord’s church with denominationalism, the Lord’s conditions for salvation with those which denominationalists teach, and other distinctive messages should not be preached in gospel meetings for fear that we might drive off visitors! If I have correctly understood this material, I am opposed to what is written.

In a recent copy of The Buckler, the bulletin of the church which worships at 1216 W. Sixth Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Lowell Blasingame mentioned the topics for a class of young Christians conducted at a liberal church in Mississippi. Here was the list of topics:

“How Good Is Your P.A. (Positive Attitude) System?”

“How To Get A Turtle On A Fence Post”

“Snake Bites That Snafu Your Life”

“Pain, Problems, and Pearls”

“Crisis Sparks Opportunity”

“A Million Dollars Worth of Asset”

These topics reminded me of a couple of meeting advertisements from some of my own brethren. In a “special lectureship” on “Guides To True Spirituality” aimed at non-Christians, the speaker’s topics included “Self-Analysis and Spiritual Awareness” and “Human Relationships: How to get along better with your fellow man. ” The meeting advertisement touted this as a “how-to” guide “to help us rise to the heights of spiritual maturity” with emphasis on “selfanalysis,” “personal sharing,” and “the beauty of ‘triangular’ relationships.”

Another “seminar” advertisement designed for non-Christians was entitled “How To Improve Your Lifestyle” and included these topics: “How can I be truly time efficient?”, “How can I love more effectively?” and “How can I eliminate stress in my life?”

Am I over-reacting to be alarmed by these announcements? I think not! I have preached long enough to witness the impact of this shift in preaching on churches. When I first started preaching in the late 1960s, the shift in preaching emphasis had already begun to occur among the liberals. Their meeting announcements featured topics similar to those mentioned above. Their bulletins were filled with material which could be published in any denominational church bulletin in town. A concentrated effort was made to eliminate from their preaching those things which offended denominational folks who visited the meetings. What has been the result? Many liberal churches are full of “Christians” who can not distinguish the Lord’s church from denominations. The same sowing will always produce the same harvest!

Conclusion

The gospel does not appeal to every man. Some men do not like its teachings about the deity of Jesus, miracles, and the supernatural. Some do not like its moral demands on their lives. Some do not like its teaching regarding the church. When these men hear the gospel, they will turn away from it. We dare not change or dilute the message of the gospel to appeal to these men.

Instead, we need to preach the gospel. The gospel will appeal to those who recognize their sinful and lost condition, have the humility to submit to Christ as their Lord, and be obedient to his word. Should we live in a period of human history or a geographical location where those men are few in number, we simply must preach to more people to convert the same number as we have been used to converting. Should our fate be to live in times like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Noah, let us have the fortitude to cling to the word. God told Ezekiel:

But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house (3:7-9).

Let us never compromise, dilute, or change the Lord’s message to gain numbers. Conversions never occur by compromise.

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 7, pp. 194, 212-213
April 5, 1990