Truth Magazine

By Carrol R. Sutton

There are hundreds of denominations (religious bodies authorized by man’s authority and governed by human wisdom) in the United States of America alone. They differ in name, doctrine and practice and yet all of them claim to be of God and that God is with them. Are these denominations authorized by the authority of God? Are they governed by God’s wisdom? Is God the author of all this division and confusion? Are they really of God? Is God really with them? (See 1 Cor. 1:10; Eph. 4:1-6 and 1 Cor. 14:33.)

Many people say, “the church of Christ is just another denomination.” There may be some religious bodies called “the church of Christ” which may be denominations but when people make that statement referring to those who are truly following the teaching of the New Testament, it is merely an assumption. If a person understands the teaching of Christ and is honest, he will not make such a statement. The church of Christ is not a denomination, nor any part of any denomination! Neither is any denomination any part of the body of Christ!”

Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church ” (Matt. 16:18). The pronoun “my” indicates that the church would be “of” or “belong to ” Christ. The church that Christ built is “of” and “belongs to ” him! Did Jesus have any denomination in mind when he said, “I will build my church”? Obviously not. Jesus did not promise to build a denomination! There is no evidence that Jesus ever built a single, solitary denomination!

To what denomination did the apostles, the three thousand Jews on Pentecost, the Samaritans, the eunuch, the jailor and the Corinthians belong (or were a part of) after they obeyed the Lord’s will? (See Acts 2:1-47; 8; 16:25-34; 18:8; 1 Cor. 12:13.) Were they not Christians? Were they not citizens in the kingdom (Col. 1:13-14), and members of the body of Christ which is the church? (See Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22-23; 1 Cor. 12.) But they were not “of” and did not “belong to” any denomination! To be a member of a denomination a person must meet the requirements set forth by that denomination. To be a Christian, to be in the body of Christ which is the church, one must meet the requirements set forth by the Lord.

In the first century, the Lord added the saved to the church which was purchased with his blood. (See Acts 2:47; 20:28 and Eph. 5:25.) What about now? If a sinner hears and believes the gospel (Rom. 10:17; Mk. 16:15-16), repents of sins (Acts 2:38), confesses faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10), and is baptized for remission of sins in order to get into Christ (Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:26-27) just like the 3,000 on Pentecost in Acts 2, the Samaritans in Acts 8:5-13, the eunuch in Acts 8:26-39, the jailor in Acts 16:22-34 and the Corinthians in Acts 18:8, will that make him a member of any denomination on earth? If so, why does it and which one? Please tell us to which denomination did the early Christians belong? Since Acts 2:47 tells us that the Lord added the saved to the church, do you think that God has changed his plan and today he adds the saved to various denominations?

All denominations exist without the authority of Christ. No denomination that exists today is the church of Christ or, in other words, the church of or that belongs to Christ. The church of Christ, i.e., the church that Jesus built, is not a denomination!

Since it is obvious from a study of the Scriptures that a person can be a Christian, live, work, worship and die in the Lord and be saved eternally without joining or even hearing of a human denomination, every denomination on earth is a non-essential, useless, and worthless institution as far as man’s salvation is concerned! So why should any person who is interested in going to heaven be in one? In Matthew 15:13 Jesus said, ‘Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.”

Why not put your faith in Jesus Christ? Why not obey his gospel (2 Thess. 1:7-9) that you may be saved and added to his church? (See Acts 2:47.) If you are not in the church, Christ is not your eternal Savior? (See Eph. 5:23.)

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 6, p. 176
March 15, 1990

By Steve Wallace

Recent events in Eastern Europe have stirred the hearts of freedom loving people all over the world. These happenings, epitomized by the breaching of the Berlin Wall, have come with such suddenness that we in the West have been stunned at the reports of the rapid decline of the Communist regimes and encouraged at the progress of reforms. Thoughts that we would not have dared to think are now becoming realities. The governments that have stood in the way of our actively and openly spreading the gospel in these countries are disappearing. In this light, what are the present possibilities of preaching the gospel in Eastern Europe? Specifically, could a man locate in one of these countries and preach? Having recently spoken with officials of three of these countries, I would like to give the results of my findings. In light of the ongoing reforms in these countries some of the conditions for establishing permanent residence will change for the better.

Czechoslovakia

In order to get some firsthand information, I recently visited Prague, Czechoslovakia. One seeking to move to this country must report to the Czech embassy in Washington, D.C. to apply for permission for permanent residence there. At the present time the Czechs are most interested in Czech nationals who have emigrated from their country and are interested in returning. Therefore, it would be a real advantage if one had relatives in Czechoslovakia. According to the official I spoke with at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague, in the coming months changes will take place which will allow all who are financially supported and have housing in Czechoslovakia to move there. Realizing the problem one in the U.S. would have of first finding housing in Czechoslovakia and then applying for residency through the embassy in Washington, I asked if there was some other way. Two answers were given: (1) At present some higher authorities in the Czech government are of the opinion that one should be able to enter the country with a visa and then apply for residency after having found housing (30 day visas are fairly easy to obtain for each of the three countries dealt with in this article); (2) The official I spoke with was of the opinion that, in the future, it will be possible for one to simply prove that he has the money for housing in order to receive permission for permanent residence. If anyone is interested in moving to Czechoslovakia (or any other East block country for that matter), I will try to help from this end. I am confident that, under the existing conditions, it would not be much of a problem to locate there.

The progress of reforms has resulted in a more open environment for the teaching of the gospel in Czechoslovakia. Bibles can be purchased in the Czech language. It is lawful to hand out tracts and one can say what he wants on the street. One lady I spoke to was a member of a Pentecostal church. She said that, in the past, the authorities would sometimes hinder them from assembling but now everything had changed. Perhaps the situation there is best summed up by pointing out that the Jehovah Witnesses are allowed to do their work there.

There is a teacher shortage in Czechoslovakia. Teachers of the English language, sciences, and industrial skills are needed. Since most of the countries in Eastern Europe seem to be moving towards a market economy one would have to think that a number of relevant positions will be opening up.

One question that always comes up when one considers moving is the cost of living. It would be very cheap for an American to live in Czechoslovakia with the exchange rates being what they are. The following examples bear this out: One can buy a house in Czechoslovakia for $10,000 to $15,000. In case anyone does not know, they have electricity and running water. At a butcher shop on Wenceslas Square there were over 30 different kinds of meat ranging in price from one dollar to three dollars per kilogram (2.20 lbs.). Oranges sell for about 35 cents a kilogram. While the standard of living is not the same as in America, an American could live there without much discomfort or inconvenience.

East Germany

Of the three countries reviewed herein, East Germany is in the most uncertain stage of reform. In spite of this, my questions to a representative of the East German government in Bonn, West Germany, produced encouraging results. As with Czechoslovakia, one must apply for a permanent stay in East Germany at their embassy in Washington, D.C. If one has housing in East Germany and financial support he has basically met the necessary requirements for an extended stay there. The official I spoke with said he thought that one would have no trouble traveling in East Germany and that there would probably be no problem in importing Bibles. He also thought that Jehovah Witnesses would be allowed to live and work there, and that teachers of the English language would be welcome.

East Germany has the highest standard of living of any East block nation. It would therefore be safe to say that one could expect better living conditions there than those described in Prague.

Hungary

One can apply for permanent residence at the Hungarian embassy in Washington, D.C. Unlike the other two nations we have mentioned in this article, one can also enter the country on a visa, find housing and apply for permanent residence there. There are housing finding services to aid one in his search for a place to live. Travel in Hungary is unrestricted. It is legal to import Bibles. The laws would not hinder the teaching of the gospel, and as long as one did nothing unlawful, he would have no problems. They need a lot of teachers in Hungary – English language teachers and other kinds too.

Because Hungary has progressed the farthest in its reforms it would be my guess that it would be the closest to Western standards in the areas of personal freedoms. The official I spoke with at the embassy in Bonn was very sure of the answers he gave.

Conclusion

Early disciples, by pure faith in God, bridged the gulfs of geography, language and culture in spreading the gospel in the first century. Their conviction that the lost needed Christ and that Christ was with them propelled them through innumerable barriers. They loved their home country and even returned for visits, but they left because their work demanded that they “go” (Matt. 28:19-20). Their example shines as a light for us today. Let us follow it!

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 6, pp. 168, 184
March 15, 1990

By Landon Hope

Nebuchadnezzer the king made an image of gold the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon (Dan. 3:1). What a magnificent sight it must have been, over one hundred feet tall, all of gold! All men the world over bowed down before and worshipped the golden image the king had set up (vv. 4-7).

Today we are given to smug snickering when we think of the ignorance of the people for falling down to an idol, no matter how grand it might have been. But before we demean the actions of that generatoin, we need to consider ourselves. The Roman Catholic Church has set up a mass for Christ and it truly is “the image of gold” in our generation. All people fall down before it. This happens even without the threat of being physically cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire as then (v. 6); it is simply the same feeling of peer pressure and thinking (believing) we are better off in our lives by falling down before and celebrating Christmas today.

Christmas, as the golden idol of today, has nothing to do with worship to God in any way, shape or form. It, in fact, takes worship away from him and gives it to the brain-child of men in the same way Nebuchadnezzer’s idol did then. Consider, there is nothing in the Bible that even suggests any part of the celebration. The “three wise men” attending the new born Jesus in a manger is far from what the Scriptures say. A careful reading of Matthew 2 and Luke 2 shows they are not at the manger and no mention is made of their number. The pretty little manger scenes are from the minds of men and certainly not the word of God. Also, The World Book Encyclopedia informs us that “the name Santa Claus comes from Sinter Klass, Dutch for Saint Nicholas.” And from where comes December 25th as the day for celebration? Probably pagan worship of the sun and the time of the winter solstice, though this is unclear.

What is clear, is that God has nothing whatever to do with Christmas, it has been set up entirely by men. That it has no part in true worship is easily understood from two plain Scriptures: John 4:23-24 and John 17:17. Mark 7:6-8 then shows the folly of man authorized worship. Yet, with all of this, some would consider that Bible study or a worship service be dismissed if it falls on Christmas or Christmas Eve. Some would have a party or play (?) in its place. For shame brethren, how great is the world’s hold on you?

Do you think that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego would fall down before “king tradition” and worship its golden idol, Christmas? Read Daniel 3:13-18 for the answer about faithful men and worldly idols. Brothers and sisters read your Bible, think on these things, and learn. This is not a pretty little story for children, but an example of faithfulness and God. Is it really different for you today than for these three wise men of the Bible? With God’s help they escaped the blazing fire. It is not a matter of indifference, you see, but it is a matter of right and wrong.

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 6, p. 172
March 15, 1990

By Mike Willis

The 23 January issue of the local paper, the Hendricks County Flyer (p. 30), contained an article entitled “Child Abuse Increasing.” According to the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department, there were nine times as many cases of reported child abuse in 1989 as compared to 1984. The problem of child abuse is not limited to Hendricks County; it is a national problem.

Psychologists, psychiatrists, law officials, welfare department officials, and the courts are working on the problem. They have given much more study to the problem and its cure than I have. Nevertheless, there appear to be some obvious and, perhaps, other not so obvious causes of child abuse. Child abuse needs to be attacked preventively, not just punitively or by assisting the victims. Child abuse stems from a spiritual problem; consequently, I am looking at child abuse from a preacher’s perspective, not a lawyer’s, judge’s, psychologist’s, etc. (although these perspectives deserve a hearing as well).

Child Abuse and the Breakdown of the Family

Much of the child abuse is from step-fathers and live-in lovers. Child abuse is a consequence of the deterioration of the family in American society. A society cannot ignore the divine commandments regarding the marriage relationship without paying the price for breaking it. God ordained that marriage be a lifetime commitment (1 Cor. 7:39; Rom. 7:12). Only the sin of fornication frees the innocent party in a marriage to form a second marriage (Matt. 19:9). The stable family relationship is the God-appointed environment for rearing children.

Parents who change mates like they change clothes, bringing in a mate who has never bonded with the children, create the situation in which child abuse is likely to occur. The “natural affection” which should exist between parent and child is not there (cf. Rom. 1:31).

We can greatly reduce, if not stop altogether, child abuse in our nation by mothers and daddies keeping their marital vows to one another, keeping the home intact. As parents who love one another, we can rear our children in an atmosphere of love, not in an environment of child abuse.

Does Abortion Stop Child Abuse?

Child abuse should not exist in our country, if what the pro-abortion advocates have said was true. We have been told that preventing unwanted children through abortion would end child abuse.

Since 1973, abortion on demand has been available in the United States. Over 20 million children have been put to death in abortuaries in our country. With so many “unwanted children” not having been born, child abuse should have been totally eliminated. Sadly, what was promised has not occurred.

There are more cases of child abuse today than ever before. Norman E. Geisler suggested the reason for this: “Apparently the disregard for human life reflected in the acceptance of abortion is extended from pre-birth to post-birth attitude toward offspring” (“The Bible, Abortion, and Common Sense,” Fundamentalist Journal [May 1985], p. 26).

Where human life is not highly regarded, child abuse will occur. A healthy respect for human life is the first step toward stopping child abuse.

Victims Become Abusers

Child abuse is learned behavior. Children mimic their parents. A child who has been a victim of child abuse in his youth is a potential child abuser. The Scriptures state that the learned habit of sin is passed down from one generation to another (“visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” – Exod. 20:4). There are second and third generation child abusers prevalent among us. The patterns of conduct learned from the parent are followed by the children and passed down to their children.

We can prevent child abuse by being good parents. Let our children see in us a good example of parental conduct and child abuse will decrease.

The Scriptures prescribe the conduct of parents toward children: “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged” (Col. 3:20).

Verbal abuse would end when parents put away from their lives “bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking” (Eph. 4:31).

A Spiritual Problem

Child abuse occurs because of distinctly spiritual problems which cannot be cured by government programs and organizations. Being a spiritual problem, a spiritual cure is necessary to change the hearts of men and women.

The influence of the gospel on society has always been wholesome. The gospel, even when it does not convert the world, leavens the society in which it is prevalent. As America becomes more secular, removing God from its classroom and other public forums, the leavening influence of the gospel is methodically eradicated. We can expect more and more social problems to occur, stemming from people who have little or no commitment to live by the ethical standards revealed by God.

What a price we pay for leaving God out of our lives!

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 6, pp. 162, 183
March 15, 1990