Cussing

Cussing

Cussing seems to be in these days. They say it in the movies. It's done on TV. Coaches cuss at their players. Players cuss at the officials. Parents cuss at their children. Drivers cuss at each other. Patients cuss at their doctors. Comedians cuss and the audience laughs.

Whenever something bad happens, you can almost expect to hear someone cuss. Folks cuss at bad golf shots they make. They cuss at all the bills they have to pay. They cuss and cuss all day long. Some famous people are known for their cussing. General Patton was a cusser. Coach Bobby Knight is a real cusser. Although I've never heard it, I suppose some even cuss because of the preacher.

What are we to make of all of this cussing? Some just accept it as "that's just the way he is. "What does the Bible say about "cussing? Cussing is not the language that God wants His children to use. When you are cussed at, you do not feel better because of it. You do not consider cussing to be a blessing. People cuss because they are mad. They don't know what to say, so they cuss. Some cuss to act tough or grown up. 

How God Wants Us To Speak…

Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.

Titus 2:8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, in order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.

When a servant girl accused Peter of being with Jesus, Peter denied it and then began to "curse and swear" (Mt. 26:74). Peter did many things wrong that night, cursing and swearing were part of his problems.

When describing the tongue, James said, "With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way" (James 3:9-10).

God taught ancient Israel not to curse: "You shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people" (Exodus 22:28). The Psalmist understood this when he wrote, "Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psalm 141:3).

There are certain things that God's people should not say…

Ephesians 5:4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

Ephesians 5:12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

Colossians 3:8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

Much of cussing involves dirty or filthy speech. Christians must not do that. No exceptions!

Much of cussing is "damning" someone to hell. Only God can do that, and we should not wish that on any one. Jesus loved all and died for all. Shouldn't we do the same?

Much of cussing is taking the Lord's name in vain. God is holy and sacred. His name must be held in honor. There is no other name by which we are saved (Acts 4:12). We must never misuse the name of the Lord. Whenever we say "God" or "Lord" we should be thinking of our wonderful Father and Savior in Heaven. Cussing is a result of stinkin' thinking. Do better! Talk right!

Roger Shouse

Ignorance is Bliss

Ignorance is Bliss

"Please don't send me anything controversial!" "I don't want to read any papers put out by brethren!" "If I want anything from you, I will ask for it!" "Remove me from your email list!" "Send me only things that are uplifting!" "I don't want to hear anything about that!" "Delete before reading!" "You don't want to attend there - those are not your kind of people!" "We can never have perfect understanding!" "Take me off your mailing list!" "That preacher is a troublemaker; you don't want to go hear him!" And on and on as the list seems to grow longer every day! Sadly, to say, we are being told more clearly every day that "My mind is made up, please don't confuse me with the facts!" And the saddest and most frightening part of all is that such statements and attitudes are being openly expressed by our own brethren!

The subtle arrogance of the apostasy now affecting the church is that more and more brethren are being convinced that "ignorance is bliss". And if you are ignorant of what is involved in any issue, then you don't have to worry about any guilt on the part of your conscience! We are absolutely so inundated with "y'all be sweet" preaching in churches today that brethren are being convinced that they can do just about whatever they like without any guilt or pangs of conscience whatsoever! And so many of our brethren have long ago quit studying and teaching the Word of God in their personal lives, that they are almost totally dependent upon what they hear in the services of the church for their spiritual edification! And when the leadership and preaching in the church is simply the providing of "what makes you feel good" and what will entertain you for a few minutes while you are in attendance, then it is not at all difficult for us to see why so very little spiritual maturation is taking place! The often heard cry "that it doesn't really matter" and "we don't want to hear anything controversial" is clear evidence that there istremendous fear on the part of many brethren about anyone providing information which might give them knowledge, and then that knowledge might bring on guilt about what they are believing or practicing! So, the best way to avoid guilt is to be void of knowledge! So, the best way to avoid having to make a decision whether something is right or wrong is to simply stay ignorant of that issue! It is becoming more obvious every day that the "ignorance is bliss" philosophy is nothing more than a concentrated effort to avoid guilt! It is a concentrated effort to avoid having to take a stand on sinful doctrines and practices which are carrying the church down the road of digression at a speed which is truly appalling to God fearing and Truth respecting brethren!

Wouldn't it be wise for us to look at what the Word of God has to say on the subject of ignorance? The apostle reminds us of the condition of Israel in Romans 10:1-3, "Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God." When one has a knowledge deficit, his ignorance takes a firm hold on his life and he moves farther and farther away from any subjection to the righteousness of God.

As an "old timer" who has spent more than fifty years attempting to preach the gospel, I am persuaded that we have the greatest deficit of Bible knowledge today than we have ever had during my lifetime. We have reared generation after generation who have become less and less interested in spiritual matters over the passing of time. The attitude today seems to be that we need as little preaching as possible, and what preaching we "must" have - let's get it over with as quickly as possible! Having people interested in gospel meetings is rapidly becoming a thing of the past! Having regular home Bible study is almost a forgotten concept! What our forefathers called preaching - "shelling the corn all the way down to the cob" is as scarce as hen's teeth! Preaching which openly names and condemns evil practices is quickly passing from the scene. Exposing false doctrines and false teachers among our own brethren is being more and more looked upon with disdain! It is becoming more obvious every day that brethren are less and less interested in knowledge - because knowledge brings with it a sense of guilt for our failures and shortcomings. Knowledge makes us choose between evil and good. Knowledge makes us aware of God's condemnation of sin in our lives. It seems that the general attitude we are moving toward is to embrace the "remain ignorant and stay happy" philosophy of life!

Spiritual growth is the result of a genuine effort on our part to secure knowledge and to use that knowledge in making application of its principles in our own life and being busy in teaching that Truth to others. When we willfully choose to remain in ignorance, then we make ourselves not only useless to God, but also tremendously dangerous to ourselves and to others! Please note the thoughts of I Corinthians 3:1-3, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able; for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the manner of men?" When we choose ignorance because we want to be able to live free from guilt, we are clearly showing that we have no interest in the righteousness of God. When we are willfully ignorant, we magnify both our lack of faith and our selfish desires to engage in sin without feeling any sense of remorse, shame, or guilt!

The Word of God demands spiritual growth! God demands that we be able to discern between good and evil, " For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil." Hebrews 5:12-14.

Yes, the "ignorance is bliss" attitude is infecting our brethren like an epidemic and it is without question a concentrated effort to avoid the guilt and pangs of conscience which the knowledge of God would bring! It is an "agenda of deception" on the part of those who are advocating the soul damning error called "unity in diversity"! If a lot of folks don't wake up real soon, then it will be very possible that the Lord's church is going to become a wasteland of false teaching and sinful practices! It is high time that we stand up and be counted as faithful soldiers in the battle against these forces of Satan! "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather

that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39

Dennis Reed

Are We Killing the “Old Man”?

Are We Killing the “Old Man”?

The Roman letter has at least five propositions, affirmed and proven by the apostle Paul: (1) Man stands justly condemned for his sins; (2) Grace, not law, is the remedy; (3) This grace is expressed in the crucified Christ; (4) It is available on the condition of obedient faith in Christ; and (5) It is for all, Jew and Gentile alike. Although argued through the first eleven chapters, and referred to thereafter, these propositions have already been discussed, and a summation is drawn in the first five chapters. This means that chapter six, "What shall we say then?" introduces a question that either was actually propounded, or was thought to be possible in the light of the foregoing arguments. Note the question carefully, for the comments that follow are in
answer to that question. "Shall we continue to sin, that grace may abound?" The question is from and for people who have been baptized into Christ, and this too must be remembered as we read further.

Paul's immediate answer is "God forbid," literally, "may it not be." And when he adds, "We who died to sin, how shall we live any longer therein?" he is still countering the same people, in answer to the same question. He is not saying "we who have been forgiven...." That would be to say we who have received the first benefits of grace -- a part of the question. He is saying "we who have determined, who have purposed, never to sin again." The death of sin, is in the intent of the saint, and precedes the burial soon to be mentioned. When he says we are baptized into His death, this "death" includes crucifixion, burial, and resurrection, as he shows (vv. 3-5). He is saying, when we are baptized into the death of Christ, we must participate in the whole thing -- the death to sin, the burial (by which guilt of past sins are forgiven, cleansed) and the resurrection to anew life. We must not "continue in sin," can not continue in sin and be consistent with the total figure of Christ's death.

He adds strength to his argument in verse six: "...our old man was crucified with him." We have crucified, put to death, the "old man," our former way of life. Since death preceded burial, in the actual death of Christ and in the figure; this crucifixion is the rejection of the old way of life that must take place before we are buried and forgiven of past sins. It refers to genuine repentance, a turning of our back on the way we once lived. Crucifixion was a painful death, and its use here suggests a change in life that requires drastic action, a trauma, that only strong-hearted resolve can accomplish. We make a grievous mistake when we suggest "all he would have to do is be baptized" -- as if anyone could be crucified as a sort of casual thing. No, brethren. When we teach the truth about baptism we do more than say it is a burial, or simply mouth the words, "for remission of sins." We are asking our neighbor to make a drastic change of allegiance, to crucify the flesh.

Perhaps we can see the rejection of some sins as a crucifixion. Drug addicts go through a literal torture in trying to throw the habit. Some who have tried to stop smoking have known hard days. Alcohol is not easily given up. But we err in thinking it is easy to overcome a temper; or to throw off the desire for power, or money. Covetousness is idolatry, and hard to kill. And perhaps hardest of all is pride or selfishness. Truly putting them to death can be the tortuous crucifixion Paul has in mind. Paul does not suggest that this "death" means it is no longer possible to sin, or even to be a slave to sin. "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body...neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness" (vv. 12-13). He is urging us to reconsider our intent and purpose of heart as we entered the waters of baptism. With our back turned on sin, dead unto sin, we were ready to be forgiven, and then arise to a new life. He asks us to recall our early resolve, like asking a troubled couple to remember their wedding vows.

Romans is not the only place figurative language makes this point. In Colossians 2:11 Paul reminds saints of Christ "in whom ye were also circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ" (emphasis mine, rt). Compare this with Romans 6:6: "that the body of sin might be done away." Circumcision is figurative here, as crucifixion is in Romans; and means a painful cutting off of the past life. It is here coupled with baptism. Or consider 1 Peter 4:1ff where the process is called "suffering." "Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh (literally, rt), arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin." The footnotes put "unto" sin, rather than "from" sin; and obviously this is not referring to Christ, who had no sin. The "he" is one of "ye" who "no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God" (v. 2f).

Back in Romans, we crucify the old man in genuine repentance, and then we are buried in baptism "for the remission of sins" or removal of the guilt of our past life. But this is not all, there is a very positive side. Christ's death (the whole picture) also included His resurrection. He was made king following the resurrection; He became our High Priest following the resurrection; He became our Advocate following the resurrection. Paul puts it plainly: "For the death that he died, he died unto sin once (for all, f.n.): but the (in that, f.n.) life that he liveth, he liveth unto God. " And Paul says, "Even so reckon (consider, rt) ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus" (vv. 11-12). Paul's argument would not be complete without the positive side. It is not enough simply to turn our back on sin, though very important; we must also "live unto God" a positive life of service. And, how can such an one entertain the question, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" God forbid, indeed!

When I consider the marvelous lesson of Romans 6, and then look at many brethren who claim to have been "baptized into His death," I get the distinct feeling we are emphasizing the burial, and practically ignoring the preceding death, and the following resurrection. No wonder some folks say we are water salvationists. Brethren, these things ought not to be. Let us do all within our power to bury people who have crucified the past, and who are determined to "arise to walk in newness of life."

Robert F. Turner, September 18, 1986

Jesus and the Holy Spirit

Jesus and the Holy Spirit

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.  But if I go, I will send him to you.  And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment…”  (John 16:7-8).   Jesus identifies the “Helper” as the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17; 14:26).  He tells his apostles that God the Spirit is coming to assist them, to teach them all things; to remind them of that which Jesus had said to them (John 14:26); and to bear witness about Him (John 15:27).  Then the problem of sin and forgiveness, as seen in this passage. Yes, because, sin is of unbelief; when one sins, he looks at our relationship with our God, and defies it.                                                                                                                       

First, he will convict the world “concerning sin, because they do not believe in me” (John 16:9).   This is a simple proposition: sin, EVERY sin, is a sin of unbelief.  So, when we read that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), we understand that, regardless of their specific transgression (what they did or failed to do), their sin was unbelief – “they do not believe in me.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Do you find that hard to swallow?  Well, consider a case in point.  David and Bathsheba committed adultery, II Samuel 11.   She conceived; she told David.  To make a sordid story short, when it ended David, a lustful adulterer had added deceit and murder to his sinful record. Nathan was sent by God to David, to convict him of sin.    David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. This motivated his prayer to God, Psalm 51:4, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight …”  Now look at it: against Bathsheba, lust and adultery; against Uriah, in multiple transgressions – but his prayer is, “Against you, you only, have I sinned.” “You only”??  0NLY?  Perhaps the problem is our casual attitude toward sin, and temptation.  Yes, because, sin is of unbelief; and when one sins it looks at our relationship with our God and defies it.

Further, Jesus said, the Holy Spirit will convict the world “concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer.” (John 16:10).  How will the world be convinced that Jesus is righteous?  He asserted that he was righteous, while ignoring the Law of Moses concerning the Sabbath and more than that claiming to be God; “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father¸ making  himself equal with God” (John 5:18, 19). The Jews thought he was a blasphemer, “a servant of Beelzebub”; but Peter said he was “a man approved of God”.  Tenney said “The return of Jesus to the Father was the ultimate proof that He was the perfect pattern for righteousness, accepted by the Father” (Merrill C. Tenney, The Gospel of Belief, p 236).

Then, Jesus said the Holy Spirit will convict the world “concerning judgment, because the ruler of the world is judged” (John 16:11).  There is not a lot said about “judgment”, in Scripture.  Probably the discussion in Acts 17 on judgment  is the fullest; here, in verses 30 and 31, Paul says “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in  righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”   The ruler of this world is judged.  The prophecy of Genesis 3 is remembered here; its fulfillment recorded in Hebrews 2:14-18.

We have an example of the information of this passage in the preaching of Paul to Felix and Drusilla, in Acts 24;25.  When he reasoned with them about righteousness and self -control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, Go away for the present.  When I get an opportunity, I will summon you. 

We sing, judgment is surely coming.  What we have read in Acts 17 tells us of our responsibility to repent because the judgment day draws steadily nearer (God has fixed a day in which he will judge,   but it is unknown to man);  the Judge is known; the standard of judgment (“in righteousness”) has been revealed.

 Are you ready?

Pat

Puff, Puff…

Puff, Puff…

Despite the oversized warnings on cigarette cartoons, the massive amount of research demonstrating how harmful smoking is to the human body, and all the deaths related to use of tobacco products, people still insist on smoking.  Marijuana, or “weed”, is one of the most popular recreational drugs of all time, and one young person has been heard to quote, “ALL the kids my age do it.”  Although that might be an exaggeration, all the kids who do smoke weed aren’t using it to treat medical conditions!  What does the Bible teach about smoking tobacco or marijuana?  Here are two articles by Dan Shipley and Matthew Dockens that should give a Christian reason to pass when they are invited to “puff, puff…”

Still Smoking?

As a former smoker, I know how easy it is to ignore messages from the news media and the pulpit that discourage smoking. It is difficult for most of us to be objective in considering that which condemns what we want to practice. As someone as well noted, "Affection is a briber of the judgment; and it is hard for a man to admit a reason against the thing he loves, or to confess the force of an argument against an interest." Convincing Christians to give up tobacco wouldn't be nearly so hard if they could first be convinced to face the issue objectively and with an open mind. And yet, of all people, the Christian should recognize the difficulty of dealing with prejudiced and closed minds. As a follower of Christ, he knows that personal preferences must be subordinated in seeking to please the Lord. The smoking Christian owes it to himself and to the Lord to consider the evidence relative to smoking. When he does, he will certainly consider such facts as those recently released by the Surgeon General's office in The Health Consequences Of Smoking. In the forward section of that report, Dr. E.N. Brandt, Jr., Assistant Secretary for Health, writes: "Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality in the U.S. Tobacco's contribution to all cancer deaths is estimated to be 30 percent and cigarette smokers have total cancer death rates two times greater than do nonsmokers. Heavy smokers have a three to four times greater excess risk of cancer mortality...There is no single action an individual can take to reduce the risk of cancer more effectively than quitting smoking..." According to statistics released from the Public Health Service research, lung cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and coronary heart disease are the principal causes of death attributable to cigarette smoking, but they are not the only ones. They have concluded that the rate of early death from all causes ranges from 40 to 120 percent higher for smokers than nonsmokers, depending upon the amount smoked daily. It is not without good reason that the word "Warning" appears on the cigarette package. Those who are told to glorify God in the body (1 Cor 6:20), should seriously consider the health hazards of smoking.

Equally important for the smoking Christian to consider is the possibility of enslavement to tobacco. To be brought under the power of a habit is to violate the principle of 1 Cor 6:12. For the smoker who wants to know, "What about the glutton, the cokeaholic, the coffeeholic?" The same principle applies equally to them! With Paul, every Christian must resolve, "...I will not be brought under the power of any." Rather, "I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage..." (1 Cor 9:27).

Finally, the Christian smoker must consider the possibility that smoking may hurt his influence. Shouldn't every Christian be "an example to them that believe, in word, in manner of life..." (1 Tim 4:12)? Justified or not, many are offended by the smell, the pollution, and being forced to inhale second-hand smoke. Honestly now----everything considered, wouldn't it be better if Christians didn't smoke?

Dan S. Shipley

What’s Wrong with Weed?

Eroding social standards notwithstanding, it remains a violation of divine will to consume marijuana. Here’s why:

God enjoins sobriety. Repeatedly, it is written, “Be sober” (I Thessalonians 5:6-8; I Peter 1:13; 5:8). Sobriety is an awareness of mind which requires, at a minimum, abstinence from mind-altering substances. No one under the influence of marijuana meets God’s expectations in this matter.

God demands self-control. “The fruit of the Spirit” includes “self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). And “self-control” is among the things a Christian must “add to… faith” (II Peter 1:5-6). Deliberately distorting one’s perception of reality certainly diminishes personal restraint.

God forbids intoxication. “Drunkenness” is among “the works of the flesh” that result in condemnation (Galatians 5:19-21). It’s acceptable for “drunkenness” to be among the behaviors of one’s “past lifetime”, but not among one’s current activities (I Peter 4:3). The injunction against drunkenness has less to do with substance than effect. Whether one is drunk on beverage alcohol or high on cannabis, the Lord disapproves.

The consequences of alcoholic intoxication include the facts that “your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things” (Proverbs 23:33). How much more is this true of pot smoking than wine drinking? Seeing strange things does harm to one’s ability to see spiritual danger as required by the command to “be vigilant” (I Peter 5:8).

Bryan Matthew Dockens

You Might be a Pharisee If…

You Might be a Pharisee If…

you think you are the only one who does any work in the church (1 Kgs 19:14,18)
- you try to catch your brothers or sisters in Christ in a sin (Mt 12:1-2, Gal 2:4)
- you are not willing to forgive others (Lu 7:36-50, 15:12-32)
- you are prejudiced (Ac 6:1, James 2:1-9)
- you call the members of the local church "they" instead of "we" (1 Co 12:21-27)
- you fail to look in the mirror of God's Word at your own self (Ja 1:22-25)
- you never confess your faults (Ja 5:16)
- your prayers for others are lengthy, but the acknowledgment of your own sin is short or not at all (Lu 18:9-14)
- you want to be a leader or else you get your feelings hurt (3 Jn 9, 1 Ti 1:7, 1 Cor 12-14)
- you speak evil of your brothers / sisters (Ja 4:11)
- you attack the personality of the false teacher instead of the doctrine (2 Co 10:10)
- you criticize the truthful preaching of God's Word (3 Jn 10)
- you offer worldly wisdom to people who need help (Col 2:8, 1 Cor 1:18-19)
- you are easily annoyed by other people's children (Mt 19:13-15)

- you condemn the motives of others without getting all the facts (Mt 12:1-8, 1 Cor 13:5)

you make excuses for the sins of your family and friends (1 Cor 5:1-2)
- you jump to conclusions (Jn 8:40-43, 1 Cor 13:7)
- you believe your sins are not as bad as others (Ro 1&2, 2 Co 10:12)
- you want prominent positions in the church for your family members (Mt 20:20-28)
- you think arguing in class is getting to the meat of the word (1 Ti 1:6, 6:4, 2 Ti 2:23-25)
- you are quick to tell others of their sins, while you are practicing sin (Mt 7:1-5, Ro 2)
- you are so disgusted by a person's sin that you have no compassion for the sinner (Mt 23:37)
- you show piety but your mind is dirty (Mt 23:)
- you stereotype others (Jn 1:46)
- you love for everyone to know about your own good deeds (Mt 6:2,6,16-18, 23:5-7, 2 Cor 10:18)
- you stress giving to the Lord, but you fail to practice benevolence in your personal life (Ja 2:15-16 Mk 7:9-13, 1 Jn 3:17)
- you convert others to Christ, but by your example you teach them to be like the world (Mt 23:)
- you are attracted to money & things (Lu 16:14)
- you justify your sinful behavior (Lu 16:15)
- you emphasize eloquence in prayer (Lu 20:47)
- you are more concerned about what others think of you than what God thinks (Jn 12:42-43)
- you avoid associating with some people for the sake of appearances (Gal 2:11-13)
- you view your persecutions as a sign that you are righteous (Col 2:18)
- you think that your physical prosperity is a confirmation of your righteousness (1 Ti 6:5)
- you justify your lack of concern for others (Lu 10:30-36)
- you think you have all the answers (1 Co 8:1-2)
- you think YOU will not fall away (1 Co 10:12)
- you think you can be righteous without love (1 Co 13:1-3)
- you think your own works will save you (Ti 3:5)
- you think you are self-sufficient (2 Co 3:5)
- you think being religious is more important than being obedient (Mt 7:21-23)
- you think you have discovered new truth (Gal 1:6-9)
- you are quick to condemn others (Lu 9:54)
- you attack your opponents when you cannot refute their argument (Jn 11:47-53)
- you twist the words of your opponents to set up false charges against them (Mk 14:55-59)
- you attempt to trap your opponents with loaded questions (Lk 20:19-26)
- you feel superior to the weaker members of the church (Lk 18:9-14)
- you resent those who lived most of their lives in selfish pursuit of pleasure, but after coming to Christ, they lead more prayers than you do (Lk 15:1-32 esp. vs.25-32)
- you think a church must have a church building and a regular preacher to be complete (no scripture for obvious reasons)
- you think that building must be located in a nice neighborhood to attract the right kind of people (Jas 2:1-9; 1 Cor 1:26-31)
- you condemn the innocent (Mt 12:7)
- you bind the idea that you cannot leave one drop of juice in the cup at the Lord's Supper (Mt 26:27)
- you scrape out the remains of a camel from between your teeth when using a toothpick (Mt 23:24)
- you think you can please God without full and complete obedience to God's laws (Mt 23:23)
- you disfellowship everyone in your congregation who doesn't agree with you, and you are the only one left (3 Jn 9-10)
- you are offended by these comparisons!
- Warren King

Narrow-Mindedness

Narrow-Mindedness

Do not feel insulted when someone tells you that your religion is narrow. Maybe he is right. If he is right, you should feel complimented. Your critic may be confusing narrowness with bigotry, in which case he is the one out of step, not you. Bigotry the Lord condemned; narrowness (in the scriptural use of the term) he commended: "...narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be which find it."

Truth is always narrow. Five plus five equals ten; this is true from kindergarten to college and everywhere else in the world. It isn't ten because the arithmetic book says so, but it is ten because it cannot be anything else. If in a class of 100 students, only one gave ten as the answer to five plus five and all the other 99 agreed on a different answer, the one would be right and all the others wrong.

Historical truth is narrow. The Battle of San Jacinto was fought in Texas; Valley Forge was in Pennsylvania. These are facts which are understood alike by all students of history. If a student in a 'history class gave any other answer concerning the location of these spots, he would be incorrect. No one would think the teacher was "narrow" in telling him so.

There are twelve inches in a foot, three feet in a yard all over the world. It doesn't matter whether the one doing the measuring is a president or a preacher, an illiterate hill-billy or a college professor. To fail to recognize these facts would throw the world into hopeless confusion.

Since truth in every other field is narrow and dogmatic, why should we suppose that divine truth is so flexible as to be susceptible of any interpretation man wants to place upon it? "We just can't see it alike," someone answers. But we see other things alike. Is man more able to make himself understood than is God? We may misunderstand the meaning of a passage of scripture, but does our misunderstanding of it change the meaning of the passage? Does its meaning change and shift to suit our various understandings of it? If the writer of the passage meant to teach something when he wrote the passage, is not that something that he intended still in the passage?

Take, for example, the much-discussed passage, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). The question about this passage is whether Jesus did, or did not, make baptism necessary to salvation. He either did, or he didn't. Some of us believe that he did; others vehemently deny it. It must be apparent to all that somebody is teaching false doctrine on this point. Is it broadminded to ignore these contradictions and pretend they do not exist? Baptists and Presbyterians teach that a child of God cannot fall away from the favor of God and be lost; Methodists teach that he can fall away and be lost. Does the Bible teach both?

Some denominations teach hereditary depravity, that infants are born totally depraved as a result of Adam's sin. Others deny this, and teach that everyone is born sinless and only becomes sinful by his own transgressions. Now if we are to escape the stigma of being called "narrow," we must cooperate with and encourage the man who is teaching the very opposite of what we believe to be the truth. Is this honesty? If one preacher preached four conflicting doctrines, people would call him a hypocrite; but if four preachers preach these conflicting doctrines, they are all teaching the truth!

The Unitarian believes that Jesus of Nazareth was a great man and a great teacher, but that he was not the Son of God. The Orthodox Jew worships God, but denies the divinity of Jesus. Shall we have these men in our fellowship? If honesty and sincerity are the only criteria, why not? Who will say they are not as honest as we are? Some denominational preachers are already taking this position. They swap pulpits with Jewish rabbis right along. This shocks the religious sensibilities in the world but the legitimate and inevitable fruit of that namby-pamby, stand-for-nothing, anything-and-anybody-is-right attitude that we are talking about.

Most members of denominations are not ready yet to take in the Jews and the Unitarians on their broadminded position. They narrow it down a bit. We must believe in Christ, they say; we must see alike on those scriptures that teach that Jesus was the Son of God; that he was born of a virgin; that he suffered vicariously; that he arose from the dead; that he ascended into heaven, where he intercedes for us. But why must we see alike on those particular passages, but have unbounded liberty to differ on nearly everything else connected with the religion of Christ? Are not the passages pertaining to the organization of the church, baptism, apostasy, worship, church membership, discipline, authority, etc., inspired of God as much as are the other passages? Are not these things a part of the Lord's plan? Have they not place with divine truth? How much truth is essential, and how much is non-essential? How much of the Bible is important, and how much is unimportant?

We feel no personal animosity, of course, toward those who teach things we do not believe; but we cannot, with a good conscience, bid them Godspeed. John said, "If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, received him not into your house; neither bid him Godspeed: For he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds" (2 John 10). Paul said, "If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:9). These apostles thought it was a matter of much import what a man believed and taught.

We are not infallible, and we are open to any truth that may be presented to us; we will change when convinced we are wrong. But two things we do know, and of them we are certain: (1) truth does not contradict truth, and (2) we will not learn by hiding our heads in the sand and refusing to admit that religious divisions exist, or that such are wrong.

By Luther Blackmon (The Gospel Guardian, Vol. 1, No. 31, December 8, 1949, pp. 2-3)