White Unto Harvest: The Issues Before Us (Foy E. Wallace, Jr.)

Posted on August 1st, 1998 in Institutionalism, Foreign Evang., Subject Index by Wallace, Steve

Feature editor’s note: We reprint the following article from brother Foy E. Wallace, Jr. (no relation to this writer) because of its relevancy to mission work. Issues over which brethren divided 50 years ago are still before us as those among us doing mission work encounter brethren supported and/or sent by churches involved in the very things about which brother Wallace writes. Also, some of the same dangers of which he warns with regards to premillennial brethren of the past are applicable to brethren who have drifted into errors of our day.

The Issues Before Us
by Foy E. Wallace, Jr.

Certain issues are now before the church which must be met. They constitute a threat to the future of New Testament Christianity just as clear-cut as premillenialism did two decades ago and as digression did two generations ago. These issues shall be met. The Gospel Guardian, like her predecessors in this valiant fight for the faith, is set for the “defense of the church against all errors and innovations.” Among the problems which will receive attention are:

Prosiguiendo a la meta: Podemos confiar en la Biblia

Posted on August 1st, 1998 in español, Subject Index by Molina, Pedro G.

¿Qué tan seguro es que la Biblia de ahora contiene exactamente lo mismo que los escritos originales? No tenemos los documentos originales escritos por Moisés, Pablo, o Lucas, y demás (llamados autógrafos). En cambio, sólo tenemos copias de los originales, que son tan fieles como los originales. Pero, ¿cómo podemos saber que el texto original de la Biblia ha sido preservado fielmente?

 

La fiabilidad del Antiguo Testamento
El judío tuvo mucho orgullo y cuidado en copiar los libros del Antiguo Testamento. El hombre que lo copiaba era llamado Sopherim. Estos escribas preservaron el texto antiguo por medio de hacer varias estadísticas de los libros que copiaban. Ellos eran diligentes en su trabajo (Esdras 7:6,10). Principalmente existieron dos escuelas que se dedicaron (entre otras cosas) a conservar el texto escrito del Antiguo Testamento. Los Talmudistas (100-500 d.C.), y los Masoretas (500-900 d.C.), bajo rigurosas formas de transcripción de los rollos de la sinagoga, en algunas de ellas llegando a contar el número de palabras y letras en cada libro, así podían comparar las copias y estar seguros de qué tan exacto era su trabajo. Podríamos pensar fácilmente que cayeron en trivialidades pero ello mismo contribuyó a tener copias exactas, y a conservar su verdadero contenido por miles de años.

Queries and Explications: Christian Women Working Outside the Home

Posted on August 1st, 1998 in Women, Subject Index by Hafley, Larry Ray

QUESTION
“What does the Bible teach concerning Christian women working outside of the home? Is there a pattern for women to work or not to work, or is it a subject that is in a grey area? I appreciate your response to this question.”

 

REPLY
I am assuming that our querist is asking with respect to married women who are mothers. A woman is not generally forbidden to be active in work that is not necessarily related to the home (Acts 16:14; 18:3; Rom. 16:1-4; Phil. 4:3). The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31:10-31 was very active and may have had business interests of some kind (vv. 16, 24).

Solid Food: Text and Context (Is 2 John 9 Limited in Application Only to Gnosticism)

Posted on August 1st, 1998 in Fellowship, Subject Index by Roberts, Tom

It has been suggested by some that it is a violation of the context to apply the principles of 2 John 9-11 to modern issues since the context of John’s epistles was to combat gnosticism. Thus, the “doctrine of Christ” had to do with the “doctrine about Christ” and not the “doctrine which Christ taught.” Many have concluded that this limited application of 2 John 9-11 does not preclude fellowship with those who introduce unauthorized practices in our time since they cannot be classed as “gnostic.” Distinction is made between “gospel and doctrine,” “grace and law,” “the cross and the church” in such a way as to restrict salvation to belief in this limited “gospel” while denying that any “doctrine” can condemn. Consequently, there is a broadening of fellowship with many that extends to those accepting the “humanity and deity of Christ,” even though they are guilty of practicing denominational error.

Are we limited in our use of scripture to a very narrow application that has to do only with the immediate context, or does God expect us to apply the principles of context to situations not directly addressed in the text? Certainly, there should never be a violation of context. A passage must never be lifted from its setting and used to prove something that is contradictory or foreign to the principle expressed by inspiration. But God’s word is so constructed so as to be able to fore-know all error and to teach against it in principle, if not specifically. For example, though pornography on the internet did not exist when the New Testament was written, the principle of pornography being sinful is expressed in such a manner that we can know pornography is wrong because the context of Galatians 5 condemns every expression of it. Would it be a violation of context to apply Galatians 5:19ff to internet sins?

Evidences of Faith: A Man Named James

Posted on August 1st, 1998 in Evidences, Subject Index by Robson, Jim

Those who do not believe in Jesus will sometimes claim that there is no historical evidence that He ever existed. This is a most amazing claim, which is very easily proven false, and yet it is often taught in high school classrooms and on college campuses as though it were a matter of fact. It is true that there is no credible record of His actual teachings, and no reliable history of His life, apart from the New Testament. However, it is also true that Jesus is mentioned by name by non-Christian writers in the first century. Furthermore, there are abundant references to His disciples in the writings of ancient secular historians. That Jesus existed is a matter of undeniable fact.

The Simple Gospel: Romans and Salvation

Posted on August 1st, 1998 in Faith Only, Salvation, Subject Index by O'Neal, Mike

Martin Luther translated the Bible into the common language of his country in the early 1500’s. This act, coupled with his stance against certain practices of the Catholic Church, was genuinely courageous. That fact, however, doesn’t negate the false teaching he advocated. Luther compounded his error by presumptuously adding the word alone to the phrase “justified by faith” in his German translation of Romans.* His intent was to bolster his teaching that faith only was required for salvation. It speaks volumes that Luther was not satisfied with the Scriptures as they were written but felt the need to tamper with them. This same problem exists today in our English Bibles. A number are paraphrases rather than actual translations. As such they are men’s commentaries of the Scriptures which are being pawned off as Bibles to a largely unsuspecting public. Several religious groups have their own Bibles which change some of the original texts to teach their peculiar doctrines. Care needs to be taken even when selecting actual translations since the doctrinal biases or religious skepticism of some translators have crept into their work.

Voices from the Past: Preacheritis (James P. Needham)

Posted on August 1st, 1998 in Preacher, Preaching, Attitudes, Subject Index by Deaton, Steven

(Preachers and Preaching, Chapter XIII, 1969)
James P. Needham
Introduction
One of the great problems of all time is what is generally known as preacheritis, or the excessive loyalty which many give preachers. It seems always to be a problem. Some people’s religion seldom runs deeper than some preacher. He is the center and circumference of their religious devotion. This soul-damning disease deserves extensive treatment, hence an entire chapter is devoted to it.
I. WHAT IS IT?
(1) Excessive exaltation of the preacher: Preacheritis sets in when people take their eyes off Christ, and set them on men; when they “think of men above that which is written” (I Corinthians 4:6); when they exalt the preacher above the preaching: the messenger above the message and the proclaimer above the proclamation. It is a spiritual affliction which causes people to “prove” their religious practice by the words and deeds of a preacher rather than by the authority of Christ (Colossians 3: 17; 1 Corinthians 4: 6).

The Distaff: “Mama, Do Angels Have Wings?”

Posted on August 1st, 1998 in Authority, Subject Index by Rowen, Deborah

Angels seem to be everywhere now; in television shows, toy stores, craft malls, and in porcelain figurines. These pretty winged creatures, male and female, are the latest craze. This makes it even harder to teach our children what angels really are, but does it really matter if we tell them that angels do not have wings? Do we need to be that particular?

I believe we do because by teaching our children exactly what the Bible reveals about angels, we are laying a pattern for scriptural accuracy and authority in their minds. We are teaching an attitude toward the scripture; an attitude that we must speak accurately of holy things, as the oracles of God, and that we must respect what God has said in scripture.

Editorial: Playing Powerball! Is It Sinful?

Posted on August 1st, 1998 in Gambling, Subject Index, Editorials by Cox, Stan

The state of Texas (where I live) is only one of many which run a lottery. The proliferation of these games of chance brings to the forefront questions concerning the morality of gambling. Is gambling a sin? This article will attempt to answer honestly that question by an appeal to scripture. However, before the Bible is discussed in this regard, might I make a few salient points about lotteries in particular?

 

The Odds
A “super-lottery” called Powerball is now in the news. Approximately 20 different states have pooled resources to have one gigantic payoff to the lucky winner or winners. The odds of winning the last Powerball jackpot (almost $300 Million, won by 13 people who shared their tickets) have been published as 80.1 million to 1. In contrast, note the following odds, as quoted from a recent AP article:

Marriage Divorce & Remarriage: “Bound” and “Loosed”

Posted on August 1st, 1998 in Themes, MDR, Remarriage, Divorce, Marriage, MDR, Subject Index by Fite, Jerry
This entry is part 5 of 5 in the series, MDR.

To be “bound” is to be restricted or tied up. Herod physically “bound” John and put him in prison (Matthew 14:3). Figuratively, Paul was “bound in the spirit”, in the sense that apprehension of the unknown had him tied up (Acts 20:22). By contrast, to be “loosed” is to be set free from that which restricts us. The disciples were to “loose” the ass which had been tied up (Mark 11:2,4). In raising Jesus from the dead, God “loosed the pains of death”, for He was not to be “holden of it” (Acts 2:24).

The Scriptures speak of husbands and wives being “bound” and “loosed”. By whom or what is a husband and wife bound? How long are they bound? If two people are not married any longer, are they no longer bound? Can one mate be “loosed” while the other mate “bound”?

Page 1 of 2