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By Roberts, Tom, on February 2nd, 2002
Being "thankful" to God is often spoken of as a "duty," and "obligation." While no objection can rightfully be registered to thanksgiving as such, we surely must not limit our understanding of it to this realm. One might as well think of watermelon as being composed only of rind, or of roses only of thorns if we fail to see the purely voluntary and "from-the-heart" side of thanksgiving. While duty and obligation define the obedient nature of the children of God, there is much more to our relationship to God than response to commands.
That being "thankful" is a command is evident from the scriptures. Both the Old Testament and the New remind us not to be forgetful of God’s bountiful blessings. Psalm 100:4 teaches, "…be thankful unto him and bless his name…" Colossians 3:15, after reminding us that the peace of Christ should rule our hearts, says, "…and be ye thankful." Without a doubt, we need such reminders. Like little children must be taught not to take favors from others for granted but to say "thank you," so also must we be reminded not to take God for granted. But here is the difference we must strive to see. A little child may be polite and, from the result of training in the home, say "thank you" when given something, observing etiquette alone, without feeling grateful in his heart. This is quite different from actually being thankful for the favor bestowed.
Continue reading » The Simple Gospel: Thanksgiving
By Roberts, Tom, on February 2nd, 2002
One aspect of Calvinistic doctrine is the three-fold error whereby it is taught that (1) Adam’s sin was transferred to mankind; (2) man’s sin was transferred to Christ; and (30) Christ’s personal righteousness was transferred to believers. None of these statements are true nor do they reflect accurately the Bible doctrine of “imputation.” In this article we will note the second of these errors and study the claim that the sins of mankind have been transferred to Christ.
A verse often used in this context is 2 Corinthians 5:21: “Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” The phrase “he made to be sin” is the controversial part of the text and one that is grossly misused. We need to understand in what sense God made Christ “to be sin.” Did God place our sins on Christ? Would that make Christ a sinner? Did Christ die a spiritual death as well as a physical death on the cross? Just what is meant? As in all studies, we need to consider all that the Bible says and not take one verse to mean something that would contradict other Bible passages.
Continue reading » Associate Editorial: How Was Christ ‘Made to be Sin’?
By Roberts, Tom, on January 1st, 2002
Is it possible to have unity in doctrinal matters? It is increasingly proclaimed that we cannot all believe the same things and practice the same things in doctrine. Thus, the need for “unity in diversity.” What used to be a voice from ultra-liberalism has now become a common theme among more conservative brethren. “We cannot have unity in doctrine; the only unity we can have is unity in Christ.”
Years ago, there was a small core of radical brethren who tried to make a distinction between “gospel” and “doctrine.” Their “gospel” was defined to be 7 core facts about Jesus: birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, coronation. We were told that so long as one believed in the 7 facts about the deity of Jesus, salvation was assured. “Doctrinal” matters were not salvation matters. Thus, so long as one accepted Jesus Christ as the Son of God, it did not matter if one accepted premillennialism, instrumental music, the Lord’s supper on days other than the Lord’s day, etc. Doctrine, we were told (any doctrine), was not a salvation matter. We were urged to “accept into fellowship every believer in Christ, regardless of doctrinal beliefs.” If a belief was not a “salvation matter,” we were told, we should not make it a test of fellowship. One man taught that every believer in Christ was a “child of God in prospect and a brother in deed” (Carl Ketcherside). He finally gave up the “doctrinal” teaching on baptism and accepted as his brothers those who rejected baptism for the remission of sins.
Continue reading » The Simple Gospel: Doctrinal Unity
By Roberts, Tom, on January 1st, 2002
A “red flag” of warning should arise every time we hear some call for “unity in diversity.” Some have even said that the “only kind of unity is unity in diversity.” We need to be very sure we understand what this catch-phrase really means and how it is used.
It is understood that a local congregation is filled with people at different levels of faith and maturity. Some will be babes in Christ, newly converted and needing to learn a lot about New Testament Christianity. Some will be farther along the path to maturity, but still unsure about some doctrinal matters and personal issues. Some will be “perfect” (mature, full-grown, Ephesians 4:13), Christians who have a settled faith and manner of life. Among these members, there will be matters of personal opinion and personal judgment that differ from Christian to Christian. The Bible recognizes this fact and addresses it in Romans 14-15. In the apostolic days, Jewish and Gentile Christians (who came from different backgrounds) had areas of differences in applying their common faith. It should be noted that the differences were sharp and contentious, capable of dividing congregations. The word of God provides the solution to this problem.
Continue reading » Associate Editorial: Unity In Diversity
By Roberts, Tom, on November 1st, 2001
It is not unusual these days to see a bumper sticker with some message indicating that the owner is an alumnus of some college, or member of a fraternal order or church group. Recently I saw one indicating that the driver of the car was an "ex-Ranger," probably a past member of the Rangers baseball club. This triggered a thought about the possibility of forming an association, complete with bumper sticker, of those people who used to be members of the Lord’s church and calling it the "Ex-Christian Association." Surely there are enough people around who qualify.
Continue reading » The Simple Gospel: Ex-Christian Association
By Roberts, Tom, on November 1st, 2001
There is a current trend among some brethren to "broaden fellowship" who must accept a tolerance toward error before such broadening can be accomplished. We are told that since "everybody is wrong about something" (and we are!), we can be sure of nothing (which does not follow!).
In the past 2 John 9-11 has been used by brethren to show that there are limits to fellowship. I find nothing wrong with this and believe it to be a proper use of this passage. The "doctrine of Christ" makes proper allowance for one "growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ" as well as making provision for one’s mistakes. This matter of "growing in the grace and knowledge" (2 Peter 3:18) includes the fact that we do not know everything. Forgiveness includes the premise that we sometimes know and do not … thereby sinning. Both of these factors are built-in features of New Testament Christianity. God planned this when He set up the scheme of Redemption. However, while taking this into consideration, God still teaches that while we may not know everything, there are things we must know and things we are accountable for knowing. Simply because we do not know everything does not permit the theory that we cannot know anything! Such nonsense puts a premium on ignorance.
Continue reading » Associate Editorial: 2 John 9
By Roberts, Tom, on November 1st, 2001
As a gospel preacher I have an obligation to those who listen to my preaching. I am not a free agent in the absolute sense of the word: responsibilities limit me to some degree. While each preacher of the gospel will remain free and unfettered so that he may preach all of the gospel, this does not permit license to ignore the necessities that are thrust upon him. I am jealous of what freedom I do have. None shall restrict me from preaching "in season and out of season" (when it meets with approval and when it does not) or from preaching "the whole counsel of God."
Each preacher has a commitment to God to preach so as to please God whether it pleases the brethren or not (cf: the life of the prophets) and this is not negotiable. However, it is possible to abuse this prerogative and take advantage of brethren who agree in principle with this commitment but disagree with the application of it by an unwise preacher. The life of many a faithful preacher has been made hard by foolish ones who abuse the patience of good brethren by not using discretion toward responsibilities. Preachers should show good judgment in their work.
Continue reading » Associate Editorial: What I Owe My Hearers
By Roberts, Tom, on October 1st, 2001
Editor’s Note: You may be surprised to know that the following article was written by brother Roberts July 31, 1977, and first appeared in the West Side Weekly, a local bulletin he edited for the West Side congregation in Ft. Worth, TX. The more things change, the more they remain the same!
I suppose that every preacher of the gospel (as well as most Bible teachers) has a number of shelves full of commentaries, reference books and other material that originated within denominationalism. Such study helps are used to read, compare, study from and, within limits of revealed truth, shed light on difficult matters. The use of this material should not, and does not, suggest approbation of all that is contained in each volume. In fact, denominational material may be used simply to learn what a certain sect teaches on a doctrinal matter. This is a proper and profitable use of such material.
However, there is another use which changes complexion altogether. This involves the use of books, commentaries, articles and bulletins in such a manner that endorses false teaching. Of this, we must beware.
Continue reading » Suspicious Source Material
By Roberts, Tom, on October 1st, 2001
One of the eternal struggles of the Lord’s disciples is to learn and practice a proper balance between the affairs of this life and the affairs of the kingdom of heaven. What we often feel we need is many times just something we want and the kingdom of heaven is left lacking of our time and talents while we spend these in carnal pursuits. One of the crying needs of our day is to learn to put the Lord’s work first (Matthew 6:33). We must be busy, of course, but we must learn the difference between working for “food that perisheth” and “food that abideth unto eternal life” (John 6:27). As I say, there is a balance in these matters and we must learn it or be found wanting.
The Bible does not condemn Christians engaging in business enterprises. In fact, examples abound which show disciples of the Lord practicing different forms of business. Matthew was a tax collector, Lydia a seller of purple, some of the apostles fishermen, and Jesus Himself certainly knew the carpentry business. The “worthy woman” of Proverbs 31 made and sold fine linen garments to the merchants. In addition to these examples of industry by faithful people, we may add the scriptures that censure those who would not “provide for his own” (1 Timothy 5:8) or who refuse to “labor with his hands” (Ephesians 4:28).
Continue reading » Associate Editorial: Busy-ness
By Roberts, Tom, on September 1st, 2001
Someone said, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” Naturally, we are inclined to think that our times are worse than any others that have ever been and while such isn’t so, these times are our times so we are the ones who are being tried today.
Without a doubt, souls are being tried and tested.
Moral Trials
Young people are experiencing tremendous temptations on every hand. Sex is pictured as being the most desired part of life and few are remaining virtuous. There is a constant stream of influence through TV shows that portray boys and girls, men and women living together, in bed together, having babies without wedlock, dancing, scantily dressed, and with few morals. The norm in our day is to view sex without the sanctity of marriage as acceptable. Movies also are an influence toward evil as every conceivable moral code is violated. Some movies have been advertised that portray incest, child abuse, sadism, homosexuality, adultery and every form of illicit sex.
Continue reading » Associate Editorial: Times That Try Men’s Souls
By Roberts, Tom, on September 1st, 2001
The world has a surfeit of wicked people. One does not have to look far to find a drunkard, a liar, a cheat, etc. Not only do they surround us on every hand, but the effects of their drinking, lying and cheating invade our privacy and affect our lives. It is well nigh impossible for anyone to escape the effects of wickedness in this world. As Paul said, "We must needs go out of the world" (1 Corinthians 5:9) to escape its pollution. Since we cannot leave this world, we must learn to live with sin and sinners as best we can, trying to convert them to Christ.
But my point is not that we have so much wickedness around us. Rather, I would like to emphasize the need for good people in the face of such wickedness. This need is so often overlooked and good people are so often discounted that we fail to appreciate their value. They are often taken for granted or simply tolerated as uninteresting. Perhaps those of us who are Christians do not appreciate the value of being good.
Continue reading » The Simple Gospel: Needed – Good People
By Roberts, Tom, on August 1st, 2001
(Editor’s Note: Brother Robert’s wrote this article for the West Side Weekly in November of 1972. We reprint the article now, as it parallels this month’s theme, and has a valid point to make.)
On various occasions, when I have had opportunity to talk with brethren in liberal churches, one of the recurring charges is that we have no right to charge apostasy against them because "you are not doing anything among yourselves." The implication is that the liberal churches are the only ones doing anything while the "conservative" (faithful) churches are dead and not doing any work at all.
But the charge needs closer investigation.
The idea that churches which oppose centralized control and institutions and the social gospel are dead is certainly not true and can be shown to be a false charge. But why does it seem this way to the liberals? What gives them the idea that we are not doing anything?
Continue reading » Associate Editorial: "But You’re Not Doing Anything"
By Roberts, Tom, on July 1st, 2001
I’ve seen an amazing thing among members of the church of Christ who are Masons. They, among all other members of the Masonic Lodge, are unique in that they alone contend that Masonry is not a religious institution. In discussing this lodge with people in the denominational world, they usually attempt to defend it and their membership in it by the fact that they regard it as “religious.” But my brethren in the same lodge will try to deny that it is religious at all.
Obviously the reason why “Christians” will do this when sectarians will not is that most of us understand the unique nature of the Lord’s church. We know that the church is sufficient and complete so far as our religious needs are concerned and that a Christian, as a member of the Lord’s church, has no need of any other religious institution. In fact, due to the peculiar nature of the church, we stand in a complete relationship with Christ, truth and hope of heaven — lacking nothing. To suggest that the Masonic Lodge (or any other institution) can add anything to our knowledge of truth, relationship with Christ or hope of heaven is to mock the very nature of the church of Christ. Continue reading » Associate Editorial: Masonry is a Religion
By Roberts, Tom, on June 1st, 2001
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (NKJ).
As a youngster, I heard 2 Timothy 2:15 discussed widely in class and used often in gospel preaching. In most instances, the passage was relied upon to urge Christians to “study” (KJV) their Bibles and to “rightly divide” (make a distinction) between the Old and New Testaments. While there is no doubt that “being diligent to present yourself to God” will include studying the scriptures, and “rightly dividing the word of truth” will include distinguishing between the covenants, it is also true that this passage carries a deeper meaning than then allowed. The instruction to Timothy in verse 15 is embedded in a wider context of preaching the gospel that lends weight to the work of evangelism. We must learn this lest we “need to be ashamed.” Continue reading » Associate Editorial: “Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth” (2 Timothy 2:15)
By Roberts, Tom, on June 1st, 2001
Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary says of “conviction”: “The state or condition of being convinced or fully awakened to awareness” and “a doctrine or proposition which one firmly believes” and “a fixed belief.” This word stands in opposition to and different from the attitude of unbelief or compromise. I fear that the church of our Lord today is suffering from a lack of conviction.
While it is true that the revelation of God came through the apostles and they were absolutely essential to the beginning of New Testament Christianity, it is also true that the bedrock of the early church were men and women of common ancestry that held conviction about service to God. These were the men and women who “took joyfully the spoiling of their possessions” (Hebrews 10:34), because they had “a fixed belief” concerning truth. They suffered, bled and felt pain just like any who are human, but even in the face of all this, they could not be swayed from their convictions. Their conviction was greater than their inconvenience. Continue reading » The Simple Gospel: The Need for Conviction
By Roberts, Tom, on May 1st, 2001
In the time of the Judges in Israel, forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell to their enemies because they could not speak the language of the Gileadites. “And it was so, that when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, ‘Let me go over,’ the men of Gilead said unto him, ‘Art thou an “Ephraimite?’ If he said, ‘Nay,’ then said they unto him, ‘Say now Shibboleth’ and he said ‘Sibboleth;’ for he could not frame to pronounce it right..” (Judges 12:5-6).
How convenient it would be if we could determine so easily today by sibilant sounds whether or not a brother was “orthodox” regarding the faith. Since an Ephraimite could not pronounce the “sh” sound, he was known immediately to be an alien. “Shibboleth” was orthodox; “Sibboleth” was unorthodox and suspicious. While “the faith” (Jude 3) is orthodox and true doctrine, departures into error require more than a sibilant slip to discover them. However, truth does have a “certain sound” that is identifiable, while error will be “unsound” (1 Cor. 14:7-11). Continue reading » Works of the Flesh: Heresies (Parties)
By Roberts, Tom, on May 1st, 2001
In many homes the Bible is a forgotten book. If children learn anything at all about God, it must be in bible classes. Many children grow up without hearing the wonderful stories of the Bible. This is both a sin and a shame. Ephesians 6:4 clearly puts the responsibility of teaching children about God in the home with parents as the teachers. So we need parents who will be teachers at home.
Yet, 1 Timothy 3:15 also reveals that the church is the “pillar and ground of truth.” It has the responsibility also to see that the truth is taught. The manner in which the church has to teach is through the medium of dedicated men and women who will study and prepare themselves to teach. So we need teachers in the church today.
There is no conflict between the roles of the home and the church. Rather, they should complement one another and add to what the other is doing. When the Bible is taught in the home by the parents and in the congregation by Christians, the result is multiplied knowledge instead of ignorance. Too often, not enough is done in either place and children grow up without the knowledge of God in their lives. Continue reading » Associate Editorial: The Crying Need for Teachers
By Roberts, Tom, on February 1st, 2000
(At the Parking Lot)
“And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left” (Luke 23:33).
“And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull…then they crucified Him” (Matthew 27:33-35).
Visitors coming to tour Jerusalem learn rather quickly that it is a modern, living city. While our biblical knowledge of Jerusalem forever seals it in the past, ancient and timeless, unchanged and undisturbed, today’s reality is quite different. The blare of car horns, hordes of tourists, electronic technology and modern architecture compete with ancient ritual, bearded men, cloaked women and sites where holy events took place. If ever there is a dichotomy of space and time, it is Jerusalem with its contrast of old and new, sacred and profane, reverent and blasphemous. Continue reading » The Land of Jesus: “There They Crucified Him…” (Luke 23:33)
By Roberts, Tom, on November 1st, 1999
“…Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’ And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And immediately they left their nets and followed Him” (Mark. 1:14-18). So begins the remarkable, but short, life of Jesus in Galilee as he began the ministry which led to his crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and coronation as King of Kings.
Born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:4-7), just outside Jerusalem, Jesus was raised in Nazareth (after his sojourn in Egypt to escape Herod, Mt. 2:13-15, 23; Lk.2:39-40) and remained there until the time of his baptism. After the death of John, Jesus moved to Capernaum, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and began to preach the “good news” of the coming Kingdom. Continue reading » The Sea of Galilee
By Roberts, Tom, on October 1st, 1999
On different occasions, while talking with one of the Pentecostal or Assemblies of God persuasion, the subject of the Holy Spirit will be discussed. Since one of our disagreements lies in the area of the miraculous action of the Holy Spirit, when we deny that miracles occur today, the response is often a surprised, “Then you don’t believe that the Holy Spirit leads you today, do you?” His confusion is often compounded when my response is, “Of course I believe in being led by the Holy Spirit.” Brethren, that is not sophistry. We certainly should believe that we are led by the Holy Spirit of God in our lives. Continue reading » Associate Editorial: Are We Led by the Holy Spirit?
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