The Truth Magazine Lectures: A Few Thoughts to a Friend
Every individual Christian has the privilege and duty to seek every possible opportunity to teach God's Word (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 8:3-4; 1 Tim. 2:1-4; 2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Pet. 3:15). Some of this teaching is done in isolation from other Christians, i.e., one on one as might occur in the break room at work. Some of this teaching may be done jointly with other Christians in many relationships and under many circumstances, such as occurs at the Truth Magazine lectures.
Like yourself, I have always wanted to be very strict and true to God's Word, but I am also aware that Satan tries to push us off balance in either direction: the direction of liberal tendencies or the direction of factional tendencies. It is a constant challenge to keep our balance. The men who condemn the Truth Magazine lectures as sinful are making an argument intended to help us be true to God's Word, but actually they are unconsciously falling off balance in the direction of factionalism.
A Correct Premise Overextended
Here is a correct premise: The local church is authorized to utilize only its God-given organization to do its work of teaching God's Word, but it is not authorized to subsidize human institutions to do this work (such as colleges, publishing businesses, summer camps, etc.). Faithful brethren have defended that premise throughout the years based on Bible passages and Bible principles with which we are very familiar (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Pet. 5:2).
Some men have expanded and overextended that premise to create another premise which at first glance may appear to say the same thing but which actually goes too far and is not accurate. Their premise is that the local church is the only proper means for Christians to join together in teaching God's Word, a premise not revealed in Scripture. If the premise were true, the home or family is sinful because it is people joined together which teaches God's Word (Deut. 6:4-9; Eph. 6:4). Athens Bible School is sinful on the same basis with its Bible classes and chapel services, much like the synagogue system used by the Jews. Florida College has always been sinful for the same reason. Summer camps are sinful on the same basis with their daily Bible classes, devotionals, and Bible drills (and sometimes baptisms; I was baptized at such a camp July 26, 1958).
If these men are right, they should be loudly opposing all of these activities which have been in progress for many, many years. Their premise is not true and therefore their application is arbitrary, random, and whimsical.
As the Synagogue Did Not Compete with the Temple, Truth Lectures Do Not Compete with the Church
Consider that the manner of interpreting the Bible was the same during Old Testament times as in the New Testament. Just as we must follow God's pattern in the New Testament age, those who lived in the Old Testament age were obligated to follow God's pattern (Deut. 4:1-2; Prov. 30:5-6; Rev. 22:18-19). Just as the men working together in the synagogue taught God's Word without violating the pattern for the Temple, the men working together in the Truth Magazine lectures teach God's Word without violating the pattern for the church.
In the Old Testament, worship and the reading and teaching of the Law were ordained at the Temple in Jerusalem. Of course, sacrifices were prohibited anywhere other than at the altar at the Temple, but teaching the Law elsewhere was not prohibited (Deut. 12:1-14; 6:4-9). Later, the Jews organized synagogues, which required a minimum of ten families joined together for worship and the reading and teaching of the Law. This work was not done in competition with the worship and teaching ordained at the Temple, nor was it subsidized from the Temple treasury. We know this work was approved of God because Jesus participated in the synagogue services rather than condemning them as a violation of God's pattern for the Temple (Lk. 2:46; 4:16). Jesus participated in the teaching program of the Temple in Luke 2:46 and in the teaching program of the synagogue in Luke 4:16 without regarding the work of one a substitute for the work of the other. (You may want to read that sentence again, and let it "sink in" for a moment.)
On the same premise, individuals joined together in family activities, educational activities, legal activities, recreational activities, and business activities can also arrange for the teaching of God's Word for the benefit of anyone willing to listen. Such activities as the chapel services at Athens Bible School, the Bible courses at Florida College, the devotionals at summer camps, and the Truth Magazine lectures are not done in competition with the work ordained for the church, nor are such activities subsidized from the treasuries of local churches. Remembering the example of Jesus in the Temple and in the synagogue, we can participate in the teaching program of the church and in the teaching program of the Truth lectures without regarding the work of one a substitute for the work of the other. (You may want to read and reflect on that sentence again.)
Also, I have known of businesses inviting a preacher to teach a short Bible lesson for the employees occasionally or on a regular basis, and I have participated. If you were invited to teach such a lesson, I am sure you would be delighted and would go! But if these men who condemn the lectures are right, all such activities should be condemned as sin.
Bible Teaching in Public Institutions
Also, if these men are right, why were they not vocal to oppose Bible reading and prayer in schools? I would advocate a return to this practice (and I think you would), but it involves people joined together in an educational institution sponsored by the government and which teaches God's Word at times. In fact, I would love to see a return to the old days of American education when many of the lessons and illustrations in school materials were based on Bible stories and events. That was intentionally done in order to teach God's Word while also teaching "reading, writing, and arithmetic." This practice was not a substitute for the Bible training which occurred in the church and the home, but it merely reinforced the good moral lessons the student learned in those settings.
By the way, I spoke on the Baccalaureate Program at Columbia High School, West Columbia, TX on May 21, 1995 as part of my son David's graduation exercises from high school. My topic was, "Young People, Read the Bible!" That was sponsored by the school not the church. Military and police academies, local police departments, hospitals, and other public institutions have sponsored programs which include similar opportunities for teaching God's Word. Such opportunities have declined in our country but are still quite common in other countries. Rather than being sinful substitutions for the work of the church, these are golden opportunities for individuals acting jointly to teach God's Word while the local church is fully engaged in doing its own work as well. Individual saints can be a leavening influence for good on the people of our nation in this way, and that influence is desperately needed, as you know. "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov. 14:34). Would to God all of us had many such invitations from schools and other public institutions to teach God's Word!
Forbearing One Another in Love (Eph. 4:1-3)
If some have scruples and do not want to attend the lectures, I shall continue to love, respect, and receive them as brethren. I learned years ago that I do not have sufficient time or energy to argue with all of my brethren about all of their scruples (or even all of mine). Any of us may have scruples of one kind or another at times, but we need the maturity and balance not to press all of our scruples to the point of charging everyone who does not share the scruple with sin, spiritual harlotry, apostasy, liberalism, institutionalism, etc. In that direction lies factionalism, and I do not want to be guilty of moving in the direction of either liberalism or factionalism.
Nor do I charge everyone who has conscientious objections to attending the lectures with factionalism because some brethren have stated their scruple without judging motives, making harsh accusations, or pressing to draw lines of fellowship over the matter. Some who feel they cannot attend the lectures have explicitly and emphatically stated they have no intention of making it a test of fellowship in any sense or to any degree.
In short, brethren who participate in the lectures and brethren who do not participate may forbear "one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:1-3).
Since I do not have more time to elaborate, if you wish to study these matters in more detail I suggest you read the book entitled We Have A Right: Studies in Religious Collectivities by Dan King and Mike Willis. This is a thorough study of the subject of joint activities of individuals teaching God's Word without violating the pattern for the work of the church. It includes a review of criticisms made against colleges and foundations that hold lectureships. This book of over 250 pages is probably the most complete study of this issue which has been done throughout the years among our brethren, and it includes historical documents and material not readily available to the average reader.
(These thoughts originated in a message to a friend and have been edited for the benefit of other readers.)
- Ron Halbrook, 3505 Horse Run Ct., Shepherdsville, KY 40165-6954
