THE TRUTH IN PRINT
February 2005, Vol. 11: Issue 1
A Publication of the Valley Church of Christ
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364
(928) 539-7089
By Bob W. Lovelace
Dear reader, beware of the appeal of a
cute religious story, poem or prose. People love to be told they are the
greatest, receive unwarranted sympathy, hear they have a surprise coming, etc.,
and thus be made to feel secure in spite of their ungodliness. Possibly most of
us know that there is indeed a great volume of such purposely distributed each
day. With the click of a button an emotionally charged email can be passed on
via one’s mailing list with some kind of careless note attached such as,
“Enjoy!”
Consider this following example which upon
first glance one might think it is really cute because it makes us all think of
the pictures, etc. that we post on our refrigerators.
“IF GOD HAD A REFRIGERATOR
If God had a
refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
If He had a
wallet, your photo would be in it.
He sends you
flowers every spring.
He sends you a
sunrise every morning.
Whenever you want
to talk, He listens.
He can live
anywhere in the universe, but ... He chose your heart.
Face it; He's
crazy about you!
God didn't
promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain. But He did promise strength for the day,
comfort for the tears, and light for the way.”
Question: Having read the above would you
want to send it to one who is not yet a Christian? Well, it just so happens
that this was sent to some who were not Christians. Question: What do you
suppose the non-christians thought when they read it and were told that God
chose their heart to dwell in? While reading that God was crazy about them did
they possibly think that He was indeed pleased with them although they had not
obeyed the Gospel? Please consider Mk. 16:15-16 in light of 2 Thess. 1:8-9. Dear reader, study the
Bible through and realize that God is not crazy about the ungodly although they
often think so! (Cf. Ps. 5:4-6; Prov. 6:16-19) Not withstanding the fact that
God’s providence is for all men everywhere, if God chooses a heart to dwell in
it is a heart that is obedient and belongs to Christ’s church (Jo. 14:23-24;
Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38, 41, 47; Eph. 1:22-2:3, 3:17, 4:14-32). Also, in the
Bible we learn that many who did not want to repent desired greatly to talk to
God but He said that He would not listen! (Cf. Prov. 1:24-33, 21:13, 28:9;
Zech. 7:11-13) Now, do you suppose that the non-Christians upon reading this
had possibly assured themselves, at least for the moment, that they were chosen
by God for His present indwelling and He was providing them strength and light
for their day? Christians must do better than such as this! (Cf.
Acts 20:20, 26-27; Eph. 6:19; Gal. 1:9-10; Phil. 1:14).
Corresponding to the theme of this
newsletter here is another e-mail story that I’m certain played on the emotions
of some while utterly disgusting others. I’m giving it
to you just as I received it. I did bold face one point that says Billy Graham
draws men to the Lord with his one point message.
“BILLY GRAHAM AND OPRAH
Last year I watched Billy Graham being
interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on television. Oprah told him that in her
childhood home, she use to watch him preach on a little black and white TV
while sitting on a linoleum floor.
She went on to the tell viewers that
in his lifetime Billy has preached to twenty-million people around the world,
not to mention the countless numbers who have heard him whenever his crusades
are broadcast. When she asked if he got nervous before facing a crowd, Billy
replied humbly, "No, I don't get nervous before crowds, but I did today
before I was going to meet with you."
Oprah's show is broadcast to
twenty-million people every day. She is comfortable with famous stars and
celebrities but seemed in awe of Dr. Billy Graham.
When the interview ended, she told the
audience, "You don't often see this on my show, but we're going to pray."
Then she asked Billy to close in prayer. The camera panned the studio audience
as they bowed their heads and closed their eyes just like in one of his
crusades.
Oprah sang the first line from the
song that is his hallmark "Just as I am, without a plea," misreading
the line and singing off'-key, but her voice was full of emotion and almost
cracked.
When Billy stood up after the show,
instead of hugging her guest, Oprah's usual custom, she went over and just
nestled against him. Billy wrapped his arm around her and pulled her under his
shoulder. She stood in his fatherly embrace with a look of sheer contentment.
I once read the book "Nestle,
Don't Wrestle" by Corrie Ten Boom. The power of nestling was evident on
the TV screen that day. Billy Graham was not the least bit condemning, distant,
or hesitant to embrace a public personality who may not fit the evangelistic
mold. His grace and courage are sometimes stunning.
In an interview with Hugh Downs, on
the 20/20 program, the subject turned to homosexuality. Hugh looked directly at
Billy and said, "If you had a homosexual child, would you love him?"
Billy didn't miss a beat. He replied with sincerity and gentleness, "Why,
I would love that one even more."
The title of Billy's autobiography,
"Just As I Am," says it all. His life goes
before him speaking as eloquently as that charming southern drawl for which he
is known.
If, when I am eighty years old, my
autobiography were to be titled "Just As I
Am," I wonder how I would live now? Do I have the courage to be me? I'll
never be a Billy Graham, the elegant man who draws
people to the Lord through a simple one-point message, but I hope to be
a person who is real and compassionate and who might draw people to nestle
within God's embrace.
Do you make it a point to speak to a
visitor or person who shows up alone at church, buy a hamburger for a homeless
man, call your mother on Sunday afternoons, pick daisies with a little girl, or
take a fatherless boy to a baseball game?
Did anyone ever tell you how beautiful
you look when you're looking for what's beautiful in someone else?
Billy complimented Oprah when asked
what he was most thankful for; he said, "Salvation given to us in Jesus
Christ" then added, "and the way you have made people all over this
country aware of the power of being grateful."
When asked his secret of love, being
married fifty-four years to the same person, he said, "Ruth and I are
happily incompatible."
How unexpected. We would all live more
comfortably with everybody around us if we would find the strength in being
grateful and happily incompatible.
Let's take the things that set us
apart, that make us different, that cause us to disagree, and make them an
occasion to compliment each other and be thankful for each other. Let us be big
enough to be smaller than our neighbor, spouse, friends, and strangers.
Every day, may we Nestle, not Wrestle!
Please pass this on for others to enjoy. “
Question: How in the world could a Christian
be expected to enjoy such garbage? Enjoy, I did not! I returned the following
to the chrisitan who sent it to me and carbon copied to all recipients:
Hi ________,
I hope you
are having a good day today.
I
received the below "forwarded" email about Billy Graham and
thought I would respond back with some comments. _______, Billy Graham's well
known advice of "Join the church of your choice and glorify God" is
totally contrary to what the scriptures teach. He is well known for his own
system of religion rather than Christ’s simple New Testament pattern for His
church. His mega corporation and promotional techniques allowed him to be
everybody's man, so to speak, and to amass untold wealth. When asked by
Larry King, "What do you think of Mormonism, Catholicism, other faiths
within the Christian concept?” he replied, "Well I think I am in wonder
fellowship with all of them." To the contrary the New Testament teaches
“one faith” and “one baptism” as necessary for one to become a child of God
(Eph. 4:4-6; Mk. 16:15-16). When one becomes a Christian they have been taught
and obey in baptism for the remission of their sins (Acts 18:8, 22:16). Since
we as Christians are taught to contend earnestly for that one faith the
necessity of being able to understand the basic truths is self evident (read
Jude 3; Eph. 3:1-6). Should one desire they can understand the basic truths
necessary for salvation and what the church is (Cf. Jo. 8:32; Acts 17:11-12). Mr.
Graham was praised as one who “draws people to the Lord,” but Mr. Graham does
“not” teach what Jesus said was necessary for one to become a Christian. The
post was full of empty emotionalism and praise of men. The New Testament
teaches that one must hear the Gospel and obey in baptism for the remission of
their sins (Mk. 16:15-16; Rom. 10:17; Acts 2:38; the conversion of the eunuch -
Acts 8:32-39; etc.). Although many follow Mr. Graham, praise him as in this
post, and take his errant advice to join a church of their choosing the
Christian is commanded not to “bid God speed” to errorists (2 John 9-11).
Your brother in
Christ,
Bob Lovelace
Here are two
contrasting responses I received back from fellow recipients of Billy Graham And Oprah:
1. “Thank you for standing firm against the
error taught by Mr. Graham. He has mistakenly led many to
misunderstand God’s WHOLE truth.”
2. “Please no religious e-mails.... they are not something I want to
recieve, no offence but the state of religion can offend because of poor
knowledge regarding the subject.... in other words (sic) has an answer to
it and yet nobody ever has proven it... even now so let's get off the
subject.”
Note: It appears
that the first whom I’m assuming is truly a Christian understood the danger.
The other, sadly, does not have taste for the right kind of religious email!