Vol. 66 “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” No. 8 August, 2008 " Why Go to Church Services?" " Who are the Called?" " Who is a Saint?" Find the answers to these questions and more inside! From the Editor’s Pen as “husbandman”! To be a branch, and then taken away, or broken of from the vine, is to be taken away from the source FRUIT BEARING of life. Life comes from the vine. Again, life comes from the vine. The vine does CHRISTIANS not get its life from the branch, but the N JOHN 15, verses one through eight, Jesus gives branch from the vine. Those who teach us a lesson on vines and branches. What is He teach- you cannot lose spiritual life may deny I ing us in this lesson? First of all, we note He said, this truth, but they cannot change it. “I am the true vine.” Why did He say true vine? Why Note another truth Jesus brings out in did He not just say, “I am the vine”? It is evident that the second verse, “Every branch that beareth fruit, he there is more than one vine; also that there are false purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” Some vines, so He says, “I am the true vine.” And, He is the translations use the word “prune” rather than “purge.” only One that is “the true vine.” Through the years Church of God ministers have Jesus goes on to say, “... and my Father is the hus- preached the doctrine of sanctification as a second bandman.” So the Father is closely involved in what cleansing, and this is one of the verses they have used Jesus is saying and in what He is. In verse two, Jesus to support that teaching and I am not prepared to say explains more fully how the Father is involved, and the they were wrong! work that the Father does. The late Harold Barber in his tract, “The Purging Now, the life is in the vine! The branch does not sus- of the Branches,” wrote, “From what do the branches tain the vine, but the vine the branch. So when Jesus need cleansing? The branches need cleansing or puri- says, “I am the vine,” He is telling us that life is found fying from native depravity, ... The person who has been in “Me,” and since He said He is the true vine, it is safe born of God has been forgiven of his actual committed to say that life is found in Him and in Him only. There sins but there remains within the depravity that was is no other source of spiritual life. I realize many peo- inherited from Adam.” Barber goes on to speak of Peter’s ple in the world today think that there are various ways visit to Cornelius’ household and the pouring out of the to heaven, even some professed Christians, that Christ Spirit on them. In Acts 15 it is recorded what Peter said is not the only way even though He said, “I am the way, to those assembled in Jerusalem, and again I quote the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, from the tract, “He told exactly what happened at Cor- but by me” (John 14:6). Further, Jesus said, “The thief nelius’ household and tied it in parallel with the expe- cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: rience on the day of Pentecost. In verses 8 and 9 he I am come that they might have life, and that they says, ‘And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). John said, witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, EVEN AS HE “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John DID UNTO US; And put no difference between us and 1:4). Peter said after the healing of the lame man at them [Jews and Gentiles], PURIFYING THEIR the gate Beautiful, “Be it known unto you all, and to HEARTS BY FAITH.’ It seems to me that Peter’s tes- all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ timony is plain enough to stop the mouth of any who of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from denies any cleansing in Holy Ghost baptism.” (End of the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before quote.) you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought Jesus tells us one reason the vine must be purged of you builders, which is become the head of the cor- “that it may bring forth more fruit.” Even in the literal ner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there realm, when one does speak of pruning, the twigs are is none other name under heaven given among men, cut off so that the sap can go into producing more, larger whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-12). Paul said, fruit. A lesson we as Christians need to learn! There “For there is one God, and one mediator between God well may be things that are not sinful and wrong, yet and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 2:5). there are things that can be “cut off,” left undone, that There is another very important truth brought out we be able to do more important, useful things. Did not in the second verse of John 15. Note what Jesus said: Paul say, “All things are lawful for me, but all things “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all away.” Jesus did not teach, “once saved, always saved.” things edify not” (I Corinthians 10:23)? He did not teach that it was impossible to lose spiri- Jesus gives us another reason for purging the tual life! To the contrary He taught the very opposite. branches: “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear No, He did not teach that one had to backslide, but He much fruit; so shall ye be my did teach that if we did not bear fruit, we would be disciples” (John 15:8). The more ABOUT THE COVER taken away. So we must be more than just a Christian; fruit we bear, the more glory we On our cover is a beau- we must be a fruit bearing Christian. bring to our heavenly Father, tiful picture of a field ready Notice again the Master’s words, “Every branch in the husbandman. Let us heed to be harvested. Our busi- me ...” Paul said, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, what Jesus said in verse four, ness is the harvesting of he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, “Abide in me, and I in you. As souls and the feeding of all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). So the branch cannot bear fruit of the flock of God. This issue Christ speaks of true disciples, “in me”; those who are itself, except it abide in the vine; deals with far more than no more can ye, except ye abide the three questions named in Him have life. Now Jesus said if we did not bear fruit on the cover. “he taketh away.” He speaks of the Father and His work in me.” _ THE WAY OF TRUTH COMMENTS ON (Registered Trademark) Vol. 66 August, 2008 No. 8 “Amazing Grace” Devoted to the gospel of our loving Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave freely His life-blood, to save us from our many sins, to sanctify our fallen nature and to By the late Wanda Craig bring into one body all true believers, by whose stripes we are healed. HE LOCAL saints will remember in Published the fifteenth of the month prior to the date a Wednesday night prayer meeting of issue by the Church of God which assembles at 12819 T just a few weeks ago, Bro. Alvin read Point Salem Road in Hagerstown, Maryland. Publishing office: 12811 Point Salem Road, Hagerstown, Maryland, U.S.A. to us the story behind several of the famil- The Way of Truth is published without any given sub- iar hymns we sing in our services. When scription price, and is supported by freewill offerings from you know what these saints went through our readers and funds supplied by the local congregation. to be able to write such beautiful and inspi- It is sent out free to anyone who is interested enough to rational hymns, they mean more to us as we ask for it. We shall continue this policy as long as God sees sing them. fit to make it possible. FOREIGN READERS are requested to write us at least once a year if they wish to continue receiv- With the song, “Amazing Grace,” each of us could ing the paper the following year. Address all correspon- write our own story behind these words. Amazing grace! dence to The Way of Truth, P. O. Box 88, Hagerstown, Mary- how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me. land 21741, U.S.A. Always when writing, give your name Conviction is the worst feeling in this world. I once and address clearly, please. —Alvin A. Craig, Editor was lost, but now am found. The Lord saw that little lost sheep back there hanging on to the bench in front Our telephone number is 301-739-2980 of him so tightly that his knuckles were white with Our fax number is 301-739-7173 pressure; or sitting in his seat, afraid to stand up! Our e–mail address is [email protected] I once was blind.