(There are two articles on this page)
Except…
by Glendol McClure
Almost every day, we are faced with certain and various exceptions. Exceptions are exclusions that must be met in order to qualify for a given thing. A basketball player must shoot the ball through the hoop in order to add points to the team’s score. The condition to scoring points is, except the ball goes through the hoop, no points are scored. We can understand this! Another illustration – Except you buy a ticket for the basketball game you cannot enter the arena to watch the game. All would agree that this means that only those who buy a ticket may enter the arena to watch the game. We can understand this too! Can we not?
In the Bible, there are numerous exceptions that are easily understood just like the examples above. Consider these passages:
Amos 3:3 - “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”Two cannot walk or work together if they do not agree. There must be cooperation and agreement by both parties involved in order for there to be true unity.
Matthew 5:20 - “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”The scribes and Pharisees were models of righteousness in their own sight and in that of the people. Hence, Jesus sets a higher standard with the stated exception.
Matthew 18:3 - “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”In a sense, the Lord’s disciples were acting like children (cf I Corinthians 13:11). Jesus taught them that in order to be His disciples, they must turn from their sin of selfish pride and humble themselves as a child is humble in spirit and dependent upon his parents.
Luke 13:3 - “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”The meaning of this statement of Jesus is clear! Those who do not repent will perish spiritually (cf Acts 17:30).
John 3:2 - “The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”Nicodemus correctly concluded that the miracles Jesus performed confirmed that God was with His son.
John 3:3 - “… Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”In order to enter the kingdom of heaven, one must be born again in the spiritual sense.
John 3:5 - “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”The new birth involves two elements – being born of the water and the spirit. Thus, those not born of the two elements mentioned by Jesus, cannot enter the kingdom of God!
Without a doubt, most brethren understand and agree on the force of the word “except”in these passages. The word “except”in these passages carries with it the idea of, “if and only if.” But, one other passage must be considered:
Matthew 19:9 - “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”Does not the word “except” in this passage have the same meaning and force as in the other passages we have considered so far? If not, why not?
Countless dodges and excuses have been made by many of my own brethren in an attempt to avoid the force of the word “except” in this passage. Justification for divorce for any and every cause is made by some. Some say “we can’t know for sure”what the truth is on divorce and remarriage. One preacher I know was asked the following questions: Do you believe God’s law on marriage is universal in application to believers and unbelievers? Do you believe one put away for the cause of fornication may scripturally remarry? Do you believe repentance demands separation for those unscripturally married? Do you believe I Corinthians 7:15 constitutes authority for one who is deserted by an unbeliever to be remarried? He responded by saying, “I don’t know whether to envy or pity those who are so sure of themselves on this subject … I don’t want to appear rude, but I won’t be specifically answering your questions.”
I am made to wonder, then, how this brother can be “so sure”on the subject of water baptism? How would he answer the question: “What must I do to be saved?”John 3:1-5 deals with the new birth, but, the word baptism is not found in this text. Can this brother be “so sure”that being “born of the water and the spirit”involves water baptism? Is he “so sure”and confident that he will affirm to those of denominational persuasion that water baptism is “for the remission of sins”and use this passage as a proof text? Shall we “envy or pity those who are so sure of themselves”on the meaning of the word “except” in Amos 3:3; Matthew 5:20 and 18:3; Luke 13:3; John 3:2, 3 and 5? Yet, many seemingly can’t seem to figure it out (or maybe they don’t want to) when faced with the obvious truth of Matthew 19:9 – that the only scriptural cause for the innocent mate to put away the guilty mate is for fornication! It sure seems strange to me that they can understand, and we can agree, on the meaning and force of the word “except” in all other passages, EXCEPT when we come to “EXCEPT” in Matthew 19:9!
Truth
by Chris Simmons
During the trial of Jesus, we read of a vitally important question asked by Pilate. In John 18:37-38 we read, “Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘So You are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice. Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’ And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, ‘I find no guilt in Him.’” Regardless of Pilate’s motive for asking such a question, we must ourselves be clear regarding what truth is.
First of all, we must understand that truth is restrictive. Truth is narrow. Truth is unyielding. Despite man’s effort to cloud the subject, the concept of truth is not really all that complicated. Truth comes from the Greek word “aletheia” which means “the reality lying at the basis of an appearance; the manifested, veritable essence of a matter” (W. E. Vine). Webster, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary c 1996, defines truth as, “1. the quality of being true; as: (a) conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been; or shall be. (b) Conformity to rule; exactness… 2. That which is true or certain concerning any matter or subject, or generally on all subjects; real state of things; fact; verity; reality.” There is only one reality regarding anything including that which pertains to God. “Truth is reality; as there is a spirit world, as surely there is a reality associated with it which is according to what the Lord teaches in the gospel. This is the reality to which one must bring himself to obey and pattern his life according to it” (Clinton Hamilton, Commentary on I Peter). This distinction between truth and error (that’s the only choice) is exemplified in Jesus’ discussion in the Sermon on the Mount. “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). The narrow way is the way of truth; the broad way is the way that accommodates all error and diversions from the truth. With countless numbers of churches throughout the world today, all practicing and teaching different things, the nature of truth tells us that there is but one true church, one true means of worshipping and obeying God. We all can not be practicing the truth. And when it comes to issues that are discussed and debated among brethren, whether it be marriage, divorce and remarriage or the organization of the church, there is truth (in any and all matters in which God’s word has spoken), and those who take opposing views can not all be practicing and teaching the truth.
Truth is from God. The Creator of all who alone possesses all authority (“For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God”; Romans 13:1) is He who defines all truth. Jesus subjected Himself to His Father’s will and spoke truth based on what He received from His Father. “But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do” (John 8:40). Jesus then promised that “ALL TRUTH” would be given to His holy apostles through the Holy Spirit. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come” (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit revealed God’s will to the apostles who then wrote it down (cf Ephesians 3:3-5) and thus have provided us with “the word of truth.” It is our response to this truth which will determine our eternal destiny. James wrote, “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures” (James 1:18). This word of truth is promised to abide forever, unlike anything of a material nature in this life (I Peter 1:22-25).
Truth is not always desired. We are promised in God’s word that there will be many who will not want to hear the truth and will gather to them those that will tell them what they want to hear. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths” (II Timothy 4:3-4). Those who preach other than the truth must be “reproved” and “silenced” for the sake of the truth (Titus 1:10-14). Paul demonstrated this when he rebuked Peter when he was not being “straightforward about the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:14). We must take advantage of all opportunities to contend earnestly for the truth of the gospel and not give way to those who oppose the truth. Regarding the false teachers discussed in Galatians 2, Paul did not “yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you” (Galatians 2:5).
Truth, by its very nature is the sole basis for unity (cf Ephesians 4:1-3; I Peter 4:11; I Corinthians 1:10). Truth, by its very nature, will also divide people. We must not try to erase such divisions when it’s regarding something revealed in God’s word. When Paul wrote to the brethren in Corinth regarding the truth of the Lord’s Supper, he wrote, “For there must also be factions among you, in order that those who are approved may have become evident among you” (I Corinthians 11:19). It will be evident when there are those who take stands or partake in practices which are in opposition to the truth of God’s word and by such are “adulterating the word of God” (II Corinthians 4:2).
Truth is to be loved. Without an “agape” for truth and what is right according to God, we will end up pursuing wickedness and that which Satan would use to lead us away. Note Paul’s words in II Thessalonians 2:10-13, “with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” If we are to walk (live) in truth, we have to have a passion and a love for that which is right, proper and true. Without such a love for truth, we are in grave danger of “… paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth” (Titus 1:14). Our attitude must be such as that expressed in II Corinthians 13:8, “For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.”
God has established truth. As the Maker of all, He alone determines what is true and right. It is our job to listen to it (Ephesians 1:13), submit to it (I Peter 1:22), speak it (Ephesians 4:15), and rejoice in it (I Corinthians 13:6). Our destiny will be determined by what we do with the truth He has given to us.