Beware the Extremist

By Barney Keith (1920-2011)

A very versatile word in the English language is “extremist.” Much like “legalist,” “radical,” and “hobbyist,” it can be called into play whenever desired. It would seem that ANY MAN could be called an extremist — it just depends on who is doing the calling and where he stands at the time. A sure way to prejudice unthinking people against a certain viewpoint or matter of doctrine is to charge, “That is an EXTREME view!” An effective tool for poisoning people against a preacher is to claim, “You know, he is an EXTREMIST!” Immediately the dull-witted close their ears to what he says. They make no effort to investigate the Word of God to determine whether it is the truth. All of us need studious minds, desire for truth, willingness to study for ourselves, and fair-mindedness in considering any matter. Above all, we need respect for God’s Book!

STRANGE BUT OFTEN TRUE

Some very significant factors enter into this matter of irresponsible use of words, “He is just an extremist.”

NOT NECESSARILY SO

No one doubts that a man CAN be an extremist, but there are definitely some things that are NOT to be considered as marks of an extremist. If they are, the Bible is full of extremists (including God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the apostles, the prophets, etc). Let us observe that:

THE REAL CONCERN

The real concern of every Christian should be to determine TRUTH. If one searches the Scriptures (Acts 17:11) and learns that a thing is taught of God, this truth is EXTREMELY right, and he must believe it, regardless of what others may say or do. To refuse to believe it simply because others may consider it to be extreme is to dishonor the Author of truth. When problems arise and when questions are raised about any matter, our interest must lie in the Word of God as an infallible, all-sufficient standard of correct faith and practice. As was stated before: IT IS BETTER TO BE EXTREMELY RIGHT BY FOLLOWING THE TRUTH THAN TO BE EXTREMELY WRONG BY REJECTING IT. & (East Florence Contender, November, 1963)

God Has Spoken

By Gilbert Alexander

The Bible does not teach that our deeds, apart from the blood of Christ, will save us and give us a home in Heaven. Concerning Christ, it says: "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence..." (Eph. 1:7, 8). However, the same New Covenant that makes known to us the way of salvation provided by God's grace in giving His Son as an offering for our sins also makes clear to us that we must act in obedient response to His instructions as to how we may be saved by Christ's death.

Our obeying His instructions demonstrates our trust in His promise of forgiveness, rather than our failure to trust Him. Did Noah's building the ark and Abraham's offering Isaac show that they did not trust God? Jesus said: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved' (Mk. 16:16). Baptism, then, is not "for those who are already saved." It is God's way of bringing us into Christ's death where His blood was shed ( Rom. 6:3, 4). "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" We are not baptized because we are already in Christ; we are baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27). If one says to a hungry person, "Meet me in one hour at the Kid's Dugout, and I will serve you a good meal," does one show trust -- or a lack of trust -- in the promise by driving to the designated place at the designated time? Is the meal no longer a gift because the honoree obeys the instructions?