by J. Randal Matheny

Many liberal scholars seem to love trashing clear affirmations of Scripture. As I prepared comments on Paul's letter to Ephesians, I noticed one Belgian writer, resident in Brazil, taking the old tack that Paul did not write the letter.

One of his evidences was the similarity of the greeting in Ephesians 1:1-2 to that of Colossians 1:1-2. (Stay with me; it'll be worth it.) Says the scholar, "The author [someone other than Paul] simply copied the formula from Colossians."*

But wait! Check any translation, and you can see, even if you don't read Greek, that the author of Ephesians didn't simply copy the Colossian greeting word for word. Here's the two of them:

Colossians, supposedly the original: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father."

Now Ephesians, the copycat: "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace form God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (NASU)

Notice any differences, any "changes" from Colossians to Ephesians, that would negate simple copying? Here are four obvious ones (we won't count the inversion of "Christ Jesus"):

1. There is no mention of "Timothy our brother."

2. The word "brethren" is omitted.

3. Unlike Colossians, no addressees are mentioned in Ephesians. The scholar claims manuscript evidence is against including the phrase "at Ephesus." It must have been a later addition, he thinks.

4. The phrase "and the Lord Jesus Christ" is added to the Ephesian greeting; there are some Greek manuscripts that add it in Colossians, but the evidence is against its inclusion.

How can a responsible scholar claim that an anonymous author "simply copied" the Colossian greeting with these differences? Perhaps he would keep the phrase "and the Lord Jesus Christ" in Colossians to sustain his argument that the two are similar?

No chance. In his commentary on Colossians a year earlier than his Ephesians commentary, he wrote that "the original [Greek] text must have had only the name of the Father."

It appears we have a case of shaping the facts to fit the theory. The theory refuses to take plain biblical statements at face value. The theory ignores plenty of changes, natural if they came from the same writer's pen. But this theory accomplishes what the scholars want: it diminishes the force of divine inspiration and undermines divine authority in Scripture.

No wonder some of our own brethren are going the same route.

*My translation from the Portuguese.

by Greg A. Tidwell

Once we received a flyer promoting a youth event at a nearby congregation. While some of the speakers were unfamiliar, nothing seemed wrong. Later, however, a friend called to ask if I had seen the unedited flyer. It turned out the unfamiliar speakers were from denominational churches, and identified as such by handouts circulated in-house at the host congregation.

When I called to ask why we received an edited version, the preacher who mailed out the flyer was blunt in his reason. He knew if they fully identified the speakers, our congregation would not promote the event.

The Whole Truth

Duplicity, while appalling, has grown common among our fellowship. Integrity, in contrast, was central to the work of the church the apostle Paul commended to a young evangelist:

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. (Titus 2:7-8)

But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. (2 Cor. 4:2)

Nothing but the Truth

We must ask ourselves: are we permitting shady practices and ominous teachings to hide in dark corners of our fellowship? Not only must we keep ourselves honest, we must be forthright in asking honest questions of others and in demanding honest answers.

Some problems facing the church spring directly from a cover-up of error; many more spring from a passive complicity in not exposing the problem.

"Sunlight," Justice Louis Brandeis once observed, "is the best disinfectant."

by J. Randal Matheny

You're sophisticated. Financially and socially advanced. Studied philosophy, sociology, or science in the university. Are respected by your friends and colleagues for your wit, intellect, or business acumen.

The furtherest thing from your mind is religion, because you consider it irrelevant at best, or downright harmful. Easiest thing in the world to brush off. The name Jesus causes you to curl your upper lip. The thought of opening the Bible leaves you cold.

You're in control of your life. You set your own standards. You choose your causes and determine your own rules. You may even contribute time and money to an issue important to you.

Your life is centered on the here-and-now. Not much thought about life down the road. Certainly no consideration, other than perhaps an occasional twinge in the back of your mind, to what happens after death. You probably tell yourself that at death it's all over.

But do you know for sure?

And what if -- and this is a big if -- what if someone came back from the dead to say there's more. Much more. So much more that it makes this life pale in comparison. But to find it, you have to prepare for it.

The "if" isn't actually so big. It's a proven fact, and people have set out time and again to debunk it, only to convince themselves of its truth.

Why not check it out for yourself? You know the crowd just might be wrong about a thing or two.

Pick up a Bible, against your natural inclinations, and read any of four accounts, Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. And be ready for a shock.

You've heard the religionists say their piece. Lots of them are just parroting their superiors, who are handing down what they got from their human authorities. Lots of them have got it wrong, and you can tell that without knowing hardly anything of what's popularly called Christianity.

Why not get it from the horse's mouth?

After all, you're sophisticated and intelligent.

by J. Randal Matheny

Remember the story of the genie in the lamp? The lucky fellow who stubbed his toe over the old brass piece rubs it and -- Whoosh! -- out comes the genie who offers him three wishes. Ask for anything, your wish is my command.

The story gets our "wanter" working overtime. We begin to line up our three wishes. New car, new carpet, new make-over, new mate.

It's Fantasy Island, our favorite dream.

I have good news and bad news for you.

First, the good news.

Next to the Almighty, the genie is a wimp. And the God of hosts will give you your heart's desire. Anything. Not just three wishes, as many requests as you want to make. He is able to do infinitely more than all we ask or think (Eph. 3:20). No limits. No restrictions.

Now, the bad news.

The context of Ephesians 3:20 to which I just referred is intercession (verses 14-19). Ask anything, as long as it's for someone else and their spiritual progress.

Paul had just prayed for the Christians in Ephesus, that they might have the power of the Spirit, the love of Christ, and the complete fullness of God. A tall order. Three tremendously huge requests. Three intense desires on his part that someone might consider as probable as asking for the moon.

Not so, says the apostle, and here he interrupts for a powerful doxology (exclamation of praise). This interruption in Ephesians 3:20-21 is not garnish or decoration, but the meat of the whole letter.

We can ask such impossible things and expect him to answer, because we ask them according to his will as we intercede for other people's knowledge of and walk with God.

"Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21, RSV).

Come to think of it, that's not such bad news at all. Just needs some exclamation points in place of the periods, don't you think?

So chuck the fake genie lamp, and get on your knees.

by Tim Hall

There are Christians who have the idea that "faithfulness" means "ugliness". In order to be sound in one's views and true to the word of God, we must be blunt and tell it like it is, we are told. "If a Christian doesn't have enemies, then he must not be sound in the things he is teaching" goes this logic.

There are aspects of this view that are worth consideration. A Christian can become too diplomatic, too sensitive to offending someone or hurting their feelings. What if a physician refused to tell someone that cancer had been discovered in their body -- just because they didn't want to make that person uncomfortable? Honesty and forthrightness in speaking the truth are virtues any Christian should cultivate.

But there are other virtues the Christian should cultivate, too. Consider these ideas prescribed by Paul: "But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will" (2 Timothy 2:23-26, New King James Version).

Some traits of a faithful Christian are clearly described in this passage. Paul indeed urges all disciples to directly confront the sins and false views that others may have. There is no hint of being timid in these verses! But at the same time, the servant of the Lord "must not quarrel but be gentle to all . . . patient . . . in humility correcting those who are in opposition". This is not a description of a hothead. This follower of Christ has learned to keep her cool, even in the face of opposition.

Now let's talk about being "sound" and "faithful". And let's not restrict our discussion to doctrine; let's expand it to the attitude a Christian holds. After all, attitudes were very much on the mind of Paul when he wrote this passage. Can we do less than what inspired Scripture teaches us?

Be prepared: If we are serving the Lord, we will be opposed in our work. Satan is still active in the 21st century. We must be ready and willing to meet such opposition. But let us not be pulled down into the mud with the devil's henchmen. Let us maintain the same noble patience our Lord displayed when He was opposed. He is our example -- in all aspects of our work.