Mailbag

The Mail Room
Letters from Volume 31




W
elcome to the Mail Room for Present Truth Magazine! This is where we post some of the interesting letters which we receive from our viewers. All of our viewers are invited to E-mail us your comments and views and we will post these views for all to consider!  

"Theology and Body"

Your issue "Theology and Body," was timely. Sometimes Christianity tends to be so heavenly minded that it is of no earthly good, but this issue was a good example of theology practically applied. The article by George Eldon Ladd, "The Greek Versus the Hebrew View of Man," points up the need of recognizing our "cultural idols." Those of us who have been educated in Western culture have unconsciously grown up with distorted views of the nature of man which our civilization received from the Greeks. When we read the Bible, we fail to receive the message God has for us because of our culturally learned bias.

The Greek view is the distorted self-image of the natural man. He sees himself, not as a whole being, but as fragmented. But the biblical view is that of man as he was made in God's image and likeness and as revealed in Jesus, the second Adam. The message and ministry of Christ was to make man whole. Perhaps this explains why He spent more time healing than he did preaching—because He was a whole Man Himself, "the fulness of the Godhead bodily" and He longed to make men whole. Man was made this way in the beginning, a whole soul (creature) in the image of his Maker, and as such he had no problem in understanding God. But sin brought fragmentation and distortion of the image, and man's own distorted self-image was projected to God, and the world became filled with false concepts of God. Christ came as the second Adam to restore the image of God in man—physically, mentally and spiritually.

Arlin Baldwin
California


Congratulations on the article by D. Weston Allen, "How Spiritual Health Is Impaired by Neglect of Physical and Mental Health," which appeared in your issue on "Theology and Body." Through God's grace I have for some months been on an aerobic conditioning program, and now, after several hundred miles of running, I must admit that I feel tremendously better equipped to face life.

I believe that Christianity is a balanced way of life, and your chart showing how the spiritual, mental and physical areas blend into one another was just great. I submit that every Christian should seriously endeavor to find a suitable personal balance in this respect. By doing so, he will eventually discover a more complete and wholesome way of life.

There is a need in today's soft society to do away with easy living in favor of healthy living. Certainly it is about time that we started getting some physical and mental aspects into our often narrowed-down perspective of Christianity. After all, we would study the life of our Lord carefully, we would find these aspects present.

Arthur Lee
Singapore


"Covenant"

Thank you for your magazine. The two issues featuring "Covenant" were outstanding. I have never read a better treatment of such an important subject.

D. O. Peach, Lutheran Pastor
Australia



Your article on "The Signs and Seals of the Covenant" was not only fair and biblical but helpful in its clearcut manner of presenting salvation by grace alone through the means God alone could ordain.

Timothy Vettrus, Lutheran Pastor
Canada


Pietistic Perfectionism

I find Present Truth quite unique in today's world of pietistic and popish perfectionism. Your journal is a breath of fresh air that the Christian world needs in order to get our feet back on the ground of faith which was preached by the apostolic church founded by our Lord Jesus Christ.

John C. Phillips
Indiana


Normal Christian Life

I want to tell you how much I appreciated your issue on "Sanctification" (Feb., 1975). After years of a diet of victorious-life teaching, it was surely refreshing. I think the so-called victorious-life teaching ends up with a defeated Christian life; it did for me. I have begun to see what the "normal Christian life" is.

Mrs. Sheila Jean
Alabama


Off Center

I feel that you are just as far off center as is the charismatic movement. I'm sure both of you will have an equal number of deceived souls in hell before your wickedness is finished.

You continually downgrade the "subjective" gospel for the futherance of your "objective" one. Your play on words is fine for the intellectuals that your ministry caters to—a ministry which we are told in Cobssians 2:8 to "beware of." I could go on for several more pages, but I doubt if your "intellectual" mind could take much more of my simple jabber.

James M. Turner
Oklahoma


On Target

Thank you for producing an outstanding publication. It is right on target. I have appreciated your clear teaching on the reliability of the Word of God, on justification by faith, and the forthright treatment you have given to the present trend toward subjective experience as apart from, and indeed superior to, the clear teaching of divine truth. May God bless you and strengthen your witness.

J. Merle Bandy, Pastor
California


Stimulating

Thank you for the regular arrival of Present Truth. It gives me much pleasure by its well-written and thought-provoking articles. Of course, one does not necessarily agree with all that is written, but the presentation of other views is stimulating.

C. Cato-Symonds, Minister
England


Ruination

"Reformation?" Your magazine is a ruination! "Dedicated to the restoration of New Testament Christianity?" You plan to bring about a ruination of New Testament Christianity.

Edward R. Sather
California


Second Reformation

Present Truth is a continuous blessing to read. I find the articles beneficial spiritually and for wisdom. As an assistant pastor with a limited book supply, your magazine coverage is indeed a source of knowledge that is most useful. I pray that you will continue in your striving for a second Reformation in our spiritual outlook and attitude.

Robert Thistle, Pastor
Canada


Keep Publishing

Thank you for your publication. Justification by faith is a topic that needs more broadcasting than it is given by churches today. In today's liberal-minded religious circles it is a topic seldom, if ever, discussed. Keep publishing your magazine and telling the world of the central theme of the Scriptures.

Maria S. Kratts
New York


Appreciates Emphasis

Present Truth has become of utmost importance to me in my study of God's Word. Among the number of magazines that cross my desk there are only two that I consider collectors items, and yours is one. For the clarity and emphasis of your teaching on justification I am deeply appreciative and indebted. I cannot help but believe that in the years to come much fruit will be seen from your labor.

Fred Hudson, Church of Christ Minister
Texas


Election and Grace

Thank you for your magazine. I have received tremendous benefit in considering its contents. Especially helpful have been insights into a previously difficult area for me—election and grace. I believe that I am beginning to see some light on these matters. I appreciate your stimulating writing and look forward to receiving each issue.

Darwin Chandler, Church of Christ Evangelist
Texas


Enlightened

I have been very impressed and spiritually enlightened by Present Truth, given to me by our Presbyterian minister. You have penetrated the superficial to get at the basic truth where the latter parts company with error. I love the sole gretia, solo Christo, sole fide, and sole Scripture. Thank God you are standing where Luther stood!

Hugh Flemming
Canada


Knotty Problem

I look forward to your outstanding publication, Present Truth. I have enjoyed wrestling with the knotty problem of being both an evangelical Christian (Presbyterian) and a scientist. I have often found that God has led me into situations of witnessing to someone where it has been necessary to really know what I believe—and the basis for that belief.

Your magazine has been an important factor in my searching for perspectives. It has been my pleasure to introduce several, including our minister, to Present Truth.

Don Peterson, Research Physicist
Alabama


Likes Cassette Tapes

Having now been acquainted with Present Truth's literary power for almost a year, I have definitely grasped more truth through its instrumentality than I have in four years of consistent attendance at numerous evangelical meetings and the like. I am sure that many readers of Present Truth can similarly testify to its much-needed presentation of the objective gospel.

But I wonder just how many readers of Present Truth are also aware of its effective tape ministry. I fear that not enough readers have given ear to the voices of R. D. Brinsmead and G. J. Paxton on tape. Only after recently receiving some cassette tapes have I come to appreciate and fully accept the doctrine of justification by faith. Now the back issues of Present Truth have become to me "thoughts that breathe and words that burn." It is my prayer that more readers will take advantage of the twofold ministry of Present Truth.

Carton Hammond
Alabama


Charitable?

I wonder if you really believe you are "the people and that wisdom will die with you," as Job said of his friends. I find your uncharitableness saddening.

Arthur C. Custance
Canada



There are very few Christian writers of your caliber who, while expounding and standing fast on the Word of truth, at the same time show forth such warmth and charity for our fellow Christians in Catholic and evangelical circles, as well as Pentecostal, who still mix much error with their devotion to our God. I thank God for your work.

Anita Wheeler
Connecticut


Disillusioned

Having recently returned from Brazil after fifteen years of service as a missionary trying to put New Testament principles into practice, I came across your publication in the home of a friend and would appreciate very much receiving it. It seems necessary to acquire all the information I can on the so-called charismatic movement. This movement has left thousands completely disillusioned in Brazil, and I am sure it is doing the same here.

Floyd Pierce
Illinois


Experiential Rubbish

At times one begins to weary of the continual onslaught which threatens to submerge the gospel of Christ in a sea of subjectivism and liberalism. And then along comes a publication like Present Truth, and one begins to sense that the battle has faltered for lack of ammunition. Thank you, not only for the logistical base grounded on the Holy Scriptures, but for the inspiration to continue to stand on the objective truth rather than the experiential, emotionalistic rubbish so prevalent today. Fight the good fight, wage the good warfare, proclaim the truth in all of its splendor and power, and perhaps an omnipotent God may yet save this generation from itself.

T.J. Campbell, Marine Sergeant
Arizona


Helped

As a Christian living in a truly non-Christian environment of a nuclear-powered submarine, I find great encouragement and some very strong help from Present Truth. I really believe that its message to those men who feel themselves too intelligent to believe in and follow the living God is unavoidable.

Michael S. Myers
Navy Lieutenant


Out of Context

You refer to Martin Luther too much in your articles rather than the Bible. When you do use Scripture, you twist it and take it out of context.

Gene Deo
California


Much to Learn

I am only a recent student of theology, but I appreciate your strong perspective on Reformation Christianity. It does not take too sharp an observer of the present situation of the church to see that we need to recover some things. And I suspect we have much to learn from close application to scriptural truth and the writings of the Reformers and other godly men. God bless you in your effort to remind us.

R. Lee Ware
Ohio


Joy to Read

I very much appreciate your magazine. Your fresh translations and clear terms (as well as the easily-read type) make it a joy to read. I look forward to each issue.

Henry F. Koch, Lutheran Minister
Wisconsin



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