“The printed word is, in the end, the greatest temporal power in the world.  The guns of a dictator can wreck a fortress at fifty miles, [now many missiles and jets that the United States has can destroy targets thousands of miles away], but the printed press can shatter an empire at the range of a thousand years,” stated T.G McGrew (quoted from the Apostles’ Doctrine, Vol. 1 Blakely).

This quote puts into perspective the power of the written word.  Every day in America we are faced with the reality of the influence of the printed word from newspapers, billboards, magazines, and the internet.  All types of people have found the power of persuasion in the written word.  The written word has had influences in politics, business, raising families, and even in religion.  Why do you think you get so much “Junk Mail?”  People in our world know that you or someone you know will be swayed by their ideas, information, and promotions.

It is sad though that often these powerful words, which found their way into our everyday life, are misguided. It also seems that the things that are false are circulated more than what is true.   For example, the Jehovah Witness’s magazine The Watchtower has a circulation of over 25 million copies in 148 languages and their other magazine the Awake has a circulation of over 22 million copies in 87 languages as stated in the August 8, 2004, Awake magazine.  Not to mention the publications of other religious groups which seem to bombard our mailboxes and our e-mail’s inbox daily.

As I said earlier the reason people use the written word is that it works.  If the written word works shouldn’t we as restorers of New Testament Christianity be diligent in using it to proclaim the True Word, Jesus Christ?

In the 1962 November issue of the Gospel Light, M. Norvel Young wrote an article challenging the readers of the Gospel Light to put a Christian journal in as many homes as possible.   It has been a dream of many in the brotherhood of the churches of Christ to do this very thing.  One journal that is making this a reality is the House to House Heart to Heart paper.  This publication is an evangelistic paper sponsored by the churches of Christ since 1994, it has a circulation of 2,309,000 in forty-seven states, and is probably the most circulated paper in the churches of Christ.  There are also many other good Christian journals in circulation such as the Gospel Light, Gospel Advocate, World Bible School’s Action, Gospel Minutes, Gospel Gleaner, Magnolia Messenger, Voice of Truth International, and as well as others.  But all these publications together do not come near the number of papers that the Jehovah Witness’s and other religious groups are using to lead mankind away from God.

Although the challenge is great to combat the errors of the religious world with the written word, I believe it can be done.  What if every member of the church would use the power of the written word to the advantage of Christ and His Church?  What if every member would subscribe to one or more of the many journals put out by brethren of the church? What if every member would pick up some of the brotherhood journals pass them to a friend?  What if we would buy gift subscriptions to be sent to our friends and family?

If we did this we could use the power of the written word to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to combat the un-Christian literature that inundates our world daily.  But we must be willing to pass the written word on, “Just as the Sword of the Spirit must not remain in the sheath, all gospel papers must be used to be of greatest value—and that is what all gospel papers must depend on their friends to do.  Truth is powerful—when people use it” (Flanoy Alexander, Editor of Gospel Light, 1962).

Written by: Mark T. Tonkery

According to the Bible, I MUST HEAR HIS WORD. ~ “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). ~ “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15). I MUST BELIEVE. ~ “But without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6). ~ “He that believeth not shall be condemned” (Mark 16:16). I MUST REPENT. ~ “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). ~ “But now commandeth all men every where to repent” (Acts 17:30). I MUST CONFESS. ~ “And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10). ~ “And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37). I MUST BE BAPTIZED. ~ “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved...” (Mark 16:16). ~ “…wash away thy sins…” (Acts 22:16). ~ “Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death” (Romans 6:4). ~ See also Matthew 28:18—20; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 10:48; Acts 2:38. I MUST LIVE RIGHT. ~ “We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12).

In his devotional book, Awake, My Heart, J. Sidlow Baxter shared the following anecdote:

In 1934, a British magazine told the story of young Prince Edward and a visit he made to a small hospital where thirty-six hopelessly injured and disfigured veterans of the First World War were tended.  He stopped at each cot, shook hands with each veteran, and spoke words of encouragement.  He was conducted to the exit but observed that he had only met twenty-nine men.  At that point he questioned those present, “I understood you had thirty-six patients here.  I have only seen twenty-nine.”

The head nurse explained that the other seven were so shockingly disfigured, that for the sake of his own feelings, he had not been taken to see them.  The prince insisted that he must see them.  He spoke to each of them and thanked them for the great sacrifice they had made and assured each that it would never be forgotten.

Then he turned to the head nurse and said, “There are only six men. Where is the seventh?”  He was informed that no one was allowed to see him.  Blind, maimed, dismembered, the most hideously disfigured of them all, he was isolated in a room where he would never leave alive.  The nurse said to the Prince, “Please don’t ask to see him.”  But the Prince could not be dissuaded.

The nurse reluctantly led him into a darkened room.  The royal visitor stood there with white face and drawn lips, looking down at what had once been a fine man, but now was a horror.  Then the tears broke out, and with lovely impulse, the prince bent down and reverently kissed the cheeks of that broken war hero. *

Sidlow made this apt application: “There is one who has stooped far, far lower, to kiss a far, far worse ugliness — not the physical disfigurement of a broken hero whose brokenness called forth reverent gratitude, but the leprous, evil ugliness of corrupt sinners and hard rebels against infinite love!”

The One who “stooped” so far to demonstrate such undeserved love was Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:6-8

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

Because of His love for us, Jesus “stooped” low through His incarnation and crucifixion, so that you and I can be raised up to enjoy eternal blessings “in the heavenly places” in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10).

-- David A. Sargent

* As cited in www.ministry127.com

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695