The Living Truth Fellowship bids a final farewell tribute to its initial leader, John Ashton Lynn

October 2021

Romans 14:8
“For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”

It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that we write this month’s newsletter to inform you of the death of our brother in Christ, John A. Lynn. On September 24, 2021 our brother John fell asleep in the Lord from Covid-19 and other health related complications. His life and ministry were a testimony of goodness and love. John lived in pursuit of the truth and was bold in declaring it to any and all who would listen.
 
Sometime next month, the Board of Trustees, along with John’s wife and daughter, will be producing an online tribute to John honoring his many years of faithful service to the Lord Jesus Christ. We ask that everyone please keep his wife Elizabeth, daughter Christine and their families in prayer as they grieve John’s passing. If you would be blessed to give a monetary gift, you can do so at Gofund.me, a page that was set up for this purpose, or you can contact us for her home address.
 
John was faithful at teaching God’s Word for fifty years and he will be dearly missed. We know John sleeps in the Lord and we look forward with great hope for the appearing of Christ when we will rejoice to see him again. It is important to remember that God is ultimately the source of our comfort (2 Corinthians 7:6), so in times like this we must run to the shelter of the Most High where we will find sweet rest (Psalm 91:1-2). John’s heart for the Lord and service to the gospel of Christ is something for us all to emulate. He always gave his all for God’s people and the gospel. Well done good and faithful servant!
 
If you were one of the many brethren who prayed for John’s healing over the years, we thank you on behalf of all our TLTF leadership. The Word of God is our greatest source of comfort when someone we love dies. Our Lord certainly understood the pain of losing someone close to his heart. In the book of John 11:1-44, we learn that Jesus lost a loved one named Lazarus. Jesus was deeply moved and wept at the loss of His friend. This story, however, doesn’t end in tears. Jesus knew he possessed the power needed to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25). Jesus overcame death through His resurrection. It is comforting to know that death is not the end for those who believe. Those who know Jesus as their Savior will have eternal life (John 10:28). God has prepared a new home for us where there will be no more death, tears, or pain (Revelation 21:1-4).
 
As we move onward, we thank our Lord Jesus Christ who has provided for us everything necessary to continue to help others receive the Words of Life. We also thank you for your love and support as we continue to press forward in the high calling in Christ Jesus our Savior. We must not be naive as to think that Satan isn’t looking to take advantage of us. Until Jesus returns, he will continue his attacks on the body of Christ. He will do anything he can to sabotage unity, sow dissension, and erode trust. Particularly in difficult seasons, we need to all unite in every effort to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3).
 
It takes courage to go through difficult times. But, if there’s one thing we know about the people who fellowship with this ministry, it is that they are, by God’s grace, a strong and courageous people, as we have made our way through many sufferings in the past. God develops grit and endurance in his people through suffering. Let us all praise the name of Jesus Christ that he would count us worthy to suffer with him. We now get to demonstrate once more the all-sufficiency of his grace as he bears us up and carries us forward in his strong and loving care.
 
As we consider the impact of John’s death on our lives and the ministry, this scripture quickly comes to mind.
 
Joshua 1:1,2
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them…”
 
The death of Moses was perhaps the most monumental loss the children of Israel had faced since leaving Egypt. Moses had led them forty years; from his initial return to Egypt until he had brought them to the Jordan river with the promised land literally in sight. Israel knew no other way to follow God than to rely on Moses’ directions for every step of their journey. But, now Moses was dead and they were in many ways at a standstill. So, what was God’s message to these desperate Israelites who were now grieving their one-of-a-kind leader? It was, “Get going!”
 
From a human perspective, one could easily anticipate that the LORD would have directed them to have a prolonged memorial for Moses’ death. But instead, He simply told Joshua to get with the people and get ready to move out from where they were and move on, into the promised land. And when you think about it, what other choice did they have? Their forty-year trek through the wilderness had brought them to the banks of the Jordan River, and Moses was now dead. Their hearts could either be tethered to their past with Moses or delighted for the future Moses and the LORD had brought them to. In many ways, ours is the same choice.
 
I’m confident that John Lynn would not want this ministry to stop, or pause, in any way because of his death. His vision of following the Lord Jesus Christ and helping others to do the same can and will continue; only if we remain committed to entering the land of promises. We have no choice but to regroup, prepare our hearts to obey, and follow the directions of the spirit of God.
 
Some ask, “What do we do now?.” And the answer as is always going to be the same … “obey.” Obey the Lord Jesus Christ and follow him. That has been his message since he first began calling his disciples on the shores of Galilee. That message will never change. Every Christian is obligated to follow Jesus, in word and deed. He is the only one worthy of our complete allegiance. He is the only one who perfectly demonstrated what humanity can become if we will but live with selfless service to God and shower those around us with His love.
 
Who among us doesn’t have a neighbor, friend, or family member in need? Can we not simply take some time to visit them? What instruction is needed to love? We may not have an answer for them, but we can be a listening heart. We can care enough to show up in their life and be kind… can’t we? Or we could decide to just sit on our hands and reminisce about the good times and great teachings that John taught us. Which will you do? Which do you believe will bring glory to God and His son?
 
The TLTF Board of Trustees have been diligently seeking the Lord’s guidance about the future of TLTF, and we believe we have heard his voice. Some of the direction we are hearing is new and exciting. But, regardless of the course we take, we know it must be done in prayer, with love and a commitment to obeying the Lord. After all, this is not “our ministry” just as it was not “John Lynn’s ministry.” It is the Lord’s ministry, and we are all his servants. Our objective is and must remain to magnify Jesus Christ, the living truth.
 
So, as we look forward to the days ahead, we are thankful, deeply thankful for John Lynn’s life and ministry; and that will never change. But we are also eagerly looking to the Lord Jesus, the living way; to guide us on our journey. Our only ambition is to follow him. He alone is the author and finisher of our faith. He alone is worthy of our complete trust. He alone can take us into the land of promises where there is joy unspeakable. As JAL would often say, “the future is as bright as the promises of God.” So, let’s hold fast to God’s Word, hold on to one another, and boldly walk forward into the future He has planned for us.
 
We are very excited to be entering into a new season of ministry inspired by the spirit of God. We look forward to continuing with you in this new season of growth as we minister the Word unto the hearts of others. As Paul said, “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Corinthians 2:14).
 
Thank you for your love, prayers and support as we move ahead together fighting the good fight.
 

We love you dearly,
 
Franco, Jon, and Gary Lee
TLTF Board of Trustees

UPDATED 10/7/21: The following Internet link was the Obituary apparently published in the Indiana newspaper for John Lynn. Due to the writing style, along with its rather lengthy nature, I assume John might’ve written this himself. If I’m wrong about that, I sincerely apologize. But please read through this obituary for yourself and I think you’ll agree with me. I can promise you, it’s very well written and there’s nothing disrespectful in it. Agape

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/john-lynn-obituary?id=20568575

What exactly is God’s viewpoint on, ‘Critical Race Theory’? Is this subject addressed anywhere in the Bible?

August 2021

[The following was the monthly newsletter of, The Living Truth Fellowship ( TLTF.org ), for August 2021. It was written by TLTF president John Lynn.]

In today’s upside-down world, its citizens are being subjected to all manner of lies, which, if believed, put them in bondage—and sometimes in bandage. The knowledge of God’s unwavering standard of truth, His written Word, is a rare commodity. Thus, the majority of people, including some Christians, are easy marks for the ploys of Satan, the shrewd mortal enemy of mankind. Like sheep without a shepherd, they are easily manipulated into foolish choices.

The Devil well understands our fallen human nature, which is beset with Adam’s original mantra: “It’s not my fault; I’ll find someone else to blame.”  A big part of the insanity of today’s society is the “virtue of victim-hood.” As per a recent Colson Center article, people seem to compete for victim-hood status, and are unable to find much common ground with others across ideological lines.

Increasingly, it is victim-hood status, not God’s mercy or the work of Christ, that is seen as the source of one’s righteousness. As a result, our culture values fragility over strength, and thus promotes a constant good-versus-evil conflict, even in the smallest of issues. Today, many people’s moral status and identity come from their credentials as victims. Being oppressed or mistreated brings a kind of moral absolution.

It’s as if there is a contest to see who can hold the most grudges and grievances, to be the people most wronged, and therefore the people with the greatest moral authority. A Christian who knows the Word of God realizes that his biggest problem is HIMSELF, and that, because of what Christ accomplished, he can change for the better. As Christians who have been forgiven much, we should be among the first to forgive those who persecute us, whatever their reasons.

These days, it is difficult to talk about what really matters—like God, the Bible, and our political freedoms. Even the weather, perhaps the last bastion of anything passing for civil conversation, is now off limits because of the conflict about global warming. Anyone who disagrees with the prevailing “progressive” narrative about contemporary issues is usually labeled a Nazi or a racist.

Division is one of our Adversary’s primary tactics, and he promotes it in any and every way he can. For the record, biblically speaking, division comes from those who refuse to believe the truth. Racial division is his most obvious strategy in our culture today. Activists now argue that not only has there been a history of white “supremacy,” but also that all white people are racist, whether they know it or not, and that even whiteness itself is akin to a plague. As Satan relentlessly tries to pit white people against people of color, “Critical Race Theory” has become his primary tool.

The Encyclopedia Brittanica defines Critical Race Theory as “An intellectual movement and loosely organized framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings [it sure looks that way] but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color. Critical race theorists hold that the law and legal institutions in the United States are inherently racist insofar as they function to create and maintain social, economic, and political inequalities between whites and nonwhites, especially African Americans.”

Although, sadly, it is promoted in many churches today, CRT is a false gospel and a skewed worldview. It is a doctrinal assault on the biblical truths of original sin, individual salvation, Pre-Millennialism, and the very purpose of the Savior. Jesus Christ is not a “social reformer,” except in the sense that he reforms individuals who can then reform some aspects of society.

If we strip away all the convoluted verbiage, “CRT” basically judges and categorizes people by the color of their skin, rather than by the content of their character. That’s why it is poles apart from the virtuous MLK-led Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, when King, et al, vigorously espoused just the opposite. CRT generally asserts that white people are oppressors and “people of color” (primarily blacks) are “systemically” oppressed. A relatively small percentage of loudmouth losers is promoting this notion, something that the majority of people in the USA do not relate to in their daily dealings with others. The majority of our citizens is overwhelmingly not racist, and we can clearly see that in our daily dealings with our multi-colored fellow earthlings.

For a superb analysis of CRT, which today is being promoted in evangelicalism as “social justice,” but really has nothing to do with Christianity and, in fact, is nothing more than Marxism in disguise. (For more on this see, The False Gospel of Critical Race Theory (62 mins).

Technically, a theory is “a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural and subject to experimentation, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact.” Therefore, God‘s idea of “critical race” is not a theory. Whatever He says, about anything, is truth. And the following truth, spoken by Paul on Mars Hill in Athens, would go a long way toward alleviating racial prejudice and tension if people believed it.

Acts 17:26

And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.

No matter what color we are on the outside, we all bleed red. Black Lives Matter was, by the admission of its founders. based upon Marxist ideology. It is dedicated to destroying the USA as we know it. In reality, BLM does not care at all about black people, but its deceptive name is true. Of course, black lives matter. So do white, yellow, red, brown, and people green with envy. Why? Because each human being is made in the image of God.

What race are we in? The human race! And who is the Judge of this race? The One who laid out the race course, the Lord Jesus Christ, the only man ever to live a sinless life. God’s Word calls him the archegos, “the first one in line in a rank or file.” It is he who blazed the only trail of faith to the heart of God, and it is he whom God has assigned to eventually judge the billions of contestants in the race of life. This classic Greek word is used only four times in Scripture, as follows:

Acts 3:15

You killed the author [KJV=Prince] of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.

Acts 5:31

God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.

Hebrews 2:10

In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer [KJV=Captain] of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ²fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer [KJV=Author] and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

It is significant that the Greek word [agon] translated “race” is used only six times, and elsewhere is translated “conflict” (2x), “contention” (1x), and “fight” (2x). It seems clear that the race we are running can often be grueling, as in agon-izing, and we must tap into the Lord’s strength in order to persevere and win.

In any race, there are judges, officials who know the rules precisely and who monitor the race and hand out prizes according to how the contestants finish. Our “human race” will be judged by the Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. ²⁷No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

The standard by which Jesus will judge every human being who has ever lived is the Word of God. The key to a godly life is for a person to judge himself by that measuring rod now, and thus shape his actions accordingly. In English, the word “critic” simply means “one who judges,” like a movie critic, who gives a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Although “criticism” has come to carry a negative connotation, its primary definition is “the act of passing judgment as to the merits of anything.”

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges [kritikos] the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Making the Word of God our only rule of faith and practice will bring us great rewards, not only in this life, but also at the Judgment Seat of Christ, who is the Ultimate Critic. And his THUMBS UP!! will be forever.

2 Timothy 4:8

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge [krites], will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

I love you.