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Berean Expositor Volume 4 & 5
Answers to Correspondents.
"Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of
our Lord, nor of me His prisoner" (II Tim. 1: 8).
pp. 47-51
" `God has spoken unto US in (His) SON.' The Holy Spirit says, `To-day, if ye
will hear HIS VOICE harden not your hearts.' Christ Himself has a solemn warning
concerning those who are ashamed of His Words. I ask you to consider solemnly
what effect has Dr. Bullinger's teaching upon the attention given by the Lord's
people to HIS OWN WORDS? Believe me, my dear brother, there is grave danger
here. It is not a question whether or not a new dispensation began when Paul went to
prison. Very serious consequences are involved, and I can give you no better advice
at this time than to drop `Things to Come' entirely, and give yourself to prayerful
reading of the Word--ESPEC IALLY THE GOSPELS."
(Extract of letter relating to the teaching of The Berean Expositor and Things to
Come. The words in italics indicate that the writer underscored with one line, those
in capitals, when he used two or three underscorings).
As we have said when quoting from or alluding to the writings of others in this
magazine, we desire no personalities to mar our testimony. We simply consider the
doctrine quite independently of the one who may be the author. It is extremely difficult
to avoid the appearance of striving, we therefore purposely omit the name of the writer,
and trust that all concerned will realize the spirit in which this criticism is given. The
extract quoted above, with its emphasized portions, is such a common argument with
those who reject the peculiar ministry of the apostle to the Gentiles, that we feel a word
or two upon the subject may not be amiss just now.
The apostle wrote, "If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, reckon these
things," and it is a pleasant thing to see that those who use the argument referred to have
a big place in their hearts for the truth of God, and the glory of Christ. We meet here on
common ground, believing the Word and seeking to exalt our Lord. If the argument of
those who agree with the extract quoted above be valid and of force, then one section of
Scripture is inspired in a higher degree than another, for if the Gospels of Matthew and of
Mark are of more weight and authority than the Epistles of Paul, it must be because the
Gospels give us the very words spoken by Christ Himself, whereas the Epistles of Paul
do not tell us the very words spoken by Christ Himself, and consequently, while perhaps
inspired, are not so absolutely binding as the words of the Gospels, but contain a big
element of Paul's "private interpretation."
If we are disposed to retort, or seek merely to argue the subject, we might reply that
those who read the Gospels are dependent after all upon the truthfulness of Matthew,