The Berean Expositor
Volume 6 - Page 141 of 151
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"Things that Differ."
#1.
Introductory.
pp. 27 - 30
From the day that the first page of The Berean Expositor was written to the present
moment, the outstanding feature of its witness, to the glory of God and the building up of
the One Body, has been the setting forth of what is termed Dispensational Truth, the
principles and the results of putting into effect II Tim. 2: 15. An endeavour has been
made to emphasize the supreme importance of distinguishing between the truths that
pertain to one dispensation from those of another. Many and precious things have been
discerned in the light of II Tim. 2: 15, as those who have tasted of the riches of grace in
the Epistles given through Paul the prisoner of the Lord can testify.
It is becoming evident, however, that the time has come for another step to be taken in
the direction of rightly dividing the Word. We must go on from Ephesians to Philippians.
We know "the dispensation of the grace of God" which was given to Paul with a view to
the Gentiles. That we learn from Ephesians. We must now give heed to the necessity
indicated in Phil. 1: 10 (margin), we must seek the abounding love that gives the
knowledge and discernment that tries "the things that differ." Unless we take this step,
much confusion will never be dispelled. So much of current belief is based upon the
assumption that certain parallel lines of truth are synonymous. Clear understanding is
impossible unless we definitely "try the things that differ." This principle applies not
only to dispensational distinctions, but to those doctrines that belong to all or most
dispensations. The doctrine of Sin, for example, belongs to every dispensation since the
fall of Adam until the New Heavens and New Earth. There are differences with regard to
this one doctrine, the discernment of which is vital to our understanding.
Just as the Word of God, inspired and authoritative from one end to the other, presents
successive revelations and an ever widening horizon, so the God of the Word, the same
unchanging One, is revealed under a variety of titles, titles that mean something, and are
not merely empty appendages. In one dispensation one attribute is prominent, in another
dispensation quite a different aspect of God's character is presented.  Under one
dispensation He reveals Himself by a cluster of glorious titles, under another He reveals
Himself by but one. It is very important, when considering the teaching of any portion of
Scripture, that we give due regard to the title under which God is for the time regarded.
Is He acting as JEHOVAH? Is He revealed as ELOHIM, or EL-SHADDAI? Is He the
"God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob," "the Lord of Hosts," or "the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ"? The revelation of the Father by the Son takes us a long way in
advance of O.T. revelations. The Son Himself also is revealed under a variety of titles,
involving distinct and distinguishable characteristics. As Son of Man, Son of David, or
Son of God, His actions and relations vary. Truth connected with the Saviour as Head of
the Body the Church may be foreign to the teaching pertaining to the same Lord as King
of Israel. Even the titles JESUS CHRIST, CHRIST JESUS, and JESUS are used with
accuracy and inspired selection. No one could justly charge us with preaching "another