A.--I am afraid I must introduce a subject that may be considered controversial, but it

lies near the root of much of your teaching, and I believe you ought to consider it.

Someone who is very much opposed to your teaching has offered some criticisms;

among them he gives his interpretation of the expression in Eph. 1: 4, "before the

foundation of the world", which I feel needs attention.

B.--Let us be prepared at all times to test the teaching we hold, for after all it is the truth

we seek, even though it should involve the casting aside of accepted ideas, and with them

our little reputations.

A.--I will read what has been written in explanation of Eph. 1: 4:--

B.--There are several items in this reply that call for consideration, but the chief feature,

I take it, is the one dealing with the words, "before the foundation of the world"?

A.--Yes, that is so, for I have little difficulty with regard to predestination and election.

B.--If I understand the interpretation suggested aright, "the foundation of the world"

refers to "the future", and that the present time during which the "lively stones" are being

prepared is a period before that time comes.

A.--Yes, I cannot understand the interpretation otherwise.

B.--Our first concern then is to seek from the Scripture evidence of that which will

determine whether the period called "the foundation of the world" is past or future. In

I Pet. 1: 20 we have the words concerning Christ, "Who verily was foreordained before

the foundation of the world". Can that refer to this present period?

A.--From what I understand of our critic's belief concerning Christ, I think he would

probably say that it did.

B.--Yet Peter contrasts the period "before the foundation of the world" with "these last

times", i.e., about A.D.60.

A.--I do not see how our critic can fit his interpretation in here.