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neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles
of Christ" (I Thess. 2: 3-6).
There are many occasions in the life of a servant of God when he should allow
slanderous statements made against him to pass in silence. Only when the ministry
entrusted to this charge is in danger of being compromised, or the glory of the Lord
tarnished, is self-vindication justified. During the years that The Berean Expositor has
been published, we have naturally had our share of misrepresentation, but, while "earnest
indignation" has often been felt, there has seldom been any need for public refutation.
Some believers object to the A.V. translation "God forbid", and point out that the
name of God is not used in the original. This is certainly true, and various alternative
renderings, such as "Far be it", "Far be the thought", "No, indeed", "May it not come to
that", "Certainly not", have been suggested. There is not much to choose between these
various suggestions--all express the Apostle's utter repudiation and abhorrence. The
R.V., however, retains the translation given in A.V. in most places, and we must confess
that, much as we should deprecate using the name of God carelessly, the possible
alternatives hardly seem to do justice to the indignation, unhesitating, uncompromising
repudiation that the Apostle intended. We give below fourteen occurrences of the
expression as used by him.
Me genoito, "God forbid" (A.V.).
"For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without
effect? God forbid" (Rom. 3: 3, 4).
"If our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is
God unrighteous Who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) God forbid" (Rom. 3: 5, 6).
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid" (Rom. 3: 31).
"What shall we then say? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid" (Rom. 6: 1, 2).
"What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?
God forbid" (Rom. 6: 15).
"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid" (Rom. 7: 7).
"Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid" (Rom. 7: 13).
"What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid" (Rom. 9: 14).
"I say then, Hath God cast away His people? God forbid" (Rom. 11: 1).
"I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid" (Rom. 11: 11).
"Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot?
God forbid" (I Cor. 6: 15).
"If, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is
therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid" (Gal. 2: 17).
"Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid" (Gal. 3: 21).
"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ"
(Gal. 6: 14).
These fourteen repudiations throw a wonderful light upon the spiritual portrait of the
Apostle. If the reader will ponder these passage, he will understand a little of our own
feelings of "earnest indignation" at some recent attempts to shift human responsibility
and make Christ "the minister of sin".