for identity. One clear statement of fact that introduces a contrary, sets aside columns of

similarities in the matter of identity. The editor of The Berean Expositor would have

had not the slightest qualm in going up for examination, for he was in possession of

one essential fact which disproved his identity with the criminal concerned: the wanted

man was born in New York, whereas the editor was born in London. We cannot conceive

that any official would interpose and say, "We are not concerned with where this man

was born, we are more concerned with the many items of similarity. He must be the

man!"  Yet that is the attitude of mind of those who claim  Acts 13:,  as the

dispensational frontier.

Alas, the children of this generation are often wiser than the children of light, and

would at once admit that one established contrary destroys assumed identity based on

many similarities. "Similar" is not the "Same".

In Ephesians we discover a revelation never before made known; a choice from

"before the foundation of the world"; a calling "far above all"; a unique position,

"seated together in heavenly places". Any one of these is a "contrary" to the revelation,

the choice, the calling, or the position revealed in Paul's earlier epistles or indicated in

Acts 13:

We will not occupy valuable space with further illustrations of this principle, for we

believe it is obvious. The reader can work out other illustrations, for example, by noting

that the "ransom" occurs in Matthew and in I Timothy, and disprove the conclusion

that the callings of Matthew and I Timothy must therefore be identical. In this case the

emphasis on the Gentile in the epistle, and the emphasis of Israel in the gospel provide

the "contraries".

Parallel passages abound in Scripture, but, instead of impinging on the domain of

other callings, they, like those of Euclidean geometry, never meet. Let us "try the things

that differ"; let us "rightly divide the word of truth". We shall then "approve the things

that are more excellent", and be workmen who need not be ashamed.

(Berean Volume34)

This short article, reprinted from Volume XXXIV of The Berean Expositor, was

written to meet the argument brought forward by a correspondent, that because certain

terms found in Ephesians were also found in Hebrews, that Hebrews presents what he

called "Ephesian Truth". We do not believe that those who insist on Acts 13: as the

dispensational boundary, would fall for that specious argument so far as Hebrews is

concerned, but they appear to have done so in their attempt to prove their case concerning

this chapter.

The terms found in Hebrews, were  Heb. 6: 17 "heirs"; Heb. 13: 3 "body";

Heb. 3: 1 "partakers" and these were supposed to be all sufficient proof that Hebrews

taught the same truth as Ephesians.