by Oscar M. Baker

Right division entailed a lot of subjects, things I had never thought about. The first example of division in the Bible is the separation of light from darkness (Gen. 1:4). This in itself could be an article with all its implications. For that was my experience. I began to see the difference between the darkness of lies and traditions and the truth as revealed.

Of course this led on to making a difference between God's earth people and His heavenly people; the difference between the dispensation of promise and the dispensation of the mystery, the difference between Jew and Gentile, and many others, not forgetting law and grace, faith and works, etc.

Out of this came the discovery of the church, the only church that God recognizes today, that church which is the body of Christ and of which He is the Head. The details began to come clear; chosen before the overthrow, adopted, blest with every blessing that is spiritual, seated with Christ in heavenly places, and awaiting the manifestation with Christ in glory. I had been starving before this, eating the husks of religion, and trying to do something for God, not knowing that it had been done, finished.

And along with this discovery was another which came as a great surprise. I had not had any doubts as to the immortality of the soul. Did not know that it was not a scriptural term, nor did I know that it was a heathen philosophy from Babylon and promulgated by a heathen man, Plato.

So with this in mind, I began to see that there was something special about resurrection. The word was so impressive, that I could not believe that it could be used of bringing to life those who did not believe. Not knowing any Greek or Hebrew at all in those days, I borrowed a Thayer's Lexicon from a friend to see if there was some other word used of making alive the unbelievers. I found none.

This went on for several years, never satisfied. But was up against a blank wall. Well, one day after long years of church and Sunday School, plus an education in a church college, I happened to read John 3;16,36. I managed to separate the darkness of superstition from the light of the gospel of life, and from there I rapidly made a study of the whole Bible on the subject. Am still finding new things on it.

Among our former readers of T-F-T, many will remember that about Vol. 5, No. 2 (#50), I wrote an article on "Love and Life". By the end of Vol. 8 I had written 17 articles on the subject. Not many took T-F-T seriously in those days, and so very few noticed these articles. But to this day we continue to study and write on this great subject. It is vital. There must be a new man, a new creation, all things new some day.

I now just hope that this little series will encourage others to search and see.