Daring to Think for Yourself

It is a melancholy and a humiliating fact that the opinions of most people are determined more by what others around them think and say than by what they believe themselves. They are not accustomed to the proper exercise of their own reason, and do not follow the convictions of their own minds.

Yet there are some who dare to think and act for themselves. To an active and an ingenuous mind there is no pursuit more fascinating than the pursuit of knowledge, no pleasure more exquisite than the discovery of truth. All those who would enjoy this pleasure in its highest sense must love Truth for herself alone; they must emancipate themselves from the trammels of prejudice and public opinion, and dare to follow Truth wherever she may lead.

Truth dreads no scrutiny; shields herself behind no breastwork of established custom or of respectable authority, but proudly stands upon her own merits.

James Campbell
The History and Philosophy of Marriage (1860)

An Open Mind

Repetition of doctrine does not make it truth: that makes it vanity.
Acceptance of doctrine by the visible “church” does not make it truth: that makes it ecclesiasticism.
Age of doctrine does not make it truth: that makes it tradition.

The child of God must have an open mind toward the Lord and His Word, willing to cast aside the most cherished of teachings if proved untrue by the Word. Much grace is needed to accept a radical change of doctrine, but the joy our Lord gives when the authority of His Word is accepted, rather than the teachings of men, operates within us in a tremendously powerful and satisfying fashion. It is powerful enough to counteract the persecution that comes to those that align themselves fully with Him, and it is satisfying enough to outweigh any material or other inducements that may be offered to swerve the child of God from his course of fidelity to the Lord.

John H Kessler
The Church Which Is His Body, and the Bride the Lamb’s Wife
Philadelphia Bible Testimony (1938)
Bible Student’s Press (Reprinted 2007)

And God Said, “Let There Be Light”

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light:” and there was light (Genesis 1:2-3).

This world is a dark place without the light and life of God. Men naturally walk in darkness. Their concepts and ideas are empty and vain. Only that which comes from God has real and lasting value. It is His life and viewpoint that brings true enlightenment to our hearts and minds. It is His Word that will transform our naturally darkened minds, making them beam in the fullness of light and understanding.

God has gloriously given us His rich Word to lighten our world. It alone is how we can find our way in the ever growing confusion and uncertainty of daily life.

The entrance of Your Words gives light … (Psalms 119:130).

Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalms 119:105).

We should read it (I Timothy 4:13), study it (II Timothy 2:15), meditate on it (Psalm 119:148), trust it (Psalm 119:42), and by God’s Own life and grace, live it (Philippians 4:9).

God’s Word will not be without profit. It will not return void. It will indeed be the great profit of our lives!

So shall My Word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it (Isaiah 55:11).

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable … (II Timothy 3:16).

Let His Word be the very source of our life.

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

Little wonder Job, though he had lost all earthly possessions, could say,

I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food (Job 23:12).

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Daily Email Goodies

Things I Have Learned

Over the years I have come to change my understanding about many things that I have learned along the way. I will sum up as briefly as I can a few of the basics of what I learned. Many of them may be alive in your heart as well.

(1) Our Father is active in His universe and “works all things after the counsel of his Own will” (Ephesians 1:11).

(2) We are but clay in the hand of the divine Potter – “Has not the Potter power over the clay” (Romans 9:21).

(3) “We are His workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10).

(4) We are therefore “confident of this very thing, that He Who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

(5) We know that “all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

It is all about Him! God has never lost control of His universe. He is the “All in all.”

We can see this all the way back in the Garden of Eden. Nothing there took Him by surprise. It all worked together for His purpose. God did not start playing “catch-up” with man’s rebellion. God was always in the lead. After all, it was God Himself Who planted a garden with two trees: One tree of life, and the other tree of good and evil. Good and evil come from the same exact tree! They both are of divine origin! – “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things” (Isaiah 45:7). If we focus on good or evil we will miss life. Divine life is apart from good and evil. It is from an entirely different tree!

God created evil as a part of His divine plan. It did not sneak into His creation; rather, He put it there – right “in the midst.” It is the core of His plan to have His Son be “All in all.” As with Pharaoh, “for this cause have I raised you up.” It is truly all about Him!

The believer’s life has nothing to do with the human performance of good or evil. It is rather about His divine life. It is about a different tree. It is about simply learning to live.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

These are truths that are alive in my heart with greater joy and freedom than I have ever known.

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Bible Student’s Notebook
© 2005, 2010

Free to Obey

Men have never been given authority by Scripture to make laws for the church that are binding upon Christians. We must be free to obey “The Book.”

John McKay
“The Sin of Dividing the Church”
Journal of Pauline Dispensationalism (2009); Volume 21, Number 83, page 1795

The Patriarch’s Teaching Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the patriarch to teach his family the Scriptures. No one else has been given this responsibility. It is a responsibility that he cannot delegate to others. He is the divinely appointed head of the home, and he alone is responsible for the spiritual welfare of those under his headship. This is a God-given responsibility that cannot be surrendered to anyone. This is a serious matter before God.

This, by the way, relates directly to the truth of “the church in your house” – a home, with extended family and guests, led in ministry by the head of that home, the husband and father. As a general principle, other family men from time to time may be there – ideally on a temporary learning basis – until they, too, can or will take on their own God-given family responsibility.

The primary teaching place is the home. That is the standard of Scripture.

… Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).

… The father to the children shall make known Your truth (Isaiah 38:19).

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up (Deuteronomy 6:7).

And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home … (I Corinthians 14:35).

James Wesley Stivers writes concerning the truth of these verses,

Can a pastor do this for your family? Can your child’s Sunday School teacher? No. It is impossible. What God is describing in this text is a live-in spiritual tutor. One must live with the person he is discipling [training]. Jesus lived with His twelve disciples for three years. They ate and slept in His presence … All this talk about church discipleship is fantasy. So is the concept of home cell groups. These are phony substitutes.

There seems to be something lost in a relationship between a parent and a child, if it is the decision of the parent to commission a third party to provide biblical instruction and spiritual nurture to the child in his stead. I argue that it is a dereliction of duty … Parents are to disciple their children. It is an immutable part of the vocation of parenthood.

Stuck in Weekly Religious Tradition

We naturally suppose that the “institutional church” is the primary agent in proclaiming the Gospel and teaching the Word of God. That is the primary role assigned to the “church” in our day. But it has not always been so. In early America, as it was in the earliest church, the Christian home was the spiritual center …

It is impossible to provide the basis for Christian character and spiritual experience in one or two hours a week. Constant contact with a Christian leader is necessary. That is why the “discipleship movement” was so popular in recent years. It recognized the inadequacy of the “institutional church” to provide even the basic spiritual foundations in a person’s life …

Some people believe, as I was prone at one time, that if one wishes to do anything for God, one must do it within the confines of the “church” apparatus – that God’s work is done primarily at “church.” Actually, … the family is the chief agent for the passing on of the Christian faith from generation to generation …

Even the work of evangelism, once thought to be the principle purpose of the pulpit preacher, is better done through the home. The most effective evangelist, as many men and women with tender emotion admit, is that of a godly mother or father. Better than three-fourths of all conversions come through the work of family and friends …

It is a personal faith which must be transmitted, not an abstract and institutional one. (Restoring the Foundations, Patriarch Publishing House, 2007)

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Bible Student’s Notebook
© 2007, 2010

The Ascension Gifts

The Time of Their Giving

When He ascended up on high, He … gave gifts unto men (Ephesians 4:8).

This was an historic time; a place in the past when these gifts were given. The passage does not say that “he began to give gifts unto men.” It was not an ongoing process. It was during the time covered by the book of Acts … “until.”

The Time of Their Expiration

These ascension gifts were in affect until “the unity of the faith” occurred (:13).

“The Faith” is that body of doctrine which Paul taught.

“Unity” is that which is complete, that which has all its parts.

The Purpose of their Existence

The purpose of these special ascension-gifts were “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12) – all in lieu of the fact that they did not yet have the full, complete revelation of God in written form.

Now, all these things – “the perfecting of the saints,” “the work of the ministry” and “the edifying of the body of Christ” – take place by the application of the full (i.e., complete), written Word of God, finished by the hand of Paul. No “gifts” are now needed. There are no divine-supernatural gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher today.

Someone may carry out certain aspects of these – such as evangelist or teacher – but they do so not by theses special gifts, but by dedication to the written Word of God. If a man will teach, for example, he must labor in the study of the Word – learning, adjusting, growing – so that he may teach others. It is not a “gift” in any sense of the ascension gifts.

This is why in the last letter written by Paul – which completed the Scriptures – he told Timothy,

But watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry (II Timothy 4:5).

Paul does not tell Timothy that he has the “gift” of “evangelist.” Nor does he say that he is “an evangelist.” He only tells him to do an evangelist’s work – “do the work of an evangelist.” He could now do so – without the divine “gifts” of the ascension – because he had in his possession the full, complete Scripture which was able to enable him to “do the work of an evangelist” thus making “full proof” of his ministry.

Notice what Paul wrote in his final letter, concerning the Word of God:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (II Timothy 3:16-17).

“Gifts” were no longer needed. The Scriptures themselves – now full and complete – were “profitable” for “doctrine [i.e., teaching],” etc. … “that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Paul’s term “man of God” is in no way clerical. It is in contrast to immaturity; in contrast to a “babe.” There is a significant difference between simply being a “child of God,” and becoming a “man of God.” What is it that changes one from spiritual infancy to spiritual adulthood? The Word of God.

Notice again the results: “that the man of God may be …” – what? – “perfect, thoroughly furnished.” That’s what the full, complete Scriptures can do! For what purpose? “Unto all good works.” This is why Paul tells Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist.”

Do not trust church history, religious tradition, or ecclesiastical edicts. Avoid turning to “church counsels” – for they are “profane and vain babblings.” Study the Bible diligently for yourself.

Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness (II Timothy 2:15-16).

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Bible Student’s Notebook
© 2004, 2009 Bible Student’s Press

How God’s Word Was Completed

Whereof I [Paul] am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill [complete] the Word of God (Colossians 1:25).

How did the early saints know that a particular book or letter was to be a part of the Word of God? They had special divine gifts in lieu of the Word of God not being yet complete! They could accurately – beyond any doubt whatsoever – identify and assemble the Word of God with these gifts!

I Corinthians 14:37

Here is an example of how these gifts worked in the identification and assembly of the Word of God:

If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord (I Corinthians 14:37).

The major function of the Acts-period prophets was to acknowledge the true Word of God … so that it might be identified and assembled!

I Corinthians 13:8-10

Love never fails: but whether there are prophecies, they shall fail; whether there are tongues, they shall cease; whether there is knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away (I Corinthians 13:8-10).

The gifts were until “that which is perfect is come.” At the time of the writing of First Corinthians the knowledge and prophecy were only in part. That which was perfect is that which has reached its end; that which is complete. When the fullness of the revelation of the mystery was complete – so were the Scriptures.

Little wonder Paul said in his last letter:

Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known (II Timothy 4:17).

Ephesians 4:13

Until we all come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).

Notice the word “until.” The supernatural gifts and abilities of “apostles… prophets… evangelists… pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11) were:

(1) given “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12);

(2) “Until we all come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

These divine –supernatural “gifts” were given at a specific time in the past, but they had an expiration date on them – “until.”

With the completion of Paul’s last epistle – II Timothy – God’s work and process of revelation and inspiration closes, the gifts cease, and the Word of God was full and completed. The so-called “canon” was sealed! This all took place some 300 years before any religious counsel made a decree.

We will look into this passage in more detail tomorrow.

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Bible Student’s Notebook
© 2004, 2009 Bible Student’s Press

The Process of God’s Completed Word (Part 3)

The Writing of Paul the Apostle (Evidence from His Epistles)

I Corinthians 15:3-4

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (I Corinthians 15:3-4).

The “third day” that is “according to the Scriptures” is only found in Matthew and Luke, not in the Hebrew Scriptures. This passage shows us that the “Gospels” were already in place and in use by the Corinthians saints!

Colossians 3:16

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom … (Colossians 3:16).

The Colossian saints had the Word of God – and it was not just the “Gospels” that they had (c.f. II Corinthians 5:16). They had the Word of Christ revealed through Paul. They had Paul’s epistles!

Paul speaking to Timothy about his own writings calls them “wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ (I Timothy 6:3).

Paul already had written from six to nine epistles by this time (depending on which timetable one uses).

Titus 1:9

Holding fast the Faithful Word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers (Titus 1:9).

Titus and the Cretian elders had the Word to which they could hold fast. It was in their possession!

II Timothy 4:2

Preach the Word (II Timothy 4:2).

Timothy had the Word of God in his possession too; and he was to “preach” it! Paul did not say “prophesy;” he said “preach the Word” – “herald the word” – “proclaim the Word.” Timothy did not need to generate, or produce the Word of God; he had it in his ownership – from Paul’s pen – and this instruction was Paul’s final letter: the Word of God was now finished and complete.

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Bible Student’s Notebook
© 2004, 2009 Bible Student’s Press

The Process of God’s Completed Word (Part 2)

The Writing of Paul the Apostle (Evidence from the Book of Acts)

Having considered Israel’s writings in the “New Testament,” we will now look at the testimony regarding Paul’s writings.

Acts 13:49

And the Word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

Here we see, under the ministry of Paul, the word “published” being used again. However, this is another Greek word!

Now before we go to the definition of this particular Greek word, let us look at the interesting definition of our English word by Noah Webster (American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828). He shows the root of the word “publish” to be “public” (i.e., open to all), and then he defines it as, “to discover or make known to mankind or to a people in general what before was private or unknown.”

Does this not describe the distinct “mystery” ministry of Paul the Apostle?

If that was not enough, let’s look at Strong’s Greek Lexicon definition of diaphero (#1308): “to differ.” This same word is translated in the King James Version in I Corinthians 15:41 as “differ,” in Philippians 1:10 as “excellent,” in Matthew 6:26 as “better than,” in Mark 10:31 as “are of more value,” in Romans 2:18 “things that are more excellent.”

Paul’s ministry and message were different and superior to all other messages previously revealed in the Scriptures. This is what is called progressive revelation.

Acts 17:2-3, 11

… Paul … reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, opening and alleging, that “Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.” … These [the Bereans] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Notice carefully that the Bereans already had the “Gospel” records of Christ’s life to compare with the Old Testament prophecies contained in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Acts 19:20

So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed (Acts 19:20).

Now we see that the Word of God grew again (auxano, Strong’s Greek Lexicon #837 – “to grow, i.e., enlarge”), and this time it grew mightily! It grew mightily because Paul has picked up the pen and has begun to write; now a different and excellent Word of God is going out! The capstone of divine revelation is being hoisted to the top!

Acts 20:32

… I commend you to God, and to the Word of His Grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified (Acts 20:32).

Paul left the Ephesian elders with God’s Scriptures! Not just Circumcision Scripture, but with “the Word of His Grace” – advanced Pauline writings!

Tomorrow we will take a look at this process directly from Paul’s epistles.

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Bible Student’s Notebook
© 2004, 2009 Bible Student’s Press