"I Have Given Them Thy Word"

by J.Bowman, Cowdenbeath | Category: I Have Given Them Thy Word | Jul 1970

Without these writings the truth of God would have become completely lost to later generations, for, because of apostasy, it became impossible to hand it on verbally from generation to generation, in its purity. In His wisdom the Holy Spirit took up those men, some of them on more than one occasion and in varying circumstances and for various reasons, and caused them to write, embodying in their writings the truths relevant to the new dispensation. These truths were given by the Lord Jesus to His disciples and the Holy Spirit later enabled them to understand them. In seeking to gain an understanding of such truths today scripture must be compared with scripture. The doctrine of the Lord is woven into the fabric of the Scriptures in such a wonderful way that we find something here and something there, a word, a verse, a context, a chapter each shedding light upon the others and so enabling believers today to be enlightened and to gain a knowledge of the truth as it was entrusted by the Lord to His apostles, and as it was taught and practised by the early churches.

The truths which men lost sight of through the apostasy but which were preserved, embodied in the early manuscripts, have again, in the wondrous out-working of the ways of God, been revealed to the minds of men. The process of recovery of truth from the pages of Holy Writ was spread over a long period of years, even centuries. An era of discovery began with the breaking forth of light at the time of the Reformation, associated with which was the translation of the Bible into English. Thus with access to the Spirit-breathed writings and with an understanding of truth, although limited, dedicated men of God preached and were used by the Holy Spirit to lead many out of the darkness in which they were held captive. Such were turned "from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God" (Acts 26.18).

In the early part of the 19th century fresh light burst upon the sacred page, and this increased as the century wore on. Conspicuous among the many matters on which new light was shed was the truth of the personal coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ. For long believers had failed to distinguish between His coming to the air for His Church and His coming to the earth to reign. The effect of this has been described in the following words:

"This precious truth burst upon the souls of receptive believers like the rising sun which dispels the mists of darkness and fills the face of nature with light and animation. With intense delight those believers entered into the truth expressed in the lines,

'But, Lord, 'tis for Thee for Thy coming we wait,

The sky, not the grave is our goal'".

Towards the end of the 19th century men arose possessing distinctive qualities, both spiritual and intellectual, and ability to divide rightly the Word of truth, and to prove the things that differ (2 Timothy 2.15 R.V.M. and Philippians 1.10, R.V.M.). To such students of the Word the Spirit revealed the difference between the truths of the Church which is Christ's Body and churches of God, and enabled them to understand related truths such as the kingdom of God and the house of God.

The believing of such things begat an overwhelming desire to give expression to them and so carry out the will of God. After much exercise of heart before God and patient waiting for others also to be exercised, it became clear to those truth seeking ones that the only course open to them was to separate themselves to the Lord, being fully assured that this was the way of God's leading for them. As a result churches of God according to the divine pattern, forming in the aggregate a spiritual house of God, came again into being.

It is our firm conviction that the Holy Spirit has led men to regain the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2.4) as it was given by the Lord to His apostles and as it was observed by the early churches. Surely, therefore, it is our responsibility to hold this truth dearly and, in humble dependence upon the Lord, the Spirit, to express it and desire that others should share such knowledge with us and participate in the privileges that it brings.

J.Bowman, Cowdenbeath | Jul 1970
I Have Given Them Thy Word