Wierwille, V.P.-The Word Speaks
The Word Speaks
Another Study in Abundant Living by VICTOR PAUL WIERWILLE This book is in the public domain. For more teachings by V. P. Wierwille, E. W. Bullinger and others, go to: www.eternallyblessed.org The Scripture used throughout this study is quoted from the King James Version unless otherwise noted. The usage of a word or words traced through different periods of time indicate many changes. Words like money are in constant use, and like money, words not only differ in value at different times between one country and another, but the value is changed at different times in the same country. So it is with words, therefore, the greatest possible care must be maintained when dealing with a word or "Words which the Holy Spirit teaches."
Many times we err in rightly dividing the Word of Truth because we fail in our understanding of the word or words in their usage at the time and place where they are employed in the Word. Thus the Holy Spirit’s usage of a particular word at a particular place and time must be clearly understood if the interpretation of that given word, words, or section of The Word, is to be rightly divided.
Returning from a class session of Power for Abundant Living I said to one of our bible students, "Few of us realize the importance or greatness of The Word. We are so prone to magnify experience and minimize The Word." After all, experiences vary and fluctuate; experiences come and go, but it is the Word of God that liveth and abideth forever. Far too much value and weight is attached to individual experiences, sometimes even to the extent of an absolute contradiction of The Word of God. Fruit in a Christian’s life is no guarantee of the right dividing of The Word, for there are many who are not Christians yet producing fruit. Therefore, there must be an explanation.
One of God’s great works is His Word, which was incarnate in Jesus Christ, therefore, it must almost be a crime for anyone to magnify experience beyond The Word. The Word of God is composed of "Words which the Holy Spirit teaches," not, which man teaches. I Corinthians 2:13.
Recently a clergyman in my office said of his wife who died last fall, "She is absent from the body but present with the Lord." I asked myself how dare we pick out certain words from a verse and take it out of its context and frame these words into a thought pattern to substantiate our hopeful desired experience. His words were taken out of Verse 8 of II Corinthians Chapter 5 with the view of dispensing with the hope of the Resurrection, as if it is unnecessary and as though "the presence with the Lord" is obtainable now, immediately upon death without the Resurrection. Was sincerity manifested on this man’s part? Indeed so, but is sincerity a guarantee of truth or of the right dividing of The Word? The teaching of tradition and the theology behind it can be nothing less than a perpetrated fraud to thus treat the "Words which the Holy Spirit teaches."
Thus, a verse is the key to a specific word. The context is the key to the words, and the whole section under consideration is the key to its particular context. Therefore, a single word or words must fit into the whole. Upon careful study of II Corinthians we see plainly that II Corinthians 3:1-6:10 makes up the larger context while 4:1-5:11 makes up the smaller specific context, the subject of which is "Our present affliction in the light of things eternal." Presence with the Lord is definitely not obtainable without the resurrection, which is the clear teaching of The Word and words used in their context. We must be "clothed upon" before we can be with Him.
We must never lose sight of the truth that if the external form of The Word is so perfect, how great must the inward truth be; if the setting is valuable how precious must be the jewel of The Word; if the literary order of The Word is divine, how solemn must be its teachings and warnings, how faithful the promises, how certain and sure the words of which The Word is made up. They are "Words which the Holy Spirit teaches," therefore, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." II Timothy 2:15.
Because the Word of God is the engrafted (implanted) Word (James 1:21) we are to receive it with meekness.
Because the Word of God is the faithful Word (Titus 1:9) we must by all means hold it fast.
Because the Word of God is the Word of Life (Philippians 2:16) we must hold it forth.
Because the Word of God is the Word of Truth, we must "RIGHTLY DIVIDE" the Word to have the true Word. II Timothy 2:15.
"...What God hath joined together (Matthew 19:6) let no man put asunder." Surely this truth would apply in the way of a corollary which would be "that which God hath separated let no man join together." Wherever the Word of God has specifically separated any subject matter we have no right to join it. Take the subject of "Jew, Gentile and Church of God," or "water baptism" before the revelation of the mystery was made known. Surely man dare not join what God has separated. We must be very careful in the "...right dividing..." of The Word. As a son of Abraham, Jesus Christ is Heir of the land. As a son of David, Jesus Christ is Heir of the throne. As the son of man, Jesus Christ is "...Heir of the world..." Romans 4:13.
Jesus Christ is "Heir of all things." Hebrews 1:2.
There is evolution, but it is never upward, but always downward.
There is progress but it is never progress upward, but always progress in deceit and corruption.
There is development, but it is development which tends toward inferiority.
Even like Daniel of old, who saw by divine revelation, (which was also made known unto Nebuchadnezzar, the first king) the world governments of the future. Look at the specific gravity of each one of these and see its downward trend: Gold—19.3; Silver—10.51; Brass—8.5; Iron—7.6; Clay—1.9. "...Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom INFERIOR to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bare rule over all the earth." Daniel 2:33, 39.
All governments and all the world is on a descending and declining "inferior" scale. Governments run down — down — down. This moral descent is not affected by the apparent glittering registration of the senses of man’s advancement in economics, industry or nationalism of the general ascendancy of civilization.
Crimes may appear less revolting because they are more refined; sins less gross and glaring, being more polite. Robbery, less violent and turbulent but more subtle, instead of being done on the highway may now be done in the office or business.
Yes, even with men as individuals there has been a deterioration in every avenue and in every way. In the early ages they studied the stars and would trace their descent to the gods. Today men study geology and the earth and trace their evolution to the mud. The world is whisking on to its doom. The Tubal-Cains are working out the engines of destruction. At the same time the Jubals-Cains are lolling the world with pleasing but deceitful strains, to keep it from Christ and to blind its eyes. They cause men to think that the world is getting better and better and that with just a little more time, men will bring in the Kingdom of God on earth, and live peaceably together, that the lion and the lamb will be caused to lay in the same fold and swords will be hammered into plow shares. Deceit! Deceit! Deceit! The sentence is decided, the day of execution is nigh. Like Jericho the mold is "straightway shut up." The men on the battlements look down with reproach reviling those who sound the "ram’s horn" of the Gospel.
Yet, there is a people in this world, though not of it. There is one house in it that stands and continues to stand while all else begins to topple. That is the house built on the "rock of ages." It is the house of the "living stones" sprinkled with the blood, giving it the protection of the scarlet cord, the only token of security from judgment and doom. Are you within this house? Are you sheltered in the "fold"? Is Christ your refuge and strength? "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." Luke 17:26-30. No flood could come till Noah was safe in the ark. No fire and brimstone could fall till Lot was out of Sodom. No walls could crumble around Jericho until those to be saved were in the house. No mountains of water could fall till all believers were safe on the other side on dry ground. My friends, may we be "shut-in" as was Noah. May we be "taken out" as was Lot. May we be "taken in" as was Rahab and her household. May we thus be freed from all condemnation and be crowned with glory and honor, and may we by Him be "...presented faultless before the throne of His glory with exceeding joy." The Word of God will always continue to be the Will of God, for The Word is composed of "Words which the Holy Spirit teaches."