02.00.2. FOREWORD

FOREWORD The Bible has increasingly become the battleground of the “War in the Churches.” Since the first century, interpretations of Scripture have incited debate and even divisions in the Christian body. But the twentieth century has witnessed a more serious defection from the Christian faith, namely, a partial, and with many, a complete repudiation of the doctrine of Divine inspiration. That such opposition should characterize men of the world is neither new nor strange; but that church leaders should become proponents of this denial is the ecclesiastical scandal of the twentieth century.

However, the sympathetic and understanding student of Scripture experiences no surprise in this procedure. The prophetic Scriptures have prepared him for this apostacy. That it has come into this century with such wide-spreading and devastating effect, has not even been discouraging for the Spirit-instructed. On the contrary, it but confirms his faith in the authority, integrity, and inspiration of the Holy Word. The twentieth century is characterized by parallel apostasies. One repudiates the full and final authority of the Bible; and the other proposes “a world redemption” by human endeavor. They are alike signs of the times, and suggest an approaching “end of this age.” In this volume we voice our defense of inspiration; and in another, coming from the press simultaneously, we sound forth our convictions concerning “the Kingdom of God.” But in both we rest our case absolutely upon a God-given REVELATION.

W. B. Riley.