The Strife Part IV
How Christianity, from the first century, deviated from the Holy Scriptures by S.V.M. originally written in Dutch in 1931, translated from Dutch by Aristarkos.
IV. PAUL
HIS WARNINGS. Peter, John and Jude warn against false teachers, antichrists and scoffers (2 Pet. 2; 1. John 2 and 4; 2 John; Jude). Paul also speaks of conditions that are far from good. He saw no gradual development of Christianity for the better until a « golden age » was reached with world conversion. No, the future was very dark.
We must clearly distinguish the two periods of Paul's stewardship. In the first, where he did not yet speak of the Great Mystery, that is, during the time of the Acts, he saw, like the 12 Apostles of Israel, that before the kingdom difficult times were yet to come, especially for God's People. Let's read a bit about that:
Acts 20:29—31 « For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. »
One thinks well, what it means for 3 years, night and day, to admonish with tears.
2 Cor. 11:13—15 « For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. »
In the epistles of this period he speaks of the times preceding the kingdom. In the epistles of the second period, namely the captivity epistles (Eph. Phil. Col. 2 Tim.), he also speaks of the circumstances of our dispensation. This is how we read:
2 Tim. 2:16, 17 « But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. »
2 Tim. 3:1—5 « This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. »
2 Tim. 3:13 « But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. »
2 Tim. 4:3, 4. « For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. »
He thus does not speak of unbelievers only, but in the first place of believers. That's why he also says:
2 Tim. 2:25, 26. « In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. »
This turning away from the full truth began while Paul was still alive, and concerns in particular the mystery which he made known to the others. He also speaks about it in his last letters. So for example:
Phil. 2:20, 21 « For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. »
Christ Jesus is the Lord's name in connection with his over-heavenly position.
Col. 4:11. « And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. »
It can be seen from this that most of the « fellow workers » have not been a comfort to him. We may suppose that they labored much for many things in the kingdom of God, but did not believe Paul when he spoke of the part of the kingdom of God concerning the church of the mystery. In his last letter he says:
2 Tim. 1:15 « This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me ... »
Even when he stood before his judges, they forsook him:
2 Tim. 4:16. « At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. »
According to the common view, then (in the 50s—70s) the municipality was in full bloom. We may indeed suppose that then more and more believed in Christ and that in this sense the « church » developed very much. But then it must be understood that the great masses turned away from the special proclamations of Paul. Paul went much too far for them. Why not stick to the « simple gospel »? All that knowledge puffed up and warmed the head, but cooled the heart! And people held on to its tradition, to its forms, to its inner life, and attached to a visible church, which was already full of schisms at that time.
Outside, then, were some « faithful ones » (see Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:2; 2 Tim. 2:2 Translation Voorhoeve [Dutch]), who followed the example of the sound words they had heard from Paul (2 Tim. 1:13) and rightly divided the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). These were the members of the church of the mystery, who were aware of their position, and by their faith, given to Paul by revelation, showed that they really belonged to that church. Christianity expanded more and more, but these faithful ones apparently remained few in number.
We have already pointed out the three spheres of blessing: the earthly, the heavenly, and the over-heavenly. Paul went through the first two in a few years, then reached the third in his last period. With him some faithful went along. In the remainder of the present dispensation, it may be said that after Paul almost all Christians placed themselves in the first sphere by taking Israel's place. Particularly at the Reformation, a group, through justification by faith, came to the second sphere. In our times a group is now seen coming to the third sphere.
Now if we consider Israel and the nations, then the aion to come, beginning with the millennial kingdom, is that of the earthly sphere, the next aion (new heaven and earth), that of the heavenly, and then finally all the nations after the times of the aions come to the over-heavenly sphere, when God is all in all.
Thus one sees the development from sphere to sphere, in the persons already in Paul's time (and also later), in the groups in this dispensation (and possibly also later) and in the nations during the next aions. Paul is then a type of those groups and those nations. If one follows Paul, then perhaps one can pass from one sphere to another as quickly as he did, and one can already now be part of the over-heavenly group in the spirit, which is reached by others only by going through the aions.
Later we hope to give a sketch that clearly presents all this.
To what extent the 12 Apostles of Israel had a view into the new dispensation made known by Paul is unknown to us. Only three of these Apostles wrote a few letters, and in them they say nothing concerning the special position of the Church. Perhaps Peter is pointing in that direction in 2 Pet. 3:16. Also little is known from history, and then one does not yet know how far it is reliable. It is possible that there are writings of the « faithful » but unknown, untranslated or undiscovered.
We can, however, somewhat imagine what the conditions must have been like during that time and especially after the destruction of Jerusalem (year 70). Even though Israel as God's people had been completely set aside, there was still a strong Judaizing current among the Christians. Furthermore, all kinds of sects with all kinds of ways of thinking formed. This was quite natural, for what could one rely on? They used to look to Israel as the nation on which all their blessings depended. But now? Israel was scattered, so they could no longer rely on it. Paul now spoke of « something new », but they did not want to hear about it. What were they to do then? Paul was now completely eliminated and they held on to the « apostolic tradition » as far as possible. In all the writings of those times one finds that inclination and the return to the Gospels. « Back to Jesus » they will have shouted. That Paul has only distracted us from the main point! By this they mean the Lord, as He came in humiliation. The good tidings He brought to Israel were spiritualized and taken only for the « Church ». They went back to part of the « principle of the doctrine of Christ » (Heb. 6:1). As Christ Jesus risen, glorified and placed above all, people hardly knew Him anymore. Even justification by faith alone fell into oblivion. That was applauded! That had to be the best: following Jesus and the 12 Apostles! However, we want to let the facts speak for themselves and check the Apostolic Fathers.
We note in advance that Paul in his last years expects neither a speedy coming of the kingdom nor a general taking up, as formerly in 1 Cor. 15 and 1 Thes. 4. He now knew that he would die (2 Tim. 4:6), « be disbanded » that is — being released from the bands of the grave — return and be with Christ. That was by far the best. (Phil. 1:23). That which belongs to the heavenly sphere was now out of sight, for the new dispensation in regard to the over-heavenly sphere had now arrived.
Aristarkos