The
Pilgrim's Messenger
"Have a pattern of sound words
which you hear from me, in faith and love
which are in Christ Jesus."--11 Timothy 1:13
Published Monthly By W. B. SCREWS, Glennville, Georgia
Twenty-five Cents a Year
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Volume XXVIII |
September, 1948 |
Number 2 |
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Entered at the postoffice
at Glennville, Ga., as second-class matter. |
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To me, less than
the least of all saints, was granted this grace: to bring the evangel of
the untracable riches of Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as
to what is the administration of the secret, which has been concealed
from the eons in God,
Eph. 3:8, 9.
The secret was concealed from the eons in God. It was not known by
anyone, until God revealed it to Paul. What secret is this? In verse 3
we are told that the secret was made known to Paul by revelation. He did
not get it from anyone who was an apostle before him. He received it
from God. He says in this passage that he had written of another secret,
which is in accord with this one. The other one is found in Eph. 1, and
has to do with the heavely glories of Christ. The secret of Christ---of
His heavenly glories---was made known to others in other generations,
but NOT as it was revealed to Paul. Peter understood it in part, for he
wrote of the fact that Christ has gone into the heavens and that
sovereignties and authorities are subject to Him, Peter wrote this to
the Circumcision saints.
THAT secret, while it was known by others, was NOT known by them as PAUL
learned it. Peter knew only that Christ is gone into the heavens, and
that He is over the sovereignties and authorities. Paul learned that He,
in accomplishing His work there will head up all in Himself, and that
we, the ecclesia which is His body, are predestinated to share in the
allotment of this accomplishment, Eph. 1:10, 11.
But the secret of our text is something different, although it is in
accord with the other. Again I ask, What is the secret of our text? It
is this: "In spirit the nations are to be joint emjoyers of an
allotment, and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise of
Christ Jesus through the evangel of which I became the dispenser", verse
6 of our chapter.
It was known before that both Circumcision and Uncircumcision saints
were in the body of Christ. But there was very little equality among
them. The Circumcision were in the ascendency, while saints of the
nations (gentiles), were guests. Nowhere in any scripture written prior
to Ephesians is it made known that the two were to be reconciled to each
other, and that they were to become a joint body, with a joint
allotment, and joint partakers of the promise. This is now made known to
Paul. This is a secret that Peter did not have. No one, except Paul, had
it.
The promise in Christ that is made known through the evangel, (gospel),
of which Paul became the dispenser, is the promise of a celestial,
(heavenly), destiny. Circumcision saints have an earthly destiny. Daniel
says they are to have the dominion UNDER the heaven. But it is now
learned that SOME Circumcision saints are members of the body of Christ,
with saints of the nations, and that a new administration had come, in
which the two were to be jointly interested, not in the evangel of which
Peter, James and John dispensed, but the one of which PAUL became the
dispenser. THIS IS THE SECRET OF OUR TEXT! The word "joint", used three
times, constitutes the secret. Saints of the Circumcision, (Jews or
Israelites), and saints of the Uncircumcision, (gentiles), are JOINT
enjoyers of an allotment, a JOINT body, and JOINT partakers of the
promise in Christ that is made known through the gospel that Paul
brings.
All of Paul's writings constitute new revelations. Much of it is in
accord withw hat is aid in the prophets. He often quotes the prophets,
prefacing the quotation with the words, "According", on some such word.
I Thess. 4:13-18 is a new revelation, for instance, and that is in his
first epistle. His teaching constitutes the untracable riches of Christ;
it cannot be traced in the previous writings. Paul did not receive his
revelation through a man, (Peter), nor from men, (the body of
Circumcision or kingdom saints), but through Jesus Christ and God, the
Father, Gal. 1:1.
To Paul was granted the grace to bring the evangel of the untracable
riches of Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as to what is the
administration of the secret. Remember, the secret is the fact that Jews
in the body and people of the nations, (gentiles), in the body,
constitute a joint body, that they are joint enjoyers of an allotment,
and that they are joint partakers of the promises in Christ that are
brought through the ministry of Paul. This is what we have now. A new
administration began with the application of Ephesians, Colossians, II
Timothy, Philippians and Philemon. The new administration is called the
administration of the grace of God, Eph. 3:2. Administration is
management.
The new administration is for those saints of the body of Christ who had
been in the previous administration---the one covered by I and II
Thessalonians, I and II Corinthians, Galatians, Titus, I Timothy and
Romans. The DOCTRINE is not changed, for the doctrine of grace in
salvation was taught in the previous administration. The change in
administration was not made abruptly. From the first Paul was striving
toward grace in administration, and we find more and even more grace as
we read his preprison epistles in their historical order.
He tells us in the text that he was to enlighten all as to the
administration of the secret. The secret is in force. There are yet some
Jews in the body, even down here in the twentieth century. They are on a
par with "gentile" saints.
An additional supply of grace is shown in the fact that the Circumcision
saints, who, theretofore, had regarded themselves as having special
privileges, are reconciled to the saints from among the nations, and
there is, in manifestation, one body, Eph. 2:16. It was true, in fact,
that there was only one body, but this was not so apparant, because of
the lack of reconciliation between the two groups in the body. Now
there in only one body. Now there is only one group. All have become a
new humanity. Eph. 2:15. Now we are not to think of ourselves as being
Jews or Gentiles. We are a new humanity; the difference has evaporated.
This increase in the grace of God toward the church which is the body of
Christ, calls for more grace in our administration of church affairs. In
our touch with each other, we are to walk worthily of our calling. This
is a new calling for the saints to whom Paul wrote---a calling
manifested in the reconciliation of the two groups into one group. Our
conduct must recognize this. This should be emphasized, for we have
lived to see a day in which there is strong feeling against Jews in our
own country, as well as throughout the world. This should never be
manifested in the conduct of saints. If there are Jews in the body we
must remember that they are NOT jews, now, but members, with us, of a
new humanity. We are to walk with all humility and meekness with
patience, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the
unity of the spirit with the tie of peace.
Racial differences disappear in Christ. In Arizona is a brother who is a
ful-blooded Indian, Brother Fred Johnson. The United States government
has never done its duty toword Indians. Brother Johnson is endeavoring
to build a church house in his state, and also to build a place for
general conferences. The Indians are poor. I have promised him that I
will undertake to help him. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to
make some amends toward those original Americans, and, at the same time,
help provide believers among them a place to worship and enjoy the
blessed doctrine of the grace of God, as we enjoy it. I repeat. this is
an OPPORTUNITY --- not merely a duty. I wonder if my readers are anxious
to help.
In Philippians we have the last word in service. If we will read it we
will be impressed with the absence of law, and the full outflow of grace
in the willingness, nay, ambition, of saints to do whatever is necessary
for the progress of the gospel. There we have four examples---Christ,
Timothy, Epaphroditus and Paul. Here we have administration.
In Colossians we see that we are complete in Christ. This means that any
form or ceremony or law that is intended to further perfect, us, is not
only useless, but positively harmful. For administrative acts be sure to
read the epistles that apply in the present administration.
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