We are about to draw attention to the strongest indictment that can be made against a believer, viz., the denial of his Lord! Surely nothing can be worse than this! We crave the readers most earnest attention to the following Scriptures, as we believe they will demonstrate that failure to discern that which is termed "dispensational truth", failure to "rightly divide" the Word of truth, failure to realize the special message and Apostle of this dispensation, brings a believer perilously near to denying his Lord.

We are often met by the statement made by those who do not perceive the importance of dispensational truth (a term which will be explained presently), that they are satisfied with the words of Christ Himself. In the first place we desire to record that we do not doubt the heart's desire underlying these words. We feel that such believers desire, above all things, to be loyal to the Lord. We ask them to put aside for a moment any prejudice that they may have, for surely, if their loyalty can be called in question, they should be the very first to search the matter to the bottom.

There is a fallacy in this satisfaction with the "words of Christ", for it really amounts to the assumption that the words recorded in the Gospels are of greater value, are of a higher order of inspiration than those written in the epistles. Christ Who spoke in the four Gospels, as surely spoke in the Acts of the Apostles, and in the epistles of Paul, of John, of Peter, and in the Revelation. Further, we find by comparing the Scriptures, that some of the words spoken in the Gospels are countermanded in the Epistles. Is it obedience, therefore, if we persist in seeking to obey a command of the Lord which He Himself has abrogated or modified? Let us illustrate our meaning. The law given through Moses, with all the accompaniments of divine majesty at Sinai, is inspired truth. Why do we not still render obedience to its every command? Because the Lord Who spoke at Sinai has spoken again. We are not disobedient to Him or His Word if we hear and follow His later commands. The reader will see that it is not a matter of doubting the inspiration of Mosaic ritual that absolves us from the Tabernacle service and Levitical rites, it is the coming and the offering of Christ, in other words, the later revelation sets aside the earlier. The four Gospels give us a marvelous record of the personal ministry of Christ, but it is unscriptural to believe that therein is recorded the last and final utterance of God to us.

 

 

from page 18, Dispensational Truth