The Christadelphian Bible Journal
February 2003 Volume 1 Number 2
We all are painfully aware of the absence of younger brethren and sisters who once were active members of our ecclesia but, in wisdom of God, were taken from the land of the living. New to the truth and full of energy, they would often add life to the meeting and create in each of us a thankful heart knowing that God is still visiting the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His Name.
I can recall one such instance of over 20 years ago. A sister, both new to the Truth and recently married, whose probation was terminated at 29 years of age after a lengthy bout with cancer. I remember the brethren and sisters praying fervently for the Deity to save her life. Also, I have memories of many questioning how such a thing could happen. "Why, Lord? Why must she be taken from us so soon?" No satisfactory answer seemed forthcoming. We all knew that we should not sorrow as those who have no hope. Our sister would soon rest in hope! But the pain over the loss for both the ecclesia and the family was almost impossible to assuage.
Eventually, in one Bible verse many found comfort. It was a passage from what appeared to be an unlikely source: the Prophets. A text that had gone either unnoticed or not understood by most. Once read and reflected upon, it was as if we had discovered hidden treasure: a certain knowledge of God's Will that would lift us up and ease the pain.
Isaiah declared: "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and the merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come" (57:1). The NEB has it: "...the righteous are swept away before the onset of evil...."
An evil may await that is so terrible it can make such a death as described above look like a blessing in disguise. Did a horrific event await our sister at the next turn of her walk? Only the Lord knows for certain. If so, why would He not circumvent the evil, rather than allowing a slow and agonizing death? Clearly, Providence had a higher purpose. Did she possess the requisite r ighteousness that the verse requires? The Judgment Seat would reveal it.
At the close of our sister's life, the ecclesia had learned some priceless lessons. We discovered that true consolation is only to be found in the Scriptures. As the Psalmist declares: "The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works" (145:17). Accordingly, with respect to the termination of probation we could rest assured that God's timing is always perfect.
We also learned that the Deity alone knows how many days have been allotted for our sojourn. Therefore, we must continuously be taught to number our days. To be truly effective, this exercise has to go beyond academics. Witnessing the death of a loved one firsthand is one way that God can remind us of our own mortality.
Our sister's struggle has been over for many years now. She awaits the call to resurrection and judgment. For us, however, the fight continues. Today is the day of salvation. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. It is vital that we make the most of this merciful opportunity God has granted each of us while it is yet today. -Bob Widding
SELECTED LETTERSDear brothers and sisters:
Attached please find our response to the Bible Journal article that seeks to discredit the Unamended/Advocate position regarding a lack of resurrectional responsibility for those who failed to attain to a Bible understanding in the Old Testament. We pray that everyone will recognize the Bible Journal article as another failed attempt at discrediting the Unamended truths regarding subject in question. We pray that everyone will carefully read this response, digest it and stand steadfast and unmovable (I Cor. 15:58) until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ from heaven. The response is attached. -W. T.
(COMMENT: To the "brothers and sisters" addressed in the above missive from "W.T.," you are invited to send questions or comments about our responsibility article to: rkw@aristotle.com. God willing, we shall do our best to reply in a manner that is both respectful to you and specific to the subject. Our article was originally submitted to The Christadelphian Advocate, in a condensed form, about two or three years ago as a reply to a piece that had appeared therein. We had periodically engaged our friend and Advocate Editor, the late brother E.W. Farrar, in courteous discussion about the responsibility issue since our last trip to Canada in around 1987. However, when a format for publication in the Advocate could not be agreed upon, we withdrew the article from consideration. The enlarged version was completed only last month, and we chose e-mail for limited distribution. -Ed.)
Dear Bible Journal:
"I've never met an Unamended who would defend (his) view to my face when confronted with the Nineveh verse (especially as Jewish documents of the period suggest that the Pharisee view on Resurrectional Responsibility is virtually the same as Andrews'), but no doubt some will on paper..." -S. C.
(COMMENT: We had considered a thorough treatment of the Nineveh scenario but the article was already far too lengthy, so we covered it only briefly in the footnotes. Can anyone provide specific documentation concerning the Pharisees' view of resurrectional responsibility? -Ed.)
Dear Bible Journal:
"I would like to ask you to delete my name from your mailing list of the Bible Journal. I do not believe the theory that Enlightenment is the basis of responsibility to the Judgment Seat of Christ. As we await the return of our Master, I would prefer to spend my study time on matters that can exhort me and help me be prepared for that great and mighty day. I do not prefer to receive mail from individuals who do not even identify themselves in the email that is sent. I especially do not prefer to receive materials from those outside the Unamended Body on subjects that I do not agree with. Your article was forwarded to me. This is how I knew who was the author of the Bible Journal." - B. H.
Dear Bible Journal:
"You are yet another brother in error. Please remove me from your mailing list and send no further communication to me at all." - P.M.
Dear Bible Journal:
"Could you please be so kind as to advise the main differences between the Berean and Central Fellowship Christadelphians?" - P.J.M.
(COMMENT: Readers are invited to go to www.bereans.org and click on "Berean Restatement" for a definitive answer." -Ed.)