Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3).
(Note that the pattern for the God-ordained ministry of the one new man "in Christ" is set forth in the calling of the one man, Paul, in the beginning [I Tim. 1:15, 16]. Those comprising the one new man are to take the epistles [and other parts of Scripture], traverse the land, and teach "faithful men" who will "be able to teach others also." And the central message is, accordingly, to be the same as Paul's, seen throughout the epistles the good news surrounding Christians in relation to the coming glory of Christ.)
The epistles, much more often than not, are viewed by Christians within a completely incorrect framework. They are looked upon incorrectly, they are taught incorrectly, and Christians in general have an incorrect understanding of the subject matter therein. And it is a simple matter to see and understand why this is the case.
The present has not been properly aligned with the past and future. There is little understanding all the way around of the preliminary data which one must possess in order to grasp the central message of the epistles. And, resultingly, the picture which one sees, as it pertains to the whole of God's plans and purposes, can only be completely out of focus.
The epistles have been severed from those things which God gave to open up and explain the epistles, and the result has been mass confusion in Christian circles. Practically everything is being taught from the epistles but the central teaching which the writers of the epistles dealt with.
The existing problem can be illustrated from any of the New Testament epistles; but, since this study has to do primarily with the general epistles, brief remarks on different things within these eight epistles will suffice to illustrate the matter at hand.
1. Hebrews
The Book of Hebrews -- as the remainder of the general epistles, or as all of the Pauline epistles -- is a book which deals with the saving of the soul (cf. 4:12, 13; 6:18, 19; 10:35-39). This book is built around five major warnings, written to Christians. And the Spirit of God drew these warnings entirely from different parts of Old Testament typology.
These warnings have to do with firstborn sons (cf. 2:10; 12:16, 17). And with sonship in view, the subject matter surrounding the warnings in Hebrews can be clearly seen. These warnings simply have to do with different facets of teaching surrounding Christians either realizing or not realizing the rights of the firstborn at a future time, and the things taught in this book are drawn from the experiences of the Israelites (both national [chs. 2-4, 6] and individual [ch. 12]) as they either realized or failed to realize the rights of the firstborn in past time.
Israel has already been adopted in the type (Ex. 4:22, 23; Rom. 9:4), but Christians are awaiting the adoption in the antitype (Rom. 8:18-23). And the adoption must occur prior to Christians ascending the throne with Christ, for only "sons" can rule. That's the way matters in God's kingdom have always existed, and that's the way matters in God's kingdom will always continue to exist (ref. the author's book, THE MOST HIGH RULETH).
That which is in view throughout Hebrews has to do with Israel realizing the rights of the firstborn in an earthly land (in the type) and with Christians realizing the rights of the firstborn in a heavenly land (in the antitype). And, in this respect, the whole of the subject matter in the book moves beyond the events of Exodus, chapter twelve (the sacrifice of the paschal lambs, the application of the blood, the vicarious death of the firstborn, and God's subsequent satisfaction).
But man in his finite understanding of matters, fails to make the proper connection of the things in Hebrews with that which preceded. And he spends his time attempting to understand the book on the basis of events in Exodus, chapter twelve (the death of the firstborn, the point of beginning) rather than going beyond the events of this chapter and looking at those Scriptures from which the things in the book are drawn (the rights of the firstborn, following a resurrection of the firstborn on the eastern banks of the Red Sea).
Man looks at the passage surrounding "so great salvation" in Heb.
2:3 and attempts to teach things pertaining to salvation by grace through faith from the passage. And he does the same thing with the other warning passages, misapplying and misinterpreting Scripture in the process.
The passage in chapter six (vv. 4-6, the heart of the third of the five major warnings) which pertains to a falling away, with there being no possibility that the person who falls away can ever be renewed again to repentance, is often looked upon as one of the most difficult passages in Scripture. However, the opposite is, in reality, true. The passage is not difficult at all. The basic overall understanding of the passage is actually quite easy to grasp and understand.
Difficulty comes when a person attempts to apply the passage to things surrounding the Christians' presently possessed salvation. And "difficult" is not really the proper word when this is done. Rather, attempting to read teachings surrounding salvation by grace through faith into Heb. 6:4-6 makes the passage "impossible" to understand, for that's not what this section of Scripture deals with.
However, on the other hand, if a person views the passage in the light of its context and has some understanding of the relationship of Hebrews (and all the other epistles as well) to that which has preceded, the passage will, in reality, interpret itself.
The passage, contextually, flows out of and draws from the type-antitype structure of the preceding warning (chs. 3, 4); and also, contextually, the passage pertains to that time when Christ will exercise the Melchizedek priesthood (to that future time when He will be the great King-Priest in Jerusalem [ch. 5]). And the type-antitype structure, drawn from the previous warning, has to do with an overthrown relative to one's calling, with there being no possibility that God will change His mind (repent) relative to that which He has decreed concerning those overthrown.
This is seen in the type as it pertains to the Israelites and an earthly calling at Kadesh-Barnea, and it must be equally true as it pertains to Christians and a heavenly calling in the antitype. The basic understanding of Heb. 6:4-6 is that simple and easy.
And so it goes with the remainder of the book or the remainder of the general epistles. Understand some basics, and interpretation becomes quite simple; but misunderstand these basics, and interpre
tation becomes difficult to impossible.
2. James
James deals with the saving of the soul (1:21; 5:19, 20), which, contextually, within the book itself, has to do with crowned rulers realizing an inheritance with Christ in the coming kingdom (1:12; 2:5). And this is exactly the same subject matter seen throughout the surrounding epistles.
In connection with the saving of the soul, James deals extensively with faith and works (2:14-26); and the key to understanding this section of James, which many expositors seem to home in on (along with certain cult groups, seeking to teach salvation via faith and works), is twofold: 1) The passage deals with Christians relative to faithfulness and the coming kingdom, not with the unsaved relative to eternal verities; and 2) works emanate out of faithfulness, something which cannot occur among those who have not passed "from death unto life," among those remaining spiritually dead.
Faithfulness, works, and fruit-bearing go hand-in-hand in this respect. Faithfulness will result in works and fruitfulness (bringing about the salvation of one's soul), but unfaithfulness will result in no works and no fruit (bringing about the loss of one's soul).
There are two main errors which expositors usually make when approaching James. They either relate the things in this epistle mainly to basic issues surrounding salvation by grace through faith, or they relate the things in this epistle mainly to the present experience of Christians (with little regard for or mention of the coming kingdom of Christ).
The epistle deals with the former only to the extent that a person must first pass "from death unto life" before he finds himself in a position to exercise faithfulness (e.g., 1:18), and the epistle deals with the latter only to the extent that faithfulness during the present time will have a direct bearing on the Christians' position in the coming kingdom of Christ (e.g., 1:12; 2:5).
Relative to the former, this is simply not the central subject matter of the epistle. James' message pertains to the saved, not the unsaved. And relative to the latter, the epistle is being dealt with from a correct perspective as far as matters go. However, exposition is stopped far
short of the revealed goal.
There must always be a proper Biblical connection of the present experience of Christians with the proffered kingdom in view. And, in this respect, dealing only with the present experience of Christians from the Epistle of James is accomplishing little more than proclaiming a half-truth.
3. I, II Peter
In his first epistle, Peter deals with an inheritance set before Christians (1:4, 5), which has to do with the goal of their faith, the salvation of their souls (1:9). And this salvation is connected with the present in the respect that it has to do with present sufferings (1:7, 11; 2:21; 4:12, 13), and it is connected with the future in the respect that it has to do with future glory (1:11, 13; 4:13; 5:4).
In his second epistle, Peter associates this inheritance, this salvation, with the greatest thing God could offer redeemed man; and he further associates it with Christ's greatest regal magnificence (1:4, 16 [superlatives are used in both verses in the Greek text, and greatest regal magnificence is the thought behind the superlative translated "majesty" in v. 16]).
And, in the process, Peter deals with the importance of Christians understanding, receiving, and keeping the good news concerning this future salvation ever before them. Peter, knowing the importance of this matter, stated that he was going to keep on proclaiming these truths to the extent that those to whom he was writing could never forget them, even after his decease (1:12-15).
Then in the second and third chapters, Peter sounds a warning against false teachers -- teachers who would arise among Christians and teach things contrary to the message which he so strongly proclaimed. These false teachers would be saved individuals who had previously heard, understood, and accepted the message (2:20 [epignosis, "mature knowledge," is used in the Greek text of this verse]); but, rather than remain within that which they had heard and accepted, they would turn from and teach things contrary to this message (2:1, 2).
Then Peter began to bring his second epistle to a close by calling attention to a septenary structure of Scripture, which he had referred
to in chapter one and upon which the whole of Scripture rests. The kingdom of Christ is to be established after six days, on the seventh day (cf. Matt. 16:28-17:5; II Peter 1:16:18), which is a direct allusion back to Gen. 1:1-2:3 -- verses forming a foundational framework at the very beginning, verses upon which the whole of subsequent Scripture rests. And the length of each of these days in subsequent Scripture, in complete keeping with Scripture both preceding and following the epistles, is revealed to be 1,000 years (II Peter 3:8).
4. I, II, III John
The trend of thought throughout John's three epistles takes a number of different turns, but the truths taught therein center around one thing -- Christians walking in the truth (cf. I John 1:7; II John 4, 6; III John 3, 4). And a walk of this nature, set forth in either John's epistles or in any of the other epistles, is with a view to overcoming and receiving a full reward in the coming kingdom of Christ (cf. I John 2:28-3:3; 5:1-5; II John 8).
A central crux in John's first epistle has to do with Christ's present high priestly ministry (1:6-2:2), reflecting on the fourth of the five major warnings in Hebrews (ch. 10). And teachings surrounding Christ's high priestly ministry in John's first epistle reflect, as well, on teachings drawn from his gospel.
In John 13:4-12 there is the account of Christ taking a towel, girding Himself, taking a basin of water, and beginning to individually wash the disciples' feet. This was done to teach His disciples a spiritual lesson of vast importance; and, in so doing, Christ drew from the symbolism surrounding the priestly ministry in the tabernacle. And this was also the place from which John drew when dealing with the same matter in his first epistle.
The high priestly ministry of Christ -- ministering in the sanctuary on the basis of shed blood, after the order of Aaron -- was in view in both instances (though still future when the events of John 13:4-12 occurred). Christ, throughout the dispensation, is exercising a ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, providing a cleansing for the kingdom of priests which He is about to bring forth (the sons who will rule and reign with Him, His co-heirs).
And according to the teaching of both John, chapter thirteen and I John, chapters one and two -- along with Hebrews, chapter ten and other related passages -- truths surrounding Christ's present high priestly ministry form an integral part of the Word of the Kingdom.
Drawing from the typology of the Levitical system, where the entire body of a priest was washed upon his entrance into the priesthood, Christians today (N.T. priests) received a complete washing at the point of salvation (upon their entrance into the priesthood). And this washing in both type and antitype can never be repeated.
But also in keeping with the typology of the Levitical system, present defilement of the cleansed vessel through contact with the world requires subsequent partial washings -- shown in the type through subsequent washings of parts of the body at the laver in the courtyard of the tabernacle. And, because of this, Christ, through His present high priestly ministry, is providing cleansing for Christians on the basis of His shed blood on the mercy seat in the heavenly tabernacle.
Christ, when washing the disciples' feet, not only drew from the typology of the tabernacle but He also reflected on His impending high priestly ministry. And Christ, to show the gravity of the matter, specifically told Peter, "If I wash thee not [referring to a part of his body, his feet], thou hast no part with me" (John 13:8). Peter had already been washed completely (v. 10), but unless Peter allowed the Lord to cleanse him from worldly defilement following this previous complete washing, he could have no part with Christ in the coming kingdom.
John used the same teaching to which he had referred in his gospel to open his first epistle; and he directed the message, as in the gospel account, to saved people relative to present cleansing and the future kingdom.
And Christians can do one of two things relative to Christ's present high priestly ministry on their behalf: 1) They can either avail themselves of Christ's work as High Priest (receive cleansing from present defilement and look forward to having a part with Christ in His kingdom [cf. Heb. 10:32-39; I John 1:9; 2:28-3:3]), or 2) they can refuse to avail themselves of Christ's work as High Priest (not receive cleansing from present defilement and resultingly one day be denied a position with
Christ in His kingdom [cf. Heb. 10:19-31; I John 1:6, 8, 10; 2:1-4]).
5. Jude
According to Jude's introductory remarks, he sought to write an epistle dealing specifically with salvation by grace through faith, but the Spirit of God constrained him and led him to write about something else.
Explaining the simple message of salvation by grace through faith was not the primary reason God gave the epistles. Adequate information necessary to open the types dealing with the simplicity of eternal salvation, as set forth by Moses and the prophets, had already been given prior to the writing of the epistles. Rather, God designed the epistles for those who were already saved, to provide instructions which would serve to open that part of the writings of Moses and the prophets pertaining to the Word of the Kingdom.
And, in keeping with the preceding thoughts, Jude, rather than being led to write an epistle dealing with salvation by grace through faith, was, instead, led to write an epistle exhorting Christians in the present race and warning Christians concerning false teachers. And both the exhortation and the various warnings seen throughout the epistle pertain to "the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (vv. 3ff).
The expression, "the faith," as it is used in Jude 3, is simply another way of referring to the things surrounding Paul's gospel (ref. Chapters IV, X, "Acceptance by Many" and "Central Message -- The Pauline Epistles"). Jude's exhortation had to do with earnestly striving in the present race, with "the faith" in view; and his warnings -- closely paralleling the warnings in Peter's second epistle -- had to do with false teachers arising and proclaiming things among Christians contrary to "the faith."
And that's the way in which the New Testament epistles are brought to a close -- an exhortation to strain every muscle of one's being in the present race of "the faith," and warnings against false teachers proclaiming perverse things concerning "the faith."
What are the ramifications of either seeing or not seeing the Pauline and/or general epistles in their correct setting relative to Scripture both preceding and following? Such ramifications are evident. All one has to do is compare conditions existing in the first-century Church with conditions existing in the Church today.
Christians in the first-century Church knew that the letters (epistles) being sent to them had to do with the same message being proclaimed throughout the Churches by the apostles and others -- a message having its roots in preceding revelation. And this message pertained to a completely new entity (separate and distinct from Israel) and with a proffered kingdom. This new entity had been called into existence to be the recipient of heavenly positions with Christ in the kingdom, and the message being proclaimed had to do with faithfulness during the present dispensation with a view to glory during the coming dispensation.
These things were consistently taught throughout the first-century Church. Christians during that day understood these things; and, understanding these things, they governed their lives accordingly.
But these things are not being taught at all in the twentieth-century Church, except in isolated instances. Christians during the present day know little to nothing about these things, and their lifestyle often negatively reflects this fact.
Everything begins in the past -- actually in the eternal council chambers of God before the ages began -- and moves toward a set goal. And this set goal -- whether seen in Moses, the Psalms, the prophets, the gospels, Acts, or the epistles -- is always revealed to be the same.
It is the same set goal seen throughout the first nineteen chapters of the closing book of Scripture, then realized in the twentieth chapter. It is always revealed to be the seventh day, the seventh millennium, the Sabbath rest awaiting the people of God.
Viewing the epistles within their correct setting will allow one to look upon the content therein from a correct perspective. Scripture in the epistles can be interpreted and applied correctly; and, through so doing, Biblical interpretation will be perfectly in line with other parts of
Scripture.
But erroneously viewing the epistles apart from their correct setting can only produce the opposite results. A correct interpretation, application, and alignment with other Scripture will be sadly lacking. And the true message in the epistles will be all but lost.
Arlen L. Chitwood, The Lamp Broadcast, Inc., Norman, Okla.
E-mail: alchitwood@icnet.net.