WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE? WHAT DO YOU SUPPORT?

by W.B. Screws

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

Volume XIV

JANUARY, 1935

Number 6.

Entered at the postoffice at Glennville, Ga., as second-class matter.

Some think that to prove the doctrine of the salvation of all mankind, we must have some version of the scriptures, other than the King James.  This is a mistake.  The King James Version teaches it, as can readily be seen by the following passages, which I quote just as they are in that translation: 

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."桳uke 19:10. 

"Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."桱ohn 1:29. 

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.  This He said, signifying what death He should die."桱ohn 12:32,33.  

"Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men unto condemnation, even so , by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."桼om. 5:18.  

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."�Cor. 15:22.

"This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."�Tim. 2:3,4. 

Other passages could be given, but these are sufficient.  Now you who believe the King James Version is the only correct translation, what do you say to these passages?  That Version is correct in the matter of teaching race-wide salvation, however faulty it may be in other respects.  Just how does your mind work in regard to these passages?  You know I have quoted them correctly.  Have you made up your mind that they are not true?  This is a serious question.  What is your attitude in the matter?  You may spurn me, but what about spurning God? 

There are passages in the King James Version that seem to teach endless punishment.  But do they teach it really?  Let us see: 

"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment."桵att.25:46.

How long is everlasting?  Is it endless?  One reference should be sufficient to refute such a thought.  In Ex. 40:15, we find that the sons of Aaron were to be an everlasting priesthood.  Are they a priesthood now?   No; nor have they been for many centuries.  The Aaronic priesthood ended long ago, as everyone knows.  This proves that everlasting is not endless.  "From everlasting to everlasting thou art God," says the writer of the 90th Psalm.  From one endless duration to another endless duration, thou art God.  Is there any sense in such an expression?  There is not!  There cannot be two periods, each endless, and one following the other.  What will become of the everlasting hills, when the earth passes away?  What will become of Canaan, the everlasting habitation of Israel, when the present earth is no more?  Everlasting will come to an end.  The everlasting priesthood ended; the everlasting hills will be destroyed; the everlasting habitation of Israel will cease to exist; and everlasting punishment will come to an end.  Then what will hinder God from carrying out His plan to save all? 

"Even as Sodom and Gomorrah...are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."桱ude 7.  Will there be such a thing as eternal fire?  There will be.  What is it like?  The fate of Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of it.  Jude says so.  How long did the actual fire last?  Just long enough to burn the cities?  How long will the effects last?  Until the close of the present age.  Then those cities shall be restored.  See Ezek. 16:53,56.  Eternal is not endless.  That passage proves it. 

"To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever."桱ude 13.  How long is for ever?  In Luke 1:33 we find that Christ shall reign for ever; then in 1 Cor. 15:25 we learn that He shall reign until He has put all enemies under His feet.  His reign shall end at that time, for He shall deliver the kingdom to the Father.  See verse 24 of the came chapter.  Christ shall reign for ever.  For ever will end when all enemies are put under His feet.  This shows that for ever is not endless.  If the for ever that marks the reign of Christ shall end, the for ever of the blackness of darkness shall end. 

"...shall be tormented day and night, for ever and ever."桼ev. 20:10.  This is spoken of only three persons梩he beast, the false prophet and the devil.  How long is their torment to last?  Only so long as day and night come as they do now.  In the new creation there will be no night.  See Rev. 21.  The torment will not continue longer than the present earth lasts.  It will end before the new earth is created. 

Always, when endlessness is mentioned in the Bible, it is expressed in a negative way.  Christ's life is said to be endless.  See Heb. 7:16.  Why does it say "endless"?  Because endless means without end.  Why not eternal?  Why not forever?  Why not for ever and ever?  Because all these words denote time of limited duration.   

Our life in the glory is said to be immortal and incorruptible.  These words mean not mortal, and not corruptible.  Negative expressions, you see.  Believers shall have everlasting or eternal life before the ages end.  Everlasting and eternal as used in the King James Version, mean within the ages, or eons.  After the ages, the life shall continue, but everlasting and eternal do not express this.  Others shall have everlasting punishment, of the blackness of darkness for ever, of eternal fire.  These words denote duration within the ages, or eons.  After the ages, they, too shall have life and salvation, if the passages quoted in the beginning of this editorial mean anything.  

These passages teach race-wide salvation, and nothing in the entire Book denies it, when we consider the meaning of words at the time the King James Version was made. 

Now for a serious talk to those who believe that all mankind shall be saved.  I am very serious about this.  You believe that God has resources of grace that will save the whole human family.  You do not believe that anyone shall be endlessly lost.  Now, what are you doing about it? 

Are you giving your support to an organization that would expel you from membership if you should teach what you believe?  Are you?  If so, did you ever think how inconsistent this is?  I am not trying to destroy the churches.  I could not if I would; and I would not if I could.  But I am certainly within the bounds of common sense when I say, "Let those who believe the teachings of the churches, support them."  If you believe in the endless damnation of part of the human family, you should support the churches.  But if you do not, why should you support that which not only teaches what you do not believe, but would also starve me, and other ministers who teach what you do believe?  Can you see any good reason for doing this? 

No one who believes in endless damnation would give me one penny.  They would see me on starvation before they would do it.  They have the same attitude toward other ministers who teach race-wide salvation.  If those who believe our teaching do not support us, who will?  And how can they, when they are supporting institutions that would stop our teaching if they could? 

What was that you said?  You must try to be popular?  Oh!  So that's it, is it?  Well can you afford to be popular at the expense of what you believe to be truth?  What about your conscience?  Does it never trouble you? 

Seriously!  Teachers of the salvation of all mankind, are so poorly supported that much of the time they do not know where their next week's rations will come from.  There are many faithful ones who are doing all they can.  But there are others who are, to say the least, dividing their support between those who teach what they believe to be truth, and those who would entirely stop such teaching, even if it takes starvation to do it. 

I have no right to ask anyone to support me, or even to help do so, if that one does not believe my teaching.  On the same basis, churches have no right to the support of those who do not agree with their teaching.  The churches do have a right to expect the support of all who believe what they teach.  Why, then, should not teachers of the salvation of all mankind expect the support of  those who believe this doctrine?  You may be placed where you cannot hear it.  But if you know of men who are giving their lives in spreading this truth, you should send supplies for their support, even though you may never get to hear them, yourselves.

Wherein is this unreasonable?

Again I ask, "What do you believe?  What do you support?" 


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