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 When
the front page article was finished I reread it aloud, checking
for errors and "effect.” I said to myself, "Every
nut in the land could use that to justify (?) their peculiar
division over some bizarre interpretation." There are those
who are convinced that smallness, opposition, or being called a
"nut'' are proofs of their scripturalness. Nothing I can
write will help that attitude. They only quote those portions of
PLAIN TALK that they think serve their purposes. None of this
changes what I believe to be the truth on page one. When we urge
people to study and think for themselves, we should know we are
"asking for" hasty conclusions, drawn out of context
or colored with one or more of the fallacies of illogical
reasoning to which all are subject. Correction will be viewed as
an attack upon the person — their pride will be hurt.
Sometimes we could "see ourselves" in the reaction —
if we would but look. But the alternative to individual study
and convictions — although the easier and more popular course
— is even worse. It produces "Party" followers, and
sets the stage for future digressions.
On
the other hand, we also "ask' and get those ''few" who
can think for themselves without becoming "heady;"
without thinking they are a cut above "ordinary"
exegetes, or are great reformers who must lead the world
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to understand all mysteries. We get true
students, dedicated, thorough, as happy to learn as they are to
share what they know with others. And above all, we get men and
women who act with intelligent conviction.
There
have been hundreds, or thousands, who have imagined themselves
great reformers or restorers of the whole truth, to every
one whose work actually accomplished something along this line.
One reason for this is that the blind follow the blind, and the
“movement" falls into a theological ditch. Nuts attract
nuts, and then a squirrel comes along.
If
we would forget our striving for a place in the sun, and become
more interested in how we look to the Son, it would humble us.
Patience and longsuffering with others is not the same as sharing
their views; nor does it allow promotion or encouragement of
false teaching. Patience and consideration for the weaker
brother is greatly enhanced by self-confidence: born of studied
convictions. And genuine Bible knowledge develops the humility
needed to temper that self-confidence — we learn there is so
much we do not know. So — we stick with our plea for
independent study, and pray for wise application.
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