Page 66 - THE REVELATION OF THE THIRD HEAVEN and THE MEAT OF THE WORD

is using the parlance of the Jews that were listening. In Acts 24:18 Paul says how
he was ‘purified in the temple’. This is impossible for a Christian who is already
purified and is impossible for those under the Law as well for that matter (Rom
3:20).

A classic expression is made in Titus 1:12-13 in which it is asserted that all
Cretians are ‘liars, evil beasts, slow bellies’ and the Word agrees, expressively (Tit
1:13), with this.

Another example already mentionned would include trees clapping their hands
(Isaiah 55:12) which is an expression or parable full of spiritual truth.

Uncertainty Statements

Remember not all the words written in the Word are truth only that spoken by the
Word, that is the single, integrated and holistic, message, moral, point, punch-line
or doctrine thereof. Not all words written are true but the writer, and author, is
always spiritually true and inerrant (2 Tim 3:16). The Word itself is truth (John
1:1, 14, 14:6). The Word can record the error of it speakers for our edification and
instruction, without Itself being in error. It is showing us the correct path by the
use of contrast and in the whole context of the single Word it is stating only one,
correct, message. This is rather like a story with a moral where we see someone
mistaken being corrected.

The Word shows us a further expression when Paul says ‘be ye followers of me’ (1
Cor 4:16), which is an expression, or parable, for emphasis and strictly speaking
inaccurate and indeed forbidden (1 Cor 1:12-15, 3:4-6) but designed to emphasise
that the Corinthians should follow his doctrine. As a parable however it is
spiritually inerrant.

An example of a qualified statement is 1 Corinthians 7: 5-6 where what Paul says
is ‘by permission, and not of commandment’. What Paul writes is part of the Word
and the will of Christ therefore (1 Cor 14:37). As such it is the commandment of
God (Deut 28:58, 61, John 1:1, 14, Rev 19:13, 16, 22:18-19).

Sometimes a statement such as ‘should’ is qualified. A good example is 1
Corinthians 9:14-15 when the statement that Paul ‘should live of’ the gospel in the
context of financial support, i.e. not pay his own way, is qualified in the following
verse when Paul describes how he has not used this privilege in order to further the
gospel (1 Cor 9:16). Overall, therefore, in the one Word these two statements
become reconciled.