R.W. Officer: “Suppose I Have No Interpretation of the Bible on Any Subject”

Robert Wallace Officer (1845-1930), at one point in his life, served as a missionary for the Liberty Baptist Association. During this six year period, he faced several charges of heresy. Below is an excerpt from a heresy trial in which Dr. J.R. Graves examined him to determine his “soundness of faith.”

Graves: “But what will you do with what Paul says in his letter to the Galatians: ‘Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus?’ (Gal. 3:26.)”

Officer: “I will do with that just what I have done with the rest of that sentence—viz., believe it. It reads: ‘For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.’ (Gal. 3:27.)”

Graves: “But what does that mean?”

Officer: “It means what it says.”

Graves: “What do you believe are the conditions of pardon or remission of sins?”

Officer: “I believe just what the Bible says on that subject.”

Graves: “But what is your interpretation of the Bible on that subject?”

Officer: “Suppose I have no interpretation of the Bible on any subject.”

Graves: “But you have; all denominations have their interpretations of the Bible. We, as Baptists, teach that repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ secure pardon. What do you think about it?”

Officer: “The Bible says: ‘Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’ (John 3:5.) ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.’ (Mark 16:16.) To believers, Peter said: ‘Repent, and be baptized . . . for the remission of sins.’ (Acts 2:38.)”

Graves: “We all believe the Bible as strong as you do. Tell us what your interpretation of the texts you have quoted is. This is what we want to get at.”

Officer: “My interpretation is exactly what I have quoted; in other words, I have no interpretation of it. I simply believe it, just as it is written.” (R.W. Officer – Heresy Trial)

[The link above will take you to a page that contains historical information about R.W. Officer and additional quotes from the heresy trial. It is an entertaining and interesting read.]

Graves stated that “all denominations have their interpretations of the Bible” – this is certainly true. The apostle Paul said, “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Yet the churches of men have many different and conflicting doctrines. Such confusion is of men, not of God. Denominations are founded upon the commands and opinions of fallible human beings.

R.W. Officer claimed to “have no interpretation of the Bible on any subject.” Instead of twisting the Scriptures as the denominations did, he said, “I simply believe it, just as it is written.”

God has revealed His word in a way that will allow us to understand it (Ephesians 3:4). Rather than twist the Scriptures (2 Peter 3:16) to try to make them say what we want them to say, let us resolve to simply accept the word of God as it has been revealed in truth.