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

R. W. Officer: No Interpretation

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.”
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Aylette Raines: “I Understood the First I Ever Heard”

Aylette Raines (1798-1881) was sprinkled in the Episcopal church when he was four years old, but by the time he was a young adult, had become a Universalist. When he had the opportunity to hear Walter Scott, a preacher of the gospel, he went to hear him so that he might challenge Scott to a debate. In the excerpt below, Raines recalls his encounter with Scott and explains why a debate never happened.
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“You Acted in Ignorance” (11/16)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Acts 1-3.

After healing a lame man at the gate of the temple, Peter had the opportunity to preach the second gospel sermon recorded in the book of Acts. As he did with the first, he condemned his audience for their part in the death of Christ (Acts 3:14-15). However, he acknowledged that they acted in ignorance.

And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:17-19).

Jesus’ mission was part of God’s “predetermined plan” (Acts 2:23). The Old Law, which the Jews had access to, told them about the coming Christ (John 5:46; Galatians 3:24). Yet they missed the point of these prophecies. Therefore, because they were in ignorance about what God revealed, they rejected Christ.
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What the Thief on the Cross Understood (11/13)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Luke 23; John 18-19.

There are several lessons to be learned from the thief who was crucified next to Jesus. Notice what Luke recorded in his gospel:

One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, ‘Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!’ But the other answered, and rebuking him said, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!’ And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise’” (Luke 23:39-43).

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“He Is Not the God of the Dead But of the Living” (11/4)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Matthew 22; Mark 12.

The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. When they confronted Jesus on this point, they thought they had an unanswerable argument that would prove the foolishness of believing in the resurrection.

They presented a scenario in which a woman was married to seven brothers, each one followed the death of the next older brother (Matthew 22:23-27). The Sadducees then asked Jesus this question: “In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her” (Matthew 22:28). Notice how Jesus responded:

But Jesus answered and said to them, ‘You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.’

‘But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? He is not the God of the dead but of the living’” (Matthew 22:29-32).

Jesus’ argument “silenced the Sadducees” (Matthew 22:34). They had no answer for Him. If God said, “I am” the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even after these men were dead, then one should necessarily infer that these men continued to exist, even after death.
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"From the First Day That You Set Your Heart on Understanding" (9/17)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Daniel 10-12.

Daniel received a vision regarding what would happen “in the latter days” (Daniel 10:14). The text indicated that “he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision” (Daniel 10:1). How could he have such an understanding of this revelation? Notice what the messenger told him:

Then he said to me, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words’” (Daniel 10:12).

From the first day Daniel set his heart, he was heard; and the revelation was sent to him. It is important to notice what he set his heart to do, because these things are necessary if we wish to understand the will of God today.
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What a Stupid Man Does Not Understand (4/28)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Psalm 81, 88, 92-93.

How great are Your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep. A senseless man has no knowledge, nor does a stupid man understand this: that when the wicked sprouted up like grass and all who did iniquity flourished, it was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.

But You, O Lord, are on high forever. For, behold, Your enemies, O Lord, for, behold, Your enemies will perish; all who do iniquity will be scattered” (Psalm 92:5-9).

The term stupid is not one that is typically used to describe someone in polite conversation. Yet we find the term being used here to describe certain individuals. It is not necessarily meant to be an insult, just an identification of those who are uninformed and lacking sense.
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