<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Tel:
<a href="tel:253-517-9195" target="_blank">253-517-9195</a> - Email:
<a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/" target="_blank">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">April 13, 2012</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
<br></p>
<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>2012-04-11
- Five-fold - or - Four-fold?</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><u><b>NOTE</b></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>:
</b></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>I
recently received the following response from the mailing of my
following response -</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><span style="text-decoration:none">“<b>Shepherds
and teachers are the same as indicated by the lack of a definite
article.”</b></span><b></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT">
<span style="text-decoration:none">As you can see from my response,
I held his same position for a number of years. Why I withdrew from
my former dogmatic position, you can observe. I suppose I am
mellowing in theological positions with the passing of the years -
but I trust I am as close to adhering to </span><u>the true</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
meaning of Scripture nonetheless. </span><u>You</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
judge!</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT">
<span style="text-decoration:none">Do a Google-search on “Albert
Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in
Louisville, Kentucky,” the Flagship of this denomination of some 16
million.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT">
<span style="text-decoration:none">I am impressed with the
scholarship of this man, yet at the same time his openness in
receiving people in spite of their position. This is an area I would
desire to emulate more.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT">“<b>I
am the last of the 7 elders from the Summer Camp meeting of 1948 at
North Battleford, Saskatchewan.</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b>I
really feel that elders should be somewhat older. I was but 25 at the
time, but had been with the teachers of the Sharon Orphanage and
Schools in 1945 as a first year student at Bethel Bible Institute,
and when the divine Visitation came, I was asked to join them.</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b>12
Embryonic Revival Principles came together that year, starting
February 12<sup>th</sup>. The second concerned the Five-fold Ministry
Gifts of Ephesians 4:11-12. George R. Hawtin delved into this portion
of the Scriptures again and again, so as a young person, I easily
picked it up. Later I became interested in the 4 couplets in Isaiah
11:2, describing the ministry of the coming Messiah, and by linking
shepherds (pastors) and teachers together as a couplet, I felt I had
a match. I continued in a Four-fold treatment of this passage in
Ephesians for a number of years.</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b>However,
I was influenced by the illustration of Ivan Panin: “If you take a
drop of water out of the ocean and analyze it, in trace form you will
find all the constituent elements of the ocean. In like manner, when
you take a verse out of the Bible and analyze it, it should not in
any manner contradict any other portion of Scripture.” I like that.
Some have said, But that would mean that a teacher of the Word would
have to have an accurate grasp of the entire Bible. Exactly! That's
why James said in 3:1 - “Be not many teachers, my brethren, knowing
that we shall receive greater condemnation!” Rather, our attitude
should be like Panin in one of his favorite verses in Isaiah 66:2b -
“But this is the one to whom I will look declares the LORD: he who
is humble and contrite in spirit and <u>trembles at my word</u><span style="text-decoration:none">!”
I like that, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of both wisdom
and knowledge. A healthy respect for Him and His Word, is wisdom
indeed!</span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">So
as I continued in my growth in Him - I came across 1 Corinthians
12:28 - “And :God has set some in the church, first apostle, second
prophets, third teachers, and numbers to follow.” As in Ephesians
4:11, there are no definite articles preceding “teacher” there,
nor before these first 3 ministries. As some have pointed out in the
Ephesians passage, does this make these three in Corinthians - </span><u>one</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
- as pastor and teacher are linked as one there, because there is no
article preceding “teacher”? </span></b>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">And
then what of 1 Timothy 5:17 - “Let the elders ruling well (pastors,
shepherds) be counted worthy of double honor, </span><u>specially</u><span style="text-decoration:none">
those who toil in </span><i><span style="text-decoration:none">the</span></i><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
word </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>and teaching</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">.”
The obvious conclusion here is that </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>all</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
elder pastors are </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>not</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
gifted also in </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>teaching</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">,
and therefore are </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>not</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
teachers.</span></span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<b>Going back to Panin's analogy of a drop of ocean water - and a
Bible verse out of the total Bible context - then I have to be
careful about interpreting Ephesians 4:11-12! </b>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">I
have typed up the entire NT translation of Panin's English
translation, including each colon (:) standing for the definite
article “the” - preceding a noun or other part of speech preceded
by a colon, but for which it would be improper to translate it. I
wrote in by hand his entire Bible Numeric Greek text underneath,
clause by clause and sentence by sentence, not word for word. I also
outlined each Bible Numeric sentence, gathered these summaries into
sub-paragraphs, paragraphs, sections or chapter equivalents and
finally the 27 NT books. I agree with Panin concerning the importance
of the Greek article, whether translated or indicated by symbol.
Jehovah Witnesses love to point out from John 1:1 that Jesus is not
divine like the Father - because there is </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>no</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
article preceding Him when described as just God - no article!</span></span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">But
in John 20:28, Thomas responds to Jesus' challenge concerning His
true resurrection by saying: “My :Lord and my :God.” Here the
article precedes Jesus as God, making Him </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>one</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
with His Father!</span></span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">So
what is my “take”, and what is my “conclusion?” I have to
reverently say to God, that I don't know His Word as completely as I
would like. I come back to a saying from a Book Title I picked up in
the mid-40's - “Let God say what </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>He</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
wants to say - and let the </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>Bible</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
mean what </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>it</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
wants to mean.” Therefore I humbly come back to Ephesians 4:11-12
and say - perhaps after all this verse </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>does
not</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
preclude the 5-fold ministry. So I must eat humble pie. But for </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>His</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
sake and His </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>Word's</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
sake - being dead to sin according to Romans 6, I am most willing to
do.</span></span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">Do
I ask others to follow my example. Not necessarily. In 1945 I was
handed a tract - “Others may - </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>you</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">
cannot!” I am on a pilgrimage. Others are on their pilgrimages. The
Moravian proverbs says, “In essentials, </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>unity</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">;
in non-essentials - </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>tolerance</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">;
in all things, charity or </span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><u>love</u></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="text-decoration:none">.”
I count this problem as a non-essential. You can see my tentative
position from above. Several fellow-students - not scholars - have
discussed this. Some have asked Greek professors concerning this. The
more we study and discuss, the less dogmatic we become in this
particular area. In the areas of the “essential”! No compromise!
But in this area, - well!”</span></span></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<b>Jim Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><b>TO
SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: <a href="mailto:mailing-subscribe@2rbetter.org" target="_blank">mailing-subscribe@2rbetter.org</a></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><b>TO
UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: <a href="mailto:mailing-unsubscribe@2rbetter.org" target="_blank">mailing-unsubscribe@2rbetter.org</a></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><b>FOR
ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:<a href="http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/" target="_blank">http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/</a></b></font></p>