OPINION VS REVELATION

OPINIONS VS REVELATION

Possibly the greatest error among sectarian Christians is taking the word of man before the word of
God. “7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither
indeed can be.” (Rom. 8) “21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thess. 5) How? “20 To the
law and to the testimony [revelation]: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no
light in them.” (Isa. 8)

“Opinions, where we have the word of the Lord, are worth nothing. Since the days of the Savior, they
have strangely divided men into almost as many sects, as the number of the name of the beast that John
saw. All men have a right to their opinions, but to adopt them for rules of faith and worship, is wrong,
and may finally leave the souls of them that receive them for spiritual guides, in the telestial kingdom.”
(Evening and Morning Star, Vol. 1, p. 69)

GOD IS THE SOURCE OF ALL TRUTH. The medium of all truth is REVELATION. “16 All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2
Tim. 3)

“10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should
not be the servant of Christ. 11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is
not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus
Christ.” (Gal. 1)

The following is a letter of James J. Strang published in the Gospel Herald, Feb. 28, 1850.

Baltimore, Md., Jan. 31st, 1850.

DEAR FRANK:–Some time since I read an article in the Herald, which, though in the main sound,
contained a very great error in the interpretation of this scripture: “No prophecy of scripture is of any
private interpretation.” 2d Peter i. 20. The writer interprets the word `private’ as synonymous with
`secret,’ which is not the case. Had Peter intended to express that sense he would have used the word
secret, and thus expressed his idea, instead of leaving it to be guessed out. The word private does not
mean secret. We call that private property which belongs to individuals, public which belongs to the
State, town, church or some municipality.

Those are private men who are engaged in their business, public who are doing official duty as public
officers. An act of Legislature concerning the public at large is always spoken of as a public act, but an
act to change a name, grant a divorce, or charter a private company, is denominated a private act. When
a lawyer or judge expresses an opinion on a legal or judicial question in his private conversation, we
speak of it as his private opinion; but if the lawyer, on the consultation of a client, or the judge in
deciding the cause expresses one, we speak of it as his professional, official or public opinion.

All law is made by public authority, and not by the authority of mere private persons; and so all law is
interpreted by public authority, rather than by that of mere private persons. And because the law was
made by the Legislature, a public body elected for that purpose, it is interpreted by judges, also public
officers, appointed to be its public interpreters.

Peter most aptly expresses this truth concerning the law of God in saying that “no prophecy of scripture
is of any private interpretation,” 2d Peter, i. 20, and in the next verse gives the reason for it, because the
prophecies themselves were given by public authority. “For the prophecy came not by the will of man;
but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” Who are these holy men of God ?
The prophets of old, whom God placed in authority above people, princes and kings. And they spake not
by private authority: not by the will of man; not as individuals who consider their opinions as good as
any other person’s merely; but they spoke by public authority; by the will of God, as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost, which spirit they had in them as one of the gifts of their calling; not merely for their
own edification, but for the office work of their ministry; given to them by prophecy and the putting on
of hands.

These prophecies being thus given by public authority were the subjects of interpretation by the public
authority established in the same government. That is, they were the subjects of public or authorized
interpretation. Jesus Christ, Peter, Paul and others were appointed, and qualified of God by the gift that
was given them for the work of their several ministries, to interpret them. But rebellious Jews then, as
sectarians and rebellious saints now wrested them from their true interpretation, to their own
destruction.

All laws are written to be understood, and to be understood by all who are subjected to [Page 298/886]
them. But all experience has shown that language is so imperfect that it fails to express ideas with
perfect certainty, and that every law is differently construed by different persons. Consequently
questions are continually arising concerning private rights, depending upon the intent and meaning of
public laws. Each party giving his private interpretation, prepares to litigate with these who are of a
different opinion, and therefore claim opposing rights. But as law is not of private interpretation, they
bring it to the decision of a magistrate, a public officer, who gives a public interpretation; that is, an
interpretation by authority of the law, and thus decides the right. And though some private citizen of
equal talent and learning with the public officer, or even of greater, should give a different
interpretation, no good citizen thinks of saying that the interpretation of Mr. Strong, given in his private
capacity, is as good as that of Judge Whiton, embodied in his decision as a Judge. They obey the
mandate of Judge Whiton as a public interpreter and administrator of the law, whatever one or many of
the private citizens may say to the contrary. “The children of this world” have learned that that which is
spoken by authority is interpreted by authority.

Well did Christ say, “They are wiser than the children of light,” for they, poor souls, often think that their
private interpretations are better than all the wisdom that God has placed in the church. They will tell us
with great gravity that they will not believe anything as doctrine, or do anything as duty, unless we can
give them a satisfactory reason for it. But though they have no respect for the PRIESTHOOD which GOD
has placed in the CHURCH, they have an abundance of it for the officers whom the people have placed
in the State. For if a Gentile constable summonses them as jurors, or appraisers, they do not answer him
that they are not satisfied of the duty and necessity of doing so, and therefore will not go. So if the
Judge charges them that the true intent and meaning of the law is thus and thus, they do not answer
him that they understand it otherwise, and will not reard his charge and decisions unless he shows
satisfactory reasons to them.

But they respect the authority of an official decision above a thousand private interpretations. How
strange that all their respect should be reserved for Gentile authority, which God has not set up, and will
destroy. This conduct is the more inexcusable for the reason that the officers of the State have no
special gift bestowed on them for the work of their offices, but are selected, and with very little wisdom
too, in reference to the qualifications they already possess. Whereas the ministers of God’s law are
selected in the wisdom of God, to be the keepers, interpreters and administrators of his law, and have
gifts given them from God expressly for the office work of their ministry.¬ 1st Tim. iv. 14. 2d Tim. i. 6.
Luke xxiv. 49.

Those who associate with the household of faith, and forsake not the assembling of themselves
together, cannot fail of an enlightened understanding of the law of God. Leaving those who have been
cast out to be unto them as heathen men, they avoid the corrupting influence of evil communications.
Having themselves the gift of God’s spirit, and having shepherds, teachers and ministers appointed of
God, upon whom he has bestowed more abundantly of the same spirit, for the direction of all, they
seldom find themselves in the wrong way; and as often as they begin to deviate from the road in which
God would have them walk, they are curbed by a gentle and unchafing hand to ways of truth. Like the
members of a well regulated family, all looking to the father as the common head, and the mother as his
chief assistant; or a peaceable and prosperous nation, where litigation, turmoil and rebellion are
unknown, every man honoring the sovereign and respecting the judges, and therefore never at a loss for
his duty. Such a community never wrangle about the interpretation of the law.

But those who keep company with traitors, and discuss constitutional rights and legal interpretations
with rebels, or, lifted up in pride, think they are just as able to dictate the affairs of State as the public
officers who have, them [Page 299/887] in charge, are forever involving themselves in strife, frequently
in disgrace and punishment. If by any means they obtain influence over large communities, they bring
commotions, rebellions and all the miseries of internal strife and civil war; not infrequently ending their
career in banishment or blood; and sometimes causing most desirable privileges to be taken away from
provinces and nations, as the only means of preserving stable government.

So, too, those who forsake the assembly of the saints to keep company with heathens, sectarians and
the enemies of the church, and discuss constitutional questions with traitors, rebels, heady, high minded
men and apostates, instead of looking to God’s ministers, bring upon themselves all the curses written
in the book of God’s law, and upon all who are so miserable as to follow them everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

I know the hackneyed objection to this rule, that it reduces a man to a child, or a cypher.” But I believe
that in the State no man is yet reduced to a child or a cypher, by the fact that he cannot setup his private
interpretation of the law as an excuse for rebelling against Judges, disobeying the mandates of officers.
It seems to leave every man the privilege of exercising his judgment freely, and bring into exercise the
most excellent talent. But it cures man of the pride of opinion that makes himself the standard of all
wisdom. It teaches man that the base things of this world, which God has chosen, he has exalted above
those that men honor, and that the gifts of his spirit, which he gives to all his saints for their edification,
and more abundantly to those he has chosen to hold the keys of his kingdom, for the work of their
ministry, are to be preferred above all natural talent and scholastic learning. It most effectually cures us
of man-worship, by showing us that no man’s real and lasting greatness is his own; that it is the grace of
God bestowed upon him for the work whereunto God has chosen him. Truly and sincerely, JAMES J.
STRANG.