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8

    "LET 
   

GOD

BE

    TRUE" 
   

    common, 
   

but

    their 
   

    centuries-old 
   

    religious 
   

    dif- 
   

    ferences, 
   

    quarrels 
   

and

    errors 
   

    have 
   

    brought 
   

re-

    proach 
   

    upon 
   

    both 
   

Him

and

the

    written 
   

    Word 
   

    which 
   

he

has

    given 
   

to

    mankind 
   

.

The

    bewildered 
   

    seekers 
   

for

    truth 
   

    have 
   

in

    many 
   

    cases 
   

    said 
   

in

    hopelessness 
   

:

    "Oh, 
   

the

    Bible 
   

is

an

old

    fiddle 
   

    upon 
   

    which 
   

you

can

    play 
   

any

old

    tune 
   

."

If

    true, 
   

    that 
   

    would 
   

    mean 
   

    that 
   

the

    Bible's 
   

    Author 
   

was

all

    mixed 
   

up

and

    divided 
   

    against 
   

    himself 
   

.

But

    this 
   

    could 
   

not

be

so

of

the

God

    whose 
   

    visible 
   

    creation 
   

of

the

    universe 
   

is

    marvelously 
   

    harmo- 
   

    nious 
   

and

not

    divided 
   

    against 
   

    itself 
   

.

    Reason- 
   

    ably, 
   

    then, 
   

his

    Book, 
   

the

    Bible, 
   

    could 
   

not

be

all

    mixed 
   

up

and

    allowing 
   

for

    just 
   

any

    interpreta- 
   

    tion 
   

.

The

    mix-up 
   

    lies 
   

    with 
   

its

    would-be 
   

    inter- 
   

    preters, 
   

the

    religious 
   

    leaders 
   

of

    this 
   

    so-called 
   

    "Christendom", 
   

who

    disagree 
   

    among 
   

    them- 
   

    selves, 
   

and

    violently 
   

so

at

    times 
   

.

    Hence, 
   

as

the

    reader 
   

    approaches 
   

the

    study 
   

of

the

    Bible 
   

    with 
   

    this 
   

    book 
   

in

    hand, 
   

he

is

    neither 
   

    being 
   

    invited 
   

nor

    being 
   

led

to

    study 
   

    God's 
   

    sacred 
   

    Word 
   

ac-

    cording 
   

to

the

    perplexing, 
   

    mysterious 
   

    religious 
   

    errors 
   

of

    "Christendom" 
   

.

He

is

    asked 
   

to

    study 
   

    according 
   

to

    what 
   

God

    himself 
   

has

to

say

in

His

own

    Word 
   

.

    "For 
   

God

is

not

a

God

of

    confu- 
   

    sion, 
   

but

of

    peace 
   

."

3

To

    arrive 
   

at

    truth 
   

we

    must 
   

    dismiss 
   

    religious 
   

    prejudices 
   

    from 
   

    heart 
   

and

    mind 
   

.

We

    must 
   

let

God

    speak 
   

for

    himself 
   

.

Any

    other 
   

    course 
   

    would 
   

    lead 
   

    only 
   

to

    further 
   

    confusion 
   

.

    What 
   

if

    men, 
   

*

    Quoted 
   

    from 
   

1

    Corinthians 
   

14

:

33,

    American 
   

    Standard 
   

    Version 
   

.

3

.

(a)

To

    arrive 
   

at

    truth, 
   

    what 
   

    must 
   

we

do?

(b)

In

    view 
   

of

the

    faithlessness 
   

of

    men, 
   

    what 
   

    stand 
   

    should 
   

we

    take? 
   

8 “LET GOD BE TRUE” common, but their centuries-old religious differences, quarrels and errors have brought reproach upon both Him and the written Word which he has given to mankind. The bewildered seekers for truth have in many cases said in hopelessness: “Oh, the Bible is an old fiddle upon which you ean play any old tune.” If true, that would mean that the Bible’s Author was all mixed up and divided against himself. But this could not be so of the God whose visible creation of the universe is marvelously harmonious and not divided against itself. Reasonably, then, his Book, the Bible, could not be all mixed up and allowing for just any interpretation. The mix-up lies with its would-be interpreters, the religious leaders of this so-called “Christendom”, who disagree among themselves, and violently so at times. Hence, as the reader approaches the study of the Bible with this book in hand, he is neither being invited nor being led to study God’s sacred Word aecording to the perplexing, mysterious religious errors of “Christendom”. He is asked to study according to what God himself has to say in His own Word. “For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.’”’* * To arrive at truth we must dismiss religious prejudices from heart and mind. We must let God speak for himself. Any other course would lead only to further confusion. What if men, * Quoted from 1 Corinthians 14:33, American Standard Version. (a) To arrive at truth, what must we do? (b) In view of the faithtessness of men, what stand should we take?