Maurice M Johnson & Bob Haines
Hollywood, California
circa 1940How do you do. We're coming to you with another Bible study on the general theme of the gospel of the circumcision and the gospel of the uncircumcision. You who listened in the former broadcast know that brother Bob Haines from Toledo, Ohio was with me as we discussed the subject, "How is a sinner saved today, and is it different from a former period?" Or, is the gospel of the circumcision, as brother J.C. O'Hair of Chicago, brother Harry Bultema of Muskegon, Michigan, brother Cornelius Stam of Paterson, New Jersey, and Charles Baker of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, all of whom are together in what they have recently organized and called the Worldwide Grace Testimony, and they now have a Bible Institute just started in ... shortly ... just a little while ago, started in Milwaukee, are these men correct in teaching, as they do, that the gospel of the circumcision so called by Paul in his epistle to Galatians, Galatians 2nd chapter, is that message the gospel of the circumcision a plan of saving sinners that required water baptism and some other works." and Paul's gospel of the uncircumcision a different kind of salvation message? Now is that so?
Brother Bob Haines and I discussed that in the last broadcast and we're Going to go on with it today. I plead with you to stay tuned in and with an honest heart, an open mind, and go to an open Bible. But first, brother Bob Haines is going to bring a message in song accompanied at the piano by my wife.
Let me make this word of announcement however. If you'd like a study on the subject "Extreme Dispensationalism" and another one on "The Three Passovers
and the Lord's Supper, or Is a Physical Supper for the Church which Is Christ's Body?", if you'd like one or both of those studies, write for it and we'll send it to you gladly free of charge. Address Maurice Johnson, Box 21, Los Angeles 42. Box 21, Los Angeles 42. Notice that the zone number is twice the size of the box number. I give it the third or fourth time, Box 21, Los Angeles 42. Won't you write, please do, let us send you this, it'll help you to be prepared to meet a very clever and sickening error. Now listen to brother Bob Haines sing before he and I resume the discussion on this subject.
(sings "Wonderful Morning")
Amen, amen. Now just a word about the Bible study, the things: brought out in our former broadcast. Brother Bob Haines of Toledo, Ohio who is with me today in this transcription studio in Hollywood, California. We were talking on, as I said a few moments ago, on the statements in Galatians the 2nd chapter where we have Paul's inspired utterances regarding the gospel of the circumcision which he said was committed to Peter as the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to him. And that Peter, James, and John were to go to the circumcision, or the Jew, and he, Paul, and Barnabas were to go to the uncircumcision, or the Gentile. And we brought out, both of us we're sorry to admit, have to admit rather, glad to admit but sorry to have to admit, both of us formerly believed that there were at least two ways of saving members of Adam's family since the cross. That Peter's message as recorded in Acts the 2nd chapter, and referred to by Paul in Galatians the 2nd chapter as the gospel of the circumcision required water baptism for remission of sins. But that what Paul referred to as 'my gospel' in Romans the 2nd chapter, and ... well several places, Romans the 16th chapter, and the gospel that he preached that he said he got by revelation of Jesus Christ, Galatians the 1st chapter and Galatians 2, that Paul's gospel was a different message as to how to save sinners from that given to Peter. That is an awful error as we brought out rather hastily in the last broadcast.
I reminded you, or brought to your attention, that in the very chapter where we have the two apparent gospels, gospel of the circumcision and uncircumcision, in the very same chapter a little later on Paul gives words that makes it very, very plain that the gospel of the circumcision and the gospel of the uncircumcision were not two different ways of saving sinners. That the difference evidently was in the people to whom the messenger went. Peter was to take the gospel to the circumcision; Paul was to take the gospel to the uncircumcision. But as to the gospel, the good news that saves a sinner, it is exactly the same.
Paul makes it plain, as I brought out in the last broadcast in Galatians. 2: 14. He says,
When I saw that they,
Peter and Jewish leaders,
walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel.
There he shows that the real gospel, the way to save a sinner, is just the gospel. Now I know that the difference between the gospel of the kingdom, the good news regarding the restoring of the kingdom to Israel, that message includes the gospel of the grace of God, but it also includes this national program with God's earthly people Israel and then with the rest of the Gentile nations, which broader message is not included in the gospel of the uncircumcision or the good news as to how Gentiles are saved. But be well sure of this: there never has been but one way of saving sinners.
Now brother O'Hair of Chicago whom I have loved and respected and from whose teaching in years gone by I profited greatly ... indeed I was an assistant pastor to him in 1924 in Chicago. And I have profited from his ministry. But I now know that his present teaching is the essence of Bullingerism. The teaching of the late E.W. Bullinger of England that taught that there not only are two plans of salvation since Pentecost, since the death of Christ, the resurrection, but that there are two churches. Brother O'Hair of Chicago, Charles Baker of Milwaukee, Cornelius Stam of Paterson, New Jersey, Harry Bultema of Muskegon, and others more or less, I think I can more or less accurately and not unkindly call lesser lights, who are teaching that the church of Acts 2 and the church of Acts 10 and the Gentiles that Peter preached to, referred to in Acts 15, formed a church that is not the same as the church of Ephesians and even the church of Galatians, and so forth. Well so they've got two churches, at least two since Pentecost as well as two gospels, two ways of saving sinners.
Well that is very hurtfully false. That is very easily disproven by anyone who will diligently and prayerfully read Galatians the 2nd chapter before you draw your conclusions about the expression gospel of the circumcision being one way of saving a sinner and the gospel of the uncircumcision another way.
In brother O'Hair's book, a rather recent book, called, "Bible Truth What We Believe and Why We Believe It", brother O'Hair brings out ... or says here that the way people were saved in the message Peter preached required water baptism for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38. But that after Paul received his gospel and begin to preach it, no water baptism was required. Well my dear friends, here on page 50 of brother O'Hair's book, "Bible Truth What We Believe and Why We Believe It", brother O'Hair says, It is true concerning the message and significance of water baptism as preached in Acts 2:38, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Now they teach, along with many others, the followers of Alexander Campbell and of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and the largest sect in Christendom, all of those teach that Peter's message in Acts 2:38, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit", is water baptism essential to salvation, and then the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Do you think the Lord Jesus Christ would have said, the risen Christ, would have said as recorded in Acts 1:5, to that very preacher Peter and others of the apostles, "John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence." You think the Lord would have said that if He was going to inspire Peter ten days later to say, "Repent, and he baptized in water for the remission of sins, and then be baptized with the Holy Spirit for something else." No my friends. The baptism referred to in Acts 2:38 is not and can not be, or could not be, water. It is the baptism that puts you into Jesus Christ. For remissions of sins is in Christ. It isn't in a river. We must get in Christ, the ark of our safety. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it." "I am the door; by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved." Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Well how do you get into Christ? Galatians 3:28, "As many as were baptized into Christ."
Does the preacher baptize you into Christ? The preacher might baptize you into water. Now it's true when a preacher preaches a gospel message to humble penitent listeners, that message will be used of God to baptize you. That's the meaning of baptism in Matthew 28, the so-called "Great Commission", "Go ye into all the world and teach all nations., baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." The text doesn't ... the Lord didn't say, "Go ye into all the world and teach all nations and baptize them in water in the name of Christ." He said, "Teach all nations, baptizing." In other words, the teaching of the truth of God baptizes the listener. The word 'baptism' doesn't suggest water except those dear people who have theological water on the brain. The word 'baptism' my friend cannot be understood at all in the Scriptures except that we see how God Himself uses it.
Now may God help you to see that. And don't forget that we have Bible studies on the subject of "Extreme Dispensationalism" that we'd be so happy to send you. I think I'm going to stop this very moment to give you the address again. Address Maurice Johnson, Box 21, Los Angeles 42. And we do not call the names of men to be unbrotherly or unkind, but to be godly in frankness and helpful.
My dear friends, we of course can't give over the radio as much in detail, and ... in fact, with some of fervent indictments that we feel and believe God would have us to give when we're not using private facilities, such as a radio in speaking. We can't give, we can't deal in the same, the same degree of helpful frankness that we can when no one is involved in the results but we ourselves. I'm referring to the fact that in writing and in speaking to a visible audience, we can deal much more specifically in calling names and in reading from writing. And in the study "Extreme Dispensationalism" and other studies we'd be glad to send you free of charge if you'll write for them, we not only call names but quote copiously from writings to prove ... now for in-stance I have here ... don't forget now to write for this study "Extreme Dispensationalism" -- it'll help you. It isn't simply anti, it's pro, it's for the Lord Jesus Christ.
And don't be misled. We who are speaking, brother Bob Haines of Toledo, Ohio, whose voice you'll hear in a moment, and I ... we believe that Paul was the unique apostle to the Gentiles. We believe without any mental reservations, God helping us, what Paul stated, and have some clear conception of the significance of it, we're he stated as found in Romans 11th chapter 12th verse, "I the apostle to the Gentiles magnify my office." And then Colossians 1, "Unto me it is given to", complete or "fulfill the word of God for you Gentiles". That is, the Word of God regarding the church and that the mystery regarding Christ in us the hope of glory was given to and through Paul, never before to or through anyone else. And that the mystery regarding the fact that the believing Jew and believing Gentile were both and are still being baptized by one Spirit into one body making the new man. That's a mystery, not known in other ages till it was given to and through the apostle Paul. Now brother Haines and I believe those truths and we're endeavoring to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we're called: members of nothing that men can join. We are more or less satisfied with our position in the church which is Christ's body. When I say 'more or less', I simply meant that I do not dare to claim that I am 100% anything that's good, except my position in Christ. I'm complete in Christ; He did that. But as to my part of it, I am a hesitating, halting, and very imperfect disciple of my blessed Lord. But my desire is to be perfectly satisfied with what I have in Christ and my position in Him. And so we're endeavoring to walk in the light of Paul's glorious epistles written after he got to Rome, which epistles give us the unique distinctive characteristic church doctrine. But we do not believe for one moment in any degree or any part of Bullingerism, this ultra dispensationalism that would have two churches since Pentecost and two gospels of saving sinners. Now I have a little tract put out by the Committee for the Worldwide Grace Testimony, Charles M Baker, Secretary, entitled, "Another Gospel". This is published in Milwaukee, "Another Gospel". Here he has that there were three gospels during the book of Acts: Paul's gospel, and Peter's gospel, and a false gospel. He said that Peter's gospel, the circumcision, was based on prophecy but Paul's wasn't. Why Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 says, "l delivered unto you the gospel how that Christ died for our sins according _to the scriptures". Well what scriptures? Why the Hebrew Scriptures. They were the only ones in existence when Christ died. And so Paul referred to the gospel that he preached as being that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. And if you want to see again how Paul bases his ... the plan of salvation for sinners that Paul preached on the Hebrew promises and prophecies, read carefully the 13th chapter of Acts.
But now brother Haines is going to give a few things in the too short time we have left as to why he believes Acts 2:38 is not water baptism. Many people think it must be a separate baptism referred to there from the Spirit baptism because the text says, "Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Spirit." And it is taught that, by many, that there you have water baptism and Spirit baptism. Brother Haines, do you believe that that is true Biblical exposition, or as some say, exegesis? Unsound exegesis to be sure. Let's turn briefly for a few moments to the 3rd chapter of the book of Ephesians. Starting at verse one,
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Note carefully verse 5,
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
Now look carefully in verse 6. Here is the mystery, or one phase of the mystery particularly that which Paul is referring,
That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.
Then in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 13,
For by one Spirit are we baptized into one body,
notice now,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Jew and Gentile? Yes. The Jews first in Acts 2, the Gentiles beginning at Acts 10. And the Jews of course you see were the first members in the body of Christ and the Gentiles later added to them.
And so in Ephesians 2:11,
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles according to the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision,
or the Jews,
That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus ye who were sometime afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Nigh to what? Nigh to God. And God has made of twain one new man. And with Paul's statement in Ephesians 3 that the grace of God was a thing not hitherto revealed, he certainly is not saying anything about the salvation of Jew or Gentile in any dispensation. It's a fact that the middle wall of partition was broken down at the cross, to be sure not revealed for a good many years later, but broken down actually at the cross. The first members being immersed, baptized into the body of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit were Jew, and Gentile later added making together one new man in Christ Jesus seated in heavenly places.
Yes indeed, don' t forget my dear friends, that Peter in the first message preached after the cross to Gentiles, that is to Gentiles as Gentiles, Peter preached to Cornelius and his household of Gentiles ... by the way these modified Bullingerites, these men who do not teach the mast extreme dispensationalism taught that I know of today but who do teach an unBiblical dispensationalism, teaching as we brought out two plans of salvation since the cross, the gospel of the circumcision and the gospel of the uncircumcision, and I trust that you who've listened in recognize that we have shown from the Word of God that those two expressions 'the gospel of the uncircumcision' and 'the gospel of the circumcision' do not mean two ways of saving sinners, but rather two classes of sinners to whom the message was preached. These men teach, these Bullingerites, modified Bullingerites as I was saying, teach that Cornelius and his household of Gentiles had to have water baptism and some other things in order to be saved but that they were saved by a different way. That Peter's message to Cornelius was very different to Paul's message recorded for instance in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith." And these men, J.C. O'Hair of Chicago, Cornelius Stam of Paterson, New Jersey, Harry Bultema of Muskegon, Michigan, Charles Baker of Milwaukee, and others with them, teach that Peter preached a gospel of circumcision message to Cornelius that was very different from Titus 3:5, and they give it as though they were contrasting one with the other. Peter's message in Acts 2 and in Acts 10, they seek to contrast that with Paul's statement in Ephesians 2:8-9, "By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God lest any man should boast." And "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy has He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit."
However, the Word of God makes no such distinction. For Peter himself said in Acts 10:43, after having told of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, Peter then says, Acts 10:43, "To Him," to Christ, "give all the prophets witness that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sin." Now that's as pure grace as anything Paul ever preached. To Christ crucified, buried, and risen, "give all the prophets witness," and Peter's referring to the Old Testament prophets of course, so he says go back brethren to the old Hebrew Scriptures, or if you go back and study them you'll find that all the prophets witnessed to Christ, "that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sin."
And the next verse tells us, "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word." "Then Peter said," and right away they spoke in tongues, and the six Jews that came with Peter were astonished when they saw, heard them speak, these Gentiles speak with tongues as they the Jews had at Jerusalem recorded in Acts 2. "Then Peter said, Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?"
Now we're told in Acts 5:32 that the Lord gives the Holy Spirit to them that obey Him. Well, had the Lord forgotten that when He gave the Holy Spirit to Cornelius and his household of Gentiles simply because and as they heard, submissively heard the gospel? They received the Holy Spirit without being baptized in water.
So you see if Acts 2:38 is water baptism, "Repent, and be baptized," let's change it, "Repent, and get baptized in water in the name of Christ for the remission of sins, and then you'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit," which these modern Bullingerites tell us means the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If that's true, then Peter preached one plan of salvation in Acts 2 and another in Acts. 10. And yet these fellows, that I'm referring to, call both messages the gospel of the circumcision. But Acts 2:38 demands water, if it's water baptism, Acts 2:38 demands water before the Holy Spirit is given, and Acts 10:43-44 records, and -5, and -6, and -7, Acts 10 verses 40-47 shows us the Gentiles hearing the gospel of the grace of God, believing, hearing it submissively, I mean God saw that their hearts were hearing it, for the Scripture says, "While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word." That means to receive with your heart.
"Oh earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. Hear, and your soul shall live." Now, Peter didn't preach two plans of salvation himself, and then Paul a third one. No my friend, there's one way of saving sinners.
Oh write for the study, "Extreme Dispensationalism", and let us send it to you. It'll help you. Don't forget that Peter says in Acts 10:43, there's only one way of saving sinners. Always has been since the fall of man. And Paul in Romans the 4th chapter says Abraham was justified by faith without works, and David, who lived under the law, "describeth the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works." And that's the same as Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5. However, after we are saved in this present dispensation, and with our regeneration, we are made living members of the church which is Christ's body.
I wonder how many of you are going to write for this study "Extreme Dispensationalism". Now this is not a printed message of what brother Bob Haines and I have given exactly but the same truths with quotations from O'Hair's writings, Cornelius Stam's writings, Charlie Baker's writings, and Harry Bultema's writings, and the Word of God... God bless you.