How though do we now view the letters of Peter, James and John? Do they have any place in the Scriptures if they are the work of apostates and what about The Revelation, what are we to make of that?
Steve J,
Apostasy does not have to be a permanent condition. We can repent somewhere during it and try to correct our errors. That is what James did. His letter was a correction from this apostasy as he finally threw out his support for the Law covenant by no longer keeping the Law and reduced his new found views to this: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. There were other things in it as well showing that James no longer supported his views on keeping the Law for salvation. This is why he wrote his letter to the Jews that supported his older views. 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. Not that it mattered much by then for Jews or Gentiles. The book of Hebrews settled the matter once and for all and the best that James could hope for is to help Jews everywhere that were still following the views he once supported at Jerusalem. So much for the WT governing body. But at least James who’s policies nearly killed Paul now turned away from this apostasy and we can see it in his letter. Pretty tough to do for such a proud man.
Peter was less of a problem but the scriptures show that he was not corrected when Paul rebuked him at Antioch. Peter ran down to Jerusalem for support and did not change his views until much later when Paul finally visited them at Acts 15 (Gal 2:1-10) to review the matter the first time. Peter then found himself running into the same problems that Paul did and said: 2 Pet 3: 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He focused on the death of Christ as an assurance and Godliness or good conduct. He also supported Paul in this effort and said: 2 Pet 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. So the matter was not a minor one. Twisting the scriptures is destructive. At least their Jewish views were based upon truth and did serve this purpose for a long time. The twisting that the WT and others do never was truth and often kills those supporting it. Their blood and party card views are just a few examples of this.
John really took notice of the damage all this caused the faith and wrote about love and much deeper Christian views than the others. But John now came down pretty hard on apostasy also. He saw first hand the damage it did over a long period of time. So John said of such ones: 1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. And there are many such examples in his letters. This one on apostasy pertains to present WT views when John said: 1Jo 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. And again: 2Jo 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Why? Because even John did not believe at first and made this mistake himself as did the rest of the apostles. Such wrong views continued to this day however inspite of this revelation. This became an issue only after His death and resurrection. And since Christ promised to return the same way he went up (in the flesh) it makes all of the WT and their teachings apostate. All their invisible and spiritual rantings become bogus apostate thoughts with millions victimized by them. John came around early and was blessed as a result resulting in his letters and the Revelation. That is what I make of it.
Joseph
P.S. For some time now I have thought Paul was the apostate, because he was so scathing of the Jerusalem Elders and apostles, in scriptures such as Gal 2:1-9 & Phil 3:2-4.
And they deserved it. But Paul as the new man on the block was also highly respectful of them and unwittingly let them get away with their apostasy for a long time. But we also see him mature and excell in the faith. Like many of us today who find ourselves in this situation. Some simply cannot bring themselves to believe that they are being used and abused by those teaching them who they have come to respect.
JM
