Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/32

 26 The Plan of the

knowledge of the present and the future ; not, however, be- cause they alwaysunderstood God's plans and purposes better than we, but because God used them as his mouthpieces to communicate to us, and to all the Church throughout the Christian Age, truth relative to his plans, as fast as it becomes due. This fa<fl is abundantly proven by the apostles. Paul tells us that God has made known to the Christian Church the mystery (secret) of his will which he had purposed in himself, and had never before revealed, though he had it recorded in dark sayings which could not be understood until due, in order that the eyes of our understanding should be opened to appreciate the "high calling" designed ex- clusively for believers of the Christian Age. (Eph. i : 9, 10, i 7? 18; 3: 4-6.) This shows us clearly that neither the prophets nor the angels understood the meaning of the prophecies uttered. Peter says that when they inquired anxiously to know their meaning, God told them that the truths covered up in their prophecies were not for them- selves, but for us of the Christian Age. And he exhorts the Church to hope for still ^further grace (favor, blessing) in this dire&ion yet more knowledge of God's plans. i Pet. i : 10-13.

It is evident that though Jesus promised that the Church should be guided into all truth, it was to be a gradual unfold- ing. While the Church, in the days of the apostles, was free from many of the errors which sprang up under and in Papacy, yet we cannot suppose that the early church saw as deeply or as clearly into God's plan as it is possible to see to-day. It is evident, too, that the different apostles had different degrees of insight into God's plan, though all their writings were guided and inspired of God, as truly as were the words of the prophets. To illustrate differences of knowledge, we have but to remember the wavering course, for a time, of Peter and the other apostles, except Paul,

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