JAMES WHITE'S OBSESSION WITH "PRE-FAITH
REGENERATION"
DRIVES HIM TO FAULTY "EXEGESIS" OF SCRIPTURE
[04/02/04]
I would not make a "point" about this particular item, but
since James White is so insistent upon the proper "exegesis" of Scripture, I
can't resist referring to it. Throughout the debate book with Dave Hunt, James
often insists upon proper "exegesis" and hammers Dave Hunt for his lack of
it.
I didn't bother to count the number of times, but the word
"exegesis" is used by James so frequently that I received the impression
it is one of his very favorite words. Unfortunately, using the word itself so
often does not appear to have verified that James is an outstanding "exegete" of
Scripture. In fact, he seems to be more of an "execrator" than an exegete in
many instances.
For example, in typical "Hardshell" fashion, James has
God "knocking down" the apostle Paul (Hunt-White Debate, page 205). How
many times has the typical Hardshell Baptist preacher talked about God's
"knocking Paul down" and regenerating him on the spot without any "help" from
preachers or using the means of the Gospel? There was an ole Hardshell in
Kentucky who used this type of expression time and time again in his effort to
prove that Paul was regenerated according to the order preached by
Hardshells.
Not only does James advocate the basic Hardshell line of
doctrine on regeneration before faith, he even is given to the same type of
"exegesis" in regard to account of the conversion of the apostle Paul
(Acts 9, 22, 26).
James alleges that God "knocked him [Paul] off his
horse" (page 205). [See Benedictine monk's drawing at Printery House website].
This
is "exegesis"?
(1) There is nothing in Acts or any other Scripture
which I recall that even says Paul had a horse. There is definitely nothing in
Acts or any other Scripture that says Paul was "knocked" off of a horse, a
donkey, a camel, a chariot, a bicycle, a scooter, a skateboard, a motorcycle, or
any other means of transportation.
The word "horse" is nowhere found in
the passages. It is as mythical as James' theory of "regeneration."
(2)
There is nothing said in Acts or in any of Paul's epistles about his being
"knocked" off of anything. The Scripture simply says that Paul "fell" to the
earth (Acts 9:4, 22:7, 26:14).
(3) Paul was not the only one who
fell to the earth, however. He was not singled out to be "knocked off his
horse," and was not the only one to fall to the ground. Acts 26:14 says "And
when WE WERE ALL fallen to the earth." This was not something "special"
that happened to Paul in particular, as if it was of peculiar significance.
Since they "all" fell to the ground, it does not seem likely that this was of
any spiritual importance.
(3) After blind Paul arose from the ground, he
was "led by the hand" to Damascus (Acts 22:11), not "by the horse's
bridle." If he had been on a horse, would he not have been led by the horse's
bridle rather than by the hand? Would it not be the horse that would need the
leading, since blind Paul would not have been able to use the bridle to guide
the horse?
But his being "led by the hand" indicates he did not have a horse,
does it not?
Like I said, I don't make a "big deal" out of minor flaws
such as this, but since James uses this word picture of Paul's being "knocked
off his horse" in his distorted presentation to try to depict how God works to
regenerate sinners, it does demonstrate just how careless a self-proclaimed
"exegete" can become when he himself is riding a hobbyhorse.
This
reminds me of the Campbellites who lay such great stress upon how they "speak
where the Bible speaks," yet they are in the habit of speaking where it does not
speak. For example, they speak about "vocal music (singing) only" when they
oppose instrumental music, when in fact the Bible never uses the word "music" of
singing; it is used only of instrumental music.
All hobbyists have their
hobbyhorses, don't they?-- Bob L.Ross
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