“BEWARE BROTHERS BEARING VERSES” —Gene Edwards.

“BEWARE BROTHERS BEARING VERSES” —
Gene Edwards.

My reply to Gene Edwards (RIP) and any pastor who fears that a “brother bearing verses” might somehow foil his retirement plans.

1. If you don’t like brothers bearing verses… then you might not like Paul. He was always quoting verses from the Old Testament.
2. If you don’t like brothers bearing verses… then what about brothers bearing lots and lots of verses??? I’ve been many years in Christianity, and I can testify that most Christians and their pastors don’t know the Bible very well at all. At best they all “cherry pick” verses upon which to GRANDSTAND… Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyers, Gene Edwards, Baptists preachers, Church of Christ preachers, Methodists, Charismatics, Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel, — you name it. Cherry Pickers One And All.
3. Martin Zender is a brother bearing verses. LOTS OF THEM. He, along with Dean Hough, Jim Coram, A.E. Knock and a few other “unknowns”… are a rare breed of brothers who’ve digested the Bible from front to back. With diligence, patience and a desire to understand.
4. The Cherry Pickers treat the bible (at best) like a SELF-HELP manual. But even then, they find it easier to use Napoleon Hill’s book THINK AND GROW RICH than the Bible. You see, the truth is, the Bible is a book that reveals God. Not self-help instructions.
5. Gene warned about BROTHERS BEARING VERSES because he had carved out a niche. And did not want any “sheep stealing” going on.
6. But it’s going to happen. Bibles are everywhere. Sooner or later, your “sheep” are going to open it up and see that THIS THING IS BIGGER THAN ANYONE LET ON (ROMAN 11:36 — All is out of God, through God and for God).
7. Someone is going to discover I TIMOTHY 4:10 — That God is the savior of all mankind, especially of believers. — Then, whatcha gonna say?
8. I can tell you dear reader, someone did bring I TIM 4:10 to Gene’s attention and what did Gene say? “Yeah, but, what does it matter?”
9. I can tell why it matters… because just one verse prior — verse 9 — says THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING (WORTHY OF ALL WELCOME).
10. And the verse following 4:10 says… THESE THINGS COMMAND AND TEACH.
11. So, if the apostle Paul — supposedly someone special to the “church, which is his body” — says THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, WORTHY OF ALL WELCOME and TEACH AND COMMAND THIS… Then baby, you better BEWARE OF PAUL. Paul might be a “sheep stealer”.
    Grace to you saints, all of you.
    Ace.