Journal: Central Bible Quarterly
Volume: CENQ 01:3 (Fall 1958)
Article: The Hour For Searching The Word
Author: Earle E. Matteson

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CenQ 1:3 (Fall 1958) p. 1

The Hour For Searching The Word

Earle E. Matteson

Delivered at Annual Conservative Baptist Meeting at Denver, June 1958

Western Regional Vice President, C.B.A. of A.
Pastor, Palo Verde Baptist Church, Tucson, Arizona

We Conservative Baptists have always maintained that we are Bible believing Baptists. Our adherence to the great doctrines of the faith as found in the Scriptures led us to separate from inclusivism and apostasy in denominationalism. Since we are so identified, why then is it necessary to remind ourselves that this is the time to search the Word?

One obvious answer stresses the fact that to be Christo-centric it is necessary to be Biblio-centric. It is impossible to separate the Living Word from the written Word. Jesus applied the teaching of His sermon on the Bread of Life (John 6) to Himself. This teaching offended many disciples to such an extent that they left Him (v. 66). Almost wistfully Jesus turned to the twelve and said, “Will ye also go away?” Peter’s response acknowledged the relationship of the Living Word to the written Word when he said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life” (v. 68). The Scriptures emphasize this intimate relationship. Our Lord is called the Word (John 1:1). The writer of the book of Hebrews (10:7) used the words of the Psalmist to define the mission of Jesus Christ when he wrote, “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me,) to do thy will, O God.” The Word of God is the message of the Son of God and His divine mission.

Another reason for searching the Scriptures concerns the purity of our movement. The trend of every religious movement that has begun in purity of standard and purpose has been from absolutism to relativism. The purity of purpose and doctrine in our own movement will be maintained to the extent that we retain the absolute of the Word of God. Thus every institution, church, leader, or society must be measured by this standard. Therefore we must search the Word because of

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