A New Dawn Over Devon (29 page)

 48 
I Believe

Let me ask you another question very directly,” now said Chairman Roul again. If the women were afraid to speak the word, he was not. He wanted to get to the bottom of this single question most of all. “Are you or are you not a universalist?”

Timothy took in the question and inwardly sighed. He would prefer to follow the Lord's example and say nothing. He realized his words would be less than useless against such a mentality, and that silence in the face of an accusing spirit was normally the best course of action. Yet on this occasion he felt the need to clarify his position as best he could. Maybe
one
of them would hear him.

“No,” he said finally. “I am not a universalist.”

“What, then, is your view on the afterlife? Do you believe in hell?”

“Of course,” replied Timothy. “It is a clear scriptural truth, one intended, as is everything of God's, for the ultimate benefit of creation. How could I not believe in it? The Bible is the source of truth, and upon it I base everything I believe.”

“Oh, so you
do
believe in the Bible,” commented Mrs. Packer with obvious sarcasm. “I hadn't been able to tell.”

“Certainly I believe in the Bible.”

“You believe it is the literal and inspired Word of God?”

“Definitely,” replied Timothy, looking at them more perplexed than ever. “My entire life and ministry is based upon its principles and precepts.”

“Then . . . where do these charges against you originate?” she went on.

“I presume from people who love the Bible's truth less than I do.”

She squirmed and was silent.

“So you believe in the literal inspiration of the Bible?” now repeated Mrs. Paulus, still unable to bring herself to accept his affirmation.

“Absolutely.”

“But, as I understand it, you are in sympathy with the universalist view?” said Roul, coming back to the sticking point.

“I am intrigued by it,” replied Timothy. “But I recognize that the Bible is not clear on the matter, just as it is not clear on many matters. I believe God desires us to inquire into but not be dogmatic on such issues. Therefore, I have formed no definite opinion.”

“How can you possibly say the Bible is not clear on the matter?”

“I assumed that you were familiar with the contradictory verses.”

“Now you are saying that the Bible contradicts itself!” exclaimed Mrs. Packer.

“Anyone who has studied the Bible knows as much.”

“I thought you believed it was the inspired word of God,” said Mrs. Paulus.

“I do. But for reasons known only to God, it contains contradictions, or perhaps what should more accurately be called
apparent
contradictions. That is why we must approach it with a thinking and open mentality.”

“Give me an example of such a contradiction,” said chairman Roul, poising his pen to take down Timothy's words, thinking that this should provide all the evidence they needed.

“Well, since you brought it up, your question about universalism offers a perfect example,” replied Timothy. “We have Matthew 25:46, Philippians 2:10, and John 12:32 all staring each other in the face—the first seeming to indicate eternal damnation, the latter two apparently indicating universal salvation through Christ. These three passages force me—as one who believes that
all
Scripture is inspired, not just those portions which bolster my own views—to keep an open mind with regard to the afterlife. I have no alternative but to say, ‘I do not know the answer to this scriptural conundrum.'”

The three shifted uneasily. It was not the answer they had expected.

“The Word of God is unequivocal,” said Mrs. Packer, quickly gathering herself to resume defense of the faith. “‘And these shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.'”

“I agree with you, Mrs. Packer,” nodded Timothy, then added a smile as he went on, “those words do seem unequivocal. Just as unequivocal as Jesus' words when he said, ‘If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw
all
men unto me.' It is indeed a mystery, is it not, what is in God's heart to do?”

She did not see what there was to smile about.

“I take it, then, that you believe all men will be saved?” said Roul.

“Not necessarily,” replied Timothy. “I don't know. My point is simply that Jesus said he would draw
all
men to himself. Since I take the Bible as truth, I do not know how to reconcile the
everlasting punishment
of Matthew 25:46 with the
all men
of John 12:32 and the
every
knee and
every
tongue of Philippians 2:10. Therefore, being one who believes that we must take the whole Bible as it comes to us, not pick and choose to support our opinions and traditions, I keep an open mind. I say that the Bible has not revealed full truth to us on this matter, just as it has not revealed full truth to us on many matters. In short, I am not a universalist, but neither am I
not
a universalist. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and a son of his Father. I seek to obey them both, and I leave
full
revelation of truth, and the eternal souls of mankind, believers and unbelievers alike, in his hands.”

“Why do you insist on propagating this particular doctrine?” said Mrs. Packer, her face flushed in anger at what she had just heard.

“I don't,” replied Timothy. “What I have just said to you behind closed doors, I have never said from the pulpit. I especially do not propagate it because, as I said, I honestly do not know what is in God's heart to do. These are high matters that can be confusing to some who have been so steeped in the tradition of the elders that they have ceased to be capable of thinking without fear of committing some doctrinal indiscretion. I do not care to try to set anyone right about this or that point where that tradition satisfies them, especially if they long for nothing more in the way of meat and drink for their souls. And in particular I have no interest in propagating a view I am uncertain of myself. I simply want people to think, and to approach their Bibles honestly, not fearfully and with closed minds. So I do not talk of these things openly.”

“There are those in your congregation who say that you force this view upon others.”

“They are in error. They make more of my words than I intend. There are also many people of my acquaintance, and in the church as well, who have no idea I even think about such things. Speculation about the afterlife is no more important to me than any other aspect of faith. Far
less
important than obedience, for example, and many other more important truths upon which I base my ministry.”

“And what would those important truths be?”

“That we seek to discover the character and nature of God, and that we obey him.”

“And you consider that more important than doctrinal purity?”

“In that doctrinal purity is impossible in this life, I consider knowing who God is and obeying him absolutely more important. We are commanded to love God and live by obedient faith. Nowhere that I know of are we commanded to seek doctrinal purity above those two highest commands.”

Timothy paused a moment, then continued.

“My intent as a minister of the gospel is to point people to their heavenly Father. For those many whose image of him has been marred by a centuries-old tradition not based in the Gospels, I attempt to introduce them to their
real
heavenly Father—that is the Father whom Jesus called
Abba
—and tell them that he is good, loving, and trustworthy, exactly as Jesus said he was. Upon that foundation, I try to help Christians think, to encourage them to prayerfully search the Scriptures. On matters of doctrine I try to encourage them to draw their own conclusions as they feel the Spirit of Christ leading them. Raised in the tradition of conservative evangelicalism, I have been a seeker along the same road as most of my people. Even now I do not hesitate to say that my own perspectives remain growing and incomplete.”

“Then we want to know your position on these things now,” said Mrs. Packer.

“What things?”

“I should think it would be obvious,” she answered in a huff, “—the afterlife, heaven and hell, eternal judgment and damnation.”

Timothy thought a moment.

“All right, then. I shall try to answer you as best I can. What I am comfortable saying with absolute certainty on the matter is this—”

He paused and glanced at all three. Their pens were ready to take down what he said, and when he opened his mouth he spoke slowly so there could be no mistaking his words.

“—I believe that the love, goodness, forgiveness, and trustworthiness of the Father of Jesus Christ are infinite,” Timothy went on. “Therefore, I trust Him completely. Though he slay me, yet will I trust him, and so may all creation likewise trust him. He is a
good
Father, so all he does must be good and can only be good. His essential nature is
love
, so everything that proceeds out of his divine will must reflect that love. It is in his heart to
forgive
infinitely. Jesus told us so. Therefore . . . we may trust him, and trusting him, may trust him for
all
things, for
all
men, for
all
possibilities. What is in the heart of God the Father to do will be full of
love
, full of
goodness
, and full of
forgiveness
. And in those foundational truths of his essential nature and character I rest. In those foundational truths of his essential nature and character are all my questions swallowed up. I am at peace . . . for I trust Him.”

“Is that all?” said Mrs. Paulus.

“Beyond that, I care not to go,” answered Timothy. “You asked for a statement of my current view, and there you have it.”

“That sounds like a liberal speaking, Mr. Diggorsfeld,” said Mr. Roul.

“That is your label, not mine.”

The chairman squirmed slightly in his chair.

“To speak bluntly,” Timothy continued, “in my view the key reason why those on both sides of this issue struggle so hard to systematize their personal theologies, and err in the process, is that they don't trust God enough. That is why this issue has proved so divisive in the church this past half-century in our country. So many feel they must put together a system of belief constructed out of their own incomplete intellects.”

“You consider our intellects incomplete and our doctrines in error?”

“Certainly. All of ours are,” Timothy went on. “I would far rather trust God for biblical uncertainties than to convince myself that I am sure of his will on every thorny issue as many seem to consider it their duty to do. Being wrong does not frighten me nearly so much as being unable to trust God to do what is right and good, though my fallible human intellect will of a certainty be unable to discern
how he will accomplish that in every instance. That is why I do not take sides in this dispute, but say only, ‘God knows.'”

A long silence followed.

At length Mrs. Packer, her face still red, nodded to her two colleagues. They rose.

“I think we have heard enough,” she said. “Good day, Mr. Diggorsfeld.”

Chairman Roul offered a tentative hand in Timothy's direction.

“Just to set your mind at ease,” he said, “we had agreed before we came that your salary would continue for a month. You will also have continued use of the parsonage during that time. We will, however, arrange for a supply minister for this Sunday and for all subsequent services until a permanent replacement has been found.”

Timothy shook his hand, still not believing what he was hearing, then looked at the two women. Mrs. Packer was unmoved.

“You have preached your last sermon at New Hope Chapel,” she said firmly. “Good day, Mr. Diggorsfeld.”