In debate over Paul's discourse to the Athenian idolaters in Acts 17, the Hardshells have had a tough time showing how they agree with Paul in affirming that the gospel is to be preached to "all men" and that "all men" are commanded to "repent" and "seek the Lord." In the editorial writings of C. H. Cayce, the greatest defender of Hardshellism, Cayce posted a letter from a brother Oliphant who was showing how the Hardshells are against what Paul taught because they do not believe in calling upon all to repent and seek the Lord. Cayce then responded to Oliphant with some comments relative to the passage. (all emphasis mine - SG)
First, let me cite from brother Oliphant's letter.
"The gospel also makes it the duty of 'all nations of men' that 'dwell on all the face of the earth' to seek the Lord. Acts 17: 26: 'And hath made of one blood (Adam) all nations of men (all human creatures), for to dwell on all the face of the earth; and hath determined the times before appointed (when they shoulud each exist), and the bounds of their habitation' (where they should each exist). Verse 27: 'That they (relative pronoun, which has for its antecedent all nations of men) should (duty) seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us.' Verse 28; 'For in Him we live, move, and have our being' (existence). Here is accountability in its full force, declared by the Lord in His gospel, or counsel. Since all the human specie is commanded to repent, and seek the Lord, it is each and every one's duty, and God by His gospel requires all duty to be performed; and whatever God requires of His creatures is His 'counsel' to them; and He hath commanded His ministry 'shun not to declare the whole counsel of God." ("The Spirituality Of The Gospel," Editorial Writings, Vol. 1, July 24, 1906, pages 98, 99)
Cayce responded, saying:
"He does not quote all of the 28th verse. That verse, in full, and the 29th and 30th verses read, 'For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.' Paul is here preaching to a people who are the offspring of God--born of God--a people who have been worshipping God ignorantly, having an altar erected to the unknown God. They are commanded to turn away from their ignorant or idolatrous worship, and all those who are born of God, the offspring of God everywhere, who are engaged in such worship are commanded to repent. There is nothing in this text for the unregenerate. It is to the children of God who are engaging in false worship, and it is the duty of the ministry to admonish all such persons to repent, turn away from it and worship the Lord as directed in His word." (Ibid)
Cayce did a hatchet job on this passage of scripture in order to uphold his false proposition, one that affirms that the unregenerate are never commanded to repent, seek the Lord, or to believe the gospel. It is a classic case of "twisting" the scripture. (II Peter 3: 16), of "handling the word of God deceitfully." (II Cor. 4: 2) It is classic Hyper Calvinism to deny the well meant offer of the gospel to all men. Cayce, in defining "offspring of God" to mean "born of God" has involved himself in several absurdities. His view identifies idol worshippers as "born again" children of God. He argues that the Athenian idolaters, even while in such a state, as "born again." Can anything be more absurd and against plain scripture?
These Athenian idolaters were not "believers" in the true God or in Jesus Christ, and yet Cayce will call them "believers" to whom the gospel should be preached! But, what they believe in is not the one true God, and yet Cayce will call them "believers"!
In his interpretation of Romans 1: 16 (and similar passages), Cayce will say that the gospel is the power of God to those who are "believers," but not the kind of "believer" who believes in the one true God and Jesus Christ! His kind of "believer" is anyone who believes in any kind of "god."
It is no wonder that Hardshells have had many problems with many of their people embracing "universalism" and "no-hellism."
Paul does not believe that all men are the spiritual children of God when he refers to them as the "offspring of God," but that they are all his creation. They are all his natural children. No Baptist forefather, prior to the rise of the Hardshells, interpreted the passage as does Cayce. Actually, Cayce and his Hardshell brethren believe a man can be a follower of AntiChrist and still be born of the Spirit of God! He can be a heathen idolater and still be born of God! Is that not absurd?
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