Biblical Separation Defended - Far Eastern Bible College

to be proclaimed will cooperate, be he a modernist or not. Dr. Fermcontends also that this is the method advocated by the Lord. In fact, hedeclares, it is not even the responsibility of the evangelist to determinethe motives which may have prompted a believer in evolution or adenier of the atonement to invite a conservative preacher to come. 5 Thusthe criterion for cooperation deduced by Dr. Ferm is solely thewillingness of a host who is aware of the orthodox message to beproclaimed. “On the contrary,” says Dr. Ferm, the evangelist “is moreclosely conforming to the scriptural pattern by going to those who havethe greater spiritual need, as long as he declares to them the wholecounsel of God.” 6The Writer’s CritiqueAmid the Lord’s instructions to the twelve in Matthew 10: 11 theexpression, “Search out who in it is worthy,” is found. Since these wordsare in the best manuscripts, there are no textual problems involved inthem. 7 The Greek verb, exetazo, translated “search out,” according toArndt and Gingrich’s Lexicon means, “1. Scrutinize, examine, inquire,make a careful search for someone; 2. Question, examine, someone . . .Question judicially, esp. in connection with torture.” 8 The word axios,“worthy,” appears seven times in Matthew 10 alone, and when it refersto persons, as in the case at hand, it means “worthy,” and “fit.” 9 It isdifficult perhaps to determine the exact and full implications of thesewords, but certain extremes can be eliminated and a degree of certaintycan be apprehended. The searching out of the worthy host could not bereferring to a prolonged extensive investigation involving repeatedinterviews and committee consultations. The contextual circumstancesand the time factor would prohibit this. However, a searching out of aworthy party clearly is commanded and this carries with it theunmistakable implication that certain homes were unworthy.What are the criteria for worthiness that the context would seem tocall for? One criterion would no doubt be a house that would not giveoffense to the townspeople, and so retard the new religious thrust.Would the home of a friendly gentile sorcerer or idol worshiper hinderthe proclamation by the twelve that “The Kingdom of Heaven is athand?” It would not only hinder it, it would annihilate it! Or suppose14