- The official site of the Berean Expositor
- Opening Remarks by Charles Welch
- Our Bible Expositions
- Scripture, given by Inspiration of God
- Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
- Dispensational Truth
- Join Us for Bible Study
The official site of The Berean Expositor.
The Bible shows us the way of Salvation, and offers us comfort and direction. It is the means by which God has revealed Himself to us. We must open and explore our Bible, by so doing we extend our knowledge and understanding of God’s plan and purpose for us.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (KJV Bible, 2 Timothy 3:16)
This magazine was produced The Berean Expositor magazine to guide you through the Scriptures, and to provide light and enjoyment for those who wish to know more of God, and of Christ, and thus give precision to our faith and service for Him.
We have called our magazine “The Berean Expositor” because we desire our readers to be as noble as the Bereans in the respect that “they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11)
We have called it “The Berean Expositor” because our desire is to open up the Word – “to expose” for our joy, instruction, correction, and edification its wondrous teaching unto the glory of the Lord.
Charles H. Welch was the first editor of The Berean Expositor, first produced in 1909.
The first edition of the magazine was an 8 page pamphlet published in 1909 by our founder, Charles H. Welch, who circulated it from his humble abode close to London. The Berean Expositor gradually gained popularity by word of mouth. Today, the magazine reaches hundreds of households around the world, in Australia, Philippines, Nigeria, Ghana, France, United States, Canada, to name a few.
The Berean Expositor has the following doctrinal basis:
- All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God
- The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
- The absolute necessity for, and all sufficiency of, The One Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ
- The need for “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15)
The first three of these basic principles would be accepted by many in the evangelical world, but our magazine puts great emphasis on “Right Division” as the key to understanding The Bible. Since 1909, The Berean Expositor has held a unique place among expository publications. While the fundamentals of the faith such as the Inspiration of Scripture, the Deity of Christ, and the basic necessity of His one sacrifice are most tenaciously held, the outstanding characteristic of this magazine is its adherence to the principle of Right Division as in 2 Tim. 2:15, and the encouragement of the Berean attitude as in Acts 17:11. The reader will find every help given concerning the original Hebrew and Greek words, and a unique feature of the exposition is to give the literary structure of passages in such cases where it is deemed to be helpful.
We praise and give thanks unto The Father through our Lord, Jesus Christ. In Him, we have redemption through His Blood, and the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His Grace.
Our Bible Study group are believers from diverse background and denominations, coming together to share the Word of Truth in our Lord Jesus Christ. All believers are welcome, and we impose no code or terms to our fellowship, but we have joy in seeing widely diverse Christians from differing sections of Christendom coming together in the bonds of Truth, celebrating that which is spoken in the Word of God Rightly Divided, concerning His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, the Head of that company addressed as the Church which is His Body.
“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (KJV Bible, Ephesians 1:22-23)
The Chapel of the Opened Book is both our meeting place and registered address of The Berean Publishing Trust CIO, which produces The Berean Expositor. The chapel is located at the heart of London, United Kingdom. You are welcome to visit the chapel, but please get in touch with us prior to your journey to check that we are at the chapel. We work from home, and return to the chapel office on selected days of the week.
Opening Remarks by Charles Welch
This article was written by our founder, Charles H. Welch, in The Berean Expositor in the year of 1909. It was our first editor’s message to which we adhere until this day. We continue to publish expositions of The Word of God, and make known the teachings of Scripture presented by Charles H. Welch, and Stuart Allen, and the successors thereof.
We believe that a word or two would not be amiss, and will certainly answer the queries of some of our readers as to the Purpose, Plan, Platform, and Programme of this little Pamphlet. We believe implicitly, and as a matter beyond dispute, that the original Hebrew and Greek of the Old and New Testaments are fully and verbally inspired. “All Scripture (γραφή, transliteration: graphe, meaning that which is written), is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). We desire, as grace may be given, to “search the Scriptures daily”, and to publish the results regardless of the approval or the disapproval of any. Let it be at once understood, the Bible is infallible, but the searcher is not. There will doubtless be much of human error, but we write the Berean Expositor, for Berean readers, trusting that they will test every statement by the Word of truth.
We do not intend to apologise for the Bible, nor for any teaching which may from time to time be brought to light. While we would seek to avoid any appearance of callousness, and would endeavour not to wound the feelings of our brethren, yet we intend, the Lord being our Helper, to turn back for nothing. We desire the same spirit, in at least some measure, that underlies the words of Paul, “None of these things move me”. Some readers have written words of encouragement, some of warning and censure. We thank them all, but would publicly ask them to refrain from warning us as to “tendencies”, etc., etc. We wish it to be plainly understood that we desire to be kept absolutely regardless of tendencies, if the consideration of such would prevent us from honestly prosecuting our search in the wonderful Word of God.
We are told that we are robbing the Lord’s children of their Bible, and of much of their possessions, by our teaching that the mystery was not revealed until after Acts 28. We are told that our article dealing with Romans 5 savours of “Universalism” and other “isms”. We shall be told that we are on “dangerous ground” with regard to the question of the “Immortality of the soul”; we care not for these things, all we seek is that every reader will “search and see whether these things are so”. If the soul is immortal – good, let us believe it; if not – still good, let us reject it. We cannot go further with Romans 5 and Genesis 3 until this subject is settled.
One thing more. We wish it to be understood that we are not attempting in this day of corporate failure to organise a primitive church, nor to start another “Meeting”, or circle of “Fellowship”. We do not refrain by reason of indifference, but from our understanding of the Word of truth. The Bible Readings that are given at different places are purely Bible Readings and nothing more, the truth received thereat working its own way in each individual case. All believers are welcome, and some who do come represent widely differing sections of Christendom. We impose no code or terms of fellowship, but we have the joy of seeing widely differing brethren drawn together by the bonds of truth, and of seeing some who are enslaved in the fetters of tradition realising the force of the words, “the truth shall make you free”.
The enemy is advancing, we have put on the armour of God; let us not “bite and devour one another”, but gathering around the glorious truth of God, “Let us stand fast to the freedomwherewith Christ has made us free.”
Our Bible Expositions
The Berean Expositor, has been so titled, due to our desire for our readers to emulate the “Bereans” in “Acts 17:10-11”
“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (KJV Bible, Acts 17:10-11)
Our desire also is to open up the Scriptures to unfold the Word of God.
“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called…” (KJV Bible, Ephesians 4:1)
This “calling which you are called with”, is more than a personal desire to serve the Lord. This calling represents a further truth of which Paul speaks in Ephesians 3:8-9:
“Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which from all ages hath been hid in God who created all things;” (Revised Version 1885, Ephesians 3:8-9)
Can we believe this, that it is our privilege in the Purposes of God, to be living at a time when that which was hid in God has now been made clear? This is why we produce our biblical expositions to guide the student through the Scriptures.
Scripture, given by Inspiration of God
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (KJV Bible, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)
From Genesis 1:1 to the last verse in the Book of Revelation, every word in the Scripture is given by the Inspiration of God. They are from holy men of God who spake “as they were moved by the Holy Ghost”.
If we look into the circumstances under which The Bible was written, holy men wrote The Bibleat intervals in the space of more than 1,300 years.
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets…” (KJV Bible, Hebrews 1:1)
They wrote in various geographical locations, spanning vast distances over hundreds of miles. Men from all walks of life were chosen, being moved by The Holy Ghost. While these writers were separated by hundreds of years, and many miles, yet, the written Word remains interconnected and cohesive, a unity. We receive it not as the word of men, but as the word of God.
“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” (1 thessalonians 2:13 )
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (KJV Bible, 2 Timothy 2:15)
“Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth”, we regard as a principle of Biblical Interpretation. It is agreed that, All Scriptures are written for us, for all time, but not everything in the Scripture is written about us, and in all time.
E. W. Bullinger DD (1837-1913), says:
“While the Word of God is written for all persons, and for all time, yet it is true that not every part of it is addressed to all persons or about all persons in all time”. (E. W. Bullinger DD, 1837-1913)
Miles Coverdale, who published the first English Bible in 1535, has the following dictum:
It shall greatly helpe ye to understande Scripture,
if thou mark:
Not only what is spoken, or wrytten,
But of whom,
And to whom,
With what words,
At what time,
Where,
To what intent,
With what circumstance,
Considering what goeth before, and what followeth.
Applying this principle, in light of the above, brings us to “Dispensational Truth”.
Dispensational Truth
Scripture must be interpreted in strict accordance with its dispensational setting. This means that, for example, if a passage speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” of “Israel”, or “Jerusalem”, we do not interpret it as of the Church of today.
A dispensation is a particular economy of administration of God’s dealings with any particular people, having its own peculiar and distinctive characteristics. For example, there was a dispensation of law under Moses; a dispensation of miraculous gifts during Pentecost. Today we are in a dispensation of grace, that of the Mystery (Ephesians 3:3). The right division of truth with regards to the various dispensations is called “dispensational truth”.
Christ came to save His people from their sins, and to proclaim the near advent of the kingdom, which was the kingdom promised to David (Psalm 89:20-29). In Romans 15:8 which also, is in harmony with Matthew 10:5-6 and 15:24, we read:
“Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:” (KJV Bibile, Romans 15:8)
“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (KJV Bible, Matthew 10:5-6)
Jesus, even, said:
“But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (KJV Bible, Matthew 15:24)
And his first Ministerial words were “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)
“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (KJV Bible, Matthew 4:17)
Indeed, a church began at Pentecost, which differs from the churches of today. However, “the church which is His body”, a title we meet only in Ephesians 1, is entirely different from previous announcements. Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 is largely an exposition of the prophet Joel, and there is certainly nothing about the Church age in Joel. The book of the Acts is a continuation of the witness concerning the kingdom of heaven (refer to the use of word began in Acts 1:1 and Hebrews 2:3-4). The same people (Israel) are addressed, the same keyword of “Repent” is heard, and the same miraculous accompaniments as are recorded in Matthew 10:1-10 are there. These miracles continue right to the end of the book of Acts. At that point, in the narrative of Acts, Paul is inspired to quote Isaiah 6:9-10 to the representatives of the Jews of the Dispersion in the city of Rome consequent upon their rejection of Christ and His claims, therefore Paul is moved to say:
“Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” (KJV Bible, Acts 28:28)
We believe that the Prison Epistles, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon and 2 Timothy, were written after the crisis of Acts 28:25-28, and we therefore speak of The Dispensation of the Mystery.
Our Bible Study group comes together from different sections of Christendom around the world. We meet together to share, to learn, and to rejoice in our Biblical knowledge of God.
“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” (KJV Bible, Philippians 4:4)
Join Us for Bible Study
We praise and give thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ, having saved us through the redemption by His blood, and the forgiveness of sins. It is Christ who died, and rose again on the third day, who now is seated at the right hand of God. By His grace He has justified us by faith, and given us eternal life.
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (KJV Bible, Philippians 4:6-7)
Bible Study group meets at least twice a week, both at the Chapel of the Opened Book and via “Zoom”, and three times a week on the first week of each month.
See our calendar entry for a schedule of meet-up and events. Many join us from around the world in our video conference hosted by our Minister. We invite guest speakers, sharing and teaching the congregation via video conference,
“so then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
Our Office is at The Chapel of the Opened Book located at the heart of London, United Kingdom. You are welcome to visit the chapel. If you have any enquiries, please contact us.