[Interview] The shift of the lamp of the gospel was palpable with Dr. Warren A. Gage

The shift of the lamp of the gospel was palpable

Dr. Warren A. Gage

 

 

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Dr. Warren A. Gage, the dean of Knox Theological Seminary, visited South Korea last June. Along with Reformed Theological Seminary and Westminster Theological Seminary, Knox Theological Seminary is considered to be one of the three most prestigious theology schools in the United States. On June 17, Lord’s Day 2nd Service, Dr. Gage gave a sermon entitled “The Redemptive History Revealed in the Savior’s Genealogy in the Gospel of Matthew.”
Last year, Dr. Gage met thirty-five “special” students during the seminar at Reformed Theological Seminary which had established an exchange program with Knox Theological Seminary. This is how he recalls that day:
“As usual, I started the lecture by asking the students questions about the Bible. However, students answered surprisingly well. I took the difficulty level up a notch when I threw questions, but the results were the same. I began to throw harder and harder questions, but they answered all of them. I gasped, ‘Oh, my goodness!’ I never had such knowledgeable students in my class before.
They not only had phenomenal spiritual insights but also deep understandings of the Bible. I asked them, ‘Where on earth are you from?’ They said they were the pastors of Pyungkang Cheil Church. I have never met this type of students in the US nor Korea before. Jesus said to a Canaanite woman that He ‘hasn’t found such great faith with anyone in Israel’ and that was how I exactly felt that day.”

I was so touched by your sermon today that I even felt chills down my spine. Just as you had asked to the pastors of Pyungkang Cheil Church “Where on earth are you from?” I would like to ask you:
“Where are you from?”
(Chuckle) My mentor was Dr. W.A. Criswell who had passed away 12 years ago. I learned the heart of true shepherd from him. He and Rev. Abraham Park who is the author of the History of Redemption series share lots of common grounds. Dr. Criswell was well-known around the world, and inmid-1960s, he had already preached to roughly 27,000 people in Dallas, Texas. Also, he once served as a president of a religious body which had 16 million congregation members. He was a true shepherd. He truly loved his church members and the Word of God. I received trainings from him and learned heart of Jesus and the shepherd.

How did you come to have such deep understanding of the Bible?
Thank you for saying that. I learned the ‘love for the Bible’ from my mentors. I have read the Bible hundreds of times. However, when I heard that Rev. Abraham Park read the Bible for about 1,800 times so far, I said ‘Oh, my goodness!’ All of my pride until then turned into humility after I heard that. I love the Bible. When giving lectures in theological seminary, it is hard to go deeply into the Bible while focusing on its contents. However, the pastors of Pyungkang Cheil Church understood the Bible very well and loved it. They were the greatest evidence that Rev. Abraham Park has been teaching his sheep so well through the Bible.

During today’s sermon, the most impressive parts were: the interpretation of the marriage of Boaz and Ruth in the perspective of history of redemption, the depiction of the expression “Uriah’s wife” as appeared in Matthean genealogy, and the connection between the scarlet thread (Gen 38:28) that was tied around Zerah’s wrist when he was born and the scarlet cord (Josh 2:21) which Rahab tied in the window, all in the redemptive-historical perspective. I was very surprised to know that they have a strong connection with the History of the Redemption series. Did you learn them by yourself?
Of course, I had great mentors. However, I learned most of them through meditating upon the Bible. I love meditating on the Bible. I can do it at any circumstances. Also, I strive to discover the redemption from the Bible every time I read it. The book of Matthew is all about redemption. You must understand the grace of redemption first in order to realize who you truly are, how serious your sins are, and how great God’s holiness is. Only those who realize the blessing of redemption can be true saints.

I heard that you have read up to fourth book in the History of Redemption series in English version. What are your impressions?

It was evident that the author really loves the Bible, lives by it, and meditates on it deeply. The History of Redemption series is very scientific. It is written in micro detail and precisely, while reading and following the Bible. I heard that the author read the Bible and prayed in Mount Jiri for three years and six months, and recorded his enlightenments on leaves. I am sure that History of Redemption series is the result of such detailed records.
Jesus is the living Word. Now we only have the Bible, the Word of God in the form of writing. Therefore, living in the Bible is equivalent to living with Jesus. It is evident the author lives such life. His precise understanding of the Bible is truly and truly impressive. Many people find the biblical genealogies boring. However, for me they are very fascinating. So I was very thankful and happy to meet someone who had the same thoughts with mine.
The proof of fulfillment of redemptive history is recorded on the Bible. Yet many Americans don’t like talking about genealogy. I read down the genealogy during the sermon today. If it had been ordinary days, I would have been concerned about how the audience might think about it. However, I was not worried at all this time, because I was confident that members of Pyungkang Cheil Church would not feel bored. The genealogies are vibrant with full of life.
When I was studying in Germany, I met a student who knew his family genealogy up to 11th century, about a thousand year’s time upward. He was from royal family in Netherland, and that was why he considered his family’s genealogy so important. Americans are not like that. Most of them do not even know about their third or fourth ancestors.
Christianity is being transferred from the West to the East. I am confident that if the Bible is studied in the Eastern culture where genealogy is valued, more profound Word which has not been discovered in the West will be revealed. I believe a day of greater findings of biblical research is yet to come, and it will come from the East. I have great expectation on
that. I think Eastern culture is more naturally biblical. As matter of fact, culture of extreme democracy like in the US is not biblical. Bible is not democratic. So, in fact it is as if the Bible is returning to its homeland. I think Easterners are naturally better apt to understand the Bible.

How much do you read the Bible daily?

Text-wise, I don’t read it a great deal. But as I have studied the Bible extensively and it is in my head, I meditate on the Bible all day long, without necessarily taking it out to read. I have studied the Bible thoroughly and painstakingly. So I can meditate on it whenever and wherever. I can even do so while waiting for the traffic light. In such term, I read the Bible a lot.
On my way to Seoul on the plane, I also meditated upon the Bible to prepare fr sermon. I did not take out the Bible to read it. However, as the text was in my head, I could meditate on it. I think Rev. Abraham Park probably does so, too. Originally, the Bible was recorded to be listened to, not to be read, because few could read in the ancient time. That is why Apostle Paulsaid “Faith comes from hearing.” Faith comes from hearing, not reading.

What is your impression on Pyungkang Cheil Church during your visit?
I could clearly feel that Christianity and the gospel were moving toward the East. I felt the lamp was taken from America, and I became fearful. Americans live distant from the Bible now. I felt that the best parts of Western churches have been transferred and applied to this church, such as praise, Bible study, and community of saints. When Apostle Paul was trying to go to Asia from Macedonia to spread the gospel, the Holy Spirit blocked his way. That is how the gospel began to spread from the West. The gospel passed through Rome, Britain, and the US and came into the Eastern world. Now, through Korea, the gospel is spreading to China. China will be the channel to reach Islamic countries. I can already vision the process of the gospel reaching back to Jerusalem through that pathway.

What is your impression from meeting with the author of the History of Redemption series?

In Acts, apostles set deacons so that they could be fully committed to prayers and Word. I was confident that he was a man completely immersed in prayer and Word to such extent. I could actually feel that he dedicated himself solely in the Word and prayer in Mount Jiri for three years and six months. I think he represents the kind of leader, the kind of leadership that we need at this time. At a seminar held in America last winter, he prayed for me, through which I gained enormous strength. At that time, I received the prayer very seriously. It was a prayer that moved the heart of God.
Rev. Abraham Park also prayed for Korea then. Korea has grown and become amazingly prosperous now. Yet, that should be taken as a warning. Wherever the gospel went, the very place received a blessing of wealth, as seen in Britain and the US. However, they forgot what God had given them. Today’s Korea in her prosperity can be like that, too. Korea needs to rely solely on God.
Korea is now a very important country in the history of redemption. She sends missionaries to all parts of the world. The fact that such Korea is confronted with North Korea has significant implications. When the North Korean regime collapses and unification comes in the future, the South Koreans will be challenged with whether they can love and accept the North Korean brothers and spread the gospel in brotherhood and open heart.

In the History of Redemption series, which theme did you identify with the most?
We are the ones who were grafted onto the genealogy of Abraham. Therefore, the history of Israel is our own history. Although I am American, I think democracy is not biblical. The Bible called the ordinary people like us as kings, as brides of the Christ. We are the heirs of the King and key figures of the genealogy of the Christ. We must be thankful for that.

 

Witten by Ho Jun-seok, True Peace editor-in-chief