I have carefully read and reread your very good letter several times with great joy. I have also looked up the references—not for the sake of searching the Scriptures, but in order to fully understand what you wanted to express.

It is no easy matter to write, as I did in my last letter, to the person I least wanted to drive away. That’s why I wrote two letters and tore them up before I felt I had found the right words, because I was keenly aware that there were things that threatened to disturb our fellowship in the Spirit. You hope that next time I will “dare” to expose the enemy right away, without any subtleties or speaking indirectly with many words, so that you can send him to where he belongs.

You are a dentist, so you have extracted many teeth. Once when you extracted one of my teeth, you examined me first with the help of a delicate steel instrument and a mirror to find out the condition of the decayed tooth, where it was situated in my mouth, etc. The last time, you even consulted Rasmussen. But now you advise me to just take the forceps right away and yank it out. Can this really be justified? Couldn’t you end up extracting the wrong tooth, or maybe two? Your occupation in life is closer to that of a doctor than mine, so no doubt you understand what it means for a doctor to “make a diagnosis.” But now you are advising me to give my prognosis without any prior diagnosis.

I can say this much from personal experience, that in unknown waters every wise captain will sound the depths before sailing ahead with his expensive vessel. Joshua sent spies into the land in order to investigate.

When I spoke to you by using an indirect approach and working my way in circles, steadily nearing the center, you should have realized that “now he is in unfamiliar waters; here he is sounding the depths,” etc., because that was the case in this situation. If speaking indirectly can lead me closer to a direct result, then why not use all the methods and ways of speaking that are at my disposal?

Separating the enemy from our consciousness and from our life is like shooting a bear that is attacking your best friend. You must find the right position and distance if you want to avoid shooting them both. Afterwards, your friend might criticize you for not firing the moment you saw the bear.

Just these few lines for you to consider in this matter. Once you read this carefully and think it through, you will no doubt understand that it is not so much “against” the sinner that I am zealous, as “for” the sinner and the fear of the Lord. Prov. 23:17.

Br. John ate with us yesterday (Christmas Eve). We walked around the Christmas tree, and Br. John played the piano and sang, so we all really enjoyed ourselves. John left at 6:23 p.m. this evening, and at 6:30 p.m. I went to stand watch at the shipyard gate. I don’t have any more watch duty scheduled over the Christmas period.

Pauline asked me to thank you very much for the 5 kroner. She bought herself a very nice handbag, and she is planning on buying an apron with the rest of it.

Greet everyone at home and the friends as well. I have more to write, but I will stop here for now.

Your devoted brother, always abiding in Christ,