Thank you very much for your good letter. We are now in Bergen and will be here for 10-14 days. I went ashore on Thursday evening and spoke with Br. Johan Olsen, who all of a sudden, without any prompting, told me that he had gone off course spiritually. He told me that he had been in Ålesund together with K.M. Kleppe, spending time with our opposers. What can we say about such wretchedness? He said that now he wants to write to Kleppe about his unfaithfulness. He can do whatever he likes. The first thing we have to learn is faithfulness in the Spirit. He said he did that because he needed financial support. We return again and again to the words of truth, that they all seek their own, that they will not endure hardship for the sake of the gospel. By the grace of God, I have preached the word in the light God has given, and then it’s up to those who have received this word—these truths—to examine themselves to determine whether they are transgressors. Olsen said himself that he has suffered a setback in his spiritual life. I’m afraid that several people in Eastern Norway already know about this “setback.” What a sorrow. May God preserve us, dear brother, by His grace. This is a serious matter, and those who go off course will experience the consequences.

I heard Olsen has continued with his understanding regarding Sarah and Hagar—the one you mentioned in your letter. I didn’t speak to him about it, since it only just came up right when we had to leave. You explained it correctly, but you should have shown more conviction. However, it is not easy to understand this subject fully; so I am not surprised that you didn’t dare to be categorical about it. However, you explained in the letter that the one who has the husband is the bride. So the unmarried woman is Hagar, which is Sinai. Sinai is for transgressors; but by the body of Christ we are freed from the law. The unmarried woman’s children are Hagar’s children. She was chased out of the house.

Gal. 4:27. “Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear,” etc. I understand from this that she who does not give birth (speaking of women in general) can rejoice, because it is most likely that those who are born into the world will become children of Hagar, spiritually speaking. When you read this verse, you will notice that it speaks about three different women. The first refers to women in general, who give birth to children; the other two are spiritual women: Sinai and the heavenly Jerusalem. We can clearly see that most are Hagar’s children, who come from the unmarried woman. Not many have come into the body of Christ.

Here is a firm and unshakable guideline for the knowledge of God: all wisdom and knowledge is found in the body. Since the rationale in your letter is based on the body, you are able to write quite clearly about these things. Never let anyone move you away from this blessed body, where all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.

Warm greetings from your brother,