Teacher and Interpreter

The gospel that Johan O. Smith preached and that Elias Aslaksen drove forward and outward—making him both fa­mous and notorious—found in Sigurd Bratlie a teacher and interpreter, the likes of which the church had never seen. His books awoke much interest and stirred a response in people from many countries all over the world. They were also the reason for his frequent traveling. The New Covenant and the Mystery of Lawlessness, The Bride and the Harlot, and The Grace that is in Christ Jesus have been translated into numer­ous languages and been read by tens of thousands of people. Bratlie’s simple manner of preaching God’s Word brought light and help to almost everyone who heard him. For many, Johan O. Smith’s writings were rather deep and not so easily understood. Bratlie’s books were written in a style that people found easier to understand.

Sigurd Bratlie grew up as the youngest child in a home that had its roots in missionary work. The China Mission, Santal Mission and Lapp Mission all held meetings in his childhood home. Several of his older brothers were gripped in the Pen­tecostal revival when it came to Norway with T. B. Barrat. When Bratlie was 16, he came in contact with Johan O. Smith and was apprehended of the gospel. From then on he had no interest in a gospel that would lead him into lawlessness. Nei­ther did he fall into the other ditch, where sin is held in check by legalistic rules and commandments. On the contrary, we must be liberated from sin by the cross; then we become free from the law.

During all the years Bratlie lived in Oslo, he held his fa­mous Bible studies nearly every Monday evening when he was home. Just his presence made it impossible to deviate into a wrong understanding or preaching. On the other hand, the fact that he was so often away invited challenges. Without Sigurd Bratlie’s constant presence, two subcultures began to develop in and around the church in Oslo.

Figuratively speaking, you could say there are ditches on either side of the way that is the gospel: legalism and lawless­ness. Both of these directions began to develop right before our eyes. Although their development was limited, it was enough to provide the church with an example for future gen­erations.