Founding Philosophy and Mission

WHAT  IS  THE CONCORDANT  PUBLISHING  CONCERN?

IN 1965, Ernest Knoch explained, "Many years ago, my father, A. E. Knoch, selected the name ‘Concordant Publishing Concern.’ The first word of this name, of course, indicated that the material to be issued would be based on the Scriptures themselves, concordantly rendered, to assure accuracy. The second word gave notice that the material was to be made available to the public. [Thirdly,] he fervently desired that all who received help from the publications, should be concerned about a number of things. A concern for each other, a concern for the truth contained in the literature, but, above all, a concern for Christ Jesus, our Lord."

The following selections on this page, from Unsearchable Riches,  serve to explain the founding philosophy and ongoing mission of the Concordant Publishing Concern, and Unsearchable Riches magazine, in the words of one of it’s co-founders, A. E. Knoch. We have often been asked who composes the CONCORDANT PUBLISHING CONCERN. The term "CONCERN" was carefully chosen, so as to include all who are interested in its work. If you are concerned in our efforts to make God known through His word, you are a member of the CONCORDANT PUBLISHING CONCERN! It is a non-profit making organization, at least in its present activities. We are inclined to hope that there will be heavy dividends distributed by Christ in that day! We trust that all our friends will consider themselves a member of this large firm, and, as such take a vital concern in its efforts for the glory of God. It has no money capital, but is entirely dependent on God. 

UNSEARCHABLE RICHES MAGAZINE

THE MISSION of our magazine is a very simple one. It may be best expressed in the words of the apostle; "that we should present every man mature in Christ" (Col.1:29). Like Epaphras, we pray and labor that our readers may stand mature and complete in all the will of God (Col.4:12).

If this petition was necessary for the Colossians, how much more so in these days of declension and apostasy! Almost all are subconsciously aware of their immaturity, and express it when they speak of "seeing through a glass darkly," and looking forward to the future as the time when "we shall be known as we are known." These and similar quotations show the need of a ministry which will clear away the mist from the eyes of God's beloved saints and give them a keen insight into His great purpose and His plans for accomplishing it through Christ. Two things are needed to bring about this most blessed result in the hearts of our readers—facts and faith. For faith to believe Him our friends must appeal to God Himself—we cannot supply this. But the facts of Scripture, on which all truth is based, are our special concern. And we are confident that they will dissolve all the doubts and dispel all the illusions which have made theology so unsatisfactory. The solutions we offer for the "problems" which have haunted theology for centuries are so much simpler, more scriptural and satisfactory than the explanations usually offered, that it seems strange that everyone does not embrace them. Take the two greatest of all problems, the origin and end of all things. How simple to believe the divine record, "all is out of Him…and into Him!" This is satisfactory. This is delightful. This is Godlike. But unbelief comes in and says, "All is not out of God; some things are of the devil." And so God's deity is destroyed, His sovereignty suspended, and endless discussions arise to cloud the creation. So with the end.

Theology, confusing God's last judgments with His final consummation, insists that all is not for God, but only the merest fragment is to be rescued from His disastrous experiment. Again, a god who has such poor success is not worthy of the name. If his will or desire is good, his ability is most limited. The difficulty is that theology reasons from unknown premises to results which deny and defy the plainest possible statements that could be made. Our method differs in this, that we search the Scriptures accurately, find the true premises, and reason backward and forward to exactly the same conclusions as God has given in plain words. It is the special object of this magazine to publish facts and truth not to be found elsewhere. Herein lies its value to our readers. We are not popularizing well-known doctrines, or the teaching of others. We are searching the Scriptures themselves, in the original, and bringing out new and unknown treasures, whose value bears no relation to the small pittance charged for subscription. Some have told us how a single article was worth more to them than its cost for a year. Others are at a loss to express its value. Many read it again and again, and receive new light each time. In this little magazine we hope to share some of these finds with those who love God and who rely on His revelation. We have found God much greater and more Godlike than He appears in the creeds of Christendom. Christ is unutterably more glorious than He is represented in the religious world. We hope to correct constricted views of Him based on tradition and mistranslation and publish chiefly such fresh discoveries of His designs as have been buried from view since the first century, which were only partially recovered at the Reformation and by such later movements, as the so-called Brethren, and others.

CORRECTLY PARTITIONING THE WORD OF TRUTH

Besides attempting the utmost accuracy and consistency in our expositions of the Scriptures, we shall seek to heed the apostle’s injunction to "correctly partition" the word of truth. The present day method of "applying" the Word to all and sundry, without heeding the clear indications in the Scriptures, has virtually made much of it false and misleading. 

When God speaks of Israel He means Israel. When He speaks of the Circumcision He refers to them alone. We have a greater grace and a more distinguished destiny than they. The truth for this present secret economy comes to the nations only through Paul. Once this is acknowledged, and the clouds of confusion are cleared away, our hearts will be filled with His grace and overflow in exultation and adoration at His love.

THE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES

We seek grace to stand firmly for the literal inspiration of the Sacred Scriptures in the original. Not only are they trustworthy and accurate in the most minute particulars, but they are instinct with life, and impart it as well. There is the same difference between Holy Writ and human writings as exists between a fruit tree and an artificial flower. The latter will not bear too close examination, but the plant has undiscovered perfections beyond the power of the strongest microscope. The flower is dead and will decay. The tree not only has life but will sustain ours with its fruit. Men’s words will rot. God’s Word alone is living and life-giving.

 

WE ARE NOT AUTHORITIES

We make no claims except an honest desire to discover the facts of God’s Word, a patient and orderly investigation of the evidence, and the publication, not only of our findings, but of the data necessary for testing its truth. Above all we want no one to believe us. God never intended His saints of this era to allow the interposition of priests or professors between them and Himself, and we abhor such a mediatorial position. We ask all to believe God, and we seek to make it possible for them to get into immediate touch with Him and His Word, by giving such facts as will enable them to hear the divine oracles for themselves.

THE FOUNDATION OF FELLOWSHIP

Fellowship should not be founded on faith but faithfulness, not on the head but on the heart. It is humiliating to acknowledge that thirty years ago some of us would have indignantly refused fellowship to ourselves as we are today. Why? Because we have departed from the faith? By no means. Because we have found some of the traditions false which we had been taught, and have spent the long years in patient and systematic investigation of the facts. Hence we have much sympathy with those who, depending on the teaching of men about the Bible, refuse to listen to the Scriptures themselves. We know how much more difficult it is to unlearn than to learn, especially when we think that we surely have the Bible back of us.

We make no doctrinal test and demand no exclusive fellowship. All who have the life of Christ are members of His body and own Him as their Lord. We need no other nucleus, and heed no other Head. We desire to have fellowship with all who are His, and urge all saints to open their hearts to everyone who calls upon Him out of a clean heart. 

AN INTERNATIONAL WORK

Through the medium of the English language God has graciously spread this message in many regions of the earth. Originating in Los Angeles, California, in the United States, it spread among the many nationalities in that region. Through them it has reached out to other countries, as England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, through a Greek Unsearchable Riches to Greece, through a Swedish magazine to many in that land, through literature in Denmark, and in Germany. It is our conviction that this work may be used by God for His glory and for the blessing of His saints beyond anything else that we know, and we invite the hearty cooperation of all who, upon examination, are like-minded.

——————— [This compilation is taken from the following issues of Unsearchable Riches magazine: Vol. 56, Num. 5 (Sept. 1965), pg 193; Vol. 16, Num. 5 (Oct. 1925), pg. 260; Vol. 16, Num. 1 (Jan. 1925), pg. 6-8; Vol. 23, Num. 3 (May 1932), page 217ff.]