Refuting Many Conventional Wisdom Assumptions
All articles by Dave Brown
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Refuting Many Conventional Wisdom Assumptions
“Conventional wisdom is the body of ideas or explanations generally accepted as true by the public and/or by experts in a field.” -- https://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/conventional+wisdom
Just when you thought you knew something because, after all, everyone is saying it; hmmm perhaps it is time to take a fresh look at it in terms of what the Bible teaches.
In religion, it is not what everyone says, or even what the Doctors of Divinity or the Bible Scholars say, that is important. What is important is what God has said through those who have been inspired by the Holy Spirit, who was sent by Jesus.
Please contact us if you see anything on this page (or this site) that it not totally consistent with Biblical teaching.
Please select the topic of interest from the index below, and then scroll down to the topic number.
Index of FALSE Conventional Wisdom Assumptions
- All you have to do is accept Jesus
- All you have to do is to call Jesus Lord
- An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
- Baptism is a work and we cannot be saved by works
- Baptism is just an outward sign of something that has already gone on the inside
- The bible contradicts itself
- The bible does not apply to us today
- The bible is just one of many great books of faith
- The bible is still being written
- The bible is too complicated to understand
- Christians have to give up so much
- Church traditions are as authoritative as scripture
- Do as I say, not as I do
- An experience is worth 1000 scriptures
- Get saved, and then join the church of your choice
- God’s love is so great that no one could be condemned
- Good men don’t argue.
- Go to the church of your choice
- The Great Commission does not apply to us today
- I earned it, and it is mine
- If everyone says it, it must be right
- If it was good enough for Momma, it’s good enough for me
- If the Holy Spirit is in you, you can work miracles
- If you get baptized, your faith is not in God’s grace
- If you believe it, it's right for you
- I just don't have time to study
- I refuse to debate doctrinal matters
- It does not matter how we worship God
- It does not matter how we serve God
- Jesus never used necessary inference
- Jesus will soon come to set up his kingdom
- Life goes on
- Life is a gamble, so gambling cannot be sinful
- Money is the root of all evil
- Once saved, always saved (1)
- Once saved, always saved (2)
- Our works have nothing at all to do with our salvation
- That’s just your interpretation (see also 43)
- There is no scientific proof that God exists
- There's nothing in a name
- There is nothing that we can do to obtain salvation
- The world will come to an end on … (a given date)
- That is just your opinion (see also 38)
- Thou shalt not commit adultery
- Thou shalt not forswear thyself
- Thou shalt not kill
- Watching worldly movies and TV does not have any effect on me
- Water baptism has nothing to do with salvation
- We are just the same as the animals
- We are not justified by works
- We are saved by faith only (1)
- We are saved by faith only (2)
- All great religions are the same
- We cannot understand the bible alike
- We should not judge since none of us is perfect
- Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement
- Wives are to be in Total Subjection to their Husbands
- A woman is not fulfilled if she does not have a career
- You can be baptized anytime
- You can be saved just like the thief on the cross
- You can prove anything with the bible
- You just have to repent to be saved
1 Ye often hear it said ...
"All you have to do is accept Jesus ...".
but when asked: "What shall we do?" Peter answered (Acts 2:37):
"Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
unto the remission of your sins ...."
Then, to confirm this, Luke stated (Acts 2:41): "They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added (unto them) in that day about three thousand souls." It is true that we must "receive his word," and this might be equivalent to what some today call "accepting Jesus." Peter also stated that: "whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." These are acceptable terms, and most would consider them synonymous. The question is: What is the biblical meaning of calling on the Lord, accepting Jesus and receiving his word?
Peter answers this question: "They then that received his word were baptized." If someone refused baptism or decided to defer this action, could it be said that he "received his word?" His word called for them to be baptized. Any who were not baptized did not receive his word. As we continue our study of the conversions we will see that baptism is the act that put the penitent believer into Christ (Acts 2:41,47; Romans 6:3). May God bless you in your study.
2 Ye often hear it said ...
"... all you have to do is to call Jesus Lord."
but Jesus said (Matthew 7:21):
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."
These were not immoral sinners; they were religious people. These were not liars; they believed what they said to the point that they were arguing with the Lord on the day of judgment. It appears that they even believed that they had performed miracles in his name.
Jesus said that we must "do the will of my Father who is in heaven." How do we know what the will of God is? This is given in the next verse: "Everyone therefore that hears these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock ..." It is essential that we hear (actually listen) to what God has revealed. This first step, learning the truth, is essential to doing God's will. "You are what you eat" holds much more in the spiritual realm than in the physical.
Citizenship in God's kingdom is for those who do the will of God; all of His will to the best of one's ability. This does not merit salvation, since we can never justify ourselves and earn it (Eph. 2:8-9). Salvation is a gift of God. But God requires that we believe and seek after him (Heb. 11:6). It is God's will that this belief motivate us to turn from our sins in repentance (Luke 13:3). It is God's will that we continue to replace our sinful nature with a life of confession of Jesus as Lord of our lives (Mt. 10:32). It is the will of the Father that we be born again into his kingdom, as Jesus said (John 3:5) "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. We see that terms of entering the kingdom are identical to those of salvation -- identical to those for becoming part of the body of Christ (Rom. 6:3). Indeed, the word kingdom is used figuratively to demonstrate certain aspects of the church that can be described in no other way. Those who differentiate between the church and the kingdom do so with no biblical basis (Heb. 12:23,28).
3 Ye often hear it said ...
“An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth …”
But Jesus' teaching on this subject is quite clear (Matthew 5:38-42):
“Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smites thee on thy right cheek,
turn to him the other also.”
Jesus was not teaching cowardice, he was teaching the courage to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim. 6:12). But this is where most people part company with Jesus. Our history as well as the culture of out movies and TV consistently glamorize brute force for resolving conflicts. Our contemporary leaders who espouse passive resistance and peace, from Martin Luther King to Prime Minister Rabin, are consistently sacrificed to the God of violence.
If we use force to coerce spiritual obedience, are we any better than the worst tyrant? Are we willing to follow Jesus and take up our crosses? Christians must support (and should use) the governments which God has established to keep order in this world (Rom. 13; Acts 25:11). However, when rulers bar us from serving God, we must resist (Acts 3-4; 16:37). But there is absolutely no example of Christians taking up arms for this purpose. Christians will place their faith in God as the ruler of the universe and the one who rules over the nations (Rev. 4,5). As one whose "eye is on the sparrow," He will protect us.
4 Ye often hear it said ...
“Baptism is a work and we cannot be saved by works ...”
but Peter said (I Peter 3:21):
" baptism now saves you"
Lest we be accused of taking this out of context, please read the context, in which a reference was being made to the days of Noah. The comparison is made as follows: "... when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through {the} water. And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you -- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ ..." (1 Pet 3:20-21). Those who would discount the apparent meaning here must honestly give an interpretation for what they feel the words "baptism now saves you" means if it does not mean that baptism now saves you.
There is nothing magic in the water. It is just that God has chosen this way for you to become a member of His body, His church (Rom. 6:3). Men have invented all kinds of other ways, but they all fall short of God's way. Read all of the detailed cases of conversion, and see if they do not all end in the convert being baptized (Acts 2:41; 8:12; 8:38; 9:18; 10:48; 16:15,33; 19:5).
5 Ye often hear it said ...
”Baptism is just an outward sign of something that has already happened on the inside."
but Paul was told (Acts 22:16):
"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and
wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
We conclude that baptism of the believer is one of the conditions of salvation because: (a) Jesus made it a condition of salvation (Jn. 3:5, Mk. 16:16); (b) The apostles commanded it (Acts 2:38, 10:48); (c) It is the act that puts a person into Christ — his body, the church (Rom. 6:3, 1 Cor. 12:13, Gal. 3:27); (d) It is where we participate in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:4, Col. 2:12); (e) Every detailed example in the book of Acts concludes with the convert being baptized (Acts 2:41, 8:12, 8:38, 9:18, 10:48, 16:15, 16:33, 18:8, 19:5); (f) baptism washes away the sins that separate us from God (Acts 22:16) and finally, (g) baptism saves (1 Pet. 3:21).
Please read all of these scriptures and meditate upon them. If you believe what the bible says, the conclusion is inescapable. Given all of this evidence, how can any disciple of Christ or student of the bible minimize the importance of this command of Christ? Why not just teach and practice exactly what the bible teaches on the subject? When someone makes a statement about baptism that is not in the bible (e.g., that is is just an outward sign ...) this goes beyond the teaching of Jesus Christ, and 2 John 9 applies.
6 Ye often hear it said ...
“The bible contradicts itself …“
but Jesus said (Matthew 4:4):
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
This passage teaches that God's word cannot be contradictory, and that it is only by the different passages on the same subject that we can construct the total view which the Holy Spirit wants us to have. Each writer had and presented a part (see 1 Cor. 13:9). The following is quoted from Albert Barnes:
"That a thing is omitted by one [gospel writer] does not prove that another is false because he has recorded it, for the very object of the different Gospels was to give the testimony of independent witnesses to the great facts of the life and death of Jesus. Nor does it prove that there is a contradiction because one relates facts in a different order from another, for neither of them professes to relate facts in the precise order in which they occurred. The object was to relate the facts themselves. With these principles in view, which are conceded to profane historians always, let us look at the accounts which are presented in the sacred narrative respecting the resurrection ... and ascension of Christ."
There is a plausible explanation for every difference. The accounts are different, but their harmony only validates the resurrection.
7 Ye often hear it said ...
“The bible does not apply to us today …“
But the writer of Hebrews stated (Hebrews 13:8):
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever."
Most of us have seen remarkable changes in our lifestyles just within our own lifetimes: major wars, a depression, a period of sexual "liberation," major industrialization, and a dramatic change in the way that television affects our perception of morality.
Nevertheless, the basic nature of man has not changed from the time of Adam and Eve. Hear the words of the apostle John (1 Jn. 2:16): "For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abides forever."
One cannot live in this world today and fail to observe that mankind is subject to exactly the same spiritual forces of darkness that were present in the days of Adam, and those when Jesus walked this earth. The gospel of Jesus Christ is totally independent of the social and economic environment in which we must function. Truth is ageless, and it is the only thing that can make us free (Jn. 8:32).
8 Ye often hear it said ...
"The bible is just one of many great books of faith."
but Jesus said (Matthew 4:4):
"It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone,
but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"
There are two ways that this refutes the idea of many diverse documents. First, Jesus responded: "It is written ..." and proceeds to quote from Deut. 8:3. This, along with many other references of Jesus and the New Testament writers, attests to his/their acceptance of the currently accepted version of the Old Testament. Much like our bible today, it was handed down through the religious powers that be, despite many of them being worldly and evil. The providence of God assured that it was preserved for the purpose for which it was created.
A second nail in the coffin of diverse documents is that Jesus required that we acquire knowledge of "every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." If God revealed himself out of a huge diversity of books (some even include parts of Shakespeare), this would be impossible. It would be humanly impossible for us to distinguish what portions of certain books were God speaking and which were not. Further, if he were continuously revealing himself with new writings and statements every day, this would also be impossible. Jesus was looking to that point when all that needed to be revealed would be revealed and "that which was perfect [fully grown] was come" (1 Cor. 13:8-10). See also Heb. 1:1ff and Rev. 22:18-19.
9 Ye often hear it said ...
"... the bible is still being written ..."
but the Apostle Peter stated (2 Peter 1:2-4):
"Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust."
Peter speaks in the past tense as does Jude (Jude 3). Since God "hath granted ... all things" there is no reason that it has to continue to be written. If they had "all things that pertained unto life and godliness," nothing else is required. If this knowledge could save them, it can save us. Has mankind really changed? Is not the same corruption "in the world by lust?" Are there any new sins? Does the bible not deal with each and every one of them?
Through his precious and exceeding great promises you may become a partaker of the divine nature. Why should we want to look for another source of truth? Only condemnation awaits if we should add to it or take away from it (Rev. 22:18-20).
10 Ye often hear it said ...
“The bible is too complicated to understand ...”
But the Apostle Paul stated in Ephesians 3:3-4:
"... by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)."
Could we ask for more understanding that the Apostle Paul had? On the other hand, the bible is not trivial. The Apostle Peter referring to the writings of Paul stated "in which are some things hard to be understood" (2 Pet. 3:16).
It is not difficult to reconcile these two views. Peter did not say that all things were hard to be understood. We can be safe in concluding that parts of God's word are quite simple (2 Cor. 11:3), while others are much more challenging. The Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 3:2) and the Hebrew writer (Heb. 5:12) both spoke of the milk of the word which was easily digested, as opposed to the meat, which required more maturity for its discernment.
God expects us to render obedience in all things which we understand to be His will (Heb. 5:9). However, even after a lifetime of study, we never "arrive." Indeed, it was those who had the most confidence in their knowledge of God's word who were the recipients of the harshest rebuke from our savior (Mt. 23).
Many misunderstand God's word; but the reason has nothing to do with intellectual ability (Mt. 11:25, 13:10-17).
11 Ye often hear it said ...
“Christians have to give up so much …“
but Jesus said (Luke 18:29-30):
"Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or wife, or brethren, or parents, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this time, and in the world to come eternal life."
Most Christians (and people of the world, for that matter) understand the concept of "giving up" evil things of this world for the eternal reward in heaven. However, it takes real faith to believe the words of Jesus above.
Think about it. He is stating that we give up nothing; instead, we receive "manifold more in this time." Why would anyone who believes these words have any desire to sin? When we lust after worldly things we demonstrate clearly that we do not believe Jesus.
This verse also shows so clearly the reason that salvation is not of works. Since we give up nothing in our service to the Lord, how can we believe that we can in any way earn our salvation? Indeed, salvation is of faith, and those who believe what Jesus said here will render obedience to him "from their youth," no matter what their physical age at the time.
12 Ye often hear it said …
“Church traditions are as authoritative as scripture.”
but Jesus said (Matthew 15:6):
"And {thus} you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition."
The word of God in this context was the Law of Moses that taught them to honor their parents, i.e., to take care of them and provide for their needs. Alternatively, their tradition had allowed them to deny their parents this honor provided they gave what they owed their parents to God. Whenever we add to or take away from God's law the result is the invalidation of the word of God. That is, we no longer regard it to be authoritative.
Further, Jesus said (Matthew 15:9):
“…in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men."
In Matthew 15, Jesus was having a controversy with the scribes and the Pharisees as to why Jesus’ disciples transgressed the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating. First, recognize that these were the God-ordained religious authority of that time (Mt. 23:1-3): “Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.’” Second, recognize that, in and of itself, there is absolutely nothing wrong with washing your hands before eating. Most people do it for health purposes, and that is good. However, the religious leaders had elevated this to a ritual that they required, and, as such, had usurped God’s authority, making that act one of vain (empty, meaningless) worship. It is important that we examine everything that we do in the name of religion and assure to ourselves that it is authorized by God. 1 Pet 4:11: “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
Those who add to or take away from God's word are placing themselves in a position where they are claiming that they are wiser than God. They proclaim that God did not know what He was doing when He formulated His law, or else that He did not know how to reveal it effectively. John stated (2 John 9): "Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son." As you study the bible see that those who acted in this way "received a just recompense of reward ... how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" (Heb. 2:2-3)
13 Ye often hear it said ...
“Do as I say, not as I do.”
but James asked the following question (James 2:14):
“What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works?
Can that faith save him?”
Talk is cheap. When we make demands of our children that we do not measure up to, it is more than cheap, it is counterproductive. They see right through us. When we make mistakes (and we all do), we need to humbly admit it to them, and pledge to do better in the future. It cannot be hid. The example that we provide, whether of humility or pride, speaks louder than any words we can utter. Someday your child will come to you with a confession, but not unless you are willing to confess your shortcomings. Honesty, with love.
A man once complained that his daughter always went to Aunt Jane with all her problems. Aunt Jane had been through several husbands, and was an alcoholic. Did she want to become like her Aunt Jane? Another man responded that he had told his son of the time when he was young and played with matches; he burnt their house down. “Once I told him about that, he realized that I had made mistakes of my own, probably no worse than he could ever make.” It is not what we have done as much as our willingness to provide an example of humility. Aunt Jane did not have to; the daughter knew that she would not be judgmental. You will turn around one of these days and realize: “he’s grown up just like me ... he’s grown up just like me.”
14 Ye often hear it said ...
“An experience is worth 1000 scriptures.”
but the Apostle Paul stated (Romans 1:16):
“For I am not ashamed or the gospel, for it is the
power of God unto salvation to everyone ...”
For the gospel to save however it must be taught, believed, and obeyed (Mt. 28:18- 20; Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 24:45-49). The Great Commission in action is seen in the following cases of conversion to Christ:
Jews on Pentecost — Acts 2:22-38, 40-41, 47
Samaritans — Acts 8:12
Simon — Acts 8:13
Ethiopian Eunuch — Acts 8:26-39
Saul of Tarsus — Acts 9:1-6; 22:16; Acts 26
Cornelius — Acts 11:14; 10:1-4, 47-48
Lydia — Acts 16:14-15
Philippian Jailer — Acts 16:25-33
Corinthians — Acts 18:8
All those thus saved by obeying from the heart a form of Christ's death, burial and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-6, 16-18), were united in the one body of Christ, His blood-bought church; and by these same acts of obedience became citizens of Christ's kingdom by virtue of this "new birth of the water and of the Spirit" (Jn. 3:3-5; Col. 1:13-14; Eph. 2:13-16; Heb. 12:22, 28). Jesus is the author of eternal salvation only to such as obey Him (Heb. 5:9; Mt. 7:21-28). Have you been saved by this powerful word?
15 Ye often hear it said ...
“Get saved, and then join the church of your choice.”
but Jesus said (Matthew 16:18):
“... I will build my church...”
In the universal sense, the person who is saved is born (again) into the body of Christ, His church. If one does not meet the terms of salvation as given by the Lord, then it will do little good to “join” any local religious organization. In fact, it could be quite counterproductive if they teach that you are saved when, in fact, you are not. But let us suppose that you meet God’s terms of salvation and are added to the body of Christ (Rom. 6:3), there still remains a choice on your part as to which local religious group to affiliate with, if any. In the first century, those who were followers of Christ were easy to identify just by their claim. Not so today, since the vast majority of our religious organizations claim Jesus as their King. And yet, it is unfathomable to think that all of their contrary doctrines and practices are the result of His direction.
The solution to this problem may not be as easy as it was in the first century, but it is still not difficult. It is first a matter of locating a group that makes the claim that they are following the Lord strictly according to the teachings of the New Testament, and then following up to determine for yourself that this claim is true. That would mean that book, chapter and verse could be found for the work, the worship and the use of all local church resources. It would also mean that the church was organized according to God’s plan (1 Tim. 3:1f; Tit. 1:5) with no organization greater than the local level.
16 Ye often hear it said ...
“God’s love is so great that no one could be condemned.”
but Jesus said (Matthew 7:21):
“Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven;
but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”
Jesus goes on to say ... “Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” This is not talking about cold-blooded murderers, rapists or child molesters. It is talking about religious people ... people who thought they had all of the bases covered ... people who had no reservation but to plead their case before Jesus.
Continue reading in Mt. 7 and you see that Jesus follows up this saying with the story of the wise man and the foolish man, and summarizes with: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and {yet} it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.” God has provided us with all that we need to escape the consequences of our sins and be forever with Him in eternity. He wants us to accept His promises and act upon our faith in Him to do those things that are required so that this is a reality. Who will enter the eternal kingdom of heaven? “... he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”
17 Ye often hear it said ...
“Good men don’t argue.”
but Luke reported (Acts 15:39) ...
"And there arose such a sharp disagreement
that they separated from one another, ..."
No one can deny that these were good men — perhaps some of the best who have ever lived. But don’t take us wrong — we are not advocating argument for the sake of argument. That is contentiousness, and that is condemned (1 Corinthians 11:16). We should avoid contending at almost all costs, although we recognized that there are times when it cannot be avoided (Jude 3).
Acts 15 tells us that that just because a person disagrees with us, that does not make him/her a bad person. Good people can disagree. When Christians disagree they should look for a remedy that enables the work of Christ to continue unabated. This is what Paul and Barnabas did. The solution that they came to was surely not a perfect one in either of their eyes. But it was one that would not hurt the work, nor would it hurt anyone who was involved. This demonstrates great selfless wisdom on their parts. How many times have we seen bitter strife and envy tear up a local work when it had nothing whatsoever to do with doctrine, or for that matter, anything of substance? If Paul and Barnabas could arrive at a temporary arrangement that would bridge the gap to ultimate reconciliation, why can’t we? We can, and that is another lesson that we can learn from this valuable example in the book of Acts.
18 Ye often hear it said ...
"... go to the church of your choice ..."
but the Apostle Paul said (Ephesians 4:4-6):
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all,
who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
A study of Ephesians reveals that the Lord's church is His body. This body is not divided and competing against itself. If we have the proper regard for God's word, we will be united in the same mind and in the same judgment (1 Cor. 1:10). No point of doctrine draws as much criticism as the firm biblical teaching stated above. Denominations can agree to disagree on practically everything, from the mode and purpose of baptism to the (im)morality of homosexuality. However, the one single thing that they feel most threatened by is someone declaring that there is but one truth, one way.
Believers of Ephesians 4:4 should not conclude that all of their practices and beliefs are perfect and right, because this will never be the case with any group of people. However, if we do not accept the concept of a single spiritual reality, we will have no motivation to strive for it, and we are bound to miss the mark. That is why the devil gives such priority to "the church of your choice."
19 Ye often hear it said ...
"The Great Commission does not apply to us today ..."
but part of the Great Commission states (Matthew 28:20):
"... teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you…"
If we, the disciples that were to be converted in the future, are to observe all things that were commanded of the apostles, this has to include the Great Commission. In addition, Jesus said "... lo, I am with you even unto the end of the world." This indicates that his statement was more than just to the apostles, since they all died well before the end of the world (or age).
In addition, the ordinary Christians in the first century understood that the Great Commission applied to them. It states in Acts 8:4 (of those Christians who were persecuted and fled from Jerusalem): "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word." Clearly everyone was not a preacher, but they all did everything that they could to further the preaching and teaching of the word. Paul told Timothy (2 Tim. 2:2): "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." This method of evangelism "turned the world upside down" in the first century, and it can do the same thing today.
20 Ye often hear it said ...
“I earned it, and it is mine.”
but Paul stated (Romans 12:1):
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Several things are wrong with the “I earned it, it is mine” philosophy. Among them:
Many people who state this did not “earn it,” but acquired it through inheritance or luck (being at the right place at the right time). This is extremely hard for most wealthy people to admit.
Even if you did “earn it,” it was by the gifts given to you by God. What skill or talent do you have that were not given by God?
Since all that is good and beneficial in our lives is the gift of God, all rightfully belongs to Him.
Hence, the apostle Paul states that the sacrifice to God of all that we are and all that we have is our reasonable service. It is a reasonable thing to a rational person who knows God and has grown up with respect to salvation (1 Pet. 2:2). It is not given out of superstition in an attempt to manipulate God and receive greater blessings on this earth. Nor is it the result of senseless idol-worship, where we surrender our rational being to our emotions. Instead, it is a recognition that God made us all that is good about us, and thus, all of the glory must go to him. So, even our bodies, including all the good that might come from them, will become a living sacrifice unto God as we mature in Christ Jesus.
21 Ye often hear it said ...
"If everyone says it, it must be right"
but Jesus said (Matthew 7:13-14):
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in there: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it."
Think about this: If God were to judge our nation by the result of the polls, what would His judgment be? Government based on populism is what we have — quite different from in the Old Testament times. It is as if God has given us no excuse as a society, since to a greater extent than ever, we determine our own national destiny.
But Mt. 7:13-14 (above) is talking about your personal destiny, not that of your nation. A person’s eternal destiny has never depended on how his country is doing. Jesus implies that if everyone is going along with a system of faith, chances are good that this system will be fatally flawed. This is a sobering thought. But Jesus’ teaching is validated by a simple comparison of conventional religious wisdom against what the bible actually teaches. The narrow way can be found only through a knowledge of God’s word. Find it (Heb. 11:6). Then, dare to do what is right regardless of the majority. Jesus stood alone, as did the great men of faith throughout history (Heb. 11).
22 Ye often hear it said ...
“If it was good enough for Momma, it’s good enough for me.”
but Jesus said (Matthew 10:36):
“...a man's enemies will be the members of his household.”
Clearly Jesus was not anti-family, and while this does not have to be, we should not be surprised when it happens. Jesus realized the great extent to which we are influenced by those who we love the most. When those who are closest to us lead us to sin, they become our greatest enemies. For, we can withstand the temptation from those who are not close to us emotionally. But it is extremely difficult to resist being tempted by those we love. Thus, Adam had a very difficult time resisting the temptation posed by Eve. The devil knew how to get to him; we should not be ignorant of his devices.
In this day and age it seems more parents are drawn away by their children than the other way around. Youth has the power today, both in influence and economically. Many parents want to re-live their youth through their children. In this endeavor they often fail to provide the discipline that is essential to a healthy family. This discipline must start with the very earliest love of the infant. When we fail to consistently demonstrate our disapproval for misbehavior, or fail to praise them when good (which takes time and patience), we fall into the devil’s hands. The behavior that we create and reward in our children will either produce the greatest of blessings (3 Jn. 4) or the greatest of grief (2 Sam. 19:4). Take time now to teach your children love and respect for God and His word. You will never regret it.
23 Ye often hear it said ...
"If the Holy Spirit is in you, you can work miracles."
but in John 10:41 it states with regard to John the Baptist, who was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb:
"And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle:
but all things that John spake of this man were true."
This, despite the fact that the bible declares explicitly that John the Baptist "shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb" (Luke 1:15). Clearly there is no implication that being filled with the Holy Spirit necessitated the miraculous. However, in all cases in the book of Acts where Christians are stated to be "filled with the Holy Spirit" it goes on to say that they spoke the word of God (Acts 2:4, 4:8, 4:31, 13:9f). Being "filled with the Holy Spirit" results in the God who is living within us becoming evident to others.
Having the gift of the Holy Spirit did not imply the miraculous. The scriptures state that all who obey have the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32). Yet, they did not all have miraculous spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:28f). In Acts 8 many were baptized but could do nothing miraculous until receiving the laying on of the apostles’ hands (17-18). We cannot begin to enjoy the essence of the Holy Spirit as long as we limit His power to the temporal benefits of the miraculous. The essence of the Holy Spirit is the Divine truth He revealed (Jn. 8:32).
24 Ye often hear it said ...
"If you get baptized, your faith is not in God’s grace"
but when Peter was asked: "what must we do to be saved?" he responded (Acts 2:38) ...
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Could it be that Peter was mistaken? No, in Acts 2:4 it states that Peter and the apostles were speaking "as the Spirit was giving them utterance." Thus, this is a direct command of God in response to the simple question: "what must we do to be saved?"
So how can this be? If baptism is a work, and we are not saved by works, how can Peter be right? The answer is not hard when we recognize what kind of "works" do not save. Consider Eph. 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." We must conclude that the baptism commanded by God is not a work (of ourselves) that we can boast about. We did not invent it, and it takes no effort on our part. It is never even called a work in the bible, but it is called an act of faith in the working of God (Col. 2:12). Notice that Peter also commanded them (and us) to repent. This would surely take much more effort than would baptism, but few object to repentance as a condition of salvation. Why not just accept all that the bible clearly teaches, and do what God says?
25 Ye often hear it said ...
“If you believe it, it's right for you …“
But the prophet Jeremiah stated (Jeremiah 10:23):
“O LORD, I know that the way of man [is] not in himself:
[it is] not in man that walks to direct his steps.“
Recall one of the primary things that set Jesus apart from the religious teachers of his day (Mt. 7:28-29): "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as [one] having authority, and not as the scribes." Much of populist religion today centers on rationalizing all forms of evil instead of presenting authoritative teachings from the word of God.
Recall the great commission (Mt. 28:18-20): "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen."
Christians must preach and teach with authority; but this authority must be Jesus' word and Jesus' authority (Col. 3:17).
26 Ye often hear it said ...
“I just don't have time to study ...”
But the Apostle Paul stated (Ephesians 5:15-17):
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools,
but as wise, redeeming the time,
because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise,
but understanding what the will of the Lord [is].”
We have time to do those things that we really want to do. For example, many of us take an entire day and dedicate it to getting to, attending, and then coming back from a football game. If we hunt, fish, golf, boat, etc., we make time for these things.
The reason is that we put them first. The blessed man described in Psalm 1 delights "in the law of the Lord and on his law doth he meditate day and night." What do you suppose he puts first?
Very few people engage in daily bible study. But the idea of "redeeming the time" is to take advantage of the opportunity as it arises. If we are going to be wise, and understanding of what the will of the Lord is, we need to schedule time for bible study, and put it first. Keep up with your bible classes, volunteer to teach, study with anyone who will listen -- these are ways that we can redeem the time and increase our understanding of the will of the Lord. It will also dramatically increase our faith (Rom. 10:17).
27 Ye often hear it said ...
“I refuse to debate doctrinal matters.”
but Luke reported (Acts 15:7):
"... there had been much debate ..."
As with most false teachings there is a grain of truth in what is often heard. We should not be contentious or enjoy arguing. But as Christian soldiers there is a time to take up arms and go to war. Our arms are spiritual in nature (Eph. 6:13f).
We live in a time when it is widely taught and believed that there is no such thing as absolute truth, and that religious agreement is virtually impossible. And, as we see the divisions that crept into the first century churches (e.g., at Corinth), we see that this is not a new idea. But today it has been given the status of a doctrine itself. Christians are told that they can be divided on just about any issue that might separate them except one. And the one they disallow is the very one that Paul was teaching in 1 Corinthians 1:10: “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” Our Lord prayed fervently for it in His last hours (John 17:23): “I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.” And yet, it is the one thing that is disallowed by the ecumenicals who insist it is impossible. Not so if we would just put down the traditions of men and pick up our bibles. This is your individual obligation.
28 Ye often hear it said ...
“It does not matter how we worship God.”
but Jesus stated (John 4:24) ...
“God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in spirit and truth.”
Otherwise, it just is not worship of God. It might be worship of a god, but it is not worship of the true and living God. God has specified how He wants to be worshipped, both in our formal worship of him together in the church and in our personal daily lives. When we go outside of what He has specified and call it worship, we should be assured that it is worship of some god, which is idolatry.
Heb. 9:1: “Now even the first {covenant} had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary.” God has always regulated the way that he wants to be worshipped. Consider Col. 2:18, 23: “Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on {visions} he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, ...These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, {but are} of no value against fleshly indulgence.” Indeed, they are the forerunner of the sins of the flesh, for if we cannot so much as just worship God in the way that He wants to be worshipped, how are we to obey him in the more difficult things of this life. The first step away from God, as seen in Romans 1:21f is the failure to properly worship. The last stage is total depravity. Worship is very important.
29 Ye often hear it said ...
“It does not matter how we serve God.”
but Paul stated (Romans 1:22):
“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools ...”
He went on to describe how the Gentiles first changed the worship, then the characteristics, and finally the truth of God. At each step God “gave them up” to deteriorate in their decadence, so that they were finally totally devoid of any sense of morality whatsoever.
The idea of the pagans was that there were many ways to get what you want from “the force” (to use a current-day expression). They recognized that there was a god of Israel, but also accepted the gods of other nations, and believed that one god might be stronger than another. So, when they went to a foreign land, they had no problems in yielding themselves over to the god(s) who had jurisdiction in that area. After all, what could it hurt?
Such is the root of all superstitious and manipulative religious belief today. The idea is: “We don’t really understand it, so why fight it? Just go along with it.” Are we any different today when we refuse to “test the spirits” (1 Jn. 4:1)? Are we any different today when we “hold a form of godliness, but have denied the power of it” (2 Tim. 3:5)? Are we religious to manipulate God for what we can get out of it? ... or are we serving and obeying our Lord because we Love Him and trust that His way is best for us?
30 Ye often hear it said ...
“Jesus never used necessary inference.”
but Jesus answered and said unto them (Mt. 22:29) ...
“Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”
He went on to illustrate a biblical interpretation method by which they should have been able to understand the reality of the resurrection (Mt. 22:31-32): “But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Jesus was quoting from Exodus 3:6, which says nothing specifically about the resurrection from the dead. However, Jesus chastises them for not drawing the obvious conclusion, one that is necessarily inferred from the tense of a verb (I am, not I was).
Our focus here is not as much with the resurrection as it is with following the example of Jesus (1 Pet. 2:21). If Jesus used this method, can it be wrong? In Mt. 22 (and many other places), Jesus draws conclusions that must follow from the scriptures even though they are not explicitly stated. This is exactly what we mean when we talk about necessary inference. To draw such conclusions, however, one must know the premises. Knowing only what other people state about the bible is not sufficient. Thus, the necessity to study (2 Tim. 2:15) and to become as those “who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Heb. 5:14.
31 Ye often hear it said ...
"Jesus will soon come to set up his kingdom."
but Paul stated (Col. 1:12) that God had already ...
"... delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son ..."
aul went on to state that in Christ "we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins ..." Being in Christ is synonymous with being in the "body of Christ," which is the church (Col. 1:18). The terms of entrance for the church, the kingdom, and the body of Christ are the same: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:3-4).
Death to the old life and being raised to "walk in newness of life" are synonymous with repentance (Acts 2:38) and being "born of the water and the Spirit" (Jn. 3:5). The terms of entry, the time that they were established (Acts 2), and the membership/citizenship are all the same for the church and the kingdom. Why look for another kingdom when we are more than conquerors" now (Rom. 8:37)?
Anticipating that teachers of a 1000-year worldly reign will cite Revelation 20, we refer you to our commentary on Revelation, Chapter 20.
32 Ye often hear it said ...
“Life goes on . . . “
but the great wise preacher Solomon said (Ecclesiastes 7:2):
"It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting:
for this is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart."
The expression "life goes on" holds an important truth: There is an extreme of grief that is quite harmful, and to prolong our grieving too long is not healthy for ourselves or those around us. There should be no guilt in resuming one's normal life after the healing process is over.
But compare the common expression with the sobering words of Solomon, who states that the wise person will "lay ... to his heart" the reality that we are all mortal. There is a sense in which life should not just "go on." For, "...it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this cometh judgment" (Heb. 9:27).
This "value" of grief does not mean that we should minimize our heartfelt sorrow for and assistance to those who are suffering from their loss. However, by maturing in our understanding of the role that grief plays in our lives, we can be better prepared for that sure and certain day in which we will be touched by it.
33 Ye often hear it said ...
"Life is a gamble, so gambling cannot be sinful."
but Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 6:10 that:
"... [the] covetous... shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Covetous in this context is referring to those who are "(eager) to have more" i. e., to have what belongs to others; hence, "greedy of gain, ... " <1 Cor. 5:10-11; 6:10; Eph. 5:5> (from Vine's Expository Dictionary). This is the exact motivation for gambling, and the bible clearly condemns it. Those who argue that "life is a gamble" make the word meaningless in an attempt to confuse. Unlike gambling, legitimate business risks can and often do produce wealth for everyone.
Covetousness brings about its own set of consequences. One is the addictive nature of gambling. It has been estimated that the cost of this problem alone to society (bankruptcies, additional government assistance, etc.) more than offsets any financial gains that legalized gambling could produce. Those who have faith in God’s way can see clearly that the states that are depending upon this vice to fund their programs will have to pay a dear price when these sources dry up. Any system of revenue generation based purely on greed (as opposed to the generation of real wealth) will ultimately collapse of its own weight. It is a house of cards that looks good for a while, just like many pyramid schemes. But history shows that the more effort that we put into non-productive (in this case, counterproductive) enterprises, the quicker our society will not be able to meet its basic needs.
34 Ye often hear it said ...
“Money is the root of all evil.”
but Paul told Timothy to in 1 Timothy 6:17:
"Instruct those who are rich in this present world
not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the
uncertainty of riches,
but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy."
First, let’s get the first quote right, since it is in the same context as the response. It should read (1 Tim. 6:10): “... the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (emphasis mine). Indeed, when we value any material thing more than God, it is idolatry. But the fact that there were rich people in the churches of the first century tells us that being rich is not a sin per se. In fact, some poor people have far more love for money than do many rich people.
Paul’s instructions continue (1 Tim 6:18-19): “Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” Building wealth is simply a matter of making our expenditures less than our income. If we give as we have prospered (1 Cor. 16:2) and are still able to build wealth, this enables us to better share with those in need and to give more in the future to the furtherance of the work of the Lord. These are noble goals, and well worth working toward. If all Christians were destitute, how would the work of spreading the gospel be accomplished? Clearly, God expects us to put the material things that he has given us to the best possible use (Matthew 25:14f).
35 Ye often hear it said ...
"...once saved, always saved ..." (1)
but Peter made if very clear in 2 Peter 2:20:
“For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world …
they are again entangled therein, the last state is become worse with them than the first.
It has happened unto them according to the true proverb,
The dog turning to his own vomit again,
and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.“
Clearly this is talking about once-saved people, i.e., Christians. It is never in question that they had obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ, and they had been added to his body, the church. Neither is it in question that they were at this point saved. The term "again entangled" necessitates that the person was, at one point in time, in the grace of God and thus saved. If they were never saved then Peter would not be addressing them as “them that have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and (the) Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1). If they had not been saved, he would be urging them to repent and be baptized as he had preached on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38).
Please, open your New Testaments and read the letters written to Christians (Romans through Jude). You cannot read too many pages in a row without seeing warnings that Christians must stay faithful in order to remain saved (e.g., Rom. 2, 1 Cor. 5, 2 Cor. 6:14f, Eph. 4:17, Phil. 2:12, Col. 2:5, Heb. 3:6,14; 10:26; 12:14f; Rev. 2:4,5,26).
36 Ye often hear it said ...
“Once saved, always saved ... “ (2)
but Paul told some Christians (Galatians 5:4):
"You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be
justified by law; you have fallen from grace."
Lest some think that this has no relevance to us, since few Christians today attempt to impose circumcision, note that the sin under consideration is not the issue. If someone can fall from grace for committing one particular sin, why cannot one fall from grace for committing any sin which is not forgiven? Those who teach "once saved always saved" must answer this question in order to explain away Galatians 5:4. Some argue: "they were never saved;" but you cannot fall from something that you were never on; and you cannot be severed from something that you were never a part of.
Galatians 5:4 is just one of hundreds of scriptures that deal with this issue. I challenge you to prayerfully read any three pages in succession from the New Testament letters written to Christians (Romans through Jude). See for yourself the great concern that Paul, John, Peter and the other writers had for their fellow Christians falling from their saved state. The following are particularly convincing: 1 Cor. 9:23-10:21; Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:26-31; 2 Peter 2:20-22.2
37 Ye often hear it said …
“Our works have nothing at all to do with our salvation.”
but this is often based on Paul’s statement (Titus 3:5) ...
“He saved us, not on the basis of works which we have done in righteousness,
but according to His mercy,
by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit ...”
Notice that this is a “not … but” statement. Quite often in the New Testament, the “not” part is not absolute but relative.* The scriptures clearly teach that we cannot earn our salvation. But does this mean that our behavior has absolutely nothing to do with our salvation? Some even go so far as to teach that if we do not accept this absolute, we cannot be saved. Paradoxically, they have made this “faith only” behavior a condition of salvation, thus contradicting their own position. We need to let the bible resolve God’s conditions of salvation.
Study the context — go back to Titus 3:1. Is not our behavior the very subject of this chapter? Look at verse 3. Is not a transformed life important? “We once were ... but now are ...” This salvation was not because of our righteousness, but by the mercy of God. Verses 4-7 emphasize God’s part, which is by far, far, far the most critical part. But verse 8 returns back to the main subject: “... that those who believed in God may be careful to engage in good works.” There is no contradiction here, and we should see clearly that God’s part eclipses our own. But as free-will agents, we can either yield ourselves to God’s part or not, allowing him to work through us or not. It is a small part; but it is essential (Phil. 2:12). Be careful.
*Note: See the article on the biblical “not … but …” construct.
38 Ye often hear it said ...
"That’s just your interpretation."
but in Ephesians 3:4, referring to his writings, Paul stated:
"...when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ"
If we can have the same understanding as Paul did by reading what he wrote, then where else should we look for such understanding? When we hold to the belief that the bible is not understandable, is that not an accusation against God that He either cannot or does not want to give us a statement of His will that we can understand?
It is true that many people use the bible to prove highly contradictory doctrines. Does this make the bible deficient? Please study the context of 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12: "And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness." When we go to the bible with no other goal than to find out what God’s will is for us (seeking after Him — Heb. 11:6), we will learn and know the truth (Jn. 8:32). But when we go to the bible just to prove some doctrine that we hold dear, that is exactly what we will do. Only the bible has this characteristic. This is some of the hardest evidence that the bible is from God.
Consider these questions: does the fact that this is someone’s interpretation necessitate that it is wrong? Is this the response of someone who is concerned about the truth, or is it just a lazy way to dismiss someone with whom we disagree? We are not asking you to accept our interpretations; we are asking you to study it out and understand it for yourself. We hope that you can help us arrive at a better understanding.
39 Ye often hear it said ...
“There is no scientific proof that God exists ...”
but the apostle Paul said (Romans 1:20):
“For the invisible things of him [God] since the creation of the world are clearly seen,
being perceived through the things that are made,
even his everlasting power and divinity; that they might be without excuse... "
The invisible things of God are those things which mankind has not witnessed. These are both physical and spiritual in nature (even His everlasting power and divinity). God has revealed himself to us through the things that are made, so that we can have sure and certain knowledge of both.
We did not see God create the world, nor any of the things herein. However, the evidence of God's activity is in the perfect harmony and balance not only of our natural world, but the universe in general. David said: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork (Ps. 19:1).
This evidence within the physical world can take us only so far, however. For, the spiritual knowledge that we need for eternal life -- the power of God unto salvation -- is obtained only through the gospel. Reread Romans 1:20 starting with verse 16.
40 Ye often hear it said ...
“There's nothing in a name ... “
But the Apostle Peter stated (Acts 4:10-12):
"Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, [even] by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
There is no one unique descriptor given to the Lord's church (see article on “Naming” under the Church topic). Instead, various terms provide rich descriptions for this group. This includes the word church itself (ekklesia -- a calling out of).
This does not authorize man to supply an unscriptural name. Our descriptions of the church that Jesus built (Mt. 16:18) must be totally consistent with that given in scripture. This is part of looking to no other authority (name) than that of Jesus Christ.
When we assign names which are not even given as descriptors in the bible, we are going beyond the scriptures (2 Jn. 9), and exalting some other name (authority) above that of Christ.
41 Ye often hear it said ...
“There is nothing that we can do to obtain salvation."
but on the day of Pentecost Peter said (Acts 2:40):
"Save yourselves from this untoward generation."
Read the entire context of Acts 2 and it will tell you what God did for us and what God expects of us. The writer sums it up in Acts 2:41-42: "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."
How then can this be a free gift? Our part of salvation is merely to act in our own self-interest. It is not a cost that we pay but a benefit that we receive. No one was ever sorry for spending time doing good, nor did they ever regret abstaining from evil. Invariably, however, when we sin we pay the price, both in terms of the shame and problems that we cause here on this earth, and the fear of eternal damnation.
When we choose to view our good works as obligations that must be met, we miss the mark. They are opportunities to serve the Lord and to reap the blessings that He has promised to the faithful. Our rewards, both in this life and in the world to come, far outweigh anything that can be regarded as costs. And, our sins can never be atoned for without the blood of Christ, even if we were to live perfectly. This is why salvation is a free gift of God.
Peter was not trying to infer in Acts 2:40 that we could save ourselves, but he was clearly stating that something was required on our part. Salvation is through the shed blood of Christ and apart from that it does not exist. So it is impossible for us to save ourselves. Peter was speaking accommodatively in an effort to get these believers to take those actions essential to their salvation.
42 Ye often hear it said ...
"The world is coming to an end on ..."
but in 1 Peter 3:10 it states:
"... the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in
the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and
the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and
the works that are therein shall be burned up."
See also Mt. 24:35f. One religion has repetitively predicted the end of the world on average about once every 20 years since the late 1800s. And they have gotten away with it! This in violation of the God-given method for determining false prophecy (Deuteronomy 18:21-22): "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken ..." You would think that religions based upon false predictions of the end of the world would disappear. But not so. They prosper because of ignorance and superstition (i.e., the belief that there just might be something to it). Making predictions of doom is safe and easy. If it comes true they say: "I told you so." But if it does not, no one ever checks. Do not be deceived. Learn the truth from God's word and you will see that the answer is to be ready always for the return of the Lord (2 Pet. 3:12-14). "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). Someday tomorrow will be too late. That someday could be today.
43 Ye often hear it said ...
“That is just your opinion.”
but the apostle Paul said (1 Corinthians 14:37) ...
“If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual,
let him recognize that the things which I write to you
that they are the commandments of the Lord.”
Was this just his opinion? Did he expect us to understand it (Eph. 3:4)? Has God not spoken to us through the scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16f)? Does the bible have no meaning for us at all? That is the conclusions that we must draw if whatever we read in the bible is just our opinion. This is the lazy person’s way out of intensive bible study, and shows no desire to seek after God (Heb. 11:6).
We have no choice when it comes to determining what we can and should bind on one another. Either we are going to use the bible to do this or else we must depend upon some man or organization of man. If we are not using the bible, then the comment: “that is just your opinion” is valid. For, without depending on scripture, what else do we have except our subjective feelings?
The New Testament is a very short collection of books. It is the most cross-referenced book in the world, with concordances and indexes to help us survey any subject. But even if we have to read the entire book to discover all the truth on a given subject, this would not be too much to ask. The most important requirement is faith. Faith that God has not left us floating and out in the cold. Faith that God will keep His promises and provide us with all that we need to serve Him.
44 Ye often hear it said ...
“Thou shalt not commit adultery ... “ (Mt. 5:27)
but Jesus went far beyond this (Matthew 5:28):
"But I say unto you, that whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her
has committed adultery with her already in his heart."
This is not a popular teaching in our day and age. Our entertainment industry has become a virtual religion in itself, giving the highest accolades and worship to some whose public behavior is calculated to create the maximum lust in the hearts of others.
This is not an easy teaching even for those who are trying to do all that our Lord directs. But Jesus gave us further direction (Mt. 5:29): "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell." This, of course, is not to be taken literally. Jesus is calling for the same discipline that the Apostle Paul described in 1 Cor. 9:27: "But I buffet my body daily, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
With God's help we can keep all of His commands (Jn. 14:13). His way is best, for we know that if we keep ourselves from lust, we will also keep ourselves from adultery and fornication.
45 Ye often hear it said ...
“Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths ...” (Mt. 5:33)
But Jesus' teaching on this subject is quite clear (Matthew 5:34-37):
“But I say unto you, Swear not at all ... But let your communication be,
Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”
There is no easier way for people to demonstrate their rebellion against God than by their speech. Today our movies, TV shows and common speech are so filled with profanity that we are hardly shocked by common swearing. We should recognize that "every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Mt. 12:36). Woe unto those who use the name of the Lord our God for little other than humor.
But this admonition has more to do with truth and reputation than with idle words. Jesus is saying that we should have no need for swearing at all if we have been truthful in all of our dealings with our fellow man. Truth is a scarce commodity in our society, and those who will restrict their speech to only truth are hard to find. How many people do you know that you can say: “I know that when s/he says something it is the truth?” More importantly: how many people would say this about you?
46 Ye often hear it said ...
“Thou shalt not kill ...” (Mt. 5:21)
but Jesus went far beyond this (Matthew 5:22):
"I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause
shall be in danger of the judgment."
He went on to say that actions motivated out of hatred puts a person "in danger of hell fire."
Even our offering to God is not acceptable if we have caused some problem with our fellow man. He tells them to leave the gift before the altar "and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (Mt. 5:25).
The thoughts and intents of the heart ultimately determine our actions. While we might be able to give the impression of righteousness by conditioning our outward actions, this will profit us nothing if we these actions are motivated by self-interest and self-righteousness (Mt. 23:25-26).
If our heart is right before God, this will change our behavior. It is not difficult to help our fellow man if we love him. Our attitude toward others becomes apparent over time.
This also gives us a way to determine our relationship to God. We may think that we love God, but "If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loves God love his brother also" (Jn. 4:20-21).
47 Ye often hear it said ...
“Watching worldly movies and TV does’t have any effect on me.”
but Paul stated (1 Corinthians 15:33) ...
“... evil communications corrupt good morals ...”
In biblical times stories were told by companions — those who we associated with or socialized with, mostly family and friends. This process of storytelling has changed considerably in our day and age, so that these communications (especially as they relate to storytelling) are predominately from our mass media. When we subject ourselves to a constant barrage of this type of communication, it will corrupt our morals. This is inevitable, and those who deny it are just refusing to face the reality of what they are becoming.
We hear Christians sometimes say such things as: “That movie was not so bad — it only had a little nudity in it.” This demonstrates how far we have come in our toleration of sin. In the past, the phrase “Oh my God” caused most Christians to flinch, and it still should. But it is heard so often in our media and society, that most now see nothing wrong with it. The fact that we have become immune to it makes it no less the taking of God’s name in vain. And so it is with many other terms. With the acceptance of this language comes the eroding of the sense of morality that should cause us shame to even hear it. Instead, many laugh at it and revel in it. When this happens, it is a clear indication that we have surrendered a portion of our beings to worldliness. We need to take back this part of our spiritual lives.
48 Ye often hear it said ...
"Water baptism has nothing to do with salvation."
but in 1 Peter 3:21, Peter stated:
"And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you — not the
removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a
good conscience — through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,..."
It is difficult to argue with a direct biblical statement. Subject: baptism. Verb: saves. Object: you. The context shows that Peter was talking about water baptism. Verse 20: "... God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water." The reference to washing defines this to be water baptism. This is totally consistent with the examples of conversions described in the book of Acts — all conversions culminated with water baptism. It is this baptism that puts one into Christ (Romans 6:3; see Acts 10:47-48).
Lest we be misunderstood, this verse does not say that we are saved by baptism only. We are not saved by any one thing ONLY. Baptism is necessary to salvation, and it puts us into a saved state. However, after baptism we must be faithful until death (Rev. 2:10), recognizing the great privilege of doing the works that God has prepared for us (Eph. 2:10; Rom. 12:1-2).
49 Ye often hear it said ...
“We are just the same as the animals.”
but the Genesis account makes a major distinction (Genesis 2:7) ...
“Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and man became a living soul.”
This was a unique and different creation than that of the animals. Gen 1:27 states: “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him ...” These statements are not made with regard to any of the animals, nor is there the least bit implication that God used the animals as a means for creating man. Evolution is anti-God in that it makes no distinction between mankind and the animals; how could there be if we evolved from them? Is it any wonder that many today will oppose hunting and the raising of livestock for meat while at the very same time favoring the slaughter of unborn and partially born babies? These are some logical conclusions of faith in evolution.
What is worldly about evolution? Everything. It is a teaching of man; it goes counter to God-given common sense (Rom. 1:18f); it makes assumptions that are incapable of being validated; it degrades mankind; and, it denies the necessity for there even being a God. It is worldly because without a worldly inclination no one would have ever dreamed it up, nor would they have given it any credibility. It appeals to those who would be free from God and the influences of what He has revealed in His holy word. Let us not be deceived by it, or by the priesthood of scientists who covet the control of our minds.
50 Ye often hear it said ...
"We are not justified by works ..."
but James said (James 2:24):
"Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
Notice that James is not saying that we are justified by works only, or works apart from faith. However, the context of James 2:14f shows that faith and works are inseparable. If you have the type of faith that God requires it will result in good works. Thus, if you are not producing the works of God, you do not have saving faith. Thus, even though our works can never be adequate to save us, the New Testament writers are correct to infer as well as to state explicitly that we will be “judged by [or according to] our works” (Romans 2:6; Revelation 20:12-13).
Jesus emphasized this to his disciples in John 15:5-10: "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. ...If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." When we refuse to observe God’s commandments, then we cease to be abide in him.
This is not salvation by perfect obedience, which is impossible since we have all sinned (Rom. 3:23). It is salvation by the grace of God that is conditional on our faith in Him. This requires us to learn his will for us and then to do it to the best of our abilities. Those who believe in God must also "seek after Him" (Hebrews 11:6).
Here is the remainder of the passage of Jesus’ words from John 15:
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and (so) shall ye be my disciples.
9 Even as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you: abide ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
51 Ye often hear it said ...
"We are saved by faith only" (1)
but James stated in James 2:24:
"Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
Check your concordances. Run your computers. See that this is the only place in the bible that the words faith and only fall together in the same verse. Does it say that we are justified (saved) by faith only? How can so many teach this when the bible says just the opposite?
So what about all of the verses that say that we are saved by faith? The only consistent understanding of these verses that harmonizes all of the conditions of salvation taught in the New Testament is that the word faith means a living faith — one that will motivate all of the other conditions. This is validated by James’ definition of the meaning of saving faith in James 2:26: "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." What is faith only if not faith without works? James defined faith only to be dead faith — a faith that absolutely cannot save. The faith that is capable of saving cannot be faith only, because it will always motivate obedient actions, i.e., good works. Read Hebrews 11, where all the examples of the people of faith who were acceptable to God demonstrated their faith by being obedient to the true and living God. Religious leaders: stop teaching a plan of salvation that is not the gospel (Gal. 1:8).
Read all of James 2 to see that he was not teaching salvation by meritorious works. The bible is consistent in this regard: we cannot earn our salvation, it is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8; Tit. 3:4-5).
This does not mean that salvation is without conditions, and most people realize that faith is one of those conditions (Jn. 3:16). James is defining the type of faith which God requires. God is not a respecter of persons; He requires the same type of faith of us as he required of Abraham and the righteous men and women of all ages (Heb. 11). That faith must be a living faith. Faith without works is dead (Ja. 2:26) and will avail nothing. When our faith motivates us to do those things that God has prepared for us, these are not our works, they are the working of God (e.g., Col. 2:12).
Many set James 2 aside citing Romans 4, which they believe contradicts this teaching. In reality, both of these passages were given by the Holy Spirit, and so they should be harmonized. This can only be done by realizing that the faith talked about in Romans 4 is a living faith (as exemplified by Abraham), but that the works in Romans 4 are the works of our own doing or the works of the Old Testament law, neither of which proceed out of faith in Jesus Christ. Most agree, if we have the living faith that saves, we will do the works of God. We just need to teach this. “Faith only” does not.
52 Ye often hear it said ...
“We are saved by faith only.” (2)
but James said (James 2:24):
"Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
Note first that this in no way diminishes the role of faith in our salvation. Just the opposite: James defines exactly what true and living faith is, and this is exemplified throughout the bible (see Hebrews 11). Never was a person saved by faith without that faith exhibiting itself is some action (work).
James starts out by asking (vs. 14): "What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?" This question admits that such is possible, and James goes on to state that demons have such faith (19). Raw belief is not enough; it must motivate action pleasing to God. So, James defines the two types of faith that can exist in verse 26: "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead."
The faith that we are saved by is living faith, not dead faith. Living faith will motivate us to accomplish the rest of the conditions that God has given, all of which proceed from faith.
53 Ye often hear it said ...
“All great religions are the same … “
but Jesus said (John 14:6):
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."
Jesus was describing the way to his Father's house. He had told them that: "... you know the way where I am going" (Jn. 14:4). Thomas asked him "... how do we know the way?" It was then that Jesus stated: "I am the way ..."
We can and should know the way to God's eternal dwelling place for us. Jesus has defined the way by his perfect life (Heb. 1:1f), by sending the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles (Jn. 16:13), and by the words that the inspired men wrote as a result of this inspiration (1 Cor. 2:12f). Christ is the highway that Isaiah identified (Isa. 35:8). It is a way only available through Jesus, since it is only by his blood that he entered into the holy place for us (Heb. 9:12).
Is it not fitting, then, that we should not only believe in Jesus as our savior, but also confess him before others? The great commission to go to people of all nationalities and preach to them the gospel of Jesus is a command for us to confess our belief that Jesus is the son of God, and thereby the way, the truth and the life.
54 Ye often hear it said ...
“We cannot understand the bible alike ...”
but Jesus prayed for unity (Jn. 17:23), and the Holy Spirit inspired the apostles to make it one of their central themes (1 Cor. 1:10, Eph. 4:1-16, Phil. 1:27).
To discard doctrinal unity as impossible shows a lack of faith in the power of God (Rom. 1:16).
There are only two ways that unity can be attained within a religious organization: (1) the members conform themselves to God's word, or (2) they conform themselves to the shifting directives of man-made doctrines.
Those who give up on the first approach toward unity default to the second. Evidence of this includes the presence of man-made councils, conferences and other organizations to govern, and the loss of local church autonomy.
God's way requires that every member of His church acquire the knowledge and understanding of His word so that we do not have to depend upon men to attain unity. Hebrews 8:7-13 shows that this was God's will when he designed the New Testament in all of its simplicity (2 Cor. 11:3).
The belief that we cannot understand the bible alike can only create total disregard for the bible and enslavement to the teachings of man (Jn. 8:32). Abandoning this fable, let us "study to show ourselves approved ..." (2 Tim. 2:15).
55 Ye often hear it said ...
“We should not judge since none of us is perfect.”
but Jesus commanded (John 7:24) ...
"Do not judge according to appearance but judge with righteous judgment."
First, let us hasten to agree that (1) none of us is perfect, and (2) there are situations in which it is sinful to judge (e.g., James 4:11). But to take this to the extreme and state that we should never judge anyone’s actions is so totally unworkable that no one even gives it serious consideration. Those who are judging this author for what he is writing right here are proving my point. We all DO judge; we are all critical of others at times, probably far more than we ought to be. So let us not be hypocritical with this “do not judge” smokescreen.
The Christian’s concern is not with whether or not to judge; we are commanded to judge under certain circumstances (e.g., see 1 Cor. 5). Our concern is with meeting our obligation to judge righteously. Jesus gave us the criterion. He said: “do not judge according to appearance.” That is, we are not to judge according to our superficial, prejudiced, viewpoint. Get the facts. Look deeper. Get the other side of the issue. Be fair and honest. Find out and accept reality. Then, based on the verified truth, make your judgment. To fail to “judge righteous judgment” is to disobey the command of Jesus given above. Those who accuse others of sin for pointing out the truth are merely hiding behind a misunderstanding of what the bible teaches on the subject of judging.
56 Ye often hear it said ...
“Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement ...” (Mt. 5:31)
But Jesus' teaching on this subject is quite clear (Matthew 5:32):
“But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery.”
Indeed, this must seem a strange teaching, as many religious organizations do their best to avoid it. Our politicians have finally come to recognize that this nation cannot survive without the strength of its families, but they will never affirm the full truth of Jesus' words on this subject.
Jesus, when confronted about this issue by the Pharisees in Mt. 19:3-9, explained that "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." And, "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except [it be] for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and whoso marries her which is put away doth commit adultery."
These words are not difficult to understand. What they appear to be saying is exactly what they are saying. The innocent victim of a spouse who commits adultery is the only one who is may scripturally divorce.
57 Ye often hear it said ...
“Wives must be in total subjection to their husbands according to Ephesians 5:22”
but in the previous verse, Paul stated (Eph. 5:21) ...
“... be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.“
The same expression is used in both places; it is not even repeated (in the original) in verse 22. So “be subject” must have identically the same meaning in both. Now, we affirm that a wife must be in subjection to her own husband, since that is exactly what Eph. 5:22 commands. However, it is essential that we understand what the bible means by “be subject.” This is not an unqualified term that gives the husband license to make any and all demand that he wants. It is qualified by the principles of love that must exist for a marriage to meet God’s approval. Those who fail to apply these principles are not observing all of God’s word (Mt. 4:4).
In vs. 21, when it says “be subject to one another,” it is speaking to all Christians. Thus, if a husband and wife are both Christians, there is a sense in which he is to be in subjection to her. How are we to be subject to one another? One answer is given in Phil. 2:3-4: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not {merely} look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Now, if this is the attitude that a man is to have for his fellow Christians, can you give one good reason that he should not have this regard and much, much more for his own wife? Subjection is a two way street, and it takes a real man to understand that and to take advantage of his wife’s strengths.
Finally, consider: Ephesians 5:25 in this same context: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; …” The command given to the wife is but a very small fraction of the demand upon her that this command demands of the husband. When the husband makes a request of the wife, it must reflect this command or else it is sin.
58 Ye often hear it said ...
“A woman is not fulfilled if she does not have a career.”
but Paul declared her primary role was (1 Tim. 5:14) ...
“to marry, to have children, to manage their homes ...”
Let me first state that there is nothing sinful per se for a woman to have a career, and most all women engage in business at some form or another (please read Prov. 31:10ff, and see Acts 16:14). There are circumstances in which this is essential. The problem is on the emphasis — what comes first? Generally, the role of the husband is to leave the home and be the provider. There are times when he must sacrifice time with the family in order to fulfill his obligations. This can certainly be taken too far, and the dangers of worldliness abound.
The priorities of the wife must be different from that of the husband, especially once children enter the picture. Her primary responsibility is to her husband and to her children. A red flag should go up when she starts to sacrifice these to advance her career. Perhaps the following questions can place these tough call in perspective:
- What exactly is this sacrifice of my family going to generate in cash? Do we really need this money?
- Am I advancing my career for my family, or for my own ego?
- Do I spend more time thinking about my job than my family?
- Have I taken this problem to my Lord in prayer?
Each household must work this out, and what might work for one might not be right for another. But these arrangements will never work without putting His kingdom and His righteousness first (Mt. 6:33).
59 Ye often hear it said ...
“You can be baptized anytime ...”
but the Ethiopian asked (Acts 8:36):
“Behold, (here is) water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?”
This man, who was obviously a devout Jew, recognized that something was missing in his obedience to God. It is clear that he did not wish to delay this act of obedience for one second longer than would be necessary. Philip “preached unto him Jesus,” and this included the entire plan of salvation. The Ethiopian man obviously heard the truth, and he believed what he heard. While the subject of repentance is not mentioned in this case of conversion, it is clear that the Ethiopian had an attitude of service to God that would motivate him to turn from his sins. The fact that he was penitent is evidenced by Philip’s response to him when he asked: “Here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?” Philip’s response was: “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The Ethiopian man responded with the rock and foundation of the church (Mt. 16:18): “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Finally, it is clear that the baptism (immersion) that they practiced here was water baptism.
This example is very explicit and simple. Can we go wrong if we follow the example of obedience of these faithful men?
60 Ye often hear it said ...
"You can be saved just like the thief on the cross."
but Jesus said (Matthew 7:21):
“Not everyone that says unto me Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
It is impossible for you to be saved "just like the thief on the cross." To do so you would have to be crucified on a cross next to Jesus. You would have had to have been in the circumstances that the thief was in. This would have included being born under, and thus subject to, the Old Testament law. This is impossible today. It would be equally as reasonable to state that your pattern for salvation is going to be:
- Noah. Could building an ark save you today?
- Abraham. Could being willing to sacrifice your son save you today?
- Moses. Could leading the Israelites out of slavery save your today?
Surely we all understand that we are not saved by the specific acts of obedience established by these Old Testament characters. Yet, Hebrews 11 tells us that they were men of faith who were acceptable to God because their faith motivated them to do what God commanded when he commanded it. God’s commands for us today are in the New Testament (Hebrews 1, 7, 9; Col. 2:14; Gal. 3, 4, 5; Rom. 3, 6). When we subject ourselves to these commands we demonstrate the same faith that the thief on the cross demonstrated, and, in that sense, we are saved just like he was. He did all that he could to serve and obey Jesus, and nothing less is expected of us.
61 Ye often hear it said ...
"You can prove anything with the bible."
but Paul, speaking of his own writings, said (Ephesians 3:4):
“… when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ..."
We hasten to admit that there is a sense in which the first quote above is true. Peter stated of Paul’s writings (2 Pet 3:16): "...speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as {they do} also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction." To the "untaught and unstable" it is possible to "prove" anything; but this "proof" exists only in their minds ... it is not reality. God has given us the Scriptures so that when we read them we can have a knowledge of the truth, and so that we can act on that knowledge to produce the type of behavior within ourselves that glorifies our God and Father in heaven.
There is no error so pernicious as that which denies the very source of our only hope to know God’s will. Those who disparage our efforts to learn it and teach its truth will state that "it’s only your interpretation" and "there are many ways all leading to God." Some teach that an experience is worth a thousand scriptures, leading you to believe that you are just wasting your time in bible study. Let us remember the words of Jesus when he was quoting scripture (Matt. 4:4): "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" Is all of God’s word not good enough for us?
62 Ye often hear it said ...
"You just have to repent to be saved."
but John the Baptist commanded (Matthew 3:8):
"Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance..."
Technically, the first statement is accurate, provided we realize that those who truly repent will endeavor to do all that they have been commanded to do in order to be saved. But John the Baptist's statement implies that most people will not draw that conclusion, and so the statement does not go far enough.
Most people are honest enough to be able to look back in sorrow at some consequences that they have had to suffer because of their own sin. Consequences always produce a type of sorrow. The person who robs the local store and gets caught is sorry that he ever conceived of the plan. But this is a sorrow for getting caught, not one motivated by a genuine desire to change.
John goes on to tell them not to take pride in their heritage. They would not be able to practice business as usual if they were going to be ready for the Messiah. We find them rejecting John's rebuke, and eventually they were not even able to comprehend what Jesus was all about (see Mt. 13:10-17).
Repentance is a most painful process, and the longer we put it off, the more painful it becomes. Yet, when we allow God's word to work in us we learn what Jesus meant by a "light yoke" (Mt. 11:28) and Paul by the "peace that passes all understanding" (Phil. 4:7).2
What are the conditions of salvation given by Jesus?
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