Bulletin Articles
“Know the difference!”
Categories: differences, religious confusion, Study the WordEver notice how two people can be saying the exact same thing but mean two totally different things? You can have two people both quote John 3:16, where it says that those who believe will not perish. One says it means faith only, where the other says it is an active obedient faith (Jas. 2:24). If a person doesn’t see the difference he can be following false doctrine. Here are a few others to be aware of:
John 9:29 Knowing no one can be plucked from the Father’s hand, two people will say you can be once saved always saved. It is true a person can be saved and stay that way by being faithful until death (Rev. 2:10). It’s something else to teach when a person is saved they can never so sin as to lose their salvation. That is not true. Yes, no one can pluck us from the Father’s hand, but we can leave it on our own (Jas. 5:19-20). We better see the difference.
Acts 2:38 Knowing that a person must repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, two people can say we must have the remission of sins. It is true that all mankind needs the remission of sins, but there is a difference in saying repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and repent for the remission of sins and then you can get baptized. The word “and” makes repentance and baptism essential for salvation. We better see the difference.
Matthew 16:18 Knowing that Jesus said He would build His own church, two people will say there is only one church. It is true that both can acknowledge Jesus didn’t say churches. However, there is a difference in saying Christ’s church is His of which He is the Head and His doctrine must be adhered to (Col. 1:18; II Jn. 9), and saying Christ’s church is made up of various denominations. We better see the difference.
Psalm 51:5 Knowing that in sin David’s mother conceived him, two people will say that mankind is born in sin. Yet, it is vital that we see the difference between teaching children are born sinners and a child is born into a sinful world (Ezek. 18:20). We better know the difference.
Chuck
