Ever 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

Man helps misunderstand

History is filled with men who spread religious confusion but were convinced they were teaching truth. Is religious teaching futile then? Should all religious teachers, including me, simply stop teaching to avoid making things worse? Certainly not! Everyone can know when someone is creating their own doctrinal theories about prophecy (such as relating to our first article). Here are some simple rules.

When leaps are made without scripture

Far too often, people quote an Old Testament passage, associate it with a New Testament verse and claim that the ideas are directly connected to modern events. Recall Peter’s words – people twist the scriptures to their own destruction (II Pet. 3:16).  If a “teacher” is telling you to “trust his interpretation”, especially about passages coming from different testaments, there is an issue. Everybody is capable of understanding the scriptures, and we all know that no scripture is to be of any private interpretation (II Pet. 1:20).

When obscure, difficult passages explain the easy, clear ones

Most Bible verses are plain and direct. Some “teachers” will argue that a verse does not actually mean what it appears to because this verse does not fit with a complex doctrine they teach. This approach is completely backwards! For example, people created a doctrine that the earth will exist forever. They use Psalms 78:69 as evidence. Yet Peter stated that the earth and all its works will be burned up at the end of time (II Pet. 3:9-12). The claim about Psalms 78:69 cannot be reconciled with Peter’s teaching, yet the minds of these people are already made up. Many other things in the Old Testament were described as lasting forever too – animal sacrifices, circumcision, king David, the Passover and the priesthood (Gen. 17:13; Ex. 40:15; Lev. 16:29-34; Ex. 12:14; I Kings 1:31). The word “forever” means “continually; without interruption.” These things lasted “continually” within their context, but they are not eternal as some have decided.

Complex doctrines are not needed if we merely let God’s word speak for itself. Those who seek will find (Matt. 7:7). Let’s make sure we do not put more trust in man than we do in God and His word!

     Chuck