WHO WILL TEACH US THE TRUTH?

WHO WILL TEACH US THE TRUTH?

By EDWIL D. ZABALA

 

WE LIVE AT a time when religion enjoys unprecedented popularity.  Perhaps in response to our increasingly materialistic society and its shallow value system, many people today sincerely crave for a return to a more spirit-filled lifestyle.  However, as more and more people seek knowledge of the true teachings of the Creator, there is a need for increased vigilance to guard against those who would take advantage of this desire for spiritual guidance.  This echoes Apostle John’s sentiments:

     “Dearly loved friends, don’t always believe everything you hear just because someone says it is a message from God: test it first to see if it really is. For there are many false teachers around.” (I Jn. 4:1, Living Bible)

CLAIMING TO KNOW GOD

Anyone can claim to know God and to speak for Him.  But he has no prove first that he can truly guide people in establishing genuine relationship with the Almighty.  Apostle Paul spoke of how some unscrupulous individuals mislead people:

     “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good..” (Titus 1:16, New International Version)

    

     We need to carefully examine whether a certain preacher is leading us to God.  Unless this is the case, then that preacher does not really know God.  The yardstick by which we should examine a preacher’s teaching is the gospel recorded in the Holy Scriptures.  Apostles Paul says:

     “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” (II Thess. 1:8-9, Ibid.)

     A religious preacher who does or proclaims anything contrary to the true gospel does not really know God.  He himself, being estranged from the Creator, cannot teach true knowledge of Him.  Listening to such a preacher would be to court disaster since the gospel of Christ is God’s righteousness and His power of salvation is revealed in it (Rom. 1:16-17).

CLAIMING TO USE ONLY THE BIBLE

Protestant theologians, claiming to realize the primacy of the gospel contained in the Holy Scriptures, have declared:

     “The Bible, I say, the Bible only, is the religion of the Protestants’ … Hence if a doctrine be propounded for his acceptance, he asks, is it to be found in the Inspired Word? … if it is not found in the Sacred Scriptures, it presents no valid claim to be received as an article of his religious creed, … And he who receives a single doctrine upon the mere authority of tradition, let him be called by what name he will, by so doing, steps down from the Protestant rock” (John Dowling quoted in The Wine of Roman Babylon, p. 40)

     Though admirable in its unyielding stance against man-made and unscriptural traditions, the Protestant movement has fallen victim to another error, with far reaching consequences.  Dr. Jesse Lyman Hurlbut, a Protestant Bible scholar, speaks of a basic right guaranteed to Protestants:

     “The Reformation established the right of private judgment regarding religion and the Bible.” (The Story of the Christian Church, p. 139)

     While preaching the Holy Scriptures above human traditions, the Protestant movement has opened the floodgates to private interpretation of the gospel.  Bernard Ramm, a Protestant professor of theology, tells us of how such freedom can be misused by Protestant pastors and followers alike:

     “It has been said that the Scriptures are like a piano or a violin.  An artist may play any composition he wishes on either of these instruments.  And so Holy Scriptures is such a big book and such a diverse book is lends itself rather easily to the person who wants to impose on it some particular kind of theology.”  (Protestant Biblical Interpretation, 3^rd revised ed. P. 110)

     Explaining what he meant when he said that some individuals could easily impose their own particular kind of theology on the Bible, Professor Ramm continues:

     “This is a real ‘homiletical temptation’ at this point.  The preacher wants the text to be relevant and contemporary.  In order to achieve these purposes he may distort the text in some manner, or misrepresent it, or use it more for a motto than a point of Scriptural reference for his sermon.  This can be done in such a way that it gives the congregation the false impression that his sermon expresses the original meaning of the text.” (Ibid., p. 113)

     A clearly dangerous situation exists.  Many Protestant pastors, including those who claim to be sincere in their acceptance of the teachings found in the Holy Scriptures, are themselves susceptible to the temptation of distorting the biblical message.

    

DISTORTED MESSAGES

However, it may be argued that the possibility of such a distortion taking place is still not proof that distortion has already taken place.  But Vernon Grounds, a Protestant preacher, provides us with the following observation:

     “As I listen to sermons, cassettes, and radio broadcasts, watch television, or read evangelical Sunday school materials, periodicals, and books, I am impressed, but also troubled.

     “While the volume of material is staggering, too much of what is presented to today’s non-Christian, non-churched society is unjustifiably dogmatic.  Unfounded interpretations, gross contradictions of the meaning of biblical passages, and personal opinions are presented as God’s very truth.” (Moody Monthly, October 1986)

     Thus, contrary to their claims of fidelity to the Scriptures, Protestant preachers are equally responsible for spread of unscriptural teachings.  This problem can only grow worse since its cause, the right of private interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, still remains.  They forget that no matter how well thought-out and logical a body of teachings may be, if its conclusions are not directly supported by the truths written in the Holy Scriptures, it is not righteous in the sight of God and is of no value to those who seek God’s gift of salvation.  Apostle Paul maintains that no amount of religious fervor will make up for this serious flaw:

     “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

     “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (Rom. 10:2-3, New King James Version)

     Apostle Peter informs us of the dire consequences of distorting the Scriptures.  Those who distort the Scriptures as well as their followers are bound for destruction:

     “He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” (II Pt. 3:16, NIV)

     We should beware of religious teachers who are ignorant of the gospel and who seek to establish their own righteousness in place of it.  These impostors do not really subscribe to the truths written in the Holy Scriptures.

THE NEED FOR A TRUE MESSENGER

The Bible proves that for man to arrive at the true understanding of the Scriptures, he needs the instruction of the true messenger of God.  The evangelist Luke provides insight on this matter:

     “So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

     “Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

     ““How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.” (Acts 8:27-31, Ibid.)

     Though in possession of the Scriptures and not a pagan, the eunuch was quick to acknowledge his need for instruction in the truths of the Holy Scriptures.  It should be noted that  the Holy Spirit could just as easily have granted wisdom to the eunuch directly, but did not.  Instead, Philip, a true preacher from God, was utilized to enlighten the eunuch with God’s words.  This further shows the gravity of the mistake Protestants have made in proclaiming the so-called right of the individual in interpreting the Holy Scriptures without recourse to the guidance of the true ministers of God.  It is no wonder that Apostle Paul’s warning takes on added urgency today:

     “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,

     “which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.

     “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:6-8,  NKJV)

     Protestants, just as everybody else, would do well to remember Apostle Paul’s admonition and seed out the true preachers of the Bible instead of applying their own judgment in supplying personal interpretations to scriptural passages.

SEEK OUT THE TRUE MESSENGERS OF GOD

False preachers exist.  Thus, those wise seek the truth that leads to salvation need to extreme caution when choosing whom they will listen to.  They should reject those who add or preach anything contrary to the Bible.  They should seek out those who have been commissioned to preach the genuine message of God and of Christ.  Apostle Paul speaks of the need for such ministers:

      “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

      “that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

      “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” (II Cor. 5:18-20, Ibid.)

     Unless men listen to one who is an ambassador or messenger genuinely commissioned or sent to preach the truth on God’s words, then they have not yet found the spiritual enlightenment they have been seeking (Rom. 10:14-15).  *

References:

Hurlbut, Jesse Lyman.  The Story of the Christian Church.  Grand Rapids, Michigan:  Zondervan Publishing House, 1970.

Moody Montly, vol. 87, no. 2, October 1986

Ramm, Bernard.  Protestant Biblical Interpretation, 3^rd revised ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan:  Baker Book House, 1993.

Walsh, Mary E.  The Wine of Roman Babylon.  Nashville, Tennessee:  The Southern Publishing Association, 1968.

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