A DISCUSSION THAT LED
TO AN HONEST CHANGE OF VIEW
- INTRODUCTION:
- RECENTLY A DISCUSSION LED TO ONE MAKING A
CHANGE IN HIS VIEW OF SOME RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE.
- A SERIES OF STATEMENTS WERE MADE REGARDING
THE SALVATION OF MAN THAT WERE SHOWN TO BE IN ERROR BY THE SIMPLE
WORD OF GOD.
- WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN HONEST ENOUGH TO HAVE
MADE A CORRECTIVE CHANGE?
- HERE ARE A FEW OF THE STATEMENTS SHOWN TO
BE IN ERROR:
- DISCUSSION:
- THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH A CHURCH PUTTING
OUT A STATEMENT OF ITS BELIEFS TO CLARIFY ITS POSITION
FROM THAT OF ANOTHER CHURCH GROUP.
- THE BIBLE SAYS:
- The position of the Church should be
only the position of Christ as the true church is His.
- "I will build my church"
(Matthew
16:18).
- Christ is "
the head of the
body, the church:
" (Colossians
1:18; Colossians
1:24).
- There is but "one body"
(Ephesians
4:4).
- A position (teaching) something other than
that of the Lord is not with Gods authority.
- "Whosoever goeth onward and
abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he
that abideth in the teaching hath both the Father and the
Son" (II
John 9).
- God has by "
His divine
power 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"
(II
Peter 1:3). Thus, there is no need for a further
statement.
- Christ alone has authority in heaven
and earth and that includes the church. (Matthew
28:18) "And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in
earth."
- CHURCHES NEED TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEY TEACH
FROM THE BIBLE.
- That which is taught should be already
in the Bible as God wanted it and not as man would have it
explained.
- "Every scripture inspired
of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: that
the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto
every good work" (II
Timothy 3:16-17).
- Jesus said, "
Why call
ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"
(Luke
6:46).
- The Lord said, "If ye abide
in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall
know the truth, and the truth shall make you free"
(John
8:31).
- Taking a passage from the Bible that is
used to manifest division stands in conflict with the Lords
position on "Endeavouring to keep the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one
Spirit, even as ye are 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"
(Ephesians
4:3-6).
- We are called "unto the fellowship
of his Son Jesus Christ" (I
Corinthians 1:9).
- We are, as the Corinthians were beseeched
by Paul in the name of Christ, "
That ye
all speak the same things, and that there be no divisions
among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the
same mind and in the same judgment" (I
Corinthians 1:10).
- Paul said to "
obey from
the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you"
(Romans
6:17).
- Paul further said: "Now I beseech
you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences
contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid
them" (Romans
16:17).
- THIS INDIVIDUAL HAD A LONGING TO BE A PART
OF THE LORDS KINGDOM WHEN IT WOULD BE SET UP AT THE LORDS
COMING.
- The church that the Lord established is
the kingdom. They are spoken of as the same thing in
Matthew
16:18-19.
- They have the same beginning place in
Jerusalem (Isaiah
2:1; Acts
2).
- They have the same keys (Matthew
16:18-19; Acts
2:47)
- They have the same admittance requirements
(John
3:5; Acts
2:38).
- They have the same membership (Colossians
1:2; Colossians
1:13).
- All those that are obedient to the Lord
are in it. "Who delivered us out of the power of
darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of
his love" (Colossians
1:13). (Read I
Pet. 2:9.)
- John writing in Revelation
1:9, said he was already in it: "I John
your brother and partaker with you in the tribulation and
kingdom and patience which are in Jesus, was in the isle that
is called Patmos, for the word of God and the testimony of
Jesus."
- The kingdom over which Christ now reigns
will cease at his return. (I
Corinthians 15:24-26) "Then cometh the
end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even
the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority
and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies
under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is
death."
- CONCLUSION:
- THIS MAN WAS HONEST ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE HE
WAS IN ERROR ON THESE STATEMENTS.
- WHEN THE BIBLE SHOWS YOU TO BE IN ERROR ABOUT
WHAT YOU BELIEVE, WILL YOU BE HONEST ENOUGH TO ACCEPT IT.
- THE DOOR OF THIS MANS HEART HAS BEEN
OPENED, HOPEFULLY IT WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR FURTHER ACCEPTANCE
OF DIVINE TRUTH.
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