Can We Know Truth From
Error In
Religion?
The bible makes mention of Satan and of
his ‘messengers’ (2 Cor. 11:14-15). While other religious books may not do so, I
want to focus upon what the Bible reveals about false teachers and false
teaching. The context in which this statement is made of Satan and his efforts
is dealing with false teachers and false teaching. Religious convictions are
directly related to that which is taught in religion.
There
are several warnings from the Bible about how and why false doctrine would
arise. These provide us with an accurate picture of the moral status of people
as well as the answers to why there is religious division today. In regard to
the Bible, it does not “read” one way to you and another to me. Neither do not
have the ‘right’ to interpret it as we see fit. In order for the Bible to
benefit, our attitude toward it must be that it is infallible and inspired of
God. Most everyone who believes the Bible to be from God claims this; yet when a
passage is presented that contradicts their preconceived idea, they make the
claim that, that particular text or passage ought ‘not’ to be a part of the
Bible. In reality, they create a proverbial “loophole” so that their
preconceived idea can be retained. I have heard people make the statement along
this line of “well that text is unreliable because it is not in the ‘oldest’
manuscripts. Therefore it cannot be trusted and ought not to be in the Bible.”
To those who may be of this persuasion, please consider: What are the “oldest”
manuscripts? Can you provide the names of the “oldest” manuscripts? How
did you come to know about ‘oldest’ or ‘youngest’ manuscripts...what is your
source of information on this? Further, at what point does a manuscript
cease to be a part of the “oldest”, and by what means is this
determined?
Do you not see that your faith must be
placed in some uninspired person or persons’ testimony in order to hold to this
position? This is how Satan operates. He wants man to doubt the authenticity and
inspiration of the scriptures. It is in this way that Satan succeeds in
preventing us from accepting the fact that truth can be determined. If Satan can
convince us that we cannot identify truth, then no one can label anything as
sin. If we cannot determine sin, then Satan has accomplished his purpose. How
has Satan gone about to do this? He has convinced man that “the faith” (Jude 3)
cannot be determined. He has gotten people to accept that we cannot agree on
what the Bible teaches, and that therefore the many differing churches are all
just pursuing their own understanding of the Bible, and no one ought to question
the other, or pass ‘judgment’.
Satan wants men to just accept
sincerity without any emphasis upon the doctrine. Thus we hear such phrases as
“there are many different roads to heaven and that we are all traveling a
different road, but they all head to the same place”. Consider the following
passages and see if sincerity without regard for doctrine will
suffice:
Matt. 7:13-14 – “Enter ye in at the strait
gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is
the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
If it doesn’t matter which ‘way’ you
travel, as long as you are sincere, why bother trying to “find” the narrow way?
Does this suggest that it matters what one believes and practices in
religion?
Hear the apostle Paul’s warnings to
Timothy in 1 Tim. 1:3-4, “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when
I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other
doctrine, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister
questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.”
Notice the phrase, “…teach no other
doctrine”. If doctrine doesn’t matter, why did Paul tell Timothy to
charge some “…that they teach no other doctrine”? What “doctrine” did
Paul want Timothy to teach? For example, what was Timothy to teach about how one
“calls upon the name of the Lord”? Was Timothy to teach the same
pattern of ‘calling’ that Paul taught? Did Paul and Peter preach the same
pattern?
Later in this same epistle in chapter
6:3-5, Paul gave this warning, “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not
to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine
which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about
questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil
surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the
truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw
thyself.”
Did you notice again, Paul’s statement
to “IF ANY MAN TEACH OTHERWISE…AND CONSENT NOT…”? Teach other than
what? He said, “…even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Does this
mean anything other than to teach the same thing that Jesus taught? More
importantly, could Timothy know what Jesus taught? Could Timothy teach the
same thing? How could this warning be carried out if Timothy could not
distinguish “the truth” from “the fables”?
Paul wrote to Titus in Tit. 1:11-16, of
false teachers saying, “Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole
houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.”
What things were not to be taught?
Paul went on to tell Titus how to deal
with false teachers. “Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be
sound in the faith; not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men,
that turn from the truth”. How can you “turn from the truth” if
you can’t define what truth is?
Paul warned Timothy in 2 Tim. 4:1-4,
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall
judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word;
be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long
suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine...”
What about people’s attitude toward
‘sound doctrine’ today? Do people want ‘sound doctrine’ preached? Do they
refuse ‘sound doctrine’ on how to be saved, on divorce & remarriage only if
fornication has been committed? What about ‘sound doctrine’ on abortion,
homosexuality, gambling, drinking, etc.?
Does the Bible contradict itself on
these matters? Are there those today who want a preacher who will not condemn
their ungodly lifestyles? Are there also preachers who are afraid to preach
‘sound doctrine’ on these matters for fear of loss of employment? These passages
clearly teach that truth can be known, and if it can be known, then it can be
understood, and if it can be understood, it can be agreed upon!
But Satan has deceived many into
accepting the “broad way”; the ‘one church is as good as another’
concept. Such was done in the first century, and the apostle Paul called them
what they truly are…false & deceitful. He said in 2 Cor. 11:13-15 of false
teachers, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his
ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall
be according to their works.”
Notice that Paul by inspiration of the
Holy Ghost said that their end will be according to their “works”. Their “works”
refer to their false teaching. What if error is believed and obeyed? If error is
believed and obeyed out of ignorance, will ignorance excuse in the Day of
Judgment? How would this affect one’s salvation? Does doctrine matter? What if
one was preached error in regard to what to do to be saved…would he be
saved?
In view of the fact that Satan does not
want anyone to be saved, we have warnings such as the apostle Paul’s about how
Satan’s ministers transform themselves into apostles of Christ. False teachers
existed in Jesus’ day, they existed in the apostles’ day, and they exist today.
That is why doctrine matters! It is why we must teach only what Jesus commanded
to be taught in order for sins to be forgiven.
Yes it is true that all must come to
Jesus, or ‘call upon the name of the Lord’, but the question that needs to be
given careful study is, HOW DO YOU CALL? What does the Bible teach…by sincere
prayer or by faith and obedience? Which of the two is ‘sound doctrine’? Which do
you find taught and followed in the book of Acts?
---Roger
Bruner