It Matters

It never fails. At least once a week, often more frequently, I receive hate filled e-mail that demands "Who do I think I am" or "What does it matter that ...". Following the vitriolic outburst, the writer always lists some quotation or study on this site and demands an accounting. I generally slip these letters into the obscure ether of my Internet trash can and go about my business. No value comes, I have discovered, from arguing points of doctrine with people who have already made up their minds. This assessment comes from 27 years of serving among God's people. The rabid among us rarely change, but demand the right to be right at all costs.

What does it matter? Does it matter if I believe what I want to believe, regardless as to what the Scripture teaches? Does it matter that I believe heretical teaching, unsupported by either Scripture or the bulk of historic Christendom? What does it matter?

Does Meat Commend Us?

Truthfully, some things that we make points of contention are of no concern. The Apostle Paul addressed this in 1 Corinthians. Some of the Corinthian believers were eating meat that had been sacrificed on pagan altars because that meat was sold cheap in the marketplace. Paul would not condemn those who ate of this cheap meat, for he reckoned:

(1 Corinthians 8:8-9 KJV) "But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. {9} But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak."

That meat in itself does not COMMEND us to God. In fact, whether the Corinthians eat the cheap pagan sacrificed meat or not had no bearing, in itself, on the spiritual status of the eater. HOWEVER Paul does caution the Corinthians to avoid eating that meat if its eating would cause a younger brother or sister in Christ to fall into sin. Eating the meat did not matter, but causing a brother or sister to stumble in their walk with Christ did matter.

For this reason the Apostle Paul often took seemingly different stances on the same subject. Take, for instance, the subject of circumcision. When Paul went forward on his missionary journey to witness Christ to his Jewish brethren, he asked that his young convert, Timothy, be circumcised.

(Acts 16:1-3 KJV) "Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: {2} Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. {3} Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek."

Timothy's mother was Jewish, and his father was Greek. The Jews set great store by circumcision. It was, after all, a commandment that God gave Abraham and his descendants - not for salvation, but as a mark that they were set apart from all other nations. Paul was going to the Jews. Timothy, who was Jewish/Greek, was going with Paul, thus Paul felt that it was best that Timothy be circumcised. This followed the Biblical principle of:

(1 Corinthians 9:19-23 KJV) "For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. {20} And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; {21} To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. {22} To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. {23} And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you."

Becoming"all things to all men", in order to try and lead them to Christ. Timothy was just as saved WITHOUT circumcision as he was with circumcision, for salvation has ALWAYS come by faith alone in Christ alone (Habbakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17). Circumcision was something that mattered to the Jews only, so Paul asked Timothy, his new convert to Christ, to be circumcised. What did it matter if Timothy was circumcised or not, as long as the Gospel went forth? Timothy freely agreed to this circumcision, painful as it was, so that the message of Christ could be preached without hindrance. Yet later, when Peter sought to compel another young convert to Christ, Titus to be circumcised, Paul read him the riot act. Why?

(Galatians 2:3-5 KJV) "But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: {4} And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: {5} To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you."

Because in Titus' case he was in no way Jewish, and circumcision as a mark was never given to the Gentile world. When Peter sought to have Titus circumcised this action did not clearly present the Gospel of Christ, but obscured the Gospel message. It made the work of Christ seem insufficient to save, and thus was unacceptable. Compromise with circumcision with Timothy, born of a Jew, was acceptable, but compromise with Titus - no, this would never do. We as believers must never tolerate all manner of falsehood for the sake of someone's feelings, for the sake of "political correctness". Do we willingly back away from all Biblical truth lest we offend others - do we sell truth for the sake of expediency? No, for Biblical truth matters. It matters what we say to one another about the Scripture. It matters that we speak the truth to one another insofar as Biblical doctrine is concerned. We are to speak the Biblical truth in love to one another (Ephesians 4:15) so that both we as believers, and the Church of which we are a part can GROW in Christ.

The Word is Alive, and Only
The Living Understand This

The Word of God is a living, vibrant thing - and the doctrine contained in this Word must be PROPERLY INTERPRETED and PROPERLY APPLIED if you ever want to be effective as an ambassador for Christ. Those of you who mishandle that Word, who twist it's text for their own purpose, who reject the Word of Christ are NOT of Christ. They are anti-Christ, deceivers, just as lost as those who tormented our Lord in His earthly ministry, of whom He said:

(John 8:42-45 KJV) "Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. {43} Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. {44} Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. {45} And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not."

The Scripture tells us several truths about itself that we as Christians NEED TO HEED if we ever expect to grow beyond the idiot stage in our walk with God. The Scripture teaches that:

(Hebrews 4:12 KJV) "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

The Word of God, our Holy Scriptures, are not just writings from a bunch of dead guys, but are writings that came to us from God's own heart. The Word of God is QUICK (Greek zao, meaning ALIVE), and POWERFUL (Greek energes, full of ENERGY), and SHARPER than any two-edged sword. Most people read this text quickly then move on, never comprehending the great truth that the Lord shares here.

In ancient times Rome conquered the entire known world using a short, two edged sword called a "machaira". Up until the time of its invention, most warriors were equipped with long, bulky swords when they went into battle. These long and heavy weapons were wonderful if you hit your enemy with a direct blow on your first swing. It's a fact that a heavier sword will generally kill your opponent with one blow if you squarely deliver that blow. The problem was, your opponent rarely stood still waiting for you to disembowel him ... and if you missed with your first swing, the weight of the sword generally threw you off balance. This could well be your own downfall! So someone in the Roman war department came up with the concept of a short, double edged sword. It was light, so you could quickly correct yourself if you missed your opponent on the first blow. Further, its reduced weight kept you from premature exhaustion. The double edge meant that you were just as effective delivering upward as well as downward blows. This weapon was so effective that Rome literally conquered the world with it ... no mean feat.

The Word of God is different from all the other "swords" out there. One person wrote me and told me that there were "many ways to God", and "What did it matter" if someone followed another Way? Well, you are correct. There are a lot of swords out there, a lot of words, a lot of Zen and writings, thoughts and prophets. But there is only One Machaira, one Holy Bible. Do the other "ways" get you to God? No, because there is only one Word of God, and only One Jesus Christ. Here's what Jesus said in that One Word:

(John 14:6 KJV) "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Jesus Christ established Himself, clearly and without apology, as the ONLY WAY to God the Father. If there are, as many of you believe, "many paths" to God, then Jesus was a liar or a lunatic - for His words cannot be misunderstood. What does it matter? It matters a lot that we reject all "other ways" to God but Jesus Christ. Here's another clear text of Scripture:

(John 3:17-19 KJV) "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. {18} He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. {19} And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Again, very clear text. If you believe on Jesus, you are not condemned ... but if you reject Jesus for, for instance, one of those other "ways", you are condemned already. What did the Scripture mean by "condemned already"? Well, how did Jesus regard the Scribes and Pharisees who reject Him as the Only Way to God?

(Matthew 23:24-33 KJV) "Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. {25} Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. {26} Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. {27} Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. {28} Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. {29} Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulcher of the righteous, {30} And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. {31} Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. {32} Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. {33} Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"

Jesus believed in, and preached, a hell where the unbelieving were condemned to suffer. He did not nod, wink His eye, and say "well, I believe that there are many ways to God ... I'm just one of them". No, Jesus said He was the ONLY WAY - and if you compromise this truth in order to be pleasing to your friends, you are condemning them to an eternity of damnation. Does that matter to you? It does to me, for my heart breaks to consider anyone leaving this life for an eternity with Satan and his bunch:

(Matthew 25:41-46 KJV) "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: {42} For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: {43} I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. {44} Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? {45} Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. {46} And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

The Word of God Must Be Treated With Respect,
Studied and Applied Whole,
Or We Will Never Grow In Christ

In ...

(2 Timothy 2:15-16 KJV) "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. {16} But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness."

We see that God expects us to STUDY His Word so that we can grow as children of the Kingdom ought to grow. There are a number of "hyper" groups, cultic eddys in Christendom, that take certain areas of Scripture and build an entire theology around it. Several of these misguided groups have been addressed at this website. A new group I have recently encountered have taken these Scriptural words, "rightly dividing the word of truth", and have extrapolated the grievous error that what Paul meant by these words was to discount all doctrinal truth from any Book of the Bible except the Pauline epistles, Romans to Philemon. These misguided souls believe that Paul was the only Apostle to the Church, that the non-Pauline epistles are addressed to the Jewish world - and preach this error while chanting " rightly dividing the word of truth" like a mantra to justify their error. One might write and say, "What does it matter if these people discount all application of Scripture but that found from Romans to Philemon? Who does it harm?"

It harms much, for it promotes a lie within the Body of Christ. First, it puts words in Paul's mouth that were never uttered. Paul was one of the most sincere and honest men who ever lived, and took pains to teach that, though he was an Apostle of the Church, that he never set himself up above the other Apostles (1 Corinthians 15:9). Though Paul went forth and preached the Gospel to the Gentiles, he also preached to the Jews. To say that Paul was the only Apostle to the Gentile Church, and because of that we only doctrinally regard his writings, is the height of heresy. In the very next chapter, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul tells us:

(2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV) "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: {17} That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

That ALL SCRIPTURE was given by inspiration of God (theopneustos, was God breathed), and is PROFITABLE for DOCTRINE. Let me ask you this question: at the time when Paul wrote ALL SCRIPTURE IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE, what Scripture do you think he was referring to? The Pauline epistles were still being written. The Gospels, and the other New Testament epistles, were still either being written, or were single copies in some local Church's library. When Paul wrote ALL SCRIPTURE IS PROFITABLE the only Scripture that was widely dispersed amongst the newly formed, growing Church was the OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE. It was this same Scripture that Jesus and all His Apostles, including Paul, quoted extensively in their sermons and in their writings. What does it matter that someone lie and say that "We get our doctrines from Romans to Philemon"? It matters, for such a viewpoint neglects the truth. Such a viewpoint surgically castrates the Word of God, making it say cultic and heretical things. Such a viewpoint brings confusion in the Church. Such a viewpoint neglects the fact that Scripture, ALL SCRIPTURE, is a living Word that exists because our Father, Who loves us, gave it to us.

Heretical Thought Breeds Heretical Doctrine

Our Lord Jesus Christ said:

(Luke 12:1-2 KJV) "In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. {2} For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known."

The Pharisees picked and chose what Scripture they would follow. Rather than allow the Scripture to guide their lives, they guided their lives and chose what Scripture seemed to vindicate. When we pick and choose which part of the Scripture we will heed, we introduce heretical thought into the Church. Some, having taught that Paul is the ONLY APOSTLE to the Church, now have to substantiate that error by teaching that the Church didn't begin on the Day of Pentecost. It couldn't have begun then, for Paul, it's only Apostle, wasn't saved until Acts 9 on Damascus Road. So once we introduce the error that Paul was the only Apostle to the Church, we now have to twist more Scripture. Suddenly these verses make no sense:

(Acts 2:47 KJV) "Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

(Acts 5:11 KJV) "And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things."

(Acts 8:1-3 KJV) "And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. {2} And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. {3} As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison."

Prior to Paul's conversion in Acts 9 it is clear that the Church was alive and well. Proponents of the heretical "Paul built the Church" doctrine tell us that these references to "the Church" prior to Acts 9 referred to the Jewish Church. The Gentile Church, they say, was established by Paul. Yet Paul himself told us that:

(Galatians 3:28 KJV) "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

There is no Jewish Church nor Gentile Church, but once you are saved you are ONE in Christ Jesus. Further, Paul NEVER claimed to be the only Apostle in the Church, for he taught:

(Ephesians 2:19-22 KJV) "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; {20} And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; {21} In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: {22} In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."

The Church is built on the foundation of the APOSTLES (note that this is PLURAL, not singular) and the PROPHETS (note the Old Testament writings are brought into play here). Paul never claimed to be the ONLY Apostle to the Church, though He did claim to be the LEAST of the Apostles:

(1 Corinthians 15:8-9 KJV) "And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. {9} For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."

"Born out of due time", born late but born nonetheless. Paul came into His office well after the Church had been established on the Day of Pentecost ... and well he knew this.

When we pick and choose what Scripture we will heed, we introduce errors, lies, half truths. When we do this, we don't just harm ourselves, but we hurt those around us. We cloud the thing we should be teaching, that Jesus Christ came and died for us. That we can have salvation, freely given, by believing on what Jesus did for us.

Conclusion

(1 Corinthians 5:6-8 KJV) "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? {7} Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: {8} Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

When you approach God's Word to study it, handle it carefully. Realize that it is a living, God Breathed Book. Realize that the ENTIRE Scripture exists for our use, for our good, for our growth, and that every bit of it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness. Certainly we are not under the restrictions of the Mosaic Law, but when you study the Word intact you will discover truths in the Mosaic Code that draw you closer to your Heavenly Father. Unless you study the WHOLE Word, humbly submissive to its truths, you you will stay in a state of Christian babyhood. Forsake the cultic, Christian! Walk away from the heretics who stand up and promote a "new truth". Frankly, all who preach a new gimmick or a new truth previously undiscovered in the Scripture, usually fall in the category of foolish, fad, or fibber. There are no mysteries that God reveals only to one and not to another in Christianity. Even the wonder of the Church that God revealed to Paul, He also revealed this same wonder to all the Apostles (1 Corinthians 2:7; Colossians 1:28 - note the "we" preach; Romans 16:25-26; Ephesians 3:5 - note that the mystery is revealed to the apostleS and prophetS, not just Paul). When one stands up and "discovers" a new truth, when Joseph Smith or Mary Baker Eddy or Oscar Woodall or Taz Russell discovers a "mystery" previously undiscovered through the years of Christendom, ask yourself this: Why did God, infinite and sovereign, wait until now to reveal this "new truth"? Why was this new truth undiscovered by the great preachers and leaders of Christendom: Finney, Luther, Wesley, Calvin, Spurgeon, Chafer, Schaeffer - a list so extensive that it would take pages to list them all? Could it be that perhaps this "new truth" is but an old lie in another wrapper? Handle the Word of Truth carefully, believer:

(1 Timothy 4:1-2 KJV) "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; {2} Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"

lest you fall into the many traps that lie in wait for the foolish Christian. Our Heavenly Father wants us to speak the truth in love to one another, the Biblical truth, the Whole Word - not just chopped up bits of it. I truly believe that the latter days are upon us. It's time that we who call ourselves "Christian" were serious about studying and applying God's Word to our lives.

At least, that's what the Scripture teaches.