By Jamali Jack (Kingstown Church of Christ, SVG)
Following a recent Bible study on a topic I thought I was already familiar - New Testament giving, I was reminded in a most unsettling and personal way how important it is for us "...not to think of men above that which is written" (1 Corinthians 4:6). I thank God for the truth outlined in My God and His Money and commend the study to anyone desiring to be a faithful steward towards God.
It has become apparent that there have been things in the past that I had simply accepted from others who I trusted and repeated without taking an independently honest and biblical look at the word of God. In this, I am not unlike my denominational friends who often confound me when they do the same. For such a disposition, I confess my error having been confronted with the light of truth and beg forgiveness. I pray that if my previous inferences regarding these matters have been blindly accepted by others, that they too would "...search the scriptures whether those things are so" (Acts 17:11). It is my humble earnest prayer that my denominational friends in their pulpits as well as pews would do the same.
As a preacher myself, I think it is very sad when people hold on to what we, mere infallible men, say more than the word of God. Jesus warns in Matthew 15:14 that "...if blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." There are examples in the bible where well-meaning people taught partial truth that they believed to be complete truth, and well-meaning listeners accepted error taught as truth. In the former case, the result was positive only after the misinformed preacher embraced the truth. In the latter case, the end result was disastrous for the one who continued to believe the lie presented as truth. It would do us well to briefly look at both cases.
In Acts 19, we are introduced to a passionate preacher named Apollos. This man had outstanding credentials and found himself in a city, Ephesus, saturated in a cacophony of religious error and in desperate need of religious truth. Apollos was from Alexandria, a city known from antiquity as a center of learning the best of Greek and Egyptian knowledge. At that time, it was also home to the largest urban Jewish community in the world. The Septuagint, a Greek version of the Tanakh, was produced there. His oratory skills rivaled that of a modern day keynote presenter or presidential candidate. His desire to share what he knew as truth based on the information at hand was unquestionable. Unfortunately, there were revealed truths that he was yet to be made aware of. The efforts of a humble pair of exiled tentmakers, Aquila and Priscilla, coupled with the powerful truth of God's word proved sufficient for Apollos to embrace the whole council of God. As a result of Apollos' attitude towards truth, he was able to be used by God for the spreading of the gospel (evangelism) and strengthening of the body of Christ (edification).
In 1 Kings 13, we read of an account with a less pleasant ending. After boldly declaring and demonstrating the power of God's word, a man of God declined a king's generous hospitality because he was specifically commanded by God not to accept anyone's invitation. Alas, this mighty man of God disregarded God's instruction simply based on the erroneous claim that what he was now being told by an old prophet was the message of an "angel...by the word of the Lord." Unbeknownst to the man of God, this claim was a lie. Nonetheless, he believed it to be true and paid the ultimate price for his disobedience.
In light of the previous example, it behoves us all to take a closer look at 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 where Paul cautions, "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." So adamant was Paul's disdain of false messengers (whether in the flesh or spirit) that he twice states in Galatians 1:8-9, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."
Although these and other passages should serve as a warning to us, there are those today who still choose to blindly believe men without consulting the word of God. What is even worse is that countless numbers of people (preachers and listeners) continue to willingly embrace error, even after being presented with clear biblical evidence to the contrary. When we do not have a sincere love for THE TRUTH, God will allow our own hearts to condemn us (II Thessalonians 2:11-12). Regardless to who the preacher is, whether me or the most esteemed preacher among men with millions of followers, be warned by Paul's words in Romans 3:4, "God forbid: yea, LET GOD BE TRUE, BUT EVERY MAN A LIAR; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."
Following a recent Bible study on a topic I thought I was already familiar - New Testament giving, I was reminded in a most unsettling and personal way how important it is for us "...not to think of men above that which is written" (1 Corinthians 4:6). I thank God for the truth outlined in My God and His Money and commend the study to anyone desiring to be a faithful steward towards God.
It has become apparent that there have been things in the past that I had simply accepted from others who I trusted and repeated without taking an independently honest and biblical look at the word of God. In this, I am not unlike my denominational friends who often confound me when they do the same. For such a disposition, I confess my error having been confronted with the light of truth and beg forgiveness. I pray that if my previous inferences regarding these matters have been blindly accepted by others, that they too would "...search the scriptures whether those things are so" (Acts 17:11). It is my humble earnest prayer that my denominational friends in their pulpits as well as pews would do the same.
As a preacher myself, I think it is very sad when people hold on to what we, mere infallible men, say more than the word of God. Jesus warns in Matthew 15:14 that "...if blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." There are examples in the bible where well-meaning people taught partial truth that they believed to be complete truth, and well-meaning listeners accepted error taught as truth. In the former case, the result was positive only after the misinformed preacher embraced the truth. In the latter case, the end result was disastrous for the one who continued to believe the lie presented as truth. It would do us well to briefly look at both cases.
In Acts 19, we are introduced to a passionate preacher named Apollos. This man had outstanding credentials and found himself in a city, Ephesus, saturated in a cacophony of religious error and in desperate need of religious truth. Apollos was from Alexandria, a city known from antiquity as a center of learning the best of Greek and Egyptian knowledge. At that time, it was also home to the largest urban Jewish community in the world. The Septuagint, a Greek version of the Tanakh, was produced there. His oratory skills rivaled that of a modern day keynote presenter or presidential candidate. His desire to share what he knew as truth based on the information at hand was unquestionable. Unfortunately, there were revealed truths that he was yet to be made aware of. The efforts of a humble pair of exiled tentmakers, Aquila and Priscilla, coupled with the powerful truth of God's word proved sufficient for Apollos to embrace the whole council of God. As a result of Apollos' attitude towards truth, he was able to be used by God for the spreading of the gospel (evangelism) and strengthening of the body of Christ (edification).
In 1 Kings 13, we read of an account with a less pleasant ending. After boldly declaring and demonstrating the power of God's word, a man of God declined a king's generous hospitality because he was specifically commanded by God not to accept anyone's invitation. Alas, this mighty man of God disregarded God's instruction simply based on the erroneous claim that what he was now being told by an old prophet was the message of an "angel...by the word of the Lord." Unbeknownst to the man of God, this claim was a lie. Nonetheless, he believed it to be true and paid the ultimate price for his disobedience.
In light of the previous example, it behoves us all to take a closer look at 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 where Paul cautions, "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." So adamant was Paul's disdain of false messengers (whether in the flesh or spirit) that he twice states in Galatians 1:8-9, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."
Although these and other passages should serve as a warning to us, there are those today who still choose to blindly believe men without consulting the word of God. What is even worse is that countless numbers of people (preachers and listeners) continue to willingly embrace error, even after being presented with clear biblical evidence to the contrary. When we do not have a sincere love for THE TRUTH, God will allow our own hearts to condemn us (II Thessalonians 2:11-12). Regardless to who the preacher is, whether me or the most esteemed preacher among men with millions of followers, be warned by Paul's words in Romans 3:4, "God forbid: yea, LET GOD BE TRUE, BUT EVERY MAN A LIAR; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."
