Introduction. If the word Christian is to retain the true meaning it is given in Scripture, there are certain fundamental things that must be believed and done (1Cor. 1:10-12). First and foremost is the unwavering conviction that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Rom. 10:9-10). No one can be a Christian if they don’t believe this with all their heart. Second, His absolute authority must be accepted and His every word trusted. If we doubt or question anything He said, how can He be our Lord (Lk. 6:46)? Third, we must trust His promise that the Holy Spirit would perfectly lead His apostles and prophets into all truth (Jn. 16:13). With these three things as the foundation, we must also accept that every word written in the NT is as accurate and perfect today as it was when first revealed to them by the Holy Spirit (Mt. 24:36; 1Pet. 1:22-25). If we are not completely convinced about these things, we are servants of Jesus and Christians in name only and in the end, Jesus will deny us (Mt. 7:21-23).
The conflict between genuine Christians and in name only Christians centers here. For many, as long as the Bible agrees with science, politics, and current cultural norms, there is no conflict. But the moment man’s wisdom differs from Scripture in any of these realms, the true Christian is forced to hold to the Scriptures while the “in name only” will let go of Scripture and accept what the wisdom of men is proclaiming. Thus with every new departure from Scripture, one’s true allegiance to Jesus as Christ and Lord is being tested. Those who reject Scripture to accept human wisdom must first renounce Jesus as Lord.
The conflict between genuine Christians and in name only Christians centers here. For many, as long as the Bible agrees with science, politics, and current cultural norms, there is no conflict. But the moment man’s wisdom differs from Scripture in any of these realms, the true Christian is forced to hold to the Scriptures while the “in name only” will let go of Scripture and accept what the wisdom of men is proclaiming. Thus with every new departure from Scripture, one’s true allegiance to Jesus as Christ and Lord is being tested. Those who reject Scripture to accept human wisdom must first renounce Jesus as Lord.
Before science contradicted the Bible with evolution, those who called themselves Christians accepted the inspired account of the six-day creation in Genesis without question or doubt. What changed was not the teachings of the word of God, but the denial of that Word by the introduction of evolution. Regardless of what the true scientific method might reveal, it will never contradict the truths in God’s inspired word. Consider how hollow it is when someone calls Jesus Lord and rejects this. Jesus endorsed God’s account of creation as fact: “But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’” If we don’t believe Jesus when He said God made them male and female at the beginning exactly as Genesis stated (Mk. 10:6), do we really respect Him as Lord?
Before the courts ruled abortion a Constitutional right of a woman in the first trimester, Christians saw abortion as the taking of human life. The Scriptures are clear that an infant in the womb is human with an eternal spirit from the moment of conception (Ps 139; Jer. 1:3-5). Our own decision whether to trust the Scriptures or accept the wisdom of men is once again the real “right to choose” that God will examine and judge on the final day.
Before the culture shifted on the role of women in the home and in the church, there were very few who would set aside the truth that God made the husband head of the wife (Eph. 5:21-23) or that a woman must not take dominion over a man in the public assemblies of the church (1Tim. 2:9-15; 1Cor. 14:34-37). Today these Scriptures are not openly questioned, but are openly despised and rejected. Although abuses can be cited, it doesn’t change God’s will or plan. The abuses must be corrected without rejecting Jesus’ word.
Before the sexual revolution of the 60's and the exploding divorce rates, few who confessed Christ as Lord doubted or contended against His command that divorce was only allowed for adultery (Mt. 19:1-12). What changed was not Scripture, but the philosophies and wisdom of men that deny Him.
What do our own attitudes toward each of these things reveal about us? For some it reveals an absolute and unwavering conviction that God’s word is eternal and unchanging and all human wisdom must be rejected. For others it manifests that their convictions are based more on conventional human wisdom than Scripture. Confidence that Jesus Christ is Lord must always bridge the gap between the timeless truth of Scripture and the ebb and flow of the human wisdom that challenges it. This is a constant test God has placed in front of all who proclaim their faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The Holy Spirit revealed through Peter that everything contradicting Scripture is simply “aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers” (1Pet. 1:18). Whether these traditions span centuries, decades or are the result of current events, if they lead away from God’s revealed will, they can only lead to an aimless path.
We must never forget Jesus’ warning: “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Mt. 7:13-14). Those who don’t fully trust the path that Scripture maps out will surely lose their way when coming to the crossroads where human wisdom and divine guidance intersect. God revealed through Jeremiah that the divine truths in His word are “the old paths, where the good way is.” But like those in his day, so it is today: “they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jer. 6:16-17). When God revealed His will on the role of men and women in the home as husband and wife or in the church as disciples of Jesus, they became part of the “old paths, where the good way is” along with “the way leading to life.” Those who say: “we will not walk in it” to anything God has revealed in Scripture are still lost, wandering “aimlessly” toward “destruction.”
Stated even more clearly and forcefully: “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jn. 8:31-32). How can Jesus be more forthright? To be a genuine disciple (one Jesus accepts), whatever is revealed in His word is where we must abide. We dare not “go onward and not abide in the teachings of Christ,” knowing that if we do, “we have not God.” (2Jn. 9). Only by abiding in His word do “we have both the Father and the Son.” Only while we abide in His word, do we know the truth and have been made free (John 8:32). No matter what the conflict, the moment we set aside Jesus’ words to follow the teachings of men, we will lose our relationship with both God and His Christ until we repent and return.
What exactly is “His word?” After Jesus’ resurrection when He returned to heaven, the only thing that remained of His time here were in the memories of those then living. At that time “My word” had not yet been written. Jesus did not leave this important task to His apostles and prophets alone. He promised to send the Holy Spirit who would reveal and guide them: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” “He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (Jn. 16:13-14; 14:26). Genuine Christians absolutely believe this!
The Holy Spirit summed it all up perfectly in two Scriptures - 1Cor. 1:9-13 and Eph 3:3-6. First, the Holy Spirit gave the apostles and prophets every word they preached. There was no human input, wisdom or thought included. Under His direction and supervision all dross and errors were removed from every sermon and every class. When the time came to write the books, it too was done by revelation, and so perfectly accomplished that when we read it today, we can have the same understanding of truth the Holy Spirit gave directly to them almost two millennia ago. Do we doubt that Jesus the Christ is not powerful enough to keep His word pure? Do we doubt that God who can do all things, could not protect the perfection of His word until the end of time?
Conclusion. Conflicts between the teachings of Christ and the doctrines of men will always exist. Because the will of God and man will always clash, there will always be something in the Scriptures that appears to be foolish, weak, base, and despised by those in this world: “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen.” (1Cor. 1:27-28). Whenever something taught in the Scriptures is seen as foolish, weak, and base, it is a test that will reveal those who are Christians in name only. When those who call themselves Christians despise God’s word, it is a clear sign that they are wandering aimlessly away from the path that leads to life.
What is considered foolish, weak and base things will change from generation to generation. The aimless conduct received by tradition will change based on the culture. But whenever something in the Scriptures is despised, our choice will always reveal the depth of our faith.
Before the courts ruled abortion a Constitutional right of a woman in the first trimester, Christians saw abortion as the taking of human life. The Scriptures are clear that an infant in the womb is human with an eternal spirit from the moment of conception (Ps 139; Jer. 1:3-5). Our own decision whether to trust the Scriptures or accept the wisdom of men is once again the real “right to choose” that God will examine and judge on the final day.
Before the culture shifted on the role of women in the home and in the church, there were very few who would set aside the truth that God made the husband head of the wife (Eph. 5:21-23) or that a woman must not take dominion over a man in the public assemblies of the church (1Tim. 2:9-15; 1Cor. 14:34-37). Today these Scriptures are not openly questioned, but are openly despised and rejected. Although abuses can be cited, it doesn’t change God’s will or plan. The abuses must be corrected without rejecting Jesus’ word.
Before the sexual revolution of the 60's and the exploding divorce rates, few who confessed Christ as Lord doubted or contended against His command that divorce was only allowed for adultery (Mt. 19:1-12). What changed was not Scripture, but the philosophies and wisdom of men that deny Him.
What do our own attitudes toward each of these things reveal about us? For some it reveals an absolute and unwavering conviction that God’s word is eternal and unchanging and all human wisdom must be rejected. For others it manifests that their convictions are based more on conventional human wisdom than Scripture. Confidence that Jesus Christ is Lord must always bridge the gap between the timeless truth of Scripture and the ebb and flow of the human wisdom that challenges it. This is a constant test God has placed in front of all who proclaim their faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The Holy Spirit revealed through Peter that everything contradicting Scripture is simply “aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers” (1Pet. 1:18). Whether these traditions span centuries, decades or are the result of current events, if they lead away from God’s revealed will, they can only lead to an aimless path.
We must never forget Jesus’ warning: “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Mt. 7:13-14). Those who don’t fully trust the path that Scripture maps out will surely lose their way when coming to the crossroads where human wisdom and divine guidance intersect. God revealed through Jeremiah that the divine truths in His word are “the old paths, where the good way is.” But like those in his day, so it is today: “they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jer. 6:16-17). When God revealed His will on the role of men and women in the home as husband and wife or in the church as disciples of Jesus, they became part of the “old paths, where the good way is” along with “the way leading to life.” Those who say: “we will not walk in it” to anything God has revealed in Scripture are still lost, wandering “aimlessly” toward “destruction.”
Stated even more clearly and forcefully: “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jn. 8:31-32). How can Jesus be more forthright? To be a genuine disciple (one Jesus accepts), whatever is revealed in His word is where we must abide. We dare not “go onward and not abide in the teachings of Christ,” knowing that if we do, “we have not God.” (2Jn. 9). Only by abiding in His word do “we have both the Father and the Son.” Only while we abide in His word, do we know the truth and have been made free (John 8:32). No matter what the conflict, the moment we set aside Jesus’ words to follow the teachings of men, we will lose our relationship with both God and His Christ until we repent and return.
What exactly is “His word?” After Jesus’ resurrection when He returned to heaven, the only thing that remained of His time here were in the memories of those then living. At that time “My word” had not yet been written. Jesus did not leave this important task to His apostles and prophets alone. He promised to send the Holy Spirit who would reveal and guide them: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” “He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (Jn. 16:13-14; 14:26). Genuine Christians absolutely believe this!
The Holy Spirit summed it all up perfectly in two Scriptures - 1Cor. 1:9-13 and Eph 3:3-6. First, the Holy Spirit gave the apostles and prophets every word they preached. There was no human input, wisdom or thought included. Under His direction and supervision all dross and errors were removed from every sermon and every class. When the time came to write the books, it too was done by revelation, and so perfectly accomplished that when we read it today, we can have the same understanding of truth the Holy Spirit gave directly to them almost two millennia ago. Do we doubt that Jesus the Christ is not powerful enough to keep His word pure? Do we doubt that God who can do all things, could not protect the perfection of His word until the end of time?
Conclusion. Conflicts between the teachings of Christ and the doctrines of men will always exist. Because the will of God and man will always clash, there will always be something in the Scriptures that appears to be foolish, weak, base, and despised by those in this world: “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen.” (1Cor. 1:27-28). Whenever something taught in the Scriptures is seen as foolish, weak, and base, it is a test that will reveal those who are Christians in name only. When those who call themselves Christians despise God’s word, it is a clear sign that they are wandering aimlessly away from the path that leads to life.
What is considered foolish, weak and base things will change from generation to generation. The aimless conduct received by tradition will change based on the culture. But whenever something in the Scriptures is despised, our choice will always reveal the depth of our faith.
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. (Pr. 3:5-7)