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Is
All Error Consequential? By
Bob Myhan This
writer does not believe all error
is consequential. One cannot
afford to be wrong about some things but can
afford to be wrong about other things. One
can put all actions in three categories: (1) actions God demands, (2) actions
God permits and (3) actions God forbids. One
must do what God demands; may
do what God permits; and must not do
what God forbids. If one does not
do what God demands or if he does
what God forbids—and never repents—he will suffer the consequence of eternal
punishment. Thus,
one cannot afford to treat actions
in the first category as if they were in the second or third category; and one cannot
afford to treat actions in the third category as if they were in the first or
second category. To treat things in the second category, however, as if they
were in the first or third category is ultimately
inconsequential, so long as one judges only oneself in those things. One does
not have to do everything God permits.
Therefore, it is inconsequential if one is wrong in thinking God forbids
an action that He actually permits.
The
eating of meat, for example, is in the category of things God permits. But if
one cannot eat meat with
confidence, he should not eat it. His own conscience puts it into the category
of actions God forbids (Rom. 14:23). This does not mean, however, that he may
condemn one who can
eat meat with confidence. To do so is to act uncharitably and sin against his
brother, which God forbids ( Examples
of Consequential Error In
Romans, Paul gives a list of actions that are “worthy of death” (1:18-32).
That this is not an exhaustive list is
evident from the fact that he gives two similar lists in 1 Corinthians (5:9-11;
6:9,10) and a third list in Galatians (5:16-21). Each of these lists includes
things not included in the others. When
one teaches that actions worthy of death are not
worthy of death [or that “the works of the flesh” will not
keep one from entering the kingdom of God] he is treating actions
that God forbids as though they were actions God permits— precisely what the
serpent did in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-6). He encourages those he teaches
to do what God has forbidden. Since the actions themselves are consequential,
encouraging one to so act is also consequential. Then
He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come,
but woe to
him through
whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around
his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of
these little ones.” (Luke
17:1-2) “Whoever
therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so,
shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches
them,
he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Luke
17:1-2) God
insists that alien sinners believe that Jesus is the Son of God, repent of sins,
confess faith and be baptized for the remission of sins (see Mark 16:16; Acts
2:38; Rom. 10:9-10). If someone teaches that God does not demand one or more of
these actions, he is hindering them from receiving the remission of their sins.
Thus, it is consequential to convince others of this error or to be convinced of
this error by others. Jesus
said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and
truth” (John 4:24). It is therefore necessary to know how to worship “in
spirit and truth.” Both those who do not worship “in spirit” and those who
do not worship “in truth” are guilty of consequential error. Since
God forbids us to do anything “in word or deed” without authority from Jesus
(Col. 3:17), to teach or practice anything without His authority is
consequential. To use instrumental music in worship without the Lord’s
authority is consequential. And to extend congregational benevolence to
non-saints without the Lord’s authority is consequential. It
is one thing to be wrong in what you believe to be the truth, such as believing
that an action is demanded when it is not or believing an action is forbidden
when it is not, but it is quite another thing to teach or practice something
that Jesus has not authorized. That is, one may be incorrect in his thinking but
correct in his practice. Since
God forbids divorce [except when
one’s spouse is guilty of fornication] and remarriage
after divorce [except for one who has divorced his/her spouse for
fornication], to teach otherwise is to encourage adultery (Matt. 19:9). This,
also, is consequential error. One may believe certain errors with impunity, but
he may not teach and/or practice error with impunity. If
God demands that every woman throughout the church age wear an artificial
covering on her head during worship, those women who do not do so are guilty of
a sin of omission. If, on the other hand, God does
not demand that every woman throughout the church age wear an
artificial covering on her head during worship, those who teach that He does
demand it are guilty of teaching error. But this error is consequential only for
the teacher. Those women who are convinced that God demands such are not wrong
in covering their heads, unless God forbids them to cover their heads. Rather,
they would be wrong if they did not cover their heads. And one should not
ridicule anyone for doing what they believe they must do. Those
who wish to restrict their teaching and practice to that which has been
authorized by Jesus Christ will not teach or practice anything for which they
have not found a “thus saith the Lord.” No one who truly believes in hell
wants to be wrong in his teaching or practice. But those who really want to go
to heaven will always be ready to re-examine their teaching and practice in the
light of God’s word. When
an honestly mistaken person understands the truth, he can no longer be honestly
mistaken. He will either cease to be mistaken or cease to be honest. & Do
Not Be Lifted Up With Pride! By
R.J. Evans Pride
is a sin that is condemned many times in the Bible, yet it is so deceptive and
insidious that it threatens all of us in various ways. It is such a dangerous
sin, because it is so easily seen and loathed in others, but rarely recognized
in one’s own life. The
sin of pride has kept multitudes of individuals from obeying God and faithfully
doing His will. The first thing required of any person who would please God is
to humble himself.
And pride keeps so many from ever doing what God has commanded in such passages
as James 4:10: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, And He will lift
you up.” God’s
attitude toward pride is expressed in such passages as Proverbs 16:5: Everyone
who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. One
of the seven abominations that God hates is “A proud look.” (Proverbs 6:17) Even
when we have done some good deed, we must be careful not to allow pride to step
in and cause us to “blow our own horn” — “do not let your left hand know
what your right hand is doing” (Matt. 6:3). The Bible says, “Let another man
praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips” (Prov.
27:2). In other words, if there is a reason we should be praised, let it be done
by our friends, brethren or companions with modesty. We may have done something
worthwhile, but let us not forget that the value of the deed may be grossly
inflated in our own minds. But, in the minds of our listeners, the deed, no
matter how good, may hardly be accepted for the value we perceive it to have. So
when we do our good works and good deeds, don’t exaggerate, overstate or
magnify them—they may become the biggest enemy we have—don’t nourish them
by boasting! If they are truly worthwhile, the world will know about it. Then we
can graciously receive commendation, and retain the utmost respect in doing so. Someone
has said that pride is “the welcome mat to every spiritual prison cell.”
Pride can be such a stronghold — it cheats wherever it plays. We close with
the following thoughts taken from the book, PRAYING
GOD’S WORD, pages 59-60: My
name is Pride.
I am a cheater. I
cheat you of your God-given destiny because you demand your own way. I
cheat you of contentment because you deserve better than this. I
cheat you of knowledge because you already know it all. I
cheat you of healing because you’re too full of me to forgive. I
cheat you of holiness because you refuse to admit when you’re wrong. I
cheat you of vision because you’d rather look in the mirror than out a window.
I
cheat you of genuine friendship because nobody’s going to know the real you. I
cheat you of love because true love demands sacrifice. I
cheat you of greatness because you refuse to “wash another’s feet.” I
cheat you of God’s glory because I convince you to seek your own. My
name is Pride.
I am a cheater. You
like me because you think I’m always looking out for you. Untrue. I’m
looking to make a fool of you. |