“The Reverend Doctor … Says”

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Sound familiar?

“According to Doctor So-and-So of the Heavenly Theological Seminary, this is what Jesus meant when He said…”

Sound familiar? Does what the good(?) Reverend Doctor So-and-So says sound different from or contradictory to what your Sunday School teacher taught you years ago? Then who do you believe? Who can you believe?

If your Christian faith is based on what Doctor So-and-So teaches, then you will sooner or later almost certainly encounter another Reverend Doctor So-and-So whose credentials and doctorates fully equal those of the first and whose teachings do contradict the first and you are left standing with your mouth open saying “Duhh! Who’s right?”

Both are quoting Bible verses, both are men of renown and well respected, both carry titles of equal standing from institutions of higher learning, usually a theological seminary and both are recognized authorities in the same area of doctrine. Which one do you believe? There is no possible way that both can be right.

All too often, Christians just throw up their hands and say, “Well, if those learned scholars, experts in the area cannot agree on what the real truth is, how am I, just a plain everyday Christian supposed to know? The Bible is just too confusing, I may as well give up trying to know it and to please God. I’ll never make it!”

These “doctors of the law” (See Luke2:46 and 5:17.) are usually very quick to brand anyone who disagrees with them as “cults”, and in any case “They’re wrong! I’m right.”

Most of the time, the Reverend Doctor So-and-So will quote another Reverend Doctor So-and-So or Martin Luther or St. Francis of Assisi or John Calvin, John Knox or John Wesley or the Pope as his source of factual information. But in view of what the Bible says that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God or His Apostles said, who cares what these later men thought or taught? What difference could they possibly make? Which are you to believe when the Bible clearly states the exact opposite of what one or the other of these men taught? Really! Which are you going to believe? The Bible or the teachings of men?

All too often, as I listen to gospel radio, I hear big-name preachers say things about some Bible character in what is very evident speculation as to what could or might have been when almost any child in Primary or Junior Sunday School class should already know the exact Bible answer, an answer that the Bible clearly gives to what really did happen in that character’s life.

Well was it prophesied by the Apostle Paul “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables,” (2 Timothy 4:3,4).

Today, at the end of the Twentieth Century, the end of what we call the Second Millenium, people do not want to be told that they are sinners. They want to sin, commit trespasses and iniquities and even abominations and still belong to a prestigious church and hear the pastor tell them what fine folks they are. If the question comes up as to whether a particular thing is sin, the pastor says, “You believed in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, didn’t you?”

“Of course,” you replied.

“Then you have nothing to worry about! Jesus paid it all. There is nothing you can do about your nature to sin. You’re going to sin a little bit every day, and God knows that. So just trust in the completed work of Christ on Calvary and rest in faith believing.”

That sure sounds Scriptural, doesn’t it? That sure sounds like it is Bible doctrine doesn’t it? But watch out!  It is what the Apostle Peter calls a “cunningly devised fable” in 2 Peter 1:16 and the Apostle Paul commands believers not to give “heed [or pay attention] to Jewish fables and the commandments of men, that turn from the truth,” (Titus 1:14)

The Lord Jesus, Himself, said, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven,” (Matthew 7:20,21). In this paragraph of Jesus’ sermon, He is basically teaching that it can be seen what we are on the inside, in our hearts, by the way we act. We may SAY we believe, but do we act like it?  Jesus has just declared that not everyone who uses His name is going to be in heaven!

“Even so faith,  if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works,” (James 2:17,18). “What you are doing is speaking so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying,” is a modern way of saying this same thing.  If you are saying I am a believer in Jesus Christ, but are living ungodly, continually living in sin, who is going to believe you? More importantly, will you be admitted at the pearly gates?

“This then, is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship[ one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin,” (1 John 1:5-7). Notice here that it is when we walk in the light that Jesus’ blood cleanses us from all sin. If we walk in darkness or sin, we can have no fellowship with God nor with any other true believer.

Modern people like to say, “Judge not,” (first part of Matthew 7:1) to try to prevent any believer from pointing out the truth that they are walking in darkness, but the verse continues on to explain that we shall be judged by the same standard that we apply to others.
“ Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die,” (Ezekiel 18:4). This Old Testament scripture is verified by the Apostle Paul who says to the church members in the early church at Rome, ”For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord,” (Romans 6:23).

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils?  and in Thy name done many wonderful works? “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity,” (Matthew 7:22,23).

On a recent television CNN TalkBack show, our Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott’s statement that homosexuality is sin brought a firestorm showing how far we have gotten from the Bible. What he said was right, but all sorts of people claiming themselves to be good citizens denounced him as bigoted or narrow minded. I believe that our Lord Jesus, however, would pat him on the back, for He said, “…Strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it,” (Matthew 7:14).

“My little children, these things I write unto you that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate [attorney, lawyer] with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous,” (1 John 2:1,2).

And finally, the Apostle Paul, who has just spent the whole fifth chapter of Romans declaring the wonders of the grace of God in chapter five says in chapter six, verses 1 and 2, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that Grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” Being dead to sin hardly sounds like the so-called Apostle of Grace is saying that continuing to live in sin after coming to Jesus Christ for salvation is OK. “God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” He then goes on to explain: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him in baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life,”  (Romans 6:1-4).

The same man who recorded Jesus’ words to Nicodemus about being born again and in John 3:15,16 and 17 about the great love and grace of God also wrote: “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God,” (1 John 3:-9).

This verifies what the Apostle Paul said, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). No longer does a born again person continually have the habit of sin, but “the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of  the great God and [here "and" is in the context of "even"] our Savior Jesus Christ:" (Titus 2:11—13).

Speaking of the last days, Jesus declared, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not; For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,” (Matthew 24:22—24). This may be correctly understood to mean that in the last days, not only persons claiming to be the actual person of Christ, but also those who are calling His name but not living according to His word, and who are going around preaching their own doctrines, or at least doctrines not in agreement with God’s word.

No, it does not matter what the Rev. Dr. Says, but what the Word of God says. More than nine out of every ten preachers you hear in this present age will tell you that believing in Jesus Christ is the only thing that is important, but they are the teachers with itching ears that Paul spoke about in 2 Timothy 2:3 and 4. Any teacher who does not teach holy and clean living before the Lord, who does not teach that we do not habitually commit sin. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness  is righteous, even as He is righteous.
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil,” (1 John 3:4-8).This is not speaking of the occasional, accidental fall into a mud puddle kind of sin, but speaks of a deliberate choice to do something we know to be sin.

If there is anyone under the sound of my voice who knows that you have a pet sin or a habit that is not godly, I ask you to repent and pray with me right now.

“Heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name, I come admitting that I have fallen short of Your word and commandments and I am truly sorry. Please forgive me for Jesus’ sake, and help me to live the rest of my life pleasing to You, Lord. Please search me, oh God and know my heart today. Try me oh Savior, know my thoughts I pray. See if there be some wicked way in me; cleanse me from every sin and set me free. This I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen."

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