IS IT ONLY A MATTER OF INTERPRETATION?

Oftentimes people will say, “It doesn’t really matter what you believe as long as you are honest and sincere.”  They say, “We all believe in the same God and the same Lord.” Or “It doesn’t matter what church one may belong to.”  Some one might say, “It’s just that we interpret the scriptures differently, and we are all headed for the same destination, we are just taking different roads.”

This would be wonderful if the Scripture supported these views.  But the fact is the divinely inspired Word of God tells us something entirely different.  In 2 Peter 1:19-21, we are told that we would do well to heed the confirmed word and that “no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”  The great apostle Paul says that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

In Matthew 7, Jesus said that many will travel the broad way that leads to destruction, and few will put forth the effort to travel the narrow road that leads to life eternal.  Later in the same chapter He said many will call on Him as Lord and tell Him all the good things they have done and He will announce that He doesn’t know them and even calls them the “workers of iniquity.”  Why did He not recognize them?  Because they had not put forth the effort to know His will and then to follow it.

Who do you suppose these people are?  Obviously, religious people who thought they were doing great things for the Lord, but were not letting His Will be their guide in what they were doing.  In Luke 6:46, Jesus asked the question, “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

It is simply not a matter of what suits my fancy, or what I would like for it to say. Jesus, as head of His church, has given instructions we must follow, if we ever expect to be pleasing to Him.  We’re told in Galatians 1 that we dare not accept some different teachings as the Gospel of Christ, even if it should come from an angel from Heaven.  Read Galatians, chapter 1.

               —Selected
                      Jacksonville Alabama Church of Christ