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Dear brother Van Nattan, I was reading your article about strong delusion. I noticed that you wrote there are not essentials and nonessentials in God’s Word. You wrote: For
the record, the Gospel in the Bible includes everything between Genesis 1:1 and
Revelation 22:21. The worst heretics on earth are "ministers" who teach that there
are essentials and nonessentials in the Bible. Even the cover is essential in
order to hold it all in one hand and hold a sword in the other. I agree. I have been taught all my life in Baptist or baptistic churches that there are somewhere between 5 and 7 fundamentals that all Christians believe, and everything else is nonessential for salvation and is up for debate. But I have come to understand through God’s Word that He nowhere says this. In fact, He said the opposite. |
Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Life that God gives is by EVERY word that He has spoken. A person cannot believe 5 or 7 things God has said, and not believe other things He said, and still be saved.
Galatians
3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children
of Abraham.
People who believe God are His children.
Jesus said his disciples continue in his word.
John
8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my
word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free.
He didn't limit his Word to some list of essentials. A true disciple continues in Jesus' Word.
I have begun to question whether “fundamentalism” may well be the most deceitful, ecumenical, and damnable heresy ever to be propagated. I wonder if people who believe only some things God has said, and reject other things, are not really idol worshippers. They have taken the parts about God that they like and that fit their understanding or what they want Him to be, and mold them into an image in their mind; but it’s not the God of the Bible. Then, I find that the more I read God’s Word, and allow myself to be open to the Holy Spirit’s teaching, I come to believe things that most “Christians” don’t believe or would find to be “heretical”.
I “attend” a bible church. It’s basically a Baptist church with elders who are in addition to the “pastoral staff”. They are always trying to push me and my family to “join” their church. But I don’t believe in church membership as they practice it (a roster of names in the church office; a legal waiver preventing me from suing the church if they discipline me; a contract to tithe; total agreement to their statement of faith; etc.). Consequently, they won’t allow me to teach (which is my spiritual gift).
The pastor asked me to join so I could teach a class for which he needed a teacher. I told him that God doesn’t require me to join the way he wants me to, and so having the man-made “membership” requirement actually stands in the way of God’s will. He said, “Well, that would be true, except for the fact that we have to have membership in case we discipline someone. Without it, they could sue us for everything we have and take away this building.” I told him what Jesus said, “Matthew 5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.” He came back with “Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”
So he believes that Jesus has contradicting opinions on the same subject matter and therefore the scripture CAN be broken (John 10:35). He fears losing physical assets to men more than he fears God and does not tremble at His Word (Isaiah 66:2). I’ve given up on trying to convince him or anyone else of what I believe God has said. Rather than trying to convince people, I am heading in the direction of just speaking God’s truth where opportunity presents itself.
I see this approach in what God said in Jeremiah 23:28 “The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.” I need to speak God’s Word faithfully, and not worry about the chaff.
Thank you for your posts and discussion of God’s Word. It is encouraging. I appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Brother DM
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