WHY IS THIS PARTICULAR VIEW MORE TRUTHFUL THAN ANOTHER ?
Today, we could bring a variety of people into the church, and find the same number of interpretations of a Bible doctrine as there are people. If you hunt far enough, you can find someone—sometimes many people—to agree with you, regardless of your position.
If we were to discuss Believer’s baptism, you would find that there are many differing views. If you wanted to prove your point, you could go to the bookstore, find a few books, write down what Rev. So-and-so says, and then state your case. But, so could everyone else.
However, if you were to take only one Scripture that Jesus gave concerning prayer, such as John 14:14, you could incorrectly assume that successful praying only requires PRAYING IN THE NAME OF JESUS. (Because that is the only fact regarding prayer that is mentioned in that section of Scripture).
In fact, on any Bible doctrine, you can find well-known people in religion who will disagree with one another. Some have written books, some have preached for many years. So, how do you go about determining whether a doctrine is true, or not ?
Today’s topic is about God’s Options in Marriage and Re-Marriage. There are plenty of ideas about this. But, while each of us can many viewpoints in print, and if we wanted to have a big meeting on it, we could have twenty-five so-called qualified scholars each giving contrary views on it, it wouldn’t necessarily bring us any closer to the truth.
We have to keep in mind that this is why there are different kinds of churches. Those who want to believe that baptism is something you do for babies go to one church. Others who believe that baptism is something a person does when they receive Jesus as Savior go to a different church.
There are some churches that believe that divorced people are incapable of being used of God, and even if they are innocent of any wrong-doing, they have been condemned by God from serving in any leadership capacity in the church. Then, there are others who believe that those who are innocent when a marriage breaks apart are not held in contempt by God, but are free to serve Him. There are many other variations of beliefs, but each one has a particular type of church where their favorite doctrine is preached. Some are loving and some are condemning. Some are soul-winning, and some are nit-picking. Some are dedicated to spiritual things, and some are just religious social clubs. There are some criteria that can help YOU to decide which is truly of God.
1. Discern what the Holy Spirit teaches.*(Keep in mind that the Holy Spirit will never contradict any portion of the written Word).
1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
If you have a listening ear to the Spirit of God, you will hear what the Spirit teaches through men, and the Holy Spirit in you will confirm if it is of Him, or not.
This requires obedience to the Lord, however. John 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. A person who is not walking in obedience to the Word of God will have an extremely difficult time correctly discerning the Truth.
It requires the possession of a Christ-like love and a life of Biblical faith. 1 Timothy 1:5-7Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. Without love and applied faith, you will find it easy to go aside to those preconceived ideas, or old wives tales, and fail to hear the Holy Spirit as you should.
2. Learn how to rightly divide the Word of Truth. 2 Timothy 2:15-17 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
Stated within this Scripture is the term, ‘workman.’ A casual reader of Scripture will never be a discerner of Truth. That requires someone willing to work at comparing all Scripture, being honest with it, throwing out preconceived ideas, and learning from what the Bible actually says. Often, it requires a knowledge of the Greek or Hebrew language, so we can see more deeply than our English version allows.
It also requires that we set aside notions that have no Scriptural basis. Often, people will take a Scripture, and bend it to suit their own purposes. That is dishonest.
Correct interpretation takes into account the CONTEXT and the TOTAL teaching of the Bible, instead of one or two verses by themselves.
These things are essential to understand which out of all doctrines are right.