There is much confusion in the religious world about what the Bible teaches. Certain issues return over and over to be considered in matters of authority, doctrine, and daily living. In this section, we will from time to time reflect on what the Bible has to say about some of these important issues.
YOUR WORD IS TRUTH
“Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:1-3).
In the above passage of Scripture, Paul is speaking of his fellow Jews, his brothers in the flesh. They had a zeal for God, but not based on a correct understanding of His will. Proceeding on the basis of their zeal, the righteousness they claimed to have came from themselves, not from God. It was based on the emotions of their experiences, and from those emotions what they thought would please God, not what God had revealed in His Word. Based from personal experience and not the Word of God, it was unable to accomplish the very thing they claimed. Paul’s heartfelt desire was for them to be saved, but without conforming their experience to God’s revealed will, it would not happen. Even though they may have been sincere about what they believed, they were sincerely wrong.
This is a prevalent attitude in the religious world today, as well. The strength of emotions means more to many people than what Scripture teaches. If Scripture is examined, all too often it is made subject to the emotional experience. It is interpreted in light of experience, of feelings. This is true for some when it comes to immersion for forgiveness of sin. The feeling of the experience, interpreted as a sign of being saved, takes precedence over what Scripture clearly teaches. It doesn’t matter every case of conversion in Acts ends with immersion. It doesn’t matter Jesus taught immersion preceding salvation (Mark 16:16), and as how one is made a disciple (Matt. 28:19). It doesn’t matter God told Paul he would be told what he must do to be saved, meaning what he had to do, and was told to be immersed (Acts 9:6, 18; 22:16). It doesn’t matter Peter clearly states immersion is essential to salvation (1 Pet. 3:21). These verses become reinterpreted in light of experience and feelings, rather than interpreting experience and feelings in light of Scripture. They may be sincere about their feelings and experiences, but they are sincerely wrong.
Is it possible this is also true for the Christian? Can one in the body of Christ allow feelings to come before truth? It happens all too frequently. Jesus said, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matt. 6:1). Are there those, however, who use their faith to build up their ego? Yes. Do they consider this passage of Scripture in doing so? No. They are convinced God is pleased, because it has pleased them. When one contributes financially, is it as one has prospered (1 Cor. 16:2), giving bountifully from the heart (2 Cor. 9:6-7), or from one’s abundance? How often does one reflect on what is given for self in comparison to what is given for God? If one is absent from the assembly on Sunday, but does what one pleases on Monday, is any consideration given to motives of heart? The Christian can just as easily reinterpret Scripture in light of experience and feeling, rather than interpreting experience and feeling in light of Scripture. We too can be sincerely wrong.
How is this possible? The Hebrew writer reminds us, “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today.’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13). Sin deceives us about its true nature, then hardens our heart so we don’t detect it, don’t examine our motives, don’t let Scripture convict us to change. Feelings are unreliable by themselves; only God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). Only the Word of God penetrates to the innermost part of our being and reveals our true motives, what is true from false (Heb. 4:12-13). We must allow God to work in our hearts and lives through His word, otherwise we are susceptible to Satan’s deception, as he constant seeks to overcome us (1 Pet. 5:8), even disguising himself as an “angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14).
Don’t say, “Oh that will never happen to me.” If you’re not willing to daily examine your feelings, your motives, your life in light of the truth of Scripture, Satan has already won. Don’t deceive yourself by establishing your own righteousness based on your feelings; live in the light of truth. As Peter exhorts, “Be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:17-18).
