Who Gets To Decide

Who Gets to Decide - God or the Church? There are approximately 38,000 denominations in the world today calling themselves Christian according to the results I found on the subject doing a Google search. I was astounded and find that number hard to believe but be that as it may we all know there are a vast multitude of them. If this number is correct we have gone from 1 church in the New Testament to 38,000 today. How have we gotten here? I think we all understand each denomination has a unique belief different from what other denominations have. That is just part of the definition of what it means to be a denomination. We also understand that the thing that distinguishes such a group from others is considered to be so important, so serious a matter, as to require separation or division from others. This is one of the ironies I see in denominationalism. On the one hand they say their differences on the issues are so great as to require separation and division from others, knowing the Bible clearly teaches that division among Christians is sinful (1 Cor. 1:10, John 17:20-21), but then on the other hand say the differences are so minor that it does not matter which denomination you belong to for we will all be saved despite our differences. Well, if we are all going to be saved anyway what is the big deal and why be divided? Where and when did God give a command that his saved ones be divided rather than unified? And, yet, they feel no sin is involved in their division. Denominationalism also teaches, though they do not intend it, that sin does not matter. If I am scriptural (my denomination) and the other guy is not (his denomination) then the other guy (his denomination) is in sin. Yet, we say the other guy is saved (the other denominational people) saved despite being in sin. Now that is truly a scriptural position isn't it? It also makes a lot of sense - or is it nonsense? But, who gets to make the rules about Christianity and the Christian life? Is it the church, the denomination, or is it God? When we get this right denominationalism will cease. Jesus, just before he ascended back to heaven said to his apostles, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Matt. 28:18 NAS) If words mean anything the word "all" still means the entire thing. It is a little hard to see how this leaves any authority at all for church (denominational) councils, legislative bodies, etc.. James says, James 4:12, "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge." (NAS) That one is Jesus. Paul says he was "under the law of Christ." (1 Cor. 9:21 NAS) We live under "the law of Christ." (Gal. 6:2 NAS) The one lawgiver is Christ or else we live under two or more laws today.

Just as Jesus is the one lawgiver he is the one judge. "For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ." (2 Cor. 5:10 NAS) Jesus says God the Father gave him "authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man." (John 5:27 NAS) The law of Jesus cannot be found in a denominational body of men legislating doctrine who cannot even agree among themselves in many cases but have to take a vote. Is God's law decided by a majority vote? We know where we can find the law of Christ. It is in the same place it has been for approximately 2,000 years but we are not content with just the New Testament. I am reminded of the Sanhedrin of Jesus' time. Can you imagine telling God what God's law is but that is exactly what they did time and again in conversation with Jesus who is God. Between telling him what the law was and making it themselves they kept busy. Now make the application to denominational legislative bodies today. It is not hard to do is it? We will make a proposal and vote on it then we will know God's will. Sounds like a fantasy to me. Jesus said, "But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men." (Mark 7:7 NAS) It is a pretty serious business making laws for God. The Jews under the law of Moses were not content with the written word but felt compelled to define it, add to it, explain it, and make their definitions, additions, and explanations all have the force of law, making it equivalent to God's written word. There was a lot of arrogance in that just as there is today in those doing the same sort of thing. Those who do such things are implying that God in giving his written word was not able to communicate effectively. He was unable to say what he meant. Furthermore, he was unable to give to man a law sufficient to deal with societal and cultural changes. We wish to take the place of the old Jewish Sanhedrin and help him out. Paul, in Colossians, tells us, "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you." (Col. 3:16 NAS) He does not say a word about letting the latest council decision dwell richly within you. Then he says in the next verse, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." (Col. 3:17 NAS) Not a word about doing a thing in the name of a council. Women preachers, homosexual ministers, the acceptance of adultery without repentance in the church, and a ton of other things came from denominational legislative bodies, from man, not from God's word. Hear Paul from 1 Tim. 4:1-3 (NAS), "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons … men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth." Catholic priests are forbidden to marry. Yes, you can find that in the word of God - find it condemned in 1 Tim. 4:1-3 and the same can be said of the doctrine they had requiring

abstinence from the eating of meat on Fridays (I am not sure the later is still a law among them today but it has been in my lifetime). But, that is the way life is today not just among Catholics but denominational bodies as well. Don't worry about the revealed will of God as found in the Bible, we make the laws for God. Now in all honesty when I read a statement like the one I just quoted from 1 Timothy and then learn it is being clearly contradicted by the word and will of man what am I to think? Do I believe the word of God or man? Peter and John found themselves in this very same quandary - God told them to go preach Jesus (the gospel) but in Acts 4 the Council or Sanhedrin "commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus." (Acts 4:18 NAS) What was their response? Peter and John "said to them, 'Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge.'" (Acts 4:19 NAS) When the same sort of thing happens to us today we do not decide the way Peter and John did. They chose to ignore man and obey God. In today's denominational world when the church conference or council comes down with a decision clearly in conflict with God's word the choice is just about always that we will go with what man has said in the council versus what God has said. Why do we obey man when we know (1) that man has never been given the right by God to make law for God and (2) we know the laws they so often make are clearly in direct opposition to clear statements of scripture? It boils down to the fact we do not hold the Bible in the high esteem that we ought which is a nicer way of saying we do not believe it. According to a Gallup poll taken every May through the years 2005 to 2007 with the results being averaged it was found that 48% of Protestants say they believe the Bible is inspired by the word of God but not the actual word of God to be taken literally. What! How does that work? Among Catholics that number is even higher - 61%. Inspired but not to be taken literally as the actual word of God they say. Here is a question - if the Bible is not the actual word of God to be taken literally how do you know it is inspired by God at all? You cannot say because the Bible tells me so for you have taken the position that the Bible is not the actual word of God to be taken literally. So, with that kind of attitude toward the Bible and the New Testament is it any wonder we have come to the point where church legislative bodies get to make law and then call it the law of God? These people pass themselves off as great men of faith and emphasize salvation by faith all the while having no faith in the word of God. Yeah, I know what Paul said about women preachers. So what? We know better today. Get out of the way for WE are now making the law for God. That is the modern day attitude even though hid from those who will not think these things through.

If the Bible is inspired by God but not the word of God then what is it? If you will not call it the word of God what then will you call it? Furthermore, if it is not the word of God how can there be any inspiration in it? No wonder churches today make their own decisions about what is right and what is wrong with this kind of attitude. They simply write their own scripture by "voting on it." We want it both ways. On the one hand we want to say we are a believer but on the other hand we don't want to believe. Jesus says, "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day." (John 12:48 NAS) It is going to be a little tough to be judged by the word of Christ when we cannot decide what is and what is not the word of Christ since the written word is not to be taken literally as the actual word of God. So you can believe what Jesus said but cannot take it literally. Please tell me what that means? Does it mean what he said about Jonah was just a fish story? How many other fish stories did he tell? You may be saying to yourself this guy is talking crazy. Hey, I believe the Bible is the actual word of God to be taken literally. I am not the one in the tight spot. I am not the one who has questions to answer. If the New Testament is only inspired but not the very word of Christ to be taken literally then how am I going to keep his word? He says, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word." (John 14:23 NAS) But, if those words are not to be taken literally as the actual word of God (Christ) how do I go about keeping them? Which of his words should I keep? Which should I discard in view of the fact they are not to be taken literally? The truth is every word of the New Testament is the word of Christ and is to be taken as the literal word of God. I said before that every word in the New Testament came from Jesus. It is time to prove that. When the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles and other inspired men who wrote the New Testament what words were the words of Christ? Was it just those we find in red type in our Bibles? Listen to Jesus as he talked with his apostles: "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you." (John 16:12-14 NAS) Jesus had many more things, he says, to tell his apostles. He could not do it now he says for they could not bear them now. My question for you then is this - if not then when? The text answers the question. Every man speaking or writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit spoke the words of Christ.

Paul said (1 Cor. 2:12 NAS), "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words." (emphasis mine - DS) Yet, polls show most who call themselves Christians do not believe Paul, a spirit inspired man. The New Testament is not to be taken literally as the actual word of God is their position. Paul says the words themselves are given by inspiration which means directly from God. Gallup, in an article reporting the poll findings dated May 25, 2007, says, "The majority of those Americans who don't believe that the Bible is literally true believe that it is the inspired word of God but that not everything in it should be taken literally." Translated that means don't believe everything you read in the Bible and especially those fairy tales (how about that fish story Jesus told about a man named Jonah?) and those hard and harsh sayings and commandments. Those who will not believe everything they read get to play the role of God and tell us what to believe and what not to. They get to play God and they get to make law for God. If the Bible is the word of God you ought to believe it all. If it is not why worry about it? Why worry yourself over trying to decide if this is true or that is true if only parts of it are true and you have go the guessing game route? The point I am making is that when your faith in God's word is weak, when you really do not believe parts of it and/or do not believe it is to be taken literally, it is easy to make the jump from there into the belief that man gets to decide the law of God and make it for him. But, I ask, are these men who make up these church legislative bodies inspired? If not then why give them the time of day? Are they not just men of clay, here today and gone tomorrow? A person ought to come out of everyone of these religious groups that hand down legislation from some kind of legislative body made up of men. God gets to rule; God gets to make law; God gets to decide; not man. Every person ought to make up his mind that he has a New Testament of his own, that he will read it for himself, and that he will no longer be bound up and hemmed in by men pretending to have power God never gave them to make law. He ought to say "God is my law giver, not man." What is needed today is nor a reformation but a restoration and that is done by discarding everything but your Bible. "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." (Deut. 4:2 NAS)