The Daily Word of Righteousness

An Examination of Current Teaching

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)

From our point of view, Christian teaching is filled with errors. The foundational doctrines of the atoning blood and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, that were laid by the Apostles of the Lamb, have been established in the Christian churches. However, on this sure foundation a number of unscriptural beliefs have been added. The following brief essay sets forth several of these current beliefs and challenges them with the Word of God.

Introduction.

The following apologetics were written to enable the young people of our church to cut a straight course in the Word of truth. When I first came to Christ I was taught by the Navigators to adhere strictly to the written Word of God. This I have attempted to do throughout the days of my discipleship.

As I began to study the Word, after having been baptized with the Holy Spirit, I noticed that the Dispensational teaching I had been given in Bible school was not in accord with the Scriptures. That was over fifty years ago.

During the following half-century I have been astounded at the amount of error that permeates Christian teaching and preaching.

One of the unscriptural emphases is on "going out and getting souls saved." While this often reflects a genuine desire to increase the Kingdom of God, such emphasis on "every man a personal worker" simply is not the emphasis of the New Testament. The New Testament points toward an infinite variety of gifts and ministries, all to be exercised for the building of each believer to maturity as measured by the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Of course, every Christian is to let his or her light shine, and we will get to the subject of witnessing a little later in the essay.

Now, we could say that our stress on evangelism is certainly worthy even though it is not the emphasis of the New Testament. However, we do not prosper when we do not adhere closely to the Book.

But what could be wrong with stressing again and again the need for evangelism, in every service? What is wrong is that the New Testament emphasis on growing to spiritual maturity is sadly neglected sadly neglected! The purpose of the local church is to encourage the gifts and ministries so each believer begins to grow in the Lord. The believers simply will not grow unless the services are designed to promote their growth! The New Testament emphasis, including the Great Commission, is on making disciples. This should be our emphasis. How many genuine, cross-carrying disciples are there in the Christian churches of America?

There are more wards in a hospital than that of obstetrics!

To be continued.