Articles
Ask Your Preacher
Ask Your Preacher
I present a challenge to you, kind reader. This is the challenge that was circulated and pressed among those in the first-century. Sometimes it was uttered with sternness, other times in heart throbbing fear and tears, but all the time in love for truth and fellow man. My challenge to you is simple. With your Bible in hand, interrogate, question, test your preacher. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 Jn. 4:1). “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies. . .” (2 Pet. 2:1).
My hope is that you will value the freedom found in truth more than the friendships with men. Perhaps we have viewed false teachers as rude, nasty men who when they speak the veins in their neck swell and bulge; their lips drip with rabid saliva; they snarl; their teeth gnash and from which spew words immersed in lewd, cruel orations condemning Christ, calling down God and castigating the Bible? False teachers do not come with a label on their forehead stating that they are such. Neither do they portray themselves as “antichrists.” The apostle taught that they “transform themselves into ministers of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:15). They are usually polite and cordial individuals who just like to suggest an “opinion” in place of God’s word. They slip a little error in with a lot of truth. They gently advocate improvement on the inspired message and divine order. False teachers are usually gracious and courteous—often until they are tested.
In the Old Testament, false prophets were put to death if their message contradicted God’s word, even if their signs came to pass! Read Deuteronomy 13:1-5. Please note that I am NOT suggesting that you do bodily harm to anyone. I am just asking you to test your preacher. If he is of truth, he will gladly entertain your questions and allow his message to be examined. If he is of truth, he will correct his false views when presented with Biblical evidence that contradicts his position. He will remain loyal to Christ and defy human creeds.
Here are some questions that you may consider:
1) Why do you want us to call you “Father” when Jesus forbids such as a religious title (Matt. 23:9)?
2) Why do you permit men to call you “Reverend” when that word is found only one time in the Bible and is used exclusively for God (Ps. 111:9, KJV)?
3) How can women be gospel preachers when the gospel forbids such (see 1 Tim. 2:12)?
4) Why do you preach, “He who believes is saved and should later be baptized” when Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved”? See Mark 16:16 and Acts 22:16.
5) Why do you teach to keep the Sabbath holy when it was given only to the Jews and not to the Patriarchs or the church (Deut. 5:2, 3, 12; Hosea 2:11; Col. 2:14-17; Eph. 2:14, 15)?
--Steven J. Wallace (01/30/2002)
