Distilled Truths

by Earl Geiseke

If you should have a discussion with about any member of a denomination, you would probably hear them say, “Well, our ‘pastor’ uses the same Bible your preacher does, and preaches the same truths.” These “pastors in denominational, or man-made churches, do preach some of the same truths that gospel preachers do, for any truth from the Bible is truth, regardless of who teaches it.

An atheist can teach truth. A Jew can teach truth, just as long as it is from the inspired writings, and it is without additions or subtractions. Anyone who teaches that it is a sin to lie is teaching truth. Any one who says that Jesus Christ is Lord is teaching truth. No religious group has cornered all truth, because all spiritual truth is already fully revealed. Is there any difference in the teachings of a gospel preacher— ignorantly called by some, a “church of Christ preacher” — and the teachings of denominational preachers? Certainly! Else there would be no man made churches. All would wear the names designated in the New Testament if all preachers taught just what the Bible teaches.

You cannot find the term Methodist, Presbyterian or Baptist ever applied to members of the church of Christ in the New Testament. If so, give me the verse — not ten or five — just one! What is the difference in man-made churches and the church we read about in the New Testament? These preachers and their denominations they are affiliated with, have what may be called, “Distilled Truths”. These man-made churches run the Bible through their own distilleries, and the various filters through which it is run, results in only the truths coming through which is allowed by their man-made creeds. These “Distilled Truths” come from the Catholics’, the Presbyterians’, the Baptists’, the Methodists’ and the Pentecostal private distilleries. While all may distill some of the truths, the individual filters in their distilleries result in different truths as the by- product. For example, the filters of the Methodist filter out immersion while the “brew masters” add sprinkling. The Baptist filters let immersion through while filtering out the remission of sins in connection with baptism. Some Pentecostal filters let immersion and remission of sins through, but filter out the three persons of the God head. Thus, they baptize in the name of Jesus only!

These “Distilled Truths” are subtly saturated with Individual condiments by each man-made religious group from its own creed. This causes those who imbibe these “Distilled Truths” to become Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, or Pentecostals — depending on which distillery they get their “Distilled Truths” from.

Let us never turn from the source of living waters. Let us reject every man made creed — whether taught by denominational preachers, or those who still profess to be gospel preachers. Let us ever keep in mind that a “Little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” Let us not be fearful of being called “legalist” by those who are liberals.

As I continue to study the Scriptures there is nothing more evident to me than the fact that God is a legalist. Every saint needs enough legalism to be sound but not enough to be silly. Jesus clearly stated, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord. Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

Each member of each congregation needs to read and heed the admonitions of Jesus, Paul, John and other inspired writers as they warn us again and again against embracing false teachers and their false doc trines. Jesus became a legalist when He said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23).

When God burned Nadab and Abihu to death for getting their fire from the wrong place (Leviticus 10:1-2), God gave His approval to legalism for all times.

When someone accuses me of being a legalist, I reply, “Thank you”.