Man’s Teaching vs God’s Teaching

In our lesson today we want to direct our attention to several things that men teach, and then further direct our attention to what God teaches on the same subject. But you say that it should be the same; and you’re right it should. God knows that we have no desire to misrepresent either the teaching of man or the teaching of God. We do not mean that all men teach these things, but we do mean that many men teach them and they’ve been taught long enough that you will recognize them. We ought not to receive anything simply because a man teaches it, but we ought to receive whatever God teaches; but now to the lesson at hand.

Men teach that there are many churches; in fact, I saw a statistic just a few days ago that estimated the number of different man-made churches in this country at about 700. I say man-made because God did not make them. God made one church. Jesus said in:

Matthew 16:18 “AND I SAY ALSO UNTO THEE, THAT THOU ART PETER, AND UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.”

Please note that he did not say “churches”; He built one church. This church is his body. We are told plainly in Ephesians 4:4 that there is but one body.

Men talk about “joining the church.” This language is foreign to God’s word. God does not talk that way. The addition to the church takes place in heaven. When we obey the Lord, he adds us to his church. The same thing makes us members of the church. Being saved and becoming a member of the Lord’s church are one and the same thing. There is no such thing in God’s word as being saved and then “joining the church of our choice.” In Jerusalem when the Lord’s church was begun we’re told:

Acts 2:46-47 “AND THEY, CONTINUING DAILY WITH ONE ACCORD IN THE TEMPLE, AND BREAKING BREAD FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE, DID EAT THEIR MEAT WITH GLADNESS AND SINGLENESS OF HEART, PRAISING GOD, AND HAVING FAVOUR WITH ALL THE PEOPLE. AND THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY SUCH AS SHOULD BE SAVED.”

Men teach that we are saved by “faith only.” God’s word does not teach that. We do find the two words “faith only” used together in God’s word but once. James is teaching through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the exact opposite of man’s “faith only” doctrine.

James 2:24 “YE SEE THEN HOW THAT BY WORKS A MAN IS JUSTIFIED, AND NOT BY FAITH ONLY.”

Men teach that baptism is not necessary in order to be saved. God does not teach this. Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, says:

Mark 16:16 “HE THAT BELIEVETH AND IS BAPTIZED SHALL BE SAVED; BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT SHALL BE DAMNED.”

He did not say anything about being saved without being baptized; but he did say that those who do not believe and become baptized will be condemned. After Saul had believed and repented genuinely, praying for three days: he was told:

Acts 22:16 “AND NOW WHY TARRIEST THOU? ARISE, AND BE BAPTIZED, AND WASH AWAY THY SINS, CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD.”

Yes, God says baptism is essential to our salvation and the Apostle Peter underscores this necessity for baptism for the remission of sins:

I Peter 3:21 “THE LIKE FIGURE WHEREUNTO even BAPTISM DOTH ALSO NOW SAVE US (NOT THE PUTTING AWAY OF THE FILTH OF THE FLESH, BUT THE ANSWER OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE TOWARD GOD,) BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST:”

Men teach that infants should be baptized. God does not teach infant baptism. Baptism is for penitent believers. On the day that the church that Jesus built began we find:

Acts 2:38 “THEN PETER SAID UNTO THEM, REPENT, AND BE BAPTIZED EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST.”

In the latter part of Acts chapter 8 we read about a man who was taught the gospel by an inspired preacher. They riding along in a chariot, the preacher is teaching this man the teaching of Jesus Christ this when man asked:

Acts 8:36-37 “AND AS THEY WENT ON their WAY, THEY CAME UNTO A CERTAIN WATER: AND THE EUNUCH SAID, SEE, here is WATER; WHAT DOTH HINDER ME TO BE BAPTIZED? AND PHILIP SAID, IF THOU BELIEVEST WITH ALL THINE HEART, THOU MAYEST. AND HE ANSWERED AND SAID, I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD.”

They stopped the chariot, got out, went down into the water, Philip baptized this man and he continued on his journey rejoicing because he was now saved, a child of God. Infant baptism originated with men hundreds of years after the New Testament was a finished book.

Men teach that sprinkling and pouring will do for baptism. In fact, if you look the word up in a current dictionary, which is nothing more than a rendering of the way the word is currently used in our language, it will say that as well. But God did not teach sprinkling or pouring was baptism. He teaches that baptism is a burial and a resurrection. He teaches that in baptism we have our bodies washed with pure water.

Romans 6:4-5 “THEREFORE WE ARE BURIED WITH HIM BY BAPTISM INTO DEATH: THAT LIKE AS CHRIST WAS RAISED UP FROM THE DEAD BY THE GLORY OF THE FATHER, EVEN SO WE ALSO SHOULD WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE. FOR IF WE HAVE BEEN PLANTED TOGETHER IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS DEATH, WE SHALL BE ALSO in the likeness OF his RESURRECTION:”

Colossians 2:12 “BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM, WHEREIN ALSO YE ARE RISEN WITH him THROUGH THE FAITH OF THE OPERATION OF GOD, WHO HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD.”

Hebrews 10:22 “LET US DRAW NEAR WITH A TRUE HEART IN FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH, HAVING OUR HEARTS SPRINKLED FROM AN EVIL CONSCIENCE, AND OUR BODIES WASHED WITH PURE WATER.”

Men teach that the religious name we wear doesn’t mean anything, we can call ourselves whatever we choose. God teaches that there is salvation in a name and that salvation is found in the name of Christ and in him only.

Acts 4:12 “NEITHER IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER: FOR THERE IS NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN, WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED.”

We must do everything in His name, or by the authority, of Jesus Christ.”

Colossians 3:17 “AND WHATSOEVER YE do IN WORD OR DEED, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS TO GOD AND THE FATHER BY HIM.”

We are to glorify God in the name of His son Jesus Christ.

I Peter 4:16 “YET IF any man suffer AS A CHRISTIAN, LET HIM NOT BE ASHAMED; BUT LET HIM GLORIFY GOD ON THIS BEHALF.”

Men teach that we cannot fall from grace, that once we’re saved we cannot be lost again. God does not teach this.

Hebrews 3:12 “TAKE HEED, BRETHREN, LEST THERE BE IN ANY OF YOU AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF, IN DEPARTING FROM THE LIVING GOD.”

Yes, there is danger of departing from the way of the Living God. Paul was afraid that he might be lost. Hear him:

I Corinthians 9:27 “BUT I KEEP UNDER MY BODY, AND BRING it INTO SUBJECTION: LEST THAT BY ANY MEANS, WHEN I HAVE PREACHED TO OTHERS, I MYSELF SHOULD BE A CASTAWAY.”

Men teach that we can eat the Lord’s Supper whenever we want to and as seldom or as often as we chose. God teaches that members of the church that Jesus built and called His; must eat the Lord’s Supper every Lord’s Day.

Acts 20:7 “AND UPON THE FIRST day OF THE WEEK, WHEN THE DISCIPLES CAME TOGETHER TO BREAK BREAD, PAUL PREACHED UNTO THEM, READY TO DEPART ON THE MORROW; AND CONTINUED HIS SPEECH UNTIL MIDNIGHT.”

What did the disciples come together for? In inspired record says that they came together to break bread. When was this meeting? The record says it was upon the first day of the week. Yes, the early disciples

Acts 2:42 “…CONTINUED STEDFASTLY IN THE APOSTLES' DOCTRINE AND FELLOWSHIP, AND IN BREAKING OF BREAD, AND IN PRAYERS.”

And they conducted the memorial that Jesus established just before his crucifixion every week that has a first day. That is the first day of every week.

Men teach that it is all right to finance the church by socials, fairs, rummage sales, bake sales, and a multitude of other ways. God does not teach this. He teaches that Christians are to give as they have been prospered:

I Corinthians 16:1-2 “NOW CONCERNING THE COLLECTION FOR THE SAINTS, AS I HAVE GIVEN ORDER TO THE CHURCHES OF GALATIA, EVEN SO DO YE. UPON THE FIRST day OF THE WEEK LET EVERY ONE OF YOU LAY BY HIM IN STORE, AS God HATH PROSPERED HIM, THAT THERE BE NO GATHERINGS WHEN I COME.”

Christians should abound in this grace of giving:

II Corinthians 8:7 “THEREFORE, AS YE ABOUND IN EVERY thing, in FAITH, AND UTTERANCE, AND KNOWLEDGE, AND in ALL DILIGENCE, AND in YOUR LOVE TO US, see THAT YE ABOUND IN THIS GRACE ALSO.”

Men teach that it is all right to have instrumental music in the worship of God. God does not teach this. Instrumental music in the worship of God by those who called themselves Christians was not known until more than 600 years after Christ died. Of course, it was added by man. It is a modern innovation. It did not become general in what men call Christian worship until about 1300 years after Jesus established His church. God is the one to be worshipped. Therefore God is the one who tells us how to worship him. He tells us to sing; he tells us what to sing, he tell us how to sing.

Ephesians 5:19 “SPEAKING TO YOURSELVES IN PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING AND MAKING MELODY IN YOUR HEART TO THE LORD;”

Colossians 3:16 “LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM; TEACHING AND ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER IN PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING WITH GRACE IN YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD.”

Men teach that it is all right to do God’ work through para-church organizations; organizations other than the Lord’s church. God does not teach this. He says that whatever Christians do is to be done in the name of Christ. It is not to be done in the name of some human organization, and give that human organization the honor and glory. The honor and glory are to go to Christ:

Ephesians 3:21 “UNTO HIM be GLORY IN THE CHURCH BY CHRIST JESUS THROUGHOUT ALL AGES, WORLD WITHOUT END. AMEN.”

William L. Schwegler; Garden Park Nursing Home, Shreveport, Louisiana; August 18, 2002