[Article written by Matt Nevins. Originally published in his email newsletter “The Lamp.”]
It becomes frustrating trying to study religion, especially the many denomination of the world. The source of my frustration is the changing attitudes and philosophies used by the religious world. Yet God is unchanging in nature, and so is the message He has revealed. Many groups claim to follow the Bible, but not only the Bible. Catholics, Mormons, Baptists, Home Churches, and certainly other groups have written their own creed books that are used in addition to the Bible as canon. These groups plainly show that the Bible is insufficient and that God was not able to deliver the whole gospel. However, the Bible teaches that “all things pertaining to life and godliness” has been “once for all delivered to the saints” in the days of the New Testament (2 Pet. 1:3, Jude 3). God has revealed what He desires and we can see how plain the message is in its nature.
Plain Bible Teaching is Simple
In pursuit of being righteous before God, we need to know what God defines as righteous. God does not reveal His wishes in a manner that is confusing and nearly impossible to understand, but rather reveals His will in plain and simple diction. The Psalmist had the desire every person ought to have when he wrote, “Make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day” (Ps. 25:4-5). The writer is humble in realizing that it is not man’s ways that lead to salvation, nor is it man’s concepts that establish truth. The writer plainly testifies that it is God’s ways and God’s word is truth.
Paul used this same attitude when writing in the New Testament. Paul said in writing to the saints in Corinth, “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). Paul’s responsibility as a preacher was to preach the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:15-16, 2 Tim. 4:1-5). When preaching, Paul did not appeal to eloquent speeches and mind boggling philosophies, but the simple word of God. Paul simply preached Christ. The message in further detail was explained by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:3-5:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
This is the Bible teaching done in the first century. Christ died, was buried, and resurrected on the third day according to the Scriptures. This message is simple; both those who are wise and simple are able to understand the plain message that has been delivered.
Plain Bible Teaching is Bold
The word of God is truly simple as already shown, but is terse and very bold at times. Individuals in today society cannot handle the boldness that is used in the Scriptures. People cry out and are critical saying that such presentations are offensive, unloving, and unprofitable. I do not know where they get the basis of such arguments, other than for not wanting to be exposed in the error of their ways by the plainness of the Scriptures. Individuals, as previously described, will criticize those who are bold, and will in turn find teachers that will teach what is soothing to the ears (Rom. 16:18, 2 Tim. 4:3-4). Their desire is not one of wanting to be like God.
No one disputes that God is love (1 Jno. 4:8). However, if a person is bold in speaking the Scriptures, then accusations of unloving speech is given. If God is bold, we must be bold as well. Peter instructed Christians that whenever one speaks, they ought to speak as God would speak (1 Pet. 4:11). Therefore the task is set to investigate the nature in which the gospel was proclaimed, as either boldly or with certain reservations.
In the first century, thousands of people were converted from the plain, bold teaching that was done. In Acts 2:41 three thousand souls were added to the Lord’s Church. This was a result after the apostles said, “Therefore let all the household of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36). Note the manner in which these men, who were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4), spoke to the Jews. They boldly said that Jesus has been made Lord and Christ. Then in like manner they boldly testified it was the Jews that had Jesus crucified. Those present understood what was being said, and many were convicted of sin from this bold presentation. The apostles spoke the word of God. The task is set and the example has been given-bold preaching is required in order to truly “speak as the oracles of God.”
Plain Bible Teaching is Sufficient
The religious world at large no longer considers the Bible as perfect, complete, sufficient, or having the capacity of saving lost souls. While several groups claim to follow Bible teaching, their actions say otherwise. This is evident by what each group uses to set “their standard.” Catholicism uses the Bible, but only in part as canon. Catholics also use traditions and what the pope says to be authoritative as well. Several protestant denominations, such as Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, etc, have devised creed books that are used authoritatively like the Catholics use the Catechism. By using these other volumes as sources of authority, these groups plainly do not believe in the sufficiency of plain Bible teaching.
The Bible both claims and proves that the gospel of Christ is sufficient. Plain Bible teaching is just teaching what the Bible says. Nothing more and nothing less than what the Bible teaches. When the Scriptures is complete and sufficient, plain Bible teaching will be sufficient as well. Therefore we need to examine what the Bible claims, and what proofs are given as evidence.
Passages that testify to the sufficiency of the gospel of Christ would include 2 Peter 1:3 and Jude 3. Peter believed that everything essential to life and godliness had been revealed. If this is the case, then what can creed books offer that is more pertinent than life and godliness? Jude was of a similar disposition when the Holy Spirit inspired him to write of the faith once delivered to the saints. Are men today more informed than the inspired men of the New Testament? What authority do men have today that allows them to write creed books that would be used as a standard for living? The Bible plainly teaches that Christ has all authority (Mt. 28:18). With Christ having all authority, how much does that leave to any man? The Bible claims its sufficiency, but man does not listen by writing creed books to supplement the Scriptures.
Proof that shows beyond a shadow of doubt that plain Bible teaching is all that is necessary in the conversion of souls is found in Acts 8:26-40. On this occasion, this Ethiopian had come to Jerusalem to worship and had departed to go back to Ethiopia. When Philip reached the location of the eunuch, the eunuch was reading from Isaiah. The passage under consideration was Isaiah 53, in which an opportunity was extended to Philip to preach to the eunuch concerning Jesus (Acts 8:35). Note the only thing mentioned is the teaching of Jesus from the Scriptures. We do not read Philip appealing to human philosophies, social agendas, or anything of the like, but plainly teaching Jesus from the Scriptures. It is the gospel that was preached that compelled this Ethiopian to ask Philip what would prevent him from being baptized (Acts 8:36). Plain Bible teaching compels the sincere to obedience.
The Bible is the source of “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). Plain Bible teaching only appeals to what the Scriptures teach, rather than relying on the words of men. When groups use literary volumes other than the word of God for authority, the power of the gospel is underestimated and rejected. Using creed books makes God a liar. Jesus told his apostles that they would be guided into all truth (Jno. 16:13). If creed books are now necessary, then Jesus lied to the apostles when the Holy Spirit failed to guide the apostles into all truth. In reality, creed books are unnecessary and Jesus, who was without sin (Heb. 4: 15), told the truth of the matter. The world needs plain Bible teaching, not human teaching.
