One person says, “Look at all of the people in all of the different churches. They all have different beliefs and practices. Surely they can’t all be wrong.”
Another person says, “Let’s look at the Bible because the Bible is right, even if I am wrong.”
The first person begins his reasoning with the beliefs and practices of men. The second person begins his reasoning by examining the Scriptures.
Which philosophy should we have? The following passages are helpful in answering that question:
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
Rather than assuming that most or all of the people in the religious world are following the path that leads to eternal life, we should accept what Jesus said that “few” will find the way that is right. Instead of striving to excuse the many, we should be seeking the narrow way.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21-23).
Based on what Jesus said here, we should recognize that just because someone is sincere, religious, and claiming to do things for the Lord does not make him right. As Jesus explained, “many” would be doing things that they believed would be pleasing to the Lord and honoring Him when they were really just practicing “lawlessness” – doing things for which they had no authority. The ones engaged in these deeds would be told to “depart” from the Lord rather than being welcomed into the “kingdom of heaven.”
“The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting” (Psalm 119:160).
If we want to know what is true, we need to go to the Scriptures. Furthermore, we need to consult “the sum” of God’s word – not just some of it – to make sure we understand and practice the will of the Lord.
“Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar” (Romans 3:4).
Whenever there is a difference between what the Bible says and what man says, we need to accept the word of God. God’s word is true and will always be true. If we (or others) believe, teach, or practice anything that is contrary to what the Scriptures teach, then we are always wrong. It will never be that God was mistaken about something and our opposing idea is actually right. When our thinking is not in harmony with the word of God, we must recognize that we are wrong.
Let us be sure we take the right approach to the word of God which will allow us to please the Lord and be with Him for eternity in heaven.
