To the Bible teacher who rightly divides the word of truth, there is no contradiction between any two Bible doctrines. To the Pharisee, however, the promotion of one Bible doctrine means the demotion of another. This, however, is a tremendous fallacy. If you feel the need to tear down one Bible truth in order to exalt another, then you are not teaching Biblical truth. Look what Christ said regarding the Pharisees:
Matthew 23:23 – “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”
The Pharisees emphasized the paying of tithes, even down to the spice! In their opinion, you could not rigidly pay tithes AND promote judgment, mercy, and faith. So, their promotion of one teaching (tithes) demoted another teaching (judgment, mercy, and faith). Christ, however, makes it plain, that they need not tear down one doctrine in order to promote another. “These ought ye to have done,” Christ said, “and not to leave the other undone.” A minister can promote tithes AND mercy at the same time.
The reader should beware of these trends. They are everywhere. If you hear a teacher or preacher tear down one Bible doctrine so that he may promote another, steer clear! No Bible doctrine should ever preached at the sacrifice of another. Let me give you some examples of teachers today who tear down a Bible doctrine in order to exalt another.
Tearing Down Fellowship to Exalt Prayer
I recently read an article in the Miracles & Missions Digest written by Jack Skinner entitled “The Love of Christ ‘Constraineth’ Me.”* In the article, it is clear that Jack Skinner is an advocate of prayer. He believes that Christians and preachers should be men and women of prayer. I, too, believe this. There is no disagreement here. However, multiple times in the article, Mr. Skinner presented two options to the reader. Either the reader can have fellowship with man, or the reader can have fellowship with God in prayer. For some reason, these two options cannot co-exist with Mr. Skinner. Let his own words be quoted:
“Many have forsaken the prayer meeting before service and a lingering altar service in exchange for fellowship with man before and after their services.” (Skinner, p. 2)
Someone may state that, in this quote, Mr. Skinner does not condemn fellowship with man. It may be said that Mr. Skinner is only against exchanging times of prayer for fellowship with man. But Mr. Skinner does not stop here.
“While many seek fellowship of men and look for God to send in people (numbers), a true shepherd seeks the fellowship of God.” (Skinner, p. 3)
In this quote, it becomes quite apparent that some seek fellowship of men, but true shepherds seek fellowship with God. For some reason, a true shepherd, in the opinion of Mr. Skinner, cannot have fellowship with both God and man. Perhaps his most compelling quote on this subject is his advice to the new convert:
“After making peace with God, stay on your knees in prayer and find you a man of God who has paid the price to learn the importance of prayer, who will tell you the truth and not tickle your ears. If you cannot find one, pray and support some mission which is out seeking and searching for lost souls instead of building a kingdom here on earth for fellowship with one another.”
Could he be clearer? Mr. Skinner is convinced that the minister who has fellowship with man is not engaged in fellowship with God. Make no mistake about it. Our churches spend much more time in fellowship with one another than in fellowship with God. I have no desire to scrap the altar call and replace it with fellowship with one another. I have no desire to do away with our time of prayer in the mid-week service so that we may have more fellowship with one another. But what does the Bible say? The Bible certainly exalts prayer. But, in exalting prayer, does the Bible tear down the idea of Christians having fellowship with one another? Not one bit! As a matter of fact, the Bible emphasizes heavily the doctrine of fellowship with one another. In I John 1:3, John shows us a definite connection between fellowship with God and fellowship with God’s people! We can, and should, have them both! You do not have to sacrifice fellowship with God’s people in order to have fellowship with God. I John 1:7 tells us that if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another! There is nothing wrong with Christians getting together to enjoy each other’s company! Of course, it can be overdone. It should also be noted that not all socializing is fellowship. But when done properly, having fellowship with one another will enhance our fellowship with God. Christians are commanded to exhort one another (Hebrews 10:25), to pray for one another (James 5:16), to encourage one another (Hebrews 12:12), to love one another (John 15:17), to edify one another (Romans 14:19), to receive one another (Romans 15:7), to admonish one another (Romans 15:14), to serve one another (Galatians 5:13), to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), to forbear one another (Ephesians 4:2), to be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32), and to comfort one another (I Thessalonians 4:18). Not one of these things can be done if we do not get up off our knees and have fellowship with one another! It is not God’s will to neglect these things in order to “stay on our knees” all the time. I am definitely in support of prayer; but I am just as supportive of Biblical fellowship. One should not be practiced at the expense of the other. We need them both!
Tearing Down the Resurrection to Promote “the Cross”
There is a movement today that preaches “the cross,” they claim. Their idea of preaching the cross is to say the words, “the message of the cross” every other sentence. Jimmy Swaggart and his circles of fellowship have promoted this type of teaching. When you first hear Jimmy Swaggart, or a minister like him, speak of “preaching the cross,” it sounds right and biblical. Certainly, I believe that Christ’s work upon the cross completely pays for the sins of mankind. When, while upon the cross, our Lord cried out, “It is finished,” that’s exactly what He meant! Nothing needs to be added for the payment of our sin.
Those who preach this so-called “message of the cross,” however, go further than this. They think that it is wrong to emphasize any other doctrine at all other than the cross. Although the Bible plainly states that Christ rose again for our justification (Romans 4:25), this is omitted from the theology of these teachers. Friend, listen carefully. Some will try to convince you that if a man preaches the resurrection, then that man is not preaching “the cross.” Peter, on the day of Pentecost, preached BOTH the cross (death of Christ) and the resurrection of Christ. Paul preached repeatedly the resurrection and stated plainly in I Corinthians that had not Christ resurrected, we would be yet in our sins (I Corinthians 15:17). Remember, genuine men of God see no contradiction in preaching BOTH the death AND the resurrection of Christ. Only Pharisees see a problem with preaching the doctrines of both tithes AND mercy.
Tearing Down Grace to Preach Holy Living
This is perhaps the most popular modern example of promoting one Biblical doctrine at the expense of another. Both grace and holiness are Bible doctrines. Both should be preached. One does not need to be minimized so that the other can be promoted. Yet, this occurs often in many types of churches.
I have noticed that some preach the need for holy living so strongly that they almost hate the word “grace.” Others seem to preach grace so strongly that they despise the word “holiness.” Both, however, are Bible doctrines, and neither should be promoted at the expense of the other.
Salvation is by grace. This means that our salvation is solely achieved because God had favor upon us, a favor that we could never earn. Our salvation is by grace (Ephesians 2:8), through faith (Ephesians 2:8), and completely apart from works (Romans 4:6). Some say that they believe that all this is true INITIALLY, but after we are saved, we must then maintain our salvation by works. However, this is a complete contradiction to Romans 11:6, a verse dealing exclusively with our election:
Romans 11:6 – “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”
This verse is plain – our salvation is either solely by grace and solely apart from works, or else it is solely by works and solely apart from grace. There is no mixing grace and works when it comes to salvation.
However, after we are saved, the grace that saves us then teaches us to live holy before God and man.
Titus 2:11-12 – “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
After God’s grace brings His salvation to you, you are then taught by the same grace to live pleasing unto the Lord. Hence, there is no contradiction between grace and holiness. True grace teaches holiness, and true holiness is first a partaker of God’s grace completely apart from works. There is no need to embrace one Bible doctrine while rejecting another. We can have both grace and holiness.
Let us beware of any teacher or preacher who emphasizes one Bible doctrine while tearing down another.
*Skinner, Jack. Miracles & Missions Digest. Volume 57, Number 4. June-July 2013. “The Love of Christ ‘Constraineth’ Me.”
