Can men make up their own parables to establish doctrinal matters? I once had a Hardshell elder tell me yes. His justification was that since Jesus often used natural things in order to teach spiritual lessons, that this granted him freedom to do the same. He wasn't joking. Part of his strategy to convince himself and others of some of his beliefs was to thus take material things and weave them into a "parable" of his own invention. This would then serve as proof that his particular doctrinal point was correct.
He is not by himself.
During the years I was amongst this order, I noticed how certain "man-made parables" constituted a big part of upholding some of their erroneous claims. The tragic thing is that they have such great influence on those who are unlearned in the scriptures. No doubt there are many church-members who have been deceived by these cunning fabrications of logic.
One parable I often heard was an attempt to show that even those who reject Christ could be saved! It goes like this:
"A certain man gives you a gift. The gift is now yours, correct? If you reject that gift, whose gift is it? Why yours, of course! Just because you decided to reject the gift does not mean that you lose possession of it! It still belongs to you!"
It is by such use of logic that even some Christ rejectors, according to our moderns, can be assured of salvation!
Such heretical teaching as this has a negative effect on the lives of the people. To tell the congregation that they may reject Christ and yet still be saved is to condone ungodliness by giving them a sense of security in their denial of the Savior, something which the gospel of Christ was never meant to do!
Instead of letting these logical inventions mold their beliefs, they should let the simple declaration of scripture settle the matter. Our Lord himself said:
"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." (John 12:48)
If Jesus pronounces such a declaration upon those who reject Him, then nothing contrary could be so! No man-made parable can be correct, despite how logical it may sound, when pitted against a "Thus saith the Lord" text. To the express declaration of scripture must be given the preeminence.
No comments:
Post a Comment