|
| |
What about...
By Kenneth D. Christensen
 I received a request that I review
the web site of a certain denomination and critique it. I replied
that I do not usually critisize other churches. I told the person
that I would look the site over and if I noticed anything that
was not Biblically correct and/or contradicts the plain teaching
of the King Jame Bible, I would let them know. Following is my
response:
I looked over the web site and will give you some of my reactions,
since you asked for them. It is not my purpose to start a fight
or anything but to share with you what I think, as you requested.
The first thing I noticed is that all Bible verses are presented
in KJV and NIV. As you probably expect, this is a problem for
me. I believe there can only be one Bible in any given language
that is The Words of God. Two translations that are different
cannot be the same! As you know, I believe the KJV to be God's
Word in the English. I have more respect for someone who says
that the NIV (or any translation) is THE WORDS of GOD, than someone
who says that there are many, take your choice. Funny, if you
notice, the KJV people are the only ones who declare that only
a particular translation is God's Word! All of the other translations
compare themselves to the KJV, i.e, "easier to understand
than the KJV", "preserves the beauty of the KJV",
etc. I am sure you don't want me to give a dissertation on why
I believe the KJV is THE BIBLE, so I am almost done with this
point. The web page says that they believe that the Bible is the
Word of God, that God inspired it. They then use two different
versions for the references they provide! Which one is THE Word
of God? Again two things that are different are not the same.
For any readers that would like more information about the
King James Bible, go to our Real Audio page and listen to any
of the sermons in the King James Bible section. The sermon "Garden
Tools" by Dr. Al Lacey is an excellent point to start! (Real Audio Page)
They go on to say that the evidence of being saved is speaking
in tongues. I could write volumes on this also, but I will just
put some verses from the KJV and a little commentary:
1 Corinthians 12:30 "Have all the
gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?"
Reading this in context lets you know the answers. Do all
speak with tongues, No, Do all heal, No, etc
1 Corinthians 14:19 "Yet in the
church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that
by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words
in an unknown tongue." Paul seems to imply that "tongues",
especially in the church is not important at all.
If you read and study the book of Acts, you will find that
every time the use of "tongues" was recorded, it was
for the purpose of witnessing to someone in order to get them
saved. The Bible say that the "tongues" was for a sign
to the unsaved, not the saved. Acts 2:6-12
"Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together,
and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in
his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying
one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were
born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in
Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya
about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes
and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful
works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt,
saying one to another, What meaneth this?" By the
way, tongues would appear to be the hearer hearing in his language.
This still happens upon occasion at our church...a Chinese, man
for instance, will listen to a soul winner and understand him
until he actually gets saved, and then cannot understand another
word from the soul winner!
1 Corinthians 14:22 "Wherefore tongues
are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe
not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but
for them which believe."
The Bible gives us a basis to KNOW that we are saved, it has
NOTHING to do with feeling, miracles etc. God states a fact, and
I am glad for that, for there are times I do not "feel"
saved, but God's Word says that I am, so I am!!!!!!
1 John 5:13 "These things have I
written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that
ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe
on the name of the Son of God."
John 5:24 "Verily, verily, I say
unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent
me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation;
but is passed from death unto life."
Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
John 1:12 "But as many as received
him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to
them that believe on his name:"
John 3:16 "For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
These are great verses, and I could quote many more, but as
you can see, no mention of tongues being necessary for an evidence
of salvation is noted.
Now, this may shock you, but I believe the next point is pure
Blasphemy. They state that Divine Healing is a privilege of all
believers, as it is provided for in the crucifixion. I guess the
Apostle Paul, probably the greatest Christian that ever lived
and had a "thorn in the flesh" till he died was not
a good enough Christian to be healed! Some verses:
2 Corinthians 12:9 "And he said
unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made
perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory
in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
John 5:3-9 "In these lay a great
multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting
for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain
season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first
after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of
whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which
had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him
lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he
saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered
him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me
into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before
me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9
And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and
walked: and on the same day was the sabbath." Here
we see that there were many sick folks, but Jesus only healed
one of them.
1 Timothy 5:23 "Drink no longer
water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine
often infirmities." Apparently Timothy was not a good
Christian either! He had stomach problems and other infirmities.
Luke was a Doctor, that would be unnecessary if every Christian
could claim and receive healing.
Remember there are only four things one must know in order
to be Saved...We don't do anything to earn it or keep it! (By
the way this denomination believes that you can loose your salvation,
I will not comment more than to just say if you can loose it,
it wasn't Eternal!)
1] Man is a sinner. Romans 3:10 As it
is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
2] There is a price on sin, eternal death. Romans
6:23 For the wages of sin is death; Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as
by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
3] Jesus paid that price on the cross. Romans
5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us.
4] By faith in Christ we can be saved. Romans
10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved.
Once again, you asked me, I will not quarrel over this, I am
set in my beliefs.
I hope this was the type of response you were looking for!
Ken's Soap Box
Home Page
|
