10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
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10250 North Freeway @ West
Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484
Peculiar
Misunderstandings
Written by Dr.
Lester Hutson
Copyright
- Lester Hutson - 1989
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced
without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.
Message #3
MISUNDERSTANDING
THE PROMISE OF INFALLIBILITY
Text * John 16:13
I. THERE ARE MANY COMMONLY HELD CONCEPTS ON THE SUBJECT OF INFALLIBILITY:
A. Most of them are based on Jesus' words in John 16:7-15:
l. In these verses Jesus said, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you."
2. Verse 13 is the main verse that promises infallibility. The question is, "To whom is this promise made?" The verse clearly says the Holy Spirit "will guide you into all truth." Someone is clearly promised infallibility, but the question is "who?" To whom does the "you" refer? Is this a promise to all people, or is the infallibility promise limited to saved people only? Are all saved people promised infallibility, or is the promise to a select few of the really consecrated, holy-living ones down through the ages? Was the promise of Jesus to select believers until his return, or did he limit the promise to the apostles, the small hand-picked group to whom he would reveal the truths that are written in the Holy Bible?
B. This promise of infallibility is interpreted and applied in a multitude of ways:
1. The Catholics have long claimed the promise applies to them. They say the pope is the vicar or mouthpiece of God. They think that when he speaks, he is infallible. They have ascribed infallibility to certain other prominent Catholic person figures down through the ages.
Thus, comes their doctrine of progressive revelation." Yes, they claim the Bible is a true holy and inspired writing, but not only the Bible. Because they believe the promise of infallibility applies to more than the apostles hand-picked by the Lord, then when a pope or other very holy Catholic person speaks or writes; his words are regarded as sacred scripture and law because he is thought to be infallible. Thus, the Catholics have a growing library of books and writings thought to be divine scripture with as much weight as the Bible.
And, because they think the promise of infallibility continues to apply to select ones on a continuing basis, they believe the latest infallible one, particularly the pope, gets the latest word from God, which might well supercede some word an earlier infallible one received. For example, one pope supposedly got word from God that Catholics should eat no meat on Fridays, except fish. That became Catholic law for years until a later pope got word that Catholics could now eat meat on Friday. The new word superceded and nullified the old word about no meats except fish.
Of course, such changes as these, a growing library of supposedly holy and inspired writings, and massive catechism requirements, all grow out of their interpretation of the promise of infallibility.
2. The Mormons have come along and done basically the same thing the Catholics have been doing for centuries. They deny the promise of infallibility to be limited to the hand-picked apostles of the first century. Thus they have their Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and others. To most Mormons, these are more reliable than The Bible. And, through their "apostles" in Salt Lake, whom they view as infallible, they're getting new material all the time.
3. The Jehovah's Witnesses are right on their heels in the same error. The Bible, as it stood for over nineteen centuries, was too stiff and narrow for Jehovah's Witnesses. It contradicted them and exposed their falsehoods in too many places. So, they got together and made their own translation, which conveniently left out or changed the parts that they didn't like. They called their's The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. How could they do such a thing? The answer is by applying the promise of infallibility to themselves. And, that's the only way they could come up with writings regarded sacred, such as, From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, Your Will Be Done On Earth, and Make Sure of All Things.
4. Then, there are the Pentecostally oriented types who apply the promise of infallibility to themselves. They're a little more subtle in that they won't write their revelations down and claim them as scripture equal to the Bible. The others I've mentioned do, and rightfully so. If there are infallible men today, then what they say is infallible. And, if God is infallibly inspiring these, then what they say is just as true as any other infallible thing God revealed to any Bible writer, and should be placed in the library of scriptures right alongside the Bible.
But, the modern Oral Roberts, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker types won't be honest and consistent with their own position. They claim God tells them things, yet they won't write it down and use it as scripture. But, why shouldn't they, if God told them. If God told them, it's just as true as any other scripture, for God "cannot lie," Titus 1:2. It's downright inconsistent to claim God told you something, then refuse to believe it to be scripture and refuse to use it as such.
There is a whole movement which is always talking about the Lord telling them this, or the Lord appearing to them in that. They can relate "experiences," which they heatedly affirm are from the Lord. In fact in many cases, the Bible is interpreted in light of experiences; not experiences in light of the Bible. They claim God is leading them through experiences or inner "promptings," and these experiences and promptings are considered to be infallible.
In support of such a position, these people go straight to John 16:13 and apply it directly to themselves. Another scripture which they use to support their "direct pipeline to heaven" position through which they get infallible leadership and revelation from God, thus making whatever they believe and say "the absolutely unquestionable and right positions on all issues" even when they're out of harmony with the Bible, is Philippians 3:15 which says, "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you."
What these people are doing is applying Jesus' promise of infallibility in John 16:13 to all sincere believers; not just the first century apostles. But, if the promise is to all sincere believers, we have to wonder why there is so much difference of opinion among sincere brethren on important Bible points. Why don't all sincere, diligent Bible scholars agree, if the promise of infallibility relates to the interpretation of scriptures? The fact is that many of these charismatic types are arch-enemies and in direct opposition with each other on basic points in spite of the fact that both claim they got their information straight from God. And, in many cases they are both in direct opposition to the Bible position on the issue. It is strange that God would contradict His own written word in some mystical revelation to a late-comer, when he just told another something that contradicted both His word and the other guy. After all, God not only can not lie, He is not the author of confusion, I Corinthians 14:33. And, on top of that, everything that is infallible will always be in perfect harmony with everything else that is infallible.
5. It is not uncommon for even Baptists to apply Jesus' promise of infallibility to themselves. They'll say things like, "I don't have to be taught by others. If I read the Bible and earnestly pray, God will reveal His truth to me." Some will often say, "The Lord gave me this." When one says this, he is subconsciously applying the promise of infallibility to all who earnestly seek the truth of the Bible. Thus, they figure if they really sincerely seek truth, God will give them an infallible understanding of it. Many of these are often talking about "The Lord led me," and a good much of what they do is obviously self-willed and self-gratifying, out of harmony with biblical principles, and meets with such failure that it is obvious the Lord had no part in it at all. When a person does this, he is very subtly applying the promise of infallibility to himself.
C. Now, it's an understatement to say that when many of these, who do not limit the promise of infallibility to the apostles, come here, to this church, they are shocked:
1. They soon see here that neither the preacher nor the people as a whole apply the promise of infallibility to themselves.
2. We claim no holy, divinely inspired writings except the Bible. We deny all the Catholic writings, the Mormon writings, the Jehovah's Witness writings, and the supposed appearances of the Lord to current men with new revelations, to be valid.
3. We measure all experiences in light of the Bible, and never measure the Bible in light of experiences. We deem every experience that is not in total harmony with the Bible to be a false and Satanic experience.
4. We do not believe that every sincere Christian who studies the Bible will always come up with an accurate interpretation or understanding of what the Bible is teaching. In fact, many have come up with obviously off-based interpretations.
5. We claim that Jesus' promise of infallibility applied only to those apostles and writers of the New Testament books. (The Old Testament writers and prophets were also infallibly inspired; but they had already completed their work prior to Jesus' promise of infallibility in John 16:13.)
II. THE BIBLE CONTENDS THAT THE PROMISE OF INFALLIBILITY APPLIES ONLY TO THE REVELATION OF SCRIPTURE; NOT THE INTERPRETATION OF IT:
A. The Bible writers were infallibly inspired of God in all they wrote:
1. Speaking of himself and the other Bible writers, Paul said, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit," I Corinthians 2:9-10. The "us" is a personal pronoun referring to Paul and the other inspired writers. Of that specific group Paul continued in Verses 12 and 13, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."
2. In view of his infallibility, Paul could say of his writings in Galatians 1:12, "For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."
3. The apostle Peter joined in the claim to infallibility when he wrote in II Peter 1:15, "Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decrease to have these things always in remembrance." The things he wanted them to remember are stated earlier. And, of these divine truths he said, "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty," in Verse 16. Then, of the divine truths which he wrote, he continued in Verses 19-21, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
4. A great many of the people who heard these men, to whom the promise of infallibility applied, knew they were infallible. Thus, Paul wrote to a group of them in Thessalonica and said, "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe," I Thessalonians 2:13.
5. When Jesus, who had made the promise of infallibility to the apostles in John 16:13, which was prior to His death and ascension, later spoke to the apostle John in the Revelation, he said to him, "write: for these words are true and faithful," Revelation 21:5. He promised John infallibility, then when John wrote, He assured him that what he had written was infallible.
6. That which these apostles wrote along with the rest of the Bible is called "That which is perfect," in I Corinthians 13:10, and "the true sayings of God," in Revelation 19:9. The apostle Paul declared, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God," II Timothy 3:16.
7. That means all of the Bible writers had the promise of infallibility. The promise applied to every one of them in the revelation of divine truth to them. What they wrote is absolutely infallible. You don't have to search through the Bible trying to decide what's fallible and what's infallible. It's all infallible, because it was revealed to only men who had the God-given quality of infallibility. The promise of infallibility included the revelation of truth to men chosen of God to write the Bible.
B. But, God did not promise infallibility to anyone other than these Bible writers:
1. In fact, he warned that when the Bible was finished, the days of infallibility would end when he said in Revelation, "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book, " Revelation 22:18-19.
2. In anticipation of the completion of the Bible, Paul spoke of it as "that which is perfect" or complete, and said when it was finished, completed, or perfected, "That which is in part," or the infallible ministry of the apostles in receiving the revealed word of God, would be done away, in I Corinthians 13:10.
3. In II Timothy 3:16-17, the Bible claims to be sufficient to meet all our spiritual needs for holy living. It "throughly furnishes" us unto all good works. If that is true, we do not need further or additional information from a pope, a psychic, a charismatic preacher, a sensational experience, or from someone who says God gave it to them. If the Bible is it, and the promise of infallibility was limited to the Biblewriters, then all of the others who claim infallibility are imposters with false claims.
C. God infallibly inspired some men in giving us the Holy Bible. But, once having finished that project, he says all other men who want truth will have to search the infallibly written book to get it:
1. To those Bible writers, Jesus said, "When they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say," Luke 12:11 and 12. Although, to all other men, he inspired the apostle Paul to say, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth," II Timothy 2:15.
2. Paul could say in Galatians 1:12, "For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." Although he wrote to Timothy, who was not one of the Bible writers, and said, "consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things," in II Timothy 2:7. The apostles did have a direct revelation link to heaven; but the rest of us have to study to get what we get. That's why Paul wrote, "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me" in II Timothy 1:13.
3. The biblical reality is that God is not infallibly inspiring men since he finished the Bible nearly 2,000 years ago. The holy scriptures have been completed; finished. Men since then have not had any reason, justification, or need to wait for some further revelation. Their time is to be spent studying the infallible revelation which has already been given. That's how divine truth is ascertained today; and anything short of this approach will lead to confusion and error.
4. Sure, men today seek to deviate from this approach and claim infallibility for themselves. By so doing, they can appear to be some sort of divine authority on God, and thereby lead many after them, even into gross error and destruction. They speak as though they have a direct pipeline to God.
But, the Lord warns in I Timothy 4:1, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." He warns again in II Peter 2:1 and 2, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."
Good advice for every man is found in I John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone into the world." When those who claim to have a new word from God are tried in light of the infallible old book we call the Bible, the fact that they are not making a godly claim shows up real quick.
D. The fact is, the promise of infallibility in John 16:13 relates to the inspiration of the Bible through those writers specifically chosen of God for that purpose; not to revelation through any other, nor to the interpretation of the Bible by anyone:
1. God promised He'd give the Bible without fallibility. He did not promise you, nor me, nor the pope, nor any emotional preacher, nor any sincere believer that He would be without fallibility in interpreting the scriptures.
2. Sound, honest principles of interpretation are just as vital to a sound understanding of the scriptures as they are to a sound understanding of any information. II Timothy 2:15 says even the most sincere, diligent believer must "rightly divide" the scriptures. That means statements must be taken in context and applied as written. That means a broader understanding of the whole is of great importance to an understanding of any part. That means every student must approach the Bible with an open mind, letting the word speak to him; not attempting to fit the word into his preconceived ideas.
3. Yes, today an honest believer can come to a good, sound understanding of the truth; not because God makes him infallible in his sincere Bible study, but because God has given him an infallible book, which can be searched and understood. But, by the same token, that same student can make mistakes and draw false conclusions; he is very likely to do so. God doesn't promise that all his interpretations will be infallible.
4. It is true that the Holy Spirit lives in all believers; and as a believer yields to him, he can open the understanding. Paul said, "consider what I say, and The Lord give thee understanding in all things," II Timothy 2:7. God gives wisdom as James 1:5 says. As one honestly studies the book, his understanding can increase, and is quite likely to do so, if he applies sound principles of interpretation. But, he has no promise of infallibility from God guaranteeing that he won't make a mistake or come up with a misunderstanding.
5. Believer, be careful not to be taken in by someone who claims infallibility today. And, don't get to thinking the promise of infallibility applies to you as you study the Bible. God infallibly gave His Bible. No other writings are infallible; and no student of the Bible can legitimately claim his interpretations thereof are infallible.
6. I must close with a word to all who hear these words, and are yet unsaved. What I've just shown you is that this book, the Bible, is infallibly true. You can count on what it says. No other book or person is infallible. Men have lots of varying ideas about how you go to heaven. This book says you go there only by faith in the finished work of Christ who died on the cross, was buried, and raised again. Now, just who should you believe? The word of the infallible God of this universe, or the word of some fallible man, who would take issue with God? Listen, if you've been deceived on the subject of heaven and eternal life, why don't you today give up on what you've been told, and believe what God has said in His infallible word?
"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"