Question: Why do most church of Christ preachers insist on using so many Bible references in their teaching, preaching, and writing?
Answer: Because they believe the Bible is God’s all-authoritative, inerrant, eternal truth, and the only true “roadmap” to heaven (Jn. 10:27-28). And they also so sadly and tragically know that so many good religious folk who claim to believe that, have been dubiously misled into believing many things are in His Word which actually run completely contrary to it! How those folks, just like in Jesus’ and the apostle Paul’s day, have a zeal for God but not in accordance with knowledge (see Matt. 7:21-28, 22:29; Lk. 6:46-49; Rom. 10:1-3)! For instance, many today very strongly but very wrongly believe:
- Baptism has nothing to do with being forgiven of sins or saved. God says just exactly the opposite (Acts 2:38, 22:16; 1 Ptr. 3:21; Mk. 16:15-16).
- That once a person is saved, they can’t ever be lost/lose their salvation/“fall from grace”. God says just the opposite (Gal. 5:4; Heb. 3:12-4:11, 10:26-39; 2 Ptr. 2:20-22).
- That denominationalism/divisions in the church are acceptable to God. God says just the opposite (1 Cor. 1:10; Gal. 1:6-10; Phil. 1:27-2:2; Eph. 1:22-23 along with 4:4-6).
- That the earthly aspect of the kingdom is still to come; and yet, the congregation of the church of Christ at Colossae in the mid-1st century was already in the kingdom as was Paul, according to God (Col. 1:13-14).
- That those who persist in the practice of sins such as adultery and homosexuality can and will still be saved. God says just the opposite (Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).
And so, you can surely see why it is so important to know what the word of God actually says so as to not be deceived as so many apparently are. We who comprise the church of Christ (Rom. 16:16) have but one mission: To see that everyone who truly wants to go to Heaven, knows from God’s word, exactly what it says about how to get there, so they can be obedient and sure to go. That’s it. What about you? Let’s set down and study God’s word together today… And you shall know the truth!