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Truth, whether historical, scientific, philosophical, mathematical, or religious is always narrow and exclusive. The truth that four is the sum of two plus two is very narrow and excludes all other sums as the correct one. One cannot take the Bible as the supreme and only religious authority without recognizing the narrowness and exclusiveness of its teachings. However, it must be recognized that these very traits themselves are earmarks of Truth. The world, including most of the religious world that professes to accept the Bible as its standard is generally far too broadminded to submit to the narrowness of its teachings. This is exactly why the so-called Christian world is hopelessly divided into three hundred or more distinct groups. We will do well to review some of the “narrow” (as the world sees them) teachings of the Word of God.
- The Word of God is final and complete, and men dare not add to it or subtract from it (2 Tim. 3:16–17; Gal. 1:7–9; Rev. 22:18–19). The broad view of men allows for additional “prophets” and “revelations” since the close of the New Testament.
- There is one body (Eph. 4:4), which is the church (Eph. 1:22–23) That is the same as saying there is one church. It is the one which Christ built (Mat. 16:18) and to which He adds people when they are saved (Acts 2:41, 47). There are no plainer Truths taught in the New Testament than these, yet when they are taught, a religious world, drunk on tolerance for all churches, however little they follow the Bible, cries, “Narrowminded!” Judgmental!” These need to be understood for what they are: complaints against Christ and His apostles, not merely against the modern-day disciples who teach them.
- There is one way to Heaven, the Home of the Soul (Mat. 7:13–14; Acts 9:2). It is the Way of Christ (John 14:6) through His teaching or doctrine (2 John 9) which constitutes the one body of faith (Jude 3). Those who do not obey God’s commands through Christ will be lost eternally (Mat. 7:21–23; Heb 1:1–2; 5:9). The world does not like this narrow truth and it argues that there are many ways and many faiths that are acceptable to God and that eventually lead to. Heaven. Clearly, each person must choose between the narrow, exclusive Truth of Christ and the broadminded, tolerant errors of men.
[Note: I wrote this article for, and it was published in the “Bible Thoughts” Column for the Hood County News, Granbury, Texas, December 1, 1978.]
Attribution: From thescripturecache.com; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.
