Truth Makes Free
By Norman H. Crowhurst
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Curiously, when Jesus first made this oft-quoted statement, the Pharisees retorted, "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man." How singularly appropriate the same discussion is today!
Sect after sect, schism after schism, believes that one exclusive group, to which they belong, has that truth and that they alone are free, as Jesus said, just as the Pharisees believed themselves not in bondage to any man.
But have you ever made a response to a certain scripture quotation--the same one you've always made to that particular quotation: merely on the say-so--however long ago--of some teacher you heard explain it that way? If you have done so, you are not free. You are in bondage to that man's teaching.
Or do you believe pure Bible truth, as expounded by preachers at your church? They tell you it's pure Bible truth, so it must be--they're deep Bible students. You are vaguely aware, perhaps, that others go to other churches, to hear different teachings, which they equally believe to be pure Bible truth. Well, some of it may be, but some of it isn't, because you know all Bible truth. Is that your view?
If so, you are not free. You are in bondage to group teaching.
Does your church have a dogma or creed? No? You accept only the Bible as your rule of faith? Good, then you're free. But just a moment: you don't recite a creed, or state specific dogma, but do you talk about "New Testament Christians," "born-again Christians," "whole-Bible Christians"? Or the "divinity of Christ," the "personality of the Holy Ghost (or Spirit)" the "triune Godhead"?
If you cannot find any words or expressions you use that aren't in the Bible, then you definitely aren't following any creed. But it you do use some phrases (such as those in the previous paragraph) that aren't in the Bible, you're in very real danger of following a creed, though you may not like to admit it.
Space is too short here to take more than one of these controversial subjects. This we do, not to argue that particular point, but to illustrate the principle involved, which is clearly stated in scripture. We'll pick the divinity of Christ, because that's one argument in which the writer was once closely involved.
That Jesus was the Son of God, begotten by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin, the Bible plainly tells us. Doesn't that mean He was divine? It by "divine" you mean He had God for His Father, yes. But if, as many insist, you mean He was God on earth, you need to re-examine your
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Another group argues that Jesus was man: pure man, perfect man, free from Adam's sin, but man only. At one time we were affiliated with such a group. But because we believed strictly what the Bible says, we found their continued insistence on pure perfect manhood a little tiresome, because the Bible doesn't say that.
However, out of loyalty to our "brothers," we agreed. He was man, clearly, walked the earth, was tried in all points as we are, but He was without fault or sin. That was true. But why insist on going further than the Bible's statements?
One day a man accused me of not believing the trinity "doctrine" or in the divinity of Christ, to which, as usual, my reply was that I believe precisely what the Bible says. He then accused me of not believing in the virgin birth. This puzzled me, and I turned his own accusation back on him.
If he believed all three. Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are equal and the same, then complete equality required all three to have been born of the virgin Mary. Did he believe that? No, only Jesus was--which I believed too. In short: we both believed the Bible account, but were picking on words.
Because we had each accepted our respective doctrines as "truth," each of us wanted the other to concede our own point. He wanted me to believe that Jesus was God and I wanted him to believe Jesus was perfect man.
I argued that being born of a virgin didn't make Jesus God. He could have counter-argued (but presumably didn't think of it) that neither did being born of a virgin prove he was perfect man, for Adam was not born of a virgin!
The simple fact is that Jesus was not one of a kind. He is One. Never has there been, nor ever will be, another like Him. So to define Him in human words or terms is to limit Him, unscripturally: and both of us were making such arbitrary limitations, only different ones. Each accused the other of blasphemy for not believing his own heresy.
Our realizing this was a step forward. It took years of making such individual steps to see the principle of walking in the light. Yet truly Jesus gave us the simple directions.
"If (1) ye continue in my word, then (2) are ye my disciples (learners) indeed; and (3) ye shall know the truth and (4) the truth shall make you tree." John 8:31, 32.
As simple as that. Continue in His word. Keep learning of Him--don't take what anyone tells you His word says: "Let God be true, though every man a liar." (Roman 3:3,4). As we assimilate the Word, and thus learn its contents, we lay the groundwork on which the Spirit may guide us into all truth (John 16:13).
That's the basis for a very long study for each and every one of us. But always stop and think: is that what the Bible says, or am I explaining it--or maybe accepting someone else's explanation? That question is a safeguard. In the explanations, for which there is no Bible authority, is where every dispute arises. Every one of them is a striving about words to no profit (2 Tim. 2:14).
Every explanation is a private interpretation, whether offered by you or me, or by a large religious organization. And no prophecy of the scriptures is of any private interpretation (2 Pet. 1:20, 21). So let us re-examine, honestly (2 Cor. 13:5-8).
If our "proof" turns out to be private interpretation, we are reprobates, according to Paul's usage of that word--although that may not sound quite nice. And Paul did not want the Corinthians--or us--to be reprobates.
Finally, give some thought to chapter 5 of 1st Thessalonians--particularly verses 19-21. Then Galatians 5:1 will also become meaningful as you discard party loyalty and allow the Spirit to be free.
Norman H. Crowhurst, P. 0. Box 651, Gold Beach, Oregon 97444, was active in the Jehovah's Witnesses for a number of years before declaring his independence of the sectarian spirit.