 Ask
Your Preacher #2
by W. Curtis Porter
I do not know a better way to get before you the fact that certain
religious practices and doctrines are not taught in the Bible than
the plan I followed in the preceding lesson - that plan was a
request to ask your preacher for certain things. So I wish to
present to you a series of sermons right along this line. Having
been a preacher myself for many years, I have some idea of about
what should be expected of a preacher and of what should be his
attitude toward those who inquire of him concerning the things he
teaches and practices in religion. With the Bible as our rule of
faith and practice, containing the revelation of God's will to us,
we should be very anxious to do just the things it authorizes.
Even a preacher should not want to practice in religion those things
that it does not teach. And, if he is following the New Testament as
his authority, he should be more than willing to tell his brethren
just where they can read the various things he does. Consequently, I
come to you again today with the request that you ask your preacher
regarding a number of things that I shall mention.
1. Ask your preacher where the Bible says that all denominations are
branches of the same vine. You have heard this statement made many
times, no doubt, when there has been any discussion of
denominationalism. We know that the religious world is woefully
divided, with conflicting sects of every kind. Not only do
denominations differ in name; they differ in teaching and practice.
Their doctrines are in direct conflict with one another. In no sense
is there unity, harmony or concord, but there is discord,
disagreement and division. We sometimes ask if God is pleased with a
condition like this, and we are told that it is perfectly all right,
for all denominations are just branches of the same vine. Now if you
have heard your preacher say this, please ask him where the Bible
says so. I have read the statement made by Jesus in John 15:1-6 that
is often relied on to sustain this idea. But it doesn't say anything
that even remotely resembles it. In this passage Jesus is talking to
his disciples. He is not talking to denominations - but to his
disciples. And to his disciples Jesus said in Verse 5: "I am the
vine, ye are the branches." He was not even speaking of
denominations, for in that case he would have said: "I am the vine,
THEY are the branches." But he did not say "THEY are the branches."
He said: "YE are the branches." A number of disciples made a number
of branches. Christ was the vine; the disciples were the branches;
and each disciple in Christ was a branch in the vine. It took just
one disciple to make a branch, for Jesus said inverse 6: "If a MAN
abide not in me, HE is cast forth as a BRANCH." This destroys the
idea that Jesus referred to denominations as branches, for in that
case, it would take a great group of men to make a branch, but Jesus
said one man makes a branch.
So this is not the passage that must be found. If your preacher
refers you to this passage, call his attention to the fact that one
man is a branch and that he must find some other passage. This one
will not do, for it does not even begin to say that all
denominations are branches of the same vine.
2. Ask your preacher where the Bible says that inspired men ever
invited alien sinners to the altar to pray for salvation. This
practice is very general in the religious world today. Perhaps it is
practiced in the church where you worship. If so, then I do not know
of a better one to tell to ask your preacher for this information
than you. You are well acquainted with him; you have been in his
audience many times; you have heard him preach over and over the
things he believes. So just go to him in a friendly sort of way and
tell him you want the book, chapter and verse where any inspired man
ever told alien sinners to come to the altar for prayer that they
might thus be saved. Surely he could not object to a thing like
this. So don't hesitate to ask him.
I have read in the Bible of an alien sinner engaged in prayer when a
heaven-sent man came to him to tell him what to do. A case of this
kind is found in the twenty-second chapter of Acts. Saul, who had
been one of the worst enemies Christianity ever had, became
convinced of the error of his way. He asked the Lord what he would
have him to do. Jesus told him to go to Damascus and there he would
be told what he must do. So he went to the city and waited for that
information. Ananias, a certain disciple in that city, was sent to
tell him what to do. When he came into the presence of Saul, the
sinner, he found him engaged in prayer. But he did not tell him to
pray on. That is what many preachers today would have told him. But
Ananias did not. He was telling Saul what God wanted him to do. So
he stopped the prayer. He said: "And now why tarriest thou? arise
and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the
Lord." Acts 22:16. To "arise" of course, means "to get up." So
Ananias told Saul to get up from his praying and to do something
else, to be baptized and wash away his sins. Hence, this couldn't be
the passage your preacher could point you to, for the man of God
there followed the very reverse of the course preachers generally
follow.
And, too, I remember reading in the second chapter of Acts about a
great multitude of sinners being condemned by the preaching of the
apostle Peter. In Acts 2: 37 they asked him and the rest of the
apostles: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" I do know that it
would have been a good time for inspired men to tell them to pray
through to salvation, but according to my Bible, that is not what
they said. As it reads in my Bible, Peter answered after this
fashion: "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38. So instead of these alien sinners being
told to come to the altar of prayer, they were told to "repent and
be baptized for the remission of sins."
Furthermore, Jesus said: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,
Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the
will of my father which is in heaven." Matt. 7:21. None of these
statements resemble the religious practices of men who invite
sinners to the altar to pray for salvation. So I was just wondering
if your preacher knows where inspired men ever followed a course
like that. I am, therefore, asking you to ask him for this
information. Just ask him to give you the passage in the Bible that
contains the practice. And then if it is not too much trouble, I
would be glad for you to send the information to me.
3. Ask your preacher where the Bible says anything about "getting
religion." As far back as I can remember I have heard people talk
about getting religion; I have read reports in religious papers of
numbers who "got religion." And I have heard preachers talk about it
from the pulpit, over the radio, and otherwise. I suppose my
experience along this line has been the experience of many of my
listeners. Since so much is said about it, I am sure it is a subject
of interest among religious people. Why not, then, go to your
preacher, if you have heard him talk of "getting religion," and ask
him to tell you where you can find anything about it in the Bible.
Oh yes, the word religion occurs in the Bible. However, it is not
mentioned many times. In the Old Testament the word does not occur,
and it is found only five times in the King James translation of the
New Testament. But in all these passages it is evident that religion
is something that men DO, not something they GET. Paul referred to
his early religion as his manner of life: "My manner of life from my
youth, which was at first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know
all the Jews; which knew me from the beginning, if they would
testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived
a Pharisee." Acts 26:4, 5. His religion at that time was not
something he received in answer to prayer but it was his manner of
life: it referred to what he did. In Gal. 1:13, 14 he said: "For ye
have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jew's religion,
how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted
it: and profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine
own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my
fathers." The religion mentioned here was his conversation, or his
conduct, his manner of life, instead of something he received in
some way,
James says in Jas. 1:26, 27: "If any man among you seem to be
religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart,
this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God
and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their
affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." Two kinds
of religions are here mentioned - vain religion and pure and
undefiled religion. But even the vain religion refers to something
the man does - bridles not his tongue but deceives his own heart.
Also the pure and undefiled religion is not something one gets but
something he does, for James says it is "to visit the fatherless and
widows in their affliction." This refers to deeds we do. Also to
"keep himself unspotted from the world." Surely this refers to the
manner of living. But James says that is religion. Where, then, can
we read any thing about "getting religion?" As much as I have heard
it talked about, I am frank to confess to you today that I do not
know where to find anything about it in the Bible. If your preacher
knows, he has learned more than I have; and I will be delighted to
have you to ask him for the information.
4. Ask your preacher where preachers in the Bible were ever called
by the titles of Reverend, Doctor, Rabbi and Father. The practice is
quite general in religious circles today. We constantly read in the
papers of men who are called by these terms. We read of Reverend
Smith, or Doctor Jones, or Rabbi Jacob, or Father Hezekiah. But
where can such things be found in the Bible? Do you remember of
reading of Rev. Peter, Rev. Paul or the Right Reverend Barnabas? Can
you recall the passage of Scripture that speaks of Dr. James or Dr.
John? No reference is made to the degree of Doctor of medicine or to
other Doctor's degrees that have been received as a result of
literary attainments in some field of science or philosophy, but to
the use of the term as a religious title. However, the prevalent use
of such educational degrees in referring to men engaged in religious
work seems to ignore the principle of humility as taught by the
Savior. And religious Doctors are altogether unscriptural. These are
important matters in which we ought to be interested.
I do recall that the word "reverend" occurs one time in the Bible.
In Psa. 111:9 I read this statement: "He sent redemption unto his
people: he hath commanded his covenant forever: holy and reverend is
his name." In this language of David we learn that "reverend" is
descriptive of God's name. What right then, does man have to wear a
term that is given only to God? And as to other titles worn by
preachers note this statement from the lips of Jesus: "But be ye not
called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ: and all ye are
brethren. And call no man your Father upon the earth: for one is
your Father, which is in heaven." Matt. 23:8,9. Could you think of
instruction that is plainer? Jesus simply says for his people not to
be called Rabbi, for we have but one master, and that is Christ.
Why, then, will any man call himself Rabbi and have others call him
that? And why will men call him that? Perhaps it is because they do
not know that Jesus said not to do it. But this is exactly what he
said. And why will people call some religious leader Father? I may
not know why people do so, but I do know that Jesus said to "call no
man upon earth your Father." These men who take this title to
themselves are upon earth. So Jesus includes them. We have but one
Father and that is God. We should not give to human beings that
honor that is due God only. But maybe your preacher knows of a
passage I have overlooked. So if he wears the title Reverend,
Doctor, Rabbi or Father, ask him where he gets his authority in the
Bible for doing so. If it is in the Bible, he will be able to tell
you where to find it; and if he tells you there is no such authority
in the Bible, then ask him why he wears such titles, and call his
attention to what Jesus said about it. ~
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