Charles Pogue
Whether one believes the religious doctrines of man, never having obeyed the first principles of the Gospel of Christ, or if one is a member of the Lord’s church, it is so easy to end up in error. It only takes one of three things: do not study, do not reason correctly about what one has studied, or come to the conclusion that he does not care what the scriptures teach. Instead, he is one who is going to believe what he wants to believe, and live how he wishes to live.
We know we can always expect one or more of those three, perhaps all of them (especially the last two), to be a problem with those in fatal denominational error. Sadly, however, these are becoming more and more of a problem with members of the church. We have seen for decades now, the consequences of those things. Some congregations are so far out in left field that they are not recognizable as congregations of the Lord’s church in what they teach or practice—or both—and faithful brethren wish they would change the name on their signs and/ or above their doors.
Individual Christians have become so guilty of one or more of the three, that they either do not recognize error when they hear it, or they have come to such a mindset of inclusion that the only ones they have an issue with are those who stand up for the truth and object to that which is false.
The only way anyone is going to protect himself from falling into the traps of the three things we have mentioned is to humble himself before God, realize that what we have received by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and was given to us through chosen apostles and writers of the New Testament is absolutely essential for us to know, understand, and obey. One who fails in any step of the process will find himself separated from the Lord both in this life and that one which is to come.
It takes diligence and commitment to study God’s Word, and it takes backbone to oppose that which in the very smallest degree depart from what is written. But, it is so easy to be in error.
