Brother Faith allegorically represents Christians who trust
God’s Scriptures as all sufficient – not only
for salvation but for life now – including the church (2Tim.
3:16, 17). They might not have degrees bestowed by men but they
agree with God that the wisdom of this world is foolishness.
They have not thrown away their brains but use their minds to
know only the wisdom of God. They are open-minded in the
way one chooses food. They are open to the good and closed to
the garbage.
Dr. Phil O. Sophy allegorically represents those in “Christianity”
(maybe unknowingly) who use some of the Bible and some of human
reasoning to guide their philosophy of life.
Episode #1
| Dr. Phil O. Sophy has mastered the Divine in
religious sociology and psychology. He is now residing in HUMAN
- Having Understanding Mixed And
Natural. |
 |
Dear Dr. Phil O Sophy,
A friend told me that the Bible claims that Jesus is the only
truth and way to heaven. Is this right?
Con Fused
Dear Con,
There is nothing wrong with the hypothesis of Christianity.
The concept of loving your fellow man is good and when practiced
is a positive advancement for the common welfare of modern civilization.
Who can argue with the golden rule; “do unto others as you
would have them do unto you.”
However, I would caution you to avoid the radical right and
its bigoted dogma that Jesus and His gospel is the only
way to worship God and get to heaven.
All humanity is derived from the same source and shares in
common a religious thirst for the divine. Thus all races and
religions have positive aspects to contribute to the whole. To
ignore the light of multicultural variety is to ignore the full
dimension of the God who created them. Let a thousand points
of light converge together, rejecting none, taking the best from
each and you will progress to unlimited illumination.
True love tolerates all religions and so you must not tolerate
radical Christianity’s bias of only one way. I would
never deny Jesus is a way – a good way. To follow
the teachings of Jesus can be beneficial. His family and social
values are true and timeless.
Follow the love that Jesus taught. Don’t let it be said
as another wise one said “I love Christ but I despise Christians
because they do not live as Christ lived.” For the advancement
of your being, engrave it in your consciousness: There are absolutely
no absolutes.
Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy ...
after the tradition of men, ...
and not after Christ. (Col. 2:8) |
| Brother Faith bases his study on the only source
of wisdom and truth: God in the Bible. He resides in CHRIST -
Choosing Him Regarding Instruction
Sufficient Today. |
 |
Dear Con Fused,
The Lord Jesus has positively spoken in God’s Holy Scriptures:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6). Jesus is more than
a teacher or prophet. His life and family values save no one.
Following are several reasons why the Lord Jesus can be the only
way.
- Jesus Christ is the only human who is also
God, (God was manifest in the flesh, 1Tim. 3:16). Therefore as
the Son of God, He is the only person who has never
sinned. (In Him is no sin, 1John 3:5).
- Because of His perfect life, His death could be accepted
as the perfect sacrifice for sin. Therefore, His blood was precious,
sacrificial and propitious. Christ’s death is the only
death that God the Father can accept as a substitution that indeed
counts as a full payment for our sin. Thus it has power to cause
God to forgive sin for those who trust in Him. (The blood of
Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin,” 1John 1:7).
This is love!
- Jesus is the only one God ever raised from
the dead to die no more and placed on His very own right hand
as Lord – the highest place and Name of authority under
the Father in the cosmos. (This Jesus hath God raised up - when
He had by Himself purged our sin, he sat down on the right hand
of God, Acts 2:32, Heb. 1:3).
- To rule in God’s coming righteous kingdom the ruler
of this kingdom must be of the royal line of King David as well
as Divine. (The mighty God ... upon the throne of David”,
Isaiah 9:6,7). Only the Lord Jesus is both.
Darkness is the absence of light. Since the Lord Jesus Christ
is “the Light,” wherever His words and cross-work are
absent is only darkness. Right is still right no matter how radical
that light might be to one blind.
Remember, everyone lives by absolutes. The earth dogmatically
orbits 600 million miles in 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and
48 seconds to mark absolute time. Air is absolutely necessary
for life and so we inhale it. A molecule of life-giving water
is always absolutely H20. Think it through and only believe God.
Episode #2
| Dr. Phil O. Sophy has mastered the Divine in
religious sociology and psychology. He is now residing in HUMAN
- Having Understanding Mixed And
Natural. |
|
Dear Professor Phil,
A friend told me not to do certain things because I’m a
Christian. Isn’t this legalism?
Lib Erty
Dear Lib,
There are many sincere, but misinformed individuals who believe
the Christian life consists of externals. That is, a list of
thou shalts and thou shalt nots.
Legalism is the insisting that one’s heart-spirit must
be channeled through an external rule. How confining! Yes, there
are things you might not want to do personally. That’s OK.
But don’t judge or force a brother into your mold. That’s
when choice becomes constraint. This is wrong and this is legalism
– legislating your ways on others.
The love and grace of God displays itself internally in one’s
spirit toward God. Thus, God is interested in a loving attitude
and not externals. Even the “Good Book” says we have
been called unto liberty. Remember, man looks on the outward
appearance but God looks on the heart.
We must not put God in a box. We need to allow Him the diversity
of showing His love in different ways through different methods,
styles and circumstances. This way we experience the wholeness
of God.
For example, if you drive a car, it is the internal that counts.
You may have a variety of externals such as color, materials,
options, etc., but none of these effect the internal power and
performance of the engine.
I anticipate this supposition of legalism and interior disposition
will give you rational direction in your encounter with your
God.
Blessed is the man that walketh
not in the counsel of the ungodly ... in His [God’s] law
doth he meditate day and night.
(Psa. 1:1, 2) |
| Brother Faith bases his study on the only source
of wisdom and truth: God in the Bible. He resides in CHRIST -
Choosing Him Regarding Instruction
Sufficient Today. |
|
Dear Lib Erty,
The actual word “legalism” is not used in Holy Scriptures
although the negative concept of putting a believer “under
law” is found. According to Galatians and Colossians, putting
believers under law and man-made traditions (true legalism) involves
two areas.
One, claiming it is necessary to do any part of the
Mosaic law (works) in order to become saved and right with God
(justification). Justification is based on faith alone in the
blood sacrifice of the risen Lord (Rom. 3).
Two, using any part of the law or man’s tradition
as a requirement to stay accepted with God and become holy (sanctification).
Practical sanctification (living a holy life unto God) is based
on the power of the Holy Spirit that transforms from the inside
out (2Cor. 3:18).
But remember, what God works on the inside is to come out
(Philp. 2:12, 13). What should “come out” of the Christian
life is where the written word takes us. That’s why there
are still commandments to obey even in the New Testament (1Cor.
14:37). These don’t justify us or keep us accepted but they
do define holiness (separation from what God calls wrong
unto what God calls right). Christians are most definitely called
unto the holiness of God (1Pet. 1:16, 2Cor. 7:1).
While we have been called unto liberty, the Bible adds: “only
use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh” (Gal. 5:13).
Liberty is never viewed as a license to do it our way rather
than God’s: that is sin.
Joshua was told not to go to the left or the right but simply
to meditate and observe God’s word as it was given. To go
to the left is to subtract things that are meant to be done:
liberalism. To go to the right is to add things to do that God
never gave: legalism. But to obey God is never legalism –
but love – “if ye love me keep my commandments,”
John 14:15.
A car’s internal power must be controlled by external
control or serious damage will result. If you take away the external
rules (speed limits, stop signs, etc.) then the internal power
becomes destructive.
Episode #3
| Dr. Phil O. Sophy has mastered the Divine in
religious sociology and psychology. He is now residing in HUMAN
- Having Understanding Mixed And
Natural. |
|
Dear Doctor Sophy,
While the Bible is God’s truth, isn’t it also true
that “all truth is God’s truth whether revealed or
discovered”?
Sir Ching
Dear Sir,
Yes, you’re right on. We would certainly agree that the
Bible is true. It claims to be a revelation from God. And who
would want to argue with what God reveals? But as you alluded
to, there is also truth to be discovered in God’s big universe.
To believe the Bible’s revelation is the only source of
truth is narrow-minded and denies the other works of God.
For example, take God’s creation. We know it’s true
a monkey has two eyes, two ears and one mouth – yet the
Bible doesn’t tell us that. But we know this is also truth
by the simple science of observation. As man grows in knowledge
and technological advancement he is constantly discovering new
truths from nature, the human mind and behavior patterns. These
take on the names of science, philosophy, psychology and cover
thousands of areas in life.
Since God is the author of creation then these discovered
truths are also His. We need not feel guilty when we embrace
them for His speaking is not limited to the Bible. Even the Bible
says, speaking of creation, “day unto day uttereth speech
and night unto night sheweth knowledge” in Psalm 19.
The science of math tells us two plus two is four and we know
that is truth. We know that red and green are truly different
colors. As man advances there is a universe of truth yet to be
discovered that we can embrace confidently and with excitement
knowing that the source is a big God who speaks in many ways.
|
Trust in the LORD with all thine
heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (Prov. 3:5) |
| Brother Faith bases his study on the only source
of wisdom and truth: God in the Bible. He resides in CHRIST -
Choosing Him Regarding Instruction
Sufficient Today. |
|
Dear Sir Ching,
One must be very cautious with that statement for it is pregnant
with the serpent’s hiss – “hath God said”?
Such a statement infers that there is truth to be discovered
outside Scripture’s interpretation.
It is true that God’s creation operates on what He calls
“my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night”
(Jer. 33:20). These principles or laws of the universe that control
our solar system (its speed, distances, order, etc.) are absolute
and therefore true. These laws of nature (actually of God) do
indeed reveal the glory of God in His existence, power, order
and designing genius.
To observe a “discovery” from God’s nature
is one thing but to interpret it is quite another. Correct
interpretation requires all the knowledge which we usually don’t
have. That’s why many science books that were once considered
true are now outdated, proven false.
It is true a monkey has two eyes and a mouth as we do. The
lie is in interpreting this truth of similarity apart
from what Scripture says and concluding that evolution is a “discovered”
truth. To interpret the observations of science or psychology,
etc. and believe such “discoveries” are truth over
the authority of Scriptural revelation is spiritually disastrous.
This is hellish, nothing but rank subjectivity. It enslaves the
learner to the teacher’s opinion and interpretation of truth.
The Lord’s Scriptures counsel the man of God to avoid
“science falsely so called.” (1Tim. 6:20). (False science
occurs when man, with the blind pride of his fallen mind, attempts
to understand and interpret his observations apart from God’s
revelation through His written Word – Holy Scriptures).
The man of God is taught that God’s inspired Scriptures
are all-sufficient for doctrine, reproof, correction and
instruction in righteousness to completely equip for every good
work unto God. (2Tim. 3:15-17). Truth sets one free from self,
sin and Satan’s deceptions (John 8:32). The Son of God revealed
this about truth: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy
word is truth” (John 17:17).
The battle of the mind
2Corinthians 10 shows that the believer’s warfare is
in the mind. The mind is the battlefield where the enemy wages
war. Actions are usually a result of what one thinks and believes.
Proverbs 23:7 says:
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
There has been a closing of the Christian’s mind in the
name of grace and love. Our society has overthrown the fear of
God and holiness in favor of self-satisfaction and therefore
tolerance of all. To justify this sinful departure, good concepts
such as grace and love are twisted and perverted to make the
departure appear right. The church as a whole is not far behind.
A person who tolerates error and sin might be truly persuaded
in his mind that he is right because he thinks he is demonstrating
grace – “and isn’t that biblical?” Yet we
read in Titus 2:11 and 12:
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath
appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly,
in this present world.
People who condone disobedience to the Word without judgment
or consequences might think they are godly for isn’t it
true that “God is love”? Yet the Scriptures say in
John 14:15 and 1John 5:2:
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
By this we know that we love the children of God, when
we love God, and keep his commandments.
To win this war to please and glorify God one must reject
any reasoning that is different than the naked truth of God’s
Word. 2Cor. 10:5 gives this strategy:
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth
itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ.