The Bible

Thought for Today
Aug. 03

MAKING THE WORD OF GOD OF NONE EFFECT

Jesus said that the Pharisees and elders of Israel had made the word of God "of none effect" by their traditions. This is what Christianity has done with its traditions. Israel's elders were trusted by the children of God to know what they were talking about, but they did not. The children of God in this New Testament have trusted Christian leaders to know what they are talking about, but they do not. I do not make that statement with any ill-will or sarcasm. I only say it because it must be said. It is a fact that it is exceedingly difficult for our heavenly Father to communicate to His people because so often they base their judgments on standards set by Christian leaders, and Christian standards, doctrinal and otherwise, are contrary to the truth of Christ.

For some examples, it is because of the instruction of Christian ministers that God's children join Christian churches, submit to water baptism, participate in "communion" rituals, and claim to be saved already. These and other standards that ministers have taught them, provide God's people with inaccurate standards for determining the verity of what they hear. How can the Father reach them with greater light, when they judge His messengers by standards that did not come from Him? Christian standards very often "make of none effect" loving words sent from God to His people.

For another example, the words of Jesus and the apostles concerning the superior power, wisdom, and goodness of the Father over the Son are made of none effect by the Christian doctrine of the "holy Trinity". Jesus said, "The Father is greater than I" (Jn. 14:28). Who can take those words seriously if he has been taught that the Father and the Son are "co-eternal" and "co-equal" in power and authority, as the doctrine of the Trinity holds? Jesus confessed that the Father knew things that he did not know (e.g. Mk. 13:33), but the doctrine of the Trinity denies that, teaching basically that the Father is the Son. How can the Son not know all that the Father knows if the Son is, in fact, the Father? Jesus rebuked a rich young ruler for addressing him as "good master", saying that "there is only One who is good, and that is God" (Lk. 18:18-19). But who can believe Jesus really meant those words if he thinks that Jesus is really the God he was talking about? Paul taught that the Son will submit himself to the Father at the end of this age (1Cor. 15:27-28), but who can really believe that if he has been taught that the Son is a part of a three-in-one God? How is Jesus going to submit himself to himself? or submit one part of himself to the other two parts of himself?

We are told that God heard Jesus' prayers because Jesus feared Him and that Jesus tearfully offered earnest prayer to God because he knew that God was able to save him from death (Heb. 5:7). Was the author of Hebrews just kidding? Or was Jesus weeping and crying out in prayer to himself? The doctrine of the Trinity would have us to answer, "Yes".

There are hundreds of similar related Scriptures in the Bible concerning the Father and the Son whose meaning is easily understood-unless one has been taught the Trinitarian faith. That doctrine makes of none effect words of God that come from His wisest servants and are recorded in the Bible. Whenever that doctrine is taken into the heart as the standard by which to judge matters, as it often does, God's messengers look foolish, and Trinitarian ministers look wise.

The Psalmist asked the question, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" That is what has happened to the foundations of the faith of Christ. Satan has stolen from the hearts of multiplied millions the sure foundations of the New Testament that Paul and others laid, "Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone." Over many centuries, Satan developed complex and appealing Christian traditions and doctrines, persuaded nations to receive them as gospel, thus effectively "destroying" the foundations that the Lord originally gave to his people. The principal work of the congregation that meets at my house is to clean off the foundations of the faith and, so, help God's children rediscover them. For many centuries now, layer upon layer of vain Christian tradition has been laid upon the foundations of the gospel of Christ until those foundations now are covered with a thick layer of cliches, rituals, and doctrines that were never of God and must be removed for the sake of the saints. Unfortunately, when those of us who see the truth start doing that, God's precious children often become frightened of us and speak out against the work. They have been taught to fear men like me and to think that we are their enemies. That is painful for us, but our love for our brothers and sisters who have been duped by Satan into thinking that Christianity is of God keeps us encouraged.

The light of our loving heavenly Father will join us together perfectly in faith and practice. It will make us of one mind and heart; it will heal us of every division, no matter how great or small it is; it will create in you the same love for me that it has created in me for you. The effect of the Word of God, when it is received, is perfect peace and perfect harmony. My precious fellow believers, we are divided from each other only because the word of our God has been made of none of effect by the religion of Christianity.

Somebody's faith in Christian tradition is making the word of God of none effect and is keeping the children of God divided. Could it be yours?