ANSWERING THE
OBJECTION TO THE IMPORTANCE
OFGOD’S MESSENGERS
OFGOD’S MESSENGERS
Deuteronomy 30:11-14 and Romans 10:5-8
CONLEY CONTINUES TO insist
that a person need not God’s messengers to understand His will written in the
Bible. This is his contention to his article entitled “Is God’s word far off?”:
“The
‘Iglesia Ni Cristo’ teaches that it is impossible to understand the Bible
without the help of a minister. Is it really impossible to do so?
“The
Bible refers to this kind of teaching as saying that God's word is ‘far off’.
In other words, when we say that we need someone to explain the Bible to us and
deny the responsiblity we have to read and understand it ourselves, he say that
God's word is far off, even though it teaches that it is near to us.”
According to Conley the teaching
that “we need the teaching of God’s messenger for us to understand His will
written in the Bible” is referred to by
the Bible “as saying that God’s word is ‘far
off’.” However, this is Conley’s own interpretation of the Iglesia Ni
Cristo doctrine. Take note that:
(1) Conley claims that “The Bible refers to this kind of teaching (that
“we need the teaching of God’s messenger for us to understand His will written
in the Bible”) as saying that God's word
is ‘far off’.” But, he failed to show any verse of the Bible that says that
the teaching that we need God’s messenger to understand His will is saying that
the words of God is far off (because it is a fact that no verse of the Bible
that says so). THIS IS A CLEAR MISINTERPRETATION.
(2) Conley is trying to misinform
the people by making them believe that the teaching of the Iglesia Ni Cristo
means that “the words of God is far” off to make it seem that the Iglesia Ni
Cristo contradicts the teachings of the Bible. THIS IS A CLEAR DECEPTION.
Does
Deuteronomy 30:11-14 says that we can understand the will of God without the
messenger of God?
To prove His contention that we
don’t need the messenger of God to understand God’s will written in the Bible,
he quoted Deuteronomy 30:11-14:
“Deuteronomy
30:11 (ESV) - "For this commandment that I command you today is not too
hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should
say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us
and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond
the sea, that you should say, 'Who will
go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’
14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so
that you can do it.”
After quoting this verse, Conley
concluded the following:
“The
Israelites knew that they possessed the words of God. However, they were
tempted to say that the word was too difficult to understand and that they
needed someone to explain it. Once we have heard or read the word of God, in
whatever format, the word is in our mouth and in our heart so that we can obey
it.
“One
might argue that the verse speaks of the word being distant, not being too
difficult to understand. Such a wooden interpretation of these words renders
Moses' command useless. The Israelites were not so non-sensical as to claim
that God's word literally lay on the other side of the sea! Their temptation
was that they would claim they did not understand it!”
However, nothing in the verse
that says that “we don’t need the messenger of God to understand His words.”
Thus, Conley is making a private interpretation of the verse which is
prohibited according to II Peter 1:20:
“Knowing
this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.” (II
Peter 1:20 NKJV)
What the verse said that the
commandment of God “...is not in heaven,
that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to
heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither
is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may
hear it and do it?” Conley understood this that we don’t need God’s
messenger to teach us the words of God. Is he correct? Let us read the verse in
Today’s English Version:
“The
COMMAND THAT I AM GIVING YOU today is not too difficult or beyond your reach.
It is not up in the sky. You do not have to ask, 'Who will go up and bring it
down for us, so that we can hear it and obey it?' Nor is it on the other side
of the ocean. You do not have to ask, 'Who will go across the ocean and bring
it to us, so that we may hear it and obey it?' No, it is here with you. You
know it and can quote it, so now obey it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 TEV)
Moses said to the Israelites, “You do not have to ask, 'Who will go up and
bring it down for us, so that we can hear it and obey it?' Nor is it on the
other side of the ocean. You do not have to ask, 'Who will go across the ocean
and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and obey it?'”
Why did Moses said these to the
Israelites? Because they already have God’s commandments. He also said, “No, it is here with you. You know it and can
quote it, so now obey it.”
How did the Israelites received
God’s commandments? Moses also said, “The
COMMAND THAT I AM GIVING YOU today is not too difficult or beyond your reach.”
Thus, Moses said to the
Israelites that they don’t have to go up to heaven, nor to go to the other side
of the ocean because God’s commandments were already with them because Moses
(God’s messenger) already taught it to them.
Here we can see that Conley did
not understand the verse. Remember that he is proving through the verse that we
don’t need the messenger of God to understand His words. But, Conley also said,
“One might argue that the verse speaks of
the word being distant, not being too difficult to understand. Such a wooden
interpretation of these words renders MOSES' COMMAND useless.”
So, he himself admitted that the
words of God were received by the Israelites through Moses. Was not Moses a
messenger of God? So, Conley proving that we don’t need the messenger of God,
but he also admitted that the words of God were received by the Israelites
through Moses, God’s messenger.
Does the Old Testament agree with
Conley that we don’t need God’s messenger in understanding God’s words? This is
what Malachi 2:7 says:
“It
is the duty of priests to teach the true knowledge of God. PEOPLE SHOULD GO TO
THEM TO LEARN MY WILL, because they are the MESSENGERS of the LORD Almighty.” (Malachi
2:7 TEV, emphasis mine)
Does Romans 10:5-8
says that we can understand the will of God without the messenger of God?
Now, to prove that even the New
Testament teaches that we don’t need God’s messenger to understand God’s will,
he quoted Romans 10:5-12:
“Romans
10:5-12 (ESV) - 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the
law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the
righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will
ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 "or 'Who will
descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8
But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your
heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);”
Regarding this passage, he
remarked:
“The
law that we are to obey is binding from the moment we hear it. Additionally,
the gospel that we are to heed is binding from the moment we hear it! Those of
us who have heard the good news of Jesus Christ cannot claim to need a minister
to explain it to us. We also cannot claim to need a minister to explain the
word to others. The word is near us.”
Conley said, “The law that we are to obey is binding FROM
THE MOMENT WE HEAR IT. Additionally, the gospel that we are to heed is binding FROM
THE MOMENT WE HEAR IT!” However, he contends that “Those of us who have heard the good news of Jesus Christ cannot claim
to need a minister to explain it to us. WE ALSO CANNOT CLAIM TO NEED A MINISTER
TO EXPLAIN THE WORD to others. The word is near us.”
Does Apostle Paul agree with
Conley that we don’t need true ministers of the Gospel? Take note that this is
what verse 8 said that Conley quoted:
“...8
But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your
heart" (that is, THE WORD OF FAITH THAT WE PROCLAIM);”
Conley deliberately ignored Romans
10:8 that says “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU...(that
is, THE WORD OF FAITH THAT WE PROCLAIM);”
Apostle Paul explicitly said that
the “the word of faith is near (them)” because they proclaimed it to them. Was
Apostle Paul not a messenger of God? Was he not a minister of the Gospel? This
is what Apostle Paul said in Colossians 1:24:
“Of
which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me
for you, to make the word of God fully known.” (Colossians 1:25 RSV)
Take note that Conley supposed to
quote from verse 5 to verse 12 as he mentioned, but what he actually quoted was
only up to verse 8. Do you know why he quoted only up to verse 8? Let us quote
Romans 10:5-8 and let us continue up to verse 15:
“For
Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ‘The man who does
those things shall live by them.’ But the righteousness of faith speaks in this
way, ‘Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is,
to bring Christ down from above) or, ‘'Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that
is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘THE WORD IS NEAR
YOU, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, THE WORD OF FAITH WHICH WE
PREACH): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your
heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the
heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not
be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for
the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever
calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." How then shall they call on
Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom
they have not heard? AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? AND HOW SHALL
THEY PREACH UNLESS THEY ARE SENT? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet
of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
(Romans 10:5-15 NKJV, emphasis mine)
Conley ignored not only what
Apostle Paul said in verse 8 [“THE WORD
IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, THE WORD OF FAITH WHICH
WE PREACH)”], but also what he said in verse 14-15 [“AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? AND HOW SHALL THEY PREACH
UNLESS THEY ARE SENT?”]. These words of Apostle Paul contradicts Conley’s
conclusion:
“Let
us not say that we need someone to bring us God's word when we already have it.
Let us affirm the responsibility we have to heed the call of the gospel even
when that call comes from the pages of a book and not the lips of an ordained
minister.”
These words of Conley also
contradicted what the Bible says in Acts 8:26-38:
“Now
an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road-the desert road-that
goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ So he
started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official
in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had
gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot
reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.
The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’ Then
Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘DO
YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE READING?’ Philip asked. HOW CAN I, HE SAID,
"UNLESS SOMEONE EXPLAINS IT TO ME?’ So he invited Philip to come up and
sit with him. The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: ‘He was led
like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so
he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who
can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.’ The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me,
please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?’ THEN PHILIP
BEGAN WITH THAT VERY PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE AND TOLD HIM THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT
JESUS. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch
said, ‘Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?’ And he gave orders to
stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and
Philip baptized him.” (Acts 8:26-38 NIV, Emphasis mine)
CONCLUSION
Thus, Conley’s conclusion is
certainly wrong because it is based on wrong understanding and
misinterpretation of the passages of the Bible, and he also ignored the context
of the passages and the other related passages.
Mr. Conley’s misinterpretation
and misunderstanding of the passages of the Bible as we have seen here, further
proves that a person will indeed end up in erroneous beliefs if he tried to
understand the Bible through his own and rejects the importance of God’s
messengers. This is what Apostle Peter warned
us in II Peter 3:16:
“This
is what he says in all his letters when he writes on the subject. There are
some difficult things in his letters which ignorant and unstable people explain
falsely, as they do with other passages of the Scriptures. So they bring on
their own destruction.” (II Peter 3:16 TEV)
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