I AM OF APPOLOS

All of us have met the promoter of some cult and found the frustrating thing is that, although they claim to base their doctrine on Scripture in reality they don’t Scripture must always be twisted to fit their doctrine. Their doctrine is never adjusted to fit the Scripture, regardless of how plain and simple it not only seems to me but actually is. The underlying problem is that their particular doctrine is more important than Scripture. The result is that their doctrines have closed their minds to the plain teachings of Scripture.
It is very easy to see this failing in others; not so easy to see it in myself. I saw an interesting illustration of this in Uganda. Although many people were saved through our Bible studies, not one single seminary trained priest was. There were some fine born again priests that we knew, but they had become priests because they truly wished to serve God. This was in the Anglican church. I suppose their church doctrines had closed their minds to the simple gospel.
Show a catholic that in I Timothy 2:5 Paul writes that there is one mediator between God and man and he will insist that the priest is also a mediator. Let a Calvinist and a non Calvinist get into an argument and each will have his favorite versus which will always trump the Scriptures. Someone I know recently heard his Sunday School teacher say that God enjoys sending people to hell. In Ezekiel 33:11 God says: “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his evil way and live”. It will be another case of a man sticking to his guns. The Word of God will have to be reinterpreted to fit his belief.
There is a real problem that Paul is addressing in the church of Corinth. They were not unconcerned liberals. They were sincere and concerned people. But it causes division as each sees spiritual truth from his perspective. This not only closes the mind to another but even more importantly, it closes my mind to the Scriptures themselves. There is some good practical advice in Philippians 2:3 “let each esteem other better than themselves” and in I Corinthians 14:30: “If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace”. The deeper reason is that I may not hear the voice of God. Revelation 2:17: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna”.
And still the cry goes on “I am of Appolos”. Whatever ism is mine will keep from the deeper things of God.
YOUR
GRANDPA