By Joe Slater
Not everything taught in the Bible is a salvation issue. Now, before you have a heart attack or start a petition to dismiss this preacher, hear me out!
Years ago, a sincere brother wrote that if you are wrong about *anything* taught in the Bible, you’ll be lost. I told that brother a true story: At the first place I preached full-time, I taught Genesis in the adult Bible class. We came to Genesis 42:1-5 where Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to purchase grain (the KJV says “corn”). One class member commented, “Some people say the Egyptians didn’t have corn, but the Bible says there was corn in Egypt, so that’s what I believe!”
I explained that “corn” simply meant grain, not the sweet corn or field corn we grow. I even read John 12:24 where the KJV says “a corn of wheat” (other translations say “a *grain* of wheat”), but he would have none of it. His Bible said “corn,” therefore he believed yellow corn with tassels and ears must have grown in Egypt just as it does here!
So, I asked the brother who insisted that being wrong about *anything* resulted in being lost: “Was this person lost for believing there was ‘corn’ in Egypt?” Not surprisingly, he didn’t answer; but he still insisted that being wrong about *anything* was a ticket to perdition.
Other extremists falsely claim that virtually nothing is a salvation issue except believing in Jesus. They insist that gospel obedience, Scriptural worship, and other matters don’t affect salvation. Do Not Count Me Among Those! But equally false is saying everything is a salvation issue. As is generally the case, truth lies between the extremes.
All of us have changed our mind as we learned and grew. We’ll likely do so again. Let’s strive for accuracy while avoiding false extremes!
Not everything taught in the Bible is a salvation issue. Now, before you have a heart attack or start a petition to dismiss this preacher, hear me out!
Years ago, a sincere brother wrote that if you are wrong about *anything* taught in the Bible, you’ll be lost. I told that brother a true story: At the first place I preached full-time, I taught Genesis in the adult Bible class. We came to Genesis 42:1-5 where Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to purchase grain (the KJV says “corn”). One class member commented, “Some people say the Egyptians didn’t have corn, but the Bible says there was corn in Egypt, so that’s what I believe!”
I explained that “corn” simply meant grain, not the sweet corn or field corn we grow. I even read John 12:24 where the KJV says “a corn of wheat” (other translations say “a *grain* of wheat”), but he would have none of it. His Bible said “corn,” therefore he believed yellow corn with tassels and ears must have grown in Egypt just as it does here!
So, I asked the brother who insisted that being wrong about *anything* resulted in being lost: “Was this person lost for believing there was ‘corn’ in Egypt?” Not surprisingly, he didn’t answer; but he still insisted that being wrong about *anything* was a ticket to perdition.
Other extremists falsely claim that virtually nothing is a salvation issue except believing in Jesus. They insist that gospel obedience, Scriptural worship, and other matters don’t affect salvation. Do Not Count Me Among Those! But equally false is saying everything is a salvation issue. As is generally the case, truth lies between the extremes.
All of us have changed our mind as we learned and grew. We’ll likely do so again. Let’s strive for accuracy while avoiding false extremes!
- Joe Slater serves as minister of the Church of Christ in Justin,
TX. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com
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