Whenever we are given a belief, doctrine, religion, theology, or claim of truth, no matter whether it is given within the walls of the church or outside the church . . . we are to examine it for truth with Scripture being the proof text.

How are we to approach doctrine such as is taught through the Catechism of the Catholic Church? The responsibility and application of scriptural discernment can often appear daunting. It would be so much easier if Christ, or one of the writers of Scripture, would have given us a set of ten rules to follow to scriptural interpretation. They did not give us the methodology of hermeneutics we use today to better guide us in biblical interpretation and understanding. (We have not examined hermeneutical or exegetical application in this article.  I would encourage all to become familiar with these methodologies.)

The actions of the Bereans in Acts 17:11, is a principle that all children of God should practice. If the Bereans were exhorted for examining the Scriptures after receiving the Word with great eagerness from Paul...should we not be encouraged to do likewise when we receive what others claim to be biblical . . . or what they declare to be the teachings of Christ?

Even with a cursory glance at the quoted text from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is strongly evidential that there is a belief that man is premier and primary in defining truth . . . a select few men that is.

What biblical evidences does the Catholic Church give as a platform for these claims? For the earlier quoted text, there is not a single reference to biblical support. Not one verse of Scripture is used to validate these claims of men, but they quote their own "Dogmatic Constitution of Divine Revelation - (Dei Verbum). " Should not an Acts 17:11 admonishment apply for these writings?

He has made a promise that "if [we] seek Him, He will let [us] find Him; but if [any] forsake Him, He will reject [them] forever" (1 Chronicles 28:9). We are never called to seek a man, a religion, doctrine, or faith other than what God has laid before us in His Word.

Paul gives a similar warning on the adulteration of the Gospel message, to the church in Galatia.

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-10; emphasis added)

Paul seldom repeats himself in consecutive verses; but he does here with great passion and conviction, stating that if anyone preaches a gospel contrary to what he is preaching, that person will be accursed. To be accursed is to be damned, to be condemned . . . a sentence of punishment has been placed.

To Know Christ... is to Serve Christ

In the last sentence of Galatians 1:10, Paul states that if he were trying to please man, he would not be a bond-servant of Christ. We must not lose sight of the depth of Paul’s admonition. Those that are of the Lord’s "were bought with a price" and we are not to "become slaves of men" (1 Corinthians 7:23).

Our purpose is not to please men, nor walk "according to the flesh, . . . not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart" (Ephesians 6:6). Such a one, a biblical bond-servant of Christ, would be "an effectual doer" of the Word of God (James 1:22-25), despite the pain or persecution that may, and will, result to such an adherent.

In this country, if you were to ask the people on the street what ‘faith’ or ‘belief structure’ they aligned themselves with, the great majority (75-85% depending upon the poll) will claim to be Christian. Or, looking in any major city phone directory under the "Churches" heading, within the borders of the United States, those expressing Christian allegiance would be the great majority. Do you believe these polls and phone directories to be accurate; basing this accuracy upon the Christian or godly expression of their relationship with Christ, as taught through the Word of God? To what degree do you believe in the accuracy of these polls, these huge numbers of ‘Christian church’ listings?

Is this country increasing in biblical morality and ethics? Do you witness a greater degree of ‘otherness’ in the people you know, or on our streets and highways while driving? Does the news media reflect these values the Christian is admonished to express in their ‘everyday’ lives? Are we finding a greater expression of our love of God through our laws and our government? How many do we witness giving glory and praise to God in our day-to-day settings?

If we honestly answer these questions, there would be little doubt that we are of a people that is far from God. If this nation, if our ‘Christian’ churches practiced the word of God as He mandates, we would not witness the sin and decadence that has now become accepted as normal. We, a nation as a whole, or as the ‘church’ overall, cannot claim we are a righteous people... we cannot defend that we are a godly people and are of God (1 John 3:8-9) against the penetrating Light that examines our true heart , and understanding the motives of our practices (1 Corinthians 4:4-5). For " the one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:4).

We need not search long for what God has to say on the issue of lying. We cannot take this issue lightly; we cannot be flippant about it. The Lord hates "haughty eyes, a lying tongue . . . a heart that devises wicked plans . . . a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers" (Proverbs 6:16-19). These sins are an abomination to Him (Proverbs 6:16; 12:22); they are repulsive; they are repugnant to the very nature of God.

Such sin is a great offense to a Holy God. "All liars [will take their part] in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; [along with] the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters" (Revelation 21:8). Revelation 22:15 tells us that "everyone who loves and practices lying" [will be] "outside [with] the dogs." "No one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into [the New Jerusalem]" (Revelation 21:27). It is not difficult to understand why a Righteous and Holy God is against those that "have spoken falsehood" (Ezekiel 13:8). Examine Scripture to see the type of company they have been placed with in judgment.

Why is it so important to Christ?  . . . why should it be so important to us individually and corporately as the church, to look so harshly at lies and the ones that tell them? Scripture is replete with answers, and the reason for those answers, to questions such as these. Scripture has given much insight on how "one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).

The church is a stopgap, a filter to protect the truths of God’s Word from concession or compromise. We, as the church established through Christ, must be diligent in our protection of His Word; even if doing so is unpopular, uncomfortable, or causes pain and hardship. For we are "a letter of Christ . . . written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Corinthians 3:3). What we say, what we do, what we think will reflect upon what and Who we represent. Do we want what is vile, what is reprehensible to the Lord, to be what is written on our hearts as our testimony to the relationship we have with Him?

While we are admonished to be ‘fruit inspectors’ (Matthew 7:16-20), we are limited in our discernment…this limitation, though, does not allow us to forgo our discernment responsibilities. But as we are limited, Christ is unlimited . . . He sees through the façade we erect in our lives. This ‘seeing’ is His ability purposed for the searching of our hearts, for "the good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart" (Luke 6:45). From the heart the deceptions and the lies originate . . . its onset begins when fertile ground is found in the heart for these to take seed, that which is an abomination to Him that is Holy, can now bear fruit.

As was stated earlier, Timothy was called to". . . guard what has been entrusted to him" (1 Timothy 6:20); and so are you and I. Let us use the discernment that the Holy Spirit blesses each child of God with and "test the spirits" (1 John 4:1-4).

Without activating our relationship with God, and then becoming a practitioner of scriptural discernment and judgment, we are actually out of His will; but "whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked" (1 John 2:5-6). He desires His love of the saved, as well as His love for the lost, to be expressed through His people.

If we do not use the discernment God has given us to judge (evaluate) the actions of others then we are in sin against the very God we claim allegiance to. We will bear the sin of omission by not doing that which a righteous or godly man or woman is called to do.

As a child of God, we are to protect and keep His Word as evidence for our love of Him; through knowledge, understanding, discernment and the teaching of the Word that only comes through the maturation and practice (Hebrews 5:14) of His Word through Christ alone. There is no place along the side lines for one that claims to be His. If this is where we are to find our feet planted, we may want to check our own salvation through the authentic and true seeking of Him. If we are one of His, yet immature with a diet of milk (Hebrews 5:11-13), we need to mature in His Word to solid foods that only the mature can ingest and digest.

Christ himself states, "Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division" (Luke 12:51). Christ tells us how families will be divided because of Him ^___ is this what we are witnessing in our families and churches today? Shouldn’t we love our Christ and His Word despite the cost? Do you love your spouse, your children, sisters, brother, parents, and others that may not know Christ unto salvation ^___ enough to risk your relationship with all of them on the hopes and prayers that there is assurance of salvation for each? God desires that we love them that much, that we love Him that much. This we can do . . . this we must do.

To ‘judge’ the actions of others, and to then bring our concerns to that individual or group, we must likewise be available for scriptural judgment, rebuke and reproof. We must be able to receive it; search our spirit to see if such observations are valid; and then search the Scriptures to have our validation through God’s word.

Many say they only want to love others . . . as Christ loved. To do so, we must practice the love of Christ that encompasses all aspects of loving; which include scriptural judgment, rebuke and discipline. Love to the exclusion of these corrections is no love at all.