Growing up in this church, it was common to hear Merie say that if you could point out one error in the Bible, she’d eat every page. This was a very persuasive point for those who had never considered the Bible’s authenticity. The same reasoning applies to Jesus…he cannot have been simply a “good man” in history as many people claim. If we find one false claim he made, he was a liar, not a good man.
So it is with the church’s claim to be the One True Church. When you make such a claim, you better have the facts to back it up. Since their claim is that all other Christian churches are false because they all have false (erroneous) doctrines (a tried and true staple of non-member class rhetoric), their claimed One True Church shouldn’t have any erroneous doctrines either. Does God expect us to cut them some slack for their errors, yet we ought to know better than to cut anyone else any slack? That is pretty prideful for a church that prides itself on teaching against pride.
The great thing about their outrageous claim is that one error brings the whole house of cards down. You don’t need to find more errors in their church than in the mainstream Church of Christ, the Christian Church, or Calvary Chapel. You just need to find one error to disprove their thesis that they are the One True Church whose Teachers have been led by the Holy Spirit into all Truth.
Unfortunately, there is not just one, but many errors that have been taught by the church, as evidenced by its constantly changing doctrines. If you claim to be the only place where God’s people can trust that the Truth is being taught, and Truth doesn’t change, then your teachings better never change.
Here is some fallacious reasoning they will try to throw at members who question their changing and erroneous doctrines:
- “We don’t change our doctrines, God is just revealing new understandings to us.” Sorry, that’s disingenuous, and is simply putting lipstick on the pig. If God is revealing new understandings to you, then your old ones cannot have been correct.
- Church leaders insist that any problems with church doctrine must be handled privately, but they don’t extend the same courtesy to members, who are openly rebuked without ever being approached discretely first.
If you’re struggling with doubts about their claims, don’t let them put your doubts on trial. It’s okay to have doubts about erroneous teaching. It is their outrageous claims that need to be on trial. It’s entirely possible to be convicted that this group is in error, while at the same time taking the time to study and reach your own conclusions on what you believe about other subjects. Don’t rush through that. It may take years to reach satisfactory conclusions on all the bad doctrine they’ve put in your head. It did for me. But I thank God I’ve come out on the other side with a peace and confidence no man could have given to me.
I am an active member who has questioned many judgements and many times have not conformed. This is a very interesting blog and, much like Merie, I question things. Very interesting hearing "the other side" of withdrawals and such.
Welcome seeking! I questioned not the doctrine but the behavior of those in the Stanton Church of Christ. I saw much child abuse both public and private, the neglect of the poor in the congregation, even though there was thousands of dollars in the Lord's treasury, so it could be used to gain the favor of the evangelist in Spring Valley, and the abandonment of wives and children by the men in several congregations, and I had to ask myself: is this how Christians behave? Christ said by their fruits you shall know them; that is both the righteous and… Read more »
Thank you…believe it or not, I was looking at that same chapter (Matt 7) today, just a few hours ago. I had to screen shot it because it really hit home, the part about the fruit…those specific verses. That's funny that you would quote the same scripture. Interestingly, I don't recall that one mentioned too often in a sermon (probably has happened, but not memorable). Maybe the obvious would have stood out.
The best piece of fruit is love, and it can be difficult to find in a church that is motivated by arrogance. The arrogant, those with a superiority complex, seek to dominate and control others as a means to satisfy their need for the feeling of superiority. The beating of children to the point of felony child abuse is one way to achieve superiority over others. The domination and control of others can be seen in many ways such as dictating who can and cannot get married, the control of the married sex lives, and other micromanaging methods of control.… Read more »
Matthew 25:35-37 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? These scriptures are written for a reason and we can see by these that we will be judged for the. I couldn't get people to understand that.… Read more »
In Phoenix the Lord's treasury was over 100,000 at one point and even though the church had plenty of money the poor were neglected. Teaching was put out that, yes, the church could buy a needy saint a car but it was quickly discouraged by the use of the fictional "one sister." We were told that the church one time had bought "one sister" a car but she had neglected it so it was like a waste of money and so no don't expect the church to purchase anyone a car. Then the spiritual leader in Spring Valley called asking… Read more »