Skip to Questions and Objections List
There are often disagreements about any given theological topic. These disagreements frequently arise from misunderstandings of more foundational doctrines; much like a house with a poor foundation, the roof will not fit properly. This is why I encourage you to begin our Christianity 101 course from the beginning.
Even then, disagreements may still occur. I have included this list of FAQs and objections raised by others related to this study. Sometimes, certain verses need to be explained in greater detail, as we might read things into the Scriptures that are not there without realizing it. This usually clears up any confusion.
However, some objections are common to every topic. These are typically the first objections addressed on the objection pages to quickly address them.
FAQs and Objections
Common Objections
1. This goes against orthodox Christianity and what the church has taught for centuries.
4. No one else believes this! In fact, the majority believe something totally different!
5. Such and such scripture says what you are saying is untrue.
Study Specific Objections
This goes against orthodox Christianity and what the church has taught for centuries.
First, let me say that this statement is incorrect. Since the beginning of the church, there have been many different doctrines taught. Not all were true, but not all were false.
There are false doctrines that have been believed for centuries, alongside the truth of Scripture, which has also been believed for centuries. So the church actually has taught this, along with other doctrines, for centuries.
The argument that this goes against “orthodox” Christianity is another matter, though. The term “orthodox” means conforming to what is generally or traditionally accepted as right or true; established and approved.
Essentially, orthodox Christianity is defined by a majority of Christians who hold the same view. However, orthodox teachings are not always correct, since the majority can be (and often are) wrong. For example, the religious leaders at the time of Jesus would have been considered orthodox. Yet, time and again, Jesus showed their teachings to be incorrect.
Our test for what is or is not true should never come from majority opinion or the age of a teaching. Our test is Scripture and Scripture alone. Any teaching about what Scripture says is subject to the Scriptures themselves. Thus, the Scriptures interpret themselves.
So it doesn’t matter if something goes against the majority opinion. If they were wrong, then they were wrong. The word of God is always right. We should know the word of God from the Bible itself rather than just rely on someone else’s commentary (even mine) about the word. Teachers can guide you, but you must understand that only the Bible itself is 100% correct 100% of the time.
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Aren‘t you being prideful because you think you know better than the great theologians of the past?
No, not at all. Just because someone considered to be of high esteem says something different from a person of lower esteem, it doesn’t mean the person of higher esteem is correct. This is not a matter of pride; it’s a matter of truth.
Jesus was also accused of being prideful because He acted and spoke with greater authority than others, such as Moses. It wasn’t about pride, though; it was about truth.
Why do I believe I understand the truth of these things? It’s not because I believe I am somehow greater than others. It is because I have read the Bible and come to a different understanding—an understanding that I believe is true based on the information given, not on how highly I esteem myself.
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“Someone else (a link I would like to send or a well known teacher) can explain this subject and why the doctrine on this site is wrong better than I can. So please see…such and such”
There have been many times when I’ve been given links to other ministries that teach things contrary to what I do. The funny thing is, I’ve often already seen those articles and have included explanations in my own writings as to why they are incorrect.
So, I find it both laughable and annoying when someone tries to refute what I teach by showing me what someone else teaches, which I’ve already proven to be incorrect.
The reason many people point to the teachings of others is often because they do not fully understand the subject well enough to defend it themselves. So, they rely on others who “understand it better” to do that for them.
What they don’t realize, however, is that the reason they don’t fully grasp it is that those they point to as great teachers don’t have a firm grasp on it either. Thus, their students are left without understanding as well.
In fact, the same arguments the student would make are the very ones their teacher will make. If those arguments don’t hold up for the student, the teacher will also fail, since they are saying the same thing. So do yourself a favor: don’t pretend you aren’t smart enough to figure this out, allowing someone else who is “smarter” to do it for you. Use your own brain.
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No one else believes this! In fact, the majority believe something totally different!
Since when has majority opinion been proof of something being true? Majority opinion is merely an endorsement from many people who may themselves be incorrect. The objection that no well-known or respected group or intelligent person believes something was also used against Jesus. They said, “Have any of the scribes or Pharisees believed in Him?!”
So, denial of something based on this comes from peer pressure, not truth.
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Such and such scripture says what you are saying is untrue!
A common theme in never-ending debates occurs when one person uses a scripture that seems to say one thing, but another person cites a different scripture that appears to give a different view. Typically, we just keep quoting our supporting scriptures back and forth.
But this only leads to frustration. Instead, we need to lay down our arsenal and learn how to use it properly. The Bible will not contradict itself, so if we see two opposing views, we need to ask ourselves how they work together.
Is it possible that one of us is reading something into the scriptures that it doesn’t actually say? Could it be that other foundational doctrines we believe are not true, forcing us to interpret certain scriptures in a way that tries to make them fit? I’ve often found that misunderstanding scripture can lead to this. A little help in understanding what we read might be in order. For more on this, please see Unit 1:7 in this course.
If you truly believe something to be untrue, feel free to contact me. As long as it’s not something I’ve already addressed, I’d be happy to hear you out.
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