"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."Mt. 4:4
Most religious error is a result of a person or group taking a portion of or excerpts from scripture and forming a system of preconceived beliefs for which they use these select passages as proofs. Another defining characteristic of most error is its perversion of or under-emphasis of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The scriptures are one entire work, authored and preserved by God Himself as a complete revelation of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Old Testament and New alike are entirely concerning Christ, Who He is and what He did. All historical truth in scripture, all factual information regarding creation, hell, heaven, prophecy, etc is only included and to be understood as it relates to and reveals the Person and work of Jesus Christ, God's Son and the sinners' Substitute.
That being said, anyone who can read the scriptures in their entirety, and say that man has anything to do with his own salvation, or that God is trying to do anything, or that Christ's blood has not redeemed all for whom it was shed, or any of the other common blasphemies of modern religion, are either blind, or deliberate liars.
I would not condemn a blind man for his blindness, but I have a real problem with a blind man pretending to see and trying to lead me, or someone I love, in a matter of so vital a nature. If you don't understand scripture, be honest enough to admit it and don't attempt to interpret or teach it to others. If there is anything in the Bible that seems to contradict what you believe, seek earnestly and be wise enough to shut your mouth until you know the truth.
Above all, if Christ is not ALL to you; if He is not clearly in your mind the only Subject of God's revelation and Himself the Sum and Substance of the Gospel of redeeming, effectual grace, then read, seek and hear of Him from a faithful preacher of the Gospel and lay hold of Him at all cost.
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