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The Danger of “What’s It Going To Hurt” Thinking
The information that was given to Paul is different from the information that Christ gave to the twelve disciples. There are those who see that there is a problem trying to harmonize Paul’s scriptures with the so-called Gospels, but they feel like they are reaching a holy compromise by saying, “I know it isn’t “required” but what is it going to hurt?”
Let’s address the logic of this thinking.
When God gives us revelation in His Word that certain things are complete, what are we effectually saying to God if we believe it “isn’t going to hurt” to add some things along the way? We are telling God that we know best. For example, I often hear that it doesn’t hurt to be baptized in water if it doesn’t do anything for the believer anyway.
Here is a brief list of things that I’ve heard under the auspices of “what’s it going to hurt.”
1. Water baptism
2. Prayer for deliverance FROM circumstances (when God is working to deliver us THROUGH circumstances)
3. Singing traditional hymns, regardless of their content
4. Attending a church that doesn’t preach correct doctrine for the sake of “fellowship”
5. Asking for forgiveness of sins because “God, as our parent, would want to hear it”
The danger with this thinking is that it does two things.:
First, it will eventually lead one back into “un-rightly divided” doctrine. You can’t stay at the bottle without running the continual risk of becoming a drunk. You can’t stay in religious practices without the continual risk of submitting your thinking to religion. Once religion has hypnotized one’s thinking, it is very difficult to wake up from it. Furthermore, what merit would right division in the first place? If “it doesn’t hurt” to practice rituals, regardless of their intended place and purpose, then why admonish study through right division?? Not only will it lead back to religion, but the “what’s it going to hurt” thinking will just serve as a distraction from truly grasping and rejoicing in Pauline doctrine.
I can’t spend time explaining the one baptism that there is today (Ephesians 4:4-5)
and that this baptism identifies us with Christ (Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:1-11; Ephesians 2:6);
I can’t explain all of the blessings (Ephesians 1:3) we have because of being joined to Christ if I’m still worried about getting folks wet in a tank.
I’m not going to understand for myself or be able to help others understand what prayer does for us today
if I’m still treating God like Santa Clause – hoping I’ve been good enough
(sinless enough) for Him to answer my prayers.
When I’m singing songs that say, “Draw Me Nearer, Nearer Blessed Lord”
I’m not focused on Ephesians 2:13 that tells me that I’ve already been drawn near to Christ through His blood.
And, if I’m baptized into Christ and I’m union with His body, I can’t get any closer than that!
Or singing “Victory In Jesus” where the first verse closes by expressly
stating that I repented of my sin and (I) won the victory.
What victory did I win exactly? The only victory that matters
is Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the grave and whether or
not I’m identified with Christ and those transactions.
Furthermore, it suggests I had to do a work – I had to repent of sin.
(“repentance”, lest there be any confusion, means “change of mind”.
The song is using it to mean “to turn from”, which it doesn’t mean).
I didn’t have to turn from sin – I had to believe that sin was already turned away from the world at Calvary.
Christ turned into sin for us and God turned His back on Christ so that He could declare us righteous.
2 Corinthians 5:21 – For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
See the distractions that will arise?
I should ask God to forgive my sins because He would “want to hear it”? You mean He wouldn’t want to hear, “Thank you for the forgiveness you already gave when you allowed Christ to be crucified because of my sin.” God wouldn’t want us to express thanks in what He has already done? He would want us to approach Him as if He hasn’t forgiven us yet?
Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14, Ephesians 4:32; 2Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13.
Should I sacrifice doctrine for the sake of social interaction with other “Christians”?
Where is our fellowship today?
We are in fellowship with Christ. 1Corinthians 1:9.
We are also in fellowship with each other by virtue of being fellow members of the Body of Christ. But, ultimately, our fellowship is around one important issue – the gospel.
Philippians 1:1-6:
Php 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Php 1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Php 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
Php 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
Php 1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Why is fellowship in the gospel important?
Very simple – because Paul’s gospel is what stabilizes us today.
Romans 16:25 –
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.
When we try to go about doctrine with “what can it hurt” thinking, we won’t be very stable. In fact, we will very easily be carried about with every wind of doctrine.
(Ephesians 4:14 –
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive
Don’t fall prey to the idea that being partially Pauline is a non-issue. Don’t clutter your mind and actions with things that will remove your focus on the study of His word (rightly divided) and the joy that comes from understanding the very doctrines that flow from Paul’s gospel.
What’s it going to hurt? Everything.
The information that was given to Paul is different from the information that Christ gave to the twelve disciples. There are those who see that there is a problem trying to harmonize Paul’s scriptures with the so-called Gospels, but they feel like they are reaching a holy compromise by saying, “I know it isn’t “required” but what is it going to hurt?”
Let’s address the logic of this thinking.
When God gives us revelation in His Word that certain things are complete, what are we effectually saying to God if we believe it “isn’t going to hurt” to add some things along the way? We are telling God that we know best. For example, I often hear that it doesn’t hurt to be baptized in water if it doesn’t do anything for the believer anyway.
Here is a brief list of things that I’ve heard under the auspices of “what’s it going to hurt.”
1. Water baptism
2. Prayer for deliverance FROM circumstances (when God is working to deliver us THROUGH circumstances)
3. Singing traditional hymns, regardless of their content
4. Attending a church that doesn’t preach correct doctrine for the sake of “fellowship”
5. Asking for forgiveness of sins because “God, as our parent, would want to hear it”
The danger with this thinking is that it does two things.:
First, it will eventually lead one back into “un-rightly divided” doctrine. You can’t stay at the bottle without running the continual risk of becoming a drunk. You can’t stay in religious practices without the continual risk of submitting your thinking to religion. Once religion has hypnotized one’s thinking, it is very difficult to wake up from it. Furthermore, what merit would right division in the first place? If “it doesn’t hurt” to practice rituals, regardless of their intended place and purpose, then why admonish study through right division?? Not only will it lead back to religion, but the “what’s it going to hurt” thinking will just serve as a distraction from truly grasping and rejoicing in Pauline doctrine.
I can’t spend time explaining the one baptism that there is today (Ephesians 4:4-5)
and that this baptism identifies us with Christ (Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:1-11; Ephesians 2:6);
I can’t explain all of the blessings (Ephesians 1:3) we have because of being joined to Christ if I’m still worried about getting folks wet in a tank.
I’m not going to understand for myself or be able to help others understand what prayer does for us today
if I’m still treating God like Santa Clause – hoping I’ve been good enough
(sinless enough) for Him to answer my prayers.
When I’m singing songs that say, “Draw Me Nearer, Nearer Blessed Lord”
I’m not focused on Ephesians 2:13 that tells me that I’ve already been drawn near to Christ through His blood.
And, if I’m baptized into Christ and I’m union with His body, I can’t get any closer than that!
Or singing “Victory In Jesus” where the first verse closes by expressly
stating that I repented of my sin and (I) won the victory.
What victory did I win exactly? The only victory that matters
is Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the grave and whether or
not I’m identified with Christ and those transactions.
Furthermore, it suggests I had to do a work – I had to repent of sin.
(“repentance”, lest there be any confusion, means “change of mind”.
The song is using it to mean “to turn from”, which it doesn’t mean).
I didn’t have to turn from sin – I had to believe that sin was already turned away from the world at Calvary.
Christ turned into sin for us and God turned His back on Christ so that He could declare us righteous.
2 Corinthians 5:21 – For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
See the distractions that will arise?
I should ask God to forgive my sins because He would “want to hear it”? You mean He wouldn’t want to hear, “Thank you for the forgiveness you already gave when you allowed Christ to be crucified because of my sin.” God wouldn’t want us to express thanks in what He has already done? He would want us to approach Him as if He hasn’t forgiven us yet?
Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14, Ephesians 4:32; 2Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13.
Should I sacrifice doctrine for the sake of social interaction with other “Christians”?
Where is our fellowship today?
We are in fellowship with Christ. 1Corinthians 1:9.
We are also in fellowship with each other by virtue of being fellow members of the Body of Christ. But, ultimately, our fellowship is around one important issue – the gospel.
Philippians 1:1-6:
Php 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Php 1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Php 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
Php 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
Php 1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Why is fellowship in the gospel important?
Very simple – because Paul’s gospel is what stabilizes us today.
Romans 16:25 –
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.
When we try to go about doctrine with “what can it hurt” thinking, we won’t be very stable. In fact, we will very easily be carried about with every wind of doctrine.
(Ephesians 4:14 –
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive
Don’t fall prey to the idea that being partially Pauline is a non-issue. Don’t clutter your mind and actions with things that will remove your focus on the study of His word (rightly divided) and the joy that comes from understanding the very doctrines that flow from Paul’s gospel.
What’s it going to hurt? Everything.
