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Broad Way Theology Is An Authority For Interpreting Scripture
Jesus in Matthew 7: 13-15 teaches that "Enter ye in at the strait
gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to
destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is
the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few
there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in
sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
In the next sentence after he talks about the broad and narrow way
that people who want salvation get on, he
tells us to beware of false prophets. There is a connection between
being led by false prophets and being on the broad way, which does not
lead to salvation. Following false prophets also means church
Christians get into false doctrines.
The narrow way is the way of the Remnant. The broad way, either at
the time Christ was on earth, or now, is the way of those who hold to
wrong doctrines. Paul talks about the Remnant in Romans 9: 27 and in
Romans 11: 5. "Esaias also crieth concerning Israel. Though the
number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant
shall be saved." He is writing about physical Israel, that only a few
of them will be saved. And he says in Romans 11: 5, that "...at this
present time also there is a remnant according to the election of
grace." Only a remnant of physical Israel accepted Christ and were
saved.
A text that supports the teaching that those on the broad way,
deceived by false prophets, are not on the road
to salvation is Luke 13: 24-27, "Strive to enter in at the strait
gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not
be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut
to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door,
saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto
you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have
eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart
from me, all ye workers of iniquity."
Christ does not mean by saying "I know you not whence ye are" that he
does not know them where they are living geographically. He means he
does not know them where they have positioned themselves in their
beliefs, in their doctrines,
Then II Thessalonians 2: 10-11 looms large in explaining the problem
of broad way theology. "And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the
love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God
shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:"
Those who believe false doctrines do not have a love of the truth of
Christ's doctrines. II John 9 teaches that there is a doctrine, or
doctrines of Christ. "He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he
hath both the Father and the Son."
"Jesus says in John 8: 35-36 "And the servant abideth not in the
house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
Everyone is in a sense a servant of God; God can use anyone to carry
out his will. But one must become a son of God to live in God's house
with God forever, which must mean that to become a son of God one has
to be born again (John 3: 3), and have a love of the truth.
Having a love of the truth can put you on the narrow way, the way of
the Remnant, the little flock of Luke 12: 32, "Fear not, little flock;
for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
Those in the broad way do not have the truth.
The broad way theology of the churches determines which
interpretations of scripture are "correct." The greater the
number of churches and church Christians who follow a particular
interpretation of a Bible text, the more "correct" that interpretation
is thought to be by others on the broad way. To qualify this idea, we
can say the larger the number of seminary trained preachers who teach
a particular interpretation of a Bible text, the more "correct" that
interpretation is thought to be. Church Christians generally follow
their preachers in an interpretation, so that among broad way
Christians the "correct" interpretation of a scripture is in large
part determined by the numbers of preachers who teach that view. In
the past, maybe some many decades ago, and perhaps for some
denominations way back a hundred years ago, many Christians used
scripture itself to interpret scripture, though there were always
theologies which they followed too in finding out what to make of
Bible verses, such as Calvinism before dispenationalism began to take
over many denominations about a hundred to a hundred and twenty years
ago.
Dispensationalism began to be spread through the Niagara Bible
Conferences which were held from about 1876 to 1897. Gradually the
Conferences were taken over by dispensationalists who then generally
kept non-dispensationalists from being invited to or not invited
to speak at the gatherings.
Jesus in Matthew 7: 13-15 teaches that "Enter ye in at the strait
gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to
destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is
the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few
there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in
sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
In the next sentence after he talks about the broad and narrow way
that people who want salvation get on, he
tells us to beware of false prophets. There is a connection between
being led by false prophets and being on the broad way, which does not
lead to salvation. Following false prophets also means church
Christians get into false doctrines.
The narrow way is the way of the Remnant. The broad way, either at
the time Christ was on earth, or now, is the way of those who hold to
wrong doctrines. Paul talks about the Remnant in Romans 9: 27 and in
Romans 11: 5. "Esaias also crieth concerning Israel. Though the
number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant
shall be saved." He is writing about physical Israel, that only a few
of them will be saved. And he says in Romans 11: 5, that "...at this
present time also there is a remnant according to the election of
grace." Only a remnant of physical Israel accepted Christ and were
saved.
A text that supports the teaching that those on the broad way,
deceived by false prophets, are not on the road
to salvation is Luke 13: 24-27, "Strive to enter in at the strait
gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not
be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut
to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door,
saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto
you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have
eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart
from me, all ye workers of iniquity."
Christ does not mean by saying "I know you not whence ye are" that he
does not know them where they are living geographically. He means he
does not know them where they have positioned themselves in their
beliefs, in their doctrines,
Then II Thessalonians 2: 10-11 looms large in explaining the problem
of broad way theology. "And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the
love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God
shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:"
Those who believe false doctrines do not have a love of the truth of
Christ's doctrines. II John 9 teaches that there is a doctrine, or
doctrines of Christ. "He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he
hath both the Father and the Son."
"Jesus says in John 8: 35-36 "And the servant abideth not in the
house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
Everyone is in a sense a servant of God; God can use anyone to carry
out his will. But one must become a son of God to live in God's house
with God forever, which must mean that to become a son of God one has
to be born again (John 3: 3), and have a love of the truth.
Having a love of the truth can put you on the narrow way, the way of
the Remnant, the little flock of Luke 12: 32, "Fear not, little flock;
for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
Those in the broad way do not have the truth.
The broad way theology of the churches determines which
interpretations of scripture are "correct." The greater the
number of churches and church Christians who follow a particular
interpretation of a Bible text, the more "correct" that interpretation
is thought to be by others on the broad way. To qualify this idea, we
can say the larger the number of seminary trained preachers who teach
a particular interpretation of a Bible text, the more "correct" that
interpretation is thought to be. Church Christians generally follow
their preachers in an interpretation, so that among broad way
Christians the "correct" interpretation of a scripture is in large
part determined by the numbers of preachers who teach that view. In
the past, maybe some many decades ago, and perhaps for some
denominations way back a hundred years ago, many Christians used
scripture itself to interpret scripture, though there were always
theologies which they followed too in finding out what to make of
Bible verses, such as Calvinism before dispenationalism began to take
over many denominations about a hundred to a hundred and twenty years
ago.
Dispensationalism began to be spread through the Niagara Bible
Conferences which were held from about 1876 to 1897. Gradually the
Conferences were taken over by dispensationalists who then generally
kept non-dispensationalists from being invited to or not invited
to speak at the gatherings.