ARE WE ALL WRONG ABOUT SOME THINGS?

I might never have thought of this question had it not been raised in the Guardian of Truth in a challenge to Arnold Hardin of Dallas, who stated in his church bulletin that “We are all wrong about some things.” Carrol R. Sutton of Albertville, AI. asks Arnold to name some of the things that he (Arnold) is wrong about. The Alabama brother invites any of us who are interested to join in the discussion.

I am impressed with the question and consider it an appropriate one, even if it may be motivated in part to “get” Arnold, which is not atypical of said journal.

Brother Sutton also asks, “How do you know that ‘all of us are wrong about some things’?,” as if to suggest some of us are not.

The matter of being wrong is especially important to many of our folk since we are so oriented to “being right.” To admit to being wrong (on most anything religious, we may presume) seems to contradict the claim that we are “the right church” and we teach only “sound doctrine.”

And yet it is logical to ask brother Hardin to name some of the things he is wrong about, if indeed he says he is wrong about some things. Or is it?

Since brother Sutton is asking us all this question, I would say that if I knew some things I am wrong about, I would change my position on those matters to what I believed to be right, so that I would no longer be wrong on them. So as I write these words 1 have to admit that there is nothing that I know I am wrong about. If so, I would change.

So, I think Arnold Hardin really means (since brother Sutton wants him to be exact) that he is probably (very likely) wrong about some things. But he could not be aware of them and remain an honest man, for as he becomes aware of his wrong he would change his mind. But we can all truthfully say that it is very likely that we hold some views that are erroneous, even when we believe they are right. Why? Because as we continue to study and grow we discover that we were wrong in some of our interpretations. It is extremely unlikely that we are ever right on every point! Life teaches us that the poet is right: To err is human, to forgive is divine.

Or if brother Sutton wants Scripture: “We all make many mistakes, and if anyone makes no mistakes in what he says he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also” (Jas. 3:2), while 1 Jn. 1:8 says “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

If brother Sutton would allow Arnold to admit that he makes mistakes and sometimes sins (which accords to Scripture), he should be willing for him to say that he is wrong about some matters. We do not learn of some of our mistakes until later and some sins slip up on us through deceit, so that we are not always aware of what is going on. Can one not also be wrong on points of doctrine (and is it not most likely, considering our humanity, even for brother Sutton) and yet not be aware of it?

So I am wondering if brother Sutton would have objected had brother Hardin said, “We are all probably wrong on some things.” And since we are all so flawed in spirit, mind, and body cannot Arnold be allowed to speak absolutely: we are all wrong about some things. And without having to name those things.

Spiritual health is something like physical health. Even the “perfect” human specimen has some slight deficiency in his body somewhere, so one can say “We all have physical imperfections,” without having to name them. It is an axiom, an a priori truth (one that does not have to be proved) that man is imperfect --- in every way! All men! The apostle does not bother to prove that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” He states it as axiomatic.

Perhaps it is conceivable, however improbable, that someone like our Alabama brother is absolutely right about every point of biblical interpretation. If so, he might well be the only person in history to attain such perfection. Arnold is so nearly absolutely right when he avows that we are all wrong about some things that I think we do not need to challenge him.

Take the passage that I was studying only today, 1 Tim. 2:15, where it is said “she shall be saved in childbearing.” While I am sure this does not mean that a woman must bear children to be saved, I am not sure what it does mean, though I have my interpretation. There are hundreds of such difficult passages in both Testaments, including many prophecies that are perplexing. Peter says that even Paul wrote things that are hard to understand. So one could make a list of things he might be wrong about.

It is very unlikely that any of us are right on every single point of interpretation, even when we have done the best we can in our study and suppose ourselves to be right. Most of us change our minds from time to time, when we learn we are wrong. It is virtually certain that at no time in our lives, however seasoned we are in the word, we have learned all there is to be learned.

Praise God that our salvation is rooted in his grace, not in our perfect knowledge or obedience! The Bible makes no big deal about our sincerely holding views that may be wrong (“Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things” --- Ro. 14:1). The big deal is when we are wrong in heart, wrong in spirit, wrong in our treatment of each other, wrong in our attitude toward God and his word.

“On this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word.” (Isa. 66:2) --- the Editor