One of the reasons for studying the Bible is to learn truth and abandon error, but have you noticed the current trend of some brethren “studying” themselves into error? The elders of one congregation announced that they have studied the matter and concluded that there is no New Testament prohibition of instrumental music in the worship, and they decided to adopt it’s use. Another church says that they have studied it and decided that there is no reason to limit taking the Lord’s Supper to Sunday only. They will observe it on another day as well. Yet another group says that after careful study they have decided that they will use women in a “more active” role in their worship services.
We must wonder what accounts for this current trend, but one doesn’t have to wonder long when he realizes that when people have a mind to do a thing they can easily “study” themselves into it. Their hermeneutics will give them the license to do whatever they like in religion and the fact that they have “studied” it will give it the appearance of honest investigation. The very reverse of this disturbing trend was seen in the early days of the Restoration Movement when it was not unheard of for entire congregations to study themselves out of sectarianism and into New Testament Christianity! Now we have brethren “studying” themselves out of following the New Testament order (“tradition” as they call it) and following a course back into denominationalism. Go figure!
