Using online commentaries, devotions, and articles can help us grow spiritually. But we must use discernment. It's a common human weakness to let down our guard.
We need not completely abandon something "mostly good," but whenever we ignore, excuse, or defend scriptural errors, we lose some of our discernment. God's Word must have our highest loyalty.
Let me share a personal example. I was first attracted to the Got Questions site by their commitment to biblical accuracy.
But two years ago I noticed the Boundaries book recommended on their site. So I wrote Got Questions regarding my concerns with the way Boundaries misuses Scripture. They reviewed my concerns, agreed the book wasn't biblically accurate, and removed Boundaries from their recommended list. See Are Boundaries Biblical?
That was impressive! But it served as a reminder to use discernment even on good sites.
I'll continue to use Got Questions, but I won't take its accuracy for granted. Like the noble Bereans in Acts 17:11, I'll carefully compare what it teaches with Scripture.
If we are going to stand firm and thrive in today's world, we must never lay down our swords because fighting "unarmed" will put us on the casualty list (Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:13-17).
So please be careful what you read and hear. Check all things with Scripture, even Bible Love Notes.
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Additional Examples from Got Questions
I share these examples, not because I think Got Questions is a bad site, but because I think it's a good site. These examples can be helpful in detecting errors on other sites. I have contacted Got Questions about these concerns. If they remove these errors, I will update this post.
The Chosen casts its spell:
It seems as if The Chosen is a point of compromise for many good teachers, ministries, and individuals. It's another area where I've seen Got Questions depart from their excellent scholarship of God's Word. One of their podcasts claims you can argue for or against the plausibility of Christ saying, "I am the law of Moses" (source).
Using multiple Scriptures, the Bible Love Notes video, Jesus Didn't Fulfill Himself, and the BLN article, Why Scripture Refutes It, show there is no defense for putting those words in Christ's mouth. They weren't necessary to create a good show and they contradict individual Scriptures as well as the overall mission and character of Christ. Sadly, I've seen a number of teachers and ministries falling under the spell of The Chosen, excusing errors they wouldn't excuse in something less popular.
Many people claim accuracy is not necessary in a miniseries. But in the next breath, they explain how The Chosen is changing lives and teaching millions about Jesus. These two statements are not compatible.
Further Boundaries concerns:
Although Got Questions removed the Boundaries book by Cloud and Townsend from their recommended list, I later found Good Boundaries and Goodbyes by Lysa TerKeurst on their recommended list. I haven't read this book, but TerKeurst's description sends up red flags: "Most healthy therapeutic principles come from the Bible. However, somebody has to be trained to make the connection between our emotional health and those biblical therapeutic principles... Psychology and our understanding of the Bible work hand in hand. So, I needed someone who knew the Bible and psychology so that I could tend well to my spiritual and emotional health" (source).
This is very much Boundaries rhetoric—teaching that Christians can't find help for their emotional and relationship problems unless they combine the Bible with psychology. And, in most cases, what they actually do is redefine and contradict biblical principles.
Psychology is a completely secular practice with no foundation in Scripture. Psychologists may be able to describe certain types of behavior problems, but their solutions are rarely biblically sound. If a Christian counselor tries to combine psychology with biblical truth, the Bible typically gets sidelined. Nor is psychology a "science." It bends with culture. For example, in the past the American Psychiatric Association considered homosexuality an unhealthy disorder. But they formally removed it from the list of disorders as culture became more accepting of it.
Sides A, B, X, Y:
In my series Which Side Are You On? I explain that only Side X is faithful to God's Word. But the Got Questions article says, "It should be said that Side A has no scriptural basis whatsoever. The other Sides have varying degrees of biblical support. It is up to Christians to study, pray, and decide for themselves whether Side B, Side X, Side Y, or somewhere in between, best represents their convictions" (source).
This statement does not accurately represent the clear truths in God's Word. It's very much culturally influenced.
So be careful and discerning, dear Christians.
Bible Love Notes
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