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There are those in the academic community who conduct canonical studies who have posed the question: "Why is there a New Testament at all?" Some have made the error that the early church produced the canon as a reaction against false teachers such as Marcion (who was making his own canon) in the second and third centuries A.D. These scholars believe the New Testament canon to be an afterthought to help equip the life of the church.
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This question comes from Romans 8:28. It states: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
Some falsely believe that Paul is saying all things that happen in this earthly life will turn out for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Do all things that happen to us turn out for good? There are consequences that result from free moral agents who choose to make evil choices. For example, a child is killed by a drunk driver in a car accident and a preacher decides to use this verse for the grieving Christian family. Is this appropriate?
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“If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?”
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Acts 4:32-35 states: "Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need."
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Philippians 1:15
Some take Philippians 1:15-18 out of context and believe that just because Paul mentions some brethren preaching Christ from envy and strife that somehow it is not a sin to do so. If this were true, Paul would not have stated in Philippians 2:3, 4 states: " Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit ..." Paul urges Christians to take upon the mind of Christ - have a heart of a servant (Philippians 2:5-11). May none of us be guilty of a fleshly mind by preaching Christ from envy and strife!
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This question comes from Luke 23:43: "Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Was the prayer that Jesus stated to His Father immediately answered? Were the people who were crucifying Him forgiven right then and there? Or was the prayer answered in the future? How can a person receive forgiveness unless he repents of his sin (Luke 17:3)? The people who crucified Jesus were not willing at that present time to repent of their sin of murder.
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This question comes from 1 John 5:16,17: "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death."
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The question comes from 2 Corinthian 12:7-10: "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
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Some people have taken the doctrinal position that 1 Timothy 2:11, 12 not only relates to the spiritual realm, but also to the secular realm. This would mean that a woman could not be a boss in a business over men, a woman could not serve in a government position over men, or a woman could not teach a college class (such as mathematics or science) with men present.
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There are some people who take the position that the words of Jesus in the New Testament (which are marked as red in most Bibles) are more important than the rest of the words in the New Testament. Some people would go as far as stating that the authority of Paul as an apostle and the rest of the inspired writers are not relevant today. One of the underlying reasons of this position is wanting to strip away the strict teachings on the roles of men and women in the spiritual life of the church and the home (1 Timothy 2:8-15; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16; 14:34,35; Ephesians 6:1-4), the sinfulness of homosexuality (Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11), marriage, divorce, and remarriage (1 Corinthians 7 :10-24), and other subjects.
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