More than 30 years ago, as a new babe in Christ, I heard Dr. Walter Martin give a lecture. During the Q &A, a woman took great issue with a particular thing that Dr. Martin had said. To prove to Dr. Martin that she was right and he was wrong, she quoted a world-famous Christian evangelist. The evangelist that she quoted was well loved by most of the world's Christian community, including me.
Just an Evangelist
Martin's reply really bothered me. He brushed off the beloved Christian evangelist's perspective by saying, “Rev. So-and-so is just an evangelist, not a theologian. While he is very good at leading people to Christ, his theology is bad.”
The woman responded, “So, what's the supposed to mean?” Martin replied, “Simply this: on this topic, he doesn't know what he's talking about.”
Now, because I had read a book by this evangelist and found him to be a godly man with a great heart for the lost, I mentally and emotionally imbued him with expertise that fell outside of his field. To me, at that point in my early Christian experience, this world-famous and beloved Christian evangelist was simply right . . . and how dare Martin charge him with not knowing what he was talking about?
Too many Christians do the same thing I had done. In logic, this is what is called an appeal to authority. It goes like this: “If an expert said it, then it must be right."
But, here's the rub: being an expert in one area does not make a person an expert in all areas, not even related areas.
This reality came crashing home to my mother-in-law one evening when she called me to ask me about a little-known incident the Old Testament. After her question, I said, “Sorry mom, I haven't a clue.” After a pause, she said, “Well, I thought you had a PhD in this stuff.” To which I replied, “My PhD is in New Testament theology, not Old Testament history.”
So, though a person might be an expert in one area, that does not make him/her an expert in even related areas.
What Kind of an Opinion?
Also, due to Martin's response, I realized that even though I liked someone (like the beloved evangelist mentioned above), it is wrong to think that just because he is a good guy and has sacrificed for Christ that he somehow can never be wrong. Unless he is truly an expert in the field being discussed (as Dr. Martin was), his opinion is just that, an opinion. And, while Dr. Martin's opinion was just that, his opinion, it was based upon his substantiated expertise in the field.
Over the years, I've been engaged in various group conversations with other Christians, and I have heard comments that reminded me of my own misconception all those years ago. Let me share a few with you.
40 Years of Marriage and Speaking in Tongues
A woman was arguing for a particular theological point about speaking in tongues, and in her attempt to add support for her position, she noted that her “expert” agreed with her. She said, “Well, Mrs. So-and-so has been married to REVEREND Such-and-such for 40 years, so she should know!” To this woman, the mere fact that Mrs. So-and-so had a 40-year marriage to a minister made her an expert on the speaking in tongues issue.
The woman was offended when I asked her, “How possibly could her 40 years of marriage to REVEREND Such-and-such make her an expert in this particular aspect of theology?"
Bible or Culture
In another conversation, a man told me, “Well, Bob was raised on the mission field, so he really knows his Bible.” Well, I know Bob, and I've not met many people with more idiosyncratic ideas of the Bible than Bob has. He might know the culture of where he was raised (on the mission field), but his knowledge of the Bible is seriously flawed.
Seminary Studies
Another man was giving me some pointers in theology. Some of his ideas were strange to say the least, and so I asked him where he had gotten these ideas. He said, “Well, I was talking to John, and he attended X-seminary.” Without so much as understanding that most seminaries have a particular theological bent, this chap was putting all of his confidence in John because he had attended seminary. Later, I made a point of talking with John, and it turns out that John had taken only two seminary classes and then dropped out. Furthermore, John had never taken an advanced class in the topic that the other man and I had been discussing.
Money and Truth
I was once at a Christian bookstore, and a fellow was looking at the Benny Hinn book, Good Morning Holy Spirit. Since I knew the man, I decided to tell him that Hinn's book was full of theological errors. To this he responded, “He makes a lot more money than you do!” Do I even need to respond to that one?
Sold Millions of Copies
This same sort of thinking was recently used to show me the “error” of my position on the book called The Shack. This particular person told me that The Shack has sold millions of copies; therefore, it must be right.
It is astounding how people will put their faith in other people based upon some of the worst possible reasons.
In conclusion, I just want to say, please take the time to understand the issues for yourself, and do not simply rely on others because they were married for a long time, or because they took a couple of classes, or because they sell lots of books.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.—2 Timothy 2:15, NIV.
