Do Deuteronomy 30:11-14 and Romans 10:5-8 proves that we don't need God's messengers in understanding His will?

ANSWERING THE

OBJECTION TO THE IMPORTANCE 
OFGOD’S MESSENGERS

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 and Romans 10:5-8

CONLEY CONTINUES TO insist that a person need not God’s messengers to understand His will written in the Bible. This is his contention to his article entitled “Is God’s word far off?”:

“The ‘Iglesia Ni Cristo’ teaches that it is impossible to understand the Bible without the help of a minister. Is it really impossible to do so?

“The Bible refers to this kind of teaching as saying that God's word is ‘far off’. In other words, when we say that we need someone to explain the Bible to us and deny the responsiblity we have to read and understand it ourselves, he say that God's word is far off, even though it teaches that it is near to us.”

According to Conley the teaching that “we need the teaching of God’s messenger for us to understand His will written in the Bible” is referred to  by the Bible “as saying that God’s word is ‘far off’.” However, this is Conley’s own interpretation of the Iglesia Ni Cristo doctrine. Take note that:

(1) Conley claims that “The Bible refers to this kind of teaching (that “we need the teaching of God’s messenger for us to understand His will written in the Bible”) as saying that God's word is ‘far off’.” But, he failed to show any verse of the Bible that says that the teaching that we need God’s messenger to understand His will is saying that the words of God is far off (because it is a fact that no verse of the Bible that says so). THIS IS A CLEAR MISINTERPRETATION.

(2) Conley is trying to misinform the people by making them believe that the teaching of the Iglesia Ni Cristo means that “the words of God is far” off to make it seem that the Iglesia Ni Cristo contradicts the teachings of the Bible. THIS IS A CLEAR DECEPTION.

Does Deuteronomy 30:11-14 says that we can understand the will of God without the messenger of God?

To prove His contention that we don’t need the messenger of God to understand God’s will written in the Bible, he quoted Deuteronomy 30:11-14:

“Deuteronomy 30:11 (ESV) - "For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.”  

After quoting this verse, Conley concluded the following:

“The Israelites knew that they possessed the words of God. However, they were tempted to say that the word was too difficult to understand and that they needed someone to explain it. Once we have heard or read the word of God, in whatever format, the word is in our mouth and in our heart so that we can obey it.

“One might argue that the verse speaks of the word being distant, not being too difficult to understand. Such a wooden interpretation of these words renders Moses' command useless. The Israelites were not so non-sensical as to claim that God's word literally lay on the other side of the sea! Their temptation was that they would claim they did not understand it!”

However, nothing in the verse that says that “we don’t need the messenger of God to understand His words.” Thus, Conley is making a private interpretation of the verse which is prohibited according to II Peter 1:20:

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.” (II Peter 1:20 NKJV)

What the verse said that the commandment of God “...is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?” Conley understood this that we don’t need God’s messenger to teach us the words of God. Is he correct? Let us read the verse in Today’s English Version:

“The COMMAND THAT I AM GIVING YOU today is not too difficult or beyond your reach. It is not up in the sky. You do not have to ask, 'Who will go up and bring it down for us, so that we can hear it and obey it?' Nor is it on the other side of the ocean. You do not have to ask, 'Who will go across the ocean and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and obey it?' No, it is here with you. You know it and can quote it, so now obey it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 TEV)

Moses said to the Israelites, “You do not have to ask, 'Who will go up and bring it down for us, so that we can hear it and obey it?' Nor is it on the other side of the ocean. You do not have to ask, 'Who will go across the ocean and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and obey it?'”

Why did Moses said these to the Israelites? Because they already have God’s commandments. He also said, “No, it is here with you. You know it and can quote it, so now obey it.”

How did the Israelites received God’s commandments? Moses also said, “The COMMAND THAT I AM GIVING YOU today is not too difficult or beyond your reach.”

Thus, Moses said to the Israelites that they don’t have to go up to heaven, nor to go to the other side of the ocean because God’s commandments were already with them because Moses (God’s messenger) already taught it to them.

Here we can see that Conley did not understand the verse. Remember that he is proving through the verse that we don’t need the messenger of God to understand His words. But, Conley also said, “One might argue that the verse speaks of the word being distant, not being too difficult to understand. Such a wooden interpretation of these words renders MOSES' COMMAND useless.”

So, he himself admitted that the words of God were received by the Israelites through Moses. Was not Moses a messenger of God? So, Conley proving that we don’t need the messenger of God, but he also admitted that the words of God were received by the Israelites through Moses, God’s messenger.

Does the Old Testament agree with Conley that we don’t need God’s messenger in understanding God’s words? This is what Malachi 2:7 says:

“It is the duty of priests to teach the true knowledge of God. PEOPLE SHOULD GO TO THEM TO LEARN MY WILL, because they are the MESSENGERS of the LORD Almighty.” (Malachi 2:7 TEV, emphasis mine)

Does Romans 10:5-8 says that we can understand the will of God without the messenger of God?

Now, to prove that even the New Testament teaches that we don’t need God’s messenger to understand God’s will, he quoted Romans 10:5-12:

“Romans 10:5-12 (ESV) - 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 "or 'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);”

Regarding this passage, he remarked:

“The law that we are to obey is binding from the moment we hear it. Additionally, the gospel that we are to heed is binding from the moment we hear it! Those of us who have heard the good news of Jesus Christ cannot claim to need a minister to explain it to us. We also cannot claim to need a minister to explain the word to others. The word is near us.”

Conley said, “The law that we are to obey is binding FROM THE MOMENT WE HEAR IT. Additionally, the gospel that we are to heed is binding FROM THE MOMENT WE HEAR IT!” However, he contends that “Those of us who have heard the good news of Jesus Christ cannot claim to need a minister to explain it to us. WE ALSO CANNOT CLAIM TO NEED A MINISTER TO EXPLAIN THE WORD to others. The word is near us.”

Does Apostle Paul agree with Conley that we don’t need true ministers of the Gospel? Take note that this is what verse 8 said that Conley quoted:

“...8 But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, THE WORD OF FAITH THAT WE PROCLAIM);”

Conley deliberately ignored Romans 10:8 that says “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU...(that is, THE WORD OF FAITH THAT WE PROCLAIM);”

Apostle Paul explicitly said that the “the word of faith is near (them)” because they proclaimed it to them. Was Apostle Paul not a messenger of God? Was he not a minister of the Gospel? This is what Apostle Paul said in Colossians 1:24:

“Of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known.” (Colossians 1:25 RSV)

Take note that Conley supposed to quote from verse 5 to verse 12 as he mentioned, but what he actually quoted was only up to verse 8. Do you know why he quoted only up to verse 8? Let us quote Romans 10:5-8 and let us continue up to verse 15:

“For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ‘The man who does those things shall live by them.’ But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, ‘'Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, THE WORD OF FAITH WHICH WE PREACH): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? AND HOW SHALL THEY PREACH UNLESS THEY ARE SENT? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:5-15 NKJV, emphasis mine)

Conley ignored not only what Apostle Paul said in verse 8 [“THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, THE WORD OF FAITH WHICH WE PREACH)”], but also what he said in verse 14-15 [“AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? AND HOW SHALL THEY PREACH UNLESS THEY ARE SENT?”]. These words of Apostle Paul contradicts Conley’s conclusion:

“Let us not say that we need someone to bring us God's word when we already have it. Let us affirm the responsibility we have to heed the call of the gospel even when that call comes from the pages of a book and not the lips of an ordained minister.”

These words of Conley also contradicted what the Bible says in Acts 8:26-38:

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road-the desert road-that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’  So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.  The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’ Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE READING?’ Philip asked. HOW CAN I, HE SAID, "UNLESS SOMEONE EXPLAINS IT TO ME?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.’  The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?’ THEN PHILIP BEGAN WITH THAT VERY PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE AND TOLD HIM THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?’ And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.” (Acts 8:26-38 NIV, Emphasis mine)

CONCLUSION

Thus, Conley’s conclusion is certainly wrong because it is based on wrong understanding and misinterpretation of the passages of the Bible, and he also ignored the context of the passages and the other related passages.

Mr. Conley’s misinterpretation and misunderstanding of the passages of the Bible as we have seen here, further proves that a person will indeed end up in erroneous beliefs if he tried to understand the Bible through his own and rejects the importance of God’s messengers.  This is what Apostle Peter warned us in II Peter 3:16:

“This is what he says in all his letters when he writes on the subject. There are some difficult things in his letters which ignorant and unstable people explain falsely, as they do with other passages of the Scriptures. So they bring on their own destruction.” (II Peter 3:16 TEV)