Rob Alsobrook

🧵 Welcome to DOCILITAS on X Exegesis | Apologetics | Gospel in Culture 1️⃣ Verse-by-verse threads (Mark, Romans, etc.) 2️⃣ How Scripture speaks to AI, politics, doubt 3️⃣ Live Q&A + God, Eternity, Salvation breakdowns 📺 Full videos: @docilitas" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">youtube.com/@docilitas 📝 Essays: docilitas.substack.com Drop a verse below—I’ll unpack it. 👇

Numbers don’t determine truth, Scripture anticipates disagreement and still gives a fixed standard. “There must be factions… to show who is genuine” (1 Cor 11:19). “There are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant… twist” (2 Peter 3:16). So differing readings don’t make meaning subjective; they show some readings are wrong. And God doesn’t leave us without a test: “If anyone preaches another gospel… let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8-9). “Test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thes 5:21). That command only makes sense if the gospel’s meaning is objective and knowable, not dependent on a special class, and not dissolved into “everyone’s version is right.” (Good exchange, I’m out till morning. Almost midnight in Tokyo 🙏)

“So, again, it isn’t “what authority do I have?”, it’s whether either of us is actually aligning w/ what Scripture says. Clearly. Undeniably.” There are literally thousands of churches, hundreds of Christian denominations, millions of people who are anti-religion, but still Christian, who all read the same scriptures and understand them “clearly and undeniably” yet differently from one another. The only way what you claim is accurate is if God‘s intention is for everyone to read the scriptures, and as they read them, they “clearly and undeniably” understand them for themselves, according to their own understanding and their own wisdom and where they are at on their journey. If you dispute this, then you must have some understanding of the scriptures that millions of other people don’t have because you’re special and you have the authority to interpret the scriptures and tell those millions of other people why the way they read them and understand them “clearly and undeniably” is wrong.

There are two facts missing here: 1) Every religion purports to have the true gospel of Jesus Christ 2) The LDS faith is one of the few Christian religions which does NOT condemn non-Christians to hellfire.

Scripture upholds authority in the message itself, not in the reader: “No prophecy… comes from one’s own interpretation… men spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:20-21). So it’s not about creating meaning, but to submit to the meaning God gave. W/out access to the text’s objective meaning, no one could ever say, “that gospel is false.” You can’t say Islam is false for example. Your framework prohibits you from saying any other gospel is false. So, again, it isn’t “what authority do I have?”, it’s whether either of us is actually aligning w/ what Scripture says. Clearly. Undeniably.

You have read the scriptures. You have quoted many scriptures. You quote the scriptures based on your understanding of what they mean. That meaning is your interpretation. You then apply your interpretation to give me a standard to measure against. That is literally you claiming your understanding of the scriptures you’ve shared is the authority. If you are not the authority on scripture interpretation, then you have no basis to give me any definition of standard or interpretation of scripture. No matter how plain YOU think the language is, you are still viewing it through your lens. Again, either you have the authority to tell me that the verses you share mean what you claim they mean, or you do not have that authority. When I read the scriptures, if I understand them differently than you, what authority do you have to tell me my understanding is wrong? Because that is what you were doing.

You’re misframing the issue. I’m not claiming authority b/c of my reading. I’m submitting to the objective meaning God already gave in Scripture. “No prophecy… comes from one’s own interpretation… men spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:20-21). The standard is the apostolic gospel itself, which everyone is commanded to test against (as mentioned before): “Examine the Scriptures” (Acts 17:11); “test everything” (1 Thes 5:21); “if anyone preaches another gospel… let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9). Scripture never says, ‘have the holders of the priesthood keys test and examine the Scriptures for you b/c you can’t do it.’ Your model makes it impossible to test and examine the Scriptures b/c if truth requires an authorized interpreter, then no one can ever identify a false gospel… including one introduced by a later “authority.”

You’re literally making the claim that appealing to the scriptures alone is the only way to recognize truth, and you make that claim based on YOUR appeal to the scriptures. Because you read the scriptures and believe they say what you believe, you make the claim that that is how they are to be interpreted. That’s literally what you are doing. Either you have the authority to make the claim that how you understand scripture is correct, or you don’t. Your reading of the scriptures is not enough tell me or anyone else that the claims you make about the scriptures are correct.

Textual variances don’t change the message, no recognized manuscript tradition alters the core claims of Scripture (2 Tim 3:16-17), and the Bereans were commended for testing teaching by that objective standard, not by appealing to a special authority (Acts 17:11). Authority isn’t located in me or a modern office, it’s in the apostolic gospel already given, which all are commanded to examine and either accept or reject (Galatians 1:8-9; Jude 3). Your framework makes that command literally impossible, b/c if only authorized interpreters can define truth, then no one can ever identify a false gospel… … including one introduced by a later “authority.”

Even 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is written differently in different versions of the Bible. The version you quote is the correct version because? You continue to demonstrate my point. Either the way you read and interpret scripture is THE way to do so, and YOU are the authority to proclaim such, or YOU are not. Either God has told you directly, and given you authority to tell others their beliefs are incorrect, or he hasn’t. You claiming otherwise is ONLY you. I can back my claims up with verses as easily as you can. It doesn’t matter. You are convinced that YOU are correct, sufficiently so that you are comfortable voicing condemnation for others. Either YOU have authority to speak so, or you don’t. And your interpretation of the version of the Bible you choose to read and accept does not grant you that authority.

In 2011, I ended up in the ER in Jackson, Tennessee with a kidney stone. I didn’t have insurance. I was in the hospital 6 hours, charged over $20,000. I told the hospital billing folks I deny paying anything until I get an itemized statement. They connected me to their billing itemized person,… in California. They disclosed I was being charged $275.00 for 20mL of Tylenol-3. They said I could agree to pay the amount due over a period of time, or go to court. I told them court was fine. Then they said they could accept $6000 instead of $20,000. 🤡

It's been 7 months since we had our baby and we're still receiving unexplained hospital bills in the mail. Hardly ever an adequate description of services. Just a QR code to pay online. It feels intentionally confusing and difficult to get answers. We want price transparency.

B/c Scripture itself claims that authority, not me. “All Scripture is God-breathed…” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and “the faith once for all delivered” (Jude 3) establish a fixed, sufficient standard, so truth is measured by alignment with that message, not by personal or institutional claims. If that standard isn’t binding, then even Galatians 1:8-9 has no force or bearing, and no “other gospel” could ever be identified as false.

@robalso @justin_hart And what you just claimed in this message, it is the truth because?…

Your hermeneutics trades truth for relativism. Scripture doesn’t present meaning as “my interpretation vs yours.” It presents a fixed message given by God: “the faith once for all delivered” (Jude 3), which all are commanded to test and hold fast to (Acts 17:11; 1 Thes 5:21). But your approach denies this charge to test all things by the Word, and abrogates this responsibility to self-professed authorities. If your framework is right, then Galatians 1:8-9 is meaningless b/c no “other gospel” could ever be identified as false. That’s the end result of your view: not humility, but the impossibility of truth, and Scripture explicitly rejects that.

“Christians who implore fidelity to God’s Word refuse to tamper w/ it and understand those who don’t grasp the Gospel isn’t b/c it isn’t clear, it’s b/c their minds are veiled/blinded by the “god of this world” preventing them to see and believe (2 Cor 4:1-5). “ You continue to demonstrate my point. Literally EVERYTHING you’ve said is your interpretation of scripture, and you’re claiming that interpretation applies to everyone else. You’re speaking from inside a box. Either that box applies to only you, or you have the authority to tell others that how you see things is how they, too, must see them or their interpretation is wrong.

There is a third option: meaning is anchored by what God already said, not by personal reading or later self-professing authorities. “No prophecy… comes from one’s own interpretation… men spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:20-21); Scripture is sufficient to equip (2 Tim 3:16-17). Claims come down to whether a it aligns w/ the apostolic gospel already delivered. “If anyone preaches another gospel… let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9). Different interpretations don’t create multiple truths; they reveal which align with what God actually said, and what doesn’t. And Mormonism, JW’s, Islam, etc are all irrefutably misaligned w/ the apostolic gospel already delivered. Christians who implore fidelity to God’s Word refuse to tamper w/ it and understand those who don’t grasp the Gospel isn’t b/c it isn’t clear, it’s b/c their minds are veiled/blinded by the “god of this world” preventing them to see and believe (2 Cor 4:1-5). But despite their minds being blinded, God is able to enlighten them by giving them knowledge of who Christ is (2 Cor 4:6).

I haven’t cited scripture because you are doing it for me. Every verse you reference is through the lens of your interpretation. If people of different sects understand the same verses so differently, how, then, can you claim that understanding comes by an appeal to the Bible? Either interpretation is personal, and understood as God intended for each individual, I which case you have no claim on anyone else’s interpretation, or, interpretation must come by authority, and you must demonstrate that authority in order for others to believe that your interpretation is correct. Is there a third option? Do you have claim over how someone other then YOU understands the scriptures? I can cite verses all day, but throwing scripture around provides no answers, not if the meaning of the verses can be agreed upon, and even then, merely agreeing does not mean interpreted correctly. So, which is it? Are all interpretations correct for the individual and their personal journey to God? Or is interpretation subject to authority?

I see you’re not referencing Scripture in your rebuttals. Genuine question, is this b/c you believe you can’t b/c you don’t have the authority to do so? Scripture never says only an authorized class can interpret it, it commands all believers to test every claim by what’s already written (Acts 17:11; 1 Thes 5:21). The standard isn’t “my authority” or yours, but the gospel itself as preached by the Apostles, which is fixed and not subject to later reinterpretation (Gal 1:8-9; Jude 3). If a claim contradicts that message, it’s false. Irrefutably so. No special keys required.

“The issue is whether claims align w/ what it already says. And the Mormon-gospel irrefutably doesn’t.” This is according to…you. The same as how…you…read the other verses. There is no getting around it. Either everyone reads the scriptures and their individual understanding is how God intended them to understand it, in which case any claim YOU make that your understanding is correct, and someone else’s is incorrect is, at best, pride, and, at worst, blasphemy… Or… Scripture can only be understood as it was written: by revelation, by those who are in authority to interpret for the world. Everyone can receive inspiration from God. But if you claim your interpretation is the correct interpretation, and everyone should believe and understand as you do, by what authority do you make that claim against all other believers who disagree with your interpretation?

Actually, the Bible says the opposite. It’s not merely “my understanding” of it. It’s a plain reading. The Bereans ‘examined the Scriptures daily’ to verify even an apostle’s teaching, w/out special keys (Acts 17:11), and were commended for it. Authority isn’t exclusive to me or any hierarchy. The Bible is the standard, and all claims are tested by it (ex. Bereans). Scripture is clear and sufficient, and believers are equipped by God to understand it (2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 John 2:27). The issue is whether claims align w/ what it already says. And the Mormon-gospel irrefutably doesn’t.

@robalso @justin_hart According to your understanding of the Bible, which, again, either you have authority to interpret, or you don’t.

@jaredadairbell My point exactly. She explains what she means, which is anything but a “dodge.”

@robalso I see what you said. I acknowledge it. My response remains the same. He asked “what do you think this means” she answered with “I DO think we’ll be co-heirs with Christ, but I don’t think it means…”

Allie asks a question to Jacob. Jacob answers. Jacob asks a question to Allie. Allie dodges.

The Bible itself nowhere teaches that only a special class of priesthood holders with exclusive “keys” can correctly interpret Scripture. Every believer has direct access to God through Christ, the Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16; 7-10), w/out needing an intermediary human hierarchy. Praise the Lord for this! Christ’s eternal priesthood (Hebrews 7) belongs to Him *alone*; believers participate as priests through faith, not through a restored Aaronic/Melchizedek system. According to the Bible anyway.

@robalso @justin_hart There is no point in arguing. The gospel was given by God, and written in scripture. As they were written by revelation, by those in authority, they must be interpreted the same way. Either YOU have authority to interpret the scriptures, or you don’t.

@jaredadairbell I said a bit more than that.

@robalso Are you positing that she answered the question of what she thinks it means by saying what she thinks it doesn’t mean? Really?

@conservmillen The Mormon gospel is irrefutably 100% a different gospel than the Gospel the Apostles preached. 🕊️👇✝️ youtu.be/pQi2-13y6EE?si…

A different gospel? The LDS gospel and the Christian gospel sound similar, but we ultimately mean different things. Mormon apologist Jacob Hansen and I each present what we believe is the true Good News:

@ChrisHowald @justin_hart In true Hansen form, that’s deflection. Not an argument against anything I said in the video, bro.

@robalso @justin_hart Source: Trust me bro, I read the Bible and interpreted it the way o wanted to.

Jehovah’s Witnesses’ gospel is … Different. Here’s how and why it matters ✝️👇 youtu.be/YNTLyVofT2g?si…

The Jehovah's Witnesses' Gospel is,...Different #jehovahswitnesses #jw #JesusChrist #theology youtu.be/YNWhat via @YouTube

@ChrisHowald @ThoughtfulSaint Source: Bible

@robalso @ThoughtfulSaint Source: “trust me bro”

Episode drops Monday :) Also I think it’s important to note Allie believes people (like me and my family) who reject her church’s 4th century creedal formulation of God will be sent to suffer horribly for all eternity. On the other hand Latter-day Saints believe good Christians like Allie will be received into a kingdom of glory in one of Gods many mansions akin to the kind of heaven she already envisions. When speaking to Protestant audiences in Washington in 1840 Joseph taught that "all who would follow the precepts of the Bible, whether Mormon or not, would assuredly be saved."