The article challenges the Iglesia Ni Cristo’s stance that only ministers can properly interpret scripture, pointing out a perceived hypocrisy when lay members use scripture to defend their faith. Despite the INC’s teaching that the Bible requires ministerial guidance for proper understanding, members frequently share and explain scriptures, even quoting ministers directly. The author argues that this practice undermines the INC’s own doctrine by allowing laypeople to act as interpreters of the Bible, which contradicts the belief that only ministers have the authority to explain it. The article concludes by suggesting that instead of restricting scriptural interpretation to ministers, INC members should recognize that all believers are called to share and teach God’s word, as encouraged by scripture itself.
There is a distinction between the role of Iglesia Ni Cristo ministers in preaching and indoctrination and the role of lay members in defending their faith during discussions or debates. Ministers, as the primary spiritual authorities, are tasked with preaching scripture, providing doctrinal teachings, and guiding the members according to INC beliefs. Lay members, on the other hand, are not acting as interpreters of scripture in a doctrinal sense but rather as defenders of their faith based on the teachings they have already received from ministers. When a layperson shares or quotes scripture in discussions, they are not claiming the authority to explain it independently, but rather reaffirming what has been taught to them by the church’s ministers. This is not hypocritical because the layperson is not creating new teachings but merely echoing the ministerial explanations they’ve learned. In this sense, they are acting as witnesses to their faith, following biblical commands to share and defend the gospel without overstepping the boundaries set by their religious structure. By defending their beliefs through scripture, lay members are reinforcing the authority of ministers, not undermining it.
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