The Consequences of Wronly Dividing the Word of Truth

I posted earlier that sometimes the blog world is a bit of a challenge. Recently I was confronted with some questions that simply caused me draw a blank. In an earlier post I considered the fact that man has always been saved by the grace of God. I reaffirm that, but I also need to reaffirm that God has also dealt with man in ages past up until the present, in different yet observable ways. 2 Timothy 2:15 says; "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth". This appears then to proclaim to us that the Bible does indeed have divisions, and the attentive student of Scripture must be aware, and take great cautions to be right in those divisions. Some things in Scripture do not have a single declarative verse, such as the Trinity, the Bible does not come right out and say of God "I am a Triune God", yet from observation of the whole we can see this is clearly proclaimed. It is impossible for us to fully comprehend Him in that manner, but without apology or detail to aid us in grasping or understanding the Trinity, it is nevertheless clearly declared in Scripture.

I want to back up to 2 Timothy 2 again and use more of the text. Starting with verse 11;

"This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers."

(I must admit sometimes we go back and forth about words and nobody profits)

15: "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaesus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is past; and they overthrow the faith of some."

(Here is where false methods of interpretations should be inserted, such as a failure to recognize the difference between Israel and the Church, or that the overthrow of Jerusalem in 70 AD was the fulfillment of the 70th week of Daniel. Jesus said in Matt. 24:29-30; "IMMEDIATELY after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give it's light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Where is this recorded in history? Why would God write Revelation in 95 AD to describe the things that were supposedly past already?)

19: "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: 'The Lord knows who are His,' and, 'Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.'"

23: "But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."

(Even a believer who does not understand the Scriptures, or someone who through pride, or someone who has been convinced of wrong doctrine, is caught in the snare of the devil. We're not all correct, so God help us to examine ourselves.)

Chapter 3

1-7: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

So why do we read and study the Bible? I suppose there can be many reasons put forth. Some may be to learn about God, or to learn how to get to heaven. Some may read it because it is a challenge to understand and full of wonderful imagery. I won’t go on with the reasons but I hope you get the drift, here is the question: Why do you read the Bible? Stop and consider this carefully, I think your answer carries more implications than you may first think. To start with we must acknowledge that we read the Bible to understand our dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t study Scripture to elevate our pride. We study Scripture to know the will of God. We study Scriptures, “which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 3:15) All other issues or reasons become secondary to the revelation and exaltation of the most perfect person, the Lord Jesus Christ. God put His Son on display “in the fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4) for a reason, if it were simply a matter of providing a redeemer, which only God can do, why didn’t He send Jesus as soon as man sinned? God has reasons for all that He has done, and our failure to be careful to recognize and understand these things will affect how God deals with us.

In Ephesians 1, Paul tells us some reasons for Scripture. In verses 9 & 10 we read; “..having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth-in Him.” Reason tells us that if there was a gathering together, there must have been a separation.

My point being that some would contend that there is essentially no dichotomy between the Old Testament saints and those since the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This view skews one's total understanding of the plan of God to glorify His Son. In my previous post I linked to an excerpt from Lewis Sperry Chafer's book "Salvation: God's Marvelous Work of Grace", how can anyone compare the distance, rigidity, and need for repetition of Judaism to the completeness, nearness, and assurance of those of us in Christ Jesus? When one uses the word "church" as evidence of a sameness, they fail to use the verses that use the very same word in it's broadest sense.

Another way to look at this is to ask the question if the Old Testament way is essentially the same, why does the writer of Hebrews go on at length to convince them that we now find our hope in Christ? If there were really no changes except that the need for repeated sacrifices were no longer needed why be redundant and go over things they already possessed?

The fact of the matter is that there IS a huge difference being in Christ. But when you want to make the Church (the Bride of Christ) a common thing you use scripture to say what you want it to say and ignore the literal meaning of words and spiritualize all that doesn't support your views.

Consider some things that cannot be said of Old Testament saints and were never included in any covenant to them:

We have a mediator who intercedes on our behalf as individuals. (who is without sin)

We can boldly approach the throne of grace. The veil of seperation being removed.

We are washed by the blood eternally, not temporarily covered yet waiting for the better.

We are joint heirs with Christ, holy brethren, not servants.

When we are in Christ we are a new creation.

We have better promises.

God is our Father, not Abraham.

In the end my being right in my understanding is not what is important, but to recognize my complete and total dependence on Jesus Christ and His work on my behalf is what's needed, He knows my heart and that's all that matters. With a literal fulfilment of past prophesies, I cannot see why that pattern would not continue so I have confidence in a pre-milenial rapture of the Bride of Christ, a literal fulfillment of the 70th week of Dainiel's prophesy (time of Jacob's trouble) following the rapture, and a literal 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ on earth to follow that.

What does "in Christ" mean to a believer?

The moment you come to God by faith (in what the Bible tells us of our sin, and that Jesus Christ died and rose from the grave to save you from eternal seperation from God), God places you in Christ. Lewis Sperry Chafer in his book "Salvation: God's marvelous work of grace" tells us of 33 divine accomplishments that God performs on our behalf the moment we believe. Most Christians if asked if they knew many of these works of God, they would be hard pressed to list them, ashamedly myself included. I have determined to memorize them and have failed to complete it. I want to list these things as maybe someone may be blessed to know just how much God has already done for you the instant you belived unto salvation! What more could we add to such a wonderful work?


Please go to this web page to read this work of Dr. Chafer. I cannot imagine that even someone who is not in agreement with all his work could possibly find fault in the "Riches of Grace in Christ"

When Did God Start Saving by Grace?

I was reading a blog comment section where the discussion centered on this: Do we have liberty to live freely in grace, or are we bound to be obedient to "certain" obligations of the law because the same Lord Jesus of the New Testament is the same Lord God of the Old Testament? Why would we not have a clear understanding of this? I know we all struggle within ourselves about things we do, I do and imagine that others do too. What is permissible? The Ten Commandments came up by one commenter who seemed to have all the answers. It seemed to me that he sees the New Testament as replacing the old, I agree with him in this, the law was completely abolished (fulfilled)...Colossians 2:14-15, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." My question here is when was anybody saved that wasn't saved by grace alone, by God alone?

Did the law condemn all who lived under it's reign? Did their offering of sacrifices effect or make atonement for their sins? Did their obedience in the system of offering sacrifices bring atonement or was it something else? The book of Genesis tells us of the grace of God in providing for Adam and Eve the coats of skins, God did not leave them naked long, God immediately sought them out. Noah we are told found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Abraham believed God. Genesis 15:6 says, "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." The entire eleventh chapter of Hebrews tells of the faith of the Old Testament saints, Hebrews 11:1 starts with this; "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Then the chapter lists many names, some before the law, some during, and the chapter ends with this, Hebrews 11:39-40 "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." So then, they died trusting that God would do as He said He would, provide the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

In 1 Peter 1:19-21 we read this; "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God." We need to look at this from how God sees it. By what we read in 1 Peter from the way it is recorded, the sacrifice of Jesus was done and complete in the days of Adam, as it IS done and complete now. The Old Testament saints were saved by faith in God that He would do as the Scripture, or His word said. Do we on the other hand, misunderstand our liberty in grace because we see the work of Christ as historical fact, the formation of the Church, the age of grace? God's righteous standard has never been attained by man, men were justified by believing the word of God and in His provision on their behalf, all by His grace. Galatians 2:16 says, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." No one was or is justified by the law, Paul explains to us that the law taught us our inability to meet the righteous requirements of the law of God, which is and was always in effect. God did not lower His righteous standards with the finished work of Christ. We though, have the perfect and complete words and work of His Son concealed in the Old testament, revealed and explained more clearly in the New Testament. The law was so overwhelming, so strict, and unbending, it was that way so no man would be foolish enough to think he could attain to it. It was meant to make us face our inability and cry out for mercy. Man as always, thinks highly of himself and deceives himself in unrighteousness, and with the deceiver's blinding deceptions, goes before God on his own merit. Man thinks he can approach God on his terms, not God's.

Hebrews 1:1-3 explains the finality and authority of His only begotten Son, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" This explains to us that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob as well as our Savior Jesus Christ. We this side of Calvary are not condemned by breaking the law of God which has not changed, but we must believe the testimony God has given of His Son who by dieing on the cross, paid the requirement of death that the law required for all the sins of the world. In other words, we who have the complete revelation of God, last of which was spoken by His Son, are condemned for the sin of unbelief if we do not trust in the person of Christ for salvation. The law was fulfilled in the defeat of death in the resurrection and Ascension of Jesus!

Now we in these last days, according to New Testiment Scriptures, are saved or condemned on our believing the gospel, or rejecting it. John 16:7-11 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."

We are then taught of the spirit, through His word working upon our heart to change us from within to be changed into the likeness of His Son, by His power, not ours.

1 John 2:1-4 "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

The True Unity of the Faith

This video clip is evidence to the truth of Proverbs 18:1-2; "A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment. A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart."
This "church" has been built on what, the wisdom and desires of men? One man said, "We just knew that the way we had done Christianity all our lives was no longer a viable option anymore." And another said, "The Church could um, take on any of the Church forms that currently existed, or we could um, create our own." Based on what? Based on whom? We know that whatever or whomever it is based cannot have any form of unity because one woman said this, "For example, there is no um, like, statement of belief at this church, or statement of faith. There's not like a set in stone theological writing that everyone in this Church has to adhere to, um, because everyone has different ideas, and all those ideas are important and valued. It's very co-operative in that way."

I understand one's frustration with the Church, but it is not the doctrines of truth that are the problem, it is the people, whether hearers or teachers who always fail. Men are prone to err, and it is the pride of our own knowledge that has contributed to this confusion. We camp on (no pun intended) ideas and it causes division, not unity. Can a mere man dogmatically defend a doctrine which according to scripture conflicts with another? For example, the ongoing disagreement between those of Calvinism and those of Armenianism. Could it be possible that both have Biblical truth? Is it possible that both have inappropriately used some Scripture in a wrong way to support their view? Consider this, we're dealing with limited intellects here, is the truth of the matter one's pride in his own intellect, as though we, ONLY mere men think we can articulate in precise words an infinite, holy God? Think about it, do we have within us that ability to completely understand all the Lord has revealed about Himself? Scripture tells us NO! Isaiah 45:19 is only one of many Scriptures where God tells us this of Himself, "I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right." So all things revealed are right, but our understandings are darkened. The the separation between these two ends is also made clear in the Bible, again if it is a source of absolute truth and able to accomplish what it says it will accomplish. Isaiah 55:6-9 says, "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

If Gods thoughts are higher than our thoughts, who can stand apart and proclaim they have the corner on the truth market? The man who has surrendered his credibility before men and will preach the Scripture as it is stated! Men who think highly of their intellect and consider themselves spiritually accomplished will get stuck on one point, and because of their zeal (which may be genuine) will limit God to what they, in their limited intellectual capacity can understand. Take for example the "sons of God and the daughters of men" in Genesis 6:4, can we dogmatically defend any interpretation of that verse? No, and most likely no one would, given the absence of supporting Scripture. But take sovereign election, there are loads of Scriptures to support that doctrine. But if we also look at the responsibility of man (or our need to believe unto salvation), we have a "supposed" conflict. Is it possible that both election and responsibility of man are co-existent in the unlimited mind of God? The God of Scripture plainly declares things we do not understand!

David in realizing the unlimited knowledge of God wrote in Psalms 139:6, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it." Therefore, David recognized the superiority of an infinite God, he sees that he cannot understand "how" but by faith accepts it. Isn't that what is meant by Habakkuk in 2:4? "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith." The proud, self confident elevate themselves, confident in anything their heart conceives of, even calling a baseless gathering a "Church"? Faith is not a one time, one event thing. When a person believes on Jesus Christ in a Scriptural way, that one act of faith does not cover it all, doesn't the Scripture say the just shall LIVE by his faith? I cannot say I have faith in Christ and go off and start something not based on Him! I cannot discredit the Scripture He says contains the subject of Himself who is unchanging and declare the Scriptures to be changing and stagnant, bendable to my "high thoughts" of Jesus and what He would be concerned with if He were on earth today! Because of their low regard for the supreme subject of Scripture their hearts are exposed. Why else would someone say, "I see the Bible changing, I don't see it as stagnant, and so for us as a community as Christians to say we need to believe this one thing, and hold it tightly, and make sure it is never questioned, that's a real waste of energy with all the things we could be doing in the world." I can agree that the Bible is not stagnant, it is of a supernatural character that is timeless, it is able to work upon the evil hearts of man to change them from within.

This flawed base for a "Church" brings forth thinking as one man said, "I have no agenda to go around and convince people of things that they don't want to be convinced of. That seems to be the least gracious, kind, and loving thing you could do, is go disturb someone who chooses not to be disturbed." A call to reason in Isaiah 1:18-20 says "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." Where then are these words that the Lord is referring to? Is it in some ever-changing wisdom of men? As for the above quote, what did Jesus say we should be doing? In Matthew 4:17 Jesus is abundantly clear about what it is we should do, (if you were to believe the Bible), "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." If they use the "concerns" of Jesus as that one woman did in determining what He would be concerned with if He walked the earth today, would this be counted? To preach repentance is to what, leave people alone and not disturb people who don't want to be disturbed? The fact is, Jesus disturbed many people, so much so that He was crucified by them!



In Psalms 89:5-7, "And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him."



The Scripture above says, "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints." Can you recognize a fear of the Lord in anything said by the members of "Solomon's Porch"? When the authority of Scripture disregarded, the "words" of Jesus have no power, for the saint who prostrates himself before the Word, will know that all the words in Scripture are His and that my friend is where we find unity.

A Word of Encouragement This Lord's Day

I had to come back and put in a word of encouragement today this the Lord's day.

Genesis 3:7-10 "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

I find great comfort in the book of Genesis, not only do I have no need to wonder from where we came or how the world was made, I also see the amazing nature of Almighty God and His amazing display of grace for lost sinners. Notice Adam and Eve's effort to cover their sin. They chose to hide their sin with the work of their hands by sewing fig leaves to try and cover themselves. They also TRIED to hide from God. The text offers no space of time from the sin of man to God seeking and calling out to them.

But notice what Adam did when God questioned him about what they had done: Genesis 3:12 "And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." Adam did not admit his disobedience, but in effect blamed God because it was the "The woman thou gavest to be with me" 's fault! Does that not sound like us, always finding some excuse for our sin?

But thanks be to God that immediately He provided a remedy for them! In Genesis 3:21 we read "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them."
God provided them with coverings of His doing, not their own. Teaching them how we are to rightly approach Him and of the importance of the shedding of an innocent victim's blood, because Hebrews 9:22 says "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

And then the promise of a Saviour (who's blood it is that will cleanse us) to come in Genesis 3:15: "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

Thank God He did not leave them to figure out for themselves what His righteous requirements are.

So Who Is Doing Right?

I have been considering this whole "Blog thing" quite a bit lately. I have been reading all different blogs and their comments for a few years now. It seems to me that there is more sin involved in what is going on than anything. Maybe one starts a blog with noble and true intentions but they seem to drift in the wrong direction.

I read the "discernment" blogs and I read the "Emergent" blogs. Seems to me there is more opinion than truth on any of them. The pride of life is a dangerous thing. I live in the real world and the blog-o-shere is not where it is at. Yet many escape to it. In the real world, we see the people with their little fishes on their cars, or the "faithful" church goer that when you deal with them their rudeness and treatment of others betrays their true heart. We are failing miserably in almost all things. Profession is useless unless there is action. I fear that many many people in "Christiandom" will be horrified when they stand before the Lord only to hear "Depart from Me, I never knew you!"

Is the narrow gate the way "all" the people who believe in God are going? Is the broad way the way the unbelievers only are going? I think not. I believe the Lord was pointing out that the two gates are the ways of professors and true believers. If my pride causes me to say one thing in the midst of believers and act in a way contrary to what I've said when in private or out in the world I am deceiving myself, and I may cause a brother to stumble. I can't have it both ways, pursue the riches and pleasures of the world, and keep up with the Jones'. I see Christians who are rude, caring not about people but making sure they are not taken advantage of in their shopping or dealing in the market place. Never engaging a person or greeting them in a joyful way. We are such a blessed people but are the things we have truly a blessing? Does not the Scriptures equate the rich man to a man that cannot enter the kingdom of God without much struggle? We are rich, even the poor among us are rich in the eyes of the world. We lack many things when an honest evaluation is done.

James 1:1-27 is a most sobering and humbling appraisal of who most of us truly are. "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Our faith is a mess, so many methods, ways, books, and what not. All claiming to have the answers. You have those who claim we cannot know with certainty much of anything. How hopeless that sounds! Are we to think that the Creator of all things who has revealed Himself in Scripture, is unable to be understood by the very people He created for His own glory and purposes? I see the problem as being we have a low view of God and a high view of ourselves! We seem to think we can approach God in a manner that fits our inflated view of ourselves. But as always, to die to self and live for God is the hardest thing we face, the cost is too high. We want our sin and salvation too.

I want to keep it simple, take the Scripture at face value. Understand that if I question that Scripture I am in fact questioning God Himself. No I will not understand all things that the Scriptures declare. (as in election/freewill) The Scriptures declare both from my reading of it, how can I reconcile this in my mind? I can't, but I'll believe God because His ways are higher than my ways. I will not approach God on my terms but on His terms. I will not think that I can worship Him in any manner that I think He will accept, Cain thought he could and he did not repent when God gave him opportunity.

Genesis 4:3-7 "And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him."

God gave Cain the opportunity to do right, yet he chose to continue in his pride.

Hebrews 10:23-39 "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."

Hebrews 12:29 says; "For our God is a consuming fire." Do we believe this?

Liberty comes with great responsibility and self-control. Abuse of liberty will cause it to fail. Liberty is having all choices before us and only choosing those things which are good and right.

Keeping Jesus Christ the Central Focus

Keeping Jesus Christ the central focus of ALL Bible study is the only way have a right understanding of Scripture. Any other approach will always take you off in the wrong direction. If you read some author that tries to explain a new method of strengthening your faith that isn't completely based on Jesus Christ, it will be ineffective and powerless. Jesus Christ IS the supreme subject of ALL the Scriptures. In John 5:39 Jesus Himself says; "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they that testify of Me." How much more plain can it be, and as for the first five books Jesus says later in chapter 5 verse 46 and 47; "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

When reading and studying we always need to keep these things in mind, write them on a bookmark, using them always to remind you. #1-Jesus Christ is the center of all Scripture. #2-All things that will grow our faith reflect Him. #3-We study the Scripture not to elevate our pride, but to show ourselves our dependence upon Him. The most common mistakes Christians make, no matter how sincere they may be is to take their eyes off Him. Have you not noticed that there never seems to be an end to the "new" things or methods? There is no greater revelation, nor will there ever be, than the revelation of Jesus Christ. Look for Him always, in the Bible accounts of Adam and Eve, the Ark, the account of Abraham and Isaac, and the Tabernacle and so many more. The Bible is an inexhaustible resource, yet most rewarding.

The Bible As Our Ultimate Authority

Are you confused with all the different "methods" or beliefs that are out there? Do you have a book by some Christian author that gives you their explanation on how to be nearer to God, or experience some sort of comfort by thinking a certain way? You're not alone. I can say with honesty that I felt distant from God no matter how much I pleaded with Him to show me some sign that He was interested in me personally. It was a real dry time in my life, it basically spanned the better part of twenty years. I thank the Lord He did not leave me nor forsake me, He was faithful as His word says in Deuteronomy 31:6; "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."

How can the above verse actually give you comfort? After all it was written something like 3,400 years ago, how can something that Moses said be attributed to God for one, and two, haven't we all heard that those old Bible stories didn't really happen, they are just stories to somehow help us through the hard times? What you believe about the historicity of the Scriptures and who is the true author of Scripture will affect your faith. We cannot pick and choose what we will accept to put in the actual events column and what we will put in the allegory column. Do not be deceived in this matter, actually we can go to a very reliable source for the right answer to the question. Seeing as the first five books of the Bible are the ones most debated by scholars as to their being actual historical accounts of real people, and contain the subject that not only the critics most want to discredit, creation, we should look to see what Jesus Christ had to say about those first books.

The Lord Jesus Christ while here on earth quoted from all five of the books of Moses. He placed His endorsement upon the authority and the historicity of the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. We need to look into this important fact. In Matthew 19:3 the Pharisees asked Jesus this question, intending to test Him; "The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?'" And Jesus answered them saying in verses 4-9; "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female.' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So then, then they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.' They said to Him, 'Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?' He said to them, 'Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.'"

Not only did the Lord Jesus believe this to be fact and a historical event, He also referred to "He who created", He being a someone, not a gradual chance event, something worth noting. Another reason some would be critical of the account is they do not want to be subject to what Jesus said concerning divorce, so the best way to get around the issue is to discredit it. When we question the Scripture as to it's historical and literal meaning, we are in effect bringing into question the character of the person of Christ, if you believe on Him for salvation and don't quite believe in creation, or all the Scriptures say, you might want to re-think things.

Summary Statements

There are so many opinions out there that it would take someone a lifetime to first of all find them, let alone catagorize them. So "many ways" that it can be very confusing for a person. If this helps just one person come to know the truth and be saved from deception it will be well worth all the time I spend in this project.

I cannot help but notice that there are a lot of people who put little or no importance on spiritual matters. I also think they have ideas about God, eternity, and heaven that are so far from reality that when they hear truth it is in such contrast to how they think they dismiss it without any thought. When you look to learn anything about anything, it is obvious to me that creation vs evolution has very much to do with it. It has been such a slow and methodical transition that not very many people saw it coming. To understand truth....you've got to want it bad. If you are content to accept the powerless and confusing religeons of today and want to find your connection to God on the easy, or the emotional paths, this approach I am going to explain will not be what you want to hear.

I grew up in a prodestant church, which I thought was pretty conservative. It once was, but as most denominations today, it has really gone astray. I can say I know this because my life as a Christian was lacking a lot. I professed Jesus Christ as my Savior, yet my life was loaded with sin. I had a case of easy believism. I had "accepted" Jesus as my Lord and Savior in my early teens, yet I lived like hell. Was I truly saved? I read my Bible all the time, went to church pretty regularly, prayed a lot, and I could act like a good Christian around other Christians, but there was so much missing and I knew it. I just couldn't put a finger on it. I knew my life wasn't right, and I also knew that God knew it. Now I cannot blame it on the church or denomination, yet how to live with conviction, power, and joy, it escaped me. I know there are churches out there that may have a good foundational teaching class, but I think they are rare. All one must do is look around at what passes for "church" or look at the lives of "christians" today to know there is something wrong out there.

My intentions are not primarily to point a finger at the different churches or religions, yet in a sense that is what I will be doing, for there is one way, and one way only. That is the heart of the matter. We think we can believe and approach God in a way that makes us in control. Truth matters, knowing about God is knowing God, and He has chosen to reveal Himself in detail in the Bible. It is there we should look for Him, not in our or other's writings or opinions.