If It’s in The Bible?
Just because
it's in the Bible, doesn't make it true!
I know I
am going to step on many religious toes here, but this is more important than
offending someone’s religious beliefs. Because when we take scripture out of
context, or think that every writer and translator had a correct interpretation
of God, it brings confusion, doubt, conflict, and hurts. Yes, the Lord did lead
people to write down and record through songs and stories all the events of the
past; but God cannot violate our free will into making us some programmed
dictation machine without error.
2
Timothy 3:16-17
Collectively, the contents of scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Collectively, the contents of scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
It was
the Lord that led people to write the Bible, but in their humanity, did not
always interpret His Word rightly. Yet the Lord used over 40 different people
over 1500 years to compile what we know as the Bible. And although some of the
little things vary as to the nature and character of God (as they interpreted
it), the one unmistakable truth is that it all points to a Messiah, Jesus
Christ.
Luke
24:25-27
Then
He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that
the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things
and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He
expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
John
5:39
Search
the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they
which testify of me.
It was this
same Jesus Christ that came and revealed the TRUE Nature and Character of God:
as an Agape Loving Father to us all!
From the
first (oldest) stories and writings of the Bible, there is a progressive (irregular) revealing of who God is. Humanity (until Christ) could not fully comprehend
Him, due to the Fallen nature of the world and mankind. Thus, it took a human
born ‘in, but not of the Fallen world’ to be able to express everything that
God is. And the only person able to do this is Jesus Christ. And from that
point, we see scripture develop into a whole new (New Testament) way of seeing
God. He was a mystery to us until Christ, BUT NOT ANYMORE! This is where we can
see the completed and comprehensive revelation of who God (His Kingdom) is:
Mark
4:10-11
But
when Jesus was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the
parable. And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery
of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in
parables.
Romans
16:25-27
Now
to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of
Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the
world began, but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known
to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for
obedience to the faith—to God, alone wise, be glory through
Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
1
Corinthians 2:10-12
But
God has revealed [the things of God] to us through His Spirit.
For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man
knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so
no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received,
not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know
the things that have been freely given to us by God.
Ephesians
1:9-10
having
made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure
which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of
times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in
heaven, and which are on earth; even in him
Ephesians
3:1-6,9-12
For
this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have
heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: how
that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few
words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of
Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is
now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the
Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his
promise in Christ by the gospel. …and to make all men see
what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus
Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in
heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold
wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ
Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the
faith of him.
1
Timothy 3:16
And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the
flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world, received up into glory.
All
those verses show just how impossible it was for the early writers of the
scriptures to fully understand God as a whole. But because of what Jesus Christ
demonstrated and taught, and what Paul revealed through the Holy Spirit, we now
do know, and can fully comprehend, that former mystery! And now, when we read
the scriptures, we can do so from a strong foundation in Christ and all that He
accomplished for us.
2 Timothy 2:15
When you study the word of God, to be able to rightly discern what it says, you must first know and understand that: You yourself are already approved unto God [by Christ Jesus], and that you have absolutely no reason to be ashamed towards Him!
When you study the word of God, to be able to rightly discern what it says, you must first know and understand that: You yourself are already approved unto God [by Christ Jesus], and that you have absolutely no reason to be ashamed towards Him!
This is
one of the most profound foundations to reading the Bible. And this is even how
Jesus discerned the Old Testament writings to discover He was a Loved child of
a Father God. He saw God's Love and saw God (accepting Him as such) as a
Father. Jesus had the same scriptures to read as the Pharisees; Jesus grew up
as a Jew and went to the Temple (hearing and asking questions – Luke
2:41-52).
But, in
part, due to His sinless birth, Jesus wasn’t corrupted in His heart or mind
into seeing the God in the scriptures as an Agape Loving Father. When the
Pharisees read and studied those same scriptures, the only saw religion and
ritual. But Jesus saw a Loving and caring Father as God. This is why Jesus,
during His ministry, was so adamant against the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees
for their hypocrisy and false teachings, culminating in the “Woe unto you
Scribes and Pharisees” statements in Matthew
23. But also seen in many of the meet-ups between Jesus and the Pharisees
or His warnings of them to His disciples:
Matthew
16:6,12
Then
Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees
and the Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not tell them to
beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and
Sadducees.
Jesus
showed much frustration with them because their eyes were covered by religion
to be able to see clearly what Jesus saw in the scriptures. The book of John
has many accounts of His frustration with them:
John
5:37-47
And
the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard
His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding
in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the
Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they
which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have
life. “I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have
the love of God in you. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive
Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you
believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor
that comes from the only God? Do not think that I shall accuse you
to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you
trust. 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?”
In these
passages, we can clearly see that the Pharisees knew the scriptures, but were
blinded (in and of themselves) from seeing that the scriptures pointed to,
revealing, Jesus! They refused to believe!
Likewise,
for Paul when he went about preaching the Gospel of Jesus; many disputed, and
not all believed. But Paul commended the Bereans who went about to prove in
scriptures (Old Testament) what Paul was saying.
Acts
17:11
The Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
The Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
And with
Paul, a devout Pharisee of Pharisees, he himself knew all the scriptures as
well. And whatever Paul might have believed as a Pharisee, he discarded in
Light of the Truth of the Gospel! Paul not only had to learn to see those
scriptures as pointing to Christ; he had to both see those scriptures in the
point-of-view of Christ, and their meanings under the Finished Work of the
Cross! Paul had the greatest wisdom of any Pharisee of the time, but it was this
same Paul that told the Corinthian church that he did not come with the wisdom
of humanity.
1
Corinthians 2:1-5
And
I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of
wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know
anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in
weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were
not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit
and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the
power of God.
And Paul
continues by sharing with us that what was once a mystery, is no longer a
mystery at all; in that God has revealed Himself fully to us all! Which He has
done for us in the most precise way: through HIS OWN Spirit within us,
eliminating any kind of confusion!
1
Corinthians 2:6-8,10-16
However,
we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor
of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom
of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God decreed before the ages for our
glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they
would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But
God has revealed this former mystery to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit
searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things
of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the
things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of
the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know [perceive,
discern, observe, and experience] the things that have been freely given to us
by God. These things we indeed speak, not in words which humanity's wisdom
teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with
spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of
God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he
himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
His own
Spirit reveals all what was previously a mystery. Although we can study and
search the scriptures in OUR own wisdom, it will never reveal His Truth! We
must always be using His Spirit, not only in evaluating the Old Testament
scriptures and the four Gospels, but also in the interpretations of all
scripture: the Old Testament, four Gospels, and New Testament.
Yes, in
our own wisdom and studying, the scriptures are simple enough to reveal the
Truth that Christ is the Messiah and Saviour for all humanity. However, our own
wisdom will only create doctrines, religion, works, and lies when it comes to
the True Nature of God our Father. And though the writers of the Old Testament were
guided by the Holy Spirit to write down their experiences of the Lord, they did
not have the full aspects of the Holy Spirit as we do now living in a Redeemed
World (no longer a Fallen World).
Thus,
for those Old Testament writers, misunderstandings came about—not because they
wanted to, but because they did the best they could. And even translators have
misinterpreted the original languages. I have tackled a few of these in a
previous post titled: Misunderstanding
and Misinterpretation. And I will continue to do so here…
No Fearing God
Romans
5:1
Therefore,
being justified by Christ’s faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Ephesians
2:8
For
by God’s Grace are you are saved through Christ’s Faith; and that not of
yourselves: but are gifts of God.
2
Timothy 2:15
When you study the word of God, to rightly discern what it says is to know you are already approved unto God [by Christ Jesus] and you have absolutely no reason to be ashamed with Him!
When you study the word of God, to rightly discern what it says is to know you are already approved unto God [by Christ Jesus] and you have absolutely no reason to be ashamed with Him!
Hebrews
6:1-2
Therefore,
moving away from the beginning origins of the words and teachings of Christ,
let us endure and move forward to a position of perfection; not throwing to the
ground (discarding what we have learned) to repeat the principles of truth that
are: repentance from dead works and a position of faith with God; of the
teachings of baptisms; and of laying on of hands; and of resurrection of the
dead; and of eternal judgment.
This
verse in Hebrews shows us specifically what we should understand regarding all
Christ accomplished for us: Moving
Forward to a Position of Perfection.
Understanding
all this clears our heart, mind, and soul from veils that cloud the true nature
of God and helps us interpret clearly the writings of the scriptures. So, let’s
look at where the Bible says something not the truth.
Rejecting Untruth
We will
start with a verse in Psalms which Paul rejects outright:
Psalms
44:22 (Romans 8:36)
Yea,
for thy sake are we killed all-the-day long;
we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
Romans
8:37-39
Objection!
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For
I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor
any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Look at
what Paul said in his response to the Psalm, “I am persuaded”. Here Paul says
he is fully convinced of what he is saying about God’s Love and his rebuttal of
the Old Testament (pre-Cross) scripture. We need to hold onto who we are in Christ
more than anything that is counter to that in other scripture. And for me, even
this Old Testament writing is in conflict with what the Lord says about the
Israelites, who said to them that they were already conquerors of a land
already given to the—they just needed to believe it themselves (which only
Caleb did).
Numbers
13:1-2,30
And
the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Send men to spy out the land of
Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their
fathers you shall send a man, everyone a leader among them.”
Then
Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take
possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”
Sadly,
the writers of Psalms 44:22 did not see themselves as the conquerors God saw
them as; they only saw themselves as weak and inferior. Hence why Paul rejects
that notion, specifically now under the accomplishment of Christ Jesus for all
people! This sense of false-humility is not accepting what Christ has done for
us all.
We Are Not "Sinners Saved by Grace"!
Whenever
we don’t fully recognize or acknowledge the completeness of what Christ Jesus
accomplished, Christians will usually live with the attitude that I am just a “sinner
saved by grace” (which is false)—we are the Righteousness of and by Christ
Jesus. The opposite ends of the spectrum. These are the comparisons Paul makes
in much of his writings. He usually starts with what we were, then concludes to
tell us who we are now. Sadly, if you stop reading scriptures before the conclusion,
then you will not see who you are in Christ—taking scripture out of context and
making the scriptures a lie by omitting the truth.
As we
saw Paul do with Psalms 44:22 in regard to Romans 8:37-39, we see him do so as
well in 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (in relation to Isaiah 64:4).
1
Corinthians 2:9-10
As
it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But
God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things;
indeed, the deep things of God.
Paul now
proclaims: “But God HAS revealed them to us”. If we had just read verse 9 and
quit reading there, we would be stuck in a past time when the character and
nature of God was not yet fully known. Yet we now DO KNOW the Full and True Nature
of God as a Father because of what Jesus Christ demonstrated and made known to
us and for us! Verse 10 is the Truth, and to omit it would be rejecting what Jesus
Christ accomplished. We all now live post-Christ where everything is revealed
for us—we must never live pre-Cross!
Though
something at one point might have been true, it is not true now. This would be
like calling Istanbul, Constantinople…a city once called one name, but now
called another. Both true at a given time, but only one is true in the now.
We can
also see the pre-Cross vs post-Cross in Romans 5:6-11 where Paul talks about
who humanity was before Christ came (ungodly and sinners). But this applied to
those people who lived at the time before and during Jesus’s ministry (saying
“we” in the sense of Paul and the others lived during that time). However, Paul
concludes that this is no longer true from the point after the Cross—saying
that though people were enemies of God before the Cross, He has NOW reconciled
us. Thus, no longer “sinners”, but reconciled to Him!
If all we did was read verses 6-8, we would convince ourselves we were still
“lowly sinners”. NO! We have been reconciled!!! How joyous is that.
Romans
5:6-8 (about who people were before
Christ came)
For
when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For
scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some
would even dare to die. But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans
5:9-11 (about who we all are now from the
time of the Cross)
Much
more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the
death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom
we have now received the atonement.
The same
can be said of Romans 6:23 where a believer can easily see oneself as a “sinner”
without acknowledging the context of all of Romans
6 that tells us we are dead to sin; and likewise, the second half of verse
6:23 after the ‘but’, nullifying the first half because we live in the truth
that is Jesus Christ (being confirmed by Romans 6:18):
Romans
6:23
For
the wages of sin is death;
but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans
6:18
And
thus, because we have been made free from sin, we exist now as slaves of being
righteous.
When we
live after the ‘but’ of the verse, we see the truth in who we are. Here are
several examples of where the truth is after the ‘but’ from Romans 8:
Romans
8:1-2
There
is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit: for the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans
8:5
For
they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they
that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Romans
8:6
For
to be carnally minded is death;
but to be spiritually minded is life
and peace.
Romans
8:7-9
The
carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God,
neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit
of God dwell in you.
Romans
8:13
For
if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit
do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Romans
8:15
For
ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
When we
live our lives after the ‘but’, we live as conquerors and in truth! Our
focus in on who we already are, not who we once were. Nor focused on something
future-related that has already occurred—or something we are striving to get
that we have already been given.
We Have the Kingdom and Authority Now
One of
these is the Kingdom of God / Kingdom of Heaven. This was something I always
believed was a “to-be” or a “to-get”. Yet, I believed wrong and didn’t see the
truth that the Kingdom of God / Kingdom of Heaven is a now reality—which I
shared here: Kingdom
Rest.
Another
is regarding the book of Revelations. We can read it all as something that is
to happen on the future; yet, some of what is in Revelations is an account of
what has happened already. Revelation
12 recounts what happened during Jesus’s ministry on earth 2000 years ago.
During that time Jesus said these verses:
Matthew
11:12
And
from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers
violence, and the violent take it by force.
Luke
10:18
And
he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
The
context of Luke 10:18 is that the Disciples had Jesus’s authority over Devils;
and that nothing could harm them. And that at that moment in time was when
Satan lost his battle in Heaven and was cast out, down to the earth. Of which
is accounted in Relevation:
Revelation
12:7-12
And
there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and
the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place
found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent,
called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out
into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice
saying in heaven, “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our
God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,
which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the
blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their
lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.
Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down
unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he hath but a short time.”
We see
that the Devil and Satan was defeated in the violent battle Jesus saw take
place in heaven. And that at their loss, was cast out of heaven as fast as
lighting. No longer, like in the account of Job, can Satan stand in front of
God accusing the people of the earth. No longer are we condemned by Satan; for
we have been made “more than conquerors through Christ Jesus!” (Romans 8:37).
We thus
should have no fear of the Devil or Satan. We stand as righteous and we can
never be accused of sin or being sinners.
No More Sacrifices and Works /
The Sins of the Flesh and Sin of Not Believing
The Sins of the Flesh and Sin of Not Believing
For us to see oneself as a sinner is to actually reject the Devil and Satan’s defeat, and rejecting who God sees you and every human being as: righteous. To acknowledge oneself as a sinner can create false doctrines and a false mindset that can often be seen in the notion that we have to offer sacrifices for sins over and over again. As a Christian, this is not talking about animal sacrifices, but the ritualistic ungodly sacrifices of asking God for the constant forgiveness of one’s sins. The verse often quoted for this process is this:
1
John 1:9
If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
This is
very “Law-Driven”. But is this saying, "we must do this?", as it is in conflict
with these verses:
Romans
5:12,15,18-19
Wherefore,
as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned For if through the offence of one
many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by
one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. Therefore, as by the offence of
one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of
one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one
man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall
many be made righteous.
Hebrews
10:1-4,12-23
For
the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of
the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually
year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have
ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more
consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins
every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take
away sins.
But
this Man (Jesus Christ), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever,
sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are
made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are
being sanctified. The Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said
before, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says
the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write
them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no
more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering
for sin. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood
of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the
veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let
us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us
hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is
faithful.
1
Peter 3:18
For
Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might
bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.
When we
study out the passages in Hebrews, we see that Christ Jesus made one complete
sacrifice for sin, once and for all time. There is therefore no sin of the
flesh that we can ever commit that was not taken care of at the Cross before we
ever committed any sin! How can we then ask for forgiveness of our sins of the
flesh if they have already been forgiven. And repentance is not asking for forgiveness of sins. If I asked the Lord to forgive a sin
I committed, the only response He has for me is “I already have” (not “I will”
or “I will not”. Thus it seems futile and foolish to ask when we have no need
to ask.
Which also
begs the question, “what if I missed confessing one?”. This then creates religion,
doctrines, and Pharisaical rules where we then try and make some sins more
important than other sins to confess or believe. How can one sin be greater or
less-than another sin when ALL sins of the flesh were accounted for at the
Cross. No sin is greater or less-than any other as they have ALL been nullified
and reduced to ZERO!
So how
do we read what John was saying then? We look at the context to whom he was
writing to; and understand that he was not talking about the sins of the flesh.
Thus,
firstly, when we look at the book of 1st John, we see that he is
writing to non-Christians—to his Jewish companions that had not yet believed on
Jesus Christ as the Messiah. His writing is declaring to them Jesus Christ. This
can be seen in these two verses in which he states, “that you also may have
fellowship with us…which is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ”:
1
John 1:1-4
That
which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of
life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and
shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested
unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also
may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and
with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy
may be full.
1
John 5:13
These
things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that
ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of
the Son of God.
John is
longing for his Jewish brethren to come to understand and know Jesus Christ and
what it meant that He died for them, taking all the sins of the flesh away; and
when believing, takes away the only unforgiven sin away: the Sin of not
believing. This I explained in a previous post titled: The
Sin of Not Believing / Judgment.
When we
recognize that there are only two types of sin/Sin, we get set free from the
everyday sins of the flesh. It was these sins of the flesh that Christ bore on
the Cross once and for all time for all human beings. But there remained one
Sin that He could not forgive, leaving it up to us to do so through. This is
because He cannot and will never violate our free-will to choose. For Him to
believe for us would mean we never had the ability to choose. And since we will
always have the ability to choose, He could not believe for us. And this
process of believing regarding the Sin of unbelief looks like this:
1. Before being Born-Again by
believing in Christ Jesus, we are in Sin—not the sins of the flesh, but only
the Sin of unbelief. Reminder: the sins of the flesh have and will always have
been forgiven.
2. When we believe and are
Born-Again, that unbelief is removed, which then in-and-of-itself, removes the
Sin of unbelief. Now, along with the already-forgiven sins of the flesh, we are
completely free from any sin/Sin!
This
then aligns with what John says in 1
John 1:8-10:
Verse
8: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in
us.
· This
is saying that if you deny that you are in unbelief, you are denying the Truth
that you require Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour—which is not only anyone now
that does not recognize Jesus Christ; but also the Jews whom John was specifically
writing to.
Verse
9: If we confess our Sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sin, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
· If,
per verse 8, we do acknowledge that, as a non-believer, we have the Sin of
unbelief, then we can choose to believe upon Him which will remove that Sin of
unbelief (with the former forgiven sins of the flesh)—making us then absolutely
righteous (no longer having the unrighteousness of unbelief).
Verse
10: If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and his word is not
in us.
· If
a person says they have never sinned (that is the Sin of unbelief), then we are
really confessing that we do not believe, and that Christ Jesus died for no
cause whatsoever. Making it true for ourselves that we are not Born-Again, and
Christ does not dwell in us.
Having
said all this, the basic point is that John is not talking about sins of the
flesh, but the Sin that is not believing. We cannot be held accountable for our
sins of the flesh because Christ took them all upon Himself--"never to be remembered again". But what we can be
held accountable for is the Sin of unbelief (not believing on Him). If we die
in this earth without believing on Him, this is the unforgivable sin that will
result in our eternal Death in Hell (way from God).
On a
side-note, I want to tackle the following verse:
Hebrews
10: 26-27
For
if we Sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there remains no more sacrifice for Sin, but a certain fearful looking for of
judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
This Sin
being talked about here is the Sin of unbelief—that once Born-Again, a person
who then rejects that Salvation and willfully choses to un-believe (returning
to a state of unbelief), that person then falls back into the Sin of not
believing. And once a person chooses to do so, they cannot be Born-Again
(Again). They are eternally now in that Sin of unbelief. This is not something
that can easily happen though as described in Hebrews
6:4-8.
All of these
counter the doctrine that God pre-chooses who will be Saved and who will not;
since it is completely up to each and every individual to chose or not chose
Jesus Christ as The Saviour! And for each individual to maintain that belief.
God’s Desire Is That
All Be Saved /
Doctrinal Mistranslations & Misinterpretations
Doctrinal Mistranslations & Misinterpretations
Let’s
look at a few Bible version translations that create doctrines; or are
interpretations to fit into a specific doctrine. Most of which (incorrectly
translated) deny the Completeness of the Cross and Jesus Christ; or deny the
True Loving Nature of God as a Father. I will tackle the following three:
1. Peace between God and all humans.
2. Our personal right to believe or
not believe (and our own hardness of heart).
3. Paul’s Thorn.
Before I
do this, I want to make clear that there is no perfect Bible translation. Some
hold true to the King James Version of the Bible, but even it has errors. For
me, I do enjoy reading various Bibles versions, but will always do my own
personal studies of the original language to get specific clarification. If
something does not fit into the character and nature of Jesus Christ (who is
the exact duplication and representation of God the Father), then I examine the
original language meanings, dismiss the interpretation, or put it aside for
later study as I seek the Holy Spirit (which can take time to come back to).
But my go-to for studying and the original language is the King James Version
(KJV / AKJV).
Item 1: Peace between God and all
humans.
Let’s
look at some comparative translations regarding peace between God and humans,
as well as righteousness (right-standing with God):
Luke
2:14 AKJV
“Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
Luke
2:14 NLT
“Glory
to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is
pleased.”
Romans
3:21-24 AKJV
But
now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by
the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no
difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Romans
3:21-24 NLT
But
now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the
requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the
prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus
Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For
everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in
his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus
when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
There
are two huge differences here in these two translations—one (the AKJV) states
that the Angels claim that Peace and Goodwill is from God towards all
humankind; the other (NLT) claims the Angels declared this only for a certain
select group of humans.
Likewise,
the NLT claims that righteousness is only for those who believe; yet the AKJV
says that righteousness is unto (gifted out to) everyone (believer or not), and upon (accepted and credited to) all those
who believe. The AKJV makes the bold claim that what Christ accomplished was
for every human being, gifting every human being the choice of right-standing with God--not because of our faith, but by (of) Christ's Faith. And having been already reconciled by God, this right-standing, becomes a TITLE for us... “upon” in the eternal-sense for those who believe—which relates
back to the previous section in 1 John 1). That ALL can receive this gift of righteousness seems to be wonderful news for the world: “Good News”…the Gospel!
Related reading on forgiveness and a non-judgmental peace with God right now:
But are
these AKJV claims true? Let’s look at a few other verses to deem what the
Angels really meant:
John
3:16-17 AKJV
For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not
his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him
might be saved.
John
3:16-17 NLT
“For
this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone
who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son
into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him."
Romans
5:1 AKJV
Therefore,
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans
5:1 NLT
Therefore,
since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God
because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Colossians
1:19-22 AKJV
For
it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; and, having made
peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto
himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,
yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present
you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.
Colossians
1:19-22 NLT
For
God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God
reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and
on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were
once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil
thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the
death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his
own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a
single fault.
John
3:16 and Colossians 1:20 does not say God only Loved some people, He said He
Loved the entire world (ALL people), reconciling ALL things to Himself. And why
would He not Love His own Creation! He always wanted us all to be able to live in
right-standing with Him, without fear or reprisal. Something lost by Adam, but
gained by Jesus Christ:
Romans
5:18 AKJV
Therefore,
as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by
the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of
life.
Romans
5:18 NLT
Yes,
Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of
righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
Beautiful!
Adam brought condemnation to everyone; Christ brought His Righteousness for everyone. We didn’t have to believe in Adam for his sin and condemnation to
fall upon us; so, neither do we have to believe in Christ for His Righteousness
to be gifted to us! What an amazing declaration of God’s Love! This is why the
Angels could only proclaim Peace and Goodwill from God to ALL humanity (not
just some). For God has reconciled everyone to Himself through what Christ accomplished through His Faith. So through this reconciliation, we can receive HIS gifted Righteousness upon our belief in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
For the love of Christ constrains us; because we have made this absolute declaration: that if One (Jesus Christ) died for all, then were all dead. And that since He died for all, that they which are alive should now not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them; and rose again. Insomuch, that henceforth, know we no person (no one) after the flesh. Yes, though we perceived Christ according to the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Wherefore, whoever is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are (every single thing is) of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the entire world (all people) unto himself, not imputing (not taking into consideration) their trespasses (sins and misdeeds) unto them; and hath committed unto us this word: that all are reconciled. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did encourage you by us. So pray in Christ’s behalf, as one reconciled to God! Because He made Jesus Christ to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ.
Romans 5:10
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
This is
now where there is a difference between Righteousness, Reconciliation, and Salvation. Separate things; all are a gift, but one is by choice (our personal right to
choose salvation through our own God-Given free will into receiving His title of Righteousness).
Here is an in-depth study on Reconciliation / Redemption:
Item 2: Our personal right to
believe or not believe (and our own hardness of heart).
We see
that because of what Christ accomplished, all have been given right-standing
with God (Righteousness) and even reconciled all humanity to God Himself as a gift! But does that mean everyone is Saved? No, because
Righteousness, Reconciliation, and Salvation are different things. The latter is a choice for us—we have to believe to be Born-Again into
Salvation and maintain that belief.
John
3:3,5-8,14-18
Jesus
answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I
say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the
kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be
born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but
cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born
of the Spirit.” And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so
must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the
world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him
is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he
has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Being
Born-Again is something that happens in our spirit—changing the spirit we were
born with (born of this world) into being Born of Jesus Christ. In this moment,
our spirit becomes a Spirit made Holy—the same Holiness that is the Spirit of Christ
(that being that there is only One Kind of Holy).
The
critical aspect to what Jesus was stating is that in order to be Born-Again,
one must believe. This is something Jesus tried to get the Pharisees to
understand, but they would not believe what He was saying; the He Himself was
the Messiah. Instead, they rejected Him, even though all the Jewish scriptures
pointed to and claimed that He is the Messiah. Thousands of Jews believed
during Jesus’s ministry; yet it was mainly those who had their own head-knowledge
of Scriptures (Scribes, Sadducees, and Pharisees) that failed to believe. Why?
Because their hearts were hardened by their own selves. And no matter what
miracles and scriptures Jesus used, they refused to unharden their own hearts.
John
12:37-40
But
though Jesus had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him;
that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord,
who hath believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been
revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1)
Therefore,
they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again: “Their eyes are
blinded, and their hearts hardened; that they should not see with their eyes,
nor understand in their heart; indeed, being converted; indeed, healing
themselves.” (Isaiah 6:10).
One
major point of contention here is that most translations of John
12:40 and Isaiah
6:10 say it is/was the Lord that blinded and hardened them. But this is
blatantly false (don’t believe everything you read in the Bible). The
original Greek and original Hebrew DO NOT say it was the Lord—the word Lord or
any word or mention of Him being the One doing so is absent in both those Texts.
This is the verse in Isaiah:
Isaiah
6:10
The
heart of the people is fat, their ears are heavy, and their eyes are shut; They
must see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart,
to convert (turn back) and be healed.
As can
be seen, this does not tell us the Lord was the culprit in their closedness; but
the Lord was saying they were closed; wanting them to open themselves to come
back to Him and be healed. This is really the heart of the Lord, for them to
come to Him and be healed. This is EXACTLY what Jesus cried out:
Matthew
23:37
O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are
sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen
gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
And here
Jesus makes it clear too that THEY “were not willing”. It is God’s will that
everyone comes to Him (1
Timothy 2:3-4). So it is not God that is keeping them from believing, it is
their own doing and their own hardness of heart.
God has chosen to save everyone
and anyone who believes in Christ Jesus; no exception! But just because
God chooses to accept everyone, doesn’t mean all will accept Him.
Remember,
God cannot and will not ever violate a person’s free-will to choose (in
everything and anything that person chooses). Jesus always spoke to the Scribes,
Sadducees, Pharisees, Israel, and His Disciples about their hardness of heart:
Matthew
19:8
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.
Mark
3:4-5
Then
He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to
save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. And when He had looked around
at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to
the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out,
and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
Mark
6:51-52
Then
He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly
amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood
about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.
Mark
8:17-21
But
Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no
bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?
Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not
remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets
full of fragments did you take up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.” “Also, when I
broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments
did you take up?” And they said, “Seven.” So He said to them, “How is it you do
not understand?”
So we
see it isn’t anything that God is doing to harden their hearts; but it is that
their own rejection of the truth in what they see (contrary to their flesh)
which is causing them to harden their own hearts. The same is what happened to
Pharaoh in Egypt and to the Israelites who came out of Egypt. Their witnessing
of God’s Miracles was so unbelievable in their eyes (flesh), that they could
not grasp or accept it as reality. Their own unbelief was the cause of their own
hearts being hardened by themselves (not God—although it is what God performed
that became the revealer of their hardness; which had been hidden in their own
deception).
Romans
9:14-18
What
shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith
to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have
compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the
scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up,
that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared
throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy,
and whom he will he hardeneth.
This
interpretation of scriptures makes it seem that God chose to harden Pharaoh’s
heart. But in reality, Pharaoh hardened his own heart to what God chose to show
as a demonstration of Himself. God knew this in advance that Pharaoh would
reject Him; thus, what God planned came to fruition. Pharaoh did not want to deny his own false-truth that he was a god; even though God Himself showed Himself to be the True God. In reality it was the presence of God's righteousness to Pharaoh that Pharaoh hardened himself to in rejection of the Truth.
Just as God planned to make all righteous through the accomplishment of Christ Jesus and the Cross. But this gifted righteousness was rejected by the self-righteous (the Pharisees) and the Jewish nation as a whole. Hence why their hardness and rejection brought salvation to the Gentiles. Yet it was not God who hardened their hearts, but they themselves hardened it in response to God's righteousness.
Just as God planned to make all righteous through the accomplishment of Christ Jesus and the Cross. But this gifted righteousness was rejected by the self-righteous (the Pharisees) and the Jewish nation as a whole. Hence why their hardness and rejection brought salvation to the Gentiles. Yet it was not God who hardened their hearts, but they themselves hardened it in response to God's righteousness.
Being
in a right-standing with God is not based on how much a person wants (wills
himself) to be righteous, or how hard they try to be righteous; it is based
purely on God's will and work; whom made us righteous by His choice and will. By God's Grace we have been saved through
Christ's Faith; purely Gifts from God the Father—not of our own personal works
or ability, lest anyone could boast. For we are all His Creation, created in
Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk
in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Remember,
as we read above, God has chosen everyone to be saved through Christ Jesus. So
we cannot view God as being able to violate or harden a person’s heart for the
purpose of rejection. As such, it is still up to the person’s own choice to
reject God and all that God shows to peoples—even though He constantly reminds
each and everyone of us through the Holy Spirit to accept Him TODAY!
Hebrews
3:7-13
Therefore,
as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your
hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your
fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was
angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter
My rest.’” Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of
unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while
it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of
sin.
We all
have a choice when God presents Himself to us (of which differs in every
person). We are all presented the Truth of Jesus Christ personally by the Holy
Spirit with every human being. His purpose is to present the Truth of Christ
Jesus to every person in this world—He convict (convince) every person of their
Sin of Unbelief (John 16:7-11).
Sometimes
too, we are presented the Truth of Jesus Christ through a specific encounter,
just as we saw with Paul (Paul being his Greek name, and Saul being his Hebrew
name). In a single moment, Jesus revealed Himself personally to Paul; and in
that immediate moment, Paul had a choice to either receive or reject the Lord.
And in that moment, he chose to say, “Who are you Lord” and obeyed. To the
point where Paul eventually rejected everything that he known before, seeking
out only to know Christ Jesus.
1
Corinthians 2:2
For
I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him
crucified.
Philippians
3:13-16
Brethren,
I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting
those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are
before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus [perfect]
minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this
unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the
same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Item 3: Paul’s Thorn.
Which
now brings us to something Paul had to deal with: “a thorn in his side”.
2
Corinthians 12:7-9
And
lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the
revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan
to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought
the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly
therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may
rest upon me.
Sadly,
many doctrines have tried to convince us that Paul’s thorn was both given by
God, but also that it was some kind of disease. Yet this rejects everything
that is God the Father’s Love (that He has given us peace); and rejects fully
what Christ Jesus accomplished (baring all sickness and disease onto himself
through His Stripes – 1
Peter 2:24). Sickness is purely and only the work of the Devil / Satan (Luke
13:10-16).
But the
simplest thing in these verses to see is what is plain and clearly written—his
thorn in the flesh was a MESSENGER of Satan. And all a messenger is, is a
person. And this person was NOT sent by God (it never says in the verses that
it was from God—as it actually says it was sent by Satan). And as I will
explain below, Satan does not work for God, and God does not work for Satan
(there are two separate and distinct Kingdoms at work). Thus, it was Satan that
sent his own messenger (person) to harass Paul.
Then why
did God not remove that thorn Paul prayed to have removed? Paul prayed in vain
for the Lord to take away this evil person on his life. But the prayer failed;
not because God did not want to, but because Paul was asking wrong—he was
asking selfishly. Paul would have used that answered-prayer to gloat about what
God did for him. He prayed to glorify himself, not God. This is asking amiss:
James
4:1-3
From
whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your
lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to
have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your
lusts.
This is
why Paul says it's because of pride: "Exalted", due to his uniquely
abundant revelations:
2
Corinthians 12:1-7a
It
is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and
revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago,
(whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell:
God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man,
(whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) how that
he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not
lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will
not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall
not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should
think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And
lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations
So we
see Paul had to deal with his own pride, not anything to do with what God did
or didn’t do; nor a sickness or disease. Which brings us to see that God and
Satan are not on the same side; nor used of each other.
Differing Accounts of
the Lord /
Kingdom of God vs Kingdom of Satan
Kingdom of God vs Kingdom of Satan
2
Samuel 24:1
And
again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved
David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
1
Chronicles 21:1
And
Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
One
account tells us that is was God who made David sin; the other says it was
Satan. Which one is true?
Since
Satan is not a pawn of God, but an enemy of God, it cannot be that Satan did
this with God’s approval or command. This is something that Jesus confirmed
when he talked about Satan’s Kingdom and God’s Kingdom as separate Kingdoms;
and that “any kingdom divided against itself cannot stand”:
Matthew
12:23-28
And
all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” Now
when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons
except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” But Jesus knew their thoughts,
and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to
desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If
Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom
stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them
out? Therefore, they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the
Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Thus, if
Satan and God are not of the same Kingdom, they cannot be working for or with
each other. Satan was even cast out of Heaven and cannot even approach God
(confirmed in Revelations
12)!
Matthew
11:12
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the
kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
Luke
10:18
And
he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Then,
was it God or Satan that caused David to sin? It was Satan. God that cannot
test, try, or tempt us (James 1). And because we know that it is Satan that
destroys and God that brings life:
John
10:10
The
thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that
they might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly.
Jesus
always clarifies for us God’s true Nature. And sadly, in the account David in 2
Samuel, the author did not fully understand God’s true Nature of Love, and that
it was Satan who tempted David.
Story of Job
Lastly, let’s look at the story of Job. When we read the story of Job, we can see the trouble and hardship he faced—a trial that saw the destruction of his family, his belongings, and almost his own life. But was God responsible for this trial in his life. This is not only seen in the conversation between God and Satan, but confirmed by James in the New Testament.
Job
1:8-12
Then
the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none
like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns
evil?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that
he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his
possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and
touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” And the Lord
said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a
hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
James
1:13
Let
no man say when he is tried, I am tried of God: for God cannot be tempted with
evil, neither tries he any man.
The
conversation that happened between God and Satan was one where God could not
withhold Satan from Job—not because God didn’t have the power to do so, but
because God didn’t have the authority to withhold Satan. Mankind gave God’s
authority to mankind to Satan at the Fall through Adam (which was only returned
to mankind through Jesus Christ). Satan didn’t need permission from God, mankind
gave that permission themselves to Satan. And although Satan asked God to curse
Job, God could not, replying to Satan, “all he has is in your hands.”
Yet Job
believed it was God in his statement: “The Lord gave, and
the Lord has taken away” (Job 1:21). But we see that it was Satan
that takes away. This is something that Jesus Christ (the exact representation
of God) confirmed:
John
10:10
The
thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that
they might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly.
God
brings life, Satan brings death. Hence why also God did not leave Job in
misery, but blessed him even more abundantly. So it’s not the truth what Job
said about God “taking away”.
The
story of Job also brings about some unfortunate translations for Dragons,
Leviathan, and the Behemoth.
For the
Behemoth, some translations call it an elephant or hippopotamus; yet the
description of this animal is nothing like either of those; and is more an
accurate description of what we would call the dinosaur: Diplodocus
or Brachiosaurus.
Which in Job
40:15-24 describes a massive animal with a tail as big as a cedar tree.
For the
Dragon (H8577 & H8565), it has been
translated into “great whale”, “serpent”, or “monster”. And Leviathan (H3882) into “crocodile”.
Yet, Leviathan in Job
41 describes a literal fire-breathing Dragon. This is not folk-lore, but
reality; hence, to me, explains the separate and differing cultures that
embrace fire-breathing dragons in their history.
Conclusion
Though this is not all the accounts of some untruth in the Bible, it is meant to open ones questioning of specific accounts, translations, and doctrines that can completely sway one’s perspective on who the True person and Nature of God is.
God = Jesus = Holy
Ghost = God.
They are
One and of the same; in pure unity. Neither can do something opposing to the
other or apart from the other. This is why we look at the person of Jesus and
the person of the Holy Ghost to help define who God really is; this being a
Loving Father.
Both
Jesus and the Holy Ghost bring healing, restoration, and Life to people. They never
killed or brought sickness on anyone; nor do they bring trials on people. And they
will always meet people wherever that person is in life, without judgment or
harm. We have all been forgiven. This is the God of the Bible I know! This is
the God of the Bible I want everyone to come to know! And this is the Father
that Jesus wants us to know!
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