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Line Upon Line
9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?
9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?
them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (Isa 28:)
You've seen it. Perhaps you have even experienced it. You're reading the Bible in an area you have read many times. Suddenly a word or a verse pops out of the page at you with a new or deeper meaning. You say "Wow!! I never saw that before!" The message is so clear and marvelous you begin to wonder if someone slipped those words into your Bible while you weren't looking; or if in fact your wife was telling you the truth and you really don't pay attention when someone is talking to you.
Immediately you drop what you are doing (that's ok, you can pick up those broken dishes you were washing later) and grab all your Bibles, concordances and commentaries and clear a table on which to study. (That's ok, those broken flower vases look good on the floor.)
You check out the Scripture word by word, making sure you read them correctly and that they in fact mean what they appear to mean.
You check your denominational doctrine handbook to see what stance your church takes on the subject at hand, if any at all.
You check out the notes in your study Bibles and the comments in the commentaries to see what the experts and traditions have to say about the Scripture.
You then go on line and type in the key words to learn what others have found or how they have interpreted the Scripture. [While you are at it, consider checking out the doctrines of those who oppose your view. These people have spent a lot of time and effort digging into places you will have not even thought of. Make good use of their efforts and information. This is especially true if your intent is to find the Truth and not just support a presupposed doctrine. But even if the latter should be the case, you will want to know everything that might be thrown up to you in effort to thwart your efforts. Forewarned is forearmed.]
And if you are still not satisfied with what others have to say regarding the subject, or if you believe there is more to it than they have seen - you grab your Strong's exhaustive concordance and find every time that word or subject is mentioned.
Then, just in case all the Bible translators have given a particular slant to any particular word, you check out the words in the original language using Strong's and other lexicons and interlinear Bibles for other verses using those words, but interpreted differently.
Now you have a solid bases upon which to build. But you are not through yet!
God has played games with His Word. You may very well hear your Pastor say that God wrote the Bible in such a way that all can understand it. If you have heard your Pastor or Bible study teacher say this, then check with them to see if somehow they have missed these verses in the same way you missed the verses you are working on now (Mat 13:10-16; 1Cor 2:14; Isa 66:4).
Line upon line, precept upon precept.
This is the method we are told to use in order to understand the Word.
Most people have an agenda or a preconceived theory they are trying to prove. If a person or an organization does not believe in God, they will search the Bible diligently to find everywhere it states or implies that there is no God. And do you know what? They will find many verses and passages to support such a notion. Of course that is rather like a person asking you a bunch of questions hoping to catch some words from your mouth with which to prove you do not exist. But people do just this in order to prove themselves right.
If you have such an agenda, here's what you do. Go through that long list of Scriptures you have made where your words or verses have been used; mark the ones that support your view; then either ignore or strike out all those Scriptures that discount or contradict your view.
And if you have time on your hands, or if you want to play Theologian - take those verses that contradict and do one of three things.
First; try and nullify them. See if there is some way they can be pointed at other verses that have nothing to do with your subject, or even with the obvious subject being discuses in the Bible. Be patient. It can be done. Theologians and preachers do it all the time. Evidence of this is the many doctrines and denominations that are flooding the world. Why, even Atheists use the Bible to support their view.
Second; if you are unable to do the above, do this: Flood your explanation with words. You might be looking at just one word, or one short verse. Don't let that deter you. You be prepared to write an entire thesis discounting the verse if needs be. Use every resource at your disposal, especially the web. There will be plenty of people who have worked hard to either discount your verse or prove their own agenda. Use long quotes from their works. Don't worry that what they are trying to prove is just the opposite of your stance; you pick and choose the sentences from their statement that support your view. If you begin to feel a little guilty for butchering someone's statements and making it say something contrary to what was really said; Just remind yourself that Politicians, news reporters, Theologians and Used Car Salesmen do it all the time. That should relieve your conscience.
Third; if after you have nullified the word or verses, and flooded them with words and ballyhoo, you find you still feel a need to do more (maybe just to help salve your guilty conscience, or to justify your stance to your grade school son or daughter who just isn't buying your baloney), try this:
Say that God didn't really mean what He said when He said it. Does the thought of such a thing prickle the hairs on the back of your neck? It does mine. But don't let that stop you. Listen to sermons by the top-notch preachers and talk show hosts. Pay close attention to your own Pastor, and I'll bet you hear them say God did not mean what He said, and quite often at that.
If hearing the experts say God meant other than what He said still doesn't satisfy your conscience, do this (it's a sure-fire way of working through moral roadblocks used often by denominations, cults and other such mind bending organizations):
Say; "It's ok to lie and bend God's Word. God doesn't mind as long as I am sincere. God likes me to do bad things because it makes Him look better and intensifies His Grace toward me. I'm a good person at heart. God will forgive me anyway." Say these words (or add your own), over and over until you have convinced yourself. Then when you can say them to your husband, or wife or mother-in-law without flinching or having muscle twitches even while they are calling the booby hatch for a transport car, you will know you have been successful.
After you have done all the above, and you still feel a desire or a need to prove your point (which you probably will after all the work you have put into it) there is still one more tool you can utilize. It is a tool used with great expertise by Theologians and Politicians alike, not to mention Advertising Agencies and Psychologists:
Create a fantasy situation. Try attaching your doctrine to Space Travel, or even Time Travel, or an approaching comet, or some Mystery cult, or the Black Hole, or Evolution, or the Big Bang Theory. You could even do what the "Lucifer Was An Angel Of Light" proponents do (and who isn't, which shows the success of this technique): find a single tense of a single word in Scripture and through that "Jot" create a marvelous universe with a mighty creation all its own surpassing even the best of Science Fiction novels.
I will assure you; the more bazaar and outrageous your Fantasy is, the more people will flock to it and accept it as fact ("Believe," and "Faith," thereby "Salvation"), which will make you famous as a Theologian and an "Expert on the Word of God," and what's more, lend support to your own twisted view and, hopefully at least, shut up your nagging conscience, kids, wife and Mother-in-law, if they are in fact still bothering to visit you in the sanitarium they've placed you in.
Here are a couple "Rules of Thumb" that you need to keep in mind when writing for the public. Follow these rules and you are sure to become well received and highly regarded. Break them and you will find yourself set aside at best, and more than likely considered a fool and a heretic.
Rule #1 Tell people what they want to hear. For example: the popular Modern churches sell the "Prosperity Message" called "Name it and Claim it." These churches say that by following them you can have everything your little heart desires, and along with this have Eternal Life as well. People love to hear this and will give anything to believe it. This is not a new message, though it has certainly been repackaged. I remember as a little boy going to see movies about just such a situation. Only in the movies the "preacher" was wearing horns and a forked tail. But even in the movies where the anything these people were willing to give was their eternal soul, they gladly gave it for what they wanted here and now. Is their a similarity to be seen here, I wonder?
Rule #2 Tell people what they already know and believe. It's ok to add a little and take a little, as long as it still fits in with their established doctrine. The idea is to say the same thing everyone else has said, only say it different and with more spice. If you watch much TV you see this all the time. One program format will become popular, and others will flood the market trying to ride the coattails of the successful into fame and fortune. In the same way the news programs and advertising agencies try to find just the right words that everyone wants to hear so they can say them also. Being unorthodox may get you an oddball listener or two, but the masses will shun you.
Your readers must be able to take what they have learned from you and tell their friends and family what they've learned without getting sideways looks. Tell a person they have lovely hair and they will buy your every word (as long as your every word also fits what they want to hear). Tell a person that their hair is a mess, and they will go elsewhere looking for a better judge of hair. Tell a person they can go to Heaven without doing anything but what they are already doing, and you have a loyal follower. Tell them they must give up everything and follow Jesus faithfully (like Jesus told the rich young ruler), and people will shy away from you.
The prophets of the O.T. found this to be so. When the king asked for advice from God, and received God's Words that were contrary to what they wanted to hear, the prophet was imprisoned and beheaded.
The Apostles told people the Truth, and they also lost their lives.
Jesus, who is Truth, told the educated of His day what they didn't want to hear, and was crucified.
But the Priests, and the Pharisees who told the people what they already believed instead of the Truth, were highly regarded and listened to, as they are to this day in the world of the Jews and in the Catholic and Protestant church.
This being the case, that people only listen to what they want to hear, and that the message of Jesus and the Apostles drove all but a few "oddballs" away; and now the churches are huge and overflowing with "Christians" clamoring for "The Word" - what does that tell you about the Message being preached today?
Line upon Line.
The above is one way to interpret the Bible. In fact it is the most common way it is done.
Isaiah said this of the Theologians who use the above modus operandi:
"Yet they would not hear. 13But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken."
(By the way, for you Rapture enthusiasts, that "Taken" is a word you might enjoy exploring.)
10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
As you can see above, the Line upon line, precept upon precept upon precept part of God's instruction is not much of a problem - If we don't take the lines and the precepts and try to nullify them or distort them. The real problem comes when we or the Theologians try to grab the "Here a little, there a little" from places (even the wild blue yonder) they don't belong.
I'm sure you have read comments and commentaries and messages where someone has expressed themself very effectively with well laid-out thinking accompanied by verifying Scripture in support of their view. Perhaps you even knew where the person was probably headed with their reasoning and you found yourself nodding in agreement with a grunt of "um hum."
Then somewhere along the road, probably about midway through the article or thereafter, you find yourself re-reading paragraphs to see if what you read was really what they said. Then as you continue to read, you discover the writer has taken you off on space ships or out-of-body experiences - and you end up discounting everything you had just read.
However, discounting everything is neither easy to do, nor is it expedient since there were definitely portions of the article that had real value; had it been applied correctly.
You wonder: "How can someone so out of touch with reality come up with such great stuff?"
I have wondered about that as well, and so far I have found two things that might account for such a phenomenon. First, perhaps this person had a brilliant inspiration as did the Theologian in the study above, and carried his "wisdom" into the unknown of his imaginations. It should always be remembered that many of the most brilliant minds are also insane.
A second possible reason for the above may be that the writer had no inspiration at all but rather borrowed from some other source, claimed it as his own, and carried it to his own spacecraft. Again, like in the study above.
Denominations and cults are built around just such thinking. One person either maliciously, or self-deceptively creates a story, sells the story to the world, and gains a following of people who do not wish to think for themselves but would rather just tag along with someone who claims to have the answers.
Those who choose to follow bazaar doctrines and ideologies are discounted as "Cults" in Traditional thinking. Those who chose to follow the accepted norm of a particular society are considered as merely "Denominational." But in either case, these people are not actually believing anything they claim to believe; they are merely accepting and echoing whatever information is being fed to them by their leaders.
Precept upon Precept.
But none of the above applies to you. You have had an awakening to a new meaning of an old Scripture. You have your Bibles and your study books before you, and you have prepared your list.
Now what?
First, if you want to be certain you are not going to be led into doctrinal error, you must make sure you have the guidance of the One who wrote the Bible. He is the only one who can tell you what line goes on what line, and which here-a-little goes with which there-a-little.
And if you are not in fact a born-again Christian following the leading of the Holy Spirit, you might just as well leave off reading at this point and re-read the above methodology of interpreting Scripture, thereby insuring you will remain in accepted doctrine. I can assure you, if you follow the instructions I am about to give, you will know for certain that you understand the Scriptures, but your understanding will fit with no established doctrine. Therefore no church or group will listen to you without shaking their heads and pointing at the door. If acceptability and not Spiritual understanding is what you are after, just stick with reading your church bulletins and commentaries.
Assuming you wish to continue, I repeat, make sure you follow your Leader, don't run off ahead and think you already know where He's going (like you did with the space traveler in the article above). And if you have a question, ask it of Him, just as if He was right there with you, because He is.
Now you are prepared to study the Word in the way it is supposed to be studied.
The First thing you have to do is clear your chalkboard. By this I mean you have to consider everything you have heard, everything you have been taught, and everything you believe to be wrong. It is much like in school or the Army - you cannot act like you are used to acting, nor can you think like you have been used to thinking and expect to get an "A" from your teacher, or a commendation from your Drill Sergeant. You have to do it their way, not yours. You have to un learn so you can be taught.
It's the same with God. Whatever is the very best of your way or understanding has to go. It is all wrong. All your "right" thinking and ego will only create a barrier to learning what God wants you to know, which is just the opposite of Man's wisdom. We read, and hear from the pulpit that the Carnal mind is at enmity with God; that our wisdom is foolishness to God. Yet we are also told that what we hear from the pulpit is God's Wisdom, so we look no farther. This is the foremost barrier to moving on with God and being led by the Holy Spirit. The Preachers say "Stop," that you already have everything there is to know when you have what they tell you to have and that anything else is heresy. So when the Holy Spirit tells you to "Go," you assume it must be something evil talking to you. (The Holy Spirit speaks much quieter than your preacher, and not nearly as often. Miss the "knock at the door," and the Holy Spirit moves on - just like the Shekinah Glory, who was the Holy Spirit, with the Israelites in the Wilderness.)
Once you are certain that you have the proper leading, then:
Take your list of every place the Scripture you are researching was used; see how they all fit together; and notice how they broaden the meaning of the word. You will doubtless discover there are more meanings to the words than you had understood there to be. Doctrine is built by grabbing hold to one meaning while discounting all the other meanings and applications. Be sure you don't do this. You have to assume that God meant what He said - All that He said.
Remember, God hid His Truth so the carnal mind can't find it, but will instead read it and be deceived. Don't expect the carnal mind, that you have always used, to comprehend what you are learning. Your carnal mind will fight your Spiritual understanding tooth and nail every step of the way. And the longer you have been in a particular church, the more educated you are, and the more certain you are of your own understanding, the more your mind and feelings will fight to hang on to its own belief system.
It is as if you are hanging from a rope over a deep canyon. You have a choice. You can continue to hang on to that frayed rope of carnality that will eventually send you to the depths below, but in the meantime allows you a sense of security: or, You can release the rope and latch onto the rope God is dangling in front of you that will carry you safely to solid land. Of course you say, that's no problem, you grab onto God's rope, right? But it's not that easy. The rope God is presenting is out of reach for you. And the more educated you are, and the more secure you are with your stance in life - the farther that rope God presents is from you.
You could try swinging on your rope, which is called "works" on your part; but your finest works will not get you any closer to safety or understanding.
What will it take?
Let go of your rope.
By letting go of your rope, that is everything you have considered as security in this life - your job, your bank account, your family, your friends, your church affiliation, your dignity, your understanding of everything that causes you to feel "right" while others are wrong -- all has to go. Everything that constitutes you, that is, your ego, has to be released and allowed to fall into the canyon below. By having done this, you will have lightened your load to the point you can take hold of God's rope.
Almost!
There is yet one more thing.
Faith.
Without faith you can not enter into God's presence. Therefore, without being in God's presence you can not understand His Words or His will for you.
You have released all your baggage. That shows faith, does it not?
There are many people in many lands and religions (even those in no religion) who have released all their baggage. Have they shown faith? Maybe. But not in God, nor have they shown any willingness to follow God. Perhaps a god of some form, with some reward in mind. But faith alone, and sacrifice alone will get a person nowhere but at the bottom of the pit.
To show that you actually have Saving Faith, you must release your rope. This means, total and complete submission with no hope of reward, not even Eternal reward, just as did the Apostles and the early Christians.
Ok, have you released your rope and therefore ready to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit? (I thought this was going to be a short study. I should learned better by now.)
Now, that list of Scriptures in front of you, study each one to see what it has to say. You will find some that don't fit what seems to be what the Holy Spirit is trying to show you. Don't worry about them, just mark them. Some of them will be clarified as you study further.
Don't be surprised if you find more and more new awareness as you study. One subject opens the meanings to several others. "Precept upon Precept." I have so many studies started that have led into others I could spend the rest of my life (presumably) just finishing them. Sometimes the Spirit will lead you into areas, not necessarily for you to study, but to help you understand more clearly the subject at hand. Also, I have found, He may instruct you to explore an area of great mystery merely to assure you that He is indeed leading you and that it is not just your imagination.
A warning might be appropriate here. Never assume you have it all, or have been given the Truth, or even a Truth. This is one of the major traps that theologians and ministers of the Word fall in to. It is also a problem that the intelligentsia of the secular world experience as well. As you study, keep in mind that each bit of knowledge is but a step of a journey. Just a step. None of the steps are an end in itself. Besides this, there is a principal that must be kept in mind if you wish to avoid doctrinal error, especially when it comes to studying God's Word. And that principal is this: "It is just as important to know what is not as it is to know what is." An example of this is God's allowing the nation of Israel to spend 400 years in Egypt in order to show them the contrast between what life can be like, and what life will be like if they are faithful. God does this in each of our lives as well in effort to bring us to a saving knowledge of Him.
The Holy Spirit is likely to lead you down false trails for the purpose of instruction, and not for the purpose of leading you to Truth. It is all too easy to grab what you have found and run with it, thinking you have a gold nugget instead of the fool's gold you are actually holding. This is how many cults and denominations are formed.
Another danger is the application of lids. The Pharisees thought they had the total truth, a product of their own wisdom, which they bottled up and sealed tightly. By putting a cap on knowledge you prevent the Holy Spirit from leading you any farther, therefore causing you to become wise in your own eyes while remaining a fool. This is the realm of the "world" and of the theologian. You may very likely continue your study, but you will have taken a path that has another spiritual guide than that of God. Read the works supported by the cults and the denominations and you will see how far off the path of Truth a person can become. And notice how many thousands of books these authors have sold, and consider how many gullible people read, believe and follow these inane ramblings.
Discount feelings. It has been my experience that the Holy Spirit uses our feelings much like a rudder. We have to stay very much in tune to the little emotions that we might ordinarily dismiss. It is like our conscience that speaks very quietly but distinctly, until we begin to pay no attention to it and it seemingly stops talking. God uses our feelings to direct us. This can create a danger to those who are not used to paying attention to their feelings, or who have developed a pattern of misinterpreting them. For instance, the feelings of excitement or confidence may very likely tell us that we are doing things correctly. When studying the Word, we are likely to assume these feeling come from the Holy Spirit. And, they might just be from the Holy Spirit. But they could just as likely be from your own ego. Don't assume anything at this time. Follow through with what you have been given (or think you have been given). If it is of the Holy Spirit it will become clear because everything will fall into place. If it from your ego, it will fall apart. I have begun studies that I have had to abandon, either because they were not panning out, or because the Lord only wanted me to learn from them, not write them (at least not at this time).
Keep in mind that as fun and exciting the Word of God is, and as fulfilling as the understandings given you are, they are insignificant in comparison to the real purpose of the Holy Spirit. It is all too easy to get so caught up in study that we miss what God wants from us - and that is to become as He is. Keeping in tune with the Holy Spirit gives us a sense of confidence that we are truly in His will, and that we are being led. And this assurance lets us know that we are in tune with what God is saying to us. However, if we do not also make the changes in our life that is intended to conform us into the "Image of God," that is, in the image of Christ, we will begin to experience a falling away as the Holy Spirit moves on without us. Don't be fooled by the "Assurance" doctrines that are so prevalent in many of the churches today. We are here to serve God, not the other way around. If God has a servant who refuses to obey Him, He fires that servant. This has been pointed out over and over in so many ways in Scripture. If you feel a falling away, run back before it's too late!!
Reject indoctrination. Doctrine, thereby "Tradition," creates a reading of the Bible inundated with dead-ends, fragmentations, contradictions and vacuums (holes) of understanding. When read as the Bible is intended to be read it is cohesive, fluid, exciting and loaded with ever-expanding exposition and understanding. Read the Bible looking for the "And"s. Denominational and cult doctrines read "Or" instead of "And" thereby grasping but a distorted piece of the Spiritual puzzle; then they reinforce that distortion with fragmented verses and fairy tales. The Bible is also written from God's perspective, not Man's. Man sees everything through a limited toilet paper tube, broken into chunks of time and space. God sees all things from the beginning to the end because He created everything from the end to the beginning. He not only created, but is creating, and will continue to create (and control!!) until He has finished His purpose at which time He will rest from His work (on the 7th day). Theologians read the Bible "literally" or "Spiritually," "Past" or "Future." By following this procedure you will limit the Holy Spirit and thereby never understand the Bible. It will remain a mystery to you just as it is to the "experts." The Bible is written to be understood Literally and Spiritually and Past and Future and what is more importantly, and a Present application that effects you and me right now. Church (denominational) doctrine is designed to separate and incarcerate (place into bondage) people under the name of instruction and clarification. But don't be fooled. There is only One Truth, and that is God. But there are thousands of lies, almost as many, I suppose, as there are churches, religions, denominations, cults and governments. "People will believe a lie they hear a hundred times and refuse the Truth they hear but once."
Back to your study.
Now you have before you your list of verses that don't fit your doctrine. For me, at this stage, if I have even one verse or word that conflicts with what I am being shown as "Truth," I don't accept the entire premise until everything lines up. In my mind it is like a perfectly healthy meal with but one single drop of arsenic. I don't care how good it looks, or how well it is advertised, I don't buy it. I know that it could easily be sold to someone else as Truth, but for me it goes to the wayside as an unproven theory. And there have been times I knew full well that the Holy Spirit was leading me, and I would run into that last verse that didn't fit, and I would cry out; "What about this!! What are you doing to me!!?" And then He would patiently lead me to some Scripture, or to the definition of a certain word in the original language, and that would clear it up.
So don't be surprised if you are not able find the Total Truth in this lifetime. We are only allowed to see things "In Part," and later it will be shown to us in full. God is patient, and He knows our weaknesses. What's important is that we allow our weaknesses and fallibility so He can deal with them and use them.
Understanding the Word is a tour, not a destination. And it is far better to be on a short tour in the right place, than to believe you are at a final destination but be at the wrong place!
Isaiah 28
1Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! 2Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which AS a tempest of HAIL and a destroying storm, as a FLOOD of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. 3The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: 4And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. 5In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, 6And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. 7But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 13But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and TAKEN.
14Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. 15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: 16Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. 18And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. 19From the time that it goeth forth it shall TAKE you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. 20For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. 21For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. 22Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
23Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. 24Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? 25When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? 26For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. 27For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. 28Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. 29This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
(By the way, for you Rapture enthusiasts, that "Taken" is a word you might enjoy exploring.)
10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
As you can see above, the Line upon line, precept upon precept upon precept part of God's instruction is not much of a problem - If we don't take the lines and the precepts and try to nullify them or distort them. The real problem comes when we or the Theologians try to grab the "Here a little, there a little" from places (even the wild blue yonder) they don't belong.
I'm sure you have read comments and commentaries and messages where someone has expressed themself very effectively with well laid-out thinking accompanied by verifying Scripture in support of their view. Perhaps you even knew where the person was probably headed with their reasoning and you found yourself nodding in agreement with a grunt of "um hum."
Then somewhere along the road, probably about midway through the article or thereafter, you find yourself re-reading paragraphs to see if what you read was really what they said. Then as you continue to read, you discover the writer has taken you off on space ships or out-of-body experiences - and you end up discounting everything you had just read.
However, discounting everything is neither easy to do, nor is it expedient since there were definitely portions of the article that had real value; had it been applied correctly.
You wonder: "How can someone so out of touch with reality come up with such great stuff?"
I have wondered about that as well, and so far I have found two things that might account for such a phenomenon. First, perhaps this person had a brilliant inspiration as did the Theologian in the study above, and carried his "wisdom" into the unknown of his imaginations. It should always be remembered that many of the most brilliant minds are also insane.
A second possible reason for the above may be that the writer had no inspiration at all but rather borrowed from some other source, claimed it as his own, and carried it to his own spacecraft. Again, like in the study above.
Denominations and cults are built around just such thinking. One person either maliciously, or self-deceptively creates a story, sells the story to the world, and gains a following of people who do not wish to think for themselves but would rather just tag along with someone who claims to have the answers.
Those who choose to follow bazaar doctrines and ideologies are discounted as "Cults" in Traditional thinking. Those who chose to follow the accepted norm of a particular society are considered as merely "Denominational." But in either case, these people are not actually believing anything they claim to believe; they are merely accepting and echoing whatever information is being fed to them by their leaders.
Precept upon Precept.
But none of the above applies to you. You have had an awakening to a new meaning of an old Scripture. You have your Bibles and your study books before you, and you have prepared your list.
Now what?
First, if you want to be certain you are not going to be led into doctrinal error, you must make sure you have the guidance of the One who wrote the Bible. He is the only one who can tell you what line goes on what line, and which here-a-little goes with which there-a-little.
And if you are not in fact a born-again Christian following the leading of the Holy Spirit, you might just as well leave off reading at this point and re-read the above methodology of interpreting Scripture, thereby insuring you will remain in accepted doctrine. I can assure you, if you follow the instructions I am about to give, you will know for certain that you understand the Scriptures, but your understanding will fit with no established doctrine. Therefore no church or group will listen to you without shaking their heads and pointing at the door. If acceptability and not Spiritual understanding is what you are after, just stick with reading your church bulletins and commentaries.
Assuming you wish to continue, I repeat, make sure you follow your Leader, don't run off ahead and think you already know where He's going (like you did with the space traveler in the article above). And if you have a question, ask it of Him, just as if He was right there with you, because He is.
Now you are prepared to study the Word in the way it is supposed to be studied.
The First thing you have to do is clear your chalkboard. By this I mean you have to consider everything you have heard, everything you have been taught, and everything you believe to be wrong. It is much like in school or the Army - you cannot act like you are used to acting, nor can you think like you have been used to thinking and expect to get an "A" from your teacher, or a commendation from your Drill Sergeant. You have to do it their way, not yours. You have to un learn so you can be taught.
It's the same with God. Whatever is the very best of your way or understanding has to go. It is all wrong. All your "right" thinking and ego will only create a barrier to learning what God wants you to know, which is just the opposite of Man's wisdom. We read, and hear from the pulpit that the Carnal mind is at enmity with God; that our wisdom is foolishness to God. Yet we are also told that what we hear from the pulpit is God's Wisdom, so we look no farther. This is the foremost barrier to moving on with God and being led by the Holy Spirit. The Preachers say "Stop," that you already have everything there is to know when you have what they tell you to have and that anything else is heresy. So when the Holy Spirit tells you to "Go," you assume it must be something evil talking to you. (The Holy Spirit speaks much quieter than your preacher, and not nearly as often. Miss the "knock at the door," and the Holy Spirit moves on - just like the Shekinah Glory, who was the Holy Spirit, with the Israelites in the Wilderness.)
Once you are certain that you have the proper leading, then:
Take your list of every place the Scripture you are researching was used; see how they all fit together; and notice how they broaden the meaning of the word. You will doubtless discover there are more meanings to the words than you had understood there to be. Doctrine is built by grabbing hold to one meaning while discounting all the other meanings and applications. Be sure you don't do this. You have to assume that God meant what He said - All that He said.
Remember, God hid His Truth so the carnal mind can't find it, but will instead read it and be deceived. Don't expect the carnal mind, that you have always used, to comprehend what you are learning. Your carnal mind will fight your Spiritual understanding tooth and nail every step of the way. And the longer you have been in a particular church, the more educated you are, and the more certain you are of your own understanding, the more your mind and feelings will fight to hang on to its own belief system.
It is as if you are hanging from a rope over a deep canyon. You have a choice. You can continue to hang on to that frayed rope of carnality that will eventually send you to the depths below, but in the meantime allows you a sense of security: or, You can release the rope and latch onto the rope God is dangling in front of you that will carry you safely to solid land. Of course you say, that's no problem, you grab onto God's rope, right? But it's not that easy. The rope God is presenting is out of reach for you. And the more educated you are, and the more secure you are with your stance in life - the farther that rope God presents is from you.
You could try swinging on your rope, which is called "works" on your part; but your finest works will not get you any closer to safety or understanding.
What will it take?
Let go of your rope.
By letting go of your rope, that is everything you have considered as security in this life - your job, your bank account, your family, your friends, your church affiliation, your dignity, your understanding of everything that causes you to feel "right" while others are wrong -- all has to go. Everything that constitutes you, that is, your ego, has to be released and allowed to fall into the canyon below. By having done this, you will have lightened your load to the point you can take hold of God's rope.
Almost!
There is yet one more thing.
Faith.
Without faith you can not enter into God's presence. Therefore, without being in God's presence you can not understand His Words or His will for you.
You have released all your baggage. That shows faith, does it not?
There are many people in many lands and religions (even those in no religion) who have released all their baggage. Have they shown faith? Maybe. But not in God, nor have they shown any willingness to follow God. Perhaps a god of some form, with some reward in mind. But faith alone, and sacrifice alone will get a person nowhere but at the bottom of the pit.
To show that you actually have Saving Faith, you must release your rope. This means, total and complete submission with no hope of reward, not even Eternal reward, just as did the Apostles and the early Christians.
Ok, have you released your rope and therefore ready to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit? (I thought this was going to be a short study. I should learned better by now.)
Now, that list of Scriptures in front of you, study each one to see what it has to say. You will find some that don't fit what seems to be what the Holy Spirit is trying to show you. Don't worry about them, just mark them. Some of them will be clarified as you study further.
Don't be surprised if you find more and more new awareness as you study. One subject opens the meanings to several others. "Precept upon Precept." I have so many studies started that have led into others I could spend the rest of my life (presumably) just finishing them. Sometimes the Spirit will lead you into areas, not necessarily for you to study, but to help you understand more clearly the subject at hand. Also, I have found, He may instruct you to explore an area of great mystery merely to assure you that He is indeed leading you and that it is not just your imagination.
A warning might be appropriate here. Never assume you have it all, or have been given the Truth, or even a Truth. This is one of the major traps that theologians and ministers of the Word fall in to. It is also a problem that the intelligentsia of the secular world experience as well. As you study, keep in mind that each bit of knowledge is but a step of a journey. Just a step. None of the steps are an end in itself. Besides this, there is a principal that must be kept in mind if you wish to avoid doctrinal error, especially when it comes to studying God's Word. And that principal is this: "It is just as important to know what is not as it is to know what is." An example of this is God's allowing the nation of Israel to spend 400 years in Egypt in order to show them the contrast between what life can be like, and what life will be like if they are faithful. God does this in each of our lives as well in effort to bring us to a saving knowledge of Him.
The Holy Spirit is likely to lead you down false trails for the purpose of instruction, and not for the purpose of leading you to Truth. It is all too easy to grab what you have found and run with it, thinking you have a gold nugget instead of the fool's gold you are actually holding. This is how many cults and denominations are formed.
Another danger is the application of lids. The Pharisees thought they had the total truth, a product of their own wisdom, which they bottled up and sealed tightly. By putting a cap on knowledge you prevent the Holy Spirit from leading you any farther, therefore causing you to become wise in your own eyes while remaining a fool. This is the realm of the "world" and of the theologian. You may very likely continue your study, but you will have taken a path that has another spiritual guide than that of God. Read the works supported by the cults and the denominations and you will see how far off the path of Truth a person can become. And notice how many thousands of books these authors have sold, and consider how many gullible people read, believe and follow these inane ramblings.
Discount feelings. It has been my experience that the Holy Spirit uses our feelings much like a rudder. We have to stay very much in tune to the little emotions that we might ordinarily dismiss. It is like our conscience that speaks very quietly but distinctly, until we begin to pay no attention to it and it seemingly stops talking. God uses our feelings to direct us. This can create a danger to those who are not used to paying attention to their feelings, or who have developed a pattern of misinterpreting them. For instance, the feelings of excitement or confidence may very likely tell us that we are doing things correctly. When studying the Word, we are likely to assume these feeling come from the Holy Spirit. And, they might just be from the Holy Spirit. But they could just as likely be from your own ego. Don't assume anything at this time. Follow through with what you have been given (or think you have been given). If it is of the Holy Spirit it will become clear because everything will fall into place. If it from your ego, it will fall apart. I have begun studies that I have had to abandon, either because they were not panning out, or because the Lord only wanted me to learn from them, not write them (at least not at this time).
Keep in mind that as fun and exciting the Word of God is, and as fulfilling as the understandings given you are, they are insignificant in comparison to the real purpose of the Holy Spirit. It is all too easy to get so caught up in study that we miss what God wants from us - and that is to become as He is. Keeping in tune with the Holy Spirit gives us a sense of confidence that we are truly in His will, and that we are being led. And this assurance lets us know that we are in tune with what God is saying to us. However, if we do not also make the changes in our life that is intended to conform us into the "Image of God," that is, in the image of Christ, we will begin to experience a falling away as the Holy Spirit moves on without us. Don't be fooled by the "Assurance" doctrines that are so prevalent in many of the churches today. We are here to serve God, not the other way around. If God has a servant who refuses to obey Him, He fires that servant. This has been pointed out over and over in so many ways in Scripture. If you feel a falling away, run back before it's too late!!
Reject indoctrination. Doctrine, thereby "Tradition," creates a reading of the Bible inundated with dead-ends, fragmentations, contradictions and vacuums (holes) of understanding. When read as the Bible is intended to be read it is cohesive, fluid, exciting and loaded with ever-expanding exposition and understanding. Read the Bible looking for the "And"s. Denominational and cult doctrines read "Or" instead of "And" thereby grasping but a distorted piece of the Spiritual puzzle; then they reinforce that distortion with fragmented verses and fairy tales. The Bible is also written from God's perspective, not Man's. Man sees everything through a limited toilet paper tube, broken into chunks of time and space. God sees all things from the beginning to the end because He created everything from the end to the beginning. He not only created, but is creating, and will continue to create (and control!!) until He has finished His purpose at which time He will rest from His work (on the 7th day). Theologians read the Bible "literally" or "Spiritually," "Past" or "Future." By following this procedure you will limit the Holy Spirit and thereby never understand the Bible. It will remain a mystery to you just as it is to the "experts." The Bible is written to be understood Literally and Spiritually and Past and Future and what is more importantly, and a Present application that effects you and me right now. Church (denominational) doctrine is designed to separate and incarcerate (place into bondage) people under the name of instruction and clarification. But don't be fooled. There is only One Truth, and that is God. But there are thousands of lies, almost as many, I suppose, as there are churches, religions, denominations, cults and governments. "People will believe a lie they hear a hundred times and refuse the Truth they hear but once."
Back to your study.
Now you have before you your list of verses that don't fit your doctrine. For me, at this stage, if I have even one verse or word that conflicts with what I am being shown as "Truth," I don't accept the entire premise until everything lines up. In my mind it is like a perfectly healthy meal with but one single drop of arsenic. I don't care how good it looks, or how well it is advertised, I don't buy it. I know that it could easily be sold to someone else as Truth, but for me it goes to the wayside as an unproven theory. And there have been times I knew full well that the Holy Spirit was leading me, and I would run into that last verse that didn't fit, and I would cry out; "What about this!! What are you doing to me!!?" And then He would patiently lead me to some Scripture, or to the definition of a certain word in the original language, and that would clear it up.
So don't be surprised if you are not able find the Total Truth in this lifetime. We are only allowed to see things "In Part," and later it will be shown to us in full. God is patient, and He knows our weaknesses. What's important is that we allow our weaknesses and fallibility so He can deal with them and use them.
Understanding the Word is a tour, not a destination. And it is far better to be on a short tour in the right place, than to believe you are at a final destination but be at the wrong place!
Isaiah 28
1Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! 2Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which AS a tempest of HAIL and a destroying storm, as a FLOOD of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. 3The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: 4And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. 5In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, 6And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. 7But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 13But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and TAKEN.
14Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. 15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: 16Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. 18And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. 19From the time that it goeth forth it shall TAKE you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. 20For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. 21For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. 22Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
23Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. 24Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? 25When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? 26For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. 27For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. 28Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. 29This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
References
14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1Cor 2:14)
4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. (Isa 66:4)
8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col 2:)
10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. (Mat 13:)
14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and REPENT. 20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
15If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21He that hath my commandments, and KEEPETH THEM, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23Jesus answered and said unto him, IF a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
25These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
28Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 31But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. (John 14:)
11How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. (Mat 16:)
14Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. 15And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? 16Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 17IF any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. 18He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. (John 7:)
17Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. 19For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. (Rom 16:)
10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the UNITY of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a PERFECT MAN, unto the measure of the stature of THE FULNESS OF CHRIST: 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Eph 4:)
2Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. 3As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. (1Tim 1:)
1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (1Tim 4:)
6If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come (1Tim 4:)
1Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. 2And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. 3If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. (1Tim 6:)
10But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. (2Tim 3:)
16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.(2Tim 3:)
2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2Tim 4:)
9Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 10For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake (Titus 1:)
9Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. (Heb 13:)
1And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? (1Cor 3:)
10Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. 11Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb :5)
13Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (1Pet 1:)
Rev 3:
14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and REPENT. 20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21To him that OVERCOMETH will I grant to sit with me in my throne, EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Isaiah 29:
9Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. 10For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. 11And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: 12And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. 13Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: 14Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. 15Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? 16Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
8But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
17Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? (Mal 1:)
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