SCRIPTURAL TEACHING To believing Christians, the main basis of their belief in Christianity, is through the Scripture. Scriptural teachings, as believed may be as written or as quoted from what has been written by chosen Holy men of God. If the intelligence and the thoughts of scholars were to be used for understanding the scripture, then God and our Lord Jesus Christ, would not have chosen and named the prophets and Apostles to come down with the scripture. God would not have said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord ” (Isaiah 55:8). “ Every word of God is pure: He is ashield unto them that put trust in Him Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar ” (Proverbs 30: 5-6, Revelation 22:18-19). Further, this should not have been written, “ Thus saith the Lord; cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord ” (Jeremiah 17:5). It should not have been said, as written, “ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding ” (Proverbs 3:5). If unchosen and unnamed, so called holy men of God, could just change everything based on their thoughts. These instructions, as written in Scripture, should not have been written, if man could just change it, it is written, “ And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also ” (II Timothy 2:2). And “ Now I beseech you, brethen, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment ” (I Corinthians 1:10) As commonly encountered, many present day preachers claim that they have to make the message of the scripture easy to be understood by the common man. Are they saying that the Holy Ghost cannot make man understand and that their help is needed by God for understanding? Has it not been written by the Holy Ghost, as the Preacher, that, as written, “ The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright even words of truth ” (Ecclesiastes 12:10). Has it not been written that, “ But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant ” (I Corinthians 14:38). Has it not been written also that, as written, “ Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go ” (Isaiah 48:17) And, “ And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest ” (Hebrews 8:11, Jeremiah 31:34). From the above quotations from Scripture, Spiritual guidance and instruction is provided for man to know what the basis of ones belief should be. The presence of more than 35,000 registered Christians sects indicate not only that man is using the thoughts of man for doctrine, but that they also have ventured into corrupting the word of God, as indicated by the numerous versions of the Bible. Each version trying to justify their stand. Our all-knowing God knows about this. For this reason, it is written, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thessalonians 5:21) And, “ Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world ” (I John 4:1). BY the instructions of God by His words are we guided. What says the Holy Ghost on scriptural instruction? It is written, “Take fast hold of instruction: let her not go: keep her; for she is they life” (Proverbs 4:13). As written, “He that is of God heareth God’s words: Ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” (John 8:47) Are we of God or not to ignore His instructions? What says the Scripture about the holy men of God? Can holy men be made because these men chose to serve God or is it God who chooses? Is the commission to preach the Gospel given to men who studied in Christian Schools of Learning or to the Apostles named by the Lord? Is this commission given to organization-ordained or God named and ordained? With regard to choosing, it is written, “ Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in the name, He may give it to you ” (John 15:16). As regards to who are commissioned to preach, it is written, “ And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be damned ” (Mark 16:15) Nevertheless some will still claim that since the Apostle and Prophets are already dead, that they provide the continuity. Why? Has it not been written when Jesus chose the Apostle that their fruit will remain and their fruit is the scripture? Continuity of preaching can be noted by this pronouncement by the Holy Ghost, as written, “ For the whom God hath send speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him ” (John 3:34) And, “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward: and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward ” (Matthew 10:41). From these quotation it can be noted that you don’t give your thoughts or words but the words that are written or the words of God from these holy men ordained and named of God. Continuity is to preach the same things as written. What is the scriptural instruction to establish the word of God? It is written, “ This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established ” (II Corinthians 13:1, Deuteronomy 19:15, Matthew 18:16). Only by the Scripture can a man profit on things of the Spirit as written, “ All scripture is given by inspiration of 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 ” (II Timothy 3:16-17). For interpretation to establish the word, a word of caution is given, as written, “ Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost ” (II Peter 1:20-21). For the Lord to be delighted in a man, this is what the Scripture says, “ If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord: ” (Isaiah 58;13-14). This is the message of the Lord regarding the so called holy men who were not sent by Him, as written, “ I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then there should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings ” (Jeremiah 23:21-22). Furthermore the Scripture says, “ The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord ” (Jeremiah 23:28). Also, it is the Lord, through the scripture, that makes the requirement on what a man should know and obey, as written, “ But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom man have committed much, of him they will ask the more ” (Luke 12:48). As written, was the thief who was crucified with Jesus Christ required much when the only thing he said was, as written, “ And he said unto the Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him. To day shalt thou be with me in paradise ” (Luke 23:42-43). Did Jesus here give much of a requirement to that thief or just being true to the word of the Lord that, “ Whosever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved ” (Romans 10:13). Only the scripture provides profitable Spiritual perfection regarding doctrine, reproof correction and instruction in righteousness, as written, “ All scripture is given by inspiration of 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, ” (II Timothy 3:15-17), then any organizational or sectarian teaching which are not written in scripture should not to be taken as truth. It is also written, “ For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. ” (Revelation 22:18-19). Teaching also on certain things which are found in scripture but without the concurrence of another or two other holy men ordained and named of God should not be taken to established doctrines, as written, “This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”(II Corinthians 3:1, Deuteronomy 19:15, Matthew 18:16). Also, “ Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual. ” (I Corinthians 2:13). For another thing, utmost care should be taken in dealing with the word of God, as written, “ Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.”(Ecclesiastes 5:1-3). Can this be observed when we go to church? Do we hear the words of God more than the preachers’ words. Are they not just using words God, Jesus Christ, Amen and Spirit? Furthermore, the Holy Ghost teaches that we should not vow if we do not intend to pay our vows or say and teach anything in the area of the Spiritual, which differ from what has been written because we are guided, as written, “ When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands. ”(Ecclesiastes 5:4-6). Because sentence against the doing of evil or on teachings contrary to spiritual instruction is not executed speedily, man is not moved to fear God, as written, “ Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore there heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. ”(Ecclesiastes 8:11). God has foreknown man’s nature as declared in Scripture, as written, “ So, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. ”(Ecclesiastes 7:29). There are many doctrinal inventions imposed by religious organizations to their members. Some are outright inventions. Others are inventions that contradict Scripture. Outright doctrinal inventions are agreed upon inventions by the higher echelon of an organization or sect. These are not supported by Scripture. Some examples is the Trinity, the sign of the cross, the rosary, the papacy, that Peter is the first Pope, that the Pope is the vicar of Christ, the ascension of Mary, that Mary is a perpetual virgin, that there is appointed Son other than the prophesied Son which is Jesus Christ, that the priesthood has to continue and that priest could forgive sins, that Jesus’ and Mary’s and the Apostles’ pictures, as imagined, could represent the true Jesus and Mary in Scripture, that man can canonize and decanonize saints, that baptism for repentance would be substituted with baptism for Christening, and that there is also such a thing as spiritual holy water and holy rosary, and also that there is purgatory. Of course these organizations could include these inventions in their doctrine. After all the organization is theirs. But if they say that their inventions are God inspired, where are the records in scripture? The commands of God to man is, as written, “ But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people and walk ye in all the ways that I commanded you that it may be well with you. ”(Jeremiah 7:23). Further that man should not spiritually trust anything that is of man and not written and uttered by the Holy Ghost who speaks in the name of chosen and named prophets and Apostles, it is written, “ Cursed be the men that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord. ”(Jeremiah 17:5). Also, “For be carnally minded is death: but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ”(Romans 8:6-7). This is where the so called free will applies, but only in the carnal mind. Knowing that God is a jealous God, the imposition of these inventions as doctrinal poses a problem. Whom shall the seekers in their organizations or sects obey? the non-scriptural inventions of man or the voice of God in scripture? Now the Scripture says that in order to establish the word, the word must be concurred by two or three holy witnesses, as written, “ In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. ”(II Corinthians 3:1, Matthew 18:16, Deuteronomy 19:5). Why two or three witnesses? Because, as written, “ And He hath cast the lot for them, and His hand hath divided it unto them by line: they shall possess it forever, from generation to generation shall they dwell therein. ”(Isaiah 34:17). After all, is it not also written that to understand doctrine, the rule is, as written?, “ Whom shall He teach knowledge and whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast. For precept must be upon percept, percept upon percept; line upon line, line upon line: here a little and there a little: ”(Isaiah 28:9-10). To continue ,it is written that, “ It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. ”(Proverbs 25:2). Is this not in line with another pronouncement, as written, “ And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. ”(Jeremiah 29:13)?
Posted on: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 13:52:38 +0000
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