I have come to realize that most Christians avoid studying a given subject or matter because they are afraid that their views will not be confirmed. Most believers, if they ever get around to "manning up" and studying as they are commanded to, will come to find that their hearts sink as they realize that their views are being challenged by the very Scriptures themselves. When this is the case, they are presented with one of two options: (1) change your beliefs and conform them to the truths that Scripture has revealed, (2) rebel in disobedience and deny the revealed truths in favour of your pre-suppositions, traditions, and personal feelings.
Most believers' hearts will sink because they do not study God's Word with joy, seeking His truth above all else so that they may conform their lives to it. They fail to realize that our primary obligation is to be faithful to God and His Word. Instead, they would rather be faithful to how they were raised and what they were taught.
Many years ago I began praying a prayer, and I continue to pray that prayer to this very day. I continually ask God to reveal His truth to me and to conform me to His Word over and above how I was raised and anything I was taught. In the last 7 years or so, God has been challenging me on a number of subjects:
I have no doubt that there are other areas of my faith that God desires to challenge me on and strengthen me in. When we study these subjects for ourselves, and conform ourselves to the truths revealed, it builds a solid foundation beneath us that cannot easily be shaken. Our faith becomes real to us, rather than being mere head knowledge that has never reached our hearts. When our faith is in our heads only, it is not acted out in our lives and we merely parrot it rather than believe it. When our faith is deeply rooted in our hearts, it is acted out in every part of our lives for the entire world to see, and we believe it steadfastly.
Am I therefore better than other Christians I know who do not do the things I do? Not in the least! Perhaps some of them think that is how I see myself, but if they could see into my heart they would see my daily struggles pertaining to my standing before God. They would see me constantly examining myself and examining my beliefs to make sure they agree with Scripture. It is said that "ignorance is bliss," and sometimes I think people believe that wholeheartedly. They prefer to be ignorant so that they do not have to deal with many important issues. This pertains not only to biblical things but also to life in general.
To not want to address controversial subjects and study the truth behind them is to be a coward, and the Bible says that the cowardly will be cast into hell. It is not being willing to stand up and defend God's truths. It is wanting to seek unity with false gospels, false doctrines, and false teachers at the precious cost of the truth. When we would rather be united with others who believe drastically different from us rather than to defend the truth as set forth in God's Word, we are treading dangerously on deadly ground and spitting on that precious blood that offers us freedom in the truth and esteems truth highly above all else.
Jesus did not seek unity with the Pharisees and the errors that they taught. He cast Himself against them in defense of the truth. If we seek unity rather than truth, we have already cast ourselves in opposition to Christ. Jesus said He came to set families against each other, and that unless we denounce ourselves, forsake everything and follow Him, we will never see life. To seek unity with others who believe drastically and heretically different from what Scripture reveals is to love the world. It is to reject Christ. How? Because you are not willing to forsake such friendships, etc., for the cause of Christ.
If someone teaches something that is not substantiated in or by Scripture, since Scripture only has one interpretation, that person is teaching something that is false. If it is false, then it is a lie. If it is a lie, then it clearly is not the truth. Call it heresy if you wish, but if what they teach is a false interpretation of Scripture (such as Dispensationalism), then what they teach is a bold-faced lie. On that note, ponder promptly and heavily.
Personally, I do not care what others think. If I stand alone for Christ against the rest of the world, then so be it. If family and friends reject me, then so be it. If brothers and sisters in the faith despise me, then so be it. Christ is where my treasure is, and I will fight to defend biblical truth until my dying breath. I may not always present it in the best way, and I may not be as gracious and loving as I ought to be and would like to be, but I am not going to roll over and let truth be trampled on by men and women who desire to have their ears tickled and do what is right in their own eyes. I have the fortitude to stand up for what I believe in and challenge everyone who stands in opposition to the truth. I will not succumb to false religions and false "Christianities" for the sake of "tolerance" and "unity" so called. The Bible is chock full of individuals who stood for truth against error with everyone else against them. Elijah and the prophets of Baal, for example. I know in Whom I have believed, and He is worthy to be pursued in truth.
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Most believers' hearts will sink because they do not study God's Word with joy, seeking His truth above all else so that they may conform their lives to it. They fail to realize that our primary obligation is to be faithful to God and His Word. Instead, they would rather be faithful to how they were raised and what they were taught.
Many years ago I began praying a prayer, and I continue to pray that prayer to this very day. I continually ask God to reveal His truth to me and to conform me to His Word over and above how I was raised and anything I was taught. In the last 7 years or so, God has been challenging me on a number of subjects:
- What I believed about the end times (the so-called Rapture, 7-year Great Tribulation, man called Anti-Christ, and future Millennial Kingdom);
- Marriage and its sacredness: the fact that Scripture calls re-marriage after divorce adultery;
- The fact that Jesus did not die and shed His blood for each and every individual that has ever lived, but only for those chosen in Christ from before the foundations of the world and given to Him by the Father;
- The fact that Romans 7 is not a Christian, but a man under the condemnation of the Law, because Romans 8 is the everyday Christian experience;
- The non-cessation of the spiritual gifts; and
- Infant baptism
I have no doubt that there are other areas of my faith that God desires to challenge me on and strengthen me in. When we study these subjects for ourselves, and conform ourselves to the truths revealed, it builds a solid foundation beneath us that cannot easily be shaken. Our faith becomes real to us, rather than being mere head knowledge that has never reached our hearts. When our faith is in our heads only, it is not acted out in our lives and we merely parrot it rather than believe it. When our faith is deeply rooted in our hearts, it is acted out in every part of our lives for the entire world to see, and we believe it steadfastly.
Am I therefore better than other Christians I know who do not do the things I do? Not in the least! Perhaps some of them think that is how I see myself, but if they could see into my heart they would see my daily struggles pertaining to my standing before God. They would see me constantly examining myself and examining my beliefs to make sure they agree with Scripture. It is said that "ignorance is bliss," and sometimes I think people believe that wholeheartedly. They prefer to be ignorant so that they do not have to deal with many important issues. This pertains not only to biblical things but also to life in general.
To not want to address controversial subjects and study the truth behind them is to be a coward, and the Bible says that the cowardly will be cast into hell. It is not being willing to stand up and defend God's truths. It is wanting to seek unity with false gospels, false doctrines, and false teachers at the precious cost of the truth. When we would rather be united with others who believe drastically different from us rather than to defend the truth as set forth in God's Word, we are treading dangerously on deadly ground and spitting on that precious blood that offers us freedom in the truth and esteems truth highly above all else.
Jesus did not seek unity with the Pharisees and the errors that they taught. He cast Himself against them in defense of the truth. If we seek unity rather than truth, we have already cast ourselves in opposition to Christ. Jesus said He came to set families against each other, and that unless we denounce ourselves, forsake everything and follow Him, we will never see life. To seek unity with others who believe drastically and heretically different from what Scripture reveals is to love the world. It is to reject Christ. How? Because you are not willing to forsake such friendships, etc., for the cause of Christ.
If someone teaches something that is not substantiated in or by Scripture, since Scripture only has one interpretation, that person is teaching something that is false. If it is false, then it is a lie. If it is a lie, then it clearly is not the truth. Call it heresy if you wish, but if what they teach is a false interpretation of Scripture (such as Dispensationalism), then what they teach is a bold-faced lie. On that note, ponder promptly and heavily.
Personally, I do not care what others think. If I stand alone for Christ against the rest of the world, then so be it. If family and friends reject me, then so be it. If brothers and sisters in the faith despise me, then so be it. Christ is where my treasure is, and I will fight to defend biblical truth until my dying breath. I may not always present it in the best way, and I may not be as gracious and loving as I ought to be and would like to be, but I am not going to roll over and let truth be trampled on by men and women who desire to have their ears tickled and do what is right in their own eyes. I have the fortitude to stand up for what I believe in and challenge everyone who stands in opposition to the truth. I will not succumb to false religions and false "Christianities" for the sake of "tolerance" and "unity" so called. The Bible is chock full of individuals who stood for truth against error with everyone else against them. Elijah and the prophets of Baal, for example. I know in Whom I have believed, and He is worthy to be pursued in truth.
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."