Christian Study

This is likely a bit of a repeat, but it has been on my mind. Bible verses are constantly being spiritualized or skipped over.

Verses are skipped over because they are not understood based on what people think they know about scripture.

Verses are spiritualized because they are not understood based on what people think they know about scripture.

This has the effect of people deciding to believe what they think they know instead of what the scripture is actually trying to teach.

God is not double minded nor can he change His morals nor His Law.

2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”.

It is our understanding that needs help. Scripture does not need our help by spiritualizing verses. Spiritualizing a verse destroys its meaning.

Bible manuscripts come from two major lines. The Received or Majority text was used for the King James and Geneva Bibles. Over 2500 manuscripts are available. They are complete and in agreement with one another. What has been incorrectly called the “more ancient manuscripts” have been used in almost all newer translations. These manuscripts are ancient because they were incomplete. They were considered to be of little value and ignored until more recent times. The Received text actually has more ancient support than the incomplete manuscripts.

When you see the footnote in your bible, “The earliest and most reliable manuscripts do not have”, consider that this very subjective statement is untrue. The Hebrew and Greek texts that are used for most all modern Bible versions were produced from two incomplete texts. One of them was found in the trash. The men who compiled them were into the occult throughout their lives. They did not believe in Christ as our sole mediator between God and man. They did not believe in the verbal inspiration of the Hebrew and Greek text. Their regard for the text of Scripture was no different than they would have for any ancient text. Their work is considered standard reference today. Many preachers make use of these not knowing this truth. Regardless of the motivation for those footnotes, they actually destroy faith in the accuracy and continuity of the scripture.

All Bible translations have errors. Some have purposely been translated to support church doctrine or political correctness. While the KJV Bible has many problems itself, it and the Geneva Bible are still basically the only Bibles translated from reliable manuscripts for sale today. Proper use of a concordance and perhaps group study can help with understanding. Ignore long standing commentaries. Realize that the Koine Greek was unknown when the KJV and Strong’s Concordance were written. The truth is found in the Hebrew and Greek Received text.

Romans 1:31 without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful”.

2 Timothy 3:3 “without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good”.

“Natural affection” is to cherish affectionately one’s own family, kin and race. Scripture calls a lack of this heartless, hard hearted and a debased mind.

Many find it difficult to believe this scripture.

Isaiah 45:7 “I form light and I create darkness; I make peace and I create evil; I am Yahweh; I do all these things.”

But remember

John 1:3 “All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made.”

If one claims to be a Christian the proof of their faith is found in their behavior. If a man claims to be a Christian and then behaves in a way as to promote or protect faith in false gods then he is not validating his claim to be a Christian. The man then should not be considered a Christian brother or neighbor. No one is perfect, but validate a claim by behavior.

James 2:18-20 “Rather one shall say: “You have faith, and I have works, show to me your faith without the works, and I shall show to you faith by my works!” You believe that there is one God, you do well; even the demons believe it, and they shudder! Now do you desire to know, o vain man, that faith without works is idle?”

This has been covered before, but now with a little different aspect. There are very few subjects in scripture that have a simple one line answer. It is too bad that when one is asked to defend a non politically correct doctrine that all one is really permitted to give is not much more than a one sentence answer. Keep in mind they won’t understand it anyway.

John 1:5 “And the light shines in the darkness; yet the darkness comprehends it not.”

Light vs dark, good vs evil. The potter has His purpose. Who are we to question Him.

Romans 9:13-16, 21 “Even as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be! For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.” “Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?”

This teaches several things, one of which is that we are not all created equal. The concept of equality in scripture is only found in Christ. Thus the equality is limited to those who are Christians. Churches teach it or imply that all are equal, but scripture never places all people everywhere on a level playing field. This is also backed up by the following.

2 John 1:9-11 “Whoever transgresses and doesn’t remain in the teaching of Christ, doesn’t have God. He who remains in the teaching, the same has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you, and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him, for he who welcomes him participates in his evil deeds.”

Unfortunately few take the above scripture seriously. No fellowship is permitted for those who fit the description above and below. The sad part is that some Christians can’t hear what scripture says here.

2 Chronicles 19:2b “Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate Yahweh? Because of this, wrath is on you from before Yahweh.”

There was a world wide flood in Genesis 1.

Genesis 1:6-7 God said, “Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.

Genesis 1:9-10 God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear;” and it was so. God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering together of the waters he called “seas.” God saw that it was good.

Consider the possibility that Noah’s flood was a local flood. The Chinese wrote about the extent of the flood waters at that time. The world wide flood was in Genesis 1.

Here is an interesting article by a friend.