Slandering The Word Of God

We don't get to say whatever we want. Sure most of us live in places where we have freedom of speech but this freedom does not mean we get to say whatever we want. We can and often do but we forget there are consequences. If I said or wrote something about you that was not true it would be called slander and most courts in the world protect people in these cases. If I claim something about you I must be prepared to defend what I said by actual proof. If not, you could successfully sue me. So we should always think twice before commenting on something of which we are not certain. The same is true about Jesus and the Word of God.

It is unfortunate that we live in an age where people prefer listening to other people's opinions on the Word of God instead of studying it for their own understanding. People's knowledge of the Word is often from scripture taken out of context, Christian songs, 3 minute video clips, sound bites from some conference. What we don't understand we make up. What blanks are left we fill in with speculation. It is amazing some of the wrong teaching people are basing their faith on and worse, teaching to others.

We have no idea what damage we are causing when we teach speculation instead of the truth, opinion instead of fact, rumour instead of knowledge. We are slandering the Word of God and destroying people's faith. Paul wrote of such an incident :

And Hymenaeus and Philetus have been talking this way by teaching that the dead have already been raised to life. This is far from the truth, and it is destroying the faith of some people. (2 Timothy 2:17-18)

There are so many false teachings permeating the Church and the faith of God's children all because the children are too lazy to see what God said for themselves. It is like when Moses came from meeting with God and the people were terrified. God wanted to have a personal relationship with all of them but they were too afraid. They told Moses to represent them. Now it isn't fear that keeps us from knowing God but laziness. We still want someone to represent God to us instead of entering into the personal intimate relationship that is ours to have.

If we want to be teachers of the Word then we must become students of the Word. But understand, students of the Word do not sit in classrooms. That is not how the Word works. It is not a document to be studied but a character to be lived. The Word does not so much tell us what to do as it explains what is happening. It gives us road signs to let us know if we are on the right path. It reveals God's heart and explains what he has done. But the Word has to be lived and we are empowered to do that by the Holy Spirit. To be a teacher of the Word means you are filled by the Spirit and are a living example of the Word of God.

Let's stop slandering the Word of God and be determined to know the truth for ourselves. Stop being taught by songs, sound bites and scriptures shared on the Internet and bathe yourself in the Word by the Holy Spirit. Open your Bible and ask the Spirit to write it on your heart. Become a student before you teach. 

What Is Your Opinion?

There is a lot of stuff out there that is going to confuse you. It's confusing because they are convinced that they are right. People are very sincere and passionate about their opinion, point of view and life style decisions they have taken. For them it is black and white but what we live should be black and white for us as well. The difference is that our life, choices and decisions are not based on our opinion.

This is an important fact you must hold on to: We live what we live because we are convinced of God's love for us. Convinced of this love we have  submitted ourselves in obedience to the one who has demonstrated such love to us. Our life is not based on our thoughts and opinions but on the direction given to us by our God.

Now, if all that existed was this place and if all that we possessed is all there was, maybe such a life would appear to be a waste. That is how many look at us, a people who are living a wasted life. But this is not all there is. We are not made up of body and mind. We are a soul with a body and there is much more to all of this than what we see. The world would have us convinced that what we see is what we get and we need to make the most of it before it all comes to an end. That is a truly sad and wasted life.

However we are convinced that there is much more because we have tasted of it by the Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. Our Jesus is not a theory or some crutch to get us through life. He is not a delusion that keeps us from going crazy. He is a participant in our lives daily. In fact, he goes way beyond participant because it is through Jesus that we have discovered true life. We do not live the hopeless cardboard cut out life of this world which is lost in self-opinion.

The problem is the passion of this world to live in rebellion to God in pursuit of their own desires. They are not content to die horribly on their own but want to bring as many along as possible. They are not content until you agree to say that they are right. It is far too easy to give in to this world and just go with the flow. Isn't that how the world says we can save this planet? But we know it's not the truth because we know there is more than what we see and there is more than just this world. Paul encouraged Timothy:

Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. (2 Timothy 1:14)

Guard it because it is under attack. Guard it, not in your opinion but with the Holy Spirit. Understand the Word of God, not in your opinion but in the revelation of the Holy Spirit. Stand on the Word as truth and do not allow this world to confuse you. Opinion is often based on experience, what we know and see, but the world does not know God and has not seen beyond it's own short nose.

Be careful then what you entertain as truth. Be careful of what you allow to nest in your mind and to possess your heart. Be careful of the opinions you allow to form that are devoid of any portion of the Word of God. Be careful of anything you accept that does not come from the Holy Spirit. Guard the good deposit, with the help of the Spirit of God.

Serving With A Heavenly Mind

I have had it said of me that I am so "heavenly minded you are no earthly good", but I don't believe that. In fact, I believe the opposite to be true; if we aren't heavenly minded we are no earthly good. Too many of us are so full of ourselves and the world philosophies that we have nothing to offer anyone. Be real, who wants to hear my opinion on anything? Who cares what I think. My role here is not to share my opinion but to be so full of the Spirit and God's wisdom that it is God's wisdom that I share.

My opinions don't matter and I don't trust them because they have for too long been formed by the perspective of this world. All I really want is to know God's thoughts, his knowledge and his wisdom in all matters. For this I must experience his Word through the Holy Spirit in me. I don't read the Word to have an opinion, I read it to discover God, his knowledge and wisdom. The only way I can do this beyond the words on paper is to allow the Holy Spirit to teach me the Word. This should be a goal for all of us as we encourage one another to go to the end of the matter:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)

There is the word "let" again. Just as yesterday we discovered in the verse previous to this that we must "let" the peace of Jesus rule in our hearts, we must "let" (allow, permit) the Word to dwell in us. It is not something we have to force or generate. We don't have to dissect the Word and become some great theologian or scholar. All we have to do is allow the Spirit to teach us. Let go of any self-learned opinion and "let" the Spirit show you the way to greater understanding and the power to live the Word.

Too many of us try to teach and admonish without the Word. We use a bit of the Word mixed with wisdom from the world. It sounds great to a world-saturated mind, familiar and true, but we are to have nothing to do with the wisdom of this world as we lean on our God for all things. We cannot drink from two sources and expect that God will honour it. The wisdom we are to use to teach and admonish comes from the Word, from God, and if you are not "letting" the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, it is best to keep your opinions to yourself. Your opinion will not save anyone, in fact, it may cause them more harm than good.

We cannot be double minded in these things. We must be clear who is our source for all things. We cannot try to win the approval of man by becoming men and women of education. If the Spirit directs you to take higher education then do it with all his energy, for his glory and purpose. But do not try to get letters after your name so people will be impressed and you can appear wise and knowledgeable. Do not think that education will allow you to be a better minister in the Church. God has no use from education in the Church as he is the source of all things for us. Our teacher is the Holy Spirit and without him we cannot know the mind of Christ. Make sure you understand these things. Make sure you understand your motives. Make sure that Jesus is your only reason for being. He is the air we breath.