Nothing New To See

My friend was amazed that I noticed her new kitchen cabinet knobs last week. She’s just now moving and I dropped in on her unannounced and her kitchen looked, well, like someone in the middle of a move. Somehow, I managed to see beyond the clutter and I noticed her new knobs.

Maybe it really isn’t terribly odd; having recently moved, I am not distracted by empty boxes and clutter, and I have been in her kitchen several times so I was familiar with it and the knobs simply hadn’t been there before. How could I not see them?

This is how I want to train my eye when it comes to the things of God. Just like I know my friend’s kitchen, I want to know the Bible so thoroughly that when I hear something false, (something added, or omitted) that I see it immediately. And, I want to develop a deeper understanding of the character and attributes of God so that when I hear anything that is not true about God I am immediately offended for his Name. I’m sure you do, too.

This requires a lot of hard work. It means we must read the Bible, every word, often. We should read it through at least once every year, in different versions and translations. We should read it in a variety of ways: chronologically, or from Genesis to Revelation, or the Old and New Testaments simultaneously. Not only should we read the Bible, we should study it, digging deep into God’s Word.

We must diligently study the Bible because that is where God has completely and thoroughly revealed himself to us.

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son… And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature…” — Hebrews 1:2-3 NASB

We must be acutely involved with God’s Word, we must know it, understand it, contend for it, and memorize it. These pages of recorded words are the very words of God, breathed by God, protected by God, and used by God to reveal himself, transform us and complete his purpose in each one of us. Every word is precious.

“You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” — 2 Timothy 3:14-16 NASB

We cannot assume that whatever anyone teaches us about God is true simply because they have a title of missionary, teacher, pastor, priest, bishop, or elder. Our eternal destiny is at stake. There is only one truth, and it is in the Bible.

It is our own individual responsibility to see to it that we are not led by lies into deception. We will stand alone when we stand before God on judgment day. We will be held accountable for what we’ve chosen to believe and to whom we’ve chosen to listen.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears ticked, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” — 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NASB

Are you enticed by a fresh new idea of Jesus? Of God? Of the Holy Spirit? Of salvation? Have you run your thoughts through the grid of the Bible? There are no new knobs; there are no new revelations of God.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not get carried away by varied and strange teachings…” — Hebrews 13:8-9

We must closely study the attributes of God, with a dictionary in one hand and a concordance in the other. We must dig deep into the doctrines until we understand them so clearly that we can explain them to a child. And we must ask God to lead us into truth (being open to embrace His truth) as He protects us from the deception and lies of the evil one.

Will you search the Bible to discover for yourself if the doctrines your church embraces are in there? If they are not, will you ask the senior leader of your church to explain the doctrine to you using only the Bible.

I know, your pastor is busy and you’re afraid you might be considered a pest, but this is about life or death… Yours! If the doctrines are truth, they will be in the Bible — and it is your pastor’s pleasure and responsibility to teach you.

Will you commit to read and study the Bible so that you are familiar with the truth of God’s word? Will you commit to align your heart, your mind and your life to the Bible, God’s sole and inerrant word? Will you commit to contend for the Gospel as revealed in God’s word?