The “Jesus’ Wife” Heresy

As an outstanding article in The Atlantic  put it, The Bible Refers to Jesus’ Wife, Too–The Church.

Whether the media-hyped ‘fragment’ turns out to be a fraud [which seems likely]*  or simply, false teaching, Christians, who are grounded in Scripture and the teaching of the Church, know better than to entertain this fantasy.  The Incarnation does not open the door to such a path.  Christ is not a bigamist.

In his commentary on “The Hymn in Honor of Christ” in Colossians, F.F. Bruce notes that “an intelligent appreciation of the doctrine of Christ is the best safeguard against most forms of heretical teaching…”

Many arm-chair Christians need to take up a Bible and read.  Colossians 1 and such passages as the prologue to John, Hebrews 1, Ephesians 1, Philippians 2,  etc. , are a powerful antidote to the godless speculation of our day.

Colossians 1:15-20

 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
*NOTE: Links in text  became broken; paper on fraud was by Francis Watson of Durham University.   If link does not work,  do search.

http://markgoodacre.org/Watson2.pdf

[It is now beyond reasonable doubt that this is a fake. {“There’s an error in the fragment that is reproduced from an online version of the Gospel of Thomas.“}

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/godandthemachine/2012/10 /jesuss-wife-textual-fingerprints-of-a-forger/

But, again, the key point is that it does not matter. Fake or simply fourth century false teaching, it is heresy.]

Teaching Children the Ten Commandments

***

The Ten Commandments “became an integral part of our culture by appearing in verse form in one of McGuffey’s famous Readers.”

–D. Elton Trueblood

***

Above all else love God alone;

Bow down to neither wood nor stone.

God’s name refuse to take in vain;

The Sabbath rest with care maintain.

Respect your parents all your days;

Hold sacred human life always.

Be loyal to your chosen mate;

Steal nothing neither small nor great.

Report, with truth, your neighbor’s deed;

And rid your mind of selfish greed.

This is an easy way for children to begin to learn them. As they grow, read them the text itself, Exodus 20

.“Exhort your household to learn them word for word, that they should obey God…For if you teach and urge your families things will go forward.”–Martin Luther

[ Barna Research Group– 60 percent of Americans can’t name even five of the Ten Commandments. “No wonder people break the Ten Commandments all the time. They don’t know what they are,” said George Barna.]

[Joe Carter, at the Gospel Coalition, writes, ‘ we have forgotten the moral aspect of memorization. “A trained memory wasn’t just about gaining easy access to information,” says Joshua Foer, referring to the ancient world, “it was about strengthening one’s personal ethics and becoming a more complete person.” Foer adds that the thinking of the ancients was that only through memorization could ideas truly be incorporated into one’s psyche and their values absorbed.’]

Note: The worst attacks on the Ten Commandments are not from atheists who seek to destroy monuments, but from antinomian Christians. Be sure to read the quotes from Luther, Calvin, and Wesley in my comment below.  They all had to stand against the lawless Christians of their own day.

Hear the word of God. Teach the word of God. God’s Assignment: Teach Your Children His Word  [LINK]

See also, Your Child and Your TV  

[TV link FIXED. Could not afford website host any longer. Links from Internet Archive Wayback Machine]

30th Anniversary, Christian Pacifism

30 Years ago– Quaker Life Magazine Cover
Cover art from my book [Originally pub. by Friends United Press. Now in ebook format for Kindle,  Nook, or PC.  See reviews on Amazon.

New REVIEW

Christian Pacifism: For NOOK and PC  or Kindle and PC or Kindle, UK

Only three dollars

Susanna Combs, graphic artist. Designed from a double exposure photo that I took of a window in Greenfield, Ind., Methodist Church and missiles at Wright-Patterson AFB.

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WHERE Are the disciples who make disciples as commanded by JESUS?

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Exhortation: “Beware. Be Faithful. Do Right in God’s sight.”

“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an

evil heart of unbelief in deserting from the living God; but

exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of

you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12, 13).

Image

The New Testament consistently emphasizes the responsibility that we Christians have for each other. The command to exhort one another cannot be obeyed by praying. And it cannot be obeyed by any modern, neutered notion of encouragement.

Have we lost the biblical notion of exhortation? Actually, after much neglect, we quietly nudged it out the door. The Spirit of the Times offered us something more palatable: as for kids, something more like that seducer Sugar.

First, let us be clear about what exhort means. As The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology states it, “to exhort means to exert influence upon the will and decisions of another with the object of guiding him into a generally accepted code of behaviour or of encouraging him to observe certain instructions. Exhortation always presupposes some previous knowledge. It consists of reminding a person of this with the intention that he should carry it out. To exhort is to address the whole man.”

So, then, how has our friend Sugar killed the taste of what God requires from us? Encouragement strides onto center stage. But it is not encouragement to do right, to obey God, to follow his word. Rather, it is encouragement without standards, encouragement in a vacuum, encouragement to “be free, do what is right for you;” not encouragement to do God’s will.

Thus, Encouragement says, “We will be here for you, whatever you do.” Going to rob a bank or murder your enemy? “We are here for you.” Absurd? Let us look at the everyday life of the church when facing issues (i.e. sins) like abortion, divorce, and sodomy. The liberal agenda that encourages homosexuality repulses most of us. But many more Christians approach the abortion issue with the “you just do what’s right for you” philosophy. “We are here for you.” Even the evangelical church builds upon this same sure foundation of sand when facing sins like divorce….

This point needs to be absolutely clear in our minds: In exhortation, there is an “emphasis on the demand for right conduct in this life.” And, we do not set the standard, God’s word does. While in the New Testament “exhortation is an almost stereotyped part of the church’s life,” today, the ever-blowing Zeitgeist seeks to suffocate it. But we can gain the victory in that life and death struggle if we regain some lost territory, especially that of our minds with which we are to love God.

One way in which we have lost ground stems from our switching from the word “exhort”—“to advise or warn earnestly” (Webster)—to the word “encourage”—“to inspire with courage . . . cheer on or up” (Webster).

If we have children who compete in sports, we cheer them on in a race, or on the basketball court or football field. But certainly, that differs from an earnest warning to follow the rules of the event or of the game.

Now, in the New Testament, the Greek word (PARAKALEO) does have this range of meanings and a bit more. As always, the meaning depends on the context. We can see this by looking at the various words which the Revised Standard Version uses to translate it. Of the 109 occurrences of that Greek verb, the most often used translation is “exhort” (20 times). But it is also translated as “encourage” and “entreat” (6 times each); as “comfort” (15 times); and “beseech” (14 times). It also has the basic meaning of “call to” which is translated as “beg” (15 times) in such incidents as the petitions of the demons and of the citizens in the country of the Gadarenes, or as in the blind man’s cry for Jesus’ help.

Different contexts reflect different shades of meaning. When we examine the New International Version, probably the most widely used version, we see that in most instances, it uses “encourage” to replace “exhort” (except, inexplicably, in two verses, probably because of their familiarity). It also uses “urge” as a replacement (four times), and “plead” and “appeal” (once each).

But, here, if we lose ground, the responsibility for that loss falls mostly upon us as the readers, rather than upon the translators. We lose ground only when we focus on “encourage” in its popular sense without paying diligent attention to the text—a key weakness which we Christians have. In these verses, “encourage” has a strong focus: “to remain true to the Lord” (Acts 11:23) or “to the faith” (14:22); “to live lives worthy of God” (1 Thess. 2:12; cf. 4:1) and to grow in our love for one another (4:10).

We are encouraged to carry out specific actions: warn, console, or help, depending upon the problem (5:14). And as we encourage others, it is not from the well of our own opinions that we draw water, it is with “careful instruction” (2 Tim 4:2)—that “teaching” of the Apostles which is handed down to us in Scripture.  Clearly, this is not that encouragement in a vacuum (without rules) which prevails today, where the focus turns to self as the final authority (that idolatrous individualism mentioned in chapter one).

That is why when we exhort our fellow Christians, we focus on God’s word. He has entrusted us, as stewards, with his revelation. We are to bring the light of his word to bear on the situation without fearfully shrinking back. And by our words we faithfully encourage those who stumble or who are leaving the narrow way to look at what God’s word reveals. We plead with them to conform their lives to Christ’s commands and directions. And if we are the ones doing the exhorting, we must always be mindful that that “demand for right conduct” comes, not from us, but from God.

–From Love, Prayer, and Forgiveness: When Basics Become Heresies.

[See Amazon or B&N] Now, ebook, three dollars.

The Great Commandment: Heart and Mind

My favorite Frank and Ernest cartoon displays one frame. A newly hatched chick stands with egg shells at his feet and with a small piece as a cap on his head: “Wow! Paradigm shift!”

Paradigm shifts can be hard to come by, especially when it comes to the word “heart” in the Bible.

john-the-apostle

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart…” (Deut. 6).

In our American culture, we refuse to understand  “heart” in the Bible. An old television commercial, featuring a famous NBA player, focused on a hand pointing at his head and a voice saying, “You’ve got it up here but you’ve got to get it in your heart.”

What we Westerners divide apart, the Semitic mind of the Bible holds together, so that the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament states,“‘heart’ became the richest term for the totality of man’s inner or immaterial nature.”

That totality includes not only the emotions, upon which we so fondly dwell, but also the mind and the will. What we spend our time thinking about, what we dream of, what we deliberate over, what we choose to do, what we desire—these are all seated in the biblical “heart.”

Thus, when we come to the New Testament (NT), where the common Language of the Empire was koine Greek, all quotations of the Great Commandment include the word “mind” (Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:29; Luke 10: 27). It is not that something new was added, but that the word “mind” was needed so everyone could understand the all-encompassing scope of the commandment to love God. “A striking feature of the NT is the essential closeness of kardia (heart) to the concept nous, mind…

“The meaning of heart as the inner life, the centre of the personality and as the place in which God reveals himself to men is even more clearly expressed in the NT . . .

“The heart of man, however, is the place not only where God arouses and creates faith. Here faith proves its reality in obedience and patience (Rom. 6:17; 2 Thess. 3:5).”*

That obedience shows itself in loving God with all our mind. And that begins with how we read His Holy Word. HERE is how that ‘cashes out’ in our memory verse/meme world.

[Addendum. Those who diligently read the Bible will already have the sense of this. A regular feature of the Hebrew in the OT is the couplet. “The two parts within each couplet are synonymous…” (Oswalt) as in Isaiah 1:5, “…the whole head is sick. And the whole heart faints.”]

–From Love, Prayer, and Forgiveness: When Basics Become Heresies

Harry Blamires
Title is The Christian Mind: How Should a Christian Think? (LINK: Used books at bookfinder.com)

*The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, s.v. “heart”

See Part Two “Follow Your Heart”–NOT

Two Swords: Enough

Here is a blazing example of what happens when Christians pay little attention to context in the Bible. I have seen several forum discussions in the last months where Christians said, ‘…but Jesus told his disciples to buy swords.”

On the Way to the Mt. Of Olives

Luke 22

35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” 38 And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough” [ESV].

First, we might note the hyperbole of selling an essential garment in order to buy a sword.  “A garment for wear at night was an utter necessity” (NIGCT *).  What is being emphasized is the critical situation that is developing.

THIS “brings to a climax the misunderstanding and earthly mindedness of the disciples which has already figured three times in the dialogue…” (NIGTC*). The context of this setting is immediately before they go to the Mount of Olives where Jesus will be arrested and where Peter will use one of those swords (John 18). “Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matt. 26).

But back to the immediate context of the “swords”—there are clear clues in this hard saying for us to follow. We are told that the disciples possess “two.”  Jesus reply, “It is enough,” can only mean either 1) that two swords are sufficient to fill the prescription [that the Scripture about being “numbered with the transgressors” must be fulfilled] (Marshall thinks this not “probable”)  or 2) that “enough” is a rebuke to the disciples for not understanding him.

EITHER way, “TWO swords” points to the fact that Jesus was NOT telling all who had no sword to buy one!

“The words, ‘It is enough’, may imply that that is enough of that kind of talk”–The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology

Norval Geldenhuys, Luke (NICNT) thinks that, rather than a rebuke, this “ends the discussion sorrowfully.”

I. Howard Marshall, in Luke (NIGTC*), says, “It is most probable that this simply means  ‘That’s enough (sc. of this conversation) and is meant as a rebuke….This is the final conversation-piece in the extended dialogue…It brings to a climax the misunderstanding and earthly-mindedness of the disciples [how contemporary for us disciples today!] which has already figured three times in the dialogue…the disciples fail to understand; taking Jesus literally, they produce two swords, and Jesus has to rebuke them for their lack of comprehension…” *

[It is incredible that many Americans who claim the name “Christian” use this saying to justify their own beliefs about war.  On this side of the Resurrection, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the Canon, we are without excuse for such nonsense.]

**[A note on “enough” from another scholar:  ‘Jesus words, “It is enough” are interesting. This is an idiom, and as an idiom is difficult to trace throughout the Bible, but a few references are illuminating. In Deuteronomy 3:26 the NIV (among other translations) render God’s rebuke to Moses as, “That is enough.” In other words, “Be quiet – the discussion is over.” In 1 Samuel 15:16, Samuel cuts King Saul’s excuse off with a brisk, “Stop!” In 2 Samuel 24:16, God stays the hand of the destroying angel with an emphatic, “Enough!” Interjections such as these have both a disjunctive and a corrective sense. They are used to stop the present flow of words or actions, and they indicate a different path of action or discourse will follow. Viewed in this manner, Jesus is simply telling his disciples to shut up; they have utterly misunderstood him yet again,. . .’]

[Link on Romans ’13’]

*New International Greek Testament Commentary, I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke, Eerdmans, 1978.

Romans “13” In Context

A brief look at Romans “13” in its historical and textual context:

586 BC Solomon’s Temple destroyed

[Second Temple Consecrated, 516 BC]

After the Babylonian captivity ended, Judea survived under the succeeding Empires.

323 BC Death of Alexander the Great. Kingdom divided among the generals.

Judea comes under the Ptolemies, who also rule Eygpt

198 BC Judea annexed by the Seleucids, under Antiochus III, who rules Syria

During this period, Jews were under no government edicts to change customs [though many fell under the spell of the Hellenistic spirit of the times]. Antiochus strengthened the High Priesthood, made Torah official law for Jews and exempted Jews from taxes.

Judea was still a theocratic/Temple State.

Internal strife precipitated a crisis under the next king, Antiochus IV, Epiphanes. High Priestly faction, the House of Zaddock, was pro-Ptolemaic.

Another artistocratic family, the Tobiads, was pro-Seleucid.

Complaints against High Priest Onias III led to removal. Office was sold to his brother, Jason, who received permission from Antiochus “to transform Jerusalem into a Greek polis…” “For the first time in Jewish History, the office of high priest had changed from heritage to a privileged position…” to be bought.

Later, Jason refused to surrender that office. Civil war broke out. Besides the political factions, the scribal class, to whom the common people looked, produced the Hassidim who attacked Jews who were Hellenizers.

168 BC Antiochus Intervenes in Jewish civil war.

This led to the events described in Maccabees: Desecration of the Temple; the Abomination of Desolation.

This then led to Revolt of the Maccabees, joined by the Hassidim

164 BC “On December 25…Temple was purified and rededicated to Yahweh.”

Annual observance—Hanukkah, Festival of Lights

Judea gains autonomy. Simon, one of the Maccabees, rules from 140-135. Holds Offices of High Priest [first of the Hasmonean Dynasty], Ethnarch, military and civil Governor. [Bloody beheading site under High Priest/King Alexander Jannaeus}

Intervening Years till reign of Herod–Battles continue between factions and enemies.

63 BC Pompey Captures Jerusalem.

Antipater, father of Herod, honored by Julius Caesar.

40 BC After Rome’s Civil War, under Octavian Caesar, Antony and Roman Senate confer title on Herod: “King of the Jews” [despised by devout Jews]

4 BC Death of Herod The Great

Revolts put down. Kingdom divided among sons

Archelaus rules over Judea…strife continues

Jewish delegation to Rome: complaints about Archelaus’ rule; asks for Roman rule

AD 6 Archelaus’ rule ends. Judea Becomes Roman Province

Change in government calls for census—taken for purpose of taxation. To devout Jews, this was a symbol of subjugation to Rome, a foreign, pagan power

Judas the Galilean [Acts 5:37], with Zadock the Pharisee, leads Revolt

Judas recruits his band around Sepphoris, the capitol [a short distance from Nazareth]

Three Roman Legions under Varus crush revolt via the sword.

2000 Jews Crucified around Jerusalem [Josephus, Ant.17:295]

[From this period until the outbreak of the final Jewish War in AD 66, Zealots and assassins would continue to foment rebellion and violent outbreaks. Josephus, The Jewish War, is great background reading for understanding NT times.]

c. AD 29 “Barrabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection.” [Mark 15]

AD 46-48 Insurrections: Two Sons of Judas the Galilean executed by Rome

c.AD 49 Edict of Claudius

Jews expelled from Rome for disturbances [Acts 18:2]

AD 54 Claudius Dies

Jews begin return to Rome

AD 57 Paul Writes Letter to Romans

AD 66 Jewish War begins. Temple Destroyed in 70

 

Read IN CONTEXT: Rom 12-13

[Note: Paul wrote a letter, not chapters.  New Testament Had NO Chapter numbers for over 1000 years.]

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect…

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.   Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law…..Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law….

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand.  Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light” (Rom. 13:12).

Christians are called to be the light of the world, not the sword of the LORD.

[Preston Sprinkle, (Ph. D. in NT, University of Aberdeen), best sums this up by the display of these two verses:
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Rom 12:19)

For he [the  governing authority] is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out the wrath of God on the wrongdoer. (Rom 13:4)”] {This KEY POINT of Dr. Sprinkle posted in context below in my last comment.}

[Charles Spurgeon is an excellent example of a Christian leader who understood the implications of this. See here ]

A very short synopsis of this timeline for sharing: Romans 13, The Sword, and the Bane of Memory Verse Theology.(Link)

‘The Love Chapter’

Sad to say, most Christians read a great passage like “The Love Chapter” as if it stands alone, oblivious to the fact that Paul wrote a letter not chapters. First Corinthians, like the rest of the New Testament, stood without chapter divisions for over a millennium….*(see note at bottom).

 

To divorce the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians from the rest of

the letter is to do violence to God’s word. This clouds our

understanding because it betrays the context. Regarding rules for

study, Haddon Robinson on Radio Bible Class is fond of quoting one of

his seminary colleagues: “Context is king.”

 

So, let us look at the context of love in First Corinthians.

Paul describes some of the qualities of love in verse four of

chapter thirteen: long-suffering, kind, absence of envy and

of parading itself, not puffed up. Being puffed up described

the Corinthians themselves (5:4). This attitude allowed them

to overlook sexual immorality in their midst. Paul tells them

that not only are they proud, but they have not “mourned”

(5:2) over this sin. And in chapter 8, he rebuked them:

“knowledge puffs up; but love edifies” (v. 1).

26

 

When we hear those ringing words, “love . . . does not

rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth” (13:6, italics

added), we should recall the Corinthians’ sinful condition in

chapter 5—their disobedience, displayed by their toleration of

blatant sin in their fellowship. Here, Paul calls for stern measures

of Christian discipline so that they can celebrate Christ’s

sacrifice for sins “with the unleavened bread of sincerity and

truth” (5:8, italics added). The concern expressed in the first

citation (13:6), taken in the context of the letter, should draw

our minds back to the problem confronted in the second citation

(5:8). Note the concern for truth in both passages.

 

Today, it would be a safe assumption to say that the

majority of Christians, including leaders, turn this Scripture

on its head (instead of turning the world upside down—there

goes Murphy’s law again). Many Christians seize upon words

like “love is patient and kind “ and use them to undermine the

Scriptural commands regarding rebuke and discipline which

are to be implemented in the face of disobedience. Again, this

false premise results when we resist holding together those

things which the holy conjunction gives us, things like love

and obedience.

 

We forget that there is only one God who has given us

his word, which both declares “love is patient and kind” and

commands “remove the evil man from among you,” all in

the same letter. When Paul gave the Corinthians that command,

he was quoting Scripture itself (Deut. 17:7, LXX).

Such discipline served God’s gracious, loving purposes so

that “all the people shall hear and fear, and not act presumptuously

again” (Deut. 17:13, KJV). God does not desire “that any should

perish” (2 Pet. 3:9); he calls all to turn from their sin; but when there

are those who continue in their willful defiance of his commands, for

the sake of the health of his bride, his people, he will not tolerate it.

Earlier, Paul had asked the Corinthians, “Do you (plural)

not know that you (the congregation) are the temple of God

and that the Spirit of God dwells in you (pl.)? If anyone

defiles the temple (the congregation) of God, God will

destroy him. For the temple (congregation) of God is holy,

which temple you (pl.) are” (1 Cor. 3:16, 17).

God’s concern here is for the health of his Body, his

church (assembly) in Corinth. Love and obedience are the

keys to this congregation’s well being.

 

Today, this concern is lost among many evangelical

Christians. We so emphasize personal salvation that we

diminish Christ’s concern for his Body, his assembly of

believers wherever it may meet. To use a phrase of Elton

Trueblood’s, we make small what Christ made large. Why?

Again, we dispense with the holy conjunction, “and”—this

to our detriment. If we are to be whole and holy, we must

remedy our neglect. Otherwise, we will never get out of one

of the traps set for us by the spirit of our day—the trap of

individualism.  

Too often, as American Christians, we have fallen for this

potential heresy. But as one Christian radio commentary put

it, “The spirit of individualism is one of the false gods of our

modern age . . . it presumes the individual person is the final

authority in his or her own life.”

 

 

…This individualistic spirit is not new. Paul exhorted the

Corinthians, “Love . . . does not seek its own (lit., the things

of herself).” He also wrote this as a direct command: “Let no

one seek his own” (1Cor. 10:24). This command addressed

the wrong attitude which stemmed directly from the

Corinthians’ misshapen view of Christian freedom. They

displayed this attitude with their slogan, “All things are lawful

for me” (6:12; 10:23).

 

The Apostle exhorted the Corinthians to replace their

self-centered focus with a God-centered one. “Flee sexual

immorality . . . you were bought at a price; therefore glorify

God in your body” (6:18, 20). He turned the focus from self to

love of neighbor: “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s

 well-being” (10:24). “I say this to your shame . . . brother goes

 to law against brother, and that before unbelievers”(6:5,6).

 

Just as Paul could not, Christians who love cannot

remain silent when face to face with fellow believers who

are departing from the narrow way. Though Scripture mandates

that we speak up, this imperative sounds off-key to

generations that have allowed the faceless Zeitgeist to

explain away God’s word through today’s fads.

 

It is not that Earthly Wisdom sings about love in, let’s

say, the key of E, while the Word of God sings about love in,

say, the key of G. This analogy will not work. Rather, we

hear two very different songs; while some of the words do

overlap, the dissimilar tunes ring out with a horrible clash

(that is, if God’s people are singing their song, because the

those of the world are certainly singing theirs).

The key question for us, as Christians, is, “Why are we

deaf to this dissonance?” Well, there is a breeze blowing in

our ears. The prevailing winds lull us to sleep as context is

blown away.

 

Be a disciple. Learn, grow, and be a faithful witness–This post excerpted from Love, Prayer, and Forgiveness: When Basics Become Heresies

Copyright 2004 by Michael C. Snow

*On verse and chapter numbers:

..Sad to say, most Christians read a great passage like “The Love Chapter” as if it stands alone, oblivious to the fact that Paul wrote a letter not chapters. First Corinthians, like the rest of the New Testament, stood without chapter divisions for over a millennium. Then, in the thirteenth century, someone (either the Archbishop of Canterbury or Cardinal Hugo de St. Caro) made and numbered the chapter divisions for our Bible as an aid in locating citations. (The New Testament verse divisions we use were jotted down en-route to Lyons when Robert Etienne (Stephanus) left Paris astride of a horse—that in the sixteenth century.)

Of Ponds and Pitfalls

swimming

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
–-2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB)

Versus

Memory Verse Theology

Too often, we hear fellow Christians talking about “what this verse means to me.”

There certainly are verses that do have a special place in our hearts [link], which have given great comfort in times of crisis or direction out of aimless wanderings— this blessing , we may confidently hold unto. But if we become me-centered rather than Christ-centered, we quickly close the door to understanding as we quench the Spirit’s guidance.

Still, God in his great mercy bears with us in our immaturity.

As a child growing up in the Ozarks, Erasmus’ parents forbade him to take part in any skinny-dipping in the local ponds. As a teenager, Erasmus felt the conviction of a verse in James (1:2) which, in the King James Version, speaks of “divers temptations.” Perhaps “divers lusts and pleasures” (Titus 3:3) served to strengthen his convictions, and “divers diseases” (Mark 1:34) might have instilled enough dread to keep this young man out of the pond! But, being unfamiliar with Scuba diving, what would he have thought about “divers weights” and how would “divers colours” fit into the scheme of skinny-dipping unless it was winter tide and he was thinking of the color, blue?

We may make light of silly interpretations to expose our weakness. We, however, must take care not to make light of conviction in a boy indwelt by the Holy Spirit. But his understanding of this particular Scripture verse is not to be an example that we strive to follow. Rather, the example highlights one pitfall along our path as we read Scripture.

Though God bears with us, “the smoldering wick he will not quench,” immaturity is not our goal; nor are subjective interpretations of Scripture to be the guide that we follow.

If we continue on this post-modern path of subjectivism, of giving equal weight to each of our own opinions about what a verse of Scripture teaches, then we are reinforcing the secular claim that there is no absolute truth (which, of course, is an absolute claim and utter nonsense). If “what this verse means to me” becomes our standard, then we have nothing to say to the Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses about their heretical teachings. After all, select verses of Scripture mean something different to them. And, in this new age, who are we to question their interpretations?

Against today’s subjectivism, we must clearly declare “that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20).

As The Expositor’s Bible Commentary states, “no prophecy of Scripture is to be interpreted by any individual in an arbitrary way.” If we are ignorant of its full meaning and simply think of prophecy as limited to predicting the future, we will lose our way here. But prophecy encompasses bringing the mind of God to bear upon the present situation. The Old Testament prophets repeatedly reminded God’s people of what the word of God had already revealed to them. The prophets vividly reminded them and called them to return to God and obey his ways. They called them to repent.

When Peter wrote that warning quoted above, his concern centered on the parallel between “false prophets among the people” and “false teachers among you; who will secretly bring in destructive heresies . . .” (2 Peter 2:1).

Peter warned us about arbitrary interpretations of the prophecies of Scripture by any individual. This warning, as we see from the parallel that he drew, also applies to arbitrary interpretations of the teachings of Scripture. And the specific point we must see here is that we are not to interpret and apply Scriptural teaching  in some arbitrary way which is awash in the philosophy of our own day.

The path that avoids that deep pitfall of our arbitrary ideas, lies alongside our familiarity with Scripture. (There can be none of this picking and choosing of verses without our awareness of their context.) To walk that path requires discipline. Step by step, we must regularly read God’s word and study it with the diligence of true disciples. [True students, learners.]

Adapted from(Link)>  Love, Prayer, and Forgiveness: When Basics Become Heresies 

Here is an example of a Bible passage where many American Evangelical Christians throw the context out the window and insert their own ideas.

Link>  1 Thessalonians