John 8:31 If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
There are those in this world that deny the validity of Scripture. They know little to nothing of the truth of the oracles of God. Strong believers can discern who they are, and understand the error of their ways.
Then there are those who know Scripture, yet who are nothing more than spin doctors. They distort the truth to back up their own beliefs, such as justifying and giving approval to deviant behaviors and lifestyles, and work to persuade others to believe them, to follow them. Peter spoke of them:
2 Peter 3:15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability [my emphases].
Believers, these are the kind of people to be wary of. They are capable of producing very thought-provoking words, words that sound highly intelligent, almost believable, yet they are words that are full of the foolishness of man appeasing his own pride. Oftentimes there are undergirdings of anger, self-defense, mockery, I’m right/you’re an idiot, and self-promotion in their presentations, whether oral or written. These people are the chaff of Matthew 3:12; the tares, or weeds, of Matthew 13. Believers, wake up, and strengthen the things that remain (Revelation 3:2).
Believers, don’t believe a distorted, twisted truth; compare everything to your own prayerful reading of Scripture; ask Holy Spirit for understanding. Seek wise counsel from someone you know and trust, if need be. Paul also spoke into this:
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.
2 Timothy 3:1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these [my emphasis].
1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men [and women; meaning, be brave, don’t be wimpy], be strong.
We can compare the above verse to Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
From the little book of Jude:
Jude 1:3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. [These people will claim to be solid believers, but fact is, they distort the truth to their own purposes; in doing so they are denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.] 5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.
Jud 1:12 These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.
Jud 1:17 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 that they were saying to you, “In the last time there shall be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” 19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
A reminder from Paul:
Galatians 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
And from Jesus/Yeshua:
Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 35 Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight.
I close with this blessing:
Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Marc's Musings 