This year, there’s been controversy over Christianity and biblical doctrine. Just so you know the confusion isn’t from the world, sometimes it appears the lost understand Scripture better than the church.

Jesus said the church is to share the gospel and Scripture with the world, even the parts we don’t like or agree with (Matthew 28:16-20.) We do not get to choose who should hear the gospel.  We are not allowed to change or water it down to make others happy. We are messengers of what will remain long after this fallen world ends.

Unfortunately, many believers choose to accept beliefs and doctrines that are contrary to Scripture and the very teachings of Jesus. When Jesus established His earthly ministry, not only were His teachings contrary to the world He lived in,  He is legendary for opposing the religious leaders of His day.

He didn’t waste time trying to tell people what they wanted to hear; He was more concerned about saving souls than being popular. He fearlessly rebuked and corrected the religious leaders of the times He lived in.

The Jewish people believed God was going to give them an earthly kingdom with a powerful king who would conquer the world. Although Jewish writings contain these promises, God’s people misinterpreted the Scriptures.

The Pharisees and scribes viewed Scripture from an earthly viewpoint, not from a healthy spiritual perspective and that isn’t okay. How we view Scripture determines what we believe, it’s all about God.

God’s Word!

Jesus warned us about false teachers among God’s people because Jesus had to deal with them Himself(Matthew 23:1-10.) False teachers twist Scripture to their liking, their perspective is earthly and not heavenly!

Believers must have a healthy perspective and understanding of God’s Word and its authority. Scripture’s purpose is more than just giving us hope or reminding us of God’s unfailing love for us; it is more than an encouraging letter to fear not the trials of this world.

In the Old Testament, God commanded his people to record His teachings and stories of His faithfulness to prepare and guide future generations for His purposes, plans, and ways (Exodus 34:27-29, Numbers 33:2, Psalm 119:105.)

The psalmist declared God’s Word shows us the way we should live (Psalm 119:1-16.) Do you understand how important it is to read God’s Word? Paul says it will help us cross the finish line (2 Tim. 4:7-8.)   Not what your favorite television preacher says, or how some popular writer “interprets” Scripture.

You’d think the Jewish people would too, yet they lost God’s Word and went the wrong way. For decades the Jewish people lost the Old Testament until King Josiah’s priests discovered the scrolls while renovating the Temple (2 Kings 22:3-14, 2 Chronicles 34.) You see Israel loved God but didn’t know Him or His Word.

King Josiah was one of the last good kings of Judah, he rid God’s people of false gods and gave them back God’s Word. A similar event occurred thousand years later during the great Reformation when the reformers freed Scripture from the Catholic Church.

Until then, the church depended on the teachings of the priests. Ironically, the Bible wasn’t written to or for great scholars, both Jesus and the disciples’ teachings targeted the common people of their day. How else could they take it to every nation and tribe?

When I was younger, I only read the New Testament and considered the Old Testament as a history lesson for research. It wasn’t until 14 years ago that I began to understand how the New Testament continues and completes the message of the Old Testament.

Jesus gives us a better and new understanding of the Old Testament. Jesus, His disciples, and the Apostle Paul all used the Old Testament to teach and guide their followers and grow them. Jesus even clarified that He didn’t come to do away with the law of the Old Testament, but came to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17-20,) God’s Word will last forever.  

New!

Now, I know the New Testament is like looking at the Old Testament through a magnifying glass, it helps us see it more clearly. We can understand what the prophet Isaiah meant when he declared that God was about to do something new (Isaiah 43:19.) It shows us how to surrender and say goodbye to the ways of the world.

God declared through Isaiah that He was about to lead His people in a new way with real love. But, Israel still didn’t understand that God’s ways aren’t the ways of this world or even the way His people may think He should work.

If the religious of His day didn’t like Jesus’ teachings, the religious of today won’t either. And this is why we see a rise in false teachers; false teachers aren’t kingdom-minded, their focus is on the here and now, not our God—God wants you to live your best life now.

Jesus warned us there would be people in the church who would deceive believers in the last days with faulty doctrine (Matthew 7:15-20.) Even the Apostle Paul had to address heretics in the early church (Galatians 1:8-9, Titus 3:10, 2 Timothy 2:14 – 18.) In the second century, the Gnostics believed they had a better spiritual insight than church doctrine and they added to God’s Word.

Heresy is any belief or teaching that is contrary to church doctrine and Scripture. This is why we must study God’s Word and test the spirits (1 John 4:1.) We must remember, even Satan knows Scripture, he twisted God’s words in the garden and he tempted Jesus in the wilderness with it.  The problem is Satan uses scripture to tempt people with what they want; the Bible says with God, I have all I need.

The good news for believers is Jesus is coming back and promised to send us a Helper to help us understand both God’s will and the Word of God (John 15: number 26-27.)