It’s not pleasant pointing out darker truths that need addressing, and it can be unpleasant to introduce such things in writing. Hard or not it is necessary for the sake of strengthening truth and to push back the spiritual darkness – again. Also, without calling attention to the murky regions of lies, how would we recognize and enjoy the shining spiritual light of Christ’s truth? But to be honest it can be confusing as to why it is necessary to uncover darkness where light had been clearly shining for the better part two millennia.
How did this darkness encroach displacing light? The reason is Truth was not strongly defended where the miasma of lies seeped through the cracks. Where there are half truths there are whole lies and fruit-flies.
If one would be sage, honest, and fruitful in what they claim to believe, to claim the whole package of what they profess to acknowledge would be more convincing.
In this case, I give the nod in the direction of those who profess Christ as their Savior. But do you? Is He your all-in-all or do you consider Him an add-on to your life, only? Or, again, is He possibly a misused tool to justify a preconceived agenda? I ask this of all believers in that we are warned to examine ourselves not just once but often.
It is accepted by now that there is a growing number of professors of Christianity who do not desire to converge their life into the life Christ calls us, that is to follow Him leaving our old life behind. Instead, they want to conform Him into the person they want Him to be rather than who He is as the immutable personality He will never change from being. They will go through great lengths to convince themselves that He is okay with them living any lifestyle they choose, floating from pillar to post at their whim.
So determined are they to conform into their likeness Christ, they will misuse, they will change the meaning of, and take out of context the bible itself. Going a step further, they may deny the scripture as recorded having any authority over their life by conjuring up a multitude of excuses.
An excuse is a lie with softer edges. Regardless of how articulate or intellectual the described may sound, there is no solid foundation to support what remains an empty justification for something they wish to be true so they can have what they desire and have Christ also.
Let’s look at the bible, for example. How important is it in its authority, being the word of God for a professing Christian?
If I reject the bible as being God’s inerrant, inspired, authoritative word of truth, then by what authority do I have to appeal my claim of being a Christian? It is, after all, written primarily for the instruction of His people around and across the globe. Just as “…there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Jesus.)” Acts 4:12. There is no other written work, or document, to which a person can appeal to genuinely claim to be a Christian, a follower of Christ in this world.
The bible is the inspired, inerrant, authoritative word of God. That being the case, it is the only rule and standard for faith and practice for those who profess to be Christians, who claim Christ as Savior.
Oh, people can still make a claim while denying the bible, but there is no power behind their assertion; there is no authenticity to support their profession. If willfully diminished in any way, the text becomes useless to the mind of who opens the book to peruse the words therein, according to its given purpose. If the bible has no authority of merit, then Christianity becomes simply a noun instead of a verb, a dead title instead of a life-giving dynamo.
That’s not to say we must understand every nuance of every word written within, but it is more instructive to say, “I don’t understand this part” than to say, “I don’t believe it because I don’t understand it.” Or, “I don’t believe it because it doesn’t fit within my sphere of values or lifestyle.”
The bible is honest and accurate. Just so, it is only beneficial to those who are trustworthy and authentic in their approach to the text.
‘Come now, let us reason together…’ says the LORD. (Isaiah 1:18)
~G.W.
His eye is on the sparrow 
Well presented G.W. Like snipping the threads of an intricate tapestry it is, by those who would sectionalize God’s Word. As if God’s was recorded as saying “Oh, Look, there’s light! instead of “Let there be Light”, and it happened.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, Gary. You put it very well. Those who snip and paste are in danger of harming only themselves.
LikeLiked by 1 person