July 18 2018 – Click here to listen
Recently I’ve been having some work done on my new home and I’ve had to buy various items such as furniture and window treatments. I’ve also had extensive work done on my boat. It is sad to me that so many of those involved with the work cannot tell the truth. A contractor will tell me, “I’ll see you first thing in the morning.” And then not show up or call. I’ll be quoted a price for something and when I get the invoice it will be more. We will order furnishings and are told they will be delivered in 4 weeks and 4 weeks later we are told to wait another 4 weeks. It seems that lies are becoming so ingrained in our culture that truth is an endangered concept.
I was told in March that the boat lift for my dock would be completed in 6 weeks. It is still not completed. If I call, I’m treated as if I’m at fault and being one of those difficult unreasonable people. Of course, our entire culture has become inundated with lies and those of the 24/7 news cycle are the worst, followed by politicians as a close second. It’s gotten to the point whereby we don’t know what to believe about much of anything in any part of culture. Educators are teaching lies to our children in school, business leaders lie to enrich themselves, Hollywood is an imaginary world of lies, media is synonymous with lying, government is badly infected, and saddest of all it even happens in church.
I attended a mega church near my new home in Florida and a husband wife team who are both pastors discussed the Bible and its teachings regarding women’s role in the church. Basically, they said the Bible has been misinterpreted regarding several issues especially the verses that state women should not teach men in church. (She of course is a pastor.) They said repeatedly that if you will read the Greek it doesn’t really mean what it plainly states in 1 Timothy 2:11 – A woman must learn in quietness and full submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man; she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, and then Eve . . . I can see the hackles rising on the necks of modern women everywhere. Calm down – Breathe – Remain cool, calm, collected. Now please carefully read this: I, Bob Williamson, did not divinely inspire this verse nor record it on parchment, so don’t send me your letters; instead take it up with those on up the line.
I think it is a slippery slope to discount the wording of the Bible of those who have chosen as their life’s work to accurately translate the Bible. They have studied the Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek languages and have labored every day of their work lives to meticulously and accurately translate the Bible and then have it canonized. To say they are wrong and this couple and their church committee who “looked into this issue and prayed over it” are right seems ridiculous to me.
I would say when you hear a pastor say, “What the Bible should say. . . ” or What the Bible really means here if you look at the Greek is . . . ” or “According to the customs of the day this verse doesn’t really mean what it says . . . ” then look out.
If we cannot believe the Bible for what it states, what can we believe? Are we going to bend the Bible according to what is fashionable today? Our modern day societal norms and mores concerning most any subject and God’s word regarding them often collide, (gay marriage, abortion, “good” people who don’t know Jesus going to an everlasting hell, science vs. the Bible, etc.). I’ll be the first to admit I don’t understand so many things in the Bible. A reader and I communicated about this subject a few days ago, he wrote:
“I believe all of the bible is true. There are many things I don’t understand. Where do dinosaurs fit in? How long were the 7 days of creation and the earth is billions of years old? How many animals were on the ark? I can’t wait for the Lord to answer those questions because I don’t doubt one word of the bible. And I know Jesus died for my sins and rose from the dead so that I will live in eternity in heaven. In the meantime . . . I’m going red fishing in mosquito lagoon tomorrow! Blessings to you.”
Well I feel the same about many things in the Bible but I’m not God. In John 21:25 it states: Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John is referring to just the 3 year ministry of Jesus. So how many books do you suppose it would it take to explain the remaining mysteries that humankind has wondered about from primitive times until today? The entire Universe couldn’t contain them.
Satan according to the Bible is the Father of all lies and the truth is not in him. His influence today is widespread and gaining momentum. It is impossible to determine the truth in our world today with the lone exception being the Bible. We may not understand it and we darn sure cannot understand God. We don’t have God’s intellect and were created lower, but I believe the Bible gives us all we need. Those who twist it to justify their own desires will continue to do so as they’ve done since it was introduced to humankind. I have studied the Bible daily for over 4 decades and I would be the first to admit I’m no authority on it. I discover new wisdom daily and have changed my mind often as led by the Spirit, more study and prayer for deeper understanding. Some issues will never be resolved for me until, like the reader quoted above, I get to heaven and God will reveal more about those subjects.
Until then I take great comfort in the truth contained within its covers as I struggle through this lying world where even fact checking Internet sites setup to tell the truth lie too. Today I’m going fishing in the Atlantic Ocean in the deep beautiful waters. Blessings to you.
2 Tim. 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.