How do we recognize truth? We can begin by asking whether we think Jesus taught in parables so his message would be easier to understand?
Let’s read in Luke 8:10 "And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand."
Let’s read in Luke 8:10 "And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand."
Did you know that Jesus used parables so many might NOT see and might NOT understand? You see, God gives all understanding and if he doesn’t reveal a thing to us then we can not understand it. We do not figure things out on our own but we often think we do.
We should then better understand how people often become frustrated and angry at the "foolishness" of Christians who "take it too far" because the things of God make no sense to those who God has not revealed it. The world is in this state right now. They cannot understand why we believe because God has blinded their eyes to the truth.
In this vein of thought I began to think about those that don't recognize the truth. You see, to them it all makes sense. They go through life happy-go-lucky chasing money, fame and/or power and they think they have it all figured out.
They never stop to question it and simply laugh at Christians. They live their lives in pride, competing against each other in order to be the "top dog". Feeling proud when they "win a championship" or some other contest. They feel good when their team beats some other team, they shake their fists victoriously at the vanquished. ...dripping with pride ...it makes me sick.
Now, none of us would ever intentionally believe a lie much less defend it as the truth but once a lie is firmly ensconched in our lives we will hold it as tightly as any truth because we are convinced that it is truth.
In effect we act as if we already know all truth. Otherwise we would have already changed our beliefs to reflect the truth had we thought we had been in error. Now, since many of us are not currently in conflict with our exisiting beliefs and since we would never voluntarily believe a lie we are basically claiming we only have truth left. This is demonstrated by our lack of conflict within ourselves.
The problem is none of us ever think we could be deceived into believing a lie. (Note that I am including myself in all these descriptions.)
I recently asked a "Christian" who I sensed was very proud the question "how do you know that you don't know something?" He was immediately offended and claimed that I had just posed a riddle to him, as if it wasn't worthy of an answer. He missed the fact that it is a question that should be carefully considered.
The question reveals rather quickly in us whether we are prone to humbleness or pride. For instance, if you tend to lash out against someone who is telling you something that you don't understand then you are demonstating pride. If, on the other hand, you quietly listen and consider what you are being told then you are demonstrating humbleness.
If you then go on to realize the information is true (after considering it through the scriptures) and you change your beliefs to line up with the newly revealed truth then you are demonstrating humbleness. If again you find it true (or actually refuse to study it further) and instead bull up and push it away then of course you are demonstating pride.
The problem is we do not recognize this as pride. Instead we consider it to be our accurate knowledge that we have learned thoughout life. It will not seem to us to be pride but it will appear as a righteous clinging to things we believe to be true, even a righteous defense of the gospel, but not pride. No way, not us, we cannot be deceived!!
The terrible unfortunate pitfall is our simple inability to humble ourselves. We often realize something to be true and then reject it because it goes against something else we have believed for 30 years. We remember the comforting times when we fellowshipped and rejoiced with others believing ourselves to be in the truth and then suddenly we are confronted with the reality that what we believed was a lie. Our hearts sink as we realize we were not rejoicing in the truth but in a lie and fellowshipping in a lie and we are devastated.
It short circuits our brains and we cannot accept it. We ask how could God bless over such an error? Surely He wouldn't have, after all God would never bless over sin, yet there it is, so many years spent in error, we just cannot hear it. Sadly we will often continue in the lie rather than admit that we could have been so wrong. These lies then become our idols and stumbling blocks that ultimately undermine our relationship with Jesus.
Deception is a hard thing especially when we are deceiving ourselves.
For instance, in Luke 14:25-27 we read "And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."
Does it shock you, that you should hate your father, and mother and wife…? What does this mean? It means when we compare our love for God to all our other concerns, even that of our very lives, it is as if we hate them and we would gladly drop each and every one of them rather than forsake Jesus Christ.
How many among us immediately embrace this without a thought and how many of us will say Jesus didn't really mean it that way?
We have read what the Bible says yet many or most of us will continue as we always have loving our families first and claiming that God honors this and claiming that he would never say that we should hate them. Even when these people actively work against the things of God many among us will reject what Jesus said and hold to our so-called "families".
We simply can't believe that we could be so wrong. It is not our nature to visualize ourselves in constant error, instead we assume that we see when in truth we can't.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1st Corinthians 10:12
How do we protect ourselves from ourselves? We must recognize that we are as filthy rags and there is no good in us at all. We must read and study the Bible. We must humble ourselves and not turn our false beliefs into idols and stumbling blocks. When we find the truth we must embrace it and hide ourselves in it but when we are shown, through the scriptures, any belief to be false we drop it just as fast.
Deny yourself.
Take up your cross.
Walk that narrow path to life.
...and earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
We should then better understand how people often become frustrated and angry at the "foolishness" of Christians who "take it too far" because the things of God make no sense to those who God has not revealed it. The world is in this state right now. They cannot understand why we believe because God has blinded their eyes to the truth.
In this vein of thought I began to think about those that don't recognize the truth. You see, to them it all makes sense. They go through life happy-go-lucky chasing money, fame and/or power and they think they have it all figured out.
They never stop to question it and simply laugh at Christians. They live their lives in pride, competing against each other in order to be the "top dog". Feeling proud when they "win a championship" or some other contest. They feel good when their team beats some other team, they shake their fists victoriously at the vanquished. ...dripping with pride ...it makes me sick.
Now, none of us would ever intentionally believe a lie much less defend it as the truth but once a lie is firmly ensconched in our lives we will hold it as tightly as any truth because we are convinced that it is truth.
In effect we act as if we already know all truth. Otherwise we would have already changed our beliefs to reflect the truth had we thought we had been in error. Now, since many of us are not currently in conflict with our exisiting beliefs and since we would never voluntarily believe a lie we are basically claiming we only have truth left. This is demonstrated by our lack of conflict within ourselves.
The problem is none of us ever think we could be deceived into believing a lie. (Note that I am including myself in all these descriptions.)
I recently asked a "Christian" who I sensed was very proud the question "how do you know that you don't know something?" He was immediately offended and claimed that I had just posed a riddle to him, as if it wasn't worthy of an answer. He missed the fact that it is a question that should be carefully considered.
The question reveals rather quickly in us whether we are prone to humbleness or pride. For instance, if you tend to lash out against someone who is telling you something that you don't understand then you are demonstating pride. If, on the other hand, you quietly listen and consider what you are being told then you are demonstrating humbleness.
If you then go on to realize the information is true (after considering it through the scriptures) and you change your beliefs to line up with the newly revealed truth then you are demonstrating humbleness. If again you find it true (or actually refuse to study it further) and instead bull up and push it away then of course you are demonstating pride.
The problem is we do not recognize this as pride. Instead we consider it to be our accurate knowledge that we have learned thoughout life. It will not seem to us to be pride but it will appear as a righteous clinging to things we believe to be true, even a righteous defense of the gospel, but not pride. No way, not us, we cannot be deceived!!
The terrible unfortunate pitfall is our simple inability to humble ourselves. We often realize something to be true and then reject it because it goes against something else we have believed for 30 years. We remember the comforting times when we fellowshipped and rejoiced with others believing ourselves to be in the truth and then suddenly we are confronted with the reality that what we believed was a lie. Our hearts sink as we realize we were not rejoicing in the truth but in a lie and fellowshipping in a lie and we are devastated.
It short circuits our brains and we cannot accept it. We ask how could God bless over such an error? Surely He wouldn't have, after all God would never bless over sin, yet there it is, so many years spent in error, we just cannot hear it. Sadly we will often continue in the lie rather than admit that we could have been so wrong. These lies then become our idols and stumbling blocks that ultimately undermine our relationship with Jesus.
Deception is a hard thing especially when we are deceiving ourselves.
For instance, in Luke 14:25-27 we read "And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."
Does it shock you, that you should hate your father, and mother and wife…? What does this mean? It means when we compare our love for God to all our other concerns, even that of our very lives, it is as if we hate them and we would gladly drop each and every one of them rather than forsake Jesus Christ.
How many among us immediately embrace this without a thought and how many of us will say Jesus didn't really mean it that way?
We have read what the Bible says yet many or most of us will continue as we always have loving our families first and claiming that God honors this and claiming that he would never say that we should hate them. Even when these people actively work against the things of God many among us will reject what Jesus said and hold to our so-called "families".
We simply can't believe that we could be so wrong. It is not our nature to visualize ourselves in constant error, instead we assume that we see when in truth we can't.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1st Corinthians 10:12
How do we protect ourselves from ourselves? We must recognize that we are as filthy rags and there is no good in us at all. We must read and study the Bible. We must humble ourselves and not turn our false beliefs into idols and stumbling blocks. When we find the truth we must embrace it and hide ourselves in it but when we are shown, through the scriptures, any belief to be false we drop it just as fast.
Deny yourself.
Take up your cross.
Walk that narrow path to life.
...and earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
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