Testing the Teaching

Well I haven't written anything in a bit but given some recent events in my life I believe that it's time that I share some of my religious views. What I'm about to say may offend but I'm not going to apologize for that. I wouldn't be honest if I did,and if there's one thing I cherish it's honesty and integrity.

I'd been posting on a certain message boad claiming to be Christian in its content and belief system. I hadn't really paid much attention to some things as I didn't really post there all that often. Well I finally started doing some digging and I was pretty appauled at what I saw. For example they teach that there is no rapture of church and no seven year tribulation period. The second part of that is expressly false if you have any knowledge of the book of Revelation. As to the first, well there are people with differing beliefs and for the most part I can let things go, well at least if what they're saying can even remotely be backed up. Another example is there adherence to the "dead bloodline" belief that states Eve had a child by Satan (btw this claim cannot be backed up by scripture, despite their claims to the contrary).

I tired to call them on this, only to be rebuffed and to have my posts summarily deleted. Their claim was that I could not provide scripture to back up what I was saying. The problem with that argument is that I did in fact refer to scripture, I just didn't quote it. I knew that doing so would be useless because I know the type of people that they are. Any interpretation other than their own would be labeled false because their minds are already made up.

Now I'd to leave you, my honored readers and friends, with some advice that I've learned over the years concerning scripture and teachings based on scripture. Let me preface this with telling you all that I am a literalist when it comes to the Bible. I believe it to be the inerrant, infallible, perfect Word of the Living God.

1. If someone uses one sentance out of a chapter and tries to tell you what it means, stop them and ask for the context. Better yet go to that chapter yourself and read it in its entirety. If what the teacher/preacher/pastor is telling you doesn't line up with what's being said then the teaching is wrong.

2. If someone tries to tell you have to be enlightened to understand the deeper mysteries of the Bible, walk away. While its true that God will, at times, open someone's eyes to something they might not have noticed; it is not in His nature to hide things in the way that intelectuals seem to think He does.

3. If something doesn't seem right about what you're being told. Stop the person and ask questions. If their response is to tell you to just listen to them, walk away. A good indication of a false teaching is the unwillingness to be asked probative questions about it. Chances are that if you're having that feeling then its the Holy Spirit letting you know that something's up.

4. Remember that logic and faith are not anathema to each other. Deductive reasoning can help you see through a lie to the truth. For example if a teaching says one thing, and you know that logically it doesn't follow the nature of God call them on it.

5. Be wary of phony discussion. If someone asks a question and you answer it in a reasonable manner, explaining your meaning as you do and they return with three iterations of the same question, walk away. They've shown that they have no desire to hear and are only trying to goad you into saying something in anger so they can say "see this person isn't a Christian". Its manipulative and its deception, these things are not of God.

6. Anyone telling you that they and only they have the correct interpretation of scripture and is unwilling to tell you how they were able to reach that conclusion is a false teacher. They don't want those things asked and they don't desire reason. These are the people who demand blind and unthinking obedience. They ignore that Christ said "come now and let us reason together".

Knowing all this if people persist in attacking you then they've made it clear that they don't want you there. (I was actually told to stop posting at this particular board). With that knowledge you should do what the Bible teaches about moments like that, don't let the dust settle on the soles of your feet. Wish them well and tell them you'll pray for them; but don't stick around to be trapped in a never ending cycle of foolish arguments.

That's all for now all. May the Lord bless you and may the Lord keep you, may He make His Face to shine upon you. Amen and amen.

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