When We Corrupt God’s Word

 “For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” -2 Corinthians 2:17.

This was inspired from a lesson written for my daughter, and provides an example of just how misused God’s Word has become in our day, even among professing believers.

 The corruption we’ll look at comes from the first part of the contemporary Christian song Overcomer; which I heard from the gospel group called The Imperials, while listening to their Heed the Call album. This song greatly twists several verses in order to promote the idea of a prosperity gospel, and we’ll examine that here. Please remember that scriptures need to be taken in the CONTEXT of the passage they’re in, as well as in context with the rest of God’s Word.

The part of Overcomer to be examined comes right in the beginning, saying;

Jesus said that when we pray, ‘to believe that we receive. We can have our heart’s desires, as well as the things we need. We can speak to mountains, and they will be removed. Everything will prosper, that we set our hands to.

There is some confusion here in the handling of God’s Word, but the song’s opening statement obviously refers to Mark 11:24, in which Jesus says;

“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

God isn’t the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), but we find that here, because Jesus never said that We can have our heart’s desires, as well as the things we need, or Everything will prosper, that we set our hands to. And the part about moving mountains actually came in the verse before the one beginning the song.

Now you might recognize that the parts Jesus didn’t actually say are still in the Bible, but with these we find another mishandling of God’s Word; the author is using only parts of the verses he transplanted in order to promote what he wants the scripture to mean, adding to God’s Word (Proverbs 30:5,6).

Jesus did tell us that God would supply our needs in Matthew 6:33, but the part of we can have our hearts desires actually comes from Psalm 37:4, which says;

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” So you can see that the song naturally cuts out the Bible’s condition of “delighting in the Lord” first; our desires would then be God’s desires, who wants to provide for our needs, and NOT fleshly greed (Matthew 6:19-21).

This section of the song then closes by saying, Everything will prosper that we set our hands to; words that are actually taken from the passage in Psalm 1:1-3. The promise of “everything prospering” isn’t for every professing Christian, but for those who qualify; those who aren’t keeping company with unbelievers, and they also delight in God’s Word, meditating upon it day and night. Whether or not he intended it, we can see that the songwriter deceitfully handled God’s Word (2 Corinthians 4:2) in order to press the notion of unlimited prosperity for Christians.

Yet there are more problems of mishandling God’s Word here, and for that we’ll look at the full story from Mark 11;

 “13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves… 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it… And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. ” -from Mark 11:13,14, & 20-26. Bold type added for emphasis.

And so the backdrop for Mark 11:24 was Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree! Matthew 21:18 actually tells us that Jesus was hungry, so why didn’t He bless the tree, and multiply ripened fruit? Jesus needed and desired those figs, yet He chose to do God’s will, whom He delighted in; and we see later that Jesus told His disciples;

“...I have meat to eat that ye know not of…My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” -from John 4:31-34.

It’s important to know that Jesus was speaking only to His disciples in this passage, and the very nature of the FAITH example He used in no way promotes selfish prayers or materialism.

Our Lord also included here the need to forgive others when seeking Him in prayer, which seems to be still another condition to meet if we want to be sure of getting answers to our prayers.

Brethren, the importance of knowing ALL of God’s Word cannot be overstated; we see here an example of how parts of the Bible can be twisted to actually support views which contradict the Word’s overall message. We’ve been warned that in the Last Days false teachers would come (2 Peter 2:1-3), and a more complete knowledge of the Holy Scriptures are our best defense.

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:31,32.

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” -John 17:17.

*Quotes from scripture are in quotes & italics;

quotes from the Overcomer song are underlined.

Scriptures involved: Psalms 1:1-3, 37:4, Matthew 21:17-22, Mark 11:13,14, 20-26.

The Church Today is Another Gospel

 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” -Galatians 1:6,7.

We who are truly Born Again Christians (John 3:3) ought to realize that the foundation of our Faith rests in the BIBLE; God’s holy manual for the beliefs and practices we hold dear. It’s my contention that the “church” of today has drifted far from God’s written Word (King James Bible), and that it’s high time for professing believers to trust only Jesus through His Word for guidance in their lives.

There is a tendency among many today to place undue emphasis on the role of church in a Christian’s life, and it’s often regarded as a type of mediator necessary for the path of salvation; yet scripture itself says JESUS is the only mediator, calls born again believers the church, and has no commandment for us even to gather together, though it’s natural for Christians to seek other Christians in fellowship.

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” -1 Timothy 2:5.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” -Romans 16:17.

Hopefully this blog can begin to reveal just how much Church practices now differ from the real instructions found in scripture.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” -2 Timothy 3:16,17.

See also Deuteronomy 4:2, Psalm 12:6,7, Proverbs 30:5,6, Revelation 22:18,19.

The huge first error we see is that modern day “churches” are NOT the church God identifies in the New Testament of the Bible. God’s church is simply the BODY OF CHRIST, which met in houses, not temples. Christians today have the Holy Spirit within, and THEY are now God’s temples;

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” -1 Corinthians 12:27.

“And he (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church:” -Colossians 1:18A.

“Likewise greet the church that is in their house.” -Romans 16:5A.

See also 1 Corinthians 16:19, Colossians 4:15, Philemon 2.

“Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,” -from Acts 7:48-50.

See also 1 Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 2:6, Isaiah 66:1,2.

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” -1 Corinthians 3:16.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” -1 Corinthians 6:19.

How could such a thing like this happen to God’s people, that we should forget the true nature of the church He chose? I believe we’ve slowly substituted a walk of faith for a walk of sight (2 Corinthians 5:7, Hebrews 11:1), and we find an example of this long ago with the nation of Israel, when they chose to be led by a visible king, rather than through God’s prophets;

“Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.” -1 Samuel 8:19,20.

So we can see by scripture what God’s true church really is, and why we now find such evil spiritual fruit in the organizations which falsely claim to be part of it. Far from being subtly deceived, today’s churches open their arms wide to receive the corruption their ALL WELCOME signs naturally invite!

God’s people were never meant to fellowship with unbelievers; Jesus told His disciples to go into the world and preach the gospel (Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15), but those who were converted then came apart from the world to fellowship only with other Christians;

“BLESSED is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” -Psalm 1:1,2.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?…Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” -from 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

How can a church cast out the wicked (1 Corinthians 5:13) who are constantly welcomed into it? What good can it do to separate from the world, if you then pollute your ranks by having God’s enemies join you? Why warn believers about false angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:13-15), or “grievous wolves” entering the congregation, when you’ve been letting them and their deceptions in through the front door?

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” -Acts 20:28-30.

See also Matthew 24:24, 1 John 4:1.

Yet churches aren’t only compromised from external pollution, but also internally through the division of denominations; if the Word of God is foundational to our faith, shouldn’t we all hold the same beliefs?

In Acts 15, the early believers came together to resolve a key difference that had arisen among them, not accepting different views of a doctrinal issue. Paul also seems to address these matters with the Corinthians, when he writes;

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” -1 Corinthians 1:10.

“...for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” -1 Corinthians 3:3-7.

In spite of all the Bible teaches about doctrinal unity, today’s professing church still eagerly accepts almost ANY viewpoint that claims to be Christian. The Bible has already warned us (Matthew 24:25) that in the Last Days men will have a form of godliness which actually DENIES Him (2 Timothy 3:5), and goes on to say;

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”                            -2 Timothy 4:3,4. Bold type added for emphasis.

The devil is a master deceiver, and we should realize that the structure of church today plays right into his hands; our enemy opposes God by attempting to take His place in the eyes of mankind, even though actually leading us to destruction.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” -2 Thessalonians 2:3,4. Bold type is added. See also Isaiah 14:12-15, Revelation 13:8. Some have esteemed churches so highly, that they really believe the devil can’t get inside. They forget that even Jesus himself faced devils in synagogues, a type of church for that time;

“And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” -Mark 1:23,24.

 “And he (Jesus) preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.” -Mark 1:39. Jesus’ name in parentheses was added to identify.  

It is spiritually dangerous to play “follow the leader” when seeking the path of eternal life with God, no matter how well intended that leader may be. God expects to have a direct relationship with every believer, and has given His Word and Spirit to enable us. Make sure that God is the One behind ALL of your works.

“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.” -1 Corinthians 7:23,24.

“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” -Romans 14:11,12.

Is Jesus’ Lordship Automatic for Christians?

 “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.” -John 13:13.

There are many Christians who testify that Jesus is their Lord and Savior, but while Jesus’ redemptive role on the cross seems to be obvious, there are still some   questions about how automatically His role as LORD is both in the world, and in the lives of born again believers. Even Jesus himself once said while preaching,

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” -Luke 6:46.  

  That’s because when we call someone our LORD it reflects a submission to that person’s authority, and thus Jesus cannot be the Lord of the unsaved, who will not seek Him at all. And while we Christians do recognize God’s complete  Sovereignty over everyone, the true time of Jesus’ full Lordship will only come at the end of the world.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” -Philippians 2:9-11.

“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” -Revelation 11:15.

Yet questions might remain about whether or not every true Christian can rightly call Jesus both their Lord and their Savior, but after considering this carefully I do believe that they can…

Scripture tells us that if any person be in Christ, they are a new creature        (2 Corinthians 5:17), and have passed from spiritual death unto life. We have therefore exchanged the sinfully corrupt lordship over our own lives for the perfect authority of Jesus; this is a natural result of genuine repentance (Acts 2:38).

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” -John 5:24.

This doesn’t mean that we will ever become perfect in the flesh (Romans 7:18), but true believers will look to surrendering more & more of their lives over to Jesus’ lordship, as the Holy Spirit brings us conviction. It’s in this light Jesus told us that,

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” -from Luke 9:23.

Yet it ought to be said that even if Jesus’ lordship automatically comes along with our salvation, the scripture still clearly shows that growing in Christ this way takes effort, especially through prayer & scripture studies; while only too often many take His Lordship for granted and make only superficial efforts if any. Remember that God’s Word says that apart from Jesus we can do nothing (John 15:1-6), and to;

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” -2 Corinthians 13:5A.

The world around us desperately needs to see the reality of Jesus’  Lordship every day in our lives; so let us seek this path of bearing witness more & more.

“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” -Luke 14:33.

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” -1 John 5:3,4.

I also have a short YouTube video on this teaching. It can be found at https://youtube.com/shorts/ewRP_aZb9zE?feature=share.

There’s New Life through God’s Word

 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  -Romans 12:2.

We Christians would do well to heed the Bible’s instruction NOT to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers, but to instead come out from among them, and be separate, not touching ANY unclean thing; our enemy knows that his most effective weapon against us isn’t persecution, but a spiritual pollution that infects the body of Christ.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?… for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them…and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you…” -from 2 Corinthians 6:14-17.

Today there’s kind of an “anything goes” attitude in the world around us, and this spirit has also invaded the professing Christian church; where many members are now choosing to follow only certain aspects of  Christian faith, yet ignoring numerous others that they don’t like. And THIS influence often originates from confusing (1 Corinthians 14:33) mixed messages found in Bible revisions.

One troubling example of this in 1 Corinthians 7:24, where Paul wrote; “Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.” This is a rather straightforward application of God’s Word, for we know the body of Christ has different members with a variety of functions (1 Corinthians 12:4-14), and here Paul is urging believers to remain in the calling God’s given them.

Yet it’s the Bible revisions of this verse which cause the trouble, with the new version of the English Standard Bible saying;

“So, brothers, in whatever CONDITION each was called, there let him remain with God.” -1 Corinthians 7:24, ESV.

This creates a tremendous problem for Christians, because the broad testimony of scripture is clear in showing that every person’s condition when called was sinful, and separated from God!

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” -Isaiah 64:6.

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” -Romans 3:10,11.

And it’s very much to the contrary, that the Bible says,

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” -2 Corinthians 5:17.

The book of Romans also affirms a believer’s change by saying,

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” -Romans 6:1,2.

Ephesians 2:8 & 9 are very popular as a reminder that good works can’t save us, yet the whole passage with verse 10 also affirms the change toward good works that naturally follow the born-again Christian life;

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” -Ephesians 2:8-10.

In 1 Peter 5:8, God’s Word warns His children to;

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”,

and through this blog we’ve seen how our enemy also often lurks within the covers of polluted new Bible versions, which work to subtly poison our souls. God kept His words of life for us in the King James Bible, and we should hold up all teachings to the light it gives (John 3:21).

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” -2 Corinthians 11:13-15.

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” -2 Timothy 4:2-4.

I also have a short YouTube video on this teaching. It can be found at https://youtube.com/shorts/P06i8Mi0dNk?feature=share

The Prophecy Found in Genesis 22:8

 “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” -2 Peter 1:20,21.

Most Christians are well familiar with God’s calling of Abraham, and how the Lord provided his son Isaac as the link for our spiritual inheritance, when Abraham was very old; and then we know of how God tested him, by saying that he should sacrifice Isaac by slaying him for a burnt offering, even though God had promised that Abraham’s heritage should come through him (See Genesis 12:1-3, chapters 17,18, & 22 for info on Abraham’s calling).

“And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”    -Genesis 22:1,2.

Yet contained within this account is an early prophecy of God’s promise for our ultimate salvation; and as Abraham & Isaac were travelling to the place of sacrifice, we read the following interaction between them, which says;

“And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” -Genesis 22:7,8.

The bold type in the previous verses was added to emphasize what is an early prophecy of Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins; God declared that He would provide himself as the atoning sacrificial lamb for our sins, done through His Son Jesus; a promise made that’s made through God’s Word in the King James Bible, one which the Bible revisions try to dismiss.

Our adversary the devil (Ephesians 6:11,12) wants people to think all Bibles are relatively the same, but the Bible revisions (All versions but the KJB) typically CHANGE Genesis 22:8, to make it read, “God will provide for himself a lamb for a burnt offering;” and thus, this takes away the prophecy of Jesus’ future sacrifice by adding the word FOR; which also adds another LIE to their version, because later in verse 13, it shows that God gave them a RAM for their substitute, not a lamb!

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” -Proverbs 30:5,6.

“For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” -2 Corinthians 2:17.

It’s well known that when translating from one language into another, words may need to be added to bring understanding; but when the KJB translators added such words, they were honest enough to italicize them; and there aren’t any italicized words in Genesis 22:8! The way it was written made perfect sense to those translating, for scripture references Jesus as the Lamb of God 32X, with 26 being in Revelation. The KJB translators were more than 4 dozen great linguistic scholars, who by the method they used had to agree on every word at least 14X!

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” -John 1:29.

By contrast, the Bible revision committee had just 20 members, but only 2 were doing the translating; with all the other members simply voting on which man’s version they liked best!

Brethren, there IS a vast difference between the King James Bible, and other Bible versions; which ultimately all come from the same revision translation. Please check into these matters for yourself, for the true Word of God is the very foundation of our FAITH, and we need to be careful how we build.

For more information on the Bible version issue, you can check out the following video link to get a deeper look, or find numerous resources at www.chick.com; including their tract called, “The Attack,” which you can read on their site, and I highly recommend.

“But he (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” -Matthew 4:4.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” -2 Timothy 4:3,4.

I also have a short YouTube video on this subject. It can be found at https://youtube.com/shorts/PgRKL_licqw?feature=share.

Becoming Perfect Through God’s Word

 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” -Matthew 5:48.

Early in the New Testament, Jesus declared the above verse in the sermon on the mount, and as a young Christian it weighed upon me heavily; for even though my need to grow in Christ-likeness was obvious, the call for PERFECTION seemed far out of reach, and I didn’t know where to begin. Thankfully, for we earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7), God has promised to provide ALL the instruction we need to pursue this goal in His Word, assuring us that;

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” -2 Timothy 3:16,17. Bold type is added.

Yes! That precious Holy scripture in our hands isn’t only the very basis of Christian faith, but it does also contain in it everything we need for living out the Christian lives God expects; NOT that we can ever be perfect while still in the flesh (Romans 7:18), but God doesn’t want us to look further than scripture for direction toward that goal.

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” -Jesus, in John 17:17.

God’s Word forwards this great promise to us in the King James Bible, yet the Bible revisions seem to HATE the word, “perfect,” and diminish the full scope of how Jesus said we should please our Father; and they do this by altering the rendering of the word “perfect,” to adequate in the New American Standard Bible; changing it to the word “complete” in the English Standard Bible, and drop it altogether in Today’s New International Bible, the New King James Bible, and the New International Bible.  

All Bible versions but the King James are taken from the Revised Translation of 1884; a revision work which claimed it was only done in order to “update the language” of the King James Bible to make it more understandable. Yet all it takes are simple comparisons between the King James and new Bible versions to easily show this isn’t what happened. You may follow the link here to a video with more information on this important topic, and also check out the Bible version resources at www.chick.com.

The Bible forecasts that in these Last Days iniquity shall abound (Matthew 24:12), and the transgressors will come to the full (Daniel 8:23); so it’s more imperative than ever that our spiritual houses be founded upon the true Word of God for weathering these great storms. Today, while there’s still time, let us seek to lay aside any remaining corruption (Hebrews 12:1), and receive with meekness God’s engrafted Word (James 1:21), which is able to save our souls.

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” -Matthew 7:24,25.

“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” -Psalm 12:6,7.

I also have a short YouTube video on this subject that can be found at https://youtube.com/shorts/K4U_5CLCLDE?feature=share.

The Separation of Sin

 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” -1 Timothy 1:15.

It isn’t bad to tell someone that God, or Jesus loves them, but people do repeat this a lot, which has a way of diminishing its value. We often repeat this phrase in the lightest possible way, yet scripture shows that the real proof of it comes through Jesus’ atoning death on the cross for our sins; this is the critical, often overlooked aspect of salvation we’ve largely become insensitive to.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” -Romans 5:8.

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” -1 John 4:10.

But our SIN is what actually separates us from God, and why we need Him to save us; men find it far easier just to receive love from God, and NOT accept His condemnation for their sins! Even Jesus said the world HATED Him for saying its works are evil (John 7:7).

Scripture warns that in the Last Days men will abandon sound doctrine and become proud, and boastful, lovers of their own selves, with a form of godliness which actually denies Him (2 Timothy 3:1-5); even though all the while the letter to the Galatians affirms that God accepts no man’s person (Galatians 2:6), and concludes everyone to be guilty under sin (Galatians 3:22)!

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” -Romans 3:23.

Consider also that Jesus said only God is truly good (Mark 10:17,18), and that He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance; if we don’t recognize our true sinful state in God’s eyes, how can we repent from sins, and be forgiven by God?

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” -1 John 1:8-10.

But instead of the right way Jesus shows us through His Word, mankind usually  turns away from teachings that confront our sins, because they make us feel guilty;  and in the end we wind up fulfilling prophecy by embracing teachers (2 Peter 2:17-21) who support the desires of our flesh, turning us away from the right path. The danger here is that many will likely receive a false conversion (Matthew 7:21-23) not based upon the scripture, but one which tries to only receive God’s love, without FULLY surrendering their old lives and practices. (See also Acts 5:1-11, 8:18-24).

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” -2 Timothy 4:2-4.

            Paul once testified to the Corinthians that he had determined not to know any thing among them, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2), which is the real focal point in this blog; a focus that reminds us that in our flesh we are naturally sinners (Romans 7:18) who deserve God’s wrath, but have instead received His mercy (Romans 9:15,16) through the precious blood atonement He provided through Jesus, His Son.

Let us pray for grace to always tell the truth about God’s real love for mankind, never being ashamed for the cross of our Lord, nor any ridicule it may bring.

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” -2 Corinthians 5:18-21.

I also have a short YouTube video on this subject that can be found at https://youtube.com/shorts/oJ6irry5U1I?feature=share.

The Context of 2 Thessalonians 3:10

“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” -Psalm 37:25.

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus told us that when we seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; that He will provide everything we truly need.

This verse was often quoted in the church of my teen years, yet many times someone would quickly add, “Yeah, but you still need a job”; to which all of us would readily agree! It was a faithless addition to scripture, yet I fear the misapplying of verses like 2 Thessalonians 3:10 may lend to this conclusion, for taken by itself it says; “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

We need to keep in mind that chapters & verses were added to the Bible well after it was written, and 2 Thessalonians 3:10 is a part of ONE complete letter, and the letter is a part of God’s complete Word, which has 66 books. Paul explains one direct reason for the instructions of v.10 in v.11, where it says,

“For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.”

 Too much idleness lends toward gossip, and other mischief that working can help people avoid, and this is the direction being pointed out.

Every Christian is an individual member of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:14,15), and our functions differ greatly in appearance; which becomes a point of stumbling when we expect other Christians to look too much alike in their service to God. We also take a lot for granted if we’re thinking that every job will have paychecks, or a time clock, or other visible things we can point to, when we know that FAITH is the evidence of things UNSEEN (Hebrews 11:1).

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” -John 7:24.

Godly work doesn’t always receive tangible rewards, like when the Apostles refused to wait on tables, and gave themselves to the Word of God and prayer, instead (Acts 6:1-4); or when Jesus commended Mary for listening to His teaching, instead of helping Martha serve (Luke 10:38-42); or when scripture shows that elders labouring in the word and doctrine are worthy of double honor (1 Timothy 5:17,18). Even Paul points out that he & his group could “forbear working,” yet they labored to set an example for others (1 Corinthians 9:6-14). Related scriptures are in the description. If we would take time to realize the importance of the Golden Rule in dealing with others, we’d know that it’s a work duty each of us has, that may not get much notice.

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” -Matthew 7:12, a.k.a. the Golden Rule.

“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”       -Luke 17:10.

When we read the passages about God’s provision for those who seek first His kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:25-33, Luke 12:22-34), Jesus never even hints that we should labor to supply our own needs, but actually seems to discourage it; thus allowing the emphasis to rest upon His will for our lives, whether or not that means work men can see!

Often our real struggle isn’t about knowing or carrying out God’s will, but with the loud opinions of protest we’re subjected to for being different. Pray diligently to be sure of His daily will for your life, then be strong in remembering the Bible’s admonition that;

“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.” -1 Corinthians 7:23,24. 

I also have a short YouTube teaching on this subject, that can be found at https://youtube.com/shorts/vL8ekDIT2zI?feature=share.