INTERPRETING GOD’S WORD
2 Peter 3:16-17 (AMPC)
“Speaking of this as he does in all of his letters. There are some things in those [epistles of Paul] that are difficult to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist and misconstrue to their own utter destruction, just as [they distort and misinterpret] the rest of the Scriptures.
17 Let me warn you therefore, beloved, that knowing these things beforehand, you should be on your guard, lest you be carried away by the error of lawless and wicked [persons and] fall from your own [present] firm condition [your own steadfastness of mind].”
Dear people of God, some people claim there are many interpretations of God’s Word in the Holy Bible.
In today’s lead text, Apostle Peter tells us how some twist Scriptures to their own utter destruction and warns us not to be misled by the error of lawless and wicked persons.
For instance, some, including pastors, claim tithes belong to the Old Testament and are not necessary now. So how does the work of the Gospel progress if people don’t pay tithes?
Some claim because Deuteronomy 22:5 does not specifically say trousers are for men only so women can wear them.
Some say fasting is not necessary. Some say once you are born again, salvation is eternal and cannot be lost no matter the number of sins one commits after.
I know someone who says according to 1 Timothy 3:2, it is only a Bishop that must have one wife and he as a Christian is allowed to have more than one wife.
I have a friend who says wealth as defined in the Holy Bible is only limited to one’s spouse and family and does not include money and that God hates money.
I reminded him of Solomon, the richest man who lived on this earth whose blessings like every other genuine one comes from God Almighty.
I also showed him Proverbs 13:22 where it says the wealth of the sinner eventually goes to the righteous for whom it was laid up and my friend still cannot understand what the wealth of the sinner means.
He does not understand that every genuine blessing comes from God.
A number of women who engage in immorality with married men justify it by saying that even David the second king of Israel had many wives! They are ignorant of the fact that David practised Judaism, the Old Testament that was God’s standard for the world at the time.
However, God at the time also warned that kings should not multiply wives who will eventually mislead the king to abandon God and worship idols – Deuteronomy 17:17a.
This eventually played out during the time of king Solomon whose 700 wives and 300 concubines turned his heart from God Almighty to start worshipping idols despite God appearing twice to him in a dream to warn him against idolatry – 1 Kings 11:1-10.
On the other hand, the Lord Jesus Christ came to introduce Christianity and the New Testament, which is the standard for the entire world today.
Some Christians say there are many ways to get to heaven and that Christians and others are worshipping the same God even when the Bible clearly says Jesus Christ ALONE is the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one can reach God except through Jesus – John 14:6.
Dear friend, I could go on and on with examples of how people misinterpret the Word of God in the Holy Bible to suit their purpose or justify the sin they are unwilling to let go.
You see, it does not matter whatever interpretation you choose to give to Bible Verses. What matters is what God has said in His Word and the interpretation He has given it.
It is on the basis of God’s Word and God’s interpretation of His Word that every single human being will be judged. You would therefore do well to pray for God’s Spirit to direct you, then study His Word and obey what it says and not what your mind tells you.
I will end by saying that regardless of what anyone else thinks, believes or says or has told you, I make it clear to you today and now that apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no other way to enter Heaven.
There is only One Mediator between God and mankind, the Man Jesus Christ – 1 Timothy 2:5. Turn to Him sincerely today and NOW while you are still alive, before it is too late.
May the good Lord bless you as you heed His Word, act on it and share with others in Jesus’ Most Merciful Name, Amen.
Gabriel Ama.
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