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When we look at the many hundreds of Christian denominations, all reading some version of the same bible, and yet all teaching and believing different things, we have to ask ourselves, “Who is right?” In order to understand this situation, we need to take note of the words of Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived before Jesus:
(Proverbs 12:15) “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes:”
(Proverbs 14:12) “There is a way that seems right to a man; but the end of it are the ways of death.”
(Proverbs 16:2) “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes;”
(Proverbs 16:25) “There is a way that seems right to a man; but the end of it are the ways of death.”
(Proverbs 21:2) “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes:”
Almost everyone thinks that they are right because they have an “inward knowing” that they are right. Hundreds of religions and Christian denominations, are all believing and teaching that they have the truth, and everyone else is wrong. But who has the truth? Who is right? First we need to recognize that when a man is deceived, he does not usually know that he is: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes:” (Proverbs 12:15). Then we need to ask, “Why should we be right and everyone else wrong when they are going by the same inward “knowing” that we are relying on?” There is only one way that you can be sure that you are right, and that is when what you know agrees with what God says in his word, because Jesus said to the Father, “your word is truth.” (John 17:17). Here again we have the same problem, because many will say that they believe the bible , and that is where they get their beliefs from. So where do we go from here? The answer lies in the way that the word of God is studied. Many have not even considered that when it comes to studying God's word, God himself has told us how to do that in his word. When we do not do things the way that God tells us to do them it invariably leads to disaster. Look at some examples:
(1) Adam and Eve were forbidden one simple thing by God, “of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it:” (Genesis 2:17), and they disobeyed (Genesis 3:6). Just eating one piece of forbidden fruit each, brought an unimaginable catastrophe of sin, death, and suffering on all mankind (Romans 5:12). They would have been much better off living in the Garden of Eden the way God told them to, without the knowledge of good and evil.
(2) When Lot and his family escaped from Sodom, they were told, “do not look behind you,” (Genesis 19:17), but when Lot’s wife looked back, she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). She would have been much better off obeying God’s instructions.
(3) Nadab an Abihu “offered strange fire before the LORD, which he did not command them. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.” (Leviticus 10:1-2). They would have been far better obeying God’s instructions, and taking the fire off the altar (Leviticus 16:12), because then it would have been holy fire (Exodus 29:37).
(4) God forbade any work to be done on the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:10), and when a man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath, he was put to death by stoning (Numbers 15:32-36). He would have been better off keeping the Sabbath the way that God told them to keep it (Exodus 35:2-3).
(5) When the children of Israel spoke against Moses and Aaron in the desert of Zin, asking for water (Numbers 20:1-5), God commanded Moses, “speak you to the rock” (Numbers 20:8), and Moses “smote the rock twice:” (Numbers 20:11). As a punishment for this disobedience, God deprived both Moses and Aaron entrance into the promised land (Numbers 20:12; 20:22-29; Deuteronomy 32:48-52; 34:1-6). Moses would have been far better off doing it the way God told him to do it.
(6) God instructed Saul to destroy Amalek, all their people, and all their livestock (1 Samuel 15:2-3), but Saul feared the people (1 Samuel 15:24), so he spared the king, and permitted them to save the best of the livestock to sacrifice to God (1 Samuel 15:8-9, 15, 21). For this disobedience Saul was rejected from being king (1 Samuel 15:23, 28). Saul would have been much better off keeping God’s instructions properly.
(7) When God gave instructions for transporting the ark of the testimony, he instructed it to be carried by the priests (Joshua 3:6; 1 Chronicles 15:2), with staves through the golden rings on the ark (Exodus 25:12-15), and also said, “they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.” (Numbers 4:15). However, when David transported the ark back to Jerusalem, the wrong way, on an ox cart (2 Samuel 6:1-9; 1 Chronicles 13:1-12), Uzzah touched the ark to prevent it from falling, and died for his error (2 Samuel 6:6-7; 1 Chronicles 13:9-10). They would have been much better off transporting the ark the way that God had told them to do it.
Therefore in this section we will examine how God has instructed us to study his word, and how he we can avoid the deception that many people seems to be in.
2 CHRONICLES 19:2-3
2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went our to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Should you
help the ungodly, and love those who hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon you from before the LORD.
3 Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have taken away the groves out of
the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God.
EZRA 7:10
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel
statutes and judgements.
ECCLESIASTES 7:2-4
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for that is the end of
all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
JEREMIAH 4:3
3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns.
HOSEA 10:12
12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to
seek the LORD, until he comes and rains righteousness upon you.
2 CORINTHIANS 7:9-11 (Paul)
9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance; for you were made sorry
after a godly manner, that you might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the
world works death.
11 For behold the selfsame thing, that you sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it worked in
you, yes, what clearing of yourselves, yes, what indignation, yes, what fear, yes, what vehement desire,
yes, what zeal, yes, what revenge! In all things you have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
JAMES 4:8-10
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts,
you double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to
heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Note: Godly sorrow makes the heart better (Ecclesiastes 7:3), it clears it out (2 Corinthians 7:11), and purifies it (James 4:8-9). Just as good ground was required to bring forth good fruit in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:8; Mark 4:8; Luke 8:8), so a good soft heart is required to bring forth a good understanding of the truth of God’s word. If we study the scriptures diligently and still lack understanding, then it is almost certainly due to the condition of our spiritual heart, which may result from lack of repentance. Most of us will not have repented sincerely because we have been told that all sins are automatically forgiven when we first believe, and it is an easy mistake to make by taking verses such as (John 3:16; Acts 13:39), without rightly dividing the scripture. Every one of us can claim forgiveness of sins by faith when we first believe in Jesus, but it is not manifested in our lives until our sins have been repented of. This includes:
(a) Praying to God for forgiveness (2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalms 32:5-6; Acts 8:22).
(b) Confessing each sin to God (Psalms 32:5; 51:2-3; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9).
(c) Being sorry for our sin (Psalms 38:18; Ecclesiastes 7:3; 2 Corinthians 7:8-11).
(d) Forsaking the sin (Isaiah 1:16-18; Jeremiah 36:3; Ezekiel 18:21-22; 2 Timothy 2:19).
(e) Destroying all association with past sin (Joshua 7:11-12; Isaiah 27:9; Acts 19:18-19).
(f) Making restitution where possible (Exodus 22:1-7; Ezekiel 33:14-16; Luke 19:8).
(g) Renewing our heart and mind with God’s word (Joshua 1:8; Psalms 1:2; 119:11; Romans
12:2; Ephesians 4:23; Colossians 3:10; Hebrews 8:10-12).
(h) Obey God’s word and do good (Isaiah 1:16-18; Ezekiel 18:21-22; 33:14-16; Ephesians 4:28; James 4:17).
Our search for the truth of the scripture can be hindered without a proper repentance, and with this one deception, the Devil has not only kept millions of Christians from getting prayers answered, enticed many back into the world, overcome them during trials of faith, kept them from understanding scripture, but has seen countless millions of “Christians” die still committing sin, because they have failed to undergo a proper repentance. Examples of this are given in scripture (Matthew 7:21-23; 25:1-13). We really need to confess every sin that we can remember, after which many of us may be surprised how quickly we start getting a new understanding of the scripture, and a faith that will endure trials. How long must it continue? “till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12), but don’t be surprised if it runs into hundreds of hours! (See #2.12 Note). Here are two examples of God preparing the hearts of people with Godly sorrow before receiving his word.
MATTHEW 3:1-2
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
2 And saying, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
MARK 1:4
4 John preached in the wilderness, and preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of
sins.
LUKE 3:3
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the
remission of sins;
ACTS 19:4
4 Then said Paul, John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying
to the people, that
they should believe on him who should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Note: The whole purpose of the ministry of John the Baptist, to “all the people of Israel” (Acts 13:24), was to prepare the hearts of many of them to receive the words of Jesus:
(Luke 1:17) “And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God, And he
shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and
the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
(Luke 1:76-77) “And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for you shall go
before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation
to his people by the remission of their sins.”
What would have happened if Jesus had just turned up on the scene and started preaching, without John the Baptist coming first? His words would have been like seed sown by the wayside (Matthew 13:19; Mark 4:15), or on stony ground (Matthew 13:20-21; Mark 4:16-17; Luke 8:13), or among thorns (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:18-19; Luke 8:14), and been fruitless. However, after months of listening to John the Baptist (Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness after being baptized by John (Matthew 4:1-2), many people had time to repent of some of their sins, and start to straighten their lives out, improving their heart condition ready to hear the words of Jesus. When Jesus began to preach, he also preached repentance (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15), teaching that without repentance the people would perish (Luke 13:1-5), and sent his disciples to preach repentance also (Mark 6:7-12). This meant that the words which Jesus later spoke were much more likely to be received into a good heart, and kept to bring forth good fruit.
JOB 2:13
13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and no-one spoke a word
to him:
for they saw that his grief was very great.
JOB 6:2-3 (Job)
2 O that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.
JOB 16:16, 20 (Job)
16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
20 My friends scorn me: but my eye pours out tears to God.
JOB 17:7 (Job)
7 My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.
JOB 23:16 (Job)
16 For God makes my heart soft, and the almighty troubles me:
Note: Job lived during Israel’s exile in Egypt, before the law was given to Moses, and so lacked the knowledge of sin in his life (Romans 7:7-9), and also the knowledge of God (Job 34:35; 35:16; 38:2; 42:3). Unlike us today, Job had no way of knowing his shortcomings, but justified himself according to his conscience (Job 13:18; 33:9-10), and there was no man around who could teach him more about God. Just as soil needs to be broken up before the seed is planted, otherwise it will bring forth no fruit, and just as the disciples would have been unable to bear some of the truths Jesus wished to reveal to them (John 16:12), so Job would have been unable to receive the revelation of God, that God wanted him to have in his condition before his trial. Therefore, knowing that Job would remain faithful, God intervened and softened his heart (Job 32:16) with the trial of his faith (Job 23:10; 1 Peter 1:7). After this God gave Job a revelation of himself (Job 38:1-41:34), which he was then able to receive and understand (Job 42:5). If God uses this method of heart preparation, then we should not be deceived into thinking that we can obtain the knowledge of God without following the same pattern, because God always knows best.
(Isaiah 55:9) “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Don’t expect it to be a short term project either, Job was already a very sincere man for God, the most godly in the country (Job 1:1; 4:3-4; 6:10; 29:1-25), and he had enough faith to endure his trial, but even so his trial lasted for months (Job 7:2-3).
MATTHEW 7:7-8 (Jesus)
7 Ask1, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be
opened to you.
8 For every one who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to
him who knocks it shall be opened.
JOHN 14:13-14 (Jesus)
13 And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.
EPHESIANS 1:17 (Paul)
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give
to you the spirit of
wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
JAMES 1:5-7
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask2 of God
who gives to all men
liberally, and does not reproach; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask2 in faith, nothing
doubting: For he who doubts is like a wave
of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For do not let that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord.
Note: The word translated ask1 (Gr. aiteite, Gtr. aiteite) (Matthew 7:7) is the second person, plural, present, imperative, active, of the verb “aiteō”, “I ask”. In Greek, the present imperative often indicates a command to continue doing something, or to do it repeatedly, and in this case it literally means “keep on asking”. The word translated let him ask2 (Gr. aiteitw, Gtr. aiteitō) (James 1:5; 1:6) is the third person singular, present imperative active, of the same verb “aiteō”, “I ask”. Again, the present imperative is a command to continue to do something, or to do it repeatedly, and here it literally means “let him keep on asking”. Godly wisdom is something that comes to us gradually (See #2.3 Note 2), and if we continue to ask in faith, nothing doubting (Matthew 21:22; James 1:6), using the name of Jesus (John 14:13-14; 16:23), then as we submit ourselves to study God’s word, and seek for it (See #2.3), God will manifest it to us.
1 CHRONICLES 28:8 (David)
8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God,
keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that you may possess this good land, and
leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.
EZRA 7:10
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel
statutes and judgements.
PSALMS 119:45
45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek your precepts.
PROVERBS 2:1-8 (Solomon)
1 My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments with you;
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry after knowledge, and lift up your voice for understanding;
4 If you seek for her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures;
5 Then shall you understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom: out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
7 He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to those
who walk uprightly.
8 He keeps the paths of judgment, and preserves the way of his saints.
MATTHEW 7:7-8 (Jesus)
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened
to you.
8 For every one who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to
him who knocks it shall
be opened.
HEBREWS 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and
that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.
Note 1: If we require wisdom or understanding from God, then apart from having a
gift of the word of wisdom (1 Corinthians 12:8), we need to ask for it in faith (See #2.2). In order to receive it
we need to prepare our hearts (See #2.1), and seek for it. Wisdom comes from hearing, seeing, and meditating
on God’s word (Psalm 19:7; 119:98; 119:130; Proverbs 1:1-6; 4:10-11; 5:1-2; 8:33; 9:9-10; 13:1; 19:20; 23:19),
from obedience to God’s word (Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:23; 14:16; Ecclesiastes 2:26; Mark 4:24), from fearing
God (Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 8:13-14), through chastisement (Proverbs 21:11; 29:15), by keeping wise
company (Proverbs 13:20), from observing nature (Proverbs 6:6-8; 30:24-31), and it is found in Christ (Colossians 2:2-3). If
we expect God to bless us with wisdom, then we need to do those things which God has ordained that we should
do in order to obtain it; this is how we seek for it. When Daniel had his dreams and visions, he also had to
seek for understanding (Daniel 8:15-16 with 8:27; Daniel 10:2-3 with 10:10-14). The answer was given immediately
(Daniel 10:12), but he still had to seek for the manifestation of it with prayer and fasting because of
spiritual warfare in the heavens (Daniel 10:13).
Note 2: God’s wisdom that is learned comes to us gradually:
(Deuteronomy 32:2) “My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small
rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:”
(Isaiah 28:9-10) “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?
those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and
there a little.”
So we need to keep on asking, keep on believing, and keep on seeking, in order to keep on growing in wisdom.
LEVITICUS 11:1-8
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them,
2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which you shall eat among all the
beasts that are on the earth.
3 Whatever parts the hoof, and is cloven footed, and chews the cud, among the
beasts, that shall you eat.
4 Nevertheless these shall you not eat, of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as
the camel, because he chews the cud, but does not divide the hoof; he is unclean
to you.
5 And the badger, because he chews the cud, but does not divide the hoof; he is unclean
to you.
6 And the hare, because he chews the cud, but does not divide the hoof; he is unclean
to you.
7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven footed, yet he
does not chew the cud; he is
unclean to you.
8 Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcass shall you not touch; they are unclean to you.
DEUTERONOMY 14:3-8
3 You shall not eat any abominable thing.
4 These are the beasts which you shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat.
5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and
the chamois.
6 And every beast that parts the hoof, and cleaves the cleft into two claws, and chews the cud among the beasts, that you shall eat.
7 Nevertheless these shall you not eat, of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as
the camel, and the hare, and the badger: for they chew the cud, but do
not divide the hoof; therefore
they are unclean to you.
8 And the swine, because it divides the hoof, yet does not chew the cud, it is unclean
to you: you
shall not eat their flesh, nor touch the dead carcass.
Note: It is clear that these scriptures do not apply to us in the same sense of physical meat, because we have the New Testament revelations from Jesus and Paul:
(Matthew 15:10-11) “And he called the multitude, and said to them, Hear, and understand;
Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this
defiles a man.”
(Mark 7:15) “There is nothing from outside a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the
things which come out of him, those are the things which defile a man.”
(Mark 7:18-19) “Do you not perceive, that whatever thing from without
enters into the man, it cannot defile him;
Because it does not enter into his heart, but into the belly, and goes out into the draught, purging all meats?”
(Luke 10:8) “And into whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:”
(Luke 11:41) “But rather give alms of such things as you have; and, behold, all things are clean
to you.”
(Romans 14:14) “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself:”
(1 Corinthians 10:25-27) “Whatever is sold in the market, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
For the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.
If any of those who believe not bid you to a feast, and you are disposed to go; whatever is set
before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.”
(1 Timothy 4:4-5) “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
(Titus 1:15) “To the pure, all things are pure:”
It was also Paul who also said:
(Romans 7:14) “the law is spiritual:”
(Romans 15:4) “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning,” and
(2 Timothy 3:16) “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
So we know that there is something in these scriptures for us today, which has a spiritual significance rather than a physical one.
PSALMS 34:8 (David)
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man who trusts in him.
PSALMS 119:103
103 How sweet are your words to my taste! yes sweeter than honey to my mouth.
JEREMIAH 15:16
16 Your words were found, and I ate them; and your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my
heart: for I am called by your name, O LORD God of hosts.
JOHN 1:14
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us ...
JOHN 6:27 (Jesus)
27 Labour not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures
to everlasting life,
which the Son of man shall give to you: for him has God the Father sealed.
JOHN 6:51-58 (Jesus)
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever:
and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53 Then Jesus said to them, Amen, amen, I say to you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and
drink his blood, you have no life in you.
54 Whoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at
the last day.
55 My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father; so he who eats me, even he shall live by
me.
58 This is the bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers ate manna, and are dead: he who eats of this bread shall live for ever.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:3-4 (Paul)
3 And all ate the same spiritual meat;
4 And all drank that same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them: and
that rock was Christ.
HEBREWS 6:5
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
1 PETER 2:2
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow
by it.
Note: Jesus is, of course, the Word of God (John 1:1, 1:14, Revelation 19:13), and when he told us to “eat his flesh” and “eat the living bread”, he was telling us to feed our spirits on the word of God. The word of God is spiritual food of all sorts for the Christian:
(1 Peter 2:2) “the sincere milk of the word,” ... for the babe.
(John 6:51) “the living bread”, ... when grown from a babe.
(Hebrews 5:14) “strong meat”, ... when grown to full age.
(Isaiah 7:15) “butter and honey”, ... for knowledge to refuse evil and choose good.
(Psalm 119:103; Psalm 19:8; 1 Samuel 14:27-29) “honey” ... for spiritual enlightenment.
(Job 29:6) “butter”, ... for washing our steps.
Butter comes from “the sincere milk of the word” (1 Peter 2:2), being churned over and over:
(Proverbs 30:33) “Surely the churning of milk brings forth butter.”
It is equivalent to meditating on the word of God, or hearing and seeing the same scripture over and over again. Just as the meat of the body of the animal was said to be clean when it conformed to this pattern, so the substance of our spirit will become clean when we conform our spiritual eating habits to the same pattern.
EPHESIANS 6:15 (Paul)
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
NAHUM 1:15
15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings, and publishes peace! O
Judah, keep your solemn feasts, perform your vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through you; he is
utterly cut off.
ISAIAH 52:7
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, and publishes peace;
who brings good tidings of good, who publishes salvation; that says
to Zion, Thy God reigns!
ROMANS 10:15 (Paul)
15 And how shall they preach, except they are sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of
those who preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Note 1: These verses show that an essential part of the Christian armour is to have “your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;” (Ephesians 6:15), forming the association between feet and the word of God. This is emphasized by the feet washing of the Old Testament priests during their consecration (Exodus 30:18-21; Exodus 40:30-32) which was part of their cleansing process, and by Jesus, who washed his disciples feet (John 13:3-15) and said to them:
(John 13:14) “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also aught to wash one another’s feet.”
Obviously there was a spiritual significance to this, because Jesus said to Peter, “What I do you do not know now; but you shall know after.” (John 13:7), and even an unlearned fisherman like Peter knew that he was having his feet washed. Spiritually then, feet washing is sharing the word of God with one another, this is how we wash one another’s feet, preparing each other with the word of God as Jesus instructed. Thus we associate the physical hoof of the animal spiritually with the word of God.
Note 2: There are other scriptures also which associate our words with our spiritual feet:
(Genesis 3:8) “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day:”
(Psalm 73:9) “They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth.”
(Proverbs 6:12) “A naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a
perverse mouth.”
(Jeremiah 6:28) “They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders:”
(Jeremiah 9:4) “and every neighbour will walk with slanders.”
Spiritually a person can walk with his “voice” (Genesis 3:8), his “tongue” (Psalm 73:9), his “mouth” (Proverbs 6:12), or with “slanders” (Jeremiah 6:28; 9:4). Literally we know that a person walks with his feet, but spiritually one way that he walks is with the words that he speaks. Jesus said:
(Luke 10:19) “Behold, I give you the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy;”
Our warfare is spiritual (Ephesians 6:12), and serpents and scorpions are figurative of evil powers. So we do not tread on them with our physical feet, but with the words that we speak. We command them in the name of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we can see again that we associate the word of God with the feet.
2 TIMOTHY 2:15 (Paul)
15 Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth.
Note: Having established the association between the physical hoof and the spiritual word of God on the feet, it is a small step to see that the physically divided hoof is equivalent to the word of God being rightly divided. In the Old Testament, the bodies of animal sacrifices were divided up. Abraham took “an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, ... and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another:” (Genesis 15:9-10), and during the consecration of the priests under the law of Moses, God commanded “you shall slay the ram ... And you shall cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them to his pieces, and to his head.” (Exodus 29:16-17). This Old Testament type, dividing up the flesh of the sacrifice and rearranging it, is fulfilled spiritually now by rightly dividing the word of God, that is, the flesh of Jesus (John 6:51-56), who was our sacrifice. The breaking of bread before it was eaten at the last supper is symbolic of rightly dividing the word also, as Jesus said:
(John 6:51) “I am the living bread”,
(Matthew 26:26) “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave
it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.”
Just as clean meat could not be obtained unless the hoof was divided (See #2.41), so it is difficult to obtain spiritual truth from the word of God, unless it has been rightly divided (See #3).
JOSHUA 1:8
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate1
in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written
in it: for then
you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
PSALMS 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor
sit in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate1 day and
night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
PSALMS 119:15
15 I will meditate2 in your precepts, and have respect
to your ways.
1 TIMOTHY 4:15-16 (Paul)
15 Meditate3 upon these things; give yourself wholly to them; that your profiting may
appear to all.
16 Take heed to yourself, and to the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this you shall both save
yourself, and those who hear you.
Note: Meditating often implies pondering or turning thoughts over and over in the
mind or heart. The word used in the Old Testament for meditate1 (Hb. הָגָת, Htr. hāgā) is
used in this sense (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2; 77:12; 143:5; Isaiah 33:18), and is translated “studies” (Proverbs 15:28; 24:2). When used
in connection with the tongue it is translated “utter” (Job 27:4), “speak” (Psalm 35:28; Proverbs 8:7), “speaks”
(Psalm 37:30), “talk” (Psalm 71:24), and “muttered” (Isaiah 59:3). The general sense of the word seems to
indicate “concentrating on”, or “being occupied with”, and whether done with the tongue or in the
heart, these scriptures imply that the word of God is the centre of attention. In the New Testament, the
verb meditate3 (Gr. meletaw, Gtr. meletaō) used in
(1 Timothy 4:15), primarily means “to care for”, “to attend to”,
or “to practice”, and if we consider this to be done in the mind, then the KJV translation “meditate”
is correct; otherwise the translation “be diligent in” might be better. Repeated thinking upon, or
muttering the word of God over and over, is spiritually equivalent to chewing the cud (Leviticus 11:1-8; Deuteronomy
14:3-8), and is essential if “clean meat”, that is, spiritual truth is to be obtained. Just as clean
meat could not be produced without chewing the cud, so spiritual truth cannot be certain without due
meditation.
JOB 34:2-3 (Elihu)
2 Hear my words, O you wise men; and give ear to me, you that have knowledge.
3 For the ear tries words as the mouth tastes meat.
PROVERBS 1:5 (Solomon)
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain
to wise
counsels:
PROVERBS 8:33 (Solomon)
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not refuse it.
PROVERBS 18:15 (Solomon)
15 The heart of the prudent gets knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
PROVERBS 22:17 (Solomon)
17 Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart
to knowledge.
PROVERBS 23:12 (Solomon)
12 Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
PROVERBS 23:19 (Solomon)
19 Hear, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
EZEKIEL 3:10
10 Furthermore he said to me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak
to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears.
ROMANS 10:17 (Paul)
17 Now faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Note: The fact that we can consider hearing the word of God over and over to be like chewing the cud, is evident from the expression, “the ear tries words as the mouth tastes meat.” (Job 34:3). It is also one of the scriptures which show that our ears are one of our spiritual mouths. All of these scriptures show that whatever we keep on hearing, over and over, goes into our spiritual heart. Our spirit is made up of the words we hear, for Jesus said, “the words that I speak to you, they are spirit,” (John 6:63), and when his words go into our heart, his spirit is in us. Thus there are many commands in God’s word to keep on hearing his word, a few of which are:
(Proverbs 8:33) “Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not refuse it.”
(Proverbs 22:17) “hear the words of the wise,”
(Proverbs 23:12) “Apply your ... ears to the words of knowledge.”
(Proverbs 23:19) “Hear, my son, and be wise,”
(Ezekiel 3:10) “all my words ... hear with your ears.”
Jesus also gave us a commands not to hear the wrong thing too often:
(Matthew 16:6,12) “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees ... Then
they understood how that he did not bid them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the
Pharisees and Sadducees.”
(Matthew 24:4) “Take heed that no man deceives you.”
(Mark 4:24) “Take heed what you hear,”
(Mark 13:5) “Take heed lest any man deceives you:”
(Luke 8:18) “Take heed therefore how you hear:”
(Luke 21:8) “Take heed that you are not deceived:”
If we hear the wrong thing, over and over, then that will also enter into our spiritual heart and deceive us, and Jesus gave us a warning here not to let that happen.
DEUTERONOMY 6:6-8
6 And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart.
7 And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.
8 And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
DEUTERONOMY 11:18
18 Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a
sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
PROVERBS 4:20-23 (Solomon)
20 My son, attend to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
PROVERBS 23:26 (Solomon)
26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
Note: These scriptures show that continually seeing the word of God, over and over, is another way to get God’s word into our spiritual heart; our eyes being another of our spiritual mouths. This is why the word of God exhort us:
(Deuteronomy 6:8) “they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.”
(Deuteronomy 11:8) “bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your
eyes.”
(Proverbs 4:21) “Do not let them depart from your eyes;”
(Proverbs 23:26) “let your eyes observe my ways.”
Reading the same scriptures, over and over, is thus equivalent to chewing the cud, and just as it will put God’s word into our hearts, it will also put the wrong thing into our hearts if we keep on looking at the wrong things. Hence the instructions from God’s word telling us not to look:
(Psalm 101:3) “I will set no wicked thing before my eyes,”
(Psalm 119:37) “Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity:”
(Proverbs 23:31) “Do not Look you upon the wine when it is red,”
(Isaiah 33:15-16) “He who ... shuts his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his
place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.”
(Ezekiel 14:6) “turn away your faces from all your abominations.”
(Matthew 5:29) “if your right eye offends you, pluck it out and cast it from you,”
Putting God’s word in our heart allows God access into our lives, and refusing the Devil’s words will restrict his access into our lives.
Introduction 2.5: There are many people who study the word of God very diligently, but end up in error. The bible describes them as, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:7). The reason is not only that they do not study the word of God the way that he has said to do it (See #2.4), but without removing the causes of deception from their lives, they cannot recognize the truth even when it is presented to them. Therefore, for anyone who really desires to obtain the truth from God’s word, this section is very important. It is not just a question of reading and understanding what to do, but also of putting it into practice in our lives. Then, as these causes of deception are removed from our hearts, we will be able to receive more truth.
PROVERBS 3:5-7 (Solomon)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
PROVERBS 23:4 (Solomon)
4 Do not labour to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
Note: There are three admonitions here that we need to take careful note of;
(Proverbs 3:5) “do not lean on your own understanding.”
(Proverbs 3:7) “Do not be wise in your own eyes;”
(Proverbs 23:4) “cease from your own wisdom.”
Before we receive the truth of God’s word it is necessary for us to do this, but why? The reasons for ceasing from our own worldly wisdom are as follows:
(1) It is contrary to the knowledge of God (Luke 10:21; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 2 Corinthians 2:6-8;
2 Corinthians 10:5).
(2) It reasons according to the flesh (Genesis 3:6; Matthew 4:2-3; John 8:15; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Peter 2:18).
(3) It judges after the eyes (Genesis 3:6; 1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 4:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:12), which we are told
not to do, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgement.” (John 7:24).
(4) It appeals to pride (Genesis 3:6; Matthew 4:5-6) and leads to it (Ezekiel 28:4-5).
(5) It is contrary to the preaching in Spirit and power (1 Corinthians 1:17; 2:4-5).
(6) It is deceitful (Romans 16:18; 1 Corinthians 3:18-20; Colossians 2:4,8; Job 5:13)
(7) It is conceited (Proverbs 26:5,12,16; 28:11; Romans 11:25; 12:16).
(8) It increases worldly grief and sorrow (Ecclesiastes 1:17-18).
(9) It is vanity (Psalm 33:10; 94:11; Proverbs 21:30; Ecclesiastes 1:13-14; 2:21; Jeremiah 10:7-8;
Romans 1:21-22; 1 Corinthians 3:20; 2 Peter 2:18).
(10) It is foolishness (Isaiah 44:24-25; Jeremiah 10:7-8; Romans 1:22; 1 Corinthians 1:19-20; 3:18-19).
(11) It perverts us (Isaiah 47:10).
(12) It can be considered as sinful if we compare:
(1 Corinthians 3:19) “the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God:” with
(Proverbs 24:9) “The thought of foolishness is sin:”
Also compare:
(1 Corinthians 2:5) “your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,” with
(Romans 14:23) “whatever is not of faith is sin.”
Just look at the list! There is no way that man can ever get the truth of God’s word by relying on his own worldly wisdom, because God’s thoughts are not man’s thoughts. God’s thoughts are as far above man’s thoughts as the heaven is above the earth (Isaiah 55:8-9), and if we wish to receive the wisdom of God, then we need to discard our own wisdom, and rely on spiritual discernment from the Holy Spirit (See #2.6).
PROVERBS 12:11 (Solomon)
11 He who tills his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he who follows vain persons is void of
understanding.
PROVERBS 13:20 (Solomon)
20 He who walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
PROVERBS 14:7 (Solomon)
7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you perceive the lips of
knowledge are not in him.
PROVERBS 19:27 (Solomon)
27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causes to err from the words of knowledge.
ISAIAH 9:16
16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and those who are led of them are destroyed.
MATTHEW 15:14 (Jesus)
14 Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall
into the ditch.
ROMANS 16:17-18 (Tertius)
17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine
which you have learned; and avoid them.
18 For those who are such do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words
and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
EPHESIANS 5:6-7 (Paul)
6 Do not let any man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon
the children of disobedience.
7 Do not you be therefore partakers with them.
COLOSSIANS 2:8 (Paul)
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, and
after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
2 TIMOTHY 3:13 (Paul)
13 But evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
TITUS 3:10-11 (Paul)
10 A man who is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject;
11 Knowing that he who is such is subverted, and sins, being condemned of himself.
Note: The above scriptures indicate very strongly that we should not follow false
teachers, otherwise we will end up being deceived and destroyed. So how can we know who is false and who isn’t?
because even false teachers use, “good words and fair speeches” (Romans 16:18). The answer is that we
must know the word of God for ourselves. None of us can tell truth from error if we do not know what truth
is, and this is why it is so important for each of us to study the word of God as much as we can. The more
truth we learn, the easier it will be to recognize error when it is taught. Then we must either resist their
error (Acts 17:16-17; Galatians 2:5-6; 2:11-14), or get out of their company in order to obey God (Proverbs 14:7;
19:27; Romans 16:17; Ephesians 5:7; Titus 3:10).
PSALMS 119:21
21 You have rebuked the proud who are cursed, who err from your commandments.
JEREMIAH 49:16
16 Your terribleness has deceived you, and the pride of your heart,
O you who dwells in the clefts of the rock, who holds the height of the hill: though you should make your nest as high as the
eagle, I will bring you down from there, says the LORD.
OBADIAH 3
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwells in the clefts of the rock, whose
habitation is high; who says in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
GALATIANS 6:3 (Paul)
3 For if a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Note: Pride was the original sin of the Devil, when his heart was lifted up because of his beauty (Ezekiel 28:17), and he corrupted himself. Now pride is one of the things God hates:
(Proverbs 6:16-19) “These six things the LORD hates: yes, seven are an
abomination to him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
A false witness who speaks lies, and he who sows discord among brethren.”
Pride is a condition of the heart (Proverbs 16:5; 21:4; Obadiah 3), and it is evil (Job 35:12; Psalm 10:2). It prevents us from hearing the truth (Psalm 10:4-5; Jeremiah 13:17), it hardens the heart (Daniel 5:20), and causes contention (Proverbs 13:10; 21:24; 28:25). Ultimately it leads to condemnation (1 Timothy 3:6). Pride is caused by:
(1) Personal power (Daniel 5:18-20).
(2) Personal strength (2 Kings 14:10; 2 Chronicles 26:15-16).
(3) Personal wealth and possessions (Deuteronomy 8:13-14; 2 Kings 20:12-19 with Isaiah 39:1-8; 2 Chronicles 32:24-36;
Ezekiel 28:4-5; Hosea 13:6; Matthew 19:21).
(4) Personal beauty (Ezekiel 28:17).
(5) Victory in war (2 Kings 14:10; Daniel 11:11-12).
(6) Personal greatness (Ezekiel 31:1-11).
(7) Personal wisdom (Ezekiel 28:4-5).
In order to remove pride from our heart, we need to repent of any of these things that we have been involved in.
JOB 11:20 (Zophar)
20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the
giving up of the spirit.
PROVERBS 13:9 (Solomon)
9 The light of the righteous rejoices: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
DANIEL 9:8,13
8 O Lord, to us belongs confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers,
because we have sinned against you.
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet
we did not make our prayer
before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand your truth.
ZEPHANIAH 1:17
17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned
against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung.
HEBREWS 3:13
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin.
Note: Sin is a big deceiver. Once a person allows sin to come in, or stay in their life, they have allowed the Devil in to deceive them. There is no way round this without repenting of the sin. Multitudes of Christians today are wandering round deceived, because they have refused to deal with sin in their lives. Make no mistake, the fact that salvation is still future in a real sense is given by many scriptures:
(Matthew 24:13) “But he who shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved .”
(Mark 16:16 RPT) “He who believed and was baptized shall be saved;”
(Acts 15:11) “But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be
saved, even as they.”
(Romans 5:10) “being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
(Romans 13:11) “for now is our salvation nearer that when we believed.”
(Philippians 2:12) “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
(1 Peter 1:5) “Who are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time.”
(1 Peter 1:9) “Receiving at the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
When we become believers, God gives us “a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3) for our salvation, but we
need to maintain that faith. If we lose it, we will never receive our salvation manifested in a real sense.
Salvation will manifest when we are resurrected from the dead at Jesus’ second coming (1 Corinthians 5:5;
15:50-57; Hebrews 9:28).
Here we have every incentive to get sin out of our lives, so that we are not deceived into believing that we
are saved when we are not. We only have to look at all the denominational error today, and false cults who
think that they are the only ones serving God, to know that this is right.
MATTHEW 13:22 (Jesus)
22 He also who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word; and the care of this world, and
the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
MARK 4:18-19 (Jesus)
18 And these are the ones which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things
entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
LUKE 8:14 (Jesus)
14 And that which fell among thorns are those, who, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with
cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
1 TIMOTHY 6:9-10 (Paul)
9 But those who will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from
the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Note: The scripture says, “the righteous shall live by faith,” (Habakkuk
2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38), which means that they live a life totally depending upon God for all of
their needs. The attitude of the world is, “money answers all things.” (Ecclesiastes 10:19). Money
is a god to the world that supplies what they need, and trusting in money is idolatry:
(Ephesians 5:5) “For this you know, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who
is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”
(Colossians 3:5) “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”
Paul said to the Philippians, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19), so trusting in any other source of supply is idolatry. Repentance for idolatry requires the destruction of the idol, and all to do with it (See #2.532 Note), and when we come to Jesus with such things, he will tell us what to do:
(Matthew 19:21-24) “Jesus said to him, If you will be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, Amen I say to you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
And again I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
The New Testament church “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42), and this is what they did:
(Acts 2:44-45) “And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.”
(Acts 4:34-35) “Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors
of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made to every man according as he had need.”
If we are going to repent properly of our past covetousness, then we need also to do this. A man can never be completely free from deception without doing it.
PROVERBS 20:1 (Solomon)
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whoever is deceived by it is not wise.
ISAIAH 28:7
7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the
prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through
strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgement.
HOSEA 4:11
11 Fornication and wine and new wine take away the heart.
Note: Strong drink has always been a weapon of the Devil. Noah was the only man, along with his family, who was righteous enough to be saved in the day of the flood, but even he was deceived by strong drink when he became drunk after the flood (Genesis 9:20-21). Under the influence of the strong drink he exposed his nakedness to his youngest son (v22), and ended up cursing his Grandson (vv25-26). Lot was the only man found righteous enough to escape Sodom and Gomorrah when God destroyed them (Genesis 19:1-26), but even he afterward ended up committing incest with both of his daughters, while under the influence of strong drink (Genesis 19:31-38). These are examples for us not to go down the same way. Self control is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23), but one of the works of the flesh is “lasciviousness” (Galatians 5:19), which means “lack of restraint”, or “lack of control”. When we surrender our self control, it lets the Devil into our lives, and even the world knows this. They call alcohol “the demon drink”, and in many countries driving under the influence of alcohol is a criminal offence. Satanic literature shows that drunkenness is a form of Devil worship, and every child of God needs to kill their desire for strong drink without delay. There is no way we can be free from deception without doing it.
PROVERBS 23:1-3 (Solomon)
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you:
2 And put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
PROVERBS 23:20-21 (Solomon)
20 Do not be among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
ECCLESIASTES 7:2 (Solomon)
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for that is the end
of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
Note: Scripture can be interpreted in both a spiritual and a physical sense, but if we consider it only in a physical sense here, then we need to ask ourselves, “How is dainty food deceitful?” Simply by being a pleasure to taste, there is a temptation to eat too much or too often. Then if our heart becomes set on doing it (Ecclesiastes 7:2), we will inherit all the problems that come with it. We should not be ignorant of the fact that the Devil will try to ensnare us into overeating, because it can deceive us (Proverbs 23:3), bring spiritual poverty (Proverbs 23:21), war against our soul (Romans 7:23; 1 Peter 2:11), displease God (Romans 8:5-13), and cause us to disobey God (Romans 13:14; 1 Peter 2:11). It is contrary to spirituality (Galatians 5:16-17; 1 Peter 2:11), and it reaps corruption (Galatians 6:7-8). It is sinful (Ezekiel 16:49; Hebrews 12:16), it can exalt our heart (Deuteronomy 8:11-14; Hosea 13:6), or cause us to forget God (Deuteronomy 6:11-12; Hosea 13:6), or deny God (Proverbs 30:9), or forsake God (Deuteronomy 8:11-12; 13:15). It is an attribute of a fool (Proverbs 30:22; Luke 12:19-20), an evil servant (Matthew 24:48-49; Luke 12:45), it leads to pride (Deuteronomy 8:12-14; Hosea 13:6), and is contrary to the cross of Christ (Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). It is also a failure to present our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), it will prevent us from becoming like Jesus (Psalm 35:13; 69:10; Matthew 4:2; John 4:31-34), and it could ultimately cost us our salvation unless we forsake it (Psalm 78:29-31; Luke 6:25; 1 Corinthians 9:27; Galatians 5:24).
JOB 31:9 (Job)
9 If my heart has been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door.
Note: If we have a desire for women, other than our own wife, then we are
breaking the tenth commandment:
(Exodus 20:17) “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house, you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, “ nor anything that is your neighbour’s.”
We have also broken the eighth commandment, which says, “You shall not steal.” (Exodus 20:15),
because we have stolen her in our heart.
We have also broken the seventh commandment, which says, “you shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus
20:14), because Jesus said, “whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery
already with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28).
We have also broken the sixth commandment, which says, “Honour your father and your mother” (Exodus
20:12), because godly parents would tell us not break any of these commandments, and when we disobey, we
dishonour them.
We have also broken the first commandment, which says, “You shall have no other gods before me.”
(Exodus 20:3), because as soon as we set our heart on anything that is contrary to God’s will we have exalted
our own will above God’s will. We have made ourselves our own God.
So it is just as the scripture says, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point,
he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10). Job’s heart was not deceived by any woman, for he said, “I
made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?” (Job 31:1). Job had determined
not to look, and therefore the Devil could not get the wrong desire into him. All sin in the heart causes
deception (See #2.508), so we must repent until we are free from this to know that we have the whole truth.
PSALMS 38:12 (David)
12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me; and those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things,
and imagine deceits all the day long.
2 CORINTHIANS 10:5 (Paul)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing which exalts itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Note: Why cast down imaginations? Because they are usually evil (Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Deuteronomy 29:19-20; Proverbs 12:20; Jeremiah 7:24; 11:8; 13:10; 16:12; 18:12; Nahum 1:11; Zechariah 7:10; 8:17); deceitful (Psalm 10:2; 38:12; Jeremiah 23:16-19), and vain (Psalm 2:1; Acts 4:25; Romans 1:21). They are an attribute of the proud (Psalm 10:2; Luke 1:51); God hates them (Proverbs 6:16-18; Zech 8:17); and we are told to cast them down (2 Corinthians 10:5). Imagination is not a thing to be allowed to have free course in our lives.
PSALMS 111:10
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all those who do his
commandments: his praise endures for ever.
JAMES 1:22
22 But you be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Note: These scriptures show that people who are not obedient to the word of God are deceived. Jesus told a parable about two men who each built a house for himself:
(Matthew 7:24-27) “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken
him to a wise man, who built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it did not fall: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one who hears these sayings of mine, and does not do them, shall be likened to a foolish
man, who built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell:
and great was the fall of it.”
These two men both heard the same words of Jesus; but the difference was that the one likened to a wise man
obeyed them (v24), while the one likened to a foolish man didn’t (v26). So it is that a man who does not
obey the words of Jesus is deceived, and is just building his spiritual house on a faulty foundation, which
will not stand firm when the trials come against it.
Therefore, if anyone wishes to avoid deception, they must become obedient to do the word of God.
GALATIANS 6:7-8 (Paul)
7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows that shall he also reap.
8 For he who sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the
Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Note: Sowing to the flesh involves hearing, seeing, studying, or getting involved
in anything that is not of God. All of these things refashion our spiritual heart according to the flesh, and
will give us the wrong desires. These desires are called “deceitful lusts” (Ephesians 4:22) and can lead
us into more sin, which will deceive us even more (See # 2.508).
EZEKIEL 28:17
17 Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty, you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your
brightness: I will cast you to the ground, I will lay you before kings, that they may behold you.
Note: Originally the Devil was made perfect (Ezekiel 28:15), and he was very
beautiful (Ezekiel 28:12-13, 17). When he began to admire himself, his heart was lifted up with pride, and he
became corrupt. From that moment onwards he has craved worship from others, and the fact that this is his
hearts desire was revealed when he tempted Jesus. Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship (Matthew 4:8-9), showing how
important it is to him. Pride shows itself when people try to
make themselves look beautiful, or more attractive to others. They do it because they want the admiration,
just like the Devil. God is not impressed by it, “for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man
looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7). If this is one of
our faults, it can lead to great deception (See #2.506), and needs to be repented of.
PROVERBS 28:26 (Solomon)
26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool: but whoever walks wisely, he shall be delivered.
JEREMIAH 17:9
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Note: Every one of us makes decisions based on what we think in our spiritual heart. Our heart determines our purpose (Daniel 1:8; Acts 11:23; 2 Corinthians 9:7), it devises our way (Proverbs 16:9; Isaiah 57:17), our thoughts come from our heart (Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21; Luke 24:38), our words come from our heart (Proverbs 16:23; Matthew 12:34-35; 15:18-19), and our deeds come from our heart (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21-22; Romans 2:14-15). However, it is obvious from the above scriptures (Proverbs 28:26; Jeremiah 17:9) that we are not wise to trust our own heart. Until our heart has been renewed by God’s word (Romans 12:2) and becomes full of God’s word, we cannot trust it. If we do we will be deceived.
JAMES 1:26
26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart,
this man’s religion is vain.
Note: A truly spiritual man has self control (Galatians 5:23), and is able to control
his speech and his body (James 3:2). On the other hand, look at the attributes of a fool:
(Proverbs 10:14) “the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.”
(Proverbs 10:19) “In the multitude of words sin does not lack: but he who refrains his lips is wise.”
(Proverbs 12:13) “The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips:”
(Proverbs 17:27-28) “He who has knowledge spares his words: ... Even a fool when he holds his peace,
is counted wise: and he who shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”
(Proverbs 18:7) “A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.”
(Ecclesiastes 5:3) “A fool’s voice is known by his many words.”
It seems obvious that a fool is one who talks too much. Therefore, if he does not bridle his tongue, the foolishness that he speaks will go back into his own heart (See #2.46) and deceive him.
DEUTERONOMY 11:16
16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart is not deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and
worship them;
JEREMIAH 7:17-19
17 Do you not see what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to
make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may
provoke me to anger.
19 Do they provoke me to anger? says the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the
confusion of their own faces?
EZEKIEL 14:3-5
3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling-block of their iniquity
before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?
4 Therefore speak to them, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel
who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and
comes to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him who comes according to the multitude of his idols;
5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me
through their idols.
Note: There are many forms of idolatry. The love of money and possessions is one
(See #2.510), and admiring other people is another (See #2.524, RP212#2.21 Note 1). All types of false religion involve
idolatry, because people are worshipping something other than the one true God. Repentance for idolatry
requires the destruction of the idol, and all to do with it:
(Isaiah 27:9) “By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he makes all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten to dust, the groves and images shall not stand up.”
This is why Moses destroyed the golden calf that the Israelites made in the wilderness:
(Deuteronomy 9:21) “And I took your sin, the calf which you had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust of it into the brook that descended out of the mount.”
This means that the “idol” has to be removed from our heart for repentance to be complete. We have to get to the place where we no longer desire worldly wealth or possessions, as Paul said,
(1 Timothy 6:6-8) “But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And having food and clothes let us be content with that.”
We have to get to the place where we no longer admire the people who we used to admire, and get to the place where we have no association with false religion anymore.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:34-35 (Paul)
34 Let your women1 keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted
to them to
speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also says the law.
35 And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands2 at home: for it is a
shame for women to speak in the church.
1 TIMOTHY 2:11-15 (Paul)
11 Let the women1 learn in silence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman1 to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man2,
but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman1 being deceived was in the transgression.
15 Nevertheless she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness
with sobriety.
Note 1: The Greek word translared women1
(1 Corinthians 14:34), and woman1
(1 Timothy 2:12, 14) is gunh (Gtr. gunē). It
is translated “wife” (129x) and “woman” (92x) in the KJV, and refers to a woman of any age, whether
a virgin (Matthew 1:20), or a married woman, or a widow (Luke 4:26). Looking at the contexts of the above
scriptures, they all refer to wives. The references to “ their (lit. their own)
husbands” (1 Corinthians 14:35), to Adam and Eve (1 Timothy 2:13-14), and “shall be saved in
childbearing” (1 Timothy 2:15), all seem to point to this.
The Greek word translated husbands2 (1 Corinthians 14:35), and man2
(1 Timothy 2:12) is anhr (Gtr. anēr). It is translated “man”
(156x) and “husband” (50x). It is used of a male whether married or single, as Paul used it of himself
(Acts 22:3), although the contexts that we are examining here do suggest husbands. Exactly what these
scriptures mean cannot be determined from the word meaning alone, so we must analyse them along with other
scriptures.
Note 2: It seems that women are generally more sensitive than men, and therefore more easily led. The scripture refers to them as “the weaker vessel” (1 Peter 3:7). Men are generally slower to make decisions, but more stable, and as “the heart of the righteous studies to answer” (Proverbs 15:28), decisions made after careful thought are usually better. It seems therefore, that women are easier to deceive than men, and if the devil has the ability to deceive a perfect woman like Eve (1 Timothy 2:14), how much easier is it for him to deceive women who are not perfect? Knowing this, Satan has often tried to use women (usually wives) to get to the man. Here are some examples from scripture:
(1) Eve was used to lead Adam into sin (Genesis 3:6).
(2) Lot’s daughters were used to deceive him with wine and cause him to commit incest with them
(Genesis 19:30-36).
(3) Delilah was used to destroy Samson (Judges 16:4-21).
(4) Solomon’s wives were used to turn his heart away from God to Idols (1 Kings 11:3-4).
(5) Jezebel was used to get Ahab into trouble even more with God, by killing Naboth, so that Ahab and
all his descendants were to be destroyed (1 Kings 21:1-14).
(6) Haman’s wife was used to get Haman to build a gallows to hang Mordecai on (Esther 5:14), but it
ended up with himself and his sons being hanged upon it (Esther 7:10; 9:25).
(7) Job’s wife was used to try to get him to curse God (Job 1:11; 2:5; 2:9).
This does not mean to say that women cannot be used by God for his purposes. Deborah was a prophetess and a
judge in Israel (Judges 4:4), but when it came to lead in battle she sent for Barak (Judges 4:6). Miriam, Moses’
older sister, was a prophetess and a worship leader (Exodus 15:20), but when she exalted herself against the
leadership of Moses she became a leper (Numbers 12:1-15). Esther was mightily used by God to bring deliverance
to Israel under the headship of Mordecai. Anna was an aged prophetess who served God with prayers and
fasting (Luke 2:36-38). Philip’s four daughters prophesied (Acts 21:9), and Pheobe was a servant (or
deacon) in the New Testament church (Romans 16:1). Older women can teach younger women concerning their role
and relationship with their husbands (Titus 2:3-5), but nowhere was a woman used to teach doctrine in the
church. If the New Testament church had wanted a woman teacher, they had a perfect candidate, Mary the
mother of Jesus. She knew for certain that Jesus was the son of God, and spent 30 years living with him an
bringing him up, until he started his ministry. She probably knew more about him than anyone else, yet after
being mentioned with the disciples in the upper room before the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:14), she is not
mentioned again in whole of the New Testament.
Unless other scriptures can be brought to bear on this subject, the conclusion is that Paul would not permit
a woman to teach doctrine in the church, because they are too easily deceived.
JOHN 14:26 (Jesus)
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall
teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.
JOHN 16:13 (Jesus)
13 However when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not
speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things
to come.
1 CORINTHIANS 2:9-14 (Paul)
9 But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the
things which God has prepared for those who love him.
10 But God has revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the
deep things of God.
11 For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things
of God no man knows, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we
might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things we also speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit
teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness
to
him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 JOHN 2:20,27
20 But you have an unction1 from the Holy One, and you know all things.
27 But the anointing1 which you have received of him abides in you, and you
do not need any man to teach you: but as the same anointing1 teaches you of all things,
and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in him.
Note: The word translated unction1 (1 John 2:20), and the one translated anointing1 (1 John 2:27), are both the same Greek word xrisma (Gtr. chrisma) which means “anointing”. It is used of the anointing oil in the Septuagint (Exodus 29:7; 30:25), and it is also used metaphorically of the Holy Spirit here, which is evidenced by other scriptures:
(Luke 4:18) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to
preach the gospel to the poor;” and
(Acts 10:38) “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit”.
Compare also that the “Holy Spirit ... shall teach you all things” (John 14:26), while “the
anointing teaches you of all things,” (1 John 2:27), and that the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit
(John 14:26), “shall be in you.” (John 14:17), while “the anointing which you have received of
him abides in you,” (1 John 2:27). All this confirms that the Holy Spirit and the anointing are the
same. Note also that three times the Holy Spirit is referred to as the Spirit of truth (John 14:17; 15:26;
16:13), and on one occasion he is referred to as the comforter (John 14:16-17), which we have already seen
to be the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). Thus we can conclude that the anointing, the comforter, the Spirit of
truth, and the Holy Spirit are all the same spirit.
This does not mean that we automatically have the truth when we receive the Holy Spirit! He will guide us
into all truth (John 16:13), as we diligently seek for it, “he who seeks finds;” (Matthew 7:8),
and conform our lives to what we have been shown, “to you who hear shall more be given.” (Mark
4:24). (See also Isaiah 58:6-11).
PALMS 37:5 (David)
5 Commit1 your way to the LORD; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to
pass.
PROVERBS 16:3 (Solomon)
3 Commit1 your works to the LORD, and your thoughts shall be established.
Note: The word translated commit1 (Hb. גּוֹל Htr. gōl) literally means “Roll”, and gives the impression “rolling our ways over onto God” or of “giving” our ways to him. To do this properly the heart needs to be cleansed from selfish desires, and full of God’s word, so that our ways can be surrendered, or submitted to him from the heart. When we have done this we can resist the Devil and his deceptions effectively (James 4:7). Our thoughts may not be established properly without doing this, because the Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance whatever we have heard and learned from God (John 14:26). Why does this have to be done? because a man cannot establish his own thoughts. Anyone who has ever sat in an examination, trying to remember what to put down on the paper, and has not been able to do it, knows that he cannot. The obvious question then is, “Where do our thoughts come from?” God gives us the answer to this in his word:
(Genesis 6:5) “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
(Matthew 15:18-19) “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and
they defile the man.
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false
witness, blasphemies:”
(Mark 7:21) “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders,”
The thoughts come from the heart, and these and other scriptures (Jeremiah 17:9) show that the heart is wicked without being renewed by God’s word. To properly surrender our ways to God then, our heart needs to be surrendered. When our thoughts are established by God, then we will not be deceived. This is the state of a righteous man who has God’s word in his heart (Psalm 37:30-31; Isaiah 51:7):
(Proverbs 12:5) “The thoughts of the righteous are right:”
In order to get the truth out of the word of God we need to study the word of God the way that he has told us to do it. This involves rightly dividing the word (See #3) and meditating on it (See #2.45, #2.46, #2.47). We also need to give diligence to repent of sin, which prepares our heart to receive God’s word, seek for the truth of God’s wisdom. and remove all causes of deception from our lives. If we do these things, God will surely reveal his truth to us.
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