Praize Blogs

Proverbs
23:12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of
knowledge.

There
is much controversy about the meaning of God’s word and the emphasis placed on
their ridged interpretation. The religious want a dictatorial and rigorous
interpretation to follow their rituals, the wanton sinner wants an open
interpretation to allow them to do whatever they want and still be righteous
before God and we have every idea between these to accommodate every human
desire and make everyone feel secure in their religion.

Humanity
and religion keep changing God’s words to keep up with language and culture
changes, struggling with mankind’s habits and physical activities and
attempting to explain God within these changes.

Most of
this depersonalize God and eliminate Him entirely from the process; making
God’s word conform to the human understanding instead of God’s understanding
explained to the human mind and enlightening it to God’s true nature.

God has
said that His ways are not our ways, so why should we think we can understand
Him by changing His words to conform to our way of thinking?

Isaiah
55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways, saith the LORD.

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.

Isaiah
55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not
thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may
give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

Isaiah
55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return
unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper
in the thing whereto I sent it.

You
see, it is GOD’S word and is spoken by Him, ordered by Him and translated by
Him to do what He wants done.

It is
only given to us to study, rightly understand and know about Him.

2Timothy
2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them
before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to
the subverting of the hearers.

2Timothy
2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Because
we want to get understanding on our terms, we translate, interpret and change
scriptures; deriving the meanings we want to fit our image of God and our
understanding of what we think He should be like. When we put our hands on
God’s word we also put our sinful nature into it.

Proverbs
21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth
the hearts.

Genesis
6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually.

Jesus
gave an example of the word ‘neighbour’ in a parable. Then, as now, the masses
wanted ‘neighbour’ to be our friend next door or an acquaintance we are
familiar with. Jesus expanded this thought to explain God’s meaning of the word
‘neighbour’.

Luke
10:29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my
neighbour?

Luke
10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem
to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and
wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Luke
10:31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw
him, he passed by on the other side.

Luke
10:32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on
him, and passed by on the other side.

Luke
10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he
saw him, he had compassion on him,

Luke
10:34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine,
and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Luke
10:35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them
to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest
more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Luke
10:36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell
among the thieves?

Luke
10:37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go,
and do thou likewise.

The
Samaritan considered the man close to him, in need, to be his neighbour and had
compassion on him. Jesus, explaining the thoughts of God, told us to think the
same way.

This
also brings up another point of how we view God’s word. We want to understand
it so we can apply it to others, judging others so we can compare our spiritual
enlightenment to theirs and justify ourselves. Making our world and spiritual
walk right and better than theirs, because we are right and they are wrong.
When we do this it makes us feel superior and ‘saved’ and them the bad example
and lost but God’s word is directed at US.

Jesus
didn’t give the parable of the Samaritan for us to know who our neighbours are
but for us to learn and be able to be a neighbour to those around us.

Understanding
God’s word and knowing God’s mind depends on how you look at Him and His word.

He is
the master and the teacher. We can teach each other all we want to but unless
He gives us the proper understanding, we will still be ignorant of His nature.
We are back to that ‘personal relationship with a loving God’ theme again but
it is still HIS WORD.

Can you
think of any better person to give you the understanding of scriptures than the
author of His words? Jesus.

John
1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.