Many years ago, a small booklet was left at my door. The title on its cover was “All You Need to Know About the Bible.” At first, I doubted that the title was accurate in its claim. After reading it, I found that it contained many truths from the Bible, but it failed to include the most important truths. It did not provide an answer, as Peter and Paul did, to the question, “What must I do to be saved?” It listed many questions and answers, as a catechism does, but did not provide the Gospel’s message of believe, repent, and be baptized. The pamphlet content stopped at “believe,” quoting passages like John 3:16 and Romans 5:1. The bottom line was, “faith only” saves.
In everyday business dealings, contracts contain many stipulations. There may be a short overview of the contents, but no one accepts a summary as covering all the legal points within the contract. Yet, people are willing to take an opinion of what the Bible says rather than read and study it for themselves. With eternal life in jeopardy, why would anyone accept anything less than the whole truth? The false teachers of today deal in partial truths. Jesus always taught the truth and led His disciples into discovering all portions of the truth. With questions and parables, He allowed the learner to discover all the facts.
The Scribes were known as the lawyers, knowledgeable in both the word and application of Moses’ Law, but Jesus said they were fools and blind to the truth. Jesus charged these men of Jerusalem, those who studied the rabbis’ reasoning and considered themselves “the authority” of scriptural knowledge. He said of them, “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses” (Matthew 23:2). They had taken the central seats to explain Moses’ Law and teach the people. But referring to their reasoning, Jesus charged them as being “fools and blind men” (Matthew 23:17). They failed to understand the simple teachings of Moses and the prophets about grace, mercy, and the Messiah. He told them, “You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent” (John 5:38-39).
Paul writes about the “wrath of God” which is unleashed against those who replace His knowledge with their desires. God has made His presence and desires known since creation. From the universe, displayed in everyday life, to the scriptures, preserved through time, God was, is, and will be, presented to all humanity. The Spirit says of those who have pushed Him from their minds, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:18-22). People today still provide a stripped-down version that is only a portion of the truth. It sounds good and does not interfere with people’s ideas of pleasures, but it will not save.
It is doubtful that the people described in Matthew 23 or Romans 1:17-31 would ever ask Jesus, in private, “What did you mean by…” But the good teacher does expect questions, and the Master Teacher encouraged meditation and questions. Today’s preachers of the “feelgood” religion present lectures and write without expecting questions. But the true evangelist of The Word, following the Master’s way, invites questions and will study with anyone who asks to gain the full truths contained in the Bible.
As a teacher of technical concepts and equipment, one must understand that the student must go out on their own. The teacher will not be around to help them continue to learn or refresh their memory. The teacher must provide individuals with the ability to continue to gain knowledge as the industries change. But the Gospel does not change. The Gospel remains unchanged even as the customs and habits of people change with time. So although we may use different methods to spread the word today, the Gospel’s message remains valid and unchanged.
The Jewish teachers of Jesus’ day were concerned about the desires of men. They amended their writing and teaching to harmonize with human desires. Paul was concerned about his “students” remaining faithful to the Gospel as the Roman world changed around them. He gave them this admonishment, “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13). Paul did not authorize them to figure out how they wanted to be saved. He said we could understand all the truths given to him. (Ephesians 3:3-4). He told Timothy, and through our Bibles, to us also to “Be diligent (study KJV) to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:14-15).
Today the pull to bend toward human desires is very strong. We need to be aware of that tendency and guard against it. The revealed Word of God is “all we need to know.”
