BE QUIET, AND LET THE
BIBLE SPEAK FOR ITSELF
MIKE CUNNINGHAM
SEPTEMBER 7, 2008
In case any of you may have forgotten, allow
me to refresh your memory about a well known fact; I don’t have a corner on all
Biblical truth. That’s why I’m constantly reminding you and the folks at
Harvest Time to search the Scriptures for yourselves to see if what I’m
teaching is of God. The Bible puts it this way:33 “Do not be deceived" 1 Corinthians 15:33 (ESV) 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words.
Ephesians 5:6 (ESV) 3 Let no one deceive you in any way.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 (ESV) 7 Little children, let no one deceive you.” 1 John 3:7 (ESV) God want His
adopted children to do this and He has given each of them the freedom to choose
whether or not to obey Him. The Bible speaks about many false teachers who
already had as well as others who were also going to infiltrate the Christian
Church. Christ’s Church has been plagued by these despicable people throughout
the centuries up until our own day. I’m not suggesting that anYone who teaches
something which is proven to be incorrect is a false teacher because we all get
it wrong at times, including men such as Augustine, Luther and Calvin.
A couple of weeks ago in my sermon entitled “DECEIVED!” I quoted
from the preface of
a little booklet in which the author echoed my advice by cautioning his readers
to “read this material prayerfully, asking Yahweh to guide you into His truth.
And read it with an open Bible, an open heart and an open mind. Be skeptical
of my conclusions, and of preachers, teachers and religious authors, all.” End
of quote. In other words, don’t allow yourself to be deceived by any of those
guys, including me!” (A) False teachers have always preyed upon God’s
children and Jesus locked-horns and blasted these guys at every opportunity,
For instance, speaking to certain Pharisees and scribes, we read:
Matthew
15:6-9 (ESV) 6 ‘...
for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah
prophesy of you, when he said: 8 " 'This people honors me with their lips, but their
heart is far from me; 9
in vain do they worship
me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "
These men made a
habit of putting words into God’s mouth which they thought was real truth. Then
they proclaimed a “Thus sayeth the Lord,” and this kind of stuff continues to
occur in our own day as we will see shortly. But first let’s consider some of
the references concerning those demonically deceived saboteurs who infiltrated
and plagued the early Christian Church.
1 Timothy 1:3(ESV) 3 As I urged you
when I was going to
1 Timothy
4:1-2 (ESV) 1 Now
the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith
by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the
insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,
1 Timothy
6:3-4 (ESV) 3 If
anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of
our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up
with conceit and understands nothing.
2 Timothy
4:3 (ESV) 3 For
the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having
itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own
passions,
First century
Christians didn’t have an easy life. In addition to suffering the usual things
we all do, things such as bad backs, tooth aches, migraines, rebellious kids, chaotic
marriages, insufficient funds, and the like, they also experienced great
persecution, even unto death; and all because of their faith in Jesus. They
needed plenty of encouragement and the Holy Spirit inspired and then gave the
strength to men such as Paul who courageously went around:
Acts 14:22
(ESV) 22 strengthening the souls of the
disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter
the kingdom of God.
Philippians
1:29-30 (ESV) 29 For it has been granted to you
that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the
same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
2 Timothy
3:12 (ESV) 12 Indeed, all who desire to live
a godly life in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted,
James 1:2-4
(ESV) 2 Count it all joy, my brothers,
when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you
know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let
steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing.
2
Thessalonians 1:4-5 (ESV) 4 Therefore we ourselves boast
about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the
afflictions that you are enduring.
Those Christians were
experiencing horrendous suffering just as Jesus had previously told them.
Speaking to His beloved disciples, we read:
John 16:33
(KJV) 33 These things I have spoken
unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall (not might have but shall) have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
With the exception of
Judas, each of those men lived to see the absolute truth of these words; just
as those whom Peter had written to did concerning false teachers.
2 Peter
2:1-3 (ESV) 1 But false prophets also arose
among the people, just as there will
be false teachers among you,
who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who
bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will
follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be
blasphemed. 3 And
in their greed they will exploit you
with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and
their destruction is not asleep.
Peter was forewarning
his brothers and sisters in Christ about events which they were soon going to
experience; painful circumstances which might tempt them to give up their
pursuit of becoming godly Christ-like people and ignoring his council to make
their calling and election sure. He had already told them his own days were
numbered. He committed these facts to the written Word so that they would be
able to recall everything he said. Peter wanted to give them comfort, encouragement
and hope and not to be taken by surprise by any additional horrors they were
about to experience.
2 Peter
1:14-15 (ESV) 14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord
Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that
after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
After speaking about
Christ’s Glory, Peter next writes about the “Prophetic Word.”
2 Peter
1:20-21 (ESV) 20 knowing
this first of all that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own
interpretation. 21 For
no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as
they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
1
Thessalonians 5:19-21 (ESV)
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test
everything; hold fast what is good.
1
Thessalonians 5:19-21 (AMP)
19 Do not quench (suppress or
subdue) the [Holy] Spirit; 20 Do not spurn the gifts and utterances of the
prophets [do not depreciate prophetic revelations nor despise inspired
instruction or exhortation or warning]. 21 But test and prove all
things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast.
Lloyd-Jones expresses it this way: “Listen to the
Scriptures and do not go beyond them. Do not detract, do not add. Both are
equally wrong. The Scripture must be allowed to speak for itself.” (B) Speaking
of historians, Lloyd-Jones adds: “The trouble is today that historians, instead
of really dealing with the past as it is and giving us knowledge of the past, start
with their theories and they twist and mould and manipulate the facts of the
past to fit their theory.” (C) And, I might add; that’s exactly what today’s “Prophecy Peddlers,” such as Harold Camping
and Hal Lindsey, and the rest of these guys do. They start with their theory, interpret
the Bible through the lens of current events and then they twist and mould and
manipulate what the Bible is actually saying by adding or subtracting from the
Scriptures to make God’s Words fit into their own particular theory. And
millions of gullible sheep continue to shell out their money, squander their
time reading and listening to their pessimistic escapist silliness as these
false teachers repeatedly make false predictions concerning the end of the
world. Go figure!
Allow me to try to show you what I’m getting
at. Some of you will see it immediately just as any non-Christian reading the
following passages for the first time will. However, others will probably have
a very difficult time understanding what the Scripture is actually saying
because they will automatically reinterpret these passages in light of their
preconceived opinion of what the verses are saying. In other words, they will unconsciously
read into the passages something which isn’t in them to make the Scripture
agree with whatever conclusion previously arrived at. Now I’m going to ask you
to go along with me for a little while, being mindful of my frequently acknowledged statement that I don’t have a
corner on all Biblical truth, and I’m also not too old to be corrected and
learn. All I’m asking you to do for the next few minutes is to be quiet, and let the Bible speak for itself.
Matthew
10:23 (ESV) 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of
Matthew 16:28
(ESV) 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death
until they
see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
Luke 9:27
(ESV) 27 But I tell you truly, there
are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom
of God."
Mark 9:1
(ESV) 1 And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not
taste death until they
see the kingdom of God after it has come with power."
Matthew
24:34 (ESV) 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation
will not pass away until all these things take place.
Matthew
26:64 (ESV) 64 Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But
I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the
right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Mark 14:61-62
(ESV) 61 But he remained silent and
made no answer. Again the high priest asked
him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" 62 And Jesus said,
"I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at
the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."
Luke 21:22
(ESV) 22 for
these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.
John 14:18
(ESV) 18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will
come to you.
John 14:20
(ESV) 20 In
that day you will know that I am in my
Father, and you in me, and I in you.
John 21:22
(ESV) 22 Jesus
said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come,
what is that to you? You follow me!"
Acts 24:15
(ESV) 15 having a hope in God, which
these men themselves accept, that there
will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.
Acts 24:25
(ESV) 25 And as he reasoned about
righteousness and self-control and the
coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, "Go away for the
present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you."
Romans 8:18
(ESV) 18 For I consider that the
sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Romans
13:11-12 (ESV) 11 Besides this you know the
time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far
gone; the day is at hand. So
then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on
the armor of light.
Romans
16:20 (ESV) 20 The
God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ be with you.
1
Corinthians 10:11 (ESV) 11 Now these things happened to
them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.
1
Corinthians 15:51-52 (ESV) 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all
sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and
the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
Philippians
4:5-6 (NIV) 5 Let your gentleness
be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious
about anything,
1
Thessalonians 4:15-17 (ESV) 15 For this we
declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming
of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16
For the
Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of
an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ
will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught
up together with them
in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
2
Thessalonians 1:6-7 (ESV) 6 since indeed God considers it
just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant
relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his
mighty angels
Hebrews
8:13 (ESV) 13 In speaking of a new covenant,
he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Hebrews
10:25-27 (ESV) 25 not neglecting to meet
together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day
drawing near. 26
For if we go on sinning
deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer
remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire
that will consume the adversaries.
Hebrews
10:37 (NIV) 37 For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and
will not delay.
Revelation
1:1 (ESV) 1 The revelation of Jesus
Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place.
Revelation
1:3 (ESV) 3 Blessed is the one who reads
aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep
what is written in it, for the time is near.
Revelation
2:25 (ESV) 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come.
Revelation
3:10-11 (ESV) 10 Because you
have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you
from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who
dwell on the earth. 11
I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no
one may seize your
crown.
Revelation
22:6-7 (ESV) 6 And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the
Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his
servants what must soon take place.
" 7 "And
behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps
the words of the prophecy of this book."
Revelation
22:10 (ESV) 10 And he said to me, "Do
not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.
Revelation
22:12 (ESV) 12 "Behold, I am
coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for
what he has done.
Revelation
22:20 (ESV) 20 He who testifies to these
things says, "Surely I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Well, did Jesus keep
His promise and come back while some of those poor suffering people were still
alive or didn’t He? Did John, Paul, James, Peter and the equally inspired
author of Hebrews, “The Epistle of
Warning,” know what they were talking about; or were they perhaps
demonically deceived shepherds misleading the sheep by giving them false
comfort, encouragement and hope in the midst of such horrendous tribulation? If
it were possible, do you think those first century followers of the Risen
Savior would want to sing, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” as we did a little while
ago if these promises weren’t fulfilled before at least some of them died? More
importantly, if we can’t trust what Jesus and the other men said, and which
those first century Christians obviously believed; why should anyone trust the
following?
John 3:3
(ESV) 3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly,
I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the
John 3:16
(ESV) 16 "For God so loved the world, that
he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life.
John 14:6
(ESV) 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way,
and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
I urge you to please,
please make the time to look at these admittedly cherry-picked verses, put them
into their historical context, resist the temptation of looking at the notes in
your study bible, settle down into a comfortable chair with “The Book” on your
lap, open it, and then, BE QUIET AND LET THE BIBLE SPEAK
FOR ITSELF. Lord willing, soon…
(A)DECEIVED! August 31, 2008. http://s128601634.onlinehome.us/sermons/deceived.htm
( B ) ROMANS,
An exposition of Chapter 11, To God’s Glory D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones,© Lady Catherwood and Mrs. Ann Beatt 1998,
The Banner of Truth Trust P. O. Box 621, Carlisle, Pa. p. 232.
( C ) Ibid,
p. 228.
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