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WHY PEOPLE TWIST SCRIPTURE
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" . . . in which are some things hard to
understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to
their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the
Scriptures "
( 2 Pet 3:16, NKJV).
There is a spiritual formula provided for addressing
texts difficult to understand. "Give me understanding" (Psa
119:34,73,125,144,169). Jesus provided this exalted
perspective of understanding. "If any man is WILLING TO DO
HIS WILL, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of
God, or whether I speak from Myself" (John 7:17, NASB). The
driving compulsion that must precede true spiritual
knowledge is that of desiring to do the will of God. James
also spoke of the proper approach to obtaining wisdom. "If
any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to
all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to
him" (James 1:5). There is a wisdom that is "from above,"
and it is to be sought by all (James 3:17). When the prophet
Daniel was confronted with something he did not understand,
it is written that he "sought for the meaning," and it was
given to him from heaven (Dan 8:15-19).
As rudimentary as this may appear, there is a class
of religious people who refuse to approach spiritual
understanding in this way. There are, indeed, things "hard
to be understand." They are not impossible to understand,
but "hard to be understood." They are too difficult for the
flesh. They cannot be profitably probed by academic methods.
They extend high above the reach of the wisdom of men. They
are too lofty for lexical word meanings, being of a higher
order.
People in Jesus' day were offended by some of His
sayings (Matt 13:57; 15:12; Mark 10:22). On one occasion,
the multitudes acknowledged what Jesus said was a "hard
saying," and were offended by it (John 6:60). They did not
bother to inquire of theirmeaning from the One who said
them. They simply dismissed them as absurd. Such things
frequently occur in our day, but men have developed
convenient explanations for the condition that justify men
and exalts their wisdom.
When men attempt to force God's Word into the mold
of their stunted understanding, they have "wrested" the
Scriptures. Rather than changing their way of thinking, they
attempt to change the Word, manipulating it until it fits at
last into their variant way of thinking. And what kind of
men do this? Without hesitation the Spirit replies,
"ignorant and unstable people" (NIV). They know neither the
Scriptures nor the power of God (Matt 22:29), nor can they
navigate in the mountain peaks of Divine truth. These are
"double minded" people, which is the cause of the
instability (James 1:8). Their minds have been infected with
the virus of this world's wisdom, and their hearts are
alienated from the life of God (Eph 4:18).
And what is the result of them tampering with
Scripture? They do so "to their own destruction"�not the
destruction of Scripture, but their own condemnation!
Scholar or not, those who manipulate Scripture will be
destroyed by God! As Peter said earlier, these are bringing
"upon themselves swift destruction" (2 Pet 2:1). Of such men
Paul wrote, "whose end is destruction" (Phil 3:19). Jude
says of such people, they "were designated for this
condemnation" (Jude 4). It is evident the Scriptures are to
be approached in faith and sobriety. If they do not fit into
your way of thinking, change your thinkin g--God will not
change His Word. That change begins by asking for the wisdom
that comes down from above.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name Jesus Christ, Who
is Your own "wisdom," give me that wisdom that comes from
above. Give me grace to comprehend Your Word, delighting in
it, and walking in accord with it.
by Brother Given O. Blakely
Word of Truth Publications
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