I think it is difficult at times for us christians to admit we do not know everything about the Scriptures.
It is part of our
human nature that makes us want to always feel like we are "in the know"...
When we studied for many years and lived comfortably - emotionally, raised our kids on certain interpretations of the Bible.
Repetition tends to "solidify and harden" our views. Then, we hold on to them very comfortably with the belief that we "have it right"...
Sometimes, people become more "attached" to the 'comfort' than to the 'belief'.
Then later to be challanged by different christian brothers and sisters.
We feel that it is not necessary to "re-visit" things which we are certain we understand 'perfectly'. It is "embarrassing" to us to think we could have believed [anything]
in error for so long. And, we are inclined to not want to change if it is going to take any significant
effort to reconsider our stance.
These things "work against us" - and, may be
overcome only if we decide that it is
far more important to "
truly have it right" than to "
appear to have it right" -
and - we are willing to put forth the necessary effort (study, etc.) to achieve the proper result.
It helps if we seriously consider the dire consequences on others we lead astray and on us when we one day stand in judgment for it.
How vitally important is it that we "make absolutely sure" that we "truly have it right"...? Is it worth ever-continual re-evaluation of our views?
Is it wise to grow comfortably content with "what we know" - enough to never question ourselves - "just in case" we are wrong?
It makes us have to step out in faith again when we thought we already had something settled.
To "step out in faith", as mentioned here, requires a
continual willingness to be ever-so-ready to be
teachable (by the Holy Spirit).
If you have an "I've got a lock on this." kind of attitude toward the scriptures, you are not teachable.
We each will have to go through this imo., it's so well worth the trying of our faith because we get stronger in His love for us and learn to love others better than we did before.
We must learn to have patience with others when we are convinced that they do not understand 'some particular truth'.
We must learn to appreciate any 'illustration' of truth on its own merit without regard to "where it came from" (who said it).
When discussing with others about "the truth in the scriptures" - we need to remember:
"The idea is not to prove them wrong - but rather, it is to help them see the truth..."
God loves each one of us where we are in our relationship with Him. I remember the story in the Bible about the prodical son and his older brother. Both of them needed to learn lessons - and their father loved them both even as they were learning.
The older brother
grew too comfortable in his assumption that he
fully knew and understood all the ways of his father. Only through being confronted with the experience of his brother did he realize that he did not "have it all figured out"...
Yet rather than recognize the treasure of an elder brother steeped in a lifetime of scripture in the genuine ecclesia, brother Skolfield has been met with scorn, false accusation, false characterization, and false witness by doctrinally blinded babes in Christ that exhibit milk still dribbling down their chins - if that.
The more 'elder' of us are prone - if we are not careful - to become "set in our ways" - and, no longer consider where we may possibly be wrong - because, "we have a lock on it"...
The younger generations maintain error out of
IGNORANCE. The older generations maintain error out of
PRIDE.
I have read many of Therapon's posts - as well as one of his 'PDF' books from his website. I can agree with a lot of what he has said that others who have posted in his threads cannot. There are other things he has stated with which I cannot agree at all. I do not discount
everything he says because of the stuff I cannot agree with. Why? Because I try my best to "compare truth to truth" -
what is said is more important than who said it.
"I believe that it is true or I believe that it is not - without regard to who said it."
It is his
attitude that I don't like. This is the way he comes across to me:
Therapon's Attitude ( <<< click )
If he truly wanted to use his "vast treasure of scriptural knowledge" to help a brother "sharpen iron" -- would he not have tried to answer the questions in my threads - making use of [only] relevant scripture and/or other information to DIRECTLY address the particular issue that my question pertained to? -- INSTEAD of [effectively] telling me that my question was not worth his time and "walking all over" my ['serious-topic'] thread with "anything and everything" except discussion of my topic?
Therapon:
The stuff in your material that I most disagree with is the stuff that seems to be "invented" just to fill the gaps between the more 'solid' stuff that actually makes some sense.
All:
This is something that humans do "all too naturally" - BECAUSE we do not like to leave anything "unexplained"- because, 'gaps' create [a false] "uncertainty" in our minds.
However, when it comes to understanding and interpreting scripture - this is
THE WORST thing we can possibly do. And, it ALONE has caused more doctrinal error than probably
anything known to man.
Why?
Because, people tend to fill the "unknown" spaces with "anything that makes some sense" (true or not) -- and, it "breaks" the doctrine.
It is
FAR better to
LEAVE the "unexplained"
ALONE. We
MUST allow it - in our minds - to remain an
EMPTY space -- to be filled
LATER when we actually have something
WORTHY to fill it with.
In order to properly interpret scripture -- you MUST be able to do this -- or you WILL most certainly fall into error...
(
Because, Satan is always ready to hand you something 'false' to "fill the gaps" with... )
