One of my pet peeves is when pastors or fellow believers validate their narrative with the phrase “you don’t have to take my word for it, the Bible says this is so”. Being the good Christian that I am 😅, I think to myself “WTF” as I watch these people who profess to be followers of God, twist His words like a pretzel to make the scripture align with their interpretation of His word.
On more than one occasion, I heard the whisper of the Holy Spirit telling me that although they are falsely representing scripture, I am to be kind to them. The Holy Spirit reminds me that these people are also believers, they are my family, my brothers and sisters in Christ. We share the same belief in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are not false witnesses, they are not maliciously misrepresenting the word, they are just mistaken. And the stuff they are mistaken about is not going to keep anyone from going to heaven.
For example, I have heard more than one pastor and several “civilian” believers remark that drinking alcohol is wrong because it can lead to sin. Truthfully, excessive drinking can lead to sin, just as excessive eating can. However, the Bible does not prohibit drinking alcohol. To me, this is akin to saying guns kill people, so no one should own a gun. In my opinion, adding personal feelings to interpret Scripture is misguided, if not dangerous. Moreover, Scripture does not support their stance.
Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. – Ecclesiastes 9:7
If drinking alcohol is so wrong, why would Jesus perform His first public miracle at the wedding reception in Cana by turning water into wine? If you study the many verses regarding alcohol consumption in context, I hope you would agree that the Bible aligns with the message of TV commercials that proclaim, “If you’re going to drink, drink responsibly.”
Perhaps human subjectivity to God’s word is why so many Christian denominations exist today. According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, approximately 49,000 Christian denominations are projected to exist worldwide by the end of 2025.
Geez-o-flip, I would’ve thought there were far fewer, as I couldn’t even name 20 denominations.
Pew research estimates Christians make up 31% of the 8.2 billion people who live on this planet. I guess when a family of Christians grows to the size of 2.5 million people, we can get a bit dysfunctional. My parents had 4 children and fortunately my siblings and I all believe Jesus is our Lord and Savior. But we do not agree on how we worship Him. So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised there are 49,000 Christian denominations in the world. Besides, nothing happens without God’s permission, right?
Here’s a sad statistic
Outside of church, fewer than 20% of Christians read or study the Bible at least three times a year. I’m something of an odd duck, as I start every day studying His Word. Why? Because I’ve learned that we all have two wolves—a good one and a bad one—competing to influence our lives. What determines which one wins? The one you feed!
Reading God’s Word every morning feeds the good wolf in me.
If someone told me 20 years ago I would start my mornings studying scripture, I would have laughed at them. Because before my spiritual awakening, I rarely picked up a Bible. Other than hearing God’s word in church, my family did not grow up reading the Bible on a regular basis.
My parents received a beautiful Bible as a wedding gift. Bound in genuine leather with gilded edging and a gold ribbon marker, it held a venerated position in our living room, where my siblings and I were forbidden to play or sit on the furniture. I was about ten years old when my mom caught me in the living room exploring the Bible with my dirty little fingers. She exclaimed, “Don’t touch that; it’s blessed!”
If so few Christians are engaging with the Bible, then they are relying on the interpretation of God’s word from someone else. If a person is not well versed in scripture and their pastor tells them it is wrong not to consume alcoholic beverages, they may believe him or worse, they might stop going to church altogether.
I have heard many people comment on what the word of God says to them. But their personal interpretation is not what matters. The Bible is God’s word and is meant to speak for itself. Even the Bible warns us to discern the truthfulness of how it is being taught.
“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites; by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.”
– Romans 16:17-18
No one should add to or subtract from the Word of God. If you’re unsure about what the Bible is saying, pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance. Perhaps He will give you the meaning of the word immediately. But more than likely, He will lead you to a commentator who is interpreting the word truthfully. One thing is for sure, when the light of God’s Word shines, you will know it without a doubt!
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” – John 16:13
Long story short…God created everything including every one of us. He loves all of His creation especially humans who He made in His own image. He sent His Son Jesus to save us from eternal death followed by His Holy Spirit. We have the Bible which is the living word of God and the Holy Spirit to help us on how to live in this physical world while we prepare for His eternal world.
If you are new to Enjoying His Presence and your are not entirely on board with this whole God thing; this is where I petition you to give God a chance. Turn towards Him, be filled with His light and choose to live your life in agreement with His will. It’s why we were all created and deep down, we all know it to be true.
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