Don’t Believe Everything You Read
I have started the year off on a reading spree. I’m on my third book, which is a record for me. This third book is written by a well-known Christian author and teacher, and I have never read any of his writings before. I was very excited to start this book because of the subject matter, but as I have made my way through the chapters, which are filled with great information, I have seen several places where the author makes huge assumptions about what the biblical writer meant, or I have seen several places where he quotes a biblical writer or character as saying something (within quotation marks) that, in fact, is actually just an assumed dramatization of the biblical account. Now, don’t get me wrong – he has said nothing that goes against what the Bible teaches Jesus, but each time I see one of these things in this book it just makes me cringe! There are so many people out there who are reading books by Christian authors or are singing along with Christian songs on Christian radio without actually thinking about whether they are hearing and repeating the truth or not.
When I was trying to decide which seminary to attend my mentor, Ted Pressley, told me that I needed to go wherever the Holy Spirit led me. Then, I was to remember that no matter where I went, I was always to measure everything they said and taught against the Word of God because it is the only Truth without any error.
If you have been to many of our services at The Way you have probably heard Pastor Dan say that if he or anyone else ever says anything that does not line up with the Word of God, then it is a LIE!!!
So, as we start off this year, we must keep in mind that the Bible is the only book without error – Measure everything against it because it is the only true standard. Don’t just believe something because a respected Christian leader said it, and don’t sing every song you hear on Christian radio just because it’s a Christian radio station. Think about what the books or the songs are teaching. In this new season we want the Truth and only the Truth, not what man portrays as being the truth.