This has been an enlightening experiment for me, but it is time to change. I thought a blog would be a good format with which to learn more about Scripture, but it hasn’t worked very well for me.
Not long after I came to my senses and asked Jesus to save me I began to study the Bible. I read that Solomon was given great wisdom because he asked God for it. So I also asked God for wisdom. I knew I could never have as much wisdom as Solomon, because God said there had never been any like Solomon nor would there ever be. But I wanted all wisdom that God would give me. I have to admit that unlike Solomon’s request mine was selfish. I wanted it for myself. Even though I knew enough to understand I was not going to receive all wisdom, I asked for all of it anyway.
If anyone wants to know wisdom they should read and contemplate what the Bible says in Proverbs about it. Basically it says that if you want it then search for it: so I did. The second chapter of Proverbs is a guarantee that wisdom is there for the taking. It is a personal offer from God to anyone that wants it. No man can obtain it and then give it to someone else. If that were possible Proverbs would not be perfectly true; and it is. Proverbs says the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Prov 2:6 NIV) It is plain that man does not give knowledge and understanding.
I reached a point where I knew that God had given me understanding and I began to feel like the lepers in Second Kings chapter seven. When they found great treasure they realized it was not right to keep it to themselves and not tell others about it. They didn’t go tell the people that they were special and they knew the way to riches. They just told it as it was. It was up to the people to find out for themselves if what the lepers said was true.
So, like the lepers, I would like to tell you about real treasure, but you must go outside the gate yourself to get it. Wisdom does not come from my mouth and I can not give you any of what God has given me. There is no need for me to give you any of mine. There is more than a man can handle for anyone that wants it enough to search for it and the truth is that it is not hard to find. I am not the way to understanding I am only telling you where I found it and that you can and may find it also.
ALL TRUTH AND UNDERSTANDING ABOUT GOD IS FOUND IN THE BIBLE.
Look at wisdom as a jewel and I am showing you the jewel that God has guided me to and let me find. If you want a jewel like it you will have to find your own.
The Bible says that we are not to be called teacher, because we have only one Teacher, so I correctly refer to myself as a student. I have asked everyone that if they see error in what I say to comment on it. This has led to much confusion rather than clarity.
When I answer a comment that disagrees with me it seems to them as though I think I know everything. I am sure that I do not, but it must seem that way, because I have been accused of it. There seems a double standard. Others are free to say I am wrong, but I am not free to say otherwise and if I argue then I am accused of teaching and being a know-it-all.
Truth is I do not have much trouble speaking with fellow students, but “some” of those who call themselves teachers are a different story. It seems to me that there are two important things that cause strife between us: pride and money. If someone thinks of themselves as a teacher of those who have already turned to God and it were possible, then wisdom would come from their mouth as well as God’s, but the Bible says wisdom comes from the mouth of God. It does not say from the mouth of man. Those who think of themselves as teachers and have taught something that I say is not true would have to humble themselves if they were to agree with me. I have found very little of this.
Then there is money. If a man accepts money for teaching and then a mere student points out something that they should have already understood others might question their competence and that does little their job security. Truth is if the Bible says we are not to be called teacher and if anyone accepts that title then they are wrong from the “git-go”.
I am not saying that we should not teach the Gospel. We must teach the unsaved that they are just that and that there is a way to be reconciled to God, but after someone admits they are a sinner and they let themselves be baptized, they are given the Mind of Christ to teach them all things. They have “The Teacher” to teach them all things. All they need are the questions.
If in your mind, you assign the position of teacher to anyone other than God you will receive the teaching of man; not God. Your teacher might use the Bible to add creditability to his words, but wisdom does not come from the mouth of man. Yes that includes my mouth. Check scripture to see if what I say is true and if you find it is, then do not think that I know because of my ability to figure out Scripture. Any understanding that I may have is a gift from God though I have done my part by searching for it. I do not even claim that I worked for it. For me it has been like an Easter egg hunt, pure pleasure with reward after reward.
Well, anyway, when I try to show others why and how I believe what I do, it only promotes arguments and unchristian conduct from both of us. It is as much my fault as it is anyone else’s. I have no desire to cause anyone to sin and that has been the result of some of our comments.
This has caused me to consider ceasing to post and erasing my entire blog site. But then I wonder who will say anything different than those who call themselves teachers. All men are imperfect and therefore no one man could teach perfectly. If I go away then who would be left to say some teacher is wrong?
In the past I have tried to answer all comments from my point of view. The first comments from others are usually civil, but if I do not agree with them the exchange becomes somewhat less than Christian and leads nowhere.
I am going to try a different approach. If I do not allow comments then arguments can not in sue. However I think an exchange of ideas is beneficial: that is why I started this site. So I will no longer continue to exchange comments with someone about a subject when it begins to sound unchristian.
Like a talk show, I have the button that stops anyone else from commenting any further. I hear callers to talk shows where the host hangs up on them and then proceeds to act like the caller is still there whereupon the host has his say and it seems like the caller has no answer. That is misleading and basically wrong. So if I hang up on you I will try to explain to everyone that we can not reach an agreement and it is becoming a shouting match which helps no one.
(Mat 23:10 NIV) Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.
Beware of the teacher. “O” and the student also!