Bible Studies

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After hearing from both sides, one is either convicted or acquitted by the 2Cor. 13: 5 jury of self-examination.

When acquitted, one will see no need to alter his belief system or accompanying practices. When convicted, one will see the need to take corrective actions.

It is most important to determine if we are being convicted by God or condemned by the devil, as they call for different  responses.

When there are opposing conclusions to any given spiritual issues, they both can NOT be correct.

When we make a choice to favor one, we, in the process, dismiss the other, inevitably reaping the blessings or the consequences of the choice we make. If we choose to disregard the conviction of God, we will suffer the consequences (1) for refusing to repent, confess, and or to forsake the sin in view. If we accept the devil’s condemnation, we will carry a load that God never intended for us to bear.

Our salvation remains secure (2), but our progression or regression in the life of discipleship will be an ongoing battle throughout the course of our post salvation spiritual life, here on Earth.

When many believers read or listen to the reading of Scripture, they do so with eyes and ears that are looking for confirmation of what they have already come to believe, as opposed to receiving edifying information that would challenge them to rise up to a new level of spiritual maturity.

Spiritual maturity is measured by the quantity and quality (accuracy) of the Bible Doctrine that one possesses and applies.

Advancing disciples do not get upset when their doctrinal positions are challenged. Such challenges provide them with an opportunity to conduct a 2Cor. 13: 5 self-examination, processed through an Acts 17: 11 filter, that will either confirm one’s present position or give reason to make the necessary adjustments.

Learning requires a level of humility that arrogant, religious know-it-alls lack. You can’t teach old dogs new tricks, and you can’t teach arrogant religious people new (to them) doctrine.

Unless one has mastered all there is to learn and apply, there will always be room for improvement, and new snares to avoid. Noah was more than 600 years old when he developed a problem with alcohol (3).  Long  aftrr Paul became  an Apostle, he  still considered himself a work in
progress (4).

If there were such a person who knew, and did (5) it all, then God the Holy Spirit, our primary Mentor, could take a vacation and refer all spiritual matters to him or her.

The erroneous doctrines and inconsistencies found in the track records of those in positions of religious leadership, some who claim or are thought to be infallible, speak for themselves.

Obviously, with the exception of the Lord Jesus Christ, no such person has ever existed. Yet even He, in His sinless humanity, had to learn obedience though adversity (6).

A doctor’s worst nightmare is to discover that he made a wrong diagnosis, or failed to prescribe the right treatment. A pastor-teacher’s worst nightmare is to discover that he has unwittingly been promoting a false doctrine or accompanying practice.

Being human, doctors and pastor-teachers are capable of error. We are all a work in progress. There is no room for pride when the physical well-being of a patient, or the spiritual well-being of a congregation, hangs in the balance.

Failing to identify or to speak against sin, and failing to promote the Biblical cure (7), is a great disservice for which a pastor-teacher will give an account to God (8). Better for a pastor to be “shown the door” than for him to compromise the truth in order to retain job security or the support of an apostate congregation.

. . .

Forgiveness is a critical part of our response to divine conviction. As in the case of ANY other sin (9), the sin of not forgiving oneself or others will impact a born-again believer’s walk with God, and will impact his or her relationship with other people.

We ARE to learn from the past, but we are NOT to live in the past. Forgiveness does not necessarily mean we are required to set ourselves up to be re-used or re-abused, but forgiving past sin and actions is NOT an option, it is a command.

I say “necessarily” because there are times when we ARE called to turn and offer the other cheek (10). It takes spiritual discernment to perceive which way we are to go when we come to those forks in the road.

No one has to remain in a physically abusive scenario.

Advancing disciples are to forgive “as (like) God forgives.” This calls for not bringing up past sins that have been confessed and forsaken (11). The only time that God will bring up past sins is when they have not yet been confessed or forsaken, or when WE need a reminding lesson in humility (12) or hypocrisy (13).

End of Part 5
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(1) Heb. 12: 6 (2) Romans 8: 1 (3) Gen. 7: 6 /Gen. 9: 21 (4) PHIL. 3: 12-14 (5) James 1: 22 (6) Heb. 5: 8 (7) 1John 1:9/John 8: 11 (8) James 3: 1 (9) James 2: 10 (10) Matt. 5: 39 (11) 1John 1: 9/John 8: 11 (12) Romans 12: 3 (13) Matt. 7: 5

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