KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 1:3 WEB As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine,”

The issue of wrong doctrines is a real menace in the body of Christ. In John 10:10, the Lord Jesus spoke about the thief. Although the interpretation has largely been referred to the devil, a critical scrutiny of the passage in totality reveals that the thief the Lord Jesus spoke about was the false teachers or prophets who came before him. The basis for fallacies proceeds from a wrong interpretation of the scriptures or traditionally held beliefs. With traditional beliefs, such individuals do not read the scriptures for themselves. They just pick up teachings that were given to them. A case in question is the Arian doctrine about Christ. Arius was an eloquent 4th-century priest who taught that Jesus is not one with the Father, but a created being. This teaching was the reason for the church council at Nicea that adopted the Nicene creed and also excommunicated Arius from the church.

It is rather unfortunate that the founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Charles Taze Russel, also adopted the teachings of Arius about our Lord Jesus. Every pastor must never approach the bible with traditional held beliefs that are contrary to the fundamental beliefs of the universal church. He must always have a very open mindset and trust the Holy Spirit to rightly interpret the scriptures to him or her. The bible can not be well interpreted when you do not read the Bible well. The whole truth must be drawn from various portions that join together to clarify the truths.

Isaiah 28:13 shows us how to properly interpret the scriptures. Isa 28:13 KJV But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backwards, and be broken, and snared, and taken. It is when you have gotten a hold of the truths of scripture that you can also instruct those who err to stop their wrong doctrines. In the interpretation of the bible, the contextual truths should not be compromised, as the tenses of the verbs must be clearly observed for one to appreciate the meaning of the passage. One other principle is to always ask yourself what the original person who made the statement tried to convey to his or her audience or the person he or she was speaking to.

THOUGHT: KNOW THE TRUTH TO HELP THOSE WHO ERR

FURTHER STUDIES

2Ti 2:15 KJV” Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Col 2:8 KJV Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.