Proclaiming the Message

4In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: 2proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. 3For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. ~ 2 Timothy 4:1-4

How many times as a child did you ask a parent for something, and having been told “no,” went to the other parent asking the same question and hoping for a different answer?  How many of us greatly dislike being told what we are doing is wrong and prefer to find others that do agree with what we are doing?  It’s only human nature to want to do things our own way and have what we are doing be considered the correct thing to do in any given situation. 

Even today, people change faiths and churches so that they surround themselves with those that believe as they do instead of having to adjust the way they believe to what is being taught.  People interpret the Bible differently than they did years ago, taking things out of context and applying their own way of thinking to twist the meanings of what the scriptures are teaching us and then teach others based on their own interpretation of the Bible.  Those that do not study the Word of God on their own and trust what others are telling them are often led away from what the true meaning behind the scriptures really is. 

It is up to each one of us to study the Holy Word of God on our own, so that we know personally what He instructs us to do and can shy away from the false teachings that are out there today.  We must not be shy in relating what the true meaning in the scriptures is when others try to tell us their false interpretations that they may have heard from someone else with their own agenda, so that we can put them back on the right track of what God is truly wanting us to learn from His Word.  God is the same as He was in the beginning and will continue to be for eternity.  His Word does not change, so we should not try to change it to fit our own agendas.  God’s message has been the same since the beginning of time.  We are to love Him with our whole being, putting Him first above all else.  Then we are to love others and treat them as we wish to be treated.  It’s that simple.  

We can love the sinner, but hate the sin, as we have heard many times in the past.  Even Jesus ate with sinners, so we can commune with them as well while we try to lead them back to a Christian way of life.  The Bible does not  say that we are to find a way to adjust God’s Word to fit the sinner so that their way of life can continue.  We are not to condemn people for their way of life either, for it is not for us to judge.  However, we can instruct them in the way God wants them to live and tell them that they can receive forgiveness if they repent and turn from their sinful ways.  As Jesus told the prostitute after He saved her from being stoned by the scribes and Pharisees, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” (John 8:11) 

Prayer 

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to interpret Your Word correctly, without putting our own personal spin or agenda into it, so that we learn from it what it is You have wanted us to learn since the beginning of time. Help us to correct others when they relate incorrect interpretations that they may have heard so that they will be set straight and not be led astray by false teachings.  Let us not judge others, for that is for You to do.  Instead, help us to lead others to follow You as You wish everyone to do and stay faithful to You until we meet in Your Heavenly Kingdom.  Amen.

~ Wendy Miller