No Cleverly Devised Tales

[Christsfreeservant]

“For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased’— and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.​

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“So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (2 Peter 1:16-21 NASB’95)​

When we are studying the Scriptures, we need to interpret them in the biblical context in which they were written. It is good to have a reliable and reputable translation, which is an actual translation, and not a paraphrased, if you want to make certain that you are correctly handling the Word of God. But context is critical! And if you have access to bible helps, looking at the words in the interlinear, to see their meaning, is most helpful, too.

And why is this important? Because the Scriptures are not a matter of our own private interpretation. We should not be searching the Scriptures to support our own theology, but we should be studying them in their appropriate context, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, seeking truth, with a desire to learn what they are teaching, which may even lead us to see where we have had some things wrong. And then we need to change.

And context is critical because there are so many false interpretations of the Scriptures out there being passed off as the truth, but taught from the Scriptures out of context and thus made to say what they don’t say if taught in context. And many are being taught by those who are teaching “cleverly devised tales” disguised as truth, and for the purpose to deceive, and for the purpose to appeal to human flesh to draw the world to their gatherings.

I am obviously on the internet, and so I am on social media, as well, and there I see so many different memes and short videos which are presenting the Scriptures out of context and thus giving a false impression of what they really mean. And so they are deceptive, and yet many people are believing them, probably because it is just easier than studying the Scriptures themselves and seeking the Lord to show them the truth, and the lies, too.

But this whole thing of shortening the messages to the point to where the message becomes a lie, instead of the truth, so that the masses are believing the lies, and not the truth, because the lies are easy, and the truth is hard, is deliberate on the part of those who begin the chain of the lies and the deceptions. But those who knowingly repeat the lies are guilty of deception, too. And many pastors are teaching the lies and not the truth.

So, when you see a Scripture quoted somewhere, look it up in its proper context to see what it is teaching, and then compare it to the context of how it is being used to see if how it is being used agrees with the Bible (IN CONTEXT). From my experience, I find that not many are sharing the Scriptures in their appropriate context, and thus the messages they are giving to the people are lies, and not the truth. But the lies are easy.

So if we are going to “do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts,” then we cannot rely on “quick in quick out” kinds of messages that don’t really delve into what the Scriptures are really saying. Too many false teachings out there taken from Scriptures taught out of context. So we need to study them for ourselves, in the right context, under the guidance of the Spirit.

As an example of what I am talking about, far too many people are being taught John 10:28-30 absent of verse 27. And why is verse 27 so critical? Because it tells us who the following promises are for. So to leave out verse 27, which is what many are doing, and then applying the following Scriptures broadly to everyone who says they believe in Jesus, has to be deliberate. Otherwise, why leave out who it is being addressed to?

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30 NASB’95)​

So, who are these promises for? They are not for everyone who says, “Lord, Lord,” but while they continue in deliberate and habitual sin and not in walks of obedience to the Lord in holy living. These promises are for those who are listening to the Lord with their hearts, who are taking his words seriously, and who are following him in obedience wherever he leads them in doing whatever he has called all of us, his sheep, to do and to be, in practice.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 4:17-32; 1 Peter 2:24; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6,15-17; 1 John 3:4-10]

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

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No Cleverly Devised Tales
An Original Work / March 12, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love