- May 3, 2022
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I have no problem mentioning the books I use in my Scripture study. Why would I have to hide this information? I am thrilled that there are some people who, after being made aware of the books I use, decide to purchase one or more of the books I mention for their own study. They then increase their knowledge of Scripture which benefits them and enables them to teach others! You don't have to be a preacher to study and learn Scripture.
Knowledge of Scripture is not restricted to the "pastors." "Pastors" aren't the only ones who can study and learn Scripture (except the "pastors" today don't study and learn Scripture, they know and repeat the "Traditions of Men.") Anyone with average intelligence, who is willing to spend a little money and put in the time and effort, can teach themselves. But, not everyone has the time to study Scripture. Spare time is a rare luxury if a believer is married and raising children. The study of Scripture requires free time, with no interruptions and an alert mind able to concentrate. Take a man, a believer, who is married with children, who has to get up early in the morning to make it to work on time. Most jobs are either physically or mentally draining. Add to this the frustration and aggravation of driving to and from work, and by the time the man gets home, he is ready for a break. He is not ready or prepared to study Scripture. If he has children, he has to move from work mode to husband/father mode. He now has to perform those duties. After the kids are fed, there is bath time and, finally, putting the kids down for bedtime. By now, most of the evening is gone, and it is close to the time he has to get to bed.
Weekends are always filled with things to do. There are chores, things that need to be fixed, shopping, kids' activities, sports, drama, music lessons, and family events. This is just the reality of life. Most believers' days are filled with taking care of business. And that is okay. That is why God calls some to be preachers. They have the situation ideal for studying Scripture; the sheep get fed through preachers.
A faithful preacher is not caught up with "doing activities," things of the world. He does not use his time to play golf, watch sporting events, or attend luncheons or banquets. He is not concerned with hob-knobbing with his cronies, going on trips, or traveling around the state or country to appear as a guest speaker. The main times he makes himself available to others is when one of his flock needs his help or council.
What is the number one priority of a preacher? To study and learn Scripture. For what purpose? To feed the sheep.
Neh 8:7-8, "...and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law...So they read from the Scripture of God's law, with distinction, and they gave people the meaning, and the people gained the understanding."
Mat 13:52, "Jesus said, 'Therefore every scribe, who is instructed about the kingdom of heaven, is like a man who owns a house, and he brings forth out of his treasure, new and old things.
John 21:17, "...Feed my sheep."
The three main verses used to "excuse" a lack of study or why "pastors" don't study are:
John 14:26, "But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit...shall teach you all things..."
John 16:13, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth..."
1 John 2:27, "...and you do not need any man to teach you..."
These three verses are all taught with the wrong context and meaning. The two verses in John instruct that when the Apostles would write down their accounts of Jesus years after the ascension, the Holy Spirit would help them to remember the words and events of the life of Jesus and ensure they would write it down based on the truth. In 1st John, John was combatting the false teaching that was infiltrating the believers and instructing the believers, "You don't need these false teachers "teaching" you these new things. You already know the truth."
One of the most shocking things I had ever heard a "pastor" say, and based on his statement that before becoming a "pastor," he had never opened the Bible, "that when I opened the Bible, I knew what the bible meant." That is the most arrogant statement I have ever heard!
If the Holy Spirit teaches every individual believer and guides them into truth, why are there preachers?
Acts 8:30-35, "And Philip ran up to him and heard him read the writings of Isaiah. Philip asked him, 'Do you understand what you are reading?' And the Ethiopian replied, ' How can I understand unless some man teach me?'...Then Philip spoke, starting from the same verse the man had been reading and taught him about Jesus."
Rom 10:14, "...and how shall they hear without a preacher?"
Eph 4:11-12, "And God gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as preachers and teachers." To equip the saints, the work of the ministry, and edify the body of Christ.
About 70 years ago, there was an awareness, sensed by a few individuals, that Scripture needed to be taught from a Jewish perspective. People began to study Scripture through a Jewish lens. They quickly realized that this was the only way to understand Scripture properly. As time passed, more scholars began to study the Jewishness of Scripture and produce reference works showing this. About 20-25 years ago, there was a measurable growth in the number of scholars and preachers who joined the movement. We now have more study tools about this than ever in the history of Scripture study. And the numbers continue to grow. But the numbers are minuscule compared to the numbers in the E.C. world. This precious understanding is unknown in the E.C. world. And I have to believe that some of the "pastors" in the E.C. world are aware of this truth but will never teach it. Why? Because they are afraid of the audience shrinking. We all know that many in the E.C. world will flee when shown the truth of Scripture. A smaller audience equals less money filling the coffers of a church building.
The preacher God used to open my eyes and put me on the road to studying is located outside Nashville, Tn. He has some decent public exposure. There is a father-son team of pastors located in Kentucky who came to believe in predestination. They contacted the man and asked him to come to teach their audience. He went down there and taught over a three-day weekend and gave instruction to the father and son. After he returned to Tennessee, the father-son team began to lead from the predestination view. The man contacted the team about two months later and was dismayed that the team had reverted back into the E.C. "Traditions of Men." What happened? Within six weeks, their audience had shrunk by half, and people were still leaving. The team panicked over revenue loss and returned to the old teaching. When they did this, people started returning. It reminds me of Mat 13:7. There are several "pastors" who claim that they "once believed in predestination" but switched what they believed. Predestination was only a fad to them. As soon as they faced opposition or their popularity started to fade, they quickly jumped ship. A true sheep will always believe in predestination until they die. They will never be persuaded or convinced that predestination is not valid.
Besides learning Scripture from a Jewish perspective, another vital key to understanding Scripture is the need to know the background of what Scripture teaches. One question that needs to be answered when reading something in Scripture is the question, why are these verses in Scripture? Why was such and such said? What was being addressed? Why did Paul not allow a woman to teach? Why did Paul instruct women to be silent in church? Why did John feel the need to instruct that all people sin? You need to know the background of Corinth to understand 1st and 2nd Corinthians. You need to understand Ephesus's Gentile culture and paganism to know why Paul wrote what he did. Why did Peter teach about the suffering and persecution of believers?
How does a preacher learn the background of things in Scripture? The only way is to study! The Holy Spirit doesn't teach these things to preachers.
In my twenties, I joined a men's study group, a group not affiliated with a church. I had given up on church but still wanted to learn. At my first and only bible study with them, I sat with three other men at a table. We were looking at Lk 11:8. I spotted the word "importunity" and asked what the word meant. One said, "Let's pray to the Holy Spirit, and He'll tell us what it means." The three of them bowed their heads and began to call out to the Holy Spirit, which threw me for a loop. While they were "praying," I looked around the room and saw a dictionary. I went to the dictionary and looked up the word. Afterward, I went back to the table with the dictionary and sat down. About that time, the "prayer" ended, and they lifted their heads. They saw that I had the dictionary, and the air turned chilly. I asked them to tell me what the word meant. I was met by silence and, under the surface, anger. It quickly became evident that I was no longer welcomed.
My final point. 2Tim 2:15 is not an instruction for all believers! Paul is a veteran preacher instructing a younger, less experienced preacher. The study of Scripture is not some casual thing accomplished by reading a devotional, looking up a few verses, watching a video, or reading a blog.
I listened to a "sermon" earlier today. A "sermon" is not Scripture teaching. The title of the "sermon" is "Additional Kinds of Baggage." Throughout the sermon, the "pastor" mentioned:
"How to let God solve your problems."
"He promises to answer all prayers."
"Our connection with the Lord."
"The priority of relationships."
"Changed lives."
There is nothing scriptural about any of these points. They are not found or taught in Scripture. This is a well-known "pastor," well respected. He is in his eighties and has probably been behind a pulpit for at least 50-plus years. He has four degrees. His Bio says he became a "born again" Christian at age 12 and, at age 14, began his life's work in Christian ministry. Age 14? Wow! A child prodigy, huh? Of course, they don't give any details about what he did or accomplished at age 14 or how he began his life's work in Christian ministry. So, presumably, he began to study Scripture at age 14, right? So, we are presented with a "pastor" who, in theory, has been studying Scripture for 60-plus years. And this "sermon" results from decades of supposedly studying Scripture?
Instead of teaching anything from Scripture, I see that he is just repeating what comes from the "Traditions of Men." There are 50 books with his name on them. Wow, so much Scripture truth flows out of this man, right?
It is a fact that if I, or any other preacher that teaches predestination, were invited to teach at this man's church building for three months, every Sunday and Wednesday, within two weeks, the people would begin to quit attending the building. After two or three teaching sessions, the church would be flooded with complaints, and I would not even last three weeks.
One last story. Years ago, when I was on the verge of walking away from church buildings and denominations forever, I listened to a "pastor" on the radio and decided to give his church building a try. This "pastor" was well respected in the town and was somewhat famous throughout the state of Texas. I gave up after two visits. The "pastor" passed away, and the search was on for his replacement. The church is one of the most important in the city, so the newspaper kept up with the search and reported to the public.
After about eight months, the church decided to try out a younger "pastor." This "pastor" was well educated, had a sterling reputation, and was considered a "rising star." But, his teaching style was the more old-school approach; he avoided "semons" and taught expository teaching from the Bible. After three months, the experiment failed, and the "pastor" was let go. Guess what the number one complaint against the "pastor" was. Was it because he brought in radical teaching? No. Was it because he had no people skills? No. Was it because he lived a flamboyant, out-of-control life? No. Was it because he was abusing people in the church building or taking advantage of his position? Nope. Did he commit some severe sin? No. His "crime," the horrible thing he was guilty of, the reason he had to be replaced was that he "didn't tell stories like the other "pastor!" I kid you not. The paper reported this! That is the exact reason I quit going after two visits! The "pastors sermons" were nothing but personal stories, one after another or stories about other people! I never listened to the new "pastor," but I have a sneaking suspicion that what got him fired was that he was teaching some Scripture truth!
This reminds me of another true story. A very well-known across the nation and in the world, "pastor," very influential in the E.C. world and with a mega-church, passed away. They hired the grandson of another famous "pastor" to lead them. A marriage made in heaven, right? Alas, the grandson was let go within months. The number one complaint against this young whipper-snapper? He refused to wear a robe! And he taught from floor level instead of using the elevated platform the prior "pastor" used.
I am going to leave you with Mal 2:5-8. Just substitute the word "pastor" for priest.
"My covenant with him (Levi) was one of peace and life, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in fear of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness and turned many away from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction...
Knowledge of Scripture is not restricted to the "pastors." "Pastors" aren't the only ones who can study and learn Scripture (except the "pastors" today don't study and learn Scripture, they know and repeat the "Traditions of Men.") Anyone with average intelligence, who is willing to spend a little money and put in the time and effort, can teach themselves. But, not everyone has the time to study Scripture. Spare time is a rare luxury if a believer is married and raising children. The study of Scripture requires free time, with no interruptions and an alert mind able to concentrate. Take a man, a believer, who is married with children, who has to get up early in the morning to make it to work on time. Most jobs are either physically or mentally draining. Add to this the frustration and aggravation of driving to and from work, and by the time the man gets home, he is ready for a break. He is not ready or prepared to study Scripture. If he has children, he has to move from work mode to husband/father mode. He now has to perform those duties. After the kids are fed, there is bath time and, finally, putting the kids down for bedtime. By now, most of the evening is gone, and it is close to the time he has to get to bed.
Weekends are always filled with things to do. There are chores, things that need to be fixed, shopping, kids' activities, sports, drama, music lessons, and family events. This is just the reality of life. Most believers' days are filled with taking care of business. And that is okay. That is why God calls some to be preachers. They have the situation ideal for studying Scripture; the sheep get fed through preachers.
A faithful preacher is not caught up with "doing activities," things of the world. He does not use his time to play golf, watch sporting events, or attend luncheons or banquets. He is not concerned with hob-knobbing with his cronies, going on trips, or traveling around the state or country to appear as a guest speaker. The main times he makes himself available to others is when one of his flock needs his help or council.
What is the number one priority of a preacher? To study and learn Scripture. For what purpose? To feed the sheep.
Neh 8:7-8, "...and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law...So they read from the Scripture of God's law, with distinction, and they gave people the meaning, and the people gained the understanding."
Mat 13:52, "Jesus said, 'Therefore every scribe, who is instructed about the kingdom of heaven, is like a man who owns a house, and he brings forth out of his treasure, new and old things.
John 21:17, "...Feed my sheep."
The three main verses used to "excuse" a lack of study or why "pastors" don't study are:
John 14:26, "But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit...shall teach you all things..."
John 16:13, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth..."
1 John 2:27, "...and you do not need any man to teach you..."
These three verses are all taught with the wrong context and meaning. The two verses in John instruct that when the Apostles would write down their accounts of Jesus years after the ascension, the Holy Spirit would help them to remember the words and events of the life of Jesus and ensure they would write it down based on the truth. In 1st John, John was combatting the false teaching that was infiltrating the believers and instructing the believers, "You don't need these false teachers "teaching" you these new things. You already know the truth."
One of the most shocking things I had ever heard a "pastor" say, and based on his statement that before becoming a "pastor," he had never opened the Bible, "that when I opened the Bible, I knew what the bible meant." That is the most arrogant statement I have ever heard!
If the Holy Spirit teaches every individual believer and guides them into truth, why are there preachers?
Acts 8:30-35, "And Philip ran up to him and heard him read the writings of Isaiah. Philip asked him, 'Do you understand what you are reading?' And the Ethiopian replied, ' How can I understand unless some man teach me?'...Then Philip spoke, starting from the same verse the man had been reading and taught him about Jesus."
Rom 10:14, "...and how shall they hear without a preacher?"
Eph 4:11-12, "And God gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as preachers and teachers." To equip the saints, the work of the ministry, and edify the body of Christ.
About 70 years ago, there was an awareness, sensed by a few individuals, that Scripture needed to be taught from a Jewish perspective. People began to study Scripture through a Jewish lens. They quickly realized that this was the only way to understand Scripture properly. As time passed, more scholars began to study the Jewishness of Scripture and produce reference works showing this. About 20-25 years ago, there was a measurable growth in the number of scholars and preachers who joined the movement. We now have more study tools about this than ever in the history of Scripture study. And the numbers continue to grow. But the numbers are minuscule compared to the numbers in the E.C. world. This precious understanding is unknown in the E.C. world. And I have to believe that some of the "pastors" in the E.C. world are aware of this truth but will never teach it. Why? Because they are afraid of the audience shrinking. We all know that many in the E.C. world will flee when shown the truth of Scripture. A smaller audience equals less money filling the coffers of a church building.
The preacher God used to open my eyes and put me on the road to studying is located outside Nashville, Tn. He has some decent public exposure. There is a father-son team of pastors located in Kentucky who came to believe in predestination. They contacted the man and asked him to come to teach their audience. He went down there and taught over a three-day weekend and gave instruction to the father and son. After he returned to Tennessee, the father-son team began to lead from the predestination view. The man contacted the team about two months later and was dismayed that the team had reverted back into the E.C. "Traditions of Men." What happened? Within six weeks, their audience had shrunk by half, and people were still leaving. The team panicked over revenue loss and returned to the old teaching. When they did this, people started returning. It reminds me of Mat 13:7. There are several "pastors" who claim that they "once believed in predestination" but switched what they believed. Predestination was only a fad to them. As soon as they faced opposition or their popularity started to fade, they quickly jumped ship. A true sheep will always believe in predestination until they die. They will never be persuaded or convinced that predestination is not valid.
Besides learning Scripture from a Jewish perspective, another vital key to understanding Scripture is the need to know the background of what Scripture teaches. One question that needs to be answered when reading something in Scripture is the question, why are these verses in Scripture? Why was such and such said? What was being addressed? Why did Paul not allow a woman to teach? Why did Paul instruct women to be silent in church? Why did John feel the need to instruct that all people sin? You need to know the background of Corinth to understand 1st and 2nd Corinthians. You need to understand Ephesus's Gentile culture and paganism to know why Paul wrote what he did. Why did Peter teach about the suffering and persecution of believers?
How does a preacher learn the background of things in Scripture? The only way is to study! The Holy Spirit doesn't teach these things to preachers.
In my twenties, I joined a men's study group, a group not affiliated with a church. I had given up on church but still wanted to learn. At my first and only bible study with them, I sat with three other men at a table. We were looking at Lk 11:8. I spotted the word "importunity" and asked what the word meant. One said, "Let's pray to the Holy Spirit, and He'll tell us what it means." The three of them bowed their heads and began to call out to the Holy Spirit, which threw me for a loop. While they were "praying," I looked around the room and saw a dictionary. I went to the dictionary and looked up the word. Afterward, I went back to the table with the dictionary and sat down. About that time, the "prayer" ended, and they lifted their heads. They saw that I had the dictionary, and the air turned chilly. I asked them to tell me what the word meant. I was met by silence and, under the surface, anger. It quickly became evident that I was no longer welcomed.
My final point. 2Tim 2:15 is not an instruction for all believers! Paul is a veteran preacher instructing a younger, less experienced preacher. The study of Scripture is not some casual thing accomplished by reading a devotional, looking up a few verses, watching a video, or reading a blog.
I listened to a "sermon" earlier today. A "sermon" is not Scripture teaching. The title of the "sermon" is "Additional Kinds of Baggage." Throughout the sermon, the "pastor" mentioned:
"How to let God solve your problems."
"He promises to answer all prayers."
"Our connection with the Lord."
"The priority of relationships."
"Changed lives."
There is nothing scriptural about any of these points. They are not found or taught in Scripture. This is a well-known "pastor," well respected. He is in his eighties and has probably been behind a pulpit for at least 50-plus years. He has four degrees. His Bio says he became a "born again" Christian at age 12 and, at age 14, began his life's work in Christian ministry. Age 14? Wow! A child prodigy, huh? Of course, they don't give any details about what he did or accomplished at age 14 or how he began his life's work in Christian ministry. So, presumably, he began to study Scripture at age 14, right? So, we are presented with a "pastor" who, in theory, has been studying Scripture for 60-plus years. And this "sermon" results from decades of supposedly studying Scripture?
Instead of teaching anything from Scripture, I see that he is just repeating what comes from the "Traditions of Men." There are 50 books with his name on them. Wow, so much Scripture truth flows out of this man, right?
It is a fact that if I, or any other preacher that teaches predestination, were invited to teach at this man's church building for three months, every Sunday and Wednesday, within two weeks, the people would begin to quit attending the building. After two or three teaching sessions, the church would be flooded with complaints, and I would not even last three weeks.
One last story. Years ago, when I was on the verge of walking away from church buildings and denominations forever, I listened to a "pastor" on the radio and decided to give his church building a try. This "pastor" was well respected in the town and was somewhat famous throughout the state of Texas. I gave up after two visits. The "pastor" passed away, and the search was on for his replacement. The church is one of the most important in the city, so the newspaper kept up with the search and reported to the public.
After about eight months, the church decided to try out a younger "pastor." This "pastor" was well educated, had a sterling reputation, and was considered a "rising star." But, his teaching style was the more old-school approach; he avoided "semons" and taught expository teaching from the Bible. After three months, the experiment failed, and the "pastor" was let go. Guess what the number one complaint against the "pastor" was. Was it because he brought in radical teaching? No. Was it because he had no people skills? No. Was it because he lived a flamboyant, out-of-control life? No. Was it because he was abusing people in the church building or taking advantage of his position? Nope. Did he commit some severe sin? No. His "crime," the horrible thing he was guilty of, the reason he had to be replaced was that he "didn't tell stories like the other "pastor!" I kid you not. The paper reported this! That is the exact reason I quit going after two visits! The "pastors sermons" were nothing but personal stories, one after another or stories about other people! I never listened to the new "pastor," but I have a sneaking suspicion that what got him fired was that he was teaching some Scripture truth!
This reminds me of another true story. A very well-known across the nation and in the world, "pastor," very influential in the E.C. world and with a mega-church, passed away. They hired the grandson of another famous "pastor" to lead them. A marriage made in heaven, right? Alas, the grandson was let go within months. The number one complaint against this young whipper-snapper? He refused to wear a robe! And he taught from floor level instead of using the elevated platform the prior "pastor" used.
I am going to leave you with Mal 2:5-8. Just substitute the word "pastor" for priest.
"My covenant with him (Levi) was one of peace and life, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in fear of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness and turned many away from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction...
