Are We Sinless?

Over the years there have been numerous kinds of holiness movements that have had good intentions. Unfortunately, many have their promotion of holiness accompanied with the false teaching that we can achieve sinless perfection here on earth.

Are we sinless because we are forgiven, cleansed and given the Holy Spirit? Absolutely not. We are regenerated in our human spirit, given a new nature, but the old nature has not been removed.

What does the Bible say about sin and what is the biblical definition? The Bible says, “Sin is the transgression of the law” (I John 3:4). So any command by God that is not obeyed perfectly would be defined as sin. The apostle John makes it clear that, “All unrighteousness is sin” (I Jn. 5:17). So one would have to be perfectly righteous to not sin any longer. Paul also states, “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23) which would include everything we do. And James makes a general statement about ones conscience and omission “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

With these basic guidelines (and there are more) we can understand what the Bible defines as sin and how we are to act to not be considered participating in sin.

Everyone has Sin, believers and non-believers alike. The Bible states: “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We have a fallen nature and for this reason we need to be born again or have a spiritual birth. Adam introduced sin. It resulted in both spiritual and physical death for him, spiritual first. Only Adam became a sinner by sinning. We die physically because of Adam’s sin passed on to all succeeding generations spiritually, genetically. We are all born with a built-in death warrant, which is our sin nature, because we have inherited this sin nature from Adam. We are born already spiritually dead (separated from God).

Rom 3:10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; v.12 “there is none who does good, no, not one.” Jesus said to the rich young ruler who approached him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God” (Mark 10:18). Only God is intrinsically good, only God by His nature does good and does it all the time.

It is only after we have a new nature that we can even do good! And it comes from our new nature not the old. As Paul makes clear “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:18).

There are now two definitions of people: unbelievers (sinners) and believers (saints). God’s children are now called “saints,” and He calls the unredeemed “sinners” Rom. 1:7 ‘To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints.” Rom. 5:8 “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Sinners are those who practice sin, this terminology is used to identify the ungodly, who live an ungodly life. Yet believers still sin, and it is because we still have a sinful nature. Many say we are no longer sinners and we are now saints, this becomes a problem of semantics. In the practical sense we are not sinners, but are still sinful. We have a positional change as well as a nature change. Sin is a nature that is in all mankind, NO man on earth does not have this fallen nature. They have been born with it and when we are born again we do not lose it, it is put aside as the ruling power over us.

The word Saint used for the believers show’s ones new position in Christ as they are set aside for his service, separate from the world (Rom.1:7; 1 Cor.1:2; Phil.4:21). Saints who are sinners saved by God’s grace have the new nature along with the old nature of sin in their body. In one way, when we identify sinners it means they have a lifestyle of sin, but this does not mean we who are saints are no longer called sinners. We still have sin in our members but since we practice holiness which no sinner can, we are not in the category of sinners per se. Yes we are saints (meaning to be set apart) but to lose this word and concept removes us from the reality that we ALL still sin. 

Paul asks the rhetorical question. Is Christ therefore a minister of sin? No, he administrates holiness by his Spirit. When we yield to his Lordship, walk in faith by His Spirit we are fulfilling his commands (establish his laws and not transgress them).

Paul does talk about the old man we still have with us Eph.4:22; Col.3:9 and reminds us that our old man was crucified Rom. 6:6. The fact that we are to die to self, we are told to walk in the newness of life and obey from the heart implies that we have a choice in either fulfilling or failing in what we are asked to do. Which equals sin. In Romans 6 Paul speaking to believers states in verse 1. Do not continue in sin. V.2. Do not live in sin any longer. V.6. Do not serve sin. V. 12. Do not let sin reign in your body, do not obey your desires. V.13. Do not yield your body unto sin. V. 15. God forbid you should sin. V.16. The choice of sin, death is the result. V. 23. The wages of sin is death.

What is sanctification for, if we are already perfect and without sin? Sanctification is the process of working Christ’s nature in us daily to be more like him. This would not be necessary if we had sin removed, then we would already be like him. There are many heretical teachings that distort this and other key elements in the Scripture and teach this is a fulfilled promise to us already; it is NOT.

Gal. 3:22: “But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”

If one looks at the children of God throughout history none have claimed a spiritual condition of sinlessness. Look at Abraham, or Isaac, or Jacob, or Job; Moses, David, Peter, John, or Paul.  None of them claimed to be absolutely perfect and not guilty of any act of sin. Paul said he continued to do what he did not want to (Rom.7:15).

 His solution to diminish sinning, 1 Cor. 9:27 “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” If Paul were Sinless there would be no reason to bring his flesh into submission of the Spirit, it would already be submitted..

If we are sinless as some claim what about these passages?

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (I John 3:9)

This cannot mean we are now sinless. Because it would contradict what he said earlier in chapter one about our sin and confessing it “If we say that WE HAVE NO SIN, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (besides we would not die). If we are to take this scripture “Whoever has been born of God does not sin,” to mean absolute holiness and used to refer to the doctrine of absolute perfection; it proves, not that some Christians MAY be perfect, but all of them are, none are excluded. So there is not a special group of over-comers. But this verse does not teach that it is impossible for the Christian to sin. What it does teach is that it is impossible to be begotten of God and go on sinning as we once did.

The new nature battles against the old to overcome it. He who is born again does not CONTINUALLY sin, or is not HABITUALLY a sinner as he was before he came to know Jesus. The born again believer has no compulsion to sin over and over as He once had, driven by his fallen nature. He who is born again will not continue in, or like their sin. If anyone continually and habitually sins and does not feel ill about it, it may prove that he has NEVER been spiritually renewed. If one likes to sin and finds little consequence from it, not being grieved by what they have done they probably need to question if the Holy Spirit has His convicting work in their life. When one is sinning habitually, willfully without feeling any remorse and it does not lead them to repentance but hardens them, this shows that he is under the influence of the one whose nature it has been to sin.

Everyone who has the new birth- has passed from death to life, is not habitually a sinner; but has the power of the indwelling spirit to overcome the temptation of sin.  

The wages of sin (payment) is death and saints die just as sinners die. This proves we still have a sin nature along with the new nature.

James explains how sin is birthed. Jm.1:14-15 “but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” The source of sin doesn’t come from the outside but from within. We are drawn away from our own desires (the Greek means to be lured into a trap). It is not a single act, but a process that begins in our heart. You can say the real source is spiritual heart disease, our fallen human nature. Sin has its roots in the heart and influences the intellect and will and finds expression through the body (Prov.4:3; Mt.15:19-20; Lk.6:45; Heb.3:12.) To say you have no sin is to claim you have not reacted to any temptation. It is a fact that the closer one comes to being in relationship with Jesus Christ the more they will see their sinfulness. To claim one is no longer a sinner in any fashion, and no longer sins, shows how far away they are from the Lord and his word.

The religious leaders thought they were righteous because they obeyed God’s law and yet we see Jesus acknowledge “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’” (Luke 18:13) Are we not to have the same humble attitude even though we are saved? Of course we are, John says for us to confess our sin to be cleansed (1 Jn.1:9).

Are Saints Sinners?

The Bible itself does say that those who are saved are sinners in that we still sin. Gal. 2:16-17: “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners.” Here Paul makes the case that there is only one way to be justified, by faith in Christ. Yet we are still sinners though we have right standing with God. The Bible makes this clear. Sin is still present with the believer, we are in transition to eliminate it once and for all.

Speaking to the church James calls believers sinners (4:8) “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James makes this clear as he addresses the church, that if someone no longer tries to walk in holiness or turns from the teachings of Christ he is a sinner. James 5:19-20 “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, (he is addressing brethren) and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

For Paul says “Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.” (1 Tim 5:24-25) Obviously Paul is making a dichotomy of the believers works (both good and bad) cannot be determined until later. Then we will know those done by the spirit and they will be eternal and those done in sin that will be burned up (according to 1 Cor. 3:13-15)

In Rom. 7:15 Paul describes his and our condition.  “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.” Here Paul explains his own struggle with sin that is indicative of us all. He does what he does not want to do-sin. And what he wants to do he fails in. He goes on Rom. 7:17 “it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” V.18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing. Notice what Paul says next-V.20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. V. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” Paul says it is “ sin that dwells in me “ twice in this area of Scripture. He then brings it to a conclusion “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” The body of death is another way of explaining where sin resides

“Being then made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness” In other words we are no longer under its dominion, for it to be master over us. It does not mean we are relieved of all sin. As someone once said: “those who claim to be sinless, go ask their wives they’ll tell you the truth.”

Rom. 8:21-25 “because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” It is our hope but not a reality now, so we wait for the body of sin is delivered by the resurrection.

2 Cor. 5:2 “For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven”

Only those who have the new nature know the harm from the old. We groan as we are on earth about our deliverance from the body of death, that brings sin.

1 Cor. 15:54-57: “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Do we still die? Yes, of course, so this means sin is still present with us. The believer’s sin stops at death when the believer is then released from the body of sin.

To believe we are sinless is as much a lie as Satan telling Eve she will not die.

Only sinful people sin, a perfect righteous man like Jesus could not. To say we have no sin disregards clear scriptures that tell the believers how to conduct themselves and not sin.  It is not that we no longer sin but that we are no longer slaves to sin (Rom.6:16-18, 20).

Rom 6:13: “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”
We could not have the ability to do this if we were no longer sinners.

Eph. 4:22-2: “that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.” Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” Let him who stole steal no longer…”

Col.3:9-10: “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” Why tell the believer what not to do and to obey if we are already doing this?

Rom. 13:13-14: “Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

2 Cor. 7:1 “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

We are asked to make ourselves clean which would not be a valid point if we are already sinless.

Again Paul makes it clear Rom 7:17-18: “But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.” “But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.” This does not have Paul shirk his responsibility of sin, he does not deny it nor claim he is perfected- sinless.

Want to know if you are sinless? Look at the Law of God and all His commands, if you keep them all perfect all the time then you no longer sinning. 

Rom. 6:12-14: “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Why say this if we cannot sin or know sin?

1 Cor. 9:27 “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” If Paul were Sinless there would be no reason to bring his flesh into submission of the Spirit.

Gal. 5:16-17 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” Our war is within ourselves with the old nature trying to exercise its strength over the Spirit. Paul tells believers “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom 8:13) the only way to have victory over the flesh and our sinful nature is by walking in the spirit

Scripture teaches that the closer you get to the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart, the more aware you are of you sinfulness and sinful temptations that affect you. It is those who have drifted far away or have self deceived themselves into thinking that sin has nothing to do with their character, this what the Bible calls a lie.

If one insists to hold the position they are truly sinless, in the same manner Jesus was without sin, I must question if they are saved. For one to be saved they must admit they are in need of a savior because of their sin and it is Jesus through the writings of the apostles that tells us we still are sinners.

Scripture testifies every person needs the Savior. It is likely that the heretics whom the apostle John writes against in his epistles denied that they had any sin, thus denying any need for the Savior.

I Jn. 1:8 “If we say that we have NO SIN, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is NOT in us.”
The Bible says we are sinful and need to agree with God on this fact otherwise deceive ourselves. This is the first of three statements “If we say.” John is citing this to directly refute the false claims of the heretics in the church.

9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

If you don’t sin you don't need the blood to cleanse anymore. The confession of sins, Greek is homologeia which means  “to say the same things as” God does about our sin. This is the only prerequisite for our complete forgiveness and cleansing. It should be obvious if you do not sin, then you do not need to confess. But John says to keep on confessing your sin to be cleansed. To NOT confess our sins shows we are not walking in the truth.

10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a .”

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him [God] out to be a liar and his word (which is truth) is not found in us. 1 Peter 1:23 we are not born again by his word

So lets summarize what John is stating:

Verse 8. Profession of sinlessness-self deception-not of truth-equals living a lie.

Verse 9. No confession of sin-Divine cleansing is denied -no removal of condemnation.

Verse 10.  Denying we have sinned, means we are calling God a LIAR, and His truth does not reside in us.”

Renouncing sin is our greatest proof of our spiritual union with the Lord. The regenerate person cannot sin as he did before he was born of God, and as others do who are not born again. The more one grows closer to a holy God the more they see their creatureness and sinful nature compared His perfect one. If one claims they no longer sin they have not seen nor heard from God and are a LIAR. Denial of being a sinner is tantamount to calling God a LIAR, thus we have no revelation of the truth. John refutes the error that we have no sin nature, by using the word sin in the singular. It is not just the committal of sin but the principle of sin, sin in a general sense, sin of every description. There are those who profess to have become perfectly sanctified, and to live without any sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are truly deceived, self deception is a special kind of delusion brought on by ones own pride (James 3:2,5).

And John says prior in v.7 that we have no fellowship with the believers and his blood is not cleansing us of sin. This is quite serious. One must admit they are a sinner to be in reality as well as have a walk with Christ that is in truth. This is why when someone says they have sinlessness there is no fellowship with the believers or Christ.

All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; this means that if you claim to not have sin you have God’s glory, which for all intensive purposes makes you God. There is only one who has lived without sin- Jesus. If you are without sin then you are just as perfect as Jesus, in both thought and deed. Claiming to live without any sin shows that one is deceived in regard to himself and his relationship to the Lord God. Again this makes himself to be equal with God who alone exists is in a perfect state, having no sin.

We have the righteousness of Christ as a garment but we do not have only his new nature. He has not transformed us into being sinless, like he is, YET. I John 3:2 “it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

God looks at us as being sinless through Christs’ righteousness and his sacrifice on the cross. We are positionally righteous but are in reality working out our sanctification. And that is how our life will be on earth.

You may get these sinless concepts from teachers and books, but not from the teachers or writers in 66 books of the Bible.

 

Why follow ONLY the Scripture?

We often hear Christianity is a relationship with the living God. This is true. But in order to have and maintain this relationship, we are to know God through his revelation found in a Book, the Bible. Without this Book Christianity cannot exist for long. Wherever this Book has been hindered or removed, the evidence of anything Christian became rare. It is for this very reason so many tried to destroy the Bible and even today do not allow it to be read in their countries. This Book we know as the Bible, is God’s Word to us today. Remove the teachings of the Bible from humanity and Christianity will eventually pass into oblivion. No Church can say they are worshipping and obeying God without the Bible being taught. The Church’s role has always been to uphold the writings that were Scripture, by protecting and proclaiming them. In this way the church is the pillar and the ground of truth. If it does not do this, then it is not the pillar and ground any longer.

Church attendance in America is enjoying an all-time high, but at the same time the understanding of the Word is at an all-time low. Why? Most people do not know how to share their faith, but it is a command in Scripture itself, “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense (answer) to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). We are to be set apart for the Lord’s service ready to give an answer, (apologia) an account, a legal plea of whom and what we believe in. This is to be done in humility but with the fear of God. Maybe Peter had in mind what Luke wrote in 12:11-12 “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say for the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that very hour what ye ought to say.” It is only by knowing the Word can we know God’s ways and be able to explain it and give testimony to the least and the greatest.

“The goal of the Christian mission is not success, but faithful witness; not power; but proclamation; not technique, but truth; not method, but message” (Michael Horton Power Religion, p.15)

I’m convinced many do not have the confidence to witness, and defend the faith because they do not know Scripture. I don’t mean just memorizing it, because some people are able memorize whole portions of scripture and do not understand it. But having the ability to apply it when they are challenged. When we absorb the Word in our mind and heart and understand it we can have boldness to speak. Holy Spirit preaching is His Word that communicates Jesus and gives people understanding, so they are moved to obedience. “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32) Interesting note, that He said My word singular, as in all the Bible  as the Scripture is all about him as he stated in Jn.5:39.

To do this we must learn to study. Considering we have more Bibles, books on the Bible and tools today then in all of history of the church, the church should not be in the state of biblical illiteracy that it is in: but it is.

When the Bible was first written it had no divisions of chapters or verses. Since the Bible came to us in the English translation it has been divided in chapters and verses. Because of these divisions of chapters and verses it has made it more convenient to find certain subjects and sayings, it also has made it convenient for many teachers to select certain scriptures as one- liners removing them from their context they were originally written in. They then preach whole sermons on these out of context subjects. This fragmenting of the Scripture has led to many of the errors and falsehood’s preached from the pulpits today.

There is a great need to read the Bible through, and more importantly read it the way it was written by the books or letters. By doing this we absorb the Scripture in its context and are able to understand the theme of the letters as well as the minutiae contained in them. By doing this it prevents the Scripture being made into pretexts and stringing together ones own doctrine from them. After one sees the letters as a whole they can put together certain topics contained throughout all the letters to arrive at what the Bible actually says on any given subject matter. From this exercise we can rightly divide the word. By rightly divide the Word of truth we increase our knowledge and our usefulness and effectiveness for God.

We are admonished, “Study to show thyself approved, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed” (1 Timothy 2:15). The word “study” in this passage means “to make an effort, to be earnest, and diligent, with labor.” The phrase “rightly dividing” comes from the Greek word “orthotomeo,” which means “to make a straight cut, to dissect correctly, to rightly divide.” In other words, with no hesitation, make every effort to understand correctly what the Word of God actually says, so it can be used to benefit yourself and those you speak to. The Holy Spirit is to lead us into all Truth, His Word, not to lead us beyond it. As Paul wrote to Timothy sound doctrine will save both yourself and those who hear you.

We are to study and learn the Word that was delivered, staying in the parameters of its teaching.

To do this we need to ask the right questions to arrive at the correct answers.

We need to adopt a method that is inherent in the Scripture that will help us to arrive at the truth. We want to get as close as possible to what the original writers meant when they wrote it. Then we can see if it has any application for our lives. This means we may need to know something of the Jewish, Greek or Roman culture. We are to look at the letter and see whom the recipients are, why it is being written, is it repeated from somewhere else or gives us more information on a certain subject.

We are to let the text speak for itself and if it is not clear, we go to other statements made on the same subject that would qualify what is being taught in the text. We are to put Scripture next to Scripture and build on this as the basic foundation of beliefs are laid.

With all the technology and knowledge we have o help us we have become lazy. We need to develop some basic spiritual habits. Ps. 119:161-162 “But my heart stands in awe of Your word. I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure.” Do we search the scriptures hungry for God to speak and rejoice at his voice like finding hidden treasure? Prov. 2:1-5 “My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” We are to train ourselves to listening to the Words of our God by the Scripture. We are to mine the word of God. How do we do this? We chip away at it piece by piece until we uncover the treasure. We pray for discernment understanding, with an open spirit we listen to his voice from the Word.

The Bible is deeper than the deepest ocean because it is knowledge about the infinite God. Many who have studied it have devoted their whole lifetime to knowing God’s Word, and have not found any end to its teaching and wisdom. It is the only place to find the absolute truth about the creator who became man. Yet it is a drop in the bucket about the unlimited God, but sufficient to confound the greatest minds in history. God has communicated to man throughout history through his book, and His words are found in dialogues, prophecy, poetry and letters to men over the centuries. Zophar the Naamathite answered Job in his search for answers why he was afflicted and said to him: “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than heaven-- what can you do? Deeper than Sheol-- what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.” (Job 11:7-9).

How much can we know of God? But a little, but what small amount we know, we want it to be accurate. To do this we must know doctrine, which means the teachings in the Bible. You can't have a relationship with God without the Word; it is central, not an option.

A.W. Tozer said it like this “The word doctrine means simply religious beliefs held and taught. It is the sacred task of all Christians, first as believers and then as teachers of religious beliefs, to be certain that these beliefs correspond exactly to truth. A precise agreement between belief and fact constitutes soundness in doctrine. We cannot afford to have less.”(A.W. Tozer, Man, The Dwelling Place Of God )

Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice.” That voice is found first and foremost through the Scriptures. John 17:20 Jesus praying to the Father says, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.” Whose word is he speaking of, the apostles whom he commissioned to record His sayings by writing them down. He then makes the statement that we would all be one, In Him and the Father and the world may believe. Our unity as the church is dependent on our adhering to the Word of God. As individuals If we want to be complete, mature, thoroughly equipped for what Christ has called us to as individuals and as the church, we need to know the Scripture. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”(2 Timothy 3:16-17). The apostles wrote down the words inspired by the Holy Spirit through the entire New Testament; they are not just the ones written in red ink. They wrote them all with the same color ink, as Paul states “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God”(2 Timothy3:16-17), not certain Scripture, there are not less inspired portions.

The Bible is a very practical Book, what you learn from it can be applied to your everyday living. One person has said, read this Book to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. As Jesus stated in Matt 7:24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” It is stable so when the storms of life come, we will be able to stand because we are on the foundation that does not change or move.

Jesus often said, “he who has ears let him hear”, but he also said He said to them, “Hear and understand”

(Matt 15:10). When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: (Mark 7:14).

When Jesus spoke the parable of the seed he gave four examples of the soil. Three of the soils within time lost the life of the seed. There was only one soil that had the seed sprout and grow and become a sturdy plant that was fruitful. Why? They all had the same seed applied, so what made this soil have it grow? We know that the soil represents a person’s heart, the seed was God’s eternal word that is heard and finds rest in it, and grows changing the individual who continually gives himself over to its instructions.

Mk.4:13: “And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.” The seed is the Word, and before this He explains how the people need ears to hear, so they can understand the spiritual meanings of the word and be fruitful. In vs. 37 he explains that the sower of the good seed is the son of man which is either Jesus himself or those who preach the same message of His Word. When the seed becomes money, you have just missed the whole point of the parable and have become spiritually deaf! This is why Jesus said: “Take heed therefore HOW you hear” (Luke 8:18). The “good seed,” is the truth preached by Christ, His apostles and us today. He was not preaching money or prosperity.

Matt. 13:19 Jesus states, “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.” Only one soil yielded variable percentages of fruit, it was those who understood His words. “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matt 13:23). Understanding requires a response, we cannot do from the heart what we hear and do not understand.

It was Mark Twain who once said “Most people are bothered by those passages in Scriptures which they cannot understand. But for me, I always notice that the passages in scripture which trouble me the most are those I do understand.”

1 Pt.1:23 tells us we are “born with incorruptible see which is the word of God.” I Jn.3:9 “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” What this means is that we will not practice sin as we once did, a transformed life gives us the ability to live what is holy and right before God. As David said, “I have his your word in my heart so I may not sin against thee.” The seed in us and makes it easier to live the way God desires and harder to live they way we once did. But to do this we must have the Word continually before us and be consumed with it to have this affect. Because the world our flesh and the Devil are always in competition for our soul, trying to influence us in disobeying the ways of truth and life.

In the Old Testament the way that was recommended to Israel to have God first is found in Deut. 6:6-9: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” The word of God was heard, was written everywhere, and it became life itself to a nation as well as the individual.

Too many of us look for nice thoughts in sermons, something that will make us feel good and assure us where we are at. It not that the element of encouragement should not be included in sermons, but that should not be the only thing. What we really need is to be convicted and reproved by the word of God. We are to be moved to improve: But this kind of preaching is becoming more rare as pastors cater to the needs of their congregants having them feel good so they keep coming to the service. They are so afraid of losing people that they don’t want to be offensive in any way. They no longer are doing what God said to do, shepherd them. Jesus did offend people; He offended people not by his personality but by telling them the truth.

In one instance as the multitudes gathered to hear Jesus Luke 5:1: “So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret.” What do we come to see or hear when we go to a meeting or church? Are we there to listen and learn the Word? Do we open our heart to hear truth come in and dig out all the falsehood, the sin we accumulated, or are we wanting to drink a warm smooth glass of milk that will make us feel good and justify the wrong we do. What are YOU looking for?

Dr. R.J.K. Law stated “In times of danger and threatened disasters there are always those who claim to have extraordinary revelations. The devil stirs them up to fill men with false hopes in order to keep them in sin and false security. Then, when God's judgments come, they are taken by surprise. So whoever claims to have extraordinary revelations, encouraging men to feel safe while living a sinful life, does the work of the devil, for whatever encourages men to feel secure in their sins is from the devil.” (Jer. 5:30, 31; 23:9-33). (Dr. R.J.K. Law, Apostasy from the gospel, Communion with God and the Glory of Christ)

In Mark 8:13-21 After the miracle of multiplying the bread and the Jesus charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.” These were the teachings, false doctrine. They interpret this as “he’s scolding us because we didn’t bring any of the left over bread.” Jesus responds in v.17-18 in our modern vernacular it would be, How spiritually senseless are you?

Jesus asked the disciples again “When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.” “And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?” And they said, “Seven. “So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?” Understand what? Who He is, How God provides; as he did with Moses leading the Israelites through the desert he will do through Christ. But to do this we must listen to His teachings, those who were fed bread miraculously by Christ were with him 3 days listening to his teachings. We are to be concerned with our spiritual sustenance first, not our physical needs. We squirm in church when the pastor goes an hour; some of us can’t even listen to the Word of God unless it’s dressed up with miracles and titillating stories. We need to question what we are there for, what is our motivation.

In the middle of this conversation Jesus gives a short quote of having eyes and they do not see having ears and they do not hear and they do not remember.

Jesus was referring to Mark 4:12 “Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.”

The people saw Christ’s miracles, but not in their true light, they heard His words, but not in there true spiritual intent. They made the same mistakes as Israel did in the wilderness. As the church we have these examples so we will not repeat them. Matthew Henry had this to say, “Our not understanding of the true intent and meaning of God's favours to us, is equivalent to our not remembering of them” (Matthew Henry's Commentary.)

Jesus was justified in stating “And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Mt. 13:14-17).

We are so blessed to have the full revelation of the Word today, we are more privileged then even those who were with Jesus, because in some ways our teachings go beyond what many of the apostles heard; as John the last apostle wrote the book of Revelation. Many did not see the Bible we have in our hands today. Jesus said to the people who blessed his mother for carrying and nursing him, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.”

Understanding

Holy Spirit miracle services are today's trend but when we look in the book of Acts the Spirit fell unexpectedly. Today people are gathering to see the Spirit move, to capture his presence. This cannot be done without the Word preached first and foremost; the Word and the Spirit go together. We can suffocate the truth by what is claimed His presence, if we separate these two essential components. There is no way to know God’s presence without deep meditation, reflection on His Word. It needs to be taught correctly, not used as a means to an end.

C.D. Cole said “There is a clamor today in religion for the miraculous and sensational and spectacular. And this is because people tire of the word of God. People who are looking for miracles as a sign or proof of God’s presence and favor are putting themselves in a good position to be deceived. What is supernatural is not necessarily Divine" (C.D. Cole)  

The Word we have written sprang out the nature of God, Jesus said it was both He and His Father’s word, it is so connected to God that to ignore this Word is to not listen to God. God’s presence is His Holy Spirit whose purpose is to point to Jesus Christ, and uphold, interpret the truth, His WORD. The Holy Spirit moves us through the Word itself to explain what is meant. The Spirit gives the Word life and brings it to us as nourishment to our spirit.

When we seek to listen to voices outside the Scripture that leads us into new revelations for instruction, or an experience not in the Scripture and not practiced by the church, we are inadvertently denying the sufficiency of Scripture. This new trend is happening everywhere, not just in America. People gather for a Spirit meeting to hear a “fresh word” from God that is not found in the written word. They have been so removed from hearing the written word that “the written word becomes a fresh word to them.” If you want the power of God in your life learn the Word and apply it daily.

When the word is taught and explained, the Holy Spirit works and carries it to an open heart to be effective.

Isa. 29:24 “These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, and those who complained will learn doctrine.”

Some teach that the Holy Spirit is more important than doctrine or words. Satan can’t have right doctrine, but he certainly can do signs and wonders. God will test us with what we see and experience to see if we will go to His Word and allow it to judge the thoughts and intentions of our heart.

Jonathan Edwards stated “If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.... The devil has ever shown a mortal spite and hatred towards that holy book, the Bible: he has done all in his power to extinguish that light and to draw men off from it: He knows it to be that light by which the kingdom of darkness is to be overthrown.... He is enraged against the Bible and hates every word in it: And we may be sure that he never will attempt to raise persons' esteem of it or affection to it.” (Edwards, Works of Jonathan Edward, Vol.2, 260).

Paul wrote to Timothy “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16).

A.W. Tozer wrote, “It would be impossible to overemphasize the importance of sound doctrine in the life of a Christian. Right thinking about all spiritual matters is imperative if we would have right living. As men do not gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles, so sound character does not grow out of unsound teaching.”

An unknown author said, “know it in the head, store it in the heart, show it in the life, and sow it in the world.” Is the Word of God foremost in your life, how important is it to you? Let the Word of God dwell in you richly, it will guide you and give you discernment in what is true and what is not. Because we are really going to need discernment in the days we are living in.