A Voice in the Wilderness |
*** PORTIONS *** Re: Unteachable? ...the "gates of hell" Apparently, I'm "unteachable." At least, this is what I was told "yesterday". [Ed: "yesterday" being the day prior to the date this is being written, which is not the same as when it's mailed.] As I've said from time to time, there is hardly any 'experience' or scenario that is suggested in VW writings but what I have either experienced it myself, or seen it firsthand, or it has been witnessed by someone who has experienced it. If something is "made up" as an object lesson, it is labelled as such. Otherwise, scenarios illustrated are real ones, that somebody at some time, somewhere -has- experienced. e.g. the Christian wife who is seen on the arm of her unsaved husband going into a bar, and then being judged by the women in her church; the Bible teaching pastor who was ousted from his church amidst phone threats to his family, etc. -Those- kinds of things. On other occasions I have suggested that things I preach others should do, or will experience; I do and experience them myself. If I proclaim that Christians will experience onslaughts of the enemy, things will very shortly come my way, also. Well, here's another real life example. And when I share a personal experience like this, it is for the purpose that 1) you can know that when these things happen to you, you know you are not alone and can take courage for your own life; and 2) there is something we all can learn from it. I would never be so bold as to suggest what Paul did, as being an "example" to "imitate/follow"(2Th3:9) Only Jesus was such a -perfect- example. (1Pt2:21) But in Paul's case, many of the things which happened to him, he rejoiced, because others were emboldened to speak out for the Lord, (Phil1:12-18) and it resulted in the furtherance of the Gospel message. Yesterday a customer from a "Restoration blah blah Ministry" came to pick up his vinyl letters for a couple of banners he was making. (In my front window is a small paper banner with "A Voice in the Wilderness" along with VW's website URL. Next to the door is a little table with the printed version that goes to the postal mailing list, for people to take "freely".) As he is writing out his check, "What's 'A Voice in the Wilderness'?" Typically when people ask "-who- does this?" or "is this -yours-?" I try to down-play it, and will answer on the order of "it's not -mine-, but I put them there." Well, this fellow gets 'going'. He presses the question, "blah, blah, blah, are you a Christian? blah, blah" So, I respond with something like, "perhaps you are aquainted with John the Baptist and 'the voice of one crying in the wilderness'?" "Oh, so you proclaim judgement and condemnation?" "Well, the Scriptures proclaim all sorts of things... judgement, condemnation, salvation, God's love, how to live the Christian life, the Gospel of Jesus Christ...." So then he starts "preaching" to me. He begins by saying that he believes that there's "the word" ...and then "the word". Translation: "Scripture" -and- "added words that are revealed". (And he's pointing to his head as he defines the "revealed" word.) He then proceeds to share something that had been revealed to him. All cock-a-maney, distorted, perverted. As I tried to suggest to him that his understanding of the particular O.T. passage he was "interpreting" needed to have the understanding of the difference between "Israel" and the "church" or "America" etc., he talks about "-spiritual- Israel." And then goes into talk of "warfare" and such stuff. At this point I ask him "where?" "Spokane." "No, where -IN-SCRIPTURE-" did he "find this command" to be in "offensive warfare" in Spokane? "..[the] church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." [Ed: found in Mt16:18] This little phrase, to him, encompassed God's command for the "church" to be on the "offensive" to do spiritual warfare. So then I tried to reason with him a bit, about basic grammar and words. -Who- is trying to "prevail" against -whom-? That the "gates of hell" are on the "offensive" AGAINST the -Church-. Well, he went into the little 'funny-ha-ha' thing the charismatic preachers do with this one. And -here- we come to the first matter that I hope we can glean some understanding from this lengthy narrative. How many times have you seen Benny Hinn, etc. talk about this, during the rare moments they are "teaching", and not blowing people over "in the spirit" or "healing" people? They will stand up there, and don their 'comedian' hat, and ask, "When was the last time you saw -GATES- running and chasing after people!?!?" And with their 'cleverness' the whole congregation is in fits of laughter, hardly able to contain themselves at the ludicrousness of such a thing. Ha, ha, ha!!! And so, since -gates- are "stationery" devices, it MUST BE THE CASE that the "Church" is on the offensive. So, Dear Believer... How do you answer such a taunt of the unregenerate scoffers? It is a matter of understanding the meaning of the word "gate". In Ruth4:1~ Boaz gathered the "elders of the city" at the "-gate-" to conduct some legal business regarding taking Ruth to be his wife. When there was civil war in Israel, and Absalom was killed; when David went to re-unite the people, he went and "sat in the -gate-". (2Sam19:8) The husband of the virtuous woman is "known in the -gates-, when he sits among the elders.." (Pr31:23) The "gate" was the seat of political governmental power. Much as the "Whitehouse" is a symbol of America's power. e.g. if a reporter says, "A statement was issued by the Whitehouse..." it does not mean that the -building- made of cement, paint, windows, carpet, plumbing, etc. is making this statement. No. The -one- in authority -in- the Whitehouse is making the statement. As Jesus proclaims about the Altar and Temple, "..whoever shall swear by the altar swears by it, and by all things on it. And whoever shall swear by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. And he who shall swear by Heaven swears by the throne of God, and by Him who sits on it." (Mt23:20-22) Who was "hell" created for? "for the devil and his angels" (Mt25:41) Who is it who is on the offensive? "..your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour." (1Pt5:8) So, if a "gate" represents a "power", who does the "gates of hell" refer to? Satan. No, the "gates" are not "running after people" ...but Satan is! Which is why we are provided with -defensive- "-ARMOR- of God" (Eph6:13) We are not on the offensive and -attacking-, but are commanded to "withstand" and to "stand". "Therefore stand..." (vs14) In other words, "make your stand and defend..." No, our defense is not against -physical- "gates" with hinges and bars; but "against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph6:12) Yes, Satan is still in "high places" until he is eventually "..cast out into the earth.." (Rev12:9) Well, as Mr. Customer and I were 'debating' I was not given a chance to give this explanation and we moved into a few other subjects. And he was equally in error on those, talking a mile-a-minute, not allowing himself to hear Truth. But I was equally not willing to be subjected to his litany of error without refuting it. So, our "conversation" escalated into a slight "shouting match". About the point I was wondering if it was becoming time to ask him to leave, he finally decides on his own that it's time to leave, and as he's shaking his head in anger, opening the door, "You're just so UNTEACHABLE!" Well, in our present day of "love, tolerance and acceptance" people allow false doctrine to be "shared" in their church meetings. After all, we don't want to be labelled as "judgmental." But notice, If someone comes along saying, "Let us go and serve other gods which you have not known...you shall not consent to him NOR LISTEN TO HIM." (Deu13:6-8) When people come along proclaiming false doctrine, "..reject a man of heresy." (Tit3:10) You see, this expression "unteachable" is used by them, designed to make a person feel "guilty" (and small) for lacking some supposed "humility". That if one doesn't open one's heart and mind to their teaching, one is being "hateful". They prey upon the Christian's sense of Godly "love" and distort love into a false meekness, softness and ultimately... moldability. But you see, this "moldability" indicates a "change" Adaptability, flexibility. But God does NOT change. (Mal3:6) He does not flexibly -adapt- to false doctrine. Regarding false doctrine we are NOT to "learn" (be taught) the ways of false gods. (Deu12:30) If someone comes with two sets of "word", God's original along with some new revelation, even if that revelation comes from "an angel from Heaven", that new word and messenger is "accursed". (Gal1:8-9) You see, the desire of their 'master' is to "pervert the gospel of Christ." (vs7) This time I found myself "stuck" in a discussion I didn't particularly want to be in. I've discovered over time that people who are so blind to the Truth will not be persuaded with dialogue. Typically when these kinds of e-mails come to VW they get read (once) and -filed-. I don't usually bother replying to them. Paul exhorts, "But avoid foolish questions...and contentions, and strivings...for they are unprofitable and vain." (Tit3:9) And this is the context where he says, after you've tried to correct a person a couple times, "reject" them. (vs10) (reject == Refuse, shun, avoid, decline) These types of people wax vehement with many words, and in their insistant talking (Rom16:18b), refuse to hear you. They are blind and have firmly shut the door to their hearts. And you will usually notice that they eventually become hostile and angry with you. Paul exhorts to "watch those making divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and -avoid- them." (Rom16:17) The True Believer in Jesus Christ is not "unteachable", however. It's a matter of What and from Whom we are learning. The one who loves God prays, "Make me know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths." (Ps25:4) And while we reject the teachings of false doctrine we ask, "Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of my enemies." (Ps27:11) They twist words around, making God's Word say the exact opposite of what God said. As though, for example, there was a "white" car sitting there. They are proclaiming the car to be "black", although it is clean and the light is bright and it is obviously "white". When you don't accept their notion proclaiming it to be "black", you are "unteachable". Because they do not receive God's Word... Only. Our hearts cry out, "Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; my heart rejoices to fear Your name." (Ps86:11) Amen! ![]() |