Unlearning Tradition, Relearning Scripture

Category: True Christianity

  • The Silent Killer

    A lot of Christians were triggered by Marcionism recently. Somehow the noise has died down. I hope Christians will not fall into the same trap again. Following a pastor or a preacher without being a Berean (click the highlight to see its meaning).

    Sadly, another heresy has been spreading for decades, in the guise of discipleship – the kenosis theory. Here is an excerpt from GotQuestion.Org on its error:

    There are some false teachers who take the concept of kenosis too far, saying that Jesus gave up all or some of His divine nature when He came to earth. This heresy is sometimes referred to as the kenosis theory, but a better term is kenoticism or kenotic theology, to distinguish it from biblical understanding of the kenosis.

    Click this link to read full article from GotQuestion.Org.

    Keep in mind that Jesus Christ was of the virgin birth (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:23; Lk 1:35). An impossible task humanly speaking. Hence, Jesus Christ was divine at conception, He was born (Lk 1:30-35), grew up (Lk 2:22-52), and was crucified (Acts 2:22-24; Acts 5:30-31; Ps 2:1-8) without losing His divinity at any time, and yet He also was fully man during His incarnation.

    It is therefore wrong to follow the teachings that Christ Jesus as a child was taught and discipled by His human parents, Joseph and Mary. See John 17:8, Jesus Christ said:

    “For I (Jesus Christ) have given them the words that You (God the Father) gave Me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.”

    Again, Jesus Christ declared in John 14:24.

    “The one who doesn’t love Me will not keep My words. The word that you hear is not Mine but is from the Father who sent Me.”

    In Luke 2:52, Scripture’s intent was for the reader to understand that Christ’s divinity was demonstrated since childhood. Read the context, Luke 2:40-52. Not that, like us, we grew in wisdom as we aged.

    Click on video below to see R.C. Sproul’s biblical exposition of Christ’s kenosis.

    The apostle Paul in Ephesians explained the purpose of Christ’s gift for the office of pastors. See Ephesians 4:11-14.

    “And He (Jesus Christ) Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.”

    In other words, pastors are tasked to stand guard against false teachings and teachers. They also are mandated to train Christians about the truth, teaching them to discern false teachings. Here, in this blog, I’m defending the biblical persona of Christ Jesus (Christology) that has been compromised by kenosis theory.

    Ironically, unlike recent heresy in the form of Marcionism which began locally, the heresy on kenosis was imported abroad, and then locally spread in the guise of discipleship.

    Shouldn’t we have learned from the recent pandemic? Borders control is needed to prevent the spread of deadly diseases. In the case of heresy, pastors are tasked to stand guard against heresy, false teachings, and teachers. They have to keep the sanctity of Christ’s body, therefore watching its borders. And yet, it was the local pastors who welcomed the said heresy into their congregation. Even aiding its spread, whether knowingly or unknowingly, with both Christ Jesus certainly has condemnations for such people. See 2Peter 2:1.

    “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.”

    See also Matthew 18:6, Jesus Christ said.

    “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to fall away — it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.”

    Now, let’s take a look at John 10:7-16, to discern whether you have under-shepherds of Christ Jesus or hirelings.

    “Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the gate. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about the sheep. “I am the good shepherd. I know My own, and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep. But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

    Christians, discern carefully if indeed your pastors are truly under-shepherds of Christ Jesus. Have you learned only the true teachings of Jesus Christ, therefore listening solely to Christ’s voice? Because only then are we part of God’s flock, with Jesus Christ alone our One Great Shepherd.

    Once more, Jesus Christ said, “My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of My hand.” (Jhn 10:27-28)

    Be watchful, we might have a false assurance of salvation. Salvation can be found in Christ alone, through the inerrancy of His Word. Listen and learn only from Christ’s voice (the inerrancy of His Word). Heresy can be a silent killer.

    “The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with Him (Jesus Christ), we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him (Jesus Christ and His Word), He also will deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful— for He cannot deny Himself. Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2Ti 2:11-15)

    Blessings!

    If you want to follow our journey of unlearning tradition and relearning Scripture, you can stay updated just head to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Subscription is free.

  • One Way: Scripture Alone

    It has always been asked of me, “How can I best explain the Gospel to an intellectual person? Like a scientist, a doctor, or someone who is a wide reader or a good researcher.”

    To answer, we must first be willing to reject and disprove traditions that have been prevalently taught and believed upon but cannot be supported by Scripture. Jesus Christ said, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

    Again Jesus Christ told the unbelieving Jews, “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.” (John 8:43-45)

    Therefore, to do so, we must first be well acquainted with the Scripture. We need to know the truth. Explain thoroughly the teachings of Christ Jesus. Do not be shy to refute conventional teachings or beliefs that are unfounded in the Word of God.

    Yes, I understand it’s a long process. That’s exactly why Christ Jesus spent three years teaching His disciples. Consequently, Christians also must be immersed in discipleship. By discipleship, that means learning to approach Scripture correctly respecting its context, immediate audience, and the specific teaching or message of Christ Jesus on a particular passage in the Bible.

    It is a time-consuming process, and it does not guarantee a positive response from most. But remember, Jesus Christ, didn’t focus on the most, only on those who have been willing to follow Him notwithstanding its cost.

    Once more, see Scripture: “All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, He said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”” (Matthew 13:34-36)

    Take note that the parables of Jesus were not meant to conceal but utter what has been hidden; in other words, parables are meant to unveil the truths of God’s Word. Also, only to those few disciples did Jesus explain further the truth. No, it’s not because they were the chosen ones; rather, they came to ask and inquire about the truth.

    Let us therefore not rush the process; rather be disciplined in keeping the process. In time, perhaps it could even be beyond our lifetime, it shall bear fruit.

    Remember that Jesus Christ did not call us to start a church. Jesus Christ clearly said He alone would build His church (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 2:19-22; Hebrews 3:3-6). We Christians are simply commanded to spread (Ephesians 4:15) and live by the Gospel (Philippians 3:17-20; Hebrews 10:38).

    Lastly, it is a reality that we could create enemies or people would not find us pleasing once we stand by God’s truth. That’s exactly why Jesus Christ said to His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)

    Christianity is a journey, and in our journey, we ought to know and discern the way. Jesus Christ alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). It would be ironic for us to follow the crowd but miss the way.

    Jesus Christ said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

    Christianity cannot be a multifaceted truth but the one single way to truth. Yet, there is diversity of supposed truths presented and proposed by Christians of different denominations, even among those who claims to be non-denominational. That is exactly why intellectual skeptics find post-modern Christianity confusing or worse a lie; hence, a stumbling block to the faith.

    Jesus Christ alone is the Door (John 10:7,9) and the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). Upon Him and His Word alone should we follow, believe and teach. Christ Jesus alone is the One Way to true Christianity. Let us be humble enough to learn from His word, the Bible. Scripture Alone.

    If you want to follow our journey of unlearning tradition and relearning Scripture, you can stay updated just head to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Subscription is free.

  • Confused Christianity

    Without a doubt, 21st-century Christianity comes in many shapes and forms. Christians differ in doctrines, but they seem to be unified in believing that the return of Jesus Christ is still in the future, though it has been millennia since Jesus promised His apostles that He would be coming in their generation. See Matthew 16:27-28.

    “For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.””

    The synoptic Gospels – Matthew, Mark, & Luke – have the same assurance concerning the imminent return of Christ:

    “And He (Jesus Christ) said to them (apostles), “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”” (Mark 9:1)

    “For whoever is ashamed of Me (Jesus Christ) and of My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”” (Luke 9:26-27)

    Not only that, Jesus Christ sending out the twelve apostles, instructing them on His message, said, “And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” (Matthew 10:7)

    “At hand” in the original Greek language means “near,” and near cannot by any means be thousands of years and continuing, as suggested by the Futurists. Jesus Christ did not just give them the message to proclaim, but He reinforced the message with the assurance that it was indeed occurring soon. See Matthew 10:23.

    “When they persecute you (the apostles) in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

    As I researched the validity of Jesus’ words, it’s sad, actually disgusting, to find known Bible scholars saying, “No, Jesus was confused or hallucinating when He uttered those words.” Some dismissed the passages saying, “There must be another meaning for that, but we just have to find out.”

    Funny that for as long as the passages or verses are convenient to their theological position, they adhere to the Words of Christ, but if it doesn’t, then it’s excuses after excuses. Scripture does not need affirmation from men; rather, the Bible is the dispenser of truth because it is the Word of God.

    One of the key disciplines in interpreting Scripture involves recognizing “time statements.” However, Futurists often overlook these time statements in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, and instead suggest that they refer to the future. It’s important to remember that what the apostles considered “the future” is no longer future to us today.

    Hence, statements like “this generation” in Matthew 24:34 no longer make an impact on the readers, for time statements have been disregarded. See Matthew 24:29-34.

    “29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

    So some have suggested “this generation” refers to the generation who saw the literal signs of Matthew 24:29-34. Yet, they miss out on John’s confession in Revelation that he was already in tribulation. See Revelation 1:9.

    “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”

    Scripture is a unity. The apostles’ writings cannot be different from the Words of Jesus found in the Gospels, the Book of Acts, or the Book of Revelation. Jesus’ words have their foundation in the Old Testament Scripture. The entire Bible is a cohesive revelation concerning the declaration and fulfillment of God’s words.

    See Luke 24:44.

    Then He (Jesus Christ) said to them (The disciples), “These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

    In recent years, we have witnessed the rise of fake news online. Most people now get their news from the web, particularly from platforms like Facebook and YouTube. Unfortunately, fake news spreads easily because many individuals click to watch or read without considering the source or the intent of the uploader or poster.

    Even if a Facebook post or YouTube video contains factual information, ignoring the date it was published can severely affect its relevance today. The same principle applies when reading and studying the Bible. It is essential to recognize the audience’s relevance, the timing of statements, and their historical accuracy. Failing to do so can lead to misinterpretations of Scripture, whether by inexperienced readers or poorly informed pastors.

    Jesus Christ warned, “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?” (Luke 6:39)

    Find someone who can teach you the disciplines of studying Scripture. Avoid using human-tailored Bible study materials, as they often reflect human influence. It’s important to recognize that even within different Bible translations, traces of human interpretation can be found. Let me be clear: the Bible itself is perfect, infallible, and without error; the issues arise with the translations.

    You don’t need to be a scholar of Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic, but it is beneficial to read the Bible by comparing different translations. Additionally, learning to use language tools, such as lexicons, is essential for in-depth Bible study. There are many free lexicon tools available online or for download. You just need to find someone knowledgeable to guide you in using these tools effectively.

    It’s never too late to start studying Scripture and practicing proper exegesis. Ultimately, Scripture reveals truths about salvation that extend beyond our physical needs and concerns, addressing both our current lives and eternity. Don’t let yourself become part of confused Christianity.

    Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share this article freely, for you freely receive. Take note, underlines and highlights are clickable links for definitions or Bible references. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessing!