Did you know that Jesus Christ expects us to understand Him with simplicity? Today, as with all past generations since Christ' ministry as He walked with man on this earth, there are those who attempt to make Jesus Christ complicated.

Friends, I want to establish in your minds and your heart that those who teach the Word of the Living God should do so with simplicity.

2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Teachers of the Word should deliver the gospel just as Jesus did. He revealed God's Word through oracles delivered to the disciples and the people of Israel during His ministry. Jesus prayed to the Father in heaven that the precious jewels of eternal life be revealed as it were to babes.

Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Jesus was the LIVING WORD through whom this sinful world was given God's means of salvation. We as man are dead in our sins since the fall of Adam and Eve. There sin through the subtlety of Satan in the garden, forever separated man from God. Jesus told the disciples and a crowd around Him of Jewish elect, counselors, priests, Pharisees, and many others from Jerusalem to understand God's divine word, your heart needs to be that of a child. We are to have simple minds and simple thoughts not to make God's word difficult. Yet, Paul writes that we are NOT to be men with children's understanding but we are to use the intelligence of an adult mind to garner the words of God.

Co 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men

Jesus was telling his followers that to enter into heaven and commune with the Father, you indeed need to have uncluttered minds as an infant but accept God''s word as the only means to enter into heaven. God desires that no man perish and be eternally separated from Him. Man is given a free will by the Father to either accept or reject His living Word. Jesus was the Son of God, the only begotten Son, born of a virgin through miraculous conception into this world solely to give man the final sacrifice in God's eyes so that YOU can enter into communion with the Father.

When we pray to the Father through our Saviour Jesus Christ (our only access to the Fathers ears) God hears our cries as that of a babe crying for love and assurance. If you don't understand this either your are not a Christian saved by the blood of Christ or your still an infant in your walk. Paul says it like this:

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

As mature Christians, those who understand the Word and walk in the teaching of the Word, you are responsible for teaching others that knowledge. Paul also states that teaching comes with responsibility and that no man should teach except those that are strong in the knowledge of the Word.

We must develop into mature Christians understanding and discerning the deeper mysteries of Christ as the Holy Spirit provides them to us. We are to learn these mysteries through prayer, devotional time, reading God's Word daily, fellowship, and action. Our spiritual appetite is feeding our heart and mind to become stronger and wiser so that we can ultimately further the kingdom of God.

Simplicity then, knowing God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend. That is why the Holy Spirit endeavors to compel those who teach to teach with understanding a gift of the Spirit. Teachers are not to confuse, for our God is not a God of confusion.

1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians that he abhorred their individual attempts to be boastful in the Word, He chastised them for confounding the church gathering, leading people astray with every device of psalm, doctrine or tongue.

1Co 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
So, as you listen to a teacher of Word, pray for the Holy Spirit to give you discernment and allow your mature mind to determine that which is of God and that which is of the deceiver who subtly twists God's Word. Grow in the knowledge of the Word, the living and breathing oracles of God so that you too may teach an unbeliever, a brother or sister in Christ who needs encouragement, hope, and promise. Let know man teach with his own devices to tear down the church family but teach with humility and power.
Remember, God spoke all these Words (Exodus20:1) and the Holy Spirit through 40 men inspired them to record these words into what we call today the Holy Bible. This is the infallible truth of God born to paper for the encouragement, chastisement, correction and edifying of the church.

Jesus is the Word -John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. God's word will never end - Isa 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Friend, Jesus is the simplicity of eternal life. Let no man confuse you for through Him and Him alone is the power of salvation through His living Word.

Act 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

The power of the heavenly kingdom came in the gospel able to convert the hearts of men. Be simple minded in your understanding but powerful in your expression of God's Word.

dwightcopeland@purpleark.org


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