They Are Not Above Scrutiny

 

 

 

“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” (I John 2:27)

As is true today, when John wrote the First Epistle of John there were a lot of divisions, programs, heresies, and fads spreading throughout Christendom, and many false teachers working to corrupt the church. (Acts 20:29-30; II Corinthians 11:14-15; II Peter 2; Jude) Deceivers often claim to have a special enlightenment or illumination, superior insight, or special key to understanding, or claim that one needs a superior spirituality or special revelation (which they claim to have) to know the truth, which is the reason for the warning in I John 2:27. While there is more to life in Christ than the initial experience (new birth) that occurs at faith and repentance, and God does bestow wisdom and spiritual gifts to make someone more effective in the Lord’s work, this does not mean that some have a special key to understanding Scripture that other genuine believers do not have. While there are difficulties in the Bible and we occasionally need help, for the most part the Bible is self-interpreting and self-explanatory when one is familiar with its contents.

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (I Corinthians 2:14) Deceivers like to use this passage to insist that it takes a special enlightenment or key to understanding (which they claim to have) to understand Scripture. This passage does not say the Bible can only be understood by certain gifted individuals, it says that though natural men can understand what the words in the Bible mean they decide that what the Bible says is foolish. A good example of this can be seen when atheists argue with what they know and acknowledge that the Genesis account of creation says; it means nothing to them because of their lack of spiritual discernment. The Bible was written to be read and understood by ordinary people and God's truth is not hidden from everyone except for a few clever individuals. The Holy Bible is the final authority, and the truth can withstand questions and critical analysis. (Psalm 119:130; Acts 17:11; I Thessalonians 5:21; II Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17)