Introduction 

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
-2 Timothy 2:15

Wrongly dividing the Scripture, misapplying the Scripture, and emphasizing partial truths of the Scripture to the neglect or rejection of related truths are some of the subtlest means of deception in these last days.

In Satan’s effort to destroy God’s purpose in sending His Son into the world he shrewdly used partial truths from the Scripture in the temptation he placed before Jesus. Jesus promptly resisted Satan with additional truths from the Scripture which put the proper balance and right interpretation on the Scriptures Satan had used. Only by the correct interpretation (the God-intended interpretation) was our Lord saved from deception. By no other means will we be saved from deception.

When God saved Israel from Egyptian slavery and bondage to be a “peculiar treasure” unto Himself in the earth, He gave them divine ordinances to observe and holy laws to live by (Exodus 19:5). God solemnly warned them again and again that, “Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, ...I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 18:1-5).

When Nadab and Abihu opted to change one aspect of the ordinance of burning incense on the golden altar in the tabernacle, their digression from God’s divine order was promptly met with God’s displeasure by His consuming fire (Leviticus 10:1-3).

The New Testament is no less exacting in the call to and the requirement of obedience to its doctrines and ordinances on the part of God’s redeemed and delivered people of the church age (Matthew 7:24-27; Hebrews 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:l5; 1 John 2:3,4; Revelation 22:14).

The New Testament also predicts that false “pretender prophets” will arise showing “signs and wonders” and that deceivers and the business of “deceiving and being deceived” will be on the increase from the birth of the church age to the close of the church age (Matthew 24:11; 2 Timothy̓ 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:9). It is therefore imperative that we be discriminating and that we “...believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

The concerns and conclusions set forth on the following pages do not find a basis in any present-day mysterious or miraculous experience, whether feigned or actual, but rather on what we believe to be the divinely inspired, rightly divided, simply believed, and forever settled-in-heaven Word of God. May God be glorified through His miraculously given and eternally unchanging, wonderful Word.

Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.
-1 Timothy 4:16

Language

English

Number of Pages

16

Author

Aaron M. Shank

Publisher

Pilgrim Mennonite Conference

Topics

The Church

Worship

Apostasy

Doctrine