Can a Person Manipulate God?

Do you think a person can manipulate God?

“What kind of question is that,” you might ask. “Of course not!”

I ask the question because I think some people may be trying to manipulate God without even knowing it. They inadvertently do so by manipulating God’s word to find approval for their thinking or actions.

Did you know that some of the sects (religious groups) of the Jews tried to manipulate Jesus?

The day before Jesus was betrayed the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus by asking whether a person should pay taxes to Caesar. If he answered, “Yes,” he would offend the people; but if he answered, “No,” they could accuse him of being unlawful. A trap! Manipulation.

Jesus asked for a coin and observed the likeness and inscription, and responded, “Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”
It was like a tag team that day; up next, the Sadducees. They asked Jesus about a woman having had multiple husbands. They asked whose wife she would be in the resurrection!

“Hahahahahah!” They must have laughed to themselves. They did not believe that there was a resurrection! What a complicated and impossible question they had constructed.

Again, Jesus was too wise for them. He explained that there would be no marrying or marriage after this life. And not only that, God is not God of the dead, but of the living!!

As for the Pharisees and Sadducees—silence.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were using the Scripture like a law code. It was not unlike the way some Americans treat the U. S. Constitution and U. S. law. They look for legal loopholes and dissect words to justify their opinions and actions. The first amendment has been used to legally justify gossip, hatred, pornography and even lying.

If a person today interprets things differently than the intent of our founding fathers, who is there to disagree? Yet what happens when people apply the same kind of thinking to the Scripture? Some so-called Christians seem to believe that there is no authority to stop them. Where there are disagreements, they have their interpretation, you have yours, others have theirs—stalemate.

Many churches have simply gone along with our society’s definition of marriage, divorce for any reason, and remarriage for any reason.

Is no one interested in what the Bible says?

Wait! There is interest.

However, the words of the Bible are often manipulated to justify sexual immorality, justify adultery, justify homosexuality. People are talking and writing about the things found in the Scriptures. But what about truth?

Many people today regard the Bible as a legal document and manipulate it like the Pharisees and Sadducees. Others have no more regard for Scripture than they have for the U. S. Constitution. Loopholes. Manipulative interpretations: “You could also read it this way.” Do you think God intended a certain meaning when He revealed His word? Or is God’s word subject to everyone’s individual interpretation???

Our forefathers are no longer here to defend and explain what they wrote in the U. S. Constitution. So, perhaps it is ultimately and inevitably left up to the interpretation of society and lawmakers. In contrast, God is not dead! He knows what He said and what He meant. Our task is to listen and to follow, not interpret in a way that satisfies our desires.

Know this first of all that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 
—2 Peter 1:20-21

Mark Stinnett

January 26, 2020

Who Is a Reliable Witness for Truth?

I was recommended a book a couple of years ago in which the author praised his new-found resource that had given him a deeper understanding of the Bible. He went on to talk about his time spent conversing about the Scriptures with some Jewish acquaintances.

Over the past several months I have noticed several biblical resources that approach the Scriptures, even the New Testament, from a Jewish point of view. Does that seem odd, a Jewish perspective on the New Testament?

I do not look down on those with a Jewish background, but I wonder what kind of biblical understanding I should expect from a person who has rejected Jesus as the Christ, and who embraces interpretations of the Old Testament handed down over the centuries.

I am not saying that people of the Jewish faith cannot say truthful things. Yet, Jesus rejected the traditions of the Jewish elders of His day. At the same time, the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day rejected Him and demanded His death. I don’t think the best teacher for a believer in Christ is someone who rejects Jesus as the Christ.

Quite recently I came across a new Study Bible that boasted an abundance of ‘cultural background’ material. I asked a friend of mine to look it over and give me his opinion. He alerted me to the fact that the primary author of the notes on the Old Testament regarded the Bible as just another collection of ancient literature. The author of the notes believed the message of the Old Testament to be mere metaphor, not composed of genuine historical content. I would not count that scholar to be a reliable teacher.

Yet, does it really matter?

Emphatically, "YES!"
Your source of information has always mattered to God!

Do you know why Jesus rebuked and silenced the demons who openly identified Him as the Holy one of God (Luke 4:34-35)?

Do you know why Paul rebuked the girl with a spirit of divination who identified him and his companions as bond-servants of the Most High God (Acts 16:16-18)?

Those spirits were described as unclean, evil and demonic. They were not considered to be reliable teachers. They may have been able to say something truthful, but would they be reliable witnesses in all things? Were they in pursuit of the will of God?

• Will a believer of the Jewish faith lead you to Jesus Christ?
• Will an expert in ancient literature point you to the resurrected Jesus?
• Will a proclaimed believer who openly rebels against God’s word give you enlightenment regarding God and His word?
• Will a sincerely religious person who denies that Jesus is the Son of God be able to take you into the depths of God?
• Will a non-believer strengthen your faith in God and encourage your heart toward your eternal hope?

Is truth important to you? Do you desire a strong faith and a fulfilled hope (expectation)?

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
--Romans 10:17 

Paul wrote of the hidden wisdom of God: 

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
--1 Corinthians 2:10

We don’t need a Jewish perspective or a scholarly point of view. 
We have the Spirit of God.

Mark Stinnett

January 19, 2020

Should I Be Concerned with the Effects of Politics on the Church?

What do you think about current political issues and the state of the Union?
Are you concerned? 

Should you be concerned?

Browsing through Facebook entries I came across a friend’s comment on a current burning political issue. I seldom engage in political banter, but I was interested in my friend’s point of view—He’s a really smart guy. I read many of his friends’ comments (and was reminded of why I seldom engage in political banter). A reoccurring thought in the comments caught my attention and I think it is important for all of us to think about. 

There was a real concern among several over the way the current and past presidential administrations affected Christianity. They commented about personal behavior, political behavior, policies and appointments. 

Three thoughts came to my mind that helped me to address this issue biblically…

First, Luke recorded several ‘progress reports’ on the advancement of Christianity in the Book of Acts. The church really started off with a bang (Acts 2). Shortly after, two prominent apostles, Peter and John, were arrested and subsequently reprimanded by the highest Jewish court for preaching the gospel. They went on preaching and the church grew. Then two deceitful Christians were struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit. That resulted in fear and awe, yet the church grew. Then all the apostles were arrested and beaten for preaching. They rejoiced because they had suffered for Christ and they continued preaching and the church grew.

Next, there was an internal issue in the church. It was dealt with harmoniously and the church grew. Then a prominent preacher was stoned to death, and then a harsh persecution against Christians broke out...and the church grew.

Throughout the Book of Acts we can read of opposition to and persecution against the church of God...and continued growth. Growth was not dependent on the political climate of the day; not at the local level, national level, or empire level.

Second, You may recall names like Herod Antipas and Agrippa; or Caligula, Claudius, Nero and Vespasian. These were the rulers in Judea and in Rome when the events in Acts occurred. These were not Christian men nor were they sympathetic to Christianity. They did nothing intentionally to benefit Christianity, quite the contrary. Yet, the church grew.

Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome and instructed them “to be in subjection to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1-7). Peter encouraged Christians in a letter, “Honor the king” (1 Peter 2:13-17). When Paul and Peter wrote, Nero was ‘king’!

Third, in Luke 13 we read that Jesus once had an encounter with a group of people who were concerned with the ‘headline news’ of their day. They...

...reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

The minds of the people were focused on the wrong things and Jesus literally told them that they needed to change their thinking (repent).

Jesus told his followers that the world will know that we are his disciples based on our love for one another...not our politics. That tells me that we need to focus our hearts on the needs of our fellow Christians, first at home, then elsewhere.

In addition, instead of focusing on hypocritical politicians, we should conduct a self-evaluation:

• Am I the husband/wife God expects me to be?
• Am I the parent God expects me to be?
• Do I give honor and respect to my parents (regardless of my age, or theirs)?
• What definition of ’Christian’ does my behavior write for my coworkers?
• Does God think I am generous or selfish with my money/possessions?

We, not politicians, are salt and light in the world. 

We have a greater affect on the church than any politician.

How are your choices, your behavior, and your life example affecting the growth of the church today???

Mark Stinnett

January 12, 2020

Should a Christian Repent or Confess?

What is a Christian supposed to do when he/she sins?
The typical response is: “Repent!”

That would certainly make sense if you were using one of the English definitions of repent such as, to feel sorrow or to change behavior. Even a new Christian should know that God is opposed to sin. It is God’s holy nature that defines goodness and righteousness. Sin stands against the character of God. For that reason, it seems obvious that a Christian would feel sorrow for sinning against God. It seems obvious that a change in behavior is necessary.

If you have been keeping up with my series of articles on repentance, you might be scratching your head and wondering, “How does the biblical meaning of repent, to change one’s mind/perception, apply?

My objective is to find meaning. I want to know what the 1st Century Christians understood when they heard the scriptures read. So, let’s break it down.

First, when a person responds to the gospel message of Jesus Christ, he is instructed to repent. In general, repentance is in reference to the way he has perceived Jesus Christ. He changes his perception from not believing to believing that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ. From that point forward, his behavior will undoubtedly change because of his changed perception. Or we might say that his behavior will change because he has repented.

Once a person becomes a Christian, he should not change his perception about Jesus. That would be going backwards; back to a time when he did not believe Jesus was the Son of God. So, according to the biblical meaning of ‘repent,’ a Christian should not repent of Jesus.

Maybe we need to rethink our response to the leading question: What is a Christian supposed to do when he/she sins?

Not surprisingly, the answer is found in scripture and it is clear and simple. The Apostle John addressed sin and the Christian. Two verses are of great importance to our question:

I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 
—1 John 2:1

This verse tells us two vitally important things about sin:

• God does not want Christians to sin; and
• If a Christian sins, there is still a solution.

The second verse is also found in 1 John, a letter which was a letter addressed to Christians:

If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness. --1 John 1:9 

Does that mean that a Christian can sin and then simply admit it and be forgiven?

Yes, but we must not look at sin in a casual way.

Confession is more than verbally admitting sin. A rebellious sinner might openly admit sin...while shaking his fist toward God in anger. That is not confession.

To confess sin to God is to admit the sin, but also to be in humble agreement with God about sin. A person who confesses his sin but keeps on sinning is living a contradiction. His mouth is saying that he agrees with God about his sin, but his heart is not in agreement; otherwise he would stop sinning. So, his confession is a lie. Confession in the Bible is seen when the lips tell the truth and the heart agrees with God.

So, it is God’s desire that we stop sinning! Yet, if a Christian sins, Jesus is still the remedy. When we confess our sin God has promised to forgive!

Mark Stinnett 

January 6, 2020