A Reliable Witness??

I was recommended a book a few 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 Jewish acquaintances.

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?

This is not a criticism, but 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.

Those of the Jewish faith can 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.

A while back I purchased a new Study Bible. 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 nothing more than ancient literature. The author of the notes believed the message of the Old Testament to be metaphor, not composed of genuine historical content. I would not count that scholar to be a reliable teacher.

Yet, does it really matter?
“YES!” Your source of information has always mattered to God!

Do you know why Jesus rebuked and silenced the demons who correctly and 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 correctly identified him and his missionary 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 they would not be reliable witnesses in all things. They were not 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’s wisdom?
• 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

April 26, 2026

Pick and Choose?

Made with hotpot.ai/art-generator

The truth of God’s word is not dependent upon human compliance.

In God’s word are many instructions regarding life and living. Some are more about an individual’s response to God while others lean more to the way we interact with each other. Whatever the instruction, nothing changes in God’s words if you comply or if you rebel. His instruction remains.

Let me show you an example of what I am thinking about with a statement passed around in recent months on social media. I do not know its source although it is attributed to Rev. Benjamin Cremer. I don’t know if this person really exists, and if so, if he actually said/wrote this. Nevertheless, this quotation and ones like it flood the minds of modern readers.

“If you take the Bible extremely literally about human sexuality, but not about feeding the hungry, bringing good news to the poor, liberating the oppressed, forgiving debts, bringing health to the sick, or loving your neighbor, please don’t act like you take the Bible seriously.”

That sounds good, right? It sounds good and right! Surely, anyone who takes the Bible seriously must be serious about those good works. And yet, you might already see the slight of hand the author attempts.

The author of the quotation has isolated two general activities and set them against each other. On the one hand is ’human sexuality,’ which might be placed in the broad category of holiness. It is about one’s moral response to God. We might even say that it is addressed by the first great command, to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.

On the other hand there are ‘acts of service,’ which might be placed in the broad category of love. It is about one’s love for one’s fellow man, something addressed in the second great command.

One of the reasons this quotation sounds as if it is the moral high ground is because the Bible contains something similar. In 1 John 3:17 we read...

Whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

However, let’s flip the original quotation upside down:

“If you take the Bible extremely literally about feeding the hungry, bringing good news to the poor, liberating the oppressed, forgiving debts, bringing health to the sick, or loving your neighbor but not about human sexuality, please don’t act like you take the Bible seriously.”

The way the original quotation reads, morality is set against loving service as if service is superior to morality. Yet, in the second modified version, loving service is set against morality as if morality is superior. Reduced down, both versions ultimately present tension between the first great command and the second. In reality, both commands come from God and do not compete. The second command is developed from the first and complements it.

If we look deeper, both commands are rooted in the character of God. God is holy and demands that we live our lives in holiness and purity. At the same time, God is love and He demands that we live our lives in love and service. In God there is no tension between holiness and love. God is holy in all his decisions and actions and, at the same time, He always acts in love.

So, do you need to love others through service? Absolutely. And also, do you need to maintain holiness through purity in your sexuality and all other aspects of life? Absolutely. Christianity is not a pick and choose menu. You are either a disciple of Jesus in every aspect of your life, or you are not a disciple.

Mark Stinnett

April 12, 2026

Deception: The Subtle Lie

It came as a cautionary warning and at the same time simple instruction. I had learned from my school friends that the aluminum foil on a gum wrapper could be separated from its wax paper backing and then pressed over a penny to make it look like a shiny dime.

I showed this neat trick to my mom and told her that a person could make a lot of money using the aluminum covered pennies as dimes. That's when mom's warning came, "You know, that is deceitful."

I was 11 years old and asked the meaning of this new vocabulary word.

Mom instructed, "It's a lie even though you didn't use words." She described the aluminum covered penny as a fake or counterfeit. (I knew those words.)

My disappointment was short-lived. After all, I realized that only a naïve person would be fooled. Fake, counterfeit, lie, deception; an unforgettable lesson.

People cleverly use a variety of words and phrases to mask the reality of their lie. At a very young age we all learned what it meant to tell a lie. We learned that lying is morally wrong and generally destructive. Nobody wants to be told a lie, and nobody wants to be labeled a liar. So, it is natural to try to mask a lie.

Many people think that 'white lies' are acceptable. Many people justify lying if it is for a good reason. It is not uncommon to hear people explain (rationalize) how their lie was not really a lie, it just wasn't the whole truth (deception).

Deceit might be the worst kind of lie because it is not as easy to evaluate as a 'boldfaced lie.' Deceit is most often subtle. As in my illustration above, deceit might not use words. Where words are used, cleverly crafted communication may obscure the full truth. Deceit often involves trickery. In whatever way it is described, however, deceit is always a lie.

Numerous passages in the Psalms and Proverbs describe a companion to deceit: destruction. Deceit is destructive because it violates trust. When trust is lost family relationships are broken, friendships are destroyed, work relationships are strained. Broken trust is difficult to repair.

It is no surprise, then, that Solomon issues a clear and strong warning:

Put away from you a deceitful mouth

And put devious speech far from you.

—Proverbs 4:24

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,

But counselors of peace have joy.

—Proverbs 12:20

Those who use deception in life carry a ‘toolbox’ full of techniques to shade the truth and manipulate the perceptions of people. Sadly, most deceivers have manipulated their perception of themselves: self-deception.

Whenever you are tempted to deceive someone, you should remember:

• God hates a lying tongue (Proverbs 6:17). It has no part in His kingdom.
• One of the most common strategies of the devil is deception. After all, he is the father of lies. (John 8:44) Do you really want to be like the devil?!

Be wise. No lies.

Mark Stinnett

February 8, 2026

Don't Rely on Social Media for Truth

It should go without saying, “Don’t rely on social media for truth,” right?

Social media has captivated the attention of young and old alike. It is a communication mechanism that allows you to subject yourself to those things that are of interest to you and at the same time, reject those things you do not prefer. You can saturate your mind with political postings to suit your taste, recipes, automotive advice, poetry, or cat videos. You can subscribe to postings that are of interest and later unsubscribe...when you lose interest. You can connect with other people with similar interests and you can disconnect with anyone you wish. Social media is your world as you like it. You choose your influences. And social media does influence!

The following quotation from Rev. Benjamin Cremer has made its rounds on social media: 

“If you take the Bible extremely literally about human sexuality, but not about feeding the hungry, bringing good news to the poor, liberating the oppressed, forgiving debts, bring health to the sick, or loving your neighbor, please don’t act like you take the Bible seriously.”

It is important to see the ploy used by this individual and many like him. It is a deceptive way of condemning a strict view of biblical morality.

In reality, what God said about human sexuality has no relationship...

     ...to what He said about feeding the hungry; immorality is sin.

          ...to bringing good news to the poor; immorality is sin.

               ...to liberating the oppressed

                    ...to forgiving debts,

                         ...to loving your neighbor…

                                      immorality is sin.

If I claim to love God and love my neighbor, but I am known to be the world’s greatest hypocrite, immorality is still sin. One person’s sin does not justify or condemn another person’s sin. Yet, some people reject God’s instruction in a specific area, such as, sexuality, and distract from their error by shifting attention to the error in the lives of others. To them, Jesus said:

Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 

--Matthew 7:3

That was how Jesus illustrated His previous statement:

Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

So, the quotation by Cremer is just another way of saying, “You can’t judge the wrong for which I am guilty, if you are also guilty of anything.” The flaw in that kind of reasoning is twofold:

• First, to recognize the moral sin in which someone is engaged is not the same as ‘judging.’ To call a thief a thief and condemn that person for theft is not judging but stating a fact. How else can we follow Jesus’ instruction In Matthew 18 and correct a brother who has sinned?
• Second, the faults and sins for which I am guilty have nothing to do with your faults and sins. We each bear the guilt of our own sin. That is a universal teaching described well in Ezekiel 18. (You should read it!)

Social media is not a good place to discover truth because you can find someone who already agrees with anything you want to believe. God has revealed truth in Scripture. Anyone who uses human reasoning to dismiss the clear teaching of Scripture really does not take the Bible seriously.

Mark Stinnett

November 2, 2025

When Truth Does Not Help

When writing to the saints at Rome, the Apostle Paul addressed a point of contention in the church. Truth was declared, but truth was not the issue. In reading chapter 14 of the book of Romans we see Christians, presumably of a Jewish background, who were concerned about some of the food that they ate. They believed there were food restrictions. However, others, presumed to be Gentiles, non-Jews, did not have the same restrictions. One group judged the other. One group looked down on the other.

Paul, writing by inspiration, solved the problem, but not in the way you might expect. He wrote that “nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” (v. 14)

Did you see it? Did you see the truth? “Nothing is unclean in itself.”

That is truth. From that we can establish doctrinal correctness. Paul might have reflected on the words of Jesus: “Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated.?” A parenthetical statement follows from the inspired writer, Mark, “(Thus He declared all foods clean.)” (Mark 7:18-19)

So...we have the truth. All food is clean. We all have the liberty to eat anything we wish to eat, no restrictions. We should teach those who think there are food restrictions that there are no food restrictions. Right?

Going back to Romans 14, read the latter part of verse 14 again: “...but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” So, what are we to do with that? Paul continues...

For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.” (v. 15)

It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. (v. 21)

What is all this about?

First, this is not about food restrictions or food liberties. Yet, when dealing with that 1st century issue, Paul provided timeless instruction. Second, recognize that it is not truth that is the problem. Truth exists. Truth is vital. But truth did not help because of wrong attitudes toward fellow saints.

Paul clarified in 1 Corinthians 8…

Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. (v. 1)

If food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. (v. 13)

Paul recognized that truth existed, but that truth needed to be handled properly. One’s knowledge of truth can be used pridefully. It can be used in a mocking way that shows disregard. A person can know truth and yet, with an improper attitude, cause division. It is in the case of a wrong attitude or mishandling God's word that truth does not really help.

There are some truths that are absolute. Paul declares that there is one God and one Lord and one Spirit and one body (church) in Ephesians 4. These are truths that cannot be compromised. We need discernment when it comes to truth. The food issue and some issues of our day are about the conscience and are not absolute truths that cannot be compromised.

When you stand before God in judgment, who do you want to be; the one who boasts in the knowledge of truth, knowledge of Christian liberties, doctrinal correctness, or the one who builds up fellow saints through love?

Mark Stinnett

October 5, 2025

Outsmarting God

Kareem, a foreign student in a doctoral program, was my teacher in an advanced college math class. He and I occasionally spoke before class. Topics included mathematics, his home country, religion, God, and the Bible. Upon arriving early to class one day, Kareem casually approached my desk and said with a grin, “You know, I can prove that God does not exist.”

I quickly responded, “And I would expect that you can also prove that God DOES exist.”

His eyes lit up and he fired back, “So what does that tell you about God!?”

“He is not subject to human proof,” I said (glad not to have embarrassed myself).

Kareem seemed quite satisfied with the whole exchange knowing that his ‘proof’ was simply based on human logic. It was his purpose was to show the absurdity of using math and human logic to attempt to prove or disprove God. Yet, that has not stopped many from deceiving the naïve and unsuspecting.

Recall Satan’s attempt to deceive Jesus with the first temptation:

If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.

—Matthew 4:3

Who said that turning stones into bread proved one to be the Son of God? Satan made a logical connection where none existed. Deceiver.

Recall how some Jews plotted against Jesus. They asked whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. If Jesus answered, “Yes,” then he would be siding with the Roman government and turn the people against him. Yet, to answer, “No,” would be to position himself against Rome. Testers.

A modern-day writer posed a series of difficult-to-answer questions about a controversial issue. His questions were meant to tear down teachings from the past and usher in greater enlightenment. Though the questions might have been challenging, they did not change the simple text of Scripture. Questioner.

A popular writer posed the question, “What if Mary was not a virgin.” He went on to talk about translation issues in Old Testament prophecy and whether the prophecy really meant that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. Matthew plainly indicated that the virgin birth fulfilled that prophecy. Yet the writer wondered with doubt whether the Jews expected a virgin birth and how that might affect the way people look at Scripture. Doubter.

The deceiver, tester, questioner, and doubter all have one thing in common: They are scoffers who have little regard for God’s word. Through their wordcraft they create clouds of doubt where none exist.

Through human reasoning some think they have out-witted God to create ‘gray areas’ in His word that do not exist. They have confused clear teachings regarding sin and righteousness in order to justify their ideas. Do not be fooled! Just because a person can ask tough questions, create doubt, rationalize, and/or make straightforward teachings fuzzy does not make that individual a good teacher. He spreads seeds of doubt so that people question God’s word and God Himself. He does not love the truth but only himself.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and

   do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, 

   and He will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

—Proverbs 3:5-7

Mark Stinnett

July 20, 2025

Validating Scripture

Several years ago I sat in a Bible class on the book of Proverbs and then later a class on the book of Ecclesiastes. Both are categorized as books of wisdom. As much as I loved these writings, I was sorely disappointed with the presentation of each teacher.

I did not object to the stories the teachers told that related to the text. Many were great illustrations. However, the stories were not given as illustrations of the truths found in scripture, they were offered to validate what was written.

Think for a moment…

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.

—2 Timothy 3:16 (NASB)

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21for 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 (NASB)

We accept that the Bible is the inspired word of God. That means that ultimately, even though written by the hand of men, using the style, language and vocabulary of men, the Bible was authored by God through the Holy Spirit.

We may have questions about the inspiration of the Bible, yet we do not wonder if it is God’s word. For that reason we must adopt and maintain an attitude of reverence toward the word of God. We really should imagine in our minds that God is speaking to us through the many writers of scripture.

Now, back to the classes on Proverbs and Ecclesiastes…
The personal stories were offered to validate the things written in scripture. Does that seem backwards to you? It is one thing to use an illustration to clarify a difficult proverb. It is quite another thing to evaluate the truth of the proverb on the basis of one’s life experience.

God did not speak to mankind and then ask, "What do you think about that; do you think it's true?" We must not take the word of God and then compare it our own understanding of the sum total of human experience and knowledge. Remember…

In the beginning...God.

God is the starting point of man’s existence. He is the backdrop against which we must discover ourselves and find meaning. His word is the standard by which we evaluate our lives.

Applied to the wisdom of the Proverbs, we must accept the truth of God’s word and then evaluate our own life experiences. It is the truth of God’s word that validates my life, not the other way around. If my personal experiences are necessary to validate God’s word, then ‘I’ have become the standard by which truth is known and understood. We should use human experiences only to illustrate and perhaps to help explain the existing truth of God’s word.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the Lord and turn from evil.

—Proverbs 3:7 (NASB)

We need to be a people who listen to God’s word. We need to accept it at face value. We need to adjust our lives to conform to God’s word, not make it conform to our lives.

Mark Stinnett

July 13, 2025

"The End Is Near!"...Again

A respected medical journal reported...
A respected scientific publication claimed...
A team of respected psychologists discovered...

There are many claims made by many people with well-deserved credentials. Yet, sometimes their reports, claims, and discoveries contradict.

Some modern-day ‘seers’ claim to know the future, claiming their source to be the dead. (Do the dead really know the future??)

We read about astounding claims, miracle cures, health scares, economic disaster, our nation’s future, cataclysmic world events, and even the end of the world or the universe.

Does anyone know anything for sure!?

Questions about the future have interested mankind for centuries? Old Testament prophets relayed God’s message to man, but there were also posers, those who claimed to be prophets but had received no revelation from God. The false prophets often spoke of peace while the prophets of God warned of His impending judgment due to sin and unfaithfulness. People wondered who was telling the truth.

God gave the Israelites a simple way to determine whether a prophet spoke from God or from his own mind: If the prophesy occurred as the prophet predicted, then he could be trusted. If the prophesy failed, the prophet was a false prophet. (Deuteronomy 18:15-22)

Our society has, in general, followed God’s strategy as an intuitive way of dealing with seemingly unbelievable claims. Many doom and gloom prognosticators have been revealed as false prophets by the passage of time. Yet, many in our society still line up neatly and follow any 'pied piper’ who plays the music of scientific research.

Science and research are excellent resources. Yet, not all science/research has revealed truth. One study predicts another economic depression; another predicts a catastrophic earthquake; yet another, a pandemic disease. Time passes and life goes on as it always has. New research sometimes reveals the flaws of earlier predictions.

Although the Bible is not a science book or a guide for economic planning, it often reveals truths that apply to the many claims made in our world. The key is to begin with God and allow him to reveal truths about mankind and his world. (Our human tendency is to begin with man’s thinking and then see if God’s word fits what we think we already know.)

As an example, consider ‘climate change.’ One theory concludes that the earth will become uninhabitable due to excessive heat. Another theory predicts a global freeze brought on by a change in ocean currents due to the melting of polar icecaps. These and other theories fly in the face of God’s promise to Noah:

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter and day and night, shall not cease. 

—Genesis 8:22

So, it’s great to be responsible by putting out the trash, recycling, conserving energy and even hugging a tree if you wish. But don’t be upset by “the end is near” environmental alarmists.

Not every claim made by people will have a clear and direct answer in Scripture. However the Bible will guide us so that we do not have live in fear of modern-day false prophets...even if research seems to be on their side.

Mark Stinnett

September 1, 2024

Who Speaks the Truth to You??

Truth has always been an elusive thing. Right?

It was the summer after my high school graduation and mom had to have a word with me. I had become quite full of myself (arrogant) and mom could see that I needed to be taken down a notch (swallow my pride). She did a fine job!

I didn’t want to hear it, but I needed to hear it. She spoke the truth.

Sometimes the truth is distasteful because we are in the wrong. No one wants to hear, “You’re wrong!” “You need to change!” “You have to stop” (doing what you should not be doing). “You have to” (do what you should be doing). Yet, as distasteful as it may be, hearing the truth is better than hearing lies. It’s what we all need.

There is an amusing story in the Old Testament about a king who didn’t like truth. King Ahab wanted to go into battle over a border dispute on the northern boundary of Israel. He asked the king of Judah to join him. He consulted all his prophets and they told him what he wanted to hear, “Go up, for the Lord will give the land into the hand of the king.”

King Jehoshaphat of Judah asked whether there was a prophet of the Lord nearby. (The other prophets were not God’s prophets.) King Ahab replied, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad.”

Messengers were sent to find the prophet named Micaiah. They coached him to agree with the other prophets, but he protested saying that he could only say what God had told him. Nevertheless he was brought before the two kings and asked to prophesy. Surprisingly, his prophecy agreed with the others!

Then, King Ahab said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” So, Micaiah revealed God’s message of truth to the kings. And you might guess, it was not what King Ahab wanted to hear. He then complained, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”

(You should read this entire event in 1 Kings 22. You might be surprised by the heavenly meeting that Micaiah told about.)

King Ahab was quite peculiar. He knew that his own prophets were merely telling him what he wanted to hear. He knew the difference between truth and lies. He knew that God’s word was truth and that God’s prophet spoke the truth. He just didn’t want to hear the truth.

Are you ever like that? Are there certain people that you simply will not listen to? Maybe it’s because of something in your past. Maybe they’ve made mistakes, and you still hold things against them. Maybe they don’t speak your language; they’re too bold and straightforward, too wordy, too soft, or something else. Maybe they’re too old or too young; not well educated or overly educated. It may be that you KNOW they’ll speak truth!

Perhaps it’s not truth that is so elusive after all. The question may be more about whether you love the truth or prefer to live in a world of delusion that you have created for yourself. You can call it ‘your truth’ all day long, but it doesn’t change reality. You can believe or perceive whatever you want, but reality is immovable and unchangeable. Reality is called truth.

Are you just another fool like King Ahab?

Or, do you love truth?

Mark Stinnett

May 12, 2024

Who Really Controls the Narrative?

Throughout time there have been individuals who recognized that they could control people if they could control how they think. They could control how they think if they could control the information the people received. Some have describe the control of information as 'controlling the narrative.'

It is important to realize that human beings make decisions and engage in activities based on what they believe to be true. That’s called 'perception.' Of course, it is possible for a person to have a wrong perception about something.

As an example, one of my sisters has been a dog lover from a very young age. I don’t know how it came to be, but she believed herself to be a friend of all dogs. Although my parents taught us NOT to pet stray dogs, my sister was convinced in her mind that all dogs loved her (presumably as much as she loved them). Her conviction was her 'perception of the truth.' However, that was not the truth and I was witness to two occasions in which she was attacked by dogs that she was attempting to pet!

Her 'perception of the truth,' or as some like to call it today, "her truth," clashed with reality. Reality is truth. Your perception doesn't change it.

My sister had developed her perception of the truth out of personal desire. She loved dogs so much that she desired for all dogs to love her. Yet, her self-desire was not true to life. Her narrative was generated in her own mind.

While it is possible for us to construct our own narrative, it is often the case that someone else is trying to supply the narrative. Over the years news media have been criticized for controlling which stories are told and how they are told. Some media outlets have been accused of misinformation to influence political elections.

Whether through public speeches, word of mouth, written information or electronic media, people have been trying to influence the minds of others for millennia.

It started in the Garden of Eden when the serpent deceived Eve. (Like Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.") Think about the serpent’s approach. God had already informed Adam and Eve of His expectations and restrictions. They were to tend the Garden of Eden, but they were restricted from the tree in the middle of the Garden. God informed them. God set the narrative. God revealed truth.

The serpent asked Eve, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” The serpent challenged the narrative, that which had been revealed by God. After Eve answered the serpent with the information they had received from God, the serpent openly contradicted it. So, the serpent first planted a seed of doubt by challenging the narrative. Then the serpent changed the narrative with a lie. That is why Jesus called the devil the “father of lies.”

Ever since that time there have been people challenging truth; they introduce doubt about the truth of God’s revelation. Having introduced doubt, it is easier to completely change the narrative, that is, change the truth of God’s revelation by introducing lies.

From the beginning truth has been under attack and it continues to be attacked in our day. Throughout the ages philosophers have struggled with and attempted to find truth. And yet, all along, the truth about mankind has been revealed, not by a pope, not by the church, not through man’s search. Truth is revealed by God! God has authored the narrative of truth. 

Believe God!

Mark Stinnett

March 24, 2024

Standing Among Greatness

It is, once again, that time of year: the annual celebration of mothers, Mothers’ Day, the end of the school year, the opening of pools across America...and graduation ceremonies.

Graduation is just what the word implies, an incremental advancement, but more specifically in one’s educational conquest. It is a time to celebrate a milestone of achievement. For many, high school will be their last, for others, college. It is a time of excitement because it closes the chapter on one phase of life while at the same time opening another.

There are forms to fill out as a person approaches graduation and thereafter. That is true whether additional formal educational is on the horizon or you look for a job. I remember hearing about a naïve young man who was out of work and turned to the Bible for help. He closed it in misguided frustration when he found no help in the book of Job. If only he had turned to Proverbs.

Like clouds and wind without rain

is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely.

—Proverbs 25:14

Do you see that this proverb applies to your resume and all those forms you fill out? Some folks try to play the system and put themselves in the shoes of an employer. They reason (by assuming) that other people boast excessively or even lie on their resume. So, in order to compete, they do the same. Is that wise??

The proverb reveals truth. If you boast falsely, that is, lie on a resume or in an interview, you might actually succeed in getting what you have applied for, but the lie will catch you. The cloud, figuratively speaking, boasts of rain, but has none to offer. You will be like a cloud without rain having little to offer. So, tell the truth.

I have heard numerous Christians describe their experience in writing resumes, filling out job applications, and interviewing. They sincerely wish to avoid pride, but know that they need to communicate their level of education, skill , and experience. They have to speak positively about themselves. It is like walking a tightrope between integrity and pride. All those who feel the struggle should be admired. Those who do not share this struggle and enjoy self-boasting should rethink their attitude.

Jesus instructed His disciples to speak the truth plainly. He said to let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and let your “No” be “No.” In simple terms, tell the truth and do so clearly. Don’t play games.

You should know, however, that telling the truth is not enough. That is called honesty, and it is imperative. But you need to be a person of integrity. A person of integrity might be described by saying, “He is a man of his word.” He is honest, but he also follows through with all the things he has said. If he makes a promise, that is, gives you his word, he keep it.

There was a time when people would speak and those listening believed that they would keep their word. Paper forms and legal contracts were unnecessary because integrity was valued, expected and honored. Integrity still is valued.

If you set an appointment, keep it. If you say you will accomplish it, do it. If you assure someone that you will help them, do not back out because the timing is inconvenient. You do not have to use the words, “I give you my word,” or “I promise”; your word should be just as strong. If you speak it, follow through according to your word. Those who live a life of integrity stand among the greatest and find approval with God.

Mark Stinnett

May 28, 2023

Finding Truth

Trustworthy. Untrustworthy.

Do you generally trust others?

On one extreme are those who trust no one until trust can be earned. On the other extreme are those who trust everyone until trust has been violated. Many fall in between those extremes.

Trustworthiness is vital. And yet, you can’t trust everyone. You can’t trust everything you read. With the video manipulation tools of our day, you can’t trust everything you see. Trustworthiness is important, but often elusive.

The Bible claims to be true and to offer truth.

Many people reject the Bible because they think it clashes with science. That’s silly. Science arrives at truth by testing and measuring and analyzing material things. Yet, the message and purpose of the Bible stands beyond the boundaries of the physical universe. Science is not equipped to evaluate the message of the Bible.

The Bible is not a history book, and yet, it does have relevant and accurate historical statements. So, it should hold up to historical scrutiny. And yet, history has not, and perhaps cannot, validate all the historical information in Scripture. Yet, the absence of information proves little. For example, at one time some scholars doubted the existence of the Hittite nation because the Hittites were not known outside of the biblical record. Eventually, evidence of the Hittite nation was discovered. So, just because the truth had not been validated by history did not make it false. So, historical proof may not exist for all things biblical.

It is important to understand that the Bible makes the claim of being a revelation from the God who created the universe. This revelation is about God and His relationship to created mankind.

Within the Bible are statements about truth and the evaluation of truth. God gave the Israelites a law in which they were told how to evaluate the word of a prophet claiming to speak a message from God. In short, if a prophet spoke of future events that did not come true, that prophet had not spoken God’s word and was untrustworthy. (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)

Years later a prophet communicated God’s promised that He would provide for His people. God then challenged them to test Him to see if He was being honest with them. (Malachi 3:10)

God is perfectly willing for you to investigate Him and His word. However, you need to use the right instrument for investigating. Remarkably, God invites you inside. He allows you to personally investigate His claims. This is far different from a demanding leap of blind faith based on nothing more than one’s desire. And it is different from standing on the outside and looking in with science and history as judges.

The first words of the Bible challenge the mind, “In the beginning, God created….” Science and history are ill-equipped to evaluate that statement. If a person decides to reject it, then nothing in the Bible will make sense because that first statement is the foundation to all that follows. That first verse of the Bible must not be rejected arbitrarily. If rejected, there must be a reason, and it must be a reasonable reason.

Science evaluates material things; history, events which have been recorded. God invites each person to look at Him and look at His record, and to personally evaluate His trustworthiness. If His past is trustworthy, then so also are His future warnings and promises.

If God is trustworthy, all must respond.


Mark Stinnett

May 14, 2023

The Attitude for Finding Truth

How do you know that truth is truth?

Many feel betrayed by our government because of the recent pandemic. Credible reports draw into question the involvement of our government, the CDC, ‘Big Pharma,’ and even our health care system. Truth seems elusive.

How am I supposed to find the truth? I do not have the background and skill to analyze and evaluate all the medical claims that are being made. Many claim to have the truth and claim to report the truth. I don’t know who to trust.

It is my guess that if we have a future pandemic scare, many people, like me, simply will not believe, will not listen unless people are falling down in the streets with obvious ailments.

Many people feel betrayed by religion, especially after the many reports of trusted church leaders committing crimes. And then there was the highly publicized split in the Methodist church. On top of that, the history of Christianity is not stellar. There are so many different churches that a person can find a church that will teach what he/she already believes. Truth seems elusive. In fact, for every preacher, pastor, priest, pope, commentator, or scholar that claims to have the truth, someone out there will validate it and someone else will raise credible doubts about it.

Like wading through the mire of medical (mis)information, trying to discover truth through religious institutions can be mind-numbing. So, how do you find truth?

One’s attitude is of greatest importance regarding the question of truth.

Personally, I don’t expect to find truth in the area of health and medicine because I’ve given up. Sadly, many have adopted that attitude regarding God and spiritual truth. That was the attitude of Pontius Pilate when Jesus spoke about truth. He asked Jesus, “What is truth?” but did not wait for an answer. His was a question of exasperation not expecting to be able to discover truth.

Some people have put up a wall of rejection as if to say, “You can’t tell me anything.” They are like the Pharisees of Jesus day who would not listen to anyone. (Read John 9.) Their minds are already made up.

Some people are pretenders. They will talk about God and spiritual things, but they will only tell you what they think. Other pretenders make verbal jabs by presenting impossible-to-answer questions or by contradicting things spoken by others. Some of the Pharisees and Sadducees were like that. (Read Matthew 22.)

A person who truly wishes to find truth must have the proper attitude toward truth.

• Those who are exasperated and no longer believe truth can be found will never find truth. They are not even looking.
• Those who already have their minds made up will never find truth. They possess it!
• The pretenders are just that, pretending to be interested in truth. They are really only interested in themselves.

Jesus told a parable about “a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46) Those who are truly interested in truth search for it with the same attitude as that of the pearl merchant.

Truth is found by those who diligently search for it because they know it exists, and because they understand its value. 

Truth is priceless.

Mark Stinnett

May 7, 2023

Is God Unreasonable?

First, there was Eve. Then there was Isaac, then Joshua, and then an obscure prophet.

We might call it a scam. We try to guard against the clever hoax. Politicians spin the truth. Many marketers masterfully manipulate the eyes, and ears, and minds of potential buyers. They do so with digital photo deception, fine print, psychological trickery, crafty word play, and the absence of information. It is all called DECEPTION!

Deception may be the cruelest of lies. It is often compelling because the message seems believable; falsehood mixed with truth. Or, the lie is hidden because the messenger is believed to be trustworthy. Ultimately, however, deception is just a lie.

When God confronted Eve with her sin, she blamed the serpent, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Read about in Genesis 3.)

When Isaac was old and nearly blind, his son Jacob disguised himself as the firstborn son so that he could receive the coveted blessing from his father. Isaac was horrified when he realized the deception, yet he had already spoken. (Read about it in Genesis 27.)

People from the nearby city of Gibeon disguised themselves as foreigners from a faraway place when they visited Israel. Joshua and the leaders of Israel were deceived into making a covenant with the Gibeonites, and going against the Lord’s instruction. (Read about it in Joshua 9.)

A nameless prophet of God was instructed not to eat or drink in the place where he prophesied and not to return home by the same route. An old prophet intercepted him on his return trip and said that he had received new instruction from an angel. The old prophet was believed to be trustworthy. (Read about it in 1 Kings 13.)

Eve was deceived; Isaac was deceived; Joshua and the leaders of Israel were deceived; the nameless prophet was deceived. AND YET, each one was held accountable. These incidents stand as a bold reminder:

• Truth exists!
• Even if we are deceived, God still holds us accountable for our beliefs, our choices, and our actions.
• Being deceived is never an excuse for unbelief, for poor decisions, or for sin.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

—Ephesians 5:6 (ESV)

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality…will inherit the kingdom of God.

—1 Corinthians 6:9 (ESV)

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 

—1 Corinthians 15:33 (ESV)

Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 

—1 John 3:7 (ESV)

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh….

—2 John 7 (ESV)

Buy truth, and do not sell it!

—Proverbs 23:23 (ESV)

All of this overwhelmingly emphasizes that truth does exist. For that reason, God is not unreasonable when it comes to deception. He expects us to find the truth He revealed.

Pursue truth!

Mark Stinnett

April 23, 2023

Why Is Sin Sinful?

Have you ever known anyone who didn’t like the idea that a specific sin was called sin?

You might have heard someone say, “I don’t see anything wrong with it.” That may be because of simple ignorance. (Ignorance just means that a person is without knowledge.)

Sometimes people acknowledge sin, but explain that it was actually the right thing to do. For example, they lie to protect a friend. The sin was for a good reason, so it should be dismissed without normal consequences. It is something known to be bad but is turned into something good by using lots of words. This is called justification.

At other times people explain why a sin is not really sin. They may claim that they were forced into a situation or they were born with a genetic tendency, so they should not be held responsible. This is called rationalization. It is another use of lots of words to explain one’s sin.

Sin is still sin…

• Even if a person uses a different standard;
• Even if a person is ignorant;
• Even if a person justifies the sin; and
• Even if a person rationalizes the sin.

Sometimes people speak and act as if God arbitrarily concocted a list of things to call sin. It is like odd 'house rules' that some children have grown up with. For example, my grandfather would not allow his children to use a regular deck of playing cards or dice. I knew a fellow who was forbidden to shoot a game of pool. Another friend was told to never play pinball (a pre-video game device).

While some or all of these may sound arbitrary, I know that there were legitimate reasons. Yet, unless you understand the reasons, the prohibition of these activities may sound silly with no meaningful connection to reality: “How could there possibly be anything wrong with rolling dice!?”

Some people see various sins in the Bible the same way—arbitrary. So, they are likely to deny the sinfulness of sin, plead ignorance, justify or rationalize the sin. However, the Apostle Paul reveals something about all sin. He wrote that all ungodliness and unrighteousness (sin) suppresses the truth. (Romans 1:18)

Why is sin sinful?
Sin is a lie against truth. Sin opposes reality.
What does that mean?

Sin stands in opposition to the nature of God and His work in creation. At the end of the creation sequence God saw that it was very good. (Genesis 1:31) You might say that God and creation were in harmony. Although God had created something that was inferior to Him, it was not bad or evil, but compatible.

However, when Adam and Eve sinned, they took it upon themselves to decide what was good for themselves. They suppressed the truth that existed by virtue of God’s existence and creation. They elevated themselves above God by ignoring His instruction.

When Cain killed Abel, he placed himself in the seat of judgment over another human being. He made a decision to take a life, yet without having been the one who gave life. His action suppressed the truth of the sanctity of life and the truth that God is creator of life and judge of all.

People often become angry when sin is revealed because they desire to do the thing they desire. They selfishly wish to be their own god. So, in one way or another, all sin suppresses the truth of God and His design of the created world.

Sin is not arbitrary.

Sin is not just made up.

Sin is a lie against the truth.


Mark Stinnett

March 26, 2023

Lying: Why is Sin Sinful?

Imagine for a moment that in the creation sequence when God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation…” marble-size balls of fire were produced instead. When God told mankind to “fill the earth, and subdue it,” what if He really meant for lions to be in charge, as ’king of beasts’ and to subdue man? What would this say about God’s word?

The very essence of truth was established in the creation sequence. When God said, “Let there be light,” the Bible tells us, “and there was light.” The very thing that came from the mouth of God was God’s intention and the result. A person could go though the entire creation sequence and see the same pattern of truth. So, from the beginning, truth was established.

Truth is especially important in relationships. Only through truth is trust built. When a new acquaintance tells his name, it is accepted as true, based on the assumption of mutual trust. As the relationship continues, it grows stronger through consistent truthfulness. Without the confidence of truth in a relationship, the relationship will not survive for long.

In Scripture, God is always true to His word. When He speaks, He speaks truth. There are things that God has not revealed to mankind, yet they are withheld according to His wisdom. So, His revelation to man is true and complete, though it may not be exhaustive. (How could we even understand all that God could reveal?)

In light of God’s intimate relationship with truth, what does he expect of created man?

In short, God expects truth. When we speak, we must speak according to reality.

Esau, the older of the twin sons of Isaac, expected to receive from his father the blessing and the birthright. The birthright was a double-portion of the physical inheritance. The blessing pertained to the future and was prophetic in nature. The oldest son was promised preeminence in the family. Blessings were given in regard to position, rule, dominion, strength, longevity, prosperity and relationships.

Isaac was Abraham’s son of promise and he received both the birthright and the blessing. However when he was old and ready to pronounce the coveted blessing on His son Esau, Jacob stole the blessing from his father by pretending to be Esau.

Later Isaac realized Jacob’s deception. However, the only thing he could say to Esau was, “He shall be blessed.” Isaac could not undo what had been done. He could not take back the things he had said as a blessing to Jacob even though Jacob’s deception was unfair.

Isaac live by a code of truth. Whatever a man spoke, it was regarded as set and unchangeable. That was how he established good character. It was the basic ingredient of integrity . It was how relationships were built and maintained.

People have devised all kinds of ways to hide their lies by using different terminology: deception, half-truth, white lie, clever marketing, loop-hole, etc. Yet, a lie is a lie.

Just as it is with God, man is expected to speak truth. Whenever you or I speak, it should be as firm and representative of reality as God’s word in creation. We must not play games with words to hide lies. A lie hides or obscures truth. It violates the most basic element on which relationships are built.

Why is lying sinful? A lie stands against reality and opposes the very nature of God.

Mark Stinnett

February 26, 2023

Where's the Love in That?

By the standard of today’s society, Jesus might be branded intolerant for the way He addressed the Pharisees of His day. For example:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

—Matthew 23:27-28

That was just one of eight ‘woes’ that Jesus spoke on that occasion. And there were other occasions on which Jesus dealt rather harshly with the Pharisees and other religious leaders of the Jews.

One reason Jesus sounded harsh is because He called them hypocrites and then described them as lawless. In our day he might be labeled a name-caller and branded for being judgmental.

However, His seemingly harsh-sounding admonition is easily misunderstood. Do you know the meaning of the little word ‘woe’? The English word ‘woe’ and its Greek counterpart convey the idea of sorrow, grief or great distress. When Jesus called out, “Woe to you,” it was a way of sounding an alert for impending sorrow.

Do you like alerts?

Most would answer, “Yes” and “No.” We often set reminders (alerts) by scribbling a note or marking a calendar. Many folks set phone alerts for appointments, birthdays, anniversaries, and other important events. The alerts help us to remember. We like those alerts.

Warnings that are posted on our streets and highways are welcomed as well. Sometimes, however, the alerts may be considered annoying, such as speed limits.

• We prefer not to be pulled over by a state trooper and warned about speeding.
• We prefer not to get a warning from the bank that funds are low.
• Husbands prefer not to be corrected by their wives...and vice versa.
• Teens prefer not to be corrected by their parents, or teachers, or any adult or friend...or any other living thing.

However, common sense tells us that warnings are good; correction is good. Do we understand that discipline is good, even when it is not self-discipline?

What happens in a parenting situation when a child refuses simple instruction? In general, it is followed by verbal correction. Then, if verbal correction fails, a strong rebuke may follow. If a strong rebuke fails, then a variety of disciplinary measures may be used.

As parents, we understand the purpose of discipline. We do not prefer it; the child does not prefer it; but discipline is used to keep our children from moral ruin, from disastrous life choices and from behaving like wild animals. Discipline is a gesture of love on the part of parents.

The Pharisees had formed a hard shell of rejection around their minds toward Jesus. They had failed to listen to His divine instruction and had rejected Him as the Messiah, the Hope of Israel and the Savior of the world. Though the ‘woes’ sound harsh, Jesus was not pushing the Pharisees away. Rather, He was issuing a warning that was yet another attempt to offer hope by breaking through their harsh rejection of the truth. Say what you will about the ‘woes’; but in them we see ultimately the love of God.

We are to speak the truth in love;

but we are to speak the truth.

Mark Stinnett

January 8, 2023

How Important Is Truth To You?

Have you ever had anyone lie to you?

I’m not thinking about practical jokes or being silly. I’m not thinking about bluffing or withholding information, strategies used in some games. I am thinking about someone telling you a lie and expecting you to believe the lie as if it were the truth. Then, you discover the lie! 

What was that like?
How did it make you feel?
How did you feel about the other person?

Lies frustrate us; lies anger us. Lies cost us time, money and effort. Lies weaken relationships.

In the home lies are a cause for strong discipline. Lies create distance between husbands and wives; between children and parents.

A government official who lies can no longer be trusted. A teacher who lies can no longer be trusted. A writer/journalist who lies can no longer be trusted. Betrayed trust causes the liar to become ineffective in his/her work.

I cannot think of anyone who would disagree with the things I’ve just written. Would YOU!?

Let me change the tone and ask: “Is there ever a time when a person is justified in lying?” And just to keep things personal: “In what cases would you want someone to lie to YOU?

• When your blood work comes back indicating you have diabetes or cancer?
• When your bank account is overdrawn?
• When your child is injured at school?
• When your employer makes a major policy change affecting your position?
• When a friend hears a rumor about you?

I have heard people defend situations in which it was OK to lie. Yet, when asked, “When is it OK for someone to lie to YOU?” I have never known anyone to produce a list.

An acquaintance of my dad asked him to speak at the funeral of a relative. Dad agreed, but struggled. What could he say? The deceased had been a mean and selfish man. Dad addressed the small crowd that had gathered by first acknowledging that the man had been ‘mean and selfish’ to everyone. Dad recalled seeing the tense audience relax. With a measure of tact, dad had told the truth, and the people were understanding and even appreciative.

People love the truth; people expect the truth. Lies offend, disappoint, confuse and destroy.

One thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light is that people choose what they believe. Truth exists, though often difficult to discover. Yet, people ultimately choose what they wish to believe, even if it is a lie.

When it comes to the Bible, truth is revealed. Yet, people still choose what they ‘wish’ to believe, even if it is a lie. Some have been deceived by the intellects of our day. Some love the things of this world and desire to pursue them more than pursuing God. Some do not want to admit that their behaviors and attitudes are sinful. Some are indifferent. And for some, getting to the truth is...just...too...difficult.

People hate lies. People love truth. Yet, too often, people choose to believe what they want, even if it is a lie.

Read the following two verses from the Bible. What do these reveal about truth? God? Jesus? Salvation?

The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
—Romans 1:18  (NASB95)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” 

—John 14:6 (NASB95)

Now, take yourself out of the picture and simply ask yourself, “How important is truth?”


Mark Stinnett

September 13, 2020