Fooled By Those Who Twist And Change The Truth

Fooled By Those Who Twist And Change The Truth 

Because of a preconceived notion of a different God and another Jesus, many people cannot accept the clear and unambiguous words of Jesus, thus, in effect they unwittingly reject Him and refuses to accept His teachings. To them, the judgment is very clear, "in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ". They shall be punished with everlasting destruction (2 Thess.1:8-9), And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever  (Rev.20:10).
Let us therefore continue our study of the scriptures so we will not be misled to believe a different doctrine that is contrary or does not agree with the teaching or the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 
A warning about teaching a different Doctrine or Teaching
1G.1   Are there people who teaches differently from the teachings of Christ that are written in the Holy Scriptures?

In I Timothy 6:3-4, Apostle Paul gave this advice to Timothy:

3. This is what you are to teach and urge. Anyone who teaches anything different and does not keep to the sound teaching which is that of our Lord Jesus Christ, the doctrine which is in accordance with true religion,
4. is proud and has no understanding, but rather a weakness for questioning everything and arguing about words. All that can come of this is jealousy, contention, abuse and evil mistrust;
5. and unending disputes by people who are depraved in mind and deprived of truth, and imagine that religion is a way of making a profit. (NJB)

The same verse in another version of the Bible:

3 Whoever teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching of our religion
4 is swollen with pride and knows nothing. He has an unhealthy desire to argue and quarrel about words, and this brings on jealousy, disputes, insults, evil suspicions,
5 and constant arguments from people whose minds do not function and who no longer have the truth. They think that religion is a way to become rich. (TEV)

YES, there are people who teaches different things or different doctrines that is contrary to the sound teachings or the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ.
How did Apostle Paul identify these people?
They are identified as "proud people of no understanding" for they no longer have the truth.

• These people have a weakness for questioning everything and arguing about words.
• They have an unhealthy desire to argue and quarrel about words,

How do these people teach or explain the words of God?

In  I Corinthians 4:6, this is written:

"Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself  and Apollos for your benefit,  so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying,  "Do not go beyond  what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. (NIV)

Contrary to the teachings of Apostle Paul, these "proud people of no understanding," "go beyond what is written" in the Bible. They pride themselves to personally interpret the scriptures because they say it is their right to think for themselves. Also contrary to what the Apostles do, they do not actually use the verses of the Bible to explain the truth written in the Bible (1 Cor. 2:13).

To have a good understanding on how the Apostles use the verses of the Bible to explain the truth written in the Bible, read the "Comparative Bible Study Guidelines".

The Teaching of a different Gospel 

1G.2   What will these "proud people of no understanding" teach differently from the true words or sound teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ?

In Galatians 1:6-7, Apostle Paul explains

⁶I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
⁷which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. NIV
The same verse in another version of the Bible:

6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who in his love and mercy called you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ. You are already following a different way
7 that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ. (NLT)

These "proud people of no understanding" will teach a different Gospel, which is really no Gospel or Good News at all.
What are these "proud people of no understanding" effectively doing?
They are fooling people by "twisting and changing the truth concerning Christ", that is making people believe a different gospel, which is not the gospel taught by Jesus and His apostles that are written in the Bible.
For more information, you may study the following Lesson
from www.uniquebiblestudy.com  (a new window will be opened)
Lesson 42 - The Gospel of Christ and the Preachers of God

Acquiring a steadfast or unwavering faith in Christ
1G.3   Whose testimony should people believe in so they will not be misled from the truth?

In John 17:20, the Lord Jesus Christ said these things as He prayed to God, the Father in heaven:

 "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. (New Living Translation)

The Lord Jesus also prayed for the people who will ever believe in Him because of the testimony of His disciples. Thus, people should believe the testimony of Christ's apostles and disciples so that they will not be misled from the truth.

1G.4   Why should people believe in the testimony of the Christ's apostles and disciples? What should be their goal in seeking the truth?

In Ephesians 4:13, this is written: 

¹³[That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [^[a]full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him. (AMP)
The same verse in another version of the Bible:

until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (NASB)

People should believe the testimony or words of Christ's apostles and disciples that are written in the Bible in order to . .  . .

• To attain oneness or unity in the faith.
• To attain oneness or unity in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God,

Thus, believing the testimony of Christ's apostles and disciples is simply believing like they are. So like the apostles, people will have the same faith and the same full and accurate understanding or the true knowledge of the "Son of God". As such, they will mature as a firm believer of true Christ and His teachings.

1G.5   Why should people have the full and accurate knowledge of the "Son of God", the Lord Jesus Christ?

In Ephesians 4:14, this is written:

Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. (NLT)
The same verse in other versions of the Bible:

that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive, (NKJV)

Having a full and accurate (true) knowledge of the Son of God will redound to a "steadfast or unwavering faith".  Thus, one will no longer be like children forever changing his mind about what he believes just because someone told him something different or someone cleverly lied to him and made the lie sound like the truth.

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Everyone must be aware of false teachings, for many are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ (Gal.1:7, NLT).   Those who seek the truth about God and Jesus Christ must strive to verify what preachers or teachers are telling and leading them to believe. They should ask themselves the following questions:

• Are they teaching the true gospel of Christ? Are they teaching the truth about the "true God"  and the "true Jesus" as taught by the Lord Jesus Himself and testified by HIs Apostles and disciples (John 17:20) that are now clearly written in the Bible?
• Or, are they teaching a different gospel (Gal.1:6) or something different about God and Jesus Christ that is being cleverly lied to and made the lie sound like the truth? ( Eph.4:14, NLT)
• Or, are they teaching a different doctrine―one that does not agree with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ ( I Tim.6:3, TEV)―that is being taught to by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive? ( Eph.4:14, NKJV)

So as not to be misled from the truth and acquire a steadfast or unwavering faith, one must have the true knowledge of the Son of God.  One must strive to fully and accurately understand the gospel of Christ as taught by the Lord Jesus himself, that are testified to and wrote about by the His apostles and disciples as clearly written in the Holy Bible.

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Thank you for taking a closer look at the scriptural truth.
We hope that the lessons about Eternal Life was made clear and meaningful to you by the verses of the Holy Bible.
May the additional knowledge about Eternal Life you acquired from the previous lessons lead you to the truth written in the Holy Bible.

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Please continue to study
the Basic Teaching Of Christ Jesus that means Eternal Life
which says
Eternal Life means
(A) to know you the Only True God
and
(B) to know Jesus Christ whom God has sent.

In the following lessons
we compare beliefs in God and beliefs in Jesus Christ.

◄Comparing beliefs in God

Comparing beliefs in Jesus Christ►

Keep an open mind.
May the Holy Scriptures become clear and meaningful to you
as you continue to study the lessons.


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