“The Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith.” (1 Tim. 4:1) Why? How? Why should it trouble us?

Of late, we have had some fruitful discussions on our New Testament Textual Studies Facebook group as some have ventured us into higher criticism (Biblical Criticism), which is the poison that stamps out faith. This is a subject for a Bible Studies ore Christian Apologetic Group.

We have also ventured into inspiration and canonicity of the Bible, specifically, the Gospels. This certainly is a subgenre of NTTS. But it was approached from the Skeptics mindset.

Then, we kind of dabbled in theology on one post and discussed how divided Christianity has become. Jesus started one Christian faith, which stayed intact throughout the first century. However, within a just few decades of the death of the last apostle John in 100 C.E., divisions were already apparent among the Christians. Will Durant states: “Celsus [a second-century opponent of Christianity] himself had sarcastically observed that Christians were ‘split up into ever so many factions, each individual desiring to have his own party.’ About 187 [C.E.] Irenaeus listed twenty varieties of Christianity; about 384 [C.E.] Epiphanius counted eighty.”—The Story of Civilization: Part III—Caesar and Christ.

All of these subjects are highly important. What they have done is to bring out some skeptics and skepticism on our social media group.

British philosopher Bertrand Russell says, ‘an easy and elegant skepticism is the attitude expected of an educated adult.’ In other words, there is such a thing as healthy skepticism, which is defined as a skeptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something.

Modifications of this mindset on skepticism were formed in modern history by such philosophers as Frenchman René Descartes, Dutchman Baruch Spinoza, Scotsman David Hume, and the German philosopher Immanuel Kant.

By way of the impact of these men and many other skeptics, we have garnered a systematic doubt, which has become an article of faith in our colleges and universities. Colleges and universities in all countries have consequently created a generation of doubters, for whom “everything is relative.”

Giving us insight into such a systematic uncertainty, one dictionary states that a “consequence of the attitude of relativism and scepticism in our own age is quite simply a lack of reverence for truth as such.” It continues:

Reverence for truth is not simply the pseudo-cynicism of our own age which tries to “unmask” everything, in the belief that no one and nothing can genuinely lay claim to truth. It is the attitude which combines joyful confidence that truth can indeed be found, with a humble submission to truth whenever and wherever it emerges. Such openness to truth is required of those who worship the God of truth. . . . This is the attitude . . . to which both the [Old Testament] and the [New Testament] bear witness.—“New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology,” 1978, Volume 3, pages 900, 901.

The Double Standard from Skeptics

When we are looking at secular history, historians come across balanced, fair, reasonable but when it comes to the Bible, there is a tremendous double standard. For example, OT & NT manuscripts are not even viewed as archaeological evidence, authors are unknowable until they are proven to be so, and the bar is raised when it comes to the level of evidence needed. The normal way of investigating historical events, peoples, and places ostensibly are thrown out the window.

There is very good internal and external evidence for almost everything about the Bible. If secular historians had the level of evidence that we have for God’s Word, they would be beside themselves with joy. Much of their evidence is centuries removed from the historical setting and very limited.

Skepticism and Skeptics

The Bible is accurate historically. Over the past couple hundred years, skeptics have challenged the Bible with issues of history, science, geography, and so on, saying that we have contradictions errors and mistakes. The skeptic can never have his thirst quenched. He will cause you to waste hours getting him reasonable, logical, rational answers to Bible difficulties, to then just dismiss it out of hand. He will then just move on to the next Bible difficulty, you spend hours, and a quick dismal, and on, and on. Time and again, though, you give evidence that has proven the skeptic and his skepticism to be unfounded and the Bible account to be accurate and trustworthy. However, it does not really matter to the skeptic. It is like being on the Titanic, the moment you plug one hole, another bigger hole is there to replace it.

You would think that the skeptic would find joy in having reasonable, logical, rational answers to his Bible question but in almost all cases this just isn’t so. You see, he isn’t looking for answers, he is looking to feed his doubt not his faith. Yes, they want to undermine the Bible, God, and Christianity to reinforce their skepticism. We naively think that if we solve their concerns, we are patching up their doubt. Satan is blinding the mind of the unbeliever. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) Before we delve into a deep look at how Satan is blinding the minds of the skeptics, we will talk briefly about why Christians should not give the word of God to every skeptic and why a Christian should not give the word of God to a Ridiculer.

The entire Bible incites in its readers, confidence, not doubt. The Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures state: “Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah, and whose trust Jehovah is.” (Jer. 17:7, ASV) And in the Greek New Testament Scriptures Paul writes: “For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” No skepticism there!—2 Timothy 1:12, The Updated American Standard Version.Joyful Confidence in the Truth of God’s Word

Why should we get answers now? If insidious doubts ever begin to creep into our minds, spiritual shipwreck is on the horizon.

CHRISTIANS WHY SHOULD WE NOT GIVE
THE WORD OF GOD
TO ALL SKEPTICS EQUALLY?

Matthew 7:6 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

⁶ “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Do not give what is holy to dogs: The Greek word (hagios) rendered holy is referring to in this context holy things, especially the Word of God. The Greek word (kuōn) rendered dog can refer to any kind of dog but here in this context, it is referring to the wild or unclean dog. The wild and unclean dog has a repulsive habit of vomiting food it has gulped down and then eating it again later. This is used in Scriptures for one who has abandoned the way of righteousness and then goes back to their former state of uncleanness. (2 Peter 2:20-22; Prov. 26:11) In the Scriptures, morally unclean persons are referred to as dogs. Jesus Christ in this text has compared persons who have no interest or appreciation for spiritual things (e.g., God’s Word) to dogs.

Do not throw your pearls before swine: The Greek word (margaritēs) rendered pearl is referring to a hard, lustrous spherical mass, typically white or bluish-gray, formed within the shell of a pearl oyster or other bivalve mollusk and is a highly prized or valued jewel. In this context, pear can refer to the Word of God. The Greek word (choiros) rendered swine is a reference to a pig but in this context, it is referring to a person regarded with contempt and disgust.

They [swine] will trample them under their feet: The Greek word (katapateō) rendered trample means to tread on, to stomp heavily or roughly on with the intent of causing harm.

Turn and tear you to pieces: The dog-like people will turn to attack you and the swine-like people will trample you underfoot to pieces. The Greek word (rhēssō) rendered tear you to pieces means just that, to tear apart abruptly or violently.

Apparently, Jesus meant that, if there is a person who proves or evidences himself or herself to be like like a dog or a swine, having no appreciation for spiritual things (e.g., the Word of God), we should go no further in our effort to share spiritual thoughts and biblical teachings with him or her. These mentally corrupt persons are only seeking to mock, scoff, ridicule, to test you or try and trip you up, as they go about trampling on your valuable spiritual truths, abusing or injuring you as you honest-heartedly endeavor to share the Word of God with them.

Thus, figuratively speaking, “what is holy” and “pearls” can refer to the precious Scriptural truths found in God’s Word. All Disciples of Jesus Christ are to share these truths with everyone. (Matt. 24:14; 28:19-20; Ac 1:8; 1 Pet. 3:15) However, again, if any individuals show themselves to be without recognition or grasp of the Word of God based the tone of their words and the demeanor of their character, like dogs or swine, Christians were to seek out more receptive ears (hearts and minds). – Matthew 10:14; Luke 9:5; 10:11; Acts 13:45, 46; 18:6

Mental darkness is a sort of mental blindness where one sees what others see and even understands the meaning, but their mind is beyond repentance, unreceptive, closed, so they see it as foolish. They are in darkness mentally. Thus, to follow the wicked who is incapable of guiding anyone is to be led astray (taah), be it a belief or a course of action. In friendship, the righteous will always be misled into a wrong view or belief of something or wrong behaviors by the wicked. The righteous one will figuratively wander off the path of righteousness.

All Christians have an obligation to evangelize. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19-20; Ac 1;8; 1 Peter 3:15) However, they are not obligated to evangelize everyone. Some might try and goad us into debating or discussing the Word of God or our faith by referring to 1 Peter 3:15, which says that Christians need to “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” While this is generally true, it is not always true. The Greek words rendered “always” and “anyone” can be used as hyperbole and so in Greek “all,” “always,” “anyone,” and “everyone” does not always mean “all,” “always,” “anyone,” and “everyone.” It is more of a generally speaking, as there are exceptions to the rule. We do not evangelize Pharisaical minded people. What does that mean? Just as the Pharisees often came up to Jesus to test him and try and trip him up, we have some who want to ask questions simply to test us or try and trip us up. They do not care how much time and effort one invests in trying to give them a rational, reasonable, evidence filled answer. These critics just move on when you respond to another issue as though they never asked the first one. We do not evangelize ridiculers, scoffers, mockers, as they are a stiff-necked people with hard and unreceptive hearts. In other words, they are beyond repentance. – 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

It should be noted that this article is not saying Muslims are dogs or twine but that some Muslims within Islam are dogs and swine in the figurative sense applied here. Just as is the case with some atheists, or unbelievers of any sort really. Because a person is upset, having doubts, is very difficult, this does not automatically put them into the dog and swine group. Because of the history of Christianity, the abuses by some that have taken place in Christianity, the hypocrisy of some within Christianity, and the twisting of the Scriptures by some within Christianity, it is expected that some will have issues when they cross the paths with true Christianity. Yet, if there is disdain, scoffing, mocking, ridiculing, seeking to test, and trip you up for their personal enjoyment or mere gain, that is, their only seeking attention publicly; then, we have a dog and a swine in our midst.

CHRISTIANS WHY SHOULD WE NOT ALWAYS CORRECT
A SKEPTICAL RIDICULER?

Proverbs 9:7-9 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

⁷ He who corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man gets injury.
⁸ Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
⁹ Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

He who corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse: The verb translated correct (Heb. yasar) means to offer corrective counsel with the intention of improving the behavior of another. As a discipline it need not come across as punishment, it is simply straight talk, withholding no punches, being very direct in teaching ones how to live their lives in the reverential fear of God so that they become wise from the life lessons before they are tempted by this wicked world and those alienated from God that would put them to the test.

The Hebrew word rendered scoffer (lets) is referring to someone who jeers, mocks, ridicules, or treats someone with contempt. The person ridiculing another builds up resentment, anger, and hatred for the one trying to help make his path straight. Here the scoffer or ridiculer is one who resists being offered constructive correction and instruction. The abuse (Heb. qalon) is what one receives for his efforts at trying to give direction to a scoffer, which is utter contempt, disrespect, and dishonor.

And he who reproves a wicked man gets injury: This line is quite similar to the first line in meaning. Reprove (Heb. yakach) is similar in meaning to correct and has the same strong sense offering another straight talk, withholding no punches, being very direct in teaching ones how to live their life. The slight difference here with yakach reprove over yasar correct is that yakachcarries a value judgment, implying that the one being reproved is guilty. When we look at the Hebrew word for wicked (rasha), we get the same implication of guilt, as the evil person is unrighteous, with a focus on the guilt of his being in violation of some standard.

Scoffers like to ridicule others, but if they are ridiculed themselves, they are unable to take it and will react badly, even violently. The wicked person has no appreciation for the one offering him reproof, to help him on the path of life. It can be very unwise to try and teach the beneficial truths of God’s Word to someone who has utter contempt for you and the truth you are trying to share, for he will only ridicule your efforts. In your endeavor to reach the honest-hearted with the good news of the kingdom, you need to be careful not to get too involved in debates and extensive argumentation with ridiculers.

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you: Reprove renders the same word that was used in 9:7b. Scoffer is as was used in 9:7a. Scoffers and hate are used in Proverbs 1:22, where the question is asked, “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple-minded? And how long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?”

Reprove a wise man, and he will love you: This line is the beginning of three lines (9:8b-9) that will contrast the first three lines of 9:7-8a. Reprove renders the same word from the previous line and that was used in 9:7b. Truly wise (Heb. chakam) ones can talk frankly to each other with straight talk, holding nothing back and help each other to improve or to correct themselves where needed. The wise have a capacity for insight, understanding, and discernment. Here love you has the sense of respecting you.

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser: Why will a wise person love or respect you for giving him reproof? Because he knows that through correction “he will be still wiser.”

Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning: Increase in learning is one who continues to take in knowledge. No one is too wise or too old to keep learning.

If we are to be taught by wisdom, there will be times when we must accept correction and reproof. Of course, most of us tend to bristle at such times, yet it becomes easier as we mature in the faith. A scoffer is a ridiculer, one who expresses derision or scorn about somebody or something. This one does not receive correction well at all and has a dislike of anyone so offering. The wicked are in a whole other category, as they are blinded by their hatred for others, especially anyone suggesting they need help.

Therefore, it is a waste of time to attempt to offer ‘what is holy [Scriptural wisdom] to dogs or throw your pearls [Scriptural wisdom] in front of pigs, lest they trample them with their feet, and turn around and tear you to pieces.’ (Matt. 7:6) These ones will only ridicule any attempt that we make at sharing the good news with them. We can look to the apostle Paul, who while teaching some Jews in Antioch, came across some, who just wanted to do nothing but contradict him. What was Paul’s response? He told them “since you thrust [Scripture] aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.” Acts 13:45-46.

There will come times when we are trying to share the good news, and they will look to just debate, criticize, and argue with us. If it is they alone, it would be best just to walk away, letting it be their loss. However, if it is a public place of some sort, and others are listening intently at how you answer the challenges, it may be best to offer a reasonable answer, then express that you are not here to argue, and walk away. If you had not offered the parting answer, the others may have thought you did not have an answer.

The Christian is to be different from the world of humankind that surrounds them. As a disciple of Christ, we need to cultivate a love for discipline. The Word of God corrects us every time we pick it up. Yes, it is difficult to hear where we are falling short, but we should never be offended by correction, even if it is coming from a human representative of God. For some who have years on them, they may believe that with gray hair, they are wise from life experience. Even so, the Bible is filled with knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, from God, who has no beginning, and we will never live long enough, that we do not need counsel from time to time.

Mental darkness is a sort of mental blindness where one sees what others see and even understands the meaning, but their mind is beyond repentance, unreceptive, closed, so they see it as foolish. They are in darkness mentally. Thus, to follow the wicked who is incapable of guiding anyone is to be led astray (taah), be it a belief or a course of action. In friendship, the righteous will always be misled into a wrong view or belief of something or wrong behaviors by the wicked. The righteous one will figuratively wander off the path of righteousness.

All Christians have an obligation to evangelize. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19-20; Ac 1;8; 1 Peter 3:15) However, they are not obligated to evangelize everyone. Some might try and goad us into debating or discussing the Word of God or our faith by referring to 1 Peter 3:15, which says that Christians need to “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” While this is generally true, it is not always true. The Greek words rendered “always” and “anyone” can be used as hyperbole and so in Greek “all,” “always,” “anyone,” and “everyone” does not always mean “all,” “always,” “anyone,” and “everyone.” It is more of a generally speaking, as there are exceptions to the rule. We do not evangelize Pharisaical minded people. What does that mean? Just as the Pharisees often came up to Jesus to test him and try and trip him up, we have some who want to ask questions simply to test us or try and trip us up. They do not care how much time and effort one invests in trying to give them a rational, reasonable, evidence filled answer. These critics just move on when you respond to another issue as though they never asked the first one. We do not evangelize ridiculers, scoffers, mockers, as they are a stiff-necked people with hard and unreceptive hearts. In other words, they are beyond repentance. – 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

It should be noted that this article is not saying all atheists are dogs or twine but that some atheists within atheism are dogs and swine in the figurative sense applied here. Just as is the case with some Muslims, or unbelievers of any sort really. Because a person is upset, having doubts, is very difficult, this does not automatically put them into the dog and swine group. Because of the history of Christianity, the abuses by some that have taken place in Christianity, the hypocrisy of some within Christianity, and the twisting of the Scriptures by some within Christianity, it is expected that some will have issues when they cross the paths with true Christianity. Yet, if there is disdain, scoffing, mocking, ridiculing, seeking to test and trip you up for their personal enjoyment or mere gain, that is, their only seeking attention publicly; then, we have a dog and a swine in our midst.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS SATAN BLINDED THE
MINDS OF THE SKEPTICS?

Before we begin unraveling the topic at hand, it might be best if we borrow the story from Dr. Robert Stein’s book, A Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible (pp. 11-13):

Tuesday night arrived. Dan and Charlene had invited several of their neighbors to a Bible study, and now they were wondering if anyone would come. Several people had agreed to come, but others had not committed themselves. At 8:00 P.M., beyond all their wildest hopes, everyone who had been invited arrived. After some introductions and neighborhood chit-chat, they all sat down in the living room. Dan explained that he and his wife would like to read through a book of the Bible and discuss the material with the group. He suggested that the book be a Gospel, and, since Mark was the shortest, he recommended it. Everyone agreed, although several said a bit nervously that they really did not know much about the Bible. Dan reassured them that this was all right, for no one present was a “theologian,” and they would work together in trying to understand the Bible.

They then went around the room reading Mark 1:1–15 verse by verse. Because of some of the different translations used (the New International Version, the Revised Standard Version, the King James Version, and the Living Bible), Dan sought to reassure all present that although the wording of the various translations might be different, they all meant the same thing. After they finished reading the passage, each person was to think of a brief summary to describe what the passage meant. After thinking for a few minutes, they began to share their thoughts.

Sally was the first to speak. “What this passage means to me is that everyone needs to be baptized, and I believe that it should be by immersion.” John responded, “That’s not what I think it means. I think it means that everyone needs to be baptized by the Holy Spirit.” Ralph said somewhat timidly, “I am not exactly sure what I should be doing. Should I try to understand what Jesus and John the Baptist meant, or what the passage means to me?” Dan told him that what was important was what the passage meant to him. Encouraged by this, Ralph replied, “Well, what it means to me is that when you really want to meet God you need to go out in the wilderness just as John the Baptist and Jesus did. Life is too busy and hectic. You have to get away and commune with nature. I have a friend who says that to experience God you have to go out in the woods and get in tune with the rocks.”

It was Cory who brought the discussion to an abrupt halt. “The Holy Spirit has shown me,” he said, “that this passage means that when a person is baptized in the name of Jesus the Holy Spirit will descend upon him like a dove. This is what is called the baptism of the Spirit.” Jan replied meekly, “I don’t think that’s what the meaning is.” Cory, however, reassured her that since the Holy Spirit had given him that meaning it must be correct. Jan did not respond to Cory, but it was obvious she did not agree with what he had said. Dan was uncomfortable about the way things were going and sought to resolve the situation. So he said, “Maybe what we are experiencing is an indication of the richness of the Bible. It can mean so many things!”

But does a text of the Bible mean many things? Can a text mean different, even contradictory things? Is there any control over the meaning of biblical texts? Is interpretation controlled by means of individual revelation given by the Holy Spirit? Do the words and grammar control the meaning of the text? If so, what text are we talking about? Is it a particular English translation such as the King James Version or the New International Version? Why not the New Revised Standard Version or the Living Bible? Or why not a German translation such as the Luther Bible? Or should it be the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic texts that best reflect what the original authors, such as Isaiah, Paul, and Luke, wrote? And what about the original authors? How are they related to the meaning of the text?

It is obvious that we cannot read the Bible for long before the question arises as to what the Bible “means” and who or what determines that meaning. Neither can we read the Bible without possessing some purpose in reading. In other words, using more technical terminology, everyone who reads the Bible does so with a “hermeneutical” theory in mind. The issue is not whether one has such a theory but whether one’s “hermeneutics” is clear or unclear, adequate or inadequate, correct or incorrect.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

The Greek word (kaluptō) rendered veiled means that the gospel will be kept secret, hidden, concealed “to those who are perishing.” The Greek word (apollumi) translated perishing means that these ones, unbelievers in verse 4, are without a spiritual life and are facing the condemnation of God, that is eternal destruction. The Greek word (tuphloō) that is rendered blinded is referring to being unable or unwilling to perceive or understand, as they are rendered unable to see the truth. These ones are made to not understand because their mind and heart are closed and are unreceptive, so no light of truth can shine through.

By unbelievers Paul has in view non-Christians (1 Cor. 6:6; 7:12–15; 10:27; 14:22–24). First, the unbelievers of verse 4 are a subset of those who are perishing in verse 3. In other words, the two are the same. Second, the unbelievers are not persons, who have never heard the truth. No, rather, they are persons who have heard the truth and have rejected it as foolish rubble. This is how this writer is using the term “unbeliever” as well. Technically, how could one ever truly be an unbeliever if they had never heard and understood the truth, to say they did not believe the truth? Therefore, to be an unbeliever, one needs to hear the truth, understand the truth, and reject that truth (i.e., not believing the truth is just that, the truth). Now, this is not to say that a Christian cannot fall into this category because he can. UASV: “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the accurate knowledge[54] of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.” Thus, if a Christian doubts to the point of losing his faith and rejects Jesus Christ, he can go from life to death just as he went from death to life. If his heart is hardened until he is beyond repentance, he too can become blinded by Satan. See also Hebrews 6:4-6, where it is shown that even a person anointed with the Holy Spirit can abandon and reject Christ.

The Path That Leads to Life

Proverbs 12:26 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

²⁶ A righteous man will seek out his neighbor,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

A righteous man will seek out his neighbor: The righteous, upright or just man (Heb. tsedeq) refers to one who is in a righteous standing before God, who is characterized by righteous actions and morals in accordance to God’s moral standards. (Prov. 3:33) Will Seek (tur) has the sense of diligently acquiring information, investigating, searching out, trying to acquire an understanding, greatly desiring information. Neighbor (Heb. rea) does not necessarily refer to someone who lives next door or near to another. The Hebrew noun generally refers to any countryman with a focus on local companions, friends, acquaintances, colleagues. It can be one who is of the same race, or social/geographical or someone who lives within your community. The context here, though, is one who is a close friend.

but the way of the wicked leads them astray: The way of the wicked is referring to one who is in mental darkness in that they cannot see any light whatsoever. Mental darkness is a sort of mental blindness where one sees what others see and even understands the meaning, but their mind is beyond repentance, unreceptive, closed, so they see it as foolish. They are in darkness mentally. Thus, to follow the wicked who is incapable of guiding anyone is to be led astray (taah), be it a belief or a course of action. In friendship, the righteous will always be misled into a wrong view or belief of something or wrong behaviors by the wicked. The righteous one will figuratively wander off the path of righteousness.

King Solomon is contrasting the way of the righteous man with that of the wicked man. The righteous man is cautious about choosing his friends whom he knows can impact his way of thinking, feeling, and believing. He chooses them wisely, endeavoring to avoid the danger of being led off the path that leads to eternal life. Not so with the wicked, who refuse counsel and demand to have their own way. Misled, the wicked one wanders about. Thus, if you choose to associate with a wicked friend, you too will be led astray. Remember, when a dirty glove shakes the hand of a clean white glove, it is the dirty glove that rubs off on the clean glove.

Mental Blindness and Minds that Are Hardened

2 Corinthians 3:12-18 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

¹² Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, ¹³ and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. ¹⁴ But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is taken away only by means of Christ. ¹⁵ But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts; ¹⁶ but whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ oNow the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Let us start by looking at an example of blind minds within Scripture. This was not a case of physical blindness, but mental blindness. There was a Syrian military force coming after Elisha, and God blinded them mentally. If it had been physical blindness, then each of them would have to have been led by the hand. However, what does the account say?

2 Kings 6:18-20 American Standard Version (ASV)

¹⁸ And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Jehovah, and said, Please strike this people with blindness. And he struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. ¹⁹ And Elisha said to them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. And he led them to Samaria. ²⁰ And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Jehovah, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And Jehovah opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

Are we to believe that one man led the entire Syrian military force to Samaria? If they were physically blind, they would have to have all held hands. Were the Syrian military forces not able physically to see the images that were before them? No, rather, it was more of an inability to understand them. This must have been some form of mental blindness, where we see everything that everyone else sees, but something just does not register. Another example can be found in the account about the men of Sodom. When they were blinded, they did not become distressed, running into each other.

Definitely, Paul is speaking of people, who are not receptive to truth, because their heart is hardened to it, callused, unfeeling. They are not responding because their figurative heart is opposed. It is as though, God handed them over to Satan, to be mentally blinded from the truth, not because he disliked them per se, but because they had closed their hearts and minds to the Gospel. Thus, no manner of argumentation is likely to bring them back to their senses.

However, at one time Saul (Paul) was one of these. Until he met the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was mentally blind to the truth. He was well aware of what the coming Messiah was to do, but Jesus did none of these things because it was not time. Thus, Paul was blinded by his love for the Law, Jewish tradition, and history. So much so, he was unable to grasp the Gospel. Not to mention, he lived during the days of Jesus ministry, studied under Gamaliel, who was likely there in the area. He could have even been there when Jesus was impressing the Jewish religious leaders, at the age of twelve. Therefore, Saul (Paul) needed a real wake-up call, to get through the veil that blinded him.

Hence, a mentally blind person sees the same information as another, but the truth cannot or will not get down into their heart. I have had the privilege of talking to dozens of small groups of unbelievers, ranging from four people to ten people in my life. I saw this in action. As I spoke to these groups, inevitably, I would see the light going off in the eyes of some (they would be shaking their heads in agreement as I spoke). However, others having a cynical look, a doubting look (they would be shaking their heads in disgust or disapproval), and they eventually walked away. This is not saying that the unbeliever cannot understand the Bible; it is simply that they see no significance in it, as it is foolishness to them.

Ways In Which Satan the Devil Wields Influence

Deception

Paul warns Christians to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. (Eph. 6:11) 41,000 so-called Christian denominations today call themselves Christian. All claim to be the truth and the way and most are false Christianity that Jesus warned us about in the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 24:11 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

¹¹ And many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray.

What is a prophet? The primary meaning is one who proclaims the Word of God, a spokesperson for God. Therefore, a false prophet would be a spokesperson giving the impression that he is a spokesman for God, but really he is far from it. These ones are very subtle and deceptive in their ability to present themselves as a person representing God. Some modern-day examples would be, Jim Bakker, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, T.D. Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Juanita Bynum, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Pat Robertson, and Joel Olsteen. Of course, these are just some of the televangelists, who are false prophets, with tens of millions of followers. Other false prophet religious leaders have tens of millions of followers as well. Then, there are charismatic Christian denominations that number over 500 million followers. These ones claim gifts of God (faith healing, speaking in tongues, etc.), which clearly are anything but. The true Christians are falling away in great numbers, being led astray by these false prophets, and those who have not fallen away, truly need to remain awake! The apostle Paul wrote,

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

¹³ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is not a great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

On these verses, Richard L. Pratt Jr, writes, “11:13–14. Why was he so determined? Paul explained that these so-called super-apostles were actually false apostles. They were deceitful and only masquerading as apostles of Christ. Of course, those who followed these false apostles would have insisted that Paul was wrong. So he countered their anticipated objection by noting that the false apostles’ deceit was no wonder. After all, even Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 11:15. Paul accused the false apostles of being servants of Satan and of imitating his tactics. They masquerade[d] as servants of righteousness (cf. Rev. 2:9; 3:9). The work of these false apostles led many into unrighteousness, as opposed to Paul’s apostolic ministry of righteousness (see 2 Cor. 3:9). Paul asserted that these false apostles would ultimately receive what their actions deserve[d]. Although this statement carried serious overtones of final judgment, Paul also had in mind that these opponents would be exposed before the church and removed from their positions when he arrived. God would judge them.”

Spiritism

Deuteronomy 18:10-12 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

¹⁰ There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, ¹¹ or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. ¹² For whoever does these things is detestable to Jehovah; and because of these detestable things Jehovah your God will drive them out before you.

Satan misleads people in the same way as in the days of Moses, but rather with a modernist cool look. If we think Ouija boards games, where a board printed with letters, numbers, and other signs, to which a planchette or movable indicator points, supposedly in answer to questions from people at a séance, talk to a dead spirit, or spirit forces of some sort. We still have supposed spirit mediums today that some Christians go to, where a person uses his or her psychic or intuitive abilities to see the past, present and future events of a person by tuning into the spiritual energy surrounding that person. However, what about heavy metal Christian bands? Are they a form of evangelism to Christian your or are they Satanic?[3]

Discernment is keenly selective judgment. In other words, we have the ability to judge well, and our ability to determine is finely tuned and able to sense minor differences, distinctions, or details, to obtain spiritual direction and understanding. A Christian who has both knowledge and discernment is able to make decisions that if Jesus were in our place, and in our imperfect human condition, he would have made the exact same decision. One way that we can use discernment is in our sharing of the biblical truths with others who possess different worldviews and backgrounds, so as to save some. The apostle Paul said,

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

¹⁹ For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may gain more. ²⁰ And so to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those under the law I became as under the law, though I myself am not under the law, that I might gain those under the law. ²¹ To those without law I became as without law, although I am not without law toward God but under the law toward Christ, that I might gain those without law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. ²³ But I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

Keep in mind that, even though Paul said, “I became as,” so that he might become all things to all men, so as to save them, he never became anything that would be contrary to God’s will and purposes. A good/bad example of this would be the modern day Christian heavy metal bands, who by all appearances, is just like the worldly ones. Such bands are nine parts world to one part Christian. Can we imagine young Timothy, Paul’s student, and traveling companion, being a member of Stryper, Vengeance Rising, Deliverance, Believer, Tourniquet and P.O.D? Much of modern-day Christianity, has become like the world in their misguided attempt to evangelize the world. They are nine parts world to one part Christian. This so-called evangelism is an excuse for loose conduct, i.e., an excuse to be worldly under the guise of ‘saving some.’ While we are using a hyperbolic extreme example here of being like the world, to save some out of the world, which is complete foolishness, there are many other minor to major examples within modern day Christianity. Jesus used hyperbole, which is to over exaggerate to emphasize a point, but sadly, in our day, we do not need to over exaggerate because our example found in these so-called Christian metal bands is a reality.

1 Corinthians 2:14 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

 ¹⁴ But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand^[1] them, because they are examined spiritually.

^[1] “The Greek word ginosko (“to understand”) does not mean comprehend intellectually; it means know by experience. The unsaved obviously do not experience God’s Word because they do not welcome it. Only the regenerate have the capacity to welcome and experience the Scriptures, by means of the Holy Spirit.”― (Zuck 1991, 23)

Hundreds of millions of Christians use this verse as support that without the “Holy Spirit,” we can fully understand God’s Word. They would argue that without the “Spirit” the Bible is nothing more than foolish nonsense to the reader. What we need to do before, arriving at the correct meaning of what Paul meant, is grasp what he meant by his use of the word “understand,” as to what is ‘foolish.’ In short, “the things of the Spirit of God” are the “Spirit” inspired Word of God. The natural man sees the inspired Word of God as foolish, and “he is not able to understand them.”

Paul wrote, “But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him.” What did Paul mean by this statement? Did he mean that if the Bible reader did not have the “Spirit” helping him, he would not be able to grasp the correct meaning of the text? Are we to understand Paul as saying that without the “Spirit,” the Bible and its teachings are beyond our understanding?

We can gain a measure of understanding as to what Paul meant, by observing how he uses the term “foolishness” elsewhere in the very same letter. At 1 Corinthians 3:19, it is used in the following way, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.” This verse helps us to arrive at the use in two stages: (1) the verse states that human wisdom is foolishness with God, (2) and we know that the use of foolishness here does not mean that God cannot understand (or grasp) human wisdom. The use is that He sees human wisdom as ‘foolish’ and rejects it as such.

Therefore, the term “foolishness” of 1 Corinthians 3:19 is not in reference to not “understanding,” but as to one’s view of the text, its significance, or better yet, lack of significance, or lack of value. We certainly know that God can understand the wisdom of the world, but condemns it as being ‘foolish.’ The same holds true of 1 Corinthians 1:20, where the verbal form of foolishness is used, “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” Thus, we have the term “foolishness” being used before and after 1 Corinthians 2:14, (1:20; 3:19). In all three cases, we are dealing with the significance, the value being attributed to something.

Thus, it seems obvious that we should attribute the same meaning to our text in question, 1 Corinthians 2:14. In other words, the Apostle Paul, by his use of the term “foolishness,” is not saying that the unbeliever is unable to understand, to grasp the Word of God. If this were the case, why would we ever share the Word of God, the gospel message with an unbeliever? Unbelievers can understand the Word of God; however, unbelievers see it as foolish, having no value or significance. The resultant meaning of chapters 1-3 of 1 Corinthians is that the unbelieving world of mankind can understand the Word of God. However, they view it as foolish (missing value or significance). God, on the other hand, understands the wisdom of the world of mankind but views it foolish (missing value or significance). Therefore, in both cases, the information is understood or grasped; however, it is rejected because of the party considering it, they believe it lacks value or significance.

We pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and our spirit, or mental disposition, needs to be attuned to God and His Spirit through study and application. Now, if our mental disposition is not in tune with the Spirit, we will not come away with the right answer. As Ephesians shows, we can grieve the Spirit.

Ephesians 4:30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

How do we grieve the Holy Spirit? We do that by acting contrary to its leading through deception, human weaknesses, imperfections, setting our figurative heart on something other than the leading.

Ephesians 1:18 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

¹⁸ having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the holy ones,

“Eyes of your heart” is a Hebrew Scripture expression, meaning spiritual insight, to grasp the truth of God’s Word. So we could pray for the guidance of God’s Spirit, and at the same time, we can explain why there are so many different understandings (many wrong answers), some of which contradict each other. This is because of human imperfection that is diluting some of those interpreters, causing them to lose the Spirit’s guidance.

A person sits down to study and prays earnestly for the guidance of Holy Spirit, that his mental disposition be in harmony with God’s Word [or simply that his heart be in harmony with . . .], and sets out to study a chapter, an article, something biblical. In the process of that study, he allows himself to be moved, not by a mental disposition in harmony with the Spirit, but by human imperfection, by way of his wrong worldview, his biases, his preunderstanding. (Preunderstanding is all of the knowledge and understanding that we possess before we begin the study of the text.) A fundamental of grammatical-historical interpretation is that that we are to look for the simple meaning, the essential meaning, the obvious meaning. However, when this one comes to a text that does not say what he wants it to say, he rationalizes until he has the text in harmony with his preunderstanding. In other words, he reads his presuppositions into the text (Presupposition is to believe that a particular thing is so before there is any proof of it), as opposed to discovering the meaning that was in the text. Even though his Christian conscience was tweaked at the correct meaning, he ignored it, as well as his mental disposition that could have been in harmony with the Spirit, to get the outcome he wanted.

In another example, it may be that the text does mean what he wants, but this is only because the translation he is using is full of theological bias, which is violating grammar and syntax, or maybe textual criticism rules and principles that arrive at the correct reading. Therefore, when this student takes a deeper look, he discovers that it could very well read another way, and likely should because of the context. He buries that evidence beneath his conscience, and never mentions it when this text comes up in a Bible discussion. In other words, he is grieving the Holy Spirit and loses it on this particular occasion.

Human imperfection, human weakness, theological bias, preunderstanding, and many other things could dilute the Spirit, or even grieve the Spirit. So that while one may be praying for assistance, he is not getting it or has lost it, because one, some, or all of these things he is doing has grieved the Spirit.

Again, it is not that an unbeliever cannot understand what the Bible means; otherwise, there would be no need to witness to him. Rather, he does not have the spiritual awareness to see the significance of studying Scripture. An unbeliever can look at “the setting in which the Bible books were written and the circumstances involved in the writing,” as well as “studying the words and sentences of Scripture in their normal, plain sense,” to arrive the meaning of a text. However, without having any spiritual awareness about themselves, they would not see the significance of applying it in their lives. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “The natural person does not accept [Gr., dechomai] the things of the Spirit of God.” Dechomai means, “to welcome, accept or receive.” Thus, the unbeliever may very well understand the meaning of a text, but just does not accept, receive or welcome it as truth.

Acts 17:10-11 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

¹⁰ The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all readiness of mind,^[2] examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

^[2] Or with all eager readiness of mind. The Greek word prothumias means that one is eager, ready, mentally prepared to engage in some activity.

Unlike the natural person, the Bereans accepted, received, or welcomed the Word of God eagerly. Paul said the Thessalonians “received [dechomai] the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit.” (1 Thess. 1:6) At the beginning of a person’s introduction to the good news, he will take in the knowledge of the Scriptures (1 Tim. 2:3-4), which if his heart is receptive, he will begin to apply them in his life, taking off the old person and putting on the new person. (Eph. 4:22-24) Seeing how the Scriptures have begun to alter his life, he will start to have a genuine faith in the things he has learned (Heb. 11:6), repenting of his sins. (Acts 17:30-31) He will turn around his life, and his sins will be blotted out. (Acts 3:19) At some point, he will go to God in prayer, telling the Father that he is dedicating his life to him, to carry out his will and purposes. (Matt. 16:24; 22:37) This regeneration is the Holy Spirit working in his life, giving him a new nature, placing him on the path to salvation.―2 Corinthians 5:17.

A new believer will become “acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make [him] wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 3:15) As the Bible informs us, the Scriptures are holy and are to be viewed as such. If we are to acquire accurate or full knowledge, to have the correct mental grasp of the things that we carried out an exegetical analysis on, it must be done with a prayerful and humble heart. It is as Dr. Norman L. Geisler said, “the role of the Holy Spirit, at least in His special work on believers related to Scripture, is in illuminating our understanding of the significance (not the meaning) of the text. The meaning is clear apart from any special work of the Holy Spirit.” What level of understanding that we are able to acquire is based on the degree to which we are not grieving the Holy Spirit with our worldview, our preunderstanding, our presuppositions, our theological biases? In addition, anyone living in sin will struggle to grasp God’s Word as well.

No interpreter is infallible. The only infallibility or inerrancy belonged to the original manuscripts. Each Christian has the right to interpret God’s Word, to discover what it means, but this does not guarantee that they will come away with the correct meaning. The Holy Spirit will guide us into and through the truth, by way of our working on behalf of our prayers to have the correct understanding. Our working in harmony with the Holy Spirit means that we buy out the time for a personal study program, not to mention the time to prepare properly and carefully for our Christian meetings. In these studies, do not expect that the Holy Spirit is going to miraculously give us some flash of understanding, but rather understanding will come to us as we set aside our personal biases, worldviews, human imperfections, presuppositions, preunderstanding, opening our mental disposition to the Spirit’s leading as we study.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

The following is adopted and adapted from Douglas A. Foster of Abilene Christian University.

Christian Publishing House’s understanding of the Holy Spirit is not that of the Charismatic groups (the ecstatic and irrational), but rather the calm and rational.  The work of the Holy Spirit is inseparably and uniquely linked to the words and ideas of God’s inspired and inerrant Word. We see the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as Christians taking the words and ideas of Scripture into our mind and drawing spiritual strength from them. The Spirit moves persons toward salvation, but the Spirit does that, in the same way, any person moves another—by persuasion with words and ideas:

Now we cannot separate the Spirit and the Word of God, and ascribe so much power to the one and so much to the other; for so did not the Apostles. Whatever the word does, the Spirit does, and whatever the Spirit does in the work of converting, the word does. We neither believe nor teach abstract Spirit nor abstract word, but word and Spirit, Spirit and word. But the Spirit is not promised to any persons outside of Christ. It is promised only to them who believe and obey him. – Alexander Campbell, The Christian System (6th ed.; Cincinnati: Standard, 1850), 64.

The Holy Spirit works only through the Word in the conversion of sinners. In other words, the Spirit acting through the Word of God can accomplish everything claimed to be affected by a personal indwelling of the Spirit.

Longtime preacher Z. T. (Zachary Taylor) Sweeney, in His book The Spirit and the Word: A Treatise on the Holy Spirit in the Light of a Rational Interpretation of the Word of God, writes after examining every Scripture that might be used by advocates of a literal personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit,

In the above cases, we have covered all the conceivable things a direct indwelling Spirit could do for one and have also shown that all these things the Spirit does through the word of God. It is not claimed that a direct indwelling of the Spirit makes any new revelations, adds any new reasons, or offers any new motives than are found in the word of God. Of what use, then, would a direct indwelling Spirit be? God makes nothing in vain. We are necessarily, therefore, led to the conclusion that, in dealing with his children today, God deals with them in the same psychological way that he deals with men in inducing them to become children. This conclusion is strengthened by the utter absence of any test by which we could know the Spirit dwells in us, if such were the case. – Z. T. Sweeney, The Spirit and the Word (Nashville: Gospel Advocate, n.d.), 121–26.

This author and Christian Publishing House are defined by our rejection of Holiness and Pentecostal understandings of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit transforms a person, empowering him through the Word of God, to put on the “new person” required of true Christians, “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” – Colossians 3:12.

Ephesians 4:20-24 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

²⁰ But you did not learn Christ in this way, ²¹ if indeed you have heard him and have been taught in him, just as truth is in Jesus, ²² that you take off, according to your former way of life, the old man, who is being destroyed according to deceitful desires, ²³ and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and put on the new man, the one created according to the likeness of God in righteousness and loyalty of the truth.

Colossians 3:9-10 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

⁹ Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new man who is being renewed through accurate knowledge^[3] according to the image of the one who created him,

^[3]  Epignosis is a strengthened or intensified form of gnosis (epi, meaning “additional”), meaning, “true,” “real,” “full,” “complete” or “accurate,” depending upon the context. Paul and Peter alone use epignosis.

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