I am thankful for the feedback after last week’s article. Some folks shared their views on other sayings that are thought to be in the Bible or mentioned some omitted parts and variations to Bible verses that have become popular. Before I go on however, I would like to point out that my target audience for these two articles are primarily Christians to encourage them to not only read their Bible, but also to read with understanding. A friend stated to me that the Scriptures were for the Kingdom of God as the Lord’s Prayer Jesus declared, “Your Kingdom come.” Agreed. However, every Christian has a part to play in the expansion of God’s Kingdom, so we must be well versed in the Bible and be sanctified by the truth of the Word in order to be true worshippers of the Father.
But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24
Truth is very important to the Father. And we should encourage each other to seek after the Father in spirit and truth. That may mean that we have to help each other see clearly God’s truth in His Word. A friend made this comment on last week’s article, “There are many other ways the Devil twists the Bible that have more impact on our daily lives - like when Jesus says, ‘First take the log out of your own eye.’ Jesus didn't stop there, so why is that all we ever hear? No, Jesus continued, ‘Then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.’” He is right. Please read the passage carefully.
Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-5
Please note that Jesus tells us to take the speck out of our brother’s eye after taking the log out of our own eye. Self-examination is important and we do need to correct our wrongs so that we can better help others. The Lord wants us all to see His truth clearly.
Another friend remarked, “My favorite is ‘render your heart and not your garments’, instead of ‘rend (which means to tear) your heart and not your garments.’” Render means to give. When the Jews did the act of rending their garments they usually were in mourning, and this was an expression of grief.
And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil. Joel 2:13
Joel was expressing here true repentance, which is to be done sincerely from the heart and not just by an outward expression of tearing one’s clothes.
We must be attentive to the truth as what we may think is true and found in the Bible is not. One of the ladies from one of my Bible studies reminded me of an old saying in Jamaica which says, “ A whistling woman and a crowing hen are an abomination to the Lord.” I remember my grandmother used to say that and I thought it was in the Bible and I believe she did too. However, it isn’t. I went to do some research on this old adage and found that there are different versions of it. In America it goes like this, “A whistling woman and a crowing hen never come to a very good end.” But the original proverb comes from the United Kingdom, and it states, “A whistling woman and a crowing hen are neither fit for God nor men.”
Unfortunately, like this saying some Bible verses have been misquoted and these distortions have become popular among many, even in the Church. They are misrepresentations of the Bible, which are often propagated because we Christians are not studying the Bible as we should. Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States once said, “A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” It is very important as a Christian to make Bible knowledge a priority.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8
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