Friends, I'd like to share with you a classic sermon that was originally written by the Godly Brother Dr. Col. Gregory H. W. Bentley, Esq.:
Nothing riles me more than people who come in here claiming we have the “wrong interpretation of the BIBLE.” I have such a hard time understanding why these folks think we are “interpreting” anything! The BIBLE is not something to be interpreted, is it not obvious?
Let’s think about this for a minute...
“I believe in God, but the Bible isn’t supposed to be taken literally.”
OK. But, how do you know about GOD? How do you know anything about GOD? It’s from the BIBLE, no matter how hard you want to deny it. Saying you don’t believe in parts of the BIBLE but do believe in GOD just doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. You believe in something based on something you don’t believe in? I mean, come on, even the evilutionists are smarter than that!
There is no way that you can take GOD out of the BIBLE or the BIBLE out of GOD.
John 1:1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
“All of the Bible’s true, its just you have to look at historical settings to understand it.”
The BIBLE was written for all time, friends. It is never changing. We can read it literally today and get the exact Word of GOD™ out of it, none of this nonsense about some man knowing what’s really in the BIBLE based on some sekkylure “history” book he read.
Mal 3:6. For I am the LORD, I change not;
Rev 1:8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
“Well, parts are literal, parts are not.”
Who decides which parts are literal and which parts are not? If you go to this, you are leaning on man to tell you what to believe or not to believe. Shouldn’t that faith be put in GOD? I mean, after all, HE knows what is best and within HIS divine will better than some man in a suit and tie standing behind a pulpit in some so-called namby-pamby “church.” The BIBLE was not sent here for man to make up or interpret any way that he wants to interpret it! GOD warns us about doing that very thing!
2 Peter 1:19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
It’s easy to see that the BIBLE is not some set of fairy-tales, it is the very Word of GOD™, perfect in all ways, and to be taken literally not read in the way some man wants to interpret it. GOD did the interpreting, its up to us to do the believing and obeying. You can’t serve both the world and GOD.
Luke 16:13. No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Jesus tells us what to do in a small, simple phrase:
John 14:15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.
”I don’t need to follow that part…”
Probably one of the largest mistakes made by many people. GOD wants you to follow the entire BIBLE. You can’t just pick ‘n’ choose. This isn’t salad bar religion, this is The TRUTH® it is GOD’S literal words. All of the BIBLE is!
John 15:10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
1 John 5:3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
As you see, GOD’s commandments are good for us, otherwise GOD wouldn’t have instituted them. HE knows what is best for us all, don’t you think?
2 Timothy 3:14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Does GOD really want us to be perfect and follow all of The BIBLE?
Matt 5:48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Guess that answers it pretty directly, eh?
”But, I’m not comfortable with those scriptures. JESUS was all about love, not this stuff!”
Well, quite simply, it is about love. GOD loves us enough to punish us for our sins. There is no way to fathom this amazing love, it is impossible for a mere human to ever be able to understand. We just need to accept this. The BIBLE is all about how to live, and we’re supposed to follow it. It is an easy task to accomplish, but the reward is there at the end.
First of all, as was stated before, nothing GOD commands us to do is grievous.
1 John 5:3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Secondly, the path to Salvation™ is not an easy road, nor is it to ever be taken lightly.
Matt 7:13. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
There’s no other way to read the scripture but literally!
We are not to be squabbling over words in the BIBLE or making our own statements about it, we are to also not listen to false teachings about the scripture (e.g. teachings that water down the scripture or make it “easy”).
2 Tim 2:14. Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18. Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
The BIBLE has to be accepted for everything in it, otherwise what good is it or GOD? Anyone that doesn’t believe the literal BIBLE in its entirety is an atheist/devil worshipper! It is quite simple. They want to cause people to be lead away from the faith that we find in GOD’s Holy Word™ (or, in other words, to overthrow their faith).
I hope this explains the facts on not interpreting the BIBLE. People need to refrain from claiming we at Landover have ever interpreted a passage of scripture. We read it for what it says and we follow it, no questions asked. That’s what GOD wants, not a bunch of people squabbling over the definition to “is” like Bill Clinton trying to weasel out of telling the truth.
GOD is our final authority, GOD is my final authority, not some person’s private interpretation. My faith comes through CHRIST not through the young “cool”/”hip” pastor of First Charismatic Pentecostal Church of Christ Family Tabernacle of Latter Day Adventists.
If you don't think you can handle the entire BIBLE, then you sure won't get to heaven, because the broad path leads to destruction. Enjoy hell, reprobates! There are very few who find True Salvation™, GOD said it HIMSELF.
Nothing riles me more than people who come in here claiming we have the “wrong interpretation of the BIBLE.” I have such a hard time understanding why these folks think we are “interpreting” anything! The BIBLE is not something to be interpreted, is it not obvious?
Let’s think about this for a minute...
“I believe in God, but the Bible isn’t supposed to be taken literally.”
OK. But, how do you know about GOD? How do you know anything about GOD? It’s from the BIBLE, no matter how hard you want to deny it. Saying you don’t believe in parts of the BIBLE but do believe in GOD just doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. You believe in something based on something you don’t believe in? I mean, come on, even the evilutionists are smarter than that!
There is no way that you can take GOD out of the BIBLE or the BIBLE out of GOD.
John 1:1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
“All of the Bible’s true, its just you have to look at historical settings to understand it.”
The BIBLE was written for all time, friends. It is never changing. We can read it literally today and get the exact Word of GOD™ out of it, none of this nonsense about some man knowing what’s really in the BIBLE based on some sekkylure “history” book he read.
Mal 3:6. For I am the LORD, I change not;
Rev 1:8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
“Well, parts are literal, parts are not.”
Who decides which parts are literal and which parts are not? If you go to this, you are leaning on man to tell you what to believe or not to believe. Shouldn’t that faith be put in GOD? I mean, after all, HE knows what is best and within HIS divine will better than some man in a suit and tie standing behind a pulpit in some so-called namby-pamby “church.” The BIBLE was not sent here for man to make up or interpret any way that he wants to interpret it! GOD warns us about doing that very thing!
2 Peter 1:19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
It’s easy to see that the BIBLE is not some set of fairy-tales, it is the very Word of GOD™, perfect in all ways, and to be taken literally not read in the way some man wants to interpret it. GOD did the interpreting, its up to us to do the believing and obeying. You can’t serve both the world and GOD.
Luke 16:13. No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Jesus tells us what to do in a small, simple phrase:
John 14:15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.
”I don’t need to follow that part…”
Probably one of the largest mistakes made by many people. GOD wants you to follow the entire BIBLE. You can’t just pick ‘n’ choose. This isn’t salad bar religion, this is The TRUTH® it is GOD’S literal words. All of the BIBLE is!
John 15:10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
1 John 5:3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
As you see, GOD’s commandments are good for us, otherwise GOD wouldn’t have instituted them. HE knows what is best for us all, don’t you think?
2 Timothy 3:14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Does GOD really want us to be perfect and follow all of The BIBLE?
Matt 5:48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Guess that answers it pretty directly, eh?
”But, I’m not comfortable with those scriptures. JESUS was all about love, not this stuff!”
Well, quite simply, it is about love. GOD loves us enough to punish us for our sins. There is no way to fathom this amazing love, it is impossible for a mere human to ever be able to understand. We just need to accept this. The BIBLE is all about how to live, and we’re supposed to follow it. It is an easy task to accomplish, but the reward is there at the end.
First of all, as was stated before, nothing GOD commands us to do is grievous.
1 John 5:3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Secondly, the path to Salvation™ is not an easy road, nor is it to ever be taken lightly.
Matt 7:13. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
There’s no other way to read the scripture but literally!
We are not to be squabbling over words in the BIBLE or making our own statements about it, we are to also not listen to false teachings about the scripture (e.g. teachings that water down the scripture or make it “easy”).
2 Tim 2:14. Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18. Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
The BIBLE has to be accepted for everything in it, otherwise what good is it or GOD? Anyone that doesn’t believe the literal BIBLE in its entirety is an atheist/devil worshipper! It is quite simple. They want to cause people to be lead away from the faith that we find in GOD’s Holy Word™ (or, in other words, to overthrow their faith).
I hope this explains the facts on not interpreting the BIBLE. People need to refrain from claiming we at Landover have ever interpreted a passage of scripture. We read it for what it says and we follow it, no questions asked. That’s what GOD wants, not a bunch of people squabbling over the definition to “is” like Bill Clinton trying to weasel out of telling the truth.
GOD is our final authority, GOD is my final authority, not some person’s private interpretation. My faith comes through CHRIST not through the young “cool”/”hip” pastor of First Charismatic Pentecostal Church of Christ Family Tabernacle of Latter Day Adventists.
If you don't think you can handle the entire BIBLE, then you sure won't get to heaven, because the broad path leads to destruction. Enjoy hell, reprobates! There are very few who find True Salvation™, GOD said it HIMSELF.
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