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Can We Understand the Bible Alike? By: Garland M. Robinson |
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Can We Understand the Bible Alike? By: Garland M. Robinson |
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If people are confused over what the Bible teaches, it is not God’s fault “For God is not the author of confusion" (I Corinthians 14:33). He desires for all men to be saved (I Timothy 2:4). He has provided the means of their salvation through Christ (Hebrews 2:9). He desires that all men be ONE in Christ. To the church at Corinth it is written, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body..." (I Corinthians 12:13). If all are baptized into ONE body, why then is there confusion and division? It’s because men refuse to see the Bible alike, not because they can’t.
Jesus prayed that we all see the Bible alike. “...That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us..." (John 17:20-21). The Bible was written to be understood. “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ" (Ephesians 3:4). The same message was taught by every gospel preacher in the first century. Paul said he taught the same thing "...every where in every church" (I Corinthians 4:17).
God’s plan is that everyone be united in Christ. That can only be accomplished by a proper understanding and practice of the Bible. God’s five-fold plan for unity is outlined in I Corinthians 1:10, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." In this plan, one step leads to another. If 1we all speak the same thing 2there will be no divisions among us. If there are no divisions among us we will be 3perfectly joined together. If we are perfectly joined together we will have 4the same mind. And, if we have the same mind, we will have 5the same judgment.
There are strict warnings given concerning those who do not teach the same message! Romans 16:17 says, “...mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." God hates those who sow discord (Proverbs 6:19) for there is only ONE body, ONE faith (Ephesians 4:4-5). Are you in the one body? Repent and be baptized today (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16).