In the previous posting we were introduced to the concept of Biblical mysteries, of which there are several which we will be examining individually over the coming days.  In the New Testament the word “mystery” (plural-“mystereon”) is used 27 times.  The serious student of the Holy Bible learns early on that God and His Son are the masters of mystery, which explains why the vast majority of people find the Bible difficult to understand.  When I suggest that people study the Lord’s Word rather than watch television or troll the internet, the most common reason for not doing so is that the Bible is confusing when one goes beyond the elementary statements which I call Biblical “headlines.”  Having wrestled with some of those confusing “contradictions” in the past I understand where people are coming from.  We want someone to interpret those passages for us.  The truth is that the Bible interprets itself.  For every “headline” there are several “fine print” statements that clarify it.  One problem is that most people don’t bother to search them out.  Another problem is that doing so requires the aid of the Holy Spirit which one receives upon true conversion.  Another problem is that most church people have not been converted.  And finally, they have been told that they are already saved and that knowing, believing and obeying God’s Word are not necessary, that all one needs in order to be saved is to believe in Jesus Christ. But for those who have been converted and know that obedience to God’s Word is absolutely essential in order to have any chance for salvation, He has provided a Scriptural formula for learning and understanding that Word.

It is for this reason that the Lord, speaking through the Prophet Isaiah, reveals how the Scriptures must be studied in order to understand them.  In Isaiah 28:9-13 we “hear” God’s instructions for effective Bible study.  But His instructions work for only certain people.   Beginning with verse 9 Isaiah asks, “Whom can He (God) teach knowledge? and whom can He make to understand His doctrines?”  He then tells us WHO is able to learn His ways: “they that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breast.”  In other words, only those who are mature in the Lord are able to learn beyond the infantile stage of Christianity which presents only religious breast milk.  Those who do not progress beyond the milk of the Word are what I call “headline hunters” who never progress beyond the “Jesus loves you,” “only believe” stage of spiritual maturity.

The Apostle Paul found himself facing this problem within a generation of the founding of God’s church in 31 A.D.  Some time between 68 and 70 A.D. Paul wrote to the Hebrew Christians concerning their lack of spiritual maturity and the effect that it was having on their spiritual lives.  In the 6th chapter beginning with verse 11 we find him chastising them for not being able to understand what Jesus required of them: “I have many things to say to you about Jesus and His example we must follow.   However, teaching you is difficult because you are dull of hearing.  Though by this time (in your spiritual walk) you should be teachers, I find that you need to be taught again the first principles of God’s Word.  You have need of spiritual milk because you are not ready for strong meat.  Those who need milk are ignorant of righteousness, for they are spiritual babies.  Strong meat belongs to those who are of full spiritual age (mature), who are able to determine good and evil.  Therefore, you must leave the first principles of Christ’s doctrines and go on to perfection.  You must stop listening to messages concerning such things as repentance for having committed sins, faith toward God, baptism, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment (Heb. 5:11-6:2).

Notice that Paul labeled as spiritual babies those who were hearing the same messages that are preached Sunday after Sunday in the modern churches.  One can go to church once each year and hear everything that has been taught the previous 51 Sundays: repentance, faith, baptism, resurrection and judgment–God’s “headlines.”  Paul, who received his gospel directly from Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:12), commanded the people to grow up and move on from those elementary principles of the Christian walk.  If we fed our child only milk, he/she would soon die physically.  Church people are fed only Scriptural milk.  As a result they are spiritually dead because they fail to hear God’s “strong meat”–His “fine print”– which is absolutely necessary for spiritual growth.  We must move past His “headlines” and immerse ourselves in His “fine print.”  Otherwise, we will spiritually die.  Now that we know WHO can be taught by God, let us determine how He teaches them.

In Isaiah 28:10 we learn how to receive knowledge and understanding concerning the Lord’s doctrines: “For precept must follow precept, precept after precept; line must follow line, line after line, here a little, there a little.”  He repeats the instructions in verse 13 in order to drive the information home.

In 2 Timothy 3:15 Paul instructs the young evangelist to “Study to show yourself approved of God.”  Notice that an established minister of God had to continually study (not read) God’s Word (not someone’s interpretation of His Word–church doctrine) in order to remain in good standing with Him.  Those who do so are proving to the Lord that they are serious about their Christian walk, which, as we are told in 1 John 2:6, must be exactly like Christ’s walk while He was on earth as a man.  Read Jesus of Nazareth: God, Man or God-man?  Use “Nazareth” as the focal word.  See the segment titled NOTICE on the Introduction page for instructions for downloading a series.

Many have wondered why the Lord speaks to us in ways that are mysterious and hard to understand?  I reply that this is His way of separating church sheep from church goats–contenders (for salvation) from pretenders (that they have salvation).  Jesus said in Matthew 7:13,14 that few would be interested enough in His Truth to obey His command to study It.  Many, He said, would be called to do so, but few would be chosen for having done so (Mat. 20:16).  God’s “headlines” tell us “what” we must do in order to receive His promises.   Everyone is familiar with them because they require only mental acceptance.  Only those who answer His call to holiness will diligently search out and study His “fine print” which show us the “how” to receive His promises, salvation being one of them.  Without knowing “how,” knowing “what” is meaningless.  Let us learn about the wonderful things God has in store for His faithful disciples and how to appropriate them.  Let us then react appropriately.  Believing is only the first step on the path to receiving them.  Only those who take all of the prescribed steps will join Him in His Kingdom upon the return of His Son to earth.  L.J.