The heart is deceitful above all things; and desperately wicked; who can understand it? ( Jeremiah 17:9).
Whenever we attempt to make study of this book in particular; or any other scripture as a purely academic exercise; we are always deficient of understanding at best; and subject to deceiving ourselves. 2 Thessalonians 2:11 warns that they shall believe THE lie; and that not for want of truth; but because they did not LOVE the truth as stated in the previous verse. Isaiah 66:4 warns of God "choosing" their delusions with the horrifying spectacle of hell being seen by all men during the Millennium and perhaps eternity (verse 22-24 of same chapter). ALL will worship the beast; all whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from before the foundation of the world ( Rev. 13:8 loosely translated).
Given these sober admonitions; we need to test ourselves to see if we are in the faith ( 2 Cor. 13:5-6). This reminds us of Christ's excoriation of the Pharisees as to Satan being their father ( John 8:44 as one example of many). We need to have true repentance; not only for our outward manifestations of sin; but a change of heart. This means the world; flesh and the Devil are all factored in here. Christ needs not only to be the center of our lives; but indeed IS our life if we are truly "crucified with Christ" ( Galatians 2:20). A sign that we have spiritual life is when we are incredulous that we really have died to self; as sin becomes more and more evident during the sanctification process. This likely is part of the verse John 18:37 where He describes those who come to the light. This needs to be an ongoing process; just as is the meaning of John 3:16. We need; therefore to be possessors of He who is faithful; not just confessors of the faith. A lack of understanding this makes one believe the fallacy that "God helps those who help themselves" which was a Ben Franklin adage. We must die daily.
The heart is deceitful above all things; and desperately wicked; who can understand it? ( Jeremiah 17:9).
Whenever we attempt to make study of this book in particular; or any other scripture as a purely academic exercise; we are always deficient of understanding at best; and subject to deceiving ourselves. 2 Thessalonians 2:11 warns that they shall believe THE lie; and that not for want of truth; but because they did not LOVE the truth as stated in the previous verse. Isaiah 66:4 warns of God "choosing" their delusions with the horrifying spectacle of hell being seen by all men during the Millennium and perhaps eternity (verse 22-24 of same chapter). ALL will worship the beast; all whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from before the foundation of the world ( Rev. 13:8 loosely translated).
Given these sober admonitions; we need to test ourselves to see if we are in the faith ( 2 Cor. 13:5-6). This reminds us of Christ's excoriation of the Pharisees as to Satan being their father ( John 8:44 as one example of many). We need to have true repentance; not only for our outward manifestations of sin; but a change of heart. This means the world; flesh and the Devil are all factored in here. Christ needs not only to be the center of our lives; but indeed IS our life if we are truly "crucified with Christ" ( Galatians 2:20). A sign that we have spiritual life is when we are incredulous that we really have died to self; as sin becomes more and more evident during the sanctification process. This likely is part of the verse John 18:37 where He describes those who come to the light. This needs to be an ongoing process; just as is the meaning of John 3:16. We need; therefore to be possessors of He who is faithful; not just confessors of the faith. A lack of understanding this makes one believe the fallacy that "God helps those who help themselves" which was a Ben Franklin adage. We must die daily.
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