Was God lying when He said that? “What a ridiculous question,” you say. “You know God doesn’t lie.” Then why is it so difficult for us to read the Word and obey it? I wonder if God ever wants to say what I hear parents asking their children, “What part of that don’t you understand?” Mom or Dad tells their kids to go do their homework or finish their chores but they don’t move. It sometimes makes you question yourself. “Did they not hear me? Did I not communicate clearly?” You threaten to ground them for a week or take away all media for three days. They still don’t move. Or maybe they appear to obey, but do it their own way, which makes it far more difficult than how you instructed them. You mumble, what part of my directions didn’t they understand?
What part of ‘everything’ didn’t Saul understand? Samuel commanded King Saul to attack Amalek and totally destroy everything including cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys (1 Sam 15:3). When Samuel arrived, he discovered Saul had spared the King and the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God (v15). Samuel chastised him; Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord (v22)? As a result, the Lord rejected Saul as king. What part of ‘speak to the rock’ didn’t Moses understand? Instead, he struck it twice. Because of this, the Lord didn’t allow him to enter the Promised Land. What part of You shall not commit adultery or You shall not murder (Ex 20: 13, 14) didn’t David understand when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed?
This thought came to mind when I read three words Jesus uttered before dying on the cross. It is finished (Jn 19:30)! The first question a Bible student should ask is, ‘what is finished’. The word for finished meant to bring to an end, complete, fulfill, or discharge (a debt). Creditors issued a certificate of debt if someone borrowed money or bought something on credit. When the debt was paid, the lender wrote across the certificate, ‘it is finished’. This indicated the debtor had paid in full. When Rome imprisoned people for a crime, they gave the jailer a certificate of debt indicating the criminal’s offense and punishment. At the end of the prisoner’s sentence, the jailer wrote across the certificate, ‘it is finished’ specifying the person had served his sentence and was free to go. For our sins, we owed a debt we could never pay. Jesus’ words, it is finished, indicated He had paid the debt and canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us (Col 2:14). As a result, believers can receive forgiveness. We cannot add a single thing. Jesus paid our debt in full. Neither do we need to live in a self-imposed prison of guilt because the truth will make you free (Joh 8:32). Ask yourself, what part of ‘it is finished’ don’t you understand?
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1Jn 1:9). A simple clear statement, what part of that couldn’t any believer understand. Still, people often fail to understand the comprehensiveness of this verse and they impose self-punishment. They feel merely confessing is too simple and subconsciously read in additions similar to these: If I confess and beat myself up mentally for a couple of weeks, if I confess and put myself under overwhelming guilt, or if I confess and never feel worthy again. I did this for years and finally the Holy Spirit showed me that I was offending Christ by doubting that He did enough through His suffering and death and I needed to add more. If we confess our sins, end of story. That’s all needed for forgiveness and cleansing from unrighteousness. This doesn’t mean we take sin for granted. Rather, each time we confess and receive His forgiveness, it should remind us of how great Jesus’ love and grace are for us. John also wrote, See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us (1Jn 3:1).
The question arises, how do people arrive at beliefs that totally distort simple and clear teaching of scripture? Of course, the ultimate source is Satan. In his first appearance, he essentially called God a liar and has been ever since. “God’s lying to you that if you eat from that tree you will die.” Another source is our own sinful nature. Humans tend to interpret the Bible according to their own desires. We must always seek the truth of God’s Word without human influence—ours or other people. The majority of the Bible is simple and clear instructions like those above and a multitude of others. God warned with the giving of the Law and with the closing of the canon of the Bible, Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it (Deut 12:32).
The Holy Spirit didn’t inspire the Bible for theologians, scholars, and the highly educated, etc. It is simple directions and instructions for common people on how to live a Godly life
Sustaining Word for the Week: Has serving God become complicated. Ask yourself what you don’t understand about a simple clear teaching. Have you or someone else added anything or taken away something?