The "For It Is Written's"

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:
" 'He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."
Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test
Matthew 4:5-7

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Here we have Satan quoting Psalm 91:12&13 to Jesus. Isn't it so interesting that Satan uses the very Word of God that he so hates. To his shame, it shows that he knows it is true, and he just refuses to adhere to it. But aside from that, I think there is a very important principle that Jesus wants to show us here. Notice Jesus comes back at him with a spiritual truth found in Deuteronomy 6:16, which states, "Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah." See, Satan was twisting this scripture to interpret it how he wanted, to fulfill his agenda in that moment. But Jesus, being the clever Lord that He is, came back with this wonderful spiritual truth. Satan was not saying anything wrong, he was quoting scripture! But what made this scenario wrong, is how the enemy was trying to get Jesus to implement this spiritual truth. See, God's truth does not contradict because it is perfect, so if we believe something that clearly contradicts other portions of scripture it's back to the drawing board. So what is the application of all this? We need to be a people that correctly divides the whole of scripture, but first, we need to know what it says so we can use scripture (spiritual truth) to interpret other scripture (spiritual truth).

There are so many false doctrines out there today. And the way these false doctrines start, is by taking a verse (or maybe even an entire section of the Bible) out of context of the whole of scripture (being the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation). So many times I have heard people say, "What's the context? What was the person doing in the moment?" And this is wonderful! We need to be thinking that way! But does our conclusion of that context match the context of the whole of scripture? How often do we hear ourselves say, "My mind is taking this verse one way because of what I feel the surrounding context is saying, but does my conclusion harmonize with the whole context of the Bible where this topic is covered in other parts?" I think we need to think like this more than we do.

For instance, Paul says in Ephesians 2:8&9,"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." says it's not of works right? Paul also says in Romans 5:20, "Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:". Now, I could be like the Nicolaitans (Revelation 26), and look at this truth alone and say to myself, "I must be at liberty to do whatever I want, given that Jesus died for all of my sins. This will not be held against me." But now, let's look at what Paul also says in Acts 26:20, "But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance." WORKS! Works meet for repentance! AHHH, some of your heads are about to come off! So now what?!?! Now that I have taken another element of scripture, everything changes! And let's look at James 2:24, "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." So now it all makes sense, Paul was saying that works of the law and "living good lives" in our own estimation didn't earn us salvation, but the WORKS OF REPENTANCE (works meet for repentance) enabled us to receive the free gift. Remember, there are "acts conducive towards repentance". Live your life before the Lord in such a way that proves you are contrite and sorry for your sin! ABIDE IN HIM!!! STOP SINNING!!! GO AND SIN NO MORE!!! GO AND SIN NO MORE LEST SOMETHING WORSE BEFALLS YOU!!! (All words of Jesus throughout the gospels) Why would He tell them not to sin no more? He didn't send the comforter (Holy Spirit) yet did He? The answer is no, so Jesus would not tell you to do something if it were not possible. Repentance has always been possible (God would command it in the Old Testament), but what wasn't possible, is that even though they chose to repent, there was still nothing they could do about the damage in life they had already done by being born in sin! Someone must pay! But who?! No one can stand for what they have done! We need a big eraser so God doesn't punish us! ENTER THE BEAUTIFUL SACRIFICE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR! THANK YOU JESUS!! APPRECIATE HIM! LOVE HIM! (see the devotional, "I'm Not Guilty...Am I?")

You see, in the previous paragraph, their action of ceasing to sin, proved their genuine repentance. It cultivated the ground to receive the free gift! So now, how do I prove the previous statement you may ask? By using other scripture to interpret truth, and the scripture is found in Acts 10:34&35,"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. Well there is that WORKETH RIGHTEOUSNESS/ WORKS MEET FOR REPENTANCE part again! But now James 2:14 makes so much sense! "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" Faith without ceasing from sin (action/works) and chasing God (action/works) is DEAD!! I wonder what we could figure out if we did all of these complex "theological issues" this way! Are we beginning to understand why it is a grave mistake to isolate certain scriptures and formulate our own opinions on what they mean? We are all still in the growing process! Thank goodness for His grace to get through!

A wise man once told me, "Some people are students of doctrine, but we need to be students of scripture." Remember the mindset of the Nicolaitans mentioned in the last paragraph? This is what our Lord says about them in Revelation 2:6, "But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate" He hated that perversion of scripture! Just as He hated Satan's perversion of the scripture's above from Psalm 91:12&13. Satan knew an element of scripture, but willfully twisted it. And I understand that alot of people do not mean to "twist scripture", but the principle still remains, and that principle is, we need to know the "for it is written's". Because if we don't know the "for it is written's", and are not interpretting them properly, we could be robbing ourselves of immense spiritual blessings, and possibly something worse! You see, Satan was speaking a spiritual truth, but Jesus understood the importance of "using scripture to interpret scripture". We see how we can appear to be so on target with a verse of scripture, but then be so off in its application in light of the whole of scripture. Let's be a people that not only reads the Bible, but labors before the Lord in prayer, striving to understand how it all works together. Remember, if you do these things, this promise in 1 John 2:27 is yours, which states, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." He is committed to teach us all things if we abide in Him and draw nigh unto Him! SET OUR HEARTS TO UNDERSTAND! QUIET OURSELVES BEFORE THE LORD! James 4:8 "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." I think the point is more than elaborated, let's strive to become familiar with the "For It Is Written's!" None of us have it all together, but we all play a part in learning and growing! Love you all!