“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7)
What are we to say of those who believe that baptism, being immersed in water, babies sprinkled with it, is essential to salvation, that one can in no way enter into the Kingdom of the Living God unless that act is performed?
How are we to respond to those who believe that church attendance is mandatory, and is proof of our salvation?
What should our words be to those who profess that they serve the Lord, but will rarely, if ever, speak of Him outside of those walls of their church, who believe that love is the answer, that sacrifice is the proper path, not complete obedience to His will and Word?
“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” (1st Sam. 15:22)
If we attempt to reveal to them, through love because of faith, the error of their thinking, if we try to correct and reprove them for their edification, so that they will come to the knowledge of the truth that they are incorrect in their interpretation of the Scriptures, and they despise the wisdom and instruction given to them, are we to call them fools?
Weaker brothers and sisters in Christ, those who are young in the faith, those still in the milk of the Word thirst and hunger for righteousness, to be holy and acceptable in the eyes of our Father in heaven, they are willing to test the Spirits, to learn what is acceptable to the Almighty, to seek His face with due diligence. The milk is profitable to them for only so long, and Him whom they love they desire to be obedient to as His Word instructs us to.
“But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.” (Matt. 13:8)
But what are we to say of those who have a form of godliness, yet when the truths of the Word of God are revealed to them, when the error of their thinking is shown to them by the wisdom given to us by the Almighty, the Spiritual discernment that can only come from the Holy Spirit, and they refuse to move from the deceptions ingrained within them, are we to call them fools?
“But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Matt. 5:22)
We could be in grave danger ourselves if we cannot discern between that weaker one and the fool my friends.
Can you tell the difference between the swine we are not to cast the pearls of the Almighty before, those whom you are to treat as Gentiles, not even letting them into your house, from those who understand and apply “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:” (Prov. 6:23)
Satan is coercing those of this planet into believing that love is the way, that all should be accepted as they are and in what they believe to be the truth. We offer the truths of what the Word of God says, that true faith in Christ causes obedience to His Word and will.
You must pray fervently for the Holy Spirit to reveal the truths of the Scriptures to you, you must be willing to test the Spirits, to search diligently and pray without ceasing for the truth when anything of a Scriptural nature is brought before you.
Your soul depends on it.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:24)
How many are in hell who were baptized, how many who sat in those pews, some for decades, are now in that place of torment?
This is not pride or vainglory, this is not “I am right and you are wrong,” this is not “This is the truth as I interpret it.”
“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12)
But in many things we have, the truth of the Scriptures has been revealed to us, and we are to offer those truths to them.
Fools will despise it, those who wish to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord will contemplate it.
