Ephesians 4:14 ~  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

As Christians go I am likely on the mouthier end of the spectrum. I have lots of opinions, most of which are Bible based, but I can occasionally throw my own in there for bad measure and have to take a trip to the woodshed to get it beat out of me. Paul through the Holy Spirit gives sound advice to the body of believers in Christ Jesus.

Children of the Wind

The bible says to study to show thyself approved. Speed reading won’t work, I’ve tried. There’s a reason God wants us to stay in His word; so that we’re not swept up in the nonsense of the world that’s out there today. Even the slightest of things can skew your judgment. There are popular sayings that I’ve heard all my life and quoted many times thinking there to be bible foundation only to find out later that it was an interpretation of the scripture and often a bad one! Just the other day I referenced the lion laying down with the lamb in scripture. It ain’t in there, why I thought it was I have no idea. Mostly because I’ve heard well intentioned folks quote it, and just picked it up as truth. It makes me wonder what else I may have “picked up.” The verse actually reads “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” Isaiah 11:6.

So you may say that it’s apples and oranges, different yet the same. That won’t fly either.

Let’s look at Mark 10:24 in the King James version of the Bible.

“And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!”

Now let’s look at the same verse in the NIV. “The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!”  I read that this morning and my stomach rolled over. Christ said it was hard for “them that trust in riches to enter the Kingdom,” The NIV left the riches part out. Apples and oranges? Not so to an unsaved soul that hears “it is hard to get to heaven.” And says to themselves, “then why try.”

Misquoting scripture can cause a doubt to be cast onto the Word of God. Not understanding it for yourself can cause a doubt in your life. Don’t assume that every good intentioned Christian knows what they’re talking about, for certain don’t assume I do. Read and study it yourself. Most of them don’t misquote scripture or say things with the intent to harm, but you can believe that Satan can use even the most subtle of things to twist the Word of God as he did to Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Genesis 3:1-3

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Eve added “neither shall ye touch it.” Satan’s words of doubt caused her misquote the Lord. And while it seemed such a small matter, we all know how that story ended…