Author’s Note: This is the first of a 2 part article. As the original article was too long for a blog post it will be published in 2 sections. Part 2 can be found here.
I’ve never been a champion of the theory that the Seven Churches of Asia presentation in Revelation is a prophetic outline or schematic of a linear timeline of the Christian Church. That is I don’t subscribe to the idea that the Ephesian church and her reputation (faults and triumphs) indicated the predominant attitude and practice of the church right after Jesus’ ascension. I do not believe that because the Church at Laodicea is the last church discussed in that passage, it must represent the state of the church that would exist in the last days or the days adjacent to the second coming of Jesus.
However, if we could surmise a proper exegesis of scripture on the basis of the practices of people, our time would present an attractive argument in persuading me to change my mind. For indeed, what we see now is a well-defined system where the pew (or people in general) are being allowed by the pulpit or church leadership to formulate theology and preach it to each other. Their theology is formed on the basis of their own “whimsical” convoluted logic ladened personal ideas. Their tacit allusion to scripture, in an effort to validate their positions, is both intellectually irresponsible and spiritually criminal. They neither know the scriptures nor are authorized to speak on their behalf. It is what the Bible calls teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Actually, that is not even accurate because they are teaching their own ‘off the cuff’ ideas and opinions as if they were well thought out Bible alternatives or what the Bible calls Man’s Commandments.
An example of their cavalier manipulation of scripture can easily be displayed in the self-serving ranting of a disillusioned and deceived Tonex in his interview with Lexi. You can watch the interview below. He claims that his relationship with God is intact and that his access to the eternal joys of Heaven is secure because he told the truth about his sexual orientation and “sexual experiments.” He uses as his proof text the presentation in John 8 where the Bible states that “you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” He, like so many others, surmise from their casual observation of the scriptures that the text teaches that knowing and embracing factually accurate statements [truths] will and do set you free (where the presumption is free is synonymous with saved). Such nonsense would be laughable if it weren’t for the fact that this “wresting of the scriptures” endangers the eternal destinies of people.
There are a whole host of factually accurate truths that will not and do not set you free. Admitting that you robbed the bank in the presence of a judge having authority to decide your future may indeed indicate that you “know” the truth. But far from setting you free, such an admission will most surely result in your incarceration.
Let’s cut to the chase for a moment and understand the actual lesson the ‘set free’ passage in John 8 presents. In John 8:32 Jesus addresses the Jews who believed on him after his defense of whom he was. (30 As he spake these words, many believed on him. 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (Joh 8:30-32 KJV))
He encourages these believing Jews to continue in his words and then states “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. The truth here represents two aspects of Jesus: His word and his person. For if we confer with verse 36 we will have a clear indication that the truth is in fact Jesus and not a generic factually accurate statement. “If the son, therefore, shall make you free you are free indeed.” In verse 32 ‘truth’ is the agent making someone free. In verse 36 ‘truth’ is the son (i.e. Jesus) that is making someone free.
Therefore, this passage only allows us to correctly understand its meaning when we associate freeing truth with Jesus. All attempts to make the passage legitimize the idea that stating, presenting or espousing independent sets of factually accurate statements are freeing as in salvific and enjoy a Biblical endorsement is a gross abuse of scripture. Consequently, any confidence in the belief that having embraced said liberating facts has secured a place in peaceful heaven is nothing more than a false and dangerous hope.
