What others say about the Word is not the Word. https://www.pexels.com/photo/assorted-books-on-shelf-1370295/
[Mar 7:13 NKJV] 13 "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."
[Jesus taught that if religious tradition try to explain away the power promised in God’s Word, “making the Word of no effect,” chances are it’s a tradition of man from this world and not from God and the Word. Tips 18-25 look closer at common traditions taught in the church that say that we can’t always rely on the healing, and other benefits promised in God’s Word. These teachings sow unbelief and double-mindedness in believers and need to be addressed and balanced with the totality of God’s Word.]
[Gal 5:10 NLT] 10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.
[Jhn 8:32 NLT] 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
[Jhn 17:17 NLT] 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.
[God’s Word is the key to determining what is truth. The following discussions try to balance all of God’s Scriptures on these church teachings. You may be aware that there is currently division in the greater church body on many of these prayer related issues. These wrong traditions come from both sides of the proverbial aisle —the Pentecostal, Charismatic, free-will, word of faith traditions, as well as more mainline, traditional, pre-destination, fundamentalist, grace emphasizing traditions. Rather than two sides of the aisle—a better metaphor might be a campfire ring where there are multiple sides. Regardless of which tradition you currently lean toward, my hope is that you will see these two/many traditions are part of a larger truth, and as we study the Word, we inevitably move toward the middle, closer to the center aisle or campfire and the truth.
I heard one more analogy that rings true. Back in the Midwest the dirt roads have a deep ditch on either side to contain rainfall so the road doesn’t flood. If you start to run off into one ditch, the tendency is to overcorrect and the next thing you know you are in the ditch on the other side of the road. The same is true with our journey in the Word. More often than not, people see the error and excesses of one tradition and overcorrect, unknowingly ending up in error on the other side. The safest place to be is down the middle of the road and staying out of the ditches.
Because I grew up in a more traditional, mainline background—with some odd variations—I will start with some wrong teachings I have heard from that background, that I believe affected my prayer life, causing unbelief.
Please remember as stated in the Preface that there is NO condemnation from God (Ro. 8:1) on our stance on these teachings, they do not affect your salvation. Also, remember Jesus’ prayer for us to being unified and not divisive on these issues.]
[Jhn 17:20-22 NKJV] 20 [Jesus prayed to the Father…] "I do not pray for these [His disciples] alone, but also for those [His future followers—us!] who will believe in Me through their word; 21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, [are] in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us [through the Holy Spirit], that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one]
[It is important to never let these issues become so divisive that they cause strife in the church body. Scriptures warns that all strife comes from pride.]
[Pro 13:10 KJV] 10 Only by pride cometh contention[strife]: but with the well advised [is] wisdom.
[My hope and prayer is that we can humbly look at what God’s Word says on these church teachings and traditions, letting the Word have the final say.]
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