Bible Bites Archives

Are You Confused?

“God is not the author of confusion, but of peace…” — 1 Corinthians 14:33

People often misuse this verse, just like they misuse “Judge not” in Matthew 7:1.

When a sinner is confronted with his sin, he says, “The Bible says don’t judge!”

But 1 Corinthians 2:15 says,

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

When someone hears a Bible truth they don’t understand, or they come across what seems like a contradiction in the Bible, or when the Bible doesn’t agree with their fixed opinion, they often say, “God is not the author of confusion!”

But we should never blame God for our confusion. The cure is to study the Bible rightly divided, just as 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us to.

Are You Confused About Confusion?

“God is not the author of confusion” does not mean we will understand everything the first time we hear it — or even the second or third time.

If that were true, then God didn’t write the Bible, because the Bible can be confusing at first glance. It isn’t written like a school textbook or a step‑by‑step manual. The sixty-six books of the bible are in the exact order God intended, but they are not in chronological order.

The gospel of salvation isn’t revealed until later. Some passages seem to contradict each other. And what on earth is Song of Solomon about?

If God wanted everything to be instantly clear, He could have written a simple children’s book: “Jesus loves you. Love Him too.”

But that’s not how He chose to reveal truth.

The problem isn’t the Bible — the problem is our own ignorance.

Just because we don’t understand something doesn’t mean the Bible isn’t true. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us,

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Everyone has been confused about spiritual things at some point. Confusion simply means we haven’t learned yet. Our lack of understanding is not God’s fault.

When God Does Cause Confusion

There are times when God intentionally confused people.

At Babel, He confused their languages.

Jesus spoke parables that only those with “ears to hear” could understand.

And Paul says God will send “strong delusion” in the future (2 Thessalonians 2:11).

So what does Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 14:33?

In what way is God not the author of confusion?

Today, God is the author of grace and peace through Jesus Christ and the church, and that is the key.

The Confused Church in Corinth

Corinth was a perfect example of confusion during a change in a dispensation, a time change in which God changed the way he would deal with mankind.

There were Jews there who remembered the strict order of the law — rules for priests, sacrifices, food, marriage, and worship.

But under grace, those laws were no longer binding.

There were also Gentiles there who knew they were free from the law, but they abused their liberty. Their selfish use of spiritual gifts created chaos.

Put Jews and Gentiles together in one body, add spiritual gifts, carnal thinking, and resistance to Paul’s apostleship — and you get confusion.

Paul’s Answer to Their Confusion

Paul rebuked them for speaking in tongues when no one understood, for talking over each other, and for creating noise instead of edification.

He gave clear rules for order:

– One person speaks at a time (1 Corinthians 14:31).

– If there is no interpreter, tongues must not be spoken (14:28).

– When two or three speak, others must judge what is said (14:29).

The goal was simple: that all may learn and be comforted.

Learning requires clear communication, not chaos.

The God of Peace in All Churches

God designed this dispensation of grace to be marked by grace and peace.

He revealed the mystery of Christ.

He established one body, one Spirit, one baptism, one hope, one faith (Ephesians 4:3–5).

He did not design the church to be a place of disorder, division, sin, chaos, or ignorance.

Grace is not permission to run wild — that would be confusion.

He did not mix Israel’s covenants with the church, or prophecy with mystery, or law with grace.

That would be confusion as well.

God revealed His wisdom through Paul so that we would know what He is doing today and how we should respond. We no longer have an excuse to remain ignorant. We can understand what earlier generations could not, if we listen to Paul (Ephesians 3:5–10).

The church should be a place where people learn and where Bible ignorance is cured.

Sadly, people use 1 Corinthians 14:33 to avoid Bible study whenever they hear something difficult (2 Peter 3:15-16).

Who Causes Confusion?

God is not the author of confusion.

People cause confusion when they ignore Paul’s apostleship and instructions. Many people act as if they want to remove Paul’s 13 epistles from the Bible completely, simply becasue the have failed to grasp their reality.

Did God make an error of Judgment in saving Paul, giving him the revelation of a mystery relating to God’s plan that had never been previously revealed?

Did God get it wrong when He inspired Paul to write about 25–26% of the New Testament and about 6–7% of the entire Bible?

Christ did not send Paul to confuse people, but to make all men see the fellowship of the mystery (Ephesians 3:9).

If we refuse to learn the Word of truth rightly divided, we ourselves become the authors of confusion.

When Loved Ones Die

Death is terrible!

It’s man’s worst affliction, and when we die, there are usually loved ones who suffer.

There’s nothing more grievous and painful than the death of someone we love.

When a person dies with whom we’ve shared our life, our time and our love and with whom we’ve created precious memories, the pain can seem unbearable. For those who have no hope, that pain can be seen as incurable.

There’s very little comfort for those who feel they’ve lost everything and have hope in nothing.

Sometimes we cope with this grief by focusing on living our lives as the lost loved one would have wanted, and in that way, honouring their memory.

However, that does nothing to cure the pain and the consequences of death. One day we will die also. What will happen to those we leave behind? The cycle continues.

Those without hope have little comfort in the face of death, but those who know and trust the gospel have every hope. So much so that not only is death conquered by resurrection, but the sting of death is alleviated.

God teaches us this in Romans 5:12,

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

The original cause and source of death in the world is sin.

God has no pleasure in death. It is mankind’s self-inflicted injury. It started when man rebelled against God.

But God, in Christ, came to earth and died a sinless death to pay the penalty for all our sins. He conquered the source of death, which is sin and then defeated its effect when He resurrected from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:21 reads,

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

The gospel teaches that these benefits of the cross are offered to all men freely if they trust what Christ did for them.

The solution is when we’re reconciled to him through the sacrificial death of God’s own son, and we read 2 Corinthians 5:18,

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

This ministry of reconciliation is given to His ambassadors to proclaim as victory over death, hell, and the grave.

Now, there’s no need for anyone to die without hope.

Just because our loved one is saved doesn’t mean that what we suffer at their death is any less. It’s still suffering, but the sting of death is replaced with the hope of eternal reunion and resurrection at the coming of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:57 says,

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory [victory over death] through our Lord Jesus Christ.

That the dead in Christ continue to live is not something mystical or symbolic. It’s a truth that was explained by the gospel that works in those who believe. The dead, if they are in Christ, live forever. That they have died in their earthly body means they are in a different place. We know it to be a better place.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8,

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Those who die in Christ leave us to gain a higher position of existence in heavenly places. Some call death a promotion to glory for a saved person since the soul is not lost, but rather promoted ahead of us into the glory that we’re still waiting for while we’re in this earthly body.

Philippians 1:21,

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Even with this knowledge that our saved loved one lives on in an indescribably better place, the pain of that loved one’s departure is very real. But those who are also in Christ are not ruined by that pain because, even though it’s sad for us that they are no longer with us here, they are now operating in a better place with better blessings by the promise of the gospel of Christ. All is not lost.

Everyone suffers great loss when a loved one dies. Only those who face death with the hope of the gospel can be sure that the one they lost is not gone forever.

This is written in Psalm 116:15,

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

With the knowledge of the gospel, we can now understand why.

Many people ask, “Why doesn’t God stop all suffering?”

To do that, God would need to prevent life itself.

Every man, woman and child born into this present broken existence cursed by sin is subject to suffering in one way or another.

Suffering was not introduced by God. It was introduced by humanity through sin and its consequences. God has been involved in removing suffering and sin ever since. This is called salvation.

If God were to prevent all suffering immediately, then he must prevent all people born in sin from being born at all.

This would be the ultimate abortion, and would be a quick end to humanity.

God knows that life is better than death and would rather let people live with the hope of salvation than to condemn them all to certain eternal death.

If there is a sure hope of salvation, then living, even in suffering, is better than not.

God shows his will in Jesus Christ being sent to suffer and die while bringing the message of hope and life to all.

Romans 5:8,

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

And 2 Timothy 1:9-10,

Who (that’s God) hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

Hope helps people endure pain by assuring us of something much greater that is just around the corner. But some people see nothing beyond their suffering.

That’s where scripture steps in. Through the patience and comfort of the scriptures, we can have hope (Romans 15:4).

The Bible shows the evil and suffering in this world, but it also gives us a greater hope.

When God revealed the mystery of Christ to our apostle for the Body of Christ today, Paul, He gave the greatest comfort to those who suffer.

Colossians 1:27,

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

This glory is far greater than anything we suffer here.

Romans 8:18,

For I (Paul) reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

But we only see that through faith, not sight, and that faith comes by the Word of God.

Romans 10:17,

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

We trust that God can and will do what 2 Corinthians 4:14 promises,

Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

Therefore we see our suffering through the light of 2 Corinthians 4:17,

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

Romans 5:2-4 says this regarding our suffering,

By whom (Christ) also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Paul also says in Philippians 4:11,

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Suffering is real. It is not something to ignore or accept without help. The treatment is hope—and that comes by faith in God’s Word rightly divided.

Some sufferings won’t go away until glory, but we wait for the hope of righteousness by faith (Galatians 5:5).

Romans 8:24-25 says we are saved by hope,

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

The world offers temporary comforts like jokes, food, music, positive thinking, all manner of fun and amusement, but these things don’t solve the real problem. Only God does. He confronts the problem and gives the solution in Jesus Christ. We were once enemies of God, but His kindness appeared, as Titus 3:4 tells us. He loved us when no one else could. In Christ, we have forgiveness and eternal life, and that’s real comfort.

Galatians 1:4 reminds us that we live in a present evil world. Sin brings suffering, but sin was paid for at the cross. One day it will be removed completely, but until then, we trust God’s strength in our weakness.

To say every tragedy is God’s wrath is untrue and a poor testimony to His grace.

That’s not how God works today. That thinking ignores the mystery revealed to Paul. God’s not judging the world. He will one day, but He’s not today. He’s offering grace and peace (2 Corinthians 5:19–20).

Even Peter saw the delay in judgment as God’s longsuffering, as we see in 2 Peter 3:15.

God’s not dealing with the world through death and destruction. He’s offering reconciliation and heavenly hope.

When tragedy strikes, we should see it as a symptom of the broken world that Galatians 1:4 details, and let it move us to preach the gospel. Christ was made sin for us so we wouldn’t need to bear the punishment. Our hope is in heavenly places, as we see in Colossians 3:2–4 and Philippians 3:20.

God has been offering salvation to a suffering, dying humanity for thousands of years. It’s man that’s rejected His hope of salvation.

For Bible-believing Christians, suffering and death needn’t be the problem it is for a world that rejects Christ.

Does Your Pastor Believe the Bible?

Most people expect to go to church to learn about God and the truth of the Bible.
Most of those people automatically accept that the pastor or preacher believes the Bible literally and completely.
Perhaps they should question that.

A nationwide survey among a representative sample of America’s Christian pastors shows that a large majority of those pastors do not possess a biblical worldview. In fact, just slightly more than a third (37%) have a biblical worldview, and the majority—62%—possess a hybrid worldview known as syncretism, which is the blending of ideas and applications from a variety of worldviews into a unique but inconsistent combination that represents their personal preferences. More than six out of 10 pastors (62%) have a predominantly syncretistic worldview.

Here’s a link to the survey.

This poll relates to America, but comparing America’s vast recognition that God is real to what most other Western nations believe suggests that in our nation of Australia these false teaching statistics are far worse.

The modern picture of a false teacher is the cult leader dressed in robes, uniforms, or clothing that sets them apart from followers and carrying staffs, medallions, books, or other objects that suggest spiritual or ideological power.

However, there should be a real concern that today’s false teacher looks much more like the average pastor and the above research, and several others like it, provide the evidence.

These pastors and teachers are often much loved and probably genuinely believe they’re preaching Bible truth.

While the Bible speaks about false teachers, we mustn’t think this is just an ancient problem. Half of the pastors surveyed denied one or more of the following Biblical worldview positions:

The Bible is accurate in its teaching.

Jesus was sinless.

Satan exists as a real being.

God is omnipotent and omniscient.

Salvation is by grace alone.

We’re given the responsibility to evangelise.

1 Timothy 2:4 says (God) will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Paul teaches us that the front line of the spiritual battle is within the Christian community.

The Galatians were being deceived by those teaching ‘another gospel’. Let’s see Galatians 1:6-9,

I [that’s Paul] marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Paul was afraid that the Corinthians would also fall captive to false teachers preaching ‘another Jesus’, ‘another spirit’, and ‘another gospel’. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 says,

But I [Paul again] fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Later in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 Paul shows that false teachers look like the ‘apostles of Christ’ and ‘ministers of righteousness’,

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

If it’s true that appearances can be deceiving, then who do we trust and, more importantly, what do we believe?

We must go back to studying the source and learn what the Bible really says. This is the only safeguard against false teachers and false teaching.

When we do this and undertake a systematic study of God’s Word to mankind, we’ll find that the answer is the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery in Romans 16:25,

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

We can’t teach the Bible any old way; we must rightly divide it into the correct contexts, the ages and times that have been revealed piece by piece by God over many centuries.

As 2 Timothy 2:15-16 says,

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

But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

A failure to rightly divide the context, the ages and the times of the Bible affects the spiritual growth and eternal destiny of deceived millions. Romans 16:17-18 confirms this,

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

If you’re in a church with one of these pastors, then get out as fast as you can and then learn how to rightly divide and therefore understand God’s Word.

“Must Know” Doctrines About The Bible

The Bible is the most important book in history.

It defines our faith. Without it, we would not know who God is, what His will is, how salvation works, or who Jesus Christ truly is.

If someone wanted to destroy Christianity, all they would need to do is destroy the Bible and the world has been attacking the Bible for centuries.

No Bible = no Christianity.

Because of these attacks, many people now think the Bible is outdated, written by confused men, full of mistakes, and unnecessary for real spirituality. These ideas are lies.

If Christianity seems weak today, it’s because believers have not been taught the essential doctrines about the Bible. When we restore confidence in Scripture, we strengthen Christianity itself.

Here are the key doctrines every Christian must know to become a Bible believer.

Revelation — God Spoke Words

Revelation means God has spoken. The Bible is God’s revelation.

Because God is true, holy, and without error, what He says is also true, holy, and without error. This is why the Bible is called “holy.” It is sacred because of its Author.

“…by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” — Galatians 1:12

Inspiration — God’s Words Written Down

Inspiration explains how God’s words were written.

God used human writers to record His exact words. The Bible did not fall from heaven, nor was it passed down by oral tradition. God used men to write Scripture, but the words are His.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…” — 2 Timothy 3:16

Illumination — God’s Words Understood

Illumination means the Bible can be understood.

God did not write a book no one could grasp. He wants all people to know the truth and study it for themselves.

To understand Scripture:

We need faith (Romans 10:17).
We need the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:12–14).
We must follow Paul’s instructions (2 Timothy 2:7).

“Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding…” — 2 Timothy 2:7

Utilisation — God’s Words Must Be Used

God expects us to use the Bible.

We are told to preach it, teach it, study it, rightly divide it, believe it, obey it, and live by it.

We need Scripture because faith comes only from hearing God’s Word.

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning…” — Romans 15:4

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” — Romans 10:17

Canonisation — God’s Words Complete & Sufficient

Canonisation explains how the Bible became a complete and finished book.

The Bible is all we need. Nothing is missing. We do not need extra traditions, visions, feelings, or religious authorities to complete it.

God said many things not recorded in Scripture, but what He wants us to know is contained in the sixty‑six books of the Bible.

“…that the man of God may be perfect…” — 2 Timothy 3:16–17

Preservation — God’s Words Kept Through History

If God inspired Scripture but did not preserve it, we would not have His words today.

Preservation means God kept His words intact throughout history, even though the original manuscripts no longer exist.

Without preservation, revelation and inspiration would be useless.

If God can preserve this earth’s ability to function and sustain life, He can certainly preserve His word the way He wants us to hear it.

“Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them…” — Psalm 12:7

Identification — God’s Words in Your Hands Today

This doctrine explains how you know which Bible truly contains God’s preserved words.

Many books claim to be the Bible. Because God inspired only one set of words, believers must identify which Bible preserves them accurately.

This is why many Christians conclude that God’s perfectly preserved words in English are found in the King James Bible — a conclusion based on the doctrine of identification.

“…ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God…” — 1 Thessalonians 2:13

The Effect on Those Who Believe

The Thessalonians had to identify God’s words before those words worked in them.

Many Christians today are not being changed by Scripture because they cannot identify God’s words among hundreds of translations.

If you doubt preservation, sufficiency, inspiration, or identification, confusion will follow — and Christianity becomes powerless.

“Let God be true, but every man a liar.” — Romans 3:3–4

Christians are people of a Book. If we strengthen our understanding of these doctrines, our faith will grow.

Single‑Verse Doctrines — A Warning

False doctrines often come from one isolated verse.

The Bible has 31,102 verses. Important truths appear in many places, not just one.

If someone builds a doctrine from a single verse, or defends it aggressively, it is wise to step back.

Cherry‑picking verses creates confusion and heresy.

Bible truth must reconcile all verses in their proper context.

Stop Cherry Picking

Many Christians highlight verses that support their beliefs and ignore those that don’t.

This leads to debates where both sides cherry-pick different verses — and neither sees the full picture.

Truth requires:

context,
comparison,
and reconciliation of all Scripture.

Every verse matters. We should not go cherry-picking.

Major Doctrines Are Affected by Translation Differences

There are hundreds of English Bible versions with thousands of differences.

Do not believe the claim that “no major doctrine is affected.”

Differences touch verses about:

Christ’s deity,

the Trinity,

the virgin birth,

the resurrection,

and the sufficiency of Scripture.

Words like dispensation, study, and rightly dividing are removed from most modern versions.

A Bible missing words is like a team missing players, a hand missing fingers, or a mouth missing teeth — you can still function, but not well.

A Bible imperfectly preserved is not as good as one perfectly preserved.

This is why many believers choose the King James Bible.

Can The New Covenant Rob Us?

Have you ever signed up for something without really knowing what you were agreeing to?

Maybe it looked free at first, but later you found out there was a high cost. You were deceived and robbed.

God is not a cheater.

But many pastors unintentionally rob believers of their riches in Christ when they place them back under Israel’s covenants — either the old covenant or the new covenant — without understanding what those covenants actually mean.

Most Christians just accept that we’re under the New Covenant today, much as they accept breakfast as being the first meal of the day, because that’s all they’ve ever heard and they have never seen the need to study that out further.

Old Covenant Warnings

A pastor might put you under the old covenant given to Moses. He may talk about the blessings that come from obedience, but later he will warn you about curses if you fail — especially when it comes to tithing.

But Scripture says:

You are not under the law (Romans 6:14).

You are free from its bondage (Galatians 5:1).

Christ was made a curse for us (Galatians 3:13).

Under the old covenant, you were required to tithe or else you were “robbing God” and could be cursed (Malachi 3:8). If a pastor puts you back under that system, he is robbing you of what Christ already freed you from.

Many people accept old covenant teaching because it promises physical blessings — but they don’t realise what they’re signing up for. We need something better than the old covenant.

New Covenant Warnings

Hebrews describes something better than the old covenant: the new covenant (Hebrews 8:6–8).

A pastor might say the old covenant was inadequate, but the new covenant is better because it requires Christ.

But be careful — you can still be robbed.

“What’s wrong with the new covenant?”

Nothing — if you are Israel.

The new covenant is God’s promise of future salvation for Israel. It belongs to Hebrews who:

do not yet have complete salvation,
do not know the mystery,
and are waiting for Christ to bring in their promised earthly kingdom.

But we, as believers today, already have:

atonement now (Romans 5:11),
forgiveness now (Ephesians 1:7),
salvation as a present possession (1 Corinthians 1:18),
a complete position in Christ (Colossians 2:10),
and all spiritual blessings now (Ephesians 1:3).

Israel’s new covenant blessings are future, not present (Hebrews 8:11–13; Romans 11:25–27). Their forgiveness, grace, and full salvation will come when Christ returns (Acts 3:19; 1 Peter 1:13).

So yes, the new covenant is better than the old — but it is not yet complete.

If a pastor puts us under the new covenant, he robs us of our already-complete standing in Christ and the unsearchable riches of grace given to the Body of Christ (Ephesians 3:8).

Many Christians accept new covenant teaching because it talks about Christ — but they don’t realise they’re being placed under a covenant that is not theirs. You need something better if you want to enjoy complete salvation now.

Things Excellent

Paul prayed that believers would “approve things that are excellent” (Philippians 1:10). Before accepting any covenant teaching, we should ask: Is this excellent? Is this for me?

What is better than the old covenant?

The new covenant.

What is better than the new covenant today?

The mystery of Christ, where God offers complete salvation and grace freely to all.

The church today does not operate under Israel’s covenants — which are either inadequate (old covenant) or incomplete (new covenant).

If we are saved by the gospel of Christ, we receive salvation now, freely, by grace through faith in Christ’s finished work. We receive all the riches of grace according to the mystery.

Why sign a contract for something you already have for free?

We should not let anyone rob us with teachings about shadows, types, or laws meant for Israel.

“Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” — Colossians 2:17

If we are saved today, we are in the Body of Christ, not in a covenant.

If we are saved today and have the unsearchable riches of God’s grace, we should be careful not to be robbed by signing up for one of Israel’s covenants.

How To Be Wise

Most people expect to go to church to learn about God and the truth of the Bible.
Most of those people automatically accept that the pastor or preacher believes the Bible literally and completely.

Maybe you’ve always thought of yourself as a simple, everyday person. Not highly educated, not scholarly or intellectual, not someone who uses big words or collects degrees. You’re not trying to be impressive or important.

God does not want us to be proud or think too highly of ourselves. But He does want us to understand His will, as Ephesians 5:17 states,

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

So if life feels confusing — like a puzzle you can’t seem to solve — the question is: how do you get wisdom? How does a person become truly wise?

Step One: Faith

The best place to begin is with Scripture.

Paul says the Scriptures “are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith” (2 Timothy 3:15). Without faith, we cannot receive God’s wisdom, as 1 Corinthians 2:14 says,

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Faith grows when we hear the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Reading and hearing the Bible is like putting all the puzzle pieces on the table. Do we believe God can make us wise? Then we must open our Bible and listen to Him.

Step Two: Understanding

But simply having the puzzle pieces on the table does not mean we understand the picture. Reading the Bible and understanding the Bible are not the same thing.

Understanding is when we start connecting the pieces. Each piece must be examined carefully so we know where it fits. We can’t force pieces together that don’t belong. We must keep their original shape, or we’ll have a completely distorted final picture.

This is the way we should study the Bible. We look at each passage by its “shape”: which is the context, who is speaking, who is being spoken to, the subject, the timing, and the details. When two pieces fit together, you gain understanding.

Real understanding requires dividing the Bible, the Word of truth, correctly.

2 Timothy 2:15 instructs us to do this,

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

If we can connect the pieces correctly, we will grow rapidly in understanding. If we don’t, we may end up “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7).

Step Three: Knowledge

If understanding is connecting the pieces, knowledge is when the picture starts to appear. Knowledge is seeing the big picture formed by the pieces we’ve already correctly connected.

Knowledge is that moment when we’ve put together all the edge pieces and suddenly realise how big the puzzle is. It always seems smaller than we expected, because what was once blurry and confused becomes clear.

When we gain knowledge from the Bible, we have truth. We can now see the picture God intended. We couldn’t see it before because everything was scattered and made little sense, but now we know better.

Approaching the Bible this way shows us God’s will and the truth of how His will is being accomplished, especially today and in the present world we live in.

Step Four: Wisdom

Once we can see the big picture, we are ready for wisdom.

Wisdom is simply using the right knowledge in the right way and acting on what we know to be true.

What is required?

Faith is required for wisdom — if we don’t believe what God says, we won’t act on it.
Understanding is required for wisdom — if we can’t put together God’s will, we won’t know what it is we are to do (Colossians 1:9).
Knowledge is required for wisdom — if you don’t know God’s truth, you can’t use it.

But even if we know God’s plan for the ages, we must use the Bible correctly. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:7,

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

This mystery has now been revealed to us.

If we ignore the revelation of the mystery of Christ — God’s will for us today — we may use the Bible wrongly, which is unwise (Ephesians 5:17).

Be Wise

Colossians 2:2–3 says all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery.

We can be wise. It becomes simple when we believe God, see the big picture of His purpose, and live according to what we know of Christ revealed in the mystery. If we do this, we are wise.

And if we keep walking daily according to this knowledge, we will also become a faithful, wise man — which is even better.

Do We Worship Paul?

When we do an intensive study of the book of Romans or any of Paul’s thirteen epistles and the revelation Christ gave to him, people sometimes accuse us of “worshipping Paul”. They say, “You follow Paul more than Jesus!”

That is completely false.

The only way to truly worship and glorify God is to follow the instructions He gives through His chosen messengers. We do not worship Paul. Paul is not God. But God sent Paul as His apostle to the Gentiles and to the Body of Christ (Romans 11:13), and our instructions for today come through him.

This pattern is not new. God has always used messengers — and His people honoured God by obeying those messengers, not by worshipping them.

The Prophets Were Not Worshipped

“God… spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.” — Hebrews 1:1

In the past, God sent prophets to Israel. Israel was required to listen to them, but never to worship them.

The first commandment forbids worshipping anyone but God, as we see in Exodus 34:14.

Obeying the prophets was obedience to God — not worship of the prophets.

John the Baptist Was Not Worshipped

John the Baptist was a great prophet.

Jesus said in Luke 7:28 that no prophet was greater than John.

But John openly declared:

“I am not the Christ.” — John 1:20

John’s office was important, but he was still only a messenger. Israel worshipped God by obeying John’s call to repentance and water baptism (Matthew 3:11), not by worshipping John himself.

Even today, some groups elevate John’s ministry beyond what God intended, ignoring the further revelation that came afterwards.

Peter Was Not Worshipped

Peter’s message was greater than John’s.

He preached the risen Messiah and the kingdom. He had miraculous power from the Holy Ghost. Some people even tried to worship him.

“Cornelius… fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.” — Acts 10:25

But Peter refused:

“Stand up; I myself also am a man.” — Acts 10:26

Peter was God’s messenger, not God Himself.

To worship God at that time meant to follow Peter’s message about Christ and the kingdom.

Paul Was Not Worshipped

Paul received even further revelation — the mystery of Christ, kept secret since the world began.

He was sent with a new message, to a new audience, with a new destiny: the dispensation of God’s grace.

Some tried to worship Paul as well:

“They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius…” — Acts 14:12

Paul immediately rejected this:

“We also are men of like passions with you…” — Acts 14:15

Paul was not to be worshipped.

But in this present dispensation, we worship God by obeying the message Christ gave through Paul.

Paul’s message is Jesus Christ and Him crucified, revealed according to the mystery. Studying Paul’s epistles magnifies Christ’s work, not Paul himself.

Worshipping God Today

Magnifying the office of a messenger is not worshipping the messenger. It is simply recognising the authority God gave them.

Paul said:

“I magnify mine office.” — Romans 11:13

We do not worship Paul.

We worship God through Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery (Romans 16:25–27).

To worship God today is to follow the instructions He gave through the apostle He sent to us — Paul.

What About The King James Bible?

You probably won’t do this, but it could change your whole attitude to the Bible if you do.

Take a King James Bible and an NIV. Open both to Matthew, and read them side by side. You won’t get far before you’re shocked.

The changes aren’t small—they’re serious.

In Matthew alone, the KJV mentions God 40 more times than the NIV. Christ is mentioned 20 more times. “The Lord” is removed 40 times. Jesus is missing from Matthew 8:29, 13:36, 15:30, 16:20, 17:11, 17:20, and 24:2. God is gone from 6:33, 19:17, 21:12, 22:30, 22:32, and 23:8. “Son of Man” is removed from 25:13.

These aren’t just translation choices—they’re text issues. The names of God are erased.

This goes all the way back to Genesis 3 and Satan’s question to Eve: “Yea, hath God said?”—and 2 Corinthians 2:17, where Paul warns that “many” were already corrupting the Word.

The root of the problem is the Westcott-Hort Greek text, which came from Gnostic and Roman Catholic sources such as Origen of Alexandria, who didn’t believe Jesus was God, and Constantine, who wanted a Bible that fitted his empire. And Eusebius, who helped him get it.

Modern translations follow that same corrupt line from Westcott and Hort, Douay-Rheims, Latin Vulgate, Vaticanus, Sinaiticus, Constantine, Eusebius, Origen, and all the way back to Satan’s first attack.

There’s a comprehensive list of links under this article that will show how newer translations remove names of deity and weaken Christ’s identity.

One missing word—like “not”—can change a sentence.

In Mark, Jesus is missing from 5:13, 6:34, 7:27, and 9:24. God is gone from 11:24. In 14:45, Jesus is called “Master” instead of “Lord”—a title used by His enemies. These changes are subtle; most people don’t notice what’s missing, but they’re serious.

In Luke 4:4, “by every word of God” is gone. In Luke 4:41, “Christ the Son of God” is missing. In John 16:16, “because I go to the Father” is gone. In Acts 3:36, 4:24, 7:30, 7:32, 7:37, and 8:37, names like Jesus, God, and the Lord are removed—or the whole verse is gone. Acts 8:37, where the Ethiopian eunuch confesses Jesus as the Son of God, is either missing or bracketed.

In John 3:16, the KJV says “only begotten Son.” New versions say “one and only Son,” which contradicts Scripture. Israel is called God’s firstborn son in Exodus 4:22, and believers are sons by adoption (Galatians 4). Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, or Christianity is false.

In Luke 2:33, the KJV says “Joseph and his mother.” New versions say “his father and mother,” making Joseph Jesus’ father. That’s a direct attack on His deity.

Mark 1:2 in the KJV says “as it is written in the prophets”—plural. New versions say “Isaiah,” then quote Malachi. That’s a factual error.

Mark 9 warns about hell three times. Those verses are missing in Westcott-Hort, Vaticanus, and Sinaiticus. Remove them, and you lose the cross-reference to Isaiah 66.

Mark 16 has three endings. Some translations stop at verse 8, skipping 9–20. Those verses include snake handling, tongues, and healing. As dispensationalists, we know those verses belong to Israel’s tribulation commission. You don’t cut out verses just because you don’t understand them.

John 1:18 in the KJV says “only begotten Son.” The NASB says “only begotten God”—a dangerous reading that matches the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible.

The Jehovah’s Witness interlinear bible even thanks Westcott and Hort.

Don’t let anyone tell you the differences don’t matter. They do. They affect doctrine. They affect how we see Jesus.

The King James Bible comes from the preserved line. The new ones come from a polluted stream. That’s not opinion. You can easily study this out yourself.

Just search “defending the King James.” You’ll find more than you can read in a week. And don’t be fooled by scholars like F.F. Bruce or James White who say 1 John 5:7 isn’t in any Greek manuscript.

Edward F. Hills, a Yale scholar, shows it is—in Codex Ravianus, manuscript 88, and 629. It was quoted before Vaticanus and Sinaiticus even existed. It was quoted in the first, second, and third centuries and found in early church writings.

Don’t let critics shake your faith.

Prejudice is judging without facts. We don’t need to memorise everything—just know where to look.

The New American Standard Bible (NASB) came from the failed American Standard Version of 1901. Dewey Lockman, a postmillennial businessman, wanted a new Bible to make money.

The Lockman Foundation also owns the Amplified Bible. Their theology denies the Second Coming and the Kingdom—and that bias shows in their Bibles, even though it’s often subtle.

Look at history.

Wycliffe gave us the first English Bible in the 1380s. Gutenberg’s press came in 1450. Tyndale’s translation followed in the 1500s.

Luther’s work shook Europe. Rome fought back with the Jesuit Douay-Rheims Bible. The Reformation’s goal was to get God’s Word into the hands of common people. Rome violently opposed that.

Tyndale prayed God would open the king’s eyes. The Bible we hold today came through blood.

Since Eden, there’s been a battle between the pure Word and the corrupted one. That battle still goes on.

In 1881, Westcott and Hort mixed corrupt texts with pure ones, weakening the truth about Jesus. Now we’ve got so many versions that people don’t know what to believe. Satan’s trick is working—confuse the people so they trust nothing.

It’s not just the Pope anymore. Now it’s radio and TV preachers saying, “That verse is wrong.”

Even the renowned Charles Swindoll said the King James didn’t help us much.

But it’s not about what we like; it’s about which Bible comes from the right text. The King James Bible comes from the majority text. It keeps the deity of Christ, the names of God, and the full verses.

The Authorised Version is God’s preserved Word. Be a Bible believer, not a Bible corrector. So now you know there’s a much wider problem than simply modernising the bible, and God holds us responsible for what we know.

Look at our comprehensive list of links below to get a huge amount of information on bible manuscripts, translators and texts.

Books…

The King James Version Defended – Edward F Hills

Which Bible? – David Otis Fuller

The History Of Your Bible – Proving the King James to be the perfectly preserved words of God – Terence D Mclean

Evaluating Versions of the New Testament – Everett W Fowler

God Only Wrote One Bible – James Jasper Ray – PDF

Videos by Terry McLean.

Please note!

The original Vimeo versions of these teachings are of poor quality.

I have enhanced the voice quality of these videos, and these are the enhanced versions…

Video – Terry McLean – Bible Manuscripts – Part 1